(The Sports Xchange) – Highlights of Monday’s National Basketball Association games:
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Warriors 111, Heat 103
Stephen Curry scored nine of his game-high 31 points after the Miami Heat closed within seven midway through the fourth quarter, helping the Golden State Warriors hold on for a 111-103 victory on Monday.
Golden State power forward Draymond Green recorded a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Shooting guard Klay Thompson dropped in 17 points as the Warriors (36-2) ran their home record to 18-0 this season with their 36th consecutive home-court victory overall.
The win did not come easy against a Heat team that prevailed in eight of its previous 11 trips to Oakland.
The Warriors hit only seven of their 23 three-point attempts. Even Curry struggled from beyond the arc, going 4-for-11 on a night when he was just 11-for-27 overall.
However, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player preserved his club’s seventh consecutive win with two three-pointers, a midrange jumper and one free throw over the final 4:52 to complete his 16th 30-point game of the season.
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Wizards 114, Bulls 100
Washington is dealing with numerous injuries but had no trouble beating Chicago 114-100 at the United Center on Monday.
The Wizards won their second straight game by getting points from 10 players, including seven who finished in double-figure scoring.
John Wall led the way with 17 points, 10 assists and three steals, while Garrett Temple, Otto Porter and Nene all scored 14 points in the win.
Ramon Sessions had 16 points, Gary Neal added 11 points and Drew Gooden finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds, all off the bench.
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Spurs 106, Nets 79
Forward LaMarcus Aldridge collected 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs matched the best start in team history with a 106-79 rout of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Spurs improved to 33-6, equalling the team’s best 39-game start, a mark set by the 2010-11 edition. San Antonio also posted it league-leading 14th win by at least 20 points while extending its winning streak to eight games.
Aldridge shot 12-for-17 from the floor and posted his 12th double-double. He had his 10th game with at least 20 points and was the Spurs’ leading scorer for the 11th time.
Forward Kawhi Leonard added 17 points, and rookie center Boban Marjanovic scored 13 as San Antonio won while getting quiet nights from guard Tony Parker and center Tim Duncan. Parker scored six points, while Duncan had eight.