Curry scores 41 points as Warriors hold off Pelicans

OAKLAND, California (AP):

Stephen Curry stepped back time and again and released the ball from way back. Most of the time with at least one defender in his face, too.

"It's insane what he does," coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry scored 41 points with nine 3-pointers to become the first player in NBA history to make eight or more 3s in three straight games, and the Golden State Warriors held off the New Orleans Pelicans 147-140 on Wednesday night for their sixth straight win.

"When you get hot like that, you really don't see anything but the rim," Curry said. "You just try to stay on balance and get to your spot, wherever that is. Again, these are shots I work on, I have confidence in them, I know my teammates do."

Pelicans star Anthony Davis went down hard beneath the Warriors basket with 2:22 left, but was able to walk off after a few minutes and quickly returned. Davis had 30 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in nearly 41 minutes for New Orleans, coming off a 46-point and 16-rebound gem Monday night, despite starting 0 for 5 with just four points in the first quarter.

NBA RECORD

Nikola Mirotic scored 29 points, Jrue Holiday added 25 points and seven assists, while Elfrid Payton dished out 12 assists.

The Pelicans and Warriors combined for an NBA-record forty-three 3-pointers, breaking the mark by two that Sacramento and Golden State accomplished on January 5 at Golden 1 Center.

Kevin Durant hit a key 3-pointer with 5:53 to play and finished with 30 points and 15 rebounds, while Klay Thompson scored 19 points with four 3-pointers. Draymond Green had two.

Curry has twenty-eight 3-pointers in his past three games, while the Warriors made 18 or more from deep in a franchise-record fourth straight game. The 24 made 3s matched a franchise best.

"The shots that Steph made were not wide-open shots," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. "They're challenged shots, and he made them."

The two-time MVP scored 23 of his points in the third quarter, hitting four 3-pointers over the final 2:37, as the two-time defending champions rallied, taking a 110-109 lead into the fourth after Andre Iguodala's driving finger roll and ensuing free throw.

"It's once-in-a-generation, once-in-a-lifetime talent," said Durant, who could only shake his head in joy.

Golden State found their rhythm in the second half playing the second night of a back-to-back schedule. The Warriors won 142-111 at Denver on Tuesday night and this was their lone day at home during a gruelling 17-day stretch, with seven of eight games away from the Bay Area. Golden State won't play at Oracle Arena again until January 31.