Golden State Warriors' guard Leandro Barbosa (on the floor) tries to pass the ball as Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers tries to check him during the first half at American Airlines Arena Tuesday. — Reuters MIAMI — Stephen Curry scored 40 points and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Miami Heat 114-97 Tuesday, stretching their NBA win streak to six games.
Golden State improved to 11-2, 2.5 games ahead of Sacramento atop the Pacific division, while the Heat fell to 8-7, 2.5 games behind pace-setter Washington in the Atlantic division.
Curry also contributed seven assists and six rebounds for the Warriors, who had 24 points from Klay Thompson, 12 points from Harrison Barnes and 11 from Draymond Green.
Australian center Andrew Bogut scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He had been questionable with an eye injury that sidelined him after the first quarter of a Sunday victory over Oklahoma City.
Chris Bosh led Miami with 26 points and nine rebounds while Britain's Luol Deng had 16 points and Mario Chalmers added 14 points.
Hawks 106, Wizards 102
Jeff Teague led the way with 28 points and a 22-5 fourth quarter run propelled the Atlanta Hawks to victory over the Washington Wizards.
Atlanta (7-5) turned a tight but sloppy contest into a 92-78 lead with 4:03 remaining but needed to rely on free throws to clinch the game after the Wizards made a late push.
John Wall scored 21 points for the Wizards (9-4), who had won five of six before Tuesday's loss left them 2-1/2 games off the Eastern Conference lead.
Nuggets 114, Bulls 109
Ty Lawson had 20 points and 12 assists, including a big basket late on, as the Denver Nuggets beat the injury-ravaged Chicago Bulls to win their fifth game in a row.
Jimmy Butler scored 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and forward Pau Gasol contributed 22 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago.
The Bulls (9-6), down two frontcourt players at the start of the game, lost guard Derrick Rose to left hamstring tightness in the first half.
Kings 99, Pelicans 89
Omri Casspi, playing for injured starter Rudy Gay, scored 14 of his team-high 22 points in the second half and center DeMarcus Cousins added 22 points and 13 rebounds to lift the Sacramento Kings to victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Sacramento (9-5) is off to its best start since getting out of the gate 13-5 in 2004-05. The Pelicans fell to 7-6.
Bucks 98, Pistons 86
Brandon Knight scored 20 points and O.J. Mayo added 17 as the Milwaukee Bucks won for the first time in three games with a victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Mayo, in the starting lineup for the first time this season, made 5-of-10 shots to lead the way for the Bucks (8-7). — Agencies
