Durant posts triple-double as undermanned Warriors repel Hornets

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kevin Durant had 35 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Charlotte Hornets, 101-87, on Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time) without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

It was Durant's first triple-double of the season and his second since joining the Warriors before last season.

Klay Thompson scored seven of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Warriors, who have won five straight overall and seven in a row against the Hornets.

Curry will be sidelined for about two weeks with a sprained ankle, while Green is nursing a sore shoulder.

It hardly mattered.

Durant set the tone, scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the first quarter to help the Warriors build a 26-18 lead. The edge increased to 26 in the second quarter following back-to-back 3-pointers by Nick Young, who had 10 points.

Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 24 points, while Nic Batum added 15 and Dwight Howard 14.

Charlotte's two big men off the bench — Cody Zeller and Frank Kaminsky — both left with injuries and did not return. Kaminsky injured his ankle in the first quarter, and Zeller left in the fourth with a strained left knee.

Charlotte cut the lead to 11 at the end of the third quarter behind 10 points from Batum but didn't make a serious run at the lead thanks to a strong fourth quarter from Thompson.

Golden State (20-6) had 24 fast-break points against a team that had been allowing the second-fewest fast-break points in the league at 7.5 per game.

With Curry out, the Warriors shared duty on bringing the ball up with Durant, Quinn Cook and Andre Iguodala all working as pseudo point guards.