Warriors 94, Magic 81
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Golden State Warriors won their sixth consecutive game -- their longest winning streak in six years -- by breezing past the Orlando Magic 94-81 on Tuesday night.
Forward David Lee had 22 points and nine rebounds in just 28 minutes. Guard Klay Thompson had 15 points and guard Stephen Curry had nine points and eight assists. Center Andrew Bogut had eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Warriors, who never were challenged seriously after the first period, didn't use their starters in the final quarter. The Magic trailed by 20 points or more for much of the second half.
The Magic (10-21) were led by guard Arron Afflalo with 15 points and guard Jameer Nelson with 11 and six assists.
The Magic lost starting center Nikola Vucevic midway in the first quarter with a sprained left ankle, the same injury that kept him out of four games early in December. He was hurt trying to defend center Andrew Bogut, and he stepped on the foot of the opposing center.
The Warriors (20-13) have the longest winning streak in the NBA, and will try for their seventh consecutive victory Thursday in Miami.
The Warriors held a commanding 56-37 rebound edge against the Magic, who were trying to win their third consecutive game.
The Warriors took a 15-point lead into the final period after leading by as much as 25 points early in the third. They did get six points from Thompson, including the Warriors last two baskets before the period ended.
The Warriors led 58-35 at intermission, getting 16 points and six rebounds from forward David Lee. After Thompson hit a 3-pointer for the early, 11-8 lead, the Warriors never lost the momentum.
The Magic were cold in the first half, making only one of nine 3-pointers and made only 15 of 43 from the field. The Warriors' early lead also came from a 30-14 rebounding advantage at intermission.
The Warriors shot well, making 41 of 85 shots (48.2 percent).
NOTES: The Magic are pushing hard for G Arron Afflalo to reach the All-Star Game, hoping the coaches add him as a reserve next month. Afflalo is the third-highest scoring (21.9 ppg) guard in the Eastern Conference, trailing only Paul George and Kyrie Irving. In the five games leading into Tuesday, Afflalo averaged 23.8 points while shooting 60.8 percent from the field (42 of 69) and 76.5 percent (13 of 17) from 3-point range. "He is playing at an All-Star level," said Golden State coach Mark Jackson before the game. "He presents challenges for teams with the way he's playing." ... This was the second game of a seven-game road trip for the Warriors, who made a similar trip a year ago and finished 6-1 with the only loss in Orlando. Before Tuesday, the Warriors had lost four consecutive games in Orlando, and by an average of 23.3 points. In G Stephen Curry's three previous visits to Orlando, he shot just 36.4 percent from the field and averaged 16.3 points. ... The Magic came into the game having lost eight consecutive games to Western Conference opponents. ... The Warriors lead the NBA in games (13) decided by four points or fewer. They are 6-7 in those games.
