Durant takes over undermanned Warriors in win over Lakers

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant scored 26 points and the injury-plagued Golden State Warriors pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 117-106, on Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time) while missing Stephen Curry on his 30th birthday and their two other All-Stars.

Zaza Pachulia returned to the starting lineup for the first time since the All-Star break and had 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the banged-up defending champions, who already had clinched a sixth straight playoff berth this week without playing.

Coach Steve Kerr's non-traditional, late-season starting lineup of Durant, Quinn Cook, Nick Young, Kevon Looney and Pachulia worked as the Warriors won their eighth straight home game.

Durant, who had averaged 38.7 points over his previous three games, shot 10 for 19 but missed six of his seven 3-point tries. He added six assists and five rebounds. Looney matched his career high with 11 points for Golden State, which had lost a rare two in a row.

Julius Randle had 22 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late as the Lakers were without starting forward Kyle Kuzma because of a sprained right ankle. Los Angeles had won two straight and three of four. Isaiah Thomas added 20 points with five 3-poitners and seven assists, while Lonzo Ball dished out 11 assists.

Curry sat for a third straight game after re-injuring his troublesome right ankle early in a March 8 win over the Spurs. He and Splash Brother Klay Thompson are both out for at least a four-game stretch and scheduled to be re-evaluated next week. Thompson has a fractured right thumb that will sideline him until March 22.

Ball's follow shot at the halftime buzzer off an off-balance missed 3 by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sent the game into intermission tied at 55. Golden State then opened the third on a 21-7 run and made seven of its first eight shots without any points from Durant.

The Warriors earned a seventh straight victory against the Lakers — Golden State's longest unbeaten run in the series — and 11th in a row in the series at Oracle Arena.