Warriors get big win after slow start against Bucks

OAKLAND - Stephen Curry scored 28 points with six 3-pointers and the Golden State Warriors overcame a sluggish start to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-92 on Saturday night.

Draymond Green added eight points, eight rebounds and 10 assists, Klay Thompson scored 21 points and Matt Barnes made back-to-back 3-pointers to spark a big run in the second quarter and help the Warriors complete a season sweep of the Bucks.

Golden State improved to an NBA-best 55-14 with its second consecutive win by 25 points or more. It was also the Warriors’ third consecutive victory overall following a season-high, three-game losing streak.

The win came on the heels of news that All-Star Kevin Durant, out since spraining a knee ligament on Feb. 28, has progressed to taking jump shots, an encouraging sign for a team trying to hold on to the top spot in the West.

Golden State has been inconsistent since losing Durant and fell behind by 14 early in the opening period Saturday before outscoring the Bucks 36-15 in the second quarter.

Barnes made consecutive 3-pointers, scored seven consecutive points and fed Thompson for a short jumper to spark a 23-6 run, while Curry provided the game’s signature moment with a 33-foot shot just before halftime that brought the Oracle crowd to its feet.

The Warriors led by 27 in the third, allowing coach Steve Kerr to rest his starters for most of the fourth for a second consecutive game.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 18 points while Greg Monroe had 12 points with seven rebounds for Milwaukee.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Milwaukee shot 23.8 percent in the second quarter. ... Matthew Dellavedova was booed by the Oracle crowd every time he touched the ball. Dellavedova played at nearby St. Mary’s in college but is best remembered in these parts for helping the Cavaliers rally from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Warriors in the NBA Finals last season.

Warriors: Kerr is encouraged by what he’s seeing from Durant. “I watched him go from sitting in a chair shooting to standstill shooting to now jump shooting,” Kerr said. “He’s clearly making progress. It’s great.”

Two days after putting up 21 points in the first quarter against Orlando, Thompson was shut out in the first against Milwaukee but came back to score seven in a row to open the fourth.