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 The Warriors eased their coach's anxieties before the end of the
first half.
Despite allowing 44 points to Kobe Bryant, the Warriors pounded the
Lakers 136-115 at Staples Center.
Guard Stephen Curry scored 30 points and dished out 15 assists in
three quarters as the Warriors (8-2) captured their third in a row
and dealt the Lakers (1-9) a fourth straight defeat. Curry connected
on 10 of 19 shots, including five of nine 3-point attempts.
Kerr called the matchup with the Lakers a "100 percent total trap
game" since the Warriors were coming off a win Saturday at home over
the Charlotte Hornets. However, guard Klay Thompson said he and his
teammates had little concern about being prepared.
"We have championship aspirations, and that's not crazy to think
about," said Thompson, who finished with 18 points. "The great teams
play every night. It doesn't matter who's in front of you. You have
to respect your opponent. Even though the Lakers have struggled --
they only have one win -- we still respect them. They got one of the
best players in the game still, some good young talent."
 Golden State reserve center Marreese Speights finished with a
season-high 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Center Andrew Bogut
scored 15 and pulled down 10 rebounds, and forward Harrison Barnes
added 14 points.
"Doesn't surprise me. He's extremely talented," Thompson said of
Speights. "He can really go. Not a lot of big men in this league can
score like him, score from the outside and finish around the rim.
He's really a talented player."
Bryant, who bounced back from a virus that slowed him Friday in Los
Angeles' loss to the San Antonio Spurs, converted 15 of 34 attempts
but missed nine of 12 3-point tries. He didn't play in the fourth
quarter.
Lakers center Jordan Hill scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
"It is what is," Bryant said of his team's poor play.
The Warriors dominated early and led by as much as 19 in the first
quarter. They scored 34, 40 and 41 points in the opening three
quarters before the reserves took over in the final period.
"The only thing we could have done better is defensive rebounding,"
said Curry, whose club held a 51-48 edge on the boards but was
outrebounded 20-11 on the offensive end.
Golden State coasted to a 74-55 halftime lead as four players
reached double figures. Speights led the way with 16 points, while
Bogut had 15, Curry 13 and Thompson 12. Speights and Bogut combined
to make 12 of 16 field goals before the break.
The Warriors stretched the lead to 115-79 after three quarters.
Laker coach Byron Scott was left fuming about his club's lack of
effort.
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"Patience is running thin," Scott said. "It has nothing to do
with execution. On that (defensive) end of the floor, you can only
execute if you're going through it hard, if you're playing hard and
giving that energy and effort. Like I said, if you remember. (Golden
State's) first eight points were layups."
Scott said he let his players know they must play better.
"It's just going to be a very short leash," he said. "Maybe some
guys can't go eight, nine, 10 minutes straight. Maybe it's two and
three minutes, I don't know. But if I see in my eyes that you're not
giving that effort, then I'll just pull guys out."
Golden State hit 53.1 percent of its field goals compared to only
33.9 percent for the Los Angeles in the first half. The Warriors
also converted seven of 15 from behind the 3-point arc in the half
to three of 10 for the Lakers.
Overall, the Warriors shot 53.5 percent to 39.4 for the Lakers.
Golden State finished 14 of 28 on 3-pointers, while Los Angeles
managed three of 16.
Golden State prevailed without forward David Lee, who missed the
game due to a strained left hamstring.
The Lakers lost forward Ryan Kelly in the second quarter after he
re-injured his strained right hamstring.
NOTES: Lakers PG Jeremy Lin was scoreless with one assist in 22
minutes before coach Byron Scott yanked him. "He just made some bad
choices tonight offensively," Scott said. ... Injured Los Angeles
G/F Nick Young is expected to return Tuesday in Atlanta against the
Hawks. Los Angeles then visits the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and
the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. ... The Lakers celebrated the 80th
birthday of Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor with a halftime tribute. Fans
also received replica Baylor jerseys. ... Golden State will have
four days off before hosting the Utah Jazz on Friday. ... Former
Lakers star Shaquille O'Neal, now a TNT personality, attended the
game.
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