OAKLAND – With every member of the team getting into the game, the Warriors cruised to their most lopsided win of the season with a 126-86 dispatching of the 76ers Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.
It was the biggest victory margin of the season for the Warriors.
Marreese Speights, who in recent weeks had fallen from spectacular to solid, led the way against his former team with a game-high 23 points.
Six other Warriors finished in double figures. Reserve guard Leandro Barbosa made a spirited effort to return to the rotation, finishing with 17 points off the bench. Klay Thompson had 14 points, Stephen Curry and David Lee 13 apiece, Justin Holiday added 11 and Draymond Green had 10.
In winning their ninth consecutive home game, the Warriors (25-5) racked up a season-high 19 steals and maintained their unbeaten record (9-0) against Eastern Conference opponents.
The Warriors shot 55.4 percent from the floor and forced 28 Philadelphia turnovers, off which they scored 43 points. They limited the 76ers (4-26) to 38.4 percent shooting from the field.
STANDOUT PERFORMER:
Speights wins the honor for his resurgent performance. After reaching the 20-point barrier three times in November, this was his first such performance in December. The veteran center/forward hit 9-of-13 attempts, adding four rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots.
Also making a comeback of sorts was Barbosa. After averaging 4 minutes per game over the past eight games – including three in which he never left the bench – he was very effective in put in 17 energetic minutes.
TURNING POINT:
After opening the game with three missed shots and two turnovers, the Warriors found themselves down 6-0 with 9:56 left in the first quarter. They woke up and roared back with a vengeance, finishing the quarter on a 32-11 run to take a 32-17 lead entering the second quarter.
Philadelphia got no closer than 13 after that as the Warriors steadily pulled away.
INJURY UPDATE:
C Andrew Bogut (chondromalacia/bone edema, right knee) and C Festus Ezeli (sprained left ankle) are out indefinitely.
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Warriors return to action Friday night, when they face the Raptors, who have the best record in the Eastern Conference, at Oracle Arena.
