NBA: Durant back as Warriors overpower 76ers

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant returned from injury with a bang on Monday, scoring 27 points as the Golden State Warriors overpowered the Philadelphia 76ers 119-108.

Durant, who missed the Warriors previous game with a bruised left hand, showed no sign of lingering after-effects to help power the Dubs to their fourth straight victory.

The Warriors, who are already assured of a place in the playoffs, improved to a league best 50-9 after rattling up their seventh win in eight games.

Klay Thompson added 21 points for Golden State while Zaza Pachulia scored a season best 16 points.

Draymond Green chipped in with 14 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.

But it was a rare off-night for Stephen Curry. The Warriors star contributed a respectable 19 points but drew a blank from three-point range, missing all 11 of his attempts.

It was only the third time in 211 games Curry has failed to connect with at least one three-pointer.

The Warriors eventually pulled clear against an under-powered Sixers team early in the fourth quarter, moving into a 99-87 lead.

The Sixers fought back however when Golden State’s David West was called for a flagrant after a clash with Dario Saric.

Saric drained two free throws before Nik Stauskas scored to cut the Warriors lead to 99-91 with just under eight minutes left.

But that was the cue for a sustained scoring run by the Warriors, with West making three assists in quick succession to help Golden State into a 106-92 lead with just under six minutes to go.

It capped a day of disappointment for the Sixers who earlier revealed that rookie center Joel Embiid — the team’s top scorer and rebounder — faced an indefinite layoff due to a knee injury.

© Agence France-Presse