The Golden State Warriors returned to Cleveland for the first time since raising the NBA Championship trophy last June and again left with little doubt that they’re the better team.
League top gun Stephen Curry fired in seven triples en route to 35 points, and the defending champion Warriors crushed the Cavaliers 132-98 on Monday in a rematch of the NBA Finals.
“This is a good message that we sent to ourselves,” Curry said. “If we play the way we’re supposed to play, get stops, take care of the ball and get open looks, we’re tough to beat.”  
Reserve Andre Iguodala matched his season high with 20 points Draymond Green had 16 with 10 assists, while Klay Thompson netted 15 for the Warriors (38-4), who led by as many as 43 in the wire-to-wire domination.
The Warriors beat the Cavaliers in a grind-out 89-83 Christmas Day matchup. They did it again nearly a month later in an even more impressive fashion, sending the Eastern Conference leaders to their most lopsided loss of the season.
“We got a good a good old-fashion a-kicking,” said LeBron James, who led the Cavs (28-11) with 16 points.
“They got whatever they wanted, a little bit of everything. “Tonight was an example of how far we need to get to s championship level.”
The Warriors bounced back from Saturday’s sluggish 18-point loss at Detroit and avoided consecutive defeats for the first time this season against the Cavs who had piled up a 15-1 home record.
“After what happened in Detroit,” Curry said, “it’s good to show our resiliency and bounce back.”
Curry staked the Warriors to a 32-31 after the opening quarter with 16 points. The reigning league MVP had 21 by half-time and visitors opened up a 70-44 cushion on sizzling 68 per cent field goal shooting.  
The assault continued. Curry dropped in 14 with three more triples and the Warriors pushed it to 104-67 heading into the fourth quarter before coasting home with their ninth win in 11 decisions in the series.
“We had a breakdown and didn’t respond to it,” Cavs coach David Blatt said.
“That and the lack of mental preparation really hurt us. We never gave ourselves a chance to win and that’s unfortunate.”
Elsewhere:
lCharlotte Hornets 124, Utah Jazz 119 (2 OT): Kemba Walker exploded for a career-high and franchise-record 52 points, including four free throws in the final three seconds, carrying the Hornets (19-22) past the Jazz. Gordon Hayward topped Utah (18-23) with 36 points
lLA Clippers 140, Houston Rockets 132 (OT): Sharpshooting J.J. Redick fired in a career-high 40 points, including a  personal-best nine triples, and the Clippers escaped the visiting Rockets despite Dwight Howard’s monster 36-point, 26-rebound effort. Chris Paul had 28 with 12 assists as the Clippers (27-14) hit a franchise-record 22 triples and controlled the extra session en route to their 11th win in the last 12 outings.
lNew York Knicks 119, Philadelphia 113 (2 OT): Arron Afflalo scored 25 points, Langston Galloway added four of his eight in the second overtime, and the host Knicks (20-21) recovered to beat the stubborn Sixers (5-38) after blowing an 18-point third-quarter lead.  
lMemphis Grizzlies 101, New Orleans Pelicans 99: Spaniard Marc Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Mike Conley added 15 points and 10 assists, and the Grizzlies (24-19) won their third in a row after edging the visiting Pelicans (13-27) despite a game-high 23 points from Jrue Holiday.
lChicago Bulls 111, Detroit Pistons 101: Spaniard Pau Gasol had seven of his 31 points in the final four minutes along with 12 rebounds, Derrick Rose netted 20, and the visiting Bulls (24-16) beat the Pistons (22-19).
lDallas Mavericks 118, Boston Celtics 113 (OT): German juggernaut Dirk Nowitzki matched his season high with 31 points, including 21 in the fourth quarter and over-time, Deron Williams had half his 20 in the extra session and the Mavericks (24-19) topped the visiting Celtics (22-20) for the seventh straight time.
lPortland Trail Blazers 108, Washington Wizards 98: CJ McCollum tossed in 25 points, including six of the Trail Blazers’ 17 from behind the arc, and the visitors (19-25) went on a game-breaking 23-1 third-quarter blitz to beat the Wizards (19-21) for their fourth win in five games.
lAtlanta Hawks 98, Orlando Magic 81: Al Horford scored 15 points, Paul Millsap added 13 with 12 rebounds and the Hawks (25-17) sent the sliding Magic (20-20) to a seventh loss in eight games.
lToronto Raptors 112, Brooklyn Nets 100: Kyle Lowry scored 13 of his 31 points in the decisive 31-16 final quarter, DeMar Rozan added 30, and the Raptors (26-15) won their season-high tying fifth straight win after clipping the visiting Nets (11-31), led by the 29 of Brook Lopez.