Warriors outlast 76ers, 96-89

OAKLAND, Calif. — The 76ers found out on Friday night what the rest of the league is discovering about one-time patsy Golden State — that the Warriors are pretty good.

Golden State, which last season lost games to the Sixers by 22 and 26 points, respectively, built a 20-point lead late in the third — a carryover from a very strong second period — and held on to defeat the Sixers, 96-89, at sold-out (19,596) Oracle Arena on Friday.

The loss, the Sixers' 10th in their last 14 games, dropped the Sixers' record to 14-16. The win improved the Warriors record to 20-10.

Jrue Holiday led the Sixers with his seventh double-double of the season, finishing with 21 points and 10 assists. Thaddeus Young also added a double-double, his eighth this season, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

David Lee led Golden State with his 19th double-double of the season (25 points, 12 rebounds). Reserve guard Jarret Jack scored 11 of his 16 points in the second quarter.

Down by 72-52 with just under five minutes left, the Sixers reeled off a 28-12 run of their own to pull within 84-80 on Royal Ivey's three with 6:39 to play. But Lee scored three unanswered baskets and Carl Landry (15 points, 11 boards) added another, topping an 8-0 run that secured the win for the Warriors.

"We ran our offense through him," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said of Lee. "All year long he's been making plays in the fourth quarter and tonight – eight points. We ran our offense through him. We posted him up and we isolated him. Tonight, David was the best player on the floor."

For Sixers coach Doug Collins, the Sixers lost their chance at victory during a bad stretch of the second quarter that saw the Sixers come unraveled. Down just 41-38 with a little more than four minutes left in the half, the Warriors closed the quarter on a 16-4 run to lead 57-42 at halftime.

"I didn't think we played a composed second quarter," Collins said. "We played one-on-one, we quick-shot the ball. I thought our bad offense led to their offensive efficiency."

The Warriors, who earlier this month travelled East and won six out of seven road games to book their most successful seven-game road trip in franchise history, shot almost 53 percent in the second quarter. They also made 8 of 9 free throws.

"That's what won the game for them, the second quarter," said Young, who agreed with Collins that the Sixers' poor defense in the second quarter led to the 32 points the Warriors scored. "We just can't' have those kinds of breakdowns. That's what cost us the game. "