Cousins 21 points in first seven minutes took Warriors win over Lakers

DeMarcus Cousins scored eight of his game-high 21 points in the first seven minutes Thursday night as the visiting Golden State Warriors blitzed the Los Angeles Lakers early en route to a 108-90 victory. The win allowed the Warriors (54-24) to reduce their magic number to two for clinching the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Golden State potentially could clinch that honor on Friday night, when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers about one hour after the Denver Nuggets (52-26) tip off at home against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Warriors completed their sixth straight season-series win over the Lakers in dominant fashion, never looking back after Los Angeles native Klay Thompson bombed in a 3-pointer just 13 seconds into the game.

Kevin Durant hit three 3-pointers, Thompson added another, and Draymond Green and Alfonzo McKinnie chipped in with one apiece as the Warriors bombarded the Lakers with seven first-quarter treys en route to 39-12 lead. Interestingly, the Warriors overpowered the Lakers despite having nearly as many turnovers (seven) as missed shots (nine) in the quarter, and without Stephen Curry contributing a single point. Curry shot 0-for-3 in the quarter, missing a pair of 3-point attempts.

Despite outscoring the Warriors in the second and fourth quarters, the Lakers were never appreciably closer the rest of the way. Cousins finished 9-for-17 and connected on three 3-pointers in 23 minutes, finding time to for 10 rebounds, too.

Quinn Cook came off the bench to score 18 for the Warriors, while Durant (15 points), Green (12) and Thompson (11) also scored in double figures. Curry, who never scored more than 15 points in any of four games against the Lakers this season, recorded a team-high-tying 10 rebounds to go with seven assists and seven points.

The win was the Warriors' third straight over the Lakers after being crushed 127-101 by LeBron James & Co. at home on Christmas Day. The injured James did not play in either of the last two Lakers losses to Golden State.

In winning their third straight in a stretch that included a key victory over Denver, the Warriors shot 43.9 per cent overall and made 18 of their 46 3-point attempts (39.1 per cent). Reserve Johnathan Williams paced the Lakers with 17 points, hitting eight of his 14 shots. He also had a game-high-tying 13 rebounds.

Moe Wagner scored 13 points, Rajon Rondo 12 and Mike Muscala 11 for the Lakers (35-44), who failed in their attempt to surpass last year's win total. They will have three more opportunities to do so.

The Lakers' JaVale McGee, a former Warrior, matched teammate Williams' rebound total with 13 to complement eight points and three blocks. The Lakers shot 35.6 per cent overall and 21.6 per cent on 3-point tries while seeing their three-game home winning streak disappear.

(With inputs from agencies.)