Stephen Curry scored 44 points as the Golden State Warriors saw off the Los Angeles Clippers 134-127 as NBA action resumed after the All-Star break.

Curry’s third 40-point game of the 2017/18 season came in a match that also saw 24 points and eight assists for Kevin Durant, 19 points for Klay Thompson and 14 for Draymond Green.

The quartet helped the defending champions in their campaign to comfortably reach the playoffs, while LA find themselves well behind as they sit in ninth place in the Western Conference.

Curry’s All-Star captain rival LeBron James scored 32 points but it was not enough to prevent the revamped Cleveland Cavaliers falling to a 110-103 loss against the Washington wizards.

Bradley Beal scored 18, while Kelly Oubre Jr and John Wall’s replacement Tomas Satoransky claimed 17 apiece, although Washington came close to succumbing to a late surge by King James that ate up a chunk of an 11-point lead.

In Chicago, Ben Simmons top scored with 32 and Joel Embiid netted 30 points as the Philadelphia 76ers ended a four-game skid with a narrow 116-115 win over the Bulls.

The New York Knicks defeated Orlando Magic 120-113 to end an eight-game losing streak, while – for the Floridians – it marked their fourth consecutive loss.

Elsewhere, the Charlotte Hornets beat the Brooklyn Nets 111-96 to condemn an eight loss in a row.