SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 23 points and knocked down a key 3-pointer with 3:45 left to help seal it, Jimmy Butler added 14 points, nine assists and nine rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 126-116 on Thursday.
Mavericks rookie star Cooper Flagg had 27 points on 13-for-21 shooting, six rebounds and five assists in his Christmas Day debut while Brandon Williams scored 26 off the bench.
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Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall reacts against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin, right, attempts a pass against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates a three-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Golden State Warriors center Al Horford celebrates a three-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after getting fouled by the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Klay Thompson returned to face his former Warriors team in the holiday matinee after missing Tuesday's home game against the Nuggets with soreness in his left knee.
And former Splash Brother Curry kept sneaking a peek of Thompson's warmup before they met at midcourt for a greeting and embrace. Thompson received a warm ovation when he entered the game for the first time with 5:51 remaining in the opening quarter.
Mavericks center Anthony Davis didn't return after exiting in the second quarter with groin spasms. Davis had three points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in 11 minutes.
Draymond Green started and contributed seven points and five rebounds playing in foul trouble two days after he and coach Steve Kerr had a heated exchange during a third-quarter timeout against Orlando — with both later apologizing to each other.
Golden State started 0 for 6 from 3-point range before the Mavericks even attempted their first shot from deep. Moses Moody connected at the 6:05 mark of the first quarter and that helped the Warriors get going — along with Al Horford.
Horford returned from a seven-game absence because of sciatica in his right leg. He came in at the 5:27 mark of the first and made all four of his 3-pointers as the Warriors led 40-28 after one quarter. He finished with 14 points, De'Anthony Melton scored 16 and Brandin Podziemski contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists off the bench.
The Mavericks play at Sacramento on Saturday while the Warriors hit the road to face Toronto on Sunday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall reacts against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin, right, attempts a pass against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) celebrates a three-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Golden State Warriors center Al Horford celebrates a three-point basket against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after getting fouled by the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eakin Howard)
WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — California, soaked from days of relentless rain and recovering from mudslides in mountain towns, was hit with another powerful storm Christmas Day that led to evacuation warnings and high surf advisories.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in Southern California issued an evacuation warning for Wrightwood, a mountain town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, a day after rescuing people trapped in cars during a mud slide.
The National Weather Service said waves near the San Francisco Bay Area could reach up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) Friday.
Statewide, more than 70,000 people were without power Thursday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.
A day ago, heavy rain and fierce winds were blamed for at least two deaths.
A major storm system moving toward the Midwest and Northeast was expected to interfere with travel, according to the National Weather Service.
A mix of freezing rain and sleet could create icy conditions in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Maryland. Forecasters warned heavy ice could cause outages. Snow was expected to blanket the Northeast early Friday.
Roads in the 5,000-resident California town of Wrightwood were covered in rocks, debris and thick mud on Thursday. With power out, a gas station and coffee shop running on generators were serving as hubs for residents and visitors.
“It’s really a crazy Christmas,” said Jill Jenkins, who was spending the holiday with her 13-year-old grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo.
Lopiccolo said the family almost evacuated the previous day, when water washed away a chunk of their backyard. But they decided to stay and still celebrated the holiday. Lopiccolo got a new snowboard and e-bike.
“We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights,” he said.
Davey Schneider hiked a mile and a half (1.6 kilometers) through rain and floodwater up to his shins from his Wrightwood residence Wednesday to rescue cats from his grandfather's house, walking through floodwater up to his shins as it rained.
“I wanted to help them out because I wasn't confident that they were going to live,” Schneider said Thursday. “Fortunately, they all lived. They're all okay — just a little bit scared.”
Arlene Corte said roads in town turned into rivers, but her house was not damaged.
“It could be a whole lot worse,” she said. “We’re here talking.”
With more rain on the way, more than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area, said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Shawn Millerick.
“We’re ready,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck at this point.”
A falling tree killed a San Diego man Wednesday, news outlets reported. Farther north, a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died in what appeared to be a weather-related crash.
Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The storms were the result of atmospheric rivers carrying massive plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.
Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.
More heavy snow was expected in the Sierra Nevada, where gusts created “near white-out conditions” and made mountain pass travel treacherous. Officials said there was a “high” avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe and a winter storm warning was in effect through Friday.
Ski resorts around Lake Tahoe recorded about 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 centimeters) of snow overnight, said Tyler Salas, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Reno. Forecasters expect to see up to another 3 feet (91 centimeters) of snow through Friday, Salas said. The area could see 45-mph (72-kph) gusts in low elevation areas and 100-mph (161-kph) winds along mountain ridges.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in six counties to allow state assistance.
The state deployed resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.
Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Oakland, California, and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.
A car is flipped over along a storm-damaged road after a series of storms on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, near Phelan, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Michelle Meyers inspects her property, buried in mud after a series of storms, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
A car is buried in mud after a series of storms Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Mud covers the inside of a property after a series of storms on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Davey Schneider walks on the roof of his storm-damaged home on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Miguel Lopez sweeps water from Marlene's Beachcomber on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
A tourist from China battles the rain on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Part of California State Route 138 washes away from flooding Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, outside of Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
A resident sweeps water and mud in her house after flooding Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
A car sits buried in mud after flooding Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
