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OAKLAND – The Warriors appear closer toward resolving their NBA first-world problem. They expect to have a team full of healthy All-Stars soon.

For now, the Warriors fought through a 116-110 victory over the Orlando Magic on Monday at Oracle Arena that illustrated two realities that are not mutually exclusive. The Warriors sorely miss Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. They also have two other All-Stars in Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, who carried the Warriors with an aggressive mentality that ensured prolific scoring.

“Obviously it hurts when 30 points are lost and a ton of playmaking with Steph and Draymond,” Thompson said. “So KD and I have to take it upon us to lead this team as far as energy and communication. The shots will come.”

Did they ever.

Durant posted 49 points while shooting 16-of-33 from the field, 4-of-10 from 3-point range and 13-of-13 from the free-throw line along with nine assists, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Thompson added 29 points while going 11-of-23 from the field and 6-of-12 from 3-point range.

Durant gave the Warriors a dagger by sinking a 28-foot 3-pointer at the top of the key for a 113-109 lead with 22.2 seconds left. Thompson gave the Warriors hope by making a different 28-footer to tie the game at 107 with 1:45 remaining.

Durant became the seventh Warriors player to post at least 40 points in consecutive games, including Curry, Thompson, Antawn Jamison, Purvi Short, Rick Barry and Wilt Chamberlain. Durant fell five points shy of his career high. And Thompson tied his career-high in fourth-quarter points (19).

“They both were just in attack mode,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “Klay hit some tough threes that kept our momentum going. Kevin was coming downhill with those high screens the whole fourth quarter. They both know, especially with Steph out, that they both need to be really, really aggressive. They both were. They were amazing.”

How Durant and Thompson carried the Warriors

The Warriors were hardly amazing at the beginning of a game.

The Warriors trailed the Magic, 64-47, at halftime. Even though the Magic played three games in four nights and on a second night of a back-to-back, the Warriors played with less energy. It appeared the Warriors would trudge through another game without any help for Durant and Thompson amid swarming defenses. Durant went 1-of-6 in the first quarter, and Thompson shot 4-of-12 in the first half.

“I can easily get back after being 1-of-6. I’ve started off 1-of-6 plenty of nights,” Durant said. “ I know how to figure it out and get my rhythm back. With this team, we play so fast and coach relies on me to be aggressive. I can’t hang my head if I start slow. I have to keep pushing.”

The Warriors spent halftime bemoaning a defensive effort that Kerr called “embarrassing.” The Magic shot 24-of-44 from the field (54.5 percent) and 8-of-15 from 3-point range (55.3 percent). Magic center Nikola Vucevic had 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting, while Magic reserve Terrence Ross added 16 points on a 5-of-6 clip.

During that time, Durant also offered a message to Thompson on how the two All-Stars could make up for the two All-Stars the Warriors have missed for nearly three weeks.

“Empty the clip,” Thompson said. “At the end of the day, you’re going to make or miss shots. You have to keep shooting and be aggressive about your shot.”

Durant started first. He scored 16 points in the third quarter while relying on his efficiency from the field (5-of-9) and free-throw line (6-of-6) to overcome his poor 3-point shooting (0-of-4). Kerr played Durant the entire quarter so he could build a rhythm. And Durant oversaw a Warriors team that outscored the Magic, 32-19, in the third quarter and closed out that period with a 12-2 run. Not bad for Durant, who also scored 44 points in the Warriors’ win over Sacramento on Saturday.

“Incredible. The guy is just amazing,” Kerr said of Durant. “He’s so talented. The last few games, he knew he had to put us on his shoulders because of the four-game losing streak and the struggles.”

Thompson went next. In the fourth quarter, he shot 7-of-10 from the field and 5-of-7 in the fourth quarter. In 28 second sequence, Thompson sank two 3-pointers from 27 feet and blocked a shot on Magic forward Jonathon Simmons. He relied on his mid-range game (a 20-foot fadeway) and attacking the rim (made a reverse layup). Durant and Thompson ran pick-and-rolls that resulted in two Thompson 3-pointers that gave the Warriors a 102-100 lead with 5:26 remaining. They ran a similar play when Durant set up Thompson for a 3-pointer that tied the game at 107 with 1:45 left.

“He was simmering. He was waiting for his opportunity,” Durant said of Thompson. “He was phenomenal with the shots he makes and defense he plays. He’s driving to the rim easily now. He’s a stud.”

So is Durant.

“He can get a good shot and good look anytime he wants. He’s so talented and so tall. His ability to score is unmatched in the world,” Thompson said. “When he’s aggressive, we’re at our best. We can make quick decisions. That’s when we’re at our best as well and he’s leading us. Kevin has taken it upon him to treat these games it’s his last. He plays with so much effort and energy with what you would want to see out of a superstar. It’s November and he plays like it’s Game 5 of the Finals. That’s how much he cares. That’s driven us to go on a little winning streak.”

The Warriors admired Durant’s scoring as much as they marveled over his defense.

After losing control of the ball on a third-quarter play, Durant completed a chase-down block on Magic forward Evan Fornier after Magic guard D.J. Augustin threw a behind-the-back pass. That play set up an open pull-up jumper for Andre Igudoala.

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“That’s the reason I was able to get back into the play,” Durant said. “He wanted to be cute and throw the perfect wraparound pass. I caught it at the perfect time.”

Durant also reacted at the perfect time after blocking Vucevic at the rim with with 3:11 left. Soon after, Iguodala set up Durant for a mid-range jumper that gave the Warriors a 104-102 lead with 2:53 remaining. Durant then attacked the basket for a layup and a foul shot for a 110-107 edge at the 1:17 mark. Then after grabbing a rebound, Durant drilled his dagger 3 for the 113-109 cushion with 22.2 seconds remaining. That capped a performance that Kerr considered “one of the best games in the year.”

“I don’t believe you’re born with anything. You have to craft that skill,” Durant said. “You have to craft the game. I feel like I’m relaxed in those moments. It’s all about getting the best shot I can get. If I focus on getting the best shot from the start of the game to the end of the game, I feel comfortable in the fourth quarter when my team needs me. It’s all about getting my best shot throughout the whole game.”

The Warriors say they have moved on from the recent drama

And, to think, the Warriors had so much turmoil in the past three weeks.

Curry has missed the past 10 games with a sore left groin. Green has sat out for nine of the past 11 games because of a sprained right foot/toe. After initially missing two games, Green returned against the Clippers and had a heated argument with Durant. Two games, later, the Warriors labored through their first four-game losing streak since the Warriors hired Kerr four years ago. As Kerr noted, “we’ve moved on from that stuff.”

“This last month felt so long ago,” Durant said. “We’re just trying to move past that and play good basketball. We know how tough it is every single night.”

Durant and Thompson arguably had it the toughest. With Curry and Green out, they wrestled with a difficult question. How much should Durant and Thompson shoulder the burden without disrupting team play?

Since Curry’s absence, Durant has averaged 30.6 points while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from 3-point range. Thompson has averaged 25.3 points while going 45.7 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. On the surface, those numbers look fine. But what about Durant’s inefficient games against Houston (6-of-15) and San Antonio (8-of-25)? What about Thompson’s off shooting nights in Houston (5-of-16), Dallas (9-of-24) and San Antonio (11-of-26)?

Following the Warriors’ loss to the Spurs, Kerr faulted the team’s lack of ball movement. After the Warriors’ win over the Magic, Kerr deferred to Durant and Thompson.

“They both have been around a long time. So they just sense it,” Kerr said about when Durant and Thompson score or facilitate. “We never talk about it. They know whey have to take on a big scoring load. They do it. It’s not anything we have to tell them. They’ve been here long enough to know.”

Durant sounded ready, though, for his All-Star teammates to return, though. That might happen soon. Curry could return for Thursday’s game in Toronto, assuming he practices on Wednesday without any setbacks. Green could return later in the team’s five-game trip assuming he completes some practices. Nonetheless, Curry lauded “Steph’s creativity out there, his flow, energy and passion for the game.” After talking about Green in clipped answers since their argument, Durant called Curry and Green “champions and All-Stars.”

“Draymond’s intensity, you can tell looking at him on the bench,” Durant said. “He’s a caged animal right there. I can’t wait to have him back.”

Durant remains obsessed with efficiency

Kerr scanned Durant’s box score and marveled at his production. Durant scanned his box score and noticed all the flaws. He criticized his 3-point shooting (4-of-10) and first-quarter (1-of-6 from the field).

“I feel like I had some shots I should’ve made,” Durant said. “I felt like three of my threes that looked good leaving my hands, I wish all of those would’ve went down. I can be in a better groove. Playing a lot of minutes and having the ball in your hands, especially with the way the game is, obviously you can score a little bit … I wish I could’ve made more shots though. I’m pretty sure all my teammates felt that way.”

Durant has often remained consumed with being an efficient player. He wants to finish each quarter posting eight points on no more than eight field-goal attempts. Even though the NBA has catered more toward 3-point shooters, Durant still takes mid-range shots because they often go in the basket. And he often drives to the rim, knowing that he will earn trips to the free-throw line.

“It’s huge,” Kerr said. “It’s one of the things with Kevin. I remember coaching against him all of those years and watching him play. When he gets to the foul line, there’s nothing you can do. As an opponent, you’re hoping that he keeps shooting jump shots. He’s going to make plenty of them. When he gets to the rim and draws fouls. It allows us to get easy points.”

So far, Durant has shot 93 percent from the free-throw line. He correctly cited that line, noted he wants to shoot above 90 percent this year and hopes to improve his outside shooting (31.4 percent).

“I’m just playing the game,” Durant said. “If I see a matchup, I try to get there. I’m not thinking about I have to score free throws. I come into the game thinking I got to make every shot I shoot.”

Kerr shows more trust in Kevon Looney

Kerr might keep it open-ended on who he will start at center. He keeps it pretty simple on who he reward with playing time. Kerr will play whoever produces the most and commits the fewest mistakes.

Therefore, it should not be surprising fourth-year forward Kevon Looney closed out the final 6:45 at the center spot.

“He did a great job. Loon now is an experienced pro,” Kerr said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s an excellent defender.”

Kerr cannot say the same thing about Damian Jones, whose four points on 2-of-2 shooting and four fouls overshadowed his passive play and two fouls in 16 minutes. Jones sat the entire fourth quarter, while Jordan Bell and Looney split minutes in the fourth period. Looney’s presence became valuable in holding Vucevic to seven points on 2-of-6 shooting in the final quarter.

“I’ve been in a lot of tough situations down the stretch with the playoffs and last year with guys hurt,” Looney said. “They’ve been going to me. There’s a couple of games I made mistakes down the stretch. But I’m learning from them and trying to get better.”

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