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LOS ANGELES -- Steve Kerr and Luke Walton remained close friends and daily confidantes after their coaching careers sent them to opposite ends of California this summer.Although theyve enjoyed the chance to spend time together while the Warriors and the Lakers played each other five times in the past 43 days, theyll both be grateful for a little space in this rivalry.Particularly after a game that neither coach enjoyed at all.Kevin Durant had 29 points, nine assists and six rebounds, and Golden State beat injury-depleted Los Angeles for the second time in three days, 109-85 on Friday night.It looked like a Thanksgiving food hangover, Walton said.Stephen Curry scored 24 points and Klay Thompson had 18 in the Warriors 10th consecutive victory. Golden State followed up its 43-point win in Oakland on Wednesday with another comfortable victory in these clubs third regular-season game in three weeks, although Kerr and Walton didnt see much to like about a sloppy post-holiday contest.It was one of the worst basketball games Ive seen in my life, Kerr said. We were awful, and they were awful. The people who bought tickets should get their money back, honestly.It almost got worse for the Warriors: Draymond Green had 12 points and eight rebounds before leaving in the third quarter with a bruised left ankle from a collision with teammate Ian Clark. Green is cautiously confident his injury isnt serious.Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points for the Lakers, who played without injured starters Julius Randle, Nick Young and DAngelo Russell. The Lakers gave up 149 points to Golden State on Wednesday, and they never made it close Friday with three of their top five scorers sidelined.Theyre the best team in the league, Clarkson said. I dont think we see them for a little while, so (we can) get that game out of our head and get our swag back.TIP-INSWarriors: After all of this early season exposure, these teams dont finish their series until April 12 in Oakland. ... Curry missed a breakaway dunk in the second quarter, drawing laughter throughout the arena. Staples Centers video board replayed the miss after the next timeout and then cut to Curry, who was grinning broadly. Ive missed dunks before, the two-time MVP said.Lakers: Clarkson moved back into LAs starting lineup with Young sidelined. Jose Calderon had seven points in his fourth start in Russells place. ... Walton said he didnt review tape of Wednesdays loss: I told our film guy I would throw him out of our room if he put that game on my laptop.ON A ROLLThe Lakers were the last team to beat the Warriors, notching a 20-point blowout on Nov. 4. Since then, Golden State has found the rhythm necessary to become the powerhouse expected when Durant abandoned Oklahoma City to join up with the two-time defending Western Conference champions in July.Its nice learning lessons in wins, but I think were a better team since the last time we stepped foot in this building, Curry said. Were still trending in the right direction. You dont take anything for granted, but its nice we put together consecutive good performances.INGRAMS ACTIONBrandon Ingram had eight points on 3-for-18 shooting in his second NBA start, getting valuable experience as the Lakers offensive focus in the absence of Russell and Randle, his fellow blue chip youngsters. Ingram, the No. 2 pick in last summers draft, went 1 for 10 in the first half, but kept firing while grabbing nine rebounds.LAKERS HURTINGRussell is out for at least two weeks after missing three of the previous four games with a sore left knee, while Randle missed his second straight game with a hip pointer. Young missed his first game all season after spraining his toe earlier in the week during a game against Oklahoma City in which he hit the game-winning 3-pointer.GREEN SCREENEDClark was prone under the basket when Green fell and tripped over his head. Clark was hit in the throat, but showed no sign of a concussion, the Warriors said. Green rolled his ankle and didnt realize he had stepped on his teammate. After skipping the fourth quarter and putting ice on his leg, he hopes to play Saturday back home in Oakland.UP NEXTWarriors: Host Timberwolves on Saturday.Lakers: Host Hawks on Sunday. Boston Red Sox Store . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Red Sox Jerseys China . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. Boston Red Sox Pro Shop . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Custom Boston Red Sox Jerseys . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The days of the New York Giants defense giving away games is seemingly over.A multimillion dollar infusion in the offseason has transformed Steve Spagnuolos unit from the worst in the NFL to one that is suddenly finding ways to win games.Just look at last weekend. The defense finally got a pass rush against the Los Angeles Rams and intercepted four passes, including one incredible return that Landon Collins turned into a touchdown, in a 17-0 win that gave New York (4-3) a two-game winning streak heading into its bye week.Its a far cry from a year ago when the defense was on the field six times either late in the fourth quarter or in overtime and gave up a winning score as the Giants missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season.It cost Tom Coughlin his job. Not Spagnuolo though. Ben McAdoo retained him after being promoted from offensive coordinator to coach, and general manager Jerry Reese took care of him with a free-agency spending spree in the offseason.Pass-rushing defensive end Olivier Vernon was signed to a five-year, $85 million deal. Shutdown cornerback Janoris Jenkins got a five-year, $62 million contract. Defensive tackle Damon `Snacks Harrison got five years and $46 million.Reese even took a chance on Jason Pierre-Paul a year after his hand injury, giving the defensive end a one-year $9.4 million contract.Add in veteran linebackers Keenan Robinson and Kelvin Sheppard, nickel back Leon Hall and a couple of draft picks -- cornerback Eli Apple and safety Darian Thompson -- and the Giants have a whole new look.Were definitely starting to click and play a lot better, said cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who like Collins had two interceptions against the Rams. We still have a lot of mistakes that we have to get corrected. Once we do that, its going to be special.After seven games, the Giants are ranked 19th overall in total defense. They are 12th against the run, giving up an average of 93.6 yards, and 22nd against the pass, giving up 267.4 yards.New Yorks 141 points allowed are the sixth fewest in the NFC, and thats not bad for a team that has a minus-7 turnover differential.Defensive captain and linebacker Jonathan Casillas believes the defense has gotten more precise in recent weeks in terms of the coverages and the blitzes.We blew some coverages early in the season that allowed teeams to get big plays on us and get into the red zone and missed a couple tackles and I think we have done a lot better with tackling and we are creating turnovers, he said.ddddddddddddhat is putting people at the ball, having the right people, at the right place, at the right time, and being detailed and I think that is all coming to fruition right now.To be honest, the defense has carried the Giants this season. Eli Manning and the offense have struggled, averaging 19 points. Its not easy to win that way.The Giants have won four games by a total of 15 points. The win in London over the Rams came in a matchup in which New York gained 232 yards and had the ball for less than 25 minutes, something that has happened in four straight games.I dont think we have played as consistent as we want every game, but we have made progress every week in certain ways and continually come into our own, linebacker Devon Kennard said. I think this last game was a good turning point for us and we have to keep it rolling.If there has been a problem for the defense it is getting off the field on third down. Opponents have had a league-high 118 third-down chances and converted on 43.2 percent, which is too high.The bye should help. Safeties Darian Thompson (foot) and Nat Berhe (concussion) are both expected to be back for the game against Philadelphia on Nov. 6, the first of three straight home games.Thompson has missed the past five games and Berhe four, forcing former practice squad player, Andrew Adams, to start.The break also should help Apple, the first-round draft pick who has been bothered by hamstring and groin issues, and Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) get back to 100 percent.Were starting to get on the same page, defensive tackle Jay Bromley said. Its remarkable how good weve played and when look at the film, there are still plays that we wish we had back.Once we continue to work with the communication, and actually do things every single time the way we are supposed to do them, we could be an even better defense.If the defense can do that, and the offense finally gets going, the Giants just may be headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2011.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '