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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Golden State Warriors needed less than nine minutes to open a 24-point lead over the short-handed Utah Jazz on Thursday night.Stephen Curry scored 26 points and the Warriors controlled the Jazz from start to finish in a 106-99 victory.Curry had 14 points during a 29-1 run that made it 29-5. The Jazzs only lead of the game was 4-2.Loss of focus, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said about the second half. Our first quarter was great, we pushed the ball and our defensive intensity was fantastic. I think we let down. We started turning it over some careless, purposeless plays.We didnt really have an idea of what we were trying to accomplish. Some defensive mistakes not getting out on shooters and they took advantage.Kevin Durant added 21 points and 11 rebounds for Golden State.Jazz center Rudy Gobert had 20 points and 17 rebounds, Joe Ingles scored a career-high 21 points, and Shelvin Mack added a season-high 19.The Jazz have four starters sidelined by injuries, including their top three scorers.I didnt do a good job of attacking throughout the game and I thought that was a good opportunity for me to attack, Durant said about the fourth quarter.Golden State led 65-46 at halftime as the second unit allowed the Jazz to hang around and, technically, remain within striking distance. The urgency from the first quarter disappeared in the second half and the Jazz crept within five in the fourth quarter thanks to buckets from Mack and Ingles, but Durant closed the game with 11 in the final period.What weve discussed is just roles, Jazz coach Quin Snyder said about surviving the injuries. They can morph. They widen, they can narrow, they can do anything. Hopefully, on a team, guys are willing to evolve and adjust to what the team needs. Thats really all we emphasized.TIP-INSWarriors: Rookie Patrick McCaw scored a career-high 10 points, all in the first half. ... Shaun Livingston took the night off to rest. ... Draymond Green was two assists shy of his 15th career triple-double. ... Green tweaked his ankle, but he and Kerr didnt seem overly concerned.Jazz: Utah started the combination of Joe Johnson, Mack, Dante Exum, Gobert and Boris Diaw for the first time this season. ... Ingles hit a career-high five 3-pointers.INJURED JAZZThe Jazz were without four starters -- Gordon Hayward (finger), Rodney Hood (hamstring), George Hill (toe) and Derrick Favors (knee). Utah has been dealing with injuries all season, but Thursday was their most depleted lineup to date.Its easy to be frustrated, Snyder said. Thats something you have to just fight against and make a decision to do the best with where we are.Its a credit to our guys really. Weve got a group that has character. Over a longer period of time it becomes more challenging. ... Hopefully, theres a silver lining. Weve got some guys that are getting minutes that may not be getting otherwise.QUOTABLEThis team, my first year was kind of a surprise and everybody seemed to love us. Now maybe its changed a little bit. It honestly makes no difference to us. -- Kerr.ROLESSnyder said roles morph, but Joe Johnson added that shouldnt be a difficult thing night-to-night.This is our profession, man, Johnson said. This is what we signed up for. This is what we do. When youre numbers called, youve got to be ready regardless of the circumstances.UP NEXTWarriors: Golden State travels to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday in the third game of a five-game trip.Jazz: Utah hosts a Sacramento Kings team on Saturday that has lost eight of 12 on the road. Custom Portland Trail Blazers Jerseys . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. Jaylen Hoard Blazers Jersey .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. https://www.blazerslockerroom.com/Anthony-Tolliver-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Gary Trent Jr. Jersey . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Caleb Swanigan Blazers Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday.Barry Cowan believes players no longer fear Rafael Nadal following the Spaniards latest setback on the ATP Tour. Nadal loses to Cuevas Report as world number five suffers semi-final defeat Nadal has suffered semi-final defeats in each of the last two ATP events, both on his favoured clay surface, but after losing to talented Dominic Thiem at the Argentina Open, it was defeat to seasoned campaigner Pablo Cuevas at the Rio Open that should set alarm bells ringing.Cowan claimed last week that Nadal needed to win in Rio to rebuild his shattered confidence but rather than a morale-boosting fortnight on the red dirt, the world No 5 has been left with more questions to answer after a first-round exit to Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open For me this is his toughest test as a tennis player. Is he going to come out of it? said Cowan.A year ago I said yes, I felt that great things were there for Rafa. Five in the world is no disaster but we are judging him on winning Slams and going through clay court seasons without even losing a match or even coming close to losing a match, but at the moment he is a long long way off that.For Rafa I really really worry that he is losing his nerve. At no stage on Saturday did he look confident, even when he won that first set. He keeps doubting himself. Whether he has lost a half yard of pace and thats affecting him, I think its more that hes lacking self belief and he is second guessing himself. Rafael Nadals opponents arent afraid to play him anymore - according to Sky tennis expert Barry Cowan It is sad to see a great player and a great champion struggle as much aas he is at the moment.dddddddddddd.While world No 1 Novak Djokovic prepares to return at this weeks Dubai Championships, live on Sky Sports, after his triumph in Melbourne, Cowan believes 11-time Grand Slam champion Nadals dip coincides with some of the brightest prospects in the game now beginning to fulfil their potential.At the moment when you look at the game as a whole, there is a bit of a shift going on, added Cowan. Dominic Thiem is one of the new breed that do not fear fading Nadal Djokovic is head and shoulders above the rest, Andy has started the year playing superbly in the Australian Open. Roger [Federer] is injured at the moment and Nadal...there are massive question marks over.Then there is this young crop who week-by-week are starting to win titles - it was Dominic Thiem a week ago. [Nick] Kyrgios won his first title and didnt lose serve all week.It has been a good couple of weeks for the next generation of stars on the ATP Tour, Nick Kyrgios winning his maiden title in Marseille over the weekend, after Thiem claimed the Argentina Open having ousted Nadal in the last four - and Cowan believes the young guns are now playing without fear, including against Nadal. Nadal: More work needed Rafa Nadal reflects on another early exit I felt it was a tournament Rafa had to win and he didnt but it was just what happened and the way the scenarios built up through the week, said Cowan.At no stage on Saturday did he [Cuevas] have doubts about being able to cross the finish line and this is an old campaigner - what about the younger breed, the Kyrgios of the world, they are not going to fear playing Nadal because its about Nadal now, not Nadal five years ago.Rafa won so many of his matches on clay before he even walked onto the court, players didnt believe they could beat him but now players like Cuevas, who is 30 years of age, believes he can. Kyrgios victorious in France Aussie ace claims maiden ATP crown Also See: Kyrgios victorious in France Nadal crashes out in Rio Sky Live: Dubai Championships More work needed, says Nadal ' ' '