SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Klay Thompson returned to face his former Warriors team in the holiday matinee after missing Tuesday\u2019s home game against the Nuggets with soreness in his left knee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And former Splash Brother Curry kept sneaking a peek of Thompson\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mavericks center Anthony Davis didn\u2019t return after exiting in the second quarter with groin spasms. Davis had three points, three rebounds and two blocked shots in 11 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 \u2014 with both later apologizing to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 \u2014 along with Al Horford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u2019Anthony Melton scored 16 and Brandin Podziemski contributed 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists off the bench.<\/p>\n\n\n\n