DALLAS - Stephen Curry thought about protecting his ankles. Charles Jones Jersey . Golden State coach Steve Kerr screamed for a timeout.The object of their preoccupation? Marreese Speights wayward shoe.In a game with a weird footnote, the Warriors won their franchise-record 15th in row Saturday as Curry scored 29 points in a 105-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.It was a bizarre sequence, said Kerr, at 20-2 off to the fastest start ever for a first-year coach.After Speights lost his shoe making a move for the Warriors in the third quarter, the big mans sneaker was thrown toward midcourt to get it out of the way as the possession continued.When the teams headed back the other way, Curry picked up the loose shoe and tried to toss it to Speights. But Mavericks centre Tyson Chandler swatted the sneaker in midair, knocking it near the sideline and prompting Curry to gesture toward an official.The blocked shoe drew the biggest roar from an otherwise quiet crowd.When I was on the wing, and I saw the shoe, and I immediately thought about my ankles, so I thought, I got to pick that up before I try to make that move, Curry said. On the other transition, when he went to go get his shoe back, but Tyson thought um, otherwise, I guess. Ive never seen that happen before.Chandler said the move was purely tactical, not motivational for a team that fell behind by 21 points in the first quarter and 28 in the second before getting within seven points in the final minute of the game.You cant run with a sock on, said Chandler, who had 11 point and 12 rebounds for his 12th double-double. I was hoping that we could exploit them at the other end until they either had to call timeout or he had to foul. But we didnt take advantage of it.Chandler was pretty sure there wasnt a rule against the swat, and Kerr was pretty sure he was ready for that to change.A shoe rule! he said, laughing. Like the Larry Bird exception. The Tyson Chandler rule. No deflecting shoes!Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 23 points for Dallas, approved of the move.That was probably the best defensive play of the night, he said.Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 17 in the first half, and Thompson finished with 25 as the Warriors became the 12th NBA team to open a season 20-2.Monta Ellis scored 24 points to lead the Mavericks, who played without Chandler Parsons because of a sore back. Dallas dropped to 0-5 against the top seven teams in the Western Conference.TIP-INSWarriors: C Andrew Bogut had flu-like symptoms to go with right knee tendinitis that also kept him out of Wednesdays game against Houston. ... Kerr said F David Lee (strained left hamstring) has worked well the last couple of days without any repercussions. ... Draymond Green had 20 points and eight rebounds for Golden State, and Harrison Barnes added 12 points and nine boards.Mavericks: Coach Rick Carlisle got a technical early in the season half when he complained that Green wasnt called for an illegal screen on Ellis as Curry came around the pick and hit a 3-pointer. ... G Jameer Nelson returned after missing one game with a sore right shoulder.GOOD MEMORIESKerr made his first trip as a coach to the site of his last shining moment as a player, when he was an afterthought for San Antonio on its way to the title in 2003. He hit four 3-pointers as part of a huge fourth-quarter rally that helped the Spurs avoid a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals against the Mavericks. He had just one more 3-pointer in the playoffs before retiring after the season. That was fun, Kerr said.FILLING IN FOR PARSONSRichard Jefferson, starting in Parsons spot, had 13 points and 13 rebounds, his first double-double in those categories since Dec. 3, 2010, when he had 15 points and 10 boards for San Antonio against Minnesota.UP NEXTWarriors at New Orleans on Sunday to finish a back-to-back.Mavericks at New York on Tuesday. Ish Smith Jersey . At times during a solid but not spectacular season, they looked all three. Still the defending AFC champions persevered, riding their top-ranked defence and key contributions from younger players to a 12-4 record and their eighth playoff appearance since 2000, remarkable consistency in a league where change is the only constant. Pervis Ellison Jersey .C. -- The Edmonton Oilers used a late-power-play goal to get a hard-fought road victory. https://www.cheapwizardsonline.com/349k-chris-webber-jersey-wizards.html . 31-Feb. 2. While organizers havent decided if itll be red or green clay, they feel their choice of surface will give the Americans an advantage over Britain, which is expected to be led by defending Wimbledon champion Andy Murray. BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Defying all the doubters, Costa Rica came through perhaps the toughest group of the World Cup unbeaten and on top. Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D. Quite an achievement for a team that was seen as the rank outsider in the first ever World Cup group that contained three former champions. "It wasnt the death group after all -- at least not for us," Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto said. He dedicated the qualification to "those who believed in us and those who didnt." "People started believing after the game against Italy," he added. Uruguay also advanced from the group after beating Italy 1-0. Costa Rica only needed a draw to top Group D and played that way, setting up in a defensive 5-3-2 formation against England. The result gives Costa Rica its best World Cup performance. While Los Ticos reached the knockout stages in 1990, they finished second in a weaker group. Costa Rica will now play the runner-up in Group C in the second round. "We will have to keep fighting," Pinto said. "Whatever happens we are willing to fight." England lost its first two matches to Italy and Uruguay and was already eliminated. England goes home from Brazil without a win after striker Daniel Sturridge missed a number of chances Tuesday. But coach Roy Hodgson thought his team showed spirit against the Costa Ricans, trying to break down a stubborn defence. "We showed today what a good team we can be," England coach Roy Hodgson said. "Apart from the first 10 minutes, I thought we dominated." One of Sturridges best opportunities came in the 65th after a nice one-two with midfielder Jack Wilshere. But the forwards curling shot from the right just missed squeezing inside the far post. Costa Rica had started the match brightly, passing the ball around midfield with ease and making England chase them around. Forward Joel Campbell had an early chance, but his shot from inside the area deflected off Gary Cahill and went just wide in the second minute. Costa Ricas best chance came in the 23rd minute when Celso Borges curling free kick waas tipped onto the crossbar and out for a corner by England goalkeeper Ben Foster. C. J. Miles Jersey. But that was about it in terms of attacking for the Costa Ricans and they were happy to absorb England pressure, especially in the second half. Pinto defended his team defensive tactics, saying Costa Rica was also out to attack. "Some people said we would only defend," he said. "No, thats not true. You have seen it. We have been able to attack as well. That is why we are very proud," With nothing to play for, Hodgson made nine changes to the England team, fielding a slew of younger talent, including Adam Lallana, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw. Englands backup players looked disjointed in the first half, giving the ball away easily and finding it difficult to break through Costa Ricas setup. Wilshere made a fine run down the left in the 12th, setting up Sturridge just outside the area, but the forwards curling shot just missed wide. Wayne Rooney came on as a substitute late in the second half and made an instant impact for England. He found space just outside Costa Ricas area in the 80th, but the backpedalling Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas was able to tip it over the bar and out for a corner. While England showed improvement in the second half, the team just couldnt find a way a through Costa Ricas rearguard. A hardcore group of about 150 England fans stayed in the stands long after the final whistle in an otherwise empty Mineirao Stadium, chanting loudly and jumping up and down. About 25 armed riot police with shields and batons formed a line behind stewards who were urging them to leave. Singing "England Till We Die," the fans eventually left the stands peacefully. ------ Lineups: Costa Rica: Keylor Navas; Giancarlo Gonzalez, Roy Miller, Oscar Duarte, Junior Diaz; Cristian Gamboa, Yeltsin Tejeda, Celso Borges (Michael Barrantes, 78), Bryan Ruiz (captain); Randall Brenes (Christian Bolanos, 59), Joel Campbell (Marcos Urena, 65). England: Ben Foster; Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw; James Milner (Wayne Rooney, 76), Frank Lampard (captain), Jack Wilshere (Steven Gerrard, 73); Ross Barkley, Adam Lallana (Raheem Sterling, 62), Daniel Sturridge. ' ' '