With 37 points from point guard Stephen Curry and key defender from forward Andre Iguodala, the reigning champions Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-111 and took a 2-0 lead in the NBA Western Conference final.
Curry, who had already scored 36 points and nine triples in the first game, added one more with four shots of three, plus eight rebounds and eight assists in the second game to certify the dramatic return of the locals, who still cannot count on the contest of their top scorer, forward Kevin Durant, is injured so far in the series.
The Blazers, who went on to win by 17 points in the second quarter, suffered a negative 14-3 run in the final four minutes with Curry in the lead and are now forced to come back in Portland, where Games 3 will take place ( Saturday) and 4 (Monday).
Guard Klay Thompson accompanied Curry with 24 points for Golden State, followed by power forward Draymond Green, with 16 and nine rebounds, and post Kevon Looney with 14 points off the bench; Although equally or more valuable was the contribution of veteran Iguodala, with discreet statistics but a key steal on Portand’s point guard, Damian Lillard, on the last play of the game.
Lillard finished with 23 points, guard CJ McCollum with 22 and Curry’s brother Seth with 16 coming off the bench for the Blazers, making four of seven 3-point attempts and helping on defense with four steals.
– Waiting for ‘KD’ –
The absence of Durant, still without an official return date, is felt in Golden State, as the star forward averages 34 points per game in these playoffs; but his calf injury keeps him watching the game from the bench next to the post DeMarcus Cousins, also out.
“Kevin Durant has shown signs of progress since starting his treatment program a week ago, but he is not ready at this time,” the Warriors reported. “He’s going to have another checkup in a week.”
“We hope he can return at some point,” added coach Steve Kerr, without giving further details.
The Blazers picked up the pace in the first half and, three minutes before the break, they already had a 55-43 lead thanks to 16 points from McCollum.
The Portland team finally went to intermediate with 15 points of advantage (65-50) after registering a 50% effectiveness in triples with 11 of 22, while the Warriors only managed three of 14 in that section.
McCollum and Lillard had 18 points between the two at the time, with three triples each.
– Explosive reaction –
But 3-pointers in a row by Thompson and Curry, plus a shot by Green early in the third period put the Warriors back in the game, closing in 69-66.
The Oracle Arena looked like a simmering cauldron as the defending champs began the set with a 16-4 offense, and another triple by Thompson put the Warriors ahead 77-75 with three minutes and 15 seconds to play from third, which ended tied at 89 after several leadership changes on the scoreboard.
“We knew they would come back fighting after game 1. We didn’t play very well, but we bounced back and everyone contributed,” Curry summed up.
The Warriors came from behind again and, with three free throws from the point guard, they were up 110-108 with two minutes to go.
Seth again led Portland 111-110 with a triple, but a Looney dunk returned the slimmer lead to the champions, 112-111, with a minute to go.
Immediately afterwards, another shot by Green after an assist from Curry with 12 seconds left, and Iguodala’s next defensive action on Lillard sealed the local victory.
I think we stole a win. They played better than us for most of the game, “said Kerr. “Our experience helped us. The game is long and there is always an opportunity.
Golden State has played in the last four NBA Finals and has won three (2015, 2017 and 2018).
The winner of this series goes against the winner of the Eastern Conference final between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors, which favors the first 1-0.
On Friday the second game between Milwaukee and Toronto will be played at the home of the former. AFP