The Golden State Warriors completed their first-round sweep of the Portland Trailblazers with a remarkable 128-103 victory at Portland. All five starters for the Warriors scored in double figures as they advance to the conference semi-finals to face the winner of the Jazz-Clippers match up.
Stephen Curry scored 37 points for the Warriors, while Kevin Durant contributed 10 points in his return after a strained left calf kept him from playing the previous games. The Warriors played its second game without their head coach Steve Kerr. Mike Brown, the assistant coach, took over as head coach for Game 4.
Blazers overwhelmed in first half
Golden State opened the game with a 14-0 lead with Durant’s dunk extending the lead, 22-3. At the end of the first quarter, Blazers were overwhelmed, down 45-22. Durant stated, “We knew if we threw the first punch, we knew that it would overwhelm them a bit, especially being 3-0,” USA Today reported.
Damian Lillard scored much of the points for the Blazers, finishing the game with 34 points. He had 21 points in the first half while CJ McCollum went scoreless before the halftime, going on 0-for-7 shooting. Lillard was given a standing ovation by the crowd at Moda Center with 6:12 left to play in the fourth quarter.
The route continues in the second half
Warriors’ rout of the Blazers didn’t stop after the break.
Curry shot a 3-pointer that pushed the lead to 91-58. Late in the third quarter, Curry again shot a 3-pointer and made it 104-77 in favor of the Warriors. Portland couldn’t do anything else after that.
Steve Kerr’s ailment
Warriors’ head coach announced on Sunday that he will not be able to coach his team in Game 4, although he was present at the Moda Center for Monday’s game.
Kerr watched the game from the locker room.
Kerr is experiencing a flare-up of symptoms from a back surgery he had a few years ago. It’s not yet known when Kerr will be back.
Matt Barnes and Shaun Livingston didn’t play because of a foot sprain and right index sprain, respectively. Livingston was only able to play in Game 1 while Barnes has been absent for the whole series.
The last time Golden State swept a playoff series was in 2015 against New Orleans. The Warriors have improved their first round record, going 12-1 for the past three postseasons.
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