Warriors cruise past Spurs for 3-0 lead

new york — Kevin Durant scored a game-high 26 points on Thursday night as the Golden State Warriors moved within one game of a first-round playoff sweep of the San Antonio Spurs with a 110-97 victory in San Antonio.

The second-seeded Warriors can advance to the Western Conference semifinals with a victory in Game 4 at San Antonio on Sunday afternoon.

No team has ever rebounded from a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series.

The only negatives for Golden State were Durant rolling his left ankle and guard Shaun Livingston turning his right ankle in the fourth quarter. Durant left the game for good with the Warriors ahead by 15 points.

Afterward, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “Both sprained ankles, but I think they’ll be all right.” The Spurs played Game 3 without coach Gregg Popovich, whose wife, Erin, died Wednesday. Assistant coach Ettore Messina filled in for Popovich.

“There is definitely kind of a subdued feeling, and it’s permeated our entire locker room,” said Kerr, who played for the Spurs under Popovich. “There is just a different feeling, one of perspective and sadness.”

Messina said of the Spurs’ response, according to the San Antonio Express-News, “Everybody did a fantastic job of really trying to support each other and facing this moment as it should be faced.” —