Curry, Warriors net miraculous victory
NEW ORLEANS — Stephen Curry scored 40 points, including a 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to complete a 20-point fourth-quarter comeback, and the Golden State Warriors beat New Orleans 123-119 in overtime Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in their firstround playoff series.
Curry hit seven 3s in all, including one to start overtime that gave the Warriors the lead for good.
Klay Thompson had 28 points for the Warriors, who trailed 89-69 after three quarters, then outscored New Orleans 39-19 over the next 12 minutes.
Anthony Davis had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans, but his missed free throw with 9.6 seconds left — as the crowd chanted “M-V-P!” — allowed Curry’s late 3 to tie it.
Davis had a chance to tie it in the final seconds of overtime, but Warriors center Andrew Bogut forced him into a difficult driving shot, which missed badly.
BULLS 113, BUCKS 106
Derrick Rose scored 34 points, Jimmy Butler added 24, and Chicago prevailed at Milwaukee in double overtime to take a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.
Butler got the second overtime off to a rousing start, intercepting a backcourt pass from Giannis Antetokounmpo and racing in for a layup. It set the tone for an 8-0 run that gave Chicago a 109-101 lead with 2:44 left as it finally shook the pesky Bucks.
Rose atoned for a missed free throw with four seconds left in regulation that left the game tied. He scored six points in the second overtime, including a layup off an offensive rebound with 2:15 left for a 10-point lead.
Milwaukee went scoreless for more than six minutes between the first and second overtimes.
CAVALIERS 103, CELTICS 95
LeBron James scored 31 points, and Cleveland moved one win from a sweep in its first playoff series in five years with a victory at Boston.
The scrappy Celtics kept it close, just as they did in the previous two games, and trailed 95-92 after Evan Turner hit a 3-pointer with 2:45 left. But Kevin Love hit two 3-pointers for a 101-93 lead with 26 seconds to go.
Turner had 19 points, and Avery Bradley added 18.
Love had 23 points, and J.R. Smith added 15 for the Cavaliers.
James, who had 11 rebounds, was booed nearly every time he touched the ball in the first half at TD Garden.