Durant scores 38 as Warriors take 3- 0 lead over Jazz
Kevin Durant had 38 points and 13 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 102-91 on Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were a combined 7 for 29 from the field and 3 for 15 from 3-point range, leaving Durant to lead the Warriors.
The Jazz led 75-74 early in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors went on a 10-4 run and never trailed again. Curry and Durant hit back to back 3ss to give Golden State a 92-84 lead with 3:04 left.
Curry finished with 23 points on 6-for-20 shooting.
Gordon Hayward led Utah with 29 points. Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 15 rebounds.
Game 4 is Monday night in Utah.
The Warriors got out to a quick start, again, and led by 10 after the first quarter.
Utah survived the first-half onslaught by Durant, who had 22 points and six rebounds at the break. There wasn’t much the Jazz could do to contend a flurry of turnaround fadeaways, drives to the basket and a pair of 3s. Golden State, however, didn’t get much help otherwise and Draymond Green dealt with foul trouble.
The Jazz took a 50-49 lead into halftime after closing the second quarter on a 12-5 run highlighted by Rodney Hood’s 3-pointer triple that gave the Jazz their first lead of the series at 48-47.
Green picked up a technical arguing from the bench late in the second quarter after being whistled for his third foul of the half. As the crowd roared, he gave a 2-0 hand gesture to indicate the series record.
The Jazz led by nine in the third quarter, but Curry began to warm up and hit his first 3-pointer of the game on a pull-up in transition. Golden State closed the quarter on a 19-8 stretch to take a 72-70 lead.
Wizards’ Oubre suspended: Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. was suspended for Game 4 against the Boston Celtics after charging and knocking over Kelly Olynyk in Game 3. The NBA on Saturday announced Oubre’s suspension without pay for “charging and making forceful and unwarranted contact.” Game
4 is Sunday evening in Washington. Oubre called the suspension a consequence of his actions. “I’m not surprised,” Oubre said after practice Saturday. “The league has to do what they have to do. They have to handle that situation.” Oubre’s outburst in the second quarter of Game 3 on Thursday resulted in a flagrant 2 foul and an ejection. Olynyk knocked him to the ground on an illegal screen, and Oubre leapt to his feet, sprinted at him and bowled him over. The 21-year-old said he apologized to referee Monty McCutchen, who was talking to Olynyk at the time of the incident. Oubre said he did not reach out to apologize to Olynyk. Washington coach Scott Brooks said he respects the league’s decision and figured a suspension could be coming.