Curry just fine with record nine 3s
WARRIORS 122, CAVALIERS 103 Golden State takes commanding 2-0 series lead in Finals
OAKLAND, CALIF.» Stephen Curry backpedaled in pure joy. He skipped, hollered and let it fly from everywhere with the feeling he gets that there’s no way it will miss — unwavering even with a defender’s hand in his face.
Curry dazzled in outdueling LeBron James as the two superstars traded big shots and celebratory moves, hitting an NBA Finals-record nine 3-pointers and scoring 33 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 122-103 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday night for 2-0 lead.
“It’s hard to think back to all the games, but he was tremendous — nine 3s and seemed to hit a big shot every time we needed one,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He was fantastic.”
Kevin Durant found his steady stroke to score 26 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists while also handling a load of the defensive assignment against James. Klay Thompson added 20 points playing on a tender left leg to put the defending champions two wins from a repeat title they have talked about since the season began last fall.
James followed up his 51-point performance in Game 1 with 29 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in a far tamer Finals sequel — and a much more lopsided one — minus the utter craziness of a drama-packed opener three days prior.
Game 3 is Wednesday night in Cleveland.
Kevin Love had 22 points and 10 boards for the cold-shooting Cavs, who will now try to gain some momentum back home.
Curry had the shot of the night with 7:54 to play, making an offbalance swish from several feet behind the 3-point arc over Love as the shot clock wound down, then backpedaled in pure joy. Curry fell into the first row of fans with a baseline 3 again over Love and four-point play at the 5:44
mark of the fourth.
“He makes tough shots, that’s what he does,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. “Once he releases it and he sees the basket, he usually makes it.”
James pointed with both hands after his 3 with 11:04 remaining got his team within seven, before Curry answered from deep the next two trips down the floor. Curry squatted low to admire his shot as it went in at one point and galloped back in joy after he hit two deep 3s late in the first half.
They had a tense moment in the third, too.
James became irate at the officials for a no-call on Curry, who ran beneath the Cavs star and didn’t let him land with 3:54 remaining in the quarter as James caught Love’s long pass and went out of bounds.
Lue was hit with a technical, saying afterward he didn’t say much but was on the court.
JaVale McGee scored 12 points, making all six of his shots in his first career NBA Finals start as Kerr made a lineup switch that proved spot on.
The typically efficient Durant connected on 10 of 14 shots after going just 8 for 22 — 1 of 7 on 3s — in the opener but still scoring 26 points.