Looking Golden
Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry help the Warriors take a 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals,
There is no revenge OAKLAND to be had for the Golden State Warriors in these NBA Finals.
By adding Kevin Durant to the NBA’s best rivalry last summer, everything changed about these annual June clashes with LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers. Now it’s about finishing the job that everyone expects them to do, a super team reigning supreme. Now it’s about avoiding the infamy that would come with having just one ring on the résumé after three years of historic domination in the regular season.
But when Stephen Curry toyed with James in the third quarter of the 132-113 win Sunday at Oracle Arena, pulling him from the perimeter to the paint and sneaking that right-handed layup into the net before James’ paw swung behind his head, it was as close as he’ll ever come to a dose of retribution. Fourteen dribbles. Four hand changes. A 10-point lead. And one step closer to the goal the Warriors simply must reach.
The Cavs put up a better fight this time, cutting the lead to as little as four at one point in large part because James (29 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds) looked like the best player on the planet again after a subpar Game 1.
But Curry, who surely remembers the way James gave him the little brother treatment in those 2016 Finals when he struggled so mightily, was the one smiling and smirking this time.
The back-to-back NBA MVP had a triple-double in the playoffs for the first time in 72 tries, finishing with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
His capper came midway through the fourth quarter, when he buried a deep threepointer from the left wing that pushed the lead to 22 points and was inspired to pull out his twin six-shooters — finger style — that he double-holstered on his hips as the locals reveled.
It was quite a way for them to welcome back Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who returned to the sideline after missing the previous 11 games because of symptoms from his botched back surgery two summers ago. Kerr had been out for six weeks, ever since April 22, when he decided he couldn’t coach in Game 3 of the first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers.
The high-powered Warriors also received another strong showing from Durant on Sunday as he had 33 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
Game 3 is Wednesday in Cleveland.