2014 Most Valuable Player, Kevin Durant dropped 26 markers, nine boards and six dimes as the Golden State Warriors took a commanding 3-0 series lead against the San Antonio Spurs, 110-97.
The Warriors can end their first round playoffs schedule if they’re able to snag another victory this coming Sunday afternoon in San Antonio in Game 4.
The home-team Spurs are in the midst of grief and sadness as the wife of San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich just passed away.
“We are all hurting,” Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili said after the morning shootaround. “We want to be next to Pop, we want to support him, but we’ve got to go out there and compete today. But, for sure, we are toiling. It’s not an easy day to be here.”
The Argentinean superstar along with his long-time teammate Tony Parker mentioned that it was tough to play basketball after the death of Erin Popovich. However, their main goal since the start of the season is to play and compete with grit as what their mentor always tells them to do.
According to Parker, Gregg and Erin were like parents to him when he joined the NBA as one of the international basketball recruits. The French guard able to boost his scoring output by logging 16 points in just 17 minutes of playing time. He was only averaging 2.0 points in the first two games.
LaMarcus Aldridge was the Spurs main man in Game 3 as he led his team with 18 points.
San Antonio played an emotional game but couldn’t find a way to stop the surging Warriors.
Rudy Gay started the Spurs barrage by scoring through a dunk against JaVale McGee. The home fans loved it and the noise were consistent as San Antonio made the game’s first six points. That’s before the Warriors made its own run.
It was the combination of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant who shut the doors of San Antonio to log its first win in this year’s playoffs.
Thompson scored 19 points and was in his usual deadly form behind the three-point area where he converted 50% of his shots.
Kevin Durant carried the Warriors in the first half where he scored 17 points to counter the scoring output of Tony Parker and Rudy Gay. Golden State ended their first half with a 20-9 scoring surge and took the lead 52-46.
It was unlikely to see the Warriors struggle from the three-point area but that what really happen at the start of the game where they shot 1-of-14 from behind-the-arc. However, despite of that, Golden State still find themselves leading by a double-digit margin.
The Warriors got six players scored in double-figures. Shaun Livingston chipped in with 16 points.
