Warriors win game 3 explosively

After a heartbreaking loss in Game 2, the Golden State Warriors were determined to make a statement on Saturday night.

With a 142-112 win over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State did just that to take a 2-1 series lead in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs. Behind Stephen Curry’s 30 points and Jordan Poole’s 27, the Warriors have a chance to take complete control of the series.

Following an emotional game three days earlier that saw the Warriors lose one of their best defensive players in Gary Payton II, Golden State was itching to get back on the court. But a slow start for the third straight game put the home team behind by as many as 13 points in the first quarter.

However, shooting more than 70 percent from the floor in the first half, Golden State crept back into the game and took a seven-point lead in the locker room at halftime.

Coming off the break, the Warriors took a 15-point lead thanks to an 8-0 run fueled by two 3-pointers by Klay Thompson. Sinking 4 of 6 3-pointers from him, Thompson scored 21 points.

“I liked his poise and his patience,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “When we get good shots, the chances of Klay getting hot are higher.”

In addition to Thompson, the Warriors got another 25+ point game from Poole, who scored 27 on the night. His penetration on the dribble exposed Memphis, allowing Golden State to score 62 points in the paint.

At the end of the game, which saw more than four minutes of garbage time thanks to an old-fashioned beatdown, the Warriors finished shooting 63 percent from the field, their best outing so far this postseason.

With the big win, the Warriors have a chance to take a 3-1 series lead on Monday night when they start against Memphis for Game 4 at the Chase Center.

Source: www.si.com