The Golden State Warriors were at the Toyota Center tonight to face the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of the 2015 Western Conference Finals, with the Warriors up 2-0.
The Rockets were without Patrick Beverley and Donatas Motiejunas again, as they are out for the remainder of the series. The Warriors were without Marreese Speights, who is still recovering from a calf strain.
1ST QUARTER: Zero Turnovers
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said that his team liked going on the road and being more focused, and they certainly came out that way.
Harrison Barnes was the adjustment Kerr made on the defense of James Harden, Barnes covering him instead of Klay Thompson, who guarded Trevor Ariza.
After two games struggling from shooting outside, Thompson got it going early, drilling a catch-and-shoot on a short feed from Bogut…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then another one assisted by Bogut from midrange.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
The first few minutes featured zero turnovers and all field goals assisted by Golden State, as Draymond Green gave what at first looked like a push shot that went one yard short of the rim, but Andrew Bogut got the catch and put the layup in easily.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Dwight Howard got a thunderous two-hand dunk down the lane, but he also goaltended a Bogut flip shot, then dipped his shoulder into Bogut on a post-up for a charge.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Meanwhile, Thompson hit two jumpers and Stephen Curry got a trey from Green’s cross-court pass from the post. Then Green and Bogut later connected again on an alley-oop and with 7:20 remaining and the Warriors up, 13-9, Rockets head coach Kevin McHale called timeout.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
After Bogut converted a rare 2-for-2 from the line from being pushed on an offensive set, Howard got another two-hand jam as he maneuvered past Bogut for an offensive rebound of Harden’s missed layup.
Approaching 3 minutes remaining, Kerr inserted Shaun Livingston for Curry, as well as Andre Iguodala and Festus Ezeli.
Ezeli immediately contributed, as usual, as Green got an entry pass in the lane on a slip, missed the shot, and Ezeli tipped the ball with Howard in the way. Draymond caught the tip, gave a pump fake to Pablo Prigioni, then only other Rocket nearby at the rim, and converted the layup.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
But Harden answered back with a lefty banker in the lane, going past Iguodala to trim the Warriors lead to 22-16.
However, Golden State sprinted to the first quarter finish line. Klay missed a trey from the left side that toilet-bowled out, but Iguodala fielded the board and found Thompson cutting to the hole. Andre lofted a perfect alley oop that Klay caught and laid in from the left side.
Later, Thompson dribbled to the right perimeter, Ezeli rolled, and got the angling dunk on an alley-oop feed by Klay…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then Terrence Jones made a swing pass that Iguodala deflected, and the Warriors were off to the races. Livingston got fouled on the fast break and added two free throws.
The Warriors had a final chance to add to the Rockets’ opening woes, as Harden bricked a trey on their last possession from up top, trying to score over Livingston. Barnes dribbled down the court, found Iguodala, who gave it back to Barnes wide open in the lane, but Harrison missed the put shot before the buzzer.
Golden State, getting 9 assists on 12 field goals made, to go along with zero turnovers, took a 30-18 lead into the second quarter.
2ND QUARTER: Chef Curry!
Ezeli started the 2nd quarter in stride, getting an alley oop from Livingston. Bogut then came back in, although Howard still went to work, getting a couple of deliberate post-up buckets on hook shots in the lane, though he did miss two free throws.
On one of the makes, the Warriors inbounded to Curry, who took two quick dribbles, and found Iguodala for a touchdown two-handed slam within 3 seconds of Howard’s made basket, giving the Warriors 11 assists on 15 made field goals.
Golden State continued attacking the paint. Iguodala caught the ball up top, made an upfake, then went down the left side of the lane for an aggressive scoop shot, then Curry was able to dissect the Houston perimeter, going down the lane for another scoop. He missed it, though, but Bogut got the tap-in and the Dubs took a 38-27 lead with 8:35 to go in the half.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
After a timeout by McHale, Curry started cooking, getting a righty scoop after going past the Rockets defense down the right side.
Then Steph got a steal on Jason Terry, passed up a transition three after turning on the brakes. Thompson missed a contested jumper, but Curry, of all people, boxed out Howard and got a one-handed rebounded, then got fouled by Howard on the putback attempt.
After Howard missed a layup badly, Curry once again got into the lane, this time dribbling, and drew a foul on Howard again, getting hit hard on the reverse layup attempt.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Curry then played “tic-tac-toe” with Thompson, with Klay delivering a quick pass to Ezeli for a layup…
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
…then after Harden made two free throws, Steph came down on the early offense, dribbled and popped a three-pointer from the top to make it 49-32 with 4:31 remaining.
It was Curry’s 59th made three-pointer of the playoffs, breaking Reggie Miller‘s record of 58 made in 22 games played. Steph broke the record in 13 games played.
Curry wasn’t done, stepping back on Terry from beyond the arc and getting a questionable foul called on Terry for not letting Steph land.
https://platform.vine.co/static/scripts/embed.js
Three free throws by Curry put the Dubs up by 20, 52-32.
Steph added a righty scoop, then boarded a Klay missed three to find Thompson for a corner trey, then got doubled up top and dished to David Lee — in to spell Green — for a righty scoop, and after Harden missed a three at the top at the buzzer, the Warriors had just 1 turnover and a dominating 62-37 lead at halftime.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
