ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — This is a continuation of the halftime recap of the Portland Trail Blazers at the Golden State Warriors, 2016 NBA Western Conference Semifinals, Game 1.
The Warriors took a 55-41 lead into halftime.
3rd Quarter – Klay Gets Hot Again
The Warriors and Blazers traded shots to start the third, but Draymond Green made a push, carrying the team to a twenty-point lead by getting an “and-one” inside to drop against Damian Lillard, drawing and making two foul shots on a power move on the right side.
He also fed Shaun Livingston on a fast break “tic-tac-toe” layup, but Mason Plumlee did well to get in the way, disrupting LIvingston and finishing the change of possession with an in-transition alley-oop to Mo Harkless.
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr called a timeout after the next possession crossed half court, sensing a momentum shift with the Warriors up, 77-57, with 7:14 remaining.
Out of the timeout, Kerr brought in Anderson Varejao for Andrew Bogut, who had picked up his third foul, and Varejao set two successive picks to free up Klay Thompson, who drilled a three from the right wing, assisted by Green from the right block.
On the next possession, Blazers swingman Gerald Henderson rushed into the lane, inadvertently bumped Varejao from behind, and Varejao retaliated to the blindside hit by tripping Henderson, who didn’t like it and pointed at Varejao’s face:
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The referees reviewed the play and issued a double-technical.
After Allen Crabbe swished a catch-and-shoot with his foot on the right arc, Varejao answered with a jumper assisted by Thompson.
Klay added this nifty jumpstop reverse layup…
Klay with the bucket + the foul! #NBAonABC #NBARapidReplay #WARRIORSvBLAZERS https://t.co/S7NXSjbQB4
— NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2016
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…then shortly thereafter when Varejao had returned to the bench during Thompson’s free throw, he got into a verbal altercation with Henderson, and both players were charged with their second technicals, an automatic ejection for each.
Green immediately went to say something to Varejao, and Varejao, quickly turned and left the bench, waving a towel on the way out to cheers from #Roaracle.
The quarter ended without anymore scoring and the Warriors had a 93-73 lead. Klay had 33 points and Green 20 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists.
Stephen Curry told ESPN that he might return for Game 3 on Saturday, six days from now:
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4th Quarter – Green Registers Triple Double
To start the fourth, Livingston found Mo Speights for the mid range jumper then Davis got an and-one, and Barbosa and Speights got consecutive layups which forced Portland to call timeout.
Lillard hit back to back threes, Barnes hit a much needed jumper, then Iguodala got two free throws to go. McCollum hit a shot to cut the lead to 17 so Kerr called timeout to get Thompson and Green into the ball game.
After a few misses, Klay found Andrew Bogut who got the hook shot to go but McCollum answered again.
Thompson then got fouled and he split a pair of free throws – giving him 34 points on the night, which tied a playoff career-high. Bogut then blocked a Plumlee shot but then he fouled him on the second attempt – Plumlee made one free throw.
Bogut’s cross court pass was then intercepted and McCollum hesitated then hit the mid range jumpshot. Kerr called timeout with 4:14 remaining and the lead at 15 in the Warriors’ favour.
After the timeout, Draymond Green splashed home a triple then Lillard got an and-one to go. Shaun Livingston then got a turnaround Shaun-O-matic to go and Draymond Green picked up his 10th assist of the night which gave him a triple double – 23 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
Iguodala hit two free throws, Lillard hit a 3 then Klay Thompson answered with another three. The score was 116-97 with 2:11 to go.
Lillard hit a pair of free throws, Rush and Clark checked in followed by Speights, McAdoo and Barbosa, then Clark hit a jump shot. Montero and Connaughton got late buckets but it was all too late.
FINAL: Warriors (1-0), 118-106.
Green finished with 23-13-11-1-2, Klay had 37 points, while Bogut and Barnes double doubled. Klay now has back-to-back-to-back games with 7 threes!
EXTRA: Green was also lucky enough to receive free french fries during a final quarter timeout!
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