Thunder Destroy Warriors 133-105 In Game 3 To Take 2-1 Series Lead

The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled past once-dominant the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night in a 133-105 Game 3 home victory to gain a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference final series.

Thunder Destroy Warriors 133-105 In Game 3 To Take 2-1 Series Lead

From the very beginning, the Warriors looked shaky. Stephen Curry picked up an early foul due to his biting on a pump fake from Russell Westbrook. From there, Oklahoma City jumped out to a 13-point lead just 4:33 into the game. Anderson Varejao also strangely fouled Westbrook about 90 feet from Oklahoma City’s basket.

Midway through the second quarter, Draymond Green hit Thunder center Steven Adams hard with a kick straight to the groin shortly after Adams fouled him on his way up in the paint and with Oklahoma City leading 48-42. The hit, which left Adams writhing in pain on the floor for several moments, was called by officials as a Flagrant One foul, but there’s a chance the league office could upgrade it to a Flagrant Two and perhaps even levy a suspension.

As the referees reviewed the play, the crowd at Oklahoma City’s Chesapeake Energy Arena yelled “Kick him out! Kick him out!” while Green attempted to defend himself with referee Tony Brothers, insisting the kick was unintentional. Ultimately, Green stayed on and the Thunder finished the first half on a 24-5 run to put the score at 72-47.

“I thought it would probably get rescinded (the Flagrant One call). It was a follow through on a shot,” Green said. “I’m not trying to kick somebody … in the midsection. I’m sure he would want to have kids some day and I’m not trying to end that on the basketball court. That don’t make sense.”

In the second half, the Thunder held the Warriors to 34.5% shooting, including a 2-of-23 stretch in the final 8:37 of play. Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 33 points in total (23 of which came in the second half) and eight rebounds (on 10 of 15 shooting overall, 12 of 12 from the free throw line), while Westbrook added 30 total points (16 in the second half), 12 assists and eight rebounds. The Thunder led by as much as 41 points in the third quarter.

“Kevin is a great player and is a student of the game and he’s always trying to evolve and get better,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said of Durant. “I give him credit for how he responded and passed the ball and the decisions and things he did. He was real efficient tonight.”

The Warriors shot just  41.3 percent overall. Only Curry (24 points) and Klay Thompson (18 points) scored in double digits.

Game 4 is set for Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

PHOTO: OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – MAY 22: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors drives against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on May 22, 2016 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Article by Pablo Mena