NBA FINALS - Warriors take a commanding 3-0 lead
CLEVELAND - The Golden State Warriors is win one away from back to back NBA titles, thanks because of the largely brilliant offense of Kevin Durant.
On a night when Steph Curry and Klay Thompson were held to unusual 21 points on 7-for-27 shooting from the field, Durant sizzled with 43 boards, including a crowd silencer 3 with 49.8 seconds left to play as the Warriors went to win Game 3, 110-102, at the Quicken Arena.
Golden State currently seating atop of the Finals with 3-0 lead. In the historical backdrop of the NBA playoffs, no teams trailing 0-3 out of a best-of-7 comeback to win the series, the records shows are 0-131.
Game 4 returns to The Q on Friday night (Saturday morning in the Philippines).
LeBron James once again notched another triple-double - his fourth this playoffs - with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 11 dissed. In any case, he had little help other than Kevin Love, who had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Rodney Hood, who had 15 off the bench.
As he is staring in the doorstep of a potential 2nd NBA finals sweep defeat, LeBron had none but good words for Kevin Durant. "He'a an assassin...His capacity to deal with the ball, shoot the ball, make plays at his length, his size, his speed."
The Cavaliers took a 13-point lead in the second quarter yet their offense backed off in the second half where the Warriors outscored them 58-44. J.R. Smith completed with 13 and Tristan Thompson included eight points and 10 rebounds.
Cleveland out-rebounded Golden State 47-37 yet the Warriors shot better from the field generally with 51.9 percent (42-of-81) while the Cavs shots only 40 of 92 for 43.5 percent.