A little scoreboard watching inspired Klay Thompson and Golden State. Seeing Houston up 3-0 on Utah combined with having dropped a game at home, the Warriors got back to business.
Kevin Durant scored 33 points and Thompson added 32 in a 113-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday that gave the Warriors a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
“We came in with that mindset to put our foot on the throttle and not let go,” Thompson said. “We let go in Game 2 and we won’t do that the rest of the playoffs. I really believe that.”
After a quiet 12 points in Game 3, Thompson broke out for 27 points by halftime, when Durant had 19.
“In the first quarter, we really didn’t need to do anything special. Klay was just amazing. K.D. was consistent the whole game,” Stephen Curry said. “For us, obviously with the threats we have out there, it is just a matter of trying to be as patient as possible.”
Curry’s patience was tried as he missed his first six shots and was in foul trouble for the second straight game before finishing with 12 points. Andrew Bogut fouled out with 5:50 remaining in the game with eight points and 10 rebounds.
Game 5 is Wednesday in Oakland (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT), when the two-time defending champions could close out the series.
The Warriors were 17 of 19 from the free throw line. They controlled the boards, 49-33, led by Curry and Bogut with 10 rebounds apiece.
“The rebounding really hurt us again,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “Right now they are crushing us on the glass.”
Coming off a 27-point loss in Game 3, the Clippers played tougher defensively and hung in after trailing by 11 in the second quarter.
They outscored Golden State 30-25 in the third when they rallied to take a five-point lead. But Curry scored seven of the Warriors’ final 10 points to send them into the fourth ahead 87-84.
