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Stephen Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 factors and answered repeatedly to will the defending champions on of their quest for a repeat, Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors superior to the Western Convention semifinals by beating the Sacramento Kings 120-100 in Sunday’s winner-take-all Sport 7.
Curry’s factors are probably the most in NBA history in a Sport 7, topping former teammate Kevin Durant’s 48 for the Nets towards Milwaukee in 2021.
The Warriors fell behind 2-0 on this collection then gained twice on the highway in entrance of a hostile, cowbell-clanging crowd within the state capital to turn into the primary reigning champion to drop the primary two video games and win any postseason collection.
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Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles towards De’Aaron Fox #5 of the Sacramento Kings through the third quarter in sport seven of the Western Convention First Spherical Playoffs at Golden 1 Middle on April 30, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos)
Now, deliver on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers within the Western Convention semifinals with all that NBA Finals historical past with James and Golden State relationship to his Cleveland days. Sport 1 is Tuesday evening at Chase Middle.
Sacramento’s particular comeback season is over lengthy earlier than these younger Kings had deliberate. After snapping a 16-year playoff drought — longest in NBA historical past — beneath Coach of the 12 months Mike Brown, playoff-starved Sacramento earned a No. 3 seed however missed advancing to the second spherical for the primary time since 2004. No extra Gentle the Beam at Golden 1 Middle this season.
Curry shot 20 of 38 with seven 3s and delivered after virtually each huge play by Sacramento as Splash Brother Klay Thompson struggled on each ends once more. However Thompson got here by means of in some essential moments, too.
Malik Monk’s putback and three-point play with 14.6 seconds remaining within the third pulled Sacramento inside six just for Thompson to hit an extended 3 and convert a four-point play to make it 91-81 heading into the ultimate 12 minutes.
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Domantas Sabonis had 22 factors, eight rebounds and 7 assists however the Warriors held De’Aaron Fox in test as he scored 16 factors on 5-for-19 capturing in his third sport taking part in with a damaged index finger on his capturing hand.
Trailing 58-56 at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 13-4 burst to take a 69-62 lead and pressure a Kings timeout on the 7:50 mark.
Sacramento scored early on with a wonderful mixture of traditional give-and-goes and lengthy jumpers off crisp passing across the perimeter.
However Curry stored coming, and Looney stored scrapping to create second and third alternatives throughout his good collection on the boards.
Kevon Looney #5 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball towards Domantas Sabonis #10 of the Sacramento Kings through the second quarter in sport seven of the Western Convention First Spherical Playoffs at Golden 1 Middle on April 30, 2023 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: Person expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or utilizing this {photograph}, Person is consenting to the phrases and situations of the Getty Photos License Settlement. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos)
Curry fired from approach again with precision and fearlessly drove to the basket with jaw-dropping acrobatics all afternoon to ship Kings followers to the exits late within the fourth.
Thompson started 1 for 10 lacking his first 5 3s earlier than connecting on the 9:18 mark of the third. Golden State, taking part in simply its fourth Sport 7 beneath Steve Kerr for the reason that 2014-15 title run, was good down the stretch after 18 turnovers in Sport 6 led to 23 Kings factors and Kerr calling his staff “wildly undisciplined.”
Kerr had little doubt earlier than the deciding sport — and he went again to Draymond Inexperienced within the beginning lineup for Sport 7 with the season on the road after the fiery ahead got here off the bench the earlier two contests following a Sport 3 suspension for stepping on Domantas Sabonis.
“These guys are champions, defending champions from a yr in the past, 4 within the final eight years, these guys know the deal,” Kerr stated. “There is a sense of confidence and a way that we will go get it performed.”
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Simply earlier than the ultimate buzzer, Kerr supplied an extended embrace to Brown — Golden State’s former high assistant who as soon as coached the Warriors throughout Kerr’s well being absence and simply guided the Kings’ outstanding turnaround.
LOONEY ON THE BOARDS
Looney wound up with 106 rebounds within the collection — 37 on the offensive glass. This was his fifth straight playoff sport with double-digit rebounds.
Within the closing 5 video games of the collection, Looney had 90 rebounds and 34 on the offensive finish with 27 assists.
COMEBACK TIME
Since all rounds turned best-of-seven in 2003, the opposite two groups coming off titles that fell behind 2-0 have been every swept — the Warmth shedding to the Bulls in 2007 and and the Mavericks falling to the Thunder in 2012.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors gestures through the third quarter in sport seven of the Western Convention First Spherical Playoffs towards the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Middle on April 30, 2023 in Sacramento, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Photos)
TIP-INS
Kings: The Kings outrebounded Golden State 28-22 within the first half. … After Sacramento’s bench outscored the Warriors 52-21 in Sport 6, the reserves once more got here by means of — 25-8 within the first half and 41-18 total.
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Warriors: Curry missed consecutive free throws within the second and Thompson could not convert a pair early within the third. Golden State went 19 of 30 from the road after lacking 10 free throws in Sport 6 (25 of 35). … Gary Payton II blocked 4 pictures. … The Warriors improved to 3-1 in Sport 7s since 2015. Golden State hadn’t been to Sport 7 since Could 28, 2018, at Houston within the Western Convention Finals. The Warriors gained to succeed in their fourth straight finals on the way in which to a repeat championship. … Golden State improved to 19-0 in playoff collection towards West opponents beneath Kerr.
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