Late Tuesday: Golden State 110, Trail Blazers 99
Klay Thompson scored 27 points and gave host Golden State its first lead of the game on a 3-pointer with 5:33 left, and the Warriors rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night for a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Draymond Green added 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four blocked shots in another win without injured MVP Stephen Curry, sidelined with a sprained MCL in his right knee.
Game 3 is Saturday in Portland, and the reigning MVP might be back for that one.
NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala’s two free throws at 7:25 trimmed the Blazers’ lead to 91-88 and Thompson’s 3 at 6:44 tied it, igniting the sellout crowd inside Oracle Arena as the defending champions erased an early 17-point deficit.
Damian Lillard’s 3 to beat the third-quarter buzzer put Portland ahead 87-76 entering the final 12 minutes — Golden State’s largest deficit going into the fourth all playoffs.
For most of the night, the energized Blazers did everything the defending champions typically do on their impenetrable home court: making the zippy pass, setting the tone on the defensive end, crashing the boards, answering any threat with a big basket.
Lillard had 25 points and six assists, and CJ McCollum added 22 points as Portland hit 13 3-pointers.
Shaun Livingston scored 14 points for his fifth double-digit performance during these playoffs filling in for Curry. Little-used Festus Ezeli contributed eight points and six rebounds down the stretch.
Thompson shot 7 for 20 with five 3-pointers. Iguodala made all five of his first-half shots for 11 of his 15 points to go with five rebounds and four assists, helping Golden State get back within 59-51 at the break.
Ezeli’s alley-oop dunk with 10:11 to play pulled the Warriors within 87-82 and he scored again as Golden State stayed within 91-84.
NOTEBOOK: Heat’s Bosh out for season
Chris Bosh’s season is now officially over, regardless of how far the Miami Heat advance in the postseason.
The Heat and Bosh made the announcement Wednesday after the team practiced in Toronto, ending recent speculation that Bosh would try to return to the court during the playoffs.
Bosh has not played since the All-Star break after a blood clot was discovered in his left leg. It’s the second consecutive year that Bosh’s season ended at the break because of problems with clotting, and the joint statement came one day after the National Basketball Players Association urged Bosh and the team to resolve any issues they have about his immediate future.
Bosh is expected to remain with the team throughout the remainder of the playoffs — helping his teammates however he can.