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PORTLAND, Oregon. – After Kevin Durant, Draymond Green is given a mission to revive Golden State.
And my boy, he has.
Green had 20 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, and the Warriors beat the Portland Trail Blazers 110-99 on Saturday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Green played his seventh career hat-trick and Stephen Curry scored 36 points for Golden State, which earned him his fifth consecutive win in the NBA final, with the fourth game scheduled for Monday.
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Warrior coach Steve Kerr said it was one of the best games he saw playing in green.
"I do not even know what to say about Draymond," said Kerr. "He was a demolition balloon, destroying everything in his path."
Striker Draymond Green (23) of the Golden State Warriors shoots against striker Meyers Leonard of Portland Trail Blazers, left, in the first half of the third game of the Conference Finals. West NBA, Saturday, in Portland, Oregon (Associated Press)
Durant, the NBA's two-time MVP, who averaged more than 34 points in the playoffs, remains absent with a right calf injury and his return is uncertain.
"When Kevin is not on the ground, I know I have to be more aggressive, so whether it's to attack the basket, put more pressure on the defense, I understand it," Green said.
"When Kevin [Durant] It's not on the ground, I know I have to be more aggressive. So, whether it is to attack the basket or put more pressure on the defense, I understand it. "
CJ McCollum had 23 points for the Trail Blazers, who led by 18 points in the second quarter. Damian Lillard added 19 points, but Portland was injured in the line, making only 20 attempts out of 33.
Andre Iguodala of Golden State left in the third quarter with a sore leg. Kerr announced that he would be having an MRI on Sunday. Iguodala played 17 minutes and nine points.
After being led 66-53 at the half, the Warriors made a comeback in the third quarter to lead 82-79 before the fourth quarter. Jonas jumper Jerebko pushed ahead to 90-82 with 7:26 to go.
Curry's 3-pointer opened the game at 98-87 with just under five minutes to go, and Portland struggled to catch up – a performance similar to the fourth quarter in the second game.
The third game was the first conference final match in Portland since 2000. The Blazers lost that series to the eventual Los Angeles Lakers champion in seven games.
No team came back from a 0-3 deficit to win the playoffs. Only three playoffs played a seventh game after a team opened with a 3-0 lead.
"We're going to do our best on Monday – that's all that matters," said Blazers coach Terry Stotts. "We will do our best and whatever happens, it happens."
On Thursday, the Blazers were up 15 at halftime and 8-4 minutes into the game before the Warriors came back – boosted by Kevon Looney's dunk with less than a minute and a half. Iguodala seal match flight – for a match 114-111 2 win.
Both teams changed their composition for the third match. Meyers Leonard of Portland made his first start in the playoffs at the center. Enes Kanter, despite a separate shoulder in the first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, started in all previous matches. Leonard provided a spark and finished with 16 points in the playoffs.
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Kerr started Damian Jones, who had not started since December and had only made two previous appearances in the playoffs. Jones, who played only 24 regular season games because of a torn pectoral muscle, got three fouls in the first three minutes of the match and headed for the bench.
Portland was boosted by the local crowd early, increasing by 10 points in the first quarter. Seth Curry's rider raised the score to 60-42 with 2:28 to play until half-time.
The Warriors fought back in the 76-75 space on Alfonzo McKinnie's basket and on Looney's backhand to raise the score to 10-0.
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