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Agence France-Presse

The defending champions mounted a remarkable comeback without MVP Stephen Curry.
Next game, they might have him back and really get rolling.
Klay Thompson scored 27 points and gave Golden State their first lead of the game on a 3-pointer with 5:33 left, and the Warriors rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 110-99 on for a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
“It started with how focused we were in that fourth,” Thompson said. “We’ve been down and out before. ... We were just locked in on both sides of the ball. We can build on this game. That effort there in the fourth quarter is what it’s going to take to beat this team.”
Draymond Green added 17 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four blocked shots in another win without Curry, sidelined with a sprained MCL in his right knee and relished to coaching to help any way he could.
Game 3 is Saturday in Portland, and Curry could be in uniform.

Thompson’s 3 with 6:44 remaining tied it, igniting the sellout crowd inside deafening Oracle Arena as the defending champions erased an early 17-point deficit.
“We hung in there,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We turned around what was a pretty bad game for us but we had enough time to get back.”
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 energised 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.
“We played three really good quarters. We showed we can compete with them,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “It got away from us in the fourth quarter. It’s disappointing to lose a game you’re competitive and you’re in position to win in the fourth quarter. We’ve got to close it out. It was an opportunity to get a win on the road. We’ve got to learn from it.”

Lillard had 25 points and six assists, and CJ McCollum added 22 points as Portland hit 13 3-pointers. The Blazers were also down 2-0 in the first round to the Clippers.
“Obviously Golden State is a different monster,” Lillard said.
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.
Dwyane Wade and the Heat beat Raptors in OT after Lowry tied it at the buzzer from halfcourt
Thompson, coming off a career playoff-high 37 points in Sunday’s 118-106 Game 1 win, shot 7 for 20 with five 3-pointers. Andre 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.
The Blazers switched up defenders to swarm Thompson, from Allen Crabbe to Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and others.
Portland shot 66.7 percent in the first quarter to take a 34-21 lead — quite the opposite of when the Blazers trailed 37-17 after the first period two days earlier in a 118-106 loss.
So out of sync were the Warriors early that at one point Curry could be seen emphatically adding his input in the middle of the coaches’ huddle and again to teammates.

Lillard and McCollum, who combined to shoot 13 for 43 in Game 1, went 17 for 39.
“We had an opportunity to steal one on the road. It hurts to go back in the locker room after playing so well for so long,” Lillard said. “They played desperate.”
The Warriors won their sixth straight at home against Portland, all by double figures for a total margin of victory of 89 points.
Ian Clark gave Golden State a lift late in the first half and produced five points in nearly 12 minutes.
The Blazers came out defending well from the tip unlike Game 1, as the Warriors missed eight of their first 10 shots and Portland took a 17-5 lead midway through the first quarter.
Andrew Bogut’s two blocks gave him 65 in the playoffs, most in Warriors franchise postseason history.


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NBA Play-offs

Warriors take 2-0 lead over Portland after stirring comeback – and Curry’s on his way back

Festus Ezeli of the Golden State Warriors and Mason Plumlee of the Portland Trail Blazers go for a rebound. Photo: AFP

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 03: Allen Crabbe #23 of the Portland Trail Blazers goes up for a dunk on Shaun Livingston #34 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

epa05289065 Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (R) goes to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu (L) defends during the NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal game two bewteen the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, USA, 03 May 2016. EPA/EZRA SHAW / GETTY IMAGES POOL

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 03: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers stands on the court during their game against the Golden State Warriors in Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs on May 3, 2016 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Dwyane Wade and the Heat beat Raptors in OT after Lowry tied it at the buzzer from halfcourt

Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic celebrates with Gerald Green after a basket against Toronto Raptors. Photo: USA Today Sports

TORONTO, ON - MAY 03: Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors attempts to help DeMar DeRozan #10 up off the floor late in the second half of Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Miami Heat during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on May 3, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

TORONTO, ON - MAY 03: Luol Deng #9 of the Miami Heat shoots the ball as Kyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors defends in the first half of Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Air Canada Centre on May 3, 2016 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Toronto Raptors' Jonas Valanciunas defends as Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) shoots during the second half in Game 1 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series, Tuesday, May 3, 2016 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

Sport

Other Sport

Champions battle in the absence of star Stephen Curry


Warriors take 2-0 lead over Portland after stirring comeback – and Curry’s on his way back

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Champions battle in the absence of star Stephen Curry

Champions battle in the absence of star Stephen Curry