SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry drove to the basket with fervor and knocked down a 3-pointer whereas falling to the bottom getting fouled to transform a key four-point play, exhibiting all of the indicators he’s his wholesome former self finally.
And the raucous house crowd liked each minute of No. 30’s galloping, grinning, body-shaking present.
Curry got here off the bench for a second straight sport following a month-long absence with a foot damage, scoring 34 factors to guide the Golden State Warriors previous the Denver Nuggets 126-106 on Monday night time for a 2-0 lead of their best-of-seven playoff sequence.
He was solely on the ground 3 seconds shy of 23 minutes, and no participant within the shot clock period had scored as many as 30 factors in 23 or fewer minutes in a playoff sport, in keeping with Elias.
“It didn’t shock me as a result of we’ve been watching this for a very long time with Steph,” coach Steve Kerr mentioned. “You by no means actually are shocked when he has an outburst like that. It’s nice to see.”
Nikola Jokic had 26 factors and 11 rebounds earlier than being ejected with 7 minutes left after a second technical and was held again from a referee, after his first technical got here with 2:31 to go within the third. The MVP candidate’s feelings ran excessive all night time. Within the first quarter, Golden State guard Gary Payton II patted Jokic on the bottom and the massive man turned and got here towards Payton when Curry stepped in and held the 7-footer again and Jordan Poole got here in to assist.
Draymond Inexperienced’s protection flustered Jokic all night time.
“Should you really feel such as you’re getting below their pores and skin you press up slightly extra,” Inexperienced mentioned. “Should you don’t really feel such as you’re getting below their pores and skin, you press up slightly extra.”
Poole began for Curry once more and contributed 29 factors — simply lacking an opportunity to change into the primary Warriors participant ever to attain 30 in his first two playoff video games.
Klay Thompson added 21 factors, whereas Curry shot 12 for 17 with 5 3s as Denver once more had no reply defensively for the entire Warriors’ harmful perimeter threats.
The sequence shifts to Denver for Recreation 3 on Thursday night time. Will Curry begin?
“We’ll see,” Kerr mentioned.
The Warriors are rolling with the backing of their adoring followers, profitable their seventh in a row total following a five-game profitable streak to shut the common season.
Golden State used runs of 16-0 and 23-4 late within the second quarter to erase a 43-31 deficit and take a 57-51 lead on the break. On one significantly dazzling sequence, Inexperienced bounced a move to Poole who threw it behind his again to Thompson for a layup that made it 54-47.
Austin Rivers grabbed at his left hip and went down arduous after getting damage on a drive then Thompson hit a jumper on the opposite finish within the 5-on-4 benefit earlier than Rivers exited with 10:04 left within the second quarter. He returned with 46.7 seconds to go within the half.
The Nuggets went forward 43-31 on Monte Morris’ layup on the 7:25 mark of the second quarter and the Warriors answered with 16 straight factors. The Chase Middle crowd went loopy on Poole’s 3 with 3:38 remaining.
Curry entered for the primary time on the 6:32 mark of the primary to a roaring ovation and instantly hit a jumper. With 16 first-half factors he turned the twenty seventh participant in NBA historical past to attain 3,000 profession postseason factors.
He confirmed a full vary of strikes together with driving to the basket with a fervor and making a 3-pointer whereas falling to the bottom.
Denver took a 7-0 lead 90 seconds into the sport as Jokic made 4 fast free throws. However the groups mixed to start out 6 for 21 with three area targets apiece — and the Warriors had been 1 for 7 on 3s.
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