By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Stephen Curry scored 34 points coming from the bench for the second consecutive game to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 126-106 victory over the Denver Nuggets and take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoffs series.
Curry shot 12-of-17 for the Warriors to become the first player of the franchise to reach 3,000 playoffs points, while Jordan Poole took control as a starter with 29 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds. Klay Thompson added 21 points for the team and Nemanja Bjelica contributed 10 points and 2 rebounds in 16 minutes from the bench.
Nikola Jokic paced the Nuggets with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Willy Barton, Monte Morris, and Bones Hyland all scored 12 points for the visiting team.
The Warriors emerged with a 44-point third quarter to take a double-digit lead paced behind Curry and Poole and the Nuggets never managed to recover.
The series continues this Thursday in Denver, with the Nuggets looking to overturn the deficit, while the Warriors are two wins away from clinching a spot in the Western Conference semifinals.
Earlier in the day, the Mavs tied the series against the Jazz 1-1 and Philadelphia got a 2-0 lead over Toronto.