The Golden State Warriors took a commanding 2-0 series lead over the shorthanded San Antonio Spurs, a thumping 136-100 the final score in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.
Kawhi Leonard was out of the San Antonio lineup after re-injuring his ankle during the third quarter of the Spurs Game 1 loss. Stephen Curry once again led Golden State with 29 points, Kevin Durant had 16 while Draymond Green chipped in with 13. Jonathan Simmons led the Spurs with 22.
Warriors record second straight 70-point half
It was a quickfire start for the Warriors as they jumped out to a 9-2 lead to begin the game. Showing no signs of letting up, the lead reached double digits after a long three-pointer by Curry put Golden State ahead 20-10 with 4:52 left in the first quarter.
The onslaught continued as the defending Western Conference used their bench early in the game, Patrick McCaw, JaVale McGee and Shaun Livingston all with buckets. Curry scored the last six points of the quarter as the Warriors led 33-16 after 12 minutes.
The second quarter was more of the same. After Danny Green's triple, Golden State scored 11 straight points to take their largest lead of the game at 44-19 with 9:22 left in the first half.
Struggling to cope, the Spurs fell behind by as many 30 when Curry nailed another long-distance shot, the top seed up 67-37 with 1:36 to go before halftime. The lead was 72-44 at halftime, the second straight 70+ point half for the Warriors after scoring 71 in the second half to rally for a Game 1 win.
Warriors cruise in second half to dominant victory
The Spurs scored the first six points of the second half, capped by Simmons' two free throws to cut the lead to 72-50. It was down to 20 after a Dwayne Dedmon dunk, but that was as close as San Antonio would get the rest of the game.
The Warriors outscored the Spurs 25-14 the remainder of the quarter, hitting the 100-point mark with a McCaw jumper to make it 101-70, 2:35 showing on the game clock and the outcome now well in hand.
A Livingston dunk, Ian Clark's three and a Klay Thompson conventional three-point lead ballooned the lead to 114-77 with 10:37 left in the game. The Spurs offense, already severely compromised, scored just five points in the first 4:04 of the final period.
The remainder of the game was played on even terms, Curry, Durant, and Green all resting for the final quarter. The Warriors became the first team since the 1990 Boston Celtics to have eight players record at least three assists in a playoff game and Game 2 was their fifth wire-to-wire victory this postseason.
Game 3 details
Game 3 is Saturday night at AT&T Center in San Antonio at 9 PM E.T., the long gap created to account for the Spurs' possible Game 7 in the previous series against Houston.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wasn't sure if Leonard will be available for the game, saying that it wouldn't be until Friday or even Saturday until the forward's status is determined.
Warriors forward Zaza Pachulia, who accidentally knocked Leonard down in Game 1 causing him to re-aggravate the ankle, left the game with a heel injury. X-rays were negative and an MRI is scheduled for Wednesday.