HOUSTON, Sporting Alert – Golden State Warriors moved one step closer to advancing the Western Conference semi-finals after they used a dominating second half to rout the Houston Rockets 121-94 in their first-round game on Sunday. Box Scores
The Warriors, who played most of the game without reigning MVP Stephen Curry, who slipped on a wet spot on the floor and injured his right knee and left the game just before half time, also set a single-game playoff record with 21 made 3-pointers at the Toyota Center in Houston.
#Warriors take a 3-1 series lead, #DubNation! #StrengthInNumbers pic.twitter.com/eKwx1NTfHk
— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) April 24, 2016
#Respeck https://t.co/kwOvBDffS4
— GoldenStateWarriors (@warriors) April 24, 2016
Klay Thompson scored 23 points and made seven 3-pointers to lead the way for the Warriors, with Andre Iguodala adding 22 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Draymond Green was also healthy from behind the arc – knocking down four of his six attempts from that range to finish with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the Warriors, who improved to 3-1 in the series.
Curry, returning after missing Game 2 and Game 3 with a sprained right ankle problem, played just 18:35 and finished with six points and five assists. He shot 2-of-9 from the floor and 1-for-7 from 3-point range.
The All-star guard returned to the court during halftime and went through a brief warmed up on Sunday.
However, the pain was too much and he was forced to return to the locker room.
Golden State, which dominated the second half, after the game was tied at 56-56 at half time, shot 60-percent from long-range in the second half on 12-of-20 shooting while going 57.1-percent from the floor after the interval.
The victory was well setup by a 41 point performance from the defending champions in the third quarter.
Klay Thompson hits 7 of @Warriors' @NBA record 21 3PM in a post-season game to go w/ 5 ASTs, 2 STLs. pic.twitter.com/QzFDRnU92B
— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2016
Dwight Howard led Houston with 19 points and 15 rebounds while James Harden added 18 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and seven steals and Michael Beasley scored 17 points in the defeat.
The Rockets were held to just 18.5-percent shooting from long-range, and they played most of the contest without starting guard Patrick Beverley, who left the game in the second quarter with an injury after playing just 15:56.
Game in this series is Wednesday night.
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