By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Kevin Durant drained the shot of his professional life – a 3-pointer over LeBron James with 45.3 seconds left – and scored 31 points as the Warriors, pushed harder than they have been throughout their pristine postseason, moved within one win of a title and payback by rallying to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 118-113 on Wednesday night to take a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals.
The Warriors trailed by six with three minutes left before Durant, criticized for leaving Oklahoma City last summer to chase a championship, brought them back, scoring 14 in the fourth.
The Golden State’s players with a victory in Game 4 on Friday night can exorcise those haunting demons from last June when the Warriors blew a 3-1 lead in the Finals to the Cavaliers.
No team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit, and it doesn’t appear any team is equipped to hang with these Warriors, who may go down as one of the best ever. Klay Thompson added 30 points and Stephen Curry had 26 for this California Dream Team now one win from its second title in three years.
Georgian big man Zaza Pachulia added one rebound and one assist, while LeBron James tried his best in 46 minutes of action with 39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Kyrie Irving also added 38 points, but they were not enough.