Thompson, JaMychal Green lead Golden State to blowout playoff victory over Lakers
SAN FRANCISCO -- Klay Thompson scored 30 points and reserve center JaMychal Green added 15 points in a last-second starting role to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 127-100 runaway Game 2 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The victory evened up the best-of-seven series at a game apiece with the action now moving to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.
Stephen Curry, doubled teamed all night, scored 20 points but dished off 12 assists. Andrew Wiggins chipped in 11 points and Draymond Green added 11 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and dished off 9 assists.
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Golden State built on its 67-56 halftime lead with a 7-4 spurt to open the third quarter. Thompson hit a pair of 3-pointers but the third quarter onslaught was just beginning.
By the time the buzzer rang, the Warriors held an insurmountable 110-80 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Thompson scored 11 points in the quarter as the Warriors up-tempo game wore down the Lakers.
James, who had been red-hot in the first two quarters, scored just 2 in the third and finished the game with 23 points. Davis, meanwhile, added just 7 points and 3 rebounds in the quarter and a sub-par 11 points and 7 rebounds for the night.
The bright spot of the night for the Lakers was Rui Hachimura, who scored 21 points off the bench.
The Warriors opened the second quarter with a 10-2 scoring flurry, taking an early 36-35 lead on a Thompson 3-pointer and then continued to press the pace.
The up-tempo play kept the Lakers back on their heels. Two Wiggins free throws with 2:51 left in the half put Golden State up 60-50. Thompson then added a 3-pointer on the fast break to make it 63-50.
Davis, who dominated the paint in the Game 1 Los Angeles win, scoring 30 points, pulling down 20 rebounds and blocking four shots, was a non-factor in the first half.
He picked up his third foul with 22.3 seconds left in the first half and went to bench after scoring just 4 points and pulling down 5 rebounds.
Unlike their Game 1 loss, Golden State did a good playing defense Thursday night without fouling. Los Angeles hit on 25-of-29 from the line in Game 1 but were just 4-of-4 in the opening half.
Thompson led the Warriors, scoring 19 points while hitting on 5-of-7 from the 3-point line in the first half. Meanwhile, James scored 21 points and Hachimura added 14.
With Looney ailing, the Warriors crashed the board as a team, out-rebounding the Lakers, 32-25, during the half and holding the Lakers to a frigid 24 percent from the 3-point line.
In the first quarter it was red-hot shooting from James and Hachimura that powered the Lakers to a 33-26 first quarter lead.
James took advantage of his size to overwhelm Curry's defense, hitting on 6-of-8 shots to score 14 points. Meanwhile, Hachimura came off the bench to hit a pair of 3-pointers to add 8 points.
Minutes before tipoff, the Warriors coaching staff announced that starting center Kevon Looney was ailing and would be limited to about 20 minutes of action.
Green started in place of Looney, adding additional firepower to the Warriors lineup. He scored 5 points in his 5:35 minutes of action in quarter
Looney did manage to play 7:38 of the opening quarter, scoring 6 points and pulling down 3 rebounds. He has had four 20-rebound games in a postseason run, the most since Dwight Howard in 2009.