STEPHEN Curry set a Game 7 scoring record with 50 points and the Golden State Warriors kept their championship-repeat dreams alive with a 120-100 road win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon (Sunday in Manila).
By virtue of their 19th consecutive playoff-series triumph over Western Conference competition, the sixth-seeded Warriors not only earned the right to take on the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the second round, but also have the home-court advantage in the best-of-seven. The series is set to tip off Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) in San Francisco.
The third-seeded Kings, who were making their first postseason appearance in 17 years, had the home-court edge over the Warriors, but Golden State won Games 5 and 7 at Sacramento after two earlier home victories to advance.
In the other game, Jimmy Butler totaled 25 points and 11 rebounds and hobbled through the final five minutes as the visiting Miami Heat rallied for a 108-101 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.
After scoring 42 points to help the eighth-seeded Heat rally from 16 down to close out Milwaukee in Game 5 on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), Butler was 8 of 16 from the floor and 9 of 11 from the foul line in 44 minutes, including the final minutes on a bad leg.
With 5:05 left and Miami up 95-92, Butler fell to the floor after being fouled by Josh Hart.
He was holding his ankle and rolled over on his stomach after his right foot went under Hart’s leg.
Butler hobbled to the bench and returned gingerly before making both free throws.
The Heat then finished it off when Kyle Lowry hit a baseline jumper for a 104-94 lead with 2:53 left.
Riding 16 points from Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento led 58-56 at halftime before Golden State flashed its championship form over the final 24 minutes.
It began with a 35-23 third-quarter edge fueled by Curry’s 14 points and Klay Thompson’s nine. It also included a 22-9 advantage in rebounds in the period.
Down 10 entering the final quarter, the Kings mounted no charge, missing their first five shots and mixing in a turnover. By the time De’Aaron Fox ended a 3:37 Sacramento drought, the Golden State lead had expanded to 14 as time slipped away.
Curry’s 50 points were three more than he’d ever scored in a playoff game, and two more than the 48 Kevin Durant put up against the Milwaukee Bucks in a Brooklyn Nets Game 7 loss in the 2021 Eastern semifinals. Curry shot 20-for-38 overall and 7-for-18 on 3-pointers.
Andrew Wiggins finished with 17 points. Thompson scored 16 in a 4-for-19 shooting effort, and Kevon Looney had 11 points and 21 rebounds. — Field Level Media
