Andre Iguodala, right, of the Golden State Warriors defends Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on May 28, 2016 in Oklahoma City. They led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter, and by eight after three, with their size, length and energy always threatening to turn the contest into the kind of rout Games 3 and 4 were.
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It was Thompson who kept them within striking distance, throwing up off-balance, quick release bombs with defenders in his face as he scored 41 points, making 11 of 18 shots from three-point range.
Draymond Green, the team’s emotional leader and portable electrical charger, had been horrendous in the first two games in Oklahoma City – so mentally frazzled and uncharacteristically lethargic that his contributions had been reduced to kicking Thunder players in various parts of the body.
Thompson missed a 3-point attempt and Durant got the rebound.
In so many postseason games over the past two years, Stephen Curry has provided the brilliance and Thompson has delivered just enough support to put the Warriors over the top.
“The beauty of Steph and Klay is they walk that fine line between lethal and insane”, Golden State coach Steve Kerr said after the game.
Durant forced shots all game, finishing with 29 points on 10-of-31 shooting. The Warriors were outscored 30-14 in the paint but were still right there, bemused spectators to their opponent’s fatal flaw.
“It has to be, just because of the situation we were in, down 3-2, haven’t won here in a while”, Thompson said.
“Obviously, the one where it’s tied and he comes down and knocks down a 3 in transition, that was huge”.
NOTES: After Game 5, Oklahoma City G Russell Westbrook laughed when asked about the defense of Golden State G Steph Curry, who responded Saturday by saying, “Honestly, I could care less about other people’s opinions about me”.
“Klay’s shooting was some of the most incredible shooting you will ever see”, said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, whose team has rallied from 3-1 down.
“We’ve got to keep it going at home”.
“They walk that fine line between lethal and insane”, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
It will be just the sixth Game 7 this franchise has played since it moved to the Bay Area from Philadelphia in 1963.
One final Westbrook turnover on a bad pass a few seconds later that Curry picked off sealed the win, with Thompson burying a pair of free throws with 8.8 seconds left to establish the final margin of victory and setting up Game 7 Monday night back at Oracle Arena – the only fitting way for this all-time great series to end.
However, it was 2015 NBA MVP Andre Iguodala who might have made the most impressive impact down the stretch.
After trailing 23-20 after the first period despite Curry not scoring, Kerr went to his reserve group that had played so well in Game 5 and it proved to be a disaster. “We said, “Hey, we’re down, but we’re not out. But if we come out and do what we did and stick to the game plan, we’ll be fine”. “I was just trying to be aggressive, whether that was getting to the rim or getting a good shot from beyond the perimeter”. Even Curry shook his head later and said: “He made some great shots”.
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The Warriors’ Australian centre Andrew Bogut had a rocky night as he jousted with the Thunder’s Kiwi big man Steven Adams.
