LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The Golden State Warriors punched their ticket to the second round of the NBA playoffs in emphatic style on Monday, with a 128-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Stephen Curry scored 37 points with eight assists and seven rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter as the Warriors wrapped up a four-game sweep of the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series.
The Warriors’ 45 first-quarter points tied the NBA record for the most points scored in the opening period of a playoff game.
Kevin Durant, sidelined the past two games with a left calf injury, scored 10 points in 20 minutes on the floor.
In the next round the Warriors will face either the Los Angeles Clippers or Utah Jazz, whose series was knotted at two games apiece.