OAKLAND, United States (AFP) — Stephen Curry scored 29 points as the Golden State Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs 136-100 to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference finals series on Tuesday.
Curry’s points haul included six three-pointers as the Warriors all-round offensive power crushed a San Antonio Spurs line-up missing the injured Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker.
Curry also contributed seven assists and seven rebounds to put the Warriors just two wins away from reaching a third consecutive NBA Finals in the best-of-seven series.
No fewer than seven Warriors cracked double figures as the home side led from start to finish before their home fans at the Oracle Arena.
The Warriors were quickly into their familiar scoring groove, sprinting into a 33-16 lead by the end of the first quarter and never letting up.
They led by 28 points — 72-44 — by half-time and accelerated away still further in the third quarter to lead 106-75.
San Antonio’s depleted offense was led by Jonathon Simmons with 22 points. Only one other Spurs player made double figures — Davis Bertans with 13 — while LaMarcus Aldridge was restricted to just eight points.
The blowout capped a miserable few days for San Antonio, who on Sunday had squandered a 25-point third quarter lead before Leonard suffered his ankle injury that left him sidelined on Tuesday.
The Warriors finished that game with a barnstorming rally to win and carried the same momentum into Game 2. Game 3 takes place at San Antonio on Saturday.