Stephen Curry # 30 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates a three-point basket in front of the Dallas Mavericks bench during the fourth quarter of the 2022 NBA Playoff Western Conference Final at the Chase Center on May 20, 2022 in San Francisco, California. Harry Howe / Getty Images / AFP
Stephen Curry scored 32 points as the Golden State Warriors staged a stunning fight to beat the Dallas Mavericks 126-117 on Friday and seize control of their NBA Western Conference final series.
In a thrilling clash in San Francisco, the Warriors looked to recover for a win after trailing by 19 points at one point in the first half, leaving the six-time NBA Champions 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
Curry may have led the Warriors to score but Golden State coach Steve Kerr had a consistent team performance and ingenious work in the second half to make a dramatic change.
Six Golden State players finished in double figures, along with Jordan Poole, Kevin Looney and Andrew Wiggins.
Kevin Luni (@ Loon_rebel 5) Continue to come for Warrior This post season!
🔥 21 points (playoff career high)
🔥 10-14 shooting
🔥 12 rebound
2 2-0 lead in WCF pic.twitter.com/psC8GeBhWx– NBA (BANBA) May 21, 2022
Looney has delivered particularly well with career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds.
After the first-half Dallas attack, Kerr called on his team to discover “politeness.”
“I told them that if we made some gestures in the second half the game would come to us,” Kerr later said.
“I thought we were so scattered in the first half, probably more emotionally than anything. Dallas came out and punched us.
“We knew they would come out strong and they were great. They played harder, performed better.
“We just need to be prepared and get the game under control. We feel confident that if we do, they won’t make 15 three-pointers in the second half. And if they do, you just have to push them back. “
Luca Donsic created another high-scoring masterclass for Dallas with 42 points, five rebounds and eight assists, with Jalen Brunson having 31 points.
But Night and Joy belonged to the Warriors, who were feared near Dallas in the first half.
The Mavericks exploded for 72 points in the first two quarters which kept them 14 points clear at break, 72-58.
Donetsk bombing
Luca Donsic of Dallas Mavericks argues with # 77 referee in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors in Game Two of the 2022 NBA Playoff Western Conference Final on May 20, 2022 at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Theron W. Henderson / Getty Images / AFP
Donsick led the offensive line with 24 first-half points, while Brunson nailed four three-pointers for 20 points.
Reggie Bullock was even fatal from downtown, making four attempts out of five from a three-point range in the first half.
The Mavericks took the lead from the start, with Donsic leading them 5-0 and Dallas 23-8 just 13 minutes behind.
The Warriors made a 13-0 run of their own to get back to three points in 26-23, but once again Dallas cleared through deadly long-range shooting.
Dallas made 15-3-pointers out of 27 in the first half, almost double the eight-of-15 converted by the Warriors.
💥 32 points for Stef Curry
💥 Shooting 4-4 in 10 4th Q
💥 8 boards, 5 dime, 6 thStephenkari 30 Gives power Warrior 19-point comeback in Game 2! pic.twitter.com/ijA2pyRucc– NBA (BANBA) May 21, 2022
Donsick placed the seal on an incredible display with a 29-foot three-pointer at half-time stroke.
But the momentum returned to Golden State in the third quarter, with the Warriors falling to the Mavericks and closing in the fourth quarter at 85-83 between the two.
A three-pointer from Auto Porter Jr. gave the Warriors their first lead at 86-85 early in the fourth quarter and with their noses in front of the Golden State cannot be denied.
The Warriors completed a thrilling win over Dallas 43-32 in the final quarter as the series went to its third game in Texas on Sunday.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd lamented his team’s strategy for continuing to shoot from the three-point range in the third quarter. The Mavericks made just 2-of-13 from outside the arc in the third.
“We have to understand that when we shoot and miss three or four in a row, you have to go to the rim and get the ball in the paint,” Kidd said.
Kidd noted that Dallas was 2-0 behind Phoenix in the previous round of the playoffs before recovering 4-3.
“We are on the field against one of the best teams in the league,” Kidd said.
“It simply came to our notice then. They are served. We saw it in Phoenix so now we have to go back and focus on just three games and understand what is at stake. “
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