Curry, Looney lead Warriors to 114-97 must-win Game 3 playoff victory

SAN FRANCISCO — Steph Curry scored 36 points and Kevon Looney added 20 rebounds and a career-high nine assists leading the Golden State Warriors to a 114-97 must-win over the Sacramento Kings Thursday night in Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs.

The win pulled Golden State to within a 2-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series with Game 4 slated for Sunday at the Chase Center where the Warriors were 33-8 in the regular season.

Golden State will also have star Draymond Green back in the lineup on Sunday Green was forced to sit out Game 3 while serving a one-game suspension for stomping on the chest of Kings center Domantas Sabonis in Game 2’s loss.

Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and 7 rebounds for Golden State and Klay Thompson tossed in 13 points.

For Sacramento, De’Aaron Fox scored 26 points and Sabonis added 15 points and 16 rebounds.

A Jonathan Kuminga dunk at the 9:09 mark of the fourth quarter followed by a Donte DiVincenzo 3-pointer gave Golden State a 98-79 lead, whipping the Chase Center crowd into a frenzy and sealing the Kings fate.

Golden State dominated the paint, scoring 40 points in zone, pulling down 19 offensive rebounds and adding 24 second chance points.

The Warriors maintained their 12-point halftime advantage in the third quarter as tGolden State’s aggressive defense kept Sacramento’s high powered offense somewhat in check.

However, Fox kept the Kings within striking distance in the third quarter, but got little help from the Sacramento’s bench. Golden State which was plagued by turnovers in the first two playoff losses held a 10-point advantage on points off turnovers through three quarters.

The Warriors also got a huge contribution off the bench from 20-year-old second year pro Moses Moody who had 13 points and three rebounds through three quarters.

In the first half, Curry and the Warriors defense lifted Golden State to a 53-41 halftime lead. The former two-time league MVP scored 15 of his 18 first half points in the second quarter and Wiggins added 11 in the half.

But the Warriors true standout was Looney, who made up’ for the absence of Green, by pulling down 12 rebounds in the half, six on the offensive glass.

Green did address the team before the game and the Warriors came out with an impressive defensive effort holding the high scoring Kings to a season low 41 points in the first half.

“Everybody’s locked in, our level of focus has raised, our back’s against the wall so we have to go out there and play with a level of focus we haven’t played with all year,” Looney said after practice Wednesday. “I think we’re ready and I think we’re excited.”

 The Kings two-some of Malik Monk and Davion Mitchell, who punished Golden State off the bench in the first two game, were held to a combined 5 points in the first half.

Sacramento stars Fox and Sabonis also were held relatively in check.  Fox had 12 points in the half while Sabonis had 6 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.