Warriors fly past Rockets in Game 3 behind Stephen Curry's 35-point outburst

Jordan Greer

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Warriors fly past Rockets in Game 3 behind Stephen Curry's 35-point outburst image

Stephen Curry finally found his groove on Sunday night, scoring 35 points on 13-of-23 shooting to lead the Warriors to a 126-85 win at Oracle Arena. After going 2-of-13 from 3-point range in Games 1 and 2, Curry finished 5-of-12 from deep in Game 3.

The Rockets didn't have any sort of counterpunches ready, shooting under 40 percent from the field as a team and turning the ball over 19 times. The Warriors pushed Houston to the edge in the first half, and Curry's hot third quarter served as the knockout blow.

Mike D'Antoni must rally the troops ahead of Tuesday night's Game 4 matchup. Falling into a 3-1 hole against these Warriors could be too much to overcome, even for a team as talented as the Rockets.

Check out the best highlights from Game 3 below...

Game 3 box score

Final: Warriors 126, Rockets 85

10:15 p.m. ET — Well, that wasn't close. The Warriors use a huge third-quarter explosion to end Game 3 early. Stephen Curry (35 points) and Kevin Durant (25 points) gave Golden State plenty of offense, while James Harden (20 points) and Chris Paul (13 points) struggled to find any consistency.

10:04 p.m. ET — Oh my. Shaun Livingston putting James Harden in the blender.

9:56 p.m. ET — Stephen Curry will get the headlines, but Draymond Green has quietly put together a very Draymond Green line: eight points, 16 rebounds, six assists, two blocks, plus-19.

End of third quarter: Warriors 88, Rockets 67

9:45 p.m. ET — That third frame was all about Stephen Curry. He scored 18 of his 27 points in the period, hitting from way beyond the arc and attacking the basket. The Warriors are firmly in control, and the Rockets don't seem to have an answer.

9:40 p.m. ET — Stephen Curry. He's fine. The two-time MVP is up to 17 points in the third quarter. This crowd is pumped.

9:32 p.m. ET — The Rockets answer with a 10-2 run of their own. The Warriors' lead is down to 13 points. It's still an uphill climb, but Houston isn't done yet.

9:22 p.m. ET — Annnnnd it's a 10-0 run to start the third. That was fast. The Warriors are going off in the third quarter once again, and this one could be getting out of hand.

Halftime: Warriors 54, Rockets 43

9:04 p.m. ET — Give credit to the Warriors for challenging the Rockets, but Houston has also just missed some good looks (34.9 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from 3-point range). Chris Paul in particular has struggled, missing seven of his first eight shots.

Golden State isn't solely relying on Kevin Durant this time, as Andre Iguodala (10 points, 4-of-5 shooting) and Draymond Green (five points, seven rebounds, five assists) gave the Warriors a boost in the first half. Stephen Curry is still struggling, but that hasn't kept him from being aggressive.

8:55 p.m. ET — Kevin Durant pulls up for a 3-pointer like no one is defending him. It helps being that tall, huh?

8:47 p.m. ET — Kevon Looney heads to the bench with three fouls. His defense has been huge in the first half. Steve Kerr chooses to replace Looney with rookie Jordan Bell. Look for the Rockets to attack him on switches.

8:40 p.m. ET — It's all Golden State at the moment. The Warriors are playing with more energy and intensity. As Mike D'Antoni emphasized during a timeout huddle, the Rockets can't "let go of the rope."

End of first quarter: Warriors 31, Rockets 22

8:33 p.m. ET — The Warriors finish the opening period on a 9-0 run to gain an early advantage. Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are each only 2-of-7 from the field, but Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green have made an impact so far. The Rockets got stuck with a few bad offensive possessions, turning the ball over six times in the first 12 minutes. Houston will need to clean that up.

8:15 p.m. ET — Stephen Curry just made a 3-pointer. That's actually a surprise these days. That could be all he needs to get rolling.

8:08 p.m. ET — Back-to-back easy buckets for Clint Capela to start the game. The Rockets are living in the paint already.

7:59 p.m. ET — Uh, Steph, this play is cool, but it's probably not legal.

7:43 p.m. ET —  You can expect plenty of James Harden isolations again in Game 3. Let's see if he can keep up his efficiency this time around.

Jordan Greer

Jordan Greer Photo

Jordan Greer has been with The Sporting News since 2015. He previously worked for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He is a graduate of Westminster College and Syracuse University.