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SPORTS Wednesday 10 May 2017
Warriors await challenge after cruising to 8-0 in playoffs

KAREEM COPELAND talent that we have, with
AP Sports Writer the experience that we
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The have, it will be tough to
Golden State Warriors are beat us.”
four wins from their third In the Western Conference
consecutive trip to the NBA finals, Golden State will
Finals — and likely a third face the winner of the Spurs
straight showdown with the and Rockets, who are tied
Cleveland Cavaliers. 2-2. The Warriors are aver-
With four All-Stars, including aging a playoff-high 115.3
two MVPs, it’s not hard to points per game, ahead of
see why. The Warriors elimi- the Cavaliers’ 114.5. Gold-
nated the Utah Jazz in a en State is allowing 98.8
sweep Monday night and points in the postseason to
are 8-0 in the postseason lead all teams still alive and
for the first time in franchise has a playoff-best 96.9 de-
history. The Cavaliers, coin- fensive rating.
cidentally, also swept their The offense has come in
first two opponents. waves. One second, it’s
For Golden State, the Curry shining, then Durant
games mostly haven’t or Green the next. All-Star
been close. Only one vic- Klay Thompson has been
tory, Game 3 against the in a bit of a slump, but still
Portland Trail Blazers, was scored 21 points in the 121-
decided by fewer than 11 95 victory Monday night. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots as Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert (27) and Boris
points, and the Warriors Even as games have got- Diaw (33) defend in the first half during Game 4 of the NBA basketball second-round playoff series,
never trailed in three of the ten more physical, Golden Monday, May 8, 2017, in Salt Lake City.
four games against Utah. State has stayed strong on Associated Press
The trio of Stephen Curry, the ball and kept turnovers
Kevin Durant and Dray- to a minimum, said interim to make the pass to some- there is no timetable for his backs.”
mond Green has been coach Mike Brown. The body as opposed to mak- return. He and Brown speak So far, the Warriors have
consistently dominant, and Warriors’ 11.5 turnovers per ing the shot. They get some regularly, but that’s an ob- only been slowed during
Golden State’s elite length game lead all teams still sort of satisfaction out of it. stacle to overcome. self-created lulls, like when
and athleticism on defense playing, and Brown thinks “It doesn’t matter if Steph Jazz coach Quin Snyder the Jazz cut a 26-point sec-
have been stifling. combining that with their comes down, crosses half- raved about the culture ond-quarter lead down to
“We are mostly impressed elite shooting and defense court and launches it. At Kerr has created. five before Golden State
with how we are playing makes for a peerless com- least we got a shot at the “They demonstrate it in got back in gear.
our brand of basketball,” bination. rim. We feel like most of everything that they do,” The competition will get
Green said. “We really im- “We feel like have good those are going to go in Snyder said. “When a team tougher, though. In the
posed our will on the other shooters, good scorers and at the end of the day, so kind of lives who they are, conference finals, they’ll
team. That’s big. In the we would rather take a bad we’re good with it.” that is a unique group. They have to deal with either San
playoffs, you let a team get shot than us trying to make The Warriors have been all believe in each other Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard or
in a groove and it’s hard to a hero play,” Brown said. without coach Steve Kerr and they are willing to sac- Houston’s James Harden,
win games like that. “And we have a tenden- since Game 3 of the first rifice for one another. and both players are better
“We have imposed our will cy, at times, to try to make round and haven’t missed “Just the unselfishness that than any the Warriors have
all eight games. That’s im- hero plays with the basket- a beat. He remains out af- that group plays with and seen so far this postseason.
portant on the offensive ball because these guys all ter having a spinal cord the care they have for And then there’s LeBron
and defensive end, and if appreciate each other. For leak procedure at Duke one another on the court. James, likely waiting in the
you can do that, with the the most part, they want University on Friday, and They’ve got each other’s finals.q
Capitals overwhelm Penguins 5-2 to force Game 7

WILL GRAVES ing to do with. it bothers the Capitals. burgh in the third period “Since Game 3 we’ve had
AP Sports Writer Backed up to the preci- “I haven’t been here for- at home in Game 5 and a sense of calmness about
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The pice against a rival that’s ever but, one, I’ve never then delivering a masterful what we’re doing,” Wash-
Washington Capitals are tormented them for de- been in a Game 7,” said performance 48 hours later ington coach Barry Trotz
well aware of their fran- cades, the Capitals finally Washington forward T.J. in a city that’s often been said. “We’re having fun
chise’s inglorious past, one punched back. Hard. Oshie, who opened the a burial ground for once- now. The fun part has been
filled with unmet expecta- Andre Burakovsky scored scoring with a first-period promising seasons. the obstacle.”
tions and gut-wrenching twice, Nicklas Backstrom power-play goal. “Two, A year ago, Washington Jake Guentzel picked up
collapses. And they don’t got his sixth of the playoffs I’ve never been past the trailed Pittsburgh 3-1 in the his playoff-leading ninth
care. It’s not 1992. It’s not and Washington beat the second round. I know how second round, won Game goal and Evgeni Malkin
1996, 2009 or 2016 for that Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 on much it would mean to me 5 at home only to fall in added another 52 seconds
matter. The Capitals have Monday night to force a and I imagine it would be overtime of Game 6. Intent later late in the third pe-
spent the better part of the Game 7 in their seesawing the same to every guy in on not repeating history yet riod to make the score look
season insisting this time, NHL Eastern Conference this locker room.” again, the Capitals jumped slightly better, but the Pen-
things will be different. That semifinal series. The Capitals are as close on the defending Stanley guins were never in it. The
they’re not burdened by This is the fourth time the as they’ve been to their first Cup champions early and Capitals controlled play
the weight of the team’s two teams will meet in a appearance in the confer- didn’t relent until the things throughout. Marc-Andre
history of playoff flameouts, winner-take-all. The Pen- ence finals in 19 years after were well in hand and a Fleury finished with 21 saves
one most of the guys in red, guins have won each of rallying from a 3-1 series once raucous arena was and received little help in
white and blue had noth- the previous three. Not that deficit by sprinting by Pitts- largely empty. front him.q