NEW ORLEANS — Stephen Curry tossed up a rainbow 3-pointer from the corner that tied the game on the scoreboard but really served to drive a stake right into the heart of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Curry’s shot while falling out of bounds sent the game into an overtime period that the Golden State Warriors’ opponents could have never imagined. The Pelicans entered the fourth quarter leading by 20, only to see Curry lead the Warriors back from the dead for a stunning 123-119 win Thursday night.
The Warriors won a franchise record-setting 67 games in the regular season, including a league-leading 28 on the road, but none compares to the one they notched against the Pelicans in Game 3 of their first-round series that the Warriors now lead 3-0.
The Pelicans left a crack open after dominating for most of the game when Anthony Davis missed a free throw with 9.6 seconds left, giving the Warriors a chance to tie it with a 3-pointer.
Of course the ball went to Curry, and the NBA’s all-time single-season record-holder in such shots missed his first try. Given a second try off a Marreese Speights offensive rebound, Curry threw up some magic from the corner opposite the Pelicans’ bench. Curry pumped his fists after Tyreke Evans’ 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed.
In overtime, Curry started the scoring with his seventh 3-pointer of the game. He finished off the Pelicans with two free throws to give the Warriors a four-point lead with 3.2 seconds left that gave him a game-high 40 points.
Klay Thompson added 28 points, including six 3-pointers of his own. Draymond Green added 12 points, 17 rebounds and five assists the day he learned he finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year award voting.
Davis poured in 29 points, and Ryan Anderson added 26 off the bench, but it wasn’t enough. The Warriors can sweep the series with another win in New Orleans on Saturday.
BULLS 113, BUCKS 106, 2OT
MILWAUKEE — Derrick Rose scored 34 points and Jimmy Butler added 24 as Chicago took a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series.
Butler’s steal and layup started an 8-0 run that gave Chicago a 109-101 lead with 2:44 left in the second overtime.
Rose scored six points in the second overtime, including a layup off an offensive rebound with 2:15 left for a 10-point lead.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points and Khris Middleton added 18 for Milwaukee, which went scoreless for more than 6 minutes in the first and second overtimes.
The Bulls will go for the sweep on Saturday in Milwaukee. No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series.
CAVALIERS 103, CELTICS 95
BOSTON — LeBron James scored 31 points and Cleveland moved one win away from a sweep in its first playoff series in five years.
The Celtics kept it close, just as they did in the previous two games, and trailed 95-92 after Evan Turner hit a 3-pointer with 2:45 left. But Kevin Love hit two 3-pointers for a 101-93 lead with 26 seconds to go.
Cleveland can complete the sweep Sunday in Boston.
Turner had 19 points and Avery Bradley added 18 for Boston.
Love had 23 points and J.R. Smith added 15 for the Cavaliers.