OAKLAND - In a season much by maligned by stretches of disinterest, the Warriors put together an inspired effort Tuesday evening, beating the Houston Rockets 115-109 in Game 2 of the NBA playoff second-round series, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.
Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry combined for 70 points as the Warriors won their third straight postseason game.
A series most NBA observers predicted would be entertaining has been controlled by the Warriors despite the champs not playing at their best. If this trend continues in Houston, this could be a shorter series than most anticipated.
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Here are the takeaways from Game 2.
Springy Iguodala: Typically, postseasons are fertile ground for role players churning out good performances. On Tuesday it was Andre Iguodala's turn and the 35-year old delivered, finishing with 16 points, five rebounds and four assists.
This season, Iguodala has seemed revitalized, routinely steadying the Warriors bench, showing spring not seen since his dunk contest days in 2005. In this series, he's doing most of his damage in the starting lineup, as Kerr has elected to start the fast-paced Hamptons 5 unit.
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If the 16-year vet can keep up his play, the road to a third straight title will be a whole lot easier for the champs.
Injured stars: In a game built on star power, players were lucky to get out of Game 2 in one piece. In the first quarter alone both Rockets guard James Harden and Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry left the game with what looked to be significant injuries.
First was Curry, who dislocated his left middle finger attempting to deflect a pass, causing grave concern among the Warriors. Minutes later, it was Harden, who suffered a laceration in his left eyelid after taking a shot to the face from Draymond Green.
Both returned, but Harden got the better of the matchup, finishing with 29 points, seven rebound and six assists.
Curry can't stop reaching: A week ago, Curry inscribed "No" and "Reach" on his Under Armour sneakers as a reminder to stay disciplined defensively. On Tuesday, the message didn't get through, as Curry finished with five fouls on the night, most of them coming by unnecessary reaching.
Over his first eight postseason games this season, Curry has accumulated 31 fouls, mostly by reaching in the cookie jar. As the postseason wears on, Curry's available will be imperative and reach-in fouls all the more costly.
