Golden State Warriors defeat San Antonio Spurs to reach NBA finals
Golden State Warriors defeated San Antonio Spurs 129-115 on Monday night in Game 4 to enter into their third NBA Finals in a row.
The win was Golden State’s 12th straight of this year’s NBA playoffs and they have yet to drop a game through three series so far. By going 12-0 to reach the NBA Finals, the Warriors also broke the previous record for best start in NBA postseason history, which the Los Angeles Lakers set twice with 11-0 runs in 1989 and 2001.
Stephen Curry’s 36 points and 29 from Kevin Durant helped the Oakland-based team complete a 4-0 clean sweep in their best-of-seven Western Conference finals.
They will now face defending champions Cleveland Cavaliers or Boston Celtics, with the Cavaliers leading the Eastern Conference finals 2-1.
In completing their 4-0 series win at the AT&T Center in Texas, Golden State also became the first side to record three clean sweeps in the play-offs.
“Going 12-0 is great, but it doesn’t mean anything going into the next series, and we have to understand that,” Curry said.
Acting coach Mike Brown believes his side, who blew a 3-1 lead in last year’s best-of-seven finals, can still improve.
“To get to our ultimate goal of winning the whole thing, we’ve got to be better on both ends of the floor,” he said.
Monday’s game may have also marked the end of Manu Ginobili’s career.
A four-time NBA champion with the Spurs, the 39-year-old Argentine said he is yet to decide whether to retire or not. “I always said I wanted to let it sink in for three weeks, whatever. Sit with my wife and see how it feels,” Ginobili said.
“I have to choose between two wonderful options.
“One is to keep playing in this league at this age enjoying playing a sport I still love. The other one is to stay at home and be a dad, enjoy my whole family and spend time with them.
“Whatever I decide to do, I’ll be a happy camper.”
Ginobili scored 15 points and contributed seven assists on Monday.
The NBA Finals are set to begin June 1. Golden State, which finished with a league-best 67-15 record this season, has home-court advantage over either Cleveland or Boston.
The Warriors are the first team in NBA history to start a postseason 12-0. #StrengthInNumbers #DubNation pic.twitter.com/1CnqLbKL3C
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 23, 2017
