OaklandKevin Durant scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds while Stephen Curry added 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Golden State Warriors ripped Cleveland 132-113 in Sunday's historic second game of the NBA Finals.
The Warriors, who welcomed back coach Steve Kerr after he missed 11 games with health issues after 2015 back surgery, stretched their playoff win streak to an NBA-record 14 games by dominating the defending champion Cavaliers in the second half.
Golden State moved within two games of becoming the first NBA champion to complete an unbeaten playoff run, seizing a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series, which shifts to Cleveland for games three and four on Wednesday and Friday.
LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 29 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists to match a record with his eighth career NBA Finals triple double. Only former Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson had eight prior finals triple doubles. No one else has more than two.
Together with Curry's triple double, it was only the second time in NBA Finals history that two rivals had managed triple doubles in the same game.
Kevin Love scored 27 points for the Cavaliers while Kyrie Irving added 19 in a losing
Steve Kerr is back
Golden State coach Steve Kerr made a triumphant return to the Warriors' bench after missing 11 games, helping his squad remain perfect in the playoffs by ripping the defending champion.
Kerr was given a thunderous ovation for Warriors supporters as Golden State stretched its record NBA playoff win streak to 14 games and seized a 2-0 edge over the Cavaliers in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.
"It felt great. Got a really nice reception," Kerr said. "It was just great to be on the sidelines again. That's what makes it so much fun, to feel the energy of the finals. It's really nice to be back."
Announcing his return less than two hours before tip-off, Kerr said he will guide the team for the remainder of the NBA Finals after complications from 2015 back surgery forced him out since the second game of the first playoff round.
"I'm feeling better. I'm feeling more like I did at the end of the regular season," Kerr said. "I wouldn't be in this if I was thinking just one game. No, I'm in it for the rest of the way."
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The 51-year-old American, last year's NBA Coach of the Year, was replaced by assistant coach Mike Brown, who guided the Warriors to 11 wins in a row, completing sweeps of Portland, Utah and San Antonio and taking the finals opener on Thursday.
"Mike is perfect, he's perfect as my right-hand man. He's such a good coach and a good person," Kerr said. "The way he's handled this whole thing is incredible, just the humility and yet the confidence with which he took the reins. He's an amazing guy."
Warriors star guard Stephen Curry was happy to see Kerr back on the sidelines, sharing a conversation in the final minutes Sunday once the outcome was no longer in doubt.
"To have him back on the bench means a lot," Kerr said. "We're a more full group when he's out here." AFP
