Durant scores 38 points, Warriors beat Jazz to take 3-0 lead

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Kevin Durant (35) talk in the first half during Game 3 of the NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz, Saturday, May 6, 2017, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

SALT LAKE CITY — Kevin Durant had 38 points and 13 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 102-91 on Saturday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were a combined 7 for 29 from the field and 3 for 15 from 3-point range, leaving Durant to lead the Warriors.

The Jazz led 75-74 early in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors went on a 10-4 run and never trailed again. Curry and Durant hit back to back 3ss to give Golden State a 92-84 lead with 3:04 left.

Curry finished with 23 points on 6-for-20 shooting.

Gordon Hayward led Utah with 29 points. Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Game 4 is Monday night in Utah.

The Warriors got out to a quick start, again, and led by 10 after the first quarter.

Utah survived the first-half onslaught by Durant, who had 22 points and six rebounds at the break. There wasn’t much the Jazz could do to contend a flurry of turnaround fadeaways, drives to the basket and a pair of 3s. Golden State, however, didn’t get much help otherwise and Draymond Green dealt with foul trouble.

The Jazz took a 50-49 lead into halftime after closing the second quarter on a 12-5 run highlighted by Rodney Hood’s 3-pointer triple that gave the Jazz their first lead of the series at 48-47.

Green picked up a technical arguing from the bench late in the second quarter after being whistled for his third foul of the half. As the crowd roared, he gave a 2-0 hand gesture to indicate the series record.

The Jazz led by nine in the third quarter, but Curry began to warm up and hit his first 3-pointer of the game on a pull-up in transition. Golden State closed the quarter on a 19-8 stretch to take a 72-70 lead.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Andre Iguodala played his 100th playoff game. … Curry is alone at No. 8 on the career playoff 3-pointers list (270), surpassing Chauncey Billups. He has hit at least one 3 in all 65 playoff games he’s played.

Jazz: Utah continued to have slow starts and shot just 28.6 percent and trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter. … The Jazz’ first lead of the series came with 1:01 left in the second quarter, nearly 119 minutes. … Golden State was held under 106 points for the first time this postseason.

HILL OUT

Jazz starting point guard George Hill missed his second consecutive game with a big toe injury. Utah hoped the extra rest would have him ready for Game 3, but he didn’t progress enough. Shelvin Mack started in his place.

“It is really just a question of his effectiveness,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. “There are situations in the game where he lands on it and pushes off and it just aggravates it. It aggravates it to a point where he’s just not able to be effective.”

KERR OUT

Warriors coach Steve Kerr did not travel with the team as he continues to deal with back issues. He was at Duke University on Friday seeing a specialist.

“He’s had a ton of input,” acting coach Mike Brown said. “His imprints are all over everything we do. He and I talk a couple times a day.

“There have been a couple of times he has come in to our coaches meetings for an hour or so. But for the most part, we’re in constant communication on the phone.”