NBA: GOLDEN WARRIORS SET ANOTHER FINAL WITH THE CAVIS AS CURRY AND DURANT INSPIRES

The Golden State Warriors did it all season long, outscoring their opponents by a staggering 371 points in the third quarter. They did it in

Game 6 of these Western Conference finals, with their season on the line, outscoring the Houston Rockets by 17 points in the 12 minutes after halftime to force a winner-take-all Game 7.

And on Monday night in Houston, they did it again.

After a lackluster first half in which they were flat-out overwhelmed by the Rockets’ physicality, energy and defensive aggression, the Warriors flipped that third-quarter switch in Game 7. Riding the shot-making of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Golden State once again found its rhythm, erasing an 11-point first-half deficit in 7 1/2 minutes to knock the misfiring Rockets on their heels and, after a record-setting hail of missed 3-pointers, out of the playoffs.

After trailing by as many as 15 in the first half, the Warriors came all the way back behind a 33-15 third quarter to score a 101-92 win on the road in Game 7, climbing out of the 3-2 series hole they dug to eliminate the Rockets four games to three and advance to their fourth straight NBA Finals.

For the fourth straight year, they will take on LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who knocked off the Boston Celtics on Sunday night in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Game 1 of the 2018 NBA tips off at Oracle Arena on Thursday. The Warriors will be favored. Heavily.

The two-time MVP got hot in a hurry after halftime, scoring 14 points in a three-minute, 10-second stretch midway through the third quarter to put the Rockets on the mat and staring up at a nine-point deficit. Curry would score 19 of his 27 points (10-for-22 from the field, 7-for-15 from 3) after intermission, adding 10 assists, nine rebounds, four steals and a block in 44 minutes to pace the Warriors, who overcame early sloppiness, turnovers and foul woes to outlast their hosts and advance.

Golden State again had to weather the absence of forward Andre Iguodala, who hasn’t suited up since suffering a left leg contusion in Game 3. But Warriors coach Steve Kerr was able to turn to his reserves for just enough floor time and contributions — 16 uneven but active minutes for rookie big man Jordan Bell (who didn’t score and missed three opportunities at the rim that led to Warrior turnovers, but added five rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal), 17 minutes and one big 3-pointer by Nick Young — to help weather early foul trouble for Klay Thompson and keep Golden State’s top guns from emptying their tanks too early.

(YAHOO SPORTS)