PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) Golden State’s Stephen Curry returned from a sprained right knee to score an NBA-record 17 points in overtime, finishing with 40 as the Warriors won 132-125 at Portland on Monday to take a 3-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.
The day’s other game also went to overtime, with Miami downing Toronto to square that series at two games apiece.
Curry, playing for the first time since he was injured in the first-round series against Houston, was rusty for three quarters but sensational in the closing stages as the Warriors came from 16 points down to force overtime.
Originally expected to play about 25 minutes off the bench, Curry picked up a heavier workload in the second half after Shaun Livingston, who had been starting in his absence, was ejected in the second quarter after arguing a call and picking up two technical fouls.
His victorious return came hours after a person with knowledge of the award told The Associated Press that Curry would repeat as NBA MVP, with the announcement coming as early as Tuesday.
The Warriors can win the series Wednesday at home in Game 5.
Damian Lillard finished with 36 points and 10 assists for Portland.
Curry’s fast-break layup gave the defending NBA champions a 120-118 lead with 2:21 left in the extra period, and he followed with a 3-pointer.
Harrison Barnes’ layup extended the lead to 125-118 and Portland couldn’t catch up. Klay Thompson finished with 23.
In the fourth quarter, Draymond Green dunked to keep Golden State within 109-108. Mason Plumlee’s finger-roll layup extended Portland’s margin but Barnes tied it with a 3-pointer for Golden State with 51 seconds left, and both Lillard and Curry missed to force the OT.
Curry led the Warriors to an NBA-record 73 wins in the regular season, a year after leading the team to its first NBA championship in 40 years. He averaged just over 30 points per game this season.
The Blazers started strongly and led 16-2 when Curry came off the bench with 5:56 left in the first quarter.
Portland led 67-57 at halftime, scoring a franchise playoff-record 41 points in the second quarter alone.
Miami’s Dwyane Wade saved the Heat in regulation, then finished off overtime with an emphatic dunk as the hosts beat Toronto 94-87 on Monday to tie their NBA second-round playoff series at 2-2.
Wade scored 30 points and Goran Dragic had a huge three-point play with 22.4 seconds left in overtime.
Dragic and Joe Johnson each scored 15 for the Heat, who rallied from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Game 5 is in Toronto on Wednesday.
Terrence Ross and Cory Joseph each scored 14 for Toronto, which shot 39 percent. Bismack Biyombo and DeMarre Carroll added 13 apiece, while starting guards DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry combined for 19 points on 6-for-28 shooting.
Miami was down 77-68 midway through the fourth quarter, and still trailed 79-72 with 5 minutes left.
Wade scored the next five points for Miami, getting the Heat within 79-77. The deficit was still two when Toronto’s Lowry fouled out with 1:58 left. The Heat finally got the equalizer with 12.6 seconds left.
Joseph missed a jumper to end regulation and the Raptors scored a mere four points in the extra session.
Wade tried a scoop shot from the right side of the lane in overtime. The ball bounced on the rim a few times, and stayed there, resulting in a jump ball that Toronto won with 58 seconds remaining. DeRozan scored on that possession to get Toronto within two, but the Raptors wouldn’t score again.
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