Warriors Hold Off Trail Blazers in Game 3 in Kevin Durant, Steve Kerr's Absence

The Golden State Warriors rode a huge second half to a 119-113 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday and took a 3-0 lead in the 2017 Western Conference quarterfinals. 

This was an unusual game for the Warriors, who were playing their second straight contest without Kevin Durant because of a strained calf. Head coach Steve Kerr was also not present because of an illness.

Stephen Curry struggled to find his rhythm early with Durant on the sidelines, though he did finish with a game-high 34 points on 10-of-25 shooting.

Klay Thompson's third-quarter revival brought the Warriors back to life. He scored 11 straight points for Golden State to cut the deficit to 83-81 and cause the panic meter to rise in the Moda Center. 

Andre Iguodala's slam on the ensuing possession tied the game at 83 and erased a 16-point deficit in the span of four minutes. 

Golden State's secret weapon in the series has been JaVale McGee. The Warriors' backup center has missed just three shots (on 19 field-goal attempts) in three games against the Blazers defense and played a huge role in that third-quarter comeback. 

Based on how quickly this game turned in Golden State's favor, the instant reactions from the internet were amusing:

The Trail Blazers have gone as far as Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum carried them this season. That duo shined in Game 3 with a combined for 63 points, yet it still wasn't enough to contain the Warriors for four quarters. 

While Lillard and McCollum were red-hot carrying Portland, the rest of the starting five had just 20 points and six made field goals. 

Al-Farouq Aminu (14 points) provided a steady scoring option off the bench that was sorely missing for the Blazers in the previous two games. 

The Blazers have given the Warriors their best punch twice in the series. They were tied at the end of three quarters in Game 1 and led by as much as 16 points in Game 3, yet they don't have anything to show for it. 

Considering the Warriors have won the last two games in the series without Durant, it will take a miracle for them not to advance to the conference semifinals.

This hasn't been a one-sided series, but Golden State continues to persevere late in games while playing at less than full strength.