Australians Joe Ingles and Dante Exum witnessed a masterful performance from Kevin Durant that has left their Utah Jazz team on the verge of elimination from the NBA playoffs.
With Durant imperious, the Golden State Warriors showed why they are short-priced title favourites as they downed the Jazz 102-91 on their own court, taking a 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven western conference semi-final series.
Warriors sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had an off night. Curry missed 10 straight shots and the pair combined for 7 for 29 from the field and 3 for 15 from 3-point range.
Before their home fans, the Jazz showed plenty of fight, taking a nine-point lead in the third quarter.
But it didn't matter as Durant, the Warriors' big summer acquisition, stepped up on the night and dominated with 38 points and 13 rebounds.
The Warriors can clinch a series sweep in game 4 in Utah on Monday night and then look forward to a conference finals clash with either Patty Mills' San Antonio Spurs or the Houston Rockets, a semi-final series the Spurs lead 2-1.
Regular Jazz starter Ingles had 10 points, five rebounds and two steals while Gordon Hayward led the way for their team with 29 points and French centre Rudy Gobert stepped up with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
But a poor overall shooting stat of 39 per cent and weak return from their bench cost the Jazz. Exum was given just two minutes off the bench.
"KD (Durant) had a big night offensively. That's one of the reasons why we welcomed him here," said Warriors stand-in head coach Mike Brown.
"(Coach) Steve (Kerr) has been preaching from day one, offensively, we want to keep the game simple."
"We have enough scoring power out on the floor, if we keep the game simple, we'll be able to score and outscore most teams."
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