Warriors come through on the road to force Game 7 with Thunder

Klay Thompson shows visible emotion about as often as the Mona Lisa. Make a contested shot and he looks the same. Turn over the ball and he looks the same.

So it must have been something spectacular that triggered a wide smile in a selfie video posted on the Golden State Warriors’ Twitter account Saturday night.

Only the best game of his life on one of basketball’s biggest stages.

Thompson’s shotmaking and Andre Iguodala’s active hands reversed the narrative of the Western Conference finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena, nudging Golden State to a 108-101 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 to even the series at three games apiece while making the Warriors feel like decisive favorites again.

Thompson set an NBA playoff record by making 11 three-pointers on the way to 41 points and Iguodala twice stole the ball from Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, part of five Thunder turnovers over the final 1 minute 40 seconds that contributed to a game-ending 9-0 surge for the Warriors.

“Klay Thompson was ridiculous,” Golden State Coach Steve Kerr said.

Thompson was especially ludicrous in the fourth quarter, when he outscored the Thunder, 19-18. He made 14 of 30 shots overall, including 11 of 18 three-pointers.

“I should’ve had at least 13,” Thompson said, lamenting some early misses. He did acknowledge it was the greatest game he had been a part of considering it was an elimination game and the Warriors trailed by 13 in the second quarter.

The Thompson-fueled discrepancy in three-pointers proved decisive considering the Thunder barely made any; Golden State buried 21 of 44 shots from beyond the arc while Oklahoma City converted only three of 23. Stephen Curry made six of 13 three pointers and finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists after a slow start.

“There are some things on that stat sheet that are really difficult to overcome,” Oklahoma City Coach Billy Donovan said.

It was 21/2 hours drenched in the emotion and urgency of a Game 7, with the Warriors wanting to prolong their season and the Thunder not wanting to go back to Oakland with the weight of a possible collapse having shifted squarely onto them.

They’re headed there now for a deciding game Monday, when they will attempt to avoid becoming the 10th team in NBA history to blow a 3-1 lead in a best-of-seven series.

“Win or go home,” Westbrook said. “Simple as that.”

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after scoring against Serge Ibaka (9) and the Thunder in the first half of Game 6 on Saturday.

(Maddie Meyer / Getty Images )

It’s looking like a meltdown could be in store given the way the Thunder played after Andre Roberson’s putback had given them a 101-99 lead with 2:22 left. Iguodala tied the score on a driving layup before he stripped Westbrook and found Thompson for his final three-pointer, which gave the Warriors a 104-101 lead. Iguodala then stole the ball from Westbrook again with 35 seconds left before Curry made a driving bank shot.

Curry then guaranteed Game 7 by stealing a Westbrook inbounds pass with 12 seconds left, Westbrook’s fourth turnover in the final two minutes. Westbrook had 28 points on 10-for-27 shooting to go with 11 assists, nine rebounds and five turnovers. Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant scored 29 points but made only 10 of 31 shots in what could have been his final home game should he depart in free agency this summer.

The Warriors tried a new tactic to reverse their fortunes here after blowout losses in Games 3 and 4. They changed sides so they would be on offense in front of their own bench in the second half. “It’s gonna change everything,” Kerr quipped.

Thunder fans countered with their own brand of psychological warfare, wielding signs reading “THE FINAL SMACKDOWN” and “There will be NO Monday.”

In his postgame video, Thompson encouraged Warriors fans to show up early and get loud for a game that is now necessary. One more victory and he might even smile again.

Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter: @latbbolch