Warriors rally from 20 points down to beat Pelicans in OT

Stephen Curry scored 40 points, including a three-pointer in the final seconds of regulation to complete a 20-point fourth-quarter comeback, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Pelicans, 123-119, in overtime Thursday night in New Orleans to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Curry hit seven three-pointers in all, including one to start overtime that gave the Warriors the lead for good.

Klay Thompson had 28 points for the Warriors, who trailed, 89-69, after three quarters, then outscored New Orleans, 39-19, over the next 12 minutes.

Anthony Davis had 29 points and 15 rebounds for the Pelicans, but his missed free throw with 9.6 seconds left — as the crowd chanted “M-V-P!” — allowed Curry’s late three-pointer to tie it.

Davis had a chance to tie it in the final seconds of overtime, but Warriors center Andrew Bogut forced him into a difficult driving shot, which missed badly.

The Warriors go for the sweep on Saturday in New Orleans. No NBA team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

Chicago 113, at Milwaukee 106 (2 OT): Derrick Rose scored 34 points and Jimmy Butler added 24 for the Bulls, who took a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series.

Butler got the second overtime off to a rousing start, intercepting a backcourt pass from Giannis Antetokounmpo and racing in for a layup. It set the tone for an 8-0 run that gave Chicago a 109-101 lead with 2:44 left to finally shake the pesky Bucks.

Rose atoned for a missed free throw with four seconds left in regulation that left the score tied. He scored six points in the second overtime.

Antetokounmpo had 25 points and Khris Middleton added 18 for Milwaukee, which went scoreless for more than six minutes between the first and second overtimes.

Cleveland 103, at Boston 95: The Cavaliers moved one win away from a sweep in their first playoff series in five years.

The scrappy Celtics kept it close, just as they did in the previous two games, and trailed, 95-92, after Evan Turner hit a three-pointer with 2:45 left. But the Cavaliers’ Kevin Love hit two three-pointers for a 101-93 lead with 26 seconds to go.

Cleveland can complete the sweep of the best-of-seven first-round series Sunday in Boston.

Turner had 19 points and Avery Bradley added 18 while Isaiah Thomas managed just five points after scoring 22 in the first two games.

Love had 23 points and J.R. Smith added 15 for the Cavaliers.