Updated June 08, 2017 14:52:05

Photo: Kevin Durant has proved the difference in this year's NBA Finals. (AP: Tony Dejak)

The Golden State Warriors have crushed Cleveland's dreams of cutting into their NBA Finals lead, staging a late comeback in game three to make it 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Kevin Durant (31 points) and Stephen Curry (26 points) led the Warriors down the stretch of their 118-113 win, while shooting guard Klay Thompson (30 points) broke well and truly out of his shooting slump.

The Cavaliers, on their home court for the first time in the series, led 113-107 with three minutes to go after swingman JR Smith knocked down a pivotal triple, but they proved to be the home team's last points of the night.

That lead held until there was 2:19 remaining, when Golden State superstar Curry found two points with a drive to the basket.

With 75 seconds left, first-year Warrior Durant knocked down a gentle floater over Tristan Thompson before his signature moment.

Leading 113-111 heading into the final minute, Cavaliers shooter Kyle Korver missed a triple, giving Golden State a chance to tie it up or take the lead on the next possession.

Durant casually took the ball up the floor and dribbled straight into a three-point dagger over LeBron James — a shot Durant said post-game that he had been practising for his entire life.

Curry and Durant knocked down two free throws each as the Cavaliers failed to intentionally foul the Warriors' worse shooters, and the game was down.

It was a particularly cruel way for James' night to end after he scored 39 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out nine assists.

Point guard Kyrie Irving also exploded at Quicken Loans Arena with a 38-point night, but neither player scored a point in the last five minutes of the game.

Photo: LeBron James and Kyrie Irving had great nights, but it was not enough. (AP: Tony Dejak)

The thrilling back-and-forth affair was the first close game of the finals, but the Cavaliers will now have to do what no NBA team has ever done in the playoffs, win four straight games after going down 0-3 in a series.

Last year, they broke new ground by becoming the first team to come back from 3-1 down in the finals, but the Warriors with Durant and a healthy Curry are a different beast.

If they can win game four, the Warriors will become the first team in history to go through an entire NBA post-season without dropping a game.

Topics: basketball, sport, united-states

First posted June 08, 2017 14:33:03