Opinion: Kevin Durant delivers as Warriors finally dispatch Clippers from playoffs

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Durant had no more patience for missteps, no time for sentimentality, no desire to let the Los Angeles Clippers continue their fairytale presence in these playoffs and left no doubt that  was ready to move forward into the juiciest matchup of this NBA postseason.

Durant unloaded on the Clippers at Staples Center on Friday night, piling on 38 points in the first half as the Golden State Warriors built up a lead they would never relinquish on the way to a 129-110 Game 6 victory.

In sealing the series and setting up a mouthwatering rematch with the Houston Rockets that starts on Sunday, Durant ended up with 50 – a personal career playoff record – but more than any statistic, his primary effect was to once again lay down a marker.

Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) celebrates with forward Draymond Green (23) during Game 6 against the Clippers. (Photo: Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

With him on form, the Warriors look more unstoppable than ever. The Rockets played outstanding basketball to come within a whisker of beating Golden State in last year’s Western Conference finals. If Durant is in this kind of mood, they’ll need to do even better this time.

Stephen Curry (24 points) was the only other Warrior to top 20, as a series that was supposed to be so one-sided that Vegas priced it at 100:1, came to a conclusion after a couple of weeks’ worth of hugely entertaining and competitive drama.

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The Warriors turned up the heat when it mattered and the Clippers did not have a final flurry left in them, losing at home for the third time in three attempts but managing two mightily impressive victories at Oracle Arena.

Danilo Gallinari topped the scoring for Los Angeles with 25 points, but this was never a close contest once Golden State eased ahead 72-53 at the half.

Keeping pace with the two-time defending champions requires an unceasing diet of skill, persistence and luck – plus the complicity of the Warriors happening to have an off night. This wasn’t one of those, not with Durant setting the tone in a performance that was as much a signal of intent as anything else.

By the end, even the animosity that sometimes punctuated the series had dissipated, with Durant and his nemesis Patrick Beverley hugging it out at courtside after the buzzer.

And so we move on. The Rockets have had two days extra rest. The Warriors have home court advantage. The Rockets have James Harden and his addiction to heavy scoring. The Warriors have Durant and a whole lot more.

The postseason has been unpredictable already and the matchup that awaits is impossible to predict. Except to say with certainty that if Durant keeps his mind in the game like this, it will be well worth watching.

Follow Rogers on Twitter @RogersJourno.

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