Big 3rd quarter carries Warriors to win over Clippers

The final three-plus minutes of the Warriors' 123-113 win Thursday night over the Clippers offered a familiar scene: empty Oracle Arena seats; seldom-used reserves getting some much-appreciate run; Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry giggling on the bench. A double-digit margin of victory belied the fact that, for a good stretch Thursday, the Clippers had awoken a slumbering "rivalry." The NBA's first 50-point third quarter since March 25, 2014 was enough to ensure that Golden State centers Zaza Pachulia and David West, whom combined for six blocks, were not disappointed in their first games back from extended injury-related absences. Staring down a 31-24 hole at the end of the first quarter, the Clippers closed off driving lanes and silenced the league's most potent offense for four minutes, 23 seconds. The Warriors' bench was assessed a technical early in the third, to which a capacity crowd of 19,596 rained down chorus of "REFS-YOU-SUCK!" Minutes later, Blake Griffin smacked Andre Iguodala in the head to prevent a driving dunk. Curry, who poured in 20 points in the third, stepped to the foul line with 30.7 seconds left in the period to a chorus of "M-V-P!" The exclamation point came...