Los Angeles: A hot shooting night from Steph Curry has powered the Golden State Warriors to a 22-point rout of the Portland Trail Blazers in game one of the NBA's Western Conference finals.
The Warriors, with veteran Australian centre Andrew Bogut in their starting five, were always in control before a final-quarter blitz sealed a 116-94 defeat of Portland in Oakland on Tuesday.
Curry had 36 points, connecting with nine of 15 three-point attempts.
While Curry was hot, Portland's two best offensive threats, guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, were cold.
Lillard, who appeared to hurt a hamstring in the third quarter, sank just four of 12 field goals for 19 points and McCollum seven of 19 for 17 points.
The lopsided win sent an ominous warning to the teams hoping to prevent the defending champion Warriors winning their fourth championship in five years.
The winner of the Warriors-Blazers series will face the victors of the Eastern Conference finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors for the title.
Curry and his younger sibling Seth made history by becoming the first brothers to play against each other in a conference final. Seth hit just one three-pointer for Portland.
With Golden State's All-Stars Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins unavailable with leg injuries, coach Steve Kerr started veteran Bogut alongside Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala.
Bogut had two points, four rebounds, including two on the offensive end, one assist and a block in eight minutes on the court.
The 34-year-old won a ring with the Warriors in 2015 before they traded him in 2016 to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Eastern Conference finals begin on Wednesday with the Bucks hosting the Raptors.
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