Sawt Falasteen - Thompson scores 30 as Warriors roll past Lakers to level series

Thompson scored 30 points in three quarters for the defending champions, who put on an offensive clinic while limiting Anthony Davis, engine of the Lakers' game-one victory, to 11 points and seven rebounds.

Thompson's hot-shooting night let Stephen Curry focus on directing the Warriors' silky offense. Curry scored a modest 20 points -- including a trio of tough three-pointers -- and handed out 12 assists, his most in the playoffs since 2014.

"We realized we let one go in game one," Thompson said. "(We) came out, our offense was flowing, turnovers were low, hitting the open man -- we keep it simple the floodgates can open."

They did, with Golden state scoring 41 points in the second quarter and 43 in the third to push their lead to 30 points heading into the final period.

LeBron James started strong, scoring 14 points in the opening quarter as the Lakers built a 33-26 lead.

But he added just seven in the second period and two in the third before he and Davis sat out the entire fourth quarter, along with the rest of the Lakers starters.

Draymond Green scored 11 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out nine assists while spearheading the Warriors' defense of Davis with ailing center Kevon Looney coming off the bench instead of starting.

Looney's replacement in the starting lineup, JaMychal Green, made just his second start of the season and scored 15 points in 13 minutes.

The Warriors seized control in the second quarter as Thompson drained four three-pointers on the way to 14 points.

Golden State used a 10-2 scoring run, capped by Thompson's three-pointer off a pass from Curry, to regain the lead early in the second quarter and after the Lakers twice drew level Golden State relentlessly pulled away, building a 67-56 halftime lead.

The Warriors kept it rolling in the third with a 15-8 scoring run.

They out-rebounded the Lakers 55-40 and handed out a total of 38 assists.

James' biggest scoring support came from Rui Hachimura, who added 21 points off the bench for the Lakers.

Thompson predicted that the big win will motivate rather than intimidate the Lakers, who host game three of the best-of-seven series on Saturday.

The Warriors struggled on the road in the regular season, but pulled off two big road wins in the first round of the playoffs, when they beat the Kings in Sacramento in game five and a decisive game seven in which Curry erupted for 50 points.

"I don't think it sends much of a message," Thompson said of the lopsided victory. We know LeBron's seen it all. AD has seen it all.

"It's 1-1 at the end of the day. We've got to go to LA and get one and go from there."

Z.AbuSaud--SF-PST