SALT LAKE CITY — With 2:43 left on the game clock Thursday night, Kevin Durant nabbed a steal, raced down court, bounced off Trey Lyles and soared for the tomahawk dunk.
A once-raucous Vivint Smart Home Arena crowd of 19,911 was silent as Durant stopped at the baseline, pounding his chest as he unleashed a roar. It was a reaction borne from relief. On a a night it nearly coughed up a 25-point lead, Golden State hung on for a 106-99 win over the Jazz.
The near-implosion was a change of script for a Warriors team that has mostly cruised while winning 16 of its past 17 games.