Kevin Durant had a monster first half for the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. Durant scored 38 points for Golden State to give the Warriors a comfortable 72-53 lead over the Clippers. According to ESPN Stats & Info, his 38-point performance in the opening half tied him with Charles Barkley for the second-most points in a half in a playoff game.

The former NBA Most Valuable Player was a man on a mission, as he looked determine to carry the Warriors on his shoulders. The Warriors need a win to advance to the second round and avoid a do-or-die Game 7 at home, where they lost in Games 2 and 5 of the series.

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Durant has been on a tear in the series despite struggling to adjust to Patrick Beverly's pesky defense in the first two games of the series. In the first five games against the Clippers, the 30-year-old superstar averaged 32.0 points on top of 5.4 assists and 5,2 rebounds per game.

The 10-time NBA All-Star has also been doing it efficiently, shooting 56.9 percent from the field. Durant is also making an impact on the other end of the floor, averaging 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the Warriors. In Game 5, he posted 45 points, six rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block.

If the Warriors win on Game 6, they will move on to the second round and face the Houston Rockets on Sunday. The Rockets advanced to the Western Conference semifinals after eliminating the Utah Jazz in five games.