Stephen Curry had 27 points and eight assists, Andrew Wiggins added 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and the defending champion Golden State Warriors avoided elimination by beating the Los Angeles Lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of the conference semifinals. West on Wednesday night. .
LeBron James had 25 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles. Anthony Davis added 23 points and nine rebounds, but was late to the locker room after he apparently took a blow to the head from Kevon Looney.
Austin Reaves made a 3-pointer with 5:25 left that cut the Warriors’ lead to single digits at 104-95 only for Curry to respond with five straight points, then hit another big shot after D’Angelo Russell connected from the deep. .
Draymond Green contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds as Golden State played a tough defense that created better opportunities on the offensive end, just as coach Steve Kerr has challenged his team.
Now, he returns to Los Angeles for Game 6 on Friday night with the Lakers 5-0 at home this postseason, having won eight straight home court games since losing to the Bulls on March 26.
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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry gestures as he runs down court during the first half of Game 5 of the team’s second-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, May 10. 2023 in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Golden State is trying to rally from a 3-1 series deficit for the second time in franchise history and will try to win one more to bring Game 7 back to Chase Center on Sunday. The Warriors rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 Western Conference finals against Oklahoma City.
Curry got past the halftime buzzer with a 3-pointer on Lonnie Walker IV as the Warriors took a 70-59 lead. Golden State’s 70 first-half points were the most for Golden State in the playoffs since scoring 72 in a Game 6 first-round win over the Clippers in 2019. The last team to score 70 or more in the first half of a playoff game against the Lakers. it was Phoenix with 71 in Game 4 of the 2000 second round.
Green and Wiggins took turns on James and Golden State tried to get Davis out of rhythm after he had 23 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and two assists in Game 4.
Curry shot 12-of-24 but just 3-of-11 from long range following his third playoff triple-double in a 104-101 loss in Game 4.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter of game five of the 2023 NBA Conference Playoff Semifinals round at Chase Center. (Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports)
KNICKS AVOID ELIMINATION WITH TOUGH 5 GAME WIN OVER HEAT
ALIGNMENT LOOK
The Warriors, who had used five roster combinations in their opening 11 postseason games, kept Gary Payton II for the second straight game, and it paid off.
He scored 13 points and converted a well-timed three-point play with 7:34 remaining with six rebounds.
Jordan Poole came off the bench and hit his first 3 since Game 1 late in the second quarter after going 0-for-8 in the previous three games.
Klay Thompson wrestled again. He went 3-for-11 in Monday’s loss to mark just the eighth time in his 150 postseason games that he’s scored in single digits, with three of the previous seven coming before Kerr became coach in 2014.
On Thursday, he missed his opening four shots and 6 of his first seven to finish with 10, but he has a track record of spectacular Game 6 performances and returns to Los Angeles with a chance to shine.
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after a three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter of game five of the Western Conference Semifinal Playoffs at the Chase Center on May 10, 2023 in San Francisco, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
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TIPS
Lakers: Los Angeles was outrebounded 18-17 in the first half and 48-38 overall. … The Lakers scored 20 points of the Warriors’ 14 turnovers, but committed 16 that led to 20 Warriors points. … James has never blown a 3-1 lead in the playoff series. … The Lakers lost for only the sixth time since March 19 (17-6).
Warriors: The Six Warriors made seven 3-pointers in the first quarter after Golden State made just 12 total in Game 4 (12 of 41). … Golden State is 16-4 in Games 5 and 8-2 when facing elimination dating from its 2015 title run, including 4-2 at home. Also, the Warriors are 34-12 in postseason games after a loss.