By Ben Morse, CNN
The Golden State Warriors defeated the los angeles lakers 121-106 in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal playoffs series to keep your season alive.
Steph Curry led the reigning champs with 27 points and eight assists as the Warriors closed within a game of the Lakers in their best of seven. series at 3-2.
Andrew Wiggins added 25 points, while Draymond Green chipped in 20 points and 10 rebounds as Golden State avoided elimination and forced Game 6.
It’s unlikely to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a playoff series, but as the team demonstrated in the first round of the playoffs by overcoming a 2-0 deficit against the Sacramento Kings, Golden State has the mentality to fight back. .
“We’re champions, so there’s pressure every time you step on the court,” Green told reporters afterward.
“If you go out, you don’t win, people are ready to crush you. People forget about the things you’ve done in the past.”
A burst late in the second quarter, including a long 3-pointer by Curry at the buzzer, gave the Warriors a massive halftime lead and they never relinquished it.
Los Angeles’ Austin Reaves hit a 3-pointer with less than six minutes to play to cut the lead to single digits as nerves gripped Chase Center, but Curry assuaged any anxiety with a scoring streak of his own to put the game out.
“The fact that we were able to control a game from the jump like we did, manage that run like we did, and then close out the fourth quarter strong was exactly how we hope to play,” Curry said afterward.
“And it’s just a question of whether we can go out on the road and win a game that I have to win on Friday.”
‘He got shot in the head’
LeBron James led the way for the Lakers with 25 points, while Anthony Davis added 23.
The scariest moment of the game came in the fourth quarter when Davis took an inadvertent elbow from Warriors center Kevon Looney and appeared to be in a lot of pain.
After leaving the game, Davis did not return to the court, with reports suggesting that he needed a wheelchair to get to the locker room.
Lakers coach Darwin Ham was optimistic about Davis’ appearance in Game 6 on Friday in Los Angeles.
“He was shot in the head. It seems that he is already doing very well. That’s where he’s at and he’s been right now,” Ham said.
The two teams will now go head-to-head in Game 6 at Crypto.com Arena as the hotly contested series continues and James is confident of a better overall performance from his team.
“Obviously they played exceptionally well here tonight, and we had some good moments, but not as close to 48 minutes as we needed to, but we have another chance on Friday and we’re looking forward to the matchup again,” James. saying.
“We’re not running our business tonight, so I look forward to seeing our fans in another game in the second round.”
The CNN Wire
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