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| Steph Curry got the last laugh over Kawhi Leonard. |
By Ivan Saldajeno
LOS BAÑOS—With two key players aggravating their injuries, Golden State still showed heart.
The Warriors kept their NBA season alive with a 106-105 win against the Toronto Raptors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Tuesday (Philippine Time).
Golden State came back from what would have been an epic collapse and assured that the Oracle Arena in Oakland will get one final taste of NBA action before the team moves back to San Francisco next season.
The Warriors seemed to be inspired by Kevin Durant's return as he fired 11 points in the first quarter to help them build a 34-28 lead at the end of the period.
However, Durant re-injured his right leg that sidelined him for a significant time in the playoffs while trying to get past Serge Ibaka in the second quarter.
Later in the game, Kevon Looney aggravated his chest injury, and both players missed out the remainder of the clash.
But they remained on course of a road rage and opened a lead as high as 14, 77-63, midway through the third quarter.
However, Kawhi Leonard took over in the fourth, and the Raptors eventually reclaimed a 103-97 lead with 3:28 remaining.
Klay Thompson and Steph Curry stepped up in crunch with Thompson making two treys and Curry making one sandwiched in between Thompson's triples as the Warriors reclaimed the lead, 106-103, with 57.6 seconds to play.
Kyle Lowry kept Toronto in the game after scoring on a layup via a goaltending call from Boogie Cousins to cut the lead down to one with 30.4 seconds left.
Cousins was then called for an offensive foul after an illegal screen, giving the Raptors 15.7 seconds to clinch the title.
Golden State's tough defense on Leonard forced Toronto to give the ball to Lowry at the left corner, whose triple was partially deflected by Draymond Green as time expired.
Curry finished with 31 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for the Warriors, who will host Game 6 on Friday (Philippine Time) in what will be the NBA's final game at the Oracle Arena.
Thompson added 26 points, six rebounds, four assists, and one steal, while Green had a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds and even flirted with a triple-double with eight assists alongside one steal and the game-saving block on Lowry.
Leonard finished with 26 points, 12 in the final canto, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks for the Raptors, who have another chance at clinching the title.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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