The Warriors eliminate the Nuggets with a very close fourth quarter


SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson said Game 5 was a must-win because the Warriors certainly didn’t want to have to travel back to Denver to take care of business.

And while it certainly wasn’t the Warriors’ most aesthetically pleasing performance, Golden State, led by standout fourth-quarter performances from Gary Payton II and Stephen Curry, came through with the victory, outscoring the Nuggets 102-98 to end the series and advance. to the next round.

Payton scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, and Curry, who made his long-awaited return to the starting lineup after a month-long absence with a foot injury, was also down the stretch as he has so many. times in his career. .

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: Golden State Warrior Gary Payton II (0) of the Golden State Warriors dunks against the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter of Game 5 of their NBA first-round playoff series at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif. , on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

After being fouled with six seconds remaining, with the Nuggets’ fate basically decided, Curry waved to the crowd to get the Chase Center swaying. Chants of “MVP” began to reverberate as he approached the free throw line.

Curry, who has been unusually inconsistent in the benefit slot this series, missed his first but sank the second.

Not that it mattered.

The Warriors won and are going to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time in three years.

The Warriors got off to a strong start to the game as Golden State fielded their small-ball lineup early on. But the energy inside the Chase Center fizzled out as the first half wore on, and the second felt like a yawning fest until Draymond Green hit a third-quarter 3-pointer that energized the crowd and his teammates. Fouls also continued to be a problem for the Warriors, who allowed the Nuggets to score 20 points on 29 free throw attempts.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: The Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) walks off the court as he celebrates his win against the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their NBA first-round playoff series at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State struggled down the stretch. Payton II hit a 3-pointer to give the Warriors an 86-84 lead with just under seven minutes left in the game, and both teams went scoreless for the next two and a half minutes.

Klay Thompson ended the points drought with a driving layup to give the Warriors a four-point lead with just under four minutes left.

Nikola Jokic got hot in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 30 points in the last 12 minutes. He tied the game at 90 apiece with less than 2:30 remaining. But Payton and Curry responded and led the Warriors to victory.

Aaron Gordon was Golden State’s public enemy No. 1 in the first half. He aggravated Green with an offensive foul and was slapped with a technician. At times, he seemed unstoppable scoring 15 points in the first two quarters, but went scoreless in the second half.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: Jordan Poole (3) of the Golden State Warriors dribbles past Aaron Gordon (50) of the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of Game 5 of their NBA first-round playoff series in the Chase Center in San Francisco, California. , on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Curry finished with 30 points on 10-for-22 shooting (5-for-11 from deep). Thompson added 15 points and Andrew Wiggins had 12. Jordan Poole, who built on his strong finish to the regular season in the first three playoff games, once again struggled as the Nuggets applied more pressure to the third-year guard. He scored just eight points in 26 minutes, going 3-for-10 from the field and 1-for-4 from 3-point territory.

The Warriors will benefit from a few days off after taking care of business in five games. They will face the winner of the matchup between the second-seeded Grizzlies and the seventh-seeded Timberwolves, and that series isn’t scheduled to start before Sunday. The Grizzlies currently lead the series 3-2 after Ja Morant made a layup in the final seconds of the game to secure a Game 5 win on Tuesday night. The Timberwolves are scheduled to host Game 6 on Friday.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole (3) celebrate their victory against the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their first round playoff series of the NBA at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)



Reference-www.mercurynews.com

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