NBA Finals: Toronto Raptors blow late game five lead as Golden State Warriors cling on
- Kevin Durant limps off injured in second quarter, sparking a Raptors fightback
- But Golden State retake the lead with a minute on the clock to cut Toronto’s series lead to 3-2
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Stephen Curry scored 31 points and Klay Thompson added 26 as the defending champion Golden State Warriors edged Toronto 106-105 on Monday night to sustain their hopes of winning the NBA Finals.
The Warriors pulled within 3-2 in the best-of-seven championship series and forced a sixth game on Thursday at Oakland, California, with game seven if needed back in Toronto on Sunday.
On a night when Warriors star Kevin Durant returned from a right calf injury but played only 12 minutes before going out with another lower right leg injury, Golden State barely denied the Raptors their first NBA crown.
Kawhi Leonard, who led Toronto with 26 points, sank a back-to-back 3-pointer and jumper to give the Raptors their largest lead at 103-97 with 3:28 remaining.
But the Warriors answered with Thompson and Curry sinking 3-pointers and Thompson hitting another to put Golden State ahead to stay at 106-103 with 57 seconds to play.
Kyle Lowry cut the lead to the final margin with 30 seconds remaining and the Warriors made a final turnover when DeMarcus Cousins was whistled for a foul while trying to set a screen.
That gave Toronto a last chance but the Warriors double-teamed Leonard and Lowry missed a corner 3-point shot at the buzzer.
“Do or die,” Curry said. “It wasn’t pretty in the second half but we just made the shots.”
