Warriors Avoid Elimination, Beat Thunder 120-111 In Game 5

The Golden State Warriors staved off elimination by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 120-11 at Oracle Arena on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

Warriors Avoid Elimination, Beat Thunder 120-111 In Game 5

“We’re not going home! We’re not going home!” MVP Stephen Curry screamed at the top of his lungs.

Indeed the Warriors aren’t. Despite still trailing 3-2 in the series, the defending NBA champions will now move on to Game 6 in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

Curry scored 31 points on 20 shots as well as six assists and five steals, while Klay Thompson added 27 points and recorded his 11th 20-point game for the second consecutive postseason despite shooting 2 for 9 from 3-point range. Draymond Green chipped in 11 points and 13 rebounds.

“None of us want to go home,” Thompson said. “We’re having too much fun out there.”

After suffering two losses at Oklahoma City by a combined 52 points, the record-setting, 73-win Warriors bounced back with some impressive shooting on their home court.

Curry scored seven points in a 58-second stretch during the second quarter.

“I thought he looked like 91 percent,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said of the MVP, who recently suffered an ankle injury as well as a sore knee and elbow . “He came out and played a really good game. That’s all I can tell you. He’s going to compete every night. He had an excellent night and helped us get it done.”

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 40 points, while Russell Westbrook added 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals.

“He’s a tornado,” Kerr said of Westbrook.

After the Warriors led 58-50 at halftime, Oklahoma City opened the second half with a 9-2 run. Westbrook hit a 3-pointer with 6:06 remaining in the third quarter to put the Thunder up 68-67 for its first lead of the night. However, Golden State regained a 81-77 lead going into the fourth and began the final quarter with an 8-0 burst.

“We didn’t shoot a particularly good percentage when we got into the lane and got into the deep paint,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “We had our opportunities.”

Warriors center Andrew Bogut finished with a playoff career-high 15 points and 14 rebounds for his second double-double this postseason and seventh of his career.

After scoring his 1,248th career postseason point in the third, Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain (1,246) for second place on the franchise’s playoff scoring list.

Warriors center/power forward Marreese Speights had nine points in four minutes during the second quarter and 14 points overall for his fifth double-digit scoring game this postseason.

OAKLAND, CA – MAY 26: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives with the ball against Dion Waiters #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Five of the Western Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on May 26, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)