The Golden State Warriors closed the first half of Wednesday’s Game 5 with the vintage Splash Brothers to take an 11-point lead.
When they opened the second with a 9-2 run, they were in control. With their postseason at stake, the reigning NBA champions punched back from an excruciating Game 5 loss with a 121-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers to ensure that their season would not end on Wednesday.
Adding to the Lakers woes, they lost Anthony Davis to a late-game head injury, leaving his Game 6 status in doubt.
Warriors hot from 3 early
Golden State opened Wednesday like it has so many of its wins during its run to four championships, connecting on four 3-pointers in the game’s first 4:30 en route to a 17-5 lead. A Lakers team that’s continued to strengthen since a midseason roster makeover responded and erased its early deficit with a 50-50 tie midway through the second quarter. It did so looking repeatedly to Davis, who thrived against an outmatched Kevon Looney in the post.
But Golden State looked to the deep ball again on a 20-9 run to close the half fueled by four more 3-pointers. They finished with a 6-0 stretch in the final 30 seconds that included a 3 from Klay Thompson and another from Stephen Curry as the buzzer sounded.
The Warriors then opened up the second half by repeatedly attacking the basket and extended their 11-point halftime edge to 79-61 with a 9-2 run. The Lakers cut into the deficit with Curry on the bench to end the third, but Golden State carried an 11-point lead into the final quarter.
It was a familiar spot until Monday, when the Warriors led by seven after three. But there was no late Lakers rally this time on Golden State’s home floor. Los Angeles never again got closer than 9 points. When they lost Davis to injury in the fourth, the game was over.
Anthony Davis leaves late with a head injury
Davis took an inadvertent elbow to the head from Looney midway through the fourth quarter and left for the sideline.
After sitting on the bench with his head in his hands in apparent pain, he walked to the locker room with assistance with the Warriors leading 102-90. He did not return, and his status for Game 6 was not immediately clear.
Davis was escorted from the locker room in a wheelchair for further evaluation before the end of the game. After the game’s conclusion, head coach Darvin Ham said that Davis’ condition had improved.