NBA Playoffs 2023, Lakers v Warriors game 5 scores: Golden State win 121-106 over LA, sweat on fitness of Anthony Davis

The Lakers’ semi-finals series against Golden State has taken a massive twist, with Steph Curry forcing a Game six, as LA sweat on the fitness of star Anthony Davis.

Steph Curry and his Warriors face a big task to overcome a 3-1 series hole against the LA Lakers. Photo: Harry How/Getty Images.

Put the confetti on hold, Los Angeles Lakers fans, this semi-final series against the Golden State Warriors is going to a Game 6.

The Warriors displayed their championship qualities to keep the series alive with a commanding 121-106 victory over the Lakers.

Los Angeles (3-2) will receive another opportunity to close out Golden State at home in Game 6 on Saturday, but they could be without star centre Anthony Davis due to a head injury.

Davis copped an accidental elbow to the face early in the fourth quarter and didn’t finish the game.

The eight-time NBA All-Star was wheeled out on a wheelchair to receive further examination from medical staff.

The Lakers will be sweating on the fitness of Anthony Davis, after being forced off the court with a head injury, Picture: Getty Images/AFP.

Thankfully for the Lakers, Davis appears to have avoided concussion, which would have ruled him out of Game 6 due to the NBA’s strict protocols.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham said his big man looked on the mend in the dressing room post-game.

“He took a shot to the head. He seems to be doing really good already. That’s where he’s at and the status of it right now.”

If Davis is ruled out of Game 6 it would be a nightmare result for the Lakers, who need their gun centre to beat an experienced Golden State team.

The Warriors will head into Game 6 full of confidence after six players scored in double figures in their Game 5 triumph.

Superstar guard Steph Curry top-scored with 27 points but he wasn’t alone in the standout stakes for Golden State.

Stephen Curry scored 27 points for the Warriors to keep the semi-final series alive. Picture: Getty Images.

Andrew Wiggins (25pts) and Draymond Green (20 points, 10 rebounds) both excelled to ensure the Warriors’ season stayed alive for at least another game.

LeBron James led the way for Los Angeles with 25 points while Davis had 23 points and Austin Reeves added 15.

3-2 down in the series still doesn’t look pretty for Golden State, but Curry’s men possess an NBA-best record when trailing in a playoff series.

Over the past decade, Golden State has an impressive 18-5 record when behind in a series.

If anyone can defy the odds and climb out of a 3-2 series hole, it’s the championship proven Warriors.

And with Lakers star Davis potentially in doubt for Saturday’s Game 6 in LA, anything could happen.

WARRIORS IGNITE AS LAKERS COACH TAKES AIM AT KERR

LA coach Darvin Ham has taken a thinly-veiled shot at Warriors mentor Steve Kerr as the Lakers attempt to book a place in the Western Conference Finals.

The Lakers were left incensed after reserve guard Dennis Schroder drove to the basket amid a pair of Golden State defenders late in the first quarter.

The refs kept the whistle in their pocket, leading to remonstrations, and Lakers coach Darvin Ham ignited the “flopping for fouls” talk Warriors coach Steve Kerr put on the agenda.

“We dont teach flopping, we teach our players to play downhill and attack the paint and be forceful,” Ham said, when asked on the broadcast about the play that sent Schroder sprawling.

It appears to be a sneaky shot at Kerr was filthy after the Warriors game four loss that left them staring down a 3-1 series record and elimination.

Darvin Ham with a shot at Steve Kerr:

“We don’t teach flopping.”

pic.twitter.com/wBSpkTRHl5

— John Dickinson (@JDJohnDickinson) May 11, 2023

“I think, to me, what I’ve learned coaching in FIBA ... There’s a flop rule,” Kerr said.

“If a referee deems a player has flopped, they just call it a technical foul, and it’s pretty penalizing. And so the flopping has basically been eliminated from FIBA, and we have the ability to do the same thing in the NBA if we want.

“I think we should address it, because the players are so smart, and the entire regular season is about gamesmanship and trying to fool the refs. And this is how it’s been for a while, and it’s up to us as a league. Do we want to fix this? ... These are all things that are my personal plea to the NBA. I think we can do better in terms of cleaning up the flopping. In the meantime, I give the Lakers credit for the plays that they’ve been able to sell.”

RE-LIVE OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF GAME 5 BELOW

2.20pm: It’s now confirmed: Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis (head injury) will not return to tonight’s game. Davis was wheeled out on a wheelchair after copping a hit to the head. This is a nightmare result for the Lakers, who now face a Game 6 in LA on Saturday after the Warriors have responded at home.

2.11pm: WARRIORS 104-95, DAVIS GOES DOWN IN BIG LAKERS BLOW AS WARRIORS HOLD ON

LA Lakers big man Anthony Davis has left the court after copping an accidental elbow to the eye - in a big blow for the Lakers.

The elbow of Warriors centre Kevon Looney came in contact with Davis’ eye, forcing him to leave the court.

There are fears that Davis could’ve suffered concussion, which would rule him out for Game 6 under the NBA’s strict protocols.

LA needs Davis to return to have any chance of beating Golden State. The Warriors are in control leading by nine points with five minutes remaining.

1.57pm: WARRIORS 93-82 3QT, LEBRON LIMPS ON FOOT AS WARRIORS HEAD TO FOURTH IN CONTROL:

LeBron James sent a scare through the LA Lakers camp when he fell awkwardly on his foot late in the third quarter.

James went up for a shot and walked away limping in a concern for the Lakers.

The ‘King’ has previously missed 13 regular season games due to a foot injury.

Thankfully, James is back on the court to start the fourth quarter and looks ok.

1.45pm: Warriors 87-73, GREEN THE WARRIORS GOOD LUCK CHARM

Draymond Green is up to 18 points for Golden State. The Warriors are 26-2 the last 28 games that Green has scored at least 18 points. They are 3-0 in these playoffs when he scores in double figures.

The Warriors look in charge here, but the Lakers won’t go away down by 12 points.

1.10PM — HT: GSW 70-59 LAL

Curry with the huge halftime dagger — Looney pilferd it from Davis and Steph went up the other end and beat the buzzer to complete a 16-5 run to end the half and give the Warriors a double digit lead. He’s up to 12 points and, importantly, he has 6 assists, as the likes of Wiggins (16) and Green (14) benefit. The Lakers’ big two in Davis (18) and James (17) have done all they can and they’ve had good help from Schroder off the bench (11), but the Warriors firepower has overpowered them so far. Intrigueing second half ahead.

1.04PM — TIMEOUT: GSW 64-56 LAL, 1.53, Q2

A little run there from the Warriors and they have a chance at a double-digit lead, their first since early in the opening quarter. It would be a big buoy for them if they can take a big lead into the long break. James has 13 in the quarter for the Lakers, but it’s not helping them, with Wiggins now up to 16 and really looking like the destroyer for the Warriors — there’s a long, long way to go, though.

12.53PM — TIMEOUT: GSW 50-47 LAL, 6.30, Q2

It’s an arm wrestle. LeBron has awakened, he’s got 10 in the quarter and he’s up to 14, while Schroder has 9 off the bench. Green and Wiggins are carrying the Warriors with 12 and 13, respectively. Curry has 7, but the Warriors continue to have success on Thompson, who only has 3 points, which came early in the first.

12.37PM — QT: GSW 32-28 LAL

Seven threes in the first quarter for the Warriors and they’re getting help from the lesser lights in Moody (2 off the bench) and Payton and Green (1 each). But the deep supremacy hasn’t translated toa big lead, the Lakers going to work inside courtesy of big Davis who leads all scorers with 13. An awesome chasedown block from Dennis Schroder on Klay Thompson to curtail a fast break late in the first was indicative of how much is at stake.

12.28PM — TIMEOUT: GSW 21-16 LAL, 4.16, Q1

Lakers lifted out of their timeout to find some rhythm — and they had plenty of luck with cult figure Austin Reeves banking in a straightaway three. Not sure he called glass, but they’ll take everything they can get as they attempt to silence the crowd and advance to the Western Conference Finals. Anthony Davis is up to 9 points — more than half the Lakers’ score — as the Warriors’ smaller lineup struggles to deal with his immense size.

12.20PM — TIMEOUT: GSW 17-5 LAL, 7.28, Q1

The Warriors have come out breathing fire, led by... Draymond Green. That’s right, Draymond Green.

Four early threes to the Warriors — Draymond and then Wiggins, then Payton, then Curry.

Green has been ultra aggressive early, taking advantage of the lax D on him and getting to the hole for 8 points — more than the Lakers.

Perhaps it’s what the Warriors need, given how well the Lakers have covered Klay Thompson.

The Warriors are 7-2 in elimination games under Kerr and he’s never lost a series against a Western Conference opponent. Decent numbers when you’re in a win-or-go-home scenario.

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson shredded the Heat for 38 points. Picture: Getty Images

12.05PM — NEW YORK STAYS ALIVE - KNICKS 112-103 HEAT

Facing elimination, Jalen Brunson went nuclear for New York, pouring in 38 points to go with 9 rebounds and 7 assists to send the series back to Miami with the Heat up 3-2. The Knicks got 28 points out of wing RJ Barrett and 24 from maligned star Juluis Randle, igniting a rabid Madison Square Garden crowd. The Knicks put the clamps on Heat star Jimmy Butler, holding him to just 12 shots for 19 points, while Bam Adebayo had 18 and Duncan Robinson drained 5 three-pointers of the bench for 17 points. Game 6 will be Saturday, AEST.

11.35AM — PRE-GAME

Dubs sticking with the same small ball starting five they sent into game four with Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, Green and Payton III for the win-or-go-home clash.

It’s seven years to the day since Curry won his second league MVP award. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team this morning, LeBron made the third team.

Steph doing silly things, as usual, pre-game:

Cookin’ from the logo @Oracle || Game Ready pic.twitter.com/bYLVNNrCLy

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) May 11, 2023

CAN HISTORY HELP CURRY’S WARRIORS OVERCOME A 3-1 HOLE?

LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers are 48 minutes away from a surprise Western Conference Finals berth, but don’t rule out Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors just yet.

3-1 down doesn’t look pretty for the defending champion Warriors, but Curry’s men possess an NBA-best record when trailing in a playoff series.

Over the past decade, Golden State has an impressive 18-5 record when behind in a series.

If anyone can defy the odds and climb out of a 3-1 series hole, it’s the championship proven Warriors.

You can guarantee Curry, Thompson and co haven’t given up despite their season being on the brink of ending.

Golden State will also be confidence at home, but Los Angeles have proven they can perform on the road.

Steph Curry and his Warriors face a big task to overcome a 3-1 series hole against the LA Lakers. Picture: Getty

The Lakers stole Game 1 at the Chase Center, so they’ll be confident of repeating that performance in Game 5.

Los Angeles has stars in James and big man Anthony Davis, but the team’s lesser-known players have proved the difference in this series so far.

Guard Austin Reeves has taken on a bigger role while D’Angelo Russell, Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker have all excelled.

This combined team effort puts Los Angeles in a strong position to win this series against Golden State.

As history has proven, though, the Warriors won’t surrender easily, making today’s Game 5 clash must-watch basketball.

Originally published as NBA Playoffs 2023, Lakers v Warriors game 5 scores: Golden State win 121-106 over LA, sweat on fitness of Anthony Davis