The Golden State Warriors have eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers from the NBA playoffs, despite injuries to key big men Australian Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green.
After an intense second-half struggle, back-to-back NBA MVP Stephen Curry led the Warriors to the 125-121 win on Wednesday in Oakland.
Curry scored 10 of the Warriors' last 12 points to extinguish the Trail Blazers and take the Western Conference semi-final series 4-1.
Centre Bogut slipped and strained his right groin late in the second quarter and did not return, while Green tweaked his left ankle and went to the locker room, but finished the game.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said his battered team were "running on fumes" at the end.
"We'll see how Bogut and Draymond do, but yeah, we need a little rest," Kerr said.
The Warriors will play the winner of the semi-final series between Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals.
The Thunder lead 3-2 and can knock out the Spurs on Thursday with a win in Oklahoma City although, if San Antonio are victorious, it will be decided with a game seven on Sunday on their home court.
The Warriors were thankful to close out Portland early so Bogut, Green and Curry - still recovering from knee and ankle injuries - can rest.
Green said his sprained ankle was a recurring injury.
"It's a bit sore, for sure," said Green, who had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
"These few days will be good for me."
Bogut had four points and four rebounds from just under nine minutes of play.
Warriors' guard Klay Thompson had 33 points while Curry had 29 points, 11 assists and five rebounds.
The Trail Blazers' guard duo Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum had 28 and 27 points respectively.
Thompson said the Thunder and Spurs both posed great challenges.
"You have that two-headed monster in Oklahoma City with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and then you have such a deep, solid, fundamental team in San Antonio," Thompson said.
"It's a coin flip.
"You're not going to get any breaks playing any team."
In the Eastern Conference, Toronto's DeMar DeRozan matched his playoff-high with 34 points as the Raptors beat Miami 99-91 in Toronto to take a 3-2 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Kyle Lowry had 25 and Bismack Biyombo had 10 points for the Raptors, who can clinch their first conference finals berth with a win in game six on Friday in Miami.
Dwyane Wade scored 20 for Miami, while Goran Dragic and Josh Richardson each had 13.
The winner will play the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Share
