LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers owner has been banished from the NBA for life, and now, his team has come to life.
With the weight of uncertainty off the Clippers' shoulders, the healing process began with a 113-103 win in Game 5 against the Warriors at Staples Center that gave them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
The Warriors are one loss away from their season ending as the series shifts back to Oracle Arena for Game 6 on Thursday.
Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 21 points, and Andre Iguodala and David Lee had 18 apiece as the Warriors comeback attempt fell short.
"We've been a resilient team all year," said guard Stephen Curry, who finished with 17 points. "We've won games when we've needed to win, so obviously we've got to win two in a row."
Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, tries to grab the ball away from Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during the first half in Game 5 of an opening-round NBA basketball playoff series, Tuesday, April 29, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo)
The Warriors cut the lead to six after Lee had back-to-back dunks, the second with 52.5 seconds left, but Jamal Crawford hit a jump shot on the other end and finished with 19 points from off the bench.
The Clippers got a big night from big man DeAndre Jordan, who had 25 points and 18 rebounds after being held scoreless in Game 4. Even when the Warriors fouled him purposely in the fourth quarter, Jordan finished the game a respectable 9 for 17 from the line.
"Too many times we didn't meet force with force," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said.
Chris Paul scored 20 points, and Blake Griffin added 18 as he heated up in the second half after a slow start from the field with Lee and Draymond Green in foul trouble.
Before the game, Curry and Paul released statements expressing satisfaction with NBA commissioner Adam Silver's announcement that Clippers owner Donald Sterling would be suspended for life for racially charged comments made.
The Clippers admitted they were distracted in a Game 4 loss in Oakland, choosing to go through shootaround during the Silver announcement. Only afterward during a film session did coach Doc Rivers inform the players of Silver's decision to suspend, fine and urge the forced sale of the team.
Fans came dressed in black to Staples Center, where protesters gathered outside before the game to make their voices heard. Inside the arena, advertisements were blacked out after sponsors pulled out.
The most prominent signage became the message released by the Clippers after the NBA announcement.
"We are one," fans chanted in the fourth quarter at the urging of the public address announcer.
A game unlike any other the NBA has seen might have never taken place had Silver not dropped the hammer with a lifetime ban of Sterling.
The Warriors players were prepared to boycott the game had they been dissatisfied by sanctions announced by Silver.
According to Curry, had Silver merely announced an indefinite suspension and fine, every Warriors player planned to walk off the court as the jump ball was tossed for the opening tipoff.
The ball was ultimately tipped without incident as the Clippers controlled the first half and led by as many as 13 points.
Then Curry got free for consecutive jump shots in the third quarter, with a 3-pointer giving the Warriors a 70-69 lead.
But the Clippers responded with five consecutive points, with Paul draining a 3-pointer and Crawford getting a breakaway dunk off a Curry turnover. Paul later hit a 3-pointer to give the Clippers a 77-72 lead heading into the fourth.
Jordan bounced back after a rough Game 4 with 15 points and 11 rebounds by halftime, grabbing and offensive rebound and scoring on the at the buzzer to give the Clippers a 55-50 lead.
"Just a case of getting what they did not get last game is easy buckets around the rim," Lee said.
Curry scored seven points and committed five turnovers in the half, completing a 4-point play to cut the Clippers lead to 40-36.
For more on the Warriors, see the Inside the Warriors blog at ibabuzz.com/warriors. Follow Diamond Leung on Twitter at http://ift.tt/1fG7lc3.
INSIDE
Warriors have taping controversy of their own.
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