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Raptors, Warriors Pick Up NBA Playoff Wins

Published on May 12 2016 6:42 am
Last Updated on May 12 2016 6:42 am

DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry went from invisible to indispensable for the Toronto Raptors.

DeRozan matched a playoff high with 34 points, Lowry had 25 and the Raptors beat the Miami Heat 99-91 on Wednesday night to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

"We have faith in those guys; they've carried us the entire season," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "Not one time did we doubt their ability to score."

Bismack Biyombo had 10 points for the Raptors, who never trailed. Toronto can clinch its first conference finals berth with a win in Game 6 in Miami on Friday.

Lowry and DeRozan made 6 of 28 shot attempts and scored 19 total points in Toronto's 94-87 overtime loss in Game 4.

In Game 5, Toronto's All-Stars tallied 19 points in the first quarter alone. They shot 20-for-47 overall and scored 59 points, their highest total this postseason, even with DeRozan battling a bad thumb that took another hard hit in the second half.

"We just tried to go out there and be aggressive," DeRozan said. "We've been aggressive these past two series, and shots just weren't dropping for us. We just told ourselves we were going to continue to be aggressive and it was going to come back around."

It was DeRozan's franchise-best 13th 20-point game in the playoffs and his sixth this postseason.

"He got to the free throw line and got in a rhythm early," Miami's Dwyane Wade said. "He was locked in all night."

Wade scored 20 for Miami. Goran Dragic and Josh Richardson each had 13.

Warriors 125, Trail Blazers 121

Stephen Curry raised his left arm in triumph and cradled the game ball in his right as yellow confetti fell.

The Splash Brothers are taking defending champion Golden State back to the Western Conference finals for a second straight year.

Klay Thompson's sweet shooting touch carried the Warriors while Curry was down. Together again in the starting lineup, they guided Golden State another step closer to a repeat title with a 125-121 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 5 on Wednesday night.

Thompson scored 33 points with six 3-pointers, while Curry added 29 and sealed the win with a 3 with 24.9 seconds left. He finished with five 3s a day after becoming the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, adding 11 assists after returning to the starting lineup for the first time all series because of a knee injury.

"West finals two years in a row, it's been a special, special season," Thompson said.

Draymond Green, who had his left ankle retaped in the fourth quarter, had 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists after guaranteeing Golden State would advance from this game.

Damian Lillard scored 28 points and C.J. McCollum had 27 for the young Trail Blazers, who overcame a 2-0 deficit to the Clippers in the first round to get this far.

Wednesday, May 11 Scoreboard

Toronto 99, Miami 91

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5

Golden State 125, Portland 121

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 5

Thursday, May 12 Schedule (Time Central)

San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 7:30 PM

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 6

Friday, May 13 Schedule (Time Central)

Toronto at Miami, 7

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS - GAME 6

Saturday, May 14 Schedule

No games scheduled