Supporting cast steps up as Golden State Warriors force Game 6

Following a Game 4 in which Stephen Curry’s superhero efforts weren’t enough, the Golden State Warriors’ supporting cast showed up big-time in a 121-106 win that now forces a Game 6 back in Los Angeles.

After a bright 17-5 start for the defending champions, the Lakers fought back to take a brief lead in the second-quarter. A quick burst to close the first-half re-established the Warriors’ momentum, and they never truly relinquished it over the remainder of the game.

Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green stepped up in monumental fashion to ensure the Golden State Warriors’ season didn’t finish on Wednesday night.

Andrew Wiggins left his fingerprints all over Game 5, pouring in 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting, while adding seven rebounds, and five assists. The Warriors emphasized their desire to push the pace and let the ball fly, and the high tempo favored the dynamic Wiggins. The All-Star wing thrived as a catch-and-shoot outlet when the ball entered the paint, and he attacked lazy closeouts for opportunistic drives of his own.

Off the ball, Wiggins remained alert, burning the Lakers on a few clever back-door cuts. When the Lakers opted to switch screening actions, rendering a smaller defender on Wiggins, he never hesitated, attacking his matchup in isolation. The 28-year-old remained aggressive and made quick decisions, providing a much-needed offensive spark for the Warriors.

Draymond Green’s two-way dominance

Through four games, Draymond Green had yet to stamp his impact on this series in any meaningful way. Game 5 was the Green game that Warrior fans were waiting for.

Green has a knack for igniting the squad when their energy is low and their backs are against the wall. Right from the tip, Green made his presence felt, walking into a trailing three-pointer and immediately lighting Chase Center on fire. His energy was infectious and he made sure to get on the Lakers’ nerves without crossing any lines, clamping down defensively, and letting the Lakers know about it.

Green’s offensive versatility was on full display as he punished the Lakers as an on-ball facilitator and an off-ball scorer. He pushed the pace in transition, locating his shooters for good looks early in the shot clock.

His 20-points on 7-for-11 shooting were his most in the series and as usual, Green did most of his damage on the interior, the beneficiary of Golden State’s constant dribble penetration. As the Warriors’ guards repeatedly collapsed the Laker defense, Green was simply sitting in the dunker spot, waiting for the ball to find him under the rim.

Green was dominant on both ends of the floor, and the Warriors will need Green to be unapologetically himself in enemy territory with their season hanging in the balance.

Dubs stick with Gary Payton II, and he delivers

Game 4 saw Steve Kerr tweak his usual starting five in favor of a smaller group, inserting Gary Payton II in place of Kevon Looney or JaMychal Green. The Warriors ended up losing a tightly contested thriller, but Payton’s minutes were one of the few bright spots for Golden State.

The trend continued on Wednesday night as Payton was a game-high +25 in nearly 28 minutes of action. He added 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting, to go along with six rebounds, an assist, and a steal.

Payton is only listed at 6’2, but the defensive ace plays much bigger than he is. He is an excellent screener and he embraces the physical nature of playing on the interior, battling for loose balls and offensive rebounds. He hustles, runs the floor, and can make defenses pay for ignoring him from three-point range.

In Game 5, Payton did all of the above. When the Warriors got out in transition, ‘GPII’ filled his lanes correctly and finished some tough layups through contact. He hung around the basket for easy layups and kept possessions alive with some crucial offensive rebounds. When the Lakers zeroed in on Curry and forgot about him, he splashed home a wide-open corner three.

Payton saw the floor for just 32 minutes across the first three games of the series, but Coach Kerr believed in his ability to help his team in a crunch, and that belief has paid off in a big way. “We’re a different team now that he’s back with us,” Steve Kerr said of him postgame.

Payton stayed ready, and his play, along with Wiggins and Green, was a big reason the Warriors were able to keep their season alive and force a Game 6 back in Los Angeles on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena.