Warriors move to within one win of NBA title after Game 5 victory over Celtics

Andrew Wiggins delivered the biggest game yet in his eight-year career with 26 points and 13 rebounds, Klay Thompson scored 21 points, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 104-94 on Monday night for a 3-2 NBA finals lead.

Stephen Curry contributed 16 points and eight assists but the all-time three-point leader’s NBA-record streak of 132 straight postseason games with at least one three ended, along with his NBA-best run of 233 consecutive games with a three between regular season and playoffs combined.

Exhibiting a determined confidence and grit all evening, Wiggins drove through the lane for an emphatic one-handed slam with 2:10 left to cap his brilliant performance on both ends.

The best-of-seven series resumes in Boston on Thursday night and if the Celtics can win at home they will return to the Bay Area for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday. All five games so far have been decided by 10 or more points.

Marcus Smart was whistled for a technical foul then an offensive foul in a one-second span early in the fourth. He overcame a slow start to score 20 points, while Jayson Tatum had 27 points and 10 rebounds.

Jordan Poole knocked down a 33ft three from the leftwing to beat the third-quarter buzzer as the Warriors took a 75-74 lead into the final 12 minutes after the Celtics roared back in the third.

The Celtics found their own third-quarter magic that has long defined Golden State’s success in the second half. Boston trailed 51-39 at the break before charging back with 35-point burst in the third. Al Horford hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 6:28 left in the period that made it 58-55 as the Celtics finally found their shooting groove from deep. Grant Williams’ three-point play at 3:55 gave Boston a