Andre Iguodala

THE FACTS: The Denver Nuggets didn't want their season to end, so they got physical in Game 5. The plan worked for one night and kept them alive another two days. Andre Iguodala had 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and the Nuggets held off a late rally to beat the Golden State Warriors 107-100 on Tuesday night. Ty Lawson had 19 points and 10 assists and Wilson Chandler also scored 19 for the Nuggets, who avoided being eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight year. Game 6 is Thursday at Golden State. Denver roughed up the Golden State shooters that have hurt them in this series, specifically Stephen Curry. The point guard was averaging 27.3 points in the series before Tuesday but was held to 15 points. Harrison Barnes led the Warriors with 23 points and nine rebounds and Jarrett Jack scored 20 for the Warriors, who can close out the series at home. The Warriors felt Denver was a little too physical, to the point of some being cheap shots intended to hurt Curry. After the game he was sporting a large protective covering on his left hand while soaking both feet in a bucket of ice. He also has a black left eye. QUOTABLE: "The screen on Curry, by the foul line, it was a shot at his ankle, clearly. That can't be debated. I've got inside information that some people don't like that brand of basketball and they clearly didn't co-sign it. They wanted to let me know they have no part in what was taking place. Let the best team win. Let everybody, with the exception of going down with a freak injury, let everybody leave out of here healthy. That's not good basketball." -- Golden State coach Mark Jackson THE STAT: The Warriors were shooting lights out in the previous three games, hitting 64.6, 52.5 and 55.7 to take a 3-1 series lead. Tuesday they were held to 43.2 percent, even after hitting eight of nine shots in a stretch of the fourth quarter. TURNING POINT: The game looked in hand when Lawson's jumper made it 92-73 with 9:03 left. But the Warriors made it a game. Shots started falling and the defense got stops to help them close to within 100-95 with 2:16 left. They had a chance to cut it to two but Curry and Klay Thompson missed consecutive 3-pointers and Chandler hit one with 1:26 left to put the Nuggets up eight and seal the win. QUOTABLE II: "I think tonight we kept the attack on a little bit once they cut it to five. We found a mismatch Steph was guarding me and I found Wilson in the corner for a 3. Ty made a few plays and he got to the foul line. We kept our composure and that's showing our growth." -- Iguodala HOT: Iguodala came up big when the Nuggets needed him most. Three of his 12 rebounds came in the final 1:40, and he fed Chandler for the 3-pointer that sealed the game. He also played strong defense on the Golden State backcourt to cool of the Warriors' hot shooting. QUOTABLE III: "There were a couple, man. Going through the paint minding my own business and they come out of nowhere trying to throw elbows. I got a hit out on me, I don't know what it is, just got to keep playing and do your thing." -- Curry QUOTABLE IV: "They've been hitting me and pushing me and shoving me the whole series. I've been hit in the throat, got my hair pulled a couple of times. And I don't say much. I just keep going. I might say, 'Yo, ref, what about this play or that play,' and they don't really say anything. But, hey, when we do it we're playing dirty." -- Kenneth Faried, being accused of physical play. GOOD MOVE: Starting JaVale McGee over rookie Evan Fournier seemed to give Denver a little different energy. The 7-footer had five points and three blocks in the first quarter. QUOTABLE V: "I liked both JaVale and Kenneth in the first half. The energy of the rebounding and the bounce. We got back into having them get a lot of paint points." -- Nuggets coach George Karl ROOKIE WATCH: Barnes has not played like a rookie in this series. He is averaging 17.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. Other than a four-point game on Sunday, he has been a reliable offensive option for the Warriors. NOTABLE: Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari had arthroscopic surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. He will have surgery at a later date to repair his torn ACL suffered on April 4. ... Jack has scored 20 or more points in four straight games. He's averaging 22.5 points in those games. ... All five Nuggets starters scored in double figures and three finished with double-doubles. It's the fifth time in franchise history three players have had a double-double in the same playoff game and the first since Alex English, Calvin Natt and Fat Lever did it on May 2, 1985. UP NEXT: Game 6, Thursday, @ Golden State; Game 7, Saturday, @ Denver (if necessary).

• published: 02 May 2013
• views: 5500