Splash Brothers help keep Warriors' championship hopes alive

TORONTO - The Golden State Warriors survived an onslaught in the dying seconds against the Toronto Raptors to win Game 5 of the NBA Finals 106-105 here on Monday, pulling the series back to 3-2 and keeping alive their hopes of winning their third consecutive Finals.

Stephen Curry had game-high 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Klay Thompson scored 26 points. Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors with 26 points and 12 rebounds, only to see the 'Splash Brothers' Curry and Thompson bring the series back to Oracle Arena with a devastating sequence of three-pointers late in the contest.

The Warriors welcomed Kevin Durant back into the starting lineup, and last season's Finals MVP quickly scored 11 points in 12 minutes, before limping off in the second quarter with a right Achilles injury that had previously sidelined him for a month.

The Raptors trailed for the majority of the game, but Leonard scored 10 points in a row in the middle of the fourth quarter to turn the tide.

The Raptors were agonisingly close to their first-ever NBA championship before Curry and Thompson made three consecutive three-pointers in the closing minutes to take a 106-105 lead, with Toronto's Kyle Lowry failing to kill the series at the buzzer.

The result means Game 6 will be played on Thursday in Oakland.