Golden State Warriors Shine On !

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NBA Finals player grades 2022: Andrew Wiggins takes over for Warriors, Jayson Tatum shines for Celtics in Game 5

Andrew Wiggins (Golden State Warriors), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
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The Golden State Warriors are just one win away from winning an NBA championship.

After the Celtics overturned an early deficit to eventually head into the final frame down by just one point, the Warriors held their nerve down the stretch to secure a 104-94 win in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead.

MORE: Kerr to Warriors after Game 5 – “We’re going to finish this in Boston”

While Stephen Curry had an off night shooting the ball, Andrew Wiggins stepped in to fill the void on the offensive end, scoring 26 points. Klay Thompson had it going from the 3-point line (5-for-11) as the duo combined for 47 points on the night.

With Golden State holding home court, The Sporting News breaks down the key player ratings from Game 5.

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*Ratings out of 10.

Andrew Wiggins – 9

Wiggins served up one of the best performances of his career in perhaps the most important game of his career.

With Curry struggling to find his shot, Wiggins was a constant source of offense in Game 5, coming up big down the stretch with 10 points and five rebounds on 5-of-6 shooting in the fourth quarter alone.

MORE: How Wiggins’ evolution has put the Warriors within striking distance of the title

He finished the game with 26 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals while playing stellar defense throughout.

His 26 points in Game 5 also marks the most points ever scored by a Canadian in an NBA Finals game.

Jayson Tatum – 8

Tatum looked a lot more like his normal self in Game 5. He was able to get to his spots, knocked down jumpers and helped drive the Celtics’ third-quarter comeback.

He finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds on 10-for-20 from the field and 5-of-9 from the 3-point line, but didn’t have the same juice late in the fourth quarter, going just 1-of-5 in the final frame.

He also accounted for four of the Celtics’ 18 turnovers on the night.

Klay Thompson – 8

Thompson scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half, providing an extra jolt to the Warriors’ offense with his backcourt mate Steph Curry struggling.

Thompson also passed LeBron James for second all-time in 3-pointers in NBA Finals history.

Marcus Smart – 7

Smart overcame a slow start to finish with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting in Game 5.

It was a frustrating night for the DPOY, picking up a technical foul, then an offensive foul in consecutive plays second early in the fourth quarter.

MORE: Stephen Curry’s 3-point streak ends

Stephen Curry – 6.5

Coming off a 43-point night in Boston, it just wasn’t Steph’s night in The Bay.

Curry finished the game with just 16 points on 7-of-22 shooting and went 0-for-9 from 3, his first game without a 3-pointer since 2018 (!)

Despite his poor shooting, he was effective as a playmaker, dishing out eight assists and only turning the ball over once.

Game 6 is set for Thursday, June 16 at TD Garden in Boston, with tip-off at 9:00 p.m ET.

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Benyam Kidane is a Senior NBA Editor for The Sporting News

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