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A worrying knee injury to Australian centre Andrew Bogut has compounded a bad night for the Golden State Warriors as the Cleveland Cavaliers won game 5 of the NBA Finals to keep their title hopes alive.
The Cavaliers quietened the Warriors’ packed Oracle Arena with a 112-97 victory on Monday as the Warriors battled in vain to clinch back to back titles.
Propelled by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, who both scored 41 points, the Cavaliers reduced the series deficit to 3-2, with game six of the best-of-seven series to be played back on their home court in Cleveland on Thursday.
Klay Thompson led the undermanned Warriors with 37 points while Steph Curry had 25.
The Warriors missed their All-Star power forward Draymond Green, who was controversially suspended for one game after being hit with a flagrant foul in game four for striking James in the genitals.
Bogut did not help the Warriors’ cause by picking up four fouls in less than eight minutes on the court.
In the third quarter his game ended when he went up to block Cavaliers’ guard JR Smith, toppled over him and appeared to hyper-extend his left knee.
Bogut, who has struggled with injuries the past five years, was helped off the court and taken to the locker room.
Warriors officials said Bogut had sprained the knee and would have an MRI exam later on Monday.
A healthy Bogut is not only crucial to the Warriors’ finals campaign, but is the key to Australia’s hopes of winning its first men’s basketball Olympic medal in Rio.
Cavaliers’ Australian guard Matthew Dellavedova also had a foul-plagued game, picking up three in his first 96 seconds on the court.
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