OAKLAND, Calif., May 3 (UPI) -- Stephen Curry ignited a third-period run Thursday and Golden State survived down the stretch for a playoff series-clinching 92-88 win over Denver.
The Warriors eliminated the favored Nuggets in six games, setting up a Western Conference semifinal confrontation with San Antonio.
Golden State led by 18 points early in the fourth period, then had to fight off a Denver comeback that that almost brought the Nuggets a victory.
Denver's Kenneth Faried went to the foul line with 32 seconds left and his team trailing by just three points.
Faried could make only 1-of-2 from the line, however, and after a Golden State turnover Wilson Chandler missed both a jumper and a tip-in attempt for the Nuggets.
Two foul shots by Jarrett Jack with 7.3 seconds remaining clinched the Golden State win.
Curry scored 22 points and he touched off a key surge in the third period by hitting three 3-pointers in a 90-second stretch. That helped send the Warriors on a 24-9 run after they had trailed by four in the early moments of the second half.
Draymond Green added 16 points for Golden State and Andrew Bogut had 14. Andre Iguodala led Denver with 24 points while Ty Lawson had 17.
Denver lost only three of its 41 home games during the regular season, but it was a home loss to Golden State in the second game turned out to be the key of the conference quarterfinal series.
