By: Eric He

AP photo: Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson left yellow shirt and Stephen Curry (30) exalt watching a warrior bucket in game five at Oracle Arena in Oakland

The Golden State Warriors staved off elimination with a 120-111 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals on Thursday night at Oracle Arena.

Stephen Curry led the way with 31 points, while Klay Thompson poured in 27. With the win, the Warriors send the series back to Oklahoma City needing a win to force a Game 7.

The Warriors led by four heading into the fourth quarter, but quickly opened up a double-digit advantage with the help of a 12-4 run. The Thunder hung around and closed the gap late, but the Warriors hung on to keep their playoff dreams alive.

The Warriors led for a majority of the game, not allowing the Thunder to take control as they have in the previous two contests. The Thunder took a brief 68-67 lead in the third quarter, but otherwise the Warriors turned up their play a notch to get the win.

Golden State shot 47.1 percent from the field, getting the all-around contributions they needed to beat the Thunder. Draymond Green played better, while Andrew Bogut had a big night with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Marreese Speights scored 14 points off the bench.

But the Warriors still have a monumental challenge in the front of them. They must find a way to beat the Thunder on the road to keep their season alive. Game 6 is Saturday night in Oklahoma City.