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Photo: Michael Macor / The Chronicle
Kevin Durant high-fives fans as he leaves the Oracle Arena court following the Warriors’ 99-91 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Tuesday night. The Warriors will face the New Orleans Pelicans in the second round starting Saturday.
lessKevin Durant high-fives fans as he leaves the Oracle Arena court following the Warriors’ 99-91 win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series Tuesday night.
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Golden State’s Draymond Green defends against San Antonio’s Rudy Gay in the first quarter during Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference series at Oracle Arena Tuesday.
Golden State’s Draymond Green defends against San Antonio’s Rudy Gay in the first quarter during Game 5 of their first-round Western Conference series at Oracle Arena Tuesday.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green and San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili embrace after the Warriors defeated the Spurs 99 to 91 in game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Draymond Green and San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili embrace after the Warriors defeated the Spurs 99 to 91 in game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on
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Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson drives past San Antonio Spurs' Kyle Anderson in the fourth quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Klay Thompson drives past San Antonio Spurs' Kyle Anderson in the fourth quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in
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The Warriors bench — including Steph Curry, in striped shirt — watches as Kevin Durant launches a three-pointer over San Antonio’s Rudy Gay in the third quarter.
The Warriors bench — including Steph Curry, in striped shirt — watches as Kevin Durant launches a three-pointer over San Antonio’s Rudy Gay in the third quarter.
Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr calls out to his team in the second quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
Golden State Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr calls out to his team in the second quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala stops San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge in the second quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala stops San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge in the second quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in
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Golden State Warriors' David West blocks a shot by San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' David West blocks a shot by San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018
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Golden State Warriors' Kevon Looney gets a high five from Draymond Green in the second quarter after Looney was fouled by San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Kevon Looney gets a high five from Draymond Green in the second quarter after Looney was fouled by San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference
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Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green guards San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Draymond Green guards San Antonio Spurs' LaMarcus Aldridge in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in
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Golden State Warriors' David West, right, jokes with E-40 in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' David West, right, jokes with E-40 in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle
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Fans cheer after Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant dunked in the second quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
Fans cheer after Golden State Warriors' Kevin Durant dunked in the second quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala rebounds and goes up for a dunk over San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala rebounds and goes up for a dunk over San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on
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Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green reacts after hitting a first quarter three-pointer during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green reacts after hitting a first quarter three-pointer during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle
Golden State Warriors' Klay Thompson shoots over San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' Klay Thompson shoots over San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili in the first quarter during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 in
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Golden State Warriors' JaVale McGee taps the opening tip-off over San Antonio Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in Oakland, Calif.
lessGolden State Warriors' JaVale McGee taps the opening tip-off over San Antonio Spurs LaMarcus Aldridge during game 5 of round 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 in
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Warriors beat Spurs in 5, face Pelicans in Western Conference semifinals
After a dizzying third-quarter display of passing ended in a wide-open three-pointer from Draymond Green on Tuesday night, Stephen Curry, straight-faced, leaned back in his courtside seat, touched thumb to index finger and flicked his right wrist.
It was fitting that a player prone to far more animated bench celebrations opted for a businesslike signal of approval. Two nights after they raised questions about their approach in a Game 4 loss in San Antonio, the Warriors returned to their blueprint — extra passes, efficient shooting, stingy defense — to close out the first round with a 99-91 win over the Spurs.
San Antonio cut a 16-point deficit to two with 57.2 seconds left, only for Golden State to make key plays down the stretch. Out of a timeout, Green found Kevin Durant for a 20-foot jumper. Moments later, after a bad pass from San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili careened out of bounds, Durant hit two free throws to essentially ice the game.
“We’ve got to continue to do the things that we did in this series,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “Our defensive effort for the five games was fantastic. It’s obviously going to get more difficult now as we go, so we’ve got to just keep going.”
Instead of boarding a charter flight Wednesday morning for a Game 6 in San Antonio, the Warriors will take a day off before beginning to prepare for the New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference semifinals. Game 1 will be Saturday at Oracle Arena.
New Orleans wowed in its first-round sweep of Portland, but it could have a tough time hanging with a defending NBA champion that finally has showed just how daunting it can be when playing games that matter. Outside of Sunday’s Game 4 loss, the Warriors had little trouble with one of the league’s most revered franchises — though without Kawhi Leonard — as they won Games 1, 2, 3 and 5 by a combined 57 points.
It only brightens Golden State’s outlook hat Curry is nearing his return from a sprained left MCL that has sidelined him for more than a month. Though officially listed as day-to-day, he has impressed in recent on-court work and could return as soon as Game 1 of the next round, depending on how his re-evaluation goes Friday.
“If he doesn’t play, we’re prepared,” guard Klay Thompson said. “If he does, hallelujah.”
Should the team decide Curry needs more time, the Warriors can take solace knowing they have mastered their Curry-less formula: ratchet up the defensive intensity and roll the offense through Thompson and Durant. Little more than 48 hours after its movement-heavy system gave way to repeated isolation plays in Game 4, Golden State spread the floor, worked off screens and had assists on more than two-thirds of its field goals.
Thompson poured in 24 points on 11-for-22 shooting to help make up for the fact that Durant, who had 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, labored much of the game. Green had 17 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists, and, most important, set the tone defensively.
Seemingly vexed by the Warriors’ cavalcade of switches, the Spurs settled for numerous contested jumpers, shooting 37.2 percent from the field and 23.3 percent from three-point range. By responding to San Antonio’s late surge, Golden State showed how far it has come from a regular season riddled with fourth-quarter collapses. The Warriors, who entered the playoffs in a 7-10 rut, are hushing those who wondered whether an underwhelming 82-game grind signaled something heightened stakes couldn’t fix.
ALSO: Warriors' Klay Thompson predicts championship effort, then delivers
“I like the energy and effort we played with all series,” Durant said. “We’ve got a challenge in front of us now, so we’ve got to focus and have a different game plan going into this next series. We’ll see what happens.”
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Con_Chron
First round
Warriors win series 4-1
Game 1:
Warriors 113, Spurs 92
Game 2:
Warriors 116, Spurs 101
Game 3:
Warriors 110, Spurs 97
Game 4: Spurs 103, Warriors 90
Game 5:
Warriors 99, Spurs 91