The Denver Nuggets kept their NBA playoff hopes alive but touched off a controversy over dirty tactics on Tuesday while the Memphis Grizzlies moved one victory shy of reaching the second round.

Andre Iguodala scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Denver downed Golden State 107-100, but Warriors coach Mark Jackson accused the Nuggets of deliberately trying to injure Warriors star Stephen Curry to raise tensions.

"They tried to send hitmen on Steph," Jackson said. "There were some dirty plays early."

The Nuggets pulled within 3-2 of the Warriors in the best-of-seven playoff series, which continues Thursday at Golden State. The series winner will face West top seed San Antonio in the second round of the playoffs.

In Tuesday's another Western Conference game, Zach Randolph scored 25 points and added 11 rebounds while Spaniard Marc Gasol had 21 points as the Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Clippers 103-93 to take a 3-2 lead in their series.

Clippers playmaker Blake Griffin left the game in the third quarter with a high right ankle sprain, leaving his status in doubt for game six on Friday at Memphis.

At Denver, Wilson Chandler and Ty Lawson added 19 points each for the Nuggets, who had six double-digit scorers, while Harrison Barnes led the Warriors with 23 points, Jarrett Jack added 20 and Klay Thompson netted 19.

The Nuggets led by as much as 22 points in the second quarter on the way to a 66-46 halftime lead. The Warriors unleashed a 14-2 run in the third quarter but Denver answered with a 12-4 run to lead 86-69 entering the fourth quarter.

Undaunted, Golden State responded in the final period with an 18-4 spurt that pulled the Warriors within 96-91 before Kenneth Faried's slam dunk ended a drought of 4:20 without a basket from the field for the Nuggets.

Twice more the Warriors pulled within five points only to have Chandler connect on a three-pointer from the right corner to give Denver a 103-95 lead.

After a Golden State free throw, Iguodala added a slam dunk and Denver held off the Warriors over the final seconds.

"We knew we were going to take a hit," Iguodala said. "We had to respond once they made their run. Tonight was a better defensive effort."

At Los Angeles, Clippers star Chris Paul scored 35 points in a losing cause.

Memphis closed the second quarter with a 16-5 run for a 54-48 halftime edge.

An 11-0 Memphis run early in the third quarter produced the Grizzlies' biggest lead of the game at 65-52 before the Clippers pulled within 73-65 entering the fourth quarter.

The Clippers pulled within 91-86 late but Tayshaun Prince answered with a three-pointer for Memphis and Los Angeles never came within six points again.

AFP - Global Times