NBA Finals 2015 - Game 5: Stephen Curry shows MVP form with 37 points as Golden State Warriors need one more win for title

Golden State Warriors 104 Cleveland Cavaliers 91

(Getty Images)

Stephen Curry had his first complete game of the NBA Finals as the Golden State Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to take a 3-2 series lead.

Curry, the regular season MVP, scored 37 points and made seven three-pint shots as the Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers despite another heroic effort from LeBron James as the Warriors won 104-91.

Back in front of their home crowd in Oakland, the game was neck and neck until the final minutes of the fourth quarter when fatigue finally allowed the deep Warriors to pull away from the injury-plagued Cavaliers.

Cleveland coach David Blatt only played eight players and centre Timofey Mozgov - who had 28 points in Game 4 - played just nine minutes as he struggled to deal with Golden State's small line-up.

James had 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists but the defeat means the Warriors will win their first NBA title since 1975 with a win on Tuesday night.

The momentum shifted for good after Curry crossed over Matthew Dellavedova and hit a step-back three.

"It was a fun moment, but it will only mean something - and I'll probably have a better for that question after we win that championship - but signature moments only come for players who are holding the trophy," said Curry, who added seven rebounds and four assists.

James said he was confident of a win at Cleveland's home court in the next game because "I am the best player in the world".

Cleveland were within a point of their rivals up until midway through the fourth quarter.

"I thought from the very beginning when they went small, had their shooters out there, I thought this is Steph's night," Kerr said. "This is going to be a big one for him because he has all that room. He took over the game down the stretch and was fantastic."

Game 5 takes place in Cleveland on Tuesday night with Game 7, if necessary,in Oakland on Friday.

Additional reporting from AP