Warriors beat Nuggets 115-101 in Game 4

After playing possum for a half, Stephen Curry emerged to score a playoff career-high 31 points -- 22 during an incandescent third quarter -- as the Golden State Warriors rolled Sunday night to a 115-101 victory against the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

With three straight victories, the sixth-seeded Warriors lead the third-seeded Nuggets 3-1, and are one win away from what would be just a second playoff series triumph since 1991 for the franchise. Game 5 is set for Tuesday in Denver.

Curry, who came in slowed by a sprained left ankle originally suffered in Game 2, said a pregame pain-killing injection finally helped him get loose after intermission. He might have even had more points if not for having to sit out more than four minutes during the fourth quarter after an inadvertent poke in the eye by Corey Brewer.

Warriors center Andrew Bogut also set a personal postseason best with 12 points and provided five rebounds and two blocks in his most forceful performance of the series. Jarrett Jack added 21 points and nine assists as Golden State shot 55.7 percent from the field. Since dropping Game 1, the Warriors have made 57.6 percent of their field-goal attempts and 46.5 percent of their 3-pointers.

Ty Lawson, coming off a 35-point explosion in Game 3, had 26 points but once again didn't get enough support at either end. Andre Iguodala was Denver's second-leading scorer with 19 points, but also kicked away a game-high seven turnovers.