Taking advantage of the absence of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney, Toronto won a big win over Golden State tonight at the Oracle Arena in the third round of the 2019 NBA Finals.
The walk was too high for Golden State. Always deprived of Kevin Durant (calf) and Kevon Looney (fracture of the clavicle), the Warriors had to compose more without Klay Thompson (ischios). Despite the 47 points of a high- flying Stephen Curry, they suffered the Raptors Act (109-123)Kawhi Leonard (30 pts) and Kyle Lowry (23 pts, 9 pts) tonight at the Oracle Arena in the third round of the NBA Finals. Which Raptors are now leading 2-1 before Game 4, Friday, still in Oakland. Remember that the California club will move to a new venue next season in San Francisco. It would be the last game at the Oracle if Toronto was to be crowned on its boards next Monday. We are not there yet. Especially that “KD” and Thompson could come back by then. Still, the Raptors did the job by winning this game that stretched out their hands, with the help of a ruthless Danny Green beyond the arc (18 pts, 6/10 to 3 points ) and very present interiors, from Pascal Siakam (18 pts) to Marc Gasol (17 pts), through Serge Ibaka and his 6 counters. The Canadian franchise returned 52.4% of its shots, including 17/38 at long range (17/38). Too much for these Warriors, who will be hoping for good news from the infirmary by Friday. In the meantime, we can smile at Jurassic Park: when both teams are 1-1 in the final before Game 3, the winner has a 79.5% chance of being crowned.
As might be expected without Thompson and “KD,” the Warriors relied heavily on Curry to exist offensively from entry. As a result, he scored 12 of his team’s first 14 points, but quickly to -12 (16-28). Conversely, the danger came from everywhere in Toronto, with Leonard and Green at 9 points and Gasol at 8 units after 12 minutes. But that devil of Curry, author of 17 points in the first quarter, continued his festival. And with a little help here and there, here a McKinnie triple or here a three-point action of Green, he brought his own to -4 (29-33). The Raptors’ Green, Danny, was planting one last distant banderilla before the end of the first quarter (29-36) and the Canadian club took a double-digit lead in the second (35-48), with Siakam often in good strokes. Trouble for the Dubs? The Cameroonian, author of 14 points at the break, was not the only Raptor to show his advantage to the Oracle … And Nick Nurse players pushed their lead up to 14 points at 7’42 from the mid -time (38-52). The moment that the Warriors chose … to raise the defense tone, muzzling Toronto for nearly five minutes and returning time to -7 (48-55, then 52-60 MT), with 25 points Curry. In fact, only Lowry – who already had three fouls at half-time – managed to score for Toronto after 38-52. muzzling Toronto for almost five minutes and returning time to -7 (48-55, then 52-60 MT), with 25 points Curry. In fact, only Lowry – who already had three fouls at half-time – managed to score for Toronto after 38-52. muzzling Toronto for almost five minutes and returning time to -7 (48-55, then 52-60 MT), with 25 points Curry. In fact, only Lowry – who already had three fouls at half-time – managed to score for Toronto after 38-52.
COLD-BLOODED @FredVanVleet | #BetOnYourself pic.twitter.com/VNtL3wijrj
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 6, 2019