Golden State Warriors 109-104 Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors had a golden opportunity to put the wounded Golden State Warriors down a 2-0 hole in the NBA Finals.
But the defending champions weren’t going to go down without a fight. After suffering a Game 1 setback, they produced a gritty Game 2 win to tie the Finals up at one game apiece as the series shifts to Golden State.
With their win, the Warriors have extended their NBA record of winning at least one road game in 23 straight playoff series.
However, that win came at a cost as the already banged-up Warriors suffered even more injuries to Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney that could yet play a major part in the series.
Highlights of the game
As the NBA Finals 2019 updates before Game 2 indicated, Andre Iguodala did play despite suffering a leg injury late in Game 1. Meanwhile, DeMarcus Cousins — who went scoreless in Game 1 — moved into the starting line-up as the Warriors looked for more offence with Kevin Durant still not available.
While Boogie and Stephen Curry both went scoreless in the first quarter, the Warriors were still able to keep things close. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green combined for 20 of the team’s 26 points as the Raptors led by one.
The Raptors were able to extend their lead to double-digits in the second quarter. But Curry finally got going as his 12 points in the final four minutes kept the Warriors within five heading into half-time.
And as they’ve done several times in this postseason, the Warriors went on one of their trademark third-quarter runs to take control of the game.
Golden State ratcheted up their defence as they held the Raptors scoreless for the first five minutes and 40 seconds of the period. Meanwhile, they scored the first 18 points of the quarter, with Thompson scoring or assisting on 14 of them.
The Warriors were able to sustain a healthy lead into the fourth quarter until they suffered another injury setback. Thompson tweaked his hamstring after landing awkwardly while attempting a 3-pointer. He tried to play through it for a couple of minutes, but he eventually had to go out and didn’t return.
Thompson was the second Warrior to go down in Game 2. Big man Kevon Looney did not play in the second half after suffering a chest contusion.
With Thompson missing and a still-not-in-top-shape Cousins playing extended minutes, the Warriors offence eventually stalled as they went scoreless for five minutes in the fourth.
After missing a number of good opportunities, the Raptors were finally able to cut the Warriors’ lead down to two thanks to a Danny Green 3-pointer with just 27 seconds remaining.
But after a crazy sequence, Iguodala was able to answer with a clutch 3-pointer of his own with seven seconds left to seal the crucial win for Golden State.
Key Statistics
Draymond Green was brilliant once again for the Warriors. He bounced back from his 2-of-9 shooting night in Game 1 to drop 17 big points. He also came one assist short of recording a fourth-straight playoff triple-double.
Meanwhile, Cousins was the unsung hero for Golden State. In just his second game back after a long injury lay-off, Boogie had 11 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in 28 crucial minutes.
For the Raptors, Kawhi Leonard also resumed normal production after an off-night in Game 1 to drop 34 points and 14 rebounds. He went a perfect 16-of-16 from the free-throw line.
However, Game 1 hero Pascal Siakam regressed to the mean. After going a sizzling 14-of-17 in the series opener, the Cameroonian went a mere 5-of-18 from the field for 12 points.
The Raptors as a team came back down to earth in Game 2. They shot a mere 37 per cent from the field, including just 11-of-38 on 3-pointers.
What’s next?
The Finals now heads to Golden State for Games 3 and 4 with the Warriors stealing home-court advantage away from the Raptors. However, it remains to be seen what shape Steve Kerr’s Warriors will be in health-wise to capitalise.
Apart from the on-going wait to see when Durant will finally make his return, the Warriors will also be anxious to find out whether Thompson will be able to go.
As the fourth quarter of Game 2 showed, the Warriors desperately need Thompson and the spacing his shooting provides for their offence to function effectively. If Thompson joins Durant on the sideline, that would leave Curry as their only reliable 3-point shooter.
Thompson’s absence could significantly shift NBA Finals 2019 odds since it would make it that much easier for the Raptors’ strong defence to clog up the Warriors’ offence without him.
Either way, it’s shaping up to be a fascinating NBA Finals, which SBOBET NBA fans haven’t seen for some time.
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