Series Shifts to Oracle Arena for Game 3
The Toronto Raptors (58-24) nearly rode the magic of their recent string of dramatic victories to a commanding 2-0 NBA Finals lead on Sunday night, but ultimately squandered a commanding halftime lead in the third quarter, falling 109-104 to the Golden State Warriors (57-25). Regardless of the second half collapse, the Raptors had difficulty making shots all evening, shooting a pedestrian 37.2 percent from field goal range and 11-of-38 from beyond the arc. Kawhi Leonard led the team in scoring behind 34 points and 14 rebounds en route to a double-double, going 8-of-20 from the paint and nailing all 16 of his attempts from the foul line in the process. Fred VanVleet, who has been a boon for the Raptors in their last several outings, once again showed what Toronto's bench depth is capable of with a 17-point, four-rebound performance off the pine. Pascal Siakam had a relatively subdued outing following his electric Game 1 performance, finishing with 12 points and eight rebounds while missing all three of his shot attempts from deep, while Kyle Lowry delivered 13 points and three triples in the loss. Toronto managed to eke out at win at Oracle Arena during the regular season, and are hoping for a repeat on Wednesday evening.
The Warriors were buoyed on Sunday by a 25-point performance by Klay Thompson, who added five rebounds and five assists while shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-6 from downtown. But the win may have come at a cost for Thompson, who had to leave the game early in the fourth quarter with what an MRI later revealed to be a mild left hamstring strain, one that has him officially listed as questionable for Wednesday. Another blow for Golden State is confirmation that Kevin Durant will also be out for Game 3, as he continues to nurse a right calf strain. In addition, sub Kevon Looney suffered a broken collarbone during Game 2 that will see him out of action for the remainder of the series. Stephen Curry overcame a shaky start on Sunday to finish with 23 points, four assists and three rebounds, going 6-of-17 from the field and 3-of-9 from long range, while Draymond Green logged a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards, making 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. But it was Andre Iguodala's dying seconds dagger that put the game away for the Dubs, part of the veteran's eight-point, eight-rebound night. Golden State dropped only 11 games at Oracle Arena during their 2018-19 campaign.
The Warriors were buoyed on Sunday by a 25-point performance by Klay Thompson, who added five rebounds and five assists while shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-6 from downtown. But the win may have come at a cost for Thompson, who had to leave the game early in the fourth quarter with what an MRI later revealed to be a mild left hamstring strain, one that has him officially listed as questionable for Wednesday. Another blow for Golden State is confirmation that Kevin Durant will also be out for Game 3, as he continues to nurse a right calf strain. In addition, sub Kevon Looney suffered a broken collarbone during Game 2 that will see him out of action for the remainder of the series. Stephen Curry overcame a shaky start on Sunday to finish with 23 points, four assists and three rebounds, going 6-of-17 from the field and 3-of-9 from long range, while Draymond Green logged a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards, making 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. But it was Andre Iguodala's dying seconds dagger that put the game away for the Dubs, part of the veteran's eight-point, eight-rebound night. Golden State dropped only 11 games at Oracle Arena during their 2018-19 campaign.