The Toronto Raptors took control early in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals and didn’t let go until the final buzzer, finishing off the Golden State Warriors 123-109. The Raptors were led by Kawhi Leonard’s efficient 30 points shooting 9-17 from the field, 10-11 from the free-throw line and Danny Green’s 18 points, on 6-10 from three-point range. Kyle Lowry made timely baskets for the Raptors and finished with 23 points and 9 assists. Toronto received additional scoring from their bench, including another Fred Van Vleet game-sealing shot akin to the circus heave in the fourth quarter of their Game 1 victory.
Kawhi Leonard finds Fred VanVleet for a tossed up 3 to beat the shot clock! ? pic.twitter.com/yS7gF7IWDT
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 6, 2019
Serge Ibaka also came up big for the Raptors down the stretch defensively, with as many blocks as points (six) to seal the Toronto win and the Raptors’ lead in this best of seven series.
Serge IBLOCKA ? pic.twitter.com/893f6VA7Va
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 6, 2019
The Warriors faced a deficit even before tip-off when Steve Kerr announced that Klay Thompson would not play in Game 3 with a hamstring injury he suffered during play late in Game 2. As the solo Splash Brother, Steph Curry had one of his career-defining playoff performances with a playoff career-high 47 points shooting 14-31 from the field, 6-14 from three, 13-14 from the line to go along with 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
The debate should have died long ago, but no one can question Steph Curry’s ability to perform in the NBA Finals. Regardless of whether Curry eventually becomes the recipient of an NBA Finals MVP trophy or not, he has left his mark as one of the greatest players to ever play on the league’s grandest stage.
Stephen Curry feelin’ it tonight ? pic.twitter.com/QU4M5GQaqw
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 6, 2019
But Curry didn’t receive much help offensively. Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala were the only other Warriors in double figures on the night, with 17 points and 11 points, respectively. The Warriors finished with their usual sloppy 15 turnovers, which led to 15 Raptors points. Toronto handled Golden State’s defense in stride – and calmly shot a team-wide 50/40/90 (52% from the field, 45% from three, 95% from the free-throw line) on the road. Even a healthy Warriors team would have a hard time winning at home against an opponent that scored so efficiently.
Curry and the Warriors find themselves in a predicament they haven’t faced since their first Finals series back in 2015, heading into Game 4 with a 2-1 series deficit. Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant are each questionable for Friday’s Game 4 with Kevon Looney on the shelf indefinitely. The shortest turn around in the 2019 NBA Finals happens right now, at quite possibly the most pivotal moment of the Warriors season with only one day of rest in between Game 3 and Game 4. The Warriors don’t need either in uniform to come out Friday with a win, but the additional scoring would be a monumental boost to a team that has had a hard time finding a rhythm offensively.
Draymond Green is still ever-confident that Golden State will find a way to weather the storm and finish the series back in Oakland, in the Warriors’ final season at Oracle Arena before they relocate West to San Francisco.
Draymond Green predicts the rest of the #NBAFinals
“Win the next game, go back to Toronto, win Game 5, come back to Oracle, win Game 6 and then celebrate…. Fun times ahead.” pic.twitter.com/8kdeK3yqwm
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 6, 2019
The Warriors have already proven they can perform under pressure, and they have come back from series deficits larger than this. But Toronto has demonstrated through three games that they possess championship-level mettle. You can sense that they believe even the return of Thompson and Durant will not defer their success in this series. Even though the Warriors have been undermanned all three games, Toronto has come out with their foot on the proverbial gas pedal.
The Warriors have now officially been pushed, their “switch has been flipped” as is often remarked in NBA fandom, and now, how will they respond? Even if Durant and Thompson can suit up, the Warriors will need to make changes and come with a strategy to combat what they faced in Game 3. One of the greatest undersold battles of the 2019 NBA Finals has been that between Nick Nurse and Steve Kerr, and their use of well-timed specialized sets to force the opponent into adjustments. The Raptors are now in the driver seat, how will the Warriors respond at home in Game 4 in quite possibly the last home game in their storied arena.
Game 4 of the 2019 NBA Finals is Friday on ABC at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST from Oracle Arena in Oakland.
