The Dubs return home to Warriors Ground with the NBA Finals tied 1-1.
THE NBA FINALS RETURN TO THE BAY AREA
The “Road Warriors” got the job done in Toronto as they successfully split the first two games with the Raptors at one win apiece. Now, the NBA Finals shift to Oracle Arena, where the Warriors hold a 9-3 NBA Finals record over the previous four years. With injuries to Klay Thompson (hamstring) and Kevon Looney (chest contusion) potentially affecting their Game 3 status, the team will look for an extra shot of energy from their role players and the crowd as they attempt to extend their winning streak on the home hardwood in front of Dub Nation.
LAST TIME OUT
After a slow start by both teams, the Warriors went on a 27-3 run over an 8-minute stretch bridging second and third quarters that would be the ultimate difference in their 109-104 Game 2 win. Klay Thompson led the team with 25 points before leaving the game with a tight hamstring, and Draymond Green nearly had a triple-double in an all-around strong performance: 17 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, two steals, one block. » Full Game Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
Series Tied 1-1
| Playoff Ranks | |
|---|---|
| GSW | TOR |
| PTS: 118.1 (1st) | PTS: 105.0 (10th) |
| REB: 43.5 (8th) | REB: 41.9 (13th) |
| AST: 28.5 (1st) | AST: 22.8 (8th) |
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LAST GAME’S STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins
TOR: Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Kevin Durant (strained calf), Klay Thompson (hamstring tightness), and Kevon Looney (chest contusion) are questionable. Team Notes
TOR: OG Anunoby (abdomen) and Chris Boucher (back) are questionable. Team Notes
DRAYMOND BRINGING IT IN THE FINALS
Draymond Green’s play has been on another level since beginning the Playoffs, and he has not shown any signs of letting his foot off the pedal. With his 10-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in Game 1 of the Finals, he became just the third player in NBA history to tally three consecutive triple-doubles in the Playoffs. If that was not enough, Green had himself a near-repeat performance in Game 2 when he posted a stat-sheet-filling line of 17 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists to go along with a block and two steals. His contributions have gone beyond the court though, as he recently received high praise from Steve Kerr when the Dubs’ head coach said: “He’s been great on and off the floor. I mean, his leadership has been great… You’re seeing the best of Draymond right now.” Green continues to remain one of the most consistent sources of production for the Warriors over the last five seasons with averages of 12.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals in his career in the NBA Finals.
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TEAM PLAYOFF LEADERS
| GSW | TOR |
|---|---|
| PTS: Curry (27.4) | PTS: Leonard (31.2) |
| REB: Green (9.2) | REB: Leonard (8.2) |
| AST: Green (8.1) | AST: Lowry (7.3) |
RAPTORS SCOUTING REPORT
Two of the Raptors’ stars of the NBA Playoffs continued to shine through Game 2 of the Finals as Kawhi Leonard and Fred VanVleet led their team in scoring with 34 and 17 points, respectively. Leonard’s line included a perfect night from from the charity stripe, where he went 16-for-16, and added 14 rebounds. Despite the strong showing from these two, the Warriors found ways to limit other Raptors who had a larger impact on Game 1; namely young talent Pascal Siakam and veteran center Marc Gasol. Siakam was held to 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting, while Gasol chipped-in six points on 2-of-7 from the field. Toronto as a whole shot 37.2 percent on field goals for the game, and just 28.9 percent from beyond the arc, including a stretch where they did not make a field goal for six minutes and 43 seconds between the second and third quarters.
