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The Golden State Warriors had their gutsiest win of the season, coming back from a double digit deficit and multiple injuries to rip Game 2 on the road from the Toronto Raptors, 109-104.
Steph Curry was sick, Klay Thompson left with a hamstring injury, and Kevon Looney suffered a nasty fall. It didn’t matter.
Thompson led the Warriors with 25 points, while his fellow Splash Bro Curry scored 23. Draymond Green had a strong showing with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. DeMarcus Cousins was monstrous as the starting center for the Dubs, tallying a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks.
Kawhi Leonard led the Raptors with 34 points, and the magic man from the previous game Pascal Siakim was harassed into 5-of-18 shooting from the field and 12 points.
First Half
Both teams played with high energy and defensive aggression to start the matchup. The Warriors used it to their advantage, getting to the free throw line and converting 10 of 13 attempts.
After 1: Warriors trail Raptors 27-26.
— Monte Poole (@MontePooleNBCS) June 3, 2019
Observations:
-Draymond bringing (9p/5r/3a)
-Klay's shot is on, but 2 quick fouls
-Stephen 4p vs. physical D
-Raptors banging glass (6-0 2nd chance pts), 5-1 FB points
The second quarter saw the momentum swing wholly Toronto’s way. Their defense? Stingy: at one point the Dubs were shooting 28% from the field! Their scheme was to trap the heck out of Curry or Klay Thompson and gamble on rotating in coverage to the Warriors’ “others”.
And minus a brief 7-point scoring burst from a foul plagued DeMarcus Cousins, the Raptors’ strategy was working like a charm.
This game is way too fast for Jerebko and McKinnie.
— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) June 3, 2019
️ COOKIES pic.twitter.com/NBkcniLb3N
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 3, 2019
And yet...the Warriors found a way to hang around, as Curry began to thirst for blood, scoring 12 points in the period.
Some Steph #SPLASH for your timeline pic.twitter.com/hALOGxHgTY
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 3, 2019
Thompson led the Warriors with 18 points while Curry scored 16 heading into the half. Despite shooting only 40% the champs were very much alive in the hostile environment.
Warriors down five at half and should feel fortunate
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 3, 2019
-Curry couldn't get unlocked until late
-Iguodala doesn't look like himself, even before crunching screen
-Decent looks they did get for fringe guys (Jerebko/McKinnie 3s) all missed
-Cousins covered in rust
-Klay's 18 crucial
Raptors 59, Warriors 54
Second Half
The news out of halftime was that Kevon Looney suffered an injury on a tough fall.
Sources: Golden State’s Kevon Looney has suffered a sprained collar bone and will miss remainder of Game 2.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 3, 2019
KD is out. Steph has a 126 degree temperature. Iggy is now hurt and Boogie Cousins, off an injury, has the lateral quickness of a coffee table. Warriors need to just get on a plane, go home and regroup.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) June 3, 2019
Don’t they know the Warriors love third quarters?
To start the third period DeMarcus Cousins TOOK OVER THE GAME, keying an 18-0 run with his brilliant passing and strong presence down low. The Toronto crowd went into a stunned hush with each brick and turnover the Raptors coughed up against the Warriors vicious defense.
Iguodala ➡️ Cousins ➡️ Thompson! @warriors run extends to 14-0!#StrengthInNumbers 68#WeTheNorth 59
— NBA (@NBA) June 3, 2019
: ABC : TSN pic.twitter.com/KGqcrwQHvS
Quinn Cook and Cousins kept the Warriors afloat early in the fourth, pushing the lead to 98-88.
Thompson stopped running though, the result of a bump from Danny Green on a three-point attempt a few posesssions earlier. He limped out of the game and went directly into the locker room. How many bodies do the Warriors have left?
Klay headed back to locker room after apparent leg injury pic.twitter.com/AgMaPfLh7G
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 3, 2019
Klay Thompson (left hamstring tightness) will not return to tonight's game.
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) June 3, 2019
But the Warriors still flexed their usual third quarter swag.
END OF Q3: Warriors up 88-80 on the Raptors. In Q3, Golden State outscored Toronto 34-21, including an 18-0 blitz to start the quarter.
— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) June 3, 2019
The Raptors began playing a Box-And-1 defense, a zone designed to force everyone to shoot threes except Curry, who they chased constantly with multiple bodies. Toronto wore down the lead and pulled within two points with 26 seconds left.
That set the stage for a former Finals MVP to do what he does best: dominate in the clutch.
ANDRE pic.twitter.com/WqoMHfEPsX
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 3, 2019
#DAGGER
Our boys are coming home to Oakland with a 1-1 split folks. For everyone who fretted about the Raptors having a better regular season and having home court for the Finals: why work 82 games for HCA when you can take it in 1?
#STRENGTHINNUMBERS