Toronto Raptors: 3 adjustments for Game 3 of 2019 NBA Finals

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Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images /

Here are three adjustments the Toronto Raptors should make to regain the lead in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals after losing Game 2 to the Golden State Warriors.

The Toronto Raptors saw their five-game win streak snapped in Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals as the Golden State Warriors overcame a 12-point first-half deficit to win, 109-104. The Warriors started the second half on a 18-0 run to build a lead up to 13 points, which should come to a shock to no one who’s watched how this team performs in the third quarter during this dynasty.

Klay Thompson, before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring strain, led the Warriors in points with 25 on the night, followed by 23 points from Stephen Curry, who was sick and took some time to get going. To win this game, on the road against a team full of confidence without Kevin Durant from the start, Klay Thompson for half of the fourth quarter and Kevon Looney for all of the second half was a testament to their Strength in Numbers mantra.

Draymond Green was an assist shy of his fifth straight triple-double, DeMarcus Cousins played excellent offensively with great passes to cutters and Andre Iguodala nailed the dagger 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds left in the game to push it out of reach. Quinn Cook went 3-for-5 on 3s for the game. Everybody played a role in this game and now they regained home-court advantage.

Not everything was great for the Warriors, though. Klay Thompson strained his hamstring in the fourth quarter that was confirmed in an MRI on Monday, and is officially listed as questionable for Game 3. Kevon Looney fell to the floor hard after absorbing a Kawhi Leonard drive and suffered a right upper body fracture of the first costal cartilage, and will likely miss the rest of the postseason. Kevin Durant has already been ruled out for Game 3.

Toronto has to take advantage of the Warriors being shorthanded, and can’t look back on the number of missed open shots in Game 2. Golden State altered its lineup by inserting Boogie into the starting five and playing him 28 minutes. The Raptors don’t need to make drastic changes given they lost by five points and missed open shots, but small things like tweaking their rotation is one of three adjustments that could alter their series back in their favor in Game 3.