Game 3 NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors (1-2) 109 - 123 Toronto Raptors (2-1)
While it was the matchup chosen to close out game 2, Kerr started Dray as the primary assignment on Kawhi, which is more a reaction to the lack of Klay than about how good Green can defend him since this removes Draymond from the paint and allows him to help on a lot less situations - and this, mixed with Cousins - was how the Raptors scored at will at first.
Steph was incredibly aggressive from the buzzer (a note for the final clip showing the high PnR near the logo, which was a successful adjustment of last game), as he needs to be because there's just no other shooting in this group. And even with great ball movement and a ton of cutting, it's a hard task to finish a play when this giant Raptors team clogs up the lane. Curry was carrying the offense on his back, with the first field goal not scored or assisted by him coming in with only 45 seconds left in the 1st. 17 points - 25 at halftime - with 6 rebounds and 3 assists in that inaugural quarter. He was incredible.
In a stark contrast to the beginning of the games in Toronto, pace was frenetic and, while the Warriors struggled for looks (and had 2 air-balls from deep in the first 5 minutes, which set the scene), the Raptors were trying to attack the rim quickly and there was a lot of posting up - Gasol was a much bigger part of the offense this game. As the series goes along the team has learned to react to any mismatch Siakam might have and feed him immediately.
Add to this how the Warriors had a bunch of poor defensive moments, whether this play where Curry fell asleep early on or here where he and Cook disagree about who should go to Lowry and give him an open look... And that first clip wasn't the only time Bogut was exploited on an island - credit to Leonard in all those plays. The point is, these teams didn't look like they belonged in a court together with the Warriors being thoroughly outplayed.
Kerr proceeds to give Cook, currently a much more important piece of this rotation that anyone would ever guess he'd become, his first minutes. And the first play they run for him was a nice little sequence: Iguodala hands out the ball and goes to screen for Curry only to slip to the rim once the defenders are both focused on Curry. This forces help from the weak side and Cook, stashed in the corner, gets an open look. Simple but effective stuff.
Regardless, it was still a mess for the home team. Multiple consecutive turnovers would follow and if there is a single play that's the opposite of what you'd want is a clear opportunity to move the ball around the perimeter being wasted by literally not looking at anyone but Curry.
In this weird second quarter unit, it's a bad sign that so much of my attention went to Jerebko. Siakam was absolutely having a feast at his expense. And he becomes even more unplayable if he refuses open looks.
And how different the floor looks once Curry checks back in... The misdirection with McKinnie is a nice touch that got Lowry out of balance. But even so, it remained painfully obvious that there wasn't enough offensive power. Because the quick passing can still create holes in the Raptor's defense but if no one can hit a jumpshot, there's always the ability to have someone cover by clogging the lane as long as that guy isn't the one guarding #30.
And this was honestly the thing stopping the Dubs from erasing the lead in their only truly good phase because the Raptors didn't score for almost 5 minutes it was still a 10 point game. While they missed a fair amount of stuff including a layup, the defense turned back up their aggression on doubling Kawhi after giving him a bit more space to work earlier on. (I had to keep the shot in for the clip...). Draymond drew 2 charges and Bogut turned it around and his defense was outstanding here.
Nick Nurse changes the line up that starts the second half, getting FVV in for Danny Green. Danny already had 3 fouls but I assume it's more about, as JFV said, getting him matched up on Curry straight away. And Fred and Lowry would go on to play pretty much the entire half, and that bet for Nurser payed off.
Cousins was atrocious, and the gif doesn't do it justice. The game had multiple mini-runs for each side that canceled each other out and it would be another wall of text if I addressed them individually.
I will say that, like that clip earlier with McKinnie, the play where someone on the weak side cuts to the basket while Curry pop around the big seems to always completely open up the lane to the screening big. Panic inducing gravity is the best kind and the most logic helper is following Cook while this goes down.
Then we see a truly impactful run with Danny Green getting a too easy look from 3, a no-call on a Curry drive, Kawhi for the second time draws two defenders to the rim and kicks out for Danny to make a 3 and Kawhi goes to the line the following play. Kawhi stopped any possible chance for the Warriors to build momentum with his foul drawing and hustle plays while passing for Danny Green, who came from the bench to drain bucket after bucket this quarter. This burst creates a 13 point lead to start the final quarter.
Multiple times one would get the feeling a run was coming to tie up this game and - credit goes to the Toronto players - the metaphorical rocket would always be shot down. I mean, poor Quinn with two in a row. He's a reliable shooter but with his size these things are bound to happen.
This is a poor effort in boxing out when the game is in a decisive period and Ibaka has been really valuable in these minutes for this skill above all else but, regardless, it did turn into the Serge show for a while. He was a disruptive presence on both ends - he had 4 blocks in the 4th - and it would be another instance of the Lowry-Ibaka Pick and Roll that made me think the game was likely over: a Danny backscreen causes a miscommunication with Curry, an ironic twist of game 2. And let me be clear, Lowry was amazing at closing this game. His reads and passing are consistently great. He was the one creating everything down the stretch.
The Warriors should regret their defensive mistakes to start both halves and there were too many turnovers that were from trying to rush the ball around as quickly as possible to make up for the fact the team can't create a shot. The fast pace movement for the Warriors is a great weapon but these turnovers came from out of control, desperation "let's run at them", and a lot of this was Draymond.
Toronto simply was better and in control for the larger part of the game. The defense for the most part wasn't as intense as in the previous games but it didn't have to be and a more egalitarian offense yielded results. All of their 6 best players showed up at different points tonight and some of those open shots that weren't goin in before found their way to the basket. Sometimes that's enough to get it going. Lowry, Danny, Kawhi and Ibaka were all incredible in the final quarter. It hurts because Curry had one ridiculous game (4th most points in a Finals game since 1970, 8th overall) but this must be what Lebron felt in the Finals... I can't help but think the Warriors should have run more high PnR for Steph - he also gets some really nice drives out of those - instead of having him work off ball so much because I don't think it would really any more tiring considering how much he runs and the contact he endures while doing it. But alas, Toronto is up 2-1, deservedly so.
Other notes:
The Lowry Pick and Roll dominated the 2nd half after Kawhi had the 1st. I have to believe this was a response for the second quarter defense from the Warriors. And should that be the case, it was brilliant. Bogut was rendered useless again when it became time to spam the Lowry-Ibaka PnR.
Klay looked pissed all night. He'd been pressing hard to play and I can imagine how frustrated he was.
Kawhi's rebounding has been nothing short of amazing: not only extra possessions but he would draw fouls. And after he ruined Bogut and Kerr throws Bell in there he does this. An awesome ball handler in the Pick and Roll.
Great use of DMC's screening. Curry was able to get really great looks and this is a great way to punish teams for dropping against everyone that isn't Steph but I question the lack of aggression trying to meet him once he gets Lowry on his back, particularly in the second case. This would stop being an issue with a better chaser around screens like VanVleet and Cousins being virtually pulled from battle.
Cousins, with his reduced mobility, can't score on other bigs in the post. It's painful to watch in some ways. He was unplayable tonight when it mattered.
I realize NBA.com's matchup data is flawed but, following up on what I checked for game 2, possessions where McKinnie is on Kawhi produced 1.5 PPP for the Raptors.
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