TORONTO – The two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors used a massive third quarter to overcame a sluggish start and secure a 109-104 win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday (Monday, PHL time) that squared the NBA Finals at one game apiece.
The resilient Warriors, in an unfamiliar position after losing their first Game One in five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals three days ago, opened the third quarter with an 18-0 run to grab a lead they would not relinquish.
Toronto led by as many as 12 points during a first half in which they used a dominant defensive display to slow down the Warriors but the visitors, well established as a terrific third-quarter team, rediscovered their swagger after the break.
Klay Thompson scored a team-high 25 points for Golden State before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and Stephen Curry added 23 while Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard had a game-high 34 points.
Curry was given a technical foul with 68 seconds left for launching the ball way up in the air after a whistle and Leonard made the ensuing three free throws to cut the deficit to 106-102 and set up a frantic finish.
With the crowd on their feet, Toronto’s Danny Green drained a three-pointer to pull the Raptors to within two points with 26 seconds to play but a wide-open Andrew Iguodala responded with a clutch three with seven seconds left to seal the win.
The Warriors, playing without injured two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant for a seventh consecutive game, again struggled defending in transition and looked to be in trouble after the slow start by Curry.
They had a tough time finding the basket early but Curry and Thompson got loose late in the second quarter to send Golden State into the break trailing by five points.
With former U.S. President Barack Obama and professional golfers Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy among those in the crowd, the Warriors shook off a slow start and now head home looking to inch closer to a fourth title in five years.
The best-of-seven series, which features the first NBA Finals games played outside of the United States, is now headed to Oakland for games on Wednesday and Friday (Thursday and Saturday, PHL time) before returning to Toronto for Game Five on June 10 (June 11, PHL time).
Game Three, which could feature the return of Durant, could go a long way in determining the eventual champion as teams that win Game Three in a 1-1 NBA Finals have a 31-7 series record.
Toronto, who in the series opener dominated the Warriors at both ends of the court, will certainly review film of their flat start to the third quarter where they went nearly six minutes without scoring a basket. (Frank Pingue, Reuters)
