San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Warriors’ backs against the wall
Tall order: A small miracle needed to win next 3 games
Before the ball left Raptors guard Danny Green’s hands, Warriors guard Klay Thompson glared at teammate Stephen Curry, raised his arms in disgust and shook his head.
It was midway through the fourth quarter of Golden State’s 105-92 loss to Toronto in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night, and Curry had just left Green — one of the elite 3-point shooters in Finals history — in the strongside corner to swarm Kawhi Leonard on a drive. After Leonard found Green for a wide-open 3-pointer, Curry stared at the rim for a moment,
trying to process his mistake.
This sequence underscored the defensive nightmare the Raptors present: Leonard commands double- or tripleteams, but his supporting cast is adept at capitalizing on the extra space such blitzes provide. There is no simple answer. As the Warriors stare down a 3-1 series deficit and an elimination game Monday night in Toronto, they must grapple with the fact that the Raptors have outclassed them.
Outside of 18 minutes in Game 2 and the first quarter in Game 4, Toronto has been the aggressor, using superior in-game adjustments, depth, shooting and speed to force a dynasty to the brink. To join the 2016 Cavaliers as the only teams to climb out of a 3-1 hole in the Finals, the Warriors either need a healthy Kevin Durant or muchimproved performance from the players available. Both are big asks.
It appears increasingly unlikely that Durant, who has missed the past month with a strained right calf, will return in the series. ESPN analyst Jalen Rose said before Game 4 that Durant’s Thursday workout “didn’t go well on any level.” To get cleared for Game 5 on Monday, Durant must complete at least one scrimmage with no issues. That seems like a long shot, in part because Saturday was a travel day.
Even if Durant does play in Game 5, Golden State has no guarantee he’ll be ready for a high-stakes setting. The Raptors have already mapped out a defensive strategy should he be available. If Durant is hobbled, out of shape or just out of rhythm, Toronto will be sure to exploit him.
“I know he’s working and trying to get healthier,” Curry said. “We pretty much ask the same questions you all are in terms of his progress.”
Assuming they’ll again be without Durant, the Warriors must try to replicate their Game 2 blueprint.
In that win, Andre Iguodala and Quinn Cook shot a combined 5-for-9 from 3-point range. DeMarcus Cousins hardly looked like someone fresh off a torn left quadriceps muscle as he posted a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) in 28 minutes and played solid defense. The Warriors were quick switching off ball-screens, making life difficult on Leonard and holding the Raptors to 28.9% shooting from beyond the arc.
The question is whether Golden State has the stamina, both physically and mentally, to summon the magic that three straight wins would require. Playing in June for the fifth year in a row, the Warriors appear drained. Thompson and Kevon Looney are dealing with significant injuries. Faced with an aggressive pick-and-roll defense, Curry had little lift on his shot Friday, finishing 9-for-22 from the field.
Meanwhile, the Raptors seem emboldened by the opportunity to bring Canada its first NBA title.
After the Warriors excelled in Game 2 at clogging Toronto’s pickand-rolls, Raptors head
coach Nick Nurse tweaked his scheme, introducing more offball screens and cuts. This spaced the floor and freed up more room for Toronto’s complementary options. The Warriors can win if Leonard is the only Raptors player with a big game, but they have little chance when Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet are also thriving.
In the third quarter Friday, Leonard scored 17 points, which forced Golden State to send extra pressure his way. That left wide-open looks for others. In those 12 minutes, the Raptors scored 37 points on 23 possessions for the most efficient quarter either team has had in the series.
Injuries have forced Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to lean on mish-mashed lineups that feature middling defenders. Golden State’s defensive rating is 11th among 16 playoff teams, quite the slide considering the Warriors
didn’t finish any of the previous four postseasons outside the top seven.
After Game 4, Kerr tried to stay optimistic, saying, “We look forward to playing another basketball game in an exciting atmosphere, and the ultimate test, NBA Finals.” Curry and Draymond Green both stressed the importance of self-belief.
Because at this stage, no tactical wrinkle will save the Warriors. Their best hope is to rely on their championship pedigree and surprise the Raptors with a brand of basketball that far exceeds anything they’ve shown through four games.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us at all,” Curry said. “It’s just a matter of, ‘Can we get it done or not?’ We’re going to leave it all out there starting on Monday.”