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After a weird 2 match in Toronto, the NBA finals are tied 1 to 1 to return to Oakland. Plunging into the post-game statistics, the most important differences between the first two games were on the Toronto Raptors' side – more specifically their shooting numbers.
In summary, the inability of the Raptors to convert the shots cost them the second match. With Kevon Looney indefinitely and Klay Thompson unsure for the third game (Wednesday at 9 pm ET on ABC), can the Toronto offensive find a new pace on the road against a Golden State Warriors face to real questions of depth?
The warriors scored 109 points in both games. But after losing 118 points on 77 shots in their win in Game 1, the Raptors only managed 104 points on 93 shots in a disappointing defeat in Game 2. It's 14 points less despite 16 more shots. Not good, huh?
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The quality of the Toronto shots was almost identical in both games, but his shooting was not. Based on the precise details of their firing profiles, including the locations, types of shooting and distances of the defenders, the Raptors had to score 51.5% in Game 1 and a 52.1 in defense. game 2. The Raps throw 7.6 percentage points better than expected in the first game and 9.1 percentage points worse in the second, according to the follow-up of Second Spectrum.
The Toronto offensive actually created more than 3 unchallenged in the second game, but the shooters failed to do them:
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In the first game, Toronto shot 5 out of 6 on an unchallenged 3 (83.3%)
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In the second game, Toronto scored 3 of 10 (30%)
The jumpers of the Raptors would not fall Sunday. In the first game, Toronto shot 23 times out of 56 (41.1%) of the ball. That slipped to 17 of 64 (26.6%) in the second game. In a match finally decided by five points, these 47 missed jumpers were fatal for a team that was trying to overthrow a dynasty built around serious shooters.
Toronto shooting by zone
| Zoned | Game 1 | Game 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Rim | 16-21 (76.2%) | 18-30 (60.0%) |
| Medium | 10-23 (43.5%) | 6-26 (23.1%) |
| 3 points | 13-33 (39.4%) | 11-38 (28.9%) |
| Source: Glass cleaning | ||
Nobody was more disappointing than Pascal Siakam, the best player on the board 1 (14 shots on 17, 32 points). On Sunday, Siakam regressed sharply and fell back to the average, shooting only 5 times out of 18 and scoring only 12 points. He shot an excruciating 1 out of 11 out of the restricted area and remained aimless from the back.
Find everything you need to know about the NBA Finals here.
His struggles far from the edge were a microcosm of his team in general. In the seven playoff defeats in Toronto, Siakam shot 6.3% on an uncontested 2.3 3 per game. He missed both appearances in the second match. In 13 of his team's playoff wins, Siakam converted 44.4% of his 1.5 open triples, per second. Siakam is the enigmatic champion of the finals so far, and her 1-of-7 performance in the third quarter set the tone for her team in this key frame, which began with a decisive 18-0 Warriors race that changed the tone the series.
The strangest part of an NBA game is the first minutes of the third quarter. As the second half begins, a large part of the house crowd always attends drinks and hot dogs. Even the final matches may suddenly show a lack of energy on the part of the crowd at these times. It is at this very moment that the Warriors stole the game and that Toronto began to struggle. The Raptors only scored 14 of their 48 shots in the second half, while Kawhi Leonard and Siakam combined 6 of 22 goals.
Speaking of Leonard, Thompson and Andre Iguodala have been great at slowing it down. Among the 29 players in the NBA who have faced Leonard at least 50 times this season, Iggy and Klay rank No. 1 and No. 2 by repressing Leonard's individual scoring activity. But Iguodala was healing an injury to the Achilles tendon region before the second match. Thompson is now questionable for the third game with slight pressure on the hamstrings.
Best Kawhi defensemen (at least 50 games)
| Defender | Leonard Points / 100 possessions |
|---|---|
| Andre Iguodala | 23.8 |
| Klay Thompson | 25.7 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 28.0 |
| Miles Bridges | 28.3 |
| Kyle Anderson | 28.9 |
| Source: Second Spectrum, 2018-2019 | |
Everyone guesses who will be playing for Golden State on Wednesday or how his coach Steve Kerr will adjust his rotations. According to an ESPN report from Adrian Wojnarowski, the Warriors are optimistic that Thompson will be ready after two days of rehab.
In good health, the Warriors are launching three of the best shooters in the world. Two of these guys are also excellent defensemen, especially in this match. But from Tuesday, Thompson and Kevin Durant both have injury problems of unknown severity, which translates into uncertainty on both sides.
Of course, Thompson and Durant play an extremely important role in the attack, and if they can not play, the Warriors will not score as easily, which may ease the pressure on the Toronto shot. Their absence would allow Toronto to focus on Curry defensively. Heck, after Thompson left game 2, we already have saw the Raptors take out the crazy box-and-one, a tactic that Toronto would never have attempted against a healthy Golden State team.
Thompson and Durant are also key elements of Golden State's defensive identity. If they do not play, the perimeter defense of warriors takes a real hit. Less Thompson, less Durant and less Looney means more DeMarcus Cousins, more Andrew Bogut and more Alfonzo McKinnie.
It's less versatile and athletic to hit the Toronto offense, so wing scorers like Leonard will not have to worry so much. The Raptors should be able to create a few more open jumpers at the edges, but that does not mean that they will make them.
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