The city of Toronto has waited 26 years for a major sports title. They will have to wait at least three more days. Klay Thompson drained a three pointer with just under a minute to play Monday night, as the Golden State Warriors held on to defeat the Toronto Raptors 106-105 in game five of the NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The Raptors still lead the best of seven series 3-2.
Golden State finally got back superstar Kevin Durant, who had missed the last nine games due to injury. Unfortunately Durant was injured again just over two minutes into the second quarter of game five and never returned. He left having scored 11 points in 11 minutes. In the opening 12 minutes the Warriors held as much as a seven point lead, while the Raptors held two short leads of two points each. Golden State led by six at the end of one. The visitors built the lead to as many as 13 in the second quarter on a four point play by Steph Curry, and still led by six at the break.
Kevon Looney gave the Warriors their biggest lead of the game at 14 with a layup in the third quarter, but the Raptors wouldn’t break cutting it to six by the end of the third. Toronto came all the way back and took their first lead since the first quarter when Kawhi Leonard knocked down a three pointer with 5:16 left to play at 96-95. 10 straight points in all by Leonard gave the hosts their largest lead of the night at 103-97 with just 3:28 left. After two defensive stops and a pair of three pointers by Thompson and Curry the game was tied at 103 with 1:22 showing on the clock. The game winner came when Thompson faked a three to get his defender out of position, and then drained the long distance shot from the arc with 57.6 seconds left. The Raptors Kyle Lowry came right back and drove to the basket and was credited with two points to cut it to one on a goaltending call on DeMarcus Cousins with 29.9 seconds remaining. Cousins was called for an offensive foul on the other end to give Toronto one more chance. Lowry tried a three from the corner as time expired, but the shot hit the corner of the backboard as Golden State celebrated a trip back to the West Coast for another home game in the series.
Curry had a game high 31 points, also adding eight rebounds and seven assists. Thompson had 26 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Thompson knocked down 7-13 from three point range, as the Warriors knocked in 20-42 from the arc in the game. Cousins added 14 points and six rebounds, Durant had 11 in his limited time, and Draymond Green had a double double with 10 points and 10 rebounds while also chipping in eight assists. Leonard finished with 26 points and had a double double for Toronto. Kawhi filled up the stat sheet by adding 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and two blocks. Lowry had 18 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Marc Gasol had 17 points and eight rebounds. Also in double figures for the Raptors was Serge Ibaka with 15 points and six rebounds, Pascal Siakam with 12 points, and Fred VanFleet with 11. While the Warriors shot 48 percent from the three point line, the Raptors shot just 25 percent (8-32).
Durant was seen in a walking boot and leaving the arena midway through the third quarter. The injury is being called an Achilles injury by the Warriors General Manager, and the extent of the injury is currently unknown until an MRI is performed.
Golden State will try to force a possible game seven back in Toronto, and pick up their first win at home in this series when game six tips off Thursday night at Oracle Arena in Oakland at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. The game will also be the last one played at the Oracle Arena. The Warriors will move to a new arena next season in San Francisco, ending the 47 year run of Oracle.
