Led by Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors have evened their NBA Final series 1-1 after defeating the Toronto Raptors 109-104 in Game 2 Sunday night.
Coming out of the half down 59-54, the Warriors went on an 18-0 run, making it 20 unanswered points going back into the first half. Golden State tightened its defence and held the Raptors pointless until 6:43 into the third.
“We cut the lead to five and could kind of breathe at halftime,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I think our guys felt renewed life at that point.”
WATCH: Kawhi Leonard laments poor 3rd quarter in Game 2 loss to Warriors
The Raptors made it interesting, cutting the lead to three with 20 seconds to go in the fourth. But the team failed to mount a full comeback.
The final dagger was a three from Andre Iguodala with 5.9 seconds left.
“(Iguodala) has hit a lot of big shots in the Finals before, so he was unfazed,” Kerr said.
Thompson had 18 points at the half and finished with 25, but left the game in the fourth quarter with left hamstring tightness.
WATCH: Steph Curry talks about Warriors big 3rd quarter in Game 2 win
Curry started the game 0-for-6 but ended with 23.
The Warriors hit 13 threes in the game. Golden State now has the most made three-pointers in an NBA Finals all-time.
DeMarcus Cousins, who made his return in Game 1 after being sidelined with a torn quad, was inserted into the Warriors starting lineup. He got into early foul trouble and was pulled out after four minutes with two. He settled in more in the second half and finished with a double-double.
Kawhi Leonard continued his historic postseason play with 34, his 12th 30-point game of these playoffs. Other players who’ve had a dozen 30-point games in a single playoff run: Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Jerry West.
Fred VanVleet was hot off the bench, finishing with 17. Siakam, the hero of Game 1 finished with 12 on 5 for 18 shooting.
The Raptors led by one, up 27-26 after the first quarter, despite the Warriors shooting 13 free throws. Toronto found itself in foul trouble early on with Kyle Lowry, Siakam and Ibaka all with three by half. Lowry fouled out with 3:52 left to go.
The loss comes after Toronto took Game 1 Thursday night 118-109.
WATCH: Demarcus Cousins talks about his return from injury
Thousands of fans once again packed the Jurassic Park viewing party outside Scotiabank Arena. They were joined by over 20,000 fans in Mississauga’s Jurassic Park West and other similar viewing parties across the province and country.
Sunday’s star-studded crowd featured former U.S. president Barack Obama – who sat in the middle of the lower bowl alongside NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and received a standing ovation plus chants of “M-V-P!” when he was introduced – plus former Toronto Blue Jays star Roberto Alomar, golfers Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, and numerous recording artists including J. Cole, The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, and, of course, Drake.
The Toronto rapper, whose saucy post-season attire has created a buzz the last couple of games, wore a black hoodie Sunday with Macaulay Culkin’s famous open-mouthed face from “Home Alone,” over the word “KEVIN?!?!?!?!” – apparently trolling injured Warriors star Kevin Durant.
Raptors OG Anunoby, who has been sidelined since April 11 due to an emergency appendectomy, was active for the game but did not play.
Warriors Kevon Looney did not return for the second half after suffering a left chest contusion.
Kevin Durant, who hurt his calf in the second round against the Houston Rockets May 8, did not play Game 2.
Kerr said it is “feasible” that the two-time NBA Finals MVP may only need one practice before he play in this year’s title series against the Toronto Raptors.
“Pointing out some Xs and Os type of stuff,” Curry said.
“But more so when you see him putting time in trying to get healthy, trying to get back out on the floor as soon as possible, that’s motivation for sure. We’re all in this together. We’ve said it for the entire year. He’s exemplifying that with his presence in the locker room here.”
The Warriors are scheduled to arrive home from Toronto early Monday and will get the rest of the day off. Practice resumes Tuesday, and what happens then will determine if Durant plays in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors on Wednesday night.
The series now shifts to Oakland, Calif., for Game 3 Wednesday and Game 4 Friday.
—With files from The Canadian Press
Quick facts
–Frank Layden is this year’s winner of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association.
–Alessia Cara and Fantasia were on hand to sing the American and Canadian national anthems.
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