NBA Finals Game 2, Game 3 prediction

My game two prediction was pretty spot on. I said the Warriors would make defensive adjustments on Siakam and Van Vleet, which is exactly what happened. Their attempts were not as open, and they shrunk to the occasion. With that said, Kyle Lowry should not escape blame. He has underachieved offensively throughout the playoffs, and he totally disappeared Sunday night. He is supposedly a star, so he should be the second scorer behind Kawhi Leonard. Lowry is 34 years old, so maybe his age is starting to show. Leonard played a good game, but he needed to dominate in order to win. 

The Warriors did what the Warriors do; the played great team basketball. Of their 38 made field goals, 34 came off assists. I did not anticipate DeMarcus Cousins having the type of game he did, more due to his injury than talent. He played twenty more minutes than he did Game 1, and had a far bigger impact. He look more comfortable on offense, and he helped remedy the loss of Kevon Looney. In 28 minutes, Cousins finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

If Klay Thompson is hurt for Game 3, that could change everything. I do not expect Durant to play, but I do think Thompson will, considering how durable he’s been in the past. He was critical in Game 2, making clutch shots until he left in the third quarter.

Golden State took control with one of their patented third quarter runs, just as I said they would. They went on 20-3 run to start the quarter. Toronto had their chance to take total control here, but they left the door open. As I said before, lack of Finals experience is hurting them. 

Steph Curry was upset that the Raptors played box-and-one defense down the stretch, but it worked actually. The only think that kept me from getting the final score right was that the Warriors couldn’t score for the last three minutes, until Iguodala hit the three with a few second left. That defense will only work if Thompson isn’t on the floor. I fully expect Toronto to employ this again if Thompson is hurt.

I think Game 3 will be another close one, around the same final score. I doubt the Raptors will start off well, considering they will be on the road. I think the Warriors will grab early momentum and never look back. Toronto will make runs to keep it close, but I believe the Warriors will make just enough key shots to win. Warriors win 110-107.

NBA Finals Game 1 recap (plus Game 2 prediction)

Jeez is the NBA annoying at times. All I've heard about recently is Drake, Klay Thompson complaining, and people killing Greek Freak for walking out of a press conference. Drake is somewhat cowardly because he won't go to road games, Klay should be happy for his fellow NBA players (I'm biased because I love Kemba Walker), and no one killed Embiid when he cried (after laughing about trying to break someone's jaw earlier in the playoffs). No that I addressed all the tabloid crap, thank the lord the Finals are finally here.
The moment wasn't too big for the Raptors, which it very well could have been. This is not shocking, however, considering they were at home. I highly doubt the game would have played out the same way in Oakland, and the Warriors are not used to starting a series in the road. Also, they had 7 days off, so rust was clearly a factor.

I picked the Warriors to win in 6. I believe this despite thinking each game will be close. I'm sticking with my pick, assuming the Warriors win game 2. There is no reason to panic, game 2 is a must win now. They should be fine, but they cannot slack off at all. Toronto presents a unique challenge, due to their length and defensive prowess. The Raptors are far superior on defense to Portland, and their are feeling confident after shutting down the probable league MVP in Giannis Antentukuompo.

The question of whether or not Kevin Durant will return is being ratcheted up now. His elite scoring ability and length would be the great equalizer, since the rest of the Warrior team is undersized. As great as they are offensively, Steph Curry is the only other player who can create his own shot. Klay Thompson is a catch-and-shoot guy, and Draymond is most effective in the pick and roll. DeMarcus Cousin made his return, but he was less than impressive. Although his big body and energy made him have a presence, his was too robotic and awkward to have a real impact on the game. He only played eight minutes.

Champions crush the enemy when they are wounded, which is why Game 2 is so critical for Toronto. If they lose, the series will be tied and the Warriors will have momentum (which is what I predict). If Toronto wins, they will have a commanding 2-0 lead. Now that they have some pressure on them, the Raptors must respond in kind. They will go as far as their role players take them. Namely Pascal Siakam. I expect Marc Gasol to have a veteran presence, and Fred Van Vleet should be able to hit some threes. But Siakam actually seems like a borderline star. I do not question his ability, just his lack of experience. He had some mediocre games earlier in the playoffs, so I have to see him dominate an entire series to believe it. He needs to, because it appears Kawhi Leonard is incapable of carrying the team like has been. If Siakam falls off, I doubt anyone can step up as a consistent second scorer.

The Warriors are still the class of the NBA, but now they are being tested a bit. They are never flustered by bad starts, because the usually take over with third quarter bursts. The aforementioned rust was a big factor, but the Warriors were definitely unprepared. Toronto is an unfamiliar opponent, as Klay Thompson stated in his postgame press conference. Their defensive rotations were subpar, leading to the Raptors hitting a bunch of early threes and grabbing the momentum. Though understandable, I still blame the coach. Steve Kerr need to make some major adjustments in game two. This is where I believe experience factors in, as I fully expect those changes to be made. Kerr is having his coaching merit truly tested, since he has to deal with coming up new schemes not featuring Durant, as well as dealing with the pressure of forcing him back. I never though Kerr was just along for the ride, but my opinion may change if the Warriors get swept away in this series. I fully expect them to turn things around Sunday night and win 115-104.