Toronto preys on limping champs in Game 3 of NBA Finals

OAKLAND, Calif. - The terms for Game 3 weren't set until moments before tipoff, when the Golden State Warriors finally confirmed that Klay Thompson would miss the first playoff game of his career because of a hamstring injury. That news stripped the night of its complexity, leaving this: Stephen Curry would be left to wage a one-man battle with the Toronto Raptors, with the winner taking a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

With Thompson, Kevin Durant and Kevon Looney all sidelined, the Warriors needed nothing short of a spectacular performance from Curry. The two-time MVP delivered, but his 47-point tour de force wasn't enough against the balanced and steady Raptors, who reclaimed homecourt advantage with a 123-109 win at Oracle Arena.

Toronto never truly buckled in the face of Curry's onslaught, countering with hot outside shooting to maintain a lead for the game's final 45 minutes. All five Raptors starters scored in double figures, with Kawhi Leonard notching a team-high 30 points and Danny Green pouring in six 3-pointers. While the Warriors turned to Curry for answers on possession after possession, the Raptors calmly worked the ball around to register 21 assists on 31 baskets.

There were moments of valor for all five Raptors starters. Marc Gasol opened the game aggressively, applying pressure to Golden State's interior defense and keeping DeMarcus Cousins back on his heels. Pascal Siakam started hot after a quiet Game 2, using his length to help Toronto build its early lead. Leonard continued his pile-driver approach, earning 11 free throw attempts by picking his spots to attack off the dribble. And Green, the oft-overlooked shooting guard, turned back the clock with an outside shooting display reminiscent of his best work with the San Antonio Spurs a half-decade ago.

But a breakout performance from Kyle Lowry, who was beset by foul trouble and struggled to score earlier in this series, will most delight Raptors Coach Nick Nurse. The all-star point guard scored 23 points and had nine assists, pushing back with timely jumpers when Curry threatened to seize control in the second half.

Had there been a weak link in Toronto's starting group, Curry's career night wouldn't have gone for naught. He slithered through the Raptors' defense from start to finish, shedding extra defenders with in-and-out dribbles and quick-trigger step backs. He shot 14-of-31 from the field and nailed six 3-pointers, drawing appreciative "M-V-P" chants from the Oracle crowd throughout the second half. After rattling in one 3-pointer, Curry skipped down the court to a hearty standing ovation.

It didn't take long to realize, though, that Curry would be lacking in help. It took nearly eight minutes for another Warriors player to make a field goal, and Curry scored or assisted on his team's first eight field goals. Curry's teammates combined to shoot just 6 of 21 from beyond the arc, while Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green were the only other Warriors to reach double figures.

At halftime, Curry's 25 points nearly matched his teammates' combined output of 27. By night's end, he had tallied the eighth-highest scoring total in NBA Finals history.

Squandering such an extraordinary effort from Curry in a losing effort will naturally increase the scrutiny on Thompson and Durant. On Tuesday, Warriors Coach Steve Kerr said he was "very hopeful" that both would return to the series. Before Game 3, Kerr said Durant was improving in his recovery from a calf injury and had gone through good workouts on both Tuesday and Wednesday with on-court work scheduled for Thursday.

Toronto proved it has enough experience and talent to survive Curry's best solo work, and enough resilience to bounce back from a deflating Game 2. The next chapter of this series will hinge on whether Curry's help can arrive back on court in time.

Game 4 is Friday.