NBA Finals 2019 Game Two Preview
After a thrilling game one, the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors return to Scotiabank Arena for game two of the 2019 NBA Finals. Three nights ago, the Toronto Raptors played in their first ever NBA Finals game, and they made it count. Raptors forward, Pascal Siakam, recorded 32 points while shooting 82% from the field(14-17), which would ultimately lead to a 118-109 victory over Golden State. “I think we did a pretty good job at home,” Siakam stated, according to Brian Mahoney. Now, let’s take a deep dive into the second game of the best-of-seven series.
Toronto Raptors Report:
As aforementioned, it would be Pascal Siakam, who led the scoring for Toronto on Thursday night, and that would be plenty enough to propel the Raptors over the Warriors. Following Siakam, Toronto star forward, Kawhi Leonard, would tally 23 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, while center, Marc Gasol, accounted for 20 points and seven rebounds in the win. Moreover, for game two, look for the Raptors to continue to thrive in transition, and have Kawhi Leonard take control of the game if needed. As for news, Toronto forward OG Anunoby is currently listed as probable for tonight’s contest, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Here’s the projected starting lineup for the Raptors in game two:
PG – Kyle Lowry(nine assists in game one)
SG – Danny Green(42.9% 3P% in game one)
SF – Kawhi Leonard(averaging 30.7 PPG in the 2019 NBA playoffs thus far)
PF – Pascal Siakam(32 points in game one)
C – Marc Gasol(averaging 6.1 rebounds per game through the 2019 postseason)
Golden State Warriors Report:
Despite losing in game one, the Golden State Warriors are still very much in this series with Stephen Curry and company at the helm. In game one, Curry managed to score 34 points, which led both teams in scoring, while forward Draymond Green recorded 10 assists along with 10 rebounds in the loss. As for tonight, the Warriors should be attempting to contain forwards Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam defensively, who were two of the leading scorers for Toronto. Warriors Head Coach, Steve Kerr, announced that Kevin Durant will not play in game two, a huge loss for the Warriors for the seventh straight contest(excluding game five against Houston in the semi-finals, where he exited early). Here’s the projected starting lineup for the Golden State Warriors:
PG – Stephen Curry(tallied 34 points in game one, averaging 27.7 PPG this postseason)
SG – Klay Thompson(averaging 2.9 3P in the 2019 NBA Playoffs)
SF – Andre Iguodala(recorded a 4-5-4 statline in game one)
PF – Draymond Green(10 assists and 10 rebounds in game one)
C – Demarcus Cousins
Lastly, my official prediction for game two is that the Warriors edge out the Raptors by a score of 108-104.
Note: featured image is courtesy of the Washington Post.
