Even with injured stars back, Warriors no match for Raptors as they face 3-1 deficit

Even with guard Klay Thompson back and big man Kevon Looney making an unexpected return from a shoulder injury that was thought to end his season, the Warriors didn’t have enough to avoid going down 3-1 to the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday, losing 105-92 in front of a stunned Golden State crowd that might never file into Oracle Arena again.

Kawhi Leonard put on an MVP showing with 36 points while leading a possible championship-defining performance in the second half, putting the two-time defending champs on the brink of ending their dynastic run depending what happens to their star-powered roster this summer.

Toronto came to the Bay Area this week and won both games on the Warriors’ home floor, which they’re leaving for good at the end of the season for the new Chase Center in San Francisco. The home team was without the winner of the last two Finals MVPs, Kevin Durant, who missed his ninth straight game with a calf injury.

The Warriors used a monstrous third-quarter run to win in Toronto in Game 2. But they were on the wrong end of a game-deciding push after halftime Friday. The Raptors blitzed Golden State with a 37-21 frame, which included 17 points from Leonard and chants of “Let’s go Raptors!’ emanating from the South Side of the arena. Curry went just 2-of-7 in the quarter and appeared frustrated by the lack of foul calls while Raptors had a 12-point advantage from the free-throw line heading into the fourth.

Curry didn’t backup his 47-performance in Game 3. He struggled throughout Friday’s game, missing seven of his 3-pointers against the Raptors trap-heavy defense.

Thompson, who led the Warriors with 28 points, was clearly energized during his pregame warmups and had team-high 14 points in the first half following his one-game absence with a hamstring injury. The sharp-shooter didn’t appear slowed, but Golden State simply didn’t have enough scoring. Curry (27 points), Draymond Green (10) and Looney (10) were the team’s only other players in double figures.

The Warriors had a four-point lead at halftime, their first advantage at the break of the series, thanks largely to their defense. Golden State was in good form in the first quarter in front of a wild home crowd, but it all changed when Toronto took charge after the break which started with a Fred VanVleet 3-pointer on the first possession.

Leonard went 11-for-22 from the floor, including a number of back-breakers in the second half. He added 12 rebounds and went 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Reserve big man Serge Ibaka added 20 enormous points while making 9 of his 12 attempts. Toronto won despite shooting 41.9 percent from the field.

Looney didn’t show any effects of the injury. He had six important first-quarter points and was part of a strong defensive performance early. Toronto scored just 17 points in the opening frame (with 14 from Leonard) while Golden State’s defense appeared markedly improved from Game 3, holding the Raptors to a 6-of-21 start.

The Warriors came into the night 3-1 in Game 4s since their championship run began in 2015, and 17-7 following losses over the same span. Game 5 is Monday in Toronto and the Warriors hope Durant will be able to return from his calf injury, though his status remains unknown.

“We’re hoping he can play Game 5 or 6,” Kerr said before Friday’s game amid conflicting reports over Durant’s status for the remainder of the Finals. “And everything in between I’ve decided I’m not sharing because it’s just gone haywire. There’s so much going on, and so it doesn’t make sense to continue to talk about it. He’s either going to play or he’s not.”

This story was originally published June 7, 2019 at 8:43 PM.