The Toronto Raptors bring reigning champion Golden State Warriors to the brink of defeat. In the end, the superstars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry will prevail – but Jakob Pöltl showed an impressive performance.
There was not much missing and the Warriors would have won the third bankruptcy in the fourth game. Three minutes before the end, DeMar DeRozan hit one of his infamous turnaround jumpers and Toronto led with 5 points, from the line he then let 2 more follow. It should have been the last of the Raptors, though.
Because then the magic of the Warriors flashed. First Kevin Durant from Downtown metamorphosed, then it was Stephen Curry, who at 112:112 scored a deep threesome with his hand in his face 32 seconds before the end. Kyle Lowry tried to answer quickly, but Klay Thompson blocked the attempt. Curry then hit the free throws, which ensured victory. The double MVP shone with 30 points (9/20 FG). KD did not lag behind either, scoring 29 points.
Thompson, in addition to his strong defence and the decisive block with 22 points and four converted threesomes, was convincing (with six attempts). Draymond Green scored 15 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 turnovers.
The Raptors could nevertheless be accused of little. Only from outside it was 8/34 threesome, Kyle Lowry had to fight the whole game. For 14 points he needed 18 throws (1/8 threesomes) and Serge Ibaka also had big problems (1/6 threesomes). DeMar DeRozan, on the other hand, was better off with 24 points (9/18 FG), 6 assists and 6 steals.
The Raptors could rely on the role-players and bankers. Pascal Siakam started on Power Forward and set a new career high with 20 points, similarly gratifying was Jakob Pöltl’s performance, with whose size the champion had huge problems. 11 offensive rebounds the Austrian grabbed himself and scored a total of 12 points and 14 boards, his second double-double in a row. Pöltl even stood ergo in the crunchtime on the field and defended well against Durant several times.