The Toronto Raptors were huge underdogs entering the 2019 NBA Finals, but they are overwhelming favourites now. That’s because the Raptors are heading back home with a commanding 3-1 lead after stealing both games on the road at Golden State.
Toronto is looking for their first ever NBA Championship, while the Warriors are looking to win their third straight. The Raptors will have two chances to close out the series at home, with the first one coming on Monday night in game five.
The Golden State Warriors had a relatively easy trip through the Western Conference despite suffering a ton of injuries. The Warriors swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, but things haven’t been as easy against the Toronto Raptors.
Golden State is also extremely banged up. Toronto survived a game seven against the Philadelphia 76ers and then eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Toronto Raptors are -3.0 point favourites in game five with BetOnline to win their first ever NBA Championship.
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CityNews Toronto
Leonard Just Continues to Amaze
Kawhi Leonard already has an NBA Finals MVP on his resume, and it appears that he might get another one. Leonard has been absolutely remarkable throughout the playoffs, but he has been even better in the NBA Finals. The former San Antonio Spurs star poured in a game high 36 points in the game four victory, and also pulled down 12 rebounds. It was expected that this would be his only year in Toronto, but it’s hard to see him leaving town after this amazing run.
The Raptors have been looking for other players to step up throughout the postseason, and Serge Ibaka was that guy in game four. Ibaka came off the bench to score 20 points in the win, and is a matchup problem from the Warriors. Toronto did struggle from the three-point line in game three, making just 31 percent of their shots. Leonard will without a doubt do his part again in game five, but other players must make a contribution.
Warriors Just Have No Depth
Depth has played a huge role in the Warriors winning back-to-back NBA Championships, but they don’t have that luxury this season. Kevin Durant has now missed more than 1 month with a calf strain, and the Warriors are definitely missing his 34 points per game. Golden State managed to get just 18 points from their bench in the game four loss, and they are just running out of healthy bodies to throw at the Raptors. The Warriors managed to make just eight three-pointers in the loss, and that simply won’t get the job done.
Klay Thompson returned to the lineup for game four, and did put up an impressive 28 points. Stephen Curry had 27 points in the loss, but that was well short of the 47 points that he scored in the game three loss. Thompson and Curry are doing all they can to keep this Warriors team afloat, but they just simply can’t do it alone. Andre Iguodala and DeMarcus Cousins combined for just 9 points on Friday night, and another performance like that will send the Warriors packing.
Our Prediction
It’s never easy to close out a series in the NBA, but the Toronto Raptors have all the necessary tools to get the job done. The Raptors are playing with a ton of confidence, and their crowd will be electric for this one. Golden State has had a great run, but it comes to an end on Monday night. Bet the Toronto Raptors -3.0 over the Golden State Warriors.