@Warma-Sheen said in The Basketball Thread:
Stout defense? If they shot a bunch and missed, I might take that answer, but there's no way the defense was so tight they didn't even try to shoot. We've all seen Curry and Thompson drain threes with people molded to their faces. We know they can do it, they know they can do it. Still, I watched the game so I can tell you that was not the case, but even if it was, I refuse to believe they wouldn't still try, even if just to try to draw a foul and get three free throws.
Stout defense and being unable to stop the Raptors in the paint. Both were used to keep the Warriors off their game.
On defense, the teams matched up very evenly for steals and rebounds, but the Warriors had more takeaways and the Raptors more blocks. The Raptors beat the Warriors in the shooting categories, save for FT%.
As for the paint, Green and Looney each had 5 fouls that game, but Gasol and Siakam still scored 50+ points. Cousins made none of his shots (only points came on free throws), and Green and Looney were held to less than 20.
If the Warriors don't adjust to contain Gasol and Siakam again, they will simply pound the ball in. If there's a double-team, they'll kick out to VanFleet, Lowry, or Green for the open 3. It seemed that every time Curry attempted to cut, he got fouled before he could make a key play. And if I had to place a bet on injuries, I'd say that both Curry and Thompson are nursing undisclosed injuries, which would explain why they aren't hitting the 3s and why the Raptors beat the Warriors on fast-break points.