NBA Finals 2019: Full Series Schedule and How to Watch Warriors vs. Raptors
Golden State's path to its third straight NBA championship could be perceived as its hardest yet.
The Warriors enter the 2019 NBA Finals with injuries to two of their best players and have to go on the road for the first two games to face the on-fire Toronto Raptors.
Golden State is still favored to win based off its talent and championship pedigree, but the Raptors are going to give the defending champion their best shot starting Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.
In addition to entering the NBA Finals with plenty of momentum and confidence from defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Raptors have a pair of regular-season wins over Golden State to pull from in their preparation for the series.
2019 NBA Finals Schedule
All Times ET.
Game 1: Thursday, May 30 at Toronto (9 p.m., ABC)
Game 2: Sunday, June 2 at Toronto (8 p.m., ABC)
Game 3: Wednesday, June 5 at Golden State (9 p.m., ABC)
Game 4: Friday, June 7 at Golden State (9 p.m., ABC)
Game 5: Monday, June 10 at Toronto (9 p.m., ABC)*
Game 6: Thursday, June 13 at Golden State (9 p.m., ABC)*
Game 7: Sunday, June 16 at Toronto (8 p.m., ABC)*
*If necessary.
Golden State's search for its third straight title and fourth in five years will begin without two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant.
On Thursday, the Warriors issued an injury update regarding Durant and DeMarcus Cousins. The prognosis was more positive for Cousins, who is anticipated to play in the NBA Finals at some juncture.
Durant has not been cleared for on-court activities after suffering a strained right calf in the second round against the Houston Rockets.
Durant admitted on Friday he does not know too much about the injury and is trusting the team's doctors to get him back on the floor as soon as possible, per Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News.
"I’m just taking it a second at a time. Every rep we do in the weight room, I try to focus on that rep," Durant said. "I don’t know too much about this injury. I just leave it in the hands of the team doctors and I trust the direction they’re putting me in."
Most teams would have been significantly affected by the loss of a superstar, but the Warriors have not skipped a beat by going 5-0 without Durant since he left Game 5 vs. the Rockets.
In the sweep of Portland, Stephen Curry scored over 35 points in each of the four games, while depth players Kevon Looney, Jordan Bell and Alfonzo McKinnie stepped up in stretches to earn nine days off before the NBA Finals.
If Toronto would have lost its best player, Kawhi Leonard, it likely would not have had the same response as the Warriors did to Durant's absence.
Leonard's points-per-game total in the regular season and Eastern Conference Finals were 10 points better than the second-best scorer in the squad.
That is why taking Leonard out of the game for stretches will be a key for the Warriors on the defensive side of the ball.
Klay Thompson should take charge of that assignment, while Draymond Green could slide over to cover Leonard when he inches closer to the paint.
Slowing down Leonard will be the toughest task the Warriors defense faces in the postseason. Leonard has scored over 25 points in 15 of his team's 18 playoff games, but Toronto's record in those games is only 9-6.
Even if Leonard plays well, the Raptors could end up losing if the Warriors play lockdown defense on the supporting cast.
The good news for the Raptors is they come into the NBA Finals on a full wave of confidence and start the series at Scotiabank Arena.
If they can benefit from the momentum gained from the Eastern Conference Finals, the Raptors could go head-to-head with the Warriors in the first two games.
In Games 5 and 6 vs. Milwaukee, Fred VanVleet emerged as a top scorer off the bench to complement the production of Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam.
In their two regular-season wins over the Warriors, the Raptors were able to match their opponent's scoring production.
In the November 29 overtime win at Oracle Arena, the Raptors fended off a 51-point performance from Durant to win behind 37 points from Leonard and 26 points from Siakam.
At home on December 12, the Raptors held Curry and Thompson to 24 points and 2-for-13 shooting from three-point range.
Of course, the basketball in November and December is played at a lower intensity than the playoffs, but the Raptors have a blueprint to slow down Golden State's shooters and go back to Bay Area with the series lead.
The Raptors are in the best scenario possible to open up a two-game lead at home, but even if they achieve that feat, holding on to it will be difficult once the Warriors gain momentum in Games 3 and 4 on their home floor.
If the Warriors are able to pick up a win in either Game 1 or 2, Toronto's road to a title will be tough. The Warriors are 5-0 at home in the last two NBA Finals, and they have closed out their last two series against Houston and Portland on the road.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.
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