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NBA Finals 2019: Raptors vs. Warriors Game 4 Result, Quotes and Updated Schedule
June 8, 2019
The Toronto Raptors are one win away from finishing off one of the most impressive performances in NBA Finals history.
Toronto defeated Golden State 105-92 in Game 4 of the 2019 NBA Finals Friday to secure a 3-1 series lead.
Toronto's work is far from finished against the two-time defending champion, but two road wins have put the Raptors in an ideal position to earn the Larry O'Brien Trophy on their home floor Monday in Game 5.
Golden State has experience of being on both ends of a 3-1 series advantage. All you have to do is look back at the 2016 postseason for that, as the Warriors survived a 3-1 deficit to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals and then blew a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Updated NBA Finals Schedule
All Times ET.
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 (9 p.m., ABC)*
* - if necessary
Kawhi Leonard once again turned in a massive performance for the Raptors by scoring 36 points and adding 12 rebounds.
Leonard told ESPN's Doris Burke after the game that he is just playing to win the game.
"I don't play hero basketball," Leonard said. "I'm not playing for fans. I'm just playing to win. I'm not out here trying to break records. As long as I try to help my team win, I'm satisfied."
The mild-mannered superstar was asked in his press conference what a championship would mean to Toronto, and he deferred to the fans, who have been waiting for that moment for so long, per CBS Sports HQ.
"I'm really not sure," Leonard said. "I guess you'd have to ask somebody on the street or one of our fans. I'm pretty sure it's a long time waiting and they're going to be excited. They're already excited just being here for the first time."
"They were going crazy after the Eastern Conference Finals," Leonard said. "You have to ask a fan, somebody who lives in Canada, somebody that's been living in Canada for a while."
While there will be pressure on the Raptors to close out the series at home, head coach Nick Nurse said after Game 4 he has kept the team level-headed by not talking about the series score, per CBS Sports HQ.
CBS Sports HQ @CBSSportsHQ"I think it's difficult...They're gonna be going crazy in Toronto. We never really talk about the series score. You can't let people take you someplace you aren't yet, right?" -Nick Nurse on the pressure of closing out a series back home. #WeTheNorth | #NBAFinals https://t.co/ycNBmv4fd7
"I think it's difficult," Nurse said. "We're going to get back there, and as you know, they're going to be crazy in Toronto, and my message to them is we've never really talked about the series score. You can't let people take you some place you aren't yet, right?"
"We know (Golden State) is a great team and we know how hard we have to play to beat them," Nurse continued. "Home or away, we know how hard we have to play. Just focus in on being the hardest working team on the floor, and if we do that, we'll give ourselves a chance to win and go from there."
The biggest question lingering around the Warriors for Game 5 will be the health of Kevin Durant, who has missed all four games of the series.
The Athletic's Tim Kawakami confirmed after the game that Durant was doing work at the team's facility Friday, but there was no timetable on the return.
Draymond Green said the team has been hoping for Durant to come back for the entire series, per The Athletic's Anthony Slater:
The Warriors enter Scotiabank Arena with their backs against the wall, but this is an experience they have had before in the playoffs.
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said the team will try to win one game at a time, similar to what its approach was in the 2016 Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City, per Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area:
Almost instantly, the 3-1 lead blown by the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals came up as a talking point, and Green questioned if the Warriors can make history of their own, per Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle:
No matter what the approach is for Game 5, the Warriors must play better than they did in Game 4 to give themselves a chance Monday.
The good news is this is one of the most experienced sides in the NBA, and Golden State has already gone up to Toronto and taken a game from the Raptors in the series, but Game 5 will be a completely different animal with Toronto's first title on the line.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90