NBA Finals 2019: Raptors vs. Warriors Game 6 TV Schedule and Predictions
June 13, 2019
The final game at Oracle Arena could end with another great stand made by the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals, or with the Toronto Raptors hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Golden State forced one more game at the arena it is moving out of at the end of the season with a gritty Game 5 victory at Scotiabank Arena.
Although the Warriors carry the momentum in the series with them, they will be at a disadvantage without Kevin Durant on the floor.
Even though Toronto came up short in Game 5, it enters Oracle Arena with confidence from winning Games 3 and 4 in the Bay Area.
If Golden State wins, it would force the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 2016 and the fourth this decade.
NBA Finals Game 6 Information
Start Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Live Stream: Watch ESPN
Predictions
Curry Helps Golden State Stave Off Elimination With 35-Point Performance
Keeping the series alive will not be an easy task for Stephen Curry and the Warriors to achieve, but they are capable of attaining the result.
With Durant sidelined, Curry has to once again fill the role of primary scorer for Steve Kerr's team, and it is a role he has fit well since Durant's initial injury.
Curry reeled off four straight 35-plus point performances in the Western Conference Finals, and he has eclipsed 30 points on three occasions in the NBA Finals, including his 31 points in Game 5.
In fact, Curry has just one scoring total beneath 20 points in the 10 playoff games at Oracle Arena this season.
Where Curry needs to take a step up for Game 6 is his efficiency from three-point range, as he was 5-for-14 in Game 5.
Curry is 20-for-56 from beyond the arc in the NBA Finals, while Golden State as a team is shooting 38.2 percent.
If Curry is able to put together an efficient first quarter from three-point range, it could open up a sizable lead for the Warriors.
Curry does not have to be the only player to make shots from downtown, but if he is more accurate, it will fuel the confidence of the team and help keep the energy on Golden State's side in its home building.
The Warriors need Curry to shoot in a similar fashion to Game 1 against Portland, where he was 9-for-15 from deep, or Game 1 versus the Los Angeles Clippers, when he shot 8-for-12 from three-point range.
If Curry is efficient from three-point range, it lessens the possibility of him going through a scoring lull and Toronto snatching the momentum at a crucial juncture of the game.
As long as Curry can be more accurate from three-point range, he will lead the Warriors in scoring, and more importantly, give his team emotional boosts in key situations that spur it to victory.
Cousins Affects Toronto's Shooting Efficiency
Toronto was able to separate itself from Golden State in Games 3 and 4 at Oracle Arena because of its high field-goal percentage.
In Game 3, the Raptors hit their high mark of the series by shooting 52.4 percent, and they followed that up with a 41.9 field-goal percentage in Game 4.
Toronto is shooting 45 percent from the field in the series, which is a tad better than Golden State's 44 percent.
But in order for the Warriors to make their presence known defensively, they have to force the Raptors into lower percentage shots, similar to the one Kyle Lowry took at the end of Game 5.
Part of Golden State's solution will be the interior presence of DeMarcus Cousins, who had 14 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes in Game 5.
Cousins' extended presence in the paint should force Toronto's big men into tougher shots, and it could halt Kawhi Leonard, Lowry or others from finding holes in the lane when they drive to the hoop.
There is no other player on the Golden State roster with the shot-altering ability Cousins possesses, and if he is able to stop Toronto's shots from going in, he could start transition opportunities for his teammates to take advantage of.
If Cousins and the rest of the Golden State players produce a strong defensive first half, it could lead to more forced shots by Toronto in its attempt to come back and win its third game at Oracle Arena.
If Toronto is able to exploit its mismatches right away, it could be a long night for the Warriors, but if Cousins specifically can take away a handful of high-percentage shots, the Warriors will be in much better shape defensively.
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