Warriors 'Weren't Very Familiar' With Raptors Prior to Game 1 Loss in Finals
Game 1 of the 2019 NBA Finals did not go how the Warriors wanted.
The two-time defending champions were playing their sixth straight game without two-time reigning Finals MVP Kevin Durant and suffered their first defeat of the postseason without him at the hands of the Raptors in Toronto.
Led by an impressive performance by Pascal Siakam, the Raptors pushed the pace and wreaked havoc on defense, forcing 17 turnovers in the 118-109 victory.
Following the contest, Golden State coach Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson explained how injuries in the regular season and the lack of meetings between the teams created a situation in which the Warriors didn't know the Raptors that well.
"We're not very familiar with this team, but that's no excuse," Thompson told reporters after the loss. "But we know we'll respond like the champions we are."
Kerr matched that sentiment, noting how the Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins in the first meeting between the squads (a 131-128 overtime win for the Raptors) and Kawhi Leonard was absent from the second contest, which Toronto won by 20 on the road.
Game 2 of the series is set for Sunday and it is unlikely Durant will appear in that tilt. He averaged 40.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in the two regular-season losses.
