NBA Finals: Curry's 47 Can't Overcome Dubs' Swiss-Cheese D; Raptors Cruise in Game 3

The loss of Kevin Durant so far in the NBA Finals has been a hindrance to the Golden State Warriors' cause, but they've got the firepower to manage without him.

However, losing both Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney has proven to be critical.

Against a team like the Toronto Raptors, their absence was a key reason why the Dubs were virtually always trailing in Game 3 before the Raps put 'em away, 123-109.

 

Apparently, no matter what, that's who the Dubs are in the Finals:

• Game 1 ... Toronto 118 Golden State 109
• Game 2 ... Golden State 109 Toronto 104
• Game 3 ... Toronto 123 Golden State 109

 

It's obviously not too cool, though, if they don't keep TO at 108 or under.

In that respect, missing Thompson for Game 3 was lethal. Dude not only racks 'em up on offense, he's a shut-down defender.

He won't make up for the Dubs' not really having a bona fide rim protector, but he'll at least do his bit in keeping opponents from getting there.

 

So, while Steph Curry had to assume more of the scoring duties -- kinda like being told to go to Golden Corral instead of a burger joint -- Toronto basically used him as a bookmark for what they had to do on offense.

After all, the Dubs were gonna get 47 points from somewhere, be it by one dude or a few of them.

Only one bucket per possession, you know.

 

Golden State's version of whack-a-mole had a respectable night, going 14-31 for 45.1% overall and 6-14 from deep for an impressive 42.9% clip.

However, when Toronto replied by shooting an eye-popping 51.2% as a team, Curry coulda gone off for the entire 109 points for all they cared.

 

Needless to say, Kyle Lowry had quite the night.

The former Villanova Wildcat said he'd be more aggressive in Game 3, and did just that with a 23-4-9 performance ... and causing one Warrior ejection:

 

Damn.

What else can you say? Golden State minority owner Mark Stevens is giving privileged 1%ers a bad name.

 

For the next year, anyway, Stevens will be watching on screens at fern bars, or wherever his kind goes for wine and cheese.

Fortunately for the Dubs, though, Thompson will be back at the Oracle for Game 4 and beyond. It's odds-on his contribution to the proceedings will be much more constructive.