Matchups for the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Raptors

The position matchup breakdown for the 2019 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors:

STARTING GUARDS

Golden State: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.

Toronto: Kyle Lowry and Danny Green.

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry reacts in the finals seconds of Game 6 of the team's NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Toronto. The Raptors won 100-94 and advanced to the NBA Finals. (Nathan DenetteThe Canadian Press via AP)

Analysis: All respect to Lowry, whose toughness and leadership are both comically overlooked because people tend to see only scoring, but this matchup clearly tilts Golden State's way. Curry and Thompson have averaged 42.5 points combined in their first 22 finals games together and even on their bad days are two of the most feared shooters in the game. Toronto simply needs more from Green, who is shooting only 32 percent in the playoffs and 31 percent from 3-point range. Toronto won the last four games of the Eastern Conference finals even while Green went a staggering 1 for 15 from 3-point range. But he's had enormous moments in the finals before, and is a 52 percent shooter from 3-point land in 12 previous finals games.

Edge: Warriors.

STARTING FORWARDS

Toronto Raptors' Kawhi Leonard hoists the trophy after the Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 100-94 in Game 6 of the NBA basketball playoffs Eastern Conference finals Saturday, May 25, 2019, in Toronto. The Raptors advanced to the NBA Finals. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)

Golden State: Kevin Durant/Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green.

Toronto: Kawhi Leonard and Pascal Siakam.

Analysis: Durant isn't expected to be available for Game 1 because of his calf strain, and it remains unclear if he'll play at any point in the finals. Iguodala is a past Finals MVP and Green may be playing the best basketball of his life right now, with keeping his emotions in check yet another bonus for the Warriors. Siakam has had great moments in these playoffs and is likely the most improved player in the NBA this season. But this matchup comes down to Leonard, who has willed the Raptors through every tough moment they've faced in the postseason and has put himself in the best-player-in-the-world-right-now conversation. The Leonard vs. Green (or Iguodala) matchup when the Raptors have the ball will be fascinating.

Golden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala, center, strips the ball from Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard during the final seconds of Game 2 of the NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference finals Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Oakland, Calif. (AP PhotoBen Margot)

Edge: Even, based on the plan that Durant is missing some of the series.

STARTING CENTER

Golden State: Jordan Bell (presumably).

Toronto: Marc Gasol.

Analysis: Gasol has waited a long time for this first taste of the finals, and Bell — if he does actually start, which is in some doubt — has 35 points in 11 games this postseason. And don't be surprised if DeMarcus Cousins, who has never played in a finals game and missed most of these playoffs with a quad injury, is back on the floor early in the series for the Warriors and back as a starter not long after that. So far in the playoffs, Gasol has made more 3s (28) than 2s (27) and 55% of his points have come from beyond the 3-point line.

Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse reacts during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference basketball playoff finals against the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday, May 23, 2019, in Milwaukee. (AP PhotoMorry Gash)

Edge: Raptors, largely because of the uncertainty surrounding Cousins' availability.

BENCH

Golden State: Kevon Looney, Shaun Livingston, Quinn Cook, Andrew Bogut.

Toronto: Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell, Serge Ibaka.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, right, talks to his team during a timeout in the first half of Game 3 of the NBA basketball playoffs Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers, Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Portland, Ore. (AP PhotoTed S. Warren)

Analysis: The Warriors' bench rotation will change if Cousins and/or Durant return. Golden State has averaged 24.6 points off the bench in the playoffs, which doesn't look so hot, but a deeper dive shows how effective certain things have been for the Warriors. Looney has been fantastic, shooting 72% (50 for 69) in 329 minutes off the bench, and Livingston is looking for his fourth ring as a key reserve. Ibaka, assuming he doesn't start at center, will get big minutes for Toronto and plays the two-man game with Leonard like they've been together for seven years instead of seven months. And VanVleet came up big time and time again toward the end of the East finals, his emotions bolstered by the birth of his son midway through that matchup.

Edge: Raptors, slightly.

COACHING

Golden State: Steve Kerr.

Toronto: Nick Nurse.

Analysis: Kerr won five rings as a player, has three already as a coach and somehow seems to always push the right buttons. Nurse has dealt incredibly well with the pressure that accompanied being a first-year coach who just happened to be replacing the reigning NBA coach of the year in Dwane Casey and had to lead a win-now-or-else team that went all in on moves to get players like Leonard and Gasol.

Edge: Warriors.

INTANGIBLES

The Warriors have 10 players with a combined 140 games of finals experience; the Raptors have four players who have been in a combined 38 finals games. And the Warriors' total doesn't even count 49 finals games for Kerr (27 as a player, 22 as a coach). ... First time in the finals for Toronto, last time in the finals for Oakland — the Warriors are leaving Oracle Arena for the new Chase Center in San Francisco after this season. ... By the time the finals start, the Warriors will have gone 24 days since losing a game (May 6, Game 4 of the West semis against Houston) and by the time the series shifts to Oakland on June 5 they will have gone 20 days without a home game. ... Toronto won the regular-season series 2-0. Before that, the Warriors had won 16 of the last 18 games between the teams.

Edge: Warriors, because of the experience factor.

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)