Breaking Down the Golden State Warriors Game 3 Starting Lineup in the NBA Finals

Game 4 Warriors Starting Lineup Breakdown – Go Here

 

Note: This is the Game 3 Breakdown

Game 2 resembled more of what we remember from Golden State, where they pull off those second half runs and deflate teams. It wasn’t a flawless Game 2, but the Warriors evened up the series and are heading back home. Kevin Durant has already been ruled out for Game 3, and Kevon Looney broke his collarbone in the Game 2 win. He will be out for the series. Looney was giving quality minutes off the bench, and their depth is very thin right now. Jordan Bell and Andrew Bogut will see some more minutes because of this. The real news story to watch is Klay Thompson. He left in the second half and didn’t return due to a hamstring injury. While he was in good spirits after the game, we don’t have a read on his status for Game 3 just yet.

Game 2 Warriors Recap

golden state warriors

The Warriors weathered the storm in Game 2, and it was a fairly even first half. Things took a turn when they went on an 18-0 run to open the third quarter. This was a typical start to the half for the Warriors, and Toronto struggled to adapt. They lost the quarter 34-21. Golden State didn’t kill the game like they have in other postseason games, and Toronto had their share of chances to get back into it. Despite their shooting percentage, the Warriors did not dominate this game in most areas.

It was a strong shooting performance from the Warriors, going 38-82 from the field, good for 46%. They also shot 38% from three. Golden State lost the rebound battles, but assisted on 34 makes to Toronto’s 17. It was flawless passing in the second half that led to these types of numbers. Each started had five or more assists, except for Stephen Curry. Draymond Green just missed a triple-double, needing one more assist.

DeMarcus Cousins was the big winner, making a jump to 28 minutes in Game 2. With the rest in between, there should be no reason for Cousins to be limited moving forward. He had 11-10-6 line with two blocks. He was also +12. The Warriors were also able to limit Andre Iguodala a bit, who played just 28 minutes, but had clutch baskets down the stretch.

Warriors Starting Lineup

Stephen Curry, PG – It wasn’t a monster showing from Stephen Curry in Game 2, but he was able to influence the game with a few key turnovers and also got to the line despite his shot not dropping. It was more of a team effort, and Curry had to deal with Fred VanVleet and Danny Green for a majority of his possessions. He struggled against both. Curry is second for both teams in usage for the series, and will continue to play 40 minutes a night. He gets to head back at home where we should see him pad his MVP stance if the Warriors win.

Klay Thompson, SG (Questionable) – The hamstring is a concern, and there are no strong reports leaning one way or the other for Thompson playing at the moment. If he is out, Quinn Cook, Alfonzo McKinnie, and Shaun Livingston will soak up some minutes. We also see a higher usage go to the surrounding starters. Thompson was able to find his shot in Game 2, going 4-6 from three, and 10-17 overall. Thompson also held Kyle Lowry and Kawhi Leonard to a combined 11 points on 40 combined possessions. His defense has been underrated in these playoffs.

Andre Iguodala, SF – Outside of the big three at the end, Andre Iguodala had an influential game that might not get noticed by the average fan. He worked the ball well with six assists, and also had eight rebounds. He was +6 on the game. Iguodala floated around on defense quite a bit, but was matched up with Kawhi Leonard the most. He allowed nine points on 23 possessions, but forced three turnovers and allowed just one assist. He also was one of the bigger reasons Pascal Siakam struggled, as him and Green both locked down defensively.

Draymond Green, PF – Just one assist shy of a triple-double, Draymond Green had the bounce back game that Toronto needed. He guarded Pascal Siakam on 35 possessions, allowing just three points on 1-8 shooting. Green also held Leonard to 1-5 shooting on 11 possessions. Green was able to navigate through this Raptors defense. He has a 20% usage rate in the playoffs, and a 35% assist rate. He continues to be one of the most important players for the Warriors success.

DeMarcus Cousins, C – I wasn’t sure how much DeMarcus Cousins could give after his Game 1 performance, but his Game 2 performance was the lift Golden State needed. He has a 21% usage rate over the two games, and has an 86.3 defensive rating in the series as well. Cousins played Marc Gasol really well defensively, and guarded mostly him and Serge Ibaka. With Looney out and no real strong option, Cousins will need to keep this pace up for the series.

Bench Players

With the injuries to Golden State, the rotation is going to depend on who is healthy. At the moment we know Durant and Looney are out. Thompson remains questionable, and there will be some fill-in options. Quinn Cook saw 21 minutes, and was -7 in Game 2. Shaun Livingston played 16, but wasn’t entirely productive either. With Looney out, Andrew Bogut should shift into that 10 minute mark for Game 3. He played seven minutes in Game 2, and Golden State will need bigger bodies at times. The odd DNP was Jordan Bell, who saw seven minutes in Game 1.

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Jason Guilbault is the Brand Content Manager for Lineups.com, powered by Catena Media. He has worked 10+ in the sports betting & iGaming space as a writer and content manager. Jason has also written for DailyFantasyCafe, NBAMockDraft, & FantasyPros. He aims to bring the best sports data & insight to the industry for both novice & advanced users.

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