After narrowly missing in their first chance at winning an NBA Title in Monday's Game 5, the Toronto Raptors came out firing against the defending champion Golden State Warriors in Game 6 on Thursday in Oakland.
But even while Toronto sank 9 of 18 three-point attempts over the first half, Golden State kept pace with the Eastern Conference champions by getting to the line and making 13 of 14 free throws.
The Warriors entered halftime trailing, 60-57, despite turning the ball over 10 times over the first 24 minutes of play.
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry sank his first four shots and ended the the opening quarter with 15 points as Toronto held a narrow 33-32 lead entering the second frame. Teammate Pascal Siakam recovered from a recent 0-for-12 stretch from three-point range to hit three of his first four from deep on Thursday.
Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 18 points at the half while Andre Iguodala added 11 and Stephen Curry chipped in with nine for Golden State.
The Raptors were two minutes away from securing Canada's first-ever NBA title in Game 5 before falling victim to a barrage of three-pointers from Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry after Golden State star Kevin Durant left with a ruptured Achilles in the second quarter.
Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard drives past Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney
Klay Thompson made his first four shots and has 10 for Golden State. Toronto led by as many as nine points, and Stephen Curry nearly made an 85-footer to end the quarter
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry hit his first four shots to give Toronto an early 11-2 lead
Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry (far left) sank his first four shots and ended the the opening quarter with 15 points as Toronto held a narrow 33-32 lead entering the second frame. Teammate Pascal Siakam (near right) recovered from a recent 0-for-12 stretch from three-point range to hit three of his first four from deep on Thursday
Toronto Raptors center Marc Gasol, right, loses the ball in Game 6 of the NBA Finals
Sarah McLachlan performs the Canadian National Anthem prior to Game 6 of the NBA Finals
Fans react in the Jurassic Park fan zone during Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors, televised live from Oakland, in Toronto, Ontario
Even though they entered the half trailing, the Warriors did make some history in the second quarter.
Before halftime, Warriors forward Andre Iguodala hit a field goal, giving Golden State 46 points for the evening - and1 2,097 for the season, including playoffs.
The most points ever scored in a season had been 12,096, by the 1984-85 Los Angeles Lakers in 101 games. These Warriors, who are playing their 104th game of the season, entered Thursday with 12,051.
Golden State scored 12,006 points in the 2015-16 season, in 106 games. That's the third-most in a season.
The 2019 NBA Finals have not lacked historical significance.
Monday's 106-105 final not only produced the first one-point Finals margin since 2007, but it also made the Warriors just the sixth team in NBA history to win a potential elimination game on the road.
Fans attending Thursday's game will get a towel honoring Durant, a.k.a. 'KD'
History remained on the Raptors' side entering Game 6. Of the 34 teams that have led a Finals 3-1, 33 have gone on to win the championship. The only exception was the Warriors in 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to win in seven games.
Exacerbating matters for Golden State has been the loss of Kevin Durant, who returned from a calf injury to score 11 points in 12 minutes in Game 5, only to sustain a ruptured Achilles in the same leg. Durant is expected to miss the majority of next season, if not the entire 2019-2020 campaign.
Warriors players and fans were outraged during Game 5 when a contingent of Raptors supporters appeared to cheer Durant's injury, even as Toronto veterans Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry attempted to hush them and pat the rival star on the back.
Fans attending Thursday's game will get a towel honoring Durant, a.k.a. 'KD.'
Thursday's game is the Warriors' last at Oracle Arena, which opened as the Oakland Coliseum Arena 47 years ago. Golden State will move to the Chase Center in San Francisco next season.
Fans share their support for Kevin Durant, who may have played his last game for Golden State
Warriors fans did not forget Kevin Durant, who ruptured his Achilles in Game 5
The game will be the Warriors' last at Oracle Arena, which opened as the Oakland Coliseum Arena 47 years ago. Golden State will move to the Chase Center in San Francisco next season. 'This has been just an incredible environment in which to coach and play back in the day,' Warriors coach Steve Kerr (pictured) said Wednesday
Raptors coach Nick Nurse said he's not surprised the road team has won four of the first five games in the best-of-seven. 'Both teams are really good road teams and have been all season,' he said. 'Two really tough-minded teams playing, and you got to be a little more tough-minded on the road. And I think a lot of those games probably could have went either way'
Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard battles Warriors veteran Andre Iguodala for the ball in Game 6
That energy wasn't enough to prevent Raptors wins in Games 3 and 4 after the Warriors earned a split in the two series-opening games in Toronto.
Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Wednesday he's not surprised the road team has won four of the first five games in the best-of-seven.
'Both teams are really good road teams and have been all season,' he
