NBA Finals: Klay Thompson wouldn’t have saved the Warriors in Game 3

Even if he played, Klay Thompson wouldn’t have been able to save the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the NBA Finals

In the crucial Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors weren’t able to upend the Toronto Raptors without Klay Thompson.

The Raptors definitely capitalized with Thompson being injured in Game 3, in which we realized just how important he is to the Warriors. Perhaps even more crucial to the team than Kevin Durant.

Klay Thompson is mainly a catch-and-shoot player and plays better with Stephen Curry than KD. He does not need the basketball to be effective, and this makes it harder for the Raptors to defend against the Warriors. Klay is also one of the best defenders at his position.

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However, would the Warriors have won Game 3 if Klay Thompson had played? The Warriors would have still likely lost. The Warriors scored 109 points in Game 3 as they did in Game 1 and 2. The Warriors did not lose because they did not have enough offense.

The Warriors were just not efficient on the defensive end. The Raptors starting lineup managed to score 106 points in Game 3, and each scored at least 15 points. This had nothing to do with Klay Thompson’s absence.

The Warriors also had no answer for Danny Green when he got hot. Green was unstoppable from 3-point range where he shot 60 percent from deep on the night.

If Klay had played, Stephen Curry would not have had 47 points. Klay and Curry in Game 2 combined for 48 points. If Klay played, the splash brothers would have needed a combined 61 points to win the game.

For once, the Raptors were better at the free throw line than the Dubs. The Raptors shot 95 percent at the free-throw line in Game 3. The Raptors were 84.4 percent from the free throw line in Game 1 and 88.5 percent in Game 2.

DeMarcus Cousins was also not as produtive in Game 3. Boogie scored only four points and grabbed three rebounds in Game 3. If Boogie had played as well as he did in Game 2, the Warriors would have won. However, Boogie had roughly the same number of shot attempts in Game 3 as he did in Game 2. Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka played great defense against Boogie.

Kyle Lowry also balled out in Game 3, scoring more points (23) than he had in Game 1 and 2 combined.

Even Klay had played, the Warriors would have likely lost Game 3.

The health of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant will likely determine who wins the NBA Finals, but at this point you can’t deny the fact that the Raptors are in the driver’s seat.