Raptors beat Warriors for 2-1 NBA Finals lead

AP:

For every amazing shot in a career night by Stephen Curry on his home court, Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and Danny Green kept finding dazzling answers of their own.

The Toronto Raptors decided to 'let it rip', and now they have the momentum again in these back-and-forth NBA Finals.

Leonard scored 30 points on a night Curry went off for a play-off-best 47, and the Raptors beat the banged-up Golden State Warriors 123-109 on Wednesday for a 2-1 series lead.

Curry also had eight rebounds and seven assists, but couldn't do it all for the two-time defending champions, down starters Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson and key backup big man Kevon Looney, because of injuries.

"They outplayed us. They deserved it," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "I'm very proud of our effort, and now we've just got to bounce back and hopefully get back in here Friday night and, hopefully, get a little healthier and get some guys back."

Splash Brother Thompson missed his first career play-off game after straining his left hamstring late in Game 2, while Looney is out the rest of the series after a cartilage fracture on his right side near the collarbone that also happened Sunday. Durant, a two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP, has been sidelined for nearly a month because of a strained right calf.

Game 4 is today at Oracle Arena, where Warriors fans will be rooting for the returns of Durant and Thompson.

Before the game, one of the Raptors wrote 'let it rip' on the locker room board.

Lowry contributed 23 with five 3-pointers, and Green had 18 points with six 3s after Pascal Siakam got the Raptors rolling early. Toronto shot 52.4 per cent and made 17 from deep.

"I give our guys a lot of credit. I thought we answered a lot of runs," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. "Each time they chipped, we kind of answered back. And that's kind of what you got to do if you're going to keep your lead."

The Warriors trailed 96-83 going into the final quarter. Curry's three free throws at 10:37 made it a seven-point game before back-to-back baskets by Serge Ibaka.

Siakam scored 18 points and established the momentum for Toronto from the tip, hitting his first three shots and setting a tone for a defensive effort that stayed solid without the foul problems that plagued the Raptors in Game 2.

"Every time we made a run or got the crowd into it, they either made a tough three or there was a tough foul call, and they slowed the tempo down or something went their way," Curry said. "You have to tip your cap to all the guys who made pivotal plays in the right times."