Email from Paulo Sternberg:

Hah! Good lad; but Bogut had a very good year in Australia before Steve K called him. Won def awards, was not “nearly out of ball…” in addition to disagreements re minor issues, my major beef is that you continue to refer to the Dubs as the Golden state warriors, rather than the Oakland warriors.

Thanks for the coverage; don’t have BEIN on the basic Orange pack here in the wilds of the Pyrenees Oriental.

You’ree welcome. This just highlights the fact that the Warriors, who have been criticized for their lack of depth, won today on the backs of their role players. Curry had an iffy first half, Looney and Thompson were injured and Durant, of course, continues to be a question mark. Instead, players like Cousins, just barely returned from injury himself, and Bogut and Iguodala all had huge moments.

The Golden State Warriors have tied the NBA Finals at 1-1! What a heartbreaking loss for Toronto, who had so many opportunities late.

Warriors 109-104 Raptors, 5.9, 4^th quarter

They change the call. It’s going to be Raptors basketball. Looks like they got it right. Now can the Raptors capitalize? VanVleet tries a three… its no good, they get the rebound, can’t hit. Another rebound, no good and FINALLY Danny Green hits a three-pointer to cut it down to a single basket.

The Warriors keep it for a bit, the Raptors don’t foul and Iguodala drills a basket with 5.9 remaining on the clock! It’s a five-point lead and that might do it.

Warriors 106-101 Raptors, 51.4, 4^th quarter

Huge possession for both teams here. Green drives to the basket and loses the ball, but the refs say it went off of Toronto. It looks like it just barely grazed Gasol’s arm but it’s hard to see.

After a few replays it actually looks like it’s just a clear loss by Green.

Warriors 106-101 Raptors, 1:08, 4^th quarter

Steph Curry gets called for a technical after getting called for a standard foul and then throwing the ball in anger. Kawhi Leonard goes to the line for three free throws to cut the lead down to five points. Now, it’s a bit closer than the Warriors would like it. They call a timeout. This is now officially interesting.

Warriors 106-98 Raptors, 1:08, 4^th quarter

The Warriors have gone ice cold and the Raptors can’t capitalize this is amazing. They are going to have so many regrets when this one is over.

Warriors 106-98 Raptors, 1:58, 4^th quarter

Leonard fouls Cousins, the seconds keep ticking away.

Warriors 106-98 Raptors, 2:30, 4^th quarter

Raptors are getting stops but they’re not converting the shots they’re getting and they’re running out of time.

Warriors 106-98 Raptors, 3:46, 4^th quarter

Bad news for the Raptors, Lowry fouls out on an ill-advised reach-in. Toronto needed a better and smarter game from him.

Warriors 106-98 Raptors, 4:18, 4^th quarter

Curry gets called on a foul. The refs look to see if it’s going to be a clear-path foul. Meanwhile, Thompson is diagnosed with hamstring tightness and will not return to this game.

It’s just a loose ball foul on Curry, so no free throws… except he immediately gets called for another foul. Kyle Lowry gets to the line and misses the first free throw, that’s not ideal, but he makes the second.

Warriors 106-97 Raptors, 4:46, 4^th quarter

Bogut, in the midst of a potential podium game, gets called for his second foul. Siakam gets free throws, which is rather questionable, but the Raptors are going to take it. Siakam makes the first, misses the second, but the Raptors get the offensive rebound. They can’t make use of it first time around, or second, but finally VanVleet is able to tip in his own miss.

Warriors 106-94 Raptors, 5:22, 4^th quarter

It’s probably not a good sign that Toronto immediately had to take another timeout.

Warriors 106-94 Raptors, 5:39, 4^th quarter

Livingston finds Green for an alley oop, a go-to play for the Warriors this game. Leonard misses a shot that could cut the lead down to single-digits. Instead, Bogut, perhaps drawing inspiration from haters such as myself, dunks yet again.

The Raptors take a timeout and now the clock is starting to be a factor.

Warriors 102-94 Raptors, 6:38, 4^th quarter

Livingston gets to the line, makes both free throws. On the other end, Leonard gets to the basket and scores and draws a foul on Draymond Green. He makes his free throw.

Warriors 100-91 Raptors, 7:36, 4^th quarter

Thompson landed awkwardly and eventually tried to call for a foul to stop things. He’s out for the moment. The Warriors need Thompson desperately, so they have to hope that apparent leg injury isn’t serious.

Meanwhile in game news, Livingston makes a layup to get the Warriors to 100.

Email from Paulo Sternberg:

Following your gamecast from Catalunya Nord at 4 in the morning.Why hating on Oakland? Also, your Bogut comments are silly; he has had very good minutes, yes limited, for Oakland, since Steve K called him up at the start of the playoffs.

I want to make it very clear that I have nothing but respect for the Golden State Warriors, who are on one of the greatest runs of any NBA team. I also want to add that I absolutely do mean disrespect to Andrew Bogut. I am not going to pretend otherwise.

Warriors 98-91 Raptors, 7:59, 4^th quarter

Two straight three-pointers for Cook quiets the crowd down. Ibaka hits a three right back. This is starting to get interesting.

Except Klay Thompson is hurt. Eventually the Warriors take a timeout, this could be a series-changer here.

Warriors 95-88 Raptors, 9:04, 4^th quarter

Lowry hits a three to cut the Warriors lead down to 5 but Cousins drives to the basket. It would quite the crowd but Danny Green hits a HUGE three to cut the lead down to four.

Warriors 90-82 Raptors, 9:49, 4^th quarter

Siakam tips in an Ibaka miss, so the Raptors avoid a long scoreless streak this time around.

Warriors 90-80 Raptors, 11:15, 4^th quarter

Cousins with a layup to start off the fourth quarter scoring. Of course the Warriors strike first.

Warriors 88-80 Raptors, 12:00, 4^th quarter

The Warriors are twelve minutes away from tying up the Finals.

Because whenever there’s a time to use this .Gif...

Warriors 88-80 Raptors, end of the 3^rd quarter

Powell makes a shot for the Raptors. Curry hits yet another three, maybe he’s not hurt at all. Leonard cuts into the Warriors lead with a layup and that will bring us to the end of the third quarter where Golden State very much dominated as predicted.

Warriors 85-76 Raptors, 1:22, 3^rd quarter

Leonard on the line makes both free throws and…

This is just brutal, Bogut makes his second straight dunk. This guy was nearly out of basketball very, very recently.

Warriors 83-74 Raptors, 1:46, 3^rd quarter

Leonard hits a three-pointer. If Leonard can be the Playoff MVP that we’ve seen in the first few postseason series, the Raptors can steal this one.

Although putting Curry on the line, where he makes both free throws, isn’t going to help matters.

Warriors 81-71 Raptors, 2:17, 3^rd quarter

Curry misses, the crowd cheers. Curry steals and gets the ball to Quinn Cook who gets it to Green who gives it up to Siakam who has the half-court all to himself and scores.

But Cook makes a three-pointer to settle things down.

Warriors 78-69 Raptors, 3:13, 3^rd quarter

Leonard gets to the line, that’s also a good sign for the Raptors, and makes both.

Warriors 78-67 Raptors, 3:42, 3^rd quarter

McKinnie is scoring. It doesn’t matter who has the ball for the Warriors at this point, they’re going to score on the Raptors. Ibaka answers, so at least the Raptors can score points again.

Warriors 76-65 Raptors, 4:26, 3^rd quarter

Leonard scores and gets fouled, just what Toronto needs. He makes the free throw. It’s a nine point game, briefly. Andrew Bogut… Wait, Andrew Bogut is on the Warriors? He lays down a Steph Curry assist. That’s just embarrassing.

Warriors 74-62 Raptors, 4:50, 3^rd quarter

Okay, it’s just a 10 point game. The Raptors can calm down and make some shots here and be right back in it. There’s a lot of time left.

Or Draymond Green can carve up their defense and score while they remain cold on offense.

Warriors 72-62 Raptors, 5:27, 3^rd quarter

Green makes a shot and then, FINALLY, VanVleet hits a three to put the Raptors on the board. It’s an excuse for the fans to get back into the game.

Warriors 70-59 Raptors, 6:55, 3^rd quarter

Game 1 hero tries to make something happen but his shot gets blocked by Cousins. This is a turnaround, isn’t it. Thompson drives to the basket and scores, that’s 16 straight Warriors points.

Warriors 68-59 Raptors, 7:35, 3^rd quarter

VanVleet with a three… no good. Raptors still haven’t scored. Thompson hits a three. Is Nurse going to call a timeout anytime soon?

Yes, immediately. What in god’s name are the Raptors doing?

Warriors 65-59 Raptors, 8:21, 3^rd quarter

Thompson scores, that’s 11 straight points for the Warriors. Gasol attempts a no-hope three and it’s no good. Finally something good happens as Cousins gets called for a fourth foul. The Raptors need something offensively here though.

Warriors 63-59 Raptors, 9:18, 3^rd quarter

Gasol gets called on a moving screen, there’s a turnover. The Raptors still haven’t scored this half. Draymond Green has a free shot under the basket and scores. Toronto then turn the ball over a few times and are damn lucky that Golden State can’t convert.

The Warriors are doing what the Warriors can do if you sleep on them just a little and there’s no doubt that the Raptors didn’t start the quarter with the right intensity.

Warriors 61-59 Raptors, 10:02, 3^rd quarter

Iguodala hits a three and the Warriors have already regained the lead. That was quicker than even I was expecting and Nick Nurse calls a timeout, Toronto.

Warriors 58-59 Raptors, 10:15, 3^rd quarter

Iguodala actually starts off the shooting for the Warriors, scoring the first basket and Curry follows up with one of his own and after all that work in the first half, it’s just a one-point game for Toronto.

Warriors 54-59 Raptors, 11:13, 3^rd quarter

Some injury news: Iguodala is out there, Kevon Looney is out with a left chest contusion. That could be a factor defensively for the Warriors.

My second half prediction? Look for the Warriors to have a trademark big third quarter but they don’t look like a team that’s just going to blow by these Raptors. It’s going to be tight until the end of the fourth quarter.

Sometimes Twitter is good.

Sometimes Twitter is good.

Warriors 52-58 Raptors, 28.4, 2^nd quarter

Thompson is going to have a great night if the Warriors want to win this one and it’s looking like he is. He makes a three pointer. The red hot VanVleet scores yet again!

And Curry makes his next two shots. They’ve awoken a sleeping giant.

Warriors 45-56 Raptors, 2:04, 2^nd quarter

Curry makes his second straight three. Let’s see if this gets him going. Meanwhile, the Raptors take advantage of two straight Warriors turnovers to score twice, both Gasol and VanVleet score. Looney picks up another foul and the crowd is getting loud.

Warriors 42-52 Raptors, 2:58, 2^nd quarter

Kevon Looney is called for an iffy foul, putting Leonard on the line for two free throws. He makes both.

Warriors 42-50 Raptors, 3:22, 2^nd quarter

Iguodala was the victim of a Marc Gasol screen. Iguodala is out. Klay Thompson hits a jumper to give the Warriors some good news.

Warriors 40-50 Raptors, 3:22, 2^nd quarter

Curry makes his first basket, a three-pointer that might break the seal. Powell responds with a three-pointer and Iguodala is down. The Warriors take a timeout to deal with this. This doesn’t look great.

Warriors 37-47 Raptors, 4:06, 2^nd quarter

Leonard makes the free throw. Largest lead for the Raptors. Curry misses another shot, he is 0-for-6. Someone else is going to have to step up, Jonas Jerebko decides it’s gotta be him and he makes a basket to cut the lead back to 10.

Is that good? That doesn’t sound like it’s good.

Warriors 35-46 Raptors, 5:16, 2^nd quarter

Siakam finds Leonard who finds the basket and finds himself fouled by Steph Curry. Before he goes to the line, the Warriors are going to take a timeout. They need to find themselves here, if it weren’t for their free throws they would be completely out of it right now.

Warriors 35-44 Raptors, 5:36, 2^nd quarter

Norman Powell with the dunk? Norman Powell with the dunk. Give Gasol the assist.

Warriors 35-42 Raptors, 5:52, 2^nd quarter

Lowry tries to draw a charge but gets called for a foul and Cousins goes to the line yet again. Cousins hits both free throws. Lowry gets two attempts at a three-pointer, makes the second. Cousins answers with a three of his own, he’s definitely a difference maker tonight.

Except he just picked up his third foul.

Warriors 30-39 Raptors, 7:12, 2^nd quarter

Warriors can’t even score on a fast break but, guess what, the Raptors get called on a foul that puts Cousins on the line. He makes both free throws. Gasol makes up for committing the foul by making a layup for Toronto.

Warriors 28-37 Raptors, 8:06, 2^nd quarter

Curry is now 0-5 after missing two three-pointers on one possession. On the other end, Leonard gets fouled by McKinnie and gets two free throws to increase the Toronto lead.

Warriors 28-35 Raptors, 8:41, 2^nd quarter

Serge Ibaka picks up his third foul of the game and gets taken out. Finally VanVleet makes a basket to break the stalemate. He draws the foul too and finishes up an old fashioned three-pointer.

Warriors 28-32 Raptors, 9:02, 2^nd quarter

We’re not seeing the crisp offense that made Game 1 so fun to watch. I’m not sure it’s great defense or just not great offense. The two teams trade bricks for a bit

It’s concerning for the Warriors, they need his shooting to keep them afloat until Durant returns.

Warriors 28-32 Raptors, 10:19, 2^nd quarter

VanVleet will a trademark EXTREME LONGBALL gives the Raptors crowd a huge jolt. Warriors with an early timeout.

Warriors 28-29 Raptors, 10:59, 2^nd quarter

Thompson starts the scoring with a jumper to give the Warriors a lead again but Siakam answers.

It would probably behoove the Raptors to start being smarter with their fouls, the Warriors are making them pay at the free throw line and they’re not a team you want to start gifting points to. The Raptors are otherwise outplaying them so far, but it’s just a one-point game after a quarter.

Warriors 26-27 Raptors, end of the 1^st quarter

VanVleet with a score on one side of the court and then a foul on the other, that’s going to put Curry on the line. He makes both this time around. Green draws yet another foul to go to the line. He makes one of two, Ibaka manages to get a tip-in on a Siakam miss after a few attempts, and that’ll do it for scoring in the first quarter.

Warriors 23-23 Raptors, 1:20, 1^st quarter

Siakam scores again. Curry attempts a three pointer, it’s no good. The Warriors turn it over and Danny Green ties things up with a jumper.

Warriors 23-19 Raptors, 2:25, 1^st quarter

Draymond gets fouled again and again makes both free throws.

Warriors 21-19 Raptors, 2:25, 1^st quarter

VanVleet attempts a long one, it’s no good, and Draymond Green draws a foul. Green makes free throws while the broadcast suggests that Curry isn’t 100%, he certainly hasn’t quite looked himself this first quarter.

Raptors take a timeout, meanwhile Obama is chilling out with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Warriors 19-19 Raptors, 2:55, 1^st quarter

Green gets a layup, gets Golden State closer. Livingston dunks and we have a tied game.

Warriors 15-19 Raptors, 3:41, 1^st quarter

Steph Curry gets fouled attempting a three pointer. Miraculously he actually misses one of them, making only two.

Warriors 13-19 Raptors, 4:00, 1^st quarter

Some substitutions here. Alfonzo McKinnie and Shaun Livingston make their debuts. Lowry makes his free throw and Siakam takes advantage of a Warriors turnover by slamming down a pass from Fred VanVleet.

Warriors 13-16 Raptors, 4:27, 1^st quarter

Another jumper for Klay Thompson. Is he going to miss? Then Lowry gets fouled while drilling a shot, that’s on Thompson. Before Lowry can attempt the free throw, Golden State takes their first timeout.

Warriors 11-14 Raptors, 4:52, 1^st quarter

Leonard gets to the line again, where he makes both. Then, finally, the rest of the Warriors get involved offensively, Curry feeds Draymond Green for a dunk.

Warriors 9-12 Raptors, 5:20, 1^st quarter

Lowry jumps and hits a three pointer to put them back ahead. Leonard throws a bad shot up but then just swats it and, of course, it goes right in. He’s like a pinball machine this guy.

Klay Thompson has all nine Warriors points. So there’s that.

Warriors 9-7 Raptors, 6:56, 1^st quarter

Siakam gets called for a foul and the Raptors take a timeout.

Warriors 9-7 Raptors, 7:11, 1^st quarter

Leonard gets called for travelling, the first Toronto turnover. Thompson hits another three-pointer, he’s been Golden State’s main weapon so far. After a turnover, Thompson gets a clean break to the rim, he misses but Lowry gets called for a foul. He’s on the line where he makes one of two free throws for Golden State.

Warriors 5-7 Raptors, 8:13, 1^st quarter

Thompson hits another jumper. Raptors get the ball back, Leonard attempts a long-ball that doesn’t go but a travel gets the ball back to Toronto. So far more of a defensive battle than Game 1, early on. Cousins, however, picks up his second foul. This one puts Gasol on the line where he gets both free throws.

Warriors 2-5 Raptors, 9:24, 1^st quarter

Gasol fouls Cousins, but it’s called on the floor. No free throws, still Golden State ball. Thompson hits the Warriors’ first basket. Leonard counters with a three.

Warriors 0-2 Raptors, 10:39, 1^st quarter

Warriors don’t score on their possession either. Cousins immediately gets called for a foul on the other end, not a shooting foul. Leonard finally hits the first shot of the game a minute in.

Warriors 0-0 Raptors, 11:21, 1^st quarter

Kyle Lowry’s first shot is no good, but they get the ball back. Siakam’s three-point attempt is no good.

Powerful moment.

We’re getting close to opening tip. Obviously, since this is the Finals it’s never entirely on time, have to do the ABC pregame stuff.

Toronto Raptors starters

Same as last time around. Why mess with what worked?

PG – Kyle Lowry

SG – Danny Green

F – Kawhi Leonard

F – Pascal Siakam

C – Marc Gasol

Golden State Warriors starters

DeMarcus Cousins is back in the starting lineup for the Warriors, replacing Jordan Bell. Otherwise it’s the same look.

PG – Steph Curry

SG – Klay Thompson

F – Andre Iguodala

F – Draymond Green

C – DeMarcus Cousins

Thing that sounds like I’m making a joke but I am totally not: There will be a manufactured Fox News controversy about Obama going to see a basketball game in Canada rather than one in the United States. Very Unamerican.

Oh thank God, Drake won’t be the most famous person at tonight’s game. Whatever you think of his presidency, you have to respect him for this: he’s long out of office but he is still providing us all a public service.

“NBA Countdown” is up and the whole thing starts with them saying that Paul Pierce has become the most hated man in Canada for jinxing them by picking them as winners. I remember when his nickname was The Truth, man has his broadcasting career made that seem ironic.

Predictions

Okay, way back in our pre-Finals bold predictions, I said that the Raptors would win the first two games and then go on and lose the next four. I’m going to do the cowardly thing and back down on that prediction. I believe that the Warriors are going to bounce back this game, I feel that they are very much motivated to do so. I also no longer believe that this Raptors team is going to lose four straight. The Warriors win this game, in a dogfight, but the Raptors are going to win on the road.

Agree? Disagree? Send us your predictions via email (to hunter.felt.freelance@theguardian.com) or Twitter (to @HunterFelt).

Injury news

First, let’s talk about the Warriors: Kevin Durant is right out. Okay that takes care of that.

Meanwhile, the Raptors have activated forward OG Anunoby but he’s unlikely to play any as she’s still recovering from an appendectomy.

Hunter will be here shortly, in the meantime here’s Oliver Connolly on Game 1:

Game 1 of the NBA finals was hardly the best litmus test for this series. It was the Raptors’ first finals appearance in franchise history. Scotiabank Arena was going bonkers. Toronto played with some extra juice. The Warriors had 10 days off, fresh off a perfect sweep of the Blazers in the Western Conference finals. It’s their fifth straight trip to the NBA finals. Some of the sheen has inevitably waned; this is just what they do.

Golden State’s performance was slathered in rust and complacency. The devastating cutting, high tempo and genius-level passing, all came in fits and starts, but it didn’t sustain. There was always Curry launching a no-look pass into the first row to bail out any onslaught.

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