1. Pascal Siakam is a star.
If there’s still any doubt lingering in your mind about Pascal Siakam being the real deal, then this game should erase them all. 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steal, and only 2 turnovers. This is the best NBA Finals debut we've seen in a long time. Siakam gives Toronto a little bit of wiggle room in terms of accommodating off-days from their all-stars in Kawhi and Lowry. In a game where Lowry scored only 7 points and Kawhi was average at best with 23, to still pull off the win is something they have to be ecstatic about.
2. Demarcus Cousins needs to play.
100% or not, Cousins is a threat. He’s a big guy who is deadly at the post, can make superb passes, and can clog up the lane on defense. He doesn't even need to score as his presence means one less body on Steph or Klay, which should make a world of difference. The addition of Marc Gasol (20 points, 7 rebounds) to Toronto’s lineup just makes Cousins playing a necessity for Golden State at this point. We understand that he is coming from an injury but with Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell playing like this, Golden State are in dire need of his services.
3. The Raptors could potentially be as deadly as Golden State from beyond the arc.
They might not be as consistent as the splash brothers but the Raptors might have more options from deep than Golden State, especially with Kevin Durant out. If Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, and Fred VanVleet get hot, this Raptors team becomes a deadly force on the offensive side. Heck, even Toronto’s triumvirate of bigs can drop a few threes when left open. And that showed tonight with seven Raptors players making at least one three, which paved the way for the likes of Siakam to operate freely inside.
4. It’s going to be defense that wins this series.
Both teams have enough firepower to match up well with anybody on offense. Case in point: the loser of this game still scored 109 points. This makes us think that great defense will decide this series. On one end, you have Draymond Green anchoring a defense that’s predicated on great individual stops. On the other, a top five defensive team headed by Kawhi, which is also the best defensive unit the Warriors have faced in the Finals ever. Today, Toronto’s players came up with big defensive stops, drawing offensive fouls and delivering devastating blocks (six blocks for Toronto versus Golden State’s two) when needed.
5. Kevin Durant is happy.
Kevin Durant is smiling somewhere. This game proves that Golden State is not better without him and that they might need him to finish off a team like Toronto. Not only was his scoring severely missed, he is also more than capable of guarding Kawhi or Pascal Siakam, which gives Golden State more flexibility in terms of their defensive rotations. Toronto should take advantage of every game that Durant is not on the floor.