NBA Finals 2019: 3 things the Golden State Warriors need to do to beat the Toronto Raptors

#1 Employ Man to Man Defense

Golden State Warriors v Portland Trail Blazers - Game Four

Golden State has good length and good team quickness. Steve Kerr should employ a man to man defensive strategy primarily. What hurt the Milwaukee Bucks in the ECF was double-teaming Kawhi Leonard.

If double-teamed, Leonard becomes a good enough facilitator making the right pass to open shooters and in the ECF it was Fred Vanvleet's 14 of his last 17 threes which torched Milwaukee. However, Leonard still scored. It’s a trap double teaming Leonard

The Raptors use a fair amount of isolation plays for Leonard and pick and roll to free up Lowry, Leonard or Vanvleet. On isolation plays, the ball is predominantly in Leonard’s hands and he will either look for foul line extended mid-range shots, attacks to the basket or a turn around step back jumper.

Knowing he will make shots, Golden State should play him man to man and stay home on the Raptors' floor spacers/shooters. It's better to have Leonard force his offence than let a so far quiet Danny Green or Marc Gasol get going offensively. The Raptors are averaging 26.2ppg in the 2019 playoffs on spot-up shooting.

Any strategy that the Warriors employ, they must play consistent defence in the 2019 NBA Finals to once again be successful.