Nantes changes name to French Open and upgrades to PSA Silver status
By SEAN REUTHE

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) have announced today that the Open de France – Nantes 2019 presented by Tailor Capital will use a best-of-three games scoring format up to and including the quarter-finals when the tournament takes place at the Chateau des ducs de Bretagne between September 9-14.

Formerly known as the Open International de Squash de Nantes, this year’s Open de France has been upgraded to a PSA World Tour Silver tournament and will boast its highest ever prize purse of $147,000, which will be split equally between the men’s and women’s draws.

The tournament will be just the third ranking PSA event to use the best-of-three games format after March’s Canary Wharf Classic and the PSA World Tour Finals, which takes place in June.

The Open de France aims to combine culture and squash and last year took place at the Théâtre Graslin, where more than 4,000 spectators witnessed world-class squash at the stunning 18th century opera house throughout the week as England’s Declan James and Belgium’s Nele Gilis claimed silverware.

“We are excited to bring world-class squash back to Nantes for a fifth successive year, and believe that the increase in prize money, change in scoring format, and incredible new venue will lead to this being the best edition of the tournament to date,” said Tournament Promoter Francois Le Jort.

“The timing constraints given the decision to play matches after dark has led us, for this year, to take the decision to adopt the best-of-three games format until the quarter-finals to offer as many matches as possible on the glass court. These will be held under a transparent dome in order to fully enjoy this magical place, the illuminated Chateau des ducs de Bretagne.

“We are excited to bring world-class squash back to Nantes for a fifth successive year, and believe that the increase in prize money and incredible new venue will lead to this being the best edition of the tournament to date.”

PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough said: “The Open de France has forged a reputation as one of the most atmospheric tournaments on the PSA Tour, and we are delighted to see them make the step up to a Silver event for the 2019-20 season.

“I would like to thank the organising team for their hard work in making this a possibility, and I’m sure that the tournament will continue to go from strength to strength this year.”

The opening round of the Open de France will be held at the La Maison du Squash, while round two will be split between there and the Chateau des ducs de Bretagne. All matches from the quarter-finals onwards will be held at the Chateau.

Action from the glass court will be shown on SQUASHTV (rest of world), Eurosport Player (Europe only) and the PSA World Tour’s Facebook page (excluding Europe and Japan).
 

Report by SEAN REUTHE (PSA PR and Media Manager). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures by Philippe Piron / LVAN courtesy of  PSA

Saracens' ability to close out big games will give a huge boost to England's World Cup hopes, says 2003 winner Matt Dawson.

Mark McCall's side clinched an eighth major title with an exhilarating comeback victory over Exeter in the Premiership final at Twickenham.

And England stars Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Jamie George all made telling interventions in the final quarter.

"Knowing how to win in those types of environment is going to stand them in great stead going into the World Cup," Dawson said.

The former England scrum-half added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "When it came to the crunch and the key moments, those players made two or three top-drawer decisions."

Saracens recovered from 11 points down to win 37-34, with George's second try in the final moments sealing the victory, while Itoje produced a man-of-the-match performance from the flank.

England captain Farrell set up a crucial try for Welshman Liam Williams, as well as kicking two pivotal conversions from the touchline.

Meanwhile, both Mako and Billy Vunipola, lock George Kruis, centre Alex Lozowski and full-back Alex Goode have all also excelled this campaign.

"In the Championship minutes at the end of the game, Saracens were almost perfect," added former England fly-half Paul Grayson.

'Nowell a big-game player'

Dawson also urged England boss Eddie Jones to select Jack Nowell in his World Cup starting XV, after the Exeter man gave an astonishing individual display from full-back.

The versatile Nowell, who has won the bulk of his 33 England caps on the wing, hobbled off with ten minutes left of the Twickenham showpiece with an ankle and knee injury, and emerged on crutches after the game.

The World Cup starts in September in Japan, with Jones set to select his final 31-man squad at the end of August.

"It's why he is a Lion. This is a big-game player," Dawson said.

"When it comes to quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals, he is the number one person you put in your team.

"He can play at centre, on the wing and at full-back. You can see in his demeanour [in big games], the way he steps up the intensity.

"Never mind the plane [to Japan], he is in the team."

KOKOMO, Ind. – Justin Grant was the star of a thrilling and hotly-contested Kokomo Klassic for non-winged sprint cars on Sunday night at Kokomo Speedway.

After a back-and-forth duel with Kevin Thomas Jr. during the first half of the race, Grant took control of the 30-lap feature just past the midpoint. He grabbed the lead from Thomas for the final time on lap 18 and held off a hard-charging Thomas Meseraull for the victory.

Grant’s score earned he and the TOPP Motorsports team a $2,000 payday.

Meseraull gave a last-gasp effort on the outside of turns three and four on the final lap, but came up .173 seconds short at the finish and settled for second.

Scotty Weir, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Matt Cooley completed the top five.

The finish:

Justin Grant, Thomas Meseraull, Scotty Weir, Kevin Thomas Jr., Matt Cooley, Clinton Boyles, Dave Darland, Isaac Chapple, Tyler Hewitt, Travis Hery, Mario Clouser, Corey Smith, Gary Rooke, Ben Knight, Anthony Dalessio, Tye Mihocko, Parker Frederickson, Koby Barksdale, Cole Ketchum, Lee Underwood, Steve Thomas, David Hair, David Gross.

Arsenal and Manchester United are interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain's Thomas Meunier this summer, sources have told ESPN FC.

PSG are open to the sale and would demand around €30 million for a player who is entering the final 12 months of his contract amid a strained relationship with the club's fans and a lack of playing time.

- When does the transfer window close?

Sources have told ESPN FC that the two Premier League sides have already registered their interest. Arsenal boss Unai Emery, who signed Meunier for PSG, is behind the Gunners' interest, while United view the Belgium international as a more affordable alternative to Crystal Palace's £50m-rated Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

PSG's asking price is more realistic for United than Arsenal, sources added, with both United and Arsenal set to compete in the Europa League next season rather than the Champions League.

The 27-year-old told Le Parisien that "no fewer than 10 clubs, all in the top five of their leagues" have expressed interest in his services since January.

"PSG have not told me: 'we absolutely want to sell you,'" Meunier said. "They know that they will need me at some point.

"If the club tells me: 'listen, we want to sell you, we need the money, financial fair play is an issue,' that I will not play next year as well, then of course we will find a solution that suits everybody.

Before PSG sanction any move for Meunier, they want to know Dani Alves' final decision on their offer of a one-year contract extension, with the option of a possible second, that has been put forward to Brazil's Copa America captain.

If Meunier and Alves were to leave this summer, only youth academy graduates Colin Dagba and Alec Georgen would be left in the right-back role, as well as versatile central defender Thilo Kehrer, dictating that the position would have to be rebuilt through transfers with other areas more badly in need of attention.

Georgen is not deemed ready for first team action after a hellish past year of injury problems, and ESPN FC sources confirmed that PSG do not intend to sell Meunier and Alves this summer.

Meunier, a boyhood United supporter, liked United posts on social media in the wake of them beating PSG in the Champions League, exacerbating a long-standing rift with the French champions' supporters.

Despite being cheaper than Wan Bissaka, sources have told ESPN FC that Meunier is not a unanimous choice within United's recruitment team, and that there are question marks over whether a PSG substitute is the right choice to push the team forward under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Meanwhile, sources also told ESPN FC that Ashley Young is likely to remain at Old Trafford this summer amid speculation linking him with a move away -- notably to Major League Soccer.

The England international will turn 34 in July but remains a solid squad player to fill in at right and left-back, despite doubts over his ability to play 35-40 matches next season.

Although MLS is of interest to Young, the former Aston Villa man is unlikely to justify Designated Player (DP) money, which would mean that he needs to take a significant pay cut to move to America.

Manchester United correspondent Rob Dawson contributed towards this report.

Watford head coach Javi Gracia is under consideration to replace Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager if the Italian leaves Stamford Bridge to take over at Juventus, sources have told ESPN FC.

Despite guiding the club to Europa League glory against Arsenal in Baku last week, Sarri's future at Chelsea remains uncertain following a turbulent first campaign in charge.

- When are the Premier League fixtures published?
- When does the new Premier League season start?
- Who qualifies for Europe from the Premier League?

Sarri's troubled relationship with the Chelsea squad had already put his position under the spotlight, but with sources having told ESPN FC that the club hierarchy are prepared to let him leave for Juventus, potential successors are already being scrutinised by senior figures at Stamford Bridge.

Massimiliano Allegri, who has left Juventus after winning Serie A in each of his five seasons in Turin, could yet trade places with Sarri. But sources have told ESPN FC that there is a reluctance at Chelsea to appoint a third successive Italian manager due to the players struggling to embrace the approaches of either Sarri or his predecessor, Antonio Conte.

While Allegri's record at Juve, and previously with AC Milan, ensures he will be considered by Chelsea should Sarri leave his post, Watford coach Gracia has impressed senior figures at the club during his season-and-a-half at Vicarage Road.

The Spaniard, who has previously coached in Spain, Greece and Russia, guided Watford to the FA Cup final in the season just ended, where the club were beaten by Manchester City.

Gracia's playing style and coaching ability has caught the eye of the Chelsea hierarchy, who are also considering the merits of former Stamford Bridge midfielder Frank Lampard, who narrowly failed to guide Derby County to promotion to the Premier League during his first season as a manager.

While Gracia is understood to be one of the names under consideration rather than the favoured candidate, the 49-year-old is in the frame to replace Sarri should he choose to return to Italy with Juventus this summer.

Bruce Arena played coy about his return to the sideline after taking over as New England Revolution sporting director and head coach on May 14. Despite being handed the responsibility of remaking the Revs and hauling an MLS 1.0 organization into the MLS 3.0 era, Arena chose not to immediately take the reins of the first.

Heading into Sunday's match in LA, Arena said he "didn't know" if was going to coach the team from the field, suggesting that he wouldn't do so if was a distraction for his players.

Maybe that was true, but it seemed unimaginable that Arena could resist the temptation to prowl the sidelines of his old hunting grounds. He didn't, choosing to coach New England for the first time against the Galaxy. And of course the Revs won 2-1.

Welcome back, Bruce. Let's rank 'em.

Previous rankings: Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (11 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Friday, June 28 at Colorado, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Bob Bradley and LAFC are just the worst house guests. How rude of them to spoil the Timbers' big day at the grand-reopening of Providence Park. The Timbers even gave the first-place team a gift early in the game and LAFC repaid the gesture with one of their patented "Yep, they're really good" attacking performances.

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2. Philadelphia Union (8-4-4)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. New York Red Bulls, 7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The spotlight slipped off the Union a bit during a three-game winless run, but making history as the first visiting team to win at Allianz Field not only snaps that poor streak but also serves as a reminder that Philly is a pretty good team. If any town can appreciate a collection of kids and talented, but lesser-known, stars, it's the City of Brotherly Love.

3. Houston Dynamo (7-3-3)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 22 at Portland, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Dynamo didn't play well enough to win at home against Sporting on Saturday. They didn't even really play good enough to draw. But they have Alberth Elis and even when the Honduras international hasn't been in good form, he's capable of popping up with a pretty goal to keep the club's home unbeaten record intact.

4. New York City FC (4-8-1)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Thursday vs. FC Cincinnati, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Valentin Castellanos is a great name. It's the kind of name that evokes images of well-heeled horsemen brandishing swords made of Toledo steel while holding flowers between their teeth, in addition to 30-yard blasts that draw the visiting team level in a back-and-forth affair in Columbus.

5. LA Galaxy (9-1-6)

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 22 at FC Cincinnati, 7.30 p.m.

The Galaxy labored their way to a 2-1 defeat at home against New England on Sunday night. It's the kind of result that looks bad on paper and worse in reality. LA now hits a brief pause ahead of the Gold Cup, a well-timed chance to recharge the batteries and work out some of the defensive kinks in evidence against the Revs.

6. D.C. United (7-6-4)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Wednesday, June 26 vs. Orlando, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The weather is turning and United is sinking slowly into the famous D.C. swamp: there's not actually a swamp and "sinking" is admittedly a little harsh. That said, Saturday's disappointing home draw against San Jose drops D.C. into second behind Philadelphia and extends their winless run to five games.

7. Atlanta United (8-2-5)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Wednesday, June 26 at Toronto, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

You can't really have a "vintage" performance when you're only in your third season as a club, but we're going to say it anyway: The vintage version of Atlanta United showed up on Saturday against Chicago. The Five Stripes are now in third and charging up the table -- do we even need to say "watch out" to the rest of the East?

8. New York Red Bulls (7-3-5)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Saturday at Philadelphia, 7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Red Bulls broke the RSL defense an hour into Saturday's match and finished with a 4-0 win that feels like a confidence builder. It was a big win for Chris Armas against a former New York Red Bulls head coach while the man he succeeded, Jesse Marsch, watched from the stands.

9. Seattle Sounders (7-5-3)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Montreal, 7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Sounders couldn't get out of their own way against Dallas, which means that they couldn't get out of the way of the ball without putting it in their own net. The loss in Frisco puts Seattle on a losing streak for the first time in 2019; it's bad, yes, but they've still had an unusually good start to a season.

10. FC Dallas (6-3-6)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Saturday at San Jose, 3.30 p.m. ET

FCD ended a poor spin of six straight games without a win thanks to Seattle's largesse, but the return of Carlos Gruezo and Bryan Acosta was significant as well. The problem for Luchi Gonzalez is that both will leave for international duty before Saturday's visit to San Jose.

11. Montreal Impact (7-3-7)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Seattle, 7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

L'Impact have le visage rouge following a humiliating loss to Orlando at Stade Saputo. It's way, way too early for a result like this to feel important in the playoff race, but Montreal should be worried about some footsteps coming up behind them in the Eastern Conference standings. A little worried, anyway.

12. Minnesota United (6-3-6)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Saturday at Colorado, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Loons' WD (Wonderwall Differential) now stands at +2 following the first-ever loss at Allianz Field on Sunday. Kevin Molino scored for the first time in a year-and-a-half, which is good, but Darwin Quintero struggled and was subbed off (again), which is bad.

13. Orlando City (5-3-7)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Wednesday, June 26 at DC United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Nani probably would have preferred to score his 100th career professional goal with a blast from 30 yards or a perfectly placed free-kick, but a hitting home a penalty to launch the Lions to a 3-0 win on the road in Montreal is probably just as good as something really memorable.

14. Toronto FC (5-3-6)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Friday vs. Sporting, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The boring Reds were boring in a boring draw with Vancouver on Friday night, needing a late goal from Nick DeLeon just to salvage a point. A team that was supposed to sparkle with Alejandro Pozuelo settled and Jozy Altidore healthy hasn't scored more than a goal in six games -- six games from which TFC earned two points.

15. Real Salt Lake (6-1-8)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 22 at Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Mike Petke's return to Red Bull Arena was not a happy one, except for the parts before his team was embarrassed 4-0, when he saw old friends from his days in Jersey and things of that nature. RSL's Jekyll and Hyde ways continue -- the club has just one draw this season and is on a third losing streak this year.

16. Columbus Crew (5-2-9)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 23 vs. Sporting Kansas City, 5.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Did the Crew learn how to score goals again? Or is the recent "explosion" of scoring -- four in the last two games -- just an oasis in the desert? Zack Steffen is officially an ex-Crew player as he leaves for the Gold Cup ahead of his move abroad. It's going to be... interesting... to see how Columbus handles his absence.

17. Portland Timbers (4-2-7)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 22 vs. Houston, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN+

So much of the season is already in the books that it's difficult to even contextual what the Timbers have dealt with so far. Saturday's home date against LAFC was their first home game of the year following a grueling 12-game road trip. Losing to LAFC is a thing a lot of teams of done, so the jury remains out on Portland.

18. New England Revolution (4-4-8)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Wednesday, June 26 vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Bruce Arena made his return to the MLS sidelines in the place where he made the Galaxy an MLS dynasty. Whether it was more Arena's big coach energy or a flat LA performance, New England used what was available and scored a big victory. The Revs are 2-2-0 (8 points) since making their coaching change.

19. Vancouver Whitecaps (4-6-6)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 22 v. Colorado, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Yordy Reyna is quite often the difference between Vancouver showing any teeth on the attacking end and lacking any menace at all. Friday's result was a perfect example, with the Peruvian changing the complexion of the game for the Whitecaps when he came as a substitute with about a half-hour to go.

20. San Jose Earthquakes (5-3-6)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Saturday vs. FC Dallas, 3.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Chris Wondolowski scored again and the Quakes left DC with a point. Whatever fever it was that prevented Matias Almeyda from playing the Wondolowski to start the season has apparently passed. Now past 150 career goals (Saturday's tally was No.151), Wondo might push the record in the 160s before the year ends.

21. Sporting Kansas City (3-6-5)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Friday at Toronto, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

You know things have been rough for Sporting when a point on the road in Houston is something to celebrate. Amidst the injury plague the team has been dealing with for a month, SKC played three games in seven days and came out with a four points. Bust out the confetti!

22. Chicago Fire (4-6-6)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Saturday, June 22 v. Real Salt Lake, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

We'll leave this one to Dax McCarty. "It's not been good enough," he said after the 2-0 loss in Atlanta. "The entire season's not been good enough. So if guys can't figure what they want and if they don't want to be here then maybe we need to have honest conversations with ourselves because it's not good enough from the team."

23. Colorado Rapids (3-3-9)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Saturday v. Minnesota, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Rapids are hot, feeding off the energy reflected from Conor Casey's famous bald pate and now have a candidate for Rookie of the Year in Andre Shinyashiki. The Brazilian, by way of Denver University, scored his third goal of the season -- and grabbed an assist -- to start things off against FC Cincinnati.

24. FC Cincinnati (3-2-10)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Thursday at NYCFC, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN+

FCC's midseason update is still in process and the results on the field reflect as much. While the progress indicator spins and spins and spins, the expansion team is taking its lumps, even against the only club with fewer points than Cincinnati coming into the week. It might get worse before it gets better.

PARIS -- Novak Djokovic has become the first man to reach the French Open quarterfinals 10 years in a row.

Even Rafael Nadal never accomplished that.

Djokovic moved into the round of eight with a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory over 45th-ranked Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany, saving the only break point he faced and compiling 31 winners to only 12 unforced errors.

The top-seeded Djokovic is bidding for a fourth consecutive Grand Slam title and his second trophy at Roland Garros, where he won the championship in 2016.

Djokovic hasn't dropped a set through four matches this year. But he also has not faced a seeded player yet.

His quarterfinal opponent will be No. 5 Alexander Zverev or No. 9 Fabio Fognini.

TORONTO -- The 2019 NBA Finals have twisted into a series of developing dramas, nuanced tugs of war and a seemingly constant transition from heroes to goats -- and goats to heroes.

Pascal Siakam announced his presence on the NBA's biggest stage, then not 72 hours later, the Golden State Warriors responded with their patented third-quarter devastation that was dormant in the opener.

With the series tied 1-1 following the Warriors' come-from-behind 109-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors, here are the main factors to watch, heading into Game 3 on Wednesday in Oakland.

Tricks and wrinkles

Steve Kerr and Nick Nurse are working hard trying to surprise each other. In Game 1, Kerr threw a defensive scheme Nurse had never seen the Warriors use, a gimmick defense aimed at Kawhi Leonard. Called the "switch-then-blitz," the Warriors tried to bait Leonard and the Raptors into one read, only to flip into another scheme, trapping Leonard when he wasn't prepared.

In Game 2, Kerr made a gutsy decision to start DeMarcus Cousins after he'd played just eight up-and-down Game 1 minutes after sitting out six weeks because of an injury. Cousins picked up two fouls in the game's first four minutes and wasn't effective in his first shift. But Kerr stuck with the game plan and was rewarded for it. Cousins capped a fantastic all-around game with 11 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks and amassed a plus-12 on the floor, tied for the team high.

"We came in thinking, all right, he can maybe play 20 minutes, and he gave us almost 28," Kerr said. "He was fantastic, and we needed everything he gave out there -- his rebounding, his toughness, his physical presence, getting the ball in the paint and just playing big, like he does. We needed all of that."

Meanwhile, Nurse played only eight players in Game 2 and rode Fred VanVleet 38 minutes off the bench, using him in lineups with Kyle Lowry for a smallish backcourt. He was able to slow Stephen Curry with his own gimmick defense.

After Curry posted 23 points through three quarters, Nurse pulled out a box-and-one when the Warriors point guard came back in the fourth, relying on VanVleet to chase Curry around with the rest of the team zoning up behind him. It was easier to do with Klay Thompson sidelined, and it maximized VanVleet, who has proven to be one of the most effective players in the league in hounding Curry.

Curry went scoreless in the fourth and finished with his fewest points (23) in the past eight games.

Trainers doing work

Alarms sounded within league circles last summer when the Warriors turned over their training staff for the third time in four seasons. They brought in four people, including new director of sports medicine Rick Celebrini, who had been with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer.

Over the past few weeks, Celebrini and his staff have been playing a vital role behind the scenes. They've been monitoring DeMarcus Cousins' and Kevin Durant's recoveries from injuries, getting Cousins back ahead of schedule, while taking care of a hobbled Andre Iguodala.

Iguodala is getting heavy treatment on a left leg injury that has been bothering him for weeks and has required two MRIs. Yet there he was, playing 28 minutes and hitting the game-clinching 3-pointer on Sunday.

"You go play," Iguodala said. "Not saying it's smart, but you only have about a week left to gut it out and see if you can help the team."

On Sunday, Celebrini had to administer in-game treatment to Curry, who was under the weather, giving him medication and gels on the bench. After Curry missed his first six shots, he went to the locker room with Celebrini. Upon his return, Curry came back in and scored 12 points to help reduce Toronto's lead from 12 to five at the half.

The trainers will spend the next two days caring for Thompson, who pulled his hamstring Sunday, in addition to trying to get Durant back. Thompson's status will be of huge importance heading into Game 3.

"F---ing giants"

Golden State's preference is to play small. Call it the Hamptons 5 or the death lineup, but it means putting Draymond Green at center and switching on pick-and-rolls to create a flexible defense that spreads the floor with shooting on offense.

That has become next to impossible with their injuries, which now include backup center Kevon Looney, who missed the second half with a shoulder injury. In response, Kerr has gone old-school, using traditional bigs Cousins and Andrew Bogut as centers while keeping Green at power forward.

Doing so has hurt the Warriors' ability to trap Leonard because the Raptors have put the big men in pick-and-rolls with Leonard as the ball handler. The big men have no choice but to back up and allow more room. Leonard was more effective in Game 2 because of it, as he scored 34 points after posting 23 in Game 1.

But the side effect is this: It has given the Warriors great size around the rim, which has bothered the Raptors. Toronto has smaller guards, Lowry and VanVleet, who often struggle to score against size at the rim. It also can bother Siakam, who can be pushed around inside.

In Game 1, the Raptors went 20-of-28 in the paint, with Siakam especially taking advantage, shooting 10-of-11 inside. In Game 2, with Cousins and Bogut playing a combined 35 minutes, Toronto went 22-of-46 in the paint. Siakam shot 5-of-14 at the rim.

Lowry's "foul" performance

Over the years, Lowry's playoff yo-yoing has been a source of stress for himself and Raptors fans. With the arrival of Leonard and the emergence of Siakam, Lowry's scoring has become less important in playoff games. He has shown leadership and an ability to make plays elsewhere, and he has become elite at drawing charges. He has taken 16 in these playoffs, more than twice as many as anyone else in the league.

That said, Lowry's play the first two games simply hasn't been what the Raptors need. He shot 2-of-9 in Game 1, which was covered by his teammates' strong shooting performance. He was 4-of-11 in Game 2 and fouled out in 27 minutes.

For the second time this postseason, he wasn't there for the game's most important minutes, which forced Nurse to alter his rotation at a delicate time. Lowry has been in foul trouble regularly the past two rounds, something Toronto simply cannot afford.

Lowry wasn't thrilled with several of the calls Sunday, but his sixth foul, with just under four minutes left, came on an unnecessary gamble in the backcourt.

"A couple of them I didn't think I fouled," Lowry said. "At the end of the day, I just have to put myself in a better position not to foul."