by Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors met the Eastern Division leaders, the Toronto Raptors, in Toronto Thursday evening. The Raptors entered the game with the best record in the NBA 18-4. The Raptors made a trade with the San Antonio Spurs after the 2017-2018 season ended to acquire Kawhi Leonard in exchange for Demar DeRozan. Leonard played in just nine games last season due to injury. Leonard was not happy in San Antonio and appears to have found a comfortable home in Toronto. The Warriors’ Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Alfonzo McKinnie were not available. Curry has missed the last eleven games due to a groin strain but will return to action Saturday night when the Warriors meet the Detroit Pistons.

The Warriors, behind the exceptional play of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, won their last three games. They came from behind to win thrillers over Sacramento and Orlando. They played another thriller against Toronto as they came back from an 18-point deficit to tie the game in regulation. Unfortunately, the Raptors prevailed in the five-minute overtime period to down the Warriors 131-128.

The Raptors thoroughly outplayed the Warriors in the first quarter. Toronto went on a 13-0 run to take an early 14-point lead 20-6. The Warriors offense woke up, and they started to make baskets. They trailed 24-14 when Toronto went on another 8-0 run to lead 32-14. The Warriors closed the gap a smidge but finished the period down by 13points 39-25. Toronto was 14-for-18 from the floor in the first eight minutes and eighteen seconds of action. They also made six three-point shots in ten attempts. The Warriors shot 58% from the floor while Toronto shot an astounding 72.2%

Toronto held the lead for the entire second quarter. Golden State trailed by seventeen at one point in the period, but they continued to fight. They were able to finish the first half down by nine 67-58. They outscored the Raptors 38-29 in the quarter.

The Warriors tried to get back in the game in the third quarter. They trailed by seven 69-62 when Toronto went on a 10-0 run to lead 79-62. It appeared that Toronto was going to cruise to an easy win. Durant, Thompson, and company had other thoughts. The Warriors continued to fight. They needed to make stops, and they did as they clawed their way back to trail 96-88 after three periods of play. The Raptors led by Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka, and Pascal Siakam thwarted the Warriors at every turn. Kevin Durant was not on the floor to start the fourth quarter. The Warriors, behind Klay Thompson and Jonas Jerebko, went on a 9-0 run and closed to within two 103-101. Toronto responded to take a ten-point lead 114-104. KD was back on the floor, and the Warriors went on another 8-0 run to make it 114-112. The Raptors increased the lead to 119-113, but Durant came through with two three-pointers to tie the game at 119 as time ran out.

The Warriors did not play well in overtime. They committed five turnovers as the Raptors outscored them 12-9 to win by a final of 131-128.

Game notes and stats. Kevin Durant had his third consecutive game scoring forty or more points. It was the first time in his career that he had achieved this feat. KD ended the night with 51 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. It was the sixth time in his career that he scored fifty or more in a game. Klay Thompson had 23, and Jonas Jerebko knocked down 20. No other Warrior was in double figures. Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 37. Serge Ibaka had 20, and Pascal Siakam recorded 26. The Raptors had three other players in double figures.

The Warriors drop to 15-7 and are 5-6 with Steph Curry out of the lineup. The Raptors improve to 19-4.

The Warriors travel to Detroit to face the Pistons Saturday nigh