Warriors' Hopes Dashed as Toronto Raptors Rout Them 145-127 Without Jimmy Butler
The Golden State Warriors, already missing a key piece in the form of Jimmy Butler after he tore his ACL in Monday's game against the Miami Heat, found themselves on the receiving end of an embarrassing 145-127 defeat to the Toronto Raptors at their home court.
In their first game without Butler, the Warriors showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately struggled to overcome the deep hole they dug for themselves. The team committed a whopping 18 turnovers that led to 34 points for the Raptors, with many of those mistakes occurring during the second quarter when the Raptors took a commanding lead.
The Warriors' offense was particularly ugly in the first half, allowing Toronto's combination of speed, size and athleticism to shoot 59.3% from beyond the arc. Stephen Curry scored 16 points but it wasn't enough as Golden State trailed by as many as 30 points at halftime.
Coach Steve Kerr acknowledged that his team had a great plan but were unable to execute it against the Raptors' potent offense. "It happens," he said. "We've been the team making all the 3s the past few games. We were probably due for one like this."
One player who did step up and make an impact was Jonathan Kuminga, who saw his first playing time in nearly a month and finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting. The 23-year-old forward played 21 minutes over two stints but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback for the Warriors.
Despite trailing by as much as 30 points, Golden State managed to mount a late charge led by Kuminga, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski. However, the Raptors held strong and were able to hold off the Warriors' attempt to mount a comeback.
In the end, it was a tough night for the Warriors but coach Kerr remained optimistic about the team's future without Butler. "It's an abrupt change," he said. "I think it's a process. I'd be lying if I said you can just switch paths overnight and just figure it out."
The Golden State Warriors, already missing a key piece in the form of Jimmy Butler after he tore his ACL in Monday's game against the Miami Heat, found themselves on the receiving end of an embarrassing 145-127 defeat to the Toronto Raptors at their home court.
In their first game without Butler, the Warriors showed flashes of brilliance but ultimately struggled to overcome the deep hole they dug for themselves. The team committed a whopping 18 turnovers that led to 34 points for the Raptors, with many of those mistakes occurring during the second quarter when the Raptors took a commanding lead.
The Warriors' offense was particularly ugly in the first half, allowing Toronto's combination of speed, size and athleticism to shoot 59.3% from beyond the arc. Stephen Curry scored 16 points but it wasn't enough as Golden State trailed by as many as 30 points at halftime.
Coach Steve Kerr acknowledged that his team had a great plan but were unable to execute it against the Raptors' potent offense. "It happens," he said. "We've been the team making all the 3s the past few games. We were probably due for one like this."
One player who did step up and make an impact was Jonathan Kuminga, who saw his first playing time in nearly a month and finished with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting. The 23-year-old forward played 21 minutes over two stints but it wasn't enough to spark a comeback for the Warriors.
Despite trailing by as much as 30 points, Golden State managed to mount a late charge led by Kuminga, Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski. However, the Raptors held strong and were able to hold off the Warriors' attempt to mount a comeback.
In the end, it was a tough night for the Warriors but coach Kerr remained optimistic about the team's future without Butler. "It's an abrupt change," he said. "I think it's a process. I'd be lying if I said you can just switch paths overnight and just figure it out."