Splash Brothers score 64 in Warriors 129-117 victory over Raptors

Jan 28, 2023 - 5:23 AM

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The Golden State Warriors are back above .500. Will that statement stay true for long? Who knows? But they are 25-24 after defeating the Toronto Raptors 129-117 in a fast-paced shootout.

Both teams jumped out to strong offensive starts, and that carried into the rest of the game. Star point guards Steph Curry and Fred Van Vleet were leading the way offensively and opening things up for the other shooters on their rosters. The Warriors led 63-62 at the end of a back-and-forth first half.

In the final four minutes of the third quarter, Jonathan Kuminga caught fire. The Raptors did what defenses have done to him all season long, daring him to shoot from the outside. However, he made Toronto pay, knocking down three consecutive triples from the corner before capping off the quarter with another three from the left wing to give the Dubs a 98-94 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Kuminga finished the game with 15 points.

Raptors star Pascal Siakam dealt with foul trouble all evening, playing the entire fourth quarter with five fouls. Moreover, Kuminga and Draymond Green made it hard for him to get going offensively. While he managed 21 points, he finished just 8-for-26 from the field.

At the start of the final quarter, the Warriors were able to extend their lead to 105-100 while Curry was on the bench. The Raptors kept Golden State from pulling away over the next few minutes before Curry, Klay Thompson, and Donte DiVincenzo knocked down threes on consecutive possessions to give the Warriors a double-digit lead with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.

Van Vleet led the Raptors with 28 points, but Curry finished with a game-high 35 points on 13-for-20 shooting. Steph also recorded 6 rebounds and 11 assists. Curry’s fellow Splash Brother, Thompson, also had a standout performance, recording 29 points and 8 rebounds.

JaMychal Green had another solid performance off the bench. Green’s tenure with Golden State got off to a rough start, but he might finally be finding his place in the rotation. He finished the game with 10 points in 16 minutes of action. Between Kuminga and Green’s recent surge, the Warriors' thin frontcourt might be getting the reinforcements they have needed from within.

Despite Kuminga and Green’s performances, DiVincenzo was probably Golden State’s best bench player. He racked up 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 11 assists with a game-best +24 plus/minus.

The Warriors will have two days off before returning to action on Monday, but they will have to travel to Oklahoma City to play the Thunder. Opening tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 PM Pacific.