Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors faced what could be described as their most humiliating defeat of the season against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. The Raptors took an early lead of 28-14 in the first quarter and maintained their dominance throughout the game. Kerr, in the post-game press conference, acknowledged the team’s inability to recover from the initial onslaught delivered by Toronto.
“We were hit hard from the start,” Kerr stated. “They really took control, and the first half was just ugly… We were too far behind to mount a substantial comeback.” The Raptors showcased an impressive second quarter, outscoring the Warriors 40-21, resulting in a halftime lead of 76-49 – the highest points conceded by the Warriors in a half this season.
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Despite Kerr’s mention of a third-quarter rally by the Warriors, where they reduced the deficit to as low as nine points, Toronto responded with a swift 5-0 run, reinstating a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
While Stephen Curry struggled with his shooting, Klay Thompson emerged as the lone positive for Golden State, scoring 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. Conversely, Curry managed only nine points and failed to make a three-pointer for the second time in a couple of weeks.
The defeat pushes the Warriors to a 17-19 record, placing them outside the play-in tournament picture once again.