USA Today via Reuters

The Warriors experimented with their 13th starting five of the season. Steve Kerr paired Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Unfortunately, the group struggled. They posted a plus/minus of -12 in six minutes together. The Toronto Raptors capitalized on their defensive lapses, particularly in transition. In response, the Warriors’ bench rotations failed to make a defensive impact, resulting in a season-high 76 points allowed in the first half.

Adding to their woes, fans expressed their frustration by booing the team as they headed to the locker room at halftime. Steph Curry’s worst shooting night of the season further highlighted the Warriors’ struggles. With only 2 successful shots, Steph ended the game as the sixth-highest scorer in the lineup, managing just 9 points.

Stephen Curry opens on his struggles

Echoing sentiments reminiscent of Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry was asked to sum up the Golden State Warriors’ game against the Toronto Raptors. While constantly struggling to find new narratives for their loss, Curry said, “We got punked from the jump, it was a rough one,” to express the team’s challenges.

 

In the first half, the Warriors, hindered by a sluggish start, found themselves trailing by as many as 27 points. Struggling to breach the 50-point mark, they lagged behind while the Raptors confidently rested with a comfortable lead of 76 points. Witnessing Steve Kerr benching his star players early in the game, fans began leaving the arena even before the game reached its conclusion.

Curry, widely regarded as the best shooter the NBA has ever seen, has struggled lately. After his 268-game streak of making at least one 3-pointer was broken last month, he failed to make a long-range shot again. It is his second game with 0 made three-pointers in the last 3 weeks. It seems like the Dub’s only silver lining has also started to feel the pressure his teammates feel.

Klay Thompson provided the Warriors with a brief chance at a comeback

Although Draymond Green rejoined the lineup, he found himself sidelined due to conditioning issues. Andrew Wiggins continued to raise questions about his performance, contributing just 3 points. In contrast, Klay Thompson emerged as the Warriors’ leading scorer with 25 points; shooting 10-15 from the field and 5-7 from beyond the arc.

The third quarter witnessed a notable surge from Thompson, as he exploded for 11 points. Capitalizing on improved defense, the Warriors managed to reduce a daunting 27-point deficit to just 9 points. However, their momentum was short-lived, as the Raptors responded with a 22-11 run, reestablishing a 20+ point lead midway through the fourth quarter.