TORONTO – A end result like Toronto’s 104-101 comeback victory Monday over Golden State — a uncommon vibrant spot in a forgettable season for the Raptors — may also help construct a basis for a staff with an eye fixed on the longer term.
It’s an method that Golden State coach Steve Kerr is aware of effectively. He guided powerhouse Warriors groups for years earlier than an uncommon down yr in 2019-20.
It was a marketing campaign that in some methods mirrors the present Raptors’ season. There have been important accidents to big-name gamers and prolonged shedding streaks.
The Warriors endured a 15-50 freefall that left them within the Western Convention basement. When issues had been low, Kerr made a degree of attempting to keep up a powerful staff tradition even when losses had been piling up.
“If we may preserve the tradition of growth, work and pleasure and take one thing out of what was a tough state of affairs with out type of giving in, that may be priceless,” he mentioned in a pre-game availability.
Associated Movies
Golden State would bounce again, reaching the play-in spherical in 2021 earlier than profitable a championship the subsequent yr. Kerr mentioned that a number of gamers made it via that 2019-20 valley earlier than blossoming when the staff grew to become a contender once more.
Get breaking Nationwide information
For information impacting Canada and all over the world, join breaking information alerts delivered on to you once they occur.
“I feel it did repay as a result of we had some younger gamers, guys like Jordan Poole (now with the Wizards) who had been struggling via that yr however gained priceless expertise and actually helped us win lots of video games — and a championship — a couple of years later,” Kerr mentioned.
“That was an necessary time for us, to simply attempt to preserve issues transferring ahead.”
That is additionally a key interval for the Raptors, who want to construct on a younger core anchored by Scottie Barnes, R.J. Barrett, Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickley.
Barnes led Toronto with 23 factors on Monday night time. Chris Boucher of Montreal scored 17 of his 18 factors within the fourth quarter.
“We wanted that,” Barnes mentioned. “He received us the sport.”
Boucher fed Ochai Agbaji for a dunk with 39.8 seconds remaining that gave Toronto its three-point cushion. Golden State’s Buddy Hield tried a deep three-pointer on the buzzer however got here up quick.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26 factors.
The victory ended Toronto’s five-game shedding skid. It was the Raptors’ second win in 18 video games.
Quickley, who missed 22 video games (proper elbow) earlier than returning to the lineup on New Yr’s Day, was scratched resulting from left hip soreness. He has performed solely 9 video games this season.
“He’s disenchanted that he can’t go on the market and have continuity with the group and play,” mentioned Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic. “However hopefully that is nothing long-term.”
The Raptors, who improved to 9-31, are on tempo to complete barely higher than the franchise’s all-time worst mark of 16-66 in 1997-98.
The poor file, if it continues, will a minimum of result in a stable draft decide this spring. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the early bets to headline the 2025 NBA Draft class.
Toronto entered play with the third-worst file within the league. The draft lottery is ready for Could 12.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Jan. 13, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Source link