TORONTO — The Golden State Warriors experienced a setback, dropping below a .500 record for the first time this season following a 104-101 defeat against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.
This loss leaves the Warriors with a 19-20 record, having struggled considerably with a 7-17 record since their impressive start of winning 12 out of their first 15 games.
“It’s disappointing,” expressed coach Steve Kerr. “I’m not thrilled about falling below .500, but it’s where we find ourselves, and we need to improve.”
The Warriors had a promising lead of 86-77 after a three-pointer from Lindy Waters III with just under 10 minutes remaining. However, the Raptors surged back to outpace Golden State 27-15 in the remaining time of the game.
“This is one of the most frustrating losses we’ve faced this season,” Kerr remarked. “We had the game in our grasp, yet we let them back into it.”
This latest defeat adds to the ongoing challenges for the team, with Kerr having previously expressed concerns about their “competitive spirit” in light of recent losses on their home court to teams like Sacramento and Miami.
Andrew Wiggins also shared his frustration, especially after losing to a Raptors squad that was struggling, having won only one of their last 17 games. “It’s definitely tough,” Wiggins noted. “We came in feeling good and confident.”
Star player Stephen Curry managed to score 26 points during the match, bringing his career total to 24,371 points, thereby surpassing Hall of Famer Allen Iverson (24,368) to secure the 28th spot on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. However, despite reaching this milestone, Curry didn’t feel much like celebrating. “This one really hurts,” he admitted, “and we desperately needed a win.”
In what has become a recurring theme for the Warriors this season, they found themselves in yet another tightly contested game, marking the 24th time this year that the score has been within five points in the last five minutes of play. Only the Minnesota Timberwolves, with 25 such games, have more.
“I need to step it up,” Kerr acknowledged. “We lack the discipline required to win these close contests, and we have to focus on the small details to secure victories. Right now, we’re not succeeding in those crucial moments, and that’s on me as a coach.”
