NBA: Warriors go north of the border and get win streak snapped by the Raptors

Toronto, Canada - The Golden State Warriors finished up their Eastern Conference road trip by suffering an unfortunate loss at the hands of the Toronto Raptors.

Scottie Barnes (r.) chipped in with 21 points against the Warriors.
Scottie Barnes (r.) chipped in with 21 points against the Warriors.  © imago/ZUMA Press

The Raptors scored a big victory over the Warriors 119-100 for their fifth win in the last seven games.

Golden State had their three-game winning streak snapped and finished their five-game stretch of road games with a 3-2 record.

The Raptors came out clawing right from the start, building a big lead early thanks to a strong defensive effort that held Golden State to just 18 points in the first quarter.

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Toronto didn’t let up in the second quarter as they ran into halftime with a 63-42 lead.

The onslaught continued in the second half as the Raptors remained on top, despite the Warriors getting progressively better, quarter by quarter.

But more importantly, Golden State never led for a second during this game, and time simply ran out on their chances to end the road trip on a high note.

The player spotlight

Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 27 points on Saturday night.
Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 27 points on Saturday night.  © imago/ZUMA Press

The Raptors’ sixth-year shooting guard Fred VanFleet (27) was in the zone as he led his team to the big win.

As Toronto’s leading scorer with 20.1 points per game, VanFleet tallied his fourth double-double of the season in a dominant effort that stymied the Warriors.

He was also money for the most part from behind the three-point line, making six out of 10 shot attempts.

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VanFleet finished the game 9-for-17 shooting overall from the field for a game-high 27 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and three steals.

The big picture

Warriors Guard Stephen Curry was one of five players held out of Saturday's game in Canada.
Warriors Guard Stephen Curry was one of five players held out of Saturday's game in Canada.  © imago/Icon SMI

The Warriors played on Saturday without their five best players, which was likely the main reason they came up short in their matchup against the Raptors.

But a loss is still a loss.

The ongoing impact of the current Covid-19 outbreak that’s running through the NBA had indirect effects on the Warriors.

Golden State sent Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Andre Iguodala, and Otto Porter Jr. home before they even crossed the border into Canada as a precaution to avoid any potential virus exposures that would result in required quarantines in Canada.

As of the writing of this article, Warriors guard Jordan Poole is the only member of the team who is out under the NBA’s Covid-19 protocols, since Friday.

So long as the coronavirus doesn’t hit the Warriors, they’ll hopefully be able to regroup and continue their contention among the league’s best during the coming weeks.

On Monday, the Raptors will hit the road to face the Magic, while the Warriors will be back at home to host the Kings.

Cover photo: imago/ZUMA Press

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