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SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors had a 2-8 record in 10 games coming into a game against the Raptors on Friday night when their opponent scored 35 or more points in the first quarter.
After Toronto rang 41, they are now 3-8 and still finding their way to victory.
The Warriors won 129-117 in front of a sold-out crowd at Chase Center. Getting the right ball movement at the right time at the right time was key to pulling off an amazing performance from Stephen Curry.
Curry had a game-high 35 points and 11 assists, while Klay Thompson had 29 points and Donte DiVincenzo had 12 points and 11 assists.
Here are three observations from the Warriors (25-24) victory over .500 for the eighth time this season.
Kuminga burns deep into raptors
One day, after sitting in the interview room and claiming that he could do a particularly good 3-point shot, Kuminga went out and proved it.
With the Raptors fighting him off and virtually daring to fire at him from afar, Kuminga made four – two from the right corner, one from the left corner, and another near the top of the arc.
His fourth triple from the left corner came with 2.6 seconds remaining in the third quarter. The crowd was on their feet as it ended the quarter fairly, and he won three in a row over the course of about two minutes.
Kuminga’s sense of timing has been impeccable this season, shooting from deep with 28.8% accuracy. He launched when it was a smart move and passed when it was the right one.
Kuminga scored 15 points on 5/7 shooting, including 4/6 from deep. His shot has clearly improved, and the Warriors are at least happy that his sense of the game and the moment has come a long way.
Great work by Donte
DiVincenzo was the Warriors’ first player off the bench and took just eight seconds to make an impact.
3 pointer, wear and tear. A layup followed two minutes later, followed by a steal 14 seconds later, leading to Curry’s transition layup.
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DiVincenzo’s biggest shot may have been a 3-pointer from the left corner, giving the Warriors an 11-point lead (125-114) with 1:43 left to put the game just beyond Toronto’s reach. I put it in
DiVincenzo’s 12 scores were on 5/10 shooting, including 2/5 from across the arc. He added his season-high 11 assists and had zero turnovers. With two rebounds and he had two steals, he made plus-24 in 33 minutes.
In his spare time, DiVincenzo made a habit of harassing anyone wearing a Raptors jersey.
It’s a performance that seems to further cement DiVincenzo’s place in the team’s pecking order. He’s reliable on defense and offense, and excels at playing the way the Warriors want to play.
After all, he was in the final lineup for a reason.
Look no further for Wiseman
When Kevon Looney committed three fouls eight minutes into the game, he went to the bench and was replaced by Jamaican Green.
When Rooney was whistled for his fourth foul with 3:05 left in the first half, he was immediately sent off. And he was replaced by Green again.
All the while, James Weisman sat on Golden State’s bench, sweating and looking like he was waiting for his chance.
Toronto’s collection of rowdy athletes, some of whom enjoy soaring above the rim, appears to offer an opportunity for the Warriors’ rowdiest and most athletic big man. Few minutes. No.
RELATED: Why Kerr ‘feels bad’ for Wiseman amid tumultuous NBA career
Wiseman last played on December 28th. Most of the time he was injured (sprained his left ankle) but he is healthy and playable. His reason for frequent trips to his league was “to get a rep.” An NBA hotel bed would be better, but there’s no rep when you’re watching from the bench.
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