The Warriors will look to extend their 11-0 winning streak as they host the visiting Toronto Raptors on Tuesday for Hardwood Classic Night at Oracle Arena.
HARDWOOD CLASSICS NIGHT After becoming the 11th team in NBA history to begin a season with an 11-0 record, the Warriors will look to keep their winning streak going when they take on the visiting Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. The game takes place on the first Hardwood Classics Night of the season, in which the Warriors will wear their popular “The City” jerseys that were originally released in the 1966-67 season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on CSN Bay Area (TV) and CSN Live Extra (live stream) and NBA TV, or listen to the call on KNBR 680 (radio) and the Warriors Mobile App.
LAST TIME OUT The Warriors earned their 11th-straight win to begin the season after defeating the visiting Brooklyn Nets 107-99 in overtime on Saturday night. After trailing for the vast majority of the game, Andre Iguodala drained a game-tying three-pointer with 5.9 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime. Once the Dubs got to the extra period, they outscored Brooklyn 10-2 to run away with the game. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 34 points, while Draymond Green recorded the second triple-double of his career with 16 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Full Game Recap
GSW: Klay Thompson (back stiffness) and Kevon Looney (right hip surgery) are out. Leandro Barbosa (family matters) is not with team. Team Notes
TOR: Terrence Ross (left thumb ligament) is out. Team Notes
BOGUT’S BACK After missing six games due to a broken nose and concussion, it appears Andrew Bogut has fully recovered from the injury, and that’s great news for the Warriors. The Australian seven-footer has played in each of the Warriors’ last four games, reaching season-highs in minutes (36) and rebounds (18) in Saturday’s victory over the Nets. While Festus Ezeli performed admirably in Bogut’s absence, there’s no question that the Warriors are at their best when they’re fully healthy and have all their talented players at their disposal. The two centers have combined for 12.3 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game ever since Bogut returned to the action, and that’s icing on top of the cake for a team that already boasts some of the most dynamic perimeter players in the entire league. Both Bogut and Ezeli have made the decision as to who starts at center a tough one for the coaching staff, and that’s exactly what the Warriors want. Regardless of who is starting and who is coming off the bench, the players are producing when they’re on the court, and that’s what matters most.
TORONTO SCOUTING REPORT After a promising season that came to an abrupt end following a first round sweep a year ago, the Raptors (7-4) have gotten off to a decent start and come to Oracle Arena on Tuesday night intent on playing the spoiler role. With the offseason addition of DeMarre Carroll, Toronto now boasts a starting lineup that rivals most other teams in the league and is capable of playing multiple ways. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combine to form a backcourt averaging 40.7 points per game, while players like Jonas Valanciunas, Luis Scola and Bismack Biyombo provide some grit and toughness on the inside. The Raptors like to attack the paint, which is evident in their league-leading average of 23.3 free throws made per game. However, Toronto ranks third-worst in the NBA with only 18.9 assists per game, hinting at an offense that relies less on ball movement than it does on winning one-on-one matchups. That’s a strategy that makes playing good defense a necessity, which the Raptors do, allowing only 97.1 points per game (7th in the NBA). The Warriors average far and away the most points per game in the entire league at 114.1, so keeping their pace and scoring up will be key for Golden State if they want to stretch their season-opening win streak to 12 games.
