Comeback wins a building block for Raptors

TORONTO – A result like Toronto’s 104-101 comeback win Monday over Golden State – a rare bright spot in a forgettable season for the Raptors – can help lay a foundation for a team looking to the future.

It’s an approach Golden State coach Steve Kerr knows well. He led high-powered Warriors teams for years before an unusually bad year in 2019-2020.

It was a campaign that in some ways mirrored the current Raptors season. There were significant injuries to major players and long losing streaks.

The Warriors suffered a 15-50 free fall, leaving them in the cellar of the Western Conference. When things slowed down, Kerr tried to maintain a strong team culture even as the losses piled up.

“If we could keep the culture of development, work and fun and get something out of a difficult situation without giving in, that would be valuable,” he said in a pre-game availability.

Golden State would rebound and reach the play-in round in 2021 before winning a championship the following year. Kerr said several players endured the 2019-20 valley before blossoming as the team became a contender again.

“I think it paid off because we had some young players, guys like Jordan Poole (now with the Wizards) who struggled that year but gained valuable experience and really helped us win a lot of games – and a championship – a few years later,” Kerr said.

“That was an important time for us, to just try to move things forward.”

This is also a key period for the Raptors, who look to build on a young core anchored by Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick and Immanuel Quickley.

Barnes led Toronto with 23 points on Monday night. Montreal’s Chris Boucher scored 17 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

“We needed that,” Barnes said. “He won us the game.”

Boucher fed Ochai Agbaji for a dunk with 39.8 seconds left, giving Toronto its three-point cushion. Golden State’s Buddy Hield tried to make a deep three-pointer at the buzzer but came up short.

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Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26 points.

The win ended Toronto’s five-game losing skid. It was the Raptors’ second win in 18 games.

Quickley, who missed 22 games (right elbow) before returning to the lineup on New Year’s Day, was scratched due to left hip soreness. This season he played only nine games.

“He’s disappointed he can’t go out there and have continuity with the group and play,” Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic said. “But hopefully this isn’t something for the long term.”

The Raptors, who improved to 9-31, are on pace to finish slightly better than the franchise’s all-time worst mark of 16-66 in 1997-98.

If the poor record continues, it will at least lead to a solid draft pick this spring. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the top bets to headline the 2025 NBA Draft class.

Toronto entered the game with the third-worst record in the league. The draft lottery is scheduled for May 12.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.

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