Curry returns with 24 points, Warriors beat Raptors
Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan (10) tries to break through defense of Golden State Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (27) and guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, in Toronto. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP)
TORONTO — Stephen Curry returned from a two-game absence to score 24 points, Klay Thompson had 26 and the Golden State Warriors blew nearly all of a 27-point lead before beating the Toronto Raptors 127-125 on Saturday night.
DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points for the Raptors, but the Warriors had just enough to beat Toronto for the eighth straight time.
Kevin Durant scored 25 points and Draymond Green had 14 for the Warriors, who have won 12 straight on the road. Golden State’s 19 road wins are the most in the NBA.
OG Anunoby had 17 points and Serge Ibaka 14 for the Raptors, who rallied from a 19-point deficit through three quarters to make it a one-point game in the fourth.
Fred VanVleet scored 13 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 as Toronto lost for the third time in 18 home games.
Curry sat out Wednesday’s home loss to the Clippers and Friday’s win at Milwaukee because of a sore right ankle, the same injury that kept him out of 11 games in December.
Raptors guard Kyle Lowry missed his third straight game because of a bruised tailbone.
VanVleet’s 3-pointer with 3:52 left made cut it to 116-115, but Curry answered with a 3 for the Warriors.
DeRozan’s basket with just over a minute to go made it a one-point game again, and Curry missed a pair of free throws with 45 seconds remaining.
But after a missed shot by DeRozan, Durant’s jumper with 21 seconds left gave Golden State a 125-122 lead.
A missed 3 by CJ Miles led to a jump ball, then a scramble for a loose ball that went out of bounds next to the Warriors bench. After a video review, Golden State was awarded possession with three seconds left. Curry was fouled and sealed it with a pair of free throws before VanVleet hit a buzzer-beating 3.
Green and Thompson each scored 10 points in the first and Golden State led 43-35 after one, their highest-scoring opening quarter of the season.
Golden State seized control with a 16-2 run to begin the second quarter and led 81-54 at halftime. It was their biggest half of the season and their first 80-point half away from home since Nov. 2, 1990, at Denver (87 points).
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State made eight of its first nine shots. … The Warriors had one turnover in the first half. They finished with a season-low seven. … F Andre Igoudala played despite suffering a hip injury in Friday’s win at Milwaukee. … F Omri Casspi missed his second straight game because of a sore lower back.
Raptors: DeRozan scored 19 points on 14 shots in the first quarter. … Ibaka returned from a one-game suspension for throwing a punch at Miami’s James Johnson in Tuesday loss to the Heat.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit Cleveland on Monday in a rematch of the past three NBA Finals.
Raptors: Visit Philadelphia on Monday afternoon.
