Legends66NBA7
02-27-2015, 07:53 PM
Game Preview: http://mi.nba.com/preview/#!/0021400861
Stephen Curry's MVP chances may have been hurt a bit by a poor-shooting effort in a high-profile matchup, but he's always shot well against theToronto Raptors.
Though his backcourt mate*Klay Thompson*struggles north of the border, the Raptors know they need to find a way to limit the high-scoring duo -- and play better in the fourth quarter -- to avoid matching their longest losing streak.
Curry and Thompson combined for 52 points the last time these teams met heading into Friday night's rematch in Toronto.
Golden State (44-11) fell to 1-2 on this six-game trip with Thursday's 110-99 loss at Cleveland. Curry made 5 of 17 shots for 18 points -- with only six points after the first quarter -- while four-time MVP*LeBron James*had 42 points and 11 rebounds.
"I hope it's not handed out on this one game," Curry said of the MVP talk. "I hope it's about the body of work. Tonight just wasn't my best game. Shots that I normally make didn't fall tonight."
Curry is averaging 28.6 points on 53.0 percent shooting against Toronto (37-20), his highest marks against any opponent. He had 32 points and 12 assists in a 126-105 home rout of the Raptors on Jan. 2.
Thompson scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting in that one, but could have more trouble finding the range Friday. He is averaging 12.0 points in Toronto -- his worst in an NBA city -- while shooting 36.1 percent.
In contrast, Curry's 28.5 scoring average in Toronto is his best on the road.
"You've got Steph and Klay coming in here, the No. 1 team in the league so the buzz in the arena is going to be around and I think we're just trying to get back to our winning ways," Raptors guard*Kyle Lowry*said.
Lowry is averaging 14.7 points on 29.8 percent shooting in this slide, which is one game shy of a four-game skid Dec. 30-Jan. 8 for the Raptors' worst.
Toronto has been outscored by 27 and shot 32.3 percent in the fourth quarter of the three defeats, which capped a four-game road swing. Lowry is 2 for 8 for six points in that quarter.
The Raptors' last two opponents have combined to shoot 64.9 percent in the fourth quarters.
"We always could depend on the fourth quarter defensively to get stops, to get on a run and close it out in the fourth quarter," coach Dwane Casey said. "So we've got to look at who's on the floor at that time to put a finger in that dike."
Only one starter --*James Johnson*-- has logged at least nine minutes in the fourth in a game in this losing streak. Four different reserves --*Greivis Vasquez,*Patrick Patterson, Lou Williams and*Terrence Ross*-- have had a game in which they logged 10.
DeMar DeRozan, who was out injured in the first meeting, is averaging 14.0 points on 34.0 percent shooting in the last three games.
Toronto averages an NBA-high 8.7 pull-up 3-point attempts, but is shooting 26.9 percent from long range in this slide.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said he will likely rest center*Andrew Bogutand forward*Andre Iguodala*at some point during this trip. His club is an NBA-best 9-2 in the second half of a back-to-back.
Stephen Curry's MVP chances may have been hurt a bit by a poor-shooting effort in a high-profile matchup, but he's always shot well against theToronto Raptors.
Though his backcourt mate*Klay Thompson*struggles north of the border, the Raptors know they need to find a way to limit the high-scoring duo -- and play better in the fourth quarter -- to avoid matching their longest losing streak.
Curry and Thompson combined for 52 points the last time these teams met heading into Friday night's rematch in Toronto.
Golden State (44-11) fell to 1-2 on this six-game trip with Thursday's 110-99 loss at Cleveland. Curry made 5 of 17 shots for 18 points -- with only six points after the first quarter -- while four-time MVP*LeBron James*had 42 points and 11 rebounds.
"I hope it's not handed out on this one game," Curry said of the MVP talk. "I hope it's about the body of work. Tonight just wasn't my best game. Shots that I normally make didn't fall tonight."
Curry is averaging 28.6 points on 53.0 percent shooting against Toronto (37-20), his highest marks against any opponent. He had 32 points and 12 assists in a 126-105 home rout of the Raptors on Jan. 2.
Thompson scored 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting in that one, but could have more trouble finding the range Friday. He is averaging 12.0 points in Toronto -- his worst in an NBA city -- while shooting 36.1 percent.
In contrast, Curry's 28.5 scoring average in Toronto is his best on the road.
"You've got Steph and Klay coming in here, the No. 1 team in the league so the buzz in the arena is going to be around and I think we're just trying to get back to our winning ways," Raptors guard*Kyle Lowry*said.
Lowry is averaging 14.7 points on 29.8 percent shooting in this slide, which is one game shy of a four-game skid Dec. 30-Jan. 8 for the Raptors' worst.
Toronto has been outscored by 27 and shot 32.3 percent in the fourth quarter of the three defeats, which capped a four-game road swing. Lowry is 2 for 8 for six points in that quarter.
The Raptors' last two opponents have combined to shoot 64.9 percent in the fourth quarters.
"We always could depend on the fourth quarter defensively to get stops, to get on a run and close it out in the fourth quarter," coach Dwane Casey said. "So we've got to look at who's on the floor at that time to put a finger in that dike."
Only one starter --*James Johnson*-- has logged at least nine minutes in the fourth in a game in this losing streak. Four different reserves --*Greivis Vasquez,*Patrick Patterson, Lou Williams and*Terrence Ross*-- have had a game in which they logged 10.
DeMar DeRozan, who was out injured in the first meeting, is averaging 14.0 points on 34.0 percent shooting in the last three games.
Toronto averages an NBA-high 8.7 pull-up 3-point attempts, but is shooting 26.9 percent from long range in this slide.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has said he will likely rest center*Andrew Bogutand forward*Andre Iguodala*at some point during this trip. His club is an NBA-best 9-2 in the second half of a back-to-back.