The Warriors play the first of four-straight games on the road as they take on the Raptors in Toronto on Wednesday.
Warriors at RaptorsWednesday, Nov. 165:00 p.m.Air Canada Centre
TV: CSN, ESPN
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App
ROAD WARRIORS
Riding a four-game winning streak, the Warriors take their show on the road for their longest road trip of the season thus far, beginning on Wednesday in Toronto. This will be the first of two matchups between the Warriors and Raptors this season, after Golden State swept the season series in each of the last two years. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (PST). Watch the action on CSN Bay Area and ESPN, or listen to the call on the Warriors Radio Network.
LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors made several big plays down the stretch and took down the visiting Suns, 133-120, on Sunday evening at Oracle Arena. Full Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
GSW
8-2
2nd in West
116.4 PPG (1st)
42.3 RPG (T-23rd)
30.5 APG (1st)
TOR
7-3
3rd in East
106.5 PPG (13th)
43.3 RPG (19th)
18.7 APG (T-27th)
PROJECTED STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia
TOR: Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, DeMarre Carroll, Pascal Siakam and Jonas Valanciunas
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Damian Jones (right pectoral surgery) is out. Team Notes
TOR: Jared Sullinger (left foot surgery) and Delon Wright (right shoulder surgery) are out. Team Notes
SPLASHIN' AWAY
The Warriors possess what is likely the best backcourt in the entire NBA, and when both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are scoring with ease, the Dubs are practically impossible to beat. Both Splash Brothers managed to total 30 points in Golden State’s victory over the Suns on Sunday, marking the 10th time in their careers they’ve done so in the same game. Unsurprisingly, the Dubs are a perfect 10-0 in those games, as there just aren’t many – if any – other teams in the league that can keep up with that kind scoring power. Factor in Kevin Durant’s 29 points in that same game, and the odds of the Warriors being defeated in that scenario are slim to none. Each of those three players is capable of taking over the game at any moment, and when their minutes are staggered (as Steve Kerr often chooses to do), it all but assures that at least one of those perennial All-Stars is on the floor at all times. That more often than not creates a talent differential in favor of Golden State, which they’ve done well to take advantage of during their current four-game win streak.
TEAM LEADERS
GSW
PTS: Durant (27.7)
REB: Green (10.1)
AST: Green (7.1)
TOR
PTS: DeRozan (33.2)
REB: Valanciunas (10.0)
AST: Lowry (7.0)
TORONTO SCOUTING REPORT
Speaking of top backcourts, Toronto’s duo ranks right up there with the best in the NBA. Kyle Lowry might be headed for his third-straight All-Star selection, while his partner DeMar DeRozan has been one of the top performers in the league in the season thus far. DeRozan leads the NBA with an average of 33.2 points per game, and has totaled at least 32 points in all but two games this season. In fact, he’s just the second player in the last 35 years to score at least 306 points through the first nine games of a season (Michael Jordan did it four times). Golden State won’t be able to shut him out altogether, but if they can turn DeRozan into a volume scorer rather than an efficient one, it should greatly increase their chances of starting out their road trip on a winning note.