SAN FRANCISCO — Against the Raptors on Friday night, the Warriors are 2-8 in 10 games in which opponents have scored 35 or more points in the first quarter.
They are now 3-8 after giving Toronto a 41-point lead and still finding their way to victory.
The Warriors’ 129-117 win in front of a packed Chase Center crowd was all about doing enough at the right time, smart ball movement — and Stephen Curry’s stellar performance.
Curry had a game-high 35 points and 11 assists, Klay Thompson had 29 points and Donte DiVincenzo had 12 points and 11 assists.
Here are three observations from the win that lifted the Warriors (25-24) above .500 for the eighth time this season:
Kuminga burns Raptors from deep
One day after sitting in an interview room claiming he could shoot the 3-pointer, Kuminga stepped out to prove it.
The Raptors fought him, almost challenging him to fire from distance, and Kuminga hit four — two from the bottom right, one from the bottom left and one near the top of the key.
He hit his fourth 3-pointer from the left corner with 2.6 seconds left in the third quarter. It ended the quarter fairly and was the third straight time he had the crowd on their feet in the roughly two-minute span.
Kuminga’s sense of timing is equally impeccable and impressive for a 28.8 percent shooting from distance this season. He initiated when the wise move was right, and surpassed when the right move was made.
Kuminga scored 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting, including 4-for-6 from 3-point range. His shooting is clearly improving, and the Warriors are at least as pleased to see his feel for the game and the moment improve a lot.
Excellent work by Donte
DiVincenzo, the first player off the bench for the Warriors, needed just eight seconds to make a difference.
One three-pointer, exhausted. A layup two minutes later, a steal 14 seconds later, and Curry converted for a layup.
Instant impact is how you describe it.
DiVincenzo’s biggest shot was probably his 3-pointer from the left corner to give the Warriors an 11-point lead (125-114) with 1:43 left, effectively taking the game away from the Raptors up.
DiVincenzo scored 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc. He added a season-high 11 assists — 1 turnover — 2 rebounds and 2 steals, finishing with 24 points in 33 minutes.
In his spare time, DiVincenzo is sure to harass anyone wearing a Raptors jersey.
This performance further cemented Di Vincenzo’s place in the team’s standings. He’s solid both defensively and offensively, and he’s good at playing the way the Warriors want him to.
After all, he was in the final XI for a reason.
no one is looking for wiseman
When Kevon Rooney picked up three fouls in the first eight minutes of the game, he went to the bench and was replaced by JaMychal Green.
When Looney was called for his fourth foul with 3:05 left in the first half, he was replaced immediately. And was replaced by Green again.
All the while, James Wiseman sat on the Golden State Warriors’ bench in a sweatshirt, looking as though he was starving for a chance.
Toronto’s roster of tall athletes, some of whom like to soar above the rim, seems to offer an opportunity for the most athletic and athletic big man on the Warriors. If only for trial. few minutes. No.
RELATED: Why Kerr ‘felt bad’ about Wiseman amid tumultuous NBA career
Wiseman last played on Dec. 28. He was injured most of the time (sprained left ankle), but he was healthy and available to play. The reason for making multiple trips to the D-League was “getting reps”. The bed in the NBA hotel is better, but there is no rep when watching it on the bench.
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