PREVIEW: Golden State Warriors (20-0) At Toronto Raptors (12-8) - Overcoming "What They Do"

Golden State Warriors (20-0) at Toronto Raptors (12-8)

Tip-off: Saturday, December 5th, 2015 – 2:00PM PDT

Location: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON

TV: CSN Bay Area or NBA League Pass | Radio: KNBR 680

Livetweet: @LetsGoWarriors #LetsGoWarriorsLive (@CYC_3/@MsAlexisMariah)

Projected Starting Lineups:

PG: Stephen Curry (32.0, 5.1, 6.0)

SG: Klay Thompson (16.5, 3.5, 2.4)

SF: Brandon Rush (4.3, 2.5, 0.4)

PF: Draymond Green (12.7, 8.5, 7.3)

C: Festus Ezeli (8.2, 6.4, 1.1)

~~C: Andrew Bogut (6.4, 6.4, 2.4)~~

Head Coach: Luke Walton (career: 20-0, 1.000)*

* – “Warriors’ results under Luke Walton will count on Kerr’s (87-15, .853) official coaching record.” — Warriors’ PR

PG: Kyle Lowry (21.3, 4.8, 6.1)

SG: DeMar DeRozan (21.0, 4.2, 4.1)

SF: DeMarre Carroll (12.6, 4.9, 1.3)

PF: Luis Scola (10.1, 6.3, 0.8)

C: Bismack Biyombo (4.6, 7.3, 0.3)

Head Coach: Dwane Casey (career: 219-235, .482)

WARRIORS: On 12/2/2015 (three nights ago) at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC, the Warriors defeated the Charlotte Hornets, 106-103. Curry and Green closed out the game with superstar-level plays. FINAL RECAP: Stephen Curry And Draymond Green Make Big Plays To Hold Off Utah Jazz, 106-103

RAPTORS: On 12/3/2015 (two nights ago) at Air Canada Centre, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Raptors, 106-105. DeRozan tallied 34 points in defeat.

WARRIORS VS RAPTORS: On 11/17/2014 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, CA, the Warriors defeated the Raptors, 115-110. Curry scored 37 points and Green made two key defensive stops in the waning moments to help Golden State win its 12th game to start this 2015-16 campaign. FINAL RECAP: Elite Defense By Draymond Green Foils Toronto Raptors Comeback, Warriors (12-0) Win 115-110

WARRIORS AT RAPTORS: On 2/27/2014 at Air Canada Centre, the Warriors defeated the Raptors, 113-89. Thompson led Golden State with 25 points as they led Toronto by as much as 40 points by the third quarter. RECAP: Warriors (45-11) Put On Clinic, Dust Off Toronto Raptors 113-89

Upsetting historically good teams. It’s what the Raptors do. — Michael Grange, SportsNet

In the podcast episode, “Chronicling the Golden State Warriors”, Warriors beatwriter Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle told host Sam Amick of USA Today that Curry had caught some of a Raptors game on TV in the locker room earlier this season and heard the announcers saying the Warriors were lucky. Curry told Simmons that he would not so much as use that as a chip on his shoulder against the Raptors as he would make a wink at the announcers in Toronto.

Sources: Raptors C Jonas Valanciunas opts for rehab instead of hand surgery — Sams Charania, Yahoo Sports

“‘They’ve got a couple superstars on their team. What our main focus has to be going into this game is keeping them off the free-throw line. I think they’re No. 1 or 2 (actually fourth) in the NBA in free throws. And we’ve got to quit turning the ball over. And that’s not just against Toronto, but that’s against everybody.’ – Interim Warriors coach Luke Walton.” — Monte Poole, CSN Bay Area

“Having played the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors tough a few weeks ago, Toronto Raptors General Manager Masai Ujiri has a new approach in becoming the first team in the NBA this season to beat the 20-0 Warriors when they host them Saturday afternoon.
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‘Pray to God, man. Pray to God that they have a bad day,’ Ujiri told The Jim Rome Show. ‘Those guys, that story is unbelievable. We are competitors, and I know these guys are jacked for the game, but those guys are playing basketball at the highest possible level, with confidence that is so extreme.'” — The Jim Rome Show

(Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via NBAE/Getty)

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PREVIEW: Golden State Warriors (20-0) At Toronto Raptors (12-8) – Overcoming “What They Do”