Warriors extend start to 21-0 with hard-fought win over Raptors

All things come to a end, even 20-game winning streaks led by the league’s most irrepressible player, but Saturday, that would not be the case.

The Golden State Warriors held off the Toronto Raptors on the road for an 112–109 victory, extending their undefeated start to 21 games and their winning streak to 25, dating back to last season. Curry led the Warriors with 44 points and seven assists, the seventh 40-point showing of the season for the reigning MVP.

After the Raptors rallied back from a first-quarter Warriors three-point barrage, things got tight: the two teams were never separated by more than three points in the final six minutes. The game’s final moments took place largely at the free throw line, with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry each splitting pairs of shots late and leaving opportunities to tie the game on the table. 

Curry went to the line with 18 seconds left and coolly sank a pair for a 108–105 lead, setting up Toronto for a final chance to tie. Lowry brought the ball upcourt and opted for a quick layup off a screen rather than a three. Thompson hit a pair of foul shots next to maintain the three-point deficit, and Golden State then chose to foul rather than allow a three-ball.

Up 112–109, it was Curry sealing things up on the defensive end, prying the ball out of bounds off of Cory Joseph with 3.3 seconds remaining, regaining possession and then sealing the victory with two final free throws.

Curry and Lowry dueled all game, the latter finishing with 41 points and seven dimes of his own. The two All-Star point guards combined for 15 made three-pointers. Klay Thompson added 26 points for Golden State'

The Raptors had pushed the Warriors hard in Oakland nearly three weeks ago, when 37 points from Curry helped stave off a late Toronto rally.

The Warriors face the Nets in Brooklyn on Sunday evening in search of win No. 22. The NBA record for longest winning streak belongs to the 1971-72 Lakers, with 33 straight.