Curry scores 23 in return, Warriors fall to playoff-bound Raptors
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Stephen Curry scored 23 points for Golden State in his anticipated return after missing more than four months with a broken left hand, but the Toronto Raptors beat the Warriors 121-113 Thursday night to clinch a playoff spot.
After being sidelined 58 games, Curry led Golden State out of the tunnel to a big ovation — as loud as his neon sneakers, one pink and one yellow. He missed his first two shots but had three quick assists, including a no-look, behind-the-back dish to Andrew Wiggins. He finished with seven assists in 26 minutes.
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The two-time MVP hit a 17-footer for his first basket early in the second quarter, then got a huge reaction for a 3-pointer from well beyond the arc shortly before halftime. He was 3 of 11 from 3-point range for the game.
“It feels like the first day of school pretty much all over again,” the 31-year-old Curry said earlier in the day after shootaround. “It’s kind of just getting back to enjoying playing basketball at the highest level. There’s a process to that.”
Norman Powell scored a career-high 37 points for Toronto, which clinched a playoff berth with the win in a rematch of last year's NBA Finals. The Raptors won that series in six games, finishing with a victory in Golden State's final game at its old arena in Oakland.
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Kyle Lowry added 26 points and 10 assists, and Serge Ibaka had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors, who won at Phoenix on Tuesday night to end a three-game losing streak.
“Knowing that Steph was coming back, we knew it was going to be a great night, a great atmosphere," Lowry said. "One of the best players in the league was coming back from injury, we were a little more focused and concentrated on him, but coming in here, it's a great regular season game.”
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Damion Lee scored 23 points and Marquese Chriss had 17 points and 12 rebound for the Warriors, who have lost 10 straight at home.
Golden State trailed 62-55 at halftime but took an 85-83 lead in the third on Eric Paschall's 3-pointer — with Curry on the bench, no less.
After Toronto regained the lead, Paschall tied it at 95 on a free throw with 9:39 left in the fourth quarter, but the Raptors countered with five straight points. A 3-pointer by Lowry and a powerful dunk from OG Anunoby helped Toronto stretch the lead moments later.
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Curry checked back in with 3:51 left and hit a falling layup with two minutes remaining that pulled the Warriors within 113-108. Wiggins added a 3-pointer to make it 113-111, but Pascal Siakam made two baskets in 15 seconds to keep Toronto's lead safe.
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Lee stole the ball from Powell with 25.8 seconds left and was fouled by Powell. But he missed both free throws and then two 3-point tries after consecutive offensive rebounds.
Curry practiced Monday with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, then was recalled later in the day in a most anticipated promotion. His return to action came without most of his familiar supporting cast — Draymond Green missed his fourth straight game with a left knee injury, and Klay Thompson remains out with a torn left ACL.