This Monday in the NBA, the Toronto Raptors pulled off a crucial home win with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors. The second half comeback was led by Chris Boucher, who in an unexpected turn of events scored 17 of his 18 points in the final quarter, leading the Raptors to their second win in the last 18 games.
Boucher's performance unleashed a wave of excitement at Scotiabank Arena, especially when victory seemed to be slipping through the Raptors' fingers.
The Duel Of The First Three Quarters
The first half of the game was marked by a tough contest between the two teams. The Warriors and Raptors traded three-pointers in a long distance battle.
Although Toronto showed a slight lead at the close of the first half, 52-50, Davion Mitchell's defense on Stephen Curry was key to keeping the Raptors in the game. Curry, the Warriors' leading scorer, made just three three-pointers out of seven attempts in the first half, allowing Toronto to maintain its two-point lead.
However, the Warriors adjusted their offense in the third quarter, showing better ball circulation and improving their three-point percentage to 40%. This allowed Golden State to go in front, 75-78, at the end of the third period, leaving the Raptors in a tough spot.
Boucher's Magic In The Last Minutes
With everything on the line in the final 12 minutes, the Warriors took their biggest lead of the game, leading by nine points (77-86) with nine minutes remaining. But that's when Chris Boucher showed up.
The Canadian player began to dominate the game with two consecutive three-pointers that cut the Warriors' lead to just three points, 83-86. His great moment continued, and with five minutes to go, the Raptors took the lead for the first time in the entire game, 91-90.
Boucher's offense was combined with a solid performance by Ochai Agbaji, who scored four key points down the stretch. With 1:33 minutes left, Agbaji scored the decisive basket, allowing the Raptors to secure the 104-101 victory. Despite a last-ditch attempt by the Warriors to tie the score with a Buddy Hield three-pointer, the shot fell short, sealing the victory for Toronto.
Scottie Barnes was the Raptors' second-leading scorer with 23 points, while Jakob Poeltl contributed a solid double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds. Boucher, who had been a key player in the second half, finished with 18 points, all of which came in the second half.
The Raptors also received support from RJ Barrett, who contributed 15 points, while Agbaji and Gradey Dick added 12 points each.
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Warriors, Unresponsive Down the Homestretch
For the Warriors, Stephen Curry was the top scorer with 26 points, in addition to seven rebounds and seven assists, despite the fierce defense imposed on him by Davion Mitchell. Andrew Wiggins also had an outstanding performance, scoring 20 points, but the Warriors were unable to keep pace in the last minutes of the game.
The absence of Draymond Green, who missed his second consecutive game due to illness, was noticeable on defense and in controlling the pace of the game.
With this loss, the Warriors have now lost two consecutive games and four of their last five, highlighting the reigning champions' struggle to stay ahead in the competition.
The Raptors' win over the Warriors was a show of resilience and determination, especially after a rough start. With a standout performance from Chris Boucher in the final quarter, Toronto came away with a much-needed win that gives them some momentum after a season full of ups and downs.
Meanwhile, the Warriors will have to adjust their game and find answers to improve their performance in the final games, especially with the absence of Green.