The Golden State Warriors matched up against the TorontoRaptors Wednesday evening in a battle of top-15 2021 draft picks. A fairly sloppy game resulted in the Warriors taking a 90-84 victory over Toronto.
Despite shooting just 27.3 percent from the floor, Toronto led after the first quarter, 19-17. However, their shooting woes would prove to be costly, as they never could find a rhythm.
Warriors in control
The Warriors took control in the second and third quarters, outscoring Toronto, 49-37 – an advantage they would never let go of.
Justinian Jessup, Moses Moody, and Gary Payton II combined 8 of 11 from downtown in the game. Their efficient perimeter shooting helped turn things around to give the Warriors a 15-point edge by the end of the third.
Payton made waves in the fourth after driving the lane for a vicious slam that left fans and social media buzzing. The dunk provided enough of a spark to keep the Dubs ahead through the finish.
Young stars shining
Eighteen-year-old rookie Jonathan Kuminga showed promise, scoring 18 points for the Warriors. Payton finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds while shooting a perfect 3 of 3 from downtown. Moody dropped 14 points for the Warriors, while Jessup added 13.
Precious Achiuwa, acquired by Toronto in the blockbuster deal that sent Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat, made his Summer League debut for the team. The 21-year-old scored 13 points on 5 of 11 shooting. He added 11 rebounds – 5 of which came on the offensive end. Malachi Flynn struggled with efficiency, scoring a team-high 16 on 6 of 19 from inside the arc and 3 of 8 from beyond.
No. 4 overall pick Scottie Barnes showed flashes of potential, putting up 13 points and 8 boards in just over 25 minutes of action.
Up Next
The Warriors will lace ‘em up against the Oklahoma City Thunder Friday at 7:00 pm EST. Toronto will next play the HoustonRockets Thursday at 8:00 pm EST.
