Toronto Raptors put NBA on notice after win over Golden State Warriors

On the road against a healthy Golden State Warriors lineup, the Toronto Raptors beat the defending champions in convincing fashion without their best player.

If the Toronto Raptors were going to beat the Golden State Warriors without Kawhi Leonard they needed a near-perfect performance from their supporting cast and they got that for the most part.

We’ve seen the Raptors cope without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, especially in the second half of a back-to-back, but this 113-93 victory over the Warriors was different. Toronto showed their versatility on defence and they weren’t afraid to challenge Golden State’s top players at both ends of the court.

Kevin Durant scored a season-high 51 points against the Raptors in their first meeting and 30 in the rematch. What allowed Toronto to be successful was forcing the Warriors to work for their chances offensively and dominating the play in the paint, outscoring them 58-40.

"“We just didn’t quite have it,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game. “It was just one of those nights where you would hope that we’d be more engaged and more energetic playing against this team, but we didn’t bring it.”"

Kerr is right to say the Warriors weren’t themselves in this game especially Steph Curry, who had 10 points. However, the Raptors made it a point to give them no chance to cut the lead down, especially in the second half, they showed the Warriors that it was going to take a four-quarter effort to win.

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Everyone knows how the Warriors rely on their three-point shooting, but Toronto was able to limit them to 23.1 percent from beyond the arc. Danny Green, Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka stood toe-to-toe against the most talented team in the league and made life difficult for them, something many teams have struggled to do.

There was no sense of panic from the Raptors despite them not having their best player in the lineup and going forward they won’t be taken lightly, but that also means their mindset can’t change. Considering how their postseason track record hasn’t been great, they can’t lose their focus.

Curry made it a point to remind people why the Warriors are still considered the odds-on favourite to win in the Final,s and that’s their ability to show up when it matters the most.

"“We’ll remember what it’s like playing against them, but it’s 0-0 from here. The sweep doesn’t mean nothing in terms of when the lights are the brightest on the biggest stage in the playoffs. Everything’s different. We’ll remember how tonight was. It’s a tough vibe, but they don’t get any extra points if we were to face them in the Finals, Curry said after the game via Bleacher Report."

Sure the Raptors shouldn’t get too comfortable with the fact that they swept Golden State in the regular season, but they can definitely take the lessons from it too. Every contender needs to build a foundation and since this Raptors’ team has forged a new identity this season, this is a game they can look back on and be content with.

What did you think of the Toronto Raptors’ sweep of the Warriors in the season series? Should they avoid getting too confident, or does this show their capabilities? Let us know in the comments below.