As Warriors coach Steve Kerr said prior to this one, it’s good to be back in the mix. With their second undermanned win in a week’s span against their company at the top of the Western Conference, the Warriors have done as much as they can to prove they belong. Golden State hung on for…
With a COVID outbreak tearing through their Thursday night opponent, the Golden State Warriors had their first game of the season postponed by pandemic complications as the Denver Nuggets’ available players dwindled below the minimum required by the NBA. The Warriors-Nuggets game scheduled for Thursday night was called off with no immediately scheduled makeup date,…
Denver held on for dear life, and despite a late Steph Curry eruption, it was enough. Nikola Jokic swatted Warriors rookie Jonathan Kuminga with 3.7 seconds left in regulation, and the Nuggets survived, 89-86, in a Tuesday night thriller. The layup attempt would’ve tied the game at 88, yet Jokic’s defensive stop helped ensure the…
Klay Thompson’s slow and steady march toward his long-awaited NBA return continued on Christmas Day in Phoenix as the Warriors star participated in pregame shooting drills ahead of his team’s matchup with the Suns. Thompson hasn’t traveled with the Warriors on the road in recent weeks, but flew with the team to Phoenix where head…
Klay Thompson takes another big step, travels with Warriors to Phoenix — Marin Independent Journal
When griping about playing a second straight Christmas road game, Warriors star Draymond Green said he would’ve accepted going to Milwaukee to play the defending-champion Bucks today.
By John Krolik Special to The Examiner It’s one of the most iconic images — the star player taking the last shot as the clock winds down. 821 more words
FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 119, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 100
DATE: DECEMBER 18, 2021 ATTENDANCE: 7,988
FINAL SCORE
RECORD
HIGH POINTS
HIGH REBOUNDS
HIGH ASSISTS
Golden State
100
24-6
Kuminga – 26
Toscano-Anderson – 9
Chiozza – 7
Toronto
119
14-15
VanVleet – 27
Barnes/Boucher – 8
VanVleet – 12
KEY STAT
The Raptors shot 50 percent from the field (45-for-90) in the win and snapped the Warriors’ streak of 31 games (dating back to the 2020-2021 season) of keeping opponents under 50 percent shooting … Toronto had six players score in double-digits and improve to 9-3 when having a better (or same) field goal percentage than opponents.
RAPTORS NOTES:
With the win, Toronto improves to 14-15 this season and 7-9 at home … The Raptors have now won three consecutive games at Scotiabank Arena (Dec. 10-18) and are 5-2 in the month of December … Toronto’s next game is Monday night against the Orlando Magic.
For the first time since 2001, the Raptors have won three consecutive regular season games against Golden State at home.
Fred VanVleet finished with team highs of 27 points and 12 assists for his fourth double-double of the season … VanVleet has now led the Raptors in scoring in two straight games, after finishing with 31 points Tuesday night in Brooklyn … He has also marked a team-high in assists in four of the last five games (Dec. 8-18) averaging 9.2 assists per game during this stretch.
Scottie Barnes tallied 21 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in 33 minutes … Barnes has now scored 20+ points in back-to-back games (Dec. 14-18), and has finished in double figures in 12 consecutive contests (Nov. 21 – Dec. 18).
Precious Achuiwa finished with a season high-tying 17 points and added five rebounds in 22 minutes … Achiuwa returned to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 5.
OG Anunoby scored seven points, collected three rebounds and added two assists in 28 minutes … Anunoby played for the first time since Nov. 15, after sitting out 13 games with a left hip pointer injury.
WARRIORS NOTES:
With the loss, Golden State is now 24-6, including 10-4 on the road … The Warriors finish their season long-tying five-game road trip (Dec. 11-18) at 3-2 … Golden State will return home to play the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.
Jonathan Kuminga finished with a career-high 26 points (9-15 FG, 4-6 3PT, 4-6 FT) in 36 minutes … Tonight marks the first time Kuminga has led the Warriors in scoring this season.
Gary Payton II scored 13 points, and finished with a season-high nine rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench … Payton II has scored in double-digits seven times this season, most recently Dec. 3 vs. Phoenix.
The Warriors outrebounded the Raptors 47 to 41, led by a season-high 10 rebounds by Juan Toscano-Anderson and a career-best eight boards from Moses Moody … Golden State entered tonight’s game third in the NBA in rebounding (46.9).
07:30 (ET) GSW@TOR INJURY REPORT AT 6:30 P.M. SATURDAY
Golden State Warriors
Curry, Stephen Out Rest Green, Draymond Out Injury/Illness – Right Hip; Tightness Iguodala, Andre Out Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Injury Management Poole, Jordan Out Health and Safety Protocols Porter Jr., Otto Out Injury/Illness – Left Foot; Injury Management Thompson, Klay Out Injury/Illness – Right Achilles Tendon; Injury Recovery Wiggins, Andrew Out Injury/Illness – Left Knee; Soreness Wiseman, James Out Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Injury Recovery Toronto Raptors
Achiuwa, Precious Available Injury/Illness – Right Shoulder; Tendinitis Anunoby, OG Available Injury/Illness – Left Hip; Pointer Banton, Dalano Out Health and Safety Protocols Birch, Khem Out Injury/Illness – Right Knee; Swelling Dragic, Goran Out Not With Team Johnson, David Out Injury/Illness – Left Calf; Strain Siakam, Pascal Out Health and Safety Protocols
Josh Lewenberg@JLew1050·The Raptors will start VanVleet, Trent, Barnes, Anunoby and Boucher vs Golden State tonight. Siakam and Banton are in the protocols. Birch still out, likely back on Monday. Achiuwa available off the bench.
GAME #29 – TORONTO RAPTORS (13-15) vs. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (24-5) SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2021 – 7:30 P.M. (ET) – SCOTIABANK ARENA TV: TSN – RADIO: TSN 1050 TORONTO
• The Toronto Raptors (13-15) host the Golden State Warriors (24-5) on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Warriors make their first trip north of the border since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Toronto is 4-2 in December after falling 131-129 in overtime Tuesday night at Brooklyn. Fred VanVleet led the Raptors with 31 points, Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam each finished with 25 and Scottie Barnes had 23 for the Raptors. VanVleet scored 30+ points for the 13th time in his career, and third time this season, against the Nets. • Scottie Barnes tallied 23 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in a career-high 44 minutes Tuesday night at Brooklyn. Barnes became the youngest player in Raptors franchise history with a 20/10/5 game, overtaking Tracy McGrady. Barnes currently ranks second among rookies in scoring (15.4), leads in rebounds (8.3) and minutes (36.2), and is third with a .488 (162-332) field goal percentage. • Pascal Siakam has scored 16+ points in 11 of the last 12 games (Nov. 19 – Dec. 14). Siakam is averaging a team-high 21.1 points and 8.1 rebounds during this stretch. He is shooting .485 (99-204) from the field and .302 (13-43) from beyond the arc over the last 12 contests. • Gray Trent Jr. scored 25 points and made a season-high six three-pointers (6-12 3PT) Tuesday at Brooklyn. Trent Jr. made six-plus threes for the 12th time in his career and fourth time since joining the Raptors at the trade deadline last season. Trent Jr. is shooting .413 (19-46) from three-point range in December. • Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. are tied for second in the NBA with 100 deflections apiece this season. VanVleet has led the league in deflections per game each of the past two seasons. Trent Jr. also ranks second in the NBA in steals per game (2.12) and has recorded multiple steals in 17 games. The Raptors lead the NBA in deflections per game (19.3) and are tied for third in steals (9.0) this season. • As announced by the province, capacities for events at MLSE venues, including Maple Leaf and Raptors games at Scotiabank Arena, will be reduced to 50 per cent capacities effective Saturday as we all work together to prioritize public health with increasing COVID-19 cases in Ontario. • Goran Dragic is currently taking time away from the team for a personal matter. There is no definite timeline, and updates will be provided as appropriate. Dragic is averaging 8.0 points in five games this season. PROBABLE STARTERS F – SCOTTIE BARNES #4
MIN: 36.2 REB: 8.3 AST: 3.3 STL: 1.1 TO: 1.9 BLK: 1.0 PTS: 15.4 • Recorded 23 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in 44 minutes Dec. 14 at Brooklyn (OT). • Has scored in double figures in 11 straight games (Nov. 21 – Dec. 14), averaging 16.1 points during this stretch. • Leads the Raptors with five double-doubles, including two in the last three games. F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43
MIN: 34.4 REB: 7.6 AST: 3.7 STL: 0.7 TO: 2.2 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 19.1 • Finished with 25 points, six rebounds and two assists in 44 minutes Dec. 14 at Brooklyn (OT). • Averaging 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists through six games in December. • Has scored 20+ points in five of the last seven games (Nov. 30 – Dec. 14), averaging 21.1 points. . C – CHRIS BOUCHER #25
MIN: 15.6 REB: 4.5 AST: 0.3 STL: 0.4 TO: 0.7 BLK: 0.9 PTS: 7.3 • Tallied nine points and nine rebounds in a season-high 32 minutes of action Dec. 14 at Brooklyn (OT). • Scored in double digits in four straight games (Dec. 5-13), averaged 14.0 points during this span. • In four starts this season, averaging 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 25.9 minutes. G – GARY TRENT JR. #33
MIN: 34.8 REB: 3.2 AST: 2.0 STL: 2.1 TO: 0.9 BLK: 0.3 PTS: 17.0 • Contributed 25 points and a season-high five assists in 42 minutes Dec. 14 at Brooklyn (OT). • Ranks second in the NBA in steals per game (2.12); has recorded three steals in each of the last three games. • Has scored 20+ points 10 times; something he did 15 times in 58 games last season. G – FRED VANVLEET #23
MIN: 38.0 REB: 5.0 AST: 6.5 STL: 1.6 TO: 3.1 BLK: 0.6 PTS: 19.8 • Scored 31 points in a career-high 47 minutes Dec. 14 at Brooklyn (OT); added four rebounds and nine assists. • Leads the NBA in minutes per game (38.0), has logged 40+ minutes in seven games. • Has scored in double digits in all 27 of his games played this season, including 20+ points 11 times.
INJURY REPORT Precious Achiuwa (Right Shoulder; Tendinitis) – Questionable OG Anunoby (Left Hip; Pointer) – Questionable Khem Birch (Right Knee; Swelling) – Questionable Goran Dragic (NWT) – Out David Johnson (Left Calf; Strain) – Out
2021-22 RECORDS W-L EAST WEST OVERALL 13-15 10-9 3-6 HOME 6-9 5-6 1-3 AWAY 7-6 5-3 2-3 OVERTIME 0-1 0-1 0-0
WARRIORS NOTES
The Warriors, with the best record in the NBA (24-5, .828), conclude their five-game road trip, tied for their longest road trip of the season. They have another five-game road trip in late March. The Warriors have won their last three games, all on the road. Stephen Curry became the NBA’s all-time leader in 3-pointers, passing Ray Allen (2,973) on December 14, 2021 at New York. The Warriors are the only team in the NBA this season that has not allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent-or-better from the field. Dating back to last season, Golden State has a streak of 31 consecutive games without allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the field, tied for the fifth-longest such streak in franchise history. It’s the longest such streak since a 36-consecutive game streak (3/14/17-11/25/17)
UPCOMING/CONTINUING MILESTONES • Stephen Curry has made at least one 3-pointer in 153 consecutive games, the league’s longest active streak and now the second-longest streak in NBA history after having passed Kyle Korver (127). Curry, who holds the all-time NBA record of 157 games (11/13/14-11/3/16), is the only player with two 100-plus streaks. The current streak began on Dec. 1, 2018. • Andre Iguodala is one field goal away from 5,000 career. AS OF LATE… (CURRENT TEAM/PLAYER STREAKS) • The Warriors are the only team in the NBA this season that has not allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent-or-better from the field. Dating back to last season, Golden State has a streak of 31 consecutive games without allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the field, tied for the fifth-longest such streak in franchise history (2/16/65-11/12/65). It’s the longest such streak since a 36-consecutive game streak (3/14/17-11/25/17). TONIGHT’S NOTES • Tonight’s game at Toronto concludes the Warriors’ five-game road trip, tied for the longest road trip of the season, as the Warriors have another five-game road trip in March. Tonight’s game also concludes the regular season series against the Raptors with the Warriors looking for a sweep after defeating Toronto, 119-104, on November 21. The last time the Warriors swept the Raptors (2-0) in the regular season series was in 2017-18. • The Warriors have the league’s best overall record in the NBA at 24-5 (.828) and best home record at 14-2. • According to NBA.com, the Warriors have the best defensive rating (100.5) and is ranked fourth in offensive rating (111.9), behind Utah (117.8), Charlotte (113.7) and Atlanta (112.8). • The Warriors are the only team in the NBA this season that has not allowed an opponent to shoot 50 percent-or-better from the field (29 games). Dating back to last season, Golden State has a streak of 31 consecutive games without allowing an opponent to shoot 50 percent from the field, tied for the fifth-longest such streak in franchise history (2/16/65-11/12/65). It’s the longest such streak since a 36-consecutive game streak (3/14/17-11/25/17). The fourth-longest streak in franchise history is 33-straight games by the Philadelphia Warriors (1/17/57-3/13/57). • Including games played on December 17, offensively, Golden State ranks third in the NBA in scoring (111.8 ppg), first in assists (28.1 apg), third in field goal percentage (.469), seventh in 3-point field goal percentage (.364). Defensively, the Warriors rank first in opponent scoring (100.4 ppg), first in opponent field goal percentage (.422), second in steals (9.34 spg), third in rebounding (46.9 rpg) and second in opponent 3-point field goal percentage (.324). • Including games played on December 17, among the league leaders, Stephen Curry is tied with Giannis Antetokounmpo for third in scoring (27.0 ppg), first in 3-pointers made (150), second in free throw percentage (.929); Draymond Green is ranked 12th in assists (7.3 apg); Jordan Poole is ranked seventh in free throw percentage (.909). • In the third quarter this season, the Warriors are outscoring opponents (29.1 to 23.6 ppg), outrebounding opponents (12.7 to 9.2 rpg), outshooting opponents from the field (.488 to .398) and from 3-point range (.397 to .311). The Warriors have outscored opponents, 845-684, a difference of 161 points (5.6 ppg) in the third quarter this season. The +5.6 is the highest for any team in any quarter this season. (NBA.com/stats) WARRIORS-RAPTORS CONNECTIONS • Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (Toronto, Ontario) was born in Canada. • Warriors Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development Jama Mahlalela (Jah-MAH MAH-la-lay-lah) was with the Toronto Raptors from 2006 to last season, serving in numerous roles, most recently as an assistant coach in 2020-21. Mahlalela was also the head coach of Toronto’s G League team, Raptors 905 and worked in the front office as director of player development prior to that. Mahlalela, who started with the Raptors on their community development staff, grew up in the Greater Toronto Area and played collegiately at the University of British Columbia. He was also an assistant coach with the University of Toronto for four seasons. • Warriors Player Mentor Coach Leandro Barbosa played for the Toronto Raptors in the second half of the 2010-11 season and the first half of the 2011-12 season… Barbosa appeared in 100 career games (all as a reserve), averaging 12.8 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 23.4 minutes per game for the Raptors. • Stephen Curry’s father, Dell, played the final three (1999-00 – 2001-02) of his 16 NBA seasons with the Raptors. • Raptors forward Chris Boucher played for the Warriors’ G League affiliate Santa Cruz Warriors in 2017-18 and appeared in one game for Golden State that season. 2021-22
Player’s memorable games against the Raptors • Andrew Wiggins recorded his lone career triple-double against the Raptors, an 18-point, 10 rebound, career-high 11-assist performance on January 18, 2020 at Minnesota.
• Head Coach Steve Kerr recorded his 400th career coaching victory in 576 games, the fifth-fewest games in NBA history (540 – Pat Riley, 557 – Phil Jackson, 564 – K.C. Jones, 572 – Billy Cunningham). • The Warriors improved to 24-5 (.828) and have won last three games, all of which on the road. • Golden State is off to its best start after 29 games since 2016-17 when they started 25-4. • The Warriors are now 3-1 on the current five-game road trip and 10-3 overall on the road this season. • The Celtics shot under 50 percent from the field (.439 FG%), the 31st straight game (all 29 games this season) in which a Warriors opponent has not shot at least 50 percent from the field, matching the fifth-longest such streak in Warriors history • With the win, the Warriors snapped a five-game losing streak to the Celtics and a three-game losing streak in Boston. • Golden State improved to 5-0 in the first game of a back-to-back set this season • Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points, including a career-high 18 in the second quarter … He had 24 first-half points, one-point shy of the most points he has ever scored in a half (25, four times). • Andre Iguodala contributed a season-high-tying 12 points off the bench, his second double-figure scoring effort of the season. • Stephen Curry had his 39th 4-point play of his career in the first quarter, and second of the season. • Kevon Looney grabbed 10 rebounds, his fifth game this season with 10-or-more rebounds. • Jordan Poole missed his first game of the season due to health and safety protocols. Poole had played in the first 28 games of the season. • Moses Moody made his first career NBA start.
• On 12/4/21, the Spurs ended the Warriors’ 11-game home winning streak with a 112-107 win. The Warriors had won each of those 11 home games by 10-or-more points. It was tied for the longest such streak in team franchise history (11, 12/22/14-1/23/15) and was the longest in the league since the Utah Jazz had an NBA-record streak of 16 home games won by 10-or-more points last season (1/15-3/24/21). • The Warriors ended the Suns’ 18-game winning streak on December 3 with a 22-point victory (118-96) – it is the largest margin of victory to end a streak of that length in NBA history, surpassing the Celtics’ 20-point win (94-74) on 3/18/08 that ended the Houston Rockets’ 22-game win streak (1/29-3/16/08). • With 96 points at Phoenix on November 30, the Warriors were held to under 100 points for the first time this season. Golden State had scored at least 100 points in 43 straight regular season games (23 last season, 20 this season). Prior to Nov. 30, 2021, the last time the Warriors were held under 100 points was on April 2, 2021 at Toronto (77-130). • The Warriors had a 13-2 record in the month of November, tied for the third-highest winning percentage for the Warriors all-time in the month of November. Their two losses came on the road at Charlotte on November 14 and at Phoenix on November 30. • On 11/28 at L.A. Clippers, Stephen Curry set a new NBA record for the fewest games needed to reach 100 3-pointers in a season, making 105 3-pointers in 19 games. Twice Curry needed 20 games to reach the century mark (2015-16 and 2018-19). He currently holds four of the Top 5 spots for fewest games to make 100 3-pointers in a season (James Harden owns one). • The Warriors completed a four-game road trip with a 3-1 record. Stephen Curry averaged a team-high 33.7 points (.500 FG%, .488 3P%, 12-12 FT), 5.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.33 steals in 33.3 minutes per game in three contests. Curry made 21 3-pointers in three games (he missed the last game in Detroit due to a left hip contusion. Andrew Wiggins averaged 21.5 points per game and Jordan Poole had a 17.5 scoring average. Draymond Green played in three games and averaged 9.3 assists a game during the road trip. Golden State outscored (107.0 to 99.0 ppg), outrebounded (46.0 to 38.5 rpg) and outshot opponents from the field (.476 to .423 FG%) during the four-game road trip. • On November 15, Stephen Curry was named Western Conference Player of the Week for Week 4 after leading the Warriors to a 3-1 record while averaging an NBA-high 34.8 points, to go along with 5.5 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 2.25 steals in 34.8 minutes per game. It was Curry’s second weekly honor of the season (Week 1) and the 18th of his career. • On Wednesday at Brooklyn, Curry’s nine 3-pointers were the most by a Nets opposing player in team history (previous eight, nine times) (ESPN SportsCenter). • The 50-point performance by Stephen Curry on November 8 vs. Atlanta was the most points scored by an individual player this season, surpassing the 46 points scored by the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown on October 20 at New York in a double overtime game. Prior to Curry scoring 50 points, the most points scored in a non-overtime game was set by Curry when he scored 45 points on October 21, 2021 vs. the Clippers. • The Warriors went 7-1 on their eight-game homestand (October 28-November 12), tied for the longest in franchise history (they went 4-4 on their previous eight-game homestand, January 24-February 9, 2011). • Stephen Curry has made at least 30 3-pointers through his first six games of a season for the third time in his career. No other player has done this once in NBA history (ESPN Stats & Info). • On October 25, the NBA announced Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry has been named the Week #1 Western Conference Player of the Week. The award marks the 17th career weekly recognition for the 13-year veteran. Curry helped lead the Warriors to their first 3-0 start since winning an NBA-record 24-straight games to begin the 2015-16 campaign, averaging 31.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.33 steals in 36.3 minutes. Curry is the first Warrior to open a season with three-straight 20/10 games since Jerry Lucas in 1970-71. • Stephen Curry was among 11 active players to be named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. The Warriors were represented with eight players: Paul Arizin, Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jerry Lucas, Robert Parish, and Nate Thurmond.
• The Warriors won their first four games of the season despite trailing at the half in every game. They joined the 1985-86 Clippers as the only teams in NBA history to open a season 4-0 and overcome a halftime deficit in each of those contests (ESPN Stats & Info). • Stephen Curry grabbed 10 rebounds in each of his first two games, marking the second time in his career he has had two consecutive games with 10-or-more rebounds. This is the first time in his career Curry has recorded consecutive games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. • Already the Warriors franchise leader in assists, Curry now has reached the 5,000-assist plateau on October 24, 2021 at Sacramento. Curry became the 69th player in NBA history to reach the milestone, joining teammate Andre Iguodala. • Against the Clippers in the Warriors’ home opener, Stephen Curry scored 45 points, the fifth-most scored by a Warriors player in a home opener, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. In the first quarter, Curry scored 25 points (9-9 FG, 5-5 3P, 2-2 FT), marking the third time in NBA history a player scored at least 25 points while making at least five 3-pointers and making all of their field goal attempts in a single quarter. The other two times in NBA history (since play-by-play began being recorded in 1997-98) were done by Warriors with Curry scoring 25 points in the third quarter against the Thunder in 2020-21 and Klay Thompson tallying his NBA-record 37 points in the third quarter vs. the Kings in 2014-15. • In the season opener at the Lakers on October 19, Stephen Curry recorded a 21-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, becoming just the second Warriors player in franchise history to record one in the team’s season opener, joining Andy Phillip (21 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) on Nov. 1, 1952 in the Philadelphia Warriors’ overtime win over the Syracuse Nationals, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. • In the season opener at Los Angeles against the Lakers, the Warriors’ reserves accounted for 55 points – 15 coming from Nemanja Bjelica. With a double-double (11 rebounds), Bjelica became the first Warrior to record a double-double off the bench in his Warriors debut since Sam K. Williams (16 points, 12 rebounds) on Oct. 30, 1981 at Denver, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. • In the preseason, the Warriors attempted 69 3-pointers at Portland on October 6 – had it been a regular season game, it would have been the secondmost 3-point field goals attempted (Houston attempted an NBA-record 70 vs. Brooklyn on Jan. 16, 2019 in an overtime loss). In the 2021 preseason, the Warriors led the league in 3-point field goals made (92; next highest was 83 by Miami) and 3-pointers attempted (266; next highest was 235 by Memphis). The Warriors averaged 53.2 3-point field goals attempts per game in the 2021 preseason; they attempted 38.7 in the 2020-21 regular season, fifth-highest that season (Utah led the league with 43.0 3-point attempts per game). • In his 13th NBA season, Stephen Curry has matched Chris Mullin for the most seasons played for the Warriors franchise. • Andre Iguodala returned to the Warriors after spending the last two seasons with the Heat. Iguodala has been to the postseason in each of his last 11 seasons. • Both Klay Thompson (missed the last two seasons due to a torn left ACL and torn right Achilles) and James Wiseman (right knee meniscus injury) are expected to return to the lineup during the 2021-22 regular season. • The Warriors selected Jonathan Kuminga from G League Ignite with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and Moses Moody from Arkansas with the 14th overall pick. When selected, Kuminga was 18 years old; Moody was 19. • During the offseason, the Warriors signed free agents Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr. and signed Chris Chiozza to a Two-way contract. • The NBA and Warriors are celebrating 75 seasons during the 2021-22 season. The 2021-22 season marks the Warriors’ 76th season and their 60th in the Bay Area. The Warriors (then in Philadelphia) were among the original 11 teams in the inaugural 1946-47 season. • In 2020-21, the Warriors won 15 of their last 20 regular season games, including eight of nine in the month of May. LAST SEASON’S NOTES • Golden State compiled a 39-33 record during the 2020-21 regular season, finishing eighth in the Western Conference. Losses in the Play-In Tournament to the No. 7 seed Lakers and No. 9 seed Grizzlies prevented the Warriors from qualifying for the 2021 NBA Playoffs. • The Warriors won 15 of their last 20 regular season games, including posting an 8-1 in the month of May. • The 24-win improvement (15 in 2019-20 to 39 in 2020-21) matched the largest win improvement from one season to the next in Warriors franchise history, as the 2011-12 Warriors went 23-43 and then improved to 47-35 in 2012-13, beginning their franchise-record streak of seven straight playoff appearances, which included five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals and three championships. • Stephen Curry averaged 37.0 points (.491 FG%, .441 3P%, .904 FT%) in playing 26 of the team’s final 28 games of the 2020-21 season, including the two Play-In Tournament games. Of those 26 appearance, Curry scored at least 30 points 23 times. He reached the 40-point plateau eight times and 50 once in the 26-game span. • With the scoring title in 2020-21, Stephen Curry joined Michael Jordan as the only players age-33 or older to win the scoring title. Curry also joins Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players with multiple scoring titles, MVPs and championships (ESPN Stats & Info). • In 2020-21, Stephen Curry had seven games with 10 or more 3-pointers (four times with 11 triples). That is the new NBA single-season for most games with 10 or more 3-pointers, surpassing the previous mark of six set by Curry during the 2018-19 season. • Stephen Curry scored 40 or more points 11 times during the 2020-21 season. That’s the third-most by a player in their 12th season or later, trailing only Michael Jordan (12 in 1997-98) and tied with Bernard King (11, 1990-91). Curry had six 40-point games in the month of April. • Draymond Green averaged a career-high 8.9 assists per game, tied with Phoenix’s Chris Paul for third among league leaders in 2020-21. Among non-guards, only LeBron James has ever finished a season with a higher assist average (10.2 apg in 2019-20, 9.1 apg in 2017-18). The last time a Warrior averaged at least 8.9 assists per game in a season was Baron Davis in 2005-06 when he averaged 8.9 assists per game, finishing second in the league. • The 558 assists in 2020-21 for Draymond Green is the second-highest assist total for a season for him, trailing only a career-high 598 in 2015-16. • Draymond Green, who matched his career-high assists with 19 on April 23 vs. Denver, dished out 10 or more assists in 24 games last season, the most 10-assist games in a single season in his career. Prior to Green, the last Warrior to have that many 10-assist games in a single season was Stephen Curry with 24 in 2014-15. • Draymond Green handed out 15 or more assists seven times last season (he had a combined three in the previous eight seasons). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that’s the most 15-assist games in a season by a non-guard in NBA history. Only Russell Westbrook (14) and James Harden (7) have had that many 15-assist games this season. The last Warriors player to have at least seven 15-assist games in a single season was Tim Hardaway with nine in 1994-95. Only Guy Rodgers (twice), John Lucas, Sleepy Floyd and Hardaway (three times) have had seven or more 15-assist games in a season in Warriors franchise history. Q