TORONTO — The Golden State Warriors’ locker room is an interesting place.
Sure, there was the staple, a healthy-sized fruit platter. But there was also a wide selection of candy. And then there was the ultimate sign of youth: a box full of Magnum XL condoms on the floor, open for all interlopers to see.
Indeed, the Warriors-Toronto Raptors game was a display of NBA juveniles. There were more players on the active rosters born in 1985 or later (16) than before (14). But if the Warriors were playing the part of the wide-eyed 20-somethings ready for a night on the town, the Toronto Raptors were representing the day after: hungover, lethargic and slow to get going.
The Warriors beat the Raptors 109-102 in what was the first real warning that this could be more than an ordinarily bad season for Toronto. This could be painful.
For a team that said it was going to make its name on hustle and work ethic, the Raptors were beaten in those areas last night. It is not that their effort looked particularly bad, but the Warriors, on the fatigued end of a back-to-back set, seemed more interested in the win. The Raptors showed resolve when staring at a double-digit deficit, but a fourth-quarter comeback attempt was ultimately futile.
“We’ve got to know from the jump ball that we’ve got to be a mistake-free ball club if we want to win,” said Jarrett Jack, who was playing with a hyper-extended right knee.
The Raptors looked to be working hard, for the most part — although Andrea Bargnani was an exception, with just one rebound and interior defence that was more theoretical than anything. He got in early foul trouble, and his second-half minutes were limited.
Golden State out-rebounded the Raptors 42-32, and Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry took turns being unguardable. Curry had 34 points, while Ellis had 28. The Raptors, meanwhile, seemed content to settle; they shot just four free throws in the first half, a horrible statistic for a team that appears to be a middling jump-shooting team.
The Warriors shot 53% from the field, which was the most glaring statistic of all. It is a sign that the Raptors’ energy, something that has been commended since training camp opened, might be waning.
For the most part, the Raptors performed admirably on the West Coast trip that preceded last night’s game, making things competitive in Utah, Los Angeles and Portland, against long odds. One has to wonder, though, if losses in the face of that effort will rob the Raptors of the energy that has to be the team’s calling card this year.
The Raptors’ collective body language was not great against Golden State.
“Body language is down because these guys give a [crap], and they want to win,” Triano said. “When they don’t and they don’t play well, they feel bad. It’s natural. I don’t think there’s one guy in there whose body language is like, ‘I don’t give a [crap].’ Their body language is, ‘I want to win and this isn’t happening, and I’m upset about it.’ And I like that. I don’t want them to feel good when we don’t play well.”
“It sucks, man, knowing that you fight hard,” Jack said. “All of us at some point in time are going to make mistakes. But I thought we fought hard the entire game. The reward you get is just almost. You’re right there. You don’t get the full reward you intended for, which is the [win]. And it’s just kind of difficult.”
Even for the young, enthusiasm is not infinite.
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