Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Match Preview - December 18th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Golden State Warriors will head to the Scotiabank Arena for a matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. In a previous encounter between the two teams earlier this season, the Warriors prevailed courtesy of a stunning performance from Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins.
The Warriors have only gotten stronger from thereon. They come into this game after a sensational win over the Boston Celtics. Steph Curry was the star of the night for the Warriors as he posted 30 points to lead the team to their twenty-fourth win of the season.
As far as the Raptors are concerned, they come into the game after a closely fought defeat to the Nets. Kevin Durant posted a 34 point triple-double, to take the game out of the Raptors' hands. They will be hoping to bounce back strong from the defeat and put on a show for the home fans against a strong Warriors side on Saturday.
Match Details
Fixture: Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Saturday, December 18, 8:30 PM ET [Sunday, December 19, 6:00 AM IST]
Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors have been a team on fire this season. They hold a 24-5 record and sit at the top position in the West. Stephen Curry has been inspirational this year with his performances. Besides him, the Warriors also have young guns like Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins who have elevated their game to the next level this season. Going into the game against the Raptors, the Warriors have won their last three games. They will be high on confidence and will try to put on a great showing against the Raptors in Canada.
Key Player - Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry has been in the news all week after his record-breaking feat against the New York Knicks. The 33-year-old has been in top form and is looking like a prime contender for the MVP trophy. To put his brilliance into numbers, Steph is averaging 26.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 6.1 APG through 27 games he has played. The Warriors will be hoping that he continues his impeccable form when he takes the floor against the Raptors on Saturday.
Golden State Warriors Predicted Lineup
G - Stephen Curry, G - Jordan Poole, F - Andrew Wiggins, F - Draymond Green, C - Kevon Looney
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors had a great start to their season but lost their way as the months have gone on. They hold a 13-15 record and languish at the eleventh position in the East. Despite coming up short in recent games, the Raptors have had some great performances.
They come into the encounter after a closely fought game against the Brooklyn Nets, which was dominated by Kevin Durant. Fred VanVleet and co will be hoping to bounce back from earlier setbacks and get back to winning ways with a stellar performance against the Warriors at home.
Key Player - Fred VanVleet
Fred VanVleet has been amazing to watch this season. The guard is filling big shoes as he replaces Raptors legend Kyle Lowry as the point guard and leader of the team. He has certainly risen to the challenge and taken this newfound responsibility in his stride.
Vanvleet is averaging 19.8 PPG and 6.5 APG while shooting 43.0% from the field. The team will need a big performance from Fred if they are to come away with the victory against the in-form Warriors side.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Fred VanVleet, G - Gary Trent Jr., F - Scottie Barnes, F - Pascal Siakam, C - Chris Boucher
Warriors vs Raptors Match Prediction
The Warriors and Raptors have played in many exciting games. However, going into this one, the Warriors are clear favorites as they have been in impeccable form and with the way Steph has been playing, things look to be squarely in their favor leading into Saturday's matchup.
Where to watch the Warriors vs Raptors game?
NBA games will be streamed live on the official NBA app on a subscription basis. The Warriors vs Raptors game will also be locally telecast on TSN/Sportsnet and NBC Sports Bay.