Comeback win a building block for Raptors

A result like Toronto's 104-101 comeback victory Monday over Golden State — a rare bright spot in a forgettable season for the Raptors — can help build a foundation for a team with an eye on the future.

TORONTO – A result like Toronto’s 104-101 comeback victory Monday over Golden State — a rare bright spot in a forgettable season for the Raptors — can help build a foundation for a team with an eye on the future.

It’s an approach that Golden State coach Steve Kerr knows well. He guided powerhouse Warriors teams for years before an unusual down year in 2019-20.

It was a campaign that in some ways mirrors the current Raptors’ season. There were significant injuries to big-name players and extended losing streaks.

The Warriors endured a 15-50 freefall that left them in the Western Conference basement. When things were low, Kerr made a point of trying to maintain a strong team culture even when losses were piling up.

“If we could keep the culture of development, work and joy and take something out of what was a difficult situation without kind of giving in, that would be valuable,” he said in a pre-game availability.

Golden State would bounce back, reaching the play-in round in 2021 before winning a championship the next year. Kerr said that several players made it through that 2019-20 valley before blossoming when the team became a contender again.

“I think it did pay off because we had some young players, guys like Jordan Poole (now with the Wizards) who were struggling through that year but gained valuable experience and really helped us win a lot of games — and a championship — a few years later,” Kerr said.

“That was an important time for us, to just try to keep things moving forward.”