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Don Nelson Ties All-Time Wins Record In Warriors’ Win Over Raptors
Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Corey Maggette had 31 points and Stephen Curry added 29, as Golden State held off a furious comeback bid by Toronto to deal the playoff-hopeful Raptors a 113-112 loss at Air Canada Centre.
Anthony Morrow chipped in 25 points in Golden State's second victory a row to give coach Don Nelson 1,332 wins, tying him with Lenny Wilkens for the most all-time.
It almost wasn’t to be for Nelson on Sunday as the Warriors squandered a 16- point lead with less than seven minutes to play.
The Raptors' failed comeback culminated in a frantic final 2.9 seconds. Chris Bosh hit two free throws to draw the hosts within one, and Toronto's Sonny Weems nabbed Ronny Turiaf's inbounds pass under the hoop. Weems' momentum had him headed out of bounds, but he quickly threw a behind the back pass to Bosh for a point-blank layup that found the glass and then the rim before rolling out as time expired.
“What a game to tie the record. It had everything you want in a game. It had good and bad plays, we did it all and somehow we prevailed,” said Nelson, who was mobbed by his players at the bench following the game’s final play. “They made a tremendous comeback. It’s a special win. It was special for me to be part of something I will always remember.”
Nelson will go for the outright record Tuesday in Washington.
Bosh came up with 42 points and 12 rebounds, falling one bucket short of tying his career high. He made 20-of-23 at the free-throw line to help stoke the comeback, which failed to produce a fourth straight win.
The loss leaves the Raptors just a game up on Chicago for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“Sonny made a spectacular play, it happened so fast, I couldn’t react. It took less than a second, I saw the ball, I tried to lay it in (and) I missed,” said Bosh. “It’s tough given our situation, you have to forget about it and move on.”
The Warriors seemed to be in control following Curry’s tip-in with under seven minutes to go for a 105-89 game.
Toronto, though, scored the next 10 points and were suddenly within six on a Weems finger-roll deuce with 4:22 still to play.
Bosh sank four straight free throws moments later to make it a four-point game, and a jumper by Jarrett Jack with 1:40 on the clock kept the same margin intact, 109-105.
A series of missed opportunities for both sides ensued, including four consecutive missed free throws by the Warriors, who allowed Toronto to pull within one by going without a point following Jack’s shot until two Maggette free throws with 9.5 ticks left. The teams traded two more trips to the line to set up the final sequence.
The Warriors were up 37-24 at the close of the opening quarter before the hosts were able to close the gap to 57-54 at halftime. Golden State increased its lead back to nine, 88-79, heading to the fourth.
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