Warriors erase 27-point deficit, stun Raptors

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It was somewhat fitting that Warriors head coach Mark Jackson had to spend Monday night in an Oakland hotel, because Oracle Arena didn't feel much like home for most of Tuesday evening.

The usually raucous crowd was subdued, and the Warriors didn't give the fans much reason to cheer until the fourth quarter, when they finished erasing a 27-point deficit for an improbable 112-103 victory over Toronto.

"I am extremely proud of my basketball team," Jackson said. "I am extremely proud of their will, the way they battled and the way they competed. ... The crowd got quiet, and they were supposed to. We deserved for them to be quiet, but we regrouped and we began to play our brand of basketball.

"This being my third year here, there has not been a bigger win, when you talk about making a statement."

The Warriors (11-8) trailed 75-48 with 21 1/2 minutes left and were still down by 18 when the fourth quarter started, but they owned the final frame to beat Toronto, which hadn't blown a lead larger than 24 points in its franchise history.

Stephen Curry and Harrison Barnes enjoy some air time during the Warriors' comeback. Stephen Curry and Harrison Barnes enjoy some air time during the Warriors' comeback. Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Warriors erase 27-point deficit, stun Raptors 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

The Warriors beat Toronto 42-15 on the scoreboard, outshot it 68 percent to 29 percent and outrebounded it 14-1 for their first 18-point, fourth-quarter comeback since 1962.

Stephen Curry had 14 of his game-high 27 points and five of his game-high 10 assists in the final 12 minutes, and Klay Thompson added 12 of his 22 points in the final quarter. Curry's three-pointer with 3:01 remaining gave the Warriors a 101-99 edge - their first lead since it was 4-2 - and Thompson buried a three-pointer to make it 104-101 with 2:28 left.

Harrison Barnes added 19 points for the Warriors, David Lee had a comeback performance after a pair of rough games with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and centers Andrew Bogut and Jermaine O'Neal combined for 21 points and 13 rebounds.

"This was going to be a dark evening and an even worse day tomorrow," Lee said. "But this will be a victory that we will remember. ... It shows us just how special this team can be when we do what we're capable of doing."

The Warriors have won 11 of their past 13 meetings with Toronto (6-11) and have beaten the Raptors nine straight times in Oakland, but the first game back home from a long road trip doesn't always feel like a home game.

This was the Warriors' only home date during an eight-game span. After their just-finished, four-game trip, Jackson's youngest son returned to his home in Los Angeles with his dad's house keys and car keys - leaving the coach stuck in a hotel for the team's short layover until the team leaves for another three-game trip.

The Warriors played as if they had been locked out of the gym in the early going, allowing Toronto to score at will. The Warriors had their worst start of the season, failing to score at least 20 points in the opening frame for the first time and giving up a season-high-tying 36 points.

They got beaten inside as Tyler Hansbrough had six of the Raptors' 14 rebounds, and the Warriors' entire roster combined for just five boards. Toronto closed the first quarter on a 22-5 run, including Kyle Lowry's buzzer-beating three-pointer that made it 36-19.

Barnes tried to keep the Warriors close, scoring 14 second-quarter points, including two free throws that trimmed the deficit to 48-39 with 3:47 remaining.

The Raptors responded with a 13-3 run. During the stretch, Steve Novak made three three-pointers in a 1:36 span, including one that extended Toronto's lead to 61-42 with 1:24 left in the half.

O'Neal update: O'Neal said he has a torn ligament in his left wrist that will require surgery, but he's going to try to delay the procedure for as long as possible. The 35-year-old missed four games last month because of a bruised right knee and strained right groin.