LOS ANGELES—The NBA pre-season tipped off on Saturday with the Toronto Raptors making a statement before handing the Golden State Warriors a 97-93 defeat in Vancouver.
Raptors players stood with arms locked during both the Canadian and US national anthems in their version of the controversial anthem protests sparked by NFL player Colin Kaepernick as a comment on social injustice and racial inequality.
With that message sent, the Raptors went on to spoil Kevin Durant’s first game with his new Warriors team.
Four-time NBA scoring champion Durant, who departed the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Warriors on a two-year, $54.3 million deal, was booed by fans, who apparently feel his move to Golden State—the 2015 NBA champions who came within one game of a title repeat last season—is an attempt to take a shortcut to a title.
Durant scored nine points and pulled down four rebounds while reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry added eight for Golden State.