In another Stephen Curry recital, one more, Juan Toscano also shone. And he did it in a big way. The forward completed the best historical performance of a Mexican in the NBA, with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in the visit of the Golden State Warriors to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. The best mark of a ‘tricolor’ player in the highest world basketball league was held by Eduardo Nájera, who scored 19 points twice: Mavericks-Clippers (2002) and Nuggets-Spurs (2008).
The former player of Fuerza Regia and Soles de Mexicali in the SiSNova LNBP League started the match on the bench, but was the sixth man. He was 30:31 on the floor, longer than starters Kent Bazemore and Kevon Looney. In addition to fulfilling his usual defensive duties, vital to reducing the production of Kevin Love (5 points) and Isaac Okoro (6), He stood out in the painting of others with a high percentage of success (8/9 in field goals, 88.9% effectiveness, 3/4 in triples). He was the third element of the Warriors that billed the most points, only below Curry (35) and Andrew Wiggins (23), and the second with the best +/- differential, with 21. The Californian team’s Twitter account named him the best player of the night.
At the end of his golden night, Toscano was equanimous and pointed, rather, to the pretensions of the team around the final stretch of the season. “We can still make the playoffs. We are confident that once we qualify, no team will want to face us. At least, I believe in that.” stated after the match. Steph Curry praised the performance of the Mexican team: “He is not a two-way player (referring to the dual contract that links Toscano with the Warriors and their G League affiliate at the same time). He belongs to this league, his opportunity is here and he is taking advantage of it. Hopefully the contract fixed it doesn’t take long. He’s playing past that tag. “, he assured in a video-press conference after the duel.
In 38 games played in the 2020-2021 NBA season, (15 as a starter), ‘Nito’ registers averages of 4.7 points, 3.7 boards, 2.2 assists and 56.0% from the field. The Oakland native became the fifth basketball player with a Mexican passport to participate in the NBA in February 2020, after Horacio Llamas, Nájera, Gustavo Ayón and Jorge Gutiérrez; since then, he has appeared in 51 games. The losing streak of the Warriors in the previous season prevented them from participating in the Orlando ‘bubble’, to which only the teams that maintained mathematical possibilities of reaching the post-season accessed. Now in his second year on the top stage, his solvent performances have earned mansalva praise: Kerr, Curry and Klay Thompson have surrendered to the Mexican-American.
Toscano and the Warriors, who climbed to 9th in the Western conference, with a 28-28 record, They will return to the scene next Saturday, April 17, when they visit the legendary TD Garden in Boston to face the Boston Celtics.
–
