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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Inclusion.

It was the first thing that Steve Kerr talked about during his pregame press conference, and the theme carried itself all the way through Steph Curry's 3-pointer with 32 seconds left that would eventually lead to the Warriors' 117-112 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

Kerr didn't start off his press conference talking about inclusion on the basketball court, but rather the inclusion of the LGBTQ community, which the Warriors honored throughout Wednesday night's game. He stressed how proud he felt to be a member of an organization, and a community, that embraces diversity.

"There has never been a more important time in our country to respect the person next to you regardless of race, creed, color or sexual preference and sexual identity. ... Maybe, if you are coming to the game tonight, and your child says, 'What does [LGBTQ] mean?' explain it to them and explain the importance of loving the person next to you and respecting them no matter who they are and where they come from. They are human beings. We are all human beings and we are all in this together."

He'd scoff at the comparison between the fight for LGBTQ rights and a basketball team, but Kerr clearly carries over that mentality of inclusion to the way he runs the Warriors. He spent about five minutes singing the praises of Quinn Cook and Damian Jones, two players who were recently sent to the G-League and might not see 20 combined minutes for the Warriors this season, assuring everyone that they are both eventually going to have their moment.

After the game Kerr talked about how he had to make the tough decision to put JaVale McGee on the inactive list because he want to reward little-used third-year forward Kevon Looney, who "deserved to be active" after three straight games on the inactive list despite a fantastic training camp.

Looney didn't end up playing in the game, so the move may seem insignificant to some. But that's Kerr's thought process: Stay ready. You never know when your name will be called.

One player who's name has been called consistently is Kevin Durant, who made a game-tying 3-pointer with a minute left that was eerily similar to what could be the biggest shot of his life -- the cold-blooded go-ahead 3-pointer against the Cavs in Game 3 of June's NBA Finals.

But Durant's night started with a cause much more important than basketball. Before the game he met with a group of breast cancer survivors and gave them all a pair of his breast cancer awareness sneakers, which he releases every season in honor of his late aunt.

"They were very excited, and it definitely made my day better by seeing them," Durant said.

And then there's Klay Thompson, who knocked down shots early en route to 22 points on 4-of-6 3-point shooting. But it was a defensive play, a block of Kyle Lowry's shot with 16 seconds left that sealed the victory. Just like Kerr and the LGBTQ community and Durant with the group of breast cancer survivors, Thompson had more important on his mind during the game.

Thompson has pledged $1,000 per point over the three-game homestand to assist in the relief efforts following the wildfires that recently ravaged Northern California. After the game, Thompson's first comment was that $22,000 is a great addition, but he wished he had scored more. He added that his PledgeIt.org page has already eclipsed its original $250,000 fundraising goal.

"It feels great to add something to the pot," Thompson said after the game. "Hopefully I'll have a couple big games. ... The response across the whole Bay Area -- not only the Bay Area, but the whole country -- has been phenomenal. So I'm very proud of my fan base and all the people who have a good heart."

As usual, the inclusion on the court was obvious. The Warriors had 32 assists in the game, two above their average last season, and the final 10-0 run perfectly exhibited the unselfishness of the team. While some teams find their "go-to guy" repeatedly in the final minutes of the game, the beauty of the Warriors is that they have so many options. Here's what the Warriors' final run looked like:

  • Draymond Green block
  • Curry layup
  • Green rebound
  • Durant 3-pointer
  • Durant rebound
  • Curry 3-pointer
  • Thompson block
  • Thompson rebound
  • Curry two free throws

On this night it was the team's "big four" making the plays down the stretch, but Kerr insists on keeping everyone ready because one day, he knows, it will be their turn.

"You just keep pounding away," Kerr said. "You work, you work, you work, and eventually your time comes and you take advantage of it."

Whether it's assisting with the LGBTQ community, breast cancer awareness or disaster relief, the Warriors are certainly taking advantage of their status as the most successful and most popular team in the NBA.