Month: December 2018

San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami: 49ers to end season in L.A. against a successful Rams team

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Photo credit: ocregister.com

On the San Francisco 49ers podcast with Joe Lami:

#1 The 49ers were able to hold a 9-7 lead at half time against one of the best teams in the NFC last Sunday the Chicago Bears (11-4). Do you view this as progress after the 49ers had won Denver and Seattle in previous weeks at Levis’s Stadium?

#2 Going into a game like that, where the Bears know how to protect both sides of the ball, the 49ers to play a game like that head coach Kyle Shanahan really had to have had a great game plan.

#3 The Bears did shutout the 49ers in the second half of that game last Sunday. Did it appear to you that quarterback Nick Mullens and the offense did everything they can to get some head way on offense?

#4 San Francisco 49ers (4-11) safety Marcell Harris said his late hit on Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was not intentional. The hit drew an unnecessary roughness and sparked a brawl that saw 49ers’ cornerback Richard Sherman getting ejected from the game plus two other players.

#5 The 49ers end their season against the Los Angeles Rams (12-3) at the LA Coliseum this Sunday. The Rams are another team having a glory season. Can the 49ers play spoiler again?

This is the final 49ers podcast for the season. Join Joe Lami for the NHL podcast each Friday at  http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon: Can Raiders end this season with a win over the Chiefs in KC this Sunday?

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Photo credit: chiefswire.usatoday.com

On the Raiders podcast with Joe Hawkes Beamon:

#1 Last Monday Night was the last game at the Oakland Coliseum for the Oakland Raiders. How bittersweet is that for the fans, the city of Oakland and the Raiders organization?

#2 The game was special for the players. Did it seem like with the knowledge that this is the last home game of the season and possibly the last game ever at the Coliseum for the Raiders, did they came out pushing hard to win this one?

#3 The Raiders are in a big legal battle with the city of Oakland, and although an offer is on the table for the Raiders to stay in Oakland is on the table, the Raiders are looking to shop elsewhere and one those places is AT&T Park. Can you see them playing in the city next season?

#4 Joe, it’s like you wrote in your game recap regarding Raiders quarterback Derek Carr: For the season, Carr has thrown 3,864 yards with 19 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Carr needs just 136 yards in Oakland’s season finale against the Chiefs in Kansas City for his first 4,000-yard season.

#5 Sunday is the last game of the season for the Raiders in Kansas City to conclude a weird, strange trip that it has been. From the letting go of several key players, to their team GM Reggie McKenzie and how the team scratched and clawed out a win against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football for a 27-14 win. Joe sums up the season for us.

Joe covered the Raiders each week during the 2018 season at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors lose to the Trail Blazers 110-109 in overtime

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By: Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors played well enough on defense to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday night at Oracle Arena. The Warrior offense, however, did not take advantage of the many opportunities they had to put the game away, and they fell to the Trail Blazers 110-109.

The Warriors defense held the Blazers to 36% from the floor, but they lost. The Warriors, when they make 11 or more 3s in a game usually win. Until late in the fourth quarter, they were shooting 8-for-34 from the 3-point range. The Warriors literally gave the game to the Blazers as they missed eight free throws in 14 attempts. Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant all missed key free throws.

Both teams played a competitive first period. The Warriors finished the quarter with the lead 28-27. The Warriors were ahead 38-35 when Portland went on a 15-5 run to lead 50-43. Andre Iguodala connected on a 3 to bring the Warriors a bit closer. The Blazers scored the last two points of the half to finished with a six-point advantage, 52-46. They outscored the Warriors 25-18 in the quarter.

The Warriors cut the deficit to two at the end of the third period. They had ample opportunities to get ahead as Portland’s offense was non-existent at times. The Warriors couldn’t make 3s or free throws, and Portland was able to finish leading 75-71.

The Blazers’ Seth Curry made three 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter. The Warriors trailed by nine 83-74, and things looked dire. The Warriors tried to come back, but Portland was able to increase the lead to 10 96-86. The Warriors then went on a 16-6 run to tie the game. Curry made two 3-point shots, and Kevin Durant tied it with a 3.

In overtime, the Warriors took an early 106-102 lead. Portland turned the ball over three times, but the Warriors failed to capitalize. Portland went ahead 107-106 with 1:05 left to play. Draymond Green made a 3 from the corner to put the Warriors ahead for the last time 109-107. The Warriors had the ball with time running down. The Warriors inbounded the ball to Curry, who was double-teamed by the Blazers. Curry’s attempt to pass the ball went awry, and the ball went over to Portland, who made the Warriors pay as Oakland native Damian Lillard drained a 3 with 5.2 seconds left. The Warriors gave the ball to Kevin Durant for the last shot, but his shot bounced off the rim, and the Warriors were toast 110-109.

Game Notes and Stats: The Blazers had five players in double figures. They were led by Jusuf Nurkic. He was a force on offense and a monster on the boards. He scored 27 points and had 12 rebounds. CJ McCollum finished with 24, Lillard 21, Maurice Harkless 11, and Seth Curry 11.

The Warriors were led by Steph Curry’s 29. Steph was 6-for-15 from 3-point land. Durant had a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Draymond Green finished the night with 15 points, 11 rebounds for a double-double.

The Warriors drop to 23-23 while Portland improves to 30-15.

Up Next: The two teams play again in Portland Saturday night at 7:00 pm PST.

Sharks take down Ducks 4-2; Burns scores game-winner

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Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE, Calif. — On the night where Brent Burns played his 1000th NHL game (including 428 in a row), it was only fitting the defenseman would follow script and score the game-winning goal as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Thursday evening at SAP Center.

Burns’ fifth goal of the season came while the Sharks had sustained pressure inside the Ducks’ defensive zone. Burns received the puck at the point from Brendon Dillon and fired a slap shot off the left post into the back of the net with 9:39 remaining in the third period.

Anaheim (19-15-5) drew first blood on their second power play of the game. Josh Mahura slapped in a shot from the point that hit off Nick Ritchie. Jacob Silfverberg collected the rebound and was able to tap home the puck past Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (15-8-4) behind the goal line for his 10th goal of the season at the 10:33 mark.

San Jose (20-12-7) came back to tie it up late in the period on a cycle play by their fourth line. Barclay Goodrow sent the puck around the boards behind the net to Joonas Donskoi who backhanded the puck right in front of the crease, where Melker Karlsson beat Carter Rowney to the puck and slid it past Ducks goaltender John Gibson (15-12-4) for his fourth goal of the season at the 18:05 mark.

If not for Gibson, the Sharks would have had the lead at the end of the first 20 minutes. Joe Thornton had an empty net to shoot at off a rebound and Gibson robbed him with his stick half way through the first period. Justin Braun and Lukas Radil had point-blank chances earlier on, only to come up with what the bird left on the rock.

Gibson was replaced in the net by backup goalie Chad Johnson to start the second period as he was injured in a collision with Sorensen earlier in the first period.

San Jose grabbed the lead early in the second period, thanks to another cycle play this time by their top line. A shot from the point by Joakim Ryan was deflected onto captain Joe Pavelski’s stick and he tried jamming home the puck repeatedly on Johnson. Marcus Sorensen crashed the net and cleaned up the rebound into the net for his seventh goal of the season at the 5:44 mark.

Evander Kane had a short-handed breakaway with just over 10 minutes remaining for the Sharks, but his attempt to slide the puck between Johnson’s five-hole was denied.

Speaking of great saves, Jones made a fantastic save on Silfverberg, who was all alone to the right of the crease, and his shot was stoned by a diving Jones with 2:25 left in the middle frame.

Jones almost shot the puck into his own on the next shift when he was attempting to clear the puck behind the net. It hit the right post and caromed out in front of the net where Rowney had a chance at an empty net only to have Jones recover and make the save.

Anaheim received a power play toward the end of the period and put a flurry of shots on net including Jones fighting a shot from the point off of his shoulder that hit the cross bar, but stayed out of the net as the Sharks survived the final minute to head into the intermission up by a goal.

The Ducks tied it back up early in the third period. A battle along the right board was won by Josh Manson. Rowney then centered a pass over to Kifer Sherwood, who gathered possession of the puck between the face off circles and snapped a wrist shot that trickled past Jones for his fifth goal of the season at the 3:53 mark.

Tomas Hertl sealed the game with an empty-net goal with 22 seconds left in the game as Anaheim had pulled Johnson for an extra attacker with a minute left in the game. Goodrow would get his third assist on the evening.

Jones made 25 saves on 27 shots to earn his 15th victory. Gibson only played the first period and suffered the loss, stopping 14 of the 15 shots he faced. Johnson made 20 saves on 23 shots in relief.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 0/3 on the power play. Anaheim was 1/4.

This was the second game of Erik Karlsson’s two-game suspension that resulted from a hit on Los Angeles Kings’ Austin Wagner.

Joakim Ryan returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the last 11 games.

Burns is the 4th ever Shark to score a goal on his 1000th game. The others were Gary Suter, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.

UP NEXT: The Sharks head out on the road to take on the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, December 29 at 1:00 pm.

Kings stun the Lakers 117-116

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings would play a team from Los Angeles for the second time in as many days on Thursday evening at Golden One Center. Yesterday, the day after Christmas, the Kings squared off against the LA Clippers and the Kings would ultimately lose the game 127-118 in LA. Looking for redemption the Kings were set to face the very injured LA Lakers. Notably not available for the Lakers was Lebron James, Rajon Rondo, and Javale McGee. Needless to say, the Kings were feeling good about the matchup.

In the first quarter, the Kings would jump ahead early, thanks to Willie Cauley-Stein and company. With only a minute 1:30 gone in the game, Cauley-Stein already had six points. From about that point until the final whistle in the first, the game was not pretty for the Kings. The Lakers would go on a terror, aided by Lonzo Ball and his 11 points to lead the Lakers to a 34-32 score after the first.

In the second quarter, the pace of the game balanced out a little bit. The two teams traded shot for shot. However, during the final few minutes of the quarter, the Lakers would create a little separation going into the half. When it was all said and done, the Kings would be down 67-61. Leading scorers for the Kings in the first half included Willie Cauley-Stein (11 points), Nemenja Bjelica (9 points), and Iman Shumpert (9 points). Leading the Lakers was Kyle Kuzma (23 points), Brandon Ingram (16 points), and Lonzo Ball (9 points).

Going into the second half, the Kings knew that had to play better defense. Unfortunately for Kings fans, they weren’t able to do so. Nearly through the third quarter, the Kings trailed the Lakers 78-92. At this point, a loud “Let’s go Lakers” chant rained down on Golden One Center. It’s safe to say the game was not going as planned for the Kings. The Kings were able to go on a 6-3 run in the final minute and go into the final quarter down 95-84.

The Kings would need 12 more points than the Lakers in the fourth at a minimum to pull off the win. Halfway through the fourth, the Kings didn’t appear as if they could pull it off. However, after a 3-pointer from Iman Shumpert and a timeout from Dave Joerger, the Kings appeared to have some life. Apparently, the Kings’ bench was able to hear me from press row. I said they showed life and life is what they showed. With 1:42 left in the game, the Kings cut the deficit to 110-107. This game got more exciting going down to the end for the backdrop. The Kings were down 116-114 with 4.3 seconds to go. The Kings inbound and Bogdan Bogdanovic threw up a step back three from near the Golden One Center logo and he hit it at the buzzer. The Kings won 117-116.

The Kings and Lakers travel to L.A. to face each other again on Sunday, December 30 at 6:30 pm PST.

49ers hope to end the 2018 season on a positive note

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Photo credit: ninersnation.com

By: Jeremy Harness

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to rebuild. The Los Angeles Rams are just looking to keep building.

The 49ers will look to make a positive imprint going forward into the 2019 season, like they did toward the end of last season. They will go down to Los Angeles to face the playoff-bound Rams on Sunday for their final game of the 2018 year.

One of the differences here is that the anointed quarterback of the future in on the bench while nursing a significant knee injury.

The other difference is that the Rams have something to play for this time around, as opposed to the season finale of 2017, when their playoff spot was set in stone with nowhere to go. With a win Sunday, the Rams can clinch the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye.

For that reason, the Rams are all but assured to play most of – if not all – their starters to ensure that all-important No. 2 spot. The New Orleans Saints locked up the No. 1 seed in the conference and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with their win over Pittsburgh last Sunday.

The 49ers, on the other hand, currently sit with a 4-11 record and have secured their fourth straight losing season, one that started with a load of promise and optimism but has since been riddled with injuries at every key position.

The good news is that Jimmy Garoppolo is expected to be back in action by the time training camp starts next July, and they have two quarterbacks in Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard that have playing experience and are expected to have a heated battle to be Garoppolo’s backup.

Raiders set to finish the 2018 season in KC on Sunday against the Chiefs

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Photo credit: raiders.com

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

The Oakland Raiders will finish up the 2018 regular season on the road this Sunday where they will take on their most bitter AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs. This Week 17 matchup will be the 117th meeting between the two clubs, with the Chiefs holding a 62-52-2 advantage over the Silver and Black and are currently riding a two-game winning streak in the series.

Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m. PT from Arrowhead Stadium on CBS. Sunday’s contest will mark the fifth-straight season that the Raiders and Chiefs will conclude the regular season.

The Silver and Black finished out their 2018 home schedule in convincing fashion with a 27-14 win over another AFC West rival in the Denver Broncos on ESPN’s Monday Night Football in Week 16. With the idea that Monday night’s game could be the final home game ever for the Raiders in Oakland stuck in everyone’s mind, Raider Nation was treated to a much needed victory on Christmas Eve by its football team.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr extended his club-record streak of passes without an interception to 325, a mark that currently leads the NFL. His last interception came all the way back in Week 5 against the Chargers.

Carr completed 19-of-26 passes for just 167 yards against the Broncos, and is just 136 yards shy from his first career 4,000-yard passing season. For the season, Carr has thrown for 3,864 yards with 19 touchdowns to just eight interceptions.

Running back Doug Martin, an Oakland native, had his biggest game of the season in front of his hometown crowd carrying the ball 21 times for 107 yards and one touchdown. After Martin’s 24-yard run down the Raiders’ sideline that gave the Raiders a 14-0 lead, Martin threw up an “O” to the Oakland crowd.

Wide receiver/kick returner Dwayne Harris provided the biggest play of the game, returning a punt 99 yards for the game’s first score in the first quarter. Harris’ punt return tied for the second-longest in NFL history with Patrick Peterson’s 99-yarder back in 2011. Robert Bailey has the NFL’s longest punt return, a 103-yarder set in 1994 per the Elias Sports Bureau.

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Harris ran 157.5 yards on his touchdown return, the longest distance covered by any ball carrier in the last three season. The play earned Harris AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in 2018.

Defensively, the Raiders put the clamps on the Broncos in the first-half, forcing Denver to punt five times in six possessions. The Broncos missed a 58-yard field goal right before halftime, allowing the Raiders to carry a 17-0 lead into the locker room.

Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the 17-first-half points were the most by the Raiders since scoring 21 points in the first-half against the New York Jets in Week 2 of the 2017 season.

Broncos quarterback Case Keenum did throw two touchdowns to rookie wide receivers DaeSean Hamilton and Courtland Sutton, but also two interceptions to safeties Marcus Gilchrist and Erik Harris.

Both interceptions came in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory for Oakland, who improved to 4-11 on the season. In their last six games, the Raiders are 3-3.

Oakland surrendered just 202 yards on 23-of-37 passes, marking the 10th-straight game that the Raiders have held opposing quarterbacks to less than 300 yards passing. The last quarterback to throw for over 300 yards against the Silver and Black was Philip Rivers (339) for the Chargers in Week 5.

After starting the season 11-2, the Chiefs (11-4) have dropped back-to-back games in recent weeks.

Last week, the Chiefs traveled to Seattle and left with a 38-31 loss to the Seahawks on NBC’s Sunday Night Football from always noisy CenturyLink Field.

With a win over the Raiders Sunday, Kansas City will win the AFC West title for the second-straight season (their third division crown in four seasons), and home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

In the first meeting of the year in Week 13, the Chiefs narrowly escaped the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum with a 40-33 victory in what turned out to be an offensive explosion for both teams. Defense was an afterthought, with both offenses combining for 911 yards of total offense and scoring nine touchdowns.

Chiefs starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdowns and no interceptions in the contest with 295 yards passing. Mahomes, who completed 23-of-38 passes, connected with tight end Travis Kelce for 12 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns.

Not to be outdone, the duo of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and tight end Jared Cook were spectacular on that Sunday afternoon in the Black Hole too, with Carr completing 29-of-38 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns.

Cook hauled in seven of Carr’s passes for 100 yards and one touchdown in the game.

Barracuda ground the Eagles 3-1

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Photo credit: @sjbarracuda

By Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Once the San Jose Barracuda were able to get their legs underneath them in the second period, they took full advantage, scoring three unanswered goals in a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Eagles on Thursday afternoon at SAP Center.

Colorado (15-10-3-1) drew first blood just past the halfway mark of the first period. Micheal Joly pick pocketed the puck off of Calvan Fitzgerald. He raced down the right-wing and centered a pass over to Dominic Toninato who buried the puck off the crossbar past Cuda goaltender Josef Korenar (12-1-1) for his fourth goal of the season at the 10:57 mark. It was the first ever goal by Colorado on San Jose ice.

San Jose (18-5-1-3) put pressure on Eagles goaltender Pavel Francouz (13-6-2) late in the period when Truchon-Viel had a point-blank chance that he shot wide with under three minutes left. Then, while on the power play, captain John McCarthy’s attempt was stoned away by Francouz off a nice give and go with Francis Perron. San Jose outshot Colorado 9-8 in the opening frame.

Nick DeSimone had a breakaway chance early in the second period seconds after he stepped out of the penalty box, but the puck slid off his stick on his shooting attempt on Francouz.

Perron evened the game at 1-1 on the power play for San Jose. His wrist shot had some english on it that was too much for Francouz to handle at the 9:16 mark. Perron leads the Cuda in overall goals with 13 and power play goals with six. He is on a three-game goal streak.

San Jose received their first lead of the game half way through the middle frame.  Maxim Letunov picked up the puck in the neutral zone and moved in to the Eagles zone away from the defense. He found a wide-open Kyle Wood, who snapped home a perfectly timed wrist shot past Francouz on the short side for his second goal of the season at the 11:26 mark.

The Cuda managed only five shots in the second period, but two of them were in the back of the net. The Eagles had even less shots with just three.

Letunov gave the Cuda an insurance goal to take a 3-1 lead on the power play half way through the third period. Letunov’s attempted pass to Alex True was broken up, but he quickly pounced back on the puck and snapped it past Francouz for his sixth goal of the season at the 11:27 mark. Letunov was finally rewarded for all his hard work as that was his first goal in his last 17 games. Wood and Jeremy Roy received assists.

Korenar made 14 saves on 15 shots to earn his 12th victory and sixth in a row. Francouz made 29 saves on 32 shots in suffering the defeat. He is now currently 2-1 against San Jose.

GAME NOTES: San Jose was 2/5 on the power play. Colorado was 0/2. San Jose is second in the AHL on the penalty kill with a percentage of 86.8%.

Colorado is now 9-2-2 over their last 12 games. San Jose is now 2-0 against the Eagles at SAP Center and have earned at least a point in all four games this season.

The victory clinched the best record for the first half for San Jose and means head coach Roy Sommer will be the head coach of the Pacific Division at the AHL All-Star Game, held on January 28th, 2019 in Springfield, Mass. This will be the third time for Sommer coaching in an All-Star Game.

The announced attendance was 2,525.

UP NEXT: The Barracuda host the San Diego Gulls on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 5:00 pm at SAP Center.

San Jose State podcast with Ana Kieu: Football coaching staff shakeup; Men’s basketball drops two road games

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Photo credit: youtube.com and @SJSUMBB

On the San Jose State podcast with Ana Kieu:

1. Linebackers coach Bojay Filimoeatu left SJSU to return to his alma mater, Utah State, on the same day of the Spartans’ Early National Signing Day. Filimoeatu was replaced by Scott White.

2. Two State Champion recruits, Adi Anderson and Stan Livingstone Jr., look to turn around SJSU football.

3. Anderson was among the dozens of players who were named to the all-Bay Area News Group football team.

4. After winning two straight home games, the Spartans’ men’s basketball team lost two in a row on the road. Can they turn things around at Saint Mary’s this Saturday?

Ana Kieu does the San Jose State podcasts each week for SportsRadioService.com

Oakland Raiders podcast with Tony Renteria: Raiders’ last game of 2019 as team goes all out to win in finale

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sportingnews.com photo: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Pat Mahomes looks to toss one for a gain, the Chiefs host the Oakland Raiders this Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium for the Raiders final game of 2018

On the Raiders podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 The Raiders (4-11) had a great game in their final home game of the 2019 season, a 27-14 win over the Denver Broncos (6-9) on Sunday.

#2 Raiders quarterback Derek Carr went 19-26 for 167 yards to stay ahead of the Broncos.

#3 On receiving, the Raiders hit their targets enough to score more, the top three receivers for Oakland last Sunday: Dwayne Harris, who returned a 99-yard punt, Jordy Nelson seven receptions for 75 yards and no touchdowns, Jalen Richard four receptions for 40 yards and no touchdowns, and Jalen Cook two receptions for 20 yards and no scores.

#4 The Raiders’ Doug Martin lead the Raiders rushers with 21 carries for 107 yards, one touchdown and averaging five yards per carry.

#5 Raiders and Chiefs (11-4) close out the regular season Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday. We ask Tony how this one will turn out.

Tony Renteria did the Raiders podcasts for http://www.sportsradioservice.com during the 2018 season