Author: rxslugger

Retired pharmacist who now has a career as a sports writer and broadcaster

A’s lose their fifth in a row avoid being shutout in 5-1 loss to O’s

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Oakland Athletics starting pitcher JP Sears (38) looks on after surrendering a solo home run to Baltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman during the third inning at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Mon Apr 10, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s met the Baltimore Orioles Monday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore and extended their losing streak to five games bowing to the Orioles 5-1. The A’s hoped to play better after being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays outscored Oakland 31-5 in that series.

Oakland needed to get back in the win column. A’s manager Mark Kotsay hoped the A’s could turn things around. That did not happen. The Orioles, a team that turned things around in 2022, showed why they are among the better teams in the tough AL East Division. In his six and 1/3rd innings of work, the Orioles’ starter Kyle Gibson allowed five hits and one run. The Orioles beat the A’s 5-1.

The A’s grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out, Ryan Noda walked. With Aledmys Diaz at bat, Gibson saw Noda with a big lead. With a quick throw to first, Gibson picked off Noda for the second out of the inning. Diaz then walked.

A’s right fielder Ramon Laureano tripled off the right field wall to drive in Diaz with the game’s first run. The lead didn’t last long. In the Orioles half of the first, the Orioles scored two runs to take the lead 2-1. Cedric Mullins walked to get things going for Baltimore.

With one out, Mullins stole second. Mullins went to third on A’s catcher Shea Langeliers’ throwing error. Orioles’ first baseman Ryan Mountcastle homered to left center to put the Orioles ahead. The A’s didn’t know it, but they were done scoring for the night.

In the bottom of the third, The Orioles’ outstanding young catcher Adley Rutschman homered to put the Orioles ahead 3-1. 

The Orioles put another run on the board in the sixth. Jeurys Familia was now pitching for Oakland. Familia retired the first two hitters. He didn’t get by Austin Hays. Hays sent Familia’s pitch over the wall in center field. 

Baltimore added another run in the eighth inning. With Dominga Acevedo pitching for Oakland, Hays doubled. Ramon Urias singled to drive in Hays with the Orioles’ fifth and final run of the game. The Orioles win 5-1.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are now 2-8 for the young season. They have lost five in a row. The Orioles improved to 5-5.

The line score for Oakland was one run, eight hits, and one error.

Baltimore’s line was five runs, six hits, and no errors. The O’s hit three home runs.

J.P. Sears was the losing pitcher. Sears is 0-1. He went five innings and allowed three runs and three hits. Two of the three hits were home runs. 

Kyle Gibson improved to 3-0.

The A’s used five pitchers. Sears, Famila, Sam Moll, Zach Jackson, and Acevedo. 

The A’s play the second game of the four-game series with the Orioles on Tuesday. Lefty Kyle Muller ( 0-0, 2.53 ERA) will go for Oakland. The Orioles will counter with Grayson Rodriguez (0-0, 3.60 ERA). The game will start at 3:35 pm.

Oakland A’s off day report: A’s open 7 game road trip Friday night in Tampa Bay

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Oakland Athletics’ Jesus Aguilar watches his three-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Apr 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s have won two and lost four in the first six games of the season. Oakland played a competitive and entertaining three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians. The A’s could have won all three games but lost two in extra innings. Here are some facts about the team’s performance so far this season.

The A’s pitching staff has the fourth-highest ERA in Major League baseball. They have thrown six wild pitches, which is the second-worst. The A’s defense has committed one or more errors in the first six games. It is the longest season-opening streak by an A’s team in the last 47 years.

The offense could have done more in the series against the Angels. The A’s did score eleven runs last Monday against Cleveland. They beat Cleveland Tuesday night 4-3 but lost on Wednesday 6-4. In that game, Oakland managed four hits. Fortunately for the A’s, two of the hits left the yard.

The A’s are on the road for the first time in 2023. Oakland will face the Tampa Bay Rays for three and then play four with the resurgent Baltimore Orioles.

The Rays have won all six games to start the season. The Rays finished third in the tough American League East Division with a record of 86-76. It will be challenging for Oakland this weekend. On Friday, the A’s will send lefty Ken Waldichuk to the hill to face the Rays.

Waldichuk lost his first start against the LA Angels last week. He is 0-1 with an ERA of 9.53. His opponent will be Zach Elfin. Elfin was with the Philadelphia Phillies last year. Elfin won his first start, and his ERA is 1.80. He went five innings and allowed three hits and one run.

On Saturday, Shintaro Fukinami pitches for the Green and Gold. Fujinami had a nightmarish outing against the Angels last Saturday. Fujinami made it through the first two innings unscathed. In the third inning, the roof caved in as the Angels scored 11 runs in the frame.

Fujinami was charged with nine runs. His ERA is an astounding 30.86. Lefty Jeffrey Springs pitches for Tampa Bay. Springs had a great first start. The 30-year-old lefty went six innings and allowed no runs and no hits.

Sunday’s game will feature James Kaprielian against the Rays’ Drew Rasmussen. Kaprielian lost his first game, and his ERA is 9.00. Rasmussen pitched well last week as he went six innings and allowed two hits and no runs.

The Rays have some young players that are doing well right now. The Infield features Yandy Diaz at first base, Brandow Lowe at second, Wander Franco at shortstop, and Isaac Paredes at third base. Diaz has two homers and six RBIs so far this year. Wander Franco is 22 years old. Franco is hitting .417 and has two dingers and seven ribbies. Left Fielder Randy Arozarena is also hot. Arozarena is hitting .364 with one homer and six RBIs. Center fielder Jose Siri is hitting.333 with two homers and eight RBIs.

The A’s would like to take two out of three from the Rays. The A’s must improve in all three areas to accomplish their goal. The starting pitchers must go deeper into the game. The bullpen must not be overworked so early in the season. The A’s offense must get going, and the defense must stop making errors. It will be a very long season if the A’s cannot improve.

Guardians down A’s in ten innings 6-4

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Cleveland Guardians’ Steven Kwan watches his RBI single during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum on Wed Apr 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND– The Oakland A’s (5-2) and the Cleveland Guardians (2-4) met in a matinee Wednesday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. The teams had split the first two games played. The Guardians won Monday night 12-11 in the innings, and the A’s won a walk-off Tuesday night, 4-3.

The A’s offense was in snooze land for the game’s first seven innings. Oakland’s hitter managed just one single off the Guardians’ starter, Hunter Gaddis. Cleveland scored two runs in the sixth and two in the seventh. The A’s found a way to tie the game in the eighth.

A Ryan Noda solo homer and a three-run jack off the bat of Jesus Aguilar tied the game. The A’s had a chance to win the game. Alas, things went south in the tenth as Cleveland scored twice, and the A’s failed to counter. Cleveland downs the A’s 6-4.

The Guardians drew first blood in the top of the sixth. A’s starter Kyle Muller held Cleveland scoreless for the first five innings. Muller recorded the first two outs in the sixth. Muller then hit Cleveland’s third baseman Gabriel Arias with a pitch. Myles Straw singled. There were two men on with two out. Guardians’ catcher Cam Gallagher doubled to drive in both runners. Cleveland leads 2-0. 

levllThe Guardians added two more runs in the seventh to go ahead 4-0. The A’s offense for the first seven innings was one hit. Things changed in the eighth. A’s first baseman Ryan Noda led off the eighth with his first Major League home run to make it 4-1.

The Guardians’ reliever Tim Herrin walked Tony Kemp and Aledmys Diaz. The next hitter, Jesus Aguilar, hit his first home run as an Oakland Athletic to tie the game at 4-4. Neither team scored in the ninth.

Cleveland scored two runs in the top of the tenth. With men on at first and second, A’s reliever Zach Jackson uncorked a wild pitch. Both runners advanced a base. Will Brennan grounded out, and ghost runner Andres Gimenez scored on the play. Steven Kwan singled to drive in Myles Straw with the sixth run of the game for Cleveland. Emmanuel Clase held the A’s scoreless to preserve the win for the Guardians.

Game Notes: With the loss, the A’s are 2-4. The Guardians improved to 5-2. 

A’s starter Kyle Murray went five and 2/3rd innings and allowed two runs and four hits. He struck out five and walked three, one intentionally. He threw 95 pitches; 62 were strikes. Adrian Martinez, Dominic Acevedo, Jeurys Familia, and Zach Jackson pitched in relief. Jackson took the loss.

The Guardians also used five pitchers. Hunter Gaddis went six innings and allowed one hit. Reliever Eli Morgan, the fourth pitcher of the day, was the winning pitcher. Emmanuel Clase earned his second save of the year.

The time of the game was two hours and 58 minutes. 4930 people watched the A’s lose their fourth game of the young season

The A’s are going to Tampa Bay to play the Rays for three games starting Friday night. Lefty Ken Waldichuk will go for Oakland while the Rays will counter with righty Zach Elfin. The game will start at 3:40 pm.

Warrior thriller shuts down OKC offense in second half win 136-125

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, top left, reaches for the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) and guard Moses Moody, bottom, during the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Apr 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (42-38) played their final home game of the regular season Tuesday night at the Chase Center. Their opponent were the Oklahoma City Thunder (38-42).

OKC beat the Warriors in Oklahoma City the last time the teams played. The young Thunder players love to drive to the rim and get opportunities to make three-point plays.

The Warriors did not have Klay Thompson available Tuesday night. Thompson was a late scratch due to tightness in his lower back. Steve Kerr had Jonathan Kuminga and Anthony Lamb in the starting lineup and that made the difference for the missing Thompson in the Warriors 136-125 win.

The game turned out to be a high-scoring affair. The Thunder shot a blistering 59.6% from the floor in the first half. The Thunder won the first quarter 39-36. The Thunder scored 40 points in the second period. The Warriors scored 33 in the period but found themselves down 79-69 at the end of two periods of play.

Curry led the Warriors with 24. No other Warrior was in double figures. The Thunder had four players in double figures. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21. Jalen Williams had 14, Isaiah Joe 14, and Lu Dort added 11. 

The Warriors have had several comebacks from double-digit deficits this season. The Warriors would need better defense if they hoped to win. The Warriors needed Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, Draymond Green, and Moses Moody to get going on offense. All those players came through for golden state.

The Warriors won the third quarter 33-27 to cut the deficit to four, 106-102 at the end of the third period. Stephen Curry started the fourth quarter on the bench. Poole met the challenge by making a three to tie the game 108-108. Poole made another bucket to make 110-108.

The Thunder made a three to regain the lead 111-110. Poole made a three and a two-point basket to give the Warriors the advantage 115-113. The Thunder tied the game at 115-115. Curry entered the game and made a three. The Warriors led 118-115. The Thunder didn’t know it then, but they were toast.

The Warriors defense stiffened as they held the Thunder to 19 points in the fourth quarter. The Warriors scored 33. Green, Gary Payton II, and Kevon Looney played well on defense. Curry and Poole led the comeback to give the Warriors the win.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are 42-38. The Warriors are 33-8 at the Chase Center this year. The Warriors are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference. They will drop to sixth as the winner of the Clipper-Laker game will take the fifth spot. The Thunder lost their third in a row and fourth in the last five. The Thunder are now 38-42.

In the second half, the Warrior defense held the Thunder to 39% from the floor. The Warriors won the second half 67-46. 

The Warriors had five players in double figures. Curry paced the offense with 34 points, five rebounds, and six assists, and Curry made six threes. Poole had 30 points, two rebounds, and four assists, and Poole made five threes. Green had quite a night.

Green had 17 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, blocked two shots, and made two steals. DiVincenzo kicked in with 16 points, six boards, and five assists. DiVincezo made four threes. Moody added 13 points. Moody made three threes. Looney recorded 11 boards.

Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder attack with 32 points. Jalen William had 19, Josh Giddey 16, Aaron Wiggins 11, and Isiaah Joe 14.

The Warriors have two games left in the regular season. Both games are on the road. The Warriors meet the Sacramento Kings Friday night in Sacramento for a 7:00 pm PDT tip. 

San Francisco Giants off day report: Giants take breather after losing three straight; Resume series with Sox Wed night

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San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski watches his solo home run during the fifth inning of the Chicago White Sox season home opening baseball game Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The San Francisco Giants have a rare off day Tuesday in the middle of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox. The Giants had quite a night on Monday. The Giants pounded the White Sox 12-3.

The G-Men hit seven home runs in the game. They blasted four solo home runs in an inning- two back-to-back solo homers. David Villar had two homers, including a grand slam in the ninth. Another highlight was Anthony DiSclafina’s outstanding effort after missing the 2022 season with a leg injury.

The Giants evened their record at 2-2. They lost two out of three to the New York Yankees and were shut out twice. Having the bats come alive Monday night had to please the Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler. The question in Kapler’s mind is this: Can we find a way to beat the White Sox in the next two games?

It will take work. The White Sox will have their ace, Dylan Cease, on the mound for Wednesday’s game. Cease went 14-8 last year and was a candidate for the AL Cy Young Award. Cease will be making his second start of the season. He is 0-0 with an ERA of 1.40. The Giants will counter with their ace, Logan Webb. Webb took the loss in his first start on opening day against the Yankees. Webb was 15-9 last year and had a very impressive 2.90 ERA. Webb is 0-1 with an ERA of 6.0 this year.

The Giants have most of their players back from last year. New names include Michael Conforto, Vlake Sobol, Bryce Johnson, Taylor Rodgers, Roberto Perez, and Mitch Haniger. Haniger is currently on the IL.

The White Sox lost former AL MVP Jose Abreu to the Houston Astros. Their closer, former Oakland A’s reliever Liam Hendriks, is on the IL after he was diagnosed with non-Hodkins lymphoma in January. The White Sox are considered a team that can win the AL Central Division crown in 2023.

The White Sox moved Andrew Vaughn to first base to replace Abreu. They signed Andrew Benintendi to play left field. The Sox signed former Oakland A’s shortstop Elvis Andrus as their second baseman. Tim Anderson returns as the shortstop. Anderson is a potential All-Star every season.

Yoan Moncada is their third baseman. Luis Robert is in center field, and Oscar Colas will patrol right field for Chicago. Eloy Jimenez will be their DH.

The Giants will face the veteran hurler Lance Lynn on Thursday. Lynn is in his 12th year. He has a career record of 123 wins and 84 losses. The Giants will send lefty Alex Wood to the mound to face the Sox, Wood was 8-12 last year, but his lifetime record is 71-60.

The Giants would love to take the next two games and finish the road trip with a winning record. After the series with the White Sox, the Giants return home to face another American League team, the Kansas City Royals, at Oracle Park. It will be the home opener for the Giants.

Jerry Feitelberg covers the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors beat back challenge from lowly Spurs 130-115

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots against San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham, right, during the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Mar 31, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors welcomed the San Antonio Spurs to the Chase Center Friday night. The Spurs, coached by Greg Popovich, came to town with a record of 19-57. The Spurs are in rebuild mode, but several players are NBA caliber.

The Spurs’ mission Friday night was to upset the Warriors’ applecart. The young Spurs played with passion. San Antonio’s defense kept making stops on the Warriors. In the first period, the Spurs forced the Warriors into five turnovers in the game’s first five minutes.

The Warriors offense was cold. The Spurs led by nine, 19-10. The Warriors defense allowed the team to tie the game 23-23. The Spurs finished the quarter leading 26-23. The Spurs kept the Warriors at bay for most of the second period. Things changed when Jordan Poole entered the game midway through the period.

The Spurs were leading 44-40 when Poole hit a three. Poole made 12 of the W’s last 14 points in the period to give the Warriors a three-point lead 54-51 at the end of the first half. Poole led the Warriors with 15. Stephen Curry had 14. Poole and Curry each connected on three threes. Klay Thompson was cold. He finished the half with four points. Malakio Branham led the Spurs with 14.

The Warriors played better in the third period. Unfortunately for them, the Spurs outscored the Warriors 37-33. Klay Thompson made four threes to pace the Warrior offense. The Warriors led by eight at one point, but San Antonio found its offense, and they finished the third quarter leading, 88-87.

The Spurs felt they had a chance to get a victory. They had played well for three quarters. The fans were getting nervous. Could San Antonio do it? The Warriors answered the question. The Spurs could not get the win. They fought hard, but the Warriors big guns came to life in the fourth quarter as they overwhelmed the Spurs 43-27 to win the game 130-115.

Game Notes- with the win, the Warriors are 41-37. The Warriors are 32-8 at the Chase Center. Golden State has four games left in the regular season. Three are on the road. The Spurs dropped to 19-58.

The Warriors outscored the Spurs 76-64 in the second half. One of the key players in the fourth quarter was Gary Payton II. Gary played 17 minutes and had seven points, eight rebounds, and one assist. Payton made several defensive plays. He stole the ball twice and was a force on the floor.

Curry led the Warriors with 33 points. Curry made seven threes. Thompson scored 27 points in the second half to finish with 31. Thompson also made seven threes, all in the second half. Poole had 27 points, two boards, and six assists, and he made six threes.

Jonathan Kuminga played well on both ends of the court. Kuminga finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. As a team, the Warriors made 21 threes in 49 tries. The Warriors weakness was turnovers.

They turned the ball over 14 times, leading to 23 points for the Spurs. The Spurs had six players in double figures. Keldon Johnson had 22. Malaki Branham 19. Gorgui Dieng, averaging 3 points a game, knocked four threes and finished with 14.

The Warriors meet the Denver Nuggets Sunday night in the Mile-High City. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

A’s and Angels continue series Saturday at Coliseum; Fujinami makes his MLB debut

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If you missed Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani on the mound on Thursday you’ll have a chance to see him as designated hitter all weekend against the Oakland A’s at the Oakland Coliseum Sat Apr 1 and Sun Apr 2. (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitrelberg

OAKLAND–Thursday, March 30th,2023, was the first day of the 2023 baseball season. Baseball fans, as well as the players, were eager to have baseball return. In 2022, the A’s and their fans suffered 102 losses. The guys in Green and Gold won just 60 games last year.

The fans were dismayed when the team traded away stalwarts like Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Sean Manaea, and Chris Bassitt. Ownership continued threatening to move the team to Las Vegas if a stadium could not be built in Oakland. The fans stayed away in droves as the A’s had the worst attendance of any team in Major League baseball.

Late last year’s season, the A’s made a trade, sending Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to the New York Yankees for two lefties, Ken Waldichuk, and J.P.Sears. In the off-season, the A’s traded catcher Sean Murphy to the Atlanta Braves. The A’s acquired lefty Kyle Muller, who had been Atlanta’s number one prospect.

Muller started the season opener on Thursday for Oakland and did well. He went five innings and allowed four hits and one run. The A’s signed a right-handed pitcher who starred in the Japanese league, Shintaro Fujinami. Fujinami will pitch against the Angels on Saturday.

The A’s made a couple of key moves to strengthen the bullpen. They signed Trevor May and Jeurys Familia to go along with relievers Zach Jackson, Domingo Acevedo, and Dany Jimenez.

Other new faces that we’ll see playing this year include rookie Esteury Ruiz. Ruiz made a sensational catch in last night’s opener when he robbed Mike Trout of a potential extra-base hit. Aledmys Diaz was signed to a two-year contract. Diaz won a World Series ring last year with the Houston Astros—the A’s love his versatility, as Diaz can play three infield positions.

Another new player is first baseman Jesus Aguilar. Aguilar played for Miami and Baltimore last year. His batting average was .236, and he had 16 home runs. His best year was in 2018 with Milwaukee. He smoked 35 dingers that season. The A’s hope that Aguilar can add some power to the lineup. The A’s signed another former Milwaukee Brewer, Jace Peterson, to play third base.

The A’s have two more games with the Angels this weekend. The Angels have two players on the club that are MVPs. Mike Trout won the award three times, and two-way player Shohei Ohtani won the award in 2021. Ohtani could win another MVP and a Cy Young award as a pitcher.

The Angels, who have not been to the playoffs since 2014, have revamped their lineup, too. Their left fielder, Taylor Ward, has a lot of pop in his bat. Hunter Renfroe has sent quite a few baseballs over the fences in his days with Boston and Milwaukee. Brandon Drury is another power hitter. The Angels have former Yankee Gio Urshela as the shortstop. Another new face is catcher Logan O’Hoppe.

In his first full season as skipper, Angels manager Phil Nevin will send lefty Patrick Sandoval to the mound on Saturday to face the A’s. Fujinami will make his first start and Major League debut against the A’s. On Sunday, it will be a battle of lefties. Ken Waldichuk goes for Oakland, and the Angels will have Tyler Anderson on the mound.

One game doesn’t make a season. There is a long way to go. Most baseball pundits have picked Oakland to finish last in the AL West. The A’s are in the second year of a rebuild. This writer thinks the A’s can win about 75 games this season. Their pitching, starting rotation, and bullpen are improved.

They have veteran players like Tony Kemp. Ramon Laureano and Seth Brown have contributed in the past. If the new players have good seasons, the team should be better. Will the new rules help the A’s? No one knows yet, but many think the fans and the players will like the changes.

Thursday night’s game was played in two hours and 30 minutes. There should be more stolen bases, and more hits up the middle, and more hit-and-run plays. The A’s are tied for first place in the AL West. The fans should enjoy this while they can.

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the Oakland A’s podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors come back from 20-point deficit beat Pelicans 120-109; Golden State wins six of last ten games

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New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones, far left, and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, far right, are separated after a scuffle during the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Mar 28, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (40-37) hosted the New Orleans Pelicans (38-38) at the Chase Center Tuesday night. The Pelicans came into town riding a five-game winning streak. The Warriors were still upset after losing to Minnesota Sunday Night. The Warriors needed a win to get the sixth spot in the Western Conference standings. The Pelicans needed a win to stay in sixth place. The Warriors stepped it up for a 20 point comeback win 120-109.

Both teams played as if it were a playoff game. The Pelicans’ defense in the first half had the Warriors’ offense out of rhythm. The Warriors’ defense in the second half shut down the Pelican offense in the second half. For the 12th time this season, the Warriors overcame a double-digit halftime deficit to win. The Warriors beat the Pelicans 120-109.

The teams exchanged the lead three or four times in the first quarter. The Warriors led 23-20 when the Pelicans went on an 11-0 run to lead 31-23. The Pelicans led 33-25 when the Warriors fouled Brandon Ingram making a desperation three-point shot with 0.8 seconds left. Steve Kerr shook his head in disbelief as Ingram made all three free throws to give the Pelicans the lead, 36-25. 

The Pelicans continued to dominate play in the second quarter. The Pelicans increased the lead to 20 points, 63-43. Stephen Curry connected on a three to finish the first half with the Warriors trailing, 63-46. New Orleans had three players in double figures. Curry was the only Warrior in double figures. Curry had 17 and made three threes. The Warriors turned the ball over 14 times in the first half. If they hoped to win, the Warriors would have to find a way to turn things around.

The Warriors needed someone to provide the spark to get them back in the game. That spark came from Donte DiVincenzo and Klay Thompson as the Warriors went on an 8-0 run to start the third period. DiVincezo scored the first five points, and Thompson knocked down a three.

The Pelicans held off the Warriors attack for a while. The Pelicans led by 13, 73-60 when C J McCollum was charged with a flagrant foul as he ran over DiVincenzo. DiVincezo made both free throws, and the Warriors had possession. Thompson made a three, and the Warriors now trailed by eight.

The Warriors now had momentum on their side. Late in the quarter, Pelicans led 89-80. Kevon Looney made two offensive rebounds, allowing Curry to make a three. On the ensuing play, Jordan Poole stole the ball and made a layup to make it 89-85 at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors outscored the Pelicans 39-26. 

The Warriors kept attacking the rim. Curry made it a two-point game, 89-87, after a steal and a bucket. The Pelicans fought back. They led 94-91. Poole made two consecutive baskets to give the Warriors their first lead, 95-94. The Warriors never relinquished the lead. Poole, Curry, and Thompson all made threes. The Warriors led 118-103 with one minute left in the game.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are 40-37. The Warriors are 31-8 at home. The Pelicans fell to 39-38. The Pelicans are 14-26 on the road. The Warriors are in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Pelicans are one and 1/2 games behind the Warriors. 

The Warriors split the season series with the Pelicans 2-2. The Warriors had 14 turnovers in the first half and five in the second half. 

Draymond Green and Ingram got into a tussle in the second quarter. Green pushed Ingram out of bounds as Ingram was driving for a layup. Ingram took exception to Green’s foul, and the players got into a shoving match. Each player was charged with a technical foul. Green’s foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul. 

Curry had another phenomenal performance Tuesday night. Curry’s line was 39 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, eight threes, and three steals. Poole had 21, Thompson 17 points, DiVincenzo 13, and Jonathan Kuminga 13. 

Ingram led the Pelicans with 26, McCollum had 15, Trey Murphy 21, Herbert Jones 13, and Jonas Valanciunas 11. 

The Warriors have five games left in the regular season. They face the San Antonio Spurs at the Chase Center Friday night. The game will start at 7 pm.

Timberwolves grind out win over Warriors 99-96; T-Wolves Towns hits two three pointers to edge Warriors

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Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (8) defends against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (1) during the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Mar 26, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The game between the Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves felt like an NBA playoff game. Both teams played defense at a very high level. Neither team would give an inch. The players needed pads, but there are no pads in basketball. Draymond Green was on the receiving end of three flagrant fouls.

The smaller Warrior team had to find a way to contain Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid. The Warriors grinded out a slim 55-53 lead at the end of the first half. The Warriors had four players in double figures. Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole each had 12. Stephen Curry had ten, and Green had eleven. The Wolves point guard, Michael Conley, led his team with 12. Conley made four threes.

The Warriors wanted to extend the lead in the third quarter. In the past, Golden State blew teams away in the third period. That was not the case Sunday night. The Warriors’ offense went ice cold. The Wolves defense held them to 18 points. The Warriors had one field goal in the first six minutes and 22 seconds of the third quarter. The Warriors defense held the Wolves to 24 points, but they were trailing 77-73 heading into the fourth quarter. 

Minnesota raced out to a nine-point lead, 86-77. Poole and Gary Payton II helped the Warriors to a 10-2 run to get within a point of the lead 88-87. The Wolves’ Reid made a three, but a bucket by Kevon Looney and a Thompson three gave the Warriors the advantage 92-91.

Towns made a three to regain the lead for the Wolves, 94-93. Time was running down. Poole electrified the crown with a three to return the lead to the Warriors, 96-94. The Warriors needed to eliminate turnovers and stop fouling to win. Neither happened.

The Warriors turned the ball over, and Towns made another three to give the Wolves the lead 98-96 with 9.9 seconds left. The Warriors committed a foul, and Minnesota made a free throw. The W’s has 2.4 seconds left to make a three. Unfortunately for Golden State, they failed to score. The Wolves win 99-96.

Game Notes: The loss stopped the nine-game home winning streak and the modest three-game streak that started in Houston. The Warriors are now 39-37. The Wolves improved top 38-37. 

Poole led the Warriors with 27 points. Poole made three threes. Thompson made five threes and finished with 15 points. Thompson was five-for-17 from the floor.

Curry’s line was 20 points, six rebounds, and nine assists. Curry made four threes. Green had 12 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Green took a beating as Gobert’s fouls sent Green to the floor in a lot of pain.

Payton played his first game of the year for the Warriors. Payton, a fierce defender, received a standing ovation from the fans at the Chase Center when he entered the game in the second quarter. Payton played 15 minutes and knocked down nine points. His three-pointer from the corner in the fourth quarter helped the Warriors regain a brief lead in the fourth quarter. 

Reid, who had a career-high point game against the Warriors in Minnesota, led the Wolves with 23. Reid made three threes. Anthony Edwards had 13, Conly 12, and Towns 14.

Gobert had a double-double with ten points and 18 rebounds. Coming off the Wolves’ bench, Kyle Anderson finished with 12 points and ten rebounds. Anderson’s steal made a steal with 4.4 seconds left in the game to seal the win for Minnesota.

The Warriors host the New Orleans Pelicans at the Chase Center Tuesday night. The game will start at 7 pm.

Poole’s hot fourth quarter hand propels Warriors win over 76ers 120-112

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) gestures after making a 3-point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Mar 24, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

In the words of former sportscaster Dick Enberg “My oh my, what a game.” The Golden State Warriors (39-36) had their most impressive win of the year as they beat the visiting Philadelphia 76ers (49-24) Friday night at the Chase Center 120-112. In a race with the Boston Celtics for the best record in the Eastern Conference, the Sixers came to town having won 17 of the last 20 road games.

The Warriors, winners of the last two games on the road, were hoping to win their third game in a row. The Sixers’ James Harden would not play Friday night. Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II were not available either. The Warriors had to find a way to stop the Sixers’ big man, Joel Embiid. 

The game was a nip-and-tuck affair for most of the game. Neither team would give an inch. The Sixers’ biggest lead in the game was five points until late in the third quarter.

The Warriors were up seven early in the second quarter. The Sixers’ defense, the best in the league against the three-point shot, would be a test for the Warriors, the best three-point shooting team in the NBA. The game was a nail-biter, but the Warriors’ offense, behind Jordan Poole’s 19 points in the fourth quarter, produced the win for Golden State.

Both teams played defense in the first half. Joel Embiid was tough to guard. The big man bulled his way to the rim. The Warriors Kevon Looney, four inches shorter than Embiid, could not stop him. Embiid also went to the free throw several times.

The Sixers won the first quarter 27-23. The Warriors outscored the Sixers 32-26 in the second quarter to finish the first half with a slim two-point advantage, 55-53. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 14. The second-leading scorer was JaMychal Green with ten. Embiid led the Sixers with 19. Tobias Harris had 15, and Tyrese Maxey ten. The Warriors’ bench outscored the Sixer bench 25-5.

The lead changed several times in the third period. The Warriors led 78-76 after Jordan Poole made a four-point play. The Sixers got hot and went on a 12-1 run to finish the third quarter with a nine-point lead, 88-79. 

The Warriors’ offense came to life in the fourth quarter. The Warriors went on a 14-5 run to get within two, 93-91. Poole scored seven during the run. The Sixers fought back and led 100-93. The Warriors kept fouling Embiid, and Embiid kept making free throws.

Poole and Klay Thompson made threes to get within three, 102-99. Kevon Looney made a big bucket. The Sixers answered. Klay Thompson knocked down another three to tie the game 104-104. The game was tied thrice at 16, 108, and 110. Curry put the Warriors ahead for good 112-110. Poole connected on a three. Poole had 19 points in the fourth quarter. Curry scored the last five points of the game for The Warriors.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are now 39-36. They won their third straight. The Sixers dropped to 49-24. 

The Warriors are 31-7 at the Chase Center. The Warriors are 23-3 when they hold the opposition to 115 points or less. The Warriors outscored the Sixers 41-24 in the fourth quarter. The Warriors defense rose to the occasion.

Poole led the Warriors with 33 points. He made six threes. 19 of his 33 came in the fourth quarter. Curry knocked down 29. Thompson had 21. Thompson made six threes. Draymond Green had a double-double with ten points and ten assists. He recorded seven rebounds.

Looney had his hands full guarding Embiid. Looney had six points, ten rebounds, and seven assists. The Warriors’ bench outscored the Sixers’ bench 54-14. 

Embbid led the Sixers with 46 points. Embiid made 19 free throws in 22 tries. Tobias Harris had 23, and Tyrese Maxey finished with 21.

The Warriors meet the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night at the Chase Center. The Wolves’ big guy, Karl-Anthony Towns, will be in the lineup. The Warriors’ Gary Payton II may be cleared to return to the team on Sunday. The game will start at 5:30 pm.