Author: rxslugger

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

Warriors hang on down Jazz 119-116; Curry gives it his all again scores 36

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) takes the ball down court against the Utah Jazz on Mon May 10, 2021 at the Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (36-33) met the Utah Jazz (50-19) Monday night at the Chase Center. The Jazz, winners of five straight games, had their sights on avenging the 131-119 loss to the Warriors on March 14th. The Jazz entered the game with the best record in the Western Conference, 50-18.

The Warriors were fighting to remain in eighth place in the Western Conference. It felt as if it were the first game of the playoffs: the Jazz, the only team in the NBA in the top five offensively and defensively. The Jazz entered the game averaging 17 threes a night.

They had the best record, defending the opposing team’s three-point efforts. Both teams were missing key places. Utah’s point guard, Michael Conley, was out with a hamstring injury. The other guard, Donovan Mitchell, was not able to play due to an ankle injury.

The Warriors were missing Daminon Lee due to Covid-19. Kelly Oubre, Jr was out with a torn ligament in his wrist, and Eric Paschall, slated to return on May 11th, sat out with a hip problem. With the two Utah guards out, the Warriors knew the Jazz would commit turnovers.

Could the Warriors capitalize on their miscues? The answer was yes. The Warriors defense forced 15 Utah turnover that translated into 26 points for the Warriors. The Warriors knew that they had to find a way to stop Utah in the fourth quarter. The Jazz averaged 31 points in the last period. Utah put pressure on the Warriors defense as they poured in 41 points in the last 12 minutes. Stephen Curry answered with a three to lead the Warriors to a hard-fought 119-116 win.

Utah’s head coach Quin Snyder assigned Royce O’Neale to guard Curry for most of the first half. O’Neale threw a blanket over Curry as he attempted his three-point shots. Curry started the game with a three. He did not make another three in the first half.

The first half was very close. Neither team would give an inch. The Warriors finished the first period leading 31-30. The second period was a defensive struggle. The Warriors won the quarter by four points to finish the first half with a five-point advantage 54-49. Curry led the Warriors with 15 points. Draymond Green had ten. Andrew Wiggins helped out with eight. Jordan Poole and Kent Bazemore each had seven. The Jazz leading scorers were Bojan Bogdanovic with 15, and Jordan Clarkson, coming off the bench, had 12.

The Warriors won the third quarter 35-26 to finish the third period leading by 14 points, 89-75. Curry had his magic working as he poured in 14 points in the period. Kent Bazemore helped out with ten. Jordan Poole made the shot of the night as he made a 55-foot three-point shot as the buzzer sounded to end the third period. The Warriors didn’t know it at the time, but that three-pointer turned out to be huge.

With the second unit on the floor, the Warriors increased the lead to 17, 94-77. The Jazz kept chipping away at the lead. The Warriors could not stop Utah’s, Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson, a candidate for sixth-man of the year, kept making baskets. He couldn’t make a three in the first half. He made several in the fourth quarter. The Jazz closed to within seven, 122-105, with three minutes left to play.

Their defense continued to stop the Warriors offense. Utah tied the game 112-112. The Jazz went ahead briefly 113-112. Bazemore made a basket to make it 114-113. Clarkson hit a three, and the Jazz led 116-114 with 29 seconds left to play. Curry answered with a three to give the Warriors the advantage 117-116 with 13.4 seconds left. The Warriors had to find a way to stop the Jazz.

They did. Utah did not score on their possession after Curry’s bucket. The Jazz fouled Curry, and he made the two free throws to give the Warriors a three-point lead 119-116 with five seconds left. The Warriors had to stop Utah from tying the game with a three-pointer. They focused on Bogdanovic as the player to defend. The Warriors forced a turnover to win the game 119-116.

Game Notes and Stats-With the win, the Warriors improve to 36-33. They are in eighth place in the Western Conference. Utah is now 50-19 for the year.

Curry’s line was 36 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Curry was 11-for-25 from the floor, and he was three-for-13 from downtown. It was the 37th game that Curry had 30 or more points. The Warriors had four other players in double figures. Jordan Poole added 20 points in 18 minutes of playing time.

Bazemore had 19, Wiggins 14, and Green had 12. Green had a double-double with ten assists, too. Kevon Looney finished the night with 13 rebounds. The third game in a row for Looney with double-digit rebounds, the first time in his career. The team shot 47% from the floor. They made 14 threes in 42 tries.

Jordan Clarkson had a big night with 41 points for Utah. He was 16-for-33 from the floor and connected on five threes. Bogdanovic had 26 points and four threes. The Warriors defense held Rudy Gobert to 10 points. Royce O’Neale was the only other Jazz player in double figures with 10.

The Warriors meet the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm.

Preview of the A’s-Red Sox series By Jerry Feitelberg

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Oakland A’s starter Chris Bassitt will start against the Boston Red Sox to open the series at Fenway Park on Tue May 11, 2021. Bassitt is seen here pitching against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wed May 5, 2021 (photo from AP News)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s start a nine-game road trip Tuesday evening against the Boston Red Sox. The A’s then play three in Minnesota and finish the trip in Houston with three against the Astros.

The Red Sox and A’s have been rivals since 1901. Both teams are charter members in the American League. The A’s have represented three cities-Philadelphia, Kansas City and Oakland. The teams have played in Fenway Park since 1912. Each team has won nine World Series Championships.

The A’s and Red Sox have met four times in the AL Playoffs. The Red Sox beat the A’s in 1975 to go to the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. The A’s sent the Red Sox home in 1988 and 1990. The A’s went to the World Series in those years. Boston beat the A’s in 2003 in the AL Division series. Boston did not make it to the World Series that year.

Both teams are in first place in their respective divisions. The A’s record is 21-15. They own a two-game lead over the Houston Astros. The Red Sox are 22-13 and are leading the New York Yankees by 3 1/2 games. The Red Sox are finishing a four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles Monday night.

The A’s have announced that righty Chris Bassitt will go for Oakland Tuesday night. Bassitt is 2-2 with an ERA of 3.70. Bassitt has pitched well for Oakland and has been reliable so far this year. The Red Sox will counter with Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi is 4-2 with an ERA of 4.62. In seven career starts against Oakland, Eovaldi is 1-2 with an ERA of 4.28.


On Wednesday, the Red Sox will send lefty Eduardo Rodriguez to the hill. Rodriguez is 5-0 with an ERA of 3.82. Due to injuries to Mike Fiers and Jesus Luzardo, the A’s have not announced a starter for either Wednesday or Thursday. Garrett Richards, the former Angel, will go for Boston on Thursday. Richards, this season, is 2-2 with an ERA of 4.54. In 18 games(14 starts), Richards is 3-4 with an ERA of 4.29.

The Red Sox did not fare well in the 2020 season. The ace of the staff, Chris Sale, had Tommy John surgery. Sale will pitch later this year. Eduardo Rodriguez came down with Covid-19 last year. Rodriguez had complications and missed the entire year. Nathan Eovaldi was hurt.

The Red Sox bullpen was a mess. Things have changed for Boston in 2021. The Starters have been reliable, and General Manager Chaim Bloom has rebuilt the bullpen. The Red Sox are currently in first place in the AL West. The Sox, as usual, are loaded with guys that can hit. Their designated hitter, J.D. Martinez, has been on a tear to start the season. Martinez is hitting .331 with ten home runs and 31 RBIs.

His ten dingers tie him with Shohei Ohtani for first in the AL. He leads the AL with 31 RBIs. His OPS of 1.075 is third-best in the league. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is hitting .349. Bogaerts has seven homers and 20 RBIs. His OPS is .985. Leftfielder Alex Verdugo, who came to Boston in the trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, is hitting .306 with four dingers and 16 RBIs.

Third baseman Rafael Devers’ batting average is .288. Devers has slammed eight home runs and driven in 28. The Red Sox will have Bobby Dalbec at first base, Marwyn Gonzalez at second. Franchy Cordero will be the centerfielder, and Hunter Renfroe will be in right field. Christian Vasquez will handle most of the catching.

The Red Sox bullpen will be staffed by Darwinzon Hernandez, Matt Andriese, Garrett Whitlock, Hirokazu Sawamura, Adam Ottavino, and the closer’s role is handled by Matt Barnes. Barnes has eight saves in eight opportunities so far this year.

The A’s need t get their offense going if they hope to have success in Fenway. The A’s need big games from Mark Canha, Ramon Laureano, Matt Olson, and Matt Chapman. The Red Sox can put a lot of runs on the board. The A’s pitchers need to shut down the Boston offense. If the A’s get good pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense, they can hold their own with Boston’s Big Boppers. The A’s would love to get the first win Tuesday night to get the road trip off on a high note.

Warriors crush OKC Thunder 136-97; Curry unstoppable with 49 points

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) hits a three pointer while being defended by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Roby (22) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat May 8, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oklahoma City Thunder had the misfortune of playing the Warriors two days after the Warriors beat them by 21 points Thursday night. The Warriors’ all-world performer, Stephen Curry, had another magnificent game.

Curry had all his shots working for him as he led the Warriors to a blowout win 136-97 over the young OKC team. Curry started the game with two threes to give the Warriors an early 6-0 win. He showed the fans and every in the NBA that he continues to be the best shooter in the league’s history. Curry finished the night with 11 threes in 21 tries. The OKC players had to be thankful they don’t play the Warriors again this season.

The Thunder’s only lead came early in the first period. They led 10-8. Curry, along with Draymond Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson, kept the barrage of threes coming. Curry finished with five from downtown in the first quarter. Green had a three-pointer and five points total in the period. JTA was a force on both ends of the court. The Warriors won the quarter 37-25.

The Warriors’ second unit with Jordan Poole, Mychael Mulder, Kent Bazemore kept the pedal on the gas tank. The Warriors led OKC 55-35 when Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Curry checked in. Green made two threes. Curry connected on his sixth three of the first half, and the Warriors led by 25 points 74-48.

The Thunder, if they had any chance to win the game, had to win the third quarter. It was not going to be easy as Curry and the first unit were on the floor to start the period. The Warriors stopped the OKC offense as Golden State won the third quarter 33-19 to increase to lead 106-67. The game was over. A team can’t overcome a 39-point deficit with 12 minutes left to play.

Curry and Green did not have to play in the fourth quarter. Most players in the NBA are probably drooling over Curry’s performance. Curry’s brother, Seth, tweeted him to “cut it out.” Curry played 29 minutes and finished with 49 points and 11 threes. The Warriors second unit increased led by 48 132-84. The Thunder’s reserves outscored the Curry by seven the rest of the way. The Warriors win 136-97.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors improve to 35-33 with four games left in the regular season. The Warriors are in eighth place in the Western Conference. OKC falls to 21-47. They are in 13th place in the Western Conference

As mentioned above, Curry led the team with 49. Andrew Wiggins finished with 18. Green had another double-double with 15 points, five rebounds, and 13 assists. Kevon Looney tallied three points, but he pulled down twelve rebounds. Juan Toscano-Anderson scored 12 points to go along with nine boards and five assists. Juan was two-for-six from downtown. Jordan Poole had 16 points. He connected on four threes. Mychal Mulder made three threes for nine points. 

The Warriors shot 58% from the floor. They shot 50% from the three-point range. They were 27-for-54 from downtown. The Warriors outrebounded the Thunder 54-47. The Warriors recorded 31 assists on 47 made field goals. The offense was humming Saturday night.

Svi Mykhailuk led the OKC offense with 17 points. Luguentz Dort had 16, Darius Bazley 11, Kenrich Williams 13, Jaylen Hoard 13, and Theo Maledon 10.

The Warriors face the Utah Jazz Monday night. It will be a tougher task for the Warriors as the Jazz own the best record in the Conference 50-18. The Warriors beat the Jazz the last time the two teams met. The Jazz’ Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have a score to settle with the Warriors. 

The game will be at the Chase Center Monday Night. The game will start at 7 pm.

Warriors start final six games of season with win over Oklahoma City 118-97

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) jumps after taking a three point shot that misses in the first half against Oklahoma City Thunder defender Isiah Roby (22) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu May 6, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors Warriors (34-33) started the final stretch of the regular NBA season with a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-46) Thursday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors lead wire to wire to win 118-97. The Warriors were facing a team that had gone from a team with title aspirations several years ago to a team hoping to rebuild through the draft.

Under head coach Mark Daigneault, the Thunder came into Thursday night’s game with a record of 21-45. OKC is tied with Orlando for the fourth-worst record in the NBA. They are one game better than the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have the third-best odds in the draft lottery.

The Thunder’s best play, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, did not play due to a tear in his plantar fascia. Most of the players in the Thunder’s starting lineup have names not well known to Warriors fans. Their starters are Darius Bazley, Kaguentz Dort, Moses Brown, Isaiah Roby, and Theo Maledon.

Behind Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Kent Bazemore, the Warriors finished the first quarter leading 31-23. The Warriors second unit kept the Thunder from closing the gap. OKC closed within four 44-40. Curry came back onto the court and hit a couple of threes to help the Warriors finish the first half with a 12-point lead 61-49. Curry led the team with 17 points.

In the third quarter, Curry put another 17 points on the board. Curry connected four times from downtown. The Warriors increased the lead to 16 88-72 after three periods of play.

The Warriors second unit was in control for the entire fourth quarter. Steve Kerr did not have to use Curryuntil late in the period. Mychal Mulder rained down threes on the Thunder. He connected on five threes. Mulder’s hot hand led the Warriors to a 25-point advantage 108-83. Jordan Poole and Mulder finished the scoring for Golden State as they won 118-97.

Game Notes and Stats-With the win, the Warriors are 34-33 for the year. They are in eighth place in the Western Conference 1/2 game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder’s record is 21-46.

Curry had another game with more than 30 points. Curry finished the night with 34 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. He was 11-for-21 from the floor, and he made six threes in 13 attempts. Mulder had quite a night. Mulder’s knocked down 25 points.

Mulder was 9-for-15 from the floor, and he made seven threes in 13 tries. Other players in double figures were Andrew Wiggins with 18, Poole 14, and Kent Bazemore with 13. Draymond Green’s line was five points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Kevon Looney pulled down ten boards.


The Warriors shot 49% from the floor. They made 19 threes. The Warriors outrebounded the Thunder 58-45. Golden State recorded 36 assists on 42 field goals. The stat indicated good ball movement.

The scoring leaders for OKC were Darius Bazley with 23, Theo Maledon 15, and Ty Jerome, coming off the bench, 23. Jerome knocked down three threes in a losing effort.

Warriors’ next game Saturday night against the Thunder at the Chase Center in San Francisco for 7 pm tip.

Pelicans grind out win over the Warriors 123-108

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

The New Orleans Pelicans Lonzo Ball was taking shots all night leading with 33 points against the Golden State Warriors on Tue May 4, 2021 (@PelicansNBA photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors met the New Orleans Pelicans for the second night in a row. For the Warriors, it was the final game of the four-game road trip. The Warriors drubbed the Pelicans Monday night 123-108. Stephen Curry scored 41. Would the Warriors be able to repeat the effort Tuesday night?

Curry did his part with 37 points. Andrew Wiggins knocked down 26 points and was a force on defense. The Warriors did not have Kelly Oubre, Jr., Damion Lee, or Eric Paschall available. The Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was down to eight players. The Warriors gave it all they had, but they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and fell to the Pelicans 108-103. 

The Warriors scored 39 points in the first quarter Monday night. Tuesday night, they put 34 points on the board. New Orleans knew they could not afford to lose Tuesday night. They had the big seven-foot New Zealander, Steve Adams, back in the lineup.

Adams’ job was to clog the middle and force the Warriors to make threes. The Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball was determined to play better. Ball played well as he tallied 33 points and connected on seven threes. The Pelicans trailed by two after the first quarter, 34-32.

The second quarter was a very close, competitive contest. Neither team could pull away. The biggest lead the Warriors enjoyed was 50-45. The Pelicans scored the next seven points to lead 52-50. Curry scored the next five points to put the Warriors ahead 55-52.

The Pelicans fought back, and the quarter ended with Golden State holding on to a slim one-point advantage 57-56. Curry led the Warriors with 24 points. Andrew Wiggins had 13. Lonzo Ball paced the Pelicans with 16, and Zion Williamson had 15.

The third quarter was a defensive struggle. Neither team could put points on the board. The Warriors won the quarter 22-19 to finish the third period leading 79-75. With Curry on the bench at the start of the fourth quarter, the Warriors’ second unit had to step up to extend the lead.

Andrew Wiggins answered the call with eight points early in the quarter. Juan Toscano-Anderson hit a three to make it 90-81. It was the Warriors biggest lead of the night. The Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson went to work as they kept chipping away at the Warriors lead. The Pelicans tied the game 92-92 with 4:19 left.

Kent Bazemore finally connected on a three to make it 98-95 with 2:30 left. Ball made a three to tie the game. The teams tied again at 100-100. The Pelicans went on an 8-0 run. The Warriors made a three with just a few seconds left to play. New Orleans won the game 108-103.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 33-33 for the year. The Warriors’ last six games of the season will be at the Chase Center in San Francisco. They play the Oklahoma City City Thunder twice, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, and finish with the Memphis Grizzlies on May 16th.

The Warriors had two players in double figures. Curry’s line was 37 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Curry was 12-for-31 from the floor and 8-for-20 from downtown. Curry did not have it late in the fourth quarter. He made one shot in 12 tries.

Andrew Wiggins, for the second game in a row, tallied 26 points. Andrew was 10-for-21 from the floor and 5-for-10 from behind the 3-point arc. Jordan Poole had nine, Mychal Mulder eight. Kevon Looney had eight points and six boards. Draymond Green’s line was seven points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.

The team shot 32% from the floor. They made 20 threes in 53 attempts. The Warriors turned the ball over 18 times. The turnovers cost them 19 points. The Warriors committed 17 fouls. The Pelicans had 22 free throws, the Warriors seven.

It was the 34th game of the year that Warriors had 30 or more points. It was the 17th time in the last 19 games with 30 or more. It was the fourth straight game with 20 or more points for Andrew Wiggins. 

Lonzo Ball led the Pelicans with 33. Zion Williamson had a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe had 12, Brandon Ingram 13, and Naji Marshall 10. The Pelicans’ last six games are with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors, and their final game is against the LA Lakers on May 16th. 

The Warriors game against the OKC Thunder is Thursday night. The game starts at 7 pm.

Warriors slow down Zion Williamson express win 123-108; Curry scores 41 points

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

The New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson (1) puts up a hand to stop the Golden State Warriors Ken Bazemore’s (right) shot on Mon May 3, 2021 in New Orleans (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors 32-32) met the New Orleans Pelicans (29-36) for the first time this season Monday Night. With eight players available, the Warriors knew they had to find a way to stop the Pelicans’ big man, Zion Williamson. Williamson loves to go to the rim, and he usually gets fouled on his way there.

Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, wanted his team to a strong start and not play catch up. The team responded to their coach’s wishes as they finished the first quarter leading 39-21. The Warriors did not relinquish the lead the entire game as they beat the Pelicans by a final score of 123-108.

In 11th place in the Western Conference, the Pelicans needed a victory Monday night to close within 2 1/2 games of the Warriors if they hoped to make the playoffs. A loss would severely hurt the Pelicans’ hopes for a playoff berth.

The Warriors came out smoking. They sprinted out to an early 17-5 lead. The Pelicans’ offense woke up to go on a 9-0 run to close within three 17-14. Stephen Curry, along with Andrew Wiggins and Juan Toscano-Anderson, had other thoughts. Curry connected on three threes to pace the Warriors to an 18-point lead at the end of the first quarter, 39-21. Curry had 17 points in the first 12 minutes of play.

The Pelicans scored the first six points of the second quarter to close within 12. Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, And Juan Toscano-Anderson built the lead up to 22, 53-31. The Warriors continued to lead by twenty 66-46 with 40 seconds left in the first half.

The Pelicans took advantage of Warrior miscues in the last 40 seconds to score eight points, and they left the court trailing by 12, 66-54 but feeling confident that they could come back and win the game in the second half. Curry led the Warriors with 21. Wiggins had 14, Toscano-Anderson 10. Zion Williamson had 18 for New Orleans. Brandon Ingram had 11.

The Pelicans started the third quarter with a bucket to make it 66-56. Curry answered with two three-pointers to give the Warriors a 16-point advantage, 72-56. The Pelicans went on the offensive with a 14-3 run to close within six 79-73. Curry righted the ship as the Warriors finished the third quarter with a 15-point lead 95-80.

Andrew Wiggins was the key player on the second unit that started the fourth quarter. Andrew knocked down two threes and two two-point baskets to put the Warriors ahead 105-87. Draymond Green came back into the game with nine minutes left, and Curry came back with eight minutes remaining.

Curry had to be careful as he had committed four fouls. The Warriors found a way to stop Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball. The Warriors led 119-100 after Kent Bazemore knocked down a three. Steve Kerr inserted his seldom-used bench players to finish the game. The Warriors win 123-108.

Game notes and Stats-With the win, the Warriors are 33-32 for the year. They have seven games left in the regular season. They play one more on the road Tuesday night in New Orleans. The final six are at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The Pelicans are now 29-36 with seven games left on their schedule. They play the Warriors Tuesday night and once more in San Francisco.

The Scoring leader for the Warriors was, are you ready for this, Curry. Curry’s line was 41 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. Curry was 14-foe-26 from the floor and 8-for-18 from three-point range. Andrew Wiggins, again playing well on both ends of the court, contributed 26 points.

Green had another triple-double. The Warriors rarely lose when Green records a triple-double, and Monday night was not an exception. Green’s line was ten points, 13 rebounds, and 15 assists. Toscano-Anderson had 14, Jordan Poole 11, Bazemore 9.

The Warriors shot 53% from the floor and made 17 three in 44 attempts. On defense, the Warriors had nine steals and eight blocked shots. They forced 16 Pelican turnovers that resulted in 29 points for the Warriors. The one negative was the number of fouls they committed.

The Pelicans were awarded 32 free throws. They made 25. The Warriors scored 12. That 13-point difference made the game seem closer than it was. Zion Williamson let the Pelicans with 32. Brandon Ingram finished with 19. Eric Bledsoe had 11. The Warriors held Lonzo Ball to seven points. Ball was one-for-nine from downtown.

The Warriors meet the Pelicans again Tuesday night in New Orleans. The game will start at 5 pm.

Curry’s big third quarter sinks Rockets 113-87

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) is jubilant after scoring a three point shot against the Houston Rockets Armoni Brooks (7) during Sat May 1, 2021 game in Houston (Houston Chronicle photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (32-32) faced the downtrodden Houston Rockets (16-48) at the Toyota Center in Houston Saturday night. The Rockets, without their star John Wall, beat the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night behind Kevin Porter’s outstanding performance. Porter, who is 20-years-old knocked down 50 points, leading Houston to victory. The Rockets’ management discharged their head coach, Muke D’Antoni, at the end of last season. The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to the Washinton Wizards, and James Harden went to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Rockets have struggled all season long, and it appears they will be one of the three teams with the worst record in the NBA. Having lost two in a row, the Warriors needed to take advantage of the Rockets to stay in the race for a ninth or tenth spot in the Western Conference standings. Things didn’t go well in the first half of the game. The Rockets found a way to contain Stephen Curry. The Warriors got their act together in the third quarter and were able to win easily 113-87.

The Warriors’ offense in the first two quarters left a lot to the imagination. Curry made two threes in ten tries. The Rockets held him to seven points. The Rockets finished the first quarter with a two-point lead 24-22. The Rockets went on a 9-3 run to start the second quarter to lead 33-25. Curry returned with about six minutes left in the period. Houston kept answering every Warrior basket. The Rockets led at halftime 55-49.

The third quarter was a different story. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr must have read the riot act to his team during the halftime break. They did not play well against the Dallas Mavericks, and they folded against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter Thursday night.

They could not afford to lose to Houston. Kerr’s words must have resonated with the Warriors as they came out smoking to start the third quarter. Golden State went on a 28-4 run to start play in the period. At one point, they scored 24 unanswered points. Curry was on fire. He scored 23 points in his 12 minutes on the floor. He connected on five threes in seven tries. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 39-12 in the quarter to lead 87-67.

The Warriors had Curry and Draymond Green on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins, Mychal Mulder, and Jordan Poole provided the offense as the Warriors cruised to victory 113-87

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 32-32 for the year. They have two more road games left for the year. They will play both against the New Orleans Pelicans. They lead the Pelicans by 3 1/2 games for the final playoff spot. The first game with New Orleans will be Monday night. The Warriors play the last six games of the season at the Chase Center.

The Warriors used eight players again for the second game in a row. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was out with a wrist problem. Damion Lee is still on Covid-19 protocol, and Eric Paschall missed another game due to a hip flexor. Paschall is improving and will be back soon, possibly next week.

Curry had another 30-point game. He had 30 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He was nine-for-23 from the floor and 7-fo-17 from downtown. Andrew Wiggins continued his excellent play on both ends of the court. Wiggins poured in 20 points.

He pulled down two rebounds and had two assists. Mychal Mulder and Jordan Poole each had 17 points. Mulder connected on five threes. Draymond Green nearly had a triple-double. Green scored nine points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and recorded eight assists.

As a team, the Warriors shot 46% from the floor. They made 18 threes in 46 attempts. They moved the ball well, especially in the second half, with 32 assists on 39 made field goals. They had ten steals and eight blocks on defense. They forced 18 Rockets turnover that resulted in 20 points for the Warriors.

The Warriors meet the Pelicans in New Orleans Monday Night. The game will start at 4:30 pm. 

Timberwolves outlast Warriors to win 126-114

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) struggles on offense against the Minnesota Timberwolves Ricky Rubio (9) on Thu Apr 29, 2021 at the Target Center in Minneapolis (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (31-32) started the final four-game road trip of the season on a sour note Thursday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Then suddenly resurgent Minnesota Timberwolves (20-44) played well in the final 12 minutes of the game to down the Warriors 126-114.

The Timberwolves have won their last four in a row and six of the last eight. Even though the Warriors lost, it was not all bad news. The Warriors will benefit if Minnesota continues to play well. If Minnesota does not finish in the top three in the lottery, the Warriors will get their first-round draft pick.

The Timberwolves currently have the third-worst record in the NBA. The Pick would not go to the Golden State if the season ended today. The Wolves, however, may pass either Detroit or Oklahoma City in the standings. If they do, the Warriors will get the pick.

The Warriors were without the services of forward Kelly Oubre, Jr. Thursday night. Oubre has been an offensive sparkplug coming off the bench. His absence meant the Warriors were down to eight players. Kent Bazemore was back in the lineup after missing several games due to NBA Covid-19 protocols.

The teams played a hotly contested game for all four quarters. The Timberwolves, coached by former Toronto Raptor assistant coach Chris Finch, took a page out of the Raptors’ playbook. Finch has his team double team, Stephen Curry, all night long. The Timberwolves decided to stop Steph and let the other four players on the court figure out how to beat them.

The Plan worked in the first quarter. The Timberwolves held Curry to five points in the first twelve minutes of action. Andrew Wiggins, facing his former teammates, carried the water for the Warriors. The game was tied at 25-25 when Minnesota went on a 10-0 run to finish the quarter leading 35-25. 

The Warriors’ second unit went on a 10-2 run early in the second quarter to get within four 39-35. The Warriors trailed until late in the first half until Curry got hot. Curry made a three to make it 55-54. The Wolves connected on a three to go ahead by four. Curry made two frees, then made a steal and a bucket to tie the game, 58-58. The Timberwolves scored the last bucket of the first half to lead 60-58. Andrew Wiggins paced the Warrior attack with 18 points. Steph had 13. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Wolves with 11. Veteran guard Rickey Rubio had 10. The Timberwolves were 10-for-21 from three-point range. 

The Timberwolves started the third quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 68-58. The Warriors did not fold. They fought back but could not get the lead back. The Warriors tied the game 87-87. Minnesota responded with a two-point basket to lead 89-87. Curry made a four-point play to give the Warriors the lead 91-87. Minnesota scored a basket and the third quarter ended with the Warriors ahead by two. 

As per head coach Steve Kerr’s plans, Curry and Draymond Green would sit on the bench for about the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. The Warriors second unit had their work cut out for them. The Wolves star rookie, Anthony Edwards, came out firing.

The Warriors had no answer. Minnesota went on a 10-2 run to lead 106-99. The Timberwolves’ defense stopped the Warriors’ offense in the last six minutes of the game. Minnesota continued to make three-pointers. Karl-Anthony Towns and Juancho Hernangomez made back-to-back threes to go ahead by ten 117-107. The Warriors ran out of time, and they lost by a final score of 126-114.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, The Warriors are 31-32 for the season with nine games left on the schedule. The Timberwolves are 20-44.

The Warriors had five players in double figures. Curry led the team with 37 points, six rebounds, and eight assists. Curry was 11-for-27 from the floor, and he made six threes in 17 tries. Wiggins finished with 27 points, four boards, three assists, and made three threes in six attempts.

Green had 11 points, five boards, and five assists. Bazemore had a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds. Mychal Mulder had 11. As a team, the Warriors shot 49% from the floor. They made 15 threes in 38 attempts. The taller Timberwolf team outrebounded them 68-41. The Wolves pulled down 16 offensive rebounds. The Warriors had four.

Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 25 points. Town had a double-double with 22 points and 11 boards. Ricky Rubio had 22. Rubio knocked down five threes. Naz Reid had 13. The Timberwolves made 20 three-point shots in 41 tries. Teams with 20 threes and shoot about 50% are 43-0.

The Warriors tipoff against the Rockets in Houston Saturday night, The game will start at 4:30 pm.

Matt Chapman’s nine-inning double powers the A’s to victory over the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s finished the seven-game road trip with a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2. The A’s played the Rays four times at Tropicana Field. All four games featured excellent pitching, good defense, and timely hitting. In the four games, the Rays scored nine runs, the A’s eight. Each team showed why they are contenders to win their respective division in the American League. With the win, the A’s finished the road trip with a record of four wins and three losses.

The Rays’ starter, lefty Shane McClanahan, made his first start in the Major Leagues Thursday afternoon. McClanahan made his debut last year in the playoffs. The 24-year-old flame thrower made pitches that registered 101 miles-per-hour on the speed gun. The A’s Chris Bassitt pitched well for Oakland. Bassitt went six innings and allowed two runs and four hits. He struck out nine.

Neither team hit well in the four-game series. Runs were at a premium. Thursday’s game was no exception.
The Rays jumped off to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Chris Bassitt hit Rays’ second baseman, Brandon Lowe, with a pitch. Lowe scored on the double to right field by Austin Meadows.

The A’s tied the game in the top of the third. With one out, Tony Kemp singled to center. Kemp went to second on a wild pitch. Mark Canha singled to right. Kemp was thrown out at the plate. Fortunately for the A’s, Ramon Laureano came through doubled to deep left field to drive in Canha with the tying run.

The A’s took the lead in the top half of the fourth when Matt Chapman hit his four home run of the year. The A’s led 2-1 after four complete.
The Rays tied the game in the fifth. Brandon Lowe homered, leading off the bottom of the fifth. It was Lowe’s fourth of the year. Bassitt settled down and retired the next three hitters. Bassitt exited the game after the sixth inning. A’s manager Bob Melvin called on his bullpen to shut down the Rays. They did just that. Yusmeiro Petit and
Jake Diekman retired the Rays in order in the seventh and eighth innings. The A’s could do nothing against the Rays’ relievers until the ninth inning. Rays’ manager Kevin Cash brought in closer Diego Castillo to pitch the ninth. Castillo earned saves in the games on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. It would be a different story Thursday afternoon.
With one out, Castillo walked A’s DH, Jed Lowrie. Castillo retired Sen Murphy for the second out. The next hitter, Matt Chapman, came through with a triple to right field. The ball went over the head of Brett Phillips. Lowrie scored from first to give the A’s the lead 3-2. A’s manager Bob Melvin summoned righty Lou Trivino to close out the game. Trivino retired the first two hitters. Brett Phillips singled to keep the Rays alive. Trivino had to retire Kevin Kiermaier for the final out. It wasn’t easy. Phillips advanced to second on a wild pitch. If Kiermaier were to get a hit, the Rays would have tied the game. Trivino won the battle as he struck out Kiermaier looking to preserve the win for Oakland. The A’s win 3-2.

Game Notes and Stats- With the win, the A’s are 16-10 for the season. The Rays are 13-13. Lou Trivino earned his fourth save of the year. Castillo took the loss.

A’s first baseman, Matt Olson, was injured during batting practice on Thursday. He was struck in his left eye by a ball that somehow bounced back to cause the injury. His eye was swollen, and the injury’s extent is unknown.

The A’s return home to face the Baltimore Orioles for three games starting Friday night. The veteran righty, Mike Fiers, will be making his first start of the year. Baltimore will counter with lefty John Means. Means is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.50. Means beat the A’s last Sunday in Baltimore by a score of 8-1. The game will start at 7:05 pm.

Ray’s Tyler Glasnow shuts out A’s 2-0

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

A tip of the cap after leaving in the seventh inning Tampa Bay Rays starter Tyler Glasnow and the bullpen shutout the Oakland A’s at Tropicana Field on Wed Apr 28, 2021 (@RaysBaseball photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Tampa Bay Ray’s (13-12) outstanding righty Tyler Glasnow earned his third win of the season as he shut down the Oakland (15-10) offense with seven innings with no runs and five hits. Glasnow struck out ten. The A’s starter, Cole Irvin, pitched well for the third consecutive game.

Irvin allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings of work. Irvin struck out eight Rays’ hitters. Had the A’s mounted any attack, Irvin could have picked up a win. A’s manager Bob Melvin had to be impressed with Irvin’s outing.

The Rays scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth. With two out, Ray’s catcher, Mike Zunino, homered to left field. The ball hit either the C or D catwalk—the ground rules at Tropicana Field state that a ball that hits either catwalk is a home run. The Rays added another run in the inning. Irvin walked the next hitter, Brett Phillips. Randy Arozarena singled, sending Phillips to third. Manuel Margot drove in Phillips with a single. The Rays had all the runs they would need to win.


Lefty Jeffrey Springs retired the A’s in order in the eighth. He recorded the first out in the ninth. Singles by Matt Chapman and Sean Murphy had Rays’ manager Kevin Cash call for his closer, Diego Castillo, to put out the fire. Castillo struck out Tony Kemp and got Vimael Machin to ground out to first baseman Yandy Diaz for the final out.

Game Notes and Stats- With the loss, the A’s are 15-10 for the year. They are still in first place in the AL West. Their line was no runs, seven hits, and no errors. Tampa Bay improved to 13-12 and are in second place in the AL East. Their line was two runs, eight hits, and no errors.


The A’s struck out 13 times Wednesday night. They suffered their first shutout of the season.
The time of the game was two hours and forty-five minutes.

The A’s finish the four-game series with the Rays Thursday morning. Chris Bassitt will handle the pitching chores for Oakland. Ray’s rookie lefty, Shane McClanahan, will be making his Major League debut. The game starts at 10:10 am.