Author: rxslugger

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

Hawks cruise to an easy 124-108 win over the Warriors

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The visiting Atlanta Hawks displayed a potent offense as they sent the Golden State Warriors down to their fourth straight defeat 124-108. For the second night in a row, the Warriors had no answers to stop the Hawks’ attack.

It seemed as if it were deja vu all over again as the Hawks scored 70 points in the first half to lead by 18 points 70-52. The Sacramento Kings scored 71 points Thursday night against Golden State. The Warriors could not get anything going on either end of the court. The Hawks shot a blistering 65% from the floor. They were 6-for-11 from the three-point arc. They outrebounded the Warriors 29-14. The Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins was the only player in double figures with 17 points. The Hawks were paced by power forward John Collins and point guard Trae Young, and each had 16 points. 

The Warriors played better in the second half. They outscored the Hawks 56-54, but it was not enough to overcome the 18-point halftime deficit. The Hawks scored 30 or more points in the first three quarters. The Kings scored 30 or more points in all four quarters against the Warriors Thursday night. The streak ended when the Warriors held the Hawks to 24 in the fourth quarter. 

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors are now 22-24 for the year. Atlanta improved to 23-22.

Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 29 points. He made four threes. Rookie James Wiseman played much better Friday night. His stat line was 18 points and five rebounds. Jordan Poole had 15 points, Kelly Oubre had 14 points, and Nico Mannion had 10 points. In his first game in a week, Eric Paschall recorded eight points in eight minutes on the court. Draymond Green recorded nine assists. Draymond, for some unknown reason, did not attempt a shot.

The Warriors shot 50% from the floor and made 12 threes in 28 tries. 

The Hawks outrebounded them 52-38. The Hawks’ defense forced 14 Warrior turnovers, and the Hawks scored 22 points due to the miscues.

The Warriors’ defense could not stop John Collins. The big forward had a double-double with a career-high 38 points and 12 rebounds. He connected on four threes in five attempts. Two other Hawk players finished the night with a double-double. Their big center, Clint Capela, recorded 18 points and 15 boards. Capela was 8-for-10 from the floor. Trae Young had 21 points and 15 assists. Former Sacramento King, Bogdan Bogdanovic, had 11 points. Danilo Gallinari added 12 points.

The Warriors are 1-6 without Steph Curry in the lineup and are 3-9 in their last 12 games.

Up Next: The Warriors are off until Monday night when they play the revamped Chicago Bulls. The game will start at 7 pm PST.

Kings run by Warriors 141-119; Golden State drops third straight game

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By Jerry Feitelberg

Golden State Warriors beat writer

Without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, the Warriors lost their third game in a row Thursday night. The host, Sacramento Kings, pasted them 141-119. The Warriors’ defense, without Green, was non-existent. The Kings’ De’Aaron Fox, coming off a 37-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks Wednesday night, had a career-high 44 points to lead the Kings to an easy win over the Warriors.

The Kings shot 59% from the floor and connected on 19 threes in 38 attempts. When an NBA team puts up those offensive numbers, one can assume that the team will win.

The Warriors’ numbers weren’t that bad. They shot 51% from the floor and made 17 threes in 32 tries. They scored 119 points, and that should get a team a win. The Kings De’Aaron Fox, Ty Haliburton, Buddy Hield, and Richaun Holmes could not be stopped.

The Warriors and Kings played a very competitive, fast-paced first quarter. Andrew Wiggins paced the Warrior attack, and they finished the first quarter leading 37-35. The Warriors led 47-46 after Nico Mannion made a three.

The Kings, behind De’Aaron Fox’s spectacular effort, started to pull away. The Kings won the quarter 37-24 to finish the first half leading 72-61. Fox led the Kings with 20. Haliburton had 17. Haliburton was five-for-six from downtown. Andrew Wiggins knocked down 20 for the Warriors. Nico Mannion made four threes, good for 12 points. No other Warrior was in double figures. James Wiseman did not score. Kelly Oubre tallied two. Jordan Poole had six. 

The Warriors knew they had to find a way to stop the very potent Sacramento offense. They had to come up with answers if they hoped to win the game. The Kings continued to attack the basket. Fox and company sped past the Warriors to finished the third quarter with a 20-point advantage 106-86. The Warriors Kelly Oubre played well in the quarter, but it was not enough. 

If a team trails by 20 heading into the fourth quarter in the NBA, they usually lose. The Warriors would have to outscore the Kings by 20 to tie the game. The Kings put up over thirty points in each of the first three periods. While it is possible, the Warriors couldn’t do it Thursday night.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors lost their third game in a row and are now 22-23 for the year. The Kings have now won five of the last six games and are now 20-25 for the season.

Curry missed the game with a bruised tailbone. Draymond Green did not feel well Thursday morning. He may be ready for Friday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Warriors made two trades on Thursday. They sent Brad Wanamaker to the Charlotte Hornets. Wanamaker will be a free agent at the year, and with the emergence of Jordaan Poole and Nico Mannion, he did not figure to be in the Warrior plans for the future.

In a move that surprised many Warrior fans, the team sent Marquese Chriss to the San Antonio Spurs. Chriss played well last year and figured in the Warriors plans for this season. Unfortunately for Chriss, he suffered a broken leg and was lost for the season. Rookie James Wiseman will be the Warriors’ starting center next year. Kevon Looney and Eric Paschall will be used on the second unit.

Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists. Wiggins was ten-for 18 from the floor and knocked down three threes in five tries. Kelly Oubre finished with 19. Nico Mannion also had 19. Mannion was five-for eight from downtown. Jordan Poole had 17. Juan Toscano-Anderson had 15 points, six boards, and four assists. Anderson was six for six from the floor, and he made three threes in three attempts. He did not miss a shot.

De’Aaron Fox had a career-high 44 points. It was his tenth game of the year with 30 or more points. Richaun Holmes had a double-double with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Tyrese Haliburton had 21, Kyle Guy 20, and Buddy Hield 16.

The Warriors return home to face the new-look Atlanta Hawks. After firing their coach, the team, under Nate McMillan’s tutelage, have won eight in a row. They cooled off a bit, but they made news as they acquired Lou Williams in a trade with the LA Clippers. Williams, a two-time winner of the NBA’s sixth man of the year award, has killed the Warriors in the past. The Warriors will have their hands full Friday night.

The game will start at 7 pm Friday at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

Warriors come back from 24-point deficit not enough to beat the Sixers 108-98

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The Philadelphia 76ers Tony Bradley (11) center and guard Ben Simmons (25) exchange congratulations as the Sixers pick up their fifth consecutive road win over the Golden State Warriors on Tue Mar 23, 2021 at Chase Center in San Francisco (@sixers photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors, still without Stephen Curry’s services, faced a daunting task Tuesday night as they squared off against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers own the best record in the NBA east, 30-13, and the NBA’s second-best record. Their best player, Joel Embiid, was out with an injury.

The Sixers, coached by Doc Rivers, have been the hottest team in the NBA in March. Philadelphia averaged 120 points a game, and their defense is one of the best in the league. The Warriors’ defense had their work cut out for them if they hoped to win. The team welcomed back James Wiseman and Kevon Looney after they passed the necessary Covid-19 protocols. The Warriors even with Wiseman and Looney in the line up couldn’t close the Sixers losing Tuesday night 108-98.

The Sixers dominated the first half of play. The Warriors defense had no answers as the Sixers raced out to a 35-19 lead after 12 minutes of playing time. Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and Tony Bradley led the onslaught. The Warriors regrouped in the second quarter as they cut the deficit to 14 at the end of the first half, 59-45.

Damion Lee, coming off the bench, led the Warriors with nine. Kelly Oubre also had nine. Jordan Poole had eight. Andre Wiggins and Draymond Green each had two. The Sixers’ Tobias Harris had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Ben Simmons and Tony Bradley each had 12.

The Sixers appeared to be on their way to a blowout win over the Warriors. The Warriors had lost eight games by 20 or more points so far this season. They did not want to make it nine. The Warriors offense lit up the board with 40 points while holding them to 19 to finish the third period with a five-point lead 85-80. 

The Warriors were playing well on both ends of the court. They had their biggest lead of the night, 92-86, when things went south. Behind the big three of Simmons, Bradley, and Harris, the Sixers went on a 22-6 run to beat the Warriors by ten 108-98. The Sixers showed the Warriors that they are one of the best teams in the NBA because they know how to win in crunch time. 

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 22-22 for the season. The Sixers improved to 31-13. 

The Warriors’ head coach announced that Curry would miss another week due to a contusion on his tailbone. He will miss games against the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, and Chicago Bulls. 

Kelly Oubre had a double-double with 24 points and ten rebounds to lead the Warriors’ offense. Jordan Poole knocked down 19 and was two-for-nine from behind the three-point arc. Damion Lee, coming off the bench, had 16. He made two threes. Wiggins finished with 14. James Wiseman had 11. Draymond Green had six points, nine boards, and six assists. The W’s shot 43 % from the floor and connected on eight three in 25 tries. The Sixers outrebounded them 63-51. 

The Sixers had six players in double-figures. Tobias Harris had a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Tony Bradley, too, had a double-double with 18 points and 11 boards, Ben Simmons had 22, Shake Milton 13, Furkan Korkmaz 12, and Danny Green 11.

The Warriors play the Kings in Sacramento Thursday night. Tip off at 7 pm.

Grizzlies turn the tables on the Warriors, 111-103

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors met the Grizzlies Saturday night at FedEx Forum in Memphis.

The Warriors were hoping to sweep the two-game set to win their third in a row. The Warriors were again without the services of Steph Curry, James Wiseman, and Eric Paschall. To make matters worse, the Warriors announced Kevon Looney would not play as he, too, was exposed to someone with the Covid-19 virus and, by NBA protocol, will not be available for 10 days.

What this meant for the Dubs was they had to play small ball once again. Draymond Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson would have to be the centers. Steve Kerr had Alen Smailagic available, too. Smiley did get into the game, but he played just eight minutes and committed five personal fouls. The Grizzlies Jonas Valanciunas took advantage of the smaller Warrior centers and lead his team with 19 points. The Grizzlies and Warriors played a very competitive game. The defense was the key as the Grizzlies held the Warriors to 34.4% from the floor. The Warriors held Memphis to 37.9%. The Grizzlies had just enough oomph to win 111-103.

The Warriors’ Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins paced the Warrior offense with 26 and 20 points. The Warrior offense did not do well in the first half, even though it finished with a two-point lead, 51-49. They shot 31% from the floor. Memphis was not much better. They shot 37.8%

The Warriors had a chance to win the game. Jordan Poole hit a three to give the Warriors a slim lead, 100-99, with 2:43 to play. The Grizzlies then went on an 8-0 run to lead 107-100 with 50 seconds left. Poole hit another three to make it 107-103. The Grizzlies scored the last four points of the game to win 111-103.

Game Notes and Stats: Steph Curry missed his second game in a row with a contusion on his tailbone. He is still in pain and may not play next Tuesday when the Warriors play the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Jordan Poole continued his amazing turnaround Saturday night. The second-year player from Michigan knocked down 26 points to go along with four rebounds and five assists. He was 10-for-21 from the floor and connected on three threes. Andrew Wiggins, who scored 40 points Friday night, kicked in 20 points Saturday. Wiggins pulled down seven rebounds. The other Warriors in double figures were Kelly Oubre, Jr. and Juan Toscano-Anderson. Kelly, playing with a sore ankle, had 12 points and six boards. Toscano-Anderson had 11 points, six rebounds, and six assists. He made three threes in five tries. Draymond Green finished with seven points, eight rebounds, and three assists. The Warriors had eight steals, seven blocked shots, and forced 12 Memphis turnovers. 

The Grizzlies had six players in double figures. Dillon Brooks joined Valanciunas with 19 points. Brandon Clarke and Desmond Bane, coming off the bench, had 16 and 15 points, respectively. Ja Morant finished with 14 points.

With the loss, the Warriors are 22-21 for the year. The Grizzlies improved to 19-20.

Up Next: The Warriors meet the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm PST.

Warriors, behind Andrew Wiggins’ fantastic performance, romp past Grizzlies 116-103

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Photo credit: @TheNBACentral

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors faced a daunting task Friday night as they found themselves down three players against the Memphis Grizzlies. Their superstar, Steph Curry, was injured Wednesday in Houston. He suffered a contusion on his tailbone and was not able to play. James Wiseman and Eric Paschall were exposed to someone with the coronavirus, and by NBA protocol, they could not play. They will miss two more games. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was also injured in the Houston game, but he was able to play. Jordan Poole started in place of Curry. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knew hoped someone would step up and help propel the Warriors to a win. That someone was Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins had a season-high 40 points to lead the Warriors to an easy 116-103 win over the young Memphis Grizzlies.

Jordan Poole continued to play well since his return from the G-League. He has found his game and has shown the Warriors that he was not another first-round draft pick that was a bust. Poole knocked down 25 points and connected on three threes from downtown. 

The Warriors played well on both ends of the court. They had great ball movement all night long. They recorded 31 assists on 44 made baskets. Their defense was outstanding as they held the Grizzlies’ budding superstar, Ja Morant, to 14 points. The Warriors stole the ball 13 times, blocked six shots, and forced 20 turnovers. They scored 30 points off the 20 Memphis turnovers.

The teams played a very competitive first quarter. Memphis led 23-18 about two thirds through the period. The Warriors, behind Wiggins, Poole, and Damion Lee, finished the first 12 minutes of play with a 16-3 run to lead 34-26. Wiggins tallied 12 points, and Poole had eight points.

The Warriors continued to run and attack. Wiggins scored 15 more points to pace the Warriors to a 67-48 halftime lead. Wiggins finished with a career-high 27 points. It was the most points that he had ever scored in any half of basketball in his career. Poole finished the half with 17 points.

The Grizzlies failed to cut the deficit in the third quarter. The teams each scored 24 points in the period. The Warriors led by 19 after three periods 91-72. Kevon Looney, Damion Looney, and Wiggins all played well.

The Grizzlies won the fourth quarter 31-25. Most of the points came well after the game had been decided. The Warriors won 116-103.

Game Notes and stats: The Warriors won their second game in a row to improve to 22-20 for the season. Memphis dropped to 18-20.

Andrew Wiggins had quite a night with 40 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. He was 12-for-24 from the floor, and he connected on six threes in 11 tries. It was Wiggins’ best game as a Warrior. Jordan Poole’s line was 25 points, two rebounds, and two assists. He made 10 buckets in 15 attempts. He made three threes. Damion Lee, coming off the bench, also played well. Lee finished with 21 points, and knocked down four threes. Kevon Looney tied his season-high with 11 points.

Ja Morant and Grayson Allen led the Grizzlies with 14 points each. Their big center, Jonas Valanciunas, had a double-double with 10 points and 16 boards. Brandon Clarke, coming off the bench, had 13 points.

Up Next: The Warriors face the Grizzlies again Saturday night in Memphis. The game will start at 5 pm PST.

Warriors send the Rockets down 108-94 to their 18th loss in a row

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors had hoped to rebound after being routed by the Los Angeles Lakers Monday night, and rolled over the hapless Houston Rockets 108-94 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

The Rockets’ two best players, John Wall and Victor Oladipo, did not play. Wall is out with an injury, and Oladipo did not play in back-to-back games. Most of the names in the lineup probably were not well known to Warrior fans. The Warriors, who have lost five of their last six games, wanted to get back on the winning track against Houston. 

However, in the NBA, teams–no matter how dreadful–cannot be taken lightly. The Rockets played a very competitive first quarter. The Warriors turned the ball over seven times in the period, which led to 10 Houston points. Stephen Curry paced the Warrior offense with 13. Houston led 21-18 when the Warriors went on an 11-0 run to go-ahead 29-21. The Rockets scored the next six points to close the gap to two 29-27. Curry made a bucket to give the Warriors the lead at the end of the quarter 31-27.

In the second quarter, the new-look second unit helped outscore the Rockets by 20 points, 37-17, to end the first half with a commanding 24-point lead, 68-44. Since returning from the G-League, Jordan Poole, who has been sensational, led the assault with 15 points, including four threes from downtown. Andrew Wiggins had 15, Curry had 13, and Kelly Oubre had 10. Houston’s leading scorers were Kevin Porter with 13, Christian Wood with nine, and Kenyon Martin with seven.

Houston came to life in the third period. The Rockets outscored the Warriors 27-18. Curry was cold from behind the three-point arc. He finished the night with two threes in 11 tries. Draymond Green continued to play well, finishing the night with a triple-double. Although the Warriors played well on both ends of the court, the one flaw in the game was the number of fouls they committed.

Houston was able to get closer as a result. The Warriors led by fifteen, 86-71, at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors had to hold their collective breaths as Curry fell on his backside as the quarter ended. He limped to the locker room and did not return. He was diagnosed with a tailbone contusion.

The second unit played well in the fourth quarter. Jordan Poole continued to play well. He knocked down two more threes to finish the night with a career-high six threes. Kelly Oubre, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green refused to let the Rockets get back into the game. The Warriors won the game 108-94.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are now 21-20 for the season. The Rockets set a team record with their 18th loss in a row, and are now 11-28.

Draymond Green had his 27th career triple-double. The Warriors are 26-1 in those games. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 23 points. Curry had 18 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Kelly Oubre had 19 points, while Andrew Wiggins had 17 points. Draymond Green had a season-high 16 points. He pulled down 12 rebounds and had 10 assists. The Warriors shot 45.6% from the floor. They were 16-for 45 from downtown. They recorded 32 assists on 41 made field goals. The Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 67-50. The Warriors gave the Rockets 40 free threes. Fortunately, the Rockets made only 21.

Kevin Porter led the Rockets with 25 points. Christian Wood had 21 points, and Kenyon Martin added 13 points.

Up Next: The Warriors play the Memphis Grizzlies in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday in Memphis. The game will start at 5 pm PST.

LeBron leads Lakers in route over the Warriors 128-97

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Los Angeles Laker LeBron James (23) throws down over Golden State Warriors forward Eric Paschall (7) and center James Wiseman during the first half on Mon Mar 15, 2021 at Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo) 

What a difference a day makes. The Warriors, coming off their best game of the season on Sunday, were soundly trounced by the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers Monday night at the Chase Center.

The Lakers’ Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol did not play Monday night. Former Warrior Damion Jones started at the center position for the Lakers and played well on both ends of the court.

The Lakers won the third and fourth quarters, too. LeBron James, Harrell, Talen Horton-Tucker, Kyle Kuzma, and the rest of the Lakers could not be stopped. The Lakers outscored the Warriors 63-47 in the second half to win easily 128-97.

Game Notes and stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 20-20 for the year. They have lost five of their last six games. The Lakers are 26-13.

The player of the game was LeBron James. James recorded his 98th career triple-double. He finished with 22 points, ten rebounds, and 11 assists. He is fifth all-time in the NBA with triple-doubles. Harrell scored 27 to pace the Lakers, Horton-Tucker has 18, Kuzma 17, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 14. Damion Jones had 8 points and four rebounds.

Curry led the Warriors with 27. Curry had two assists to pass Guy Rodgers for the Warriors’ all-time assist leader. Curry has 4856 assists, one more than Rodgers. Andrew Wiggins knocked down 15, Kelly Oubre, 12. The second unit backcourt of Jordan Poole and Nico Mannion had 14 and 10. 

The Lakers outrebounded the Warriors 53-35. LA had 36 assists on 49 field goals. They finished the night shooting 62.8% from the field. The Lakers controlled scoring in the paint 68-40. 

The Warriors go on the road for three games. They play the Houston Rockets Wednesday night in Houston. The game starts at 5 pm. They play a back-to-back series with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and Saturday. 

Warriors stun Jazz 131-119 Curry shines on his birthday

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Nothing but a big victory was popping out of Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry’s (30) 33rd birthday cake after the Warriors defeated one of the toughest teams in the NBA the Utah Jazz at the Chase center in San Francisco on Sun Mar 14, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors, still smarting from a devastating loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last Thursday, stunned the Utah Jazz Sunday afternoon at the Chase Center. The Jazz entered the contest with a record of 28-9.

They had overwhelmed the Warriors 121-99 on January 23rd in Salt Lake City. The Warriors won Sunday’s game 131-119. There were many positives for the Warriors on Sunday. Stephen Curry was his usual brilliant self as he celebrated his 33rd birthday with 32 points, five rebounds, and nine assists.

The Warriors’ head coach had to be ecstatic about the performances by Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Jordan Poole, James Wiseman, and the Warriors second unit. Wiggins played his best game of the year.

He performed well on both ends of the court. He knocked down 28 points. He was 12-for-16 from the floor and connected on three threes in four tries. Draymond Green finished with a triple-double. Draymond’s numbers were 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.

It was the 26th time that Draymond has had a triple-double in his career, and the Warriors’ record in those games is an astounding 25-1. Draymond also recorded four steals. Quite a performance.

The Warriors, as a team, had to find a way to stop the Jazz’ offense. Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conly make up a very potent Utah backcourt. The two can knock down threes, and the Warriors did their best to contain them.

The Jazz had three other players that added to their potent offense. The Warriors defense held two of them in check. Bojan Bogdanovich was held to nine and just one three. Joe Ingles, who has tormented the Warriors over the years, knocked down two threes and eight points in total. Sixth-year player Jordan Clarkson scored 21 points coming off the bench. He was a tough customer to stop. He hit three threes.

The Warriors took an early 6-2 lead. Utah went ahead 11-9. Curry made a three and was fouled. Curry made the free throw, and the Warriors regained the lead 13-11. The play was the beginning of a 15-0 run to put them ahead 24-11. They would never lose the lead. The Warriors finished the first quarter leading 33-22.

Steve Kerr sent out his second unit to start the second quarter. Jordan Poole and Nico Mannion were in the backcourt. James Wiseman was at center, and Kelly Oubre, Jr, and Eric Paschal were the forwards.

The Jazz had their first unit on the floor, and they started the quarter on a 12-2 run to close the gap to 35-34. The second unit did not fold. Poole made two threes, Mannion and Paschall each connected on a three to put the Dubs ahead 52-45. Kerr inserted Curry, Green, and Wiggins.

Along with Eric Paschall, they paced the Warriors to a 13-point advantage 67-54 at the end of the first half. Curry led the Warriors with 14. He did not score in the second quarter as the Jazz double-teamed every time he had the ball in his hands.

Wiggins had 12, Gree 11, and Jordan Poole had ten. Michale Conly had 18, and Jordan Clarkson ten to lead the Jazz. Big Rudy Gobert had nine points and 13 rebounds.

The Warriors knew that the Jazz would not go down quietly. The Warriors had to find a way to prevent the Jazz from overcoming the halftime deficit.

It was not going to be easy, but the Warriors did not falter. Wiggins, Wiseman, and Curry were able to prevent the Jazz from regaining the lead. The Jazz did outscore the Warriors 32-28 to finish the quarter trailing by nine 95-86.

Kerr inserted his second unit to start the fourth quarter. The Jazz seized on the opportunity as they scored the first six points of the quarter to creep within three points 95-92. The Warriors answered, but the Jazz inched even closer 101-100.

With the score 103-102, Paschall and Poole made buckets to go ahead by five 107-102 with 6:41 left to play. The Jazz still had a lot of time left to overtake the Warriors. Poole, Wiggins, and Paschall all made big plays to put the Warriors in the driver’s seat 118-109.

Poole made two threes, Wiggins a deuce, and Paschall a three in that stretch. Curry was back in the game, and he hit from downtown to make it 121-111. Wiggins made another three to give the Warriors an eight-point advantage with 1:08 left. The Warriors won 131-119. 

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 20-19 for the year. Utah is now 28-10 for the season.

The good news for the Warriors was the performance of the players coming off the bench. They outscored Utah’s bench 51-36.

James Wiseman had 16 points and four rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Jordan Poole finished with 18. He was six-for eleven from the floor, and he was three-for-five from downtown. Eric Paschall had nine, including one three-pointer. Nico Mannion had five points. Nico also made a three.

As a team, the Warriors shot 56.2%. The Warriors were 16-for-31 from behind the three-point arc food for 51.6%. They recorded 33 assists on 50 made baskets. On defense, the Warriors had 12 steals, two blocked shots, and forced 13 turnovers.

Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert each had 24 points to lead the Jazz. Gobert had a jaw-dropping career-high with 27 rebounds. Michael Conley finished with 23, and Jordan Clarkson added 21.

Curry closed in another Warrior record Sunday afternoon. He needs one more assist to tie Guy Rodgers with the all-time assist record. He should break the record Monday night against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.

The Warriors meet the Lakers Monday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7:30.

Clippers blow out the Warriors 130-104; Kawhi tops leader board with 28 pts for Clippers

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Kawhi Leonard (left) the Los Angeles Clippers forward takes a shot against the Golden State Warriors Andrew Wiggins (22) on Thu Mar 11, 2021 at Staples Center in Los Angeles (AP News photo) 

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors started the second half of the NBA on a sour note against the Clippers Thursday night at the Staples Center. Hoping to snap a three-game losing streak, the Warriors did not look like they were in sync.

They did play a competitive first period. They found themselves trailing 12-3 in the early going. The Warriors fought hard and went ahead 23-22. The Clippers finished the quarter with a slim two-point advantage 28-26. The Warriors never regained the lead.

The Clippers dominated play in the second and third quarters to put the game out of reach. In the second quarter, Steve Kerr’s second unit could not get the job done. He inserted Nico Mannion and Jordan Poole in the backcourt instead of Damion Lee and Brad Wanamaker.

Eric Paschall was in the center position. The Clippers’ defense shut down the small ball by holding them to four points in almost six minutes of playing time. Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green returned, but they could not get the Warriors back into the game.

The Clippers outscored the Warriors 31-17 to finish the first half with a 16 point advantage 59-43. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was the only Warriors in double-figures. Kelly had 11 points and five boards. Andrew Wiggins had nine, and Curry finished with seven. Jordan Poole had three, and Nico Mannion did not score. Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers with 20 points. Serge Ibaka had nine.

The Clippers blew the game wide open in the third quarter. LA outscored the Warriors 45-25 to finish the quarter with a commanding 36-point lead. Curry had seven points in the period, but it was clear that he, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins were not going to play the fourth quarter.

Kerr inserted the Warriors rookie center, James Wiseman, into the lineup to start the fourth period. Wiseman, who was in Kerr’s doghouse for missing a Covid-19 test on Wednesday, finally got his chance to play.

Kerr wanted Wiseman to get more playing time to hone his skills. Kerr wanted to have him cool his heels as punishment for missing the test. Jordan Poole and Nico Mannion played the entire fourth quarter, too.

The Warriors’ bench outplayed the Clippers’ bench 36-26. Wiseman knocked down 14 points and had seven rebounds in 12 minutes of action. Poole had 11 to finish the night with 14. Mannion added ten. The Clippers put the Warriors away 130-104.

Game Notes and Stats: The Clippers snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 25-14. The Warriors lost their fourth in a row and are 19-19 for the year,

Four of the Warriors starters were in double-figures. Andrew Wiggins had 15 points and eight boards. Kelly Oubre had 15 points and six rebounds. Curry finished with 14 points, three rebounds, and four assists. He was six-for-sixteen from the floor. Curry, who won the NBA 3-point shooting contest at the All-Star game Sunday, was a woeful one-for-eight from downtown. 

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 28 points, Ibaka had a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Paul George had 17, Lou William 14.

The Warriors have their work cut out for them as they meet the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Sunday. The Jazz has the best record in the NBA Western Conference. The Warriors return home to face the Los Angeles Lakers at the Chase Center Monday night. The Lakers crushed the Warriors in LA in a game just before the All-Star break. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

Team LeBron runs past Team Durant 170-150 at the NBA All-Star game

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Team LeBron James captain Lebron James runs the floor against Team Kevin Durant battles at the 2021 NBA All Star Game in Atlanta State Farm Arena Sun Mar 7, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The NBA played its annual All-Star game in Atlanta Sunday night. There was some controversy as several players, including LeBron James, would have preferred the game not to be played this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two of the players selected, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, could not play as they were exposed to someone who contracted the disease. 

The game’s purpose was to raise money for the HBCUs (Historic Black Colleges and Universities) and The United Negro College Fund. The amount of money won depended on which team won each quarter. LeBron James was captain of Team LeBron and Kevin Durant captain of Team Durant. Durant did not play due to an injury. 

Team LeBron won all four quarters to raise 1.25 Million dollars for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Team Durant $500,000 for the United Negro College Fund.

Team LeBron put five fantastic players on the floor to start the game. The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James were the forwards. Nikola Jokic was at the center position. The Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry and the Portland Trail Blazers made up the backcourt. Team Durant starters were Zion Williamson, Kawhi Leonard, Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal, and Kyrie Irving.

Team Lebron squeaked out a 40-39 win in the first quarter.  Curry helped his team win the quarter with 12 points. Curry made four threes. 

The two teams played a very competitive second quarter. Team LeBron led 31-30. At this point, Team LeBron went on a 19-2 run to cruise to an easy 60-41 win in the second quarter.

Team Lebron kept running the court and knocking down threes and making spectacular lobs and dunks. Antetokounmpo continued to make baskets to keep his team ahead. Paul George and Jaylen Brown knocked down threes to pace Team LeBron to another win 46-32. Team LeBron led 146-125 after three quarters.

The NBA changed the rules for the fourth quarter. The winner of the game would be the team that reached 170 points irrespective of the clock.  Curry, Damian Lillard, and Antetokounmpo  wanted to end the game as soon as possible.

Curry and Lillard knocked down threes. With the score at 167-150, Curry missed a three that would have won the game. He didn’t get another chance as Lillard hit a three from downtown to win it for Team LeBron.

Game Notes and Stats: Antetokounmpo set an All-Star record as he was 16-for-16 from the floor. He made 13 buckets for 26 points and three threes to finish with 35 for the night. Antetokounmpo was awarded the Kobe Bryant Trophy for the game’s Most Valuable Player.

Danion Lilliard had 32 points. Lillard connected on eight threes. The Warriors’ Curry, who won the three-point shooting contest earlier in the evening, had 28 points. Curry was ten-for 19 from the floor, and he made eight threes.

The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown finished with 22, and he connected on five from downtown. The Clippers’ Paul George had 17, the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic eight. Rudy Gobert had ten, Nikola Kokic six, Chris Paul six points, and 16 assists. Paul may have either tied the record for assists or broken it. LeBron James played 12 minutes and scored four points.

Team LeBron shot an astounding 63.6% from the floor. They made 31 threes in 61 tries. Team Durant shot 52.6% from the floor. They made 27 three in 72 attempts. There were not a lot of free throws in the game. Each team had five free throws. 

Bradley Beal led Team Durant with 26. Kyrie Irving had 24. James Harden and Jayson Tatum each had 21. Donovan Mitchell had 15, Zach LaVine 13, Zion Williamson 10, and Kawhi Leonard 8.

As mentioned earlier,  Curry won the three-point shooting contest. Curry won the contest for the second time. He won the first crown in 2015. The Blazers’ Anfernee Simons won the Slam Dunk Contest.