Author: rxslugger

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

Warriors get much needed win over Lakers 128-110; Curry scores 32 pts for Golden State

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) is fired up after scoring a three point shot in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Feb 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (28-26), playing their first game after the All-Star break, hosted the Los Angeles Lakers (30-27) Thursday night at the Chase Center. The Lakers’ LeBron James would not be in the lineup due to an ankle injury. The Warriors would come away with a 128-110 win at Chase Center in San Francisco led by the Warriors guard Stephen Curry with 32 points.

The Warriors still had to deal with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis. Davis has been a force on defense for the Lakers this year. The Warriors knew they had to have good ball movement to thwart Davis trying to protect the rim against the Warriors potent offense.

The Warriors wanted to avenge the one-point loss to the Lakers on January 27th. The Akers won a double-overtime thriller 145-144. In that game, the Lakers won at the free-throw line. The Lakers had 43 free throws, and the Warriors had 16. The Lakers made 36, and the Warriors 11.

The Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, told his team they must stop committing fouls and turning the ball over. The Warriors did what Kerr wanted. The Lakers had 21 free throws in the game. They made 14. The Warriors had eight turnovers in the first half but only one in the second half. The Warriors played well on both ends of the court as they cruised to victory. It was the Warriors’ ninth win in their last eleven games. 

The Warriors started the game running up and down the court. Warriors guard Curry tallied 16 points and connected on four threes in the first period. The Lakers’ Davis provided the offense for LA. The Warriors won the quarter 31-28.

The Lakers took the lead early in the second period. Neither team could pull away. The Lakers led 50-49 when the momentum shifted to the Warriors. Jonathan Kuminga knocked down a three to give the Warriors a 52-51 lead. Andrew Wiggins and Brandin Podziemski each hit a three, and the Warriors led by six, 57-51.

Curry made a three and a two-pointer to up the lead to 65-54. Wiggins scored a bucket as the buzzer sounded to put the Warriors ahead, 67-54, at the end of the first half. Curry led the team with 25 points. It was the second-highest point in the first half for Curry in his career.

Trace Jackson-Davis was the scoring story in the second quarter. Coming off the bench, Jackson-Davis recorded 13 points to help the Warriors have the lead at the end of the first half. Davis paced the Lakers with 15 points.

The Warriors continued to play well in the second half. The Warriors increased the lead to 17, 86-69. The Lakers made a 7-0 run to trail by nine, 89-80. The Warriors did not wilt. The Warriors answered the challenge and finished the third quarter with the lead, 98-82.

The Lakers’ point guard, D’Angelo Russell, made a couple of three-pointers early in the fourth quarter. Wiggins responded by scoring nine points to kill the Lakers’ threat. The Warriors cruised to victory 128-110.

Game Notes: The Warriors won for the ninth time in their last eleven games. They are now 28-26. The Lakers dropped to 30-27. The Warriors are 1-1 with LA this season. The Warriors meet the Lakers two more times. Both games will be in LA. 

Curry led the Warriors with 32 points, eight assists, and six threes. Curry was plus 25 when he was on the court.

Wiggins had 20 points, and he connected twice from downtown. Rookie Podzienski has ten points and nine rebounds. Jackson-Davis finished the game with 17 points and five boards. Kuminga had 12. 

The Warriors shot 46.7% from the floor. They made 16 threes in 41 tries. The Warriors recorded 32 assists on 50 made baskets. They outrebounded the taller Lakers 60-51. 

Davis had a double-double with 27 points and 15 rebounds. Russell ad 18, Austin Reaves 16, and Taurean Prince 12. The Warriors held Rui Hachimura to eight points. Hachimura has killed the Warriors many times over the last two years. The Warriors made sure Hachimura was not a factor Thursday night.

The Warriors play again Friday night. The Warriors will host the Charlotte Hornets at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm.

Warriors stay hot rout Pacers 121-109; Extend win streak to three; Curry leads with 49 pts

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) led the Warriors with 49 points against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse Indianapolis on Thu Feb 8, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (24-25) led wire to wire to outgun the Indiana Pacers (29-24) 131-109 in Indianapolis. The arena fans got to see how good Warrior guard Stephen Curry is. Curry made his first seven three-point shots in a row.

Curry finished the first half, connecting on eight threes and 29 points in total. The Warriors played well on defense, too. The Warriors’ defense held Tyrese Haliburton to five points. Haliburton averages 22.5 points per game.

The Warriors have the ninth-best defensive record with Draymond Green in the lineup. Without him, the Warriors are 20th. The Warriors finished the five-game road trip with four wins and just one loss. The only loss was to the Atlanta Hawks in overtime.

The Warriors have won five of the last six. Steve Kerr had to be pleased with the performances of the younger players on the team. Brandin Podzienski, Jonathan Kunimga, Lester Quinones, and Gui Santos all played well in handing the Pacers the loss.

The Warriors got off to a hot start in the first quarter. Curry’s seven threes in the quarter helped the Warriors score 45 points. The Pacers never led in the game. They trailed early in the game by one point, 7-6.

The Warriors offense was clicking on all cylinders Thursday night. The Warriors led 58-53 on Curry’s three-pointer. The Pacers closed the gap to two, 58-56. The Warriors then went on a 12-2 run to finish the first half 70-58. Curry tallied 29 points. He was ten for eleven from the floor.

Eight of the shots were three-pointers. Kuminga had 10, Andrew Wiggins and Dario Saric each had nine.

The Warriors did not relent in the third quarter. They outscored the Pacers 25-18 to finish the third quarter leading 95-76. Curry led the attack. Draymond Green, Dario Saric, Gui Santos, and Brandin Podzienski helped on offense. In the fourth quarter, the Warriors continued to put points on the board. Curry, Kuminga, Santos, and Quinones all played well.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are now 24-25. The Pacers fell to 29-24.

Curry led the team with 42 points. He made 11 threes, the 13th time in his career that he has made 11 threes in a game. Curry’s Splash brother, Klay Thompson, has made 11 threes four times in his career. Thompson did not play Thursday night.

Thompson celebrated his 34th birthday on Thursday.
The other Warriors in double figures were Kuminga (18), Santos (13), Wiggins (11), and Saric(11). As a team, the Warriors shot 56% from the floor and made 17 threes in 32 tries.

The Warriors play the Phoenix Suns at the Chase Center on Saturday night. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

After slow start, Warriors offense blows out the Philadelphia 76ers 127-104

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Golden State Warriors Andrew Wiggins (left) goes for an underhand shot against the Philadelphia 76ers Paul Reed (right) in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Wed Feb 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

After scoring the fewest points (15) in the first quarter, the Golden State Warriors woke up and routed the Philadelphia 76ers 127-104. The Warriors beat the Sixers in San Francisco on January 30th. In that game, the Sixers’ star big man, Joel Embiid, tore his meniscus and had to leave the game.

Embiid will have surgery to repair the tear, and it is unknown how long Embiid will be on the shelf. As a result of Embiid not being in the lineup, the Sixers have lost six of the last seven games played. With the win, the Warriors have won four of their last five games and are 3-1 on the current five-game road trip. The Warriors won their tenth game on the road this season. Last year, The Warriors won 11 and lost 30. 

The Warriors could not generate any offense in the first quarter, and the Sixers won the quarter 22-15. Warrior guard Stephen Curry connected on a three-point shot and was fouled. Sixers’ coach, Nick Nurse, challenged the foul, and the call was reversed. Curry three was taken off the board, and the referees charged Curry with an offensive foul. 

In the second quarter, the Sixers increased the lead to ten, 27-17. The Warriors offense came to life as the Warriors went on a 10-0 run to tie the game 27-27. Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga paced the Warrior attack, and the Warriors finished the first half with a three-point advantage, 48-45.

The Warriors outscored the Sixers 33-23 in the second quarter. Kuminga and Wiggins had 11 points each. The Warriors’ big Three, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Curry, put seven points on the board in the first half. Thompson had five, and Curry did not make a basket from the floor. Curry made two free throws. 

The Warriors blew the game open in the third quarter. The Warriors scored 43 points, while the Warriors’ defense held the Sixers to 23. To start the third period, the Warriors went on a 25-7 run. Thompson, Wiggins, and Curry all made shots. The Warriors led 91-68 at the end of the third quarter.

The Dubs led by thirty, 101-71, after Thompson connected on a three.    

The Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, pulled his starters from the game. Dario Saric, Lester Quinones, Cory Joseph, Gui Santos, and Moses Moody were on the floor to finish the game. The Warriors won 127-104.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors improved to 23-25. The Sixers fell to 30-20.

Wiggins had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Wiggins played well on both ends of the court. Thompson and Kuminga each had 18. Curry finished the night with nine. Every Warrior player that went onto the court scored. Lester Quinones led the bench with 13 points.

As a team, the Warriors shot 50% from the floor. The Warriors knocked down 16 three-point shots. The Warriors pulled down 59 rebounds, and the offense recorded 30 assists. The Warriors had seven steals and eight blocks. 

The Sixers Ricky Council led his team with 17. Tobias Harris (13), Kenyon Martin (15), Patrick Beverly, and Tobias Harris each had 13. Former Warrior Kelly Oubre put 11 on the board. 

The Warriors finish the five-game road trip Thursday night against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis. The game will start at 5 pm.

Warriors bounce back beat 76ers 119-107; Curry leads with 37 points in win

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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (13) is fouled by the Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) as they land on the Chase Center floor in San Francisco on Tue Jan 30, 2024 (AP News photo)

Bj Jerry Feitelberg

Having lost the last two games by a single point, the Warriors rebounded to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-105 Tuesday night at the Chase Center.

The Sixers’ big man, Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, scored 70 points in a game last week. The Warriors’ task was to find a way to slow down Embiid. It would be challenging as the Warriors did not have Klay Thompson available to play. Thompson was under the weather. Steve Kerr had rookie Brandin Podziemski start in the backcourt with guard Stephen Curry.

The revamped Warriors lineup had Draymond Green at the center position, and the forwards were Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins. All five Warrior starters finished in double figures. Kuminga scored 26 points and was terrific in the fourth quarter.

For Kuminga, it was his seventh game in a row with 20-plus points and his 24th straight game in double figures. Wiggins, averaging about 14 points a game, kicked in with 23. Curry led the Warriors with 37 and was magnificent in the fourth quarter.

The Sixers won the first quarter 28-23. The Warriors’ offense was sluggish in the first period. Green paced the Warrior’s in the second quarter with nine points. The Warriors were trailing 44-36 when they went on a 12-2 run to lead 48-46. The Sixers tied the game at 50-50. Kuminga made a bucket to give the Warriors a two-point lead 52-50 at the half.

The Warriors picked up the pace in the third quarter. Curry made two threes to give the Warriors a 12-point advantage, 69-57. The Warriors increased the lad to 14. The Sixers went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to five, 80-75. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kuminga made the last three baskets of the quarter to propel the Warriors into a nine-point lead 86-77.

The Sixers came out firing in the fourth quarter, scoring 30 points. However, they needed to find a way to stop Curry, Kuminga, and Wiggins. They failed as the Warriors outscored them by three points to win the quarter 33-30 and the game 119-107. Curry and Kuminga did most of the damage.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors improved to 20-24, while the Sixers fell to 29-17.

The Warriors had four starters in double figures. Curry led the team with 37 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, connecting on eight threes in 13 tries. Wiggins followed with 23 points, five boards, and four assists. Kuminga had 26 points and seven rebounds.

Podzienski added 11 points, six rebounds, and three assists. The Warrior bench added 13 points. As a team, the W’s shot 55% from the floor. The Warriors made 14 three-point shots.

The Warriors defense held Embiid to 14 points. Embiid was five-for-18 from the floor. Embiid was saddled with five fouls and left the game with a knee injured late in the fourth quarter. Tobias Harris led the Sixers with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Former Warrior Kelly Oubre tallied 14 points. Patrick Beverly had 12. The Sixers had two bench players record double-figures. Furkan Korkmaz, averaging 1.8 points per game, came off the bench to tally 19 points. Jaden Springer added ten in a losing cause.

The Warriors play seven of their next nine games on the road. The Warriors will be in Memphis to play the Grizzlies on Friday night.

Golden State Warriors game wrap: Warriors lose thriller by one-point to Kings 134-133 at Chase Center

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The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) takes a jump shot against the Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) in first half action at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Jan 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors scored 133 points against the visiting Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center Thursday night. Unfortunately for the Warriors, the Kings scored 134 to win the game by one point, 134-133.

This was the third game between the two teams that was decided by a single point. The teams split the four-game season series at two apiece. The game was a definite nail-biter and was a thriller to the end. The Warriors had a chance to win.

With 15 seconds left on the clock, all the Warriors needed was a two-point bucket to win. The Kings’ defense rose to the occasion. They stopped Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuminga to preserve the win for Sacramento.

The Kings, behind former Warrior Harrison Barnes, won the first quarter 40-32. The Warriors got their offense going in the second quarter and finished the first half trailing by three, 75-72. Curry knocked down five three-pointers in the first half and finished with 18 points.

Barnes made four threes and recorded 20 points in the first 24 minutes of play. Sacramento made 13 threes in the first half, while the Warriors knocked down 12. Kuminga and Dario Saric each had 14.

The second half was a nip-and-tuck affair. Whenever the Warriors came close to taking the lead, the Kings held the Warriors at bay. The Kings’ biggest lead in the quarter was seven points, 91-84.

The Warriors fought back to tie the game 99-99. Sacramento outscored the Warriors 5-2 to finish the third quarter with a three-point lead, 104-101. The Warriors needed to outscore the Kings by four in the fourth quarter to win.

The Warriors tried hard but could only get the advantage late in the quarter. The Kings had an answer for every bucket the Warriorss made until Kuminga made a bucket to put the Warriors ahead 133-132.

Could the Warrior defense make a stop to win the game? The answer was no. The Kings went ahead 134-133 with 15 seconds left. The Warriors did not take a timeout to inbound the ball in the forecourt. The Kings’ defense found a way to force Curry to make a turnover. The game was over.

Game Notes: the Warriors are now 19-23 with the loss. The Kings improved to 25-18.

The Warriors had five players in double-figures. Kuminga had a career-high 31 points. Curry led the Warriors with 33. Klay Thompson had 16, Andrew Wiggins had 17, and Saric had 14. The Warriors made 19 threes.

All five Kings’ starters were in double figures. Barnes had a career-high 39 points, and Barnes connected on seven threes. Fox finished with 29, Domantas Sabonis had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, Keegan Murray 14, Kevin Huerter 12, and Davion Mitchell 10.

The Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Warriors dedicate 134-112 win over Atlanta Hawks to the memory of beloved coach Dejan Milojevic

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The Golden State Warriors assemble prior to their game against the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center in San Francisco paying tribute and watching a video for their late former assistant coach Dejan Milojevic on Wed Jan 24, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors beat the visiting Atlanta Hawks 134- 112 Wednesday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors dedicated the game to the memory of coach Dejan Milojevic, who passed away last Wednesday in Salt Lake City.

Deki, as he was known, always had a smile on his face. Milojevic bonded with the players in his third season with the team, who considered him a brother. The team wore warm-up jerseys with the Serbian word for brother, Brate, on the front and Milojevic on the back.

Milojevich’s wife and two children were in the arena. It was extremely emotional. There were tears in the eyes of the Warrior players. Dario Saric and the Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovich, both from Serbia, were heartbroken.

The Warriors showed the memorial service held for Milojevic in Serbia before the start of the game. The Warriors knew they had to play basketball Wednesday night. By playing, the Warriors felt the game’s flow would take their minds off the sorrow of the evening. 

The Warriors’ last game was Tuesday, a week ago, when they lost to Memphis. The Warriors canceled practice on Monday as they still mourned Milojevic’s passing. The Hawks, coached by Quin Snyder, were hoping to get a win, but the Warriors had other thoughts. 

Curry made a three-point shot in the first quarter to start the game. The Hawks scored the next ten points. The Warriors found their offense and put 38 points on the board in the first quarter. The Warrior’s defense held the Hawks to 31 points, and the Warriors finished the quarter with a seven-point lead 38-31. 

The Hawks played well in the second period. Led by Jalen Johnson, Saddiq Bey, Bogdan Bogdanovich, and Patty Mills, the Hawks won the second quarter 37-31. The Warriors finished the first half leading by one point,69-68. The Warriors had four players in double figures. Klay Thompson had 13, Curry had 11, Jonathan Kuminga had 12, and Brandin Podzienski had 10. 

The teams continued to battle in the third quarter. The Hawks kept pace with the Warriors until late in the period. Atlanta’s biggest lead was four points, but The Warriors erased it. The Warriors played defense and finished the third quarter with a nine-point lead, 102-91. Cory Joseph scored five points late in the quarter to help pad the Warriors’ advantage.

The Warriors owned the fourth quarter. Kuninga, in double-figures for the 21st game in a row, helped propel the Warriors to victory. In one sequence, Kuminga made a steal and a dunk, bringing the crowd to its feet. Curry, Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins continued to make shots. The Warriors won by 22 points, 134-112.

Game Notes: The Warriors improved to 19-22 with the win. The Hawks fell to 18-26.

The Warriors had seven players in double-figures. Kuminga tied a Warriors’ club record when he made 11 shots without a miss. He tied the record held by Chris Mullens. Kuminga finished the night with 26 points. Curry had 25 points and eight assists. Curry made five threes. Thompson also made five threes and finished with 24 points. Draymond Green and Wiggins each had 12. Podzienski and Saric each had ten. 

The Hawks had six players in double figures. Dejounte Murray led Atlanta with 21. Jalen Johnson had 21, Saddiq Bey had 18, Bogdanovich had 17, Mills had 13, and Clint Capela had 11. 

The Warriors host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm.

Dejan Milojevic’s sudden passing stuns the Warriors and the NBA

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The late assistant coach Dejan Milojevic of the Golden State Warriors is seen here driving against Spain’s Jorge Garbajosa during Milojevic’s playing days in 2005. Milojevic suffered a cardiac emergency in Salt Lake City during a private dinner with the coaches and players. Milojevic passed away 46 Wed Jan 17, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Tragedy struck the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. One of the assistant coaches, Dejan Milojevic, suffered a heart attack at a team dinner Tuesday night in Salt Lake City and passed away on Wednesday. Milojevic was forty-six years old. The game between the Warriors and the Utah Jazz was postponed and will be rescheduled later.

Milojevic was in his third season with the Warriors. He had a 14-year playing career in Serbia. When he became a coach, he was known for working with centers. He mentored Boban Marjanovic, Ivaca Zuban, Kevon Looney, and Nikola Jokic. Milojevic was very instrumental in bringing Dario Saric to the Warriors this year.

Milojevic was married and was the father of two children. Steve Kerr said this about Dejan: “We are absolutely devastated by Dejan’s sudden passing,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said in a statement. “This is a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him.”

Everyone at SportsRadioService sends condolences to his family and the entire Warrior organization. May he rest in peace, and may his memory be a blessing.

Green returns but it’s not enough; Short-handed Grizzlies send Warriors down to defeat 116-107

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Golden State Warrior Draymond Green drives on the Memphis Grizzlies upon his return from his indefinite suspension at FedEx Arena in Memphis on Mon Jan 15, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

It was a very cold evening in Memphis on Martin Luther King Day. For the Golden State Warriors, it was a very strange game. The Warriors held the Memphis Grizzlies to 37% from the floor as they took 12 shots less than the Warriors, yet won the game 116-107.

The Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, had to be shaking his head after his team’s performance Monday night in Memphis. The numbers show the Warriors committed too many fouls and too many turnovers. Memphis made 20 threes in 54 attempts.

The Warriors made ten in 31 tries. The referees called 25 fouls on the Warriors to give the Grizzlies 40 free throws. Memphis made 32. The Warriors went to Charity Stripe ten times and made nine. The Warriors could not overcome the 30-point advantage nor the 23-point difference from the free-throw line.

The Grizzlies scored 30 points off turnovers. Memphis’ defense kept the Warriors from attempting more three-point shots. The Warriors’ only statistical advantage was scoring in the point. 

Even with the Warrior miscues, the game was a nip-and-tuck affair. Neither team had a double-digit lead for the first three quarters. The Warriors led by two points at the end of the first halftime, 56-53.

The Grizzlies cut the lead to one, 86-85, at the end of the third period. The Warriors had their largest lead of the night, 86-79 in the third quarter. The Grizzlies scored the last six points to trail 86-85. 

The Warriors needed to stop fouling as well as turning the ball over. Memphis needed to stop the Warrior’s offense. We learned the answer: Memphis wanted the game more than the Warriors. The last lead the Warriors had came when Stephen Curry made a three to put the Warriors ahead 91-90.

The Grizzlies defense shackled Curry and Thompson. Memphis went ahead by 12 points,112-104. Memphis went on to win 116-107.

Game Notes: The Warriors were without Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, and Chris Paul. Draymond Green, in his first game back after serving a 12-game suspension, played 24 minutes, and his numbers were seven points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Grizzlies had four players unavailable. The biggest name on their list was Ja Morant, who was out with a shoulder injury for the year.

The Warriors are now 18-22. The Grizzlies improved to 15-25.

The Warriors had four players in double figures. Curry led the Warriors with 26 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. Jonathan Kuninga had a double-double with 20 points and eleven rebounds. For Kuminga, it was his 20th double-digit game in a row.

Dario Saric (13) and Andrew Wiggins(16) were the other Warriors with more than ten points. The Grizzlies had six players in double-figures. Vince Williams led Memphis with 24 points. Greg Jackson had 23. Davios Roddy 12, Jacob Gilyard (11), Santi Aldama (11), and Luke Kennard(11) were the players that led Memphis to the win.

The Warrior’s next game will be against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday evening at 5 pm.

Warriors hold on to down Magic 121-115; Golden State ends 3 game skid

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) hits a three point shot against the Orlando Magic at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Jan 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (16-17) had to work extra hard to beat the Orlando Magic (19-14) Tuesday night at the Chase Center. The Magic, with the best record in the Southeast Division, 19-13, had rebuilt the team via the draft.

The Magic had four players over six feet ten inches tall. Last year’s Rookie of the Year, Paolo Banchero, is a force to be reckoned with. The Warriors assigned Klay Thompson to guard him Tuesday night. It wasn’t easy, but Thompson did the job even though Banchero scored 27 points.

The Warriors had to find a way to stop Moritz and Franz Wagner the young men from Berlin, Germany, were both six-feet ten. The center, Bitadze, measured six feet eleven inches. The Warriors’ tallest players were Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis, who were six feet nine inches tall. 

The Warriors had lost three in a row and knew beating the young, tall, and talented Magic squad would be a struggle. The game was a nip-and-tuck affair until late in the fourth quarter. The Magic had an early nine-point lead in. the first quarter.

The Warriors got their game going to finish the first quarter with a two-point advantage, 30-28. The Warrior’s biggest lead in the second quarter was 47-42. The Magic kept coming back. They made a three at the end of the first half to tie the game, 55-55.

Orlando’s big men outrebounded the Warriors 33-25. The Magic had 13 offensive rebounds to help keep them in the game. The Warriors had a rough first half at the free-throw line. The Magic, not a good free-throwing team, made thirteen free throws. The Warriors made seven in 14 threes. 

Stephen Curry and Thompson propelled the Warriors to a six-point lead 87-81 in the third quarter. Curry started to connect from three-point land. Thompson started to make buckets. The one sad note was Gary Payton II appeared to suffer a leg injury. Payton went to the locker room and did not return.

The Magic erased the six-point lead to start the fourth quarter. Thompson, Curry, and Jonathan Kuminga paced the offense for Golden State. Moritz and Franz Wagner made shots to keep the Magic in the game. Curry made a deuce and a trey to give the Warriors the lead, 104-97. Thompson and two buckets by Kunimga had the Warriors leading, 110-101. The Warriors’ defense did the job, and the Warriors were able to win the game 121-115.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors snapped a three-game losing streak, and improved to 16-17 for the season. The Magic dropped to 19-14.

All five of the Warrior starters were in double figures. Curry led the team with 36 points and made four threes. Kuminga had 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Thompson had 15 points. Thompson made three threes. Chris Paul had 12 points, and he also made three threes. Jackson-Davis, Andrew Wiggins, and Brandin Podzienski each had ten. Wiggins was once again excellent on defense for the Warriors.

Banchero paced the Magic with 27 points, 12 boards, and six assists. Franz Wagner had 25. Bitadze had 13, Moritz Wagner had 12, and Jalen Suggs had ten.

The Warriors cut down on fouls in the second half. The Magic made just six free throws. Turnovers were not an issue for Golden State Tuesday night. The Warriors did a good job, as they committed just 12 turnovers.

The Warriors meet the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors will be looking to avenge the loss to the Nuggets on Christmas day in Denver. The game will start at 7 pm.

Warriors outlast Trail Blazers 110-106; Golden State’s Curry does the heavy lifting with 31 points

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Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) drives on the Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (left) in the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Dec 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors, having lost two games by one point in the last three played, wanted to get back on the winning track against the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers traded away their star point guard, Damion Lillard, to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Blazers traded Josef Nurkic to the Phoenix Suns for DeAndre Ayton. The Blazers got Malcolm Brogdon from the Boston Celtics in the trade for Jrue Holiday. The Blazers came to town with a record of 6-13. Portland had won three in a row, and most games played were very close.

The Warriors could not take this team lightly. The Blazers led the league, causing their opponents to commit turnovers. One of the problems the Warriors have this season is committing too many turnovers. The Warriors defeated the Blazers by four points 110-106 on Wednesday night at the Chase Center.

The Blazers’ head coach, Chauncy Billips, had his team playing an aggressive defense. The young Blazers were all over the Warriors’ top three shooters for most of the game. The Blazers led for the entire first half. The Blazers held Klay Thompson to two points in the first half. Andrew Wiggins tallied five.

The Warriors did not have a single player in double figures in the first half. Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Moses Moody paced the Warriors with nine apiece. The Warriors made just two threes in 16 tries. The Blazers knocked down nine.

The Blazers won the first quarter, 26-22, and the second quarter, 29-26, to finish the first half with a seven-point advantage, 55-48. Shaedon Sharpe led the Blazers with 14. Anfernee Simons had 11, and Duop Reath added 10. The Blazers caused the Warriors to turnover the ball ten times in the first half.

Things did not go well for the Warriors to start the third period. The Blazers had the Warriors totally out of rhythm. Whenever the Warriors tried to close the gap, Portland answered the challenge. The Blazers increased the lead to 11, 77-66.

At this point in the game, Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, decided to insert Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga was the spark the Warriors needed. The Warriors went on a 10-0 run to make it a one-point game, 77-76. Curry scored eight of the ten points.

Kunimga made a steal and a dunk for the other two. Portland regained their composure and finished the third quarter with a four-point lead, 86-82. 

Kuminga made the first basket of the fourth quarter. The Warriors scored the next basket to tie the game at 86. Portland knocked down a three, but Saric connected on a three to tie the game at 89. Portland regrouped and went ahead 98-92.

Thompson made his only three of the night to bring the Warriors within three, 98-95. The Warriors went ahead 103-100 on a basket by Thompson. Kuminga scored on a lob from Draymond Green to give the Warriors a four-point lead 105-101.

The Blazers made a three to make it 105-104. Curry knocked down a three with nine seconds left. The Blazers made it 108-106. With 2.2 seconds left, the Blazer had a foul to give.

The Warriors then had to inbound the ball from the far end of the court. They then fouled Thompson. Thompson made both free throws to seal the win for the Warriors.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are now 10-11 for the year. The Blazers drop to 6-14.

The Warriors defense was much better in the second half. They won the third quarter 34-31 and the fourth quarter 28-20. 

Curry paced the Warriors attack with 31 points, 22 coming in the second half. Curry made five threes in 13 tries. Green almost had a triple-double. Green had ten points, ten rebounds, and nine rebounds. Thompson has 11 and made one three. Wiggins finished with nine. The Warrior bench outscored the Blazer bench 43-36.

Kuminga and Saric each had 13, and Moody had 12. 

The Warrior’s next opponent will be the Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City. It will be the fourth meeting of the season for the teams. The Thunder are 2-1 against the Warriors. The game will start at 5 p.m.