Author: rxslugger

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

Warriors bounce back beat Los Angeles Clippers 120-114; Third win in last ten games for Golden State

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Cury (30) passes the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers forward Terrance Mann (right) and center Ivica Zubac (left) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Nov 30, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, smarting from the 124-123 loss to the Sacramento Kings Tuesday night, bounced back to play a complete game on both ends to defeat the visiting Los Angeles Clippers, 120-114. The Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings Wednesday night in Sacramento. The Clippers scored 130 points and came into town intending to beat the Warriors. The Warriors were without three key players:

  • Chris Paul was out with soreness in his knee.
  • Andrew Wiggins injured a finger and was unavailable.
  • Gary Payton II suffered a torn calf muscle and is out indefinitely. 

Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, inserted Moses Moody into the starting unit instead of Wiggins. Kerr’s second unit consisted of Dario Saric, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandon Podziemski, and Cory Joseph. The Warriors found the right combination, as they had seven players in double-figures, and Warriors stopped committing turnovers and too many fouls. The Warriors went on to win 124-114.

The Clippers are in the top five defensive units in the NBA. They also have players that can light up the board. Future Hall of Fame players Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook led the Clipper’s offense. The Clippers had Ivica Zubac and Daniel Theis in their lineup as rim protectors. The Warriors knew they were in for a dogfight.

The first quarter went to the Warriors, 31-24. The game was tied at 22-22 when the Warriors went on a 7-2 run to finish the quarter. The Warriors committed just two turnovers in the first 12 minutes. As they did in the game against the Kings, the Warriors played well and increased the lead to 11 at the end of the quarter.

The Warriors led 61-50. Warrior guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were not the leading scorers in the first half. Curry and Thompson each had seven points. The leading scorers were Draymond Green, Saric, and Podzienski, scoring ten points each. The Warriors made ten threes in 22 tries to give them the 11-point lead. Leonard led the Clippers with 12, Zabac had 11, and James “the Beard” Harden added 10.

The Clippers knew the Warriors were beaten by the Kinds in the second half of the game Tuesday night in Sacramento. They score the first four points to start the third quarter. Curry answered with a three. The Warriors went back up by 11, 71-60. The rest of the quarter was nip and tuck. The Clippers won the quarter by two points to finish trailing by nine, 86-77.

The second unit, plus Thompson, was on the floor to start the fourth quarter. Thompson led the Warriors with ten points to lead by 13, 99-86. The Clippers didn’t fold. They came back behind the efforts of Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Leonard.

The Clippers were down by five, 105-100. Buckets by Curry and Moses Moody gave the Warriors the lead 115-107 with less than a minute to play. The Clippers fouled Curry to get the ball, but their tactics failed as the Warriors won 120-114.

Game Notes: The date of Thursday night’s game was remarkable. The date of 11-30-23 are the numbers of Thompson, Curry, and Green. All three players are in the 12th season together and will be going into the NBA’s Hall of Fame. 

With the win, the Warriors improved to 9-10. The Clippers fall to 8-10.

Curry finished with 26 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and three threes in nine tries. Thompson’s numbers were 22 points, six rebounds, and two threes. Kuminga had a big night. Kuminga, coming off the bench, recorded 17 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three threes. Green, Saric, Moody, and Podziemski added 13 points each. The Warriors’ bench outscored the Clipper bench 44-31.

The Warriors committed seven turnovers, a major improvement from Tuesday night. They allowed the Clippers 24 free throws on Tuesday night, and the Kings went to the line 42 times.

The Warriors won the rebounding battle, 60-48, and made 30 assists on 41 baskets. As mentioned above, it was a complete game on both ends of the court.

The Warriors meet the Clippers in LA on Saturday afternoon. The game will start at 1 p.m

Golden State Warriors game wrap: Kings rally nip Warriors 124-123 at Golden 1; Fox leads Kings in scoring with 29 pts

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis is defended by the Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) during the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Nov 28, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (8-10) squared off against the Sacramento Kings (10-6) for the third time this season. The Warriors won both heavily contested games. Tuesday night’s game was another thriller, but the Sacramento Kings turned the tables on the Warriors as they returned from a 17-point halftime deficit to nip them 124-123.

It was truly a tale of two halves. The Warriors scored 72 points in the first two-quarters of play. The Warriors big three of guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had their game going. Wiggins tallied 18, Thompson 17, and Curry 16. The Warriors had the Kings on their heels.

At one point in the first half, Golden State led by 24. Sacramento rallied late in the second period to finish the first half trailing 72-55. The Warriors held Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox to nine points. The only scorer in double-figures for Sacramento was Harrison Barnes, a former Warrior, with 12.

As fans of the NBA know, good teams can overcome a big deficit. The Kings have a high-powered offense led by Fox and Sabonis. The Warriors contained Sabonis for the entire game but did not have an answer for Fox, Kevin Huerter, or Malik Monk. The Kings’ head coach, Mike Brown, a defensive specialist, had his team ready to slow the Warriors’ offense in the third quarter.

The Warriors did score 32 points, but the Kings put 40 on the board to trail by nine, 104-95 at the end of the quarter. The Warriors helped the Kings as they continued to commit too many fouls. The Kings had 20 free throws in the period. The Warriors were also sloppy as they turned the ball over too many times, not only in the third quarter, but two late turnovers in the last 50 seconds of the fourth quarter cost them the game.

The Kings outscored the Warriors 29-19 in the fourth quarter to win. The Kings continued to chip away at the Warriors advantage. The Kings went ahead 111-110 late in the quarter. It was their first lead since early in the first quarter. The Warriors answered the challenge to take the lead by six, 121-115.

Fox hit a three to cut the lead to three. Andrew Wiggins made a two-point bucket to make it 123-119. With about 50 seconds left, Curry made a bad pass that led to the Kings making it a one-point game, 123-122. The Warriors had the ball. However, Draymond Green made another turnover. The Kings took the ball down and scored to go ahead 124-123. The Kings’ defense held to give them the victory.

Game Notes- With the loss, the W’s drop to 8-10. The Kings improved to 10-7. The Kings are now the top seed in their division for the in-season tournament.

The Warriors lost Chris Paul after the first quarter to soreness in his leg. Gary Payton II had to leave the game with a leg injury.

Wiggins and Curry led the team with 29 points each. Klay Thompson finished with 20. Moses Moody had 11, and Dario Saric ten.

Fox had 29 points and ten boards for Sacramento. Huerter and Monk each added 21 points. The Kings went to the free-throw line 42 times. They scored 26 points off Warrior turnovers.

The Warriors return home to the Chase Center to host the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Suns hold off a Warrior fourth quarter rally to win 123-115

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The Phoenix Suns guard Devon Booker (1) drives on Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podzienic (2) at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Wed Nov 22, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (7-9) were in Phoenix to take on the Phoenix Suns (9-6) Wednesday night. The Warriors snapped a six-game losing streak Monday night and hoped to get their second win in a row. The Suns had other thoughts. It was a strange game.

The Warriors won the first and fourth quarters. The teams tied in the third quarter. What happened in the second quarter won the game for the Suns. The Suns’ defense held the Warriors to 16 points. Phoenix put 37 points on the board and put the Warriors in a deep hole.

Other things that happened in the second quarter led to the Warriors losing the game. The Warriors committed nine turnovers and too many fouls, and with 23 seconds left in the first half, Paul fouled Kevin Durant. Paul complained to referee Scott Foster.

Paul and Foster have a long history, and when Paul said something Foster didn’t like, Foster tagged Paul with two technical fouls. In Addition, Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, was tagged with a technical. Devin Booker made three free throws. Durant made his two for a five-point play. The Suns finished the second quarter on a 23-5 run to lead by sixteen at the end of the first half. 63-47.

The Warriors needed to find a way to get back into the game. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins on the floor to start the third quarter, the Warriors were hoping to go on a run to get back into the game. Things did not go well for the Warriors.

The Suns’ defense bottled up Curry. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker led the Suns’ offense. The Suns increased the lead to 23, 83-60. Kerr decided to let his second unit play. The youngsters performed well. At the end of the period, the bench chopped off seven points from the Phoenix lead to trail by 16, 91-75

16-point deficits going into the fourth quarter can be overcome. If the team gets hot and the defense makes stops, the team could pull out a win. The defense of the Warriors had to stop Durant, Booker, Grayson Allen, Nassir Little, and Josh Okogie. The Warriors came close to pulling off the upset.

Moses Moody, Dario Saric, Cory Joseph, and Brandin Podzienic put on a show for Coach Kerr. The Warriors closed to within three points, 118-115. Time was not on the Warriors side. There were only 19 seconds left in the game. To get possession of the ball, they had to foul. Booker and Durant went to the free-throw line and iced the game for Phoenix. 123-115 was the final score in favor of the Suns.

Game Notes: The Warriors have lost seven of the last eight games, and their record falls to 7-9. The Suns improved to 9-6. 

The Warriors were without Draymond Green and Gary Payton II. Green has one more game left on his five-game suspension. Payton has a sprained ankle and is unsure when he will return. The Suns’ Bradley Beal was out with back issues.

The Warriors lost the game at the free-throw line. The Suns made 44 free throws in 52 tries. The Warriors made 19. That 25-point difference was sufficient to win the game for Phoenix. The Suns scored 27 points off turnovers. The Warriors had 17. Add that two-point differential, and the Warriors gave the Suns 35 points. 

The Warriors took 90 shots compared to the Suns’ 76. Thompson led the Warriors with 23 points. Curry was held to 16. Other double-figured players were Dario Saric with 17, Wiggins with 11, and Podziemic with ten. 

Durant finished the night with 32 points. Booker had a double-double with 25 points and ten assists. Josh Okogie helped put a blanket on Curry’s offensive efforts. Okogie finished with 12 points.

The Warriors return home to Chase Center Frida night to play an in-season tournament game against the San Antonio Spurs. The fans will see the rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama for the first time. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Warriors get back in the win column down Rockets 121-116

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) lands on his back after making a three point shot against the Houston Rockets at Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon Nov 20, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (7-8) knew they would face a tough opponent, the Houston Rockets (6-6), on Monday night. Under coach Ime Udoka, the former Boston Celtic coach the Warriors beat in the 2022 finals, the Rockets have assembled a team hoping to make the playoffs this year.

The Rockets started two players that are six feet eleven inches tall—Rookie Jabari Smith and second-year player Alperen Sengun. Smith is 20 years old and is averaging 12.2 points per game. Sengun, from Turkey, is 21 years old and is averaging 20 points a game.

The Rockets added Dillon Brooks from the Memphis Grizzlies. Brooks is a tough customer and likes to play in the same style as the Warriors Draymond Green. Shooting Jalen Green is another young player. Green is 21 years old and puts 16 points on the board in every game.

The Rockets signed the veteran guard Fred VanVleet. VanVleet gave the Warriors fits in the 2019 NBA Finals when the Raptors won their first NBA Championship.

The Warriors were smarting from their sixth loss in a row as they were beaten in overtime by the OKC Thunder last Saturday night. The Warriors needed a win, which they got as they defeated the Rockets 121-116.

Both teams played well in the first quarter. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 12 points in the period. Thompson made three threes and looked like his former self. The Warriors made six threes in the quarter. In addition, the Thompson’s three, Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, and Dario Saric each connected on a three. The Warriors finished the quarter leading by two, 29-27.

The Warriors continued to make three in the second quarter. They outscored the Rockets 34-26 to finish the first half leading 63-53. Thompson did not score in the quarter. Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Saric, and Jonathan Kuminga were instrumental in giving the Warriors the ten point advantage at the end of the first 24 minutes of action.

The teams played a very competitive third quarter. The Warriors won the period by a single point to increase the lead to 11, 92-81. The Warriors point guard, Chris Paul, helped by scoring ley buckets in the period. The Warriors knew the Rockets would not go away. They expected the Rocket’s onslaught in the fourth quarter and were up to the task. 

The Warriors increased the lead to 100-87 when Curry made another three. The Rockets came back but could not get closer than ten points. The Rockets cut the deficit to seven, but Saric made a bucket to increase the lead to nine, 117-108. The clock was not on the Rockets’ side. The Warriors held on to win, 121-116.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors snapped their six-game losing streak and improved to 7-8. The Rockets lost their third straight and are now 6-6.

The Warriors had five players in double-figures. Curry led the Warriors with 32 points. Curry made five threes. Curry continued to make Warrior history. Curry has played more minutes in a Warrior uniform than any other player. Curry broke Nate Thurmond’s record for most minutes played by a Warrior.

Curry set another NBA mark as he made four or more threes in 14 consecutive games. Thompson scored 20 points for the first time this season. Thompson, like Curry, made five threes. Paul had a double-double with 15 points and 11 assists. Paul made three threes. Saric, coming off the bench, tallied 18 points. Saric also made three threes. Wiggins put 12 points on the board, and he made two threes.

The Warriors took 18 shots less than the Rockets. They were 47% from the floor, and as a team, the Warriors made 21 threes in 43 attempts. 

Alperen Sengun led the Rockets. The big man from the Turkish Republic had a double-double with 30 points and 13 rebounds. Sengun also had five assists, and he knocked down two threes. Sengun is making a name for himself in the NBA this year. Rookie Jabari Smit also had a double-double. Smith scored 17 and had ten rebounds. Dillon Brooks added 16, Jalen Green, 16, and VanVleet, ten. 

The Warriors bench outscored The Rockets’ bench 37-27. Saric was one of the reasons the Warriors won the game.

The Warriors meet the Suns in Phoenix on Wednesday night. The Suns will have all three of the stars Available. Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker will be looking to send the Warriors down to defeat. The game starts at 6 P.M.

OKC Thunder roll over the short-handed Warriors 128-109; Golden State suffers fifth straight loss

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Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren (7) takes a jump shot over the Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody (4) in first half action at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Nov 16, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (6-7) knew they would have to be at their best to beat the young and talented Oklahoma City (8-4) Thunder squad. Warriors guard Stephen Curry was out of action due to knee soreness, and Draymond Green was suspended for five games.

Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, inserted Jonathan Kuminga and Dario Saric into the starting lineup. Chris Paul was the leader of the first unit. The last time the two teams met in OKC, the Warriors won 141-139.

The Warriors had to find a way to hold down the Thunder offense. Well, the Warriors had seven players in double figures. All the players contributed on offense. The Warriors came back from a seven-point deficit at halftime to climb within a point of tying the game at 84 in the third quarter.

The fans were on their feet, cheering the team on. OKC broke the game open as they were red hot from behind the three-point arc. The Thunder made 19 threes to roll over the Warriors,128-109.

The Warriors started well in the first period. The Warriors led 15-13 when the Thunder went on a 27-9 run to end the quarter leading 39-24. The Warriors didn’t help their cause, as they committed seven turnovers in the period. The Warriors shot 36% from the floor, while OKC shot 56%.

The Thunder continued to roll over the Warriors for most of the second period. OKC increased the lead to 19, 59-40. Dario Saric, Andrew Wiggins, and Chris Paul sent the Warriors on a 20-8 to end the first half trailing by seven, 67-60. The Warriors went to the locker room feeling that they had turned things around.

As mentioned above, The Warriors did play well in the third quarter. They came within a point of tying the game. The Thunder led 84-83. That would be the closest the Warriors would ever get. The Thunder continued to make three-pointers. OKC’s Isaiah Joe was seven-for-seven from downtown. The Thunder closed out the third quarter, leading 94-85.

OKC poured it on in the fourth quarter. They beat the Warriors 34-24 in the fourth quarter to win the Game 128-109.

Game Notes: The Warriors lost their fifth game in a row, and their record is now 6-7. OKC has won five of their last six and are now 8-4. The teams play again on Saturday at the Chase Center,

The good news for coach Kerr was the play of his reserves. Jonathan Kuninga led the Warriors with 21 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Saric had 12, Andrew Wiggins had 12, Paul had 15, Moses Moody had 12, and Brandin Podzienski had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Kevon Looney was everywhere. Looney scored 13 hard-earned points, and he snagged eleven boards. Thompson played well in most aspects of the game. Thompson moved well without the play, was excellent on defense, set up screens, and assisted on shots.

However, Thompson could not find the basket. He scored five points. He made just one basket from the floor in ten tries. Every time Thompson had the ball in his hands, two OKC Defenders were on him to keep him from taking good shots.

The Thunder had six players in double figures. Isaiah Joe finished the night with 23 points. As mentioned earlier, he made seven threes in seven tries. Shea Gilgeous-Alexander led OKC with 24. Jalen William had 16, Josh Giddey had 19, Cason Williams had 10, and Chet Holmgren had a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds.

The schedule has not been kind to the Warriors at this point in the season. The Warriors play OKC Saturday night, the resurgent Houston Rockets, The Phoenix Suns on the road, and the San Antonio Spurs.

The Warriors will have to pull out all the stops to get some wins against these teams. Let’s hope that Thompson and Wiggins return to their past greatness.

Warriors lose a hard-fought battle against Timberwolves, 105-101; Green and Gobert get ejected after brawl; Golden State drops fourth straight game

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) front center, guard Draymond Green left gets into a first half brawl with the Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (back) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Nov 14, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (6-6) did not have guard Stephen Curry in Tuesday night’s starting Lineup. The Warriors had the veteran Chris Paul sub for Curry, and Steve Kerr started Dario Saric instead of Kevon Looney. Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were in the Warriors starting lineup. The Warriors ended up losing their fourth straight game and getting swept in the two game set by the Minnesota Timberwolves (8-2) 105-101.

Things went downhill quickly. With less than two minutes played, Thompson and the Wolves’ Jaden McDaniels got into quite a skirmish. It appeared that McDaniels grabbed Klay’s arm as the teams were in transition.

Thompson took umbrage with McDaniels holding his arm, and McDaniels answered by grabbing and ripping Thompson’s jersey. Green put a chokehold on Rudy Gobert as the Wolves’ Gobert attempted to pull the players apart. The referees ejected Thompson, Green, and McDaniels. Not a single point was on the scoreboard when this happened. The Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, had to revamp his lineup quickly.

Kerr inserted rookie Brandin Podziemski as the shooting guard. The young man, drafted in the first round by the Warriors, showed the fans at Chase Center that he could play in the NBA. While the Warriors fell to the Wolves, Podziemski wowed everyone in the arena.

Up to this point in the season, Curry was the only Warriors to put 20 or more points on the board this season. Podziemski played 38 minutes and recorded 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Podziemski made three three in eight tries. Kerr now knows the young man from Santa Clara University will be getting more minutes of playing time in the future.

Minnesota, even without McDaniels, had four stars in their lineup. Karl-Anthony Towns had a season-high 33 points. Towns pulled down 11 boards and made five threes. Anthony Edwards finished with 320. Edward made a three late in the fourth quarter to put the Wolves ahead 96-95. 

The Warriors behind Podziemski, Dario Saric, and Chris Paul won the first quarter 30-22. The Wolves had to be surprised at the play of the Warriors’ reserves. The Warriors maintained the lead at the end of the first half, leading by five, 59-54. 

The Warriors continued to play well in the third quarter. Saric and Podziemski continued to put points on the board. Podziemski hit a three at the buzzer to put the Warriors ahead by seven, 83-76. The Warriors had to play well in the fourth quarter if they hoped to upset the Wolves.

Minnesota came into the game, owning the best defense in the NBA. The Wolves stopped the Warrior offense cold at the start of the fourth quarter. The Wolves went on a 7-0 run to tie the game. From that point until late in the quarter, it was a dogfight.

Neither team could pull away. Saric hit a three to make it 98-96. Towns hit a three to put the Wolves ahead by one, 99-98. The Wolves Michael Conley knocked down a three to increase the lead to 104-98. Moses Moody connected on a three to close the gap to 104-101. It was too little, too late. The Wolves ran out the clock to preserve the win.

Game Notes: The Warriors lost their fourth game in a row to even their record at 6-6. Minnesota improved to 8-2

Saric had 21, and Podziemski 23. These two players join Curry as the only players to score 20 or more points in a game this season. Kerr had to be pleased with the contributions of Moody (11), and Chris Paul (15). Backup Guard Cory Joseph had six, and Gary Payton II added seven.

There may be additional penalties for the melee early in the game. Draymond Green may be suspended for attacking Rudy Gobert and putting a choke hold on him. 

The Warriors play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Warriors lose final preseason game to Spurs 122-117 at Chase Center

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (left) and San Antonio Spurs head coach George Popovich (right) converse on the floor of Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Oct 20, 2023 (@warriors photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors played their final pre-season game Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs at the Chase Center. The Warriors lost for the first time by a score of 122-117.

The Spurs were led by their first-round pick, Victor Wembanyama. Webanyama is seven feet, four inches tall. He is 19 years old and appears to be a skilled offensive threat and a defensive force. Victor played 20 minutes and tallied 19 points, four rebounds, and an assist. He also blocked four shots. Victor will help get the Spurs back into the playoffs this year.

The Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, had players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, Andrew Wiggins, and Kevon Looney exceed 20 minutes of playing time. Kerr did not want any of those guys to get hurt. Draymond Green did not play due to an ankle injury.

The Spurs ran the Warriors off the court in the first period. Wemanyama dominated play in the first seven minutes of the game. Victor scored 12 points in seven minutes and blocked three shots. The Warriors had trouble shooting over Wembanyama as he has a tremendous height advantage. The Spurs led 44-35 after the first 12 minutes, and Kerr had to be concerned about the Warriors lack of defense.

The Warriors held the Spurs to 28 points in the second quarter. They couldn’t cut the deficit as they also scored 28. Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 12 points in the first half. Dario Saris and Curry each had 11.

In the third quarter, Kerr had his starting five sit on the bench. Kerr wanted to see how Kuminga, Moses Moody, Dario Saric, and Corey Joseph would perform. The Spurs’ head coach, Greg Popovich, had his second unit on the floor, too. The Spurs increased the lead to 87-71. The Warriors tried to come back, but the Spurs seemed to have the answer to stop the Warriors challenge. The Warriors did close the gap and finished the third quarter trailing 98-91.

Moody got hot in the fourth quarter. Moody kept making three-point shots. Saric and Kuminga played well as the Warriors got within three points of tying the game. They trailed 120-117. The Spurs held onto win.

Game Notes- The takeaways from the game for Golden State is this: The second unit will be better than last year’s version. Kerr had to be impressed with the plays of Kuminga, Moody, and Saric. It will be interesting to see if Chris Paul will be the leader of the second unit.

The other question for the Warriors is the age of their key player. Paul is 38, Curry is 35, and Green and Thompson are 33. Will they go through the grueling 82-game NBA season without injury? Let’s hope the younger players on the team can pick up the slack if any of the stars are hurt.

The Spurs will be much better with Wembanyama. The young man from France appears to be a future superstar. The one concern will be his ability to be a force against NBA players with bigger frames. Will he handle Anthony Davis, LeBron James, or Nikola Jokic? He has a slight frame. He does weigh 220 pounds, but that is spread over seven feet, four inches. Will he have the stamina to play 36 to 42 minutes in a game? Those questions will be answered soon when the regular season starts.

The regular season starts on Tuesday, October 24th. The Warriors will host the Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant will be at the Chase Center for the first time since his Achilles heel injury in 2019. The Suns will also have Bradley Beal in the starting lineup.

The game will start at 7 p.m.

Golden State Warriors report: Warriors rally steal win from Kings 116-115 at Chase Center

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Golden State Warrior forward Dario Saric (20) goes for the layup against the Sacramento Kings at Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Oct 18, 2023 (@warriors photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors hosted the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center Wednesday night. For the Warriors, it was their third pre-season game and the third for the Kings. The Warriors won both previous games, while Sacramento had been winless.

It doesn’t matter who wins or loses the games in the pre-season. The coaches are trying to prepare the players for the regular season, which starts on October 24th when the Warriors welcome the Phoenix Suns to the Chase Center.

The Suns have perennial All-Star Kevin Durant added to their lineup. Star guard Bradley Beal came to Phoneix in a trade with the Washington Wizards. Devin Booker will have a lot of support as the Suns will be gunning to get their goal of an NBA Championship.

Wednesday night’s game appeared to be a rather non-descript event. Sure, both coaches, Sacramento’s Mike Brown and the Warriors Steve Kerr, wanted to win, but losing the game was no big deal as long as the players performed well.

As it turned out, it was a terrific game, as the Warriors came back from an 18-point deficit to win 116-115. The star of the game for Golden State was none other than guard Stephen Curry. Who would have thought that?

Everyone at the Chase Center erupted when Curry nailed a three-pointer with five seconds left to play. The Warriors had to play defense, and they stopped Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox’s attempt for a two-point bucket that would have given the win to the Kings. 

The Kings’ coach, Mike Brown, wanted his guys to get the win. He played his starters Keegan Murray, Damontis Sabonis, Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes, and Fox for at least 30 minutes each. The Kings led for most of the game. Sacramento won the first half 56-49.

The Warriors led by one 16-15 in the first quarter. It was their only lead in the first half. Keegan Murray paced the Kings’ attack with 19 points. Davion Mitchell was second with 14 points. The Warriors turned the ball over 12 times and were making sloppy passes.

They seemed to be out of sync. But this is why they play the pre-season games. Kerr wants his players to work out the kinks before the season starts next week. The W’s did not have Kevon Looney in the lineup Wednesday Night.

Kerr started the six-foot-eight center Trayce Jackson-Davis at the center position. The rookie from Indiana played well. Backup center Dario Saric contributed 12 points and pulled five rebounds in the first half. Forward Jonathan Kumunga also played well. Andrew Wiggins had ten points, Curry six, and Klay Thompson two. Kerr was not worried as his big three did not put a lot of points on the board at this point in the game.

Sacramento increased the lead to 13 at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors were nearly tying the game until the Kings went on an 18-3 run. It looked like the game belonged to Coach Brown and his players.

Things changed in the fourth quarter. The Warriors had a 14-3 run to close within six, 97-91. The Kings did not fold. Yet, the Warriors kept creeping closer. Curry knocked down a three to make a four-point game, 110-106.

The Kings made a deuce to get the lead back to six. Two Warrior buckets, one by Curry, made it 112-110. The Kings answered to go 114-110 with 41 seconds left to play. The greatest shooter in the NBA’s history responded with two three-point shots to give the Warriors a one-point lead, 116-115 with five seconds left. The Warriors defense held on to secure the win.

Game Notes:  Curry led the Warriors with 30 points. Coach Kerr had to be pleased with Kuninga’s performance. Kuninga tallied 18 points, six rebounds, and two assists. Jackson-Davis had a double-double with 13 points and ten boards. Dario Saric had 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Chris Paul finished with 13 points, six rebounds, and nine assists. 

The Warriors play the final pre-season game Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs. Everyone will have their eyes on the Spurs’ prize rookie, Victor Wembanyama, who is expected to be sensational. 

The game will be played at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 p.m.

A’s lose No.110, Twins break 8th inning tie in 6-4 win

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Oakland Athletics left fielder Seth Brown lies on the ground after trying to catch an RBI double by Minnesota Twins’ Kyle Farmer during the second inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Wed Sep 27, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

It was another tough night for the Oakland A’s as they were beaten for the second night in a row by the Minnesota Twins. The A’s played a more competitive game on Wednesday, but the result was the same: another loss by a score of 6-4.

The Twins starter, Pablo Lopez, worked just four and 1/3rd innings. Twins’ skipper Rocco Baldelli wanted Lopez to get some work in before the playoffs start next Tuesday. Lopez will get the start in that game. The A’s pitcher, 21-year-old Joey Estes, made his second big league start.

Estes, acquired in the trade that sent Matt Olson to Atlanta last year, pitched well. Estes went five and 1/3 innings and allowed six hits and three runs. He threw 75 pitches and did not get a decision.

The Twins drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning. Estes’ first pitch to Edouard Julien flew out of the park. One pitch, one run. The Twins led 1-0. The Twins added another run in the second inning to go ahead 2-0.

With one out, Estes hit Twins’ centerfielder Willi Castro with a pitch. Castro stole second and scored on Kyle Farmer’s double to right field. The A’s right fielder, Seth Brown, almost made the play of the night on Farmer’s ball. Seth dived for the ball, but his glove hit the ground and squirted out of the glove. 

The A’s scored their first run of the night in the top of the third. Lawrence Butler led off the inning with a double. Butler went to third on Ryan Noda’s ground out. Lopez struck out Zack Gelof for the second out. Seth Brown singled to drive in Butler with the run. The A’s trailed 2-1 midway through the third.

The A’s scored three times in the fifth. With one out, Butler doubled for the second time in the game. Ryan Noda singled, sending Butler to third. Rocco Baldelli replaced Lopez with reliever Caleb Thielbar. Geldof struck out for the second out.

Aledmys Diaz, pinch-hitting for Seth Brown, doubled to drive in Butler, and Noda went to third. Brent Rooker’s bloop single to shallow right plated Noda and Diaz. The A’s led 4-2 . 

Joey Estes kept the Twins off the board after the second inning. A’s manager Mark Kotsy had Estes start the sixth inning. With one out, the Twins’ Max Kepler singled.

It was Kepler’s third single of the game. Kotsay brought in Kyle Muller to pitch. Muller struck out Jordan Luplow for the second out. The next hitter, Ryan Jeffers, homered to tie the game. It was 4-4 after six complete.

The Twins put the winning runs on the board in the bottom of the eighth. Dany Jimenez was on the hill for Oakland. Max Kepler singled for the fourth time. Andrew Stevenson was sent in to run for Kepler. Trevor Larnach pinch hit for Jordan Luplow. Larnach doubled high off the wall in right field. Stevenson scored on the play. Larnach went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Jeffers’ sacrifice fly to make it a 6-4 advantage.

The Twins had lefty Dallas Keuchel on the mound to start a second inning of relief. With one out, Keuchel walked Nick Allen. Carlos Perez, pinch-hitting for Lawrence Butler, was hit by a pitch. The A’s had two men on and one out. Baldelli brought in Griffin Jax to end the game. Jax struck out Ryan Noda and Zack Gelof to preserve the Twins’ win. The Twins win 6-4.

Game notes: With the loss, the A’s, after 158 games, are a woeful 48-110. They have the worst record of any Oakland Athletics team. The only A’s team with the worst record was the 1916 Philadelphia A’s team. That team lost 117 games.

The Twins improved to 85-73. The Twins hit two more home runs to bring their season total to 225 for the year, third best in the American League.

The line score for Oakland was four runs, nine hits, and no errors.

Minnesota’s line was six runs, thirteen hits, and no errors.

The A’s will try to salvage a win on Thursday. Luis Medina (3-10 ERA 5.64) will go for Oakland, and his opponent will be Sonny Gray (8-8 ERA 2.80), who broke in with the A’s in 2013. The game will start at 10:10 a.m. Following Thursday’s game, the A’s will finish the season with the Los Angeles Angels.

Twins send A’s down to their 109th loss in 2023; Minnesota puts a Twin killing on Oakland 11-3

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Minnesota Twins’ Matt Wallner runs the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Oakland Athletics during the first inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Tue Sep 26, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s lost again for the 109th time in 2023. The Minnesota Twins, third in the American League with 223 home runs, used the long ball to beat the A’s 11-3.

Oakland’s pitchers helped the Twins by issuing three walks in the first, and all three scored on Matt Wallner’s grand slam. Again, in the seventh. A’s pitchers Francisco Perez and Zach Neal walked three Twins hitters. One walked forced in a run, and Twins’ catcher Christian Vazquez’s double to right-centerfield cleared the bases.

The Twins scored two in the fifth. Former San Francisco Giants’s Donovan Solano started the rally by getting a walk. Twins’ first baseman blasted an opposite-field home run to put the Twins ahead 7-0.

The only offense the A’s could mount came in the top of the seventh. Brent Rooker singled, and Seth Brown homered to make it 7-2. The Twins put four on the board in their half of the seventh to break the game wide open.

As mentioned above, it was the A’s 109th loss of the year. The A’s broke the record for futility set by the 1979 A’s team. Fortunately, there are only five games left to play this year.

Game Notes- With the loss, the A’s are 48-109, 61 games below 500. The Twins, who captured the Central Division crown yesterday, improved to 84-73. The Twins will be the third seed in the American League playoffs and have the home-field advantage in the Wild Card Round.

The hitting star for the Twins was Donovan Solano. Solano had three singles and a double and reached base five times. Matt Wallner and Alex Kiriloff homered for the Twins.

The only bright spot for Oakland was Seth Brown’s home run.

The line score for Oakland was two runs, eight hits, and no errors. Paul Blackburn was the losing pitcher. His line was three innings pitched, and he allowed five runs and four hits. Blackburn walked four, and three scored.

The Twins line was 11 runs, eight hits, and no errors. Bailey Ober was the winning pitcher.

The A’s play the Twins again Wednesday night. A’s rookie pitcher Joey Estes (0-1 ERA 9.64) will make his second Major League start. The Twins will counter with Pablo Lopez (11-8 ERA 3.61).

Over 22,000 fans sat through a rainy evening to watch the Twins pound the A’s