Author: rxslugger

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

Warriors lose to the Timberwolves 125-119 in OT

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors gave the Minnesota Timberwolves all they could handle Friday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis. D’Angelo Russell returned to action after missing three games with an ankle injury. Russell paced the Warriors’ offense with a career-high 52 points. It was not enough as the T-Wolves prevailed in overtime 125-119.

The Warriors finished the first quarter with a 31-29 advantage. Russell led the offense, and the Warriors played sound defense. They finished the first half leading 61-60.

The Warriors continued to play well in the third quarter. They outscored the T-Wolves by five to lead 86-80. The Warriors were able to maintain the lead until late in the fourth quarter. They led 110-106 with less than a minute to play. The T-Wolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns was fouled, and he knocked down the two free throws to make it a two-point game 110-108. T-Wolves’ coach, Ryan Saunders had his team put on a full-court press as the Warriors tried to get the ball into the forecourt. The T-Wolves’ Robert Covington was able to tie up Alec Burks to force a jump ball. Covington won the jump, and the T-Wolves gave the ball to Andrew Wiggins, who would make a layup to tie the game with 5.6 seconds left. The Warriors failed to score, and the game went to overtime.

The Warriors continued to stay close to the lead behind D’Angelo Russell’s hot hand. They stayed close as they trailed 120-119. The T-Wolves made a three to lead 123-119. The Warriors would not score again. Minnesota added to more points to ice the 125-119 overtime win.

Game Notes: The Warriors’ record dropped to 2-7. It was the first time since 2004-05 season. Minnesota improved to 5-3.

D’Angelo Russell finished the night with 52 points. He scored 21 of the last 23 points scored by the Warriors. Alec Burks, coming off the bench, had 18. Rookie Eric Paschall had 12. No other Warrior was in double figures.

Minnesota was led by Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins scored 40 to help his team to the win. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Robert Covington had 17, Jake Layman, 14, and Josh Okogie also had 14.

Up Next: The Warriors face the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday night in OKC. The game will start at 5 pm PT.

Rockets knock off the young Warriors 129-112

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors started a three-game road trip at the Toyota Center against the Houston Rockets Wednesday night.

The Warriors, still short-handed and inexperienced, started the five players that upset the Portland Trail Blazers Monday night. The Rockets, lusting for blood after being eliminated by the Warriors in the playoffs last year, showed the five new players they have a long way to go. The Rockets easily won 129-112.

The Warriors gave the Rockets a tussle in the first quarter. They finished the period trailing 30-29. They tied the game at 36 early in the second quarter. The Rockets started to pull away and finished the first half leading 63-52. The Warriors shot just 38.8% from the floor.

The Rockets stopped the Warriors’ attack in the third period. The Rockets built up the lead to 23. The Warriors played better but ended the period trailing by 15. The Rockets kept the pressure on, and the Warriors fell 129-112.

The Warriors lost for the sixth time in eight games. The Rockets improved to 5-3.

The Warriors’ leading scorer was Alec Burks with 28. Burks did not start, but he played well. He made three threes in 8 tries and had 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Eric Paschall continued to play well for Golden State. Eric led the starters with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Glenn Robinson had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Damian Lee and Omari Spellman were in double figures with 13 each. Jordan Poole and Ky Bowman each had 8.

The Rockets had six players in double figures. Harden had 36. Danuel House, Jr, had 17, Clint Capela had 19 points and 16 boards, Russell Westbrook, 18, and Austin Rivers, coming off the bench had 12. Rivers made four threes in four tries.

Draymond Green did not accompany the team on the road trip. He is recovering from an injury to his index finger on his left hand. D’Angelo Russell is with the team and may play in the next game or two. Kevon Looney will be out at least another two weeks with a nerve condition. He will be evaluated at that time. Alen Smailagic is also recovering from an ankle issue, and he may be back soon.

The Warriors travel to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night. The game time is at 4:30 pm PT.

Young Warriors, behind Paschall’s tremendous effort, down Trail Blazers 127-118

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Photo credit: mercurynews.com

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors led by three rookies — Eric Paschall, Ky Bowman, and Jordan Poole — and stunned the Portland Trailblazer Monday night at the Chase Center by a score of 127-118. It was the Warriors’ first win at the Chase Center this season.

The Warriors were again without the services of Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell, and Kevon Looney. Steph Curry is out for at least three months. Klay Thompson is out for the season. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup had three rookies and two veterans, Willie Cauley-Stein and Glen Robinson.

The Warriors, who played well for most of the game Saturday against Charlotte for three quarters, were able to put together a complete game as they stunned Portland. The Warriors played all four quarters with a lot of energy. They played well on offense as they recorded 28 assists. They improved on defense. They outrebounded Portland 47-44. The Warriors attacked the basket all night long. They had 36 free throws and made 33.

The Warriors’ player of the game was Eric Paschall. The young man that played his college ball at Villanova turned 23 on Monday. Paschall, who won a National Championship with Villanova, was the 41st player picked in the 2019 NBA Draft and showed the NBA that he came ready to play. In his seventh NBA game, Paschall tallied 36 points and had 13 rebounds for his first career double-double. Also, he knocked down four three-point shots. He scored 17 points in the first quarter and had his third game in the league with more than 20 points. His 36 points were the most scored by a rookie this year.

The Warriors and Blazers played a fast-paced and entertaining first quarter. The Warriors led most of the way. The most significant lead they had was 14-7. The teams tied at 22 and again at 27. Portland led 30-29 near the end of the period. The Warriors went on a 5-0 run to finish leading 34-30.

The Blazers outscored the Warriors 31-26 in the second quarter to lead 63-60 at the end of the first 24 minutes of action. Damian Lillard and Hassan Whiteside pace the Blazers with 17 points and 14 points. Eric Paschall finished the half with 19 points. Rookie point guard Ky Bowman, who played his college ball at Boston College, knocked down 10.

Portland increased the lead to 65-60 to start the third quarter. The Warriors responded with an 8-0 run to take the lead 68-65. It was nip and tuck for the remainder of the third quarter. Eric Paschall, Willie Cauley-Stein, Damian Lee, and Ky Bowman played with a lot of energy, and the Warriors refused to wilt. The Warriors won the period 27-20 and led 87-83 with 12 minutes left to play.

The Blazers, who probably has the best backcourt in the league now that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are on the shelves, fought back and tied the game at 99. Alec Burks made a couple of crucial three-point plays. Eric Paschall was a force on offense as well as on defense. Eric scored a bucket after fighting for a rebound to put the Warriors up 117-105. Jordan Poole and Damian Lee played exceptionally well. The Blazers double-teamed Lee every time he handled the ball, trying to force turnovers. They were successful a couple of times, but they fouled Damian several times. Lee made 8 free throws in nine attempts. The Warriors refused to fold, and they ran out the clock with a stunning victory over the Blazers.

Game Notes: As mentioned above, Eric Paschall had the biggest night of his young career. In just seven games, he has shown that he is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. The Dubs had six players in double figures. Paschall led the way with 36. Ky Bowman had 19, Jordan Poole and Damian Lee each had 16. Alec Burns, coming off the bench, added 13, and Cauley-Stein had 10.

Damian Lillard, who is from Oakland, led the Blazers with 39. he hit five threes in 13 tries. His backcourt partner, C.J.McCollum, finished with 14. Big Hassan Whiteside, who killed the Warriors when he was with the Miami Heat, had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Blazers’ bench players, Anfernee Simons and Mario Hezonjka, had 14 and 11.

The Blazers shot almost 45% from the floor. The Warriors were better as they shot 48.8%. The Blazers hit 13 threes while the W’s connected 10 times on 26 attempts. The Blazers committed six turnovers. The Warriors turned the ball over 10 times.

Up Next: The Warriors improved to 2-5 while Portland dropped to 3-4. The Warriors travel to Houston to face the Rockets Wednesday at 4:30 pm PT.

Short-handed Warriors come close, lose to Hornets 93-87

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors, depleted by injuries, faced the Charlotte Hornets with only nine players Saturday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors were without the services of Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell. Green was out due to a sprained index finger on his left hand, and he will not be available on Monday. Russell suffered a sprained ankle, and he may play on Monday. Head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup bore no resemblance to the Warrior team of the past five years. All five starters are in their first year with the Warriors. Three of the starters, Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole, and Ky Bowman, are rookies. Willie Cauley-Stein and Glenn Robinson III have experience in the NBA as they were with other teams last year.

The young Warriors won the first and second quarters to finish the first half leading 55-50. The offense was led by rookie Eric Paschall, Glenn Robinson, Ky Bowman, and Damion Lee. Paschall had 12, Robinson 11, Lee 10, and Bowman 9.  The Hornets were led by Dwayne Bacon with 15. Point guard Terry Rozier, acquired from Boston in the trade for Kemba Walker, had 10. Forward P.J.Washington and big Cody Zeller each knocked down 8.

The Warriors and Hornets went tooth and nail in the third quarter. The name of the game in the third quarter was defense, The Warriors held the Hornets to just 18 points total in the period. The bad news was that the Warriors were held to 16 points. The team went ice cold late in the third period and could not buy a bucket. They still led by three points 71-68. That would have been a perfect time to end the game, and the Warriors would have recorded the win. Unfortunately, for Golden State, they had to play 12 more minutes. The fourth quarter was also a nail-biter. The Hornets took the lead 72-71.  The Dubs bounced back and regained it 75-74. The Hornets took a five-point lead 80-75.

The Warriors managed to tie it when Glenn Robinson hit a three to make it 80-80. The Hornets made a three, and the Warriors countered with a three. The Hornets made another three. The Warriors answered with a three to tie the game at 86. The Dubs made a free throw to go on top 87-86. They didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the last time they would put points on the board. The Hornets then went ahead 88-87. Damion Lee turned the ball over to the Hornets when he was not able to inbound the basketball successfully. The ball went over to the Hornets. The Hornets missed on several free throws down the stretch, but the Warriors were not able to corral the rebounds. The Hornets’ Terry Rozier was fouled from behind. The referees awarded him two free throws and possession of the ball. The Hornets made all four free throws to win the game 93-87.

Game Notes: Even though the W’s lost for the fifth time in six games, all was not dismal. Eric Paschall, the rookie from Villanova, had a career night. He scored 25 points, had 4 rebounds, and two assists, and was the 41st player picked in the 2019 draft. In the six games in his young career, he has two games with 20 or more points. He looks to be the real deal, and the Warriors have to be pleased with his play. The other rookie that sparkled Saturday night was Ky Bowman. Bowman, a backup point guard, played his college ball at Boston College. He kicked in with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and made two three-pointers in six tries. Glenn Robinson was solid with 16 points, nine boards, and three assists. Robinson connected on four three in seven attempts. Damion Lee, coming off the bench, finished the night with 13. These were the bright spots in a losing effort.

Charlotte had five players in double figures. Dwayne Bacon had 25, Terry Rozier 20, Marvin Williams 11, P.J. Washington 11, and Cody Zeller 10.

The Warriors shot 44.2% from the floor. The Hornets outshot the Warriors 85-77.  They also outrebounded Golden State 48-40. The Warriors had five steals and five blocked shots on defense.

The Warriors held the Hornets to 43 points in the second half. Usually, that effort would get the team a win. The problem for Golden State was that they were held to just 32 points in the final 24 minutes of the game. The young players did not quit. They hustled and had a chance to win. The fans have to realize the fact that these players have only played together for six games. They also are missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, D’Angelo Russell, and Klay Thompson. It may be a long season. Still, players such as Eric Paschall, Glenn Robinson, Ky Bowman, Jordan Poole, and Damion Lee will be players that may contribute to the Warrior success later in the season when the key players return to action. Let’s hope they continue to improve.

Up Next: The Warriors return to action Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

Warriors play better, but still lose to Spurs 127-110

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors received the news that their superstar, Steph Curry, had surgery on his broken hand Friday. Curry will be re-evaluated in three months. He might not be able to return until at least February.

The Warriors’ Friday night opponent was the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs lost for the first time last night in Los Angeles to the Clippers. Spurs head coach Greg Popovich wanted his team to rebound, and they did just that as they downed the young Warriors 127-110 at the Chase Center. The game was closer than the score would indicate. The Warriors held their own until late in the third quarter when the Spurs were able to pull away.

The Warriors played a very competitive first half. They lost the first and second quarters by one point. They trailed 57-55 at the end of the first 23 minutes of action. D’Angelo Russell led the team with 19 points. Jordan Poole and Alec Burks helped keep the Warriors in the game. The Spurs were led by bench players Rudy Gay and Patty Mills. Mills had 16 and Gay added 10.

The Spurs broke it open late in the third period. They outscored the Warriors 40-31. LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored eight in the first half, scored the Spurs’ first 10 points in the third quarter. The Warriors stayed close, but the veteran Spurs team pulled away to lead 97-86. The Warriors, who were led by Jordan Poole, Damian Lee, and D’Angelo Russell, could not close the gap. The Spurs cruised to a 127-110 win.

With the loss, the Warriors dropped to 1-4. The Spurs improved to 4-1. D’Angelo Russell tallied 30 points for Golden State. Russell also had 8 assists and was 3 for 11 from three-point range. Jordan Poole knocked down 20. The young man from Michigan made four threes in seven tries. Damian Lee had 16, and Alec Burks pitched in with 14.

The Spurs were led by Patty Mills, who finished with 31 points. Mills, who played college basketball at St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif., made six threes in nine tries. Aldridge had 22, Rudy Gay had 16, Bryn Forbes had 14, and DeMar DeRozan had 13.

The Spurs took nine more shots from the floor than the Warriors. They shot 47.3% while the Warriors shot a respectable 46.4%. The Spurs also made more free throws than the Warriors. They made 26 freebies compared to the Warriors’ 19.

The Warriors were outrebounded 52-39, but they recorded 25 assists. They had good ball movement and were able to find the open man. They also handled the ball better and were able to reduce the number of turnovers. They had just 11 turnovers Friday night.

The Warriors return to action Saturday night at the Chase Center. They will be hosting the visiting Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets will be led by former Boston Celtic, Terry Rozier, who will be their point guard. Their record is 2-3 so far this year. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Warriors’ woes mount after suffering two losses in 121-110 loss to Suns

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors lost their third game of the young season to the Phoenix Suns 121-110 at Chase Center on Wednesday night.

More important than the score was the injury to their superstar guard, Steph Curry. Curry suffered a broken left hand in the third period. Curry was driving to make a layup. He was sandwiched between two Phoenix defenders. He fell to the court using his left hand to break the fall. One of the Suns defenders, Aron Baynes, landed on Curry’s left hand. Curry was in agony as he got up from the court. He was unable to take the two free throws. The x-ray showed there was a break in his hand. He’ll undergo an MRI tomorrow to determine if he needs surgery. If not, the hand will be in a cast, and he probably will be out for four to six weeks.

Without Curry, it could be a long season for Warrior fans. The Warriors have told the fans to be patient as there are so many new players on the team. The fans have to be patient, but they can not be happy the way the Warriors are getting blown out. They lost by 11 on Wednesday night. The game, for all intents and purposes, was over in the first quarter. The Warriors led 10-9 when Phoenix went on a 38-4 run to lead 47-14. The Warriors went almost eight minutes in the first quarter without a bucket.

The Suns, under first-year coach Monty Williams, finished the first half with a 72-46 advantage. The Warriors did play better in the second quarter as they outscored the Suns 32-29. The Suns led 83-54 when Curry was hurt.

Head coach Steve Kerr had to figure out what to do. He inserted center Willie Cauley-Stein into the lineup. Cauley-Stein was playing for the first time as a Warrior. He wasn’t able to practice much with the team due to an ankle injury. He acquitted himself quite well as he scored 12 points and had five rebounds in 12 minutes of action.

The Warriors didn’t gain any ground in the third quarter. They did outplay the Suns in the fourth quarter as they outscored them 43-26. It made the game seem closer than it was. It was really over early in the second quarter when they trailed 43-14.

Game Notes: Rookie Eric Paschall led the team with 20 points. Glenn Robinson III had 17 points. D’Angelo Russell, now the team’s point guard, finished with 15 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Alec Burks, making his first appearance as a Warrior, finished with seven points. Ky Bowman, who will be the backup point guard, tallied 10. Jordan Poole had nine.

The Suns, who the Warriors had beaten them 18 times in the last 19 games, appear to be on their way back to respectability. Every one of their starters was in double figures. They were led by Devin Booker, who had 31 points. Booker made six threes in 10 tries. Baynes had a double-double with 24 points and 13 boards. Dario Saric finished with 16, Kelly Oubre, Jr. had 11, and Ricky Rubio added 14.

The Suns improved to 3-2 while the Warriors drop to 1-3.

Up Next: It doesn’t get any easier for Golden State as they have to play the San Antonio Spurs Friday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

Warriors play well, beat the Pelicans 134-123; GSW beats up 0-4 team

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors won their first game of the new season as they routed the Pelicans 134-123. Head coach Steve Kerr made a couple of changes to the starting lineup. Kerr had Draymond Green start at the center position, and three guards, Jordan Poole, Steph Curry, and D’Angelo Russell, filled the other three slots. The changes worked as the Warriors led for the entire game.

The Warriors needed to get a win. They had been blown out in the first two games of the year by the LA Clippers and the OKC Thunder. Kerr had stated it would take a while for the team to come together. Many fans were beginning to think that the W’s were in for a tough season. While one game does not make a season, it shows that the reworked Warrior roster does have the talent to win games. People have to keep in mind that they won with two of their big men, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney, unable to play.

Third-year player, Damion Lee, had the best night of his young career as he helped the W’s to the win. Lee had a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. He made four threes in six tries. Glenn Robinson III just missed a double-double with 12 points and 9 boards. Draymond Green had a triple-triple. Green was everywhere. His energy put a spark into the W’s offense. He recorded 16 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists. It was Green’s 23rd career triple-double.  When that happens, the Warriors are 23-0. Steph Curry led the club with 26 points, 3 boards, and 11 assists. D’Angelo Russell contributed 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. Omari Spellman and Eric Paschall played well. Spellman had 8 points and 8 rebounds. Paschall had 8 points, 2 boards, and 3 assists.

The Warriors raced out to  27-23 lead after the first quarter of play. Jordan Poole knocked down three threes in the period. They scored the first 11 points to start the second quarter. The Warriors were running on offense and had a twenty-point lead 50-30 about halfway through the period. The Pelicans had a 9-0 run to make it 58-47. The W’s responded behind Green, Russell, Curry, and Lee to finish the first half leading 72-53. They scored 45 points in the period.

The Warriors continued to play well in the third period. Steph Curry committed his fourth foul of the game with 6:09 left to play. The Warriors were leading 84-64 at the time. Damion Lee and D’Angelo Russell did not let the Pelicans get back in the game. The W’s finished the third quarter with a 24-point lead 103-79.  It was more of the same in the last quarter. The Dubs led by 29 126-97 when the Pelicans went on a late 24-4 run to make it 132-123. Time was not on the Pelicans’ side when the clock ran out. The W’s win 134-123.

The Warriors are now 1-2 for the year. New Orleans remains winless at 0-4. The Warriors return home to face the Phoenix Suns Wednesday night at the Chase Center. The Suns are 2-1 for the season. They beat the LA Clippers last Saturday night. They are playing the Utah Jazz Monday night. They were leading in the third quarter. The game time will be played starting at 7:30 pm.

OKC wins in a blowout over Warriors 120-92; GSW remains winless

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photo from sfgate.com: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder (17) shoots in front of Golden State Warriors forward Eric Paschall (7) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Oklahoma City.

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, smarting from a blowout loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers last Thursday night, were hammered by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday by a score of 120-92. Also, the game was not as close as the final score might indicate. The Warriors trailed by 33 at the end of the first half 70-37. Stephen Curry was the only Warrior in double figures with ten.

The Thunder increased the lead to 37 at the end of the third quarter 105-68. The Warriors outscored the Thunder 24-15 in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

The Warrior fans have to be concerned this team may not be good enough to make the playoffs. Head coach Steve Kerr and his staff know that it will take six to eight weeks to see where this team will be going. Right now, the Warriors are not playing defense. They have two centers out with injury. Willia Cauley-Stein has an ankle injury and may miss another week before returning to action.

Kevon Looney is seeing a neurologist to determine why he is having neuropathic pain in his leg. His return is unknown. Alen Smailagic, the big center from Serbia, also has an ankle injury. He is making progress, but no one knows when he will play. Also, the offense needs to get better.

The role players such as rookie Jordan Poole and third-tear player Damian Lee are going to have to put more points on the board. Jacob Evans has to step up and assume the role that Shaun Livingston had in the past five seasons. The W’s need to have better ball movement. They recorded 17 assists in the game.

They were making 30 or more in the glory years. Failure to move the ball allows opposing defenses to double team Steph Curry. If Curry is double-teamed, that frees up a shooter, and the role players are going to have to step up and make the shots. Failure to do is costing the Warriors to win.

The Warriors also have nine new players on the roster. D’Angelo Russell scored just six points in Sunday’s game. He was ejected in the third period for arguing with a referee. The Warriors need him to help fill the void created by Kevin Durant’s departure and Klay Thompson’s injury. Glenn Robinson III had just 3 points in Sunday’s game.  Alec Burks is scheduled to return, and that may help the Warriors put some points on the board.

The Warriors shot 32.6% from the floor. They made 5 threes in 31 tries while the Thunder countered with 15 threes. The Warriors had three players in double figures. Curry had 23, Draymond Green 10, and rookie Eric Paschall also kicked in with 10. The Thunder had five players in double figures.

Dennis Schroeder, coming off the bench, led the Thunder with 22. Danilo Gallinari had 21, Terrance Ferguson 13, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 19, and the veteran point guard Chris Paul added 10. The Thunder shot 55.7% from the floor. They outrebounded the Warriors 50-40.

The Warriors play their first back-to-back game Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. Game time at 5:00 p.m. PT. Steve Kerr will be doing everything he can to have his team ready to win their first game of the year.

Warriors subdue Lakers to win final preseason game, 124-103

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors downed the Los Angeles Lakers 124-103 to finish the preseason with a 2-3 record. People have to keep in mind that the preseason games are used to see how the new players will mesh with the returning veterans. The Warriors used many combinations in the first four games to see who they would keep on the roster. The process was complicated by injuries to several players. Kevon Looney, Willie Cauley Stein, Alec Burks, and Alen Smailagic did not play a single minute in the preseason. Will the two big men available, Marquese Chriss, taking advantage of the opportunity, earn a spot on the roster? The 22-year old big man will probably start at center next Thursday when the Warriors open the season against the revamped Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors released Alfonzo McKinnie on Friday to make room for Chriss. The Warriors were up against the salary cap and had to either release McKinnie or trade a player. Golden State opted to release McKinnie.

As for Friday night’s game, the Warriors beat the Lakers for the first time this preseason. Perennial All-Star LeBron James did not play. The Lakers rested their other three big men. Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, and JaVale McGee all rested. The Lakers started Jared Dudley at the center position Friday night. Even with the big men on the Lakers’ bench, the Warriors began slowly. They trailed the Lakers 24-14 when they went on a 12-4 run late in the first period to trail by five 29-24. They outscored the Lakers 7-3 in the last minutes to close the gap to one 32-31.

Early in the second quarter, the Warriors grabbed the lead for the first time 41-40. Steph Curry led the Warriors’ offense as they finished the first half with a 16-point advantage 71-55. Curry hit a three as time ran out, and the crowd went crazy. Steph knocked down 22. D’Angelo Russell added 12, and Glenn Robinson had 10. The Lakers’ top scorers were Kentavios Caldwell-Pope with 17, and Zach Norvell had 16. The Warriors outscored the Lakers 40-23 in the second period.

The Warriors did not relinquish the lead in the third quarter. The Lakers, however, outscored Golden State by ten and finished the period trailing by six 94-88. The Warriors regrouped. D’Angelo Russell played well and drained a couple of threes. Curry re-entered the game with about six minutes left and made a four-point play to help cement the win. Curry knocked down a three and was fouled on the play. He made the free throw to put the Warriors ahead 113-94.  Steph made another three to make it 119-96. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr inserted his bench to finish the game.

Game Notes and Stats: Curry finished the night with 32 points. He made six three in 15 tries. He was on the court for 32 minutes of action. Marquese Chriss had a good night. He had 9 points, 7 boards, and 5 assists. Draymond Green also had 9 points. Green had 12 rebounds and 3 assists. He was on the court for 31 minutes. D’Angelo Russell tallied 29, and he, too, made six threes. Rookie Eric Paschall finished with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Glenn Robinson pitched in with 13 points and six rebounds.

The Lakers had four players in double figures. Caldwell-Pope had 25. Zach Norvell added 29, and he knocked down 5 threes. Rookie Devontae Cacok had a double-double. He recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds. Demetrius Jackson finished with 11 points and 9 assists.

Up Next: The Warriors open the season Thursday, October 24th, at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The LA Clippers will be their opponents. They will be led by Kawhi Leonard. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

Lakers blow out the Warriors 126-93

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Warriors for the third time in three tries this preseason. The Lakers had all their bigs in the lineup. Anthony Davis returned to action, LeBron James played 25 minutes, Dwight Howard, and JaVale McGee all kept the smaller Warriors from scoring. The Warriors rested Steph Curry and handed the point guard position to D’Angelo Russell. Russell responded with 23 points.

The Warriors were looking to use the new players to see how they would play against the Lakers. Head coach Steve Kerr is looking for players that will fill the voids left by the losses of Kevin Durant, Quinn Cook, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and the injured Klay Thompson. They want to know if Alfonzo McKinnie will be a starting forward. They want to see if he can make the team. They want to know if Jordan Poole can be the player to lead the second unit. They want to know if third-year player Damian Lee will be able to contribute to the second unit. Their big men, Willie Cauley-Stein and Kevon Looney, will be able to handle Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and other big men in the league. Looney and Cauley-Stein have not played in the preseason. The Warriors know what Looney can do. They will have to wait until Cauley-Stein recovers from his injury to find out if he meshes well with Curry and Russell.

The Warriors will have to make decisions on Jacob Evans. Evans has played well so far. He scored five Wednesday night. The Warriors need to know if Glenn Robinson III is the answer at forward. Robinson had the night off. Eric Paschall is a candidate to make the team, but not as a starter. The Warriors will use Marquese Chriss at the center position until Cauley-Stein returns.

There is no question that the Warriors are in a rebuilding year. There are so many questions and decisions that have to be made.

As for the game, The Warriors had three players in double figures. Russell led the team with 23. Draymond Green had 10, and Jordan Poole kicked in with 14. Damian Lee added 9. Paschall and Chriss each had 8.

The Lakers were led by LeBron James. James had 18. Dwight Howard had 13, Avery Bradley 18, Anthony Davis 8, JaVale McGee 12. Former Warrior Quinn Cook knocked down 16. He made four threes in five tries.

The Warriors shot 37% from the floor. The Lakers shot 49.2%. The Warriors made seven threes. The Lakers tallied 15. The Lakers outrebounded the Warriors 46-34.

Robinson and Steph Curry did not play.

The fans have to keep in mind that the Warriors are a work in progress. No one wants to see them get blown out, but it is a game that doesn’t count. The Warriors are looking at people that they think will benefit the team. Minutes are limited. Hopefully, they will get off to a good start.

The Warriors play the Lakers again Friday night at the Chase Center. It will be the final preseason game. The season starts for real on Thursday, October 24th, when they play the Los Angeles Clippers at the Chase Center.