Author: swhelch

Journalist trying to document my life, my interests and those I'm lucky enough to have in it.

Warriors Hold On To Fend Off Durrant And The Thunder For A 116-108 Victory.

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By Shawn Whelchel

The first meeting of the season between the two Western Conference titans did not disappoint, as the Golden State Warriors hung on for a hard-fought victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, clinching a 116-108 victory at home.

The game was a rollercoaster ride from the start, as the Warriors overcame a sluggish start to pull out to a 20-point lead over the Thunder in the second quarter, making it look like another pull-away victory for the defending NBA champions. But the dangerous Thunder would not let their foot off the gas, fighting back with a strong second half to tie it in the fourth quarter.

But despite shooting just 38 percent from the field, including an uncharacteristic 1-of-9 from beyond the arc, the league’s MVP rose to the occasion late in the game, helping to lead his team on a 12-4 run that would seal Golden State’s 41st consecutive home win.

Picking up the slack for Curry-who still added quality numbers, including 26-points and 10 assists despite shooting just 10-of-26 from the field- four other Golden State players scored in double-digits on the night, showcasing the Warriors’ balanced offensive attack that makes them so dangerous. Harrison Barnes followed curry with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Klay Thompson-who drained a clutch three-pointer down the stretch for Golden State- added 18 of his own.

But in a matchup between the current MVP and former MVP of the NBA, it was Kevin Durant who stole the show, as the dynamic forward poured in a game-leading 40-points on the night, helping to keep his team’s hopes alive. Russell Westbrook earned 27 points as well despite an off-night from the field. The All-Star guard shot just 8-of-22, but added in nine points from the stripe.

The Warriors overcame a statistical anomaly to earn their win, as the league’s leader in three-point percentage shot a grizzly 26.9-percent from beyond the arc on the night, putting through just 7-of-26 attempts. But with the long-ball failing to work for them, the NBA champions adapted, deciding to take the fight straight to the Thunder to net 58 of their points in the paint.

With the Warriors and Durant being linked to each other by the rumor mill this week, Saturday’s game was a perfect showcase for both parties. Durant- who is rumored to have Golden State as the front-runners for his services either before or after he hits the free agent market- showed his potential suitors his knack for scoring that makes him one of the most dangerous players in the game. Meanwhile, the Warriors showed Durant exactly why they are the current NBA champions. With two more matchups scheduled for the remainder of the season, you can be sure that both parties will be looking to put their best foot forward.

 

Warriors Stay Dominant, Down Bulls 125-94

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By Shawn Whelchel

CHICAGO–The Warriors continued their domination of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, as Golden State followed up Monday’s impressive victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers with a blowout 125-94 victory against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on Wednesday.

By the conclusion of the first quarter, Golden State’s lead would never drop beneath a double-digit advantage, as a strong night from the Splash Brothers helped to keep a comfortable lead. But Curry- who had 25 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds- and Thompson weren’t alone in their aptitude for scoring. Harrison Barnes followed close behind with 19 points of his own, while the bench scored an additional 49 points for Golden State, led by Leandro Barbosa and Marreese Speights with 12 points each.

Meanwhile, the Bulls couldn’t buy a bucket on their home court, as they finished the game with a dismal 37-percent shooting from the field. Compounding this was an atrocious 1-for-20 shooting from beyond the arc, as the team sunk their chances of staying competitive by their reliance on the long-ball. Some of Chicago’s poor shooting could be attributed to solid Golden State defense, while other open shots just refused to fall for the Bulls on a night in which they suffered their worst loss of the season at 31-points.

What offense Chicago could muster came from stars Derrick Rose-who finished with a game high 29 points but only two assists from the point guard position- and Jimmy Butler, who added 23 of his own points. Chicago’s starting unit would go on to score just seven points on 3-of-22 points, with center Pau Gasol putting up a donut in eight attempts due to solid defense from Andrew Bogut.

The lopsided scoring totals were indicative of what ultimately sunk Chicago’s efforts. While Rose and Butler may have got their points, the contest looked hardly like a team effort from Chicago’s standpoint, as they notched just 14 assists throughout the game, as compared to Golden State’s 38.

The Warriors were also able to force Chicago to run their game, as they broke away for 21 fast-break points on the night as compared to Chicago’s eight.  The loss gave Chicago a three game losing streak at home, as well as leading them to drop the last five out of seven games.

Golden State will return home from their three game road trip to take on the Indiana Pacers on Friday at Oracle Arena.

Warriors Start Road Trip Off With Sluggish Loss To Pistons.

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By Shawn Whelchel

AP photo: Golden State’s Klay Thompson couldn’t encourage the Warriors enough to get over the hump with the Pistons on Saturday night

The Golden State Warriors continued to look less and less like the once dominant offensive NBA team that they were at the beginning of the season, as a cold shooting night handed them their second loss in the last three games.

After posting an impressive 30-point first quarter, the Detroit Pistons defense hunkered down on the reigning NBA champions, holding them to just 95 total points on 38 percent shooting on the night, handing them just their fourth loss of the season in a 113-95 loss for the visitors.

The Warriors night was filled with unremarkable moments from the usually solid team. From anyone not named Steph Curry or Klay Thompson struggling to find the basket, to frustrations spilling over in the form of multiple technical fouls called on Golden State, Saturday night’s effort was a forgettable affair amidst a historic season.

Curry did his part to keep his team in the game, netting 38 points on 13-of-26 shooting from the field, including seven makes from beyond the arc. Thompson trailed behind him with 24 of his own points in 32 minutes.

But beyond the splash brothers, no other Golden State starter cracked double digits in points, with the rest of the starting squad-including a healthy Harrison Barnes- combining for just 16 points on the night. Curry and Thompson dominated the touches, taking 44 of the total 67 shots from the starting unit. Festus Ezeli saved a sluggish bench performance as well, being the only other Warrior aside from Curry and Thompson to score in double digits with 10 points.

Golden State lost in nearly every major statistical category, going on to yield less rebounds, steals, blocks, assists, points in the paint and giving up more turnovers than the Pistons did on the night, effectively sinking their chances to gain momentum at the start of their road trip.

Meanwhile, the normally solid Warriors defensive effort was just as absent as their scoring, with all five starters scoring in double-digits for Detroit. Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Pistons with 20 points a piece. Aron Baynes had a solid night for Detroit down low, as the center put in 12 points on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting to lead the Pistons’ reserves.

The night was a tough start to a three-game road stretch for the Warriors. In a rematch of the NBA finals, the Warriors will have to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday in order to avoid their first two-game losing streak of the season. The team will then follow that up with a meeting with the 23-16 Chicago Bulls.

Warriors Use Three-Ball To Down Kings In Season Sweep.

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By Shawn Whelchel

USA Today photo Warriors Stephen Curry and Kings DeMarcus meet for Saturday’s battle at Sleep Train Arena

Sacramento refused to rollover easily against the Warriors on Saturday night, but sharp shooting down the stretch from Steph Curry secured Golden State’s fourth win of the season over the Kings with a 128-116 victory at Sleep Train Arena.

Scoring 14 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter, Curry’s sharpshooting skills from downtown helped to squash any notion of a late-game comeback from Sacramento, who trailed by just two at the half.

Curry-who dished out 11 assists while hauling in six rebounds to compliment his 38 points- had an impressive stroke from beyond the arc all night, putting through 8-of-14 attempts throughout the game.

But Curry wasn’t the only Warrior with the hot hand from downtown. Draymond Green earned 15 of his total 25 points from beyond the arc with a video game like line of 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range. Brandon Rush and Klay Thompson also scored in double-digits for the Warriors starting corp, putting through a combined 26 points between the two of them.

DeMarcus Cousins continues to solidify himself as one of the league’s top-big men, posting 33 points and 10 rebounds in 30-minutes of play. Rudy Gay had himself a solid showing as well, earning 23-points on 9-of-16 shooting. But the rest of Sacramento’s starters couldn’t match the pair’s offensive prowess, combining for just 19 points across the remaining starting unit.

Sacramento’s ability to score was on display tonight with an impressive 116 point total, but their defense continues to hamstring them, as the Warriors were able to shoot 56.3 percent from the field on the night, including 51.4 percent from beyond the arc for 57 of their total points.

After sweeping the season series, Golden State improved their record to 35-2, while Sacramento fell to 15-22 on the season, good for third in the Pacific Division. Next up for the Warriors is a matchup against the Miami Heat at Oracle Arena on Monday.

Golden State Resumes Winning Ways With 128-103 Thrashing of Suns

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By Shawn Whelchel

Returning to action for the first time since their winning streak came to an abrupt end, the Golden State Warriors resumed their winning ways with a dominating 128-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns at Oracle Arena on Wednesday.

With three days of rest under their belt, the Warriors had to shake off some first quarter rust, shooting under 40 percent from the field while playing in to the Suns’ strategy of making the contest more of a derby race than a basketball game. The result was a first quarter marathon that saw 50 total shots hoisted up between the two teams, with the Suns assuming a two-point advantage over the Warriors at the end of the first.

But the Warriors would not stay down for long, cleaning up their play on both sides of the ball while dictating the flow of the game in the second quarter to take a 13-point lead heading into the locker room. It would be the last time the Suns were even in contention.

The Warriors started the second half with a scorching offensive display, led by Klay Thompson, who scored 27 of his game-high 43 points in the third quarter. Steph Curry backed up his teammate with a mini-clinic of his own, putting through 13 points of his own to further the Warriors lead. The two Splash Brothers combined for 40 of the Warriors 46 third quarter points, effectively shutting the door on the Suns before the final frame even commenced.

Not to be outdone by their backcourt mates, Golden State’s big-men also got the job done for the Warriors in their dominating third quarter outburst. C Andrew Bogut continued to gobble up boards en-route to his 12-rebound night, while Draymond Green produced his fourth triple-double of the season by the sound of the whistle. He would finish the night with 16 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds.

With no answer for the Warriors dominance on both ends of the court, the Suns were outscored 79-37 during the middle portion of the night’s contest, paving way for what was essentially a victory lap of a fourth quarter.

The Suns would come out shooting, putting up a game-high 38 points in the final quarter, but it would be too little, too late, as the Warriors would put the cap on the beginning of a possible new win-streak.

In a game between the league’s number one -the Warriors- and number three- the Suns- three point shooting teams, it was Golden State who used the deep ball to their advantage, scoring 45 of their points from behind the arc on 15 of 32 shooting. The Suns were uncharacteristically bad from downtown, putting through just 5 of their 22 attempts while trying to play catch up.

With the win, the Warriors were able to keep alive at least one winning streak, as they’ve now won 29 straight games at Oracle Arena. Ominously enough, the Milwaukee Bucks- who were responsible for snapping the Warriors 24 game streak on Saturday- will come to Oracle Arena on Friday to face Golden State for the second time in under a week.

Warriors Narrowly Keep Streak Alive, Fend Off Jazz In A 106-103 Thriller.

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By Shawn Whelchel

The Golden State Warriors have been so dominant this season that many may have pushed the idea of actually losing a game out of their mind. That scenario nearly came to fruition on Monday night as the Utah Jazz took the Warriors to the brink in a hard-fought contest in Salt Lake City, as Golden State managed to escape with a 106-103 win on the road.

The narrow victory was a star studded affair, as Golden State leaned on its studs, including Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, to deliver them the road victory to keep their unbeaten streak alive. Curry led the Warriors with 26 points, while scoring some crucial buckets in crunch time late in the fourth quarter. Green added 20 of his own, including a crucial put back bucket to take the lead in the fourth quarter while drawing the foul. Thompson also added 20 of his own.

The score was tied with just under two-minutes to go after a Curry step-back notched things up at 99. Curry couldn’t put through a fastbreak layup on the next Golden State possession, but Green’s hustle put him in a position to clean up the miss and give the Warriors a 101-99 lead.

Golden State would foul on their next possession, sending the Jazz’s Derrick Favors to line, who would sink both free throws as apart of his 23-total points on the night, again notching things up at 101 each. But with the game on the line, the Warriors looked to their MVP to lead them out of danger, and Curry delivered.

The NBA’s best shooter would show off his skills with the game on the line, crossing over a Utah defender and stepping behind the arc to nail a three pointer to put his team up again. The Jazz would look to threaten the Warriors lead yet again, but a loose ball off a miss found its way to Curry’s hands, who would be sent to the line to seal the victory following a pair of free throws.

The three-point victory was the slimmest margin thus far for the Warriors, who remain unbeaten with a 19-0 victory. The 8-8 Jazz aren’t the bottom feeders of the NBA by any means, nor are they the league’s elite. But with the Warriors continuing to chase even more records, it served as a stiff reminder that anything can happen in this unpredictable league. It also showed that the Warriors have not forgotten how to scrap their way to a win, as they continue to find ways to do so no matter the scenario.

The Warriors road trip continues on Wednesday, with the team flying to Charlotte to take on the Hornets in the second game of this seven game road series.

 

Warriors Win Over Denver Punches Their Ticket To The History Books.

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By Shawn Whelchel

We’ve all known that the Golden State Warriors were good. You don’t become the reigning NBA champions, boasting the league’s MVP with a slew of talented young supporting cast members by being just alright. But on Sunday night, they weren’t good, they weren’t even great- they were historic.

Powering their way to a 118-105 win over the Denver Nuggets, the 15-0 Golden State Warriors cemented themselves in the history books for the best start to a season since the 1993 Houston Rockets and the 1948 Washington Capitols.

The march to the history book was solidified by an overall team effort, with five warriors scoring in double-digits throughout the course of the game. Klay Thompson led the team with 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting, while Steph Curry followed up with 19 of his own points. The total was Curry’s lowest of the season.

The defense may have left a little to be desired, but the Warriors more than made up for it from the field, as they shot 52.8 percent from the field overall, while doing most of their damage from beyond the arc with a torrid 15 triples made, good for 51.7 percent.

It wasn’t smooth sailings for the Warriors, as they led by just six points in the third quarter. But on a night where they were immortalized as a historic team, they used a team effort to break away in the later stages of the game, keeping their perfect season in tact.

The good news for Golden State- only the lowly Los Angeles Lakers stand in their way of claiming sole possession of a historical best 16-0 start. The game, which will take place at Oracle Arena on Tuesday, will be sure to match the team’s previous playoff run in intensity.

 

Warriors Avoid NBA Trap, Down Brooklyn Nets In Overtime.

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By Shawn Whelchel

The Golden State Warriors narrowly avoided an upset at Oracle Arena on Saturday, as the Brooklyn Nets squandered an early lead to fall in overtime by a score of 107-99.

The Warriors kept their perfect streak alive, as they moved to 11-0 on the season in a tightly contested matchup. Nobody expected the 1-9 Brooklyn Nets to contest the reigning NBA champions at home, but the Nets used a first quarter offensive flurry to back the Warriors into an early corner on Saturday.

Despite lackluster frames in the first and third quarter, the Warriors biggest playmakers were able to force an overtime showdown after clutch play from Andre Iguodala led to a 97-all tie at the end of the fourth quarter. Nets C Brook Lopez had the chance to hand an upset to the Warriors, but barely missed the tip-in to complete the win.

After allowing the lowly Brooklyn offense to take charge at multiple points throughout the game, the Warriors defense stepped up big in overtime, allowing just two total points to the Nets while outscoring them by eight in the overtime frame to secure their 11th win of the season.

Steph Curry led all scorers with 34 points, despite a lackluster night from the field, where he shot just 13-of-31. Draymond Green followed for the Warriors with a triple-double featuring 16 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.

Leading the charge for the Nets was a familiar face in Oakland in PG Jarret Jack, who dumped in 28 points on 9-of-20 shooting.  Followin Jack was SF Thaddeus Young who scored 26, while Lopez finished with a respectable 18 despite the missed tip.

The win was the first overtime bout for the Warriors, who have been steadily dispatching their foes in the NBA while contending their NBA title. Despite falling prey to the early trap, the Warriors rebounded with their usual stout defense and clutch offensive play to stay perfect on the season.

The team will take a brief hiatus before returning to action against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday at Oracle Arena.

Golden State Cruises Past Nuggets To Stay A Perfect 6-0 On The Season.

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By Shawn Whelchel

The Golden State Warriors stayed perfect on the season at the conclusion of Friday night’s contest, as an explosive first-half of play saw them easily dispatch the Denver Nuggets in a 119-104 victory at Oracle Arena.

The game seemed all but won for Golden State at the conclusion of the second quarter, when the reigning NBA champions took a 30 point lead into the locker room. But Denver refused to be downed quietly, mounting an admirable second half charge- outscoring Golden State by 15 through the final two frames- before ultimately suffering their fourth loss of the season.

Golden State’s hot start was too much to handle for the Nuggets, who gave up 74 first-half points to the Warriors before heading into the locker room. Leading the pack was none other than Steph Curry himself, who finished the night just shy of a triple-double with 34 points, seven rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. Harrison Barnes followed Curry with 21 points and five rebounds, Klay Thompson had 18 points and six rebounds, and Draymond Green finished just short of his own triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Although Curry stole the offensive show, he wasn’t alone in his endevour, as all of the Warriors’ starters finished in double-digits. The team as a whole shot 49.5 percent on the night while tying their second highest point total on the season. Golden State has now scored 119 points three times through their first six games.

The Warriors put on an unselfish clinic on the night too, as their 28 first-half assists were a new franchise record.

Denver was led by SF Danilo Gallinari, who had an efficient night from the field, shooting 7-of-13 for 25 points. Golden State was able to contain the talented Kenneth Faried, who scored just eight points- the least amongst Denver starters- in 21 minutes on the court.

Golden State is now a perfect 6-0 against Western conference teams, and 2-0 against those in the Pacific division. The team has another divisional matchup on Saturday, as the Curry brothers will meet when Golden State takes on Sacramento at Sleep Train Arena. Tip off starts at 7 p.m.

Curry Shows Up Harden, Downs Houston 112-92

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By Shawn Whelchel

In their first meeting of the 2015 NBA season, Steph Curry gave James Harden a first-hand demonstration as to why he was voted the leagues MVP over the disgruntled Rockets player, dropping 25 points while leading his team to a 112-92 victory on Friday.

The league MVP and NBA Champion shot an efficient 9-of-15 from the field, including 4-of-9 from beyond the arc, while also dishing out six assists and grabbing seven rebounds in 27 minutes of play. Curry’s MVP challenger struggled for the second straight game, shooting just 4-for-18 for 16 points on the night in a losing effort.

Harrison Barnes, Klay Thompson, Marreese Speights and Andre Iguodala all finished in double-digits for Golden State, with Speights leading the group with 14 points on the night.

The contest was tight and physical through the first quarter, with Golden State holding on to just a one point lead at the end of the first quarter. But a posterizing dunk from Barnes on Houston center Dwight Howard seemed to energize the team and swing the match in their favor, as they jumped out to a comfortable 57-44 lead at the half.

Golden state would continue to expand upon their lead as the game went on, cruising their way to a 20 point victory by the games end. The team worked their way into a 2-0 record, while denying Houston their first win of the season.

Houston was led by Montrezl Harrell’s 17 points off the bench, followed by Harden’s 16. Even without C Andrew Bogut, Golden State was able to limit Dwight Howard’s impact on the game, holding him to just nine points on 4-of-11 shooting and seven rebounds.

The Western conference runner ups were clearly frustrated by being steadily handled by the reigning NBA champions, as both Harrell and Houston coach Kevin McHale were called for technical fouls during the night’s contest. The team suffered a 4-1 series exit at the hands of Golden State before the team moved on to the NBA Finals last season.

The team will now move on to continue their win streak with their second game of the season against the New Orleans Pelicans on the road on Saturday, their first back-to-back games of the season.