That’s Amaury News and Commentary: The Decline of the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (left) tries to defend the Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Jan 28, 2024 (AP News photo)

The Decline of the Warriors

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Their starting lineup, which has been good for years, is unproductive this season. Their defense ranked first or second in the league in three championship seasons, but after losing at home to the Los Angeles Lakers in double overtime 145-144, the Warriors’ defense is towards the low part of the NBA.

A team playing fantastic to excellent defense will lead to more offense, but not this Golden State Warriors.

During the double overtime win by the Lakers, Lebron James was the man, as he scored 36 points, grabbed 20 rebounds, and had 12 assists, shooting 14 of 25 overall, from deep and from the foul line.

James put the last nail in the Warrior’s coffin with two clutch free throws, plus his 20 rebounds was a high for him, one more rebound than his previous best on January 11, 2008, with 19 boards against the Charlotte Bobcats. Curry scored 46 points but was frustrated by the loss and ripped his jersey off his chest in disgust as the game ended.

What’s next? Tuesday, the Philadelphia 76ers will play the Warriors at Chase Center. The 76ers have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference with a 29-15 record. With a 19-14 record (12-13) at home, the Warriors are in the Western Conference’s doldrums,12th among the 15 teams.

Trades?  At this time, everyone but Curry could be traded, and just one trade might not do the trick to revive this Warriors team; they are seriously in need of new blood and new chemistry. 

You don’t have to be an expert analyst; any basketball fan watching the Warriors this season can see they are clinging to yesteryear while everyone is getting younger and faster.

The NBA deadline for trades is Thursday, February 8.

NBA All-Star Game: February 16 at Indianapolis. LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar again, this time for most All-Star selections in NBA history with 20.

Money Note: Bay Area Professional teams value:  #1 Golden State Warriors $8 Billion. #2 San Francisco 49ers $6 Billion. #3 San Francisco Giants $3.7 Billion. #4 San José Sharks $1.4 Billion. #5 Oakland A’s $1.18 Billion. #6 San José Earthquakes $510 Million.

Amaury Pi-González was the Golden State Warriors play-by-play announcer on the radio during the 1990s, broadcasting all games home and road. He has been the first and only Spanish play-by-play announcer to call Warriors game in franchise’s history to date. Also catch Amaury for News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Lose a Second One-Point Game in a Row to Los Angeles 145-144; LeBron triple doubles in double OT

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is in disagreement with the official in the first half against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center San Francisco on Sat Jan 27, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Golden State Warriors (19-24) lost a second one-point game in a row to the Los Angeles Lakers (24-23)145-144. The Lakers had to go two overtimes to get the win but it was Los Angeles who finished this game.

Game recap:The Lakers won the first quarter 33-30 as well as the second quarter leading at the half 68-63. Los Angeles won the second quarter 35-33. This game had been a close one through both quarters. The Warriors had hit eight three’s in the first half.

Golden State came out fast in the third quarter and really took the Lakers to task. After trailing by five points at the half, the Warriors built a 88-73 lead mid-way through the quarter. 

They had outscored the Lakers 25 to 7 in a crazy turnaround. The Lakers battled back and cut the Warriors 15 point lead to one 88-85 with 3:04 left in the third quarter. Golden State had really let their foot off the pedal and Los Angeles scratched and clawed their way back into this game. The Warriors got going in the final minute of the quarter taking a 99-91 lead.

Through three quarters, the Warriors had hit 17 threes to the Lakers four. Golden State would need those long balls to close out this game against a tough Laker starting roster. Los Angeles took a hit when Anthony Davis left the floor heading to the locker room in the third quarter with an apparent leg injury.

Golden State began to heat up in the fourth quarter. The Lakers welcomed Davis back on the floor five minutes into the final quarter. He had apparently been having hip spasms when he was forced to leave the game. 

The Warriors began to extend their lead but every time they did, the Lakers battled back. With four minutes left in the game the Warriors had a 114-108 lead. The Warriors had a six point lead but had 5 turnovers in the fourth quarter. 

The Lakers took the lead in the late minutes of the fourth quarter 115-114. A very questionable call in favor of the Lakers gave Los Angeles the lead 117-114 with 22.3 ticks left on the clock. There was a lot of time left but Golden State needed a three to tie the game. 

It all came down to the final 14 seconds of the game. The Lakers held a 118-116 lead and the Warriors had a chance to win this game. There would be no buzzer beater from beyond the arc but the Warriors did tie up this game at 118 forcing overtime.

The Lakers got the jump in overtime and with 1:24 left in the game led 128-124. There was a lot of time left on the game clock and this was still anyone’s game. With 52 seconds left Curry hit a three and Golden State trailed by a single point 128-127.

 D’Angelo Russell was fouled and hit both free throws giving the Lakers a 130-127 lead. Klay Thompson tied up this game at 130 with 5.9 left on the clock. The Lakers failed to score and this game went into a second overtime. 

With 1:14 left in overtime the Warriors took their first lead of the period 141-139. The Lakers took the lead back hitting a three, the score 143-141 with 12.2 on the clock. Stephen Curry hit a three with 4.7 left on the clock giving Golden State a 144-143 lead. The Warriors fouled Lebron James and he hit both free throws winning the game 145-144. Another one point loss for Golden State in this incredible battle.

Curry finished with 46 points in fact the starters had a great game. This contest could have gone either way, but again, this one did not go the Warriors way. Both teams put on quite a show for the fans in attendance.

Post game notes: Saturday night the Warriors hosted the Lakers at Chase Center. Thursday night the Warriors lost a heartbreaker to the Sacramento Kings 134-133. With 22 seconds left in the game Domantas Sabonis gave the Kings the lead 134-133.

 The Warriors had sufficient time to take the ball downcourt and score. The Kings Fox stole the ball from Curry and that was the game. The game had been close throughout the second half but it was the Kings who held on for the win. 

The Lakers come into this game after beating the Chicago Bulls Thursday night 141-132. This was a battle between the ninth place Lakers and the 12th place Warriors. Despite losing to the Kings the Warriors Curry shot for 33 points and Kuminga hit 31. The Warriors also had 19 three’s and was looking for more of the same Saturday night. This was the first time this season that these two teams have met.

Tuesday night the Warriors will take on the Phildelphia 76ers at Chase. Tipoff in that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM. 

  

    

Sacramento Kings post game wrap: Kings Hold Off Golden State In Another Wild Finish 134-133

The Sacramento Kings guard Domantas Sabonis (10) takes a jump shot against the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Jan 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

In a wild finish the Sacramento Kings (25-18) edged the Golden State Warriors (19-23) in their fourth matchup this season 134-133. Harrison Barnes had a career high 39 points hitting 7 threes. This game was a real nail biter with Sacramento leading for most of it.

The Kings came out with incredible energy in the opening quarter leading after the first 12 minutes 40-32. Sacramento had taken an 11 point lead at one time in the first quarter. The Warriors really got on track in the second quarter and as this game played on the three’s were flying. 

The combined total from beyond the arc was 25 in an electric first half of basketball. After two quarters, the Kings had slim 75-72 lead. The Warriors did win the second quarter 40-35.

Barnes was having a monster game scoring 20 points in the first half which included four three’s. De’Aaron Fox also had a great start with 16 points. It would be a challenging second half.

 The Warriors are still playing off the emotion of this last week and they will be a real challenge. The Kings would have to continue to play hard and make as many stops as possible and continue to protect the ball. 

Sacramento only had four turnovers in the first half. The Kings were having great success in the paint and needed to take that into the third quarter. The biggest concern for Sacramento was Domantas Sabonis with three personals in the first half. 

Barnes who is having another terrific game and Keegan Murray both had no personal fouls. The Warriors would not doubt try to get Sabonis out of the game in the second half which would be a real blow for Sacramento. They would be walking a fine line in the second half.

The third quarter started out poorly for the Kings when Fox committed personal foul number three and Sacramento was flirting with disaster with their two best players in deep foul trouble. The Kings really topped it off when Kevin Huerter committed his fourth foul and winning this game might become awfully difficult.  

The Kings continued to hold onto the lead through out most of the third quarter although in the later minutes of the quarter the game was tied several times but Sacramento continued to hang onto the lead. 

With 11 seconds left in the third quarter Klay Thompson tied up the game 101-101. Barnes hit a three with 1.1 left on the game clock giving the Kings a 104-101 lead after three quarters. Barnes had 32 points through three quarters.

 It would all come down to the fourth quarter in a wild game. 35 threes were hit between these two teams after three quarters in some offensive fireworks.

In year 12 of his career, Harrison Barnes was nearing a career best. With under four minutes left in the game the Kings had a 128-121 lead and this was officially a clutch game for both teams. 

Sacramento would need their clutch player from the 2022-23 season to close this game out. Every single starter had not only double digits but they had hit 17 combined long balls. With the clock at 47 seconds the Warriors took a one-point lead 133-132. 

The Kings took back the lead 134-133 with 22 seconds left in this game. This was a wild finish with a Warrior turnover and the final was 134-133 in favor of Sacramento.

The Kings fought hard the entire game. It was a solid offensive game for the Kings, with only ten turnovers. Harrison Barnes, after 12 years in the league, scored a career high with 39 points and 7 threes.

He left the Warriors seven years ago and one would query “has he forgotten”? By the looks of tonight’s game there’s your answer. He was electric tonight. ”When the ball comes to you shoot with confidence,” said Barnes after the game. ”The important thing was to keep an aggressive mentality,” he went on to say. He sure displayed confidence in this one.  

Fox had 29 points and despite five personals Domantas Sabonis came away with 18 points and eight rebounds with 13 assists. This is the second game that the Kings beat Golden State by a single point. Sacramento won back in November 124-123

Post game notes: Thursday night the Kings defeated the Warriors at Chase Center. The Warriors were coming off an emotional win Wednesday night beating the Hawks at Chase 134-112. The Kings also beat the Hawks last Sunday 122-107 so it was a Northern California beat down of Atlanta this week.

Saturday night the Kings will play the Dallas Mavericks on the road. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

  

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

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

By Jerry Feitelberg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Warriors left it all on the court for Milojevic in victory over Atlanta

Golden State Warriors players stand for the national anthem after watching a video dedicated to their late assistant coach Dejan Milojevic before their game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wed Jan 24, 2024 at Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, after one week exactly after the passing of late assistant coach Dejan Milojevic there was little doubt that the impacted Golden State Warriors were playing this game in tribute to their late coach as the defeated the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center 134-112.

#2 Before the game the Warriors played a video tribute for Milojevic the players were moved and knew that this was a game they had to play for not on Milojevic but a game they had to move forward.

#3 The Warriors had had so many struggles from Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins complaining that head coach Steve Kerr did not give them enough minutes. The Draymond Green indefinite suspension and the death of Milojevic. Do you see this bring the team together after the struggles they’ve been through?

#4 Jerry, Stephen Curry and Kuminga both lead the Warriors in scoring against the Atlanta Hawks finishing with 25. It was a huge effort that pretty much took the Hawks out of their game.

#5 The Sacramento Kings and Warriors duel at Chase Center on Friday night for a 7:00pm PT tip off. The Kings after losing four straight also defeated the Hawks on Monday night 122-107. The Warriors are playing with a heavy heart how do you see this match up on Friday night?

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the Warriors podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

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

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

By Jerry Feitelberg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors willing to trade Wiggins, Kuminga and Green

The Golden State Warriors guard Draymond Green (23) and not pictured Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins would be considered to be tradeable if the right deal came along. (AP News file photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara:

1.It has been a struggle for the Warriors for some time now but just when the Warriors thought it could not get any worse, it did with the loss of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic.

2.Let’s talk a little bit about Dejan’s accomplishments, his time with the Warriors and what he meant to the organization.

3.Where do the Warriors go now and for the rest of the season as they fight to regain some sense of normalcy and would consider trading Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Andrew Wiggins if the right deal came along.

4.As the team moves forward what will the return of Draymond Green mean to the future of Jonathan Kuminga with the team.

5.Wednesday night the Warriors will take on the Atlanta Hawks at Chase. This will be a tough game for the team as they try to move on with 42 games still left in the 2023-24 season. How do you see this game going?

Join Barbara Mason for the Warriors podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradoservice.com

Warriors Postpone Fridays Matchup Against the Dallas Mavericks

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic who passed on Wed Jan 17, 2024 is seen here on Fri Oct 14, 2024 during practice preparing for a game against the Denver Nuggets. The Warriors have postponed their game against the Dallas Maverick for Fri Jan 19, 2024 (AP file photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors are still reeling from the sudden loss of assistant coach Dejan Milojevi Wednesday morning from a diagnosed heart attack. Despite immense life-saving efforts Tuesday night, the medical staff was unable to save him due to the damage to his heart and he passed on Wednesday morning. 

In a world of an especially high-pressured environment like basketball he brought joy, light, energy and passion to all who had the pleasure of working with him. He will be immensely missed. 

This event shook the Warriors and their organization to the core. There were no apparent issues leading up to Milojevi’s cardiac event and the unexpected nature of his death tugged at the heart strings of the basketball world. 

The entire staff at Sports Radio joins the sports world in sending our heartfelt condolences to his wife Natasa and their young children; his son Nikola and daughter Masa. We stand with you and grieve with you in this time of unfathomable loss. 

This is the second game postponed since Dejan’s passing. The Wednesday night game vs the Utah Jazz was cancelled and tonight’s game against the Dallas Mavericks has also been cancelled as the team struggles with this harsh reality which will reverberate for some time. 

As the team deals with this loss there is no timeline for makeup games with Utah and Dallas. The next game that Golden State is scheduled for is not until next Wednesday January 24 against the Atlanta Hawks at Chase Center. 

The team has taken a week off in the wake of Dejan’s passing and taking the court again will indeed be a most difficult task especially their first game back without him.

Teams across the league honored Dejan at their games including the Celtics, Lakers, Pistons, Mavericks and the Raptors and more teams are certain to do the same. A moment of silence was observed at many of these games. He made such an enormous impact on so many in a life cut short but at the same time so well-lived.  

Totally unexpected events such as the death of Dejan Milojevi has left his family, his team and millions of fans as well as the sports world in a daze coping to accept and cope with the loss. Thoughts from around the world send strength and prayers to the Warriors and his family, clinging to all that Dejan brought to his sport and thanking him for all the contributions, the joy and the love he demonstrated everyday.   

Barbara Mason is a Golden State Warriors beat writer for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Warriors cancel game against Mavericks on Friday night

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic passes the ball before an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in San Francisco. Milojević has been hospitalized in Salt Lake City after suffering a medical emergency on Tuesday night, the team said Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. The seriousness of the situation led the NBA to postpone Wednesday’s game between the Warriors and the Utah Jazz. (AP Photo/Darren Yamashita, File)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, You have worked as a trainer with the Oakland A’s before and are familiar with medical emergencies. Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic 46, whose a native Serbian suffered a cardiac related illness according to numerous European news outlets.

#2 Jerry apparently this happened at a private dinner in Salt Lake City with the players present the shock that something like this causes no doubt no one was thinking about basketball?

#3 The Warriors have had a laundry list of problems all season long now coach Milojevic’s medical emergency will be the forefront of concern for the Warriors it’s just been that rough of a season for Golden State.

#4 Milojevic joined head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors during the 2021 season this is his third season with Golden State and is very popular in the NBA circles and is close to native Serbian Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

#5 The Warriors game for Wednesday was postponed due to coach Milojevic’s medical emergency and the Warriors next game is postponed for this Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the Golden State Warriors podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with Michael Roberson: Milojevic was well liked in NBA circles with players, coaches, fans, and NBA

Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic holds the ball during practice before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tue Mar 28, 2024. Milojevic passed away from a medical emergency on Wed Jan 17, 2024 in Salt Lake City (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Michael Roberson:

#1 Michael, Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic 46, whose a native Serbian suffered a cardiac related illness according to numerous European news outlets.

#2 Michael apparently this happened at a private dinner in Salt Lake City with the players present the shock that something like this causes no doubt no one was thinking about basketball?

#3 The Warriors have had a laundry list of problems all season long now coach Milojevic’s medical emergency will be the forefront of concern for the Warriors it’s just been that rough of a season for Golden State.

#4 Milojevic joined head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors during the 2021 season this is his third season with Golden State and is very popular in the NBA circles and is close to native Serbian Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

#5 The Warriors game for Wednesday was postponed due to coach Milojevic’s medical emergency and the Warriors next game is scheduled is Friday against the Dallas Mavericks considering if Milojevic’s condition improves that game might be played?

Join Michael Roberson for the Golden State Warriors podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com