Category: Golden State Warriors

by Michael Martinez

AP Photo file photo: Golden State Warriors Draymond Green playing against the Houston Rockets in game five on April 27, 2016

After getting arrested for an incident in East Lansing, MI earlier this month. Green reached a plea deal in order to avoid jail time. The Warriors’ forward has to pay a $560 fine and the case is closed.

Luckily for Green, he only has to pay a small fine and instead of spending any time in jail, he’s headed to help team USA win a gold medal in Rio next month.

Green’s little slip up almost took away from all the positives from the Warriors offseason, but reaching a plea deal looks good for both sides. Green and Warriors’ forward Klay Thompson will be the only two Warriors players to play in the Olympics.

by Michael Martinez

Golden State Warriors All Star forward Draymond Green was arrested Sunday in East Lansing, Michigan with assault charges. Green was reportedly arrested for assault after he slapped a fan who had been taunting him at a nightclub.

Green got out on a $200 bail and the victim was not injured, but the arrest is a bit worrisome. The Warriors do know about the situation and the franchise put out a statement regarding Green’s arrest basically saying they will look into it and not comment until they know more.
The arrest comes at a bad time for Green, who is on the USA men’s basketball team that is headed to Rio for the 2016 Olympics. Managing Director Jerry Colangelo will also be looking into the situation to figure out more information and make a decision afterwards.

Green has been known to let his temper go at times and was criticized during the playoffs for a couple of kicks to the groin of Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James.

After landing Kevin Durant, the biggest star in this year’s free agency,  Green’s arrest is the last thing the Warriors need. Although it appears things are not all that serious and professional athletes are always held to a higher standard, it’s what comes with being in the spotlight.

Hanging out in a nightclub is Green’s choice and just because he’s a pro does not mean he should not be allowed to enjoy himself. However, the responsibility of being a pro does mean he needs to keep his composure.

The last thing the Warriors need is Green to get another suspension handed down to him by the League Office. Hopefully for the Warriors, Green, and all the fans, this is the first and only time something like this happens.

hypetrak.com file photo: Former Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant signed on with the Golden State Warriors on the Fourth of July

On the Warriors podcast with David, Kevin Durant has agreed to come on board at Golden State for a cool $54.3 million for two years the second year being an option year. This is the biggest deal since LeBron James going to Miami and since that’s all past LeBron is staying Cleveland and he’s not going anywhere. This move means a change in the roster there will and has already been a lot of turnovers for the Warriors.

The Warriors starting five will now be Steph Curry, Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Durant. The amount of All-Star appearances amongst this group is almost record setting. There’s three MVPs amongst them, three MVP trophies, and everyone of those guys have been an All-Star at some point.

Davie Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

AP photo: Former Cal Bears Jaylen Brown sits down for radio interview after being selected third in the Celtics overall draft

On the NBA/Golden State Warriors podcast with David first former Cal Bears Jaylen Brown wasn’t the one you heard being booed by some of the crowd at the NBA draft when he was selected first pick to the Boston Celtics. It wasn’t Jaylen Brown it the Celtics brass including Celts GM Danny Ainge. Ainge want to got out in the seats and ask them what was wrong with picking Brown at Thursday’s draft.

The fans were looking like the Celts would be more interested in another draft pick someone that they’ve heard of like Kris Dunn from Providence. The Celts fans were looking for the Celts to trade away eight draft picks for an established NBA star.

Listen below as David runs down the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings picks on the podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

by Charlie O and Jerry Feitelberg (NBA beat reporters)

photo by district5diary.blogspot.ca: Golden State Warriors proposed new arena at Mission Bay

SAN FRANCISCO–It’s going down to the neighborhoods versus the Golden State Warriors in an attempt to build a new arena at Mission Bay. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Garrett Wong listened to both sides of the argument regarding the new arena, from the opponents Mission Bay Alliance and Save Muni and Jennifer Wade mother of a six year old son with rare cardiac issues who just recently joined the plaintiffs vs. the Golden State Warriors who also have their allies from San Francisco City Hall.

Judge Wong ruled that he will render a decision on July 18th. If the court rules against the Alliance or the Warriors rest assured this case won’t settle there more than likely there will be appeals. The Warriors are under pressure to beat this case and begin construction in Mission Bay as they are on a timeline to move out of Oakland and have the new arena ready. The team purchased the land at Mission Bay from Sales Dream Force where they plan not only to have the new arena but also retail and condos which would add value to the Warriors brand.

The Alliance and Save Muni say that traffic conditions and access to UCSF Hospital right next door will be impossible on game and event days at the arena. A study shows on the rare occasions that the San Francisco Giants or an AT&T event and a Warriors new Arena event (Chase Bank Arena) would double the traffic conditions let alone just a Warriors event.

Save Muni shares the same argument with the Mission Bay Alliance when it comes to traffic conditions they say that it would vastly alter public transportation in the South of Market particularly when traffic conditions are at it’s peak around 4:00 to 5:00 PM on week night games during afternoon rush hours. That in spite of increased Muni buses coming to and from the arena there will be traffic tie ups and it would impact Muni lines not only serving the arena itself but South of Market and lines going inbound to South of Market.

The Alliance and Wade added their concerns on traffic access to UCSF Hospital and emergency lanes as proposed by the City would not be the solution to getting to the hospital during an emergency. Wade for example has a six year son who from time to time has cardiac emergencies and needs quick access to the emergency room and if there is a back up to the arena Wade would have to wait in traffic to get to the ER for care for her son.

“He has emergencies from time to time” Wade said after last Friday’s hearing to Fox 2, “and I need to get him to UCSF in a timely matter. I’m just going to picture what’s going to happen if that’s the lead up to a Warriors game or a Beyonce’ concert or some other event especially if it’s happening at the same time as an event at AT&T Park, traffic is already bad over there.” Wade should know she lives only two blocks from the proposed arena site.

For Wade it’s the only hospital that specializes in treating her son’s rare cardiac condition “that’s the only hospital I can take my son to in an emergency other hospitals don’t understand his condition they dont’ have the pediatric cardiologists on staff at other children’s emergency hospitals. It’s a pretty rare condition that he has” said Wade.

Jerry Cauthen spokesman for Save Muni who represents transit activists, environmentalists, citizens concerned about Muni traffic impact of the Warriors new arena, and community activists said “it’s critically important” that the judge consider traffic conditions that a new Warriors arena would cause for rerouting and delaying Muni during rush hour and game night events.

Warriors spokesman PJ Johnston said it’s just shameful that the plaintiffs are going to such great lengths to try and stop the team from building the arena at Mission Bay, “it’s disappointing, it’s wasteful, to the workers and small businesses and neighbors in Mission Bay who are counting on this venue” said Johnston. The Warriors are hoping that the court will settle in their favor as the team plans to open the arena by the fall of 2019.

Jerry Feitelberg and Charlie O cover the NBA during the regular season for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

by Michael Martinez

One of the greatest games I have witnessed in my life. And although I’m young, I have watched basketball for as long as I can remember.

So much was on the line before tonight’s tip off. For the Warriors, a chance to bring back to back championships to a city that ponder what winning was not that long ago. Steph Curry’s legacy was on the chopping block as well.

For the Cavaliers, it would be the first pro championship in the city of Cleveland since the Browns won the NFL championship back in 1964. That was before the Super Bowl era, which the Browns have never been to. LeBron James’ legacy was also on the line.

With two mega stars getting ready to battle it out, the anticipation was incredible. And the game did not disappoint.

The contest was back and forth for the entire game and the first half was dominated by Draymond Green.

Green who took blame for his suspension in Game 5, showed up huge for the Warriors when the league MVP did not. Green knocked down all five of his shots from three point range and went eight of ten from the field totaling 22 first half points. He also dished out five assists and grabbed five boards, playing more like himself as opposed to his lackluster Game 6 performance.

James finished the half with 12 points, a team high. Green’s performance allowed the Warriors to hold a 49-42 lead at the break.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, but in the third quarter each team showed up. Both teams were knocking down shots and the whole Warriors team got their shots in.

For the Cavs, Kyrie Irving helped ease the load off James with 12 third quarter points. And Golden State still had a one point lead going into the final quarter.

And as Curry became non-existent, James got the job done. James scored 11 points in the fourth and made some excellent defensive plays. He came up huge when his team needed it the most. Both teams found themselves struggling, but Cleveland’s ability to stop Golden State on the offensive end proved to be the difference.

Down three games to one in the best of seven series, the Cavs somehow found a way to be the first team to come back by that margin in Finals history. Cleveland defeated the Warriors, 93-89, to win the NBA’s most coveted prize.

Unfortunately, the Warriors got beat because they were unable to do what they do best, shoot the ball efficiently.

The home team shot 38.6 percent from the field and under 37 percent from beyond the arc. Curry and splash brother Klay Thompson combined for six of 24 from three point range. Two of the best three point shooters in the NBA shot 25 percent in the most important game of their careers.

Curry finished with 17 points and Green almost notched a triple double with a game high 32 points, adding 15 boards and nine assists.

James on the other hand did finish the game with a triple double. James had 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and quite frankly did not even have one of his better games. James joins Jerry West and James Worthy as the only players to get triple doubles in Game 7 of a NBA Finals.

Irving surely helped James get the victory with his 26 points and clutch shooting.

To no surprise, James won the MVP as he averaged 29.7 points, 8.9 assists and 11.3 rebounds in the series. After much scrutiny, James cemented himself as one of the greatest players ever and brought back a championship to the city of Cleveland for the first time in over 50 years.

Credit to the Cavs and James for playing great basketball, but the Warriors tremendous run comes to a disheartening close. The team who set the record for most wins in the regular season and came back from a 3-1 deficit of their own, watched a second championship slip away from the palms of their hands.

Curry was disappointing and did not have the best game of his career as he mentioned he would need to. And as Golden State found themselves with some injuries to key players, they allowed the Cavs to hold on to some life and it cost them a second championship trophy.

After all this team was able to accomplish, the Warriors appeared to get a little complacent. It will be interesting to see what players say in the next few days, but Golden State has a lot of things to hold their heads up high. Of course coming up short is truly discouraging, but the Warriors have the highest odds to win the championship next year.

Thank you for sticking with Sports Radio Service throughout this season and congratulations to the Cleveland Cavaliers, your 2016 NBA champions.