Category: Golden State Warriors

Warriors Tie Bulls’ Record On Historic Night In San Antonio

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By Ben Leonard

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AP photo: Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry applauds as the Warriors tie the all time winning record of the Chicago Bulls on Sunday in San Antonio

Just when you want to stop believing in the Warriors, they jump right back up off the mat. After a shaky stretch in which it seemed hopes of breaking the ’95-’96 Bulls record were all but lost, the Warriors brought themselves right back up to championship form, doing something they hadn’t done since 1997, beat the Spurs in San Antonio.

With a commanding 92-86 win, Stephen Curry and the Warriors (72-9) tied the NBA record for wins in a single season. Now, all that remains in the Warriors’ way to breaking the record is a home game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

They seem ready to do it — with the record in sight, nothing seems like an obstacle for the Warriors. San Antonio hadn’t lost at home in 48 games, but that didn’t phase the Warriors.

They had perhaps their best defensive first half of the season against one of the league’s best offenses, holding San Antonio to just 35 points on a measly 29 percent shooting from the field. Sure, Tim Duncan was out for rest, but the Warriors still had to grapple with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored 20 and 24 points, respectively.

It wasn’t all fun and games in the beginning for Golden State, which struggled on offense in the early going, scoring just 14 points in the first quarter. But once Curry turned it on, it was in the books. In just 35 minutes, he scored 37 points, 26 of which came in the second half. The bench did well to keep Golden State in the lead while Curry rested for the first seven minutes of the fourth, and then Curry provided the separation.

The mantra used to be not to bet against the Spurs, but the Warriors have flipped that script. Bet against Golden State at your own risk.

Warriors Keep Record Dreams Alive, Complete Comeback Against Memphis With 100-99 Victory

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By Shawn Whelchel

Draymond Green was candid about his desire to chase history this week when asked about breaking the Chicago Bulls’ record for most wins in a season.

On Saturday, he showed just how serious he was with big plays down the stretch on both ends of the court to secure a hard-fought 100-99 win against the Memphis Grizzlies on the road.

After being down by double digits at multiple points throughout the dwindling fourth quarter, Green would answer the call for the struggling Warriors with a pair of consecutive and-1’s to cut into Memphis’ lead. Green’s presence would be felt again with a tip in off a Steph Curry layup to give the Warriors a one point advantage with just a minute to go, which would ultimately be the difference in the game.

But perhaps just as important as his offensive contributions was Green’s defensive efforts in keeping big-man Zach Randolph from scoring on the Warriors late in the game. Green forced two clutch misses from Randolph late in the game while disallowing Memphis to rely on their biggest scoring threat with the game on the line.

The efforts by Green erased what was at times a 10-point deficit for a Warriors team struggling to find the long-ball that is crucial to their success. Golden State shot just 10-for-36 from the field from beyond the arc on the night, with Curry failing to connect on a three-pointer in the first half.

But with a chance at history on the line, Golden State rose to the occasion with three’s from Curry, Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes- whose shot would give the Warriors their first lead of the fourth quarter with just over 90 seconds left in the game.

Lance Stephenson had a chance to win the game for Memphis on a wild drive to the hoop against Klay Thompson, but help from Curry caused an errant layup to be tipped out to the corner, where Stephenson would hoist up a final hail mary shot that would bounce off the side of the hoop to go out of bounds with .8 of a second left, securing the win for Golden State on an inbound pass.

The difference in the game was the play of Memphis’ bench, who would outscore the Golden State reserves by 32-17. The Warriors also found themselves on the other end of the free-throw differential, with Memphis getting to the line for 18 points compared to their 12.

But despite the balanced scoring attack throughout the Memphis lineup, strong nights from the Warriors’ starters in Green (23 points, 11 rebounds), Thompson(20 points), Curry (17 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists) and Barnes (14 points) saved what was a lackluster effort through three quarters for Golden State.

Matt Barnes would lead the scoring for the Grizzlies with 24 points on 17 shots, followed by Vince Carter with 15 points Stephenson with 13 of his own.

The win, which gave them their 71st of the season, was a record in its own right, as the 33 road wins ties the Bulls record for road victories in a single season. Golden State has one chance to claim sole possession of that record with their final road game of the season against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Golden State Warriors Thursday game wrap: Reaction From Steve Kerr — Warriors Clinch West, But Will They Rest Players?

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By Ben Leonard

AP photo: The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry goes for a lay up on the San Antonio Spurs Manu Ginobili (20) at Oracle Arena Thursday night

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Warriors (70-9) found a way to grit through early struggles to topple the San Antonio Spurs (65-13) and claim the Western Conference title with a 112-101 victory. In the process, they became only the second team in NBA history to reach the 70-win plateau.

In the early going, it didn’t seem too promising — Draymond Green got into foul trouble and the Warriors’ offense stalled, scoring just six points in the first six minutes. After a crushing loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, Golden State’s prospects of setting the all-time NBA wins record seemed grim.

But as they usually do, the Warriors found a way to kick it into another gear. Stephen Curry led the way for Golden State with 27 points, Harrison Barnes continued his offensive resurgence with 21 points, and Green dropped 18 to help the Warriors’ offense come back to life.

Now, with three games remaining and the West in the Warriors’ hands, the question becomes whether or not to sit the Warriors’ regulars to rest them for the playoffs. Resting them would also imply a wish to prevent a potentially catastrophic injury to one of the Warriors’ key players, but Warriors’ head coach refutes that notion: “It’s not that I’m worried about injury,” Kerr said in his press conference streamed on KNBR. “You can get injured in practice. It’s not so much that I want to get guys to avoid an injury, but that we have a back-to-back and three games in four nights [to close the season].”

Kerr has largely left the decision up to the players, who will convene tomorrow with the coaching staff to discuss the issue. He hasn’t decided yet, but given his players’ health and ability to recover, he seems to be leaning toward gunning for the record:

“The good news for us is that the guys that need rest have gotten rest — [Andrew] Bogut, Andre [Igoudala], Shaun Livingston — and the rest of our core recovers pretty quickly,” Kerr said. “I’m not sure that they actually need a rest physically, but maybe a break mentally would do them some good. I’m pretty sure we’re not going to be in this position next year — you can’t keep winning at this level. It’s a unique situation to be in this position, and most of our guys really want to do this.”

If they want to break the ’95-’96 Bulls’ high water mark of 72 wins, they have to win all of their remaining three games: Saturday in Memphis, Sunday in San Antonio, and the season finale at home against Memphis. Golden State has won its meetings with Memphis by an average of 33 points this season, while they dropped their only game in San Antonio this season, a city in which they haven’t won since 1997. In short, the Warriors will have to overcome history if they want to make history. But as we’ve seen all season long, they’ve got it in them.

 

Warriors Upset By Timberwolves — Record In Jeopardy

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By Ben Leonard

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photo credit San Francisco Chronicle: Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson knows it’s foregone conclusion in the closing seconds of Golden State’s ninth loss

The Warriors’ quest for the NBA all-time wins record just took a major blow. Just when you’d have thought the Warriors (69-9) would have stood up strong, they fell flat on their faces in a crushing 124-117 loss to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves (26-52).

Coming into Tuesday, Golden State had to win just four out of its five remaining games to break the ’95-’96 Bulls’ record of 72 wins, but after the loss are faced with the task of winning out to shatter the mark. Phenom Andrew Wiggins lead the way for Minnesota, scoring 32 points on 11 of 19 shooting and forcing 6 steals.

It most disheartening thing for Golden State was that it seemed like the Warriors were going to roll over the Timberwolves and coast to a relatively easy win. They had an nine point lead heading into the second half, a position in which they’ve thrived.

Stephen Curry was facilitating the offense, scoring just two points in the first but dishing out 10 assists, many of them to Harrison Barnes, who had 18 points in the first. They reversed roles in the second half, as Curry finished with 21 and Barnes with 20, but it wasn’t enough in the end.

The Timberwolves proceeded to take over in the fourth quarter, making the Warriors fold in a close game, not something that they’ve often done. Heading into Saturday, they had won 12 of 14 games decided by 5 points or less — now it’s 12 of 15. Minnesota dominated overtime and the fourth, outscoring Golden State by a combined fifteen points.

Now the Warriors are faced with the tall task of beating the Spurs — and the Grizzlies — twice if they want to officially become the best team in NBA history. Yes, it was a classic trap game, with San Antonio next on the slate, but they’re going to have to take it up a notch. Or three.

Warriors Blaze Past Portland — But Will Golden State Break Record?

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By Ben Leonard

Great basketball teams know how to rebound — from a tough loss and on the glass alike. Although its hard to revolutionize the former, the Warriors have revolutionized the latter, winning with a small lineup game in and game out. After a sound 136–111 win over the Portland Trailblazers to rebound from their first home loss of the season, can the revolutionary Warriors make basketball history and break the ’95-’96 Chicago Bulls vaunted record?

They certainly looked the part on Sunday, showing resiliency after that heartbreaking loss to Boston on Friday. One potential record lost — a perfect home slate, never before accomplished — didn’t discourage Golden State, but rather served to motivate them after a shaky first quarter. Portland got off to a quick start, dropping 37 points in the first, but Golden State seemed to keep its larger goal in mind, and took it into second gear. The energy picked up and the defense tightened up, allowing just 19 points in the second quarter to give Golden State a 63-56 halftime lead.

The offense looked like that of a team on a mission, with three players scoring above 20 points. Joining the usual suspects, the Splash Brothers (60 points), in that company was Draymond Green, scoring 22 points. Stephen Curry had 39, which seems routine nowadays.It was a well-rounded offensive performance (56.8 FG%, 60.0 3-PT FG%) —  what we’ve come to expect from these Warriors. If they keeping playing like this, watch out, record books. You’re in for a change.

However resilient and dominant they were, common sense says that who you’re playing matters just as much as how you’re playing when predicting future performance. Sure, the Warriors only need to win four out of five games to break the record, but it makes things a little more problematic when you take into account that they’re playing the Spurs twice, once on the road.

According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Warriors have over a 78% chance of beating all three of their remaining opponents not from San Antonio. They start with a home game against Minnesota, which should be chalked up as a win (94% chance of win per BPI), barring apocalyptic catastrophe. Then they take on San Antonio at Oracle Arena, a venue where Golden State routed the Spurs earlier this season, giving them a 59% chance of winning. Next, a road-home with Memphis (78% and 91%, resptively) that sandwiches the next meeting with the Spurs on the road should both go down as wins. Essentially, unless the Warriors let their guard down, they need to take only one of two from San Antonio.

The Warriors have a unique way of willing themselves to win, a heart and chemistry unmatched in today’s NBA of super teams and super egos. It’s hard to see a team of this caliber and this makeup dropping both games to San Antonio, or one and a massive upset in one of the other three games. This record means too much to this team for them to let it slip away. As we saw tonight, when the Warriors want to take it into a second gear, they do. Nothing can stop them. Like it or not, losing twice in five games just won’t happen to these Warriors.

 

 

Golden State Warriors Friday game wrap: Warriors’ home streak falls

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~ PC: (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ If only it was an April Fool’s Day prank, but it was not, as Golden State’s streak fell at 54 to the Boston Celtics, Friday, 109-106.

The Celtics had ties to another one of the Warriors’ streaks. While last matchup, Boston was not directly tied to ending the streak of Golden State aiming to be the first to go 7-0 on the road, the Celtics did take the game the night before to double overtime.

The Warriors’ Stephen Curry finished with 29 points, all but one his shots from the field a three, five rebounds, six assists and nine turnovers. For Boston, Isaiah Thomas, Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger had 22, 21 and 20 points respectively. Sullinger had a double-double with 12 rebounds.

Golden State lost the turnover battle 14-22. The Celtics outscored the Warriors in the paint 48-30.

It was a tough first quarter for Curry. After a rebound, he committed four straight turnovers when he had the ball, five overall in the quarter. Curry did not have a point until a three with 4.3 seconds left in the quarter, to give Golden State the lead heading to the locker rooms.

The second did not have that much activity until the very end. With 2:14 left, Curry hit another three. There were two ties. Sullinger had four points and the Warriors’ Klay Thompson had three. Curry had an offensive foul turnover and the next possession, a backcourt turnover. Bradley gave Boston the 45-43 lead with a three after missing one earlier and Thompson tried a three with .4 seconds left. Golden State had a seven point lead during the quarter.

Curry came out firing with two consecutive threes in the third. They would be the first of six total in the quarter, as Curry went three crazy. He scored a total of 21 points in the quarter. When Curry made the first of three consecutive free throws with 2:19 left in the third quarter, that was his first non three pointer. Curry’s last three in the quarter would be the last time the Warriors led though.

The Celtics’ lead grew to 10 points by 8:41 left in the third quarter, thanks to an 11-4 run. Marcus Smart had five points and Golden State missed three straight. Draymond Green almost single handedly brought back Golden State to within three with 3:58 left. He had six straight out of eight points he made starting with 5:26 left. Harrison Barnes’ three made it 106-107 with 10.2 seconds left, but a layup by Thomas with 8.3 seconds left, sealed the deal. Curry and Barnes tried a three apiece after to no avail.

Game notes: The Warriors’ Andrew Bogut left the game early after taking a drive to the ribs. Golden State also lost their six game win streak. The Warriors play the Portland Trailblazers Sunday at 5pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors believe in themselves that they can get to 72 wins

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On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor the Warriors who picked up their 68th win their closing in on the Chicago Bulls all time winningest record. The 1995-96 World Champion year and during that regular season the Bulls lost only ten games that season going 72-10. The Warriors can make it interesting if they can win their next four games in a row. They face the Boston Celtics Friday night at Oracle in seeking win number 69.

The Warriors played the Utah Jazz in their last game it was a hard fought game in Salt Lake City and the Warriors who were down by eight points in the closing minutes miraculously escaped defeat for their 68th win of the season. Their aiming to get number 72 in the win column and according to the Warriors star Stephen Curry he’s a believer.

David has lots more Warriors comments on the podcast click below listen at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Warriors survive Jazz in overtime

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By: Eric He

The Jazz gave the Warriors as good a battle as any team could, but the Warriors pulled out a 103-96 overtime victory in Utah to advance to 68-7 and take another step toward a record-breaking 73-win season.

With the game tied 91-91 in overtime, the Warriors went on a 10-2 run to put the game away. Stephen Curry, who finished with 31 points, made a difficult shot at the basket — part of a self-orchestrated 6-0 run — to give the Warriors a 99-93 lead and the Jazz never threatened in the overtime session.

The Warriors trailed by three in the final seconds of regulation, but Klay Thompson tied the game with a 3-pointer on a second opportunity after Shaun Livingston grabbed the offensive rebound on Thompson’s original miss. The Warriors entered the fourth trailing 69-63, but the Jazz kept them in the game with missed free throws — they went 13-of-29 — and the Warriors took advantage.

Golden State took a 42-40 lead into halftime, as the Jazz hung with the defending champions every step of the way until the very end. Gordon Hayward led Utah with 21 points and Rodney Hood added 20.

But the Warriors’ grit and desire won out, and they now sit five wins away from a record no one ever though would be broken.

The Warriors next play the Celtics at home on Friday.

Warriors’ winning ways continue, hold off Wizards

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND, Calif — Reigning league MVP Stephen Curry led all scorers with 26 points and Draymond Green fell one assist shy for his 13th triple double of the season helping the Golden State Warriors fend off a pesky Washington Wizards team, 102-94 Tuesday night in front of a sold out raucous Oracle Arena crowd.

Curry shot just 9 for 20 from the field, but drilled 6 of 8 threes to go along with seven assists, seven rebounds, five steals and emphatic dunk in the closing moments of the first quarter as Golden State (67-7), tied the franchise mark for wins in a season from last season and remain on pace to break the all-time wins mark in a season.

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls finished the season 72-10 en route to the NBA title.

With eight games to go, Golden State must finish no worse than 6-2 to set a new single-season record for wins in a season.

Green finished with 15 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists, while Klay Thompson scored just 16 points after back-to-back games of 40+ points over the weekend for the Warriors, who picked up their 54th straight win at home dating back to last season.

Golden State is 36-0 at home this season and have a chance to break the 1985-86 Boston Celtics’ 40-1 home record, an NBA record.

Washington (36-38) played Golden State very tough for three quarters, scoring 25 points off of 16 Golden State turnovers and out-scoring the Warriors in the paint, 50-40.

Golden State did dominate on the glass, out-rebounding Washington 55-48 and held the edge on fast break points, 24-13.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 17 points, Markieff Morris had 15 points and eight rebounds, and Otto Porter Jr. finished with 11 points for Washington, who allowed Golden State to close the first half on a 12-0 run to take a 49-46 lead after building a nine-point lead.

Both teams return to floor quickly Wednesday with Golden State flying to Salt Lake City to play a surging Utah Jazz team, while Washington looks to bounce back when they visit Sacramento.

 

 

 

 

Warriors hold off Mavericks

Published on by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

The Golden State Warriors inched closer to history on Friday night, beating the Mavericks 128-120 to advance to 65-7 on the season and take another step toward breaking the Chicago Bulls’ record for most wins in a season.

Klay Thompson led the way with 40 points and Stephen Curry added 33 points — the duo combined for 14 3-pointers to help the Warriors break another record by hitting 938 3-pointers on the season.

The Warriors put up 40 points in the first quarter and 72 in the first half as Curry knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the second quarter and give the Warriors a 72-58 advantage at halftime.

But Steve Kerr complained about the team’s defense after the game, as the Mavericks quietly worked their way back into the game in the second half. A run in the fourth quarter by Dallas cut the lead to as little as three when Charlie Villanueva hit a 3-pointer.

The Warriors were to put the game away, though, on back-to-back 3s by Thompson and Harrison Barnes to put the Warriors up 10 with under a minute to play.

Golden State shot 48.9 percent from the field as four starters finished in double-figures. They play the 76ers next at home on Sunday.