Golden State Warriors – Page 145 – Sports Radio Service

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Oakland needs Golden State Warriors

Published on May 21, 2015May 21, 2015 by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–During the past few years downtown Oakland became famous for the demonstrations, the Occupy movement, the riots, the anarchist covering their faces while destroying windows, cars, stores an anything on theirway, all that negative stuff that was all over national television, while on the other side of the bay, the Giants had three World Series parades in the last five years and were seen celebrating in front of a million people down Market street.

I am not trying to compare Oakland to San Francisco, because everybody knows that San Francisco’s beauty and status ranks very high over Oakland, and over many other cities.

The Golden State Warriors have not won an NBA championship since the 1974-1975 season; and this year they look like they are going to repeat for the first time since then.

There were rumors that if the Warriors captured the NBA title this season, there will be a parade in San Francisco, but that is incorrect. Even the thought of the Warriors planning to build an arena in San Francisco and eventually move there, they still are playing in Oakland territory, and if the win the NBA title the Victory Parade
will be down Broadway in downtown Oakland.

It is not a ‘done deal’that the Warriors will be playing in San Francisco, there is opposition to their arena in that city led by the Mission Bay Alliance, and as we all know (those of us that have lived here for many decades)one of the toughest things to do in San Francisco is to build any type of sports venue.

There are environmentalists that would favor the survival of a two billion year smelt that lives under the docks, over any type of building, and residents that have complained already that their view of the bay will be obstructed by building an arena for the Warriors. Campaign consultant and San Francisco political guru Jack Davis is leading the charge to stop the new Warriors arena with Mission Bay Alliance.

Common sense tells us that eventually the Warriors will build their new arena in San Francisco, it is a happening city, one of the most expensive cities in the country and with the influx of the high technology crowd moving up north from San José/Silicon Valley, there is plenty of money by the Golden Gate. So in the long run, the possibility of the Warriors playing in a new arena in San
Francisco is very big.

However, today 2015 the Golden State Warriors are still an Oakland team, and should have been named the Oakland Warriors a very long time ago. Other franchises have changed their “generic”names, to reflect the city where they actually play. Regardless, the City of Oakland can use a parade, a festive affair that brings people together in a
positive celebratory mode.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Angels Spanish TV voice and the A’s radio Spanish voice and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Curry is definitely the game changer when W’s need a lift

Published on May 16, 2015May 16, 2015 by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by David Zizmor

OAKLAND–The Warriors had a hiccup in games two and three of the second round with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors defense was not as intense as it needed to be. Their offense was way off they weren’t hitting the shots. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr sat them down after game three and they watched a tape of the game instead of practicing. The Warriors after that review saw for themselves that they looked lackadaisical they just weren’t doing the things that you need to win in those two games in the playoffs against an experienced Memphis team.

If you want to beat a team like the Grizzlies with two powerhouse guys down low like Marcus Gasol and Zach Randolph you really got to put the effort in. There’s no doubt about it this was a really rough series for the Warriors, the Warriors really had to get physical in a way that I haven’t seen them get all season long and in decades.

The Warriors are a team that have the capability and they learned it all own their own and experienced it all on their own. Until they did that and saw that in games two and three they had a lack of effort in games two and three. They beat the New Orleans Pelicans in the four game sweep and it wasn’t an easy sweep by any means as the Pelicans Anthony Davis made sure of that.

Except for that big come back in the New Orleans series when they were really tested even in that big comeback they were really playing their game. They didn’t need to elevate themselves to any degree. That late comeback performance against the Pelicans was something we saw them do several times. The Grizzlies were a team as physical as would find in the NBA.

The Warriors need to learn how they play and change their strategy and with an adjustment all the way around. When the Warriors got to game six on Friday night and actually games four, five and six the Warriors really came out ready to play. They were ready for those three games, the last three games with the Grizzlies the W’s were fantastic.

From start to finish that was the best sequence of games that we’ve seen them play all season long because the Warriors were ready on offense and they were ready on defense. Memphis really didn’t get anything going too hard against them. The Grizzlies appeared to be making it close but the Warriors kind of shut it down. The Warriors will be going through some drills between now and Tuesday night which is game one of round three of these playoffs.

David Zizmor does Warriors commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen the podcast below

Curry Leads Warriors to the Conference Finals

Published on May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

By Jeff Hall

MEMPHIS–

The Golden State Warriors are headed to the Conference finals for the first time in thirty-nine years with a 108-95 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Warriors came out hot with all five Warriors starters scoring points in the first five minutes of the game. Klay Thompson started well for the Warriors with nine points under half way through the first quarter and it was a quarter the Warriors dominated. The Warriors opened the game 11 of 15 in field goal shooting in the first.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had 11 points in the First quarter and together their combined 22 points outscored the Grizzlies in the first quarter that ended with the Warriors leading 32-19. Thompson was 3 of 3 from three-point range and Curry was 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies in scoring with six points. Mike Conley had four points for the Grizzlies in the first.

Both Curry and Thompson slowed down in scoring in the second quarter, but the Warriors continued their solid defensive play to sustain their big lead and by the half the Warriors lead was 58-49 over the Grizzlies.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 14 points in the first half.

Once again the Warriors played extremely well on both ends of the court holding the Grizzlies in scoring and the Grizzlies’ Bench scored 19 points in the first half.

The Grizzlies stayed in the game thanks to the pure toughness of Marc Gasol who practically carried his team on his back in the third. Gasol helped to shut down the Warriors offensively and defensively. Gasol stopped 4 shots that came his way within the paint. The Warriors became cold shooting in the third and that allowed the Grizzlies back into the game. The Grizzlies pulled within one point with three minutes remaining in the third . Wiping away the Warriors largest lead of 15 points reducing it to five but with no time remaining Curry knocked the wind out of the Fed-ex Forum after he fired up nearly a full court shot and gave the Warriors a 76-68 Warriors lead with a seventy-five foot basket to close out the third. That Basket drove the Warriors into the Western Conference Finals. 1976 is the last time the Warriors have made it this far in post-season action.

After the Curry shot the Warriors went on a 14-4 run to begin the fourth quarter. and the Warrriors held the lead through the entire game.

“We’ve come along way since I’ve been here. We came to play every night, it’ nice to see the results” said Curry after the game.

Curry led all scoring with 32 points and was 8 of 11 with the three-point basket. Klay Thompson had 19 points and Draymond Green had 14.

The Warriors did not allow the Grizzlies to score 100 points in the series.

Up next the Warriors will face the winner of the Los Angeles Clippers – Houston Rocket series. Game one is scheduled for Tuesday Night at the Oracle Arena.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Warriors playing like money in the bank

Published on May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by Amaury Pi Gonzalez & Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Golden State Warriors you can’t stop them you can only contain them and not for long either. The work of Draymond Green worked again stopping the Grizzlies Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph the Warriors played some awesome ball against the Memphis Grizzlies in game five on Wednesday. Game six was dominated quickly when the Warriors made work of the Grizzlies in the first quarter.

Gasol has played a seven years in the league he’s a veteran but the Warriors are a better team the Warriors won game five by 20 98-78. The Warriors have got great depth out of Andre Iguodala and David Lee. Lee has come off the bench and has been very good, Iguodala has been a great defensive player. Warriors ace Stephen Curry brings his A game every night he’s the MVP what else can you say.

There is no doubt about it this might be the best team for the Warriors of all time in their history. They had great players like Rick Barry, Clifford Ray, Charles Johnson, and George Johnson from the 1974-75 championship season. This year’s team have completely overwhelmed the Grizzlies, the three pointers are falling and their shooting is awesome, this very well could be the best Warriors team ever.

The 74-75 Warriors were like lighting in a bottle they went all the way but you have to remember that Clifford Ray was no Nate Thurmond. The Warriors had George Johnson, Charles Johnson and Phil Smith at center. They went deep in the 75-76 post season but they never made another finals appearance again. The Warriors will face either the Clippers or the Rockets for the next round depending on the outcome of their game on Saturday night.

Green held off a 6’9 Randolph and Gasol 7’1, the Warriors Matt Barnes has been a great help, Klay Thompson, Iguodala, Leandro Barbosa, Lee, Festus Ezeli, and the Warriors destroyed the Grizzlies defensively and there is no reason why they can’t go all the way with a club like this with good defensive players.

That’s a good point comparing this year’s Warriors to that 74-75 team where they got lighting in the bottle, this Warriors team has been pretty good from the beginning. So it would be a bummer if they didn’t make it, even the national media didn’t give the Warriors any respect for them to make the finals, but they certainly have their attention now.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for the A’s, the Spanish TV voice for the Angels, and does News and Commentary. Jerry Feitelberg is also a talk show host for http://www.sportsradioservice.com listen to the podcast below

Warriors Take 3-2 Series Lead, Momentum in Romp of Grizzlies

Published on May 13, 2015 by bentleonard18Leave a comment

By: Ben Leonard
Follow @ben___leonard
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The Grizzlies’ stout defense had been the Achilles heel of the Warriors so far in this series. Memphis got a taste of its own medicine on Wednesday at Oracle Arena, falling 98-78 to the high-flying Warriors. So when Stephen Curry was in MVP form and Klay Thompson finally found success, it spelled doom for the Grizzlies, who find themselves in a 3-2 hole with the series heading back to Memphis.

It didn’t help that lockdown defender Toney Allen was out with a hamstring injury. Without his presence on the outside, Golden State was able to make 14 of 30 attempts from downtown, including outscoring Memphis 27-3 from long range in the first half. Vince Carter and Jeff Greens simply could not replicate the jolt of energy that Allen brings to the court.With no three point shooters in Memphis’ lineup, the Warriors were able to coast after burying the Grizzlies early. Golden State was up eight at the half, but it felt like much more, especially after being down 13 points early, eventually leading 74-57 at the end of the third quarter.

After finding themselves down 2-1 in the series, the Warriors have rediscovered their regular season mojo, namely strong defense and outside shooting. Curry was a huge part of the Warriors’ resurgence, scoring 18 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists. He went 6 of 16 from three, and took just three shots from inside the arc, missing all of them. But it’s not like the Warriors need him to drop 50. Klay Thompson, who had struggled in the series’ early going, scored a game high 21 points for Golden State, making 3 of his 4 three point attempts, going 7 of 16 from the floor overall.

Marc Gasol had a solid game in a losing effort, scoring 18 points while pulling down 12 rebounds. However, it wasn’t enough with Draymond Green locking down fellow big man Zach Randolph, who was held to just 13 points by Green’s tight defense. Randolph and the Grizzlies face elimination on Friday night when they return to Memphis. The Warriors have the momentum in this series, and will get another chance to defend their home court even if they lose Friday. Good luck, Memphis.

Warriors rout Grizzlies in Game 4

Published on May 12, 2015 by Eric HeLeave a comment

By: Eric He

In decisive fashion, the Golden State Warriors allowed their fans to breathe a huge sigh of relief with a 101-84 blowout victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals to even up the series at two games apiece.

After struggling the last two games, Stephen Curry stepped up in MVP fashion, scoring 33 points to lead his team to victory. Four other Warriors — Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, and Harrison Barnes — also scored in double figures.

Up 61-44 at halftime, the Warriors maintained separation throughout the second half. Back-to-back threes by Curry and Thompson gave the Warriors a 74-49 advantage midway through the third quarter.

To underscore the importance of the game, Steve Kerr rode the starters for a majority of the second half despite the large lead. And they finished off the job, not allowing the Grizzlies to make any sort of run.

The Warriors ran away from the Grizzlies with a dominant second quarter, dropping 33 points. Up 28-20 after the first quarter, a three-pointer by Andre Iguodala gave them a 37-26 lead, their first double-digit lead since Game 1.

Then Curry took over, scoring 15 of the Warriors’ last 20 points of the half. He had 21 points in all in the first half, including a 6-0 spurt to put the Warriors up 47-33. He closed the half with a ridiculous three-point play, drawing Jeff Green in the air with a pump fake and knocking down the jumper.

A layup by David Lee, who made a positive impact on the game, sent the Warriors into halftime up 61-44.

From the start, the Warriors seemed more confident than the previous two games. Green scored eight of the Warriors’ first 10 points, and Barnes contributed early on as well. The Warriors ended the first quarter on a 7-0 run, capped off by a deep three from Curry to give the Warriors a 28-20 lead.

Randolph, Gasol Bully Warriors to 2-1 Series Lead

Published on May 10, 2015 by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

For the first time all season the Golden State Warriors are staring true adversity in the face. Following a 99-89 loss Saturday night in Memphis, the Warriors now trail the Grizzlies 2-1 in the Western Conference Semifinals.

For the second consecutive contest, the offensive juggernaut that was the Warriors shrank in the face of the bullish Memphis front. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson improved slightly off a dismal 13-for-34 night in Monday’s 97-90 loss at Oracle, combining to score 43 points (Curry 23, Thompson 20).

Curry struggled from the field, hitting 8 of 21 shots. The Most Valuable Player went just 2-of-10 from three-point land. As a team, the Warriors were held to just 6 treys on 26 tries, an identical figure to Monday night.

Memphis center Marc Gasol produced a double-double, scoring 21 while pulling in 15 boards. Fellow Twin Tower Zach Randolph came a pair of rebounds short of his own double-double, dropping 22 points on Golden State. Guard Mike Conley produced only 11 points one game after his game two 22-point return from an orbital bone injury.

While Curry and Thompson produced a more successful performance than their last display, the bigs of Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green struggled. The two came up with a pair of field goals, three free throws and a combined 8 points. Harrison Barnes played a Warriors-topping 40 minutes, scoring 16 in a breakthrough performance that can be viewed as a positive by Golden State fans.

The Warriors were up 15-10 early in the contest but were trailing 55-39 by the half after being outscored 32-19 in the second quarter. Golden State outscored the Grizzlies 50-44 over the final two quarters, but ran out of time to complete the comeback.

The Warriors now face unfamiliar territory heading into Monday night’s game four. It’s the first time on the campaign that the Warriors enter a road game on a two-game losing streak. Golden State lost two consecutive games four times, winning the next game at home all four times to go the entire season without a losing stretch of three games or more.

The Grizzlies pose a formidable threat at home at FedEx Forum where they won 31 games, tied for the fifth-most by a home team this season. Golden State earned the best road record at 28-13.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Green is the most effective defender to stop Gasol and Randoph

Published on May 9, 2015 by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by David Zizmor

OAKLAND–The Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is having a fantastic season he finished second in the voting for defensive player of the year. He’s really blossomed and has come into his own in kind of surprising fashion. At the beginning of the season David Lee was slated as the starter at power forward and then Lee hurt his back and was out for a couple of months and Green took his place the rest as they say is history.

The first two games against Memphis Green has been everything as advertised he’s guarded both Mark Gasol and Zach Randolph the big Memphis forwards. These guys have been key in the front court for the Grizzlies. It’s not an easy job Green really has got to push his energy levels to there limits and Gasol and Randolph might have to see him for over 40 minutes a night in this series because the Warriors don’t have a ton a guys whose effective against either of those guys.

Green gets in there he’s willing to do the dirty work against two of the best front court players in the NBA. Your talking about Gasol a guy whose been the NBA Player of the year a year ago and your talking about Randolph whose probably the best if not the best low post scorer at the power forward spot besides Tim Duncan.

These guys are fantastic and it takes every ounce of energy to keep these guys from dominating so Green is critical in this game. He had a tough game two, he did okay and Randolph and Gasol didn’t dominate him in either of the first two match ups. The thing they got to watch out for is Green gets into foul trouble. You go against guys who are that good your going to get fouled.

You just have to try and space them out you don’t want to get the foul too quickly, one thing we saw in game two is Green got two pretty quick fouls and they sent him to the bench to early. When he’s on the bench the Warriors have a lot of trouble getting the right combination of players in to stop those guys. Festus Ezeli, Andre Iguodala, these guys come in and they all try to do something.

Their just not as good at guarding those guys as Green is and Ezeli might have a shot he’s a big guy he’s got length he can man up against someone like Gasol or Randolph but he’s not as quick. He still doesn’t have as big a basketball IQ as Green does. What the Warriors really need is effective minutes from Ezeli because Lee isn’t going to cut it, Iguodala is not going cut it either he might be able to stop some passes but he’s not big enough to stop them in all plays all game long.

David Zizmor is the Golden State Warriors analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com catch his podcast below

Golden State Warriors Mission Bay Arena: Jack Davis political consultant will stand between the Warriors and new arena project

Published on May 7, 2015May 7, 2015 by lleonardbwLeave a comment

by Tony the Tiger Hayes

SAN FRANCISCO–Political campaign consultant Jack Davis is no joke, he managed to stop the San Francisco Giants in a 1992 campaign to build a new downtown stadium in San Jose. Davis in one his clever campaign mailers to San Jose voters had a photo of then owner Bob Lurie with a rectangular opening where his nose should have been asking voters to put this on their light switches.

Each time they hit the switch they would say “Flip off Bob Lurie” on the idea on building a new stadium for the Giants in San Jose and the Giants who were campaigning successfully lost their chance to build in San Jose. Considering that move and many others Davis could very well compromise the Golden State Warriors attempts to build at Mission Bay.

The Warriors have committed to buying the land at Mission Bay although they have not officially purchased the land at $30 million as an option and $150-155 million for the land, yet be assured they will have the funds ready when needed to buy the land from Salesforce. The Warriors want to build the arena and two towers that are 120 feet tall which meets the City’s height limits at the waterfront.

Davis who campaigned for former Mayors Frank Jordan and Willie Brown and ran successful campaigns for both. Davis will be at the forefront of the campaign to stop the Warriors from building the new arena at Mission Bay. Willie Brown dropped out from supporting Davis and the Mission Bay Alliance because it would “conflict” with his objectivity as a columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle as he appears in the paper every Sunday in his column “Willie’s World”.

Davis pledged to be very aggressive in this campaign, he will be coming at the Warriors like a bad habit and the key to the cog in the Warriors wheel will be California Environmental Quailty Act issues that are being visited by Mission Bay Alliance attorneys. Davis who will do political consulting who will oppose the new Warriors arena with many strategic mailers to San Francisco voters.

Davis strikes fear in the hearts of many when he steps into any election campaign and his goal here is to get a initiative on the ballot that will oppose the Warriors arena on their CEQA issues which is not limited to traffic issues on overlapping and non overlapping games with the Giants, traffic that would impede emergency vehicles access to and from nearby UCSF Hospital, noise issues that would impact waterfront residents, and live stock or environmental concerns that the new arena or the towers would impact.

Davis is exploring the stopping of construction of the two towers. At issue with the “no wall at the waterfront” theme. Even if the Warriors are within the height limits an environmental impact study is still be being explored to stop the towers.

Davis said regarding lining up attorneys and environmental attorneys, “We have hired the very best CEQA attorneys to go over every line (in the Warriors arena blue print plans filing of Mission Bay). Warrior president Rick Welts said he is committed to purchase the land, “We have financing and we have an ironclad agreement to buy. We are buying the land. Period.”

Tony the Tiger Hayes is a podcast talk show host at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Mike Conley’s performance leads Grizzlies past Warriors in Game 2

Published on May 5, 2015May 5, 2015 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

AP Photo/Ben Margot

By Jeff Hall

OAKLAND –

The Memphis Grizzlies proved to the Warriors that they have some bite as a team by beating the Warriors on their home floor to even the Western Conference Semi-finals with a 97-90win. With the win the Grizzlies snapped the Warriors undefeated play-off win streak. And they snapped the Warriors 21 home game-winning streak.

Everyone knew that Stephan Curry was the league’s MVP, but what everyone learned was that Mike Conley is one tough dude. Nobody was more valuable on this night than Conley. Conley was back in the starting line-up for the Grizzlies. After missing three games after undergoing facial surgery. Conley’s surgery occurred just eight-days prior to game 2. Conley who was wearing a full cover face mask after having a plate inserted into his face. He got off to a hot start scoring four of his first four field goal attempts and had 9 points and with just over six minutes into the first quarter. Memphis jumped out to a 14-9 lead half way through the first. The Grizzlies out-played the Warriors most of the first and jumped ahead to a 28-22 lead after the first quarter.

The Grizzlie’s Marc Gasol struggled and did not score in the first quarter. Gasol played only six minutes after committing two early fouls.

Stephan Curry showed everyone why he deserved the MVP award he received from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver prior to the start of the game in front of the home crowd at Oracle Arena. At the end of the first, Curry led the Warriors in scoring with seven first quarter points.

The warriors started the second quarter going on a 9-2 run and pulled themselves within four points just two minutes into the second quarter.

The Grizzlies Zach Randolph received a large amount of playing time in the first half primarily because Gasol remained in foul trouble. Gasol picked up his third foul half way through the second quarter after making hard contact to Warriors defender Andrew Bogut.

Memphis would hold the lead through the first half 50-39. The Warriors pulled within four points with just over a minute remaining in the first half, but Memphis spread their scoring which was led by Zach Randolph with ten first half points. Conley had nine first half points.

Curry led the Warriors with nine first half points He was one of four from three-point shooting and Klay Thompson was one of five from three-point shooting range. Thompson had just five first half points. Overall The Warriors were held to less than forty-first half points for only the third time this season. Thompson did not score a basket in the third quarter.

Memphis was able to get to the fourth with a 73-63 lead, it seemed that each time the Warriors would pick away at a Memphis lead the Grizzlies would respond and find an answer to any run the Warriors would bring. The Warriors turned the ball over seven times in the third quarter.

The only part of Conley’s game that may have struggled due to the injury was his 3-point shooting. That was until Conley made a 3-point shot to increase the Grizzlies lead to 10 with 2:11 remaining in the game that shot was

Conley had to leave the game after suffering leg cramps, but came back into the game in the final minute. the damage of his offensive performance was already done as far as the Warriors were concerned. Conley led all scorers with 22 points.

“I’m happy the way the team performed. I felt like I played fifty minutes tonight. My teammates lifted me up. I felt like I was a liability defensively for a little bit.” Said Conley after the game.

After the game his coach expressed his thoughts of his players toughness, “Mike Conley had tremendous heart with his performance tonight.He gave us an extra element,” said Grizzlie’s Head Coach David Joerger.

Along with Conley, Zach Randolph had a strong game and received several minutes with Gasol in foul trouble. Randolph scored 20 points.

The Warriors did not have a good scoring night from the splash brothers, Curry led the Warriors with 19 points. Curry was just 2 of 11 from 3-point range. Klay Thompson scored 13 points and did not score a basket in he second half until 6:45 in the third quarter. Thompson was 6 of 15 from 3-point range.

Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr reflected on the play of the Grizzlies, “They played a great game, Mike Conley had a great game. We didn’t play well enough to win.” said Kerr

Game Three heads to the Fed-Ex Forum in Memphis for game three on Saturday.