Category: Golden State Warriors

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors big dream of having a new arena at Piers 30-32, a hotel and condos built across the street from the piers was scraped on Monday due to the huge public opposition to develop on the waterfront on the Embarcadero due to height concerns by neighborhood residents.

The Warriors who on Monday said their decision to move from Piers 30-32 to Mission Bay was solely because of the costs to build at Piers 30-32 which doubled in the neighborhood of $180 million for construction costs. Within the last month a ballot drive to put a San Francisco initiative Proposition B to stop development on the waterfront due to height concerns had seen well over the minimum amount of petitions to get the initiative on the ballot.

With this in mind the Warriors knew they would be beaten at the ballot box in the upcoming November election and therefore withdrew from the Pier 30-32 plans and announced that they purchased property at the Mission Bay site which is located south of AT&T Park another site that the Warriors were rumored to moving to.

The Mission Bay site which is owned by Saleforce.com will sell to the Warriors, the property was going to be used for UCSF biotech redevelopment but with the new arena city officials and Salesforce who is willing to sell see the project at the location a community benefit, “the mayor recognizes and we recognize that the city is moving south, there are some great advantages for the city in this as well” said Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob.

Former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos and former Board President Aaron Peskin were strong opponents of the Piers 30-32 project because of the height issue are supportive of the Mission Bay project, “this is a historic moment of the people of San Francisco because we have protected our precious bay and waterfront, as well as gained a new hometown basketball team” said Agnos.

The Warriors new arena at Mission Bay is the second Northern California NBA team to confirm a new location for an arena development as the Sacramento Kings will begin building their new arena at the downtown plaza in Sacramento in June which is expected to be ready for the 2016-17 season. The Warriors who last played at the Cow Palace before moving to the Oakland Arena in 1971 is scheduled to have the Mission Bay arena ready by 2018.

Jerry Feitelberg is covering the developments of the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings new arenas for Sportstalk

by George Devine, Sr.
After scoring a close upset in the first game of the Western Conference playoffs, the Warriors lost by a whopping margin of 138-98 to the Clippers at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Coach Mark Jackson had told his team they were not there for a split, but to win two games; it didn’t turn out that way.
Blake Griffin and Stephen Curry both came into the contest with an average of 24 ppg. Griffin exceeded that mark with a total of 35, whereas Curry scored only his typical 24, with 20 of them coming in the third. That would not have been a problem for Golden State had their other high scorers come through; they didn’t. Klay Thompson scored only 7, and committed 4 fouls. It was foul trouble, in fact, that crippled the W’s as it had undone the Clippers in the previous game. And just as the visitors had excelled on defense in the first game, tonight was the home team’s turn to do so.
Los Angeles scored 27 of their points on 26 Golden State turnovers, compared to 13 for the Clippers. The Warriors were 81.5% from the free throw line — normally respectable in the NBA — but the Clips were 91.4%. On three-pointers the Dubs were 21.1% to the Clippers’ 48%; on field goals generally the margin in favor of L.A. was 56.6%-47.4%.
Chris Paul scored 10 points, and added 10 valuable assists for Los Angeles. The Clippers could not be stopped after a 14-4 run at the top of the evening, and were ahead by at least 25 through the second, third and fourth periods. Had this been a CYO game, the “Mercy Rule” would likely have been invoked early on.
The next game in the series will be at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Thursday, April 24.
Notes: According to the San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate.com, The proposed Warriors’ arena site on the San Francisco waterfront south of the Bay Bridge has been scuttled in favor of a new location in Mission Bay. The new parcel was reportedly purchased from Salesforce.com and the team hopes to have the arena in service for the 2018-19 season.
The change in plans avoids what could have been a costly and contentious ballot fight over the previous site, which raised the hackles of some San Francisco voters. Opponents of the Embarcadero location objected to the height of the proposed building and its effects on traffic, parking and views.

by George Devine, Sr.
The magnitude of the Warriors’109-105 win over the Clippers in the first playoff game can be described by three criteria: First, as KGO-TV’s Mike Shumann has reported, the team that wins the first playoff game goes on to win the series 77% of the time. Second, it was one of those down-to-the-wire finishes that exemplifies the Warriors’ gritty determination, a characteristic that has stood them in good stead all season. Third: they did it without Andrew Bogut.
The third factor may be the most impressive. Bogut is reminiscent of Bill Russell, whose defensive skills almost outweighed his scoring capabilities when he played for the Boston Celtics and, previously, the two-time NCAA championship Dons of the University of San Francisco. Bogut is out with a hip fracture, for an indefinite period. The mere presence of his 7 foot frame on the court is intimidation enough for many an opponent, and with his presence in the paint he prevents more field goals than he scores.
As the game began at Staples Center, Golden State was soon behind by a dozen. But as time went on it became a tight contest. At the half, the score was tied at 52. By the time the final frame was under way, the Warriors led by 11 points, and despite the Clippers’ best efforts the visitors squeaked out the win at the end.
Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry were the workhorses for the Warriors, playing 41:07 and 44:39, respectively. Thompson hit for 22 points and had 7 boards. David Lee had 20 points and 13 rebounds but committed 4 troublesome fouls. Curry had 14 points and 7 valuable assists. Harrison Barnes also scored 14 and had 8 rebounds. Jermaine O’Neal was right behind him with 13.
For Los Angeles, Chris Paul had 28 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, but committed 6 turnovers. J.J. Redick had 22 points and Blake Griffin 16. DeAndre Jordan scored 11 points and turned the ball over 11 times. In addition to turnovers, the Clippers suffered from foul trouble; the starting lineup totaled 17 penalties. This combined with the fact that Golden State outscored the home team from the charity stripe, 72%-65.7%.
The two teams meet again in Los Angeles on Monday, April 21, with a tipoff time of 7:30 p.m. PDT.

by David Zizmor

LOS ANGELES– The Clippers Blake Griffin has stepped up his game this year in his first few seasons everyone was captivated by his dunking abilities which to be sure Griffin is one of the best dunkers in the game and he won a dunking contest by dunking over a car. One of the things about the NBA is just because your a good dunker doesn’t mean your a good player.

We’ve seen plenty of those guys in those dunk contests do really well with the rest of their careers and certainly with the rest of their basketball games. Griffin was not just about dunking. He kind of had a game that left something to be desired and he wasn’t a strong rebounder and shooter and there was some concern that maybe he’s got into the celebrity of things, he was the dunk winner in Los Angeles and there’s the talk that he just settled a little bit.

What we’ve seen under Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, Griffin has improved his game all around and he’s a better shooter and he’s a better rebounder. he’s just a better player he’s just done a better job of understanding of where he needs to be on the floor. It means as a power forward Griffin can dominate when given the opportunities and Griffin has taken the next step in his game in becoming a true All-Star.

On the other end of the floor with him is Chris Paul which makes up the other tandum of the Clippers the guy who feeds Griffin the ball most of the time. Paul missed about 20 games into the season but this is a guy who we knew was a great player. Paul has already been widely considered as the best point guard in the NBA. He leads the league in assists year in and year out.

Paul is a good defensive player, he can score, he can hit from inside and outside, he’s just a complete package since his days in college that’s why he was the top pick when he came out. The combination of Griffin and Paul is what makes the Clippers one of the best in the NBA. The Clips are number three in the west in terms of records and their playing really well down the stretch towards the end of the season.

San Antonio serves as the number one team but the Clippers are about tied with Oklahoma City even though the Thunder finished ahead of L.A. in the standings. The Clippers are a really good team because Griffin and Paul work so well together and their great floor leaders and their so good at spreading the ball around to their teammates. They distribute the ball and everyone gets involved.

Also Paul can take over a game late when you need someone to take over in crunch time, Paul is the guy who takes the big shot. In a seven game playoff it often comes down to whether you have the right guy at the right moment. The Clippers have some of those guys, their a team in the playoffs but their not necessarily proven we don’t know if they can do it at the right time.

David Zizmor covers the NBA for Sportstalk radio

By George Devine, Sr.

The Warriors won the last game of the regular season, `116-112 at Denver, secure in their possession of a sixth-seed in the NBA playoffs. Knowing that this matchup would not affect their future, the visitors played their bench. Jason Crawford rose to the occasion, scoring a career-high 41 points (his previous mark was 39), and Harrison Barnes poured in 30. Klay Thompson was the only first-stringer to start; he played 8 minutes and scored 8 points. Draymond Green came in late in the game when Hilton Armstrong fouled out.

Steph Curry and David Lee were on the bench in street clothes, after coach Mark Jackson’s decision to rest both of them for this game.

Randy Foye was the high scorer for Denver with 32. Anthony Randolph hit his high for the season with 19.

This will be the second consecutive year of postseason play for Golden State. But after a cracked rib injury was diagnosed, it seems certain the team will be without the services of center Andrew Bogut as the dance begins. Though Bogut is good for an average of only 7.3 points per game, his 7-foot frame is an amazing deterrent in the paint and he typically contributes 10 rebounds. It would be safe to say he prevents more field goals than he scores.

The Warriors travel to Los Angeles to face the third-seeded Clippers in the Western Conference playoffs with the first round tipping off at 12:30 p.m. PDT on Saturday, April 19.

By George Devine, Sr.

The Golden State Warriors electrified a sellout crowd at Oracle Arena with a 130-120 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, after being behind by 15 at one point. This means Golden State has now secured the 6th seed in the NBA playoffs.

The W’s did it without the services of center Andrew Bogut. Bogut, who has been a key to Golden State’s inside defense, was examined the previous evening for a rib injury and it was found to be a fracture. His ability to take part in the playoffs is uncertain.

Stephen Curry was sizzling in the first half but slowed down later. His point total was 32, spread over 41:57. Moreover, he contributed 15 assists. Picking it up in the second half were David Lee with 25 points and Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, both with 20. Lee had 9 rebounds and Green 12. Both were in danger with 4 fouls. Jermaine O’Neal had 10 points.

For Minnesota, Kevin Love scored 40 and had 9 assists. Corey Brewer played for 40:37 and hit for 22, contributing 5 assists. Gorgul Dieng and Keri Martin each had 14 points; Dieng had 11 boards. Ricky Rubio added 15 points.

The Warriors’ next game is at Denver on Wednesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. PDT.

By George Devine, Sr.
The lead changed 16 times in the Warriors-Trailblazers nailbiter at Oracle Arena, and the four regulation periods were not enough to settle the contest, which ended in a 119-117 win for Portland. The outcome assures the visitors at least a fifth-seed in the NBA playoffs. Portland has won 4 straight games and 8 of their last 9. The Dubs are now two games behind the victors and will need to win one of their next two games to clinch the sixth-seed.
In the last period of regulation, Draymond Green hit a three-pointer for Golden State to tie the score and Wesley Matthews’ attempt to do likewise failed. The field goal which gave the Blazers the lead for good, with just under 40 seconds left in OT, was scored by LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 26 points on the evening. Damian Lillard contributed a free throw before Andre Iguodala missed a trey with just under 3 seconds left. Matthews — who scored 24 points of his own — got the rebound ad that was the end of the game.The point totals for Aldridge and Matthews would have been impressive, had Golden State’s Stephen Curry not scored 47. This was the third time this season that he has come in at over 40. In the first half alone, he notched 21, which is a formidable number for any player in the NBA.
In other scoring: Klay Thompson added 25 for the home team and Iguodala had 15. For Portland, Nicolas Batum came in at 18, Robin Lopez was good for 16 and Lillard pitched in with 13..
In close games like this one, many individual factors can make a difference. One which could have proved decisive was the fact that center Andrew Bogut — who is key to Golden State’s defense, especially inside — was not on the court during the overtime period. He was reported to be having an X-ray for a possible rib injury. Whether or not he will be able to play in the game against Minnesota at Oakland is not yet determined. His history of recent injury problems has been a significant problem for the Warriors.
The game against the Timberwolves tips off at 7:30 p.m. PDT on Monday, April 14 at Oracle.

by David Zizmor

OAKLAND–It’s always nice to beat the Lakers when you clinch for a playoff and for the Warriors it was nice to beat the Lakers when you do it on the road at the Staples Center where the Lakers have been so successful. This is historic, the Warriors haven’t made the playoffs in back to back seasons in more than 20 years and it’s a really big deal.

As Stephen Curry said after the game on Friday night the ticking off of particular goals and one of them is they have to sustain success and going to the playoffs consecutive years is another step in that direction to become a contender. It’s a really big deal and you can’t down play this enough.

For the Warriors to acheive back to back playoffs is an important milestone for the Warriors and it’s a great step in the right direction for this franchise whose goal it is to be a contender and their one of the destination teams in the league and the Warriors are well on their way to doing that. The win on Friday only puts them in a position to clinch a sixth seed in the Western Conference.

It’s not official yet things could change given how the Warriors and the Trailblazers have played in the last three or four games. The Warriors still have a chance at clinching the fifth spot but if the season ended today and most likely it will end like it is today the Warriors will have the sixth seed.

That means they’ll play the Clippers and that is bound to be a crazy good first round match ups it will probably will be one of the marquee match ups in all of the playoffs as they’re fantastically fun teams to watch. On the Warriors side you have the Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Clay Thompson who can shoot from long range.

The Warriors also have Andre Iguodala, David Lee, Andrew Bogut, Harrison Barnes, all these quality scoring players who just put it on the line everytime they go out there on the floor. On the other side of the ball you have the Clippers who have been playing fantastic basketball the second half of the season.

Doc Rivers came over from the Celtics to coach the Clips and has done an amazing job of making this team live up to it’s potential.The Clippers Chris Paul even though he missed about 20 games earlier in the season is finally back at full strength as we all know he’s one of the best point guards in the NBA and Blake Griffin has taken his team up to another level. Griffin won’t win the MVP but he’s going to be the third or fourth guy in balloting which is a big accomplishment.

David Zizmor covers the NBA for Sportstalk radio