Category: Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors Play In wrap up: Kings demolish Warriors 118-94 end Warriors’ season

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) takes an off balance shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (right) in the second half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tue Apr 16, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, the tenth seed in the Western Conference, had to play the ninth seed, the Sacramento Kings, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. The winner of the game would play the loser of the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans.

The Warriors played well on the road and were 16-4 in the last 20 games away from the Chase Center. The Kings were seeking revenge as the Warriors beat them in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.

That loss to the Warriors left a bad taste in the mouths of the Kings’ players. The Kings got their revenge as they blew away the Warriors to earn the right to play the Pelicans on Friday night in New Orleans. The final score was 118-94. 

The Warriors had one of their worst games in the 2023-2024 season. The Warriors committed too many turnovers in the first half. Their defense was non-existent. The offense went to sleep. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson put five points on the board in the first half. Curry made the five points. Thompson was scoreless.

Warriors fans counted on Thompson and Curry to lead the charge in the second half. That did not happen. Curry finished with 22 points. Curry did not make a basket and finished the game scoreless. I don’t remember Thompson being held to zero points in a game. The margin of victory over the Warriors was the largest since 2006. 

The Warriors led 8-6 early in the first quarter. The Kings went ahead 11-8 and never relinquished the lead. Sacramento finished the first quarter leading 31-22. The Kings led by 14, 48-34. The Warrior’s offense began to click, and they closed the deficit to four points at the end of the first half. The Kings led 54-50.

The Warriors made a run early in the second half to trail by one, 56-55. The Kings’ fans were starting to squirm. The Warriors, famous for owning the third quarter, had the tables turned on them. The Kings’ offense came to life. Keegan Murray continued to make shots. Murray had 14 points in the first quarter and four threes in the first half and continued hitting shots from downtown. Sabonis continued to clog the middle and block shots. Sabonis finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. 

The Kings won the third quarter 37-26 to lead by 15, 91-76.

The rout was on. Sacramento continued to stop the Warrior offense. Domantas Sabonis, Harrison Barnes, Murray, and D’Aaron Fox made key buckets. The Warriors’ offense went to sleep. The game was over when the Kings led 105-86 with 5:29 left to play.

Game Notes: The Warriors’ season is over. Many people are now speculating about the team’s future. Thompson will be a free agent. Thompson had expressed interest in finishing his Hall of Fame career with Golden State. Hopefully, the Warriors’ management and Thompson can agree soon.

Other players may be elsewhere next year, including Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Dario Saric, and Kevon Looney. Wiggins’s scoring went down this year. Wiggins is owed a bundle of money, and the Warriors may trade him to reduce payroll.

The veteran playmaker Chris Paul is 38 years old. Letting Paul seek employment elsewhere will also reduce payroll significantly. Saric was relegated to the bench due to Trayce Jackson-Davis’s improvement at the center position.

Saric earned a little, but he probably did better elsewhere. Kevon Looney was the starter at the center spot early in the season. The Warriors’ head coach adjusted his rotation later in the season. Looney became a fixture on the second unit. Looney never complained and stayed ready even though his minutes on the court were diminished. 

Murray led his team to the Friday night game against the Pelicans. Murray finished the game with 32 points and connected on nine threes. Former Warriors Harrison Barnes added 17. Keon Ellis, an undrafted rookie from Alabama, had 15 points and made three threes. Fox added 24. Malik Monk, who torched the Warriors, was unavailable due to an injury. The Kings’ Kevin Huerter was also unavailable.

The Warriors will now watch the playoffs from their homes.Curry will play for the United States at the Olympics in Paris, France, this summer.

It was a remarkable season. The Warriors needed help finding their rhythm early in the season. They lost games when they had big leads heading into the fourth quarter. They got into gear when Kerr put Jackson-Davis into the second unit.

Thompson, a starter for his entire career, was sent to the bench. Thompson responded by getting back to the player of old. Jonathan Kuminga raised his game to a higher level. Brandin Podziemski, picked 19th in the first round, exceeded expectations. Podziemski played well on both ends of the court. Moses Moody, fighting for playing time, will be someone the Warriors will play more next year. Moody gave the Warriors a spark in the third quarter. 

The Warriors played better on the road this season. They won two more games than they did last year. The competition in the Western Conference has caught up with the Warriors. The OKC Thunder finished as the one seed in the Conference.

The Denver Nuggets, with Nikola Jokic, are preparing to repeat as NBA Champions. The Minnesota Timberwolves are right behind those two teams in talent. The Wolves are built around Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Houston Rockets are on the rise. 

The Kings beat the Pelicans on Friday to become the eighth seed. If they win, they will face the number one seed, the OKC Thunder. 

That’s it for the season. It was very interesting to watch the Warriors in 2023-2024. Let’s hope they draft some players to return them to the top.

Adios

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: After Lakers and Kings win Warriors settle for 10th place finish

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The Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) gets a pass away while the Utah Jazz Darius Bazley (21) defends in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Apr 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Going into yesterday’s game, there was a lot to be ironed out in the Western Conference not only for the number one seed but also in the eighth through tenth place.

#2 The Warriors had their eye on a eighth or ninth place finish but the Lakers and the Kings had something else in mind. Both the Lakers and Kings demolished their opponents and the Warriors had to settle for 10th place.

#3 Stephen Curry and Draymond Green sat out yesterday’s game–the team needing them to be fresh for Tuesday nights game.

#4 Klay Thompson led the team in points in their win over the Utah Jazz. Every Warrior that took the floor in this game scored points with the exception of Jonathan Kuminga.

#5 The playoffs get underway Tuesday night with the Warriors taking on the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento has a grudge to settle but can they do it without Malik Monk? How will this game play out.

Join Barbara Mason for the Golden State Warriors podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings host Warriors for play in on Tuesday at Golden 1; Beat Blazers Sunday 121-82

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The Sacramento Kings guard Keon Ellis (23) shown after making a three point shot in the first half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Apr 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday afternoon for the final game of the season. After losing to the Pelicans at home on Friday, the Kings welcomed the Portland Trail Blazers to town. The Kings were fighting for position in the play-in-game while Portland was already eliminated.

The Kings were looking for a win and a Lakers loss to be the 8th seed in the Western Conference. Also of note in the matchup was Kings Keegan Murray facing off against twin brother Kris Murray.

It was the second time the two faced each other in the NBA. The Kings and Trail Blazers tipped off at 12:30 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings defeated the Trail Blazers on Sunday 121-82 to secure the 9th seed in the Western Conference.

In the first quarter, the Blazers appeared outmatched against the Kings. The Blazers were only able to score 18 points in the first quarter. Portland shot an abysmal 1-19 on three-point attempts in the first quarter. On the other hand, the Kings offense was going strong early. The Kings scored 30 points to take the quick first-quarter lead. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings in the first quarter with eight points and two steals. The Kings would lead 30-19.

In the second quarter, the Kings started the process to route the Trail Blazers. The Kings offense took off to outscore the Blazers 35-19. The Kings would lead going into halftime 65-37. The Kings offense was on fire as Portland couldn’t muster anything to stop the Kings. The story was less about the Kings defense and the inability of Portland to put the ball in the hoop. The Kings would look to keep the pressure on in the second half to come away with the victory.

In the second half, the Kings completed the route with ease. The Kings outscored the Trail Blazers in the second half by a combined 56-45. It was clear that the Portland Trail Blazers had nothing left to play for in the season. The Kings took care of business by defeating the Blazers 121-82.

In the second half, Delano Banton was ejected from the game after a technical foul and altercation in which he dropped his shoulder into a Kings defender. Other than the ejection, the second half was very uninteresting. The Kings emptied their bench after the third quarter. The Kings best performance in the game came from De’Aaron Fox, who scored 24 points. Delano Banton led the Trail Blazers with 17 points.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the Golden State Warriors in the 9-10 seed NBA Play-In Game on Tuesday at 7PM.

Warriors Playoff Bound After Beating Utah Jazz 123-116

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) makes the face after scoring a three pointer against the Utah Jazz at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Apr 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

As it all played out Sunday afternoon, the Golden State Warriors (45-36) ended up in tenth place in the Western Conference slated to meet the Sacramento Kings Tuesday at Golden 1 Center. Golden State beat the Utah Jazz (31-50) 123-116 and as it turned out neither a win or lose would have affected the standings for the Warriors. Neither Stephen Curry nor Draymond Green took the court in this game resting them for the playoffs.

Game recap: The Warriors won both the first and the second quarters. Golden State took a 33-27 lead after the first 12 minutes and extended their lead at the half. The Jazz refused to back down trailing at the half 63.56. The Warriors had outscored the Jazz in the second quarter but only by a single point.

In the second half of play, Utah saw their first lead of the game in the third quarter. The Warriors tied up the quarter at 85 with three minutes left in the third. Utah had taken as much as a six point lead in the quarter but the Warriors pushed back every time.

After three quarters, Golden State had established a 95-89 lead. The writing, however, was on the wall with the Lakers beating the Pelicans 92-68 mid-way through the third quarter and the Kings absolutely destroying the Trail Blazers after three quarters 99-58.

In the early minutes of the fourth quarter, the Warriors took their largest lead of the afternoon 101-89. With the Lakers and the Kings well in-charge of their own games, 10th place would go to the Warriors win or lose. Golden State had a date with the Sacramento Kings up at Golden 1 Center Tuesday night April 16th in the 9-10 game. The Warriors went on to beat the Jazz 123-116 and Golden State was play-off bound.

Game notes: After a long and grueling 2023-24 NBA season, Sunday saw the final game of the regular season. There are numerous spots up for grabs in the Western Conference. The Warriors are watching the 8th-10th positions. Sunday afternoon, the Warriors took on the Jazz.

The Warriors got the win but the Los Angeles Lakers won and the Sacramento Kings won who also figure in this equation. The Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 124-108 and the Sacramento Kings defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 121-82. The wild finish that was predicted the past few weeks made for some crazy games. Curry and Green did not take the court in this game.

Klay Thompson finished the game with 25 points, the team high. Andrew Wiggins had 19 points in this game and every Warrior who took the court in this game scored points with the exception of Jonathan Kuminga who came away empty. He did have seven assists. It now all comes down to a Northern California battle between the Warriors and the Kings Tuesday night to start off the 2024 NBA playoffs.

Warriors Fall Short to Pelicans 114-109; Turnovers Spell the Difference

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The New Orleans Pelicans PJ McCollum (3) drives on the Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson (11) in first half action at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Apr 12, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The ultimate closer in the NBA did his best to weave his magic yet his team fell to the New Orleans Pelicans (49-32) Friday night in a real barn burner. Stephen Curry finished with 33 points in the loss. Klay Thompson finished with 19. Golden State (45-36) had 16 turnovers which spelled the difference in the 114-109 loss.

Over the past few months the Western Conference showed signs of having a wild finish to the season. The Golden State Warriors now find themselves in a three-way tie for eighth place with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers have lost their two last games, the last one against the Warriors, and the Kings are just plain self-destructing. They take significant leads in the first half of games only to fall apart in the second half.

The Warriors are playing terrific right now winning their last three games in a row. The Warriors need to win out, the Lakers beat the Grizzlies earlier Friday night with their last game against the Pelicans.

The Kings lost the Suns and have the Trail Blazers up next. All three will be faced with play-in games. The Warriors have had 25 road wins this season and the Pelicans have had 27 road wins and will looking for number 28 tonight.

Friday night the Warriors welcomed the Pelicans to Chase Center. The Pelicans are one game ahead of the Phoenix Suns so both of these teams have a lot at stake. New Orleans wants to avoid the play-in game.

Golden State set the pace in this game from the start leading 26-17 after the first 12 minutes. Seven minutes into the second quarter, however, it all went south and the Warriors 11 point lead had dissolved.

This game was tied at 38 and the tide in this game had done a complete reversal. With three minutes left in the half, the Pelicans really started rolling taking a 53-42 lead. The Warriors had nine turnovers in the second quarter alone.

The Pelicans were 10 of 13 from downtown in the second quarter leading 59-43 and had turned this game completely around in their favor. At the half New Orleans had taken a 62-48 lead. The Pelicans had outscored the Warriors in the second quarter 42-22 and Golden State had a lot of work to do in the second half with New Orleans totally dominating the game.

The Warriors would need some serious adjustments in the second half. A good place to start would be putting the skids on the turnovers. They had 9 turnovers in the second quarter and only 2 in the opening quarter.

The Pelicans had shot beautifully from beyond the arc finishing the half with 11 scored to the Warriors five. Golden State needed to protect the ball in the second half and get their three-ball going.

The Warriors got a better start in the third quarter but the Pelicans continued to hang onto a double digit lead. The third quarter began to feel more like the first when Golden State had the advantage. As this game went deeper into the third quarter, the Warriors had trimmed the Pelicans 14 point lead to five points 71-66.

Golden State was playing some outstanding defense doing their best to contain Zion Williamson and they were doing a great job. They were also guarding the three ball better putting the stops on New Orleans shooting. There would be no room for error heading into the fourth quarter with New Orleans leading 88-75.

The Warriors really needed their three ball, but the Pelicans are one of the top teams in the NBA when it comes to guarding the three so it would not be easy. The Warriors continued to play hard which started to pay off when the Pelicans made some rare mistakes and started missing those three’s while Golden State started to make shots from beyond the arc.

With eight minutes left in the game the Warriors were within three points of a tie 92-89 in a huge turnaround. This game was going down to the wire. With 1:02 left in the game, New Orleans had taken a 112-106 lead. Curry hit a three with 40 seconds left on the clock drawing to within three points 112-109 in this barn burner. Golden State came up just short losing 114-109.

Sunday afternoon the Golden State Warriors wrap up the 2023-24 regular season. They will take on the Utah Jazz at Chase with tipoff scheduled for 12:30 PM.

Warriors grind out win over Blazers 100-92 at Moda Center

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) goes up against the Portland Trailblazers forward Justin Minaya (left) in the first half at the Moda Center in Portland on Thu Apr 11, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors defeated Portland Trailblazers on Thursday night at the Moda Center 100-92. Both teams were grappling with significant player absences. Portland’s head coach, Chauncy Billips, a recent inductee into Basketball’s Hall of Fame, had to contend with several key players on the injured list. The Warriors were in a similar predicament, with Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Gary Payton II unable to take the court on Thursday night. 

The Warriors have won 16 of the last 20 games on the road and eight of the last nine. The Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Sacramento Kings are in a dogfight for the last three playoff spots. The Lakers did not play on Thursday. The Kings played the New Orleans Pelicans, and a Kings loss and Warriors win meant the three teams would be tied with identical records.

The Pelican beat the Kings, and the teams are tied in the standing with a record of 45-45. The Warriors own the tiebreaker over the Lakers and split the season series with the Kings. The Warriors have two games left to play. They face the Pelicans at the Chase Center on Friday night and end the regular season against the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

The understaffed Blazers gave the Warriors a run for their money for three and a half quarters. The Blazers took an early lead in the first quarter, going up 17-10. The Warriors struggled to find their rhythm, with the offense sputtering for the first six minutes of the game.

However, back-to-back threes by Jonathan Kuminga and Stephen Curry turned the tide, bringing the score to 19-18 in the Warriors’ favor. The quarter ended with the Warriors holding a slim two-point lead, 24-22.

The Warriors and Blazers refused to let their opponent get a big lead. The lead changed hands several times. The Warriors won the quarter by two points to lead 49-46 at the end of the first half. Curry and Kuminga paced the Warriors’ offense with 11.

Andrew Wiggins added ten. The Blazers’ big man, Deandre Ayton, had 15. Rookie guard Scoot Henderson added 12. The Warriors committed ten turnovers in the half. The Blazers scored ten points off the turnovers. The Blazers outshot the Dubs 53-38 in the half. The Warrior defense held the Blazers to 32% from the floor. 

The battle continued in the third period. Neither team would give an inch. The Blazers won the quarter by two points to trail by one, 75-74, heading into the fourth quarter. The first six minutes of the fourth and final period was a dogfight.

The Blazers looked to have the upper hand as they led by six 85-79. The Warriors got their offense working, and their defense was terrific. The Warriors went on a 21-7 run to win the game 100-92. The Warriors were ahead 92-86 after Kevon Looney made a key bucket.

There was 3:23 left to play. Looney then made a steal. He got the ball to Curry, and Curry made a superb pass to Brandin Podziemski. Podziemski made the bucket, and the Warriors went on to win 100-92. 

Game Notes: With the win, The Warriors are 45-35. The Blazers fell to 21-59.

The Warriors had four starters in double figures. Curry led the offense with 22 points, seven boards, and eight assists. Curry made five threes. Kuminga had 19, Andrew Wiggins 15, and Trayce Jackson-Davis had 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four blocked shots.

Podziemski and Kevon Looney each had nine points. Looney pulled down eleven rebounds. Moses Moody finished the night with eight points. The Blazers took 20 more shots than the Warriors. The Warriors scored 36 field goals in 77 tries, which was good for 46.8% from the floor. The Warriors’ defense held the Blazers to 36% from the floor. The defense also made eight steals and blocked 13 shots. 

The Warriors host the New Orleans Pelicans at the Chase Center on Friday night. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors could very well catch Kings for a playoff spot as they head in different directions

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Its raining threes as the Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry takes a shot against the Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish (5) and guard Austin Reaves (15) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tue Apr 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 The Warriors are coming on strong and may not need the play in and could get a first round playoff series.

#2 Incredible game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena in the Southland as the Warriors hit 26 three pointers that was the most three pointers that the Lakers have given up in their history.

#3 Golden State tips off against the Portland Trail Blazers tonight in Portland. The Trail Blazers are 21-58 and are 14th in the Western Conference and have lost eight of their last ten games. How much of a struggle has the Blazers been on since the departure of former Blazer and star player Damian Lillard who now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Join David Wednesdays for the Warriors podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors’ 26 threes propel them to win over Los Angeles Lakers 134-120

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) takes a jump shot between the Los Angeles Lakers Austin Reaves guard (15) and forward LeBron James (23) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Tue Apr 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitellberg

Two of the NBA’s most formidable teams clashed in Los Angeles Tuesday evening. The Lakers, winners of nine of the last eleven games, were determined to secure a win over the Warriors despite their key player Anthony Davis’s absence due to an eye injury. The Warriors, winners of seven of the last eight, were equally eager to win the season’s series. The Lakers’ resilience was evident as Jaxson Hayes, all seven feet of him, stepped up to start in place of Davis. 

The Warriors are 16-4 in their last 20 road games. With the win Tuesday night, they are 25-11 since January 30th. 

The Warriors beat the Lakers 134-120 on Tuesday night. Warrior fans saw the team make 26 threes in the game, a season-high for the Warriors in that department. The Warriors team record is 27 threes. Draymond Green connected five times from downtown, Stephen Curry made six threes in six tries, and Klay Thompson had five threes.

LeBron James returned to action after being out with the flu. He made his presence felt as he led the Lakers with 33 points and eleven rebounds. Not bad for a thirty-nine-year-old man.

The Warriors won the first quarter 38-29. Draymond Green(six), Thompson (8), and Brandin Podziemski (!0) were the key players in the quarter. The Warriors made seven threes and shot 58% from the floor. The Lakers mounted a comeback early in the second quarter to trail by three, 42-39.

Andrew Wiggins hit two threes to propel the to Warriors a 16-2 run. The Warriors made eight threes in the second period to finish the first half leading 71-60. Green and Thompson each had 15. Curry had 11. Wiggins scores ten points, all in the second period. Brandin Podziemski added ten. LeBron had 14, and Austin Reaves had 13.

The Warriors defense kept the Lakers at bay all through the third period. Former Warrior D’Angelo Russell made a couple of threes to ignite the Laker offense. The Lakers closed the gap to five, 85-80, but the Warriors kept making plays to lead by seven, 96-89. Podziemski made a three to start a 10-0 run to end the quarter. The Warriors led by 17, 106-89.

The Lakers did not go down without a fight. They started the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run to trail 106-98. Chris Paul connected on a three, and the Lakers failed to defend Curry. Curry was alone behind the three-point line and did not miss.

The Warriors lead 112-100. The Lakers were toast. With a score of 130-117, head coach Steve Kerr pulled his top players from the floor and inserted the guys who usually sit on the bench. The Warriors won the game 134-120.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are 44-35 with three games left. The Lakers dropped to 45-35. They have two games left on the schedule.

The Warriors had six players in double figures. Klay Thompson paced the attack with 27. Steph Curry had 23, Wiggins 17, Green 15, Podziemski 13, and Chris Paul 11. Draymond Green had a double-double. Green made ten assists, along with his 15 points. Gary Payton II had nine, Jonathan Kuminga eight. 

LeBron mJa, ed led the Lakers with 33 points, 11 assists and seven boards. Austin Reaves had 22, Russell 14, Dinwiddie 12, Jaxson Hayes 11, and Rui Hachimura, 20 

The Warriors play the Portland Trailblazers on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The ‘Warriors’ last two games will be against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Utah Jazz.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbra Mason: Warriors always rev up towards post season

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The Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson (11) drives on the Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (8) in first half action at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Apr 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara:

#1 With four games left in the season the Warriors need to finish strong although they have clinched at least a play-in spot.

#2 Sunday night the Warriors played without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins. Curry got a much needed rest and Wiggins continues to struggle with an ankle issue.

    #3 Klay Thompson stepped into a critical role in the absence of Stephen Curry and he did not disappoint playing a terrific game.

    #4 Off the bench the Warriors finally got to see Jonathan Kuminga who missed six games. He was also a huge part of this win and despite missing so much time he did not miss a beat.

    #5 Tuesday night the Warriors will take on the Los Angeles Lakers in a huge game. The Warriors will need every guy on the team to bring his A game in this highly anticipated game. You do not want to lose the match between the ninth and tenth place teams.

    Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason is heard Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

    Warriors Dismiss Utah Jazz 118-110

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    Guard Klay Thompson (11) for the Golden State Warriors is seen here in the first half after making one of his baskets. Thompson finished leading with 32 points against the Utah Jazz at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Apr 7, 2024

    By Barbara Mason

    In the absence of Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, the Golden State Warriors dismissed the Utah Jazz 118-110. Klay Thompson had the high for the Warriors with 32 points and Jonathan Kuminga scored 21 points off the bench in his return. Kuminga did not miss a beat after missing six games.

    Curry was not in Sunday night’s lineup taking this game off for some much needed rest. Wiggins continues to struggle with an ankle issue, Dario Saric is out with a knee injury and Gary Payton II was listed as probable. Kuminga was originally reported as out but he did take the court off the bench.

    Thompson led the starters playing alongside Draymond Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Chris Paul and Brandin Podziemski. Kuminga was a sight for sore eyes playing off the bench. He has been sorely missed.

    Golden State stomped the Jazz in the first 12 minutes leading after the first quarter 41-28 setting the tone for this runaway game. The Warriors outscored the Jazz in the second quarter and led at the half 68-54.

    The Warriors went on to win the third quarter 29-23 leading 97-77 going into the fourth quarter. At about the six minute mark, Golden State’s bench took the court for the remainder of the game. Thompson and Green sat for most of the fourth quarter.

    The final score was in favor of the Warriors 118-110. This win clinched at least a spot in the four-team play-in tournament in fact they were in before this game even got underway. Houston lost in overtime to the Dallas Mavericks 147-136 and finished the Rockets bid for a playoff spot.

    Thompson had the high score of 32 points for the game with five rebounds and went 6 of 13 from beyond the arc. From the start of the game, Thompson knew he would be expected to handle the bulk of the scoring in the absence of Curry and he did not disappoint. Thompson hit seven of his first ten attempts.

    Missing this game gave Curry a break of several days. He has already played in 71 games this season and really needed a few days off. Curry has not played this many games in any one season for quite a few years. This rest will get him ready to finish off the season next week especially in their highly anticipated game with the Los Angeles Lakers next Tuesday.

    Kuminga was excellent despite his time away from the team with 21 points off the bench. He had missed six games with tendonitis in both knees. Besides the 21 points he also had ten rebounds so he did not miss a beat in his return.

    The Warriors have won all three meetings against the Jazz this season with one more meeting to finish off the regular season. Golden State will have Monday off before taking on a huge game Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.

    That game will be played in Los Angeles and promises to be a real barn-burner. The Lakers took on the Timberwolves Sunday night without LeBron James and Anthony Davis who went down in the first half.

    It is not known if either of them will be available on Tuesday night. At the time of this post the Lakers had made a run after trailing at the half 79-64. Minnesota had led by as much as 20 points when the Lakers pulled to within five points 90-85. As the fourth quarter got underway the Timberwolves had established a 106-92 lead at 9:09 in the fourth quart

    Game notes: With only five games left in the 2024 season the Warriors took on the Jazz at Chase Center Sunday evening. The Warriors continue to hang onto tenth place in the Western Conference with the Lakers and the Kings tied for eighth place. It will be a tight finish for a number of teams including the Warriors.

    Tipoff for Tuesday night’s game between the Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers is scheduled for 7:00 PM.