Lakers put down Warriors 120-94; 5th straight loss for S.F. team

photo from sfgate.com: Golden State Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell, right, dribbles around Los Angeles Lakers’ Avery Bradley, center, on a screen from Draymond Green during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 13

By Jerry Feitelberg

The undermanned Golden State Warriors fell to the bigger Los Angeles Lakers in LA on Wednesday night by a score of 120-94. The Warriors, down to nine healthy players due to the injury to Damian Lee’s hand, gave the Lakers a tussle for about the first six minutes of play in the first quarter. The Lakers were too big, and the Warriors could not protect the rim.

The Warriors, still without Steph Curry, Kevon Looney, Alen Smailagic, Are having a painful time scoring points and keeping the opposition from scoring. The Warriors are now 2-10 for the year. The silver lining is that the young players are learning on the job how to play in the NBA.

In the first quarter, with the Warriors trailing 17-15, the Lakers went on a 12-0 run to make it 29-15. They continued to outplay the young Warriors and finished the quarter with a 12-point lead 38-26. The Warriors kept pace with the Lakers in the second quarter. Each team scored 29 points, and the Lakers finished the first half leading by 12 points 67-55. The Warriors’ scoring was led by D’Angelo Russell with 17. Eric Paschall was second with 9, and Willie Cauley-Stein had eight. LeBron James led the Lakers with 19. Kyle Kuzman and Dwight Howard each had 9.

The Lakers went on a 10-2 run early in the third period to increase the lead to nineteen 79-60. The Warriors could not get anything going, and the quarter ended with LA in control 98-82. The Lakers outscored the Warriors 22-12 in the fourth quarter to win by twenty-six 120-94.

Game Notes: The Warriors, as mentioned above, played the game with nine healthy players. The Dubs hade five players in double figures. D’Angelo Russell led the team with 21. Rookie Eric Paschall continued to impress everyone with play as he recorded 15 points and three rebounds. Jordan Poole had 11. Cauley-Stein and Draymond Green each had ten. Alec Burks, coming off the bench, had nine.

The Lakers also had five players in double figures. LeBron James, in 26 minutes of action, knocked down 23 points, 6 boards, and 12 assists. Kyle Kuzma had 22. Former Warrior JaVale McGee also had a big night as he torched his old mates for 18points and 17 rebounds. Big Dwight Howard contributed 15 in helper the Lakers win. Former Warrior Quinn Cook finished with 10.

The stats showed the Warriors shot 40.5% from the floor. They made 36 buckets in 89 tries. The Lakers had the same number of shots, but they made 48. They were 54% from the floor. The Lakers outrebounded the Warriors 51-33.  The Lakers improved to 9-2 for the year.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to face another tough opponent, the Boston Celtics, Friday night at the Chase Center. The Celtics have won nine in a row and are 9-1 for the season. The game will be at 7:30 pm

Jazz cruise to a victory over Warriors 122-108

sfgate.com photo: The Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert takes a shot against the Golden State Warriors defense at Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday night

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The visiting Utah Jazz downed the Warriors 122-108 Monday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors’ All-Star forward, Draymond Green, returned to action after missing several games with an injured left index finger.

The Jazz, coached by Quinn Snyder, owned a record of 6-3 coming into the game. The Jazz revamped their roster as they added guard Michael Conley. Conley was an All-Star in Memphis for many years. Another addition to the roster was Bojan Bogdanovic, who came to Utah after playing for the Indiana Pacers last season.

The Jazz has other players that are All-Stars. Rudy Gobert, the seven-foot one-inch center, is back for another year. Donovan Mitchell continues to sparkle at the guard position, and he had a big night against the Warriors.

The Warriors and Jazz played a very competitive first quarter. The Jazz led early in the period. The W’s D’Angelo Russell knocked down three threes in a row to give the Warriors the lead 19-17. Utah came back and regained the lead briefly. The Warriors went ahead 24-23 on a D’Angelo Russell 2-point bucket. That would be the last time the Warriors had the lead. Russell finished the first period with 18 points.

Utah outscored the Warriors 35-24 in the second period to finish the first half with a 15-point lead 69-54. Utah knocked down 9 threes. The W’s had four. This was one of the reasons the Jazz led by 15. The other reason was the advantage the Jazz had at the free-throw line. Utah outscored the Warriors 16-2 from the charity stripe.

The Warriors outscored the Jazz 31-28 in the third quarter. Jordan Poole, D’Angelo Russell, Alec Burks, Damian Lee, and Eric Paschall all made contributions to help the Warriors win the quarter. They trailed 97-85 at the end of three-quarters of play.

The Warriors, as hard as they played, could not catch the Jazz. With 8:28 left to play, Draymond Green was charged with a double technical foul. Draymond appeared to be run over by a Utah player. He went to the floor but was charged with a reach-in foul. Green objected and was hit with a T.

He continued to question the call, and he was slapped with his second T. He had to leave. The Warriors could not catch the Jazz. They played well on defense, but they did not have enough firepower to get back into the game. The Jazz win 122-108

Game Notes: D’Angelo Russell led the Warrior attack with 33 points. Russell had 8 assists, and he made five threes in nine tries. The other Warriors in double figures were Jordan Poole with 11, Marquis Chriss 11, and Alec Burns 10. Willie Cauley-Stein, Glenn Robinson, Damian Lee, and Eric Paschall each had 8.

Utah had seven players in double figures. Rudy Gobert had a double-double with 25 points and 14 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell tallied 23, and he made 7 threes. Michael Conley tallied 22, and he knocked down six threes. Jeff Green and Bojan Bogdanovic each had 12. Joe Ingles and Emmanuel Mudiay had 11 each.

With the loss, the Warriors are now 2-9. Utah improved to 7-3. They are a power in the Western Conference and will be battling with the Lakers, Clippers, Rockets, and Denver for the best record in the West.

Utah’s Donovan Mitchell and the Warriors Eric Paschall have been best friends since they were six years old, growing up in Westchester County, New York. Hard to believe that two young men from the same neighborhood would be playing in the NBA. It’s a sweet story.

Up Next: The Warriors are back in action Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Chase Center. The game will be on ESPN at 7:00 pm. The Boston Celtics visit the Warriors on Friday.

Thunder holds off injury-riddled Warriors 114-108

photo from sfgate.com: Minnesota Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, left, as Golden State Warriors’ D’Angelo Russell defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Nov 8, 2019, in Minneapolis.

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Saturday, November 9, 2019

Five Oklahoma City players scored in double-figures on Saturday, as the Thunder defeated a short-handed Golden State squad 114-108 in Oklahoma City. It was the Thunder’s second win over the Warriors this season.

Danilo Gallinari led the Thunder with 19 points, followed by Dennis Schroder with 18 points and six assists. Chris Paul scored 16 points to go with nine assists, Steven Adams netted 13 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 12 points.

Oklahoma City has won three of its last four games.

D’Angelo Russell continued his torrid scoring for the Warriors, scoring 17 of his game-high 30 points in the third quarter. His 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer tied the game at 84-all.

On Friday, Russell scored 52 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Alec Burk added 23 points for Golden State (2-8), and Glenn Robinson III added 18 for a Warriors team that has five players inactive due to injury, including Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.

Early in the fourth quarter, Willie Cauley-Stein’s jumper put the Warriors ahead 88-86. OKC (4-5) responded with a 9-0 run, sparked by four points from Paul. A jumper by Hamidou Diallo gave the Thunder a 14-point lead with 5:01 remaining.

Though Golden State cut its deficit to 112-108 with 17.7 seconds to play, they could get no closer.

The Warriors were 17 of 17 on free throws. Oklahoma City’s 43 baskets had 30 assists, and the Thunder outrebounded Golden State 42-35.

Golden State returns home on Monday night to host the Utah Jazz at 7:30 p.m.

Warriors lose to the Timberwolves 125-119 in OT

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors gave the Minnesota Timberwolves all they could handle Friday night at the Target Center in Minneapolis. D’Angelo Russell returned to action after missing three games with an ankle injury. Russell paced the Warriors’ offense with a career-high 52 points. It was not enough as the T-Wolves prevailed in overtime 125-119.

The Warriors finished the first quarter with a 31-29 advantage. Russell led the offense, and the Warriors played sound defense. They finished the first half leading 61-60.

The Warriors continued to play well in the third quarter. They outscored the T-Wolves by five to lead 86-80. The Warriors were able to maintain the lead until late in the fourth quarter. They led 110-106 with less than a minute to play. The T-Wolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns was fouled, and he knocked down the two free throws to make it a two-point game 110-108. T-Wolves’ coach, Ryan Saunders had his team put on a full-court press as the Warriors tried to get the ball into the forecourt. The T-Wolves’ Robert Covington was able to tie up Alec Burks to force a jump ball. Covington won the jump, and the T-Wolves gave the ball to Andrew Wiggins, who would make a layup to tie the game with 5.6 seconds left. The Warriors failed to score, and the game went to overtime.

The Warriors continued to stay close to the lead behind D’Angelo Russell’s hot hand. They stayed close as they trailed 120-119. The T-Wolves made a three to lead 123-119. The Warriors would not score again. Minnesota added to more points to ice the 125-119 overtime win.

Game Notes: The Warriors’ record dropped to 2-7. It was the first time since 2004-05 season. Minnesota improved to 5-3.

D’Angelo Russell finished the night with 52 points. He scored 21 of the last 23 points scored by the Warriors. Alec Burks, coming off the bench, had 18. Rookie Eric Paschall had 12. No other Warrior was in double figures.

Minnesota was led by Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins scored 40 to help his team to the win. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Robert Covington had 17, Jake Layman, 14, and Josh Okogie also had 14.

Up Next: The Warriors face the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday night in OKC. The game will start at 5 pm PT.

Rockets knock off the young Warriors 129-112

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors started a three-game road trip at the Toyota Center against the Houston Rockets Wednesday night.

The Warriors, still short-handed and inexperienced, started the five players that upset the Portland Trail Blazers Monday night. The Rockets, lusting for blood after being eliminated by the Warriors in the playoffs last year, showed the five new players they have a long way to go. The Rockets easily won 129-112.

The Warriors gave the Rockets a tussle in the first quarter. They finished the period trailing 30-29. They tied the game at 36 early in the second quarter. The Rockets started to pull away and finished the first half leading 63-52. The Warriors shot just 38.8% from the floor.

The Rockets stopped the Warriors’ attack in the third period. The Rockets built up the lead to 23. The Warriors played better but ended the period trailing by 15. The Rockets kept the pressure on, and the Warriors fell 129-112.

The Warriors lost for the sixth time in eight games. The Rockets improved to 5-3.

The Warriors’ leading scorer was Alec Burks with 28. Burks did not start, but he played well. He made three threes in 8 tries and had 8 rebounds and 3 assists. Eric Paschall continued to play well for Golden State. Eric led the starters with 19 points and 6 rebounds. Glenn Robinson had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. Damian Lee and Omari Spellman were in double figures with 13 each. Jordan Poole and Ky Bowman each had 8.

The Rockets had six players in double figures. Harden had 36. Danuel House, Jr, had 17, Clint Capela had 19 points and 16 boards, Russell Westbrook, 18, and Austin Rivers, coming off the bench had 12. Rivers made four threes in four tries.

Draymond Green did not accompany the team on the road trip. He is recovering from an injury to his index finger on his left hand. D’Angelo Russell is with the team and may play in the next game or two. Kevon Looney will be out at least another two weeks with a nerve condition. He will be evaluated at that time. Alen Smailagic is also recovering from an ankle issue, and he may be back soon.

The Warriors travel to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night. The game time is at 4:30 pm PT.

Headline Sports podcast Pt. 2 with Barbara Mason: Warriors just a bad club or a rebuilding year?; Kings put together two wins in a row; plus more

Photo credit sfgate.com: San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) is tackled short of the goal line by Arizona Cardinals safety Deionte Thompson (35) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. 

On the Headline Sports podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 Are the Warriors 2-5 just down on their luck or are they just outright a bad ball club since their offseason mass exodus?

#2 How much would would you allude to the Sacramento Kings’ struggle and their recent two straight wins? Were the wins looked at as encouraging for the Kings?

#3 The Cal Bears opened up their men’s basketball season against Pepperdine tonight at Haas Pavillion. The Bears are looking to have a much better season than they did last year.

#4 The San Francisco 49ers might be facing their toughest challenge this season yet when they host the Seattle Seahawks for Monday Night Football on Nov. 11th at Levis Stadium.

#5 The Oakland Raiders just got by the Detroit Lions with a 31-24 win on a Hunter Renfrow fourth quarter touchdown that help put the Lions away at the Oakland Coliseum.

Headline Sports with Barbara Mason is heard each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Young Warriors, behind Paschall’s tremendous effort, down Trail Blazers 127-118

Photo credit: mercurynews.com

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors led by three rookies — Eric Paschall, Ky Bowman, and Jordan Poole — and stunned the Portland Trailblazer Monday night at the Chase Center by a score of 127-118. It was the Warriors’ first win at the Chase Center this season.

The Warriors were again without the services of Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell, and Kevon Looney. Steph Curry is out for at least three months. Klay Thompson is out for the season. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup had three rookies and two veterans, Willie Cauley-Stein and Glen Robinson.

The Warriors, who played well for most of the game Saturday against Charlotte for three quarters, were able to put together a complete game as they stunned Portland. The Warriors played all four quarters with a lot of energy. They played well on offense as they recorded 28 assists. They improved on defense. They outrebounded Portland 47-44. The Warriors attacked the basket all night long. They had 36 free throws and made 33.

The Warriors’ player of the game was Eric Paschall. The young man that played his college ball at Villanova turned 23 on Monday. Paschall, who won a National Championship with Villanova, was the 41st player picked in the 2019 NBA Draft and showed the NBA that he came ready to play. In his seventh NBA game, Paschall tallied 36 points and had 13 rebounds for his first career double-double. Also, he knocked down four three-point shots. He scored 17 points in the first quarter and had his third game in the league with more than 20 points. His 36 points were the most scored by a rookie this year.

The Warriors and Blazers played a fast-paced and entertaining first quarter. The Warriors led most of the way. The most significant lead they had was 14-7. The teams tied at 22 and again at 27. Portland led 30-29 near the end of the period. The Warriors went on a 5-0 run to finish leading 34-30.

The Blazers outscored the Warriors 31-26 in the second quarter to lead 63-60 at the end of the first 24 minutes of action. Damian Lillard and Hassan Whiteside pace the Blazers with 17 points and 14 points. Eric Paschall finished the half with 19 points. Rookie point guard Ky Bowman, who played his college ball at Boston College, knocked down 10.

Portland increased the lead to 65-60 to start the third quarter. The Warriors responded with an 8-0 run to take the lead 68-65. It was nip and tuck for the remainder of the third quarter. Eric Paschall, Willie Cauley-Stein, Damian Lee, and Ky Bowman played with a lot of energy, and the Warriors refused to wilt. The Warriors won the period 27-20 and led 87-83 with 12 minutes left to play.

The Blazers, who probably has the best backcourt in the league now that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are on the shelves, fought back and tied the game at 99. Alec Burks made a couple of crucial three-point plays. Eric Paschall was a force on offense as well as on defense. Eric scored a bucket after fighting for a rebound to put the Warriors up 117-105. Jordan Poole and Damian Lee played exceptionally well. The Blazers double-teamed Lee every time he handled the ball, trying to force turnovers. They were successful a couple of times, but they fouled Damian several times. Lee made 8 free throws in nine attempts. The Warriors refused to fold, and they ran out the clock with a stunning victory over the Blazers.

Game Notes: As mentioned above, Eric Paschall had the biggest night of his young career. In just seven games, he has shown that he is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. The Dubs had six players in double figures. Paschall led the way with 36. Ky Bowman had 19, Jordan Poole and Damian Lee each had 16. Alec Burns, coming off the bench, added 13, and Cauley-Stein had 10.

Damian Lillard, who is from Oakland, led the Blazers with 39. he hit five threes in 13 tries. His backcourt partner, C.J.McCollum, finished with 14. Big Hassan Whiteside, who killed the Warriors when he was with the Miami Heat, had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Blazers’ bench players, Anfernee Simons and Mario Hezonjka, had 14 and 11.

The Blazers shot almost 45% from the floor. The Warriors were better as they shot 48.8%. The Blazers hit 13 threes while the W’s connected 10 times on 26 attempts. The Blazers committed six turnovers. The Warriors turned the ball over 10 times.

Up Next: The Warriors improved to 2-5 while Portland dropped to 3-4. The Warriors travel to Houston to face the Rockets Wednesday at 4:30 pm PT.

Short-handed Warriors come close, lose to Hornets 93-87

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors, depleted by injuries, faced the Charlotte Hornets with only nine players Saturday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors were without the services of Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell. Green was out due to a sprained index finger on his left hand, and he will not be available on Monday. Russell suffered a sprained ankle, and he may play on Monday. Head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup bore no resemblance to the Warrior team of the past five years. All five starters are in their first year with the Warriors. Three of the starters, Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole, and Ky Bowman, are rookies. Willie Cauley-Stein and Glenn Robinson III have experience in the NBA as they were with other teams last year.

The young Warriors won the first and second quarters to finish the first half leading 55-50. The offense was led by rookie Eric Paschall, Glenn Robinson, Ky Bowman, and Damion Lee. Paschall had 12, Robinson 11, Lee 10, and Bowman 9.  The Hornets were led by Dwayne Bacon with 15. Point guard Terry Rozier, acquired from Boston in the trade for Kemba Walker, had 10. Forward P.J.Washington and big Cody Zeller each knocked down 8.

The Warriors and Hornets went tooth and nail in the third quarter. The name of the game in the third quarter was defense, The Warriors held the Hornets to just 18 points total in the period. The bad news was that the Warriors were held to 16 points. The team went ice cold late in the third period and could not buy a bucket. They still led by three points 71-68. That would have been a perfect time to end the game, and the Warriors would have recorded the win. Unfortunately, for Golden State, they had to play 12 more minutes. The fourth quarter was also a nail-biter. The Hornets took the lead 72-71.  The Dubs bounced back and regained it 75-74. The Hornets took a five-point lead 80-75.

The Warriors managed to tie it when Glenn Robinson hit a three to make it 80-80. The Hornets made a three, and the Warriors countered with a three. The Hornets made another three. The Warriors answered with a three to tie the game at 86. The Dubs made a free throw to go on top 87-86. They didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the last time they would put points on the board. The Hornets then went ahead 88-87. Damion Lee turned the ball over to the Hornets when he was not able to inbound the basketball successfully. The ball went over to the Hornets. The Hornets missed on several free throws down the stretch, but the Warriors were not able to corral the rebounds. The Hornets’ Terry Rozier was fouled from behind. The referees awarded him two free throws and possession of the ball. The Hornets made all four free throws to win the game 93-87.

Game Notes: Even though the W’s lost for the fifth time in six games, all was not dismal. Eric Paschall, the rookie from Villanova, had a career night. He scored 25 points, had 4 rebounds, and two assists, and was the 41st player picked in the 2019 draft. In the six games in his young career, he has two games with 20 or more points. He looks to be the real deal, and the Warriors have to be pleased with his play. The other rookie that sparkled Saturday night was Ky Bowman. Bowman, a backup point guard, played his college ball at Boston College. He kicked in with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and made two three-pointers in six tries. Glenn Robinson was solid with 16 points, nine boards, and three assists. Robinson connected on four three in seven attempts. Damion Lee, coming off the bench, finished the night with 13. These were the bright spots in a losing effort.

Charlotte had five players in double figures. Dwayne Bacon had 25, Terry Rozier 20, Marvin Williams 11, P.J. Washington 11, and Cody Zeller 10.

The Warriors shot 44.2% from the floor. The Hornets outshot the Warriors 85-77.  They also outrebounded Golden State 48-40. The Warriors had five steals and five blocked shots on defense.

The Warriors held the Hornets to 43 points in the second half. Usually, that effort would get the team a win. The problem for Golden State was that they were held to just 32 points in the final 24 minutes of the game. The young players did not quit. They hustled and had a chance to win. The fans have to realize the fact that these players have only played together for six games. They also are missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, D’Angelo Russell, and Klay Thompson. It may be a long season. Still, players such as Eric Paschall, Glenn Robinson, Ky Bowman, Jordan Poole, and Damion Lee will be players that may contribute to the Warrior success later in the season when the key players return to action. Let’s hope they continue to improve.

Up Next: The Warriors return to action Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Without Curry Warriors have One Hand to play

sfgate photo: San Antonio Spurs center LaMarcus Aldridge (12) drives against Golden State Warriors center Willie Cauley-Stein during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Friday, Nov. 1, 2019

By-Amaury Pi-González

The night when Stephen Curry broke his left hand, most local television stations broke that news at the top of the hour and then in the second block of their newscasts right after the fires in the Bay Area and in Southern California,they went into detail and then teased their sports segment that was coming later.

Warriors fans who have been treated to three NBA titles in recent years,were shocked,that the team will have to play without Curry (at least 45 games)-that’s over half of the 82 game NBA season. After the 45 games Curry will be re-evaluated to see if his is ready to play again. In the euphoria of Warriors Nation the past few years where they are expected to win all the time,it was inconceivable their team with no Curry.

It was a shock. We must never forget,these athletes are made of bone and flesh,and at anytime they could get hurt. Not only while playing, but driving or at home and in many ways other than going to the hoop to score a basket.

So now what? This Warriors team has a lot of young players,looking to become stars in the league. One of the veterans, Draymond Green,who is playing in his eight season with the Warriors, said the obvious “The Warriors are a lot different without Curry” But Draymond now has to tend to himself as he suffered a sprained left index finger during Friday’s lost to the San Antonio Spurs. His availability for tonight’s game against Charlotte is in question.

Even before the Curry injury nobody should expected this Warriors team to be among the elite teams in the league,but now things look very much different and looks like the W’s will be looking to save the season. The opportunity for the younger players is there and coach Kerr knows it.

This is when a good coach can help a team that needs some leadership and direction. It is easier for a coach to win when you have the talent and nobody wins without talent. The best jockey in the world cannot win the race,if the horse is limping.

The famous rapper LL Cool J once said “When adversity strikes,that’s when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back,stay strong,stay grounded and press on”. Those are simple, but wise words,as the Warriors are facing all that and more early during this season.

Warriors play better, but still lose to Spurs 127-110

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors received the news that their superstar, Steph Curry, had surgery on his broken hand Friday. Curry will be re-evaluated in three months. He might not be able to return until at least February.

The Warriors’ Friday night opponent was the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs lost for the first time last night in Los Angeles to the Clippers. Spurs head coach Greg Popovich wanted his team to rebound, and they did just that as they downed the young Warriors 127-110 at the Chase Center. The game was closer than the score would indicate. The Warriors held their own until late in the third quarter when the Spurs were able to pull away.

The Warriors played a very competitive first half. They lost the first and second quarters by one point. They trailed 57-55 at the end of the first 23 minutes of action. D’Angelo Russell led the team with 19 points. Jordan Poole and Alec Burks helped keep the Warriors in the game. The Spurs were led by bench players Rudy Gay and Patty Mills. Mills had 16 and Gay added 10.

The Spurs broke it open late in the third period. They outscored the Warriors 40-31. LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored eight in the first half, scored the Spurs’ first 10 points in the third quarter. The Warriors stayed close, but the veteran Spurs team pulled away to lead 97-86. The Warriors, who were led by Jordan Poole, Damian Lee, and D’Angelo Russell, could not close the gap. The Spurs cruised to a 127-110 win.

With the loss, the Warriors dropped to 1-4. The Spurs improved to 4-1. D’Angelo Russell tallied 30 points for Golden State. Russell also had 8 assists and was 3 for 11 from three-point range. Jordan Poole knocked down 20. The young man from Michigan made four threes in seven tries. Damian Lee had 16, and Alec Burks pitched in with 14.

The Spurs were led by Patty Mills, who finished with 31 points. Mills, who played college basketball at St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif., made six threes in nine tries. Aldridge had 22, Rudy Gay had 16, Bryn Forbes had 14, and DeMar DeRozan had 13.

The Spurs took nine more shots from the floor than the Warriors. They shot 47.3% while the Warriors shot a respectable 46.4%. The Spurs also made more free throws than the Warriors. They made 26 freebies compared to the Warriors’ 19.

The Warriors were outrebounded 52-39, but they recorded 25 assists. They had good ball movement and were able to find the open man. They also handled the ball better and were able to reduce the number of turnovers. They had just 11 turnovers Friday night.

The Warriors return to action Saturday night at the Chase Center. They will be hosting the visiting Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets will be led by former Boston Celtic, Terry Rozier, who will be their point guard. Their record is 2-3 so far this year. The game will start at 5:30 pm.