Category: Golden State Warriors

Spurs Muster Just Enough To Get Past Golden State 126-113

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Despite Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson’s team leading 27 points the Warriors struggled against the team with the worst record in the NBA the San Antonio Spurs at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Mar 8, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Antonio Spurs (14-50) have struggled all season; they have not shot over 50% from downtown yet they did not struggle tonight against the Golden State Warriors (33-30). The Spurs outplayed the Warriors the entire game winning by the score of 126-113. The Warriors struggled without Stephen Curry on the floor.

Game recap: The Spurs came into the opening 12 minutes with a lot of energy leading after the first quarter 32-27. San Antonio took that energy into the second quarter outplaying the Warriors and five minutes into the quarter the Spurs had a 44-32 lead forcing Head Coach Steve Kerr to take a time-out.

The Spurs were shooting 51% from the field and 54% from downtown. The Warriors were laboring at 36% from the field and the long ball. They were simply being outplayed so far in this game and their frustration was obvious.

With six minutes left in the half, San Antonio had taken their largest lead of the game 48-34. The Spurs continued to extend their lead and Kerr continued to take time outs trying to get these guys going.

It was a fractured first half of basketball for Golden State. Klay Thompson got going in the latter minutes of the half which got the crowd at Chase going as well. Thompson was the only Warrior in double digits in the first half. He was 3 of 7 from downtown. The Spurs continued to hush the crowd with ten triples and at the half San Antonio led by 19 points 62-43.

The Warriors needed to wake up in the second half of this game if they wanted to win. They were struggling defensively allowing the Spurs to shoot at 62% from beyond the arc. San Antonio was outplaying the Warriors at every turn. This was also a very disappointing offensive effort for Golden State. They had a lot of work to do in the second half. They were desperate for some offense.

The Spurs opened the third quarter with a bucket in the paint and a 21 point lead. Golden State found some rhythm and began to chip away at the Spurs lead. The 21 point San Antonio lead had dissolved to 12, 66-54.

With so much time left in this game, the Warriors had turned this game around trailing by only nine points. San Antonio was making a lot of mistakes and missing shots looking like a different team compared to the first half.

With under seven minutes left in the quarter the Spurs got some momentum going pushing their lead back to 76-59. After three quarters, San Antonio continued to lead 96-79. The Warriors worked hard in the third quarter getting to the line which was great but they missed eight free throws. The Warriors did win the quarter 36-34 and had one more quarter to comeback.

The Spurs kept knocking down triples in the fourth quarter. They had not shot at 50% once this season and here they were shooting at 58%. Mid-way through the fourth quarter, the Spurs led 110-94 clocking 17 triples.

This had been an uphill climb for Golden State the entire game and it was Thompson who was giving his team any sort of chance to win. With under five minutes left in the game, San Antonio had a 20 point lead 114-94.

Jonathan Kuminga came on strong in the second half and with under four minutes had 24 points to his credit. It was just too little too late for the Warriors. The final was 126-113 in favor of San Antonio. The Spurs had their 14th win of the season.

The Warriors were outplayed in every category in tonight’s game. Thompson had the team high with 27 points and Kuminga heated up in the second half with 26 points. They were the only bright spot in this game as they got totally dominated.

Game notes: Saturday night the Warriors took on the Spurs at Chase Center. The Warriors took to the court without their leader, their offensive weapon Curry out with a right ankle injury. Thankfully Curry’s MRI revealed no structural damage to the joint and classified the injury as a sprain.

When he will take the court again is unknown but he will be re-evaluated on Tuesday. The Spurs are having their woes besides a disappointing season; they are also missing their star Victor Wenbamyama due to a sprained ankle. Golden State will be leaning on Thompson, Kuminga and Chris Paul. In Curry’s absence Thompson had to carry this team to a win with only 20 games left in the regular season Thompson scored 27 points.

Golden State will travel to San Antonio to take on Spurs for a second time on Monday night. Curry will not be on the floor but the Spurs Wembanyama is expected to play which may prove to be tough for the Warriors. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

The Warriors lose a nail-biter to the Chicago Bulls 125-122

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The Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) tries to reach in for the basketball against the Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Mar 8, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (33-30) played a back-to-back game Wednesday and Thursday nights at the Chase Center. The Chicago Bulls (32-32) were in San Francisco after beating the Sacramento Kings on Monday and the Utah Jazz last night.

The Bulls were going for their third straight win on the road. The Warriors bounced back from a 52-point loss to Boston on Sunday to beat the Milwaukee Bucks by 35 last night. The Warrior fans were hoping that their team could knock off the Bulls.

The Bulls, led by DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, gave the Warriors more than they could handle. The game was a dogfight until the last few seconds before Chicago pulled ahead for good. The Bulls won 125-122.

The game was a nail-biter. The Warriors got off to a good start in the first quarter. They grabbed an early 13-point lead, 31-18. The Bulls started an 11-0 run by making a three. DeMar DeRozan put four points on the board when he was fouled, making a three-pointer, and the quarter ended with the Warriors ahead 31-25.

DeRozan made the first bucket of the second period to bring the Bulls within four. The Bulls outscored the Warriors 28-28 in the second quarter to finish the first half leading 63-59. DeRozan and Vucevic led the Bulls attack with 18 points each. Klay Thompson was hot in the first half.

Thompson put 16 points on the board for the Warriors. Jonathan Kuninga and Andrew Wiggins each had eight. Draymond Green had seven points, six rebounds, and six assists. The Bulls’ defense put the clamps on Stephen Curry. Curry had just five points.

Neither team could pull away. Green and Brandin Podzienski made baskets to tie the game at 63. Curry made a three to give the Warriors a one-point lead 66-65. The two teams fought tooth and nail. The lead changed hands several times until the Bulls went on a 19-4 run at the end of the third quarter to lead 99-89.

The Warriors were unfazed. They stormed back to take the lead, 108-107. The teams tied at 114-114 and again at 116-116. There were 13 ties and 20 lead changes at this point in the game. Curry had to leave the game with 3:51 left to play.

Curry appeared to have suffered an injury to his leg. Curry went to the locker room and did not return. With 58 seconds left, Green fouled out. The Bull’s DeRozan made it 118-116. Thompson connected from downtown to put the Warriors ahead, 119-118.

DeRozan answered with a bucket, making it a three-point play as he was found. The Warriors then fouled Vucevic. Vucevic made both free throws. Chris Paul made a three to bring the Warriors within a point, 123-122. Unfortunately for the Warriors, time was running out. With just 2.1 seconds left, the Warriors fouled DeRozan. DeRozan made both free throws to end the game.

Game Notes: With the loss, the Warriors are 33-29. They are 14-5 in their last 19 games. Chicago improved to 31-32.

The Warriors could not stop the Bulls’ two top offensive threats, DeRozan and Vucevic. The Bulls had five players in double figures. DeRozan scored 33 points, eight rebounds, and four assists and made three threes in six attempts.

Vucevic’s numbers were similar to DeRozan’s. Vucevic had a double-double with 33 points and 11 rebounds. He also had five assists and connected on three threes in six tries. Coby White added 20, Jevon Carter, 10, and Ayo Dosunmo had 14 for Chicago.

The Bulls shot 53% from the floor and connected on 16 threes. Thompson made five threes, and the Warriors as a team had 11. 

The Warriors had seven players in double figures. Curry finished with 15 but did not score in the fourth quarter. Thompson finished with 25, and Green almost had a triple-double. Green had 11 points, nine rebounds, and 12 assists. Kuninga had 19, Podzienski 11, Moses Moodey 10, and Chris Paul 15. The Warriors shot 45% from the floor and made 11 threes in 42 attempts. 

The Warriors welcome the San Antonio Spurs to the Chase Center on Saturday night. The fans will see the Spurs’ rookie sensation, Victor Wembanyama, in action. Wembanyama is 20 years old and stands seven feet four inches tall. He is averaging almost 21 points a game. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Warriors get back on win track rout Milwaukee Bucks 125-90 at Chase Center

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Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins looks to pass the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Mar 6, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

Golden State Warriors, who were trounced by the Boston Celtics last Sunday in Boston, returned home to face the Milwaukee Bucks, the team with the second-best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

The Bucks fired their coach earlier in the season and brought Doc Rivers to right the ship. Things didn’t go well for Milwaukee after Rivers took over. However, the Bucks got their act together and had won six straight after the All-Star break.

The Warriors won three games on the four-game road trip. The only blemish was Sunday’s massacre in Boston. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr said the team had to flush the loss down the toilet. The Warriors did just that as they crushed the Bucks 125-90.

The Warriors came to play Wednesday night. The Warriors scored 40 points in the first quarter. Andrew Wiggins returned to the starting lineup after missing four games for personal reasons. Brandin Podzienski also returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with a sore knee.

Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuminga paced the Warriors’ offense in the first 12 minutes of the game. The Warriors led 40-32 at the end of the quarter.

In the second quarter, the Warriors played well on both ends of the court. Klay Thompson tallied ten points, Gary Payton II, nine, and the Warriors won the quarter 38-26 to finish the first half leading 78-56. Steph Led the Attack with 17. Kuninga was a force on offense as he tallied 16.

The Warriors shot 64% from the floor. They made 12 threes in 19 tries. Milwaukee shot 50% from the floor, but they could not find a way to stop the Warrior offense in the first half. Milwaukee’s only advantage in the first half was at the free-throw line.

The Bucks had 12 free throws and made eight. The Warriors went to the free-throw line just once in the first half. Curry made both free throws.

As NBA fans know, leads can quickly disappear in the second half. The Warriors have been guilty of blowing big leads in the fourth quarter. Milwaukee’s stars Giannis Antetokoumpo and Damian Lillard could get hot and lead the Bucks back into the game.

The Warriors, on the other hand, have owned the third quarter for many years. The Warriors loved to come out and blow away their opponents in the third quarter. If they hoped to win, the Bucks knew they had to stop the Warriors offense and take control of the game.

Milwaukee stopped the Warriors’ offense cold. Milwaukee went on a 19-5 run to close within six points of the lead, 83-77. At this point, Steve Kerr inserted the rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis. Davis turned things around for Golden State.

The Bucks won the quarter 23-15, but Jackson Davis was excellent on both ends of the court. Davis blocked two of Giannis’ shots, and TJD knocked down six points. The Warriors led by nine, 93-82, after three periods of play.

Milwaukee felt they had figured out how to get back into the game. They were wrong. The Warriors’ second unit of Moses Moody, Davis, Podzienski, Curry, and Draymond Green stopped the Bucks’ offense. The Warriors won the final stanza 32-9 to propel the Warriors to a very important bounce-back win 125-90.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors are 33-28. They have won 14 of the last 18 games. Milwaukee falls to 41-22. The Warriors split the season series with the Bucks.

The Warriors shot 56% from the floor, made 19 threes in 39 tries, and had 37 assists on 51 made baskets. On defense, the Warriors outrebounded the bigger Bucks 57-45. The Warriors had ten steals and a season-high 13 blocks. 

Curry paced the offense with 29 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. Curry also made six threes. Jonathan Kuminga added 20 points. Klay Thompson finished with ten. Green had 12 points, six boards, and six assists. Green connected on two threes in the fourth quarter. Jackson-Davis had quite a night. The 24-year-old rookie from Indiana tallied 15 points and six rebounds in 18 minutes of playing time.

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 24 points. Lillard had 20. Lillard made five threes, and he is now tied with Reggie Miller for fourth place in the NBA making threes. 

The Warriors must put this game behind them as they face the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 p.m.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Curry hurting can only score 4 points against Celtics

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The Boston Celtics guard Jaylon Brown (7) is excited about scoring against Trayce Jackson Davis (32) and the Golden State Warriors in second half action at TD Garden in Boston on Sun Mar 3, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Golden State Warriors have been on a roll now with a 32-28 record and faced a major challenge Sunday afternoon against the Boston Celtics a game televised on national TV. The Warriors had a 3-1 road trip record on this short road trip.

#2 A physically struggling Stephen Curry who was questionable prior to this game was able to take the court. He struggled as did the entire team for the entire first half.

Head Coach Steve Kerr had been noticing a tired Curry

#3 The stars of this game were Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum who tore up the court in the first half. Starters on both teams sat out the second half in this demolition.

#4 This was a great opportunity for both benches to get some invaluable experience as this game became a bench game for the two remaining quarters of the second half. This game was a done deal at halftime.

#5 The Warriors thankfully back at home will take on the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. They really need a break right now after this game and so a few days off will be appreciated. The Bucks are another hot team in second place in the Eastern Conference.

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

Warriors Buried By Celtics 140-88

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Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) takes a fade away shot against the Golden State Warriors guard Lester Quinones (25) at TD Garden in Boston on Sun Mar 2, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

This a game the likes of which we decline to witness again this season. It was a massacre and that is putting it mildly. The second half was a bench game for both teams the Golden State Warriors (32-28) and the Boston Celtics (48-12) at TD Garden in Boston. Trailing by as much as 56 points in the fourth quarter this is a game that the team needs to put in their rearview. The final was an inconceivable 140-88 crushing of Golden State.

Game recap: The two teams traded baskets in the early going of the first quarter. Mid-way through the quarter the game was tied at 21. It all changed for the Warriors for the remainder of the first quarter.

The Celtics came unleashed and at the end of the first 12 minutes had gone on a 21-3 run and this game had taken a huge turn in favor of Boston. Stephen Curry who was able to start in the game came away empty in the opening quarter.

Boston took a 44-22 lead into the second quarter. Jaylen Brown erupted in the first quarter hitting three consecutive 3s to close out a great start for the Celtics. He scored 19 points in the opening quarter.

The second quarter was a rough one for the Warriors as Boston continued extend their lead. The Warriors were doing a poor job handling the pressure, the offense from outside and ball control committing eight turnovers while the Celtics had a single turnovers.

The Warriors were shooting at 33% while the red-hot Celtics were solid with 62%. This was as close to a perfect first half that Boston has possibly seen this season. At the half the Celtics had punished Golden State in every possible way; offensively, especially from downtown, as well as defensively.

After the first two quarters, Boston led by an astonishing score of 82-38 and if one is doing the math that is 44 points. This was a season high for Boston in Celtic history in the first half of any game.

Not a single Warrior had double digits in the first half. Curry only had four points for the quarter and the high for Golden State was Moses Moody with nine points. Boston won the second quarter 38-16.

The Celtics finished the half with 15 shots from outside to the Warriors 3. Jaylen Brown had the high for Boston with 25 points followed by Jason Tatum with 22. This was so far a good-old fashioned spanking that would be near to impossible to overcome and to compound it all it was happening on national TV.

Klay Thompson did not return for the remainder of the game with left hamstring tightness. it was a nightmare that continued into the third quarter. At 9:00 in the third quarter Boston took a 51 point lead 95-44.

Most of the Golden State starters did not take the court to start the quarter and it eventually became a bench game for both teams. Younger players on both benches were getting some invaluable experience at the expense of the Warriors.

Curry had four points, obviously not even close to 100% and Thompson had six points. Thankfully this is only one game and all eyes will be watching their Wednesday matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks and how they bounce back. Boston finished the third quarter leading 115-62.

The Warriors did win the fourth quarter 26-25 probably the only bright spot in this game. The final was 140-88. Lester Quinones had the high for Golden State with 17. The Warriors did not get their three’s going from the start and finished with seven to the Celtics 25.

Post game notes: Sunday afternoon the Warriors faced the ultimate challenge taking on the first place Eastern Conference Celtics at TD Garden. The Warriors came into this game off a win over the Toronto Raptors 120-105 Friday night. The Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks soundly despite a triple-double from Lucas Doncic 138-110.

Curry was questionable with right knee bursitis but did play and he had to be aggravated by his pain as he scored only four points. The Warriors would really needed him in this game and they needed him as healthy as possible. The Celtics are on a role and between Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum Golden State was challenged defensively.

Thankfully the Warriors travel home on what, more than likely, will be an extremely quiet flight. They have a few days off to digest this game and put it behind them as they prepare to take on the Milwaukee Bucks who are currently tied for second place in the Easter Conference, nine games behind the Celtics. They will not be a pushover in another battle between the east and the west. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT Wednesday night.

Warriors Win Eighth Consecutive Road Game Beating Toronto 120-105; Golden State’s Wiggins out with serious personal issues

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives on the Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Fri Mar 1, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Despite a slow start, the Golden State Warriors (31-27) won their eighth road game in a row 120-105. They had flight issues flying into Toronto but pulled it all together to beat the Toronto Raptors (23-37). They battled the entire game and came out with the win.

Game recap: Golden State got a very slow start to open this game with some fatigue quite possibly playing into it. They trailed for most of the first quarter but battled back losing the opening quarter 28-31. They had cut the Raptors lead to three and were just getting started. Golden State was able to tie Toronto 33-33 in the second quarter but still trailed at the half 61-64.

The start of the second half was a complete turnaround for the Warriors. They won the third quarter 32-19 and led for the first time at the end of a quarter 93-83.

The Warriors began to set the pace of play dominating the paint and letting Stephen Curry do what he does best and that is knocking down triples.

Jonathan Kuminga was having a stellar game proving that he is now without doubt the number two player on the team. Golden State was one quarter away from winning their eighth road game in a row.

The Warriors continued to dominate in the final quarter with stop after stop. They came into the game on a very quiet note but were finishing the game like gangbusters. The final was 120-105 and they had their eighth win on the road and right now no one is dismissing Golden States hoped for path to the playoffs.

This was an amazing win for the Golden State Warriors especially since they were stuck on the tarmac at JFK Airport in New York waiting to fly into Canada for hours. They really had to pull out all the stops to win this game and they came out with flying colors.

Curry had the high for the Warriors with 25 points and Kuminga was right behind him with 24 points. Moses Moody who started in this game had 17 points and off the bench Chris Paul finished with 13. Klay Thompson also started in this game and shot for 14.

Game notes: The Warriors are on a roll winning their seventh road game in a row Thursday night beating the New York Knicks 110-99. Friday night they took on the 12th place Eastern Conference Raptors and picked up road win number eight. Golden State was without Andrew Wiggins who is out indefinitely once again with a personal matter. The team was also missing Podziemski who was out with right knee soreness. The Warriors had more than enough fire-power to realize number eight.

This win set up the showdown on Sunday when the Warriors take on the first place eastern conference Boston Celtics. This will be a huge challenge for Golden State. Considering the level that they have been playing at this game could very well be a ninth road win in a row for the Warriors. That tipoff is scheduled for 12:30 PM PT televised on ABC TV.

Warriors lead wire-to-wire beat New York Knicks 110-99

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) led with 31 points against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York Thu Feb 29, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors were in the Big Apple Thursday night to face the New York Knickerbockers. Both teams were without key players. Andrew Wiggins of the Warriors was unavailable for Thursday’s game due to “personal matters.”

As he did last year, the Warriors’ head coach has yet to determine when Wiggins will return. The Knicks Justin Randle and OG Anunoby could not play as they are recovering from injuries. The Knicks, without the two stars, are 4-6 over the last ten games. The Warriors inserted Moses Moody into the lineup in place of Wiggins.

The Knicks, under coach Tom Thibodeau, are an excellent rebounding team and rank in the top five defensive squads in the NBA. The Warriors were 20th in defense without Draymond Green. Since Green’s return, the Warriors are among the top five defensive teams in the NBA.

The Warriors have won 11 of the last 14 games. Veteran point guard Chris Paul will be playing his second game since returning from a broken hand. The Warriors led wire-to-wire to win, 110-99.

The Warriors went on a 14-0 run to start the game. Stephen Curry and Jonathan Kuninga were the players that got the offense going in the first quarter. Curry knocked down three threes, and Kuninga had the other five points to give the Warriors the early 14-0 advantage.

The Knicks woke from their slumber and started putting points on the board. The Warriors offense cooled down, but the Warriors still finished the first quarter leading 31-19. Curry tallied 11 points and had seven rebounds in the period.

The seven rebounds tied a career-high for rebounds in any quarter. New York got their offense going and won the second quarter 27-24. Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and former Warriors Donte DiVincenzo paced the Knicks’ attack. The Warriors finished the first half leading 55-46. Curry had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. 

The Knicks knew they had to outscore the Warriors in the third quarter. They tried hard, but the Warriors refused to bend. The Warriors got help from Green, who did not score a point in the first half, Klay Thompson, and Jonathan Kuminga. The Warriors outscored the Knicks by one point, 25-24, and increased the lead to ten, 80-70, at the end of the third quarter.

The Knicks knew a ten-point deficit starting the fourth quarter could be overcome. The Knicks were hoping to go on a run and close the gap. The Warriors have blown several leads in the fourth quarter this season. The Knicks’ defense had to stop the Warriors.

The Warriors had to ensure they did not blow another fourth-quarter lead. The Knicks went on a 13-2 run to trail by four, 89-85. Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski made a bucket to up the lead to 94-85. Curry hit his seventh three of the night to give the Warriors a ten-point advantage, 100-90. Curry made another three to 103-92. The Warriors had time on their side. The Knicks could not catch the Warriors. The Warriors won the game 110-99. 

Game Notes: The Warriors are now 31-27 with the win. They are 12-3 in their last 15 games. They have won the first two games of the four-game road trip. The Knicks fall to 35-25. The Knicks have lost seven of the last 11 games.

Curry loves playing in New York. Curry’s numbers were 31 points, 11 rebounds, and made eight threes. Curry has had 82 games with eight or more threes in his career. No other player comes close to Curry’s record.

Curry was +20 on the court. Jonathan Kuminga added 25 points. Green finished with seven points, ten boards, and six assists. Green was +19. Thompson, coming off the bench, knocked down 16. Chris Paul had 11. The Warriors had 58 points in the paint.

The Warrior’s defense held the Knicks to 36.9% from the floor. The Warriors committed 11 turnovers. 

Jalen Brunson led New York with 27, DiVincenzo had 16, and Josh Hart 16. Miles McBride added 14, and Jericho Sims added 10.

The Warriors flew to Toronto immediately after the game. The Warriors will play the Raptors on Friday night. The Raptors blew out the Warriors at the Chase Center earlier in the season. The Warriors want to get the win Friday night to even the season’s series. The game will start at 4:30 pm.

Warriors start the four-game road trip with a win over Wizards 123-112

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The Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul (3) is defended by the Washington Wizards guard Jared Butler (center) and forward Marvin Bagley III in the first half at the Capital One Center in Washington DC on Tue Feb 27, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors beat the Washington Wizards 123-112 at the Capital One Center in Washington DC to start a four-game road trip. The Warriors have now won 11 of the last 14 games played. Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, changed his lineup.

Andrew Wiggins had the night off. Kerr inserted Moses Moody into the starting lineup. The Warriors welcomed back point guard Chris Paul. Paul broke his left hand on January 5th in a game against the Detroit Pistons.

The Warriors were favored to beat the Wizards as Washington is having a dismal season. The Wizards traded for Jordan Poole. Poole was removed from the starting lineup as he was not performing the way he did when he was with the Warriors. But, as the fans know, anything can happen in a basketball game. The Warriors had to be careful not to let the Wizards pull off the upset. The Wizards played well in the first half and trailed by two 60-58 at halftime.

In the first quarter, the Wizards got off to a good start. At one point in that quarter, the Wizards led by nine, 25-16. The Warriors Klay Thompson made a couple of buckets to get the Warriors closer to the lead. Washington finished the quarter leading 25-23.

The Warriors outscored the Wizards 37-33 in the second quarter. Moses Moody connected on two three-pointers to help the Warriors get their offense going. Jonathan Kuminga and Gary Payton II also played well during this period. The Warriors finished the half leading by two, 60-58. There was one amazing stat that was hard to believe. Stephen Curry did not score a single point in the first half.

The Warriors won the third quarter 38-17. Curry found his shot. Curry and Klay each made a couple of threes to lead the Warriors to a 23-point lead, 98-75, at the end of the period. The Wizards, to their credit, fought back in the final stanza. The Warriors have blown several big leads in the fourth quarter this year. The Wizards won the quarter 37-25. The 23-point deficit was too much to overcome. Washington closed the gap to ten, 120-110, but time ran out, and the Warriors won 123-112.

Game Notes: The Warriors improved to 30-27 with the win. The Wizards lost their 12th in a row and are 9-49. Thompson paced the Warrior attack with 25 points. Thompson made six threes in nine tries. Stephen Curry, scoreless in the first half, knocked down eighteen in the second.

Curry connected three times from downtown. Moses Moody finished with 12, Brandin Podzienski had seven points, four rebounds, and four assists. Kuminga had a big night with 21 points, six boards, and five assists.

Payton II tallied 13 points, and Chris Paul added nine points and six assists. The Warriors shot 50% from the floor and, as a team, knocked down 21 threes. They had 39 assists on 47 made field goals. The Warriors outrebounded the Wizards 54-45. 

The Wizards had six players in double figures. Kyle Kuzma led Washington with 27. Marvin Bagley III had 20 points and nine rebounds. Corey Kispert had 20, Landry Shamet had 16, and Tyus Jones had 14. Former Warriors Jordan Poole scored 12, coming off the bench.

The Warriors bench outscored the Wizards bench 59-15. That was the difference in the game.

The Warriors travel to New York City to play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Thursday night. The game will start at 4 pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: After winning 9 of 10 it all comes to screeching halt for Golden State in loss to Denver

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The Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (50) takes a shot against the Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Feb 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Warriors had really turned things around winning their last 9 of 10 game but that all came to and end last night when they took on the defensing champion Denver Nuggets.

#2 The Warriors had a great opening quarter at one time taking a 15 point lead but the Nuggets fought back tying up the game at halftime 61 apiece. Klay Thompson had an electric first half shooting for 23 points but it was a Dr. Jekell and Mr. Hyde going silent in the second half.

#3 Another disappointment for Golden State was a poor game for Stephen Curry. He did not hit a three until the third quarter and that would be it for him going 1 of 10 in the game.

#4 Nikola Jokic was outstanding registering his 18th triple double of the season. He was as always an offensive and defensive threat throughout then game and along with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon they finished off the Warriors in the second half.

#5 The Warriors now head out on the road taking on the 9-48 Washington Wizards.

Join Barbara Mason for the Warriors podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Lose Fourth Season Game to the defending champion Nuggets 119-103

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Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and the Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) go for the basketball in the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Feb 25, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (29-27) lead after the first 12 minutes and tied up this game at the half against the Denver Nuggets (39-19) but they struggled in the second half of play. They lost the third and fourth quarters and subsequently the game to the defending champion Nuggets. The Warriors had trouble defending Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray losing this game 119-103. This was their fourth loss to Denver this season ending their winning streak

Game recap: The first quarter was gangbusters for Golden State. The quarter was close until Klay Thompson took the court scoring 16 points in the opening 12 minutes, his season high for an opening quarter. The Warriors took a 36-30 lead going into the second quarter.

With Jokic starting the second quarter on the bench the Warriors were looking to take full advantage of his absence. Golden State was able to extend their lead to as much as 15 points in the quarter but rest time was over for Jokic and he took the court again and the Nuggets began to chip away at the Golden State lead.

With ten seconds left in the half Denver had tied up this game at 61. They went on a 14-0 run in a frantic, crazy rally to erase the Warriors lead. The Nuggets turned the tables on Golden State. winning the second quarter 31-25. Denver got to the line seven times which was another reason for the Nugget turnaround.

It was a great half for Thompson off the bench scoring 23 points, the only Warrior to hit double digits in the half. He hit five of ten from downtown in an offensive explosion. Golden State needed to contain both Jokic and Jamal Murray who each had 18 points in the first half and they needed a whole lot more offense from their starters in the second half.

They were putting on a defensive show, a great effort but they would have to continue with that effort in the second half against a formidable opponent.

Going into the third quarter, it was a whole new ball game for both teams.Warrior guard Stephen Curry continued to struggle from the field in the third quarter as the Warriors defense was also having some issues.

The Golden State defense continued to bleed as the Nuggets took a 75-65 lead mid-way through the third quarter. Jokic already had registered his 18th triple double of the season with an entire quarter and a half to go.

The Warriors starters continued to struggle and the Nuggets Aaron Gordon began to flex his muscle. With five minutes left in the quarter the Warriors showed a little life cutting the Denver lead to 78-74 forcing the Nuggets to take a time out.

At 3:23 Curry hit his first three of the game cutting the Denver lead to three 82-79. Seconds later the Warriors Lester Quinones hit a three tying up the game at 82. Denver took back the lead after three quarters leading 91-87. It was on to the final 12 minutes of play.

The fourth quarter was a close one but the Warriors continued to trail. They got as close as three points numerous times only to watch the Nuggets push back extending their lead. With 7:55 left in the game, Denver had taken a 97-92 lead.

The Warriors were also dealing with 16 turnovers as Denver took a 105-94 lead with under six minutes left in the game. With under four minutes on the clock the Nuggets took a 109-97 lead. AT 2:10, it was crunch time for Golden State looking for some stops. Those stops did not come and Golden State’s winning streak had come to an end losing.

This was a tough game for the Warriors. The hot first half that Thompson had in the first came to a dead stop in the second half. He did not score a single point in the second half. Curry was 1 of 10 from downtown with 20 points in the game in another disappointing performance. Jonathan Kuminga finished with 19 points and six rebounds. The team now heads out on the road for a stretch on a losing note.

Post game notes: Sunday evening the Warriors took on the defending champion Nuggets at Chase Center. With Nikola Jokic leading the Nuggets, the Warriors were tested and lost this match. Golden State lost their last game with Denver in the final seconds when Jokic hit a three pointer winning that game for Denver 130-127 Jan 4th. The Nuggets have won their previous three meetings with Golden State this season.

Tuesday night the Warriors will travel to Washington to take on the struggling 9-47 Wizards. While Golden State does not take any game for granted, they should have little trouble in this one. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM PT.