Category: Golden State Warriors

Warriors win another thriller as they come back to defeat the Heat 120-118

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- It appeared to be deja vu all over as the Warriors, as they did in Phoenix Friday night, got off to a slow start and trailed the visiting Heat until late in the third quarter. The Warriors could do nothing right in the early going, and the Heat did everything right as the visitors raced out to an early 34-24 lead after twelve minutes of play. The Heat have two players on their roster that have killed the W’s in the past. They are the big center Hassan Whiteside and guard Dion Waiters. It seems these two mark the calendar as to when they will be playing Golden State and salivate knowing they do well against the World Champions.  The Warriors outscored the Heat 30-25 n the second quarter and finished the half trailing 59-54.

The Warriors made the necessary adjustments at halftime and scorched the Heat 36-23 in the third quarter. The W’s led 90-82 and the Big Three of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Steph Curry led the team in scoring. The W’s started the fourth quarter with an 8-point lead but any team in the NBA can easily make up that deficit, and that is what the Heat did. The Warriors had a slim one-point lead 115-114, but the W’s turned the ball over twice in a row. Josh Richardson and Dwayne Wade had back-to-back steals, and that gave the Heat the lead 118-115. Kevin Durant connected on a three to tie the game. Durant recorded 11 straight points down the stretch for the Warriors. He missed a three-pointer that would have put the W’s in the lead. However, DeMarcus Cousins was able to snag the rebound. Cousins was fouled on the play, and he was able to make both free throws with just 5.4 seconds left to play. The Heat tried but failed to score, and the Warriors won the game.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors are now 15-1 in their 16 games and improved to 40-15 for the year. Miami drops to 25-29. Kevin Durant led the W’s with 39 points, 6 boards, and 4 assists. Draymond Green put 5 points on the board, but he corraled 7 rebounds and dished out 14 assists. Klay Thompson had 29, and he connected on six 3s. Curry added 25, and he made five 3s. The Warrior bench added just 15 points. Cousins had 7 points but his two free throws late in the fourth quarter won it for the Warriors. “I was really happy that he was out there at the end of the game,” coach Steve Kerr said of Cousins, playing his 10th game for Golden State. “It’s good experiences for him because he hasn’t been out there much since he’s come back to close games.”

Josh Richardson led the Heat Heat with 37. He made eight three-pointers. Dion Water had 24, and he made six three. Justisce Winslow had 24 including 4 threes, Hassan Whiteside finished the night with a double-double. He had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Dwayne Wade, who may have made his last visit to Oracle Arena as a player, ended the night with 10 points. The Warriors gave a nice tribute to Wade as they showed highlights of his career on the big screen and the fans gave him a nice round of applause.

Andre Iguodala was not able to play Sunday night as he tweaked hi left hamstring Friday night against the Suns in Phoenix. The Warriors resume play Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

 

 

 

Warriors struggle, but manage to beat the Suns 117-107

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by Jerry Feitelberg

It was the kind of game that the Warriors make their fans crazy. They were playing the lowly Phoenix Suns in Phoenix Friday night. Everyone thought the Warriors would walk right over the Suns as they had the best scorer, Devon Booker, unavailable. T.J.Warren and De’Anthony Melton did not play either. Someone forget to tell the Suns that they could not compete against the World Champions. The Warriors had their hands full with the Suns and finally put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter as they won 117-107.

The Suns took it the Warriors in the first 12 minutes of the game. The Warriors were making shots, and committing turnovers and shooting poorly. The Suns led 26-9 before Kevin Durant helped lead the W’s comeback. The Warriors finished the quarter trailing 31-26. In the second quarter, the Warriors outscored the Suns 34-22 and finished the first half with a seven-point lead 60-53.

The Suns entered the third quarter knowing that the Warriors usually have their way against their opponent. The Warriors were outscored 32-22 and Phoenix finished the third period leading 85-82. Steph Curry was having a tough night. He was 2 for 12 and was 1 for 8 in three-point attempts. Warrior fans were hoping Steph would snap out of his slump and he did just that in the fourth quarter. Steph was 4 for 5 from the floor, and he made two-three pointers in three attempts. The Warriors went on a 13-0 to start the quarter. The Suns cut the lead to 101-98. Steph came back with a three, and the Warriors were on their way to another victory.

Game Notes and stats- The Warriors are now 39-15 for the season. The Suns fall to 11-46. Draymond Green was ejected from the game after he picked up his second technical foul between the third and fourth quarters.

Klay Thompson led the W’s with 25 points. Durant had 21, Steph 20, DeMarcus Cousins 18, and Draymond Green 13. The Warriors’ bench added 20 points. The Suns had four players in double figures: Kelly Oubre, Jr. knocked down 25, and the number one pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, Deandre Ayton tallied 23. Josh Jackson and Mikal Bridges each had 19.

“They totally outplayed us all night,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “The only reason we won is because we have a lot more talent, obviously.”

The Warriors shot 50.6% from the floor and held Phoenix to 38.6 %. The Warriors recorded 30 assists and were able to move the ball well. On Defense, the W’s had 5 steals and 9 blocks.

The W’s return home to Oracle Arena to face the Miami Heat Sunday. Game time is at 5:30 pm.

Warriors blow out the depleted Spurs 141-102

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, returning to action after having three days off, blew out the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night 141-102 at Oracle Arena. The Spurs gave their two leading scorers LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan the night off. Another star Spur player, DeJounte Murray was out with a knee injury and not available. Nonetheless, any Greg Popovich San Antonio Spur team cannot be taken lightly, and for the first 22 minutes of the first half the Spurs gave the Warriors quite a tussle.

The first quarter was quite competitive as both teams were making shots. The Warriors attack was led by Kevin Durant’s 15 points. The Warriors finished the quarter with a slim two-point advantage 33-31. In the second quarter, the Warriors made some adjustments. Head coach Steve Kerr had the Warriors play better on defense, and the Warriors had DeMarcus Cousins position himself closer to the basket. The Spurs’ defensive strategy was to run Steph Curry and Klay Thompson off the three-point line. The Warriors started the second quarter with a 9-0 run. The Spurs fought back and trailed by three points 53-50, but the Warriors went on a 13-2 run to close out the first half leading 64-52. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 17, Klay Thompson 16, and Steph Curry had 9. DeMarcus Cousins had 5, and Andre Iguodala added 8. Rudy Gay led the Spurs with 13.

The Warriors blew open the game in the third quarter. They outscored the Sours 49-31 in the period. The Warriors, at one point in the quarter, were 17 for 18 from the floor. They had 16 assists on 17 made baskets, and that was a record for assists in a quarter. They led 115-83 heading into the fourth quarter.

Steve Kerr had all of his five starters sitting on the bench. Quinn Cook, Jonas Jerebko, Jordan Bell, Kevon Looney, and Shaun Livingston were on the floor for the Warriors. The bench outscored the Spurs 26-19 in the quarter, and the Warriors won by a final of 141-102.

Game Notes- The Warriors improved to 38-15 and are in first place in the Western Conference. The win was the 13th in the last 14 games. San Antonio drops to 32-24.

It was the 14th 40-point quarter of the season for Golden State. The W’s had 50 fast break points. They outrebounded the Spurs 52-30, and they recorded 42 assists on 55 made baskets. The Warriors shot 58% from the floor and held San Antonio to 43.2% On defense, the Warriors had 14 steals and 5 blocks.

Klay Thompson led the team with 26. Kevin Durant had 23, Steph Curry 19, DeMarcus Cousins 15, Andre Iguodala 11, and Kevon Looney 10.

Paddy Mills, who played his college ball at St. Mary’s in Orinda, paced the Spurs with 16. Rudy Gay scored two points in the second half and finished with 15. Dante Cunningham had 11, and Bryn Forbes had 10.

Up Next: The Warriors meet the Phoenix Suns Friday night in Phoenix. Game time will be at 6 pm. The Warriors then face the Miami Heat at Oracle Arena on Sunday at 5:30 pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Spurs and Popovich to face Warriors on Wednesday night at Oracle

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sfgate.com file photo: Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (left) and San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Popovich confer before a meeting between both teams back on Monday January 25th

On the Warriors podcast with David:

The Golden State Warriors, who played their last game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Oracle Arena on Saturday in a 115-101 victory, got offensive help from Klay Thompson, who led with 28 points, and the Warriors got the win without having to face the Lakers’ LeBron James.

Greg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs (32-23) come in sixth in the Western Conference. The Spurs with top scorers DeMar DeRozan (21.3 ppg) and LaMarcus Aldredge (21.2 ppg). In the two meetings this season between the two teams, the Warriors are 2-0.

David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Thompson returns, leads the Warriors to a 115-101 win over the Lakers

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- Klay Thompson scored 28 points Saturday night to lead the Warriors to a 115-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were without the services of LeBron James. James returned to action after missing 17 games due to a groin strain suffered on Christmas Day in a game against the Warriors. James played 40 minutes in the overtime win over the Clippers Thursday night and woke up very sore. Lakers’ coach Luke Walton gave him the night off.

The Warriors got off to a good start in the first quarter. They had an early 14-point lead 22-8, but the Lakers got their offense going to make in 22-14. The Warriors shot a  blistering 64% in the quarter and held the Lakers to 35%. However, they did not blow the Lakers away. They held a nine-point lead 33-24 at the end of the first twelve minutes of action. The Lakers won the second quarter 34-30 to finish the half trailing 63-58. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 23. The other half of the Splash Brothers, Steph Curry, could not make a shot. He made just two free throws, and that was it.

The Lakers continued to double-team Curry and Kevin Durant in the third quarter. Lakers’ coach Luke Walton’s strategy was to not let Steph or KD get any open looks and force the other Warriors to beat them. The theory worked as the Lakers opened the third period with a 22-68run to take the lead 81-71. The Warriors behind the play of DeMarcus Cousins, Kevon Looney, and Andre Iguodala chipped away at the Laker lead until late in the third period when Iguodala nailed a three to give the Warriors a two-point advantage 88-86 after three-quarters of play.

Steph Curry, who was held to just two points and had missed all of his shots, came to life in the fourth quarter. He knocked down twelve points and the Warriors outscored the Lakers 27-15 to seal the win.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors needed help from DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala to pick up the lack of production from Steph Curry.  Cousins responded with a double-double. He Scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds. Iguodala kicked in with 17 and he connected on three 3-point shots in four attempts. Klay Thompson finished with 28 and Kevin Durant had 21 points and 11 assists for another double-double. The Warriors recorded 31 assists on 41 field goals. They were moving the ball well.

The Lakers had six players in double figures. Brandon Ingram led the Lakers with 20. Kyle Kuzman had 13, Rajon Rondo 10, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope 12, Ivaca Zubac 10, and Lance Stephenson, 10. Former Warrior JaVale McGee was presented with his 2018 championship ring prior to the start of the game.  McGee received a nice ovation from the Warrior fans. The Lakers are 6-12 when LeBron James is not in the lineup.

The Warriors return to action on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

 

76ers snap the Warriors’ 11-game winning streak with 113-104 win

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Photo credit: @NBA

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, who returnedhome after winning all five games on the road, had to face the young and talented Philadelphia 76ers Thursday night at Oracle Arena.

The game marked the home debut of DeMarcus Cousins, and the sellout crowd was hoping that the Warriors would win their 12th game in a row. Cousins had 22 points Monday night in the win over the Indiana Pacers, and it appeared that he fitted in well with the team. Cousins’ presence in the lineup gives the Warriors something they have needed for a long time, and that is a big man that can clog the lanes, rebound, pass, and shoot. Cousins was also able to provide screens for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

The 76ers, with the third best record in the NBA East and led by their two big men, Joel Embiid at center and Ben Simmons at forward, were too much for the Warriors as they sent the Warriors down to defeat 113-104.

The two teams played a very competitive first quarter. The Warriors led 21-12 about midway through the period. The 76ers went on a 16-6 run to tie the game at 27. The Warriors got back on track behind two buckets each by Kevon Looney and Kevin Durant. The Warriors led 35-30 after the first 10 minutes of play. Steph Curry knocked down 11 points, and he made three 3-point shots. In the second quarter, the 76ers started the proceedings with an 8-0 run to lead 38-35. The Warriors rallied behind Curry, Durant, and Looney to extend the lead to seven 60-53 at the end of the first half. Curry had 23 points, and he made six threes in eight tries. Alfonzo McKinnie, who was filling in for the ailing Klay Thompson, helped out with 9. Durant had 12, and Looney had 8. Other than Looney, no Warrior coming off the bench, scored a point. Ben Simmons led the 76ers with 15, Embiid had 9 points and 10 rebounds. Former LA Clipper, JJ Redick, had six, and the Warriors held Jimmy Butler scoreless.

The third quarter was a different story. The Warriors, who have done so well so many times in this quarter, were outplayed by the 76ers. The Warriors were ahead 69-59 until Philadelphia went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 71. The Warriors tied the game at 73, and it was all 76ers after that. The 76ers outscored the Warriors 42-26 in the period and led by nine, 95-86, heading into the fourth quarter. Joel Embiid had 11 points in the period to lead the 76er rampage.

Each team scored 18 points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers were able to bottle up Curry. He was able to make two threes, but the other Warriors couldn’t help him out. Both teams played defense in the last 12 minutes of action. The Warriors tried, but Embiid and company won the battle Thursday night.

Game Notes and Stats: The 76ers are now winners of 7 of their last nine games and improve to 34-18. They trail the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors for the best record in the NBA East. The Warriors fall to 36-15. They still have the best record in the NBA West.

Steph led the Warriors with 41points, and he connected on 10 threes in 18 tries. Durant had 25, Looney 14, and McKinnie 11. DeMarcus Cousins had 7 points, 6 boards, and six assists. Draymond Green finished with 4 points, 8 boards, and 10 assists.

Joel Embiid had his 42nd double-double of the season. He finished with 26 points and 20 rebounds. Ben Simmons had 25. JJ Redick added 15. The 76er bench contributed 31 points while Looney had 14 and the rest of the Warrior bench added just two points.

The Warriors were without the services of Klay Thompson, who was not able to play due to an undisclosed illness. McKinnie filled in for him, and he did well in his first NBA game as a starter.

The stats show how close the game was. Both teams made 41 field goals in 88 attempts good for 46.6% The 76ers made one more three-pointer than the Warriors 12-11. Where the game was won was on the free throw line. The 76ers outscored the Warriors 19-11 from the charity stripe.

The 76ers beat the Warriors for the first time since the 2013 season.

Up Next: The Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 5:30 pm.

Lakers superstar LeBron James, who did not play when the Warriors, beat the Lakers in LA in game two of the five-game road trip and will be back in action for LA.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors don’t supply the mercy rule, beat Pacers by 32, 132-100

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David:

#1 The Warriors’ Steph Curry led with 23 points in the first half of their game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night in a game that was no contest 132-100.

#2 In games where the offense dominates like this, does Warriors head coach Steve Kerr end up deciding to rest some of his key starters?

David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Curry leads the Warriors to a 132-100 rout over the Pacers

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

Steph Curry scored 23 points in the first half to lead the Warriors to a 132-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers Monday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Steph was 9-for-10 from the field and connected on all 5 3-point shots attempted. He connected on a 3 as the buzzer sounded to give the Warriors a commanding 69-48 halftime advantage.

The Warriors led from start to finish. With the score tied at 16, the Warriors went on a 24-6 run to finish the first quarter with a 40-22 lead. The Pacers’ leading scorer, Victor Oladipo, was not available as he injured his knee and underwent a season-ending surgery to correct the problem. His replacement, Tyreke Evans, also was not able to play. The Pacers started Edmond Sumner, who made his first start in the NBA.

The Warriors, behind Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevon Looney, continued to expand the lead. They finished the first half 69-48. The Warriors shot 59.6% from the floor. They made 6 3s in 12 attempts and recorded 20 assists in the half as they moved the ball well.

The Pacers played well in the third period. they scored 31 points against the Warriors defense. The Warriors, however, scored 32 and led by 22 heading into the final period of play. In the fourth quarter, DeMarcus Cousins played very well. He made several buckets and the score was 115-90 and 7:46 left to play, Steve Kerr had Curry, and Kevin Durant watching from the bench. Thompson exited with 6:50 left and Cousins departed with 4:50 to play. Kevon Looney, Quinn Cook, Damian Lee, Marcus Derrickson, Jordan Bell, and Shaun Livingston finished the game for the Warriors.

Game Notes and Stats: Draymond Green did not play Monday night as coach Steve Kerr gave him a night off. Jordan Bell started in Green’s forward position and played well. Bell, who has not been as consistent as he was a year ago, recorded 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson each finished with 16. DeMarcus Cousins had a season-high 22 points, 6 boards, and 4 assists in 34 minutes of action. Kevon Looney had a career-high with 15 points to go along with 5 rebounds and two assists. Curry led the Warriors with 26, and he made 6 3s.

The Warriors finished the 12-day, 5-game road trip undefeated. It was the fourth time in Warrior history that the team went undefeated on a road trip of 5 or more games. The Warriors won their 11th game in a row and the 10th road game in a row. The Warriors are now 36-14 for the year while the Pacers drop to 32-17.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 7:30 pm.

Warriors down the Celtics 115-111 to win their 10th in a row

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors won their 10th game in a row as they beat the Boston Celtics 115-111 in Boston. The Warriors snapped the Celtics’ five-game winning streak and their 10-game home winning streak. The win was a milestone win for Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr as he won his 300th game. His 300 wins are the fastest ever for a coach in NBA history.

The game was a barn-burner. The lead changed 21 times. Neither team could pull away, and the game was in doubt until the last few seconds of the fourth quarter. The Warriors led 113-111 with 46 seconds left to play. Boston had three attempts to either tie the game or take the lead. Marcus Smart missed a three. Kyrie Irving, from the baseline, fired an airball, and Marcus Morris failed to connect on a three, and the Warriors were able to hold off the Celtics for the win.

The Warriors finished the first quarter with a 29-26 advantage. The Celtics won the second period 33-32 and finished the first half trailing the Warriors by two, 61-59.

The Warriors outscored the Celtics 29-25 in the third quarter to hold the lead 90-84 before heading into the final 12 minutes of play. Boston kept the pressure on the Warriors as they crept closer to the lead. The Warriors did not wilt and were able to hold off the Celtics to win their 10th in a row.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors were led by Kevin Durant’s 33 points, nine boards, and three assists. Steph Curry made six threes and finished with 24 points. Klay Thompson added 21 and DeMarcus Cousins, in his 24 minutes of action, had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and three assists. Draymond Green added 5 to go along with 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kevon Looney and Shaun Livingston, coming off the bench, each had 8 points.

The Celtics were led by Kyrie Irving’s 32 points. Al Horford had 22, Jayson Tatum 2o, Marcus Smart 12. Bench player Jayson Tatum kicked in with 10.

The Warriors improved to 35-14 while Boston drops to 30-19.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to Indianapolis to face the Indiana Pacers Monday night. The Pacers will be without the services of Victor Oladipo, who is out for the season with an injury. Oladipo was leading the Pacers in scoring.

Warriors outlast the Wizards to win their ninth in a row, 126-118

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors won their ninth game in a row and their eighth straight on the road as they defeated the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena Thursday night in Washington. The Warriors are now 34-14 for the season. The Wizards gave the Warriors a tussle even though they are missing three important players. John Wall, Dwight Howard, and Markieff Morris were not available due to injury. The Wizards still fought the Warriors until late in the game, but Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and company were too much for the Wizards as the Warriors prevailed 126-118.

The Wizards stayed in the game as they made 15 three-point shots in forty-two tries. The Warriors connected seven times in 20 attempts, but they, with DeMarcus Cousins clogging up the middle, were able to score 70 points in the paint. Cousins, in 24 minutes of action, scored 17 points along with six boards and three assists. Cousins also connected on a 3-pointer.

The first quarter was quite competitive as the Wizards were able to lead 22-17. The Warriors, however, went on a 20-6 run to finish the quarter leading 37-28. The Wizards won the second quarter 31-30, but they could only cut one-point off the Warrior advantage. The first half ended with Golden State ahead 67-59. The Warriors were led by Steph Curry’s 21 points. Kevin Durant had 12, and DeMarcus Cousins was third with nine. The Wizards were led by former Houston Rocket Trevor Ariza’s 14 points. Bradley Beal had 13, and Tomas Satoransky, who is from the Czech Republic, added 13.

The Warriors played another terrific third quarter. Curry, Durant, and Klay Thomas upped the lead to 12 at the end of three periods of play. The Wizards tried to hang with the Warriors but the closest they came in the third quarter was trailing 71-67. The Warriors appeared to be in command but 12 minutes remained to be played.

The Wizards went on an 11-2 run to start the fourth quarter With the score 106-103, Cousins scored to put the Warriors ahead 108-103. The Wizards’ Chasson Randle, who starred for the Stanford Cardinal during his college days, connected on a three to close the gap to two 108-16. The Warriors’ bench, led by Shaun Livingston. Andre Iguodala and Alfonzo McKinnie went on a 9-0 run to make it a 117-106 score. Curry and Durant entered the game, and the Warriors went ahead 126-111. The Wizards scored the last seven points of the game, but it was too little, too late. The Warriors win 126-118

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors’ Steph Curry led the team with 38 points. It was the 19th time this season that Steph has scored 30 or more points in a game. Curry was 14 for 24 from the floor and made but two threes in 8 tries. Kevin Durant had 21, Draymond Green 7 to go with 15 rebounds and 7 assists. Klay Thompson scored just 9. Cousins finished with 17. The Warriors’ bench was led by Andre Iguodala’s 11 points. McKinnie and Kevon Looney each had 8 and Shaun Livingston added 7.

Trevor Ariza led the Wizards with 27 points. Beal had a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Satoransky also had a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists.

The Warriors shot 56.8% from the floor and held the Wizards to 46.3%. The Warriors recorded 34 assists, and it was the 20th game of the year with 30 or more assists. They outrebounded the Wizards 5-36. On defense, the Warriors had five steals and 6 blocks.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Saturday at the TD Garden. Game time will be at 5:30 pm.

The Celtics, under coach Brad Stevens, have fought the Warriors tooth and nail. The Celtics have a formidable lineup featuring Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Hayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Terry Rozier.