It was ugly but Warriors hold on beat Hornets 97-84; Golden State coach Kerr signs for 2 more yrs at $35 million

The Charlotte Hornets guard Vasilije Micic (left) passes the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri Feb 23, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (29-26) welcomed the Charlotte Hornets (14-42) to the Chase Center Friday night. The Hornets entered the game with a record of 14-41. Yet, the Hornets had won four straight. Charlotte’s star point guard, LaMelo Ball, was sidelined with an injury and would not play.

Everyone thought the Warriors would win in a cakewalk. The Hornets, coached by Steve Clifford, had other thoughts. The players knew they had to find a way to disrupt the Warriors’ game plan. Both teams played poorly in the first half.

The Warriors scored just 43 points in the first 24 minutes of play. The Warriors turned the ball over 14 times. The Warriors defense put the clamps on the Hornet offense. Charlotte tallied 29 points in the half. The Warriors got the offense going in the third quarter and held on to win, 97-84.

As mentioned above, the first two-quarters of the game were ugly. Neither team could get into a rhythm. The leading scorer for the Warriors was Gary Payton II. GP2 had eight points to lead the team. Stephen Curry had seven, and Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga each had six. Miles Bridges had ten for the Hornets in the first half. 

The Warriors offense came to life in the third quarter. They won the quarter30-23 and finished the period with the lead, 73-52. The Warriors led by 20, 80-60 after Thompson hit a three. The Warriors refused to let the Hornets get too close.

Curry hit a three to put the Warriors up 89-71. Head coach Steve Kerr took his regulars out of the game. The Hornets offense closed the gap to ten, 92-82. The time left in the game was a minute and 42 seconds. There was a remote possibility that the Hornets could make up the ten-point deficit.

That didn’t happen, as Moses Moody made a three with 1:05 left. Lester Quinones set off tempers when he made a basket with 12 seconds left. The Hornets’ Miles Bridges and Grant Williams were furious that Quinones took the shot.

The Warriors were going to win. The unwritten rule was to run out the clock. Quinones was hit with two technical fouls and was ejected from the game. Bridges and Williams each had a technical foul called on them. Williams was ejected. There was no scoring in the final few seconds of the game after the altercation.

Game Notes: It was an ugly win, but it is still a win. The Warriors improved to 29-26. Golden State has won ten of the last 12 games played. The Hornets fell to 14-42. 

The Warriors had five players in double figures. Curry led the club with 15 points. Curry made three threes in eight tries. Wiggins had 14, Thompson and Brandin Podziemski each had 13, and Payton II added 12. The Warriors shot 42% from the floor and made 13 threes.

The Hornets also had five players with double-figures. Bridges led Charlotte with 19 points and 11 boards. Nick Richards and Brandon Miller each had 11. Tre Mann and Grant Williams had ten.

Kerr signed a two year extension worth $35 million, the contract is listed as a record annual value for a head coach. Kerr is in his tenth year with Golden State as his current contract expires at the end of this season. Kerr is breathing some relief as he was focused on this season but now that the contract issues have been completed he can focus on coaching and not on his future with the team.

The Warriors finish the homestand against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday at 4 pm.

Warriors get much needed win over Lakers 128-110; Curry scores 32 pts for Golden State

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) is fired up after scoring a three point shot in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu Feb 22, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (28-26), playing their first game after the All-Star break, hosted the Los Angeles Lakers (30-27) Thursday night at the Chase Center. The Lakers’ LeBron James would not be in the lineup due to an ankle injury. The Warriors would come away with a 128-110 win at Chase Center in San Francisco led by the Warriors guard Stephen Curry with 32 points.

The Warriors still had to deal with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis. Davis has been a force on defense for the Lakers this year. The Warriors knew they had to have good ball movement to thwart Davis trying to protect the rim against the Warriors potent offense.

The Warriors wanted to avenge the one-point loss to the Lakers on January 27th. The Akers won a double-overtime thriller 145-144. In that game, the Lakers won at the free-throw line. The Lakers had 43 free throws, and the Warriors had 16. The Lakers made 36, and the Warriors 11.

The Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, told his team they must stop committing fouls and turning the ball over. The Warriors did what Kerr wanted. The Lakers had 21 free throws in the game. They made 14. The Warriors had eight turnovers in the first half but only one in the second half. The Warriors played well on both ends of the court as they cruised to victory. It was the Warriors’ ninth win in their last eleven games. 

The Warriors started the game running up and down the court. Warriors guard Curry tallied 16 points and connected on four threes in the first period. The Lakers’ Davis provided the offense for LA. The Warriors won the quarter 31-28.

The Lakers took the lead early in the second period. Neither team could pull away. The Lakers led 50-49 when the momentum shifted to the Warriors. Jonathan Kuminga knocked down a three to give the Warriors a 52-51 lead. Andrew Wiggins and Brandin Podziemski each hit a three, and the Warriors led by six, 57-51.

Curry made a three and a two-pointer to up the lead to 65-54. Wiggins scored a bucket as the buzzer sounded to put the Warriors ahead, 67-54, at the end of the first half. Curry led the team with 25 points. It was the second-highest point in the first half for Curry in his career.

Trace Jackson-Davis was the scoring story in the second quarter. Coming off the bench, Jackson-Davis recorded 13 points to help the Warriors have the lead at the end of the first half. Davis paced the Lakers with 15 points.

The Warriors continued to play well in the second half. The Warriors increased the lead to 17, 86-69. The Lakers made a 7-0 run to trail by nine, 89-80. The Warriors did not wilt. The Warriors answered the challenge and finished the third quarter with the lead, 98-82.

The Lakers’ point guard, D’Angelo Russell, made a couple of three-pointers early in the fourth quarter. Wiggins responded by scoring nine points to kill the Lakers’ threat. The Warriors cruised to victory 128-110.

Game Notes: The Warriors won for the ninth time in their last eleven games. They are now 28-26. The Lakers dropped to 30-27. The Warriors are 1-1 with LA this season. The Warriors meet the Lakers two more times. Both games will be in LA. 

Curry led the Warriors with 32 points, eight assists, and six threes. Curry was plus 25 when he was on the court.

Wiggins had 20 points, and he connected twice from downtown. Rookie Podzienski has ten points and nine rebounds. Jackson-Davis finished the game with 17 points and five boards. Kuminga had 12. 

The Warriors shot 46.7% from the floor. They made 16 threes in 41 tries. The Warriors recorded 32 assists on 50 made baskets. They outrebounded the taller Lakers 60-51. 

Davis had a double-double with 27 points and 15 rebounds. Russell ad 18, Austin Reaves 16, and Taurean Prince 12. The Warriors held Rui Hachimura to eight points. Hachimura has killed the Warriors many times over the last two years. The Warriors made sure Hachimura was not a factor Thursday night.

The Warriors play again Friday night. The Warriors will host the Charlotte Hornets at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Daivd Zizmor: Review shows Podziemski didn’t foul Leonard; Calls usually go in favor for superstars; plus more news

The Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson (11) has had success coming off the bench here he’s defending the Utah Jazz Keyonte George (left) at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thu Feb 15, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David:

#1 David can you see Klay Thompson now coming off the bench after his recent success?

#2 Brandin Podziemski says he got called for fouling the Los Angeles Clippers Leonard Kawhi back on Nov 30th at Chase Center. Upon review the replays showed that Podziemski did not make contact or touch Kawhi and the foul was reversed. Podziemski pointed out that this was a superstar call that superstars get the benefit of the calls.

#3 Stephen Curry said he and the core Warriors Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will retire together. Curry said that they need to continue to compete at a high level and said that it’s a motivator for them.

Join David Zizmor for the Warrior podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Squeak Past Jazz 140-137; Golden State wins sixth out of last seven games

The Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) defends against the Utah Jazz Keynote George (3) in second half action at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Thu Feb 15, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Thursday night the Golden State Warriors (27-26) took on the Utah Jazz (26-30) in Utah in a close contest. The Warriors had beaten the Jazz last Monday night 129-107 but this game was far closer. Klay Thompson was the hero in this win willing his team to the victory shooting for 35 points for the final of 140-137.

Wednesday night the Warriors lost a heartbreaker to the Clippers 130-125 after leading for most of the game. They had little time to mull over the loss. After the game the Warriors had to immediately hop on a plane heading back to Utah for the second time this week to take on the Jazz (26-30). Thursday’s game was the makeup game that had originally been scheduled for January 17.

There had been talk of Thompson taking a bench role and Thursday that talk became to be. For the first time since his rookie season Thompson came off the bench. He not only came off the bench, he came to his team’s rescue scoring 35 points and knocking down 7 3-pointers.

In a three point difference, every last point that he scored was critical. In fact the entire starting lineup had double digits. The Jazz came into this game on a mission and came very close to winning the whole thing.

Before this game Thompson was asked how he felt about coming off the bench. The truth is that he was ok with it. He has suffered a few pretty serious injuries and he has struggled throughout this season.

Thompson was fine with his new role and he just wanted to help the team in whatever capacity he was assigned. He was lights out and just maybe this was the change that would work for him. He decided that instead of pout he would just go out there and make a difference and that is just what he did.

Game recap: The first quarter was a close one with the Jazz prevailing 39-36 but the Warriors came roaring back in the second quarter 48-32 and leading at the half 84-71.

Despite the 13 point deficit, the Jazz continued to fight but Golden State won the third quarter as well taking a 120-102 lead. By the looks of it, Golden State was aiming to wrap up this final game before the break.

This game took on a whole new look in the fourth quarter as the Jazz went to town outscoring the Warriors in the fourth quarter 35-20. It was a valiant effort by Utah who came up just short; and Golden State had survived partially in thanks to Thompson who had one of his best offensive efforts all season.

Thompson had the team high with 35 points. Draymond Green had a terrific showing with 23 points, a season-high, and Andrew Wiggins finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. Stephen Curry had 16 points and 10 assists. The Warriors did have 13 turnovers that turned into 29 Jazz points.

This was a disappointment for Utah coming so close and coming up short. The Jazz’s Collin Sexton missed a 3-pointer allowing the Warriors to hold on winning their eighth game in their last 10 games. Sexton had the high for Utah with 35 points and Keyonte George finished with 33 points. The was Utah’s third straight loss at home and their fourth straight loss overall.

The Warriors will now have a nice stretch before they continue the season taking on the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday February 22. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

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Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Warriors have trouble stopping Clippers Powell and George; Golden State snaps six game win streak at home

The Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) takes a shot against the Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) and guard Brandon Boston Jr (right) first half action at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Feb 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg:

#1 The Golden State Warriors were home against the Los Angeles Clippers but that didn’t make much of a difference as the Warriors had a tough time containing the Clippers.

#2 The Clippers got scoring production from James Harden 26 points, Paul George 24, and Norman Powell with 21 points led the way.

#3 Powell got the hot hand scoring four 3 pointers in the last 7:03 of the game. Powell matched up with Warrior guard Stephen Curry in the contest.

#4 Curry wound up leading the Warriors with 41 points but it was too little as the Clippers won it by five points.

#5 The Warriors have to return to the site of the passing of their late coach Dejan Milojevich once again. The Warriors were just in Salt Lake City on Mon Feb 12 and have a make up game with the Utah Jazz Thursday night this is the game that was canceled because coach Milojevich passed away the night before at dinner.

Join Jerry for the Golden State Warriors podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Red-Hot Clippers Cool Off Warriors in Fourth Quarter 130-125

The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) goes to lay one up against the Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Feb 14, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After leading for the majority of Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers (36-17) the Golden State Warriors (26-26) fell short in the fourth quarter losing 130-125. The Warriors controlled the tempo, the pace but fell short in the final four minutes. The sixth win in a row for Golden State was not to be.

Game recap: The Warriors got a lightning start forcing turnovers and handling the Clippers quite well. Los Angeles is without Kawhi Leonard in this game missing it due to a left thigh injury. The first quarter was close throughout until the final minute when the Warriors got a little separation leading 30-23 after the first 12 minutes. 

The Clippers weakest quarter is typically the first quarter but Golden State had gotten this game going in the right direction in the opening quarter. Every Golden State starter had scored in the first twelve minutes. and the Warriors had set a great pace dictating play.

Mid-way through the second quarter the Warriors took a ten-point lead 43-33. The Warriors continued to double team James Harden who was the leading scorer on the court for the Clippers. 

Harden was not getting much help from his team mates and continued to try and carry his team. With 4:32 left in the half, the Warriors continued to hold the lead 47-39 and Golden State had their way throughout the first half. The first two quarters were all Golden State. 

The three’s started flying for the Warriors complimented by some solid defense. The score at halftime was 59-52 in favor of Golden State. The Warriors had held a 59-44 lead during the second quarter but the Clippers went on a 8-0 run to close out the half. They had cut the Warriors lead in half but Golden State still held a seven point lead going into the second half.

The Clippers got going in the third quarter and in a flash Los Angeles had pulled to within three points 59-62. Early in the quarter, Draymond Green got an elbow to the jaw and was taken back to the locker room to rule out concussion, broken jaw or any number of injuries that could have occurred after such a vicious hit. The team had to carry on in the absence of Green awaiting word on his condition. 

The Warriors rallied pushing their lead back to double digits 75-65 at 5:38. Stephen Curry was on fire with 25 points through 2 2/1 quarters and had 6 three’s. At 5:22 the ever tough Green came out of the locker room and rejoined his team mates on the court.

Brandin Podziemski was having a terrific game off the bench with 18 points going 4 of 4 from downtown. The third quarter saw another record for Curry with his fourth straight game hitting at least seven three’s.  As the quarter came to an end the Warriors held onto a 97-86 lead. 

The fourth quarter was an over the top physical game. The Clippers Mason Plumlee got a flagrant one when he showed excessive force guarding Brandin Podziemski and the Warriors Jonathan Kuminga also got a flagrant one for pushing Plumlee in the back in defense of his team mate. 

At 5:35 the Clippers made a push that tied up this game at 108. Los Angeles went on to take the lead; their first lead with a 17-2 run. The two teams began to trade leads as this game was going down to the wire. 

Curry had a real challenge being double-teamed for most of the game and forced to take some very difficult shots. Los Angeles had their largest lead when it really counted; in the last minute of the game 126-120. 

With 48.3 ticks left on the clock the Warriors were in danger of losing. Golden State was unable to guard the Clippers in the fourth quarter when it really counted. The final was 130-125 in favor of Los Angeles. This was an impressive win for the Clippers having to play without Leonard but they fought throughout the contest for the eventual victory.

The Warriors had a terrific game doing just about everything needed to win. Curry finished with 41 points hitting nine shots from downtown. Podziemski was terrific off the bench with 25 points going 5 for 5 from beyond the arc. Golden State protected the ball well with only 9 turnovers. It was a disappointing loss for the Warriors after leading for the majority of the game and playing so well throughout.   

Game notes: Wednesday night the Warriors took on one of the best in the west the Clippers at Chase Center. The Clippers are currently in third place in the Western Conference. The Clippers have the third ranked offense and they are first in three’s. Despite a crazy schedule, the Warriors are playing their best basketball of the season. They defeated the Warriors at Chase by five points and hop on a plane to play the Utah Jazz on Thursday leading into the All-Star game. Golden State failed to get their sixth win in a row Wednesday night. They couldn’t win the final two games before the break.

In a quick turnaround, the Warriors will hop on a plane and fly back out to Utah to make up the suspended game from January 17. It has been a crazy week for the Warriors but they are really rising to the occasion playing what is probably their best basketball all season. Tipoff for the Jazz game Thursday night is scheduled for 6:00 PM.  

   

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors host Clippers on Wednesday night at Chase Center

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) acknowledges the fans at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City after defeating the Utah Jazz on Mon Feb 12, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor:

#1 Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson led with 26 points against the Utah Jazz 129-107.

#2 Warrior Guard Stephen Curry got hot in the fourth quarter hitting five 3’s and that extended the Warriors lead.

#3 Warriors host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night at Chase Center in the City for a 7:00pm tip. The Clips are third place in the Western Conference having won seven of their last ten games. The last time the Clippers and Warriors met was Dec 14th at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles and the Clippers came out ahead 121-113.

Join David Zizmor for the Warriors podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Thompson Scores Team High 26 – Warriors Beat Jazz 129-107

Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson (11) and Stephen Curry (30) celebrate during a second half moment. Thompson went on to score a team high of 26 points against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Mon Feb 12, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (26-25) have been on a roll despite some quiet games from Klay Thompson. Tonight against the Utah Jazz (26-28), Thompson played a terrific game scoring the team high of 26 points. 

On top of that, Warriors guard Stephen Curry hit five 3’s in the fourth quarter. They did this all without Head Coach Steve Kerr who was in Serbia attending the funeral of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic. Every starter in this game scored double digits beating the Jazz 129-107. The team now boasts a season record of 26-25.

Game recap: The Jazz hung in this game throughout but just could not finish. They were able to tie the second quarter 29 apiece but Golden State took a 63-55 lead into the locker room at the half. Seven Warriors hit three’s in the opening quarter which was an amazing start for the team and set the tone for the game. The Jazz were able score on seven straight possessions in the first half but the Warriors erased their lead to go back in front.

Golden State continued this pace testing the Jazz’s new starting lineup. Utah had traded away Simone Fontecchio, Kelly Olynyk and Ochai Agbaji for draft assets down the road. The Warriors rendered this lineup ineffective. They went on to win the third quarter 30-25 and the final quarter 36-27 with the final 129-107 in favor of Golden State. The Warriors had won their fifth straight game.

This was a terrific game for the Warriors with every starter contributing double digits. Off the bench Jackson, Payton and Podziemski also scored double digits. Klay Thompson really came to life in this one scoring 26 points, the team high, and six rebounds. 

This was Thompson’s highest points scored since they played Chicago on January 12. Curry was right behind him with 25 points, six rebounds and ten assists. Jonathan Kuminga also reached a milestone with his 14 points being the 31st straight game in double figures for him.

Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and Draymond Green with 12 points. This was first time in a bit that every starter came to the party and it was flawless. The Warriors hit 20 three’s in this game and really protected the ball with only 13 turnovers.

Post game notes: Monday night the Warriors took on the Jazz in Utah. They had to play without a number of coaches in this game which included head coach Steve Kerr. They were all in Serbia attending the funeral of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic. 

Assistant coach Kenny Atkinson took over head coach duties. The Warriors won their fifth win in a row. The Warriors came into this game after a real thriller in Phoenix. Curry hit a three with .07 left on the clock to take a 113-112 lead which was the final last Saturday night to beat the Suns. 

The Warriors are looking forward to their next challenge when they head back to Chase Center to take on the Los Angeles Clippers (35-16). This will be a true test but considering how they played tonight, they are certainly up for the challenge. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for this Wednesday 7:00 PM.

  

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors head back to Utah for make up game and relive passing of coach Milojevic

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) takes a jump shot against the Phoenix Suns guard Devon Booker (right) in the second half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Feb 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara:

#1 You would have never know the Golden State Warriors were a tenth place team in the Western Conference as they won their fourth game in a row against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

#2 Warrior guard Stephen Curry hit a three point shot with 0.7 second left to get the Warriors past the Suns with a one point 113-112 win.

#3 The Suns are no easy task they have Kevin Durant who scored with 24 points and Devon Booker who led the Suns in scoring with 32 points. It was an effort but the Suns fell short.

#4 Barbara talk about how important Jonathan Kuminga has been for the Warriors 21 points finished second in scoring and behind Stephen Curry it’s hard to believe the Warriors could trade Kuminga if that’s possible?

#5 Warriors are in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz tonight at 6:00pm this was the site of the passing of assistant coach Dejan Milojevich who died after having dinner with the players and coaches on Jan 17th. This is a make up game as the Warriors were supposed to play the Jazz the next night. They might have to relive that moment a little bit as they head into Salt Lake City.

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

Curry Magic Spells Final Second Win For Golden State 113-112; Defeat Suns at Chase Center

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) hits a basket to put the Warriors ahead of the Phoenix Suns and guard Devon Booker (right) in the second half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Feb 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night Chase Center was rocking as the Golden State Warriors (25-25) took on the Phoenix Suns (31-21). With the clock running very close to empty, Warriors guard Stephen Curry pulled off yet another “miracle shot” hitting a 33-foot three point jumper for a 113-112 win. 

This game a was real see-saw affair with the Warriors hanging on for the win. The Curry shot could very easily be his shot of the year. This was another clutch game for the team and sent the Warrior’s record to the .500 mark (25-25).

This was a wild game from the very beginning to the very end. It was a see-saw game and after the first 12 minutes the Warriors were on top 33-28. The Suns took the second quarter 30-26 but trailed at halftime. The Warriors led by a single point after two quarters 59-58.

The battle continued into the third quarter with the Suns winning it by a single digit 25-24. The Warriors held onto the lead going into the fourth quarter 84-82. This was a real nail-biter but Golden State took it up another level in the final quarter of the game. 

The Suns took the fourth quarter by a single digit 30-29. Golden State hung onto this game winning by the score of 113-112. The fourth quarter in itself was exciting, but the manner in which it came to a close was a real barn burner. 

It all hinged on Curry and what he could do with 7.1 seconds left on the game clock. Time and time again this guy has come up clutch and this game was no exception-a 33-foot jumper for the win. Golden State has now improved to 25-25 and now sits in 11th place in the Western Conference. This was their sixth win in seven games.

This game was filled with tension to the very end. There was a last-minute foul called that was reviewed and the Warriors would go on to win. The monster shot from Curry was the deal buster. He would finish with 30 points, the team high. 

Jonathan Kuminga shot for 21 points. It was another quiet game for Klay Thompson finishing with 5 points and 1 rebound. Gary Payton returned to the court after missing the last 16 games with a left hamstring strain. 

He had a great return game with 11 points and 4 rebounds. Both teams had 14 turnovers in an extremely fast-paced game. The Warriors had 17 three’s with Curry owning nine of them.

Draymond Green had avoided any technicals until tonight. He picked up a technical arguing about a foul call after a successful layup in the third quarter. He was seen exchanging words with Suns center Jusuf Nurkic who was hit in the face by Green back in December which led to his suspension.

Monday night the Warriors will take on the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 6:00 PM.