Warriors use team effort to take down Grizzlies 110-93

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors needed a game in which the bench played a significant role. That is what the team got Monday night at Oracle Arena as they led all the way to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies 110-93.

The Warriors’ bench players: Jonas Jerebko, Andre Iguodala, Jordan Bell, and Alfonzo McKinnie–all helped as their efforts took the pressure of the Big Three scorers. Those three tallied 95 points in the 130-125 win over Sacramento Friday night. The NBA defenses were keying on those three and forcing the Warriors to use their bench.

The Warriors won the first quarter 30-22. The Warriors led 13-12 before going on a 17-10 run to finish period leading by eight. Kevon Looney knocked down 7, and Jonas Jerebko made two 3-pointers. The Grizzlies tried to slow the game down and use its half-court offense to stay to close. Their strategy didn’t work as the Warriors’ offense clicked in the second quarter as they scored 31 points and the defense held the Grizzlies to just 16 points. The Warriors finished the first half leading 61-38. Thompson, Curry, and Durant each had 10 points. Jerebko made another three and finished with 9 for the half. Andre Iguodala made two 3s and he finished with 7.

The Grizzlies came to life in the third quarter. They outscored the Warriors 29-23 in the period and trailed 84-67 after 36 minutes of action. The Grizzlies could not close the gap in the fourth quarter. Omri Casspi, who played for Golden State last season, was on fire for Memphis. He scored 16 of his game-high 20 points in the final stanza. Each team scored 26 points in the quarter, and the Warriors won 110-93.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors’ Kevin Durant passed Larry Bird on the all-time scoring list, and Steph Curry passed the 15,000 point plateau in the game.

The Warriors improved to 21-10, and the Grizzlies fell to 16-14.

Durant led the Warriors with 23. Curry had 20 and Klay Thompson finished with 16, Jonas Jerebko was in double figures with 16, and Andre Iguodala 10. The Warriors mad 12 3-point shots and when they make more than 10 in a game, they are 20-3.

Casspi led the Grizzlies with 20. Marc Gasol had 15, Kyle Anderson 14, and Garrett Temple 13.

The Grizzlies shot 36% from the floor in the first half, but ended the night shooting 45.9%. The Warriors finished the game shooting 43.% The Warriors, on defense, made 9 steals and blocked 5 shots. They forced the Grizzlies into making 15 turnovers, and the Warriors committed 10.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz Wednesday night at 6 pm PST.

Late rally pushes the Warriors past the Kings to win a thriller 130-125

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors traveled to Sacramento to face the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Friday night. The Kings, who had been at the bottom of the league for years, are now becoming a much tougher opponent. They are built around guard De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield. Willy Cauley-Stein is playing the best basketball of his career and Nemanja Bjelica helps out from the forward position.

The Kings’ coach is Dave Joerger, who used a slow-paced offense when he was at Memphis. He now has guys who can run, and the Kings play a fast tempo type of game. The Warriors also like to run, and they did just that as they started out strong, but had to come back from a 10-point deficit with 3:03 left in the game to beat the Kings 130-125.

Both teams played offense in the first half. The defense was nowhere to be found as the Warriors scored 76 points in the first half and led the Kings 76-64 after the first 24 minutes of action.

The Kings won the third period as they outscored the Warriors 33-27 to finish the period trailing 103-97. The Warriors’ offense ground to a halt in the fourth quarter as the Kings kept the pressure on and led 123-113 with 3:03 left. The Warriors’ big three of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant went on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 123. Fox made a bucket to give the Kings the lead 125-123. The Warriors scored the last 7 points of the game to stun the Kings, and the Kings fans went home shaking their heads in disbelief as the Warriors snatched victory from the jaws of defeat once again.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors had four starters in double figures. Steph Curry led the team with 35, Kevin Durant had 33, Klay Thompson 27 and Kevon Looney added 10. Draymond Green was a monster on defense with 14 rebounds and 10 assists for another double-double. The Warriors’ bench tallied 23 points. Jerebko was the leader with 8.

The Kings’ Buddy Hield led his club with 27. De’Aaron Fox had 25, Willie Cauley-Stein 22, and Nemanja Bjelica added 18.

The team stats were almost identical. The Warriors were 44-for-96 from the floor, while the Kings came in at 45-for 96. Each team made 15 3s. The Warriors made 7 more free throws than the Kings, which turned out to be the difference in the game. The Warriors outrebounded the Kings 60-42. The Warriors committed 18 turnovers

The Warriors improved to 20-10, and the Kings are now 15-13.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to face the Memphis Grizzlies Monday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm PST.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Maybe the Warriors’ Main Goal Is to Conquer the Moon

Photo credit: @Deadspin

By: Amaury Pi-González

The Warriors are such a good team who are doing nothing but winning. So maybe they are bored with their success, and when that happens, and you are on top of the world like the 1970s A’s and Raiders, 1980s 49ers and 2000s Giants, this is bound to happen. A player will say something outrageous that will make news outside the sports world. Actually after winning three NBA titles, the Warriors’ only goal might be to conquer the Moon.

Stephen Curry said recently that man has never been to the Moon. Since then, Curry clarified his comments saying it was “a joke.” Nonetheless, NASA is offering Curry and the Warriors a tour of their facilities next time they visit the Houston Rockets. NASA offers to school Curry on moon landing, to show him some rocks that the astronauts brought from the Moon. Obviously, since NASA can’t offer Curry any advice of how to improve his game. Earlier this year, NBA star Kyrie Irving said flat Earth claims were an experiment and he was just having a little entertainment.

It is all fun, but in today’s social media world–every statement,every word is dissected, especially by famous people like Curry. I have no doubt if you take a poll across this country you will find a percentage of people that believe we never went to the Moon, that it was done inside a Warner Brothers studio, that 9/11 was an inside job by the US government to send us to war, and that Elvis still alive.

Recently, Virgin Galactic–Richard Branson’s outlet–flies its first astronauts to the end of space, taking one step further to space tourism and taking the lead over Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Today is the private world, entrepreneurs (not NASA and the government) that is taking the lead in space. In the future, Curry might be able (he sure can afford it) to actually take a trip to the Moon and tell his grandkids someday.

It is going to happen like Frank Sinatra’s huge hit in 1964: “Fly Me To the Moon.”

Raptors rout the Warriors 113-93 at Oracle Arena

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Toronto Raptors shackled the Warriors offense at Oracle Arena on Wednesday night as they routed them by a score of 113-93. The Raptors were without the services of Kawhi Leonard, but that did not stop them as they outplayed the Warriors in all facets of the game.

The Warriors, who lost in overtime in Toronto 131-128, were back at full strength with Steph Curry and Draymond Green back in the lineup. The Raptors moved the ball well, made the baskets, and forced the Warriors into committing 19 turnovers, and the Warriors usually lose if the team makes more than 15 in a game.

The Raptors outrebounded the Warriors, and Golden State did not have anyone to counter the Raptors’ big men Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas left the game with a dislocated finger, but he was a force in the middle and on the boards for Toronto. Toronto swept the season series from the Warriors and won at Oracle for the first time since 2004.

The Raptors snapped the Warriors’ four-game winning streak. The Raptors appear to be an elite team that will contend for the NBA title. The Warriors have to be concerned that the NBA might have caught up to them and they will have to figure out how to get back on track as they seek their third NBA title in a row and fourth in the last five seasons.

Game Notes and Stats: Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 30 points. Klay Thompson had 14 and Curry recorded 10. The only other Warrior in double figures was Quinn Cook with 13. No other sub had more than seven for Golden State. All five Toronto starters were in double figures.

Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 23 points and Serge Ibaka added 20. If these teams are to meet in the NBA Finals, the Warriors are going to need DeMarcus Cousins to be back in the lineup and playing at his All-Star best.

The Warriors’ record now stands at 19-10 and the Raptors improved to 23-7, which is the best record in the NBA.

Up Next: The Warriors play the Sacramento Kings Friday night at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Game time will be at 7:00 pm PST.

Warriors defeat Timberwolves 116-108 to win fourth in a row

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors welcomed back Draymond Green to the starting lineup Monday night at Oracle Arena. The Warriors now have the Big Four healthy, and they were able to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-108 to win their fourth in a row.

The Warriors started the first quarter with a 13-0 run. Steph Curry mad two-three-pointers and Kevin Durant had one. Minnesota came back with an 8-0 run and closed the gap to just one, trailing 19-18. The Warriors regained their composure and finished the quarter leading 30-24.

In the second quarter, each team scored 33 points. The Wolves tied the game at 46 about midway through the period. It was the first time that the Wolves didn’t trail in the game. The Warriors regained the lead and never relinquished it the rest of the game. The Warriors led 63-57 at the end of the first half. The half also ended with Klay Thompson hitting a three just as the buzzer sounded. Green finished the first half with 7 points, six rebounds, and five assists in 15 minutes of action.

Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr tried to give Green rest as he misses about five weeks of play due to a toe injury. Curry had 13, Thompson 15, and Durant 15. Alfonzo McKinnie and Jonas Jerebko, coming off the bench, kicked it with 7 and 5, respectively.

Minnesota’s offense was led by Karl-Anthony Towns with 13. Derrick Rose had 13, Andrew Wiggins 8 and Dario Saric 9.

In the third quarter, the Warriors showed the fans in the arena and those watching on TV that they are a team that is hungry for another championship. They outplayed the Wolves on both ends of the court. They outscored the Wolves 28-20 to take a 14-point lead at the end of three periods of play. They were outstanding on defense, and Curry scored 16 points in the stanza.

Minnesota went on a 6-0 run to start the fourth quarter. The Warriors responded with several threes to go up 107-93 with 4:05 left in the game. Minnesota did get a little closer, but they did not have enough firepower to overtake the Warriors. The Warriors won 116-108.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors, with the win, improve to 19-9.

Minnesota drops to 13-14.

Steph Curry led the Warriors with 38 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Curry made 7 3-point shots in 14 attempts, and the Warriors, as a team, knocked down 19 threes.

Klay Thompson finished with 26, Kevin Durant had 22. Draymond Green did not score in the second half, but he was a force on defense. He pulled down 10 rebounds and had 7 assists in his return from the DL. Jonas Jerebko had quite a night with 10 points, 8 boards, and 5 assists.

The Warriors shot 41.9% from the floor. Minnesota shot 45.8% from the floor, but made just 7 3-pointers in 25 attempts. The Warriors outrebounded the Wolves 49-42. Each team committed 16 turnovers.

The Warriors were named as Sportsperson of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine earlier on Monday. They became only the fourth team to earn the honor.

Up Next: The Warriors resume play Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors beat the Warriors in overtime in Toronto, and the Dubs want to avenge the loss on Wednesday at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm PST.

Warriors defeat the Bucks 105-95

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By: London Marq

A few weeks and sideline argument ago, the Golden State Warriors were dysfunctional. People were questioning the organization’s loyalty to Draymond Green would he be traded before the deadline? Wondering if the on-going drama between Green and Durant would derail their season, especially after the incident was followed by a 3-game losing streak. But winning covers up all manner of sins.

The Warriors hosted the Milwaukee Bucks at Oracle Arena on Thursday night, entering play having won the previous two games. Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the Greek Freak, and the Bucks have stayed on pace with their development and on track as one of the best teams in the league with hopes that hope to make a deep playoff run.

Perhaps this game will turn out to be a Finals preview. The Warriors certainly played like it, flying high right out of the gate. They opened the first quarter on a 12-4 run behind two Curry threes and excellent defense. Defense would be the theme throughout the game for Golden State, who had a mediocre game by there standards. Despite having 13 turnovers in the game and Durant being scoreless at halftime the Warriors were able to stay in control, holding the lead for the majority of the game.

Behind 20 point outings for both Curry and Thompson, the Warriors played their best defense of the season so far, holding the Bucks to their lowest point total of the season. Antetokounmpo ended up with 22 points, 15 in rebounds in the loss, while no other Buck was able to tally more than 15. It was great defensive outing for Golden State despite their shortcoming.

We all are ready for the end of the dynasty, but it’s not here just yet,

The Warriors defeated the Bucks 105-95.

The Warriors host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday at 7:30 pm PT.

Warriors crush the Cavs 129-105 in Cleveland on Wednesday night

GSW final
Graphic: @Warriors

By Charlie O. Mallonee

In every sport, there are certain teams that every other team wants to play because they know the chances of coming away with a “W” is so great that they can taste victory before the game begins. When “King James” ruled the city by the lake, that was not the case. Going to play in the “Q” was something to be feared.

Now that LeBron has taken his “talents” to SoCal and the Lakers, playing in the “Q” has become a place for teams to get healthy. The Cavs best player Kevin Love is unavailable due to left foot surgery, and no one would be surprised if Love does not demand to be traded to a competitive team.

Things are so bad in Cleveland that the Cavaliers were the first team in the NBA to fire their head coach. Tyronn Lue who coached the Cavs to an NBA Championship in 2016 was fired after Cleveland started the season 0-6 with LeBron James in “Lakerland” and Kevin Love ailing.

The Warriors entered the game on Wednesday night with a record of 16-9 to do battle with a Cleveland squad that had recorded a record of 5-18.

Tough Road Trip
This was game four of a five-game road trip for the Warriors. They entered the contest 1-2 on the trip. The W’s had lost games in Toronto and Detroit but had bounced back into the win column in the ATL on Monday night. A victory in Cleveland was really mandatory if this was to be a successful road trip for Golden State.

GSW Thompson to hoop
Thompson to the basket Photo: @Warriors

First Half Battle
The Cavs served notice in the first half that they were not going to just roll over and die because they were facing the defending NBA Champion Golden State Warriors. GSW held a six-point at the end of the first quarter, but Cleveland turned it up a notch in the second period.

Cleveland shot 68.2-percent from the floor (15/22) in the second quarter and hit seven 3-point baskets. The Cavs outscored the Warriors 39-27 for the period behind the scoring of Cedi Osman (8 pts), Jordan Clarkson (8 pts) and Larry Nance Jr. (7 pts). The Cavs also outscored the Warriors on 2nd Chance Points 8-0 in the quarter.

At the half, Cleveland held a 64-58 lead over the Golden State Warriors.

Time to go to school
The Warriors came out of the locker room after halftime fired up and ready to play. Kevin Durant led the charge for the “W’s” as he scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out two assists in the period. Durant hit 6-of-9 shots – three of which were 3-point baskets.

GSW outscored the Cavs 12-2 on the Fast Break in the quarter.

At the end of three quarters, Golden State was leading Cleveland 95-86.

Turn Out the Lights
The Cavs’ final demise came in the fourth period when Stephen Curry came alive and scored 12-points shooting 2-for-4 from the floor (both 3-point baskets) and converted 6-for-6 in opportunities from the free throw line.

Klay Thompson and Quinn Cook also added eight points apiece in the final period as the Warriors outscored the Cavaliers 34-19 in last 12 minutes of the contest.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Golden State Warriors (17-9) had defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers (5-19) 129-105. For the Warriors, it was their second consecutive win.

Top Performers

GSW Prime Logo

Golden State

  • Leading scorer: Steph Curry 42 points (also game high) to go with nine rebounds
  • Double-double: Kevin Durant 25 points and 10 rebounds (9 assists)
  • FG% 52.9 (45/85)  3FG% 52.9 (18/34)  29 Assists 9 Turnovers (17 CLE pts)

Cleveland

  • Leading scorer: Colin Sexton 21 points (7/14 shooting)
  • Double-double: Tristan Thompson 14 points and 19 rebounds
  • Wow: George Hill 25:13 on the floor 0 points and 3 assists

Steve Kerr on Curry
“It’s pretty rare, but Steph is rare in general in everything he does. We’ve seen it before where Steph was out with an injury and comes back and starts lighting it up right away,” said Kerr. “The guy keeps himself in amazing shape – which allows him to come back pretty quickly if there is an injury.”

Up Next
The Warriors wrap up this five-game road trip on Friday night in Milwaukee versus the very tough Bucks in a nationally televised game. The game tips off at 4:00 PM PST.

The Cavs will also be in action on Friday night when they will host the upstart Sacramento Kings at the “Q”.

Warriors do the KD Splash in the ATL: Hawks dispatched, 128-111

By Morris Phillips

The Warriors had that look again on Monday night in Atlanta, and Stephen Curry ascended to the superstar zone first, soon after he shook the hand of Trae Young, his sharpshooter protege, prior to the opening tip.

Curry put up 18 of his game-best 30 points in the first quarter, single-handedly outscoring the Hawks in the frame, as the Warriors posted a momentum-changing 128-111 win.

“We controlled the tempo in the first quarter, the defense kicked in, and that set the tone,” Curry said.

Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson soon joined Curry as all three hit show-off mode at some juncture of the evening. The Warriors’ stars all had 10 made baskets, with Durant finishing with 28 points, and Thompson 27.

Young didn’t fare well facing Curry for the first time. The rookie from Oklahoma forced some passes and never found his shooting stroke. Young finished with 20 points, but need 20 shot attempts to get there, while committing seven turnovers (all on the first half) and failing to make a 3-pointer (0 for 5).

“It’s hard to stop someone like that,” Young said. “He’s going to score. He’s going to find ways to make plays. You just have to try to make it difficult if you can.”

The Warriors led by 17 after one, and by 14 at the half, before finishing the Hawks with a 67-point second half. The Hawks didn’t do themselves any favors with 18 turnovers juxtaposed against 23 assists. Young finished with just three of those assists.

“I thought we played well, then you take the turnovers into the equation and you figure you’re going to have a long night,” said Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, who served as a Warriors’ assistant during Curry’s rookie season.

Former Warriors Kent Bazemore and Jeremy Lin suffered rougher stat lines than Young, particularly due to being on the floor when Golden State surged. Bazemore missed five of his six shots, and had a team-worst -23 plus/minus.

Lin fared better offensively, with 14 points and 5 assists. But his plus/minus was -17.

Curry offered advice for Young, after missing the rookie’s visit to Oakland last month due to his groin injury that cost him 11 games.

“Don’t worry about comparisons, just play the game, get better,” Curry said of Young.

The Warriors continue their road trip on Wednesday in Cleveland, the site of their most recent World Championship title victory in June.

Warriors lose second straight, fall to Pistons 111-102

Photo credit: @warriors

By: Ana Kieu

It just wasn’t the Golden State Warriors’ night as they lost their second straight game in a 111-102 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday.

The Warriors were prepared and ready to go from the get-go or at least they seemed to be a prepared group of players prior to the tipoff against the Pistons. The Warriors’ starting five featured Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Jonas Jerebko and Damian Jones.

Both teams were tied at 24 apiece at the end of the first quarter.

The Pistons, however, picked up the pace in the second quarter and outscored the Warriors 30-22. This allowed the Pistons to lead the Warriors 54-46 at halftime.

Of course, halftime doesn’t last forever, so the Warriors had to head back onto the court to show the Pistons what they got. Klay Thompson shined in the third quarter as Vintage Klay came out to play. At the time, Thompson had 21 points and tied his career-high for most consecutive 20-point games with his eighth consecutive 20-point performance. Moreover, you can’t forget about Steph Curry, who made a good amount of 3-pointers.

The Warriors trailed the Pistons 85-78 at the end of three quarters.

The Warriors continued to hustle in the fourth quarter in hopes of finishing the game with a win, but that didn’t happen. Sure, there were solid efforts by Curry, Thompson, Durant and vice versa, but the Pistons had the upper hand and picked up yet another impressive win. This time, it was over the defending NBA champions.

The Warriors fell to the Pistons 111-102 for their second straight loss. Durant led the Warriors with 28 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Curry had 27 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Thompson had 21 points and 8 rebounds. Jones had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Andre Iguodala had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Jerebko had 4 points and 4 rebounds. Jordan Bell added 4 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

The Warriors continue their road trip against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, December 3 at 4:30 pm PT.

Warriors play another thriller, but lose 131-128 to the Raptors in OT

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors met the Eastern Division leaders, the Toronto Raptors, in Toronto Thursday evening. The Raptors entered the game with the best record in the NBA 18-4. The Raptors made a trade with the San Antonio Spurs after the 2017-2018 season ended to acquire Kawhi Leonard in exchange for Demar DeRozan. Leonard played in just nine games last season due to injury. Leonard was not happy in San Antonio and appears to have found a comfortable home in Toronto. The Warriors’ Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Alfonzo McKinnie were not available. Curry has missed the last eleven games due to a groin strain but will return to action Saturday night when the Warriors meet the Detroit Pistons.

The Warriors, behind the exceptional play of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, won their last three games. They came from behind to win thrillers over Sacramento and Orlando. They played another thriller against Toronto as they came back from an 18-point deficit to tie the game in regulation. Unfortunately, the Raptors prevailed in the five-minute overtime period to down the Warriors 131-128.

The Raptors thoroughly outplayed the Warriors in the first quarter. Toronto went on a 13-0 run to take an early 14-point lead 20-6. The Warriors offense woke up, and they started to make baskets. They trailed 24-14 when Toronto went on another 8-0 run to lead 32-14. The Warriors closed the gap a smidge but finished the period down by 13points 39-25. Toronto was 14-for-18 from the floor in the first eight minutes and eighteen seconds of action. They also made six three-point shots in ten attempts. The Warriors shot 58% from the floor while Toronto shot an astounding 72.2%

Toronto held the lead for the entire second quarter. Golden State trailed by seventeen at one point in the period, but they continued to fight. They were able to finish the first half down by nine 67-58. They outscored the Raptors 38-29 in the quarter.

The Warriors tried to get back in the game in the third quarter. They trailed by seven 69-62 when Toronto went on a 10-0 run to lead 79-62. It appeared that Toronto was going to cruise to an easy win. Durant, Thompson, and company had other thoughts. The Warriors continued to fight. They needed to make stops, and they did as they clawed their way back to trail 96-88 after three periods of play. The Raptors led by Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka, and Pascal Siakam thwarted the Warriors at every turn. Kevin Durant was not on the floor to start the fourth quarter. The Warriors, behind Klay Thompson and Jonas Jerebko, went on a 9-0 run and closed to within two 103-101. Toronto responded to take a ten-point lead 114-104. KD was back on the floor, and the Warriors went on another 8-0 run to make it 114-112. The Raptors increased the lead to 119-113, but Durant came through with two three-pointers to tie the game at 119 as time ran out.

The Warriors did not play well in overtime. They committed five turnovers as the Raptors outscored them 12-9 to win by a final of 131-128.

Game notes and stats. Kevin Durant had his third consecutive game scoring forty or more points. It was the first time in his career that he had achieved this feat. KD ended the night with 51 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. It was the sixth time in his career that he scored fifty or more in a game. Klay Thompson had 23, and Jonas Jerebko knocked down 20. No other Warrior was in double figures. Kawhi Leonard led Toronto with 37. Serge Ibaka had 20, and Pascal Siakam recorded 26. The Raptors had three other players in double figures.

The Warriors drop to 15-7 and are 5-6 with Steph Curry out of the lineup. The Raptors improve to 19-4.

The Warriors travel to Detroit to face the Pistons Saturday nigh