Photo credit: @sportingnews
On the Warriors podcast with David Zizmor:
Talk about how the Warriors Kevin Durant dominated on offense Monday night in Game 1 in Houston with 37 points coming in with his second-highest total for the postseason. His opponent, the Rockets’ James Harden, finished with his second-highest total of 41 points. It looked like Harden against five Warriors players.
David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Tuesday night at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo credit: David J. Phillip/Associated Press
By Pearl Allison Lo
The Golden State Warriors started on the road for the first time these 2018 NBA playoffs and won by way of a 119-106 victory over the Rockets Monday at the Toyota Center in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals for a 1-0 series lead.
Golden State’s “Hamptons 5″ lineup consisted of Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, who all combined for 99 points and a +48 rating versus the starting five for the Rockets (85 points and a -30 rating).
Durant posted his second-highest total this postseason with 37 points. On the flip side, Houston’s James Harden’s 41 points tied his second-highest too as he shot his best from the field (58.3%) these 2018 playoffs.
Harden’s role could not be understated, as he helped or made 23 straight points from 3:10 left in the second to 8:10 left in the third.
In Durant’s words: “We tried to take the first punch and kept on fighting…stay solid and keep up with each other…play a calm, steady game.”
Rockets’ coach Mike D’Antoni cited “mental lapses” and the need to be “mentally sharper.”
However, the separation between the teams did not occur until the third quarter.
At the end of the first half, both were dead even and just one point away after the first quarter.
Harden scored the first nine points for Houston (9-2 run) with a variety of shots, including two three-pointers and a technical free throw, courtesy of Green.
The Rockets got a scare when Harden left the court with 3:17 left in the first after Kevon Looney inadvertently stepped on his right foot.
The Warriors got their first lead (35-33) with 9:03 left in the second and then the teams wrestled back and forth until Golden State emerged the winner.
Houston used a 7-0 run to tie the game again with 1:51 left.
Golden State did not get their first free throws until 1:28 left in the half.
Almost ending the first half the way he started, Harden made his team’s last three shots for a total of 13 points in the second. Trevor Ariza, Green and Iguodala ended the half with three fouls.
Foul trouble would continue.
In the third, Ariza had to sit out with 9:35 left when he got his fifth foul.
After Iguodala made the second free throw, both teams traded baskets (seven of them interrupted) until 5:50 left when the Warriors went on a 10-2 run spurred by Thompson’s three. Stephen Curry either assisted with or hit eight of the points.
The Rockets put together an 8-0 run with two threes and two free throws near the end of the third, pulling to within four with a three (11:44 left in the fourth).
However, Golden State countered with a 7-2 run two minutes later to keep their lead.
Game Notes: Houston’s Chris Paul had a game-high 11 rebounds, Green a game-high nine assists and +19 and Thompson a game-high six threes.
Up Next: Game 2 will take place Wednesday at 6 pm PT.
@warriors photo: The Houston Rockets and the Golden State Warriors open their third round series starting next Monday at Golden State for game 1
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Golden State opened Game 5 of its NBA West playoff game at New Orleans with a third-quarter blitz that propelled the Warriors past the Pelicans 113-104, earning a 4-games-to-1 series triumph.
The Warriors now look forward to the much-anticipated Western Conference final against the Houston Rockets, who eliminated the Utah Jazz. It’s the fourth consecutive Western final for Golden State.
It was the Warriors’ 15th consecutive postseason win at home, tying the 1989-90 and 1990-91 Chicago Bulls for the longest such streak in NBA playoff history.
After a sluggish start, the Warriors opened the third quarter at Oracle Arena with a 25-4 run.
Stephen Curry shot 10-of -16 from the field, including 3-of-6 behind the arc, and he finished with a team-high 28 points, to go with eight assists, seven rebounds and a steal. It was Curry’s fourth game back in the lineup after missing five weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee.
Klay Thompson contributed 23 points, six rebounds three assists and a steal for Golden State, and Kevin Durant scored 11 of his 24 points in the second quarter. Durant also had seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.
Draymond Green kicked in 19 points, 14 boards, nine assists, three steals and blocked two shots.
Anthony Davis had a monster game in defeat for New Orleans, finishing with a game-high 34 points (13-of-26 field goals), a playoff career-high 19 rebounds and four blocked shots in 46 minutes. Jrue Holiday had 27 points, 11 assists and 10 boards, his first playoff triple-double.
The Warriors-Rockets series begins Monday in Houston.
Photo credit: @warriorsworld
On the Warriors podcast with David tonight:
After dropping Game 5 in New Orleans to the Pelicans, the Golden State Warriors did some talking to themselves and got back on track quick with the help of Kevin Durant, who led Golden State with 38 points. Durant had been a little passive in Game 2, but came out with all cylinders firing in Game 3 in the Warriors’ 118-92 win at Oracle Arena. The Warriors’ Stephen Curry followed Durant with 23 points and Klay Thompson with 13.
David Zizmor does the Warriors podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com
Photo credit: nba.com/warriors
By Jerry Feitelberg
The Golden State Warriors, who were thoroughly thumped by the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night in New Orleans, came out smoking as the led by ten points 14-4 in the first few minutes of the game and put the pedal to the metal as they soundly defeated the Pelicans 118-92.
The Warriors, who couldn’t make three-point shots in Friday night’s loss, made four of them in the first six minutes of the game and finished the first quarter with a 15-point lead 37-22. The Pelicans won the second quarter 32-24 to trail at the end of the first half by seven points. They went to the locker room hoping that they could come out blazing in the third period just as they did in game three.
The Warriors, who have played so well so many times in the third quarter, dominated on both offense and defense. The Warriors scored 33 points and held the Pelicans to 19. Teams trailing by twenty or more entering the fourth quarter very rarely, if ever, come back to win in the NBA. The Warriors continued to pound the Pelicans as they won by 26 points, 118-92, to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
Game Notes and Stats: Steve Kerr made two changes to his starting lineup Sunday afternoon. He started Draymond Green at center in place of JaVale McGee and inserted Andre Iguodala at the small forward position. Draymond had nine rebounds in the game and now has 899 rebounds in his playoff record. He’s the third Warrior to reach that plateau. The other two players are in basketball’s Hall of Fame. Wilt Chamberlain leads with 922, and Nate Thurmond is second with 896.
Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 38 points, five assists, nine rebounds, one steal, and one blocked shot. Green’s line was eight points, nine assists, nine rebounds, four steals, and two blocks. Steph Curry knocked down 23, and Klay Thompson added 13. Backup guard Quinn Cook led the bench with 12.
The leading scorer for New Orleans was Anthony Davis wi]th 26 points and 12 rebounds. E’Tuan Moore was second with 20 and Jrue Holiday had 19. The Warriors were able to contain Nikola Mirotic as they held him to just seven points. Ian Clark, a former Warrior, scored 11 coming off the bench.
The stats show the domination of the Warriors. The Dubs shot 48.4% from the floor, and the Pelicans were held to 36.4% The Warriors mad 11 3’s in 33 attempts and the Pelicans connected on just four of 26 tries. The Warriors were able to move the ball much better as they recorded 28 assists and the Pelicans’ ball movement game, which was so good Friday night, was not able to get going Sunday as they were credited with just 17. The Warriors handled the ball well as they committed 11 turnovers. The Warrior defense, however, forced the Pelicans to commit 19 which led to 21 Warrior points.
Game 5 for the best-of-seven series will be played at Oracle Arena Tuesday night at 7:30 pm PT.
Advocate staff photo by MATTHEW HINTON: New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) celebrates a dunk with New Orleans Pelicans forward Nikola Mirotic (3) against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) as fans including Arcade Fire’s Win Butler, left, and Saints Cam Jordan cheer during the second half of game 3 of the conference semifinal NBA playoffs at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, La. Friday, May 4, 2018.
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Friday, May 7, 2018
New Orleans built a double-digit lead in the first half and cruised to a 119-100 victory over Golden State Friday in Game 3 of their best-of-seven NBA West series at New Orleans.
The Warriors still have a 2-games-to-1 lead in the series.
After JaVale McGee’s dunk gave the Warriors a one-point lead midway through the first quarter, Nikola Mirotic responded with a 3-pointer on the Pelicans’ next possession and New Orleans led the remainder of the contest. The Pelicans built a 15-point lead by the second quarter, though Golden State cut their deficit to six by halftime on Klay Thompson’s third 3-pointer of the quarter.
Thompson led the Warriors with 26 points, 20 of them in the second quarter. Kevin Durant was next with 22 and Steph Curry added 19. Draymond Green finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists
Curry became the first Warriors player to score 2,000 career postseason points, now at 2,012. He also became the first Warrior to pass the 500 postseason assist mark and passed Reggie Miller for fourth all time in career postseason 3-pointers with 322. Miller had 320.
After Solomon Hill nailed three 3-pointers in the first quarter off the Pelicans bench, the tone was set. Ex-Warrior Ian Clark scored 18 points in 22 minutes. Rajon Rondo dished out 21 assists, a Golden State playoff opponent record.
Hill and Clark combined for six of the Pelicans’ 14 3-balls while the Golden State bench was held to 10 points over the first three quarters. Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 33 points and 18 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday added 21 points and five assists.
The series continues in New Orleans at 12:30 p.m. PDT in New Orleans.
Photo credit: @NBCSWarriors
By: Eric He
If the Golden State Warriors were looking to coast their way to the Western Conference Finals, the New Orleans Pelicans just reminded them that it won’t be all smooth sailing.
The Warriors fell 119-100 to the Pelicans on Friday in Game 3 on the road, and their lead in the series is now at 2-1. They were outplayed from beginning to end by New Orleans, never establishing their game and failing to mount a second-half comeback.
Instead, it was the Anthony Davis show. the Pelicans’ star recorded 33 points and 18 rebounds, having his way inside. The Pelicans shot 45.2 percent from 3-point range, giving the Warriors a dose of their own medicine. Davis dominated JaVale McGee, who got the start despite receiving minimal playing time in the first two games. McGee played just nine minutes and had a plus-minus of -10.
The Warriors had four starters in double figures, but found no rhythm offensively. They trailed by six points at halftime, but in the third quarter, when they typically make their push, it was the Pelicans who went on a run and outscored the Warriors by 11. New Orleans led by 17 points after three quarters.
But the issue was more on the defensive end. The Warriors were slow on rotations and allowed clean looks from distance. Jrue Holiday and Nikola Mirotic both provided supplemental scoring, while Ian Clark had 18 points off the bench.
Now, the Warriors would do themselves a huge favor by winning Game 4 and returning home with a 3-1 series lead. Otherwise, a series that felt like it was over after Game 2 may last longer than expected.
photo from nba.com: Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry made his return in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Wednesday night at Oracle Arena against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans
By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Tuesday, May 01, 2018
After five weeks off due to injuries, Steph Curry returned to the Golden State Warriors in grand fashion on Tuesday at Oracle Arena, bagging 28 points in 26 minutes off the bench, helping Golden State defeat New Orleans 121-116.
The Warriors have a 2-games-to-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal best-of-seven.
Warriors Coach Steve Kerr chose not to start Curry, going with Nick Young instead. Curry entered the game with 4:20 left in the first quarter, receiving a rousing ovation. Curry, who missed five weeks with a sprained MCL in his left knee, sank a 3-pointer with his first shot and rolled on from there.
Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 29 points, hitting 5-of-6 in the fourth quarter. Draymond Green contributed 20 points, nine boards and 12 assists.
Klay Thompson suffered through an off-night, hitting 4-of-20 shooting – 2-of-11 behind the arc – finishing with 10 points. But the Warriors’ bench made up for it, outscoring the Pelicans’ reserves 44-13.
New Orleans received strong production from its core – Jrue Holiday scored 24 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out eight assists in 46 minutes; Anthony Davis finished with 25 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks; Nikola Mirotic fouled out with 18 points and nine boards; and Rajon Rondo added 22 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists.
As an aside, Green and Rondo were seen having words going to the locker rooms at halftime. On TNT, Charles Barley said, “I just want somebody to punch him in the face.”
Upon learning what Barkley said, Green felt that if Barkley wants someone to do that, then Barkley should be the one.
“If you’re not going to punch me in the face when you see me, then shut up,” Green said.
The series resumes in New Orleans on Friday night.
Photo credit: nba.com/warriors
On the Warriors podcast with Dave:
Game 2 is set for tonight at Oracle Arena. The Golden State Warriors made it look easy in Game 1. Dave takes a look if the Warriors can repeat Game 1’s performance. Will it be like taking candy from a baby?
The Pelicans know their in over their heads in this series, opening up the series at Golden State. The Warriors dominated on offense in Game 1 and Stephen Curry if he’s back on all cylinders can make this game look like nothing.
David Zizmor does the Golden State Warriors podcast each Tuesday at http://www.sportsraadioservice.com
Photo credit: nba.com/warriors
By Jerry Feitelberg
OAKLAND — The Golden State Warriors routed the New Orleans Pelicans 123-101 to get off to a good start in the second round of the NBA playoffs. The Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr decided to go “small” as he started Nick Young at guard and went with Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant. None of the Warrior starters were over six-feet-seven inches tall except Durant. JaVale McGee played very little, and Zaza Pachulia sat on the bench.
The Warriors and Pelicans played a very competitive first quarter. The Warriors led by one 35-34 after the first 12 minutes of action, and it looked as if the game would be a nail-biter. The Pelicans led 12-11 early in the quarter and, although no one knew it at the time, it would be the last time the Pelicans would own the lead.
The Warriors dominated the second quarter. The outscored the Pelicans 41-21 to finish the half leading 76-55. At one point in the quarter, the Warriors went on a 24-2 run as they showed the Pelicans that they still knew how to play defense. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson paced the Warrior offense with 18 points each. Draymond Green added 12, and Shaun Livingstone tallied 8. The Pelican’s Anthony Davis was the only starter in double-figures (12) for New Orleans.
The Warriors increased the lead to 29 by outscoring the Pelicans 27-19 to put the game on ice for Golden State. Kevin Durant and Draymond Green both sat out the fourth quarter as the Warriors coasted to victory. Kerr inserted McGee, Jordan Bell, and Damian Jones to finish the game. The Warriors win 123-101.
Game Notes: The Warriors won their 13th straight home playoff game. The 76 points scored in the first half set a team record as they scored 73 against the Phoenix Suns on May 4th, 1994. The 41 points in the second quarter beat the 40 they scored against Utah on May 11th, 2007.
Klay Thompson paced the offense with 27 points. Kevin Durant finished the night with a double-double as he knocked down 26 points and had 13 rebounds. Draymond Green was all over the court as he dazzled the fans with his fourth career triple-double. Draymond tallied 16 points, had 15 rebounds, and recorded 11 assists. Andre Iguodala had 12, Shaun Livingstone, 10 and Quinn Cook 11.
Anthony Davis led the Pelicans with 19, E’Tuan Moore had 15, Jrue Holiday 11, and Jordan Crawford 14. The Warriors dominated the board with 57 rebounds. They had 8 steals and 10 blocked shots. The Warriors did not commit a lot of fouls in the game. The Pelicans had 11 shots from the charity stripe and made 9. The Warriors went to the free-throw line 32 times and made 24.
The was a lot of speculation before the game as to the status of Steph Curry. Curry, who has not played very much since March 8th due to ankle and knee injuries, was ready to go, but the Warriors felt that he would be better off coming back for Game 2 on Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.
As usual, Curry insisted he “feels great, and he’s ready to go,” said Kerr, who is encouraged his superstar point guard feels so good.
“Just made the decision based on giving him the extra few days and the fact he only scrimmaged yesterday,” Kerr said. “You’ve been out five weeks, and we’re playing in the playoffs, I don’t think one scrimmage is enough, even though he feels great, he wants to play and pleaded his case. But we’re going to sit him tonight and very likely he’ll play Game 2.”
Up Next: Game 2 is at 7:30 pm PT on Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.
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