Category: NBA

Warriors come back to win, send Pelicans down 147-140

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

Wow, what a game! The Golden State Warriors, having played last night in Denver and returned home to the Bay Area in the wee hours of the morning, defeated the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night at Oracle Arena by a score of 147-140. It was not easy as the Pelicans played one of their best games of the year. They scored 140 points and had five players in double-digits. They led for most of the game, but the Warriors came to life late in the third quarter and took the lead 110 -109 when Andre Iguodala hit a shot at the buzzer and made a free throw as he was fouled on the play.

The Pelicans, not known for three-point shooting, rained down ten 3-pointers in the first half. They won the first quarter 39-31. With the score 21-14 in favor of Golden State, the Pelicans went on a 17-5 run to lead 31-26. They finished the quarter, leading 39-31. The Pelicans increased the lead to sixteen, 61-45. The Warriors then went on a 17-4 run to close the gap to 65-62. The Pelicans responded and went ahead by eight 70-62. The first half ended with New Orleans in the lead 71-66.

Nikola Mirotic led the Pelicans with 21 points coming off the bench. He made four three and the Warriors had no answer for him. Anthony Davis had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday had 11. The Warriors’ Big Three of Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson finished with 15, 12, and 17, respectively. Shaun Livingston, coming off the bench scored 11. The Pelicans made ten 3s, and the Warriors made 11. Steph Curry committed his two fouls early in the first quarter and missed over sat on the bench for most of the period. He committed his third foul early in the second quarter and sat until late in the period.

The Pelicans looked as if they were in command, and were going to win the game as the Warriors could not get the offense going. The Warriors came to life late in the period when they went on a 25-8 run in the last 3 minutes and 43 seconds left in the period. They had not led since early in the first quarter. The Warriors, behind Curry’s 23 points in the quarter and Iguodala’s steal and bucket, as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter with the Warriors in the lead 110-109. The Warriors outscored the Pelicans 44-38 in the quarter.

The Warriors continued to play well on offense, and their defense was able to stop the Pelican attack. The Pelicans went up by three 118-115, but Iguodala hit a 3 to tie the game. The teams tied again at 120. New Orleans went ahead 124-123. It would be their last lead of the night. Shaun Livingston made a bucket, and that was followed by Kevon Looney’s basket to make it 127-124. Draymond Green made a three to give the Dubs the lead 132-126. Looney and Curry mad buckets to put the Warriors ahead by eight, 134-126, with 2:28 left to play. Mirotoc connected on his sixth 3 of the night, but Green countered with his fourth 3-pointer. The Warriors’ defense made the stops, and the Warriors finished with their sixth win a row by a score of 147-140.

Game Notes and Stats: After the big win in Denver Tuesday night, it looked like the Warriors were not in sync early in the game. The Pelicans finished the night with five players in double figures, and they made 19 three-point shots and scored 140 points and still lost. The Warriors found their mojo late in the third quarter and showed the Pelicans why they are the reigning NBA champions. Steph Curry had another out of this world performance as he finished with 41 points and made nine threes in 17 attempts. Kevin Durant had a double-double with 30 points and 15 rebounds, Durant made five threes Wednesday night. Klay Thompson had 19, and he made four threes. Draymond Green probably had his best game of the year. Green, who had not been scoring much this season, tallied 17 points. He had six rebounds and 14 assists for another double-double. He had to guard the Pelicans’ two big men Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic scored 21 in the first half but was held to just eight in the second. Kevon Looney also played well. Looney had seven significant points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala each had 13 points for Golden State.

Golden State made 24 three-point shots to tie a franchise record. The Pelicans made 19 threes. Each time shot 48% from the floor. The Warriors outrebounded the Pelicans 57-49, and Kevon Looney was a force on the offensive boards as the Warriors outrebounded the Pelicans 10-7 in that department.

The Warriors improve to 31-14 while the Pelicans drop to 21-24.

Up Next: The Warriors embark on a five-game road trip starting Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in LA. The game will feature the debut of DeMarcus Cousins as a Warrior. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

Warriors blow out the Nuggets 142-111 in Denver

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Photo credit: @warriors

By: Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors won their fifth game in a row as they dominated the Denver Nuggets as they won the game 142-111 at the Pepsi Center Tuesday evening. With the win, the Warriors took over the first seed in the Western Conference by just 1/2 game over the Nuggets. The Warriors set two records in the first quarter of the game as they scored 51 points. It was the first time in NBA history that a team scored that many points. The Warriors also set a franchise record as they made 10 3-point shots in the quarter. The Warriors wanted to make a statement Tuesday night, and they did just that as they dominated the Nuggets from start to finish.

The Warriors came out firing to start the game. Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant rained down threes on the Nuggets. The Nuggets didn’t play poorly as they scored 38 points, but they finished the quarter trailing 51-38. The Warriors increased the lead to 19 at the end of the first half. They lead 79-60. The Nuggets made a 17-9 run to close the gap to 72-60, but the Warriors scored the last seven points to finish with the 19-point advantage. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 20. Thompson had 18, and Curry ended with 14. All three connected four times on 3-pointers. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 21. Nicola Jokic had 9, and Paul Millsap added 8 for Denver.

The Warrior onslaught continued in the third quarter. They outscored the Nuggets 33-23 to increase the lead to 29. Curry, near the end of the quarter, scored 11 points. He made three treys and one bucket to give the Warriors the lead 112-83. Curry and Durant sat out the fourth quarter. Thompson came out of the game with &:26 left to play. The Warriors bench finished the game as the Warriors won 142-111.

Game Notes and Stats; The Warriors won their fifth game in a row and improved to 30-14. The Nuggets dropped to 29-14. The 51 points in the first quarter were the fifth time in the 73rd year of the team’s existence that they scored more than 50 points in a quarter. Klay Thompson had four dunks in the game for the first time in his career, and Kevon Looney had a career-high 12 rebounds.

Draymond Green’s line was 4 points, six boards, and 13 assists. He was plus 41 when he was in the game. Kevin Durant finished with 27 points, four rebounds, and six assists. He connected on five 3-point shots. Thompson had 31 and he, too, made five threes. Curry finished with 31, and he made eight threes. He was plus-25 when he was on the floor. Quinn Cook, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and Jonas Jerebko all made significant contributions coming off the bench.

Scoring leaders for Denver were Malik Beasley with 22, Jamal Murray 21 (none in the second half), Jokic with 17, Will Barton 11, and Mason Plumlee 9.

Up Next: The Warriors return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm. The Warriors then play The Los Angeles Clippers Friday night in Los Angeles. DeMarcus Cousins will be making his debut as a Golden State Warrior. It will be his first basketball game since he suffered an Achilles tendon injury last January.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Cousins back ready to face the Nuggets on Friday; Kerr to take a look at him and his Achilles

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Photo credit: @NBAonTNT

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David:

#1 The Warriors at the halfway mark are first in the Pacific Division game, facing the Denver Nuggets and the Nuggets beat the Warriors earlier in the season. DeMarcus Cousins is back on Friday night.

#2 How has the bench been performing and an assessment on Jonas Jerebko? With Kevon Looney going back to the second unit with Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, what’s that going to be like to work Jerebko in the second rotation?

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

Rise of the Bench Mob: Reserves push Kings past road-weary Blazers, 115-107

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By: Morris Phillips

SACRAMENTO — Yogi, Bogie and Bags sounds like a Saturday morning cartoon, but the Portland Trail Blazers weren’t laughing on Monday night.

The Kings got a big night from their bench, who outscored the Sacramento starting five 58-57. All those different contributors signaled doom for the Blazers, who appeared sluggish less than 24 hours after they dropped a close game to the Nuggets in Denver.

“We’re defending, making extra efforts,” Kings coach Dave Joerger said. “We’re a team where everybody needs to contribute.”

The Kings didn’t get their first lead until early in the second quarter on Bogdan Bogdanovic’s jumper that put them up 30-29. Zach Collins made one of two free throws to tie it, but Bogdanovic answered with a 3-pointer to give the Kings a lead they never relinquished. That against a Portland team that’s 26-0 when leading after three quarters, but fell to 0-19 when they trail after three on Monday.

The Blazers were lead by Damian Lilliard, who scored 35 points. But no other Blazer scored more than Evan Turner’s 14. Second-leading C.J. McCollum finished with six, missing 12 of his 14 shots from the floor. Even more than their 14 turnovers, the Blazers’ poor shooting left them at a disadvantage against the high-octane Kings.

“We turned the ball over and allowed them to get out in transition,” Lilliard said. “They play at the fastest pace in the league, so we made it harder on ourselves than it had to be.”

The Kings improved to 23-21 on the season, and pulled into a tie with the LeBron James-less Lakers for ninth place in the Western Conference. The Utah Jazz hold the final playoff spot at 24-21, a half-game ahead of the Kings and Lakers.

A six-game road trip that starts with Detroit, Charlotte and Brooklyn awaits the Kings, and likely holds the key to the young team’s playoff chances. When asked if the trip–which starts Thursday against the Pistons–marks a pivotal stretch in their 82-game season, Joerger barely flinched, and instead used the moment to give his post-game presser an abrupt Bill Belichick-type ending.

“We have tomorrow off,” Joerger said.

The Kings begin their six-game road trip Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets. Game time set for 4 pm PST.

Curry leads the Warriors to a 119-114 win over the Mavericks in Dallas

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by Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors played another close game with the Dallas Mavericks Sunday evening in Dallas. It was the third game of the season between the two teams, and it was a thriller. The teams had split the two previous meetings, and this was the final meeting of the regular season. The Mavericks are an improved team with the addition of former LA Clipper DeAndre Jordan and the nineteen-year-old sensation Luca Doncic. The Warriors lost to the Mavericks in Dallas earlier in the season when they did not have Steph Curry and Draymond Green available. The Warriors gained a measure of revenge as they defeated the Mavericks 119-114 in a game that was determined in the final seconds of play.

The Warriors got off to a good start in the first quarter and grabbed an early 16-10 lead. Curry and Kevin Durant scored all the Warrior points up to that point in the game. The Warriors had opportunities to score but could not cash in. The Mavs were able to go on a 12-0 run to go ahead 22-16. The Mavs finished the quarter leading 29-25.

The Warriors won the second quarter37-25 to finish the first half with a 62-54 advantage. Steph Curry was on fire as he tallied 24 points and connected on five threes in 8 attempts. Durant added 17. Klay Thompson was held to 4 points. Luca Doncic led the Mavs with 12. Jordan had 6, Wesley Matthews 8, former Stanford star Dwight Powell had 8, and Jalen Brunson finished the half with 8.

Dallas controlled the boards in the first quarter, but things changed when Steve Kerr inserted Jonas Jerebko and Alonzo McKinnie into the game in the second quarter. Both players help the Dubs get rebounds at both ends of the court, and they were a big help in getting the Warriors back into the lead.

The Warriors offense got some help from Klay Thompson. Alonzo McKinnie, Andre Iguodala, and Steph Curry. They held Dallas to 40% from the floor, but Dallas spent a lot more time at the free throw line. They were 10 for 11 from the charity stripe while the Dubs had but two free throws in the period. The Warriors finished the period leading 92-88

As the fans of the NBA know, most games are decided in the fourth quarter. The game between these two teams was no exception. The Warriors were clinging to a scant four-point advantage as they started the fourth and final stanza. Dallas kept creeping closer. However, Curry and Thompson connected on three-point shots to keep the Warriors ahead. Dallas tied the game at 103. They went up by five 110-105 with 4:25 left to play. It was still anyone’s game. Steph hit a three, and the Warriors now trailed 110-108. Former Warrior Harrison Barnes was fouled by Draymond Green while attempting a three-point shot. Green was also charged with a flagrant foul. Barnes made all three free throws and Dallas retained possession. The Warriors caught a break when Andre Iguodala managed to steal the ball. Durant followed with a bucket to make it 113-110. Klay followed with a basket. The score was 113-112 with 2:21 left. Dallas made a free throw to go up 114-112. They would not score again. Curry tied it a 114. He then hit a three to put the Warriors in the lead 117-114 with 42.2 seconds left to play. Dallas had the ball and needed a three to tie the game in regulation. Harrison Barnes, with 5.6 seconds left on the clock, fumbled the ball and lost it out of bounds. The Mavs fouled Steph, and he made both free throws to ice the win for Golden State. Final score 119-114.

Game notes and stas\ts. The Warriors, with the win, improved to 29-14. The Mavericks, who were 16-4 at home before the game, drop to 20-23 overall and 16-5 at home.

Curry had a tremendous performance with 48 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Curry made 11 threes in 19 attempts. He had 13 points in the fourth quarter. Durant had 28, 7 board, and 5 assists. He was a force on both ends of the court. Klay Thompson finished with 16. Klay had 9 points in the fourth quarter that helped the Dubs to the win. McKinnie finished with 10.

The Macs were led by Luca Doncic. He knocked down 26 points and had 6 rebounds and 5 assists. He also made 5 threes. Harrison Barnes had 22, Jordan 13 points and 14 boards, and Brunson had 12.

The Warriors shot 46% from the floor and held the Mavs to 41.8% The Warriors made nineteen three and the Mavs connected 16 times. The Mavs had 17 more free throws than the Warriors They had 29 compared to 12 for Golden State. The Maves outrebounded the Dubs 51-49, but the Warriors had 9 steals and 8 blocked shots.

The Warriors are 8-1 on the road since December 3rd. They travel to Denver to face the Nuggets Tuesday night. Game time is at 6pm.

 

Kings defeat Hornets 104-97 for second straight win

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Photo credit: @NBCSKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings welcomed the Charlotte Hornets to Golden One Center Saturday night. For the Hornets, this was the second night of a back-to-back after playing the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland, Ore. The Kings were coming off a lopsided game in which they defeated the Detroit Pistons 112-102 in Sacramento The Kings were looking to get back on a roll to try to make it a winning streak against the Hornets. The tip-off was set for 7:00 PM PST.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out strong. Though, the usually reliable Buddy Hield wasn’t having much luck, De’Aaron Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Willie Cauley-Stein were more than capable to pick up the slack. Those three combined to score 21 points and lead the Kings to an early first quarter lead. For the Hornets, the leading scorer was Kemba Walker with 10 points. The Kings had a 35-29 lead after the first.

In the second quarter, the Kings and Hornets traded point for point, but in the end, Charlotte gained the lead, thanks to great performances from Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in the first half. The Kings, on the other hand, struggled in the last minute of the quarter to lose the lead before the half. Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic were the most effective in the half, combining for 25 points. The Hornets took a 59-57 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Kings came to play and scored 25 points compared to the Hornets’ 17. The Kings also played great defense, forcing the the Hornets to turn the ball over 17 times. Marvin Bagley was playing exceptionally good defense under the rim and on the offensive glass. The score was 82-76 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings attempted to create a little separation but the Hornets weren’t having it. However, the Kings managed to get the score in their favor 102-94 with a minute remaining. At this point, it was the Kings’ game to lose, but they managed to put up 22 points in the fourth to secure the victory 104-97.

The Kings’ leading scorers were Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points), De’Aaron Fox (21 points), and Buddy Hield (21 points). The win improved the Kings to 22-21 on the season, and with the loss, the Hornets fell to 19-23.

The Kings continue their homestand Monday as they’re set to host the Trail Blazers at 7:00 PM PST.

Warriors roll over the Bulls 146-109

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Photo credit: @warriors

By: Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, for the second game in a row, routed their opponent, the Chicago Bulls Friday night at Oracle Arena, The Warriors got off to a fast start behind three 3-point shots by Klay Thompson to take an early 9-0 lead. The Warriors never looked back as they overwhelmed the Bulls by a score of 146-109.

The Warriors outscored the Bulls 43-17 in the first quarter. The Warriors moved the ball well all night. They found the open man and knocked down 3s. They played defense as the limited the Bulls to 17 points in the first 12 minutes of action. They even had a bit of luck when Jonas Jerebko sank a 3-pointer from behind the half-court line as time expired in the quarter. The Bulls played better in the second quarter, but still trailed by 21 at the end of the first half 76-55. Thompson led the Dubs with 24. Klay made six 3s in 8 attempts. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry each had 13. Zach Lavine led the Bulls with 24, and he made three 3s.

The Warriors did not let up in the third quarter. The Warriors’ big three of Durant, Thompson, and Curry continued to punish the Bulls. The Warriors put the game out of reach as they outscored the Bulls 40-21 in the third quarter. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr removed all the starters with about two minutes left in the period. The Warriors led by 40 points, 116-76

Warriors’ bench players Jordan Bell, Marcus Derrickson, Jonas Jerebko, and Quinn Cook played the entire fourth quarter. The second unit played well as they were able to put up points on the board and the Warriors won by a final score of 146-109.

Game Notes and Stats: Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 30 points. He made seven 3-pointers. Curry had 28 with five 3s, and Kevin Durant had 22. It was the ninth time this season that the Big Three had more than 20-plus points in a game. Quinn Cook had 15, Jordan Bell had 13, Marcus Derrickson had 10, and Jerebko had 8.

The Bulls were led by Zach LaVine’s 29 points. Bobby Portis had 16 points, Antonio Blakeney had 12 points and Ryan Arcidiacono had 10 points. The Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen, who is seven-foot tall, finished the night with 8 points.

The Warriors improved to 28-14, while Chicago dropped to 10-32.

The Warriors announced that DeMarcus Cousins, who is recovering from an Achilles heel rupture suffered last January, will return to action against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 18th in Los Angeles.

Up Next: The Warriors hit the road to play the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas on Sunday. Game time is at 4:00 pm.

Kings use team effort to down Pistons 112-102

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Kings were back home on Thursday night to host the Detroit Pistons. For the Kings, they desperately needed a win to bounce back from the worst loss of the season. On Tuesday, the Kings had a 21-point lead going into halftime. However, those points would not hold up against the worst team in NBA as the Kings would lose the game 115-111. The Pistons came into Thursday nights game also coming off a tough loss to the LA Lakers 113-100. The tip-off was set for 7 PM PST.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out strong. Lead by De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield for a combined 15 points the Kings scored 34 to take an early lead. The Pistons, on the other hand, seemed to being the same game that cost them in LA. The Pistons’ sluggish play on the second day of a back to back wasn’t unexpected, but disappointing nonetheless. Blake Griffin, the Pistons’ arguably best player, was out for a rest day which showed early on.

In the second quarter, it was more of the same from both sides. The Kings managed to put up 31 compared to the Pistons’ 27–three of which came at the buzzer to end the first half. Notably good performances for the Pistons in the first half were Stanley Johnson and Langston Galloway, who combined for 17 points. For the Kings, they had five players who had eight or more points for the half. Those five were Iman Shumpert, Willie Cauley-Stein, Buddy Hield, De’Aaron Fox, and Yogi Ferrell. The first half ended with the Kings up 65-48.

Headed into the third, the Kings clearly had the advantage, and they didn’t waste it. The Kings didn’t do enough to further the lead, but they were able to keep the game exactly where it was going to the half. The Kings and Pistons both scored 26 points to keep the Kings 17-point lead intact. Through the third, the leading scorer in the game was Hield with 18 points. Heading into the fourth, the game appeared to be everything but over with the Kings leading 91-74.

In the fourth, that prediction would come true. The Kings managed to score 21 points to put the Pistons in the ground for the second straight night in California. The Kings played well coming off a tough loss to the Suns earlier in the week. Hopefully, this signals a rebound from the poor basketball the Kings have been playing of late as they look to get back on track. The Kings now sit at 21-21 while the Pistons drop to 17-23.

The Kings host the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night at 7:00 PM PST.

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Kings, win or lose, look to hang with the best of them

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Photo credit: @SacramentoKings

On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 The Sacramento Kings in a close game with Golden State only to lose, but turned around and beat Orlando on Monday night and played in a close game with the Phoenix Suns.

#2 De’Aaron Fox has been a leading scorer for the Kings to lead the offense.

#3 Buddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein have also getting double figures to keep the Kings in their games.

#4 Despite the loss to Golden State, you can still see the transformation of this team.

#5 It’s Detroit and Sacramento Thursday night at Golden One Center. London talks about this matchup.

London Marq does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors throttle the Knicks 122-95

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors faced the lowly New York Knicks at Oracle Arena Tuesday night and routed them 122-95. The Knicks, who are coached by Dave Fizdale, were competitive for the first 18 to 20 minutes of the first half. The Knicks, who are in rebuild mode, entered the game as one of the worst shooting clubs in the NBA. They trailed the Warriors 31-25 at the end of the first quarter. They grabbed a 49-48 lead, but they could not stop the Warriors as the Warriors went on a 13-0 run to finish the first half, leading 61-49. Klay Thompson led the Warrior attack with 17 points, Steph Curry had 14, and Kevin Durant added 11. The Knicks were led by Tim Hardaway, Jr’s 11 points. Hardaway was hurt with 1:07 left to play in the half, and he was not able to return.

The Warriors blew out the Knicks in the third quarter. They outscored them 33-18 to finish the quarter with a 94-68 lead. Thompson was on fire as he was the player with the hot hand. Thompson stayed hot, and when he connected on a three to make the score 111-83. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took him out. Thompson finished with 43. Kerr also removed all the starters, and the bench players coasted to a 122-95 victory.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are now 27-14. Steph Curry missed 11 games to a injury, and Draymond Green also missed 14 due to a toe injury.

Green scored just two points, but he did have a double-double with 11 boards and 10 assists. Curry also had a double-double. He knocked down 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 14 assists. Kevin Durant finished with 24 points, 6 boards, and 6 assists. The Warriors’ bench contributed 41 points.

The Knicks’ 19-year old rookie tallied 12 points. The Knicks’ leading scorer was Mario Hezonja with 19. Their big center, Enod Kanter, had a double-double with 12 points, and 16 rebounds.

The Warrior defense held the Knicks to 39.6% shooting from the floor. The Warriors outrebounded them 49-39, and the Warriors had 9 steals and 10 blocked shots.

Up Next: The Warriors meet the lowly Chicago Bulls Friday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.