Category: NBA

Extra Dribbles: Durant shows he’s ready for long postseason run with Warriors

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Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates during the second half of Game 1 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, April 16, 2017. The Warriors won 121-109. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
Sports Radio Service Writer

OAKLAND — The whole basketball world knows that the only way that it’s championship-or-bust for the Golden State Warriors this season.

Even after leading the NBA in wins for a third-straight season (67-15), if the Warriors don’t bring home their second Larry O’Brien trophy in three years, the 2016-17 season will be considered a failure.

Period.

But forward Kevin Durant and the top-seeded Warriors look like they are ready to claim their rightful place as the best team in the NBA at the end of June, after holding off the visiting eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers 121-109 victory Sunday in front of frenzied, sold out Oracle Arena in Game 1 of the first-round series.

Here are a few of my takeaways from Golden State’s win:

Durant is big time: Durant finished with a team-high 32 points to go along with 10 rebounds in his playoff debut with Golden State. Durant shot 12 of 20 from the floor and showed no signs of a player who missed 19 games in the second half before returning for the Warriors’ final three games of the season due to a recent knee injury.

“The game ratchets up when you get into the playoffs,” Durant said after the game. “I definitely felt good out there.”

Entering Sunday’s playoff game, Durant is averaging 28.8 points and eight rebounds per game in 91 career playoff games, according to ESPN Stats and Information.

Another day at the office for Mr. Green: Draymond Green continues to be the heartbeat of the Warriors and it was business as usual for Green after recording a near triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, five blocked shots (two that kept Oracle buzzing), and three steals.

With all due respect to Durant, Stephen Curry (29 points, 9/19 FG, 5 REB, 4 AST) and Klay Thompson (15 points, 6/16 FG, 1/6 3FG), Green is vital for Golden State to win the title this year. Green is the emotional leader of the team, the guy who brings his lunchbox and hard hat to work game-in, game-out, and possibly, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year this season.

Trail Blazers have Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but not much more: McCollum tied a Trail Blazers franchise record for most points in the first half of a playoff game with 27, and Damian Lilliard scored 21 points as Portland’s backcourt combined to score 48 of the team’s 56 points at half time.

McCollum finished with a playoff career-high 41 points on 16 of 28 and eight rebounds, while Lillard scored 34 points on 12 of 26 shooting and five rebounds.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Lillard and McCollum are the first Trail Blazers teammates to score 34 or more points in a playoff game since Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter on May 19, 1992. Their 75 points were two off the franchise playoff record by teammates.

That sounds all good,  but Portland won’t win a game in the series if their star-studded backcourt has to continue to shoulder the load and not get any help from the role players.

Maurice Harkless was the only other Trail Blazer who had double-digit shot attempts (5/13 FG) and finished with 11 points. Evan Turner scored 12 points.

Portland’s bench was missing in action, scoring just nine points, while reserve guard Ian Clark scored 12 of Golden State’s 22 points off the bench.

The Trail Blazers were without center Jusuf Nurkic, who missed the game with a non-displaced fracture in his right leg.

Game 2 is Wednesday back in Oakland. Golden State is hoping that reserve forward Matt Barnes, who didn’t play in Game 1 due to an ankle injury, is ready to go.

Golden State held the rebounding edge (45-38) and shot 53.1% (43/81 FG) from the floor, while holding Portland to 43% shooting (40/93 FG) for the game.

 

 

 

Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony Renteria: A look at what the Kings have in store for next season; Cain helps his own cause; 49ers to deal away second draft pick

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Sacramento Kings’ Langston Galloway dribbles during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday, April 12, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

On the Sports Headlines Podcast with Tony Renteria:

#1 The Sacramento Kings conclude a weird but yet historical season which started with the opening of their new arena, DeMacus Cousins getting traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, and new hopes that the Kings can make haste while the sunshine by getting some decent drafts.

#2 What’s the future of the Kings of the Kings for next season?

#3 The Giants after taking a 4-3 loss on Tuesday came back on Wednesday to get a 6-2 victory with the help of Giants starter Matt Cain who also helped his cause scoring the tying run.

#4  Tony discusses the possibility that the 49ers will deal their #2 draft pick for a running back

#5 The Portland Trailblazers match up against the Golden State Warriors and Tony says this one ends in four games and tells you why

Tony reviews all the sports headlines each week on the podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

 

 

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings looking to make difference with the draft picks in the off season

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Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin, right, looks to pass after retrieving a loose ball against Sacramento Kings’ Willie Cauley-Stein, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 12, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

1) What are the final numbers for the Kings?

2) Who will be running the Kings basketball operations?

3) Will there be any coaching changes

4) What player personnel changes can we expect?

5) Who will be in the Kings draft

Charlie O Mallonee podcasted Kings basketball for 2016-17 and Jeremy Harness, Tony Renteria, Eric He, Pearl Lo, and Morris Phillips all covered the Kings during the season

Sacramento Kings Wednesday game wrap: Kings can’t keep up drop 115-95 decision as Clippers clinch No. 4 seed

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Sacramento Kings’ Ben McLemore, left, is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 12, 2017, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 115-95. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ LOS ANGELES– The Clippers kept their lead at Staples Center this time with a 115-95 win over the Sacramento Kings Wednesday in the NBA’s regular season final night.

With the win, Los Angeles has home court advantage in playoffs and will face the Utah Jazz, who also won. The Clippers ended the regular season with wins in their last seven.

The Kings were at a higher deficit in the fourth quarter, 21 points behind and were not close to shortening it like the last time the two teams met.

However, Los Angeles head coach Dave Joerger pointed out, “What’s validation for it? For Game 82, [the Clippers] had their starting group on the floor with five minutes to go, for whatever reason. But they had to because we pushed them to it. We pushed it to them last week.”

Overall on the season, Joerger said, “[It was a ] terrific season. [I’m] really proud of our guys. They fought and played hard to the end…Guys have really hung in there.”

Sacramento’s Willie Cauley-Stein finished with a game-high 19 points as part of his double-double with 14 rebounds. Los Angeles’ DeAndre Jordan had a double double with 18 points and 17 rebounds, and tied a season-high with four blocks.

The Kings have now lost 19 of the last 23 games versus the Clippers and lost the season series 1-3.

Sacramento had the higher shooting percentage after the first half but Los Angeles got better as the game continued. Quarter by quarter, their lead went from nine to 10 to 14 to 21.

The first quarter’s fourth tie was part of a 12-2 run that gave the Clippers a lead they would not relinquish. Part of it was an 8-0 run with 4:11 left. Within the 12-2 run, the Kings’ Ben McLemore fouled twice, Los Angeles’ J.J. Reddick scored from the line three times and Jordan had three rebounds, including one off Marreese Speight’s missed shot.

In the second, the Clippers’ biggest lead went to 10 points with 2:37 left. Before that, Sacramento twice got to within two points but could not tie up the game.

It was still close at the half, Los Angeles leading 53-47. The Kings shot better at 48.8% but the Clippers had 18 points off three’s compared to six for Sacramento.

Then Los Angeles started pulling away. By the end of the third, they were shooting 50% compared to 49.2% for the Kings. Reddick’s 201st three capped an 11-2 run and was the first time they got a 14 point lead in the quarter. Reddick’s three also set a club record with the most three’s in a season.

Sacramento reached 100 points with 6:21 left in the game and followed that with two buckets to reach their biggest lead of the match for the first time.

After a video tribute to the Clippers’ Paul Pierce, playing in his final regular season game, chants of “We want Paul” erupted from the crowd including Coach Doc Rivers, as Pierce entered the game. Pierce was reluctant to go on the court both times but the Inglewood native commented, “To be able to end it all here in front of family and friends, being back home, it’s special.”

 

 

 

Golden State Finishes The Season In Warrior Style 109-94

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By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Golden State Warriors played their final game of the regular season: game number 82. They took on the 26 and 55 Los Angeles Lakers. Everyone played for the Warriors using this game as a sort of post-season warm-up. Only two teams in the NBA have records worse than the Lakers.

At the end of the first quarter Golden State was leading by the score of 43-28. Kevin Durant led the scoring with 15 points in the quarter. Both teams were shooting at 50% in this game.

At halftime the Warriors had a healthy lead 64-50 and Kevin Durant continued to lead the pack with scoring points at 24. Curry had scored ten points in the first half.

After three quarters the Warriors had extended their lead outscoring the Lakers 29 to 20. The score was 93-70 with one more quarter left on the season.

To the Lakers credit they continued to fight throughout the fourth quarter outscoring the Warriors 24-16. The final score was 109-94. Kevin Durant finished with 29 monster points. He is definitely back and it didn’t take very long at all. The Warriors post-season journey will begin on Sunday against Portland

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Utah loss an after thought Warriors good and ready for post season

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Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, April 10, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

by David Zizmor

OAKALND–The loss the other night to the Utah Jazz for the Golden State Warriors was like an exhibition game they have home court sewed up and that’s all throughout the playoffs The Warriors are 66-15. You still don’t want to lay down because Utah is playing tough and Utah is trying to get a home court game for post season and the home court advantage in that first round against the Clippers.

Even Utah is not in dire straits at this point of the season and the Jazz are trying to get their spot in the playoffs. The Warriors got down a little bit early they fought back at the end of the third quarter and the game was basically tied and the Jazz pulled away in the fourth quarter and won it 105-99. The Warriors wrap up the regular season with the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night.

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

 

Kings eclipse the Suns 129-104 in season home finale

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

phx hield
Buddy Hield drives to the hoop in Kings win over the Suns Photo NBAE

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings played their 41st and final home game of the 2016-17 NBA season Tuesday night at the Golden 1 Center. The Kings sent the sellout crowd of 17,608 home happy by soundly defeating the Phoenix Suns (24-58) 129-104.

Here’s your 2:20 Game Wrap

The season is now over for Phoenix. They finish with a record of 24-58 in 15th and last place in the Western Conference of the NBA. The Suns currently hold the number two pick in the NBA Draft Lottery before the pull of the ping-pong balls. That means Phoenix has a 19.9-percent chance of winding up with number one overall selection in this years’ draft.

As of now, that would mean the Suns would probably be the winners of the Lonzo Ball sweepstakes. Tighten those seatbelts – it could be a wild ride from here.

The Kings (32-49) are now in a tie for 12th place in the Western Conference with the Dallas Mavericks. If the season were over today, the Kings would own the number nine and 10 picks in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Dave Joerger seemed caught up in the victory celebration after the game

Major performances on offense

Kings

  • Buddy Hield leads all scorers in the game with a career-high 30 points
  • Ty Lawson posts his first career triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds
  • Sacramento uses nine players in the game and eight of them score in double figures
  • Kings shoot 51.8-percent (43-for-83) from the floor for the game
  • SAC uses the 3-ball hitting 9-for-19 (47.4-percent) from downtown
Phx ty
Ty Lawson posted his career triple-double vs the Suns Photo NBAE

Suns

  • Tyler Ulis led Phoenix in scoring with 27 points hitting 10-for-25 from the field
  • Sacramento native Marquese Chriss put up 22 points before a large crowd of family and friends
  • The Suns attempted 109 shots in the game connecting on just 41 (37.6-percent) of those attempts
  • PHX went just 14-for-24 (58.3-percent) from the charity stripe
phx joerger
Dave Joerger draws up a play vs PHX on Tuesday Photo NBAE

Up next

The Kings will be in Los Angeles on Wednesday to face the Clippers in the final game of the 2016-17 regular season. This game will help to determine who will finish fourth or fifth in the Western Conference. It is really a battle for home-court advantage.

For the Suns, the season is over. Up next for them, the NBA Draft Lottery.

Intern Jordan Chapin was our videographer for the coverage on Tuesday evening

Golden State Warriors Monday game wrap: Utah Gets One Over On Golden State–105-99 ends 14 game win streak

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George Hill scores 20 points as the Utah Jazz beat the Golden State Warriors 105-99 (AFP Photo/MATTHEW STOCKMAN)

By Barbara Mason

With only two games left in the regular season the Golden State Warriors took on the Utah Jazz at Oracle Arena in a Monday night contest. Klay Thompson sat out the game for some much needed rest while Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant handled Utah. Head Coach Steve Kerr expects everyone to play in their final season game Wednesday as a sort of post season tune-up.

Despite Curry shooting 21 points in the first half the Jazz continued to hang around. Despite a myriad of injuries the Jazz have managed to find a way into the play-offs as a 4th or 5th seed. (still to be determined) They have to win out and that means getting past the Warriors. Were it not for those injuries who knows how good they really could have been. The score at the half was 51-49 with the Warriors leading and shooting just over 50%. Trailing by as much as ten points in the half, Golden State was gearing up to dominate the second half.

The Warrior domination in the third quarter did not materialize. Utah hung tough throughout the quarter and after three quarters the game was dead even at 74. Through three nothing had been decided.

Mid-way through the final quarter Utah had a slim lead 88-84. The Jazz were executing beautifully trying to stay alive for home court in the playoffs. With 2:36 left in this high level game Golden State was still trailing 96-91. McAdoo came up with a three-pointer to narrow the Jazz lead to 96-94. The deeper reserves had all the pressure on them with 2:09 left in the game.

With 1:19 left the Jazz had all but put this game away 101-94. The final was 105-99 and Utah had upset Golden State and kept their home court advantage hopes alive. The game leaders were Steph Curry with 28 points while the Jazz’s George Hill had 20. This gave us just a glimpse of the high energy that we are all about to experience in the playoffs. It’s definitely going to be a good time out!!!

Rockets make it rain 3-pointers as they down the Kings 135-128 on Sunday

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by Charlie O. Mallonee

SACRAMENTO–This was a tough game to analyze

“I think the whole thing is kind of hard, but some guys came through, played well. Bobby Brown played really well for us and we saw some good stuff. Obviously, a little ragged on both ends, but to be expected,” said Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Here’s your 2:20 Game Wrap

Skal Labissiere on the Kings run at the end of the game

“We just started being more alert on defense because they have a hard offense to guard. So we kind of figured it out toward the end and just be more assertive on defense – that’s really what it was.”

Kings head coach Dave Joerger’s comments after the game

Key Stats from the game

Top Scorers

rockets harden
Harden cheers on his team from the bench Photo NBAE
  • For Houston: James Harden posted his 21st triple-double of the season scoring 35 points to go with 15 assists and 11 rebounds
  • For the Kings: Rookie Skal Labissiere recorded 25 points shooting 10-for-12 from the floor. He also hit 5-of-6 from the free throw line

Team shooting stats

  • The Rockets attempted 80 field goals in the game. 43 of those attempts were from behind the 3-point line. They hit 18 of those 3-point shots (41.9-percent). Houston shot 56.3-percent overall for the game
  • The Kings shot 47-for-54 (50-percent) from the field which in most cases would be good enough to win the game for a team. They went 9-for-31 (29-percent) from 3-pointland. Sacramento had an unusually poor night shooting from beyond the 3-point arc

Kings who did not play – coach’s decision

Arron Afflalo, Darren Collison, Tyreke Evans and Kosta Koufos did not enter the game on Sunday versus the Rockets.

Kings draft positions after the loss

Sacramento would draft number eight in the Draft Lottery assuming the ping pong balls do not change history for all-time in favor of the Kings and make them number one. The Kings would also draft at number 10 with the pick they received from New Orleans for DeMarcus Cousins.

Tankathon.com projects that the Kings would wind up with French point guard Frank Ntilikina at number eight and small forward Miles Bridges from Michigan State with the number 10 selection.

Up next for the Kings

The Kings will play their final home game of the season on Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns. Sacramento is 2-1 versus the Suns this season. The Kings two victories came on the road in Phoenix. The Suns won the game in Sacramento 105-103 on February 3rd.

The Warriors blow out the New Orleans Pelicans, Kevin Durant returns

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Golden State Warriors welcomed superstar Kevin Durant back into the lineup Saturday night against the New Orleans Pelicans. Steph Curry did not play, as he had a bone contusion suffered in the game against Phoenix last Wednesday in Phoenix. Shaun Livingston started in Steph’s spot, and the Warriors rolled over the undermanned Pelicans 123-101. The Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins was out with a sore Achilles tendon and is done for the season. The Pelicans other offensive star, Anthony Davis, was given the night off by head coach Alvin Gentry.

Durant, who hadn’t played since February 28th, made his presence felt as he scored the first bucket of the game. The Dubs, however, were a bit sluggish in the first quarter. The Pelicans, playing without their two best players, gave the Dubs a tussle and led 14-13 with 3:37 left in the period. Steve Kerr inserted Andre Iguodala and JaVale McGee into the game, and they energized the Dubs into a 10-3 run to finish the quarter with a 23-17 lead. Andre channeled Steph as he hit a three-point shot at the buzzer.

The Pelicans trailed by twelve early in the second quarter but went on a 13-0 run to lead 34-31. The Dubs regained the lead behind the play of KD, Ian Clark, Shaun Livington, Draymond Green and finished the period on a 12-4 run to lead 54-46 at the half. Klay Thompson led the Dubs with 10, KD had 6, Draymond 8, and Andre Iguodala 8. Alexis Ajinca paced the Pelicans with 13, and Quinn Cook tallied 11 coming off the bench.

The Dubs blew the game wide open in the third quarter. They outscored the Pelicans 39-22, and they looked like the Warriors. They moved the ball and found the open man. Durant, who looked a bit rusty earlier in the game, found his rhythm and looked like the KD of old. He finished the night with a double-double. He did not, however, make a 3-pointer. Klay Thompson, just as Andre had done in the first period, hit a three-pointer to end the third period. The Warriors led 93-68 and were on their way to their 14th straight victory.

The Warrior offense didn’t slow done in the fourth quarter either.  Iguodala scored the first 3 buckets of the period. Ian Clark, Kevin Durant, Shaun Livingston, and JaVale McGee all played well.  The Warriors win 123-101.

Game Notes and Stats- The one sour note in the game is that reserve forward Matt Barnes suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter. Barnes hobbled down to the locker room, and X-Rays were negative. There was no information available about his condition at this time.

The Warriors had 7 players in double figures. Klay led the team with 20 points, KD had a double-double as he tallied 16 points, 6 assists, and 10 rebounds. Draymond had 13, Shaun,14, Andre 15, McGee 16, and Ian Clark 17. The Dubs shot 51% from the floor and made 10 3-point shots. The Pelicans Quinn Cook scored 22, Jordan Crawford, also off the bench, knocked 21, Alexis Ajinca 17, and Jrue Holiday had a double-double with 10 points and 10 assists.

The Warriors outrebounded New Orleans 53-34. The Dubs had 36 assists and recorded 2 steals and 3 blocks.

The Warriors improve to 66-14 while the Pelicans fall to 33-47.

Before the game, Kevin Durant was asked how he felt about returning to action after missing 20 games. Durant said this “I felt normal. I’ve been waiting for that feeling for a couple of weeks now.” It took a while, but he did look like his old self in the second half. Welcome back, KD.

The Warriors resume play Monday night against the Utah Jazz. Steph Curry will be in the lineup. The Warriors will likely face the Portland Trailblazers in the first round of the playoffs. The Blazers magic number is one. Any combination of Blazer wins, or Denver losses will put the Blazers in the 8th seed.The Blazers own the tiebreaker.