Category: NBA

The Portland Trailblazers give the Warriors a very tough battle, however, the Warriors do not lose 125-117

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Golden State Warriors had their hands full with the visiting Portland Trailblazers Wednesday night at the Oracle Arena. The Blazers were missing Damian Lillard who was unable to play due to an ankle injury. The Dubs beat the Blazers by 45 points the last time they were in town on  December 17th. With Lillard out, people were predicting the Dubs would pulverize the Blazers again. Not so fast, the Blazers, behind C.J.McCollum’s 26 points in the first half led Portland to a two-point lead 71-69. The Dubs defense shut down McCollum in the second half, and they were able to come back and beat the Blazers 125-117.

The Warriors and Blazers were scorching hot in the first and second quarters. The Dubs led by six 40-34 at the end of the first quarter. The Warriors increased the lead to 13, but Portland owned the last 7 minutes of the second quarter as they finished the half with a flurry and outscored the Dubs by eight points 37-29 to give them the 2-point lead at the end of the half. Both Teams were on pace to score 140 points in the game. McCollum was hot as he scored 26 and hit several 3-point shots. He had help from Allen Crabbe who scored 14 and Maurice Harkless who added 8. Evan Turner, coming off the bench, scored 7 for the Blazers. Kevin Durant led the Dubs with 21 and Steph Curry pitched in with 16. Klay Thompson had 7, and Zaza Pachulia knocked down nine.The Dubs turned the ball over 8 times, and that helped the Blazers overcome the 13 point deficit and get back into the game.

The Blazers increased the lead to  74-70 early in the third quarter. That would be the last lead the Blazers would own. Kevin Durant scored two buckets in a row on passes from Draymond Green to tie the score. Zaza Pachulia made a deuce, and Steph Curry followed with a trey, and Golden State led 79-74. The Warrior defense held Portland to just 21 points in the third quarter, and the Dubs were able to end the quarter with a 7-point advantage 99-92. Draymond Green missed much of the third quarter as he was saddled with four personal fouls. Draymond picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter. Draymond played his usual tough defense and did not foul out. The Warriors increased the lead to 13, but Portland refused to quit. They cut the lead to six 113-107. Draymond made a terrific pass to Shaun Livingston who put it in to increase the lead to 8. On the next play, Draymond blocked a shot, and Steph Curry made a three to up the lead to 11 119-107. Time ran out on the Blazers as they just couldn’t catch the Warriors. KD made a steal, then ran the length of the court for a layup and drew a foul. The Dubs sealed the win with that play.Final score 125-117 for the Warriors.

Game Notes- The Warriors won their ninth straight game at home. Steph Curry was the Curry of old as he made shots from everywhere and anywhere. He made 5 3-pointers and ended the game with 35. Kevin Durant scored 30. Klay Thompson added 14. Draymond Green had 9 points,11 assists, seven rebounds and one big blocked shot. Ian Clark, Shaun Livingstone, Andre Iguodala, and David West all made huge contributions to help the Dubs prevail. The Warriors shot 50.6% from the field and made 13 3-point shots. They were terrific on defense as they had 14 steals and 9 blocked shots. The Dubs continue to lead the NBA in those two categories. The Dubs committed 19 turnovers and that allowed the Blazers to score 21 points. The Dubs, however, scored 30 fast break points and knocked down 48 in the paint. The Dubs defense held Portland to just 46 points in the second half, and they held C.J.McCollum to nine. Portland had six players in double figures. All five starters and Evan Turner off the bench.

The Warriors season record improved to 31-5 and Portland drops to 15-22. The Warriors face the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night at Oracle Arena. The Grizzlies beat the Dubs in Memphis on December 10th, and the Warriors will be looking to avenge that loss on Friday. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

The Warriors also announced that the ground-breaking ceremony for the new Chase Center Arena in San Francisco will take place on January 17th. The Warriors expect the arena to be ready for the start of the 2019-2020 season.

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: If it were to end today Kings would be in playoffs; still lots a work ahead

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings head coach David Joerger looks on during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Even after having lost two games in a row it is still true as we speak as of Jan 3 the Sacramento Kings are in the eighth spot for a playoff in the Western Conference with a record of 14-19 they’re a half game ahead of Portland and they would indeed be in the playoffs right now if the season ended today which is really phenomenal to think about.

We always talk about the Pacific Conference being so much stronger than the Eastern Conference that’s not necessarily true this year. It is true from the standpoint the Kings have the Warriors, Spurs and the Rockets at top their so strong. The number eight spot in the east is the Chicago Bulls and their at 17-18 so the lower spots in the east more competitive and a little stronger than in the Western Conference.

Charlie O does the Sacramento Kings podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

The Warriors and Denver Nuggets play a very fast paced game in W’s win 127-119

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets played a very entertaining and fast-paced game Monday night at Oracle Arena. The Nuggets, behind the great play of their three big men Nikola Jokic, Jusuf Nurkic, and Danilo Gallinari, stayed close to the Dubs for most of the game. The Warriors ha six players in double figures and Draymond Green had his second triple-double of the season. Ian Clark was hot in the first half, and Shaun Livingston made three big baskets down the stretch to doom the Nuggets  Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant all scored more than twenty points in the game and the Warriors are now 12-0 for the season when that happens. As a result, the Warriors were able to down a very determined Denver Nugget team 127-119.

Both teams played a very high scoring first quarter as evidenced by the fact that each team shot over 60% from the floor, The lead changed hands several times in the quarter, but the Dubs finished the first 12 minutes of play leading 35-33.  Steph, Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Zaza Pachulia and Ian Clark led the team in scoring. The Dubs increased the lead to four at the half when KD hit a 3-point shot as the buzzer sounded. The Warriors couldn’t put Denver into its dust. The Dubs tried, but the Nuggets kept coming back. They Nuggets tied the game at 51, but the Warriors were able to go up by six 62-56. The Nuggets closed the gap to just one 65-64, but Durant’s 3-pointer at the buzzer put the Warriors ahead by 4. Kevin Durant led the Dubs with 13.

Zaza Pachulia added 9, Klay had 12 and Steph tallied 11. Ian Clark, coming off the bench scored 12. Clark is getting more playing time, and his confidence has soared as he has become an instant offense for Golden State when he comes into the game. Jokic had 8 for Denver. Greg Harris had 7, and Wilson Chandler knocked down 6. Gallinari, who is six feet 10 inches tall scored 11. Jusuf Nurkic and Will Barton, coming off the bench, tallied nine apiece for the Nuggets.

The Dubs, who usually go on a tear in the third quarter to put away their opponent, were not able to do that to the Nuggets. They did outscore the Nuggets by five to increase the lead to 9 at the end of the period, but it was not easy. The Dubs were leading by 6 points 86-80 when Steph Curry scored 2 buckets and 2 free throws. Draymond Green also made 2 free throws, and the Dubs enjoyed a 14-point lead which was the biggest lead of the night. The Nuggets scored the next 5 points and trailed by just nine heading into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Warriors led by 15 late in the quarter. Shaun Livingston made three big buckets to help propel the Dubs to that advantage. The Nuggets kept coming back. With the score 121-111, the Warriors failed to score on three trips to the basket. The Nuggets closed the gap to six. The key play to seal the win was made by Draymond Green. Draymond not only fought for an offensive rebound but was able to make a layup to put the Warriors up by eight. Each team scored another basket, and the Warriors won again 127-119.

Game notes- the Warriors big tree of Klay Thompson, Steph Curry had 25, 22, and 21 points respectively. The Warriors had good ball movement again as they tallied 33 assists in the game. Denver also moved the ball well, and they recorded 33 assists too. The Warriors shot 52.6% from the floor and held Denver to 47.5%. The Dubs made 11 3-point shots in 15 attempts while Denver was 9-for-35 in that department. The Warriors turned the ball over 13 times which pleased coach Steve Kerr. Denver also took care of the ball as the committed just 14 turnovers in the game.  The Warriors scored 22 fast break points and had 56 points in the paint.

Denver had 60 points in the paint for the game. The Warrior defense had trouble with Denver’s big men, but Steve Kerr said the “we started defending well the last five minutes of the second quarter.  Draymond Green scored 15 points to go along with 13 assists and 10 rebounds for his second consecutive game with a triple-double. Green was a force on the floor all night, and he made two huge rebounds that helped secure the win for Golden State. Jokic and Chandler led Denver with 21 points each. Gallinari had 19, Nurkic 15, Barton 14, and Harris 11.

After the game, Kerr said that “Denver changed their style a little bit.” Coach Mike Malone, a former Warrior assistant coach, and former Sacramento Kings head coach, removed Nurkic from the starting lineup and has him coming off the bench. Chandler replaced him in the starting lineup. The Warrior’s bench player scored 33 points in the game, and Kerr said ” the bench was the key to the game.” they had to be good as the Denver bench outscored them 39-33.

The Warriors won their 30th game of the season and are now 30-5. Denver, a team that had won 5 of their last 8, falls to 14-19.

The Warriors resume play Wednesday night against the Portland Trailblazers at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 7:30 pm. It will be the third meeting of the year between the two teams, and the Blazers will be trying to avenge the 45  point loss the last time the played the Dubs in Oakland on December 17th.

 

 

 

 

 

Grizzlies ruin New Year’s Eve for the Kings with a 112-98 win

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

 

Memphis Grizzlies v Sacramento Kings
Cousins takes the shot Photo: NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

Sacramento — The New Year’s Eve afternoon game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings did not become the big holiday celebration the King’s fans were hoping for when they filled the building to capacity. The Kings had defeated the Grizzlies in Memphis earlier in the month, but they could not tame Memphis Saturday afternoon as they lost 112-98.

This was the second consecutive loss for the Kings (14-19) who lost on the road on Wednesday night in Portland. For Memphis (22-14), it was their second win in a row as they were coming off a big victory at home over Oklahoma City on Thursday. The victory also gave the Grizzlies a positive start to their four-game West Coast road trip.

After the game, Kings head coach Dave Joerger called the Grizzlies one of the top four teams in the Western Conference. That is the way the Memphis played and looked in the game against the Kings.

It was all about the “3” for the Grizzlies

Memphis came into the contest shooting 34-percent from 3-point range. In this game, they shot 48.6-percent (17-for-35) from long range literally breaking the backs of the Kings from downtown. Forward JaMychal Green went for 4-for-5 beyond the arc. Zach Randolph came off the bench hitting 4-0f-6 from long range. Mike Conley went 3-for-4 from downtown en route to leading the Memphis scoring attack with 22 points.

The Grizzlies overall shooting was spectacular in the game. They shot an impressive 50.6-percent (44-for-87) from the field. Memphis had five players finish in double figures – Conley 22, Green 18, Randolph 14, Carter 14 and Daniels 11.

The Memphis bench outscored the Sacramento reserves 52-32.

Memphis won this game without much help from Gasol

The Grizzlies are usually very dependent on the center Marc Gasol if they are to have success in a game. The big man was actually very quiet during the first half scoring just two points on free throws while going 0-for-6 from the floor. He also recorded only one rebound in the half.

Gasol disappeared after playing just under three minutes in the third quarter and did return to the game. He rolled his left ankle and went to the training room for treatment. Per a team spokesperson, he could have returned to the game if needed.

We did see Gasol walking under his own power out of the training room after the game. He was not going at full speed, but he did not appear to be in pain.

Tough night for Cousins

DeMarcus Cousins had a tough night with a team that plays tough down low. In the first half, Cousins emphasis seemed to be on distributing the ball. He finished the first half with five of the Kings nine assists.

Cousins picked up his fourth personal foul with 9:16 to play in the third quarter of the game and the Kings trailing 57-49. Joerger chose to keep Cousins in the contest but he really could not be factor on defense for fear of picking up another foul.

Then with 4:08 remaining in the third quarter, Cousins was hit with his eighth technical foul of the season after getting into a shouting confrontation with several Memphis players. At first Cousins and everyone in the building thought he had been ejected from the game because of the hand gestures of the referee, but that turned out not to be the case. Cousins was allowed to remain in the game.

Cousins finished the game with 26 points, 8 assists and four rebounds.

Sacramento struggled with their shooting in the game

The Kings had trouble getting the ball to drop through the basket at times on Saturday. For much of the second half they were shooting under 40-percent from the field. They finished the game with a 43.1-field goal shooting percent (31-for-72).

The 3-point shot was also not the Kings friend versus the Grizzlies. They went 11-for-28 (39.3-percent) from downtown for the game.

The bright spot for the Kings was at the free throw line. Sacramento went 25-for-28 (89.3-percent) from the charity stripe. Memphis went to the free throw line just nine times in the game.

Lawson injured in first half – status is up in the air

Kings guard Ty Lawson was hit in the face late in the second quarter of the game. In order to get to bench and be substituted for, Lawson had to commit a foul to stop the action.

The only update that was given by the team on his status after the game was that Lawson was still under medical evaluation for his injuries.

Up next

The Kings are off until Tuesday when they will travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets for the first time this season. It is always a big deal for some of the Kings players to face Denver because the Nuggets are coached by their former coach Michael Malone.

The Grizzlies travel down the coast to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Tuesday night.

The Warriors cruise to victory over the Dallas Mavericks 108-99

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Golden State Warriors defeated the Dallas Mavericks Friday night at Oracle Arena 108-99. The Mavs, making their second visit to Oakland, did not have former Warrior Andrew Bogut in uniform. Mavs’ coach Rick Carlisle decided to rest Bogut after he played las night in Los Angeles. The other former Warrior, Harrison Barnes, was in uniform and he led the Mavs in scoring with 25 points.

The two teams played a very even first quarter. The game was tied at 29 after the first 12 minutes of play. The Dubs took the lead for good in the second quarter. They played a very methodical quarter as they ended the half leading 59-48. The Dubs were rebounding well, and they scored 15 points using the fast break. The core four of Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson all were instrumental in leading the Dubs to the 11-point advantage at the half 59-48. The Dubs shot 54% from the floor, the had 17 assists and just 4 turnovers. They also outscored the Mavs in the paint 24-12.

The Dubs, behind Klay Thompson’s 17 points in the third quarter, increased the lead to 22 91-69. Thompson was in one of his patented “zones, Nowitzki” and his teammates were finding him as often as they could. However, the fourth quarter, as has been the case the last two games, was ugly. The Mavs outscored the Dubs 30-17 but could not overcome the 22 point deficit. The Dubs scored just 7 points in the last 7minutes and 11 seconds of the game. They did not score a point in the last 3:32. Warriors win 108-99

Game Notes- Kevin Durant recorded his first triple-double of the season. He scored 19 to go along with 10 assists and 11 rebounds. Klay Thompson led the Dubs with 29. Draymond Green pitched in with 13 points, seven assists, and eight boards. Steph Curry finished the night with 14.  The Warriors’ bench players made significant contributions, too. JaVale McGee and David West each scored 8 points. Ian Clark had seven and Shaun Livingston knocked down six. The Mavs were led by Harrison Barnes 25 pointNowitzki, in his 19th season had eleven and Deron Williams also scored eleven. Neither player scored in the second half. Wesley Matthews had 14, Seth Curry 11 and former Stanford Cardinal standout, Dwight Powell pitched in with 10. Most of Powell’s scores came in the fourth quarter and almost got the Mavs back into the game.

The Warriors improve to 29-5, the best record in the NBA. The Mavs fall to 10-24.

After the game when asked about his performance, Klay Thompson said that he was “being patient, trying to get a great shot.” He also said this about his team:”we moved the ball well and we shared the ball well.” Klay answered this when asked about Kevin Durant. “He does everything great. He is huge for us.”

The Warriors meet the Denver Nuggets on Monday, January 2nd at Oracle Arena at 7:30 pm.

 

The Warriors bounce back, take down the Toronto Raptors

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

By Jerry Feitelberg

Still smarting after a one-point loss at the hands of the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day, the Golden State Warriors (28-6) returned home to face the second-best team in the East, the Toronto Raptors (22-9). Trying to establish themselves as an elite team, the Raptors trailed by as few as five points in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors’ shot-blocking defense proved too much for Toronto in a 121-111 Golden State win.

The Warriors ran the Raptors off the court in the first quarter. The Warriors scored 42 points and held Toronto to just 17. Klay Thompson led the Dubs with 12, but Steph Curry and Kevin Durant also contributed. Toronto won the second quarter as they closed the gap to just five trailing 56-51. The Raptors outscored the Dubs 21-6 in the first eight minutes of play but Golden State was able to get back on track as they increased the lead to 17 at the end of the first half 72-55. The Warriors shot a blistering 74.4% from the field in the half. Toronto was held to just 37%. Toronto, however, took fifteen more shots than the Dubs to stay close. Demar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, and Terrence Ross, off the bench, scored 49 of Toronto’s  55 points.

The teams played even in the third quarter as Golden State maintained its 17 point lead. The play of the game came when Steph Curry made a behind the back pass to Klay Thompson. Thompson then made a three-point shot from the corner that lit up the crowd. The fourth quarter was an entirely different story. The Raptors played defense and held the Warriors to just 17 points in the quarter. The Dubs led Cleveland by 14, and they blew the lead and lost. The Dubs must have been thinking it was deja vu all over again when the woke up to play great defense and regrouped after Toronto closed to within five 114-109 with 3:01 left in the game. The Dubs held them at bay and won by ten 121-111.

Game Notes- The star of the night was Kevin Durant. Durant scored 22 points but was a monster on defense as he had 17 rebounds and five blocked shots. Draymond Green had a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists to go along with six rebounds and 2 blocked shots. Klay had 21 and Steph led the team with 28. Steph had 7 assists and 7 rebounds. Ian Clark with 9, Andre Iguodala added 11 and Zaza Pachulia knocked down 8. The Warriors had 33 assists in the game to go along with 4 steals and 10 blocks. The one negative was the 20 turnovers that allowed the Raptors to stay close. The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan’s 29, Kyle Lowry’s 27 points and 11 assists, DeMarre Carroll’s 13 and Terrence Ross’ 24. The Warriors extended their NBA record to 119 consecutive games without back to back losses.

The Warriors improve to 28-5 while Toronto drops to 22-9. After the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he thought this about the game:”between the turnovers and offensive rebounds, it was a strange first half and a strange game overall.” He said “there was a lot of energy to start the game’ and that “we needed it as we couldn’t sustain the pace.” Rhen asked about the 20 turnovers, Kerr said”twenty was too many. We gotta clean that up.” He thought Steph was great:”he had the ball quite a bit. Had a great game.” However, Kerr was not happy that the game nearly got out of hand and said “we had a lot of bad possessions down the stretch. It could have been worse but as someone once said: “all’s well that ends well.”

The Warriors play the Dallas Mavericks Friday night at Oracle Arena. Former Warriors Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut will be aiming to upset their ex-mates on Friday. Game time will be at 7:30 pm.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings go for fifth straight in Portland Wed; ex coach Karl writes explosive kiss and tell book

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Sacramento Kings head coach David Joerger, right, talks with guard Garrett Temple (17) in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Friday, Dec. 16, 2016, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

With this Sacramento Kings team it’s always hard to commit it’s kind of the truth you never want to get too high, you never want to get too low with his team. This is impart what Kings head coach Dave Joerger early in the season one of the things he stressed was his new playbook. We’ll know about this team 25-30 games into the season and his team will learn a lot more about Joerger’s system. There will be lot more to learn in the coming games and that’s really starting in part to come fruition and their really starting to show signs of jelling in these last four games.

Also former Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl just finished writing a book called “Furious George” a kiss and tell book with a whole lot less kissing and a whole lot more telling. Former Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony was part of the book and what Karl wrote about him and his former player was not to complementary. What was surprising about all of this was that Karl after working with him would be the last guy you would expect would write about like this.

Charlie O does the Sacramento Kings podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Kings-76ers Monday night post game wrap: Kings hold on to win 102-100

Published on by tonyrenteriaLeave a comment
Philadelphia 76ers v Sacramento Kings
Cousins goes to the rack Photo: NBAE

By Tony Renteria

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The game between the Sixers and Kings came down to free throws on Monday night as Sacramento won their fourth consecutive game 102-100.

Garrett Temple put the Kings up by three points with 14.9-seconds to go when he hit 1-of-2 free throws. Philly’s Sergio Rodriguez answered back with a 25-foot 3-point shot that cut the Kings lead to just one point. Robert Covington fouled Cousins with 5.9-seconds remaining in the game. The Kings big man converted 1-of-2 foul shots allowing the Kings to take a 102-100 lead. The Sixers Joel Embiid missed two 3-point shots in those final seconds and the Kings held on for the victory.

The Kings had to outscore Philadelphia 32-23 in the final period to win the contest. The Sixers held a 77-70 lead after three quarters.

The Sacramento Kings record improved to 14-17 with the victory while Philadelphia dropped to 7-23 after the loss. Sacramento holds on to eighth place in the Western Conference with a one-game lead over ninth place Denver and a two-game lead over 10th place Portland – the Kings next opponent.

With 31 games under their belt this season, the Kings just need three wins to get to .500. First-year head coach Dave Joerger continues to focus on defense and finding the right combination of players to put on the floor.

DeMarcus Cousins again led the team in scoring with 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting, while also adding nine rebounds.  Rudy Gay returned to the Kings lineup after missing six games with a hip flexor. He made his presence known chipping in 17 points himself. Gay’s return did create a significant change in the Kings player rotation.

Ty Lawson was again a major factor off the bench for Sacramento on Monday night. He scored 12 points, grabbed four rebounds (three offensive), dished out four assists and had two steals in 20-minutes of playing time. Willie Cauley-Stein played significant minutes especially in the third quarter when Kosta Koufos experienced foul trouble. Cauley-Stein went into the game to help defend Embiid and wound up scoring nine points and pulled down four rebounds.

The Kings won the battle in the paint outscoring the Sixers 52-46 down low. Sacramento also out-rebounded Philly 42-38. The Kings had 24 assists but they turned the ball over 19 times which resulted in 24 points for Philadelphia.

The 76ers were led by Joel Embiid and his 25 points and eight rebounds. Sergio Rodriguez also added 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. Jahlil Okafor played 19-minutes at center scoring six points and posting one rebound. Disgruntled big man Nerlens Noel received just three-minutes on the floor and scored three points for his team.

Former King Nick Stauskas never really got going in the game. He played just 19-minutes scoring four points shooting just 2-for-4 from the floor. Stauskas is actually having his best year in the NBA upping his scoring average to 9.5 points per game which is a 2.6 point improvement over his career average of 6.9 points per game.

The 76ers head to Utah to play the Jazz Thursday, while the Kings will travel to Portland play the Trail Blazers Wednesday. The Kings are 1-1 versus the Trail Blazers this season. Each team has won on their home court. DeMarcus Cousins scored 55 points in Kings 126-121 victory over Portland at the Golden 1 Center. The game on Wednesday night will be the final meeting of the season between the two teams.

The two best teams slug it out on Christmas day in Cleveland. It’s a lump of coal for the Dubs

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, right, hugs Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry before an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors had this game marked on their calendar since last June 19th when they lost game 7 and the NBA Championship to the Cavaliers. Losing a game in a regular season hurts but not as much as in the playoffs. The Dubs really wanted to beat Cleveland Sunday and it looked like that was a strong possibility as the Dubs led by 14 94-80 early in the fourth quarter. The Cavs went on a 14-1 run to trail by three. The Dubs were just not able to put the game away. Steph Curry made a three-point shot to put them ahead 108105 with 1:14 left in the game. The Dubs did not score again and Cleveland, behind Kyrie Irving’s bucket with 3.4 seconds left, won the game for Cleveland 109-108.

The game was a thriller from start to finish. The Dubs led most of the way, but the Cavs kept coming back. The Dubs’ biggest lead until the fourth quarter was 49-38 in the second quarter, but the Cavs went on a 12-1 run and trailed by three 55-52 at the half. Draymond Green was called for two fouls in the first three minutes of the first quarter. He also was called for his 7th technical of the year when he complained to the refs that he was kicked by a Cleveland player. They didn’t listen, and Draymond had to sit out the entire first quarter.

Kevin Durant led the Warrior attack with twelve in the first 12 minutes of play. LeBron James had 6, Kevin Love 7, and Kyrie Irving 5 to lead Cleveland. The Dubs led by two 27-25 at the end of the quarter.  Klay Thompson started to score in the second quarter. Klay hit 2 3-point shots, and Steph had one.

The Dubs led by 11, but Cleveland went on a 12-1 run to tie the game at 50. Zaza Pachulia scored a deuce and KD hit a three. Cleveland score and the half ended with the Warriors up by three. KD Led the Dubs with 17, Klay had 13 and Steph was held to 6 points by the Cavaliers’ DeAndre Liggins. Lebron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Channing Frye were the leading scorers for the Cavs. The Dubs shot 46.2% from the floor, and they held the Cavs to 33.3%. However, the Cavs had more rebounds, especially on offense, and took more shots and were able to stay close.

The Warriors continued to hold the lead in the third quarter. Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson all played well in the quarter. The Cavs’ LeBron James scored 16, but the Dubs were able to increase the lead to 87-80 at the end of the third quarter. The Dubs went on a 7-0 run to start the final stanza and were up by 14 when things started going south.

The Cavs continued to chip away at the lead and finally tied the game at 105 late in the quarter. Curry hit a three but, perhaps the key play was a Klay Thompson 3-point shot that was waved off by the refs as the 24-second shot clock expired. Had the shot counted the Dubs would have won but as mentioned earlier, they lost.

Game Notes- The Dubs fall to 27-5 while Cleveland improves to 23-6. Kevin Durant was fantastic for Golden State with 36 points, 3 assists, and 15 rebounds. Klay Thompson added 24. Draymond had 16 point, 4 assists, and 4 rebounds. Steph Curry was held to 15. He did make 2  3-poin shots, and the one he made late in the game almost won the Dubs the game.The Warriors committed 19 turnovers while Cleveland did better holding on to the ball as they lost it just 12 times.

The Warriors return home to face the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 7:30 pm.

 

Kings win third game in a row defeating the Timberwolves 109-105

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
Sacramento Kings v Minnesota Timberwolves
Koufos shoots in the paint photo: NBAE

by Charlie O. Mallonee

The Sacramento Kings won their third consecutive game on Friday night in Minnesota 109-105 as they downed the young and very talented Timberwolves ending their two game winning streak. Both teams fought hard in the game as the lead changed hands 20 times in the contest.

The win was the Kings second in a row on the road as they also won in Utah on Wednesday night. Sacramento’s road record improved to 6-11 and they are 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Sacramento’s overall record improved to 13-17 and moved them into sole possession of eighth place in the Western Conference by one-half game over Portland. That means if the season ended today, the Kings would be in the NBA Playoffs.

DeMarcus Cousins leads the way for the Kings

Cousins struggled with the Wolves double-teams in the first half scoring just 11 points. The Timberwolves were unable to hold him down in the second half as he put up 22 points working the paint and shooting from long range.

The Kings forward/center was the team’s assists leader with seven dimes. He was very aware of where his teammates were when the Minnesota defense double-teamed him. Cousins also led the team in steals. It was a Cousins steal from Zach Levine with 36-seconds to go in the game that helped to seal the win for the Kings.

The Kings bench produced big results on Friday night

The Kings bench outscored the Timberwolves bench 45-11. Anthony Tolliver scored 17 points hitting 5-of-7 shots from 3-point range. Tolliver played 30 minutes off the bench for Sacramento.

Ty Lawson has really come into his own in the last few games. He seems to have found how use his speed in the offense. Lawson scored 15 points for the second unit shooting 5-for-11 including two 3-point baskets. He also dished out four assists and had two steals.

The Kings team stats were very impressive

Sacramento shot 42-for-80 (52.5-percent) from the field. They hit 15-of-29 (51.7-percent) from 3-point land. From the free throw line, the Kings went 10-for-14 (71.4-percent).

The Kings assists to turnover ratio was better than the goal of 2:1. They had 27 assists and turned the ball over just 11 times that Minnesota converted into just six points. Sacramento had seven steals in the contest.

The Kings were out-rebounded 42-38.

Sacramento Kings v Minnesota Timberwolves
Barnes handles the ball for the Kings photo: NBAE

Coach Joerger’s views on the game

  • It was a good game, a good win
  • The Kings avoided the “track meet” mentality of trying to run with the young Timberwolves
  • The executed pretty well
  • By winning three in row, the team has earned Christmas Eve and Christmas off

Lavine was a one-man wrecking crew for Minnesota

Guard Zach Lavine tried to win the game single-handedly for the Wolves and he almost succeeded. Lavine scored a career high 40 points. He shot 13-for-21 from the field including seven 3-point buckets. Lavine was also a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line. The third-year shooting guard played 39-minutes in the game.

The other Kentucky center had pretty good game as well

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 20 points for Minnesota. He made it a double-double game by grabbing 13 rebounds. Towns shot 7-for-15 from the floor. He also had five assists.

Sacramento Kings v Minnesota Timberwolves
Towns works through traffic photo: NBAE

Minnesota has to work on Christmas Day

The Timberwolves travel to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on December 25th. That is a tough task for a 9-20 team that is trying to find its footing. Minnesota has all the talent it needs to become a real force in the NBA. Now, it’s a matter of developing the maturity.

The Kings return to action on Monday night

Sacramento has a real chance to make it four wins in a row when they host the 7-22 Philadelphia 76ers at the Golden 1 Center. The Kings need to be very careful with the Sixers. It can be very easy to look past a team that is doing so poorly and wind up losing to that squad. That is what happened last season when the Sixers beat the Kings in Sacramento.