Category: NBA

Kings Outplayed by Philadelphia 76ers Losing 112-93

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The Philadelphia 76ers Tyrese Maxey (0) shows some confidence as the Sacramento Kings Sasha Venzenkov (7) runs in front up the court at Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia on Fri Jan 12, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Sacramento Kings (25-25) lost to the Philadelphia 76ers (24-13) being outplayed at every turn. They trailed at the half 65-46 and the Sixers refused to letdown from start to finish. The Kings trailed close to twenty points throughout the entire fourth quarter. The final was 112-93.

Game recap: Philadelphia jumped all over the Kings in the first half of play. The Kings hung in the first quarter although ended up falling short as the quarter came to an end trailing 29-21. The Sixers began to really pour it on in the second quarter leading at halftime 65-46. 

They were outplaying the Kings offensively and the ten turnovers were also an issue. The Sixers had the advantage from the field as well as from beyond the arc. At the half Domantas Sabonis only had two points so Philadelphia had suffocated him. The Kings really struggled in the first two quarters of play and they had two quarters left to turn things around.

The third quarter was a close one which didn’t do much for the Kings cause since they had trailed by 19 points at the half. Sacramento had a huge mountain to climb if they wanted back in this game.

The Kings continued to turn the ball over and after three quarters had 14. Three’s were not falling for Sacramento only shooting 25% from downtown while the Sixers were at 52%. The Kings were having an improved offensive effort but weren’t able to provide many stops.

 Sacramento continued to plug away and after three quarters cut the Sixers lead to 87-73. The Kings won the third quarter 27-22 and they were also forcing Philadelphia turnovers.

Sacramento needed a whole lot more in the fourth quarter if they wanted to pull this game out and it would all start with more stops. It had been an uphill climb for the Kings all night as the 76ers continued their offensive dominance.

 Every time the Kings made a move the 76ers answered outscoring Sacramento 9-2 in the early minutes of the fourth quarter refusing to letup. The final was 112-93 and Philadelphia’s three game losing had come to an end.  

Tobias Harris was gave the Kings all sorts of problems finishing with 37 points. The absence of Embiid didn’t seem to hurt Philadelphia at least in this game. Tyrese Maxxy also gave Sacramento a lot of grief scoring 21 points.

It was a slow start for Sabonis although he did pick it up in the second half finishing with 12 rebounds and 14 points. The high for the Kings was De’Aaron Fox with 21 points. Sacramento had 17 turnovers were 8 of 38 from beyond the arc. It was not a great offensive night for Sacramento.

Post game notes: Friday night the Kings took on the 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers came into this game sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference while the Kings are in fifth place in the Western Conference. 

The Kings won on Wednesday night beating the Hornets 123-98. The 76ers lost an overtime game on Wednesday losing to the Atlanta Hawks 139-132. They snapped their three game losing streak and they it without Joel Embiid who was out for a third straight game with a knee injury. 

The Kings have now lost two of their last six games with Friday night’s defeat and couldn’t take advantage of the absence of Joel Embiid. Sacramento has lost nine straight meetings against Philadelphia.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Kings heading into Milwaukee to take on the Bucks Sunday. The Bucks are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.      

  

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Is it time for Draymond to go?

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The Golden State Warriors Draymond Green runs off the floor after being ejected by officials for hitting the Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face on Tue Dec 12, 2024. Green returned Sun Jan 7, 2024 after an indefinite suspension and missing 12 games. (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, Draymond Green said after Golden State’s 141-105 drubbing by the New Orleans Pelicans that the state of the team was his fault.

#2 Green said that he discussed with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during his indefinite suspension that lasted 12 games that he wanted to retire and he had had enough. Silver told Green he wouldn’t let Green retire and that this was not the path to take to retirement.

#3 Steve Kerr said that Green’s career hangs in the balance and Green knows that. Kerr said that based on altercations he had from last season and this year Green is aware of that. This most recent altercation hitting the  Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face got him the indefinite suspension.

#4 Jerry, is it time now for Draymond Green to retire and get out of the game. He could finish this season but his temper and emotions get the best of him and if this happens again it’s not going to be a good exit for him.

#5 Kerr said that the Warriors have put him on notice and Green had put himself on notice and that’s the way it has to be according to Kerr.

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the Warriors podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Trouble Looms As Warriors Fall To Pelicans 141-105

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By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Golden State Warriors got slammed by the New Orleans Pelicans 141-105. The Pelicans took an early lead outscoring the Warriors 46-27. Golden State won the second quarter but New Orleans came back in the third and fourth quarters to beat the Warriors. Offensively and defensively it was all Pelicans all night. Once again the crowd booed their team out of sheer frustration.

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It has been tough going for the Golden State Warriors (17-20) lately falling to the Toronto Raptors last Sunday night losing that game 133-118. Tonight the Warriors took on the New Orleans Pelicans (23-15), a very tough assignment. The Pelicans currently sit in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Warriors would need to pull out all the stops as they face the likes of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum and Jonas Valanciunas.

The Pelicans got on top of the Warriors from the get-go leading after one quarter 46-27. This was the second time that Golden State fell behind early and had to play catch up. The Warriors are going through a tough stretch right now lacking confidence and belief in the system.

Golden State did win the second quarter by six points 33-27 but were trailing by nineteen points after the first quarter. They had some ground to make up but we have seen them come from behind in the past. They were down 73-60 at the half, only down by thirteen points and very much in the game.

The third and fourth quarters were both won by the Pelicans which sealed the win. New Orleans won the third 32-23 and the final quarter 36-22 handing the Warriors a second loss in a row 141-105. It was a heart-wrenching loss for the team. Every time they made a run, the Pelicans answered. They outplayed the Warriors offensively and defensively.

The New Orleans starting lineup all had double digits with Jonas Valanciunas the high with 21 points. The Pelicans got some great work from their bench matching the Golden State bench.

It was a tough loss for the Warriors and leaves the team searching for answers. This was a terrible loss for Head Coach Steve Kerr, among one of the worst in his coaching tenure. Both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were lackluster at best. Curry with 15 points and Thompson with 13. The Warriors bench outscored the starting lineup. It is tough to fault the fans for reacting the way they did, booing and exiting the building before game’s end. This team is in trouble and has just experienced one of the lowest points in their season.

The team is looking to the return of Draymond Green and this cannot come soon enough for the Warriors. This could be the shot in the arm that the Warriors desperately need to get back on track. They are missing Chris Paul and the fact that this game was televised on national TV was downright embarrassing. This is about as awful as it can get although the Warriors are looking at yet another challenging matchup Friday night as they take on the Chicago Bulls on the road. Tipoff for that game Friday will be 5:00 PM.      

Kings Dominate Hornets 123-98 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte

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The Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis drives to the net against the Charlotte Hornets center Nathan Mensah and guard Terry Rozier at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte on Wed Jan 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

There would be no ugly start for the Sacramento Kings (23-14) in Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets (8-27). They won every quarter in the game with the final 123-98 in favor of the Kings at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Once again Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray stole the show; Sabonis with 24 points and Murray with 25.

Game recap: The Kings did have a much better start in this game than they did Wednesday night. They won the opening quarter 33-28. They went on to win the second quarter 38-31 leading at the half 71-59. The Hornets began to made a bit of a move after trailing by as much as sixteen points in the second quarter. 

Sabonis continued his stellar play with 18 points and six rebounds in the first half. Keegan Murray who had a slow start last night finished the half with 21 points en route to another terrific game. 

De’Aaron Fox who also struggled last night in the opening quarter had 13 points in the half. They also cleaned up the turnovers with only four in the first half. Sacramento had a great first half and were looking to continue to contain Terry Rozier and Miles Bridges in the second half. Rozier and Bridges were doing most of the heavy lifting for the Hornets in the first half.

Four minutes into the third quarter, the Kings had taken their largest lead of the game 82-62. The Hornets had cut the Kings 23 point lead to 15 as the third quarter expired but Sacramento continued to lead 95-80. Charlotte was having little success containing Sabonis as he continued to dominate.

With under four minutes left on the clock the Kings had this game well in hand leading 117-91. The Sacramento starters came out of the game and the bench took over. The Hornets were looking to sweep the Kings after winning their first two matchups but Sacramento had different plans. They led the entire second half winning the game 123-98 handing Charlote their 28th loss of the season.

Murray had the high for the Kings with 25 points and Sabonis was close behind with 24 points and he also had ten rebounds. Malik Monk had 20 off the bench and team leader Fox finished with 19 points. With Murray and Sabonis shooting so well it takes so much pressure off Fox which can go a long way to keeping him healthy. Right now this team doesn’t have a single injury and that is something that they really want to preserve going forward.

The Hornets got some outstanding minutes from Rozier with 22 points and Bridges with 24 points. 

Post game notes: After a scary first quarter Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons, the Kings got a far different start in Wednesday night’s game against the Hornets. The Kings were outplayed in the first quarter of the Pistons game 47-29 and that was something that they didn’t want to see again any time soon. They were able to turn things around and win that game 131-110. The Hornets have been struggling this season losing Wednesday night to the Chicago Bulls 119-112.

Next up on this road trip for the Kings will be the Philadelphia 76ers Friday night. Both teams have similar records so this game has the makings of a real battle. The Sixers are favored to win this game. Joel Embiid is one of the Sixers main threats although he has missed his last two games with a swollen knee. He is doubtful in Friday’s game but that could change in the days leading up to Friday’s matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 PM at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

 

Kings Polish Off Pistons 131-110

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The Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) is guarded by the Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit on Tue Jan 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After a horrible first quarter, the Sacramento Kings (22-14) pulled it all together in the following quarters to take a 68-65 lead at the half. They had trailed by 20 points in the opening quarter only to take the halftime lead. They fought through a tie game in the fourth quarter to seal the win 131-110 over the Detroit Pistons (3-34).

Tuesday night the Sacramento Kings (22-14) were back in action taking on the Pistons (3-34) in Detroit. The Kings come into this game after getting peppered by the New Orleans Pelicans trailing at one time in that game by 50 points. 

The Pelicans won the game 133-100 and the Kings are looking forward to get back on the winning track against Detroit. The Pistons also lost their last game. The Denver Nuggets handed Detroit their 33rd loss of the season outlasting them 131-114.

The first quarter of this game was a shocker with the Pistons all over the Kings and leading after the first twelve minutes of play 47-29 in what would turn out to be a real roller-coaster of a game. Domantas Sabonis was the only starter that was holding this game together for Sacramento. The rest of the team combined misses, fouls and turnovers in the quarter to give the Pistons a huge edge. It was a horrible start for the Kings.

The second quarter saw an entirely different team take the court and at the half, the Kings had taken a 68-65 lead. There had been a 23 point swing in the first half and the rest of the starters came to life in the second quarter. Keegan Murray and De’Aaron Fox had a great second quarter to turn this game completely around. The Kings won that quarter 39-18 in a complete reversal of fortune.

The Pistons refused to back down and the third quarter was a tie with both teams scoring 30 points and the Kings were clinging to a 98-95 lead. The Kings put the finishing touches on this game in the fourth quarter winning it 33-15. The final was 131-110 in favor of Sacramento as they put this game away.

After a horrendous start in this game, the Kings put up some crazy numbers in their starting lineup. Domantas Sabonis had the team high with 37 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists. Keegan Murray who had a rough start finished with 32 points and 5 rebounds. De’Aaron also had a terrific game after a shaky start with 26 points. Malik Monk had 20 points off the bench in yet another stellar game. The turnovers were concerning with 18 committed in the game.

The Kings had led by 15 points in the third quarter but let the Pistons tie up the game in the fourth quarter. They nailed down the win in the final 9 1/2 minutes of play in this game. Sacramento gave up 47 points in the first quarter and only 45 in the entire second half of the game. After that first quarter the Kings put together a terrific offensive effort.

Post game notes: Tuesday night the Kings were back in action taking on the Pistons in Detroit Tuesday. The Kings came into this game after getting peppered by the New Orleans Pelicans trailing at one time in that game by 50 points on Sunday night. The Pelicans won the game 133-100. The Kings are back in the win column with the win over the Pistons. The Pistons also lost their last game on Sunday to the Denver Nuggets who handed Detroit their 33rd loss of the season outlasting them 131-114.

It is now off to Charlotte to take on the Hornets tomorrow night at Spectrum Center. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

  

 

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors in disarray Kuminga has lost faith in Kerr; Paul out with hand fracture; Payton out with hamstring

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Golden State Warriors Steve Kerr head coach talks with the media. Reports have surfaced that Kerr is getting complaints from Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody in what their role is and how the team is becoming fractured. The big question is will Kerr be back next season? (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara:

#1 Barbara, there’s no secret the Golden State Warriors are going in a different direction from their World Championship days this 2023-24 has a dressing room that had dissension and questions about the direction of the team starting with Jonathan Kuminga who says he’s lost faith in Steve Kerr’s use of his lack of minutes. Kuminga feels he could be more effective with more minutes played.

#2 Moses Moody also has expressed his frustration with Kerr’s use of his minutes. Moody’s teammates are not happy with the way he’s been used and it’s contributing to misdirection on the floor.

#3 The Warriors dressing room is turning into a soap opera, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney have been ineffective and have not been able to score or defend in ways they have in the past.

#4 Warrior guard Stephen Curry had the ball stripped away from him in their game against the Denver Nuggets on Thu Jan 4 at Chase Center. The ball towards the end of the game went to Nokola Jokic who hit a three pointer that defeated the Warriors and handed them their fourth loss in their last six games.

#5 There has been calls from fans to fire and replace Kerr to co-owner Joe Lacob. Kerr’s contract ends at the end of this season and their asking that Lacob doesn’t renew him. The only thing that saves Kerr now is if he can regroup the team and get them on a winning role again. Can Steve Kerr save his job?

#6 The Warriors have two major injuries with Gary Payton II out with a hamstring and Chris Paul out with a fractured left hand.

Join Barbara Mason for the Warriors podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors Slammed in First Half Lose to Raptors 133-118; Barrett scores season high 37 pts in forth game for Toronto

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The Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) defends against the Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Jan 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (17-19) lost to the Toronto Raptors(15-21) Sunday night at Chase Center 133-118. They were hammered in the first half losing the second quarter 40-21 and trailing at halftime 76-49. 

This team seems to be dealing with a multitude of interior problems as well as problems on the court. It is just not working right now and seems to continue to get even worse instead of better. There are some real problems in Warrior Land right now.

The Warriors took on the Raptors Sunday night at Chase Center. This team has been struggling for awhile now. It has not been a happy locker room lately and this team needs to turn things around before it really affects their season. 

It is getting out of hand. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have not been themselves and with the approaching return of Draymond Green, the starting roster may have to eventually deal with more changes. Right now it’s a team in turmoil and and with their fifth loss in their last ten games the Warriors are looking for a way out of this slump.

Game recap: The Raptors got right to work in the first quarter. They took a 36-28 lead and this was another slow start for Curry and the Warriors. It would not get any better for Golden State in the second quarter losing it 40-21 getting absolutely punched and trailing 76-49 at the half. It had been a disastrous first half for the Warriors and really indicated something going very wrong with this team.

The Warriors did make a nice bid in the third quarter winning it 38-25 but when you are trailing by 27 points at halftime, you had better have a huge fourth quarter. Golden State did not have a huge fourth quarter barely winning it 32-31 and the Warriors came up short in this game losing by the score of 133-118. Golden State got hammered in the first half and just was not able to repair the damage.

Just watching the Warriors bench the team looked angry, frustrated and disgruntled. This was an awful showing from Curry who finished with eight points hitting only two baskets. He was 2 of 14 from the floor and was 0 of 9 from downtown. 

The Raptors were all over Curry from start to finish. Thompson had the high for the Warriors with a nice game of 25 points and was 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. The high from the Golden State bench came from Moses Moody with 21 points. 

Trayce Jackson-Davis continues to impress with 11 rebounds and 16 points. The Warriors could not stop the Raptors RJ Barrett who had a field day finishing with 37 points. Barrett was a huge part of the Toronto win Sunday. Barrett has been with the Raptors for only four games and he led in scoring.

Golden State will get a few days off before taking on the New Orleans Pelicans at Chase Center. They have a lot to address after this loss. The Pelicans are playing some very good basketball right now and are coming off a win against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Golden State will have to find their A-game if they want to get back on the winning track. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:30 next Wednesday night.

 

  

Kings Lose to Pelicans 133-100; McCollum leads Pelicans with 30 points in win

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The New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram (14) takes a jump shot over the Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox(5) and Chris Duarte (3) during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sun Jan 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings had not had a great season against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Kings entered Sunday with a 0-3 record against the Pelicans this year. On Sunday, the Kings looked to get their first win of the season against the Pels.

The Kings were coming off a tough stretch of game, albeit at home. The Pelicans came into town having last played on Friday against the Clippers. The Pelicans lost that game. The Kings last played on Friday night, where they defeated the Toronto Raptors 135-130.

The tip-off on Sunday was set for 3 PM PST in Sacramento. The Kings would lose to the Pelicans by the final 133-100.

In the first quarter, the Kings offense started to get ice cold. The Kings had only managed 12 points at the 4:00 mark left to go in the quarter. On the other hand, the Pelicans found a rhythm early to put together a solid first quarter. The Pelicans outscored the Kings in the first quarter 33-21 to jump out to a quick lead. The Kings would need to take better care of the ball moving forward against a Pelicans team that refuses to lose to the Kings.

As the second quarter opened up, Kings fans were looking for better energy from the Kings. The Kings wouldn’t appear to be turning the page from the first quarter early in the second. The struggles shooting continued as the Pelicans shots were seemingly all falling.

The Kings would get blown off the floor for the rest of the quarter as they were outscored 39-26 in the second quarter. The Kings would take a 72-47 deficit into halftime. It was one of the more ugly halves of basketball this year in Sacramento.

The second half of this game doesn’t even deserve per-quarter breakdowns. This game was just a pathetic showing from the Kings from start to finish. The Kings had no energy on the defensive end, and that translated to the offensive end.

The Kings were outscored 31-14 in the third quarter as the game ballooned to a 50-point deficit for the Kings. Yes, you read that right, 50 points. The Kings would need to do some serious soul-searching after the atrocious performance.

The Kings had three tough losses, all in the last couple of weeks. The Kings losses to Portland, Charlotte, and now New Orleans were tough to swallow, all for their own reasons. In the fourth quarter, the Kings got a bit of life from the bench by outscoring the Pelicans 39-30. The Kings would lose the game 133-100.

Up Next: The Kings will go on the road to take on the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday at 4 PM PST.

Kings Defeat Raptors 135-130; Sabonis unstoppable scores second triple double for Sac two games in a row

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By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night after taking on the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night. The Kings expended a lot of energy in the game on Wednesday as it went to double overtime. The Kings ultimately won the game by the final of 138-135.

On Friday, the Kings were set to welcome in the Toronto Raptors. It was an exciting matchup for the Kings, with all the trade speculation swirling of a trade between the Kings and the Raptors. Prior to tip-off, it appeared the talks between the teams had cooled, and nothing appeared to be possible.

Time would tell if the two teams could get a deal done. The tip-off against the Raptors was set for 7 PM PST on Friday. The Kings defeated the Raptors 135-130 on Friday night at Golden One Center.

In the first quarter, the Kings came out playing well. The Kings shots were falling on the offensive end, and the defense was paying well on the other end of the floor. The Kings outscored the Raptors 36-27 in the first quarter to build a quick lead.

In the second quarter, the Kings did more of the same to expand the lead going into halftime. The Kings outscored the Raptors in the second quarter 41-30 to go up big going into halftime. The Kings would lead 57-77 going into halftime as they built a sizable lead. Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes led the Kings in the first half with 12 points. RJ Barrett and Dennis Schroder each had 11 in the first half.

In the third quarter, the Kings took a regression in the game. The Kings defense faltered in the quarter as they allowed the Raptors to score 40 points. It was a defensive meltdown for the Kings, who would look to tighten things up in the final quarter to maintain the lead. The Kings scored 30 points in the third quarter to go into the fourth with a 10-point 107-97 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the game would turn into a dogfight. The Kings were trying their best to maintain the lead. However, some of the Kings found themselves in foul trouble. Sabonis would foul out of the game with just over a minute to go.

The Kings went to Chris Duarte in place of Javale McGee. The Kings would get outscored in the final quarter 33-28. However, the Kings would still hold on for the win 135-130. It was a tough-fought win for the Kings, who once had a 20-point lead.

The Raptors best performances came from Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, who both scored 20 points. The Kings best performance came from Sabonis, who had a 24-point, 15 rebound, and 10 assist game.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at 3 PM PST in Sacramento.

Despite Struggles Golden State Beats Detroit Pistons 113-109; Paul fractures left hand will need surgery next week

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Golden State Warrior guard Chris Paul will need surgery on his left hand after fracturing it against the Detroit Pistons on Fri Jan 5, 2024 at Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Detroit Pistons (3-32) put quite a fight but Golden State (17-18) met the challenge and came away with the win 113-109. The Warriors handed the Pistons their 32nd loss of the season.

Game recap: The first quarter was a close one with the Warriors leading after the first twelve minutes 22-20. The turnovers were mounting for Golden State and through 1 1/2 quarters they already had nine. Through the same 1 1/2 quarters Warriors guard Stephen Curry had not scored a single point getting another very slow start. 

At 4:35 in the second quarter, Curry scored three free throws and at 3:26 scored his first basket of the game followed by a three point jumper. A Curry flurry was exactly what the Warriors needed as the first half began to wind down. The Warriors led at the half 50-46 after having led by nine points in the second quarter. The Pistons were not backing down refusing to go away.

The turnovers for Golden State were a problem in the first half with 12. Detroit was protecting the ball very well with only five turnovers which accounted for some of the success they were having in this game.

At halftime, bench player Dario Saric , had the high score with 12 points and starter Jonathan Kuminga had 11 points. The team would be looking for some production in the second half from not only Curry but also from Klay Thompson. The good news for Golden State was the late half action from Curry.

As the third quarter came to an end, the Pistons were making a move pulling to within four points. After three quarters the Warriors were clinging to a four point lead 79-75. 

In the final seconds of the third quarter, Detroit had pulled to within one point proving to be a very real threat. There were five more turnovers for the Warriors in the quarter now with a total of 17 through three quarters.

The Pistons continued to hang around and with 3:45 left in the game, the Warriors were hanging on by a single point 95-94. With 1:56 left in the game it was all tied up at 100. With 1:32 left in the game the Pistons took their first lead of the half 103-102. 

Curry finished off this game with a couple of free throws and a 28-foot jump shot followed by a second 28-foot shot. The final was 113-109 and the Warriors were lucky to get this win. Detroit put up quite a fight pushing Golden State to their limit.

Both the third and fourth quarters of this game finished in a tie. The Pistons pulled out all the stops but the Warriors proved to be just a little too much. Curry had the high for the team with 26 points and Thompson finished with 19.

 It was not the Warriors finest offensive nor defensive effort. They have been struggling on defense and it really showed in this game. They had 19 turnovers just when it seemed that they were turning it around.

Post game notes: Friday night the Warriors took on the Pistons after losing a heart-breaker last night against the Denver Nuggets who pulled off a Nikola Jokic buzzer beater 130-127 for the win. Jokic hit a 39-foot three pointer with 0.1 left on the game clock. With 4.1 seconds on the clock, Curry turned the ball over making this loss an especially tough pill to swallow. 

The Pistons who are having a miserable season. At one point they had lost 28 straight games for the longest losing streak in NBA history. That streak ended last Saturday at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit with a narrow 129-127 victory.

Warriors guard Chris Paul fractured his left hand Friday night against the Pistons and will need surgery sometime next week. Warrior head coach Steve Kerr made the announcement right after the game. Paul went 23 minutes scoring eight points, six rebounds and had four assists before having to leave with the fracture.

Sunday evening the Warriors continue their home stand taking on the Toronto Raptors. They will be looking for a better offensive and defensive effort and then there are those pesky turnovers to deal with.

The Warriors have a lot to clean up. Toronto comes to Golden State after losing to the Sacramento Kings Friday night 135-130. The Kings had a 20 point lead in the third quarter of the game and Toronto came roaring back. Golden State has a lot to address; they cannot afford another game like Friday night’s. Tipoff for the game Sunday is scheduled for 5:30 PM.