Warriors Drop Two In a Row Losing to Cleveland 118-110

Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul (3) get a jump shot away on the Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) in the first half at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Nov 11, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

It was a lackluster night as the Golden State Warriors (6-4) took on the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-5) in a second game in less than a week. The Cavs won the first game 115-104 last Sunday and Golden State dropped the second game against Cleveland 115-104 Saturday night at Chase Center dropping two games in a row.

Besides a poor shooting night, the turnovers were a nightmare along with missed shots at the line and far too many fouls. There were actually 50 fouls in Saturday’s game. The game was constantly delayed with reviews and fouls resulting in an almost three hour affair. Not what the Warriors wanted to see since they play again Sunday night.

Saturday night the Warriors took on the Cavaliers at Chase Center. Last Sunday the Warriors lost to the Cavaliers in Cleveland 115-104. Saturday the Warriors were looking for a little payback.

Game recap: The first half of this game did not go well for Golden State even though they did win the opening quarter 31-30. As the first half wore on the turnovers and fouls began to mount. At the half the Warriors trailed 68-52. The Cavs won the second quarter 38-21 taking advantage of all the turnovers and fouls.

Cleveland was proving to be a handful. There were a number of scuffles on the floor that escalated in the second half. Draymond Green and Donovan Mitchell will not be exchanging holiday greetings anytime soon. Both of these players are driven and competitive and we have seen this so many times

Green and Mitchell continued this discontent into the third quarter which resulted in a technical foul which sent Green to the locker room, a major loss for Golden State. He had 8 points and five rebounds when he was ejected.

The Warriors would really have to pick up the slack in the absence of Green. They had trailed by 17 points at one time in the third but had cut the Cavalier lead to eight points 77-69 with under five minutes left in the third quarter.

The Warriors had shot at 38% from the field but the Cavaliers had outplayed Golden State so far in this game. The Warriors continued to fight back in this game as more and more physicality was displayed by both teams.

The 17 point Cleveland lead had been cut to four and could have been a lot closer had it not been for the Warriors numerous missed free throws. As the third quarter came to an end, despite all that had gone awry, Golden State trailed by a single point 84-83. The Warriors had blitzed the Cavs in the third 31-16.

It all came down to the fourth quarter in this game. Cleveland’s Dean Wade fouled out in the early minutes of the quarter in this highly competitive contest. The Cavaliers continued to push the lead out leading 92-85 at 9:27.

Warrior guard Stephen Curry had already shot for 30 points but Klay Thompson was having a quiet night so far with five points and they would need him if they wanted to try and closeout the game. The Warriors were just not shooting well and the 17 turnovers had resulted in 24 Cleveland points. With six minutes left in the game, the Cavaliers had taken a 104-92 lead.

A poor game at the line, 18 turnovers and the fouls resulted in a second loss to Cleveland 118-110. On top of it all, the Warriors, other than Curry, did not have a great shooting night. Golden State had expended so much energy coming back in the third quarter, they were spent in the later minutes of the fourth quarter.

Curry was the only player on the floor with big numbers and he began to force shots launching long balls from downtown often in the final quarter and coming up short much of the time finishing 4 of 14. Thompson began to heat up with three minutes left in the game but it was too little too late.

The Warriors will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday evening at Chase. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for another 5:30 start.

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Sobonis stays hot scores his 15th Kings triple double; Sac takes out Thunder 105-98

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Homgren (7) takes a shot against the Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sobonis (10) in the first half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Fri Nov 10, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action at Golden One Center in Sacramento. The Kings were set to play their first NBA in-season tournament game. In the Kings last contest on Wednesday, they managed to defeat the Portland Trailblazers at home.

On Friday, the Kings were welcoming the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game was set for a 7 PM PST tip-off on the new hardwood exclusively for the NBA in-season tournament. The Kings defeated the Thunder by the final of 105-98 on Friday night.

In the first quarter, the Kings started the game on a terror. The Kings came out firing on all cylinders in the first, scoring 34 points in the quarter. On the other hand, the Thunder were held to 20 points by the Kings defense. The Kings were playing with an intensity that had been missing in the previous few weeks since the De’Aaron Fox injury.

In the second quarter, the Kings played much worse. The Kings offense reached a standstill in the quarter, scoring only 19 points. Fortunately for the Kings, the Thunder only managed 22 points for themselves in the quarter. So, the game would go to halftime with the Kings leading 53-42. The Kings didn’t play how they wanted to on the offensive end of the floor in the second quarter, but they maintained the lead. Kevin Huerter had a tremendous first half for the Kings, scoring 19 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 12 for the Thunder.

In the third quarter, the Kings lead continued to shrink. The Kings played an underwhelming third quarter, which shrunk the lead down to five going into the fourth quarter. The Kings were outscored by the Thunder 28-22 in the third quarter. The Kings were playing a very inconsistent game on the offensive end of the floor all night. The Kings would need to play with the same intensity they did in the first quarter to defeat Shai and the Thunder.

In the fourth quarter, both teams played with high intensity and attention to detail. Ultimately, the Kings would prevail by the final score of 105-98. The Kings scored 30 points in the last quarter of the game. The Thunder managed 28 points in the fourth quarter in defeat. It was an excellent win for the Kings, who didn’t shoot particularly well in the game but still found a way to win.

The Kings only shot 42% from the field, while the Thunder shot 44%. Coach Mike Brown was complimentary of his team postgame. In his postgame presser, Coach Brown said he was impressed with the game that Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter turned in.

Huerter and Keegan have struggled in early part of the season yet excelled on Friday night. The Kings were led in victory by Huerter, who scored 28 points in the contest. In defeat, the Thunder were led by a 28-point performance from Gilgeous-Alexander.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday at 7 PM PST at Golden One Center.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings get OT win over Blazers 121-118; Sac hosts OKC at Golden 1 tonight

The Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) takes a shot against the Portland Trailblazers forward Justin Minaya (24) second half action at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 Jeremiah, Domantas Sobonis had the hot hand for the Sacramento Kings (3-4) on Wednesday night leading with 27 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists on the Kings 121-118 victory over the Portland Trailblazers.

#2 With just 13 seconds left in overtime the Kings Molik Monk hit two crucial free throws to keep hope alive.

#3 The Kings got ten points to the Trailblazers seven points in over time and got a four point edge for the win.

#4 The Blazers are now 3-5 how much is that record and some of those loses based on Damion Lillard no longer with Portland.

#5 The Kings host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden 1 tonight. The Thunder are 5-3 and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in their last game 128-120. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead all scorers for the Thunder with 43. How crucial will it be for the Kings defense to shut down Alexander?

Join Jeremiah for the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Warriors played it close but Nuggets Jokic had a big night 35 points

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (with the basketball) goes up against the Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) at Ball Arena in Denver on Wed Nov 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, there was no doubt about it the Golden State Warriors (6-3) or any team for that matter in the NBA have a struggle keeping a player like the Denver Nuggets (8-1) Nicola Jokic contained he was off the charts on Wednesday night scoring 35 points.

#2 Jokic is one of the key reasons why the Nuggets are a NBA Finals caliber team.

#3 For sure this was a battle of the titans type game with the NBA Champions Nuggets demonstrating on Wednesday why they went all the way. They got scoring help from Reggie Jackson with 20 points and Michael Porter Jr with 17 points.

#4 Draymond Green sat this one out and guard Stephen Curry once again did all the heavy lifting leading in scoring with 23 points as Golden State fell short 108-105.

#5 Next up for Golden State they host the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Chase Center on Sat Nov 11 for a 5:30pm PST tip. The Cavs have won two of their last six games. The Cavaliers defeated the Warriors in their last meeting in Cleveland 115-104 on Sun Nov 5th.

Join Jerry for the Warriors podcasts Thursdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com Happy 85th Birthday Jerry F. You don’t look a day over 75.

Kings Defeat Blazers 121-118; Monk and Sabonis lead Sac in scoring

Guard Malik Monk (0) of the Sacramento Kings lets everyone know who the man is after scoring on the Portland Trailblazers forward Jerami Grant (9) at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Nov 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night. The Kings were coming off two games in Houston against the upstart Rockets. It was a disappointing show from the Kings on the road as they lost both games to the Rockets. The Kings were boat-raced in both games, losing 107-89 and 122-89.

It was a pathetic showing for the Kings in the Lone Star State as they looked to get back on track on Wednesday. The Kings were set to tip off against the Portland Trailblazers at 7 PM PST. The Kings snapped their losing streak of three games by beating the Blazers 121-118

In the first quarter, the Kings offense looked different than in previous games this season. Coach Mike Brown elected to start Keon Ellis over Davion Mitchell. The decision paid off early, as Keon gave the Kings solid minutes to open the game with stability. Overall, the Kings played well in the first quarter, scoring 34 points with help from an 11-point quarter from Domantas Sobonis. The Blazers scored 29 points in the quarter. 

In the second quarter, the Kings lost the lead. The Kings only scored 22 points in the second. On the other hand, the Blazers scored 31 points in the quarter to build a 60-56 lead over the Kings. Mike Brown was visibly frustrated with the Kings going into halftime. The Kings offense was suffering under missed open shots. If the Kings hoped to win, they needed to hit their open shots in the second half. 

In the third quarter, the Kings played better, but it wasn’t by much. The Kings outscored the Blazers 29-24 in the third quarter to regain the lead going into the game’s final quarter. The Kings leading scorer through three quarters was Domantas Sabonis, who had 21 points. The Blazers leading scorer was Jerami Grant, with 25 through three quarters. The score was 85-84 Kings going into the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth quarter, the Kings would play without enough intensity to finish the job. The Kings scored 26 points compared to the Blazers 27 points. The game would come to the end of regulation with the score 111-111. The Kings would need to finish the overtime job if they wanted to snap the losing streak. 

In overtime, the Kings got the job done! The Kings managed to squeak out the win over the Blazers in overtime, outscoring them 10-7. The King received a heroic performance from Malik Monk at the free throw line, crucial to the victory. The Kings leading scorer in victory was Domas Sabonis, who had 27 points. Jerami Grant led the way in defeat for the Blazers with 38 points. 

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday at 7 PM PST. The contest will count towards the NBA in-season tournament.

Despite Defensive Excellence Warriors Fall to Denver Nuggets 108-105

The Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives on the Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis in the first half at Ball Center in Denver on Wed Nov 8, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Despite a slow start, the Golden State Warriors (6-3) kept the Denver Nuggets (8-1) on the ropes in the second half of Wednesday nights game. This game show-cased excellent defense from both teams but it was the Nuggets that prevailed 108-105.

Wednesday night the Warriors faced their biggest challenge of the season taking on the defending champion Nuggets at Ball Arena. The Nuggets have only lost one game this season a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-89. Nikola Jokic has had the high score in every game so far this season and so he was the man the Warriors tried to contain in this matchup.

He has had an amazing 108 triple doubles in his career and he kept Golden State busy. The Warriors got Andrew Wiggins involved in the game while guard Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson got a fast start having plenty on their plates besides Jokic.

Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Reggie Jackson rounded out a terrific bunch of starters for Denver. Golden State missed their best defensive player Draymond Green who was out for this game due to personal reasons. Gary Payton II was also out due to illness which is another tough loss since he has had some success guarding Jokic.

Game recap: This game did not go as planned; it was not the way that Golden State wanted to start. They had three early turnovers and as the first quarter began to wind down the Nuggets already had 12 points off Warrior turnovers.

The Warriors missed their first seven three’s and it was Moses Moody that hit one on the eighth attempt. After the first 12 minutes, Curry had not scored but it was Moody and Kevon Looney that had kept this game close. Despite everything that had gone wrong, the Warriors only trailed by five points 26-21. They were doing a great job keeping this game close.

The second quarter saw a momentum change in favor of Golden State. Three minutes into the quarter the Warriors had pulled to within two points after trailing by as much as 12 points in the first quarter.

At 6:16 Curry hit his first three of the night. The Warriors had held Denver to 38% shooting, a feat in itself against the number one shooting team in the NBA. Golden State was having a great defensive game.

With 1:40 left in the half, the Nuggets had their first turnover, a Jokic travel. The Nuggets won the second quarter 27-26 and took a 53-47 lead into the locker room at the half. Golden State finished the first half with seven turnovers and had yet to find a single player in double digits.

The Nugget’s Jokic, Porter Jr and Jackson all had double digits yet the Warriors only trailed by 6 six points which was a win in itself. So far in the first two quarters, Wiggins had only come up with 2 points.

Bench player Moody made a huge impact in this game scoring ten points in eight minutes. The Warrior reserves were keeping Golden State in this game and with the third quarter winding down, the Warriors had tied up this game numerous times.

With 28 seconds left in the quarter Golden State had taken the lead 78-76. Through three quarter, Curry and Klay Thompson had carried the offensive load in the game. With one quarter to go could the Warriors hang on and hand the Nuggets their first home loss of the season?

The fourth quarter could not have been tighter with the lead swinging back and forth sprinkled with a number of ties. The Warriors bench had dominated the Denver reserves and they were a huge part of any success Golden State was having.

With 14.7 ticks left on the clock Golden State was trailing by two points 107-105 and ball possession. Take the three or try to tie? The Warriors chose the later and failed giving the Nuggets the 108-105 win going undefeated at home.

Curry finished the game with 23 points, five rebounds and Thompson had 15 points and six rebounds. The Warriors bench completely outplayed the Nugget reserves 42 to 12. Both teams played excellent defense and this game could have gone either way.

The Warriors will now head home to Chase for a six-game home-stand. They will have two day off after a most grueling road trip. First up for Golden State will be the Cleveland Cavaliers who beat Golden State last Sunday 115-104. The Warriors will be looking to even things up this Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 PM.

Warriors Back on the Winning Track Beating Pistons 120-109

Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser (25) tries to get a pass past Golden State guard Gary Payton (0) in first half action at Little Caesars Pizza Arena in Detroit on Mon Nov 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Golden State Warriors (6-2) got back on track beating the Detroit Pistons (2-6) 120-109 after dropping a game to the Cavaliers Sunday night,. This was a nice warm-up for their upcoming meeting with the NBA Champion Denver Nuggets in their biggest challenge so far this season.

The Warriors took on the Pistons Monday night. The Warriors had to do some more productive work in the paint in this game after falling short in Sunday’s game and a little more success at the line would also be a plus.

Game recap: The Warriors jumped on it to start the first quarter taking a 31-26 lead after the first 12 minutes. They kept the pressure on in the second quarter winning it 25-22 and taking a 56-48 lead into the locker room.

The Pistons refused to go away as the third quarter got underway and they won the quarter 34-27 although the Warriors still had the lead, albeit a minuscule one 83-82 as the quarter came to an end. In the early minutes of the fourth quarter the Pistons took the lead 95-90.

With just under eight minutes left in the game the Warriors took back the lead and although the Pistons pulled close numerous times, they were unable to take the lead again in this game.

Curry finished with the high of 34 points. He scored 16 points in the first 7 1/2 minutes of play and finished at the half with 20 points. There is still some concern regarding the play of Andrew Wiggins who did not score a single point in the first half.

He is without doubt involved in the game but his shots are just not falling. He finished the game with an anemic four points. Moses Moody as well had a quiet night off the bench with only four points.

The Warriors, unlike their last game Sunday, dominated the offensive glass. Golden State had 17 rebounds while the Piston only had seven. Klay Thompson and Chris Paul each had 17 points. The outstanding ball protection that Paul brings had been a real plus for this team. This guy makes a huge difference in games without even scoring points so when he hits shots it’s a real bonus.

Wednesday night, the Warriors will travel to Denver taking on the Nuggets in what may be their most challenging game so far this season. Denver is 6-1 and the Warriors will have to contend with Nikola Jokic which will be no easy feat. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Golden Gate Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: After 12 years of waiting the Cavaliers finally beat Warriors

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donavon Mitchell (45) takes a jump shot over Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul at Rocket Mortgage Arena in Cleveland on Sun Nov 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Cleveland Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell led with 31 points as the Cavaliers handed the Golden State Warriors their first road loss 115-104.

#2 The Cavaliers snapped a 16 game losing streak against the Warriors. In your view who was more surprised by the Cavs win over the Warriors the Cavs or the Warriors.

#3 Darius Garlund added 24 points with seven assists for the Cavaliers, Evan Mobley had 13 points and 16 rebounds and Max Strus scored 15 points.

#4 The last time the Cavaliers beat the Warriors was back on Christmas day Dec 25, 2016 which was 12 years ago.

#5 Warriors take on the Detroit Pistons tonight at Little Caesars in Detroit. The Pistons bring a three game losing streak into tonight’s game. How do you see this match up tonight.

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

Warriors Lose First Road Game to Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garlund (10) drives against Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (00) at Rocket Mortgage Arena Cleveland on Sun Nov 5, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-4) were too much to handle for Golden State (5-2). The Warriors shot just over 35% for much of the game falling by the score of 115-104.

Sunday the Warriors took on the Cavaliers in Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse looking to keep their road record unblemished. Their only loss was their season opener losing to the Phoenix Suns 108-104.

The Warriors did win the opening quarter by a single point 30-29. The Cavaliers were already presenting problems. Cleveland took over the second quarter winning it 28-15 and taking a 57-45 lead into the locker room at halftime. Golden State had offensive problems in the second quarter missing a lot of shots and only shooting at 32% to Cleveland’s 48%.

The Warriors turned it around a bit in the third quarter but continued to shoot around 31% and trail 79-73 with under three minutes left in the quarter. They had cut the Cleveland lead and despite shooting poorly were still hanging around in this game.

The fourth quarter was almost upon the teams and when it comes to fourth quarters and the Golden State Warriors all bets are off. They exceled in finishing off opponents in the fourth quarter despite the score they are facing.

After three quarters the Cavaliers led 86-77 show-casing some effective defense as well as offense. The Warriors won the third quarter 32-29 but had not yet made up the disparity in the second quarter.

The all-important fourth quarter got underway. Warrior guard Stephen Curry was having a great game through three quarters going 7 of 11 from downtown and already shooting for 26 points. Klay Thompson had 15 points and Draymond Green with 12.

The bench was quiet with not a double digit in sight. The Warriors would have to pick it up in the fourth quarter because the Cavaliers were not backing down and it would be up to the Golden State offense.

The Warriors came out with a lot of energy to start the fourth quarter cutting the Cleveland lead to six points. Golden State was struggling from the line going 16 of 25 free throws which was making the difference in this game right now but there was a lot of time left in this one.

The Warriors were having trouble containing Donovan Mitchell who already had 27 points. Every time the Warriors threatened the Cavaliers pushed right back. With Curry, Green, Thompson, Chris Paul and Jonathan Kuminga on the floor, the Warriors would mount their final push-back with under seven minutes left in the game.

They had pulled to within five points but Cleveland always seemed to have the answer. The Warriors would dearly love to have had some of those missed free throws. With five minutes left on the clock the Cavaliers had taken a 104-92 lead and Head Coach Steve Kerr called a time-out.

There was still plenty of time left in the game but they had to slow Cleveland down in some way as well as pick up some of those clutch shots that they are known for. Some untimely turnovers were making things rough for the Warriors. The offense and defense of the Cavaliers was just too much for the Warriors to overcome and the Warriors had lost their first road game of the season 115-104.

The Warriors will have back to back road games Monday taking on the Detroit Pistons. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

Kings Dismantled By Rockets 107-89; Sacramento and Houston match up for game 2 Monday night at the Toyota Center

The Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (left) drives on the Sacramento Kings guard Davion Mitchell (right) at the Toyota Center in Houston in game 1 of the two game series on Sat Nov 4, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings had an opportunity in the second and third quarters of Saturday nights game despite the absence of De’Aaron Fox still out with an ankle injury. In fact they were down by three points mid-way through the fourth quarter. They were unable to contain the Rockets Dillon Brooks, in the later minutes of the final quarter, who sailed through the fourth quarter scoring 12 points beating the Kings 107-89.

Saturday night the Sacramento Kings (2-3) took on the Houston Rockets (2-3) at Toyota Center. The Kings played without their star Fox who was ruled out for a second game in a row with a moderate right ankle sprain. The injury occurred in the overtime win last Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers. It doesn’t stop there, the Kings is also without Trey Lyles. Lyles has not yet made his regular season debut after suffering a left calf strain in the preseason.

Playing without Fox made it difficult and the starting lineup had to step up in his absence. They certainly did exactly that in their last game against the Golden State Warriors losing in the final 0.2 seconds of the game by a single point 102-101.

Game recap: The Rockets smothered the Kings in the first 12 minutes of play 33-19. Sacramento did win the second quarter but still trailed at the half 59-53. The Kings did cut their deficit but still had some ground to make up.

Sacramento continued their bid in the third quarter winning it 15-12 and only trailed by three points going into the fourth quarter 71-68. The Rockets Dillon Brooks had an amazing fourth quarter as Houston beat the Kings badly in the final quarter 36-21 winning the game 107-89.

This was a real disappointment for Sacramento. They have had a very lukewarm start this season. They had a lot of trouble containing Brooks in this game who finished with 26 points, 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter. The Kings did pull to within three points with 8 1/2 minutes remaining when Malik Monk hit a shot from downtown. It was at this point that the Rockets went on a 10-2 run and they never looked back.

Monk finished with the high for the team with 18 points off the bench. The only starters who had double digits were Domantas Sabonis who had a double double with 11 points and 15 rebounds and Harrison Barnes who finished with 13 points. Keegan Murray, Davion Mitchell and Kevin Huerter had a very quiet night.

The Kings will get another shot at the Rockets hoping to even the score on Monday night with tipoff scheduled for 5:00 PM PST at the Toyota Center in Houston. This will be game 2 of this two game series.