Category: NBA

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors looking fifth straight win over Hawks tonight at Chase

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Golden State Warriors guard Ty Jerome, left, grabs the ball while defending against Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker during the first half at Chase Center on Fri Dec 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason:

#1 The Golden State Warriors (19-18) had a brilliant first quarter taking an early 9-0 lead and with under three minutes left in the opening quarter had stretched out that lead to 18, 33-15 against the Portland Trailblazers (18-17).

#2 Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson had a great quarter giving their team a 41-25 lead after the first 12 minutes. It was an explosive start for the Warriors to open the game this way.

#3 Poole had 22 points in the first half, his seventh game shooting for 20 or more in a half. Thompson had 15 points and Ty Jerome had nine off the bench including a last second 47 foot shot to end the first quarter.

#4 Portland had a couple of turnovers and with 22 seconds on the clock Divincenzo hit a monster three to take a 118-112 lead. The Warriors finished the game on a 16-2 run in an unlikely win keeping their win streak intact. They are now 16-2 at home.

#5 The Warriors host the Atlanta Hawks (17-19) tonight at Chase Center in San Francisco for a 7:00pm tip off. The Hawks were defeated in their last game Friday 130-121 by the Los Angeles Lakers. The Hawks have lost six out of their last ten games how do you see tonight’s match up?

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

Kings Fall To Morant and the Grizzlies 118-108

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Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams (4) drives to the basket defended by Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half at FedEx Forum in Memphis on Sun Jan 1, 2023 (AP News photo)

Kings Fall To Morant and the Grizzlies 118-108

By Barbara Mason

Sunday evening the Sacramento Kings (19-16) started off 2023 taking on the Memphis Grizzlies (23-13) at FedExForum. Memphis is in third place in the Western Conference one game out of first place. The Kings currently sit in fifth place in the Conference.

The Grizzlies won their last two games putting a beat-down on the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night 116-101. The Kings beat the Jazz by a single point Friday night 126-125. Last Wednesday night they had another one-point victory against the Nuggets 127-126. On New Years night the Kings took a hard fall to the Grizzlies 118-108.

The Kings remained close throughout the first quarter and trailed 27-26 after the first 12 minutes. The Grizzlies began to extend their lead and led after the first two minutes of the second quarter 34-26. At 9:59 Mike Brown called a timeout and at 8:18 the Kings had turned things around leading 35-34. Both teams scored 32 points in the second quarter and the Grizzlies continued to hold a slim lead 59-58 at halftime.

At the end of the third quarter the Grizzlies led 91-86 but the Kings continued to remain in striking distance. Unlike last season, Sacramento has proven that they can finish games and this game was by no means over or out of reach.

The Grizzlies were of a different mindset and really turned up the heat in the fourth quarter. Ja Morant was burning up the boards and Steven Adams already had 20 rebounds with five minutes of play left. (He would finish with 23 rebounds.) The Kings were falling further and further behind trailing 113-99 with four minutes left in the game.

Sacramento made a push with just under three minutes left on the clock. They had pulled to within seven points 113-106 after trailing by fourteen. With 2:18 left Memphis was burning up time while continuing to score. The Grizzlies finished Memphis off 118-108.

Every one of the Sacramento Kings scored in double digits, De’Aaron Fox the high with 19 points. Domantas Sabonis had 14 rebounds and 18 points. The King bench was quiet in this game.

Memphis’ Ja Morant finished with 35 points and the rest of the starting roster also had double digits and that was the difference in this game.

Tuesday night the Kings will travel to Utah to take on the Jazz. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.

Warriors In A Gritty Win Over Portland 118-112

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Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (3) gestures after 3-point basket during the first half  at Chase Center San Francisco on Fri Dec 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors In A Gritty Win Over Portland 118-112

By Barbara Mason

Friday night the Golden State Warriors (19-18) took on the Portland Trail Blazers (18-17) at Chase looking for their fourth straight win in a row at home. They have been playing lights out despite being short-handed.

Jordan Poole has been spectacular along with Klay Thompson, and Donte Devincenzo has made some amazing strides. The Warriors have beaten some very good teams in the past four games and they meet another one tonight. As the Warriors battled this one out for a 118-112 win over the Blazers.

The Warriors had a brilliant first quarter taking an early 9-0 lead and with under three minutes left in the opening quarter had stretched out that lead to 18, 33-15. Jordan Poole and Thompson had a great quarter giving their team a 41-25 lead after the first 12 minutes. It was an explosive start for the Warriors to open the game this way.

It was just a matter of time before the Trail Blazers turned their slow start around. They erased an 18 point Warrior lead and at the half Golden State was leading by four points 60-56. The Warriors played some sloppy basketball in the final minutes of the half letting Portland take the momentum away from them. The Trail Blazers won the second quarter 31-19.

Poole had 22 points in the first half, his seventh game shooting for 20 or more in a half. Thompson had 15 points and Ty Jerome had nine off the bench including a last second 47 foot shot to end the first quarter.

Portland’s Damien Lilliard got off to a slow start but more than made up for it shooting for 19 points. It was just a matter fo time before he got going and the Warriors would have to contain him in the second half.

Early in the third quarter Portland took their first lead of the game 64-63. It was short-lived when Thompson answered with a triple. This game would start to trade leads but the momentum had clearly turned around in favor of Portland. The Warriors defense had to step it up. They were allowing far too many offensive rebounds.

Second chance points was the difference in this game and it was clearly in favor of Portland. The Trail Blazers continued to accumulate offensive rebounds. They led after three quarters 96-88 winning the quarter 40-28. The Warriors would have to stage a comeback if they wanted to keep they’re winning streak intact.

The Trail Blazers continued to lead in the fourth quarter. Getting stops against Portland was like pulling teeth. It was painful to watch. The Warriors finally started to make some stops erasing an 11 point Portland lead. Golden State trailed by a single point 110-109 with 2:37 left in the game.

The Warriors went crazy in the final two minutes of the game. The crowd at Chase was thunderous and the Trail Blazers began to make mistakes partially due to the noise.

Portland had a couple of turnovers and with 22 seconds on the clock Divincenzo hit a monster three to take a 118-112 lead. They finished the game on a 16-2 run in an unlikely win keeping their win streak intact. They are now 16-2 at home.

Poole and Thompson shot for over 70 points in this game. Poole had 41 and Thompson with 31 in an amazing effort.

The Warriors will get the weekend off before taking on the Atlanta Hawks at Chase. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Kings just get by Jazz 126-125; Huerter supplies offense scores 30

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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) is defended by Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) in the first quarter at Golden 1 Arena Sacramento on Fri Dec 30, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Friday night after a day off on Thursday. The Kings were coming off a split in a two-game series with the Denver Nuggets, where the Kings won the second game of the back-to-back. On Friday, the Kings welcomed in the Utah Jazz for a 7 PM PST matchup. The Kings managed to squeak by the Jazz 126-125 at home. 

In the first quarter, the Kings came out with good energy. However, they were a little sloppy on the defensive end. The Kings received several ticky-tac fouls that hurt them in the first quarter. One of those fouls was a flagrant penalty one foul against KZ Okpala. Yet, the Kings still managed to outscore the Jazz 30-27 in the first quarter. Domantas Sabonis started the Kings early with nine points.

In the second quarter, not much changed. Neither team went on any big runs. The Kings three point advantage they entered the quarter with would remain the same headed into halftime. The Kings and Jazz each scored 30 points in the second quarter to send the game to halftime, with the Kings leading 60-57.

It was a disappointing quarter for the Kings; just a minute before the conclusion, they had as much as an eight-point lead. Domantas Sabonis led the Kings in the first half with 13 points. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 13 points.

In the third quarter, the game remained tight. The Kings and Jazz couldn’t figure each other out enough to go on a large run. The Kings scored 31 points, while the Jazz could only score 30. It wasn’t much of a lead increase, but the Kings would take it. The Kings would go into the final quarter leading the game 91-87. Could they finish what they started and wrap up the win? 

In the fourth quarter, the Kings managed to finish off the win against the Jazz. Granted, it was by the thinnest of margins, as the final was 126-125. In the final quarter, the Jazz outscored the Kings 38-35. The Sacramento faithful got what they wanted, as it was a playoff atmosphere in Golden 1 Center.

In defeat, Lauri Markkanen was on fire scoring 36 points and nearly leading the Jazz to victory. For the Kings, Kevin Huerter led the way with 30 points and a clutch three-pointer which would be the difference. De’Aaron Fox also came up big with 11 points in the fourth.

All that to say, Domantas Sabonis continues to be the MVP of the Kings. Domas, while injured, put up 28 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. It was an excellent win for the Kings, who improved to 19-15 on the season. 

Up Next: The Kings head to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies at 5 PM on Sunday, Jan 1st.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings hope to make it two straight with a win over Jazz Friday night

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Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is guarded by Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Dec 29, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 It is rare to have a team to play for back-to-back games, but that is what happened this past week with the Denver Nuggets (22-12) on Tuesday and Wednesday where the Nuggets took the first game 113-106 on Tuesday. The Nuggets Michael Porter Jr led with 30 points for the Nuggets how challenging was it for the Sacramento Kings (18-15) in this one?

#2 On Wednesday night lots to talk about Jeremiah in a one point razor close game that the Kings won and came away with a split in the two game series with the Nuggets 127-126.

#3 In the second quarter, it was a tough road for the Kings. They started the quarter down 16 points and ended the quarter down 13 points. Injured Domantas Sabonis was playing well, all things considered. The Kings just couldn’t seem to contain the Nuggets offensive outburst.

#4 The Kings managed to defeat the Nuggets 127-126 in a thriller. The Nuggets got an MVP level performance from Nikola Jokic who scored 40 points. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox and Domas had 31 points,

#5 The Kings host the Utah Jazz (19-18) on Friday night. The Jazz are coming off a 112-107 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. The Jazz have lost six of their last ten games the Kings hope to make it two straight wins on Friday night at the Golden 1 Center.

Join Jeremiah for the Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Kings take second game on back to back nights 127-126 over Nuggets

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Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland (3) guards Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter during the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Wed Dec 28, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Wednesday night in Sacramento. It was the second night of a back-to-back in which they played the Denver Nuggets both times. It is rare to have a team in your building for back-to-back games, but that is what happened this year with the Nuggets.

The Kings left a lot to be wished for in the first game. The Kings had a solid first quarter, but it was all downhill after that point. The Kings ended up losing the game 113-106. On Wednesday, the Kings looked to get revenge at 7 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings edged out a close one on Wednesday night 127-126.

In the first quarter, things went right for the Kings. The Nuggets offense came out in full force as the Kings defense had no answer. The Nuggets dropped 40 points in the first quarter to start the game right where they left off on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Kings were only able to score 24 points to dig themselves an early lead. Michael Porter Jr. and Nikola were hurting the Kings early in the game.

In the second quarter, it was a tough road for the Kings. They started the quarter down 16 points and ended the quarter down 13 points. Injured Domantas Sabonis was playing well, all things considered. The Kings just couldn’t seem to contain the Nuggets offensive outburst.

The Kings kept it close in the second quarter and gave themselves a shot at a comeback in the second half. For the Kings to come back, they would need to get a big performance from Fox in the second half and contain the Nuggets on offense. Could the Kings pull it off on the second night of a back-to-back?

The Kings needed a quick start in the third quarter to tighten the gap with the Nuggets. They got just that. The Kings needed and got solid minutes to cut down the Nuggets deficit to only seven points. Would that hold? No.

The Kings would falter a bit more in the ending minutes of the third and would only outscore the Nuggets 32-30 in the third. The Kings had cut the deficit to 11 points through three quarters, but they would need a miracle fourth quarter to win the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings would have just that, a miracle fourth quarter. The Kings came all the way back from double digit deficits all game long to outscore the Nuggets 33-21 in the final 12 minutes. It was an incredible comeback to defy the odds against one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

The Kings managed to defeat the Nuggets 127-126 in a thriller. The Nuggets got an MVP level performance from Nikola Jokic who scored 40 points. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox and Domas had 31 points behind leader Malik Monk who had 33 points.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to take on the Utah Jazz on Friday at 7 PM PST.

Golden State Warriors game wrap: Warriors Finish Off Jazz in Come From Behind Win 112-107; That’s Three wins in a row for Golden State

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Golden State Warriors forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., left, drives to the basket against Utah Jazz guard Malik Beasley during the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Wed Dec 28, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors Finish Off Jazz in Come From Behind Win 112-107

By Barbara Mason

Wednesday night the Golden State Warriors (18-18) took on the Utah Jazz (19-18) at Chase Center. They had a huge challenge with Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins still out and Klay Thompson who did not take the court tonight. Golden State won their third straight game 112-107 and got back to .500, but to also settled a score that dates back to December 7. The Warriors lost that game in the final 1.4 seconds of the game 124-123.

The Warriors took the court without Curry, Wiggins and Thompson but the Warriors had enough fire- power to give the Jazz a run for their money.

Wed game recap: The Jazz got off to a quick start leading 37-27 after the first 12 minutes. The Warriors answered in the second quarter winning it 27-22 and only trailed by five points at the half 59-54. With 1:39 left in the half the Warriors had tied up the game at 54. It was the Golden State bench that kept the team in this game with not only great offense but great defense as well.

The Jazz opened the third quarter with some great offensive efficiency. Lauri Markkanen was seven of 10 from beyond the arc. Both teams made shots from downtown but the Warriors trailed with five minutes left in the quarter 79-72.

Golden State needed the Jazz to cool off from downtown. Utah was killing them with triples. The Warriors had not led in this game since the first quarter. They trailed 94-88 going into the fourth quarter.

Golden State battled back and took a brief lead at 10:17 97-96. At 5:37 the Warriors had tied the game at 101 and at 5:07 Golden State took the lead again 104-101. The Warriors had ripped off a 10-0 run and led 107-101 with 4:43 left on the clock.

This game had an uncanny similarity to last night’s game. The Warriors were rebounding and showing off some impressive defense down the home stretch. Hopefully this game would have a different finish than the December contest. With 1:35 left in the game the Warriors again had a four point lead 107-103.

With 19.3 left in the game the Warriors took a 111-107 lead. They were on the cusp of a third straight win at Chase. It was a nail-biter from start to finish. The Warriors are 15-2 at home, the best in the NBA.

Jordan Poole finished with 26 points and Donte Divincenzo shot for 19. The Warrior’s bench was a huge factor in this win. Ty Jerome had 17 points.

Friday night the Warriors take on the Portland Trail Blazers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Warriors Gut Out Win Against Charlotte 110-105

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Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots a 3-point basket over Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington during the first half at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue Dec 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

Warriors Gut Out Win Against Charlotte 110-105

By Barbara Mason

Tuesday night the Golden State Warriors (17-18) hosted the Charlotte Hornets (9-26) at Chase Center. This is the second and final game in which these two teams will meets this season. The Hornets beat the Warriors in overtime in their first game last October.

That loss was on the road and set the stage for the string of losses that have followed. The Warriors picked up another win on this homestand with a 110-105 win over the Hornets.

The Warriors needed to start fast and one key in this game was to lock up the paint. The Hornets are not great from downtown and they are also sketchy in defensive transition, weaknesses that the Warriors wanted to exploit. Charlotte’s Kelly Obre Jr. was out for this game.

Obre is a key piece in this rotation and will miss this game with a right hand sprain. LaMelo Ball will pick up the slack for Charlotte along with Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward.

The Warriors looked for another fast start in this second game of their home-stand. Last Sunday Jordon Poole had an amazing start and Klay Thompson did not get going until the second half.

The first quarter was a great start for Golden State with both Poole and Thompson off to the races from the start. The Warriors led 37-26 after the opening quarter. The entire bench was also contributing with some great offensive play.

Golden State led at the break 65-52. They had slightly extended their first quarter points lead and had contained Ball who only had seven points and was in a bit of foul trouble with three at half time.

Thompson had the start we were all waiting to see finishing the first half with 20 points and Jordan Poole had 12 after two quarters. Golden State only had six turnovers in the half, another plus.

After three quarters the Warriors held onto an eleven point lead 89-78. The Hornets really dug in offensively with a 12-2 run in the fourth quarter. The Warriors saw a 17 point lead shrink down to 96-95 with 7:07 left in the game. This game got very uncomfortable in the final four minutes.

The game was tied at 101 with 4:07 left on the clock. Both teams had committed thirteen turnovers and the three’s were just not falling for Golden State. They only had eight from downtown; they were eight of 37. Both teams were shooting at 41% and both teams were pretty miserable from beyond the arc.

The Warriors really stepped up in the final minutes to close out the game. Jonathan Kuminga was on fire playing like a veteran, especially down the stretch. He was four of four in the fourth quarter. You have to credit the Hornets with the comeback they made. They came up just short as Golden State won yet another game at home.

Thompson finished with 29 points and Poole had 24. Off the bench Kuminga had 14 points and six rebounds playing a huge role in this win.

Tomorrow night the Warriors take on the Utah Jazz in a tough matchup. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Nuggets come from behind to defeat Kings 113-106; First of back to back games

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Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) scores a basket while defended by Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) in the first quarter at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Tue Dec 27, 2022 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Tuesday night. The Kings hadn’t played since Friday, when they took on the Washington Wizards in Sacramento. The Kings did not play well in their last game and looked to bounce back against one of the premier teams in the NBA. The Kings welcomed the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

The Nuggets were set to take on the Kings at 7 PM PST. However, the Kings were without star center Domantas Sabonis. Domas would miss the game on Tuesday and be listed as questionable moving forward with his hand issues. The injury is a big deal for the upstart Kings, as Domas has been playing at an All-Star level this year.

The Nuggets would be in town for two games with the back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Kings would lose the first game of the back-to-back 113-106 to Denver.

In the first quarter, it was all Kings. The Kings, even without star center Domas Sabonis, managed to score 32 points. On the other hand, the Nuggets couldn’t buy a basket.

The Kings solid good defense, coupled with the Nuggets poor shooting, amounted to an uninspiring 20 points for the Nuggets in the first. Harrison Barens led the way for the Kings with eight points as Michael Porter Jr. matched him for the Nuggets. The Kings would look to keep the pressure on in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings could have played better. The offense wasn’t flowing the same as in the first quarter. The defense also wasn’t as tight as in the first quarter. One thing the Kings did well in the first half was they contained Nikola Jokic. He ended the half with only two points.

On the other hand, MPJ picked up the slack on the offense. He torched the Kings in the first half with 19 points. Harrison Barnes led the Kings in the first half with 13 points. The Kings would have the first-half lead 56-47. The Nuggets outscored the Kings 27-24 in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, both teams were jarring for position. Neither team really got on a big run. In the end, the Nuggets would outscore the Kings 32-27 in the third quarter to continue to shrink the Kings lead.

The game was headed into the final quarter with the Kings leading 83-79. The Kings had been losing their lead slowly in the game and would need to stop the bleeding in the fourth to win the game.

In the fourth quarter, the Nuggets continued to pressure the Kings. The Nuggets completed the comeback early in the fourth and from there it was a question of who could play better the rest of the game. Unfortunately for the Kings, the bleeding never stopped and they would lose the game 113-106.

The Nuggets pressure amounted to outscoring the Kings again in the fourth quarter 34-23. Sacramento battled but could never regain the momentum and control they had in the first quarter. The Nuggets were led in victory by MPJ who scored 30 points. Nikola Jokic was a rebound short of a triple double and scored 20 points. De’Aaron Fox had 26 points to lead the Kings in defeat.

Up Next: The Kings will remain home for the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets at 7 PM PST.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors start 8 game homestand with 123-109 win

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Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney, center left, drives to the basket against Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams, center right in first half action at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun Dec 25, 2022 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Barbara:

#1 The first half was a much needed “Poole Party” with Jordan Poole finishing the first two quarters with 20 points. At the half the Golden State Warriors (16-18) led 59-54.

#2 Golden State desperately needed more from Klay Thompson who had to step it up in the second half. He had seven points in the half and in the absence of Stephen Curry both of these guys, Thompson and Jordan had no choice but to step it up in every game.

#3 Golden State desperately needed more from Thompson who had to step it up in the second half. He had seven points in the half and in the absence of Curry both of these guys, Thompson and Jordan had no choice but to step it up in every game.

#4 Barbara, Poole was lights out against the Memphis Grizzlies (20-12), Poole led all scorers with 32 points and there was nothing the Grizzlies could do to shut him down this is a performance that lead the Warriors to start stringing wins together after they’ve really been struggling on the road.

#5 The Charlotte Hornets (9-24) who are 2-2 on this current road trip pay Golden State a visit on Tuesday night at Chase Center. The Warriors have lost seven of their last tem games but really turned it around on Christmas night. How do you see this match up Tuesday with the Hornets?

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