Sharks Down Jets 5-4, Win Streak at 6

Published on by M WalshLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-4 Tuesday at the Bell MTS Center in Winnipeg. That puts San Jose’s current win streak at six in a row. Two goals came from Gustav Nyquist, with three more from Marcus Sorensen, Joe Pavelski and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Martin Jones made 21 saves in the win, while Connor Hellebuyck made 31 saves for Winnipeg. Jets goals came from Andrew Copp, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perrault and Kyle Connor.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic started the scoring in the first with a goal at 8:05. Vlasic took a shot from just below the blue line, then followed it to the net and shot his rebound in. Assists went to Joe Thornton and Marcus Sorensen.

Winnipeg responded 32 seconds later. Andrew Copp deflected Ben Chiarot’s shot from the blue line. A second assist went to Matthieu Perrault.

They scored another 33 seconds after that. Bryan Little’s shot went off of Justin Braun and in.

The Sharks drew even again at 16:04. Tomas Hertl carried the puck through the neutral zone, weaving between defenders and finally making a drop pass in the slot to Gustav Nyquist. Nyquist put the puck in the net without hesitation. Assists went to Hertl and Joonas Donskoi.

The first period shot count was 12-10 Sharks, with the Jets winning 59% of the face offs.

In the first minute of the second period, the Jets scored on a power play. Patrik Laine passed the puck to Kyle Connor, who was below the goal line. Connor moved over the line and looked like he was searching for a passing lane. Instead, he took a quick back hand shot over Dell’s pad. Assists went to Laine and Blake Wheeler.

Nyquist tied it back up for the Sharks at 10:33 of the second. Vlasic took a quick shot off of another rebound, this one created by Tomas Hertl. Vlasic’s shot went into a crowd at the net, off of Nyquist and in. Vlasic and Hertl got the assists.

The second period shot count was 13-11 Sharks, with 52% of the face offs going to the Jets.

The Sharks took the lead back two minutes into the third with a goal from Marcus Sorensen. Joe Thornton brought the puck out from behind the Winnipeg net and found Sorensen out above the blue paint. A bang-bang play put the puck in the net. Assists went to Thornton and Kevin Labanc.

Winnipeg tied the game at 16:22 with a goal from Mathieu Perrault. The goal came soon after a failed Sharks power play, which included an excellent save by Dell on a short-handed attempt by Winnipeg. This shot came from Tyler Myers on the blue line for the deflection by Perrault. Assists went to Myers and Brandon Tanev.

The game looked sure to go to overtime as the final seconds ticked down, with play in the Sharks zone. Vlasic broke up a pass and sent the puck rocketing out of the zone. Timo Meier was right on it and Pavelski chased caught him in the neutral zone so they went in two on one against Dmitry Kulikov. Meier waited for the right moment and made the pass across to Pavelski for the game winner at 19:54. Assists went to Meier and Vlasic.

The win puts the Sharks three points ahead of Calgary, who were still playing in New Jersey against the Devils when the Sharks game ended. The Sharks next play on Thursday against the Florida Panthers in San Jose at 7:30 PM PT.

Injury notes:

Early in the first period, Radim Simek went down after a collision with Winnipeg’s Andrew Copp. The injury appeared to be to his lower leg. He did not return to the game.

On the subject of how well Simek has played with Brent Burns, Burns said after the game: “He just makes great reads. He’s aggressive. I think we read off each other well. Don’t understand him but he can make good reads out there so, I don’t know, it’s been fun.” If Simek is not available for the next game, Joakim Ryan could come back in as Burns’s partner.

Blake Wheeler also left the game early in the third. First, he had a collision in the corner with a referee’s elbow. Not long after, he fell while trying to check Couture. He left near the 11-minute mark.

Evander Kane and Erik Karlsson remain out of the Sharks lineup.

Two major gifts support San Jose State football operations center

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

San Jose State University is pleased to announce that it has received two major gifts to support a new football operations center on the east side of CEFCU Stadium, home of the Spartans. Thomas Thompson, ’72 Behavioral Science, and his wife, Jane Bradley, have committed $500,000 to support the development of the new football facility, with a remaining percentage of their trust to establish the Thomas E. Thompson Athletics Scholarship. SJSU Athletics is also proud to share that an additional gift of $500,000 has been committed to support their football center by an anonymous donor.

“Both of these gifts come from long-time football season ticket holders and steadfast supporters of our Athletics program,” said Marie Tuite, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “They are also keenly aware of the importance and significance of completing the funding for the football operations center. Tom and Jane believe in San Jose State and support the mission of the entire university. Our anonymous donor may be one of my favorite individuals–he simply wants us to build the football center and enhance the opportunities for our football program. I’m offering a sincere and gracious ‘thank you’ to these terrific Spartans.”

By supporting the creation of the new SJSU football operations building, these gifts will enable future generations of Spartan athletes to pursue an education while playing NCAA Division I  sports.

Bringing Sport to New Heights
At 6-foot-8, Thompson gravitated toward basketball at a young age, playing in high school and community college. He later transferred to SJSU. Thompson was the first in his family to graduate from both high school and college–achievements that made it possible for him to pursue careers in juvenile probation, construction management, trade association management and real estate. He and his wife are grateful for the opportunity to give back to his alma mater.

“Jane and I want to show our appreciation to SJSU and to assist future students,” said Thompson, a long-time fan of SJSU football and basketball. “San Jose State provided my only opportunity for a good education at essentially no cost, and a great foundation to help me later earn a graduate degree. With the scholarship, we hope that students will have the chance to play football or basketball while earning a degree, just like I did.”

The anonymous donor, who graduated from SJSU in the 1960s, is also a loyal fan of Spartan football.

“I am making this gift because I believe the football program is moving in the right direction under the leadership of Marie Tuite and Coach Brennan,” the anonymous donor said. “I know there are other Spartans like me who care deeply about this program and want to see it thrive. It is my hope that other Spartans will join the growing group of donors in doing what they can to provide Coach Brennan and the program with the resources necessary to compete in the Mountain West.”

“Our momentum continues to build as we move closer to our goal of creating modern, vibrant spaces for our student-athletes and our fans,” said Paul Lanning, vice president for university advancement and CEO of the Tower Foundation. “We are so excited to see donors like these and so many others investing in the future of SJSU football, Athletics and the university.”

To track fundraising progress and learn how you can support Spartan football, please visit sjsufootball.com or contact Josh Thiel, Deputy Athletics Director for Athletics Advancement, at (408) 924-1697 or joshua.thiel@sjsu.edu.

About San Jose State University
The founding campus of the 23-campus California State University system, SJSU provides a comprehensive university education, granting bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in 250 areas of study–offered through its eight colleges.

With more than 35,000 students and nearly 4,370 employees, SJSU continues to be an essential partner in the economic, cultural and social development of Silicon Valley and the state, annually contributing 10,000 graduates to the workforce.

The university is proud of the accomplishments of its more than 270,000 alumni, 60% of whom live and work in the Bay Area.

About San Jose State Athletics
SJSU sponsors 22 (nine men’s and 13 women’s) NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports programs for approximately 470 student-athletes annually. In football, the Spartans are a member of Division I’s FBS, the NCAA’s highest level of competition.

The Spartans’ primary conference affiliation is with the MW. Selected teams belong to the MPSF, the WAC, and the GCC.

SJSU has 10 NCAA team championships and 52 NCAA individual titles. 62 Spartans competed in one or more Olympic Games. SJSU athletes have won seven gold, six silver and seven bronze medals at the Olympics.

Annually, about one-third of the student-athlete population earns either institutional, conference or national recognition based on outstanding academic performance.

11th seed San Jose State takes on 6th seed Air Force in MWC Tournament

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By: Ana Kieu

LAS VEGAS — San Jose State men’s basketball will play in their fifth Mountain West Tournament Wednesday as they open play as the 11th seed against the sixth seed Air Force at 4:00 p.m. PT at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Fans can watch the game via the Mountain West Network and can listen to Justin Allegri’s radio call on the TuneIn app.

Game #31
No. 11 San Jose State (4-26, 1-17) vs. No. 6 Air Force (13-17, 8-10)
Wednesday, March 13, 4:00 pm PST
Thomas & Mack Center
Las Vegas, Nev.

Live Stats
Fans can view live stats of all SJSU men’s basketball games, home and away, by accessing the “Live Stats” feature at www.sjsuspartans.com. Click on the link on the men’s basketball schedule page to follow the action

What Would a Win Mean?
The Spartans are looking for their first win in the Mountain West Tournament (0-4).

Vs. Air Force in 2019
Wednesday’s game against No. 6 AF will be the third meeting between the programs this season.

SJSU played one of their best games of the season in the first meeting of the year with the Falcons, but ultimately fell 73-71 in double-overtime. Brae Ivey, who finished with 18 points, hit a 3 with just two seconds remaining to send the game to the first overtime.

Michael Steadman dominated with 24 points and was one of three Spartans in double-figure rebounding with 12. Ashtin Chastain tallied 13 and Craig LeCesne pulled down 12.

In game two, played in Colorado Springs, AF won more comfortably in a 82-68 final. Steadman had another big game as he scored 21 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. Seneca Knight, Brae Ivey and Brian Rodriguez-Flores all finished with 12 points.

Steadman has had two of his best games of the season against Air Force. He scored 24 points with 12 rebounds in game one and followed up with 21 points and 17 rebounds in game two.

Steadman is averaging 22.5 points and 14.5 rebounds in the two games.

Newcomers on the Rise
The Spartans have played nine first-year players this season, including regular starters Michael Steadman, Zach Chappell, Craig LeCesne and Brae Ivey. The newcomers are accounting for 69.7% of the Spartans’ offense (1,384-1,986).

Steadman alone is accounting for 20% of the Spartans’ offense with 407 points (20.4%).

Baumann the Boss
Sophomore Noah Baumann is shooting lights out from beyond the arc this season, so good in fact that he leads the Mountain West and ranks 10th in the NCAA in 3-point percentage at 45.6%. Baumann also ranks in the top 10 in the MW in 3-pointers per game (2.6).

Baumann set a new school record of 22 consecutive games with a 3-point bucket made against UNLV on Feb. 16, breaking a tie with Robert Owens, who closed out 2009-10 on a 21-game streak, for the new record. His streak is currently at 28.

Baumann is tied for the most 3s in a single-season after hitting three at Fresno State. he currently has 78, tied with Robert Owens (2010). With one more in the conference tournament, he will own the record outright.

In the loss to Utah State, Baumann had one of the most impressive performances of his career as he scored a career-high 29 points and tied the then-school record with seven 3-pointers (7-of-10). He also set career highs in 3-point attempts and field goal attempts.

Baumann has hit the school record in 3-point makes twice the season, the second time, however, vs. New Mexico, he broke the record outright with 8. He finished 8-of-12 from 3-point range to lead the Spartans to a win over UNM.

Not satisfied with just two, Baumann once again made seven treys in the home finale vs. Wyoming. Six of his seven came in the first half. He finished the night with a game-high 27 points.

Baumann holds the first, second and third highest-scoring performances by a Spartan this season with 29 vs. Utah State, 27 vs. WYO and 26 vs. UNM. The sophomore is averaging 11.5 points in conference play, second-most on the team (Steadman). He is also averaging 15.6 points in the last five games.

Chappell’s Show
Freshman Zach Chappell has come on strong as of late, starting the last six games and averaging 7.8 points in the final five games of the regular season. Against UNLV, Chappell finished with 11 points, a career-high six rebounds and nine assists–tied for the most by a Spartan this season. He had 10 points vs. Colorado State.

In the win over UNM, Chappell finished with a career-high 17 points and dished out 9 assists. He now has two games with 9 assists on the season, which is tied with Craig LeCesne for the most by any Spartan.

Chappell then scored 14 points at San Diego State.

Chastain in Charge
Junior Ashtin Chastain has been tasked to fill in the gap in the starting lineup with senior Oumar Barry sidelined by injury. He has started the last 12 games in his stead.

Reviewing the Big Win Over UNM
SJSU’s 89-82 win over UNM was a historic night in the Event Center. Not only did it break a 17-game losing streak, it also featured a plethora of records.

The win was the second all-time against the Lobos and the first-ever in San Jose.

Baumann broke his own school record with eight 3-pointers on 8-of-12 shooting. He finished with a team-best 26 points.

Ivey tied a school record with six steals on the evening. He is one of multiple players to tally six steals, but just the first to do so since Justin Graham vs. Santa Clara on December 10, 2010.

Steadman had his second-straight game with 21 points as well as his second-straight double-double. He had 10 made field goals and 20 field goal attempts, both the most by a Spartan this season.

Steadman and Baumann became the first duo to score 20 points this season and were the first to do so since Ryan Welage and Jaycee Hillsman vs. Wyoming in the MW Tournament last season (March 7, 2018).

Changes
Spartans head coach Jean Prioleau made some changes to his staff in the offseason as he brought in former NC State All-American Julius Hodge as an assistant coach and promoted director of operations Ryan Cooper to assistant coach.

Starry Knight
Freshman guard Seneca Knight has upped his game recently as well. In the last five games, the Lafayette, La., native is averaging 9.2 points, fourth-best on the team in that stretch. Against CSU, he led the team with a 14 point performance. He followed with 12 points at AF and had 12 more at SDSU. In his last outing, he scored 15 points, the most he’s scored against a Division I opponent this season.

Steady Steadman
JUCO transfer Michael Steadman has made a big impact this season as a leader on and off the court. He is averaging a team-high 13.6 points per game and ranks sixth in the MW with 8.5 rebounds per game. He has 11 double-doubles on the season, ranking third in the conference and has scored in double figures in 22-of-30 games. He also has 14 games with double-digit rebounds.

Steadman leads the team with six games with at least 20 points, and has twice achieved the feat in back-to-back efforts. First was against AF and USU. He put up a career-high 24 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the loss to AF. He then followed up with 20 points at USU.

Steadman’s second such streak started with a career-best 17 rebounds to go with 21 points at AF. He followed with 21 points and pulled down 11 boards in the win over UNM.

Steadman is averaging 14.8 points per game in the last five games and is averaging 13.2 in MW games.

Steadman came up just short of extending his double-double streak to five straight games to close the season, finishing with 21 points and nine rebounds at Fresno State.

Prior to that, Steadman had four-straight double-doubles. He averaged 17.4 points and 11.6 rebounds in the final five games.

Change It Up
Prioleau has used 10 different lineups throughout the season with no one player starting each time out. Senior Oumar Barry had started the first 17 games before an injury kept him out of the lineup the last four games. Seven newcomers have made starts, including freshmen Seneca Knight, Zach Chappell, Trey Smith, and Christian Anigwe.

Baumann and Steadman Crucial in Wins
In SJSU’s four wins this season, there have been two critical factors. Their names are Noah Baumann and Michael Steadman.

In those four games, the pair is averaging 15.3 points each. Steadman has pulled down 11.3 rebounds in those games, while Baumann has been red-hot from 3-point range in each game, averaging 69.6% from the 3-point range (16-23).

On the Board(s)
SJSU ranks third in the MW in offensive boards with 11.0 per game. They rank fifth in defensive boards with 26.2.

Series History: Air Force
Wednesday’s game will be the 16th overall meeting between the Spartans and Falcons. SJSU has a pair of three-game win streaks in the series. The Spartans have won three of the last seven games, however AF is on a four-game win streak after taking both regular season games in 2019 in a 73-71 double-overtime win in San Jose and 82-68 win in Colorado Springs, Colo.

AF checks in as the No. 6 seed and are led by seventh-year head coach Dave Pilipovich. This will be the first meeting between the programs in the MW tournament.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings drop first game on road trip; Head to Boston and Philly next

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: bulletsforever.com

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Sacramento Kings (33-33) lost a very close game to the Washington Wizards (28-39) on Monday night 121-115. A six-point loss, the Kings lost the game but they are a never give up team.

#2 For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox led with 23 points the team really relies on his ability to aim and hit the bucket.

#3 After last Thursday’s game against the Boston Celtics, the Kings’ Marvin Bagley III has been ruled day to day. How bad was the sprained knee and do you see him returning to action on this current road trip?

#4 The Kings need to beat teams like the Wizards and the Celtics. Do you see them getting any daylight and getting a shot to get over the Mendoza line and get into the postseason?

#5 The Kings play back to back nights in Boston (41-26) and Philadelphia (42-25) on Thursday and Friday nights. How do you see the Kings stacking up with these two clubs?

Charlie O does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose State/Mountain West Tournament podcast with Ana Kieu: Men’s basketball sets sights on Mountain West tournament; Spring football madness; plus more

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SJSUMBB, @SJSUSpartanFB, and sjsuspartans.com

On the San Jose State podcast with Ana:

1. SJSU lost to Wyoming 81-71 and was unable to get a win for Oumar Barry on Senior Night last Wednesday.

2. More than two dozen SJSU student-athletes called donors to thank them for their support of the Spartan Athletics Fund and SJSU’s 22 Division I sports programs last Wednesday.

3. SJSU closed out the 2018-19 season with a horrifically embarrassing loss 121-81 at Fresno State last Saturday.

4. SJSU has been putting in work in spring football to prepare for the 2019 season.

5. What does SJSU need to do to beat the No. 6 Air Force Falcons in the first round of the Mountain West Conference men’s basketball tournament?

Ana recorded the San Jose State podcasts each week for SportsRadioService.com. Catch Ana on the San Jose Earthquakes podcasts as the Quakes’ season progresses.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Injuries, players planning not to return, or just plain tired–what’s wrong with Golden State

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @warriors

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 The Warriors have lost six out of their last ten games. It’s not in their DNA for the last five years to go on a run like that. Has this team finally reached it’s peak and heading downhill?

#2 Warriors head coach Steve Kerr can’t put a finger on it, but he’ll have fast as the Warriors have four big dates on the road, starting with Houston on Wednesday night. Will they recover?

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

Sharks Shut Out Wild 3-0

Published on by M WalshLeave a comment

Photo credit: @SanJoseSharks

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks shut out the Minnesota Wild 3-0 on the road Monday. Goals came from Tomas Hertl, Barclay Goodrow and Logan Couture. Martin Jones made 24 saves for the shut out, while Minnesota’s Devan Dybnyk made 26 saves in the loss.

Barclay Goodrow deflected Marc-Edouard Vlasic’s shot at 14:06 of the second period. He was skating across in front of Dubnyk when the puck went off of his midsection. Assists went to Vlasic and Tim Heed.

Logan Couture and Joonas Donskoi led their team in shots up to that point, with three each. Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin had done the same for the Wild. It was a stifling goaltending game with a healthy shot count. In the first period, each team had 11 shots. In the second, the Sharks led 8-6.

Tomas Hertl made it 2-0 with his 31st of the season at 4:37 of the third. Skating in two on one with Timo Meier, his shot rolled off his stick above the blade and hopped over Dubnyk’s pad. Assists went to Meier and Gustav Nyquist.

Logan Couture was granted a penalty shot after being hooked on a breakaway and scored through the five hole without any fuss. That was his 24th of the season.

The play was reviewed after the fact, when the Wild attempted to challenge it as off side. The NHL’s response was that it could not be challenged as there was no goal on that play to challenge.

The Sharks power play was unsuccessful in two attempts, but their penalty kill was perfect against three Wild power plays. Their face off success rate was a healthy 54%.

With the win, the Sharks are back in first place in the West, leap-frogging Calgary by one point. The loss left the Wild in the second wild card spot, one point ahead of Arizona and one behind Dallas.

The Sharks next play on Tuesday in Winnipeg against the Jets at 5:00 PM PT.

Kings battle, but fall to Wizards 121-115 in DC

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

Photo credit: @sbgglobal

By: Jeremiah Salmonson

In the first half, it was a tale of two quarters for the Kings. The Kings appeared to get off to a quick start against the Washington Wizards, scoring the first five points, but that would prove to be just a mirage at the Capital One Arena Monday evening. After that, De’Aaron Fox and company struggled mightily in the first quarter. The Kings were only able to muster 20 points while shooting 29% from the field and making two of three from the stripe.  The Wizards, on the other hand, were able to score 28 points to take control of the game in the first.

In the second quarter, the Kings flipped the script. The Kings put up an impressive 40 points to take the lead in the game 60-59 going into the locker room at the half. At one point, Fox went on a run to score 15 points in just over 3:30. Going into the locker room, the Kings appeared to have some confidence after a very up and down half. Going into the third, it was imperative for the Kings to keep the momentum and add onto the lead they managed to capture in the second.

However, the Kings weren’t able to do that. They came out in the second half much like the performed in the first quarter. They gave up their second 31-point quarter and only managed to score 21 points, a near carbon copy of the first quarter, but the Kings weren’t done yet.

The Kings managed to retake the lead in the fourth with 3:21 remaining on a Willie-Cauley Stein free throw. Unfortunately, they lost steam after an encouraging run. They missed a couple of key shots while the Wizards made some key shots and that proved the difference in the game.

When it was all said and done, the Kings gave up six too many points in the early quarters and fell to the Wizards 121-115. Notable scoring performances were De’Aaron Fox with 23 points for the Kings and Bradley Beal with 27 points for the Wizards. This game ended the way so many Kings games have ended lately. The Kings were close but were unable to finish the game in the final minutes.

Kings head coach Dave Joerger summed it up perfectly in postgame, “This game sucks, this one hurts.” Indeed, this game hurt the Kings’ playoff chances as they fall 4.5 games back of the Clippers and Spurs with 16 games left.

Close but no cigar for the Kings:

FG PCT: Kings 45.1%, Wizards 46.5%
3PT PCT: Kings 33.3%, Wizards 37.8%
REB: Kings 47, Wizards 47
AST: Kings 28, Wizards 29
TO: Kings 16, Wizards 17
BLK: Kings 3, Wizards 1

Scoreboard Watch:

Kings fans will be locked in Monday evening to the Clippers vs. Celtics matchup on NBA TV. The Kings desperately need the Clippers to lose to keep the deficit to four games behind the eight seed in the Western Conference.

Up Next:

The Kings travel to Boston to take on the Boston Celtics on Thursday afternoon at 4:30 PM PST.

Cal podcast with Morris Phillips: Will wins in Pac-12 Tournament translate to saving Jones’ coaching job?

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

photo from bearinsider.com: The Cal Golden Bears Darius McNiell takes a shot over the crowded field of Stanford Cardinal defenders during last Thu Mar 7th’s contest at Maples Pavilion in Palo Alto

On the Cal podcast with Morris Phillips:

#1 Will a couple of wins during the Pac-12 Tournament equate to saving Cal head coach Wyking Jones’ job?

#2 The Bears’ Connor Vanover was shooting baskets and he looked like he had lots of daylight against the Stanford Cardinal. He led the Golden Bears with 24 points and was the key player in leading Cal to that big road win on Thursday night.

#3 Paris Austin had 15 points and Matt Bradley 14 also were offensive contributors and a big help in Cal’s third straight win

#4 The Bears ran off a 17-0 run and that pretty much clipped the wings of the Cardinal, who towards at the end of the game pulled within four points, but couldn’t catch Cal, who got the 64-59 win.

#5 Cal plays the Colorado Buffaloes (19-11). The Buffaloes are no slouch. They have compiled some successful offense that got them past some of their opponents and the defense have shut some of their opponents down for some key wins and 19 wins says a lot about the year the Buffaloes have had. Does Cal have any chance to win in Vegas and will this be a lights out game for Cal?

Morris Phillips does the Cal Bears basketball podcast with http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Suns stun the Warriors 115-111

Published on by rxsluggerLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Warriors, after beating the Denver Nuggets Friday night, hoped that the game against the young Phoenix Suns would be an easy win. The Suns had other thoughts. Phoenix, under head coach Igor Korkoskov, entered the contest with an abysmal record of 15-52. However, they had won five of the last seven played, and the Warriors knew that they should not be taken lightly. The Warriors had beaten the Suns 18 straight times and had not lost to them since November 9th, 2014. The Suns made a trade earlier in the season when they traded Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards for Kelly Oubre, Jr, and Austin Rivers. Rivers was traded to Houston. Oubre has helped the Suns, and with Devin Booker’s 37 points, they upset the Warriors’ applecart Sunday night at Oracle by a score of 115-111

The Warriors, who have had problems getting started in the first quarter over the last 10 or 12 games, got off to a good start as they finished the quarter with a 29-16 lead. Klay Thompson led the attack with 10 points. They had the offense working and were playing strong defense.

The second quarter was a reversal of fortune for Golden State. With the W’s second unit on the floor, the Suns outplayed the Warriors on both ends of the court. The Suns outscored the W’s 40-28 in the quarter and finished the first half trailing by a single point 57-56. The Warriors were led by Thompson 19 points. Durant 14, Cousins 7, and Steph had 3. The Suns Deandre Ayton paced the team with 12, Oubre 10, and Devin Booker 11. The Suns’ bench outscored the Warrior bench 20-10.

The Warriors got off to a slow start in the third period. They continued to fail to make three-point shots. They scored just 11 points in the first eight-plus minutes in the quarter. The W’s offense came to life as they finished with a 15-6 run to maintain the one-point lead 80-19. In the final period of the night, the W’s extended the lead to 88-83. It was at this point that the momentum shifted to Phoenix. The referees called Shaun Livingston for an offensive foul on Booker. The refs reviewed the play and determined that Shaun committed a flagrant foul. Booker made the two free throws and retained possession. The Suns capitalized and increased the lead to 91-88. It was all part of an 8-0 run for the Suns. Steph Curry hit a three to tie the game at 91. They lead changed hands several times until Phoenix led 99-98. The Suns’ Devin Booker was on fire, and he propelled the Suns to a 109-98 lead. The Warriors closed the gap to three 111-108, but the Suns held on to win 115-111.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors’ Kevin Durant suffered a right ankle contusion with 6:34 left in the game. Durant went to the locker room and did not return. The Warriors are now 45-21 for the season, and Phoenix improved to 16-52. The Suna have won six of the last eight games played and have beaten the Milwaukee Bucks twice and now the Warriors. They are a team that is on the rise with young, talented players and can no longer be taken lightly. The Warriors and Suns do not play again this year.

Klay Thompson led the team with 28, KD had 25, Steph 18. Klay and Steph each made four threes in fifteen attempts. DeMarcus Cousins added 13. Draymond Green had 6 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. The Warriors bench helped out with 21.

Devin Booker was the start of the night for Phoenix. The third-year player knocked down 37 points and made 13 straight points for Phoenix in the fourth quarter. Kelly Oubre helped out with 22, and the big 7 foot 1-inch center, rookie Deandre Ayton, had 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.

The Warriors embark on a four-game road trip starting Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have won eight in a row and are looking to sweep the season series against the Warriors.  Game time will be at 5:30 pm.