Tag: Draymond Green

Warriors start season with win over OKC Thunder 108-100

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photo from goldenstateofmind.com: Forward Paul George (13) the OKC Thunder pushes against the Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) on opening night at Oracle Arena in Oakland on Tuesday night

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND — The Golden State Warriors, after unfurling their sixth NBA Championship banner and receiving their rings, started their quest for the third championship in a row and fourth in five seasons with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100 at Oracle Arena on Tuesday night. It was not easy as both the Warriors and Thunder were not in mid-season form. Both teams play looked ragged at times, but the Warriors played defense down the stretch to win the game.

The Warriors did get off to a good start in the first quarter as they outscored the Thunder 31-23. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson looked sharp. Things changed a bit in the second period, but the Warriors outscored the Thunder by two to finish the first half with a 10-point lead, 57-47. Curry finished the half with 19 points, and he made five 3-point shots in six attempts. Durant had 15, and Thompson added 10. Draymond Green made just one bucket good for 2 points, but he showed his defensive prowess with nine rebounds and five assists in the first half. Dennis Schroder, a former Atlanta Hawk, led the Thunder with 12 points. Steve Adams had nine, and Paul George kicked in with six.

The Warriors, who owned the third quarter last season, struggled as the Thunder fought their way back into the game. OKC started the period with a 22-9 run and took the lead 67-66. From that point forward, the lead seesawed between the two teams. The Thunder won the period 32-26, but the Warriors still finished with a four-point lead 83-79. The Warriors could not pull away from the Thunder until late in the fourth quarter. The Warriors led by four 95-91 with a little of six minutes left in the game. OKC cut the deficit to two 99-97, but Curry made a layup and got fouled on the play. He made the free throw, and the lead was back to five, 102-97. With time running out, Kevon Looney made a two-point bucket that ignited the crowd. Durant scored to put Golden State up 106-99. However, Durant landed awkwardly on his right shoulder, and the Arena went silent. The big guy rose to his feet and shook off the injury, and the fans let out a huge collective sigh of relief. Durant scored the last bucket of the night, and the Warriors finished the night with their first victory of the season.

Game Notes and Stats: At times, as mentioned above, the play looked sloppy on both sides. The Warriors turned the ball over 20 times, and head coach Steve Kerr was not happy as he wants the team to handle the ball better and keep turnovers to under fifteen. Kerr knows his players are still getting in shape and looked tired, saying: “We didn’t look much like ourselves. It’s not surprising either. We need a couple more weeks.”

Kevin Durant who played well as he knocked down 27 points and had 8 rebounds and six assists said this about the team’s performance.

“I love who we are, game 1 of 82,” Durant said. “Just keep grinding.”

Steph Curry led the team with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists. Curry  did not make a 3-pointer in the second half and ended the night with 5 for 9 in that department. Klay Thompson finished with 10. Draymond Green did not score in the second half, but he finished the night with an astounding 13 rebounds and 5 assists. Green admitted that he was tired, but he did not play much in the preseason as he was resting a sore knee. The Warriors big men, Kevon Looney and Damian Jones, played well. Looney scored 10 points and had 10 boards. Jones had a career-high 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 boards.

Paul George caught fire in the second half and finished the night with 27 points for OKC. Steve Adams finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Dennis Schroder added 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Thunder’s leader and All-Star guard Russell Westbrook did not play as he was sidelined with a knee injury.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to Salt Lake City to play the Utah Jazz Friday night. Game time will be at 7:30 pm PT and will be shown on ESPN.

Warriors’ signing of DeMarcus Cousins will be beneficial

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Photo credit: @boogiecousins

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

After news broke that four-time NBA All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins had signed with the world champion Golden State Warriors agreed to the one-year veteran’s minimum of $5.3 million on Monday, it’s like the Warriors delivered a massive gut-punch to the rest of the NBA.

Golden State already have four All-Stars in back-to-back Finals: MVP Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson; so adding a player like Cousins was the rich getting richer.

Sure there are some risks involved when you do bring Cousins into your locker room, such as his reputation of being a malcontent, unhappy, a bully and destructive, mainly from his time in Sacramento when things didn’t go right and the losses started to mount up.

The Kings missed the playoffs every year after selecting Cousins with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft after one season at Kentucky.

Also, the torn Achilles tendon that Cousins is currently rehabbing. Cousins himself said that he is targeting being ready for full basketball activities by training camp. Most people are expecting Cousins to be on the court by end of December or early January.

Before the injury, Cousins was having a monster season for New Orleans, averaging 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game in 48 games for the Pelicans.

For most teams, that timetable for a star player’s return is almost catastrophic, but not for Golden State. The Warriors, who lost fan-favorite in center JaVale McGee to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, can plug in four-year man Kevon Looney, who agreed to return to Golden State on a one-year minimum deal on Tuesday to fill the void in the middle. Looney’s ability to defend guards along with bigs was key for Golden State in the playoffs.

ESPN was the first to report the news on Looney’s contract. The Warriors are also hoping that third-year center Damian Jones makes the leap and contribute on a nightly basis. The 7’0″, 245-pound Jones showed some flashes last season in limited action.

Once healthy, Cousins will play with the ultimate chip on his shoulder after not receiving an offer from any team during the early stages of free agency as most teams had major concerns regarding Cousins’ injury. Cousins’ former team, the Pelicans, didn’t offer him a contract, and according to those in the know around the Pelicans, didn’t want Cousins to return.

So if you’re Cousins, the opportunity to play on the Warriors with the benefits of competing for a championship and having fun while rehabbing is just too much to pass up right? Also if Cousins plays well for Golden State, especially come playoff time when he would be greatly useful for scoring easy baskets inside, then a team will be willing to pony-up a hefty contract for “Boogie.”

For Golden State, Cousins potentially solves the one position that has been a glaring weakness during a four-year run that has produced three titles (first coming in 2015), and back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018.

With the strong bond and the accountability that the Warriors’ locker room prides itself on, Cousins should be a model citizen.

Headline Sports with Tony Renteria: Warriors can very well sweep in four games; Curry could have an night off and W’s still win

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@warriors photo: Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant takes the jumper who piled on 43 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena Wednesday night in game 4

Headline Sports podcast with Tony:

#1 The Warriors Stephen Curry had a off night with just 11 points and it was like one hand tied behind the Warriors back and they still were able to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night in game 3 110-102 at Quicken Loans Arena to take a 3-0 series lead.

#2 With Curry having an 11 point night the rest of the team’s starters Kevin Durant 43 points, seven assists, and 13 rebounds, Draymond Green, JaVale McGee and Klay Thompson each scored 10 points

#3 The Cavaliers who fell eight points short in the loss just couldn’t get over the hump at home past the Warriors. LeBron James scored 33 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds Kevin Love scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Rodney Hood contributed 15 points off the Cavs’ bench.

#4 From Tony’s point of view when it comes down to it for game four on Friday night does Tony see the Warriors getting a sweep past the Cavs in Cleveland to end the finals.

#5 Green passed former LA Laker Wilt Chamberlain’s for rebounds for 923 rebounds in 100 games as Chamberlain had the 922 mark.

Tony does Headline Sports each Thursday at http://www.sportsadioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Have the Cavs really lost all hope?; Will the Warriors sweep in Cleveland?

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Photo credit: @awfulannouncing

On the Warriors podcast with David:

To illustrate the frustration of the Cleveland Cavaliers in this year’s finals, two of their players have already walked out on pressers. The Cavs’ Tristan Thompson walked out when he was asked if the team has lost all hope, remarking “That’s f—– up” said an unhappy Thompson. Then, there was LeBron James when he asked about JR Smith and did he know what the score was in Game 1 when time ran out for the Cavs’ first loss.

Game 3 is Wednesday night. Can the Warriors sweep the rest of the way?

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

Headline Sports with Tony Renteria: Will this be another series of LeBron versus four guys from the Warriors?

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Photo credit: @warriors

On Headline Sports with Tony Renteria:

The NBA Finals gets underway tonight at Oracle Arena in Oakland for Game 1 between Cleveland and Golden State. Same teams in the finals for the last four years. Will it be a series where LeBron has to depend on his teammates to get past the Warriors’ best of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson?

The Philadelphia 76ers team president Bryan Colangelo. who opened five Twitter accounts only to criticize his own players, was found out. The worst of it was when he disclosed an Jahlil Okafar injury that was supposed to be private, but was made public on twitter by Colangelo.

Turning to football: The Oakland Raiders’ practice on Tuesday was obviously missing some key players wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Seth Roberts, safety Reggie Nelson, and defensive end Khalil Mack all are in contract discussions. Preseason starts in August so the Raiders would like to get them in camp soon.

Headline Sports with Tony Renteria is podcasted each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: They meet again Cavs-Warriors fourth straight year; This Cavs team weaker than past ones

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Photo credit: @warriors

On the Warriors podcast with Dave:

This is the fourth consecutive time that these two teams the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will meet for the NBA Finals and this is the first time that the same two teams meet in the NBA Finals for the most times four for the finals and it should be noted in major professional sports as well. To achieve such an accomplishment. this is a testimony to the Warriors and Cavaliers that both teams could get this far four times in row.

This is a testament about how successful how head coach Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, who contributed in that mix. This has been an amazing team that the Warriors have put together this season. They had a game plan, a system that they bought into and selflessly contributed to.

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

 

 

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News and Commentary: Oakland and Tampa Bay have similar business model situations; Both teams in need of new stadiums

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Photo credit: @SFGate

By Amaury Pi Gonzalez

OAKLAND–The Oakland A’s, who opened a four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, started the series with the Rays at .500 on this current homestand. The A’s started the homestand against the Seattle Mariners, a very good team who is in second place followed by Arizona.

The M’s won two out of three from the slumping Minnesota Twins over the weekend. The A’s and Rays as far as front office organization situations are concerned are in the same boat. The attendance for both teams are low and their in two different divisions but similar at this time in history. Both teams are struggling in their current ball parks. They both are in need of getting new parks built. The A’s are looking to go to Jack London Square and build a waterfront park. The Rays want a waterfront park in Tampa Bay and want to get out of Tropicana Field in St Petersburg.

The A’s and Rays also speaking of sharing business models. It gets down to on the field and both teams also have bullpens on their home fields. They are two of three teams in MLB that have bullpens on the field, the Giants being the other. Bullpens on the field became an issue after the Giants outfielder Mac Williamson tripped on the AT&T bullpen mound and got a concussion in April.

I’m old-school. I like to see the bullpens on the field, baseball has changed. The fans still enjoy to see the bullpens and you like to see the pitchers warming up in the bullpens. When you broadcast a game, you can see whose loosening up. Some stadiums you don’t see whose warming up.

There’s more on That’s Amaury listen to Amaury’s podcast weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rockets take Game 5 with 98-94 win, go up 3-2 on Warriors in West Finals

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon
SRS Contributor

HOUSTON — The Rockets took advantage of 18 turnovers by the Warriors, the final pivotal one coming off Draymond Green’s leg with under 10 seconds remaining and Eric Gordon knocked down two free throws to perserve a 98-94 victory in Game 5 of the West Finals at the Toyota Center Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series.

“We were suppose to score and I lost the ball, ” Green said to reporters postgame.

More importantly, it puts the defending NBA Champions on the brink of elimination as the series shifts to Oakland for a “win-or-go-home” Game 6 Saturday night at Oracle Arena. Tip off is at 5:00 p.m. PT.

After defeating the Rockets by 41 points in Game 3, the Warriors have lost back-to-back games for the first time this postseason. The postseason is not the best time of year to start going on a losing streak. The Rockets snapped Golden State’s NBA postseason-record 16-game home winning streak in Game 4.

Eric Gordon led the Rockets with 24 points off the bench on 6-of-15 shooting. In fact, the Rockets bench outscored the Warriors’ reserves 33-4 in Game 5. Gordon connected on 9-of-10 from the free throw line.

Chris Paul finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but was just 6-of-19 shooting from the floor, including starting 0-of-7 in the first-half. Paul left the game in the final minutes after injuring his right hamstring after coming down on the foot of Warriors’ reserve guard Quinn Cook.

After the game, it was reported that Paul will be re-evaluated Friday and his status for Game 6 is unclear.

James Harden also struggled, shooting just 5-of-21 from the field (0-for-11 on 3s) and finishing with 19 points. Like Gordon, Harden did most of his damage from the free throw line, converting 9-of-9 free throws.

“We had to rely on our defense once again,” Harden said. “Game 4, we weren’t making shots but defensively we were really good. Same thing tonight.”

Center Clint Capela finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the postseason. Capela had three of Houston’s eight offensive rebounds.

As a team, Golden State had just three offensive rebounds.

Four Warriors finished in double-figures, led by Kevin Durant’s team-high 29 points. Klay Thompson added 23, Stephen Curry scored 22 and Green finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds.

Golden State played solid defense, limiting Houston to 37.2-percent shooting from the floor, but the aforementioned 18 turnovers led to 18 points by the Rockets. That can’t happen if you’re a championship team that prides itself on solid execution like Golden State has done during this four-year run under head coach Steve Kerr.

“I feel great about where we are right now,” Kerr said postgame. “I know that sounds crazy but I feel it. I know exactly what I’m seeing out there…we defended them well tonight. Just too many turnovers, too many reaches.

“If we settle down a little bit, we’ll be in really good shape.”

Durant shot 8-of-22 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from behind the three-point arc, and was 10-of-10 from the free throw line. For the series, Durant is perfect at the charity stripe, shooting 37-of-37 from the free throw line.

For the second straight game, the Warriors were without Andre Iguodala who has been dealing with a left knee contusion. Iguodala suffered the injury after bumping knees with Harden in Game 3. Many believe that since Iguodala has been out, it has thrown off the Warriors’ game since Iguodala is who Kerr affectionately calls, the “adult in the room” for his ability to keep the team calm during critical stages of the game.

“He’s dying to play, but he’s not healthy enough,” Kerr said. “We’ll just continue to take it day to day.”

The game itself was a tight one, with no lead greater than six points. At halftime. the game was tied, 45-45 and the two teams stayed within three points of each other throughout the third quarter.

Golden State suffered just their second Game 5 lost in a playoff series since 2015.

If the Warriors were to lose Game 6 on Saturday night, they would miss out the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.

The Warriors’ backs are firmly pressed against the wall but the defending NBA wouldn’t have it any other way.

That’s Amaury’s Podcast, News, and Commentary: LeBron, Cavs have big night knotting up series; Curry feeling 100% with his shot back, A’s open series with Seattle after sweeping 4 in Toronto

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Photo credit: @SLAMonline

On That’s Amaury’s podcast:

#1 Big night for the Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James as the Cavaliers came back to tie the series up with a Game 4 win over the Boston Celtics 111-102 at 2-2. LeBron has averaged 32 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 9.0 assists.

#2 The Warriors and Rockets tip off for game 4 tonight at Oracle Arena with the Warriors leading 2-1. The Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni says the pressure is on the Warriors while the Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says that’s good, but the pressure is also on the Rockets.

#3 The Oakland A’s, who just got a four-game sweep over the Toronto Blue Jays, have been on a roll. Amaury talks about what he attribute to the A’s recent success.

#4 The Seattle Mariners are in Oakland tonight for a three-game series at the Oakland Coliseum. Much of the attention last week had been on Robinson Cano, who said he was taking a substance from his doctor in the Dominican Republic that he didn’t know was banned, and the MLB suspended him for 80 games

#5 Tonight, the Oakland A’s will start Trevor Cahill and the Seattle M’s will start Mike Leake to kick off this three-game series at 7:05 pm for the first pitch. Wednesday’s game also will be a 7:05 pm first pitch followed by a day game on Thursday at 12:30 pm.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

 

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors look to take a 3-1 series lead after tonight; Rockets’ D’Antoni for tonight: “The pressure is on the Warriors”

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On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Dave:

The Golden State Warriors who return back to Oracle Arena after their electric victory in Game 3 will host Game 4 tonight. The Warriors are up 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals can take a 3-1 series lead and be in a good position to clinch in Houston on Thursday in Game 5. Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni says that the pressure is on Golden State while Warriors head coach Steve Kerr says while D’Antoni is right the pressure also on the Rockets tonight.

The Warriors’ Kevin Durant has dominated in the playoffs and Stephen Curry has found his shot in the third game leading the Warriors to a one-game lead. The Rockets are aiming to key in on Durant and Curry, but the way the two have been lights out, it just might be too much to handle for Houston and the Warriors very likely could force a Game 5 tonight.

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