Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Will LeBron’s ankle sprain be a factor in Wednesday night play in game?

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) as seen here playing against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sun May 16, 2021 will face the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center in Los Angeles for the Play In game Wed May 19, 2021 (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 Because the Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James has had the high ankle sprain and has been reportedly not been 100% how effective will he be against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night at Staples Center?

#2 The Warriors Stephen Curry for a lot of this season had been carry the load for the Warriors and his offensive nights scoring some 30 points or more and getting into the 40 point range has been nothing short of amazing.

#3 Dave as you look at this play in game how do you see these two teams matching up on Wednesday night in the Southland?

Join David Zizmor for the Golden State Warriors podcast Wednesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s and Astros series could a memorable one; LeBron says Curry should be league MVP

Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker and the Astros are trailing the Oakland A’s by a half game as the Astros and A’s open a three game series at the Oakland Coliseum Tue May 18, 2021 (File photo from Forbes)

On That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast:

#1 The Oakland A’s (25-17) and Houston Astros (24-17) meet again at the Coliseum tonight to open a three game series the Astros are just behind the A’s by a half game this series will take the feel of a rivalry.

#2 Besides Oakland fans jeering at Astros manager Dusty Baker and the Astros with the teams being so close in the standings. For the season the A’s and Astros have met seven times and the Astros have won the five and the A’s two.

#3 Sean Manaea (3-2 ERA 4.40) had a rough start against the Boston Red Sox in his last outing he pitched two plus innings giving seven earned runs and ten hits and is looking for a better performance tonight. The Astros will start Cristian Javier (3-1 ERA 3.08) in Javier’s last three outings he’s given up 11 earned runs and is looking for a better outing as well.

#4 Turning to NBA basketball the Golden State Warriors are in Los Angeles to take on the Lakers for the Play In Playoffs Wednesday night at Staples Center. During Monday’s workouts the Lakers LeBron James said that Warrior guard Stephen Curry should be voted NBA MVP for the kind of season he’s had and scoring 30 or more points over the last month.

#5 LeBron also said that Curry will be a tough task to defend in this play in as LeBron is coming off a high ankle sprain injury and Curry has been hot scoring 46 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night in the Warriors last game of the season.

#6 Lastly the Oakland City Council will vote Tue Jul 20th whether to go forward and approve the construction of the Howard Terminal/Jack London Square downtown ballpark for the Oakland A’s. Amongst the discussions, environmental impact issues, how the park will work with port shipping and employees, is the ground toxic or not at the ball park site, parking and traffic, and public transportation into the port on game days.

Join Amaury for News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com and listen for all the play by play of Oakland A’s baseball with Amaury and Manolo Hernandez Douen on the A’s Spanish flagship station 1010 KIQI LeGrande San Francisco

Curry pours in 46 points leads W’s to sixth win in a row 113-101

The Golden State Warriors forward Kent Bazemore offers guard Stephen Curry a drink to cool off from his 46 point night against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sun May 16, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (39-33) played the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon at the Chase Center in San Francisco against the Memphis Grizzlies (38-34). The teams were tied with identical season records 38-33. The winner of the game would be the eighth team in the Western Conference.

The loser would be the ninth. In the new NBA play-in format, the eighth team plays the number seven. The winner of that game becomes the number seven seed and will face the second-best team in the conference in the first round of the playoffs.

The loser will face the winner of the game between number nine and number ten. The loser of that game is done for the season. The winner meets the loser of number eight or number seven. The winner then becomes the eighth seed and faces the team with the best record. The whole play-in formula sounds confusing, but after Sunday’s game, things are a bit clearer. The Warriors helped explain what will happen as they beat the Grizzlies 113-101.

The Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, had to find a way to slow down the Grizzlies in the fourth quarter. The Warriors ended the third quarter leading by 17, 86-69. The Grizzlies had bottled up Curry in the first half. They held him to 13 points, and they trailed at the end of the first half, 55-49. Curry came to life in the third quarter when he put 17 points on the board. The Warriors seemed to be on their way to an easy victory.

However, the Warriors have to be wary of a fourth-quarter letdown. The Grizzlies’ young star, Dillon Brooks, went on a personal 8-0 run to make it 86-77 game. Curry made a three and a deuce to put the W up 91-79. The Grizzlies put their offense into overdrive as they continued to put points on the board while stopping the Warriors on defense.

They tied the game at 91-91, finishing a 22-5 run. The question at this point was this: can the Warriors regroup and find a way to win? The question was answered when Dillon Brooks fouled Draymond Green. Brooks, who covered Curry like a blanket, was gone.

Green made the two free throws to make it 93-91. Memphis responded by going ahead 97-95. The Warriors’ Jordan Poole started a 14-0 run with a three. Andrew Wiggins scored to give the Warriors the lead 100-97. Curry showed the Grizzlies why he is the best shooter in the game. Curry made three consecutive threes to give Golden State a 12-point lead 109-97. The Grizzlies were toast. They could not catch Golden State. The Warriors win 113-101.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors will face either the Portland Trailblazers or the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night. A Laker loss and a Portland win will send the Warriors to Portland. If the Lakers win, the Warriors will face the Lakers at the Staples Center. If the Warriors win the play-in game, they will be the seventh seed. If they lose, they will host the winner of the game between Memphis and San Antonio for the eighth seed.

Curry joined Michael Jordan as the only two players 33 years or older to win the NBA scoring title. Curry finished the season with an average of 31.8 points per game. Curry finished the night with 46 points. It was the 11th game this season with 40 or more points. It was the 38th game with 30 or more points. 

Curry had help from Green, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Juan Toscano-Anderson. Green’s line was 14 points, nine boards, and nine assists. He almost had a triple-double. Wiggins had a double-double- with 21 points and ten rebounds. Wiggins continued to be consistent on both ends of the court.

Poole had 15. The Warriors shot almost 50% from the floor. They connected on 15 threes. Curry knocked down nine of the 15 threes. Quite a performance for the two-time NBA MVP. The Warriors outrebounded the taller Grizzlies 52-48. The Warriors recorded 26 assists on 41 made field goals. The only ugly stat was the 19 turnovers.

The Grizzlies’ Jonas Valenciunas paced his club with 29 points and 16 rebounds. Dillon Brooks had 18, Ja Morant 16, Kyle Anderson 10, and Jaren Jackson 14. The Grizzlies shot 43% from the floor, and they made six threes in 25 attempts.

The Warriors won their sixth game in a row to finish the season 39-33. The Grizzlies are 38-34. The Warriors’ next game is Wednesday night, either in Portland or Los Angeles.

Warriors hang on to slip by Pelicans 125-122; Poole leads with 38 points for W’s

The Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (3) shoots against the New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe (right) and center Willy Hermangomez bottom at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Fri May 14, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (38-33) won their fifth straight game, downing the New Orleans Pelicans (31-40) 125-122 Friday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors currently reside in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Memphis Grizzlies, with the same record as the Warriors, meet on Sunday to determine which team will be the number eight team.

A loss to the Pelicans and a Grizzlie win Friday night would not have changed the importance of Sunday’s game. The Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, decided to rest his three best players Friday night. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins watched the game from the bench.

The Pelicans, in 11th place in the conference, were eliminated from the playoffs last week. Their head coach, Stan Van Gundy, rested Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Steve Adams. Zion Williamson broke his finger last week in the second game against the Warriors, and he is done for the year.

Jordan Poole and Mychal Mulder were in the starting lineup at the guard position. Juan Toscano-Anderson was the other bench player getting a starting assignment. The teams played a very fast-paced and entertaining first quarter. Mychal Mulder was channeling Curry as he knocked down five threes in the first quarter. Jordan Poole paced the Warrior offense with 14 points. The Warriors outscored the Pelicans 41-32 at the end of the first 12 minutes of action.

The Warriors continued to shoot well from the floor. Kent Bazemore, along with Nico Mannion, helped keep the pressure on the Pelican defense. The Warriors outscored the Pelicans 34-25 in the quarter to finish the first half leading 75-57. Mychal Mulder made his sixth three of the game in the quarter and finished the first half with 20 points. Jordan Poole led the team with 24.

Kent Bazemore had 13, and Nico Mannion added nine. The Warriors shot 60% from the floor. Nickeil Alexander-Walker led the Pelicans with 11. Willy Herangomez had 10, Eric Bledsoe 9, and Jaxson Hayes 7. The Pelicans shot 45% from the floor.

The Pelicans coach, Stan Van Gundy, must have had a heart-to-heart talk with his team about playing defense during the halftime break. The Pelicans turned the tables on the Warriors in the third quarter. Their offense came alive as they put 33 points on the board while holding Golden State to 24. Jordan Poole injured his ankle midway in the quarter. He went to the locker room and had his ankle iced. The Warriors finished the third quarter leading 99-90.

The Warriors were able to maintain the lead for most of the fourth quarter. In his first game in over a month, Eric Paschall was a catalyst keeping the Pelicans at bay. Mulder hit a two-pointer to put the Warriors ahead 112-101. They led by eleven 119-108. It was at this point that the Warrior offense went ice cold.

The Pelicans made stop after stop and were able to go on a 12-0 run to take the lead 120-119. The Warriors went three minutes and 39 seconds without scoring. Eric Paschall broke the spell with a basket to put the Warriors ahead 121-120.

The Pelicans answered with a basket of their own to lead 122-121, with 25.9 seconds left. Jordan Poole hit a basket that took just four seconds of the clock. New Orleans has 21 seconds to find a way to beat the Warriors. They tried, but the Warrior defense held. The Warriors had control of the ball. The Pelicans fouled Poole with 0.1 seconds left. Poole made both free throws, and the game was over. The Warriors win 125-122.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 39-33 for the year. The Pelicans are 31-40. The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Sacramento Kings in Memphis 107-106 to remain in the ninth spot. The winner of Sunday’s game will play the Number seven team in the conference. The Number nine team will play the Number ten team.

Jordan Poole and Mychal Mulder had career-highs in scoring Friday night. Poole finished with 38 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Jordan knocked down four threes. Mulder’s line was 28 points, two rebounds, one assist, and was seven-for 13 from downtown.

Other Warriors in double figures were Kent Bazemore with 14, Eric Paschall had 12 points and four rebounds, Nico Mannion 11 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Juan Toscano-Anderson almost had a triple-double. His numbers were nine points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. The Warrior shot 49% from the floor. They made 17 threes in 39 tries. 

The Pelicans’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker had quite a night with 30 points. He connected on four threes. Naji Marshall had a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Willy Hernangomez had 10. Wenyen Garland had 14, and Jaxson Hayes had 19.

The Warriors meet the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday afternoon at the Chase Center. The game will start at 12:30 pm.

Warriors fourth quarter rally stuns Suns 122-116; Wiggins top scorer with 38 points for Golden State

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) takes a shot against the Phoenix Suns Devin Booker at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Tue May 11, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

For the second night in a row, the Golden State Warriors (37-33) faced one of the top teams in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns (48-21). The Suns entered the game, still smarting from a 123-110 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night. If the Suns were to win, they would be just one game behind the Utah Jazz in the race for first place in the Western Conference.

If Utah and Phoenix finish with identical records, Phoenix would be Division champs as they won the season series from the Jazz. The Warriors needed a win to remain in eighth place in the Western Conference. The eighth-place would give the Warriors two chances to make the final eight teams for the Western Conference title. If the Warriors finish in ninth or tenth, one loss will send them home.

Things did not go well for the Warriors in the first half. Phoenix, as so many teams have done, had two men defending Stephen Curry. The Warriors needed someone to step up and fill the void if Curry was shackled. Andrew Wiggins was the man. Wiggins finished the night with 38 points to lead the Warriors to an exciting 122-116 win.

 In the first quarter, the teams played a very face-paced, competitive game. The Warriors led 21-20 when Phoenix went on a 16-2 run to lea 36-23. The Suns were making threes, and the Warriors were not. The Suns connected on six threes. Phoenix led 38-29 after the first 12 minutes of action.

Things didn’t get better for Golden State in the second period. The Suns led by 15 points, 55-40, about halfway through the period. Kent Bazemore, Andrew Wiggins, and Juan Toscano-Anderson helped the Warriors close the gap to a eight-point deficit, 66-58 at the end of the first half.

The Suns Jae Crowder led his team with 17 points. Crowder knocked down five shots from behind the three-point arc. The 36-year-old veteran point guard, Chris Paul, had 11. Devin Booker had nine. Andrew Wiggins kept the Warriors in the game with 21. Kent Bazemore pitched in with 14. Curry finished with four points. He was 0-for-5 from downtown.

The Warriors knew they had to make adjustments to get Curry open so that he could attempt three-point shots. The Suns knew that the Warriors love to put their opponents away in the third quarter. Neither team would wilt in the quarter.

Curry made his only three-pointer of the night to bring the Dubs within six, 70-64. The Suns Devin Booker held to nine points in the first half, took over the Phoenix offense. Booker poured in 22 points while the rest of the Suns tallied just ten. The Warriors won the quarter 34-32 but still trailed by six, 98-92 heading into the final 12 minutes of play. 

The Warriors had to find a way to stop the Phoenix offense in the fourth quarter. Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Juan Toscano-Anderson were the players that held Phoenix to 18 points. The Warriors started the final 12 minutes with their second unit.

Wiggins and Jordan Poole each made a three to tie the game 103-103. Curry made a bucket to tie the game at 105-105. Phoenix went ahead 110-107 with three minutes left. Wiggins connected on a three to tie the game again. Chris Paul responded with a three to put Phoenix ahead 113-110.

Toscano-Anderson made his only three of the night to tie the game at 113-113. Jordan Poole gave the Warriors their first lead since they led 21-20 in the first period. Wiggins made a two-point bucket to give the Warriors a five-point lead 118-113 with 1:21 left.

The Suns Jae Crowder made his sixth three of the night to close within two, 118-116 with 1:10 left. Curry made a floater. Curry made a floater. Golden State led 120-116. The Suns, running out of time, fouled Jordan Poole. Poole made both free throws to seal the win for the Warriors 122-116.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 37-33 for the year. They have two games left on the schedule. They meet the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night and finish the season against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies trail the Warriors by 1/2 game in the race for the eighth spot in the conference. Sunday’s game should be a barnburner.

Andrew Wiggins was the player of the game for Golden State. Wiggins finished with 38 points, seven rebounds, and three assists. Wiggins was 17-for-24 from the floor, and he connected on two threes. Green finished with a triple-double.

His numbers were 11 points, ten rebounds, and 11 assists. The Warriors rarely lose when Green has a triple-double. Poole had 20 points. Poole made three threes. Kent Bazemore had another solid game on both ends of the court.

Bazemore finished with 17 points. For most players scoring 21 points in a game would be a big night. For Curry, it was an off night. Curry tallied 21 points, three rebounds, and six assists. He was seven-for 22 from the floor, and he made one three in 11 tries. Toscano-Anderson finished with seven points, five rebounds, and six assists. He made one three, but it was huge when it happened in the fourth quarter. 

As a team, the Warriors made 47 field goals in 95 attempts. They were 11-for-40 from behind the three-point arc. They outrebounded the Suns 51-40. The Warriors recorded 33 assists on 47 field goals. 

Devin Booker led the Suns with 34 points. Chris Paul had 24, and Jae Crowder finished with 20.

The Warriors play the New Orleans Pelicans Friday night at the Chase Center. Zion Williamson will not play. The Pelicans’ star forward due to an injury he suffered last week against the Warriors in Crescent City. The game will start at 6:30 pm

Warriors hang on down Jazz 119-116; Curry gives it his all again scores 36

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) takes the ball down court against the Utah Jazz on Mon May 10, 2021 at the Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (36-33) met the Utah Jazz (50-19) Monday night at the Chase Center. The Jazz, winners of five straight games, had their sights on avenging the 131-119 loss to the Warriors on March 14th. The Jazz entered the game with the best record in the Western Conference, 50-18.

The Warriors were fighting to remain in eighth place in the Western Conference. It felt as if it were the first game of the playoffs: the Jazz, the only team in the NBA in the top five offensively and defensively. The Jazz entered the game averaging 17 threes a night.

They had the best record, defending the opposing team’s three-point efforts. Both teams were missing key places. Utah’s point guard, Michael Conley, was out with a hamstring injury. The other guard, Donovan Mitchell, was not able to play due to an ankle injury.

The Warriors were missing Daminon Lee due to Covid-19. Kelly Oubre, Jr was out with a torn ligament in his wrist, and Eric Paschall, slated to return on May 11th, sat out with a hip problem. With the two Utah guards out, the Warriors knew the Jazz would commit turnovers.

Could the Warriors capitalize on their miscues? The answer was yes. The Warriors defense forced 15 Utah turnover that translated into 26 points for the Warriors. The Warriors knew that they had to find a way to stop Utah in the fourth quarter. The Jazz averaged 31 points in the last period. Utah put pressure on the Warriors defense as they poured in 41 points in the last 12 minutes. Stephen Curry answered with a three to lead the Warriors to a hard-fought 119-116 win.

Utah’s head coach Quin Snyder assigned Royce O’Neale to guard Curry for most of the first half. O’Neale threw a blanket over Curry as he attempted his three-point shots. Curry started the game with a three. He did not make another three in the first half.

The first half was very close. Neither team would give an inch. The Warriors finished the first period leading 31-30. The second period was a defensive struggle. The Warriors won the quarter by four points to finish the first half with a five-point advantage 54-49. Curry led the Warriors with 15 points. Draymond Green had ten. Andrew Wiggins helped out with eight. Jordan Poole and Kent Bazemore each had seven. The Jazz leading scorers were Bojan Bogdanovic with 15, and Jordan Clarkson, coming off the bench, had 12.

The Warriors won the third quarter 35-26 to finish the third period leading by 14 points, 89-75. Curry had his magic working as he poured in 14 points in the period. Kent Bazemore helped out with ten. Jordan Poole made the shot of the night as he made a 55-foot three-point shot as the buzzer sounded to end the third period. The Warriors didn’t know it at the time, but that three-pointer turned out to be huge.

With the second unit on the floor, the Warriors increased the lead to 17, 94-77. The Jazz kept chipping away at the lead. The Warriors could not stop Utah’s, Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson, a candidate for sixth-man of the year, kept making baskets. He couldn’t make a three in the first half. He made several in the fourth quarter. The Jazz closed to within seven, 122-105, with three minutes left to play.

Their defense continued to stop the Warriors offense. Utah tied the game 112-112. The Jazz went ahead briefly 113-112. Bazemore made a basket to make it 114-113. Clarkson hit a three, and the Jazz led 116-114 with 29 seconds left to play. Curry answered with a three to give the Warriors the advantage 117-116 with 13.4 seconds left. The Warriors had to find a way to stop the Jazz.

They did. Utah did not score on their possession after Curry’s bucket. The Jazz fouled Curry, and he made the two free throws to give the Warriors a three-point lead 119-116 with five seconds left. The Warriors had to stop Utah from tying the game with a three-pointer. They focused on Bogdanovic as the player to defend. The Warriors forced a turnover to win the game 119-116.

Game Notes and Stats-With the win, the Warriors improve to 36-33. They are in eighth place in the Western Conference. Utah is now 50-19 for the year.

Curry’s line was 36 points, four rebounds, and six assists. Curry was 11-for-25 from the floor, and he was three-for-13 from downtown. It was the 37th game that Curry had 30 or more points. The Warriors had four other players in double figures. Jordan Poole added 20 points in 18 minutes of playing time.

Bazemore had 19, Wiggins 14, and Green had 12. Green had a double-double with ten assists, too. Kevon Looney finished the night with 13 rebounds. The third game in a row for Looney with double-digit rebounds, the first time in his career. The team shot 47% from the floor. They made 14 threes in 42 tries.

Jordan Clarkson had a big night with 41 points for Utah. He was 16-for-33 from the floor and connected on five threes. Bogdanovic had 26 points and four threes. The Warriors defense held Rudy Gobert to 10 points. Royce O’Neale was the only other Jazz player in double figures with 10.

The Warriors meet the Phoenix Suns Tuesday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm.

Warriors crush OKC Thunder 136-97; Curry unstoppable with 49 points

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) hits a three pointer while being defended by the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Roby (22) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat May 8, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oklahoma City Thunder had the misfortune of playing the Warriors two days after the Warriors beat them by 21 points Thursday night. The Warriors’ all-world performer, Stephen Curry, had another magnificent game.

Curry had all his shots working for him as he led the Warriors to a blowout win 136-97 over the young OKC team. Curry started the game with two threes to give the Warriors an early 6-0 win. He showed the fans and every in the NBA that he continues to be the best shooter in the league’s history. Curry finished the night with 11 threes in 21 tries. The OKC players had to be thankful they don’t play the Warriors again this season.

The Thunder’s only lead came early in the first period. They led 10-8. Curry, along with Draymond Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson, kept the barrage of threes coming. Curry finished with five from downtown in the first quarter. Green had a three-pointer and five points total in the period. JTA was a force on both ends of the court. The Warriors won the quarter 37-25.

The Warriors’ second unit with Jordan Poole, Mychael Mulder, Kent Bazemore kept the pedal on the gas tank. The Warriors led OKC 55-35 when Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Curry checked in. Green made two threes. Curry connected on his sixth three of the first half, and the Warriors led by 25 points 74-48.

The Thunder, if they had any chance to win the game, had to win the third quarter. It was not going to be easy as Curry and the first unit were on the floor to start the period. The Warriors stopped the OKC offense as Golden State won the third quarter 33-19 to increase to lead 106-67. The game was over. A team can’t overcome a 39-point deficit with 12 minutes left to play.

Curry and Green did not have to play in the fourth quarter. Most players in the NBA are probably drooling over Curry’s performance. Curry’s brother, Seth, tweeted him to “cut it out.” Curry played 29 minutes and finished with 49 points and 11 threes. The Warriors second unit increased led by 48 132-84. The Thunder’s reserves outscored the Curry by seven the rest of the way. The Warriors win 136-97.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors improve to 35-33 with four games left in the regular season. The Warriors are in eighth place in the Western Conference. OKC falls to 21-47. They are in 13th place in the Western Conference

As mentioned above, Curry led the team with 49. Andrew Wiggins finished with 18. Green had another double-double with 15 points, five rebounds, and 13 assists. Kevon Looney tallied three points, but he pulled down twelve rebounds. Juan Toscano-Anderson scored 12 points to go along with nine boards and five assists. Juan was two-for-six from downtown. Jordan Poole had 16 points. He connected on four threes. Mychal Mulder made three threes for nine points. 

The Warriors shot 58% from the floor. They shot 50% from the three-point range. They were 27-for-54 from downtown. The Warriors outrebounded the Thunder 54-47. The Warriors recorded 31 assists on 47 made field goals. The offense was humming Saturday night.

Svi Mykhailuk led the OKC offense with 17 points. Luguentz Dort had 16, Darius Bazley 11, Kenrich Williams 13, Jaylen Hoard 13, and Theo Maledon 10.

The Warriors face the Utah Jazz Monday night. It will be a tougher task for the Warriors as the Jazz own the best record in the Conference 50-18. The Warriors beat the Jazz the last time the two teams met. The Jazz’ Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have a score to settle with the Warriors. 

The game will be at the Chase Center Monday Night. The game will start at 7 pm.

Warriors start final six games of season with win over Oklahoma City 118-97

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) jumps after taking a three point shot that misses in the first half against Oklahoma City Thunder defender Isiah Roby (22) at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Thu May 6, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors Warriors (34-33) started the final stretch of the regular NBA season with a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-46) Thursday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors lead wire to wire to win 118-97. The Warriors were facing a team that had gone from a team with title aspirations several years ago to a team hoping to rebuild through the draft.

Under head coach Mark Daigneault, the Thunder came into Thursday night’s game with a record of 21-45. OKC is tied with Orlando for the fourth-worst record in the NBA. They are one game better than the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have the third-best odds in the draft lottery.

The Thunder’s best play, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, did not play due to a tear in his plantar fascia. Most of the players in the Thunder’s starting lineup have names not well known to Warriors fans. Their starters are Darius Bazley, Kaguentz Dort, Moses Brown, Isaiah Roby, and Theo Maledon.

Behind Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Kent Bazemore, the Warriors finished the first quarter leading 31-23. The Warriors second unit kept the Thunder from closing the gap. OKC closed within four 44-40. Curry came back onto the court and hit a couple of threes to help the Warriors finish the first half with a 12-point lead 61-49. Curry led the team with 17 points.

In the third quarter, Curry put another 17 points on the board. Curry connected four times from downtown. The Warriors increased the lead to 16 88-72 after three periods of play.

The Warriors second unit was in control for the entire fourth quarter. Steve Kerr did not have to use Curryuntil late in the period. Mychal Mulder rained down threes on the Thunder. He connected on five threes. Mulder’s hot hand led the Warriors to a 25-point advantage 108-83. Jordan Poole and Mulder finished the scoring for Golden State as they won 118-97.

Game Notes and Stats-With the win, the Warriors are 34-33 for the year. They are in eighth place in the Western Conference 1/2 game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder’s record is 21-46.

Curry had another game with more than 30 points. Curry finished the night with 34 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. He was 11-for-21 from the floor, and he made six threes in 13 attempts. Mulder had quite a night. Mulder’s knocked down 25 points.

Mulder was 9-for-15 from the floor, and he made seven threes in 13 tries. Other players in double figures were Andrew Wiggins with 18, Poole 14, and Kent Bazemore with 13. Draymond Green’s line was five points, nine rebounds, and nine assists. Kevon Looney pulled down ten boards.


The Warriors shot 49% from the floor. They made 19 threes. The Warriors outrebounded the Thunder 58-45. Golden State recorded 36 assists on 42 field goals. The stat indicated good ball movement.

The scoring leaders for OKC were Darius Bazley with 23, Theo Maledon 15, and Ty Jerome, coming off the bench, 23. Jerome knocked down three threes in a losing effort.

Warriors’ next game Saturday night against the Thunder at the Chase Center in San Francisco for 7 pm tip.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors need win to maintain final playoff spot against Thunder on Thursday night

The New Orleans Pelicans Lonzo Ball led the Pelicans in scoring with 33 points against the Golden State Warriors on Tue May 4, 2021 (@PelicansNBA photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 Are the Golden State Warriors (33-33) going to be worthy of at least holding onto the last and final spot in the Western Conference as they struggled with the New Orleans Pelicans (30-36) on Tuesday night only to lose 108-103.

#2 Stephen Curry did all the heavy lifting once again. He did it on Monday night with 41 points in a game the Warriors won to defeat the Pelicans and on Tuesday night scoring 37 points in the loss of the second game.

#3 The Oklahoma City Thunder (21-45) who occupy 13th place in the Western Conference and lost on Tuesday night to the Sacramento Kings (28-37) 103-99 tip off at the Chase Center San Francisco on Thursday night another crucial game for the Warriors post season hopes.

Join David for the Warriors podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Pelicans grind out win over the Warriors 123-108

The New Orleans Pelicans Lonzo Ball was taking shots all night leading with 33 points against the Golden State Warriors on Tue May 4, 2021 (@PelicansNBA photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors met the New Orleans Pelicans for the second night in a row. For the Warriors, it was the final game of the four-game road trip. The Warriors drubbed the Pelicans Monday night 123-108. Stephen Curry scored 41. Would the Warriors be able to repeat the effort Tuesday night?

Curry did his part with 37 points. Andrew Wiggins knocked down 26 points and was a force on defense. The Warriors did not have Kelly Oubre, Jr., Damion Lee, or Eric Paschall available. The Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was down to eight players. The Warriors gave it all they had, but they ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and fell to the Pelicans 108-103. 

The Warriors scored 39 points in the first quarter Monday night. Tuesday night, they put 34 points on the board. New Orleans knew they could not afford to lose Tuesday night. They had the big seven-foot New Zealander, Steve Adams, back in the lineup.

Adams’ job was to clog the middle and force the Warriors to make threes. The Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball was determined to play better. Ball played well as he tallied 33 points and connected on seven threes. The Pelicans trailed by two after the first quarter, 34-32.

The second quarter was a very close, competitive contest. Neither team could pull away. The biggest lead the Warriors enjoyed was 50-45. The Pelicans scored the next seven points to lead 52-50. Curry scored the next five points to put the Warriors ahead 55-52.

The Pelicans fought back, and the quarter ended with Golden State holding on to a slim one-point advantage 57-56. Curry led the Warriors with 24 points. Andrew Wiggins had 13. Lonzo Ball paced the Pelicans with 16, and Zion Williamson had 15.

The third quarter was a defensive struggle. Neither team could put points on the board. The Warriors won the quarter 22-19 to finish the third period leading 79-75. With Curry on the bench at the start of the fourth quarter, the Warriors’ second unit had to step up to extend the lead.

Andrew Wiggins answered the call with eight points early in the quarter. Juan Toscano-Anderson hit a three to make it 90-81. It was the Warriors biggest lead of the night. The Pelicans’ Lonzo Ball and Zion Williamson went to work as they kept chipping away at the Warriors lead. The Pelicans tied the game 92-92 with 4:19 left.

Kent Bazemore finally connected on a three to make it 98-95 with 2:30 left. Ball made a three to tie the game. The teams tied again at 100-100. The Pelicans went on an 8-0 run. The Warriors made a three with just a few seconds left to play. New Orleans won the game 108-103.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are 33-33 for the year. The Warriors’ last six games of the season will be at the Chase Center in San Francisco. They play the Oklahoma City City Thunder twice, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, and finish with the Memphis Grizzlies on May 16th.

The Warriors had two players in double figures. Curry’s line was 37 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Curry was 12-for-31 from the floor and 8-for-20 from downtown. Curry did not have it late in the fourth quarter. He made one shot in 12 tries.

Andrew Wiggins, for the second game in a row, tallied 26 points. Andrew was 10-for-21 from the floor and 5-for-10 from behind the 3-point arc. Jordan Poole had nine, Mychal Mulder eight. Kevon Looney had eight points and six boards. Draymond Green’s line was seven points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists.

The team shot 32% from the floor. They made 20 threes in 53 attempts. The Warriors turned the ball over 18 times. The turnovers cost them 19 points. The Warriors committed 17 fouls. The Pelicans had 22 free throws, the Warriors seven.

It was the 34th game of the year that Warriors had 30 or more points. It was the 17th time in the last 19 games with 30 or more. It was the fourth straight game with 20 or more points for Andrew Wiggins. 

Lonzo Ball led the Pelicans with 33. Zion Williamson had a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Eric Bledsoe had 12, Brandon Ingram 13, and Naji Marshall 10. The Pelicans’ last six games are with the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, the Warriors, and their final game is against the LA Lakers on May 16th. 

The Warriors game against the OKC Thunder is Thursday night. The game starts at 7 pm.