The Warriors squeeze by the Lakers

Published on March 16, 2015 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

March 16, 2015

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors had their hands full Monday night against the lowly Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are now 17-49 for the year, but they battled the Dubs tooth and nail all the way, but they lost 108-105. Golden State improves to 53-13 and with the win clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive year in a row and also improved their record at Oracle Arena to 30-2.

The Warriors had won two out of three against the Lakers this year but the Lakers dealt the Dubs their worst loss of the year in December and came into town wanting to play the role of spoiler and gunning for the upset.

Play was even in the first period as both teams scored 30 points. The Warriors and an 8-point lead early in the second period and then a nine-point lead with just 4 minutes left in the half. The Lakers went on a 9-0 run to tie the game at 52, but Dubs finished the half with a four-point lead 58-54. The teams played it even in the third period. Each team scored 24 points as they headed into the fourth period. The Lakers actually outscored the Warriors by one point in the final period, but they made it a very close game. The Warriors pulled away at the end as the Lakers had to foul and Steph Curry made them pay.Final score 108-105 in favor of Golden State.

Now for the stats. The lakers had 6 players in double figures.Jordan Hill(15), Jordan Clarkson(17), Wesley Johnson (16), Wayne Ellington (17). Jeremy Lin(15) and Carlos Boozer(10) were strong off the bench. The Lakers shot 45.9% from the floor and were 8 for 15 in 3-point shots. They had 11 offensive and 34 defensive rebounds. They had 24 assists, 11 steals, 5 blocks and made 18 turnover in a losing effort.

The Warriors, on the other hand, were 47.6% from the floor but made just 7 3-point shots in 27 attempts. They had 7 offensive and 30 defensive rebounds. They had 28 assists, 16 steals, and 7 blocked shot and turned the ball over 14 times.

Klay Thompson led the scoring with 26 points. Harrison Barnes had 11, Draymond Green 16 points, 3 assists and 8 rebounds while Steph Curry scored 19 (17 in the second half0 plus 9 assists and 4 rebounds. No other Warrior was in double figures. The bench played well but did not score a lot. Andre Iguodala had 8, David Lee five and Festus Ezeli and Shaun Livingstone each had six.

Next game will be a doozy as the Warriors, best team in the Western Conference, meet the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks at the Oracle Arena Wednesday night, March 18th at 7:30pm. The Warriors will be trying to avenge a loss earlier in the season to Atlanta. Don’t miss this one.

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Thompson’s career-high 41 points paces Warriors past Lakers

Published on November 1, 2014November 1, 2014 by jhawkes51Leave a comment

By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — It’s official: Klay Thompson loves to play the Los Angeles Lakers.

Thompson scored a career-high 41 points, guiding the Golden State Warriors to their first home win of the season with a 127-104 victory over Los Angeles in front of a sellout crowd of 19,596 at Oracle Arena Saturday night.

“We got into a great offensive flow tonight,” said Thompson, who also grabbed five rebounds. “I thought if we could stay aggressive and play well, we could win.”

Stephen Curry scored 31 points and dished out 10 assists (turning the ball over just twice).

“We wanted to come out and be aggressive and feed off this crowd,” Curry said. “It was a collective win.”

Golden State found themselves down by 43-33 in midway through the second quarter, but went on a 25-4 run to take a 61-55 lead at halftime. After Los Angeles shot 63% from the floor in the first quarter, Golden State limited the Lakers to just 50% shooting in the second quarter.

Harrison Barnes added 15 points, and Draymond Green chipped in nine points and five rebounds while starting in place of injured power forward, David Lee.

Andre Iguodala and Leandro Barbosa scored nine points each to the lead the Warriors’ scoring off the bench.

“We got a lot to work on, but when you have Thompson and Curry in the backcourt, with the versatility of a [Harrison] Barnes and a [Draymond] Green, its fun to coach,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr.

“I thought our energy didn’t really show up until the third quarter, but I liked how we responded and continued to play hard and executed the game plan better.”

After shooting 3-of-10 from the field and scoring just eight points in the first half, Kobe Bryant scored 19 of his 28 points in the third quarter. Bryant and Thompson put on a show in the third quarter, trading baskets and playing each other aggressively. The Lakers’ legend also finished tied for the team lead with six rebounds.

“He’s [Bryant] is such a great player that’s done it all in the league,” Thompson said, “He’s amazing.”

Jordan Hill scored 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting, and Wesley Johnson added 15 points. Ed Davis had 13 points and six rebounds for the Lakers.

Los Angeles has dropped their fourth game in five nights and at 0-4, it’s the first time that the Lakers have started a season 0-4 in their history in Los Angeles.

The Warriors had their way with the Lakers down low, outscoring Los Angeles 62-42 in the paint. Golden State smothered Los Angeles’ 3-point shooting, handcuffing the Purple & Gold to 4-of-14 (28%) from beyond the arc.

The real story was the play of Thompson, who finished 14-of-18 shooting from the field, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range. Thompson’s previous career-high of 38 points came in Golden State’s home opening win last year against, coincidentally, the Lakers.

Many wondered after Thompson and Golden State agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $70 million if Thompson is even worth such a large financial commitment. I think with Thompson’s performance tonight, he’s answered the question that the money that Golden State has committed into keeping the “Splash Brothers” together, will be well spent.

“We had some great flow tonight…It’s always fun playing the Lakers,” Thompson said.

At 2-0, Golden State heads to Portland to take on the Trailblazers and Oakland native, Damien Lilliard, Sunday before returning home to take on their bitter rivals the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Game Notes:

The Golden State Warriors announced Thursday that the team has exercised the fourth-year contract options on forward Harrison Barnes and center Festus Ezeli, which are for the 2015-16 NBA season. The team did not exercise the third-year contract option on guard Nemanja Nedovic.

Warriors beat the LA Lakers in Pre-season game

Published on October 10, 2014 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, and Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant battle for a loose ball during the first half of a preseason basketball game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) ( Mark J. Terrill )

The Golden State Warriors played their second pre-season game of the year against the Los Angeles Lakers Thursday night at the Staples Center in LA. The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson as they beat the hated Lakers 120-105. Thompson scored 20 points in the first half and ended up with 25 total playing just 25 minutes of the game. The other half of the Splash Brothers, Steph Curry scored 20 in his 27 minutes of work and the Warriors cause was helped out by David Lee with 12 points and 4 assists. Andrew Bogut had 4 points,6 rebounds,four assists and four blocked shots, Harrison Barnes contributed 11 points and his play was much better overall Thursday night. Brandon Rush, trying to make the team again, had 8 points and was on the floor for 16 minutes.

The Lakers’ aging superstar, Kobe Bryant had 15 points for the game but Carlos Boozer led the club with 16. Bryant said this about Thompson”he has the whole package.”

Former Laker great, Jerry West, an NBA Hall of Fame member and an executive Board member of the Warriors said this about Klay” I talked to some people who were involved with USA basketball, and they loved him, absolutely loved him.”

Game notes- the Warriors and Klay Thompson are working on an extension but they are 2-3 million dollars apart at the present time. Thompson is in his third year in the league and has improved each year and the club would like to get the contract settled by Halloween. If they don’t agree, Thomson will become a restricted free agent meaning that the Warriors can match any exorbitant offer sheet he sign with another team in July 2015.

Andre Iguodala suffered a broken nose just before halftime but is expected to play Sunday against the Lakers in Ontario.

The Warriors committed 14 turnovers which was a big improvement as they turned the ball over 23 times against the Clippers last Wednesday night.

The Warriors will have an open practice from 6-7:30pm October 23rd at Oracle Arena. Parking and admission will be free.

Warriors Romp Lame Lakers, Crush Short-handed Los Angeles 102-83:

Published on December 22, 2013December 22, 2013 by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 21: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a layup against Robert Sacre #50 of the Los Angeles Lakers on December 21, 2013 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) — OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 21: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors shoots a layup against Robert Sacre #50 of the Los Angeles Lakers on December 21, 2013 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

By Matthew Harrington

In man-handling the Los Angeles Lakers 102-83 at Oracle Arena Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors reversed their fortunes against teams without their usual star power. On Thursday the Spurs, who were short Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker, slipped past Golden State 104-102. With a chance to rectify Thursday’s loss against a gutted foe, the Warriors (15-13) punished the punchless Lakers (13-14) who were missing injured stars Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and new addition to the infirmed Pau Gasol (out Saturday with a upper respiratory infection).

Laker forward Nick Young had a game-high 20 points coming off the bench, while David Lee led Golden State with 19 and 10 rebounds to complete the double-double. Andrew Bogut joined Lee registering double-digits in points (12) and rebounds (20).
Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had five field goals apiece for the home side, good for 18 and 17 points respectively. Laker center Chris Kaman’s 17 rebounds in the contest were second only to Bogut’s total.

Andre Iguodala again struggled, collecting only three points on one shot made in six attempts in 24 minutes of action in his third game back from injury. Iguodala stood as the lone Warrior starter to not crack double figures in scoring.

The Warriors held a slim one-point lead after the first quarter before adding a slight four-point gap at the half leading 46-42. The Dubs did most of the damage in the third, outscoring the Lakers 26-15 in the pivotal frame. Thompson had eight points in the third, including a pair of threes to stake the hosts to a 72-57 lead. The Warriors wrapped up the blowout by outscoring their Rivals from the south 30-26, sealing the victory.

With the win, the Warriors managed to hold the Lakers from gaining ground in the standings. Golden State stands one place out of playoff position with the Lakers a game and a half behind them. With the Warriors heading to the Mile-high City to face the eighth-place Nuggets Monday night, a Dubs victory would move them over Denver into the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The tip-off is at 6:00 p.m.

Kings Fold in the Fourth; Lose to Lakers 106-100

Published on December 7, 2013December 7, 2013 by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment

Photo Credit: Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images

By Charlie O. Mallonee

The Kings lost at home on Friday night to the Los Angeles Lakers 106-100. It was game they did not have to lose. It was a game the Kings should have won.

After the game, Kings Head Coach Michael Malone said one word was on his mind, “discipline. And, we had none in this game tonight.”

Turnovers and lack of defense in the fourth quarter led to the Kings defeat. The Kings turned to ball over five times in the final period. The Lakers outscored the Kings 25-13 in fourth. That lack of discipline cost Sacramento the 87-81 lead they had after three periods of play.

The game started slow for the Kings. It looked like they might fall back into their habit of falling seriously behind and then having to play catch up later in the game. With 3:19 to play in the first, Isaiah Thomas came into the game for Vasquez and the Kings’ tempo changed dramatically. They went from trailing the Lakers by seven to leading the game by two points (30-28) by the end of the quarter. The crowd knew their team could win the game if they continued to play at that level.

In the second quarter, Thomas continued to lead the way. He played the entire 12 minutes, scored 10 points and dished out three assists. The problem for the Kings became their shot selection and shooting percentage. Sacramento’s field goal shooting dropped to 36.0% (9/25) while the Lakers shot 50.0%. The Kings managed to outscore the Lakers 25-24 in the quarter and took a 55-52 lead with them to locker room at the half.

The Kings came out in the third quarter ready to do battle. They established an eight point lead (68-60) by the 7:39 mark in the period. Then with 6:39 to play, DeMarcus Cousins picked up his fourth personal foul which would ultimately have a dramatic impact on the game as he had to sit on the bench. The rest of the Kings went to work picking up the slack. When Ben McLemore hit back-to-back 3-pointers, it looked like the Kings were poised to beat the Lakers. When the quarter ended, the score was the Kings 87 and the Lakers 81.

Then came the disastrous fourth quarter and the Kings shot just 23.5% (4/17). Isaiah Thomas was 0/4, Cousins was 0/4 and Williams 0/1 from the field. Sacramento turned the ball over five times. They allowed the Lakers to steal the ball five times in the period. The Lakers outscored the Kings 25-13. The Kings ran out of gas, things got ugly and they lost the game 106-100.

“Obviously this isn’t what we worked on, diagrammed or hoped for,” said Michael Malone. “It’s obvious that we have to do a lot more. I thought we had great late-game execution against Golden State. We got whatever we wanted, we scored, and we executed. Tonight, down the stretch, we turned the ball over on almost every possession. It was very disappointing, obviously. We’ll have another chance tomorrow in Utah and we need to regroup to find a way to get a road win.”

DeMarcus Cousins and Ben McLemore led all scorers in the game with 20 points each. Isaiah Thomas tallied 14 points before going cold in the fourth quarter. John Salmons added 13 points; Williams and Thompson had nine points each.

Cousins made it a double-double game with his 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks led the Lakers in scoring with 19 points each. Nick Young scored 14, Wesley Johnson and Steve Blake 13 each and Robert Sacre added 11 points. Blake posted a double-double by adding 10 assists.

The Kings boarded a plane for Salt Lake City after the game. They will play the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. The Jazz were destroyed by the Trail Blazers on Friday night 130-97. On paper, the Kings should have real chance to defeat the Jazz, but that’s on paper. The reality is the game is on road versus a team that is just as hungry for a win as are the Kings.

A Flawless Win in Season Opener for Dubs

Published on October 30, 2013November 1, 2013 by mitherjustinLeave a comment

OAKLAND, Calif. – For the first time in years, the Golden State Warriors enters the 2013-2014 season with high expectations as one of the elite contenders in the Western Conference. Tonight, the Dubs proved that with a statement as they dominated the Los Angeles Lakers to a 125-to-94 blowout win at the Oracle Arena.

Klay Thompson scores a career-high with 38 points (15-19 FGS) and 5-7 from beyond the arch. From the opening quarter, he did not shy away from shooting the ball scoring 18 points.

David Lee, as well had a great evening coming back from hip surgery during the off-season scoring 24 points with eight rebounds.

Andre Iguodala also made his home debut scoring 7 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Curry contributed with 10 points and 6 dimes.

Despite the high scoring, the Warriors’ defense should be awarded. Their play on the defensive end was very impressive forcing 16 turnovers with 8 steals and keeping the paint dry with a game high of 9 blocks.

Head Coach Mark Jackson utilized the entire squad by giving every player on the active roster playing time. Tonight’s game was definitely a team game tallying up 34 total team assists.

Pau Gasol and Jodie Meeks of the Lakers led the team with 12 points and 7 rebounds and 14 points, respectively.

David Lee and the Warriors gearing up for tonight’s opener

Published on October 30, 2013November 1, 2013 by gabeschapiroLeave a comment

By Gabe Schapiro

For the Golden State Warriors the lengthy preseason, which included a trip to China, is finally over. Tonight the regular season begins, and a visibly thinner and more in-shape David Lee is ready and rearing to go.

Lee, who was the lone Warrior All-Star last season, is known for his prowess on the offensive end of the floor. Beyond just getting in better shape, Lee has spent much of the offseason focusing on improving his defensive game. For Lee, the two goals are one in the same. “Not being in as good of shape last year, looking back on the film, sometimes I would take possessions off. With the amount of work they had me doing on offense, it might have been on the defensive end a little.”

Over the course of seven preseason game, Lee has already seen that work and focus starting to pay off. “My pick-and-roll defense has been much better and my help defense has been much better…The big thing for me is making extra-effort plays.” Giving a nod to fellow big-man and defensive force down-low, he added, “I’m not claiming to be Andrew Bogut, but defensively on the post I’ve been doing a lot better competing.”

With an eye towards being “one of the best power forwards in the league,” Lee went on that “if you’re looking at making improvements and making that next step…for me it’s got to start on that defensive end.”

Focusing in on tonight’s contest against the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State is taking on a team they have seen a lot of recently. They played them three times during the preseason, and were taking notes during the Lakers victory over the Los Angeles Clippers last night in their own regular season opener.

The Lakers surprised many, and overcame not having Kobe Bryant in the lineup thanks to an incredible 76 points from their bench and a strong shooting night from beyond the arc.

Lee and the Warriors aren’t taking LA lightly, with or without Bryant. “Anybody out there if you don’t give them their proper due they can hurt you…you gotta be ready no matter who they have on the floor.”

When asked what the keys to winning tonight’s contest were, Lee kept it simple. “We have to share the ball offensively…defensively we have to defend that three-point line, that’s an equalizer.”

Most of all, it has to be a team effort. “We have to come ready to play. Not just one-through-five but one-through-ten or however many of our guys get into the game.”

Warriors fall to Lakers in Preseason Opener

Published on October 5, 2013October 6, 2013 by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

By: Phillip Torres

October 5, 2013

ONTARIO, CA- The Golden State Warriors played the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena. The Lakers outlasted Golden State 104-95 in the preseason exhibition. Xavier Henry lead the way for Los Angeles with 29 points. The veterans for the Lakers rested as they are expected to do for most of this preseason. Nick Young contributed 17 points as well. The Preseason victory was the first for the Lakers in their last 10 preseason games and first since they beat the Warriors on October 22, 2010.

Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, and Kobe Bryant did not play in the preseason opener as they all will be rested throughout the preaseon games. Bryant was not even in the United States as he continued his medical treatment in Europe.

Klay Thompson scored 26 for the Dubs and newly acquired Andre Iguodala scored 15 in his first action with Golden State. He missed just one shot for his new team on the night. Harrison Barnes and David Lee each scored 10 points a piece and Stephen Curry score just five in just 14 minutes of action.

The Warriors will be back on the court on Monday against the Sacramento Kings in Oakland at Oracle Arena.

Phillip Torres covers the Golden Sate Warriors for Sportsradioservice.com