Tag: NBA

The Jazz upsets the Warriors

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, still smarting from the loss to Chicago Tuesday night, travelled to Salt Lake City to square off against the lowly Utah Jazz. The Jazz , with a record of 16-30 before start of play, had other thoughts and stunned the Warriors 110-100 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score might indicate. The Jazz led wire to wire and the Warriors probably played their worst game of the year. The Jazz out rebounded, out hustled, defensed better and would not the Dubs get their running game going and had and answered every challenge that the Warriors threw at them.

The first period set the tone for the game. Utah took a 13-8 lead halfway through the first period.

The Warriors were cold and could score just nineteen points. It was the lowest scoring first period all year for the Warriors. The Jazz increased the lead to eleven at the end of the first half 56-45. Steph Curry finally knocked a three point shot late in the first half to end an 0 for 20 drought going back to the Chicago game. The Jazz continued to play well and the Warriors were hampered by sloppy ball handling and they were hoping to get their offense going and to stop the Jazz on defense. They could no neither. The Jazz had a 99-83 lead with 5:41 to play. The game got a little closer when Leandro Barbosa entered the game. Barbosa scored sixteen points in 13 minutes of action but it was too little,too late as the Warriors lost their second game in row for the third time this year.

Notes- Steph Curry was the only potent force in the Warrior lineup as he scored thirty-two points and had seven assists and three steals. Klay Thompson, who had been very hot, was cooled off and he scored just twelve points and had two rebounds. The only other Warrior in double figures was Barbosa.

Andrew Bogut played twenty-three minutes but all he could produce was four points, four rebounds and four assists. He may have been feeling the effects of the flu as he sat out the Chicago game.

David Lee, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala just couldn’t get their games going

as the loss was very ugly.

Stars for the Jazz were forward Gordon Hayward who had twenty-six points and fifteen rebounds Trevor Booker and Trey Burke, coming off the bench had seventeen points, seven rebounds and three assists and Burke had fifteen points and seven assists.

The Warriors were out rebounded 55-41 and the Jazz dominated both the offensive and defensive boards. The Warriors shot 43% from the floor but the Jazz was slightly better 44.7%.

After the game, Warrior coach, Steve Kerr, said" it’s hard to win. You need energy and focus and we didn’t have it. They(the Jazz) are a hungry and young team and they took it to us."

The Warriors are now 36-8 for the year and return home to the Oracle Arena to face the Phoenix Suns

Saturday night at 7:30pm PT.

Cousins will be an All-Star after all

Published on by Charlie O. MalloneeLeave a comment
sbnation.com
sbnation.com

by Charlie O. Mallonee

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has selected DeMarcus Cousins to replace Kobe Bryant on the Western Conference All-Star team. Bryant will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn rotator cuff.

Cousins is the first Kings player named to the All-Star team since Brad Miller and Peja Stojakovic represented Sacramento in 2004. He is the sixth Sacramento King to play in the game and the 23rd player in franchise history to be named an All-Star.

“I’m extremely excited to play in my first All-Star game. I appreciate the recognition and want to thank my teammates and the fans for their support throughout the season,” said Cousins. “Representing the Kings and the city of Sacramento is a great honor.”

“Everyone in the Kings organization is thrilled for DeMarcus and happy that his diligence and commitment to becoming the best player he can be has been recognized,” said Kings General Manager Pete D’Alessandro.

Kings Head Coach Tyrone Corbin added, “This honor is a result of the hard work and determination DeMarcus has shown throughout the season.”

Cousins is averaging 23.8 points per game to go with 12.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists,1.38 steals and 1.63 blocks in 33.8 minutes of average playing time. Cousins is fourth in the NBA in double-doubles (26), fifth in scoring and third in rebounding.

The 63rd NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, February 15th at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Kings Can’t Close Out Portland, Drop Fourth Straight.

Published on by swhelchLeave a comment

By Shawn Whelchel

The Kings couldn’t hold on to a fourth quarter lead Monday night, as the Portland Trail Blazers completed their late comeback to hand Sacramento a 98-94 loss.

The Kings, who have now dropped four in a row, held a 87-86 lead with a little over 2 and-a-half minutes to go in the fourth. But Portland’s Damian Lillard lead the late charge, dumping in 6 of his 22 points in the last 90 seconds of play to secure the win.

Portland left the door open for a late Sacramento tie, as Lillard and Nicolas Batum missed 3-of-6 free throws in the waning seconds of the game to keep it a one score game.

But a miss by Rudy Gay and a Darren Collison turnover sealed the Kings fate as Portland held on for the win following a Batum free throw.

Lillard’s team-high 22 points were accompanied by six rebounds and five assists. Gay lead all scorers on the night with 26 points for Sacramento. He was followed by DeMarcus Cousins who added 22 points of his own while hauling in 19 rebounds.

The Kings continue to be hurt by sloppy play after a total of 23 turnovers contributed to 29 Portland points. Sacramento will look to get back on track against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

 

 

Warriors Bury Nuggets, Win 16th Conescutive Home Game

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

James Michael McAdoo’s loyalty to the Golden State Warriors has paid off, possibly far sooner than the forward expected.

Just hours after singing a 10-day contract with the Warriors, McAdoo found himself on the court at Oracle Arena.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel started the season in training camp with the Warriors after going undrafted, but was ultimately waived as the Dubs trimmed their roster.

With multiple NBA offers on the table thanks to his impressive play with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League, the talented 22-year-old opted to return to the team that first put faith in him. In return, the coach Steve Kerr inserted him into the rotation during today’s 122-79 blowout of the Denver Nuggets.

McAdoo saw just 12:37 of game-time, collecting 11 points in his NBA Debut, but wasn’t asked to do the heavy lifting. That responsibility fell to the Splash Brothers, and deliver they did.
Stephen Curry (20 points) and Klay Thompson (22) combined for 42 points. The duo each went 7-for-13 shooting.
Reserves Leandro Barbosa and Shaun Livingston chipped in 12 points apiece. As a team, the Warriors hit an impressive 54.3 percent shooting.

The Nuggets (18-23), losers of three-straight, scuffled in the face of the Warriors defensive presence, shooting just 34.5 percent from the field for the night. Golden State’s stout defending handed the home team a 55-28 lead at the half, allowing the Warriors to cruise through the final two quarters for the romp. The Nuggets cracked 20-plus points in only one quarter, scoring 32 in the third, while being held to 15, 13 and 19 points in the other three periods.

With the win, the Warriors (33-6) have now matched the franchise record in consecutive home wins with 16. The NBA-leadings Dubs get a chance to break the tie Wednesday night when they welcome the Houston Rockets to Oracle Arena.

Warriors win Seventh in a row

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

by Jerry Feitelberg
AP293028374448.jpg

The Golden State Warriors travelled to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz Tuesday night. The Jazz are in a rebuild mode but they have a good nucleus of young and talented players and they gave the Dubs a go at it for the first half of the game but the Warriors blew it open behind the stellar play of all-world guard Steph Curry as they won by double digits for the seventh straight game downing the Jazz by a final score of 116-105.

The Jazz came into the game with a record of 13-25 while the Dubs have the best record in the NBA.

They are 29-5 and have won six in a row before start of play. The Jazz played the Dubs tough and led by seven at one point in the second quarter. The Warriors fought back and tied the score at 53 to end the first half. The Warriors were led by Steph Curry’s twelve points and seven assists. Draymond Green came through with nine points while Klay Thompson and Mo Speights had five. The Warriors bench was credited with 8 assists in the half and the Dubs had nineteen total assists so far.

The Jazz were led by their big center Enes Kanter who had eleven points and another young power forward ,Derrick Favors, put in nine. Small forward Gordon Hayward also had nine for the Jazz in the half.

The game changed in the third period. The Warriors were able to get their rhythm going and they moved the ball well running the floor with great passing from Steph Curry and Andrew Bogut. They were lights out from three point range as they made eight three-point shots and scored forty-four points to break open the game. The Jazz did not quit. They played hard and kept trying to come back but the Warriors kept them at bay. Curry ad fifteen points and four assists and did not play in the fourth quarter.

The second unit played the entire fourth quarter and the Warriors won 116-105.

Notes-The Warriors won the seventh game in row by double digits. Andrew Bogut was back in the starting lineup and he played well. His passing game was outstanding and he rebounded and blocked shots. Not a bad night for Bogut. Steve Kerr became the first coach in NBA history to go 30-5 in his first year at the helm.

Curry led the Warriors with 27 points and 11 assists. Draymond Green had fifteen while Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes put in twelve each. The Jazz was led by Favors 22 points and 11 rebounds. Enes Kanter’s night ended with him putting in 13 points and getting 10 rebounds. His teammate, Rudy Gobert scored 12 and got 11 rebounds. These three young men will be the nucleus for the Jazz as they rebuild the team.

After the game, Steph Curry said “we’re pretty hard to stop.” Quite an understatement. Coach Kerr, talking about curry had this to say” he’s electric-just incredible.” and that (Curry)”took over the game in the third period.” Commenting on the team’s overall performance Kerr said this”that’s our game to move the ball and when we move the ball ball we move the defense.’ By having ball movement the Warriors are able to get the ball to the open man and their chances of scores increases. Kerr said that

the level of play in the third period “was a clinic.”

The Warriors return home Wednesday to meet the Miami Heat (16-21) at the Oracle Arena.

Sacramento Kings Snaps Two Game Skid Against Minnesota Timberwolves

Published on by swhelchLeave a comment

By Shawn Whelchel

The Sacramento Kings snapped their two-game road skid on Thursday night using an opportune matchup against the cellar dwelling Minnesota Timberwolves, battling their way to a 110-107 victory.

After dropping consecutive games to Brooklyn and Boston, the Kings used a balanced scoring attack that saw all five starters in double digits to down the Timberwolves, who are currently tied for the second worst record in league with just 5 wins on the season.

Rudy Gay and Darren Collison led the team with 21 points a piece, while DeMarcus Cousins followed closely behind with another strong showing, posting 19 points and seven rebounds in the winning effort.

But despite the scoring outbursts from the Kings’ starting five, another weak night from Sacramento’s bench allowed Minnesota to make it an interesting game down the stretch. Sacramento had lost both of their key starters in Gay and Cousins with the score tied at 99, with just a little over 4 minutes left to play.

But Collison came up clutch for the Kings down the stretch, sinking two key free throws that forced Minnesota into a last second three pointer that missed its mark, securing the win for Sacramento in the tight contest.

Rookie standout Andrew Wiggins had an impressive showing for Minnesota, posting 27 points and nine rebounds while keeping the Timberwolves within striking range.

After dropping the first two games of the roadtrip,  Sacramento can now finish the four game series with a 2-2 showing, as they look to keep their win streak alive against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

 

Kings Can’t Contain Plumlee, Drop To Brooklyn

Published on by swhelchLeave a comment

By Shawn Whelchel.

The Sacramento Kings dropped the first game of their four game roadtrip to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, after sloppy play and a lack of bench scoring neutralized a big night from DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay.

Gay led all scorers in the game with 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting, while Cousins continued his strong play, following closely behind with 24 points on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting from the field, accounting for 49 of the Kings 99 total points.

But while four out of five starters finished Monday’s contest in double digits for the Kings, the bench failed to provide the necessary support during their minutes on the court, adding just 19 points while contributing to the losing effort.

Nets center Mason Plumlee continues to shine in place of Brook Lopez, who has been reserved to a bench role as of late, as he dumped in 6-of-7 attempts good for a team high 22 points on the night.

The Kings continue to hurt themselves with sloppy play, as a total of 21 turnovers on the night led to 25 points for the Nets at home. Brooklyn’s bench also outscored the Kings by 19 points.

Despite the lack of bench play, the Kings pulled to within 5 points with just over five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. But the defense couldn’t hold off the Nets, who used a pair of runs to solidify their victory over the visiting Kings for their 14th win of the season.

The Kings will take on the Celtics on Wednesday, December 31 at 10 a.m.

The Warriors Roll Over the Sacramento Kings

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

by Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors played a terrific game Monday night against the visiting Sacramento
Kings beating them 128-108. The Warriors played very well in all phases of the game. They ran the court well, found the open man and shot a fantastic 53% from the floor. Their defense was great as they kept Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins contained all night. Sacramento played well but the Dubs were just the better team as their depth showed as the bench contributed 62 points in the victory.

The game also marked the return of star forward David Lee to action. Lee had played just under 7 minutes all season and had missed 21 games. He received a standing ovation from the fans when he entered the game with 3:01 left to play in the first period.The Warriors, as mentioned earlier, had a great effort from the bench. Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Mo Speights, Justin Holiday all made significant contributions to the win. Starting center Festus Ezeli and reserve guard Justin Holiday each had a career high in points scored. Ezeli had 15 and Holiday had 18.

The game started well for the Dubs as they took an early 9-2 lead/ The Kings came back to tie at 9 but the Dubs went on a 19-2 run to put them ahead and they Kings had to play catch up all night. The first period ended with the W’s ahead 36-20. It was more of the same in the second period. Sacramento could not claw their way back. The Warriors led by Klay Thompson and Steph Curry
ended the half ahead by 14 points 64-50.

The Warriors continued their excellent play and led the Kings by 23 early in the third period.
The bench was fantastic as they played so well that Steph Curry sat and watched his team dominate. They led 93-77 after 3 periods of play and won by a final score of 128-108.

Klay Thompson led all scorers with 25 points. Steph Curry had a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists. David Lee played 16 minutes with six points and 7 rebounds. Curry, by the way, played just 26 minutes. The Dubs had six players in double figures. They had 36 assists and turned the ball over just 12 times. They are now 23-3 for the season and have won 18 of the last 19 games played. Their home record is now 10-1 for the year.

DeMarcus Cousins led the Kings with 22 points and 8 rebounds. Darren Collison added 17 while Rudy Gay pitched in with 13 and Omri Casspi notched 18 in a losing effort.

The Warriors next game is Tuesday night in Los Angeles against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jerry Feitelberg
jyf1938

Warriors Stay Dominate, Kings Continue To Slide.

Published on by swhelchLeave a comment

By Shawn Whelchel

The Golden State Warriors dominated the Sacramento Kings in Monday night’s Bay Area battle, cruising their way to a 128-108 victory.

On the second night of a back-to-back, the Kings were outplayed in nearly every facet of the game by the Warriors, who currently own the NBA’s best record at 23-3 on the season.

The lone bright spot for Sacramento was C DeMarcus Cousins, who excelled in Andrew Bogut’s absence, leading the team with 22 points on the night. Darren Collison followed the big man with 17 of his own.

The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson, whose 25 points led all scorers for the contest. Steph Curry was limited to just 12 points, but tallied 11 assists on the night. In place of Bogut, Festus Ezeli notched a career high 15 points while adding six rebounds.

After losing the lead early in the first quarter following a 25-9 run for Golden State, the Kings were unable to fight their way back into contention, as the Warriors maintained a comfortable lead throughout the game.

The Warriors received a big boost from their bench, who outscored Sacramento’s bench 62-39 on the night.

The loss now drops Sacramento to a 12-16 record, good for fourth in the Pacific Division. The Kings continue their season skid, losing 11 of their last 14 games.

Memphis ends the Warriors’ winning streak

Published on by Sports Radio ServiceLeave a comment

AP Photo/Brandon Dill

by Jerry Feitelberg

images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSRWMGzlexPbpp7v9THVHxbHrJvQRRZHSp7qG7ExTyp-P5xP9xgvw

All good things must come to an end and that is what happened Tuesday night in Memphis as the Golden State Warriors lost for the first time since November 11th and their franchise record sixteen game winning streak ended as they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 105-98.

The Warriors were without their two big men, Andrew Bogut and David Lee. Bogut missed his fourth game in a row due to a knee problem and Lee has missed over twenty games as he recovers from a hamstring injury. Their absence was huge as the two big men for Memphis, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, could not be contained by the smaller Warrior team. Gasol led the Grizzlies in the first half

with fourteen points and finished the game with twenty-four. Zach Randolph had seventeen points and ten rebounds and was a force underneath the basket all night.

The game started well for the Dubs. The Warriors had the lead after the first period 28-24. Harrison Barnes had nine points to put Golden State ahead. Things changed in the second period as the Warriors missed the first eleven shots while Memphis went on a 20-0 run to give them 44-30 lead with 7:12 left in the first half. From that point on till the end of the game the Warriors

could not catch up. They trailed 57-49 at the end of the half and it was more of the same in the third period and they trailed by eleven at the end of three. The Warriors went to a small lineup in the fourth period and they closed the gap twice to two points but the bigger Grizzlies kept the pressure on and

went on a 7-0 run late in the game and they beat the Dubs by a final score of 105-98.

The Warriors were led by Steph Curry who had nineteen points, seven rebounds and six assists. However, Steph had a tough night and made just one three-point shot all night. Draymond Green had just four points and he did not make a three point shot. Klay Thompson had twenty-two points and Marreese Speights contributed eighteen with eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Grizzlies were led by Marc Gasol who had twenty-four points and Zach Randolph’s seventeen points and ten rebounds. For Randolph, it was his fifteenth double-double of the year. Point guard Michael Conley scored seventeen and Vince Carter, coming off the bench had sixteen.

The Warriors are now 21-3 for the season while Memphis improved to 20-4 and are 12-1 at home.

After the game, Michael Conley said ” With Bogut and Lee out, we had the advantage down low.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr commented”I thought we were going to win but there was too much to overcome.” We “fought really hard. We got close but couldn’t get over the hump.”

The Warriors return home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday night at the Oracle Arena.