Tag: NBA

Mavericks grind out 109-99 win over Warriors

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Golden State Warriors Jonathan Kuminga (00) takes a shot against the Dallas Mavericks Dereck Lively II (2) at American Airlines Arena in Dallas on Wed Mar 13, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (34-31) had to play the Dallas Mavericks (38-28) Wednesday night without two starters. Stephen Curry was held out from playing as he recovered from a sprained right ankle.

The Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, gave Draymond Green the night off. The Warriors knew they had to find a way to stop the Mavs’ superstar Luka Doncic. Doncic had seven consecutive triple-doubles before Wednesday’s game.

Doncic is averaging 34.6 points per game, 9.9 rebounds, and 9.1 assists. The Warriors’ defense held Doncic to 21 points, three rebounds, and nine assists. The Warrior defense held the Mavericks to 109 points. Normally, the Warriors would win the game when that happens. Not so on Wednesday. The Dallas defense held the Warriors to 15 points in the second quarter.

The Warriors trailed Dallas by six at the half, 48-42. The Warriors never gained the lead. The Warriors played catch-up the entire second half. The Mavericks won 109-99.

The game between the Warriors and the Mavericks was a thrilling display of competitive basketball. The first quarter saw both teams locked in a tight battle, with neither side able to gain a significant advantage. The score was tied at 27-27 after the first 12 minutes of action, setting the stage for an exciting game.

In the second quarter, the Dallas defense kept the Warriors from scoring. Dallas went on a 13-2 run to lead 40-29. The Warriors woke up and started scoring. The Mavs won the quarter 21-16 to gain a 48-42 lead.

As the game progressed into the third quarter, the Warriors knew they had to step up their game. They scored 28 points, matching the Mavs’ score for the period. However, this was not enough to close the gap, and the Mavs maintained their lead at 76-70 as the teams moved into the fourth quarter. Despite the six-point deficit, the fans knew that an NBA team could come back, adding to the anticipation of the final quarter. 

Klay Thompson knocked a deuce to bring the Warriors within four points of the lead. The Warriors didn’t know then, but they would not get any closer. The Mavericks went on an 18-2 run. Dallas led 92-74. Dallas could not be caught. The Mavericks won 109-99.

Game Notes: The Warriors are 34-31 for the year. They have 17 games left to play. They are in 10th place in the Western Conference. The Mavs improved to 38-28. 

Jonathan Kuminga led the Warriors with 27 points, four rebounds, and two assists. He also connected on two threes from downtown. Kuninga has scored 20 points or more in seven of his last nine games. Andrew Wiggins had 17 points and five boards. Trayce Jackson-Davis tallied 10 points and nine rebounds. Brandin Podzienski had 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists.

Podzienski knocked down two three. Chris Paul had nine, and Klay Thompson ended with eight. The Dallas defense made sure Thompson had to work to get his shots. With Curry out, Dallas kept the clamps on Thompson.

The Warriors shot 40% from the floor and made nine threes in 28 attempts. They outrebounded the taller Maverick team 53-47. The Mavs blocked 13 shots to deter the Warriors’ attack.

The other key performers for Dallas were Kyrie Irving, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively, and Josh Green. All were in double figures. 

The Warriors finish the three-game road trip on Saturday when they play the Los Angeles Lakers. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors tip off against Mavericks tonight in Dallas

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Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) goes for the basket against the San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins (left) in the second half at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio (AP News photo)

On Golden State Warriors Podcast with David:

#1 Dave, the Golden State Warriors (34-30) and San Antonio Spurs (14-51) completed a home at home with the Warriors losing the first game at Golden State 126-113 and taking the second game in San Antonio 112-102 on Monday night. Was this the tale of two different Warriors teams or it just boils down to Stephen Curry being out of the line up.

#2 Top scorers for the Warriors on Monday Jonathan Kuminga with 22 points and Klay Thompson with 21. Talk about Kuminga’s role and coming off the bench seems to be much better for Thompson.

#3 Up next for Golden State the Dallas Mavericks (37-28) who are in eighth place in the Western Conference. The Mavericks have won five of their last ten and are on a three game win streak. How do you see this one playing out tonight at 5:30 pm PDT?

Join David Zizmor for exclusive coverage on the Golden State Warriors podcasts each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

After 8 years of waiting Kings finally defeat Bucks 129-94; Sacramento win ends 15 game skid against Milwaukee

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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) scores on the Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11) in the first half at Golden 1 in Sacramento on Tue Mar 12, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The story heading into Tuesday night’s Kings game was the same as usual this year. The Kings were coming off a tough loss at home in their previous game—the Kings loss to the Rockets at Golden One Center on Sunday afternoon.

On Tuesday, the Kings desperately needed to get back on track to maintain pace in the play-in tournament standings. The Kings also wanted to climb in the standings to reach the sixth seed in the regular NBA playoffs. The Kings welcomed Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks with a 7 PM PST tip-off on Tuesday. The Kings De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points to lead the Kings in the 129-94 win.

GAME RESULT: In the first quarter, the Kings started with good intensity on the defensive end of the floor. The Kings defense was leading to good shots on the offensive side. The Kings outscored the Bucks in the first quarter 38-30 to take the quick lead. Harrison Barnes started the game hot, leading the Kings with nine points. The Kings would look to keep up the intensity in the second quarter.

In the second quarter, the Kings continued to press the gas. They outscored the Bucks 37-26 and extended their lead over them going into halftime to 75-56. The Kings were led in the first half by their defensive pressure on the Bucks.

Making the Bucks make tough shots and getting open looks on the other end is always a good recipe. The Kings leading scorer at halftime was Malik Monk, who had 17 points. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in the first half with 22 points.

In the third quarter, the Kings gave up a bit of ground but held firm against the Bucks. The Bucks attempted to make a couple of runs on Kings, but they didn’t make up ground. The Bucks outscored the Kings 22-20 in the fourth quarter to inch closer. The Kings would lead the game 95-78 going into the final quarter of action. Vegas favored the Kings by 1.5 points to start the game. It appears that was a generous line for the Bucks.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings finished off the Bucks in a blowout fashion, emptying the bench as the quarter came to a close. The Kings would defeat the Bucks. The Kings outscored the Bucks in the fourth quarter 34-16.

It was really never a game on Tuesday, as the Kings got up early and never let up. It was a big win for the Kings on the first night of a back-to-back. The Kings would look to keep the momentum going as the Lakers come to town on Wednesday. The Kings were led by Fox, who scored 29 points in the game. Giannis led the Bucks with 30 points in defeat.

Note: Domantas Sabonis recorded another double-double during the game on Tuesday night. It was his Sacramento Kings record-breaking 47th straight double-double.

Up Next: The Kings stay home for a second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday at Golden One Center. The LA Lakers will travel for a 7 PM PST tip-off.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: It doesn’t get easier Kings host Bucks tonight

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Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) drives on the Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) and center Alex Len (25) in first half action at Golden 1 in Sacramento on Sun Mar 10, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Tony R:

#1 The Houston Rockets in the Sacramento King’s last game had Fred VanVleet who led in scoring with 22 points and it helped get a 112-104 win for the Rockets at Golden 1 in Sacramento.

#2 Despite the win the Rockets lost their leading scorer Alperen Sengun who left with a right knee and ankle injury.

#3 Sengun had a bad landing while defending the Kings Domantas Sabonis with a minute left in the game. Sengun was in immediate pain after landing and had to leave the floor in wheelchair.

#4 On defense the Kings had a hard time stopping the Rockets as seven Rocket players finished in double figures. The Kings remain in seventh place in the Western Conference they have won six of their last ten games. Do you look at the game against the Rockets as just one bad game or they’re starting struggle at this juncture.

#5 The Kings host the Milwaukee Bucks tonight at Golden 1. The Bucks are second in the Eastern Conference at 42-43 they’ve won seven of their last ten games. No doubt Milwaukee can be a handful how do you see tonight’s contest?

Tony Renteria does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Warriors take down Spurs in San Antonio 112-102; Win ends Golden State’s 3 game skid

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Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (32) drives to the basket against the San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins (23) at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Mon Mar 11, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State (34-30) Warriors were in San Antonio on Monday night to face the San Antonio Spurs (14-51). The Warriors wanted to avenge their loss to San Antonio last Saturday night in San Francisco.

The Spurs did not play two of their starters on Saturday. However, Victor Wembanyama ( 20.7 PPG, ten boards per game, and Devin Vassell (19.5 PPG) were back in the lineup.

Stephen Curry was still out with an ankle injury. The Warriors had to figure out a way to stop the Spurs—the Warriors needed players to step up to achieve that goal. The veteran point guard, Chris Paul, rose to the occasion. The Warriors’ play action in the third quarter sent them to a 112-102 win.

The Spurs started Monday night’s game the same way they started in San Francisco last Saturday night. They played well in the first quarter, shot 62% from the floor, and connected on six three as they raced out to a 10-point lead 37-27.

The Warriors’ offense came to life as they erased the deficit and tied the game 43-43. The Warriors and Spurs swapped the lead several times before the first half ended. San Antonio held a two-point advantage at the end of the first half.

Klay Thompson paced the Warrior attack with 12 points. Chris Paul had 11, Andrew Wiggins 10, and Brandin Podzienski hit three threes to finish with nine. The Spurs’ Wembanyama led his team with ten. The Warriors trailed 60-58.

.The Warriors fell behind by five, 72-67, to start the third quarter. The Warrior’s defense shut down the Spurs’ attack. Golden State went on a 23-2 run to grab a 16-point lead, 90-74. Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Podzienski. The Warriors finished the third quarter leading 90-78.

The Spurs’ Victor Wemanyama connected on two threes to keep the Spurs within striking distance. The Warriors answered every San Antonio challenge and held on to beat the Spurs 112-102.

Game Notes: The Warriors are 34-30 for the season, 15-5 in the last 20 games, and have 18 games left. San Antonio fell to 14-51. 

The Warriors had six players in double figures. Kuminga led the Warriors with22. Thompson with 21, Paul had 19 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Andrew Wiggins had 16, and Podzienski had 14. Podzienski also had eight rebounds. Rookie Jackson-Davis had a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds.

Wembanyama tallied 27 points and 14 rebounds. Keldon Johnson had 16, and Zach Collins, coming off the bench, had a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds. 

The Warriors play the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in Dallas. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara Mason: Warriors continue to struggle without Curry in the line up

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Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (rear) and the San Antonio Spurs guard Devonte Graham (4) reach out for the basketball at Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Mar 9, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Golden State Warriors podcast with Barbara:

#1 Warriors had a scare Thursday night in the late fourth quarter when Stephen Curry suffered a right ankle sprain. The MRI had came back clean a relief for the team.

#2 With Curry out with the injury this team had to collectively step up led by Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, and Chris Paul. The Spurs also had their star Victor Wenbamyama out with a sprained ankle.

#3 The Spurs came into this game with a lot of energy outplaying the Warriors in the first half. San Antonio averages about 29% from beyond the arc but in this game they were shooting 62% at times.

#4 The only bright spots in this game were Thompson and Kuminga. Other than that the Warriors were outplayed the entire game.

#5 Monday night the Warriors travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs for a second time. The Warriors will closely follow the progress of Curry’s ankle and hopefully he can return sooner rather than later. Again it will be up to the Warriors to step up against the Spurs that has struggled all season.

Join Barbara Mason for the Golden State Warriors podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Rockets get one of their best road wins defeating Kings 112-104 however lose Sengun

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By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Sunday afternoon in Sacramento. The Kings welcomed in the Houston Rockets on Sunday. The Rockets were coming off a victory on the road in Portland on Friday, 123-107.

The Kings were coming off back-to-back wins against the Lakers on the road and the Spurs at home. The Kings defeated the Spurs 131-129 on Thursday night. It was a nail-biter game as the Kings won with a last-possession bucket. The Kings were set to take on the Rockets on Sunday at 3 PM PST as they looked to move to 12 games over .500. The Kings fell to the Rockets 112-104 on Sunday afternoon.

Game recap: In the first quarter, the Kings came out of the gate strong. They managed to jump to an early lead by outscoring the Rockets 30-23. Kings center Domantas Sabonis immediately impacted the game. Domas finished the quarter with eight points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Keegan Murray also started hot, scoring eight first-quarter points.

The Kings played well in the second quarter. However, the Rockets were able to make up a little ground in the game. The Rockets were able to make a run late in the second quarter to cut the Kings lead to 59-54.

The Rockets outscored the Kings 31-29 in the second quarter, partly thanks to Fred VanVleet. VanVleet hit two big three-pointers late in the quarter to bring the Rockets to within five points. Sabonis had a 14-point and 10-rebound double-double by halftime to lead the Kings.

In the third quarter, the game came to a screeching halt. The Kings offense completely disappeared in the third quarter as they had only scored seven points at 4:36 in the third. The Kings couldn’t buy a bucket, and the Rockets kept a steady offensive pace during the quarter.

The Kings were outscored by the Rockets 32-14 in the third to dig themselves a big hole. The Rockets would lead 86-73 heading into the fourth quarter. The Kings were shooting 4/22 on three-point attempts thus far in the game, which was the biggest issue. The Kings also had a bad stretch of turnovers that saw the Rockets extend their lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Kings fought, but ultimately, they came up short against the Rockets. It was another meltdown game for the Kings against an opponent they should have defeated. The Kings’ storyline of losing against bad teams has become a tired one this season, but it prevails as the central theme.

The Kings outscored the Rockets in the fourth quarter 31-26, but it was too little too late. The Kings fell to the Rockets 112-104. Leading the way in defeat for the Kings was Sabonis, who scored 25 points. VanVleet led the way in victory for the Rockets with 22 points. It is worth noting that with 30 seconds left in the game, an apparent knee injury. He was wheeled off the court in a wheelchair.

Up Next: The Kings will take on the Milwaukee Bucks inside Golden One Center in downtown Sacramento on Tue Mar 12. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM PST.

Spurs Muster Just Enough To Get Past Golden State 126-113

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Despite Golden State Warriors Klay Thompson’s team leading 27 points the Warriors struggled against the team with the worst record in the NBA the San Antonio Spurs at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Sat Mar 8, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The San Antonio Spurs (14-50) have struggled all season; they have not shot over 50% from downtown yet they did not struggle tonight against the Golden State Warriors (33-30). The Spurs outplayed the Warriors the entire game winning by the score of 126-113. The Warriors struggled without Stephen Curry on the floor.

Game recap: The Spurs came into the opening 12 minutes with a lot of energy leading after the first quarter 32-27. San Antonio took that energy into the second quarter outplaying the Warriors and five minutes into the quarter the Spurs had a 44-32 lead forcing Head Coach Steve Kerr to take a time-out.

The Spurs were shooting 51% from the field and 54% from downtown. The Warriors were laboring at 36% from the field and the long ball. They were simply being outplayed so far in this game and their frustration was obvious.

With six minutes left in the half, San Antonio had taken their largest lead of the game 48-34. The Spurs continued to extend their lead and Kerr continued to take time outs trying to get these guys going.

It was a fractured first half of basketball for Golden State. Klay Thompson got going in the latter minutes of the half which got the crowd at Chase going as well. Thompson was the only Warrior in double digits in the first half. He was 3 of 7 from downtown. The Spurs continued to hush the crowd with ten triples and at the half San Antonio led by 19 points 62-43.

The Warriors needed to wake up in the second half of this game if they wanted to win. They were struggling defensively allowing the Spurs to shoot at 62% from beyond the arc. San Antonio was outplaying the Warriors at every turn. This was also a very disappointing offensive effort for Golden State. They had a lot of work to do in the second half. They were desperate for some offense.

The Spurs opened the third quarter with a bucket in the paint and a 21 point lead. Golden State found some rhythm and began to chip away at the Spurs lead. The 21 point San Antonio lead had dissolved to 12, 66-54.

With so much time left in this game, the Warriors had turned this game around trailing by only nine points. San Antonio was making a lot of mistakes and missing shots looking like a different team compared to the first half.

With under seven minutes left in the quarter the Spurs got some momentum going pushing their lead back to 76-59. After three quarters, San Antonio continued to lead 96-79. The Warriors worked hard in the third quarter getting to the line which was great but they missed eight free throws. The Warriors did win the quarter 36-34 and had one more quarter to comeback.

The Spurs kept knocking down triples in the fourth quarter. They had not shot at 50% once this season and here they were shooting at 58%. Mid-way through the fourth quarter, the Spurs led 110-94 clocking 17 triples.

This had been an uphill climb for Golden State the entire game and it was Thompson who was giving his team any sort of chance to win. With under five minutes left in the game, San Antonio had a 20 point lead 114-94.

Jonathan Kuminga came on strong in the second half and with under four minutes had 24 points to his credit. It was just too little too late for the Warriors. The final was 126-113 in favor of San Antonio. The Spurs had their 14th win of the season.

The Warriors were outplayed in every category in tonight’s game. Thompson had the team high with 27 points and Kuminga heated up in the second half with 26 points. They were the only bright spot in this game as they got totally dominated.

Game notes: Saturday night the Warriors took on the Spurs at Chase Center. The Warriors took to the court without their leader, their offensive weapon Curry out with a right ankle injury. Thankfully Curry’s MRI revealed no structural damage to the joint and classified the injury as a sprain.

When he will take the court again is unknown but he will be re-evaluated on Tuesday. The Spurs are having their woes besides a disappointing season; they are also missing their star Victor Wenbamyama due to a sprained ankle. Golden State will be leaning on Thompson, Kuminga and Chris Paul. In Curry’s absence Thompson had to carry this team to a win with only 20 games left in the regular season Thompson scored 27 points.

Golden State will travel to San Antonio to take on Spurs for a second time on Monday night. Curry will not be on the floor but the Spurs Wembanyama is expected to play which may prove to be tough for the Warriors. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 5:00 PM.

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings host Rockets Sunday at Golden 1

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Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox (5) celebrates with forward Domantas Sabonis (10) in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Mar 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The San Antonio Spurs (13-51) are one of the worse teams in the NBA yet you never how things will turn out on any given night such as the Sacramento Kings (37-26) who battled to last 7.7 seconds against the Spurs when the Kings Domanta Sabonis threw down the game winning basket in the Kings narrow 131-129 win on Thursday night.

#2 Sabonis led the Kings with 31 points on Thursday, Sabonis said that it looked ugly with one minute left in the game so he stepped up and fixed it with a winning basket.

#3 The Kings De’Aaron Fox scored 17 of 33 points in the fourth quarter of the game and ended up getting fouled out.

#4 One thing that held the Spurs back was they were without their leading scorer Victor Wembanyama who has a strained right ankle and is also expected to sit out against Golden State on Saturday in San Francisco.

#5 The Houston Rockets are next for the Kings. The Rockets (27-35) 12th place in the Western Conference. The Rockets have lost six of their ten games. But you never know the Spurs were struggling and gave the Kings fits do you see the same for the Rockets at Golden 1 on Sunday afternoon at 3:00pm PDT?

Join Jeremiah for the Sacramento Kings podcasts Fridays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings game wrap: With 7.7 secs left Sabonis throw down gets Kings 131-129 over Spurs at Golden 1

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Forward Domantas Sabonis (10) takes off down the floor after scoring against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Thu Mar 7, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night. The Kings were coming off the first night of a back-to-back that saw them make a stop in Los Angeles. The Kings were in LA on Wednesday night to take on the Lakers.

The Kings went down early to the Lakers but ultimately came out with the win 130-120. On Thursday night, the Kings returned home for the second night of the back-to-back against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were coming off a loss to the Rockets on Tuesday, 114-101.

On Thursday, the tip-off was set for 7 PM PST inside Golden One Center. The Kings beat the Spurs 131-129 on Thursday night.

Game recap: In the first quarter, the Kings came as expected on the second night of a back-to-back. The Kings came out sluggish in the first quarter. The Spurs would outscore the Kings 31-30 in the first quarter to a slim early lead.

De’Aaron Fox was largely silent for the Kings in the quarter, scoring no points. Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes led the way for the Kings in the first quarter with six points each. Devin Vassell led the Spurs with eight points.

In the second quarter, the Kings took off. Similarly to the previous game against the Lakers, the Kings had a sub-par first quarter and took command in the second.

The Kings outscored the Spurs in the second quarter 41-28. In the first half, the Kings were led by Sabonis, who scored 17 points. He was well on his way to another triple-double if he kept it up. Vessell led the way for the Spurs in the first half with 14 points.

The Kings let the Spurs back into the game in the third quarter. In the tale of two quarters, the Kings melted down in the fourth. The Spurs outscored the Kings 36-29 in the third to come to within five points of the lead.

The Kings would lead 100-95 going into the final quarter of action. Could the Kings maintain the lead and hold off the young Spurs without Wemby?

In the fourth quarter, the Kings and Spurs found themselves in a dogfight! The Spurs were up late in the quarter as Fox fouled out. The Kings and Spurs would go back to back until Sabonis got a steal and a dunk to put the Kings up 131-129 with 7.7 seconds in the game. That bucket would seal the deal.

The Spurs missed two shots in the final possession to lose the game 131-129. The Kings were outscored by the Spurs in the final quarter 34-31, but it was to no avail. It was a big win for the Kings, even if it came in ugly fashion.

Up Next: The Kings will stay home to take on the Houston Rockets on Sunday at 3 PM PST inside Golden One Center