Tag: Oakland

Thompson returns, leads the Warriors to a 115-101 win over the Lakers

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- Klay Thompson scored 28 points Saturday night to lead the Warriors to a 115-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were without the services of LeBron James. James returned to action after missing 17 games due to a groin strain suffered on Christmas Day in a game against the Warriors. James played 40 minutes in the overtime win over the Clippers Thursday night and woke up very sore. Lakers’ coach Luke Walton gave him the night off.

The Warriors got off to a good start in the first quarter. They had an early 14-point lead 22-8, but the Lakers got their offense going to make in 22-14. The Warriors shot a  blistering 64% in the quarter and held the Lakers to 35%. However, they did not blow the Lakers away. They held a nine-point lead 33-24 at the end of the first twelve minutes of action. The Lakers won the second quarter 34-30 to finish the half trailing 63-58. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 23. The other half of the Splash Brothers, Steph Curry, could not make a shot. He made just two free throws, and that was it.

The Lakers continued to double-team Curry and Kevin Durant in the third quarter. Lakers’ coach Luke Walton’s strategy was to not let Steph or KD get any open looks and force the other Warriors to beat them. The theory worked as the Lakers opened the third period with a 22-68run to take the lead 81-71. The Warriors behind the play of DeMarcus Cousins, Kevon Looney, and Andre Iguodala chipped away at the Laker lead until late in the third period when Iguodala nailed a three to give the Warriors a two-point advantage 88-86 after three-quarters of play.

Steph Curry, who was held to just two points and had missed all of his shots, came to life in the fourth quarter. He knocked down twelve points and the Warriors outscored the Lakers 27-15 to seal the win.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors needed help from DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala to pick up the lack of production from Steph Curry.  Cousins responded with a double-double. He Scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds. Iguodala kicked in with 17 and he connected on three 3-point shots in four attempts. Klay Thompson finished with 28 and Kevin Durant had 21 points and 11 assists for another double-double. The Warriors recorded 31 assists on 41 field goals. They were moving the ball well.

The Lakers had six players in double figures. Brandon Ingram led the Lakers with 20. Kyle Kuzman had 13, Rajon Rondo 10, Kentavius Caldwell-Pope 12, Ivaca Zubac 10, and Lance Stephenson, 10. Former Warrior JaVale McGee was presented with his 2018 championship ring prior to the start of the game.  McGee received a nice ovation from the Warrior fans. The Lakers are 6-12 when LeBron James is not in the lineup.

The Warriors return to action on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

 

76ers snap the Warriors’ 11-game winning streak with 113-104 win

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Photo credit: @NBA

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, who returnedhome after winning all five games on the road, had to face the young and talented Philadelphia 76ers Thursday night at Oracle Arena.

The game marked the home debut of DeMarcus Cousins, and the sellout crowd was hoping that the Warriors would win their 12th game in a row. Cousins had 22 points Monday night in the win over the Indiana Pacers, and it appeared that he fitted in well with the team. Cousins’ presence in the lineup gives the Warriors something they have needed for a long time, and that is a big man that can clog the lanes, rebound, pass, and shoot. Cousins was also able to provide screens for Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

The 76ers, with the third best record in the NBA East and led by their two big men, Joel Embiid at center and Ben Simmons at forward, were too much for the Warriors as they sent the Warriors down to defeat 113-104.

The two teams played a very competitive first quarter. The Warriors led 21-12 about midway through the period. The 76ers went on a 16-6 run to tie the game at 27. The Warriors got back on track behind two buckets each by Kevon Looney and Kevin Durant. The Warriors led 35-30 after the first 10 minutes of play. Steph Curry knocked down 11 points, and he made three 3-point shots. In the second quarter, the 76ers started the proceedings with an 8-0 run to lead 38-35. The Warriors rallied behind Curry, Durant, and Looney to extend the lead to seven 60-53 at the end of the first half. Curry had 23 points, and he made six threes in eight tries. Alfonzo McKinnie, who was filling in for the ailing Klay Thompson, helped out with 9. Durant had 12, and Looney had 8. Other than Looney, no Warrior coming off the bench, scored a point. Ben Simmons led the 76ers with 15, Embiid had 9 points and 10 rebounds. Former LA Clipper, JJ Redick, had six, and the Warriors held Jimmy Butler scoreless.

The third quarter was a different story. The Warriors, who have done so well so many times in this quarter, were outplayed by the 76ers. The Warriors were ahead 69-59 until Philadelphia went on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 71. The Warriors tied the game at 73, and it was all 76ers after that. The 76ers outscored the Warriors 42-26 in the period and led by nine, 95-86, heading into the fourth quarter. Joel Embiid had 11 points in the period to lead the 76er rampage.

Each team scored 18 points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers were able to bottle up Curry. He was able to make two threes, but the other Warriors couldn’t help him out. Both teams played defense in the last 12 minutes of action. The Warriors tried, but Embiid and company won the battle Thursday night.

Game Notes and Stats: The 76ers are now winners of 7 of their last nine games and improve to 34-18. They trail the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors for the best record in the NBA East. The Warriors fall to 36-15. They still have the best record in the NBA West.

Steph led the Warriors with 41points, and he connected on 10 threes in 18 tries. Durant had 25, Looney 14, and McKinnie 11. DeMarcus Cousins had 7 points, 6 boards, and six assists. Draymond Green finished with 4 points, 8 boards, and 10 assists.

Joel Embiid had his 42nd double-double of the season. He finished with 26 points and 20 rebounds. Ben Simmons had 25. JJ Redick added 15. The 76er bench contributed 31 points while Looney had 14 and the rest of the Warrior bench added just two points.

The Warriors were without the services of Klay Thompson, who was not able to play due to an undisclosed illness. McKinnie filled in for him, and he did well in his first NBA game as a starter.

The stats show how close the game was. Both teams made 41 field goals in 88 attempts good for 46.6% The 76ers made one more three-pointer than the Warriors 12-11. Where the game was won was on the free throw line. The 76ers outscored the Warriors 19-11 from the charity stripe.

The 76ers beat the Warriors for the first time since the 2013 season.

Up Next: The Warriors face the Los Angeles Lakers Saturday night at Oracle Arena. Game time will be at 5:30 pm.

Lakers superstar LeBron James, who did not play when the Warriors, beat the Lakers in LA in game two of the five-game road trip and will be back in action for LA.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: A Talk With A’s Top Prospect Jesus Luzardo

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By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

On a sunny Saturday afternoon at Jack London Square where the 2019 Oakland A’s Fanfest took place, dozens of thousands of A’S and baseball fans in general tasting one of the appetizers of the 2019 season, the Fanfest, and in a couple of weeks, Spring Training, and the start of the season not far behind either.

The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum and Hall of Fame had the kiosk closer to Scott’s Seafood Restaurant, fans stopped by to talk baseball. Others got information on the museum and this year’s new A’s stars. La Pedrique, the A’s first base coach first stopped y to sign and meet the public, then later talented 21-year-old prospect, Jesus Luzardo.

Luzardo is a 21 years old and extremely personable with a big smile. He truly enjoyed meeting A’S fan for the first time. I talked to him in Spanish. A Miami, Florida resident, he is totally bilingual. He was born in Lima, Peru, but most of his family is from Venezuela and he identifies himself as a Venezuelan.

While Luzardo signed autographs and posed for photo with A’s fans, I learned a lot about this young prospect. Of the top 100 MLB prospects, he comes in as #7.

When I asked him about the feeling of wearing the A’s uniform, he responded: “It is great, it is tough to make it to this level, and I am very happy today.” Originally from the Washington Nationals organization, the rookie lefty told me he is good friends with ex-A’s lefty Gio Gonzalez, as they both live in the Miami area.

He told me “Gio helped me the time we spend together.”

I asked him about what type of pitcher he considers himself to be in power and in control. He told me “Everything, I can throw the fastball also a breaking pitch and I can be funky also.”

Luzardo is currently single, but told me he has a girlfriend with a huge smile. Al Pedrique, the A’s first base coach, is also from Venezuela, and prior to Luzardo, he came over to our kiosk to sign autographs. Pedrique believes this kid is “the real thing.”

When I asked Luzardo, who will report to Mesa, Arizona, for Spring Training, about making the rotation this season, he responded “We will see, but I am ready for Spring Training.”

According to scouts, Luzardo throws around 98 miles per hour and other secondary pitches. For his age, I found him to be very confident and very smart,when it comes to baseball. He told me he had been playing all his life and to be here is truly a dream come true. Many fans already have known about him and were excited to meet him, wished him good luck. One guy said to him that he will be in the A’s pitching rotation this year.

The opportunity is there for Luzardo. We all know the A’s have a very good young talented lineup, so pitching will be the main focus, especially starting pitchers and aside from Frankie Montas, Luzardo is one of the other young arms that could definitely win a position in the A’S 2019 starting rotation. He came to the A’s from Washington in a trade with closer Blake Treinien, and he could be the missing link for what could turn out to be a great trade for the A’s.

Buena suerte a Jesus Luzardo, muchacho con mucho talento y personalidad.

Translation: Good Luck to Jesus Luzardo, a kid with a lot of talent and personality.

Warriors come back to win, send Pelicans down 147-140

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By Jerry Feitelberg

Wow, what a game! The Golden State Warriors, having played last night in Denver and returned home to the Bay Area in the wee hours of the morning, defeated the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night at Oracle Arena by a score of 147-140. It was not easy as the Pelicans played one of their best games of the year. They scored 140 points and had five players in double-digits. They led for most of the game, but the Warriors came to life late in the third quarter and took the lead 110 -109 when Andre Iguodala hit a shot at the buzzer and made a free throw as he was fouled on the play.

The Pelicans, not known for three-point shooting, rained down ten 3-pointers in the first half. They won the first quarter 39-31. With the score 21-14 in favor of Golden State, the Pelicans went on a 17-5 run to lead 31-26. They finished the quarter, leading 39-31. The Pelicans increased the lead to sixteen, 61-45. The Warriors then went on a 17-4 run to close the gap to 65-62. The Pelicans responded and went ahead by eight 70-62. The first half ended with New Orleans in the lead 71-66.

Nikola Mirotic led the Pelicans with 21 points coming off the bench. He made four three and the Warriors had no answer for him. Anthony Davis had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jrue Holiday had 11. The Warriors’ Big Three of Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson finished with 15, 12, and 17, respectively. Shaun Livingston, coming off the bench scored 11. The Pelicans made ten 3s, and the Warriors made 11. Steph Curry committed his two fouls early in the first quarter and missed over sat on the bench for most of the period. He committed his third foul early in the second quarter and sat until late in the period.

The Pelicans looked as if they were in command, and were going to win the game as the Warriors could not get the offense going. The Warriors came to life late in the period when they went on a 25-8 run in the last 3 minutes and 43 seconds left in the period. They had not led since early in the first quarter. The Warriors, behind Curry’s 23 points in the quarter and Iguodala’s steal and bucket, as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter with the Warriors in the lead 110-109. The Warriors outscored the Pelicans 44-38 in the quarter.

The Warriors continued to play well on offense, and their defense was able to stop the Pelican attack. The Pelicans went up by three 118-115, but Iguodala hit a 3 to tie the game. The teams tied again at 120. New Orleans went ahead 124-123. It would be their last lead of the night. Shaun Livingston made a bucket, and that was followed by Kevon Looney’s basket to make it 127-124. Draymond Green made a three to give the Dubs the lead 132-126. Looney and Curry mad buckets to put the Warriors ahead by eight, 134-126, with 2:28 left to play. Mirotoc connected on his sixth 3 of the night, but Green countered with his fourth 3-pointer. The Warriors’ defense made the stops, and the Warriors finished with their sixth win a row by a score of 147-140.

Game Notes and Stats: After the big win in Denver Tuesday night, it looked like the Warriors were not in sync early in the game. The Pelicans finished the night with five players in double figures, and they made 19 three-point shots and scored 140 points and still lost. The Warriors found their mojo late in the third quarter and showed the Pelicans why they are the reigning NBA champions. Steph Curry had another out of this world performance as he finished with 41 points and made nine threes in 17 attempts. Kevin Durant had a double-double with 30 points and 15 rebounds, Durant made five threes Wednesday night. Klay Thompson had 19, and he made four threes. Draymond Green probably had his best game of the year. Green, who had not been scoring much this season, tallied 17 points. He had six rebounds and 14 assists for another double-double. He had to guard the Pelicans’ two big men Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic scored 21 in the first half but was held to just eight in the second. Kevon Looney also played well. Looney had seven significant points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala each had 13 points for Golden State.

Golden State made 24 three-point shots to tie a franchise record. The Pelicans made 19 threes. Each time shot 48% from the floor. The Warriors outrebounded the Pelicans 57-49, and Kevon Looney was a force on the offensive boards as the Warriors outrebounded the Pelicans 10-7 in that department.

The Warriors improve to 31-14 while the Pelicans drop to 21-24.

Up Next: The Warriors embark on a five-game road trip starting Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in LA. The game will feature the debut of DeMarcus Cousins as a Warrior. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: How Murray’s departure for football affects the A’s; Phillies’ big offer on table, will Harper sign?; How opening the season in Japan affects MLB clubs; plus more

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

#1 Does Kyler Murray’s decision to leave the Oakland A’s for the NFL Draft or will he be a two sport player much like Bo Jackson and Dieon Sanders?

#2 How serious are the Philadelphia Phillies about pursuing Bryce Harper and does Amaury think they’ve got the best chance of acquiring him?

#3 How much does it take out of ball clubs when they open the season in Tokyo because of the distance the A’s open this season in Japan. Do the players enjoy the trip and do they find it productive and challenging?

#4 San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner is still in the shopping sweepstakes. No deals yet, but plenty of interest.

#5 Manny Machado has an seven-year deal on the table that could be as huge as 13 years at $325 million from the Chicago White Sox. Will it be too good to pass up?

#6 White House treated the Clemson Tigers to lunch with hamburgers boxes from Wendy’s, McDonalds, and Burger King on silver platters with paper napkins and plastic containers of mustard, mayo, and ketchup. Could Trump have served better food for lunch.

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

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Cousins back ready to face the Nuggets on Friday; Kerr to take a look at him and his Achilles

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On the Golden State Warriors podcast with David:

#1 The Warriors at the halfway mark are first in the Pacific Division game, facing the Denver Nuggets and the Nuggets beat the Warriors earlier in the season. DeMarcus Cousins is back on Friday night.

#2 How has the bench been performing and an assessment on Jonas Jerebko? With Kevon Looney going back to the second unit with Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, what’s that going to be like to work Jerebko in the second rotation?

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

Warriors roll over the Bulls 146-109

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Photo credit: @warriors

By: Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, for the second game in a row, routed their opponent, the Chicago Bulls Friday night at Oracle Arena, The Warriors got off to a fast start behind three 3-point shots by Klay Thompson to take an early 9-0 lead. The Warriors never looked back as they overwhelmed the Bulls by a score of 146-109.

The Warriors outscored the Bulls 43-17 in the first quarter. The Warriors moved the ball well all night. They found the open man and knocked down 3s. They played defense as the limited the Bulls to 17 points in the first 12 minutes of action. They even had a bit of luck when Jonas Jerebko sank a 3-pointer from behind the half-court line as time expired in the quarter. The Bulls played better in the second quarter, but still trailed by 21 at the end of the first half 76-55. Thompson led the Dubs with 24. Klay made six 3s in 8 attempts. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry each had 13. Zach Lavine led the Bulls with 24, and he made three 3s.

The Warriors did not let up in the third quarter. The Warriors’ big three of Durant, Thompson, and Curry continued to punish the Bulls. The Warriors put the game out of reach as they outscored the Bulls 40-21 in the third quarter. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr removed all the starters with about two minutes left in the period. The Warriors led by 40 points, 116-76

Warriors’ bench players Jordan Bell, Marcus Derrickson, Jonas Jerebko, and Quinn Cook played the entire fourth quarter. The second unit played well as they were able to put up points on the board and the Warriors won by a final score of 146-109.

Game Notes and Stats: Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 30 points. He made seven 3-pointers. Curry had 28 with five 3s, and Kevin Durant had 22. It was the ninth time this season that the Big Three had more than 20-plus points in a game. Quinn Cook had 15, Jordan Bell had 13, Marcus Derrickson had 10, and Jerebko had 8.

The Bulls were led by Zach LaVine’s 29 points. Bobby Portis had 16 points, Antonio Blakeney had 12 points and Ryan Arcidiacono had 10 points. The Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen, who is seven-foot tall, finished the night with 8 points.

The Warriors improved to 28-14, while Chicago dropped to 10-32.

The Warriors announced that DeMarcus Cousins, who is recovering from an Achilles heel rupture suffered last January, will return to action against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 18th in Los Angeles.

Up Next: The Warriors hit the road to play the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas on Sunday. Game time is at 4:00 pm.

Warriors throttle the Knicks 122-95

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By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors faced the lowly New York Knicks at Oracle Arena Tuesday night and routed them 122-95. The Knicks, who are coached by Dave Fizdale, were competitive for the first 18 to 20 minutes of the first half. The Knicks, who are in rebuild mode, entered the game as one of the worst shooting clubs in the NBA. They trailed the Warriors 31-25 at the end of the first quarter. They grabbed a 49-48 lead, but they could not stop the Warriors as the Warriors went on a 13-0 run to finish the first half, leading 61-49. Klay Thompson led the Warrior attack with 17 points, Steph Curry had 14, and Kevin Durant added 11. The Knicks were led by Tim Hardaway, Jr’s 11 points. Hardaway was hurt with 1:07 left to play in the half, and he was not able to return.

The Warriors blew out the Knicks in the third quarter. They outscored them 33-18 to finish the quarter with a 94-68 lead. Thompson was on fire as he was the player with the hot hand. Thompson stayed hot, and when he connected on a three to make the score 111-83. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr took him out. Thompson finished with 43. Kerr also removed all the starters, and the bench players coasted to a 122-95 victory.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are now 27-14. Steph Curry missed 11 games to a injury, and Draymond Green also missed 14 due to a toe injury.

Green scored just two points, but he did have a double-double with 11 boards and 10 assists. Curry also had a double-double. He knocked down 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 14 assists. Kevin Durant finished with 24 points, 6 boards, and 6 assists. The Warriors’ bench contributed 41 points.

The Knicks’ 19-year old rookie tallied 12 points. The Knicks’ leading scorer was Mario Hezonja with 19. Their big center, Enod Kanter, had a double-double with 12 points, and 16 rebounds.

The Warrior defense held the Knicks to 39.6% shooting from the floor. The Warriors outrebounded them 49-39, and the Warriors had 9 steals and 10 blocked shots.

Up Next: The Warriors meet the lowly Chicago Bulls Friday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 7:30 pm.

Warriors lose OT thriller to Rockets 135-134

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By Jerry Feitelberg

The defending champion Golden State Warriors hosted the rampaging Houston Rockets Thursday night at Oracle Arena. The game was a tale of two halves. The Warriors won the first half by 17 points, and the Rockets won the second half by 17 points to send the game into overtime. The Rockets won the game with just one second left on the clock when the reigning NBA MVP, James Harden, connected on a 3-point shot to put the Rockets ahead for good 135-134.

The Warriors won the first half 70-53 as they had four players in double-figures. Klay Thompson was hot with 19 to lead the team. Kevin Durant and Steph Curry each had 13 and Kevon Looney scored 12 much to the delight of the Warrior fans and head coach Steve Kerr. The Rockets were led by Clint Capela with 16 and James Harden’s 15.

As the fans know, 17-point leads are not difficult to overcome in the NBA. The Warriors increased the lead to 20, but the Rockets were not fazed. James Harden led the Rocket comeback with 13 points in the third quarter. The Warriors’ lead at the end of three periods of play swindled down to 6 points 98-92.

In the fourth quarter, the Rockets cut the deficit to one point as they trailed 102-101.  The Warriors’ Jonas Jerebko made two free throws, and he hit a three-pointer to put the Dubs ahead 108-13. The Warriors increased the lead to six 119-113, but the Rockets scored the last six points of regulation to tie the contest at 119.

The Rockets grabbed the early lead in OT 121-119. Curry tied the game at 121. Harden hit another three and Houston led 124-121. Durant made two free throws and a bucket to give the Warriors the lead 125-124. Curry made a 3 and the Warriors lead 128-124 with 2:20 left in overtime. Harden and Austin Rivers each connected on a 3-pointer to go ahead 130-128. Durant and Thompson scored a pair of 2-pointers to put Golden State ahead 132-130. The Rockets tied at 132 and Curry made a bucket to put the Warriors ahead 134-132. Time was running out for Houston. They inbounded the ball to Harden and with one second left on the clock, Harden made a 3-pointer to cement the win. The Warriors inbounded the ball to Durant, but his shot hit the rim, and the game was over.

Game Notes and Stats: The Warriors were led by Steph Curry’s 35 points, including five 3-point shots. Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant each finished with 26. Kevon Looney finished with 12. Draymond Green had 9 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Houston was led by Harden’s triple-double. He recorded 44 points, 10 boards, and 15 assists. He made 10 3s. It was the ninth game in a row that Harden had scored more than 35 points. The other big force for Houston was Clint Capela. The Warriors did not have an answer for him. Capela knocked down 29 points and pulled down 21 rebounds. Capela was double teamed most of the night, and the Warriors could not contain him. Also, Capela did not commit a foul until late in the fourth quarter. Austin Rivers had 18, and he made four 3s. Gerald Green connected on three 3s and finished with 16 for the night. Danuel House added 17 for the Rockets.

The Warriors shot 52% from the floor and held Houston to 45.5%. The big stat to keep in mind is that the Rockets made 21 3-point shots. The Warriors connected on 14.

The Warriors, with the loss, drop to 25-14 and Houston improved to 22-15.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to Sacramento to face the Kings Saturday night at 7:00 pm PT.

Warriors lose to the Trail Blazers 110-109 in overtime

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By: Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors played well enough on defense to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday night at Oracle Arena. The Warrior offense, however, did not take advantage of the many opportunities they had to put the game away, and they fell to the Trail Blazers 110-109.

The Warriors defense held the Blazers to 36% from the floor, but they lost. The Warriors, when they make 11 or more 3s in a game usually win. Until late in the fourth quarter, they were shooting 8-for-34 from the 3-point range. The Warriors literally gave the game to the Blazers as they missed eight free throws in 14 attempts. Klay Thompson, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant all missed key free throws.

Both teams played a competitive first period. The Warriors finished the quarter with the lead 28-27. The Warriors were ahead 38-35 when Portland went on a 15-5 run to lead 50-43. Andre Iguodala connected on a 3 to bring the Warriors a bit closer. The Blazers scored the last two points of the half to finished with a six-point advantage, 52-46. They outscored the Warriors 25-18 in the quarter.

The Warriors cut the deficit to two at the end of the third period. They had ample opportunities to get ahead as Portland’s offense was non-existent at times. The Warriors couldn’t make 3s or free throws, and Portland was able to finish leading 75-71.

The Blazers’ Seth Curry made three 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter. The Warriors trailed by nine 83-74, and things looked dire. The Warriors tried to come back, but Portland was able to increase the lead to 10 96-86. The Warriors then went on a 16-6 run to tie the game. Curry made two 3-point shots, and Kevin Durant tied it with a 3.

In overtime, the Warriors took an early 106-102 lead. Portland turned the ball over three times, but the Warriors failed to capitalize. Portland went ahead 107-106 with 1:05 left to play. Draymond Green made a 3 from the corner to put the Warriors ahead for the last time 109-107. The Warriors had the ball with time running down. The Warriors inbounded the ball to Curry, who was double-teamed by the Blazers. Curry’s attempt to pass the ball went awry, and the ball went over to Portland, who made the Warriors pay as Oakland native Damian Lillard drained a 3 with 5.2 seconds left. The Warriors gave the ball to Kevin Durant for the last shot, but his shot bounced off the rim, and the Warriors were toast 110-109.

Game Notes and Stats: The Blazers had five players in double figures. They were led by Jusuf Nurkic. He was a force on offense and a monster on the boards. He scored 27 points and had 12 rebounds. CJ McCollum finished with 24, Lillard 21, Maurice Harkless 11, and Seth Curry 11.

The Warriors were led by Steph Curry’s 29. Steph was 6-for-15 from 3-point land. Durant had a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Draymond Green finished the night with 15 points, 11 rebounds for a double-double.

The Warriors drop to 23-23 while Portland improves to 30-15.

Up Next: The two teams play again in Portland Saturday night at 7:00 pm PST.