Tag: Oracle Arena

Raptors rout the Warriors 113-93 at Oracle Arena

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Toronto Raptors shackled the Warriors offense at Oracle Arena on Wednesday night as they routed them by a score of 113-93. The Raptors were without the services of Kawhi Leonard, but that did not stop them as they outplayed the Warriors in all facets of the game.

The Warriors, who lost in overtime in Toronto 131-128, were back at full strength with Steph Curry and Draymond Green back in the lineup. The Raptors moved the ball well, made the baskets, and forced the Warriors into committing 19 turnovers, and the Warriors usually lose if the team makes more than 15 in a game.

The Raptors outrebounded the Warriors, and Golden State did not have anyone to counter the Raptors’ big men Serge Ibaka and Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas left the game with a dislocated finger, but he was a force in the middle and on the boards for Toronto. Toronto swept the season series from the Warriors and won at Oracle for the first time since 2004.

The Raptors snapped the Warriors’ four-game winning streak. The Raptors appear to be an elite team that will contend for the NBA title. The Warriors have to be concerned that the NBA might have caught up to them and they will have to figure out how to get back on track as they seek their third NBA title in a row and fourth in the last five seasons.

Game Notes and Stats: Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 30 points. Klay Thompson had 14 and Curry recorded 10. The only other Warrior in double figures was Quinn Cook with 13. No other sub had more than seven for Golden State. All five Toronto starters were in double figures.

Kyle Lowry led the Raptors with 23 points and Serge Ibaka added 20. If these teams are to meet in the NBA Finals, the Warriors are going to need DeMarcus Cousins to be back in the lineup and playing at his All-Star best.

The Warriors’ record now stands at 19-10 and the Raptors improved to 23-7, which is the best record in the NBA.

Up Next: The Warriors play the Sacramento Kings Friday night at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Game time will be at 7:00 pm PST.

Warriors defeat the Bucks 105-95

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Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By: London Marq

A few weeks and sideline argument ago, the Golden State Warriors were dysfunctional. People were questioning the organization’s loyalty to Draymond Green would he be traded before the deadline? Wondering if the on-going drama between Green and Durant would derail their season, especially after the incident was followed by a 3-game losing streak. But winning covers up all manner of sins.

The Warriors hosted the Milwaukee Bucks at Oracle Arena on Thursday night, entering play having won the previous two games. Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the Greek Freak, and the Bucks have stayed on pace with their development and on track as one of the best teams in the league with hopes that hope to make a deep playoff run.

Perhaps this game will turn out to be a Finals preview. The Warriors certainly played like it, flying high right out of the gate. They opened the first quarter on a 12-4 run behind two Curry threes and excellent defense. Defense would be the theme throughout the game for Golden State, who had a mediocre game by there standards. Despite having 13 turnovers in the game and Durant being scoreless at halftime the Warriors were able to stay in control, holding the lead for the majority of the game.

Behind 20 point outings for both Curry and Thompson, the Warriors played their best defense of the season so far, holding the Bucks to their lowest point total of the season. Antetokounmpo ended up with 22 points, 15 in rebounds in the loss, while no other Buck was able to tally more than 15. It was great defensive outing for Golden State despite their shortcoming.

We all are ready for the end of the dynasty, but it’s not here just yet,

The Warriors defeated the Bucks 105-95.

The Warriors host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday at 7:30 pm PT.

Warriors come from behind to win another thriller, 116-110, over the Magic

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By Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Warriors won another thriller Monday night against the rapidly, improving Orlando Magic Monday night at Oracle Arena by a score of 116-110. The Magic beat the Lakers in Los Angeles Sunday afternoon and had to play Monday night again. The Magic have turned their program around this season under head coach Steve Clifford. Orlando had struggled the last few years, but they have beaten some pretty good teams so far this year. They have knocked off Boston, Philadelphia, San Antonio, and the Lakers twice so far. They entered the game with a record of 10-10. The Warriors were without Steph Curry for the 10th straight game. Draymond Green was thought to be available, but he did not play. Alfonzo McKinnie also did not play.

The Warriors’ Klay Thompson started the game with a three-pointer. The Magic countered with a bucket to make it 3-2 early in the first quarter. The Magic opened up a 9-point lead 16-7 before the Warriors went on a 9-2 run to close the gap to 18-16. Orlando led 25-18, but the Warriors finished the quarter with an 8-0 run to lead 26-25 after 12 minutes of play.

The second period was another story. Orlando outplayed the Warriors the entire second period. They made 3-point shots. They played defense and won the second quarter 33-14 to finish the first half leading by 17 64-47. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 20, and Klay Thompson had 10. Damion Lee was the only Warrior with more than two points. Six players, Kevon Looney, Jordan Bell, Damian Jones, Quinn Cook, Shaun Livingston, and Andre Iguodala each had two points in the first half. The Magic’s big center Nikola Vukcevic knocked down 17 and Terrence Ross, coming off the bench, had 16. Evan Fournier had 9, and D.J.Augustin pitched in with 8.

The Warriors had to go back to the drawing board during the halftime intermission. Head coach Steve Kerr had to figure out a way to get his players to start scoring and be able to stop the hot Orlando team on offense. It was not going to be easy as Orlando, having won a close game in Los Angeles on Sunday, did not wilt. They answered everything the Warriors threw at them. The Warriors increased the intensity on defense, and they started to chip away at the 18-point deficit. Kevin Durant was on fire as he scored 16 points in the third quarter. He also showed the Magic how good he could play defense as he blocked a shot with about five minutes left in the quarter and the momentum started to shift to the Warriors. They outscored the Magic 32-19 and finished the quarter trailing by just four points 83-79. The fans at Oracle Arena were on their feet as the Warriors clawed their way back into the contest.

With Durant resting on the bench, Klay Thompson took over the offense. Klay made two three-pointers in a row to get within three 88-85. The Magic fought back and increased the lead to seven. They could not get closer than three as the Magic led 100-97. Kevon Looney came through with a big bucket, and Klay hit another three to give the Warriors the advantage 102-100. The Magic fought back and tied the game at 107 with one minute and forty-four seconds left to play. Durant made a layup and Orlando fouled him on the play. He converted the free throw, and The Warriors led again 110-107. Orland countered with a bucket. Durant made a three-pointer to make 113- 109. The Warriors fouled Nikola Vucevic but he missed a free throw and all the Warriors needed to win was one-point. Shaun Livingston made the free throw to put the game out of reach, and the Warriors added two more points to win 116-110. The Warriors won the second half 69-46 to win by six. What a game. The fans went home very happy and many of them had to have sore throats as they were cheering very loudly.

Game notes and stats- Kevin Durant finished the night with a season-high 49 points. Klay Thompson finished with 29. Klay made five 3-point shots in the fourth quarter and six total for the night. No other Warrior scored in double-figures. Quinn Cook was third in scoring with eight and that included two treys. While they didn’t score a lot, Kevon Looney, Jordan Bell, Andre Iguodala, Jonas Jerebko, and Damian Jones all performed well on defense as they held the Magic to just 46 points in the second half.

Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 30 points and 12 rebounds. Terrence Ross finished with 28, and he made four threes. Jonathan Simmons, Jonathan Isaac, and Mo Bomba, not known for shooting threes, knocked down 7 in 8 attempts.

The Warriors improve to 15-7, and the MAgic falls to 10-11. The Warriors begin the most extended road trip of the season starting Thursday night in Toronto. Game time will be at 5 pm. They then go to Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, and finish the trip in Milwaukee.

Warriors win a thriller for a 117-116 victory over the Kings

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings played a very close and thrilling game that went down to the final five seconds before Klay Thompson made the go-ahead bucket to win 117-116 at Oracle Arena on Saturday night.

The Kings, under coach Dave Joerger, are no longer the laughing stock of the Western Conference. The Kings entered the game with a record of 10-8. Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein, DeAaron Fox, and Marvin Bagley III are the nucleus of the Sacramento offense. The Warriors, still without Steph Curry and Draymond Green, knew that it would not be easy to beat Sacramento, and it wasn’t.

Both teams played a very competitive first period. Sacramento won the quarter 29-28. The Warriors’ Kevin Durant committed five turnovers in the first period. Nonetheless, The Warriors were down by just one point before the start of the second quarter.

The Kings continued to play well in the period. They finished the first half with a four-point lea 64-60. The Warriors ended the quarter with an 8-2 run.

In the third quarter, the Warriors took command and outscored the Kings 35-29 to hold a 2-point lead at the end of three-quarters of play. The fourth quarter would be a fight to the finish. The Kings won the quarter 23-22 and lost by a single point 117-116.

Game Notes and Stats: Kevin Durant had a double-double with 44 points, and 11 rebounds. He also recorded seven assists.

Klay Thompson had his second night in a row with over 30 points. He finished with 31 and his bucket with 5 seconds left in the game won it for the Warriors.

“I don’t know if I got fouled, but who cares I got the putback,” Thompson said. “You’ll take a game-winner any way you can get it I don’t care how ugly it is.”

Warriors’ center Damian Jones played well Saturday night. He knocked down 13 points and had 6 rebounds.

Up Next: The Warriors host the Orlando Magic on Monday, Nov. 26 at 7:30 pm PT.

Warriors rout the Trail Blazers 125-97 to snap a four-game losing streak

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors needed something to get them on track to snap a four-game losing streak. The last time the Warriors lost four in a row was in the 2012-13 season when Mark Jackson coached them. The Warriors’ offense had been sluggish the previous four games, and they were without two All-Stars Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Steph Curry did not have a good day after Thanksgiving. On his way into Oakland, Curry’s car was involved in an accident as the car in front of him spun out and stuck his vehicle in the front. Curry was then hit by a second car in the rear. Thankfully, Curry was not injured in the accident and was in attendance to watch his team rout the Portland Trail Blazers 125-97 at Oracle Arena on Friday night.

Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson paced the Warriors’ offense with 32 and 31 points, respectively. The Warriors’ defense held the dynamic Portland backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum to 42 points. The Warriors looked like team the team that had won three championships in the last four years. They ran, they played defense, and they made three-point shots to sent the Blazers down to defeat. They found their mojo in the second quarter and kept it going all the way through the game.

The Warriors fell behind early once more. The Warriors came close to grabbing the lead, but Portland held them off, and they finished the first half with the lead 27-24. The Warriors vaunted defense finally got untracked in the second quarter as the held the Blazers to just 27 points while the offense put 35 points on the board to finish the first half with the lead 59-44. Durant scored 19 points in the first 24 minutes of play. He rebounded, he passed off to teammates that were open for shots, and he blocked shots. Thompson had 14, Quinn Cook 6, Jonas Jerebko 6, and Damion Lee 5.

Portland played better in the third quarter as they tallied 29. The Warriors answered the challenge as they scored 33 to finish the quarter with a 19-point lead 93-73. Thompson and Durant showed the Blazers the reason that they are perennial All-Stars as they led the way for Golden State.

The Warriors’ offense continued to percolate in the fourth quarter as they outscored Portland 33-24 to finish the game 125-97. Quinn Cook knocked down a couple of threes to ice the win for Golden State.

Game Notes and Stats: It was the second time ever that Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant scored over 30 points in the game. The Warriors’ defense held McCollum and Lillard to 42 points.

The Blazers’ big center Jusuf Nurkic added 22. Al-Farouq Aminu had 12, and Meyers Leonard had eight off the bench.

Quinn Cook kicked in with 19, and he made five threes. The Warriors’ bench came to life as they tallied 37 and helped the Warriors blow out the Blazers.

With the win, The Warriors improved to 13-7 while Portland dropped to 12-7.

Up Next: The Warriors play the rapidly improving Sacramento Kings Saturday night at Oracle Arena. The Kings are 10-8 so far this year. The game will start at 5:30 pm PT.

Warriors take down the Hawks 110-103

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors returned home to face the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. The Warriors, still missing Steph Curry, had to face the young Hawks team minus their All-Star forward Draymond Green. Green and Kevin Durant had a verbal confrontation last night late in the game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The dispute spilled over into the clubhouse and was still not resolved on the flight home. The Warriors’ management suspended Green without pay for one game. The reason given was that Green had “committed conduct detrimental to the team.” The Warriors had to come back from the loss to LA and regroup. They did not play well in the first half, but played Warrior basketball in the second half to outlast the Hawks 110-103.

The Hawks, who are in rebuild mode, hired Lloyd Pierce as their coach after Mike Budenholzer resigned. Budenholzer had the worst year of his career with Atlanta last season and moved on to coach the Milwaukee Bucks. Pierce inherited a young team with players that are not yet well-known in the league. The Hawks do have on their roster two former Warrior players: Kent Bazemore, and Jeremy Lin. Another familiar name is the 41-year-old veteran, Vince Carter. The Hawks feature rookie Trae Young, who came into the game averaging 18 points per game. Taurean Prince and Alex Len are two names that are not well known in Oakland, but both players performed well against the Warriors Tuesday night.

The Hawks frustrated the Warrior offense in the first quarter as they held the Warriors to just 20 points. They outscored the Warriors by three to lead 23-20, and the fans in the stands were starting to squirm as the Warriors’ offense sputtered through most of the game Monday night in Los Angeles. The two teams scored 29 points in the second quarter, and the first half ended with Atlanta ahead 52-49. The Hawks held the Warriors to just 39.5% shooting from the floor. Durant led the offense with 15. Klay Thompson, who scored 7 in the first half against LA, was held to 9 points Tuesday night. Jonas Jerebko hit two three-point shots and finished the half with 8. Quinn Cook had 7, and Jordan Bell added 6. Atlanta was led by Carter and Prince. Each player had 11. Alex Len had 8, Bazemore 7, and Deandre Bembry kicked in with 8.

Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr must have told the team to get their act together and play Warrior basketball during the halftime intermission.  The third quarter started with Atlanta increasing the lead to five 54-49. With Atlanta, ahead 58-55, the Warrior offense came to life as they went on a 17-2 run to grab a 10-point lead 70-60. The Hawks refused to bend, and they were to end the third quarter trailing by six 82-76. The Hawks still had a chance to upset the Warriors.

The Warriors were determined not to lose. The offense was sparked by Thompson, Durant, Cook, Jonas Jerebko, and Andre Iguodala. The Warriors expanded the lead to 14 101-87, but had to hold on for dear life as Atlanta kept coming back. The Hawks cut the deficit to five 106-101 with 1 minute and 41 seconds left to play. Durant scored the next 4 points, and the Warriors held off the Hawks 110-103

Game Notes and Stats:  With the win, the Warriors improve to 12-3, while the Hawks’ record drops to 3-11.

Kevin Durant paced the Warriors with 29 points, 6 boards, and 3 assists. Jonas Jerebko had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, which was a career-high. Jerebko knocked down four 3-point shots. Klay Thompson finished with 24. Quinn Cook had 18.

The Atlanta attack was led by Taurean Prince’s 22 points. Alex Len had 14, Bazemore 18, Bembry 13, Carter 11, and Jeremy Lin 10. The Hawks’ outstanding rookie, Trae Young, was held to just 4 points.

The Warriors finished the night shooting 42.9% from the floor. They made 12 three-point shots in 27 attempts.

Up Next: The Warriors head to Texas for 3 games in 4 nights. They start the trip with against the Houston Rockets Thursday at 5:00 pm PT. They’ll then play Dallas on Saturday at 5:30 pm PT and the San Antonio Spurs Sunday at 4:00 pm PT.

Durant leads the Warriors over the Nets 116-100

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Golden State Warriors, missing three key players, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Shaun Livingston, bounced back from a humiliating loss to the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night to defeat the visiting Brooklyn Nets 116-100. The Nets, under coach Kenny Atkinson, arrived in town with a 6-6 record and they beat the Denver Nuggets in the Mile-High City last night. The Nets, with players that are not well known to Warriors fans, had a starting lineup with four players averaging 12 to 20 points a game. Guard Chris LeVert leads the Nets with a 20.3 points-per-game average. D’Angelo Russell, the former LA Laker, averages 16. Joe Harris is at 13.2 point-per-game, and Jarrett Allen enters the game slightly under 12 points a game.

Warriors’ backup point guard, Quinn Cook, started his first game of the year in place of the injured Steph. Curry. Also, head coach Steve Kerr needed either Klay Thompson or Kevin Durant to pick up for the injured Draymond Green. Green, a force on defense as well as one on offense, missed his second game in a row due to a toe injury. Durant responded to the challenge as he finished the night with a double-double. Durant knocked down 28 points and recorded 11 assists and had five rebounds. Klay Thompson poured in 24 and Cook kicked in with 25 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Brooklyn took the lead early in the first quarter. The Warriors led 5-4, but Brooklyn grabbed the lead and was ahead 18-13. At this point, the Warrior offense started to rev up. The Warriors closed the gap to 20-19. They regained the lead 22-20 but the Nets came back, and the game was tied twice once at 22 and the second time at 24. Jordan Bell made two key buckets to give the advantage to Golden State 30-24, and The Warriors finished the quarter 36-30.

The Warriors were able to increase the lead to 12 at the end of the first half. The Warriors could not shake the Nets as they tied the game at 44. The Warriors then went on a 21-9 run to finish the first half ahead 65-53. Durant and Cook led the Warriors with 19 each. Klay Thompson had 10, and Jonas Jerebko added 6. Joe Harris led the Nets with 19. D’Angelo Russell added 12 and Spencer Dinwiddie, coming off the bench, had 8. The Warriors defense held the Nets to 43.2% from the floor while the Warriors were 65.8%.

The Warriors, as they have done so many times, dominated the third quarter. The offense put 29 points on the board, and the defense held the Nets to 21. The Warriors finished the third quarter with a twenty-point advantage 94-74. The Warriors were in command 111-90 when Kerr removed his regulars and let the bench warmers, and three players called up from the G-League to finish the game.  The Warriors win 116-100.

Game notes and stats- The Warriors big three of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Quinn Cook scored eighty of the Warriors 116 points. KD had 28, Cook 25, and Klay had 24. Damian Jones and Jonas Jerebko each had 8. Jordan Bell and Andre Iguodala kicked in with five apiece and Alfonzo McKinnie, who played well on defense, scored four.

The Nets’ Joe Harris led his team with 24. D’Angelo Russell was held scoreless in the second, and he finished with 12. Dinwiddie had 14 and Shabazz Napier, also coming off the bench, had 14. The Warriors defense stifled Jarrett Allen and Chris LeVert. Allen ended the night with six and LeVert was held to just 4.

The Warriors improved to 11-2, and the Nets Dropped to 6-7. The Warriors travel to Los Angeles to face the Clippers Monday night at the Staples Center. The Warriors return home to face the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.

 

Bucks blowout the Warriors 134-111 at Oracle Arena

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Golden State Warriors were without the services of Draymond Green and Shaun Livingston Thursday night when they hosted the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks, coached by Mike Budenholzer, stopped the Warriors and snapped Golden State’s eight-game winning streak as they pounded the Warriors 131-111.

The Bucks’ defense stifled two of the Warriors leading scorers, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. Neither one of the Warriors’ stars could get into any kind of a rhythm. Steph tallied just 10 points in the game and left late in the third quarter with a left adductor strain. Durant struggles all night as the Bucks doubled and triple-teamed him. Durant finished with seventeen.

The Warriors held their own with Milwaukee for most of the first quarter. The Warriors were leading 23-19 until the Bucks went on an 11-1 run to take a 30-24 advantage. The Warriors never regained the lead. The Bucks finished the quarter leading 32-29.

In the second quarter, Milwaukee’s defense took over as they outscored the Warriors by ten 32-22 to finish the first half with a thirteen-point lead 64-51. Buck’s guard Eric Bledsoe was hot as he scored twelve points. Pat Connaughton, coming off the bench tallied 13. Kris Middleton had 10, and Giannis Antetokounmpo knocked down 19 and had 7 boards and 3 assists.

The Bucks continued the onslaught in the third quarter as they put the game out of reach. They outscored the Warriors and won the quarter 41-28. Curry, as mentioned above, left the game with a groin strain. Warriors’ head coach inserted his bench player for the fourth quarter, Warriors’ guard, Quinn Cook, put 15 points on the board in the quarter but they could not overcome the huge deficit they faced.

Game Notes and stats.

With the win, Milwaukee improved to 9–2 and the Warriors dropped to 10-2.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 24. KD 17, Jones 12, and Steph had 10.

Milwaukee was led by Eric Bledsoe with a season-high 26 points. Milwaukee’s other guard, Malcolm Brogden, had 20. Kris Middleton finished with 17, and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 24.

Milwaukee outrebounded the Warriors 46-36. The Had more assists 33-31. The had more steals and blocks, and they committed 12 turnovers. The Warriors turned the ball over 18 times.

The Warriors host the Brooklyn Nets at Oracle Arena Saturday night at Oracle Arena. Game time is at 5:30 pm.

Warriors win their eighth in a row 117-101 over the Grizzlies

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Oakland- The Golden State Warriors won their eighth game in a row and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 117-101 Monday night at Oracle Arena. The Grizzlies, who lost a tough game Sunday night to Phoenix, played an excellent first half. They did not let the Warriors get into any kind of rhythm in the first twenty-four minutes of play. The Grizzlies played well on defense and kept Steph Curry well in check. Grizzlies’ coach J.B.Bickerstaff seemed to have an answer for everything the Warriors tried to do. The Warriors fell behind early in the first period and were not able to get the lead. The first period ended with Memphis in the lead 31-29.

It was more of the same in the second period. Klay Thompson scored the first basket in the quarter to tie the game at 31. Memphis responded and regained the advantage. The Warriors tied the game at 45, but Memphis went ahead by six 53-47. Steph then made a four-point play. The Warriors tied the game again at 55, but Memphis refused to wilt and led 58-55. Klay Thompson connected on a three-pointer, and the first half ended with the score even at 58. The story of the first half was the Memphis bench. Dillon Brooks, Wayne Seldin, Shelvin Mack, and Marshon Brooks outscored the Warriors bench 30-10. Memphis’ starters Marc Gasol had 6, and Michael Conley added 7. The Warriors were led by Klay Thompson with 18, Kevin Durant 16, and Steph Curry 10.

Everything changed in the third quarter. As the Warriors have done so many times in the past, the offense came to life as they outscored the Grizzlies 34-15. The Warriors defensive leader, Draymond Green, did not play as he suffered a foot injury and was sent to the locker room. Damian Jones picked up his fifth personal foul early in the quarter, and he sat out the rest of the game. Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, inserted Kevon Looney, Jonas Jerebko, Jordan Bell, and Alfonzo McKinnie to stop the Memphis offense and di they ever do the job. Not only did they excel on defense, but they also helped the Warriors go on a 27-8 run to finish the scoring in the period. Kevon Looney made four key baskets. Alfonzo McKinnie hit a key three-pointer, and Klay and Steph also played well. The Warriors led 92-73 after three-quarters of action.

Kerr had Klay Thompson on the floor with Quinn Cook, Jereko, Bell, and Looney. Cook made four 3-point shots, and the Warriors coasted to their tenth win of the year.

Game Notes and Stats. Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 27 points. Kevin Durant recorded 22 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Steph finished with 19. McKinnie had 14, Cook,13, Looney 9, and Jerebko 7.

Jaren Jackson, Jr had 15, Marc Gasol 8, Garrett Temple 13, and Michael Conley 9. Dillon Brooks had 18 coming off the bench.

The Warriors improve to 10-1 and Memphis falls to 5-4.

Shaun Livingston did not play as he is recovering from a foot injury. Andre Iguodala had the night off. Draymond Green did not play in the second half and was diagnosed with a contusion on his foot.

The Warriors meet the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night. The Bucks are off to a great start and have the same record as the Warriors 10-1 The game will be at Oracle Arena and will start at 7:30pm.

 

Warriors down the Timberwolves 116-99 for seventh win in a row

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Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors downed the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-99 at Oracle Arena Friday night. The two teams played a very close game for three quarters, but the Warriors’ defense, led by Draymond Green, shut the Timberwolves’ offense down in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

The Warriors got off to a good start early in the first quarter. They had the lead 19-8 with a little over four minutes played. The Warriors, behind, Kevin Durant, led 29-18 with about four minutes left in the period. The T-Wolves’ Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler, and Josh Okogie finished the period on a 7-2 run to close the gap as they trailed the Warriors 36-32.

The two teams played a nip-and-tuck second quarter. The T-Wolves played superb defense, and they kept coming after the Warriors. They went on a 12-2 run to take the lead for the first time 44-42. Klay Thompson hit a 3, and the Warriors were ahead once more 47-46. The lead seesawed back and forth until late in the quarter. Steph Curry hit a 3-pointer, and the Warriors led 59-53. The T-Wolves fought back, and the first half ended with the Warriors up by three 61-58. Kevin Durant led the Warrior offense with 20. Thompson had 10 and Curry kicked in with 14. Jonas Jerebko tallied 7.

Taj Gibson had 10 for the T-Wolves. Andrew Wiggins added 7, Jimmy Butler 13, Karl-Anthony Town 10, and Josh Okogie had 12. The T-Wolves committed just 1 turnover in the first half. The Warriors had 7 turnovers.

In the third quarter, things did not go well for Golden State. Minnesota was able to control the tempo, and they did not commit any turnovers in the period. The Warriors seemed to be out of rhythm as the T-Wolves outscored them 29-22 to finish the quarter leading 87-83. The fans at Oracle were taken out of the game as the Warriors appeared to be going down to defeat.

However, teams have to play four quarters. The Warriors, behind Draymond Green’s superlative defensive play, shut down the T-Wolves’ offense in the fourth quarter. Klay Thompson hit two 3-pointers to propel the Warriors into the lead 91-89. The Warriors went on a 12-2 run to go up by six, 97-91, with 6:41 left to play. The Warriors showed the T-Wolves what an elite defense looked like as Green shut down Karl-Anthony Towns. Durant, Thompson, Andre Iguodala, and Alfonzo McKinnie all hounded the T-Wolves’ offense as they held them to just 12 points and the Warriors tallied 33 to win 116-99.

Game Notes and Stats: Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 33 points. He also pulled down 13 boards.

Green almost had a triple-double. He scored 9 points, had 9 boards and recorded 11 assists. His defensive play in the fourth quarter was the catalyst for the win over Minnesota.

Curry had 28 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Jonas Jerebko had 7, and Alfonzo McKinnie, coming off the bench, had 8 points and 8 rebounds. He made two 3-point shots in 2 attempts and his 3-pointer in the fourth quarter helped seal the T-Wolves’ fate.

Andrew Wiggins led the T-Wolves with 22. Jimmy Butler had 21. Towns was held to just 3 points in the second half and 13 for the night. The big guy pulled down 11 rebounds. Okogie finished with 15, and Taj Gibson had 12.

The Warriors shot 48.9% from the floor and made 13 3s in 34 attempts. The T-Wolves also made 13 threes, but they took 45 shots to do it. The Warriors recorded 31 assists. The T-Wolves made 4 turnovers in the fourth quarter as the Warriors’ defense stifled their attack. The Warriors finished the night with 16.

The Warriors improved to 9-1 for the season, and Minnesota falls to 4-5.

Up Next: The Warriors have the weekend off as they resume play against the Memphis Grizzlies at Oracle Arena on Monday night. Game time is at 7:30 pm PT.