Tag: Stephen Curry

Parker, Spurs handle Warriors

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND –Klay Thompson returned to the starting lineup after missing his first game with a sore hand scoring 29 points but it wasn’t enough as the San Antonio Spurs followed up a victory Monday night in Los Angeles over the Clippers, with a 113-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors in front of a sellout crowd of 19,596 at Oracle Arena on Tuesday night.

“The hand was sore, but credit to the training staff for working me hard the last few days to get me right,” said Thompson. “It felt good to be back out their, but it just didn’t click tonight…the turnovers are killing us, but we got to cut it down. We got too much talent not to get up shots.”

Harrison Barnes scored 11 of his 22 points in the first quarter to go along with eight rebounds, while Marreese Speights chipped in with 11 points to lead the Warriors off the bench.

Stephen Curry added 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting from the floor, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range, snapping a streak at 75 games in which Curry made at least one 3-pointer. Overall, Golden State shot 38-of-70 (54.3%) from the floor, but it were the 20 turnovers that continues to plague the Warriors.

“I thought we executed for the most part…but we need to take care of the ball better,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. “The Spurs played their best game of the year tonight.”

It was Golden State’s fourth straight game with at least 20 turnovers this season, and are averaging 22.5 turnovers per game, which leads the NBA.

Tony Parker finished with 28 points and seven assists, Kwahi Leonard scored 19 points and six rebounds for San Antonio, who dominated Golden State in the paint, outscoring the Warriors 48-28. The Spurs only committed eight turnovers the entire game.

Tim Duncan scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Manu Ginobili added 17 points off the bench for San Antonio (4-3), who continue their four game California swing when they return to Los Angeles Friday to take on the hapless 1-6 Lakers, before finishing up in the capital city against the surprising 5-3 Sacramento Kings on Saturday.

After winning their first five games to open the season, Golden State (5-2), has dropped their last two games, but will look to get back on the winning note as they will continue their three-game home stand Thursday with the Brooklyn Nets coming to Oracle.

Game Notes

* One week after Klay Thompson won the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging a league-leading 29.7 points per game for games played on Tuesday Oct. 28 through Sunday Nov. 2, the other member of the “Splash Brothers” won the same award the next week as Stephen Curry was named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played on Wednesday Nov. 3 through Sunday Nov. 9. Curry averaged an NBA-tying 30 points per game, to go along with 4.7 3-pointers made,  seven assists per game, and six rebounds per game.

*The Golden State Warriors have waived guard Nemanja Nedovic, the team announced today.

As a rookie in 2013-14, Nedovic appeared in 24 games and posted averages of 1.1 points, 0.5 assists and 0.6 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per contest. The 23-year old guard spent 15 games with the Warriors’ D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, tallying 14.9 points, 4.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 28.5 minutes. He did not appear in a game for Golden State this season.

Suns hand Warriors First Loss of the Season

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

Nobody’s perfect. That includes the Golden State Warriors. After starting the 2014-15 season off with a five game win-streak, the best start to a season since the mid-nineties, the Warriors (5-1) finally succumbed to an opponent Sunday night. In falling to the Phoenix Suns on the road 107-95, the Warriors were the last of the unbeaten teams to fall this season.

Golden State, missing David Lee for a second-consecutive contest due to a hamstring injury, also played without Klay Thompson. The shooting guard was pulled from the line-up suffering from a hand injury.

The Warriors were up 79-71 heading into the fourth quarter, but were outscored 36-16 in the final frame. For the second consecutive night, Golden State turned the ball over 26 times.

Stephen Curry was the highest scorer for a second straight night. The Warriors point guard notched a double-double, scoring 28 points to go along with 10 assists. He also turned the ball over a career-worst 10 times. Draymond Green, in the starting line-up as Lee’s substitute, put up 22 points.

Isaiah Thomas led the Suns (4-3) with 22 points off the bench, while starter Goran Dragic and reserve Gerald Green posted 19 points apiece.

The Warriors return home for a three-game homestand, with a contest against the scuffling defending champion San Antonio Spurs opening up the set on Tuesday. After that the Brooklyn Nets stop by Oracle on Thursday, then the Charlotte Hornets close out the trio of games Saturday.

Warriors Last of the Unbeatens Left Standing

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

The list of the unbeaten in the NBA has been trimmed down to one. In a battle of teams with unblemished records, the Golden State Warriors topped the hosting Houston Rockets 98-87. Stephen Curry collected a double-double, scoring a game-high 34 points for the Warriors while reeling in 10 rebounds.

Curry hit 13 of 19 field goals and dished out five assists to hand the Rockets (6-1) their first loss of the 2014-15 season. Andre Iguodala pitched in 15 points off the bench while starter Draymond Green collected 14.

The Dubs (5-0) turned in their best defensive performance to date this year, holding the rockets to a .349 shooting percentage. Houston hit only 30 of 86 shots attempted. James Harden (22 points) and Isaiah Canaan (21 points) topped the Rockets in scoring.

The Rockets managed to outscore the Warriors 56-48 in the first half before the Warriors turned on the defense. The Dubs allowed a scant 21 points down the final 24 minutes while scoring 50 of their own for the victory.

Golden State puts its perfect record on the line in the second game of a back-to-back against in Phoenix Sunday. The Suns have played .500 basketball this season, winning three and losing three.

Warriors remain perfect, shutdown Clippers

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Stephen Curry led the way with 28 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, helping the Golden State Warriors to a 121-104 victory over their Pacific Division rival, the Los Angeles Clippers in front of 19,596 fans Wednesday night at Oracle Arena.

Five players finished in double figures, including Draymond Green who had a career-high 24 points and eight rebounds. Green was red-hot from the field, especially from deep, connecting on 4-of-6 from behind the arc.

“I thought we got out to a quick start,” said Green postgame, “I thought our energy was great and we just stayed aggressive.”

Klay Thompson scored 19 points after getting into early foul trouble. Harrison Barnes finished with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Andrew Bogut scored just six points, but grabbed 14 rebounds. Golden State out-rebounded Los Angeles 39-30. Leandro Barbosa led the “Dubstitutes”with 13 points.

David Lee, playing in his first game of the season due to a pulled hamstring, scored six points in seven minutes of action before re-aggravating his hamstring in the first quarter. Lee did not return to the game.

“It was good win, but we can definitely get better,” said Curry, who shot 9-of-18 from the field (4-of-8 from 3-point range.)

Jamal Crawford scored 24 points and DeAndre Jordan finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Clippers, who drop to 3-2 on the season.

Blake Griffin scored 14 points, and mustered only one rebound.

Chris Paul scored 15 points and dished out 12 assists, but was clearly frustrated for much of the night after shooting just 6-of-15 from the field. Paul also picked up a technical foul in the third quarter after complaining to officials after an apparent elbow from Curry.

Golden State shot a blistering 58 percent from the floor and nailed 15-of-25 3’s, but it was the ugly 23 turnovers that soured the team’s first 4-0 start since the 1994-95 season.

That season, Golden State won their first five games in a row to start the season.

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

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game Notes:

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

 

Thompson, Warriors hold off Nuggets in preseason finale

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Looks like the Golden State Warriors are ready for the start of the regular season, especially Klay Thompson.

Thompson scored 35 points in 36 minutes of action as the Warriors nearly squandered a 17-point fourth quarter lead to take down the Denver Nuggets, 119-112, Friday night in the preseason finale for both teams. Golden State defeated the Nuggets, 104-101, in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 16.

Stephen Curry added 17 points and 11 assists, Andrew Bogut chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Leandro Barbosa added 15 points to lead the Warriors bench.

Golden State (6-2), played as a unit, totaling 35 assists while turning the ball over 12 times, compared to the 29 turnovers the team committed in Tuesday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors shot 51% from the field (44-of-86).

Denver (2-6), finished with six players in double figures, led by Jusuf Nurkic’s 16 points and eight rebounds. Randy Foye scored 13 points, while Danilo Gallinari and Alonzo Gee each had 10 points.

Both teams open up the regular season on Oct. 29, with Golden State heading to Sacramento to face the Kings, and Denver will host the Detroit Pistons at the Pepsi Center.

Game Notes:

Stephen Curry Bobblehead Giveaway

The first 10,00 Warriors fans received a free Stephen Curry bobblehead presented by Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. 10,000 Warriors fans received an Andre Iguodala bobblehead presented by Lucky’s Supermarkets on Tuesday.

Ticket Giveaway

For the 2014-15 season, the Golden State Warriors are once again donating tickets for every Warriors home game to local Bay Area youth organizations as part of the team’s Player Ticket Section program, it was announced today. Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr is also donating tickets as a part of the program.
The donations will make it possible for over 6,500 local youth, who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend an NBA game, to experience the joy and excitement of Golden State Warriors basketball at Oracle Arena. Additionally, Oracle will once again donate tickets to local groups to sit in the Oracle Zone.
Here is a list of this season’s special ticket sections:
 
                                          SECTION…………………………………………….. DONATED BY
                                          Kerr’s Krew………………………………………….. Steve Kerr
                                          Leandro’s Leaders………………………………….. Leandro Barbosa
                                          Boys & Girls Clubs of America……………….. Harrison Barnes
                                          Curry’s Corner………………………………………. Stephen Curry
                                          Anonymous………………………………………….. Anonymous
                                          Shaun’s Shorties…………………………………….. Shaun Livingston
                                          Rush’s Rascals………………………………………. Brandon Rush
                                          Team Marreese………………………………………. Marreese Speights
                                          Klaymakers…………………………………………… Klay Thompson
                                          Oracle Zone………………………………………….. Oracle

Curry, Warriors holdoff Clippers in preseason action

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Stephen Curry scored a game-high 27 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field leading a Golden State Warriors squad that finished with seven players in double figures to victory 125-107 over the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. It was Golden State’s second victory in two weeks over their foes from Southern California.

Golden State (5-2), shot a blistering 59% from the field (48-of-78s), but committed a staggering 28 turnovers. Curry committed a team-high six turnovers while playing 31 minutes.

David Lee and Justin Holiday each finished with 12 points. Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli scored 10 points a piece. Ezeli (who turned 25 years old on Tuesday), played for the first time in 17 months after recovering from a serious knee injury.

The Warriors played without Brandon Rush (lower back spasms) and Shaun Livingston (right toe surgery). Both are expected to miss the team’s season opener on Oct. 29 at Sacramento.

Andre Iguodala scored 11 points,  center Ognjen Kuzmic (starting in place of Andrew Bogut), finished with eight points and a team-leading 10 rebounds. Golden State held the rebounding edge over Los Angeles, 46-31.

Jared Cunningham led the Clippers with 23 points, and J.J. Reddick scored 16 of his 21 points in the second quarter. Center DeAndre Jordan had a couple of highlight dunks on the night to go along with his 13 points and nine rebounds.

Golden State outscored Los Angeles 46-36 in the paint.

Los Angeles (1-5) played without superstar point guard Chris Paul and power forward Blake Griffin, who didn’t make the trip to the Bay Area. Newcomers Jordan Farmar (lower back tightness) and Glen Davis (strained right groin), remained in Los Angeles as well.

Golden State finishes up the preseason Friday against the Denver Nuggets, while Los Angeles play their final preseason game at Staples Center Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns.

Notes:

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent guard Sean Kilpatrick to a contract, the team announced Monday.

Kilpatrick, 24, earned First Team All-America honors as a senior at the University of Cincinnati in 2013-14, posting an American Athletic Conference-best 20.6 points per contest to go with 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.41 steals in 34 games, while leading the conference in three-point field goals (93). In four years with the Bearcats, the 6’4” guard tallied averages of 15.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.19 steals in 30.8 minutes over 140 career games, finishing as the school’s second all-time leading scorer behind only Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson. He was a Second Team All-Big East selection in 2011-12 and 2012-13 before earning First Team All-AAC honors as a senior.

 

Rockets Hand Warriors Second Loss of the Preseason

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

After winning the first four games, the Golden State Warriors dropped their second straight preseason contest Sunday. Golden State fell to the Houston Rockets 90-83 from State Farm Arena in Hidalgo, Texas just two days after losing its first game of the tune-up season Friday against the Miami Heat.

Justin Holiday notched a game-high 18 points for the Dubs off the bench. Nemanja Nedovic, Sunday’s starting guard for the Warriors, added 16 on 6 of 10 shooting while fellow starter Harrison Barnes pitched in 13.

The best backcourt in the NBA, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, got the night off from coach Steve Kerr. The absence of two of their best shooters saw the Warriors (4-2) connect on only 33 of 79 field goals.

For the Rockets (4-1), starters Dwight Howard (11), Trevor Ariza (13), James Harden (15) and Patrick Beverley (11) all broke double-digits in scoring. The Rockets committed 14 turnovers to the Warriors 21.

Golden State now sits just two match-ups away from the start of the regular season. Both contests come on home turf, with the Warriors taking on the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday before a Friday night tilt against the Denver Nuggets.

Notes: Warriors Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob donated $1 million to Washington University to fund a Business of Sports program in the university’s school of business. Lacob will also deliver the first presentation in the Joseph S. Lacob Business of Sports speaker series….Sunday was the first time the Warriors didn’t break 100 points in a game this preseason…Andre Iguodala was the only expected Warrior starter who played more than 10 minutes Sunday…David Lee (10 minutes) and Andrew Bogut (9) didn’t crack the plateau, while the Splash Brothers sat out.

Warriors Continue Undefeated Preseason, Romp Lakers

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By Matthew T.F. Harrington

The preseason continues to be an unmitigated success for the Golden State Warriors following a 116-75 romp of the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday evening from Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.

Stephen Curry had a game-high 25 points for the Warriors, while fellow starters Klay Thompson (16)and David Lee (14) cracked double-digit scoring for the Dubs as well. The bench combined for 50 total points, led by Marreese Speights’ 11.

The Warriors held Kobe Bryant to just 3-of-13 shooting for a total of six points. Guard Wayne Ellington and center Robert Sacre topped the Lakers with 12 points apiece, with both players coming off the bench for their team-leading totals. Los Angeles starter Jordan Hill matched Warriors center Andrew Bogut with seven rebounds each.

Golden State lit up the hosts early, scoring just one point shy of 40 in the first quarter. The Warriors outscored the Lakers 24-23 in the second quarter to take a 63-36 lead at the midway point. Another 35-plus point quarter but the Dubs up 100-60 with three segments in the books. Neither team lit up the score sheet in the final fourth, with Golden State outpacing the Lakers 16-15 down the stretch to finish up the blowout.

Andre Iguodala, who had his nose broken in a game against these same Lakers on Thursday, played in a protective facemask. He once again starred in a preseason play that may call attention after Ronnie Price came out of his shoe trying to defend the Warriors point guard. Price tossed his shoe non-maliciously at Iguodala in an attempt to knock the ball loose.

The Warriors now roll on to Des Moines, Iowa where they will take on the Denver Nuggets. The October 16th contest will be played at the Wells Fargo Arena.

Curry’s Triple-Double, Romping of Lakers Clinches Playoff Berth for Warriors

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By Matthew Harrington

The Golden State Warriors locked in their spot in the 2014 NBA Playoffs Friday night at the Staples Center, riding a Stephen Curry triple-double to a 112-95 dismantling of the host Los Angeles Lakers. By matching or outscoring the Lakers (25-54) in all but one quarter the Dubs clinched their second-consecutive playoff berth under coach Mark Jackson and their first back-to-back postseason qualifications since 1992.

Warriors All-Star Curry fired off 30 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds over 34 minutes for his fifth-career triple-double. Klay Thompson and reserve Marreese Speights finished with 16 points apiece. David Lee joined Curry in double-digit rebounded with 10 boards.

Nick Young paced the forum purple with 25 points, and Jordan Hill and Ryan Kelly pitched in 18 and 14 respectively. Hill also had a game-high 12 points.

Golden State (49-30) nailed 48.9 percent of shots attempted, including a 13-for-25 clip from beyond the arc. The injury-riddled Lakers hit 39.3 percent of their field goals including only 9-of-28 from downtown. The Warriors dominated the glass with 57 rebounds to LA’s 42.

Both sides finished the first 12 minutes with 26 points. The Warriors rode a huge second quarter to pull ahead 58-42, notching 32 second-quarter points to Los Angeles’ 17. Golden State survived a Lakers 26-25 third quarter scoring margin before finishing off the home team with a 29-26 run to wrap up a playoff bid.

For now, the Warriors sit 1.5 games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks for sixth-place in the Western Conference with Golden State boasting a game in hand. The Portland Trailblazers sit 2.5 games ahead of the Warriors with three games remaining for the Dubs meaning in all likelihood, Golden State will be returning to Los Angeles and the Staples Center to face the third-seed Clippers when the playoffs begin. For now, the task at hand for Jackson’s side is a showdown with the Blazers on Sunday in Portland before the second half of a back-to-back against Minnesota at Oracle. The Warriors then get a chance to wrap up the regular season with revenge against the Denver Nuggets, 100-99 winners in a April 10th showdown in Oakland.