Warriors Take Game Four 101-98 for 3-1 series lead; Game 5 goes back to Memphis Wednesday night

The Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones (21) tries to get a finger roll going against the Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defending in game four at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Mon May 9, 2022 (AP news photo)

Warriors Take Game Four To Lead Series 3-1

By Barbara Mason

After a wild and crazy Game Three the Golden State Warriors took on the Memphis Grizzlies in Game Four at Chase Center. In another crazy turn Head Coach Steve Kerr was not on the sidelines testing positive for Covid. A more than competent Mike Brown took over at the helm in this game.

After suffering a knee sprain in Game Three Ja Morant was not in the lineup for this game. Memphis has the weapons to be a threat despite Morant’s absence.

The Warriors who trailed most of the game got the lead for keeps thanks to Stephen Curry’s free throws under the last minute of the game for a 101-98 game four win to take a 3-1 series lead back to Memphis on Wednesday night.

The Warriors had a horrible start. They would finish the first half 2 of 20 from beyond the arc. At the half the Warriors trailed by the score of 41-38. Considering the way they were playing they were extremely lucky to only be trailing by three. Missed open shots, far too many fouls, and shooting at 34% will not win very many ball games.

The Warriors had a third quarter that was no different from the first and second quarters. The final two minutes of the quarter saw a bit of a spark from Golden State. Curry hit a shot from downtown which reignited the crowd. The Grizzlies were hanging onto a slim lead 62-60 with two minutes left in the quarter. Desmond Bane would hit a 32-foot buzzer beater giving the Grizzlies a 69-62 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Golden State would have a single quarter to turn this game around. Every time the Warriors got close the Grizzlies would answer. With four minutes left in the contest Golden State was running out of time. The Warriors went on a 10-2 run to win this game for the four point win. This was a game that the Warriors could not afford to lose and when push came to shove they weathered the storm in Warrior fashion.

Curry finished the game with a high score of 32 points. The Warriors did have a nice defensive game. Draymond Green had 11 rebounds and Andrew Wiggins had 10.

Game Five will be back in Memphis at the FedEx Forum and all signs point toward the return of Ja Morant. The Warriors have to turn this offense around and put a lid on these turnovers. Leading the series 3-1 the Warriors have everything to play for. Game five will be on Wednesday with tipoff scheduled for 6:30 PM PDT.

Nets rout the Warriors 134-117

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors welcomed the Brooklyn Nets to the Chase Center Saturday night. Former Warrior Kevin Durant visited the Bay Area for the first time since rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. His former teammates gave him a lovely welcome as they appreciated his efforts as a Warriors member. Durant won two titles and probably would have won a third had he not been injured in the series against Toronto. The Warriors had a nice tribute for Durant before the game.

“Tribute video was cool. I think about those moments daily,” Durant said. “Every single moment that I have had in this league, I think about it and try to analyze it and get better. My time here in Golden State was so much fun. It was such a big learning experience, especially learning basketball in a different philosophy. I’m gonna take that with me for the rest of my life.”

The Nets, in addition to superstars Kyrie Irving and Durant, traded for another outstanding player, James Harden. The Nets, if they stay healthy, should be in contention to make the NBA Finals this season.

The plucky Warriors, winner of two straight games, were still missing two key players. James Wiseman and Kevon Looney were not available Saturday night. The Warriors had to go with a small lineup. They needed to find a way to defend the three Brooklyn superstars and then make shots from downtown. It was too much to hope for as the Nets routed the Warriors 134-117.

The Warriors could not handle Brooklyn’s attack in the first half. The Nets won both quarters and finished the first half leading by 15 points, 66-51. The Warriors attempted 20 three-pointers, but only four went for a bucket.

Brooklyn won the third quarter 42-31 to put the Warriors back on their heels. The Warriors outscored the Nets in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

Game Notes and Stats: With the loss, the Warriors are now 14-13 for the season. The Nets improved to 16-12.

Steph led the Warriors with 27 points. He was 10 for 17 from the floor, and he connected on two threes in nine tries. Draymond Green injured his knee in the first half, but was able to return later. The Warriors had four other players in double figures. Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre, Jr. each had 17. Eric Paschall had 16, and Kent Bazemore had 11. The team shot 48.9% from the floor. That would usually be good enough to win. However, the Nets shot 53.8% from the floor and made 16 threes. The Warriors were 9 for 34 from behind the three-point arc.

The Nets had six players in double figures. Kyrie Irving led with 23, Kevin Durant had 20, James Harden had 19, Bruce Brown had 18, Joe Harris had 15, and Jeff Green had 14.

The Nets outrebounded the Warriors 51-45. Brooklyn recorded 35 assists on 50 made baskets. James Harden had 16.

Up Next: The Warriors host the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7 pm PT.

Warriors’ late rally downs the Magic 111-105

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors returned home to face the Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors were still without the services of James Wiseman and Kevon Looney. The Magic, coached by Steve Clifford, had also been hit hard by the injury jinx. Star forward Aaron Gordon suffered a high-grade ankle sprain on February 1st against the Toronto Raptors. He will be out for four to six weeks. Evan Fournier, who averages 17 points a game, was not available. Markell Fultz, averaging 14 points a game, did not dress for Thursday’s game. 

The Warriors knew that they could not take the Magic lightly. While the Warriors fans might not be familiar with the Magic roster, they came to play. It appeared the Warriors were going to breeze to an easy win. They won the first quarter 29-19. Steph Curry dazzled the Magic as he connected on four threes. The Warriors attempted 18 threes, the most attempts in one quarter in franchise history.

The Magic players had other thoughts. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr inserted his second unit to start the second quarter. The Magic went on an 18-6 run to take the lead 37-35. They held the Warriors scoreless for over four minutes. The Magic defense held the Warriors to two baskets in 12 tries. Curry returned with about six minutes left in the first half. Curry kept the Dubs close as he connected on two threes to make it a one-point deficit 48-47. The Magic responded by scoring the last seven points of the period to lead 55-47. They thoroughly outplayed the Dubs as the Magic outscored them 36-18 to erase the Warriors’ 10-point advantage and finish with an eight-point lead.

Steve Kerr knew that the Warriors had to get off to a good start in the third quarter. They could not continue to play the way they did in the second period. Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre knocked down a three. Steph added another three and a two-point bucket to take the Warriors on an 11-0 run to tie the game at 58. It was nip and tuck the rest of the way in the third quarter. The Magic, behind Nikola Vucevic, James Ennis, and Terrence Ross, kept Orlando either in the lead or just a couple of points behind the Warriors. Curry paced the Warriors with 15 points in the third period. Draymond Green made a couple of crucial buckets to keep the Warriors in the game. With the game tied at 80, Steph made a deep two, and Draymond came through with a bucket to put the Warriors ahead 84-80 at the end of the third quarter. 

Things did not go well for the Warriors at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With the second unit on the floor, the Magic went on an 11-0 run to lead 91-86. Kerr inserted Curry and Green back into the game with slightly more than eight minutes left to play. The Warriors shut down the Magic offense for four minutes and 26 seconds. The Warriors went on a 16-0 run to lead 102-91. Curry made two threes, and Andrew Wiggins and Juan Toscano-Anderson helped out with buckets. The Warriors increased the lead to thirteen 107-94 with 1:56 left. The Magic would not go away. They continued to fight. The Magic got closer 109-105, but Curry put the game out of reach with two free throws. The Warriors won 111-105.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 14-12 for the season. The Magic’s record is 9-17.

Warrior highlights: Steph Curry tallied 40 points. He made 10 threes in 19 tries. He was 14-for-26 from the floor. He had eight rebounds and five assists. Draymond Green finished the night with eight points, six rebounds, and 11 assists. It was the fourth straight game that Green recorded 10 or more assists. Andrew Wiggins had another outstanding game. Wiggins had 21 points, seven boards, three assists, and he made two threes. Kelly Oubre, Jr. played well on both ends of the court. Oubre had a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. He connected on three threes. Mychal Mulder, coming off the bench, made three threes to finish with 11. The rest of the Warrior bench scored just five points.

As a team, the Warriors shot 46.6% from the floor and made 20 threes in 50 tries. 

The Magic’s leading scorer was Nikola Vucevic with 25 points. The big man from Serbia pulled down 13 boards, had five assists, and made three threes. Dwayne Bacon had 20, James Ennis had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Terrence Ross, coming off the bench, kicked in with 20 for Orlando.

Up Next: The Warriors welcome the Brooklyn Nets to the Chase Center Saturday night. Former Warrior Kevin Durant will face his former mates for the first time at the Chase Center. Durant and the Nets beat the Warriors in the first game of the 2020-2021 season in Brooklyn. The Warriors will be looking to even the score. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

Knicks snap 10-game losing skid with 124-122 win over Warriors in OT

Photo credit: @warriors

By Ana Kieu

The Golden State Warriors wrapped up its brief, two-game homestand with a game with the New York Knicks at Chase Center on Wednesday night. Both teams were equally lowly so this contest was a battle of bottom feeders.

GSW’s starting lineup featured D’Angelo Russell, Glenn Robinson III, Eric Paschall, Draymond Green and Willie Cauley-Stein.

GSW had their game faces on and Warriors rookie power forward Omari Spellman had the marvelous moves. Spellman was drafted 30th overall in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. The 22-year-old played college basketball at Villanova University from 2017-18.

NYK jumped out to an early 6-0 lead, but D’Angelo Russell cut the deficit in half with a 3-pointer with 9:39 left in the first quarter. Kevon Looney then got past Knicks defenders and drove to the basket to finish off a Draymond Green pass to tie the game 15-15 with 4:49 left in the first. The Knicks, however, maintained a 10-point lead and led 30-20 at the end of the first.

GSW managed to turn defense into offense in the second quarter, but its efforts simply weren’t enough. The Knicks outscored the Warriors 38-30 and took a 68-50 lead to the locker room at halftime.

Green was on the move to start the second half and the Warriors added some pep to their step in the third quarter. Despite the traffic, Marquese Chriss shot a perfect dunk with 6:36 left in the third. Chriss was everywhere. Though GSW erased a 22-point deficit, they trailed 87-80 at the end of the third.

GSW and NYK battled until the very end, which led to a 112-112 tie at the end of regulation. The winner was to be decided in overtime. The Knicks outscored the Warriors 12-10 and escaped with a 124-122 win to snap a 10-game losing skid dating back to Nov. 18th when they routed the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-105 at Madison Square Garden.

With the loss, GSW fell to 5-21. The Warriors are now on a 2-game losing skid.

D’Angelo Russell led the Warriors with 32 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. Alec Burks had 18 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Glenn Robinson III had 17 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Draymond Green had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Marquese Chriss had 12 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists. Willie Cauley-Stein had 7 points and 5 rebounds. Damion Lee had 6 points and 1 rebound. Eric Paschall had 5 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist. Kevon Looney had 5 points and 1 rebound. Omari Spellman had 3 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. Ky Bowman added 3 points.

The Warriors face the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Friday, Dec. 13 at 6 pm PST.

Warriors find a way to win as they down the Bulls 104-90

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors, after losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday night, found a way to close out the game, and they recorded their fourth win of the season defeating the Chicago Bulls 104-90 at Chase Center.

The Warriors’ Draymond Green returned to action Wednesday night. He had been out with a sore heel. His experience and leadership helped the Warriors avoid the letdown that occurred Monday night. The young Warriors played well on both ends of the court. They played well on defense as they out-rebounded the Bulls 54-42. On offense, they moved the ball to find the open man and recorded 31 assists in the process.

The Bulls grabbed an early 9-1 lead in the first quarter. The Warriors then went on a 10-0 run to lead 11-9. The Warriors continued to play well, and they finished the first period leading by eight 25-17. The Bulls offense came to life in the second quarter. The Bulls’ Zach LaVine led the charge as he knocked down 18 points to cut the deficit to five 53-48 at the end of the first half. Eric Paschall the Dubs with 14, Glenn Robinson had 8, Alec Burks 7, and Omari Spellman kicked in with 7 points and 10 boards.

The Warriors continued to build the lead. They led 69-59 when Chicago went on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 69. The young Warriors did not quit. They knew what happened to them Monday night. Eric Paschall, Marquese Chriss, and Omari Spellman all came through with crucial buckets to put the Warriors ahead 78-73 after three periods of play.

In the fourth quarter, the Warriors–with Draymond Green on the floor–held the Bulls at bay. The Bulls made it a 3-point game 86-83. It was at this point that the Warriors went on a 16-2 run. Alec Burks knocked down two threes. Draymond hit a three. Paschall and Spellman each made a key bucket. These players played like the Warriors of the past five seasons. They won by a final score of 104-90.

Game Notes: With the win, the Warriors improve to 4-15. Chicago falls to 6-13.

Eric Paschall led the Warriors with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Alec Burks had a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. He also recorded 7 assists. Omari Spellman also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Glenn Robinson and Marquese Chriss each had 11.

The Bulls’ Zach LaVine provided most of the offensive punch for Chicago. LaVine had 36 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. LaVine made 4 threes in 9 tries. The only other scorer in double figures for Chicago was Tomas Satoransky, with 19 points. Lauri Markkanan and Wendell Carter had 8 points each.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to Miami to face the Heat Friday night. The game will start at 5 pm PST.

Warriors blow a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, lose to OKC 100-97

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors faced the Oklahoma City Thunder for the third time this season Monday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors dressed eight healthy players once again. Draymond Green was still hobbled by a sore heel. Kevon Looney, D’Angelo Russell, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson were on hand, but they watched from the bench.

The young Warriors played a very competitive game for 40 minutes. They played well on both ends of the court for most of the game. The Thunder, however, shut the Warriors down on both ends of the court the last 8 minutes and 14 seconds of the game to win 100-97.

The Warriors trailed the Thunder 13-4 early in the game. The Warriors offense, led by Glenn Robinson the third, and Ky Bowman, gave them the lead 28-25 after the first quarter. The Warriors continued to play well in the second quarter. They led by 12 with less than a minute left in the first half. The Thunder’s All-Star point guard, Chris Paul, cut the lead to six when he connected on two three-point shots. The second shot came as the buzzer sounded to end the first half. The Warriors led 59-53. Their play in the first half was highlighted by good ball movement and good defense. Robinson led the Warriors with 18, and Bowman had 16.

The Warriors continued to play well in the third quarter. All eight players made contributions to keep the Warriors in the lead. They were able to increase the lead to nine at the end of the third period. They led 83-74.

The Warriors had to feel confident that they were going to put away the Thunder. They increased the lead to fourteen when Jordan Poole connected on a three to lead 92-78. It was at this point in the game that the Thunder began their comeback. The Thunder went on a 22-5 run in the last 8 minutes and 14 seconds of the game. The Thunder wins 100-97.

Game Notes: The loss had to be very disappointing to Golden State. The Warriors made a comeback late in the game against Utah and led for most of the Way Monday night against the Thunder. They lost both games, but they are building confidence and are getting to know what each player can contribute. The team hopes that they will be better when the stars return to action.

Glenn Robinson had a career-high 25 points to lead the team. Ky Bowman also had a career-high with 24 points. Eric Paschall had a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. Jordan Poole had 11 points, 6 boards, and 4 assists. The team shot 51% from the floor in the first half. The second half was another story. They finished the night shooting 41.6%. They scored just 14 points in the fourth quarter.

Dennis Schroder, coming off the bench, led the Thunder with 22. Chris Paul had 20. Big Steve Adams had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Danilo Gallinari had 15, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 12.

The Warriors dropped to 3-15. The Thunder improved to 6-10.

Up Next: The Warriors resume play Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls. The game will start at 7:30 pm at the Chase Center.

Warriors lose a hard-fought game to the Celtics, 105-100

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The young Warriors, with six players not available due to injury, gave the Boston Celtics all they could handle Friday night. The game wasn’t decided until the last few seconds of the fourth quarter. The Celtics went on a late 11-0 run en route to a 105-100 win.

The Warriors lost their best scorer, D’Angelo Russell, in the third quarter when he sustained a sprained right thumb. He went to the locker room and did not return. Rookie Eric Paschall suffered a right hand injury, but he was able to stay in the game.

The Celtics entered Chase Center with the best record in the NBA 10-1. They were facing the team with the worst record, the Warriors (2-10). The way the game went, one wouldn’t have known which team had the best record. The Warriors scrapped all the way. They played defense, and every Warrior on the floor gave his all in the losing effort. Their effort likely pleased head coach Steve Kerr. They suffered a blowout loss Wednesday night against the Lakers in LA. They bounced back Friday night and put everything they had on the floor on Friday.

The Warriors played a very exciting first quarter. They outscored Boston 32-23. They led by 15 points 25-10 midway through the quarter. The Celtics bounced back, but weren’t able to catch the Warriors as they trailed by nine at the end of the period. The tide turned in Boston’s favor in the second quarter. The Celtics’ defense held the Warriors to 19 points. The Celtics scored 29 and finished the first half with a one-point advantage 52-51. Jayson Tatum led the Celtic attack with 17 points. Marcus Smart had nine. Jaylen Brown 8, and Kemba Walker, the team’s leading scorer, had 6. The Warriors were led by Eric Paschall’s 11, D’Angelo Russell 10, and Alec Burks 9.

The Celtics held the Warriors to 20 points in the third quarter. They scored 24 to increase the lead to 76-71 at the end of the period.

The Warriors refused to roll over. They played hard, and players such as Ky Bowman, Omari Spellman, Alec Burks, and Eric Paschall made vital buckets to keep the Warriors in the game. They tied the game at 80 and again at 88. The Warriors owned a five-point advantage 97-92 with  two minutes and 29 seconds left to play. It was at this point that the Celtics went on an 11-0 run to lead 103-97. Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker were the key Celtics making plays during the 11-0 run. The Warriors made a three to trail 1-3-100 with 3.5 seconds left. Boston made two free throws to ice the win.

Game Notes: Alec Burks led the Warriors with 20 points. Eric Paschall had 16 points and 8 boards. Draymond Green had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. D’Angelo Russell finished with 12 points, Willie Cauley-Stein had 10 points and 8 boards. Omari Spellman had 8, Ky Bowman had 6, and Jordan Poole had 4.

Boston was led by Jayson Tatum’s 24 points, Kemba Walker found his game in the fourth quarter, and he finished with 20 points. Jaylen Brown had 22 points, and Marcus Smart had 15 points.

The Warriors lost their sixth in a row and are now 2-11 for the year. The Celtics won their 10th in a row and are now 10-1.

Up Next: The Warriors travel to New Orleans to face the Pelicans Sunday at 4 pm PT.

Young Warriors, behind Paschall’s tremendous effort, down Trail Blazers 127-118

Photo credit: mercurynews.com

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors led by three rookies — Eric Paschall, Ky Bowman, and Jordan Poole — and stunned the Portland Trailblazer Monday night at the Chase Center by a score of 127-118. It was the Warriors’ first win at the Chase Center this season.

The Warriors were again without the services of Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell, and Kevon Looney. Steph Curry is out for at least three months. Klay Thompson is out for the season. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup had three rookies and two veterans, Willie Cauley-Stein and Glen Robinson.

The Warriors, who played well for most of the game Saturday against Charlotte for three quarters, were able to put together a complete game as they stunned Portland. The Warriors played all four quarters with a lot of energy. They played well on offense as they recorded 28 assists. They improved on defense. They outrebounded Portland 47-44. The Warriors attacked the basket all night long. They had 36 free throws and made 33.

The Warriors’ player of the game was Eric Paschall. The young man that played his college ball at Villanova turned 23 on Monday. Paschall, who won a National Championship with Villanova, was the 41st player picked in the 2019 NBA Draft and showed the NBA that he came ready to play. In his seventh NBA game, Paschall tallied 36 points and had 13 rebounds for his first career double-double. Also, he knocked down four three-point shots. He scored 17 points in the first quarter and had his third game in the league with more than 20 points. His 36 points were the most scored by a rookie this year.

The Warriors and Blazers played a fast-paced and entertaining first quarter. The Warriors led most of the way. The most significant lead they had was 14-7. The teams tied at 22 and again at 27. Portland led 30-29 near the end of the period. The Warriors went on a 5-0 run to finish leading 34-30.

The Blazers outscored the Warriors 31-26 in the second quarter to lead 63-60 at the end of the first 24 minutes of action. Damian Lillard and Hassan Whiteside pace the Blazers with 17 points and 14 points. Eric Paschall finished the half with 19 points. Rookie point guard Ky Bowman, who played his college ball at Boston College, knocked down 10.

Portland increased the lead to 65-60 to start the third quarter. The Warriors responded with an 8-0 run to take the lead 68-65. It was nip and tuck for the remainder of the third quarter. Eric Paschall, Willie Cauley-Stein, Damian Lee, and Ky Bowman played with a lot of energy, and the Warriors refused to wilt. The Warriors won the period 27-20 and led 87-83 with 12 minutes left to play.

The Blazers, who probably has the best backcourt in the league now that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are on the shelves, fought back and tied the game at 99. Alec Burks made a couple of crucial three-point plays. Eric Paschall was a force on offense as well as on defense. Eric scored a bucket after fighting for a rebound to put the Warriors up 117-105. Jordan Poole and Damian Lee played exceptionally well. The Blazers double-teamed Lee every time he handled the ball, trying to force turnovers. They were successful a couple of times, but they fouled Damian several times. Lee made 8 free throws in nine attempts. The Warriors refused to fold, and they ran out the clock with a stunning victory over the Blazers.

Game Notes: As mentioned above, Eric Paschall had the biggest night of his young career. In just seven games, he has shown that he is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the NBA. The Dubs had six players in double figures. Paschall led the way with 36. Ky Bowman had 19, Jordan Poole and Damian Lee each had 16. Alec Burns, coming off the bench, added 13, and Cauley-Stein had 10.

Damian Lillard, who is from Oakland, led the Blazers with 39. he hit five threes in 13 tries. His backcourt partner, C.J.McCollum, finished with 14. Big Hassan Whiteside, who killed the Warriors when he was with the Miami Heat, had a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Blazers’ bench players, Anfernee Simons and Mario Hezonjka, had 14 and 11.

The Blazers shot almost 45% from the floor. The Warriors were better as they shot 48.8%. The Blazers hit 13 threes while the W’s connected 10 times on 26 attempts. The Blazers committed six turnovers. The Warriors turned the ball over 10 times.

Up Next: The Warriors improved to 2-5 while Portland dropped to 3-4. The Warriors travel to Houston to face the Rockets Wednesday at 4:30 pm PT.

Short-handed Warriors come close, lose to Hornets 93-87

Photo credit: nba.com/warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors, depleted by injuries, faced the Charlotte Hornets with only nine players Saturday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors were without the services of Draymond Green and D’Angelo Russell. Green was out due to a sprained index finger on his left hand, and he will not be available on Monday. Russell suffered a sprained ankle, and he may play on Monday. Head coach Steve Kerr’s starting lineup bore no resemblance to the Warrior team of the past five years. All five starters are in their first year with the Warriors. Three of the starters, Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole, and Ky Bowman, are rookies. Willie Cauley-Stein and Glenn Robinson III have experience in the NBA as they were with other teams last year.

The young Warriors won the first and second quarters to finish the first half leading 55-50. The offense was led by rookie Eric Paschall, Glenn Robinson, Ky Bowman, and Damion Lee. Paschall had 12, Robinson 11, Lee 10, and Bowman 9.  The Hornets were led by Dwayne Bacon with 15. Point guard Terry Rozier, acquired from Boston in the trade for Kemba Walker, had 10. Forward P.J.Washington and big Cody Zeller each knocked down 8.

The Warriors and Hornets went tooth and nail in the third quarter. The name of the game in the third quarter was defense, The Warriors held the Hornets to just 18 points total in the period. The bad news was that the Warriors were held to 16 points. The team went ice cold late in the third period and could not buy a bucket. They still led by three points 71-68. That would have been a perfect time to end the game, and the Warriors would have recorded the win. Unfortunately, for Golden State, they had to play 12 more minutes. The fourth quarter was also a nail-biter. The Hornets took the lead 72-71.  The Dubs bounced back and regained it 75-74. The Hornets took a five-point lead 80-75.

The Warriors managed to tie it when Glenn Robinson hit a three to make it 80-80. The Hornets made a three, and the Warriors countered with a three. The Hornets made another three. The Warriors answered with a three to tie the game at 86. The Dubs made a free throw to go on top 87-86. They didn’t know it at the time, but it would be the last time they would put points on the board. The Hornets then went ahead 88-87. Damion Lee turned the ball over to the Hornets when he was not able to inbound the basketball successfully. The ball went over to the Hornets. The Hornets missed on several free throws down the stretch, but the Warriors were not able to corral the rebounds. The Hornets’ Terry Rozier was fouled from behind. The referees awarded him two free throws and possession of the ball. The Hornets made all four free throws to win the game 93-87.

Game Notes: Even though the W’s lost for the fifth time in six games, all was not dismal. Eric Paschall, the rookie from Villanova, had a career night. He scored 25 points, had 4 rebounds, and two assists, and was the 41st player picked in the 2019 draft. In the six games in his young career, he has two games with 20 or more points. He looks to be the real deal, and the Warriors have to be pleased with his play. The other rookie that sparkled Saturday night was Ky Bowman. Bowman, a backup point guard, played his college ball at Boston College. He kicked in with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and made two three-pointers in six tries. Glenn Robinson was solid with 16 points, nine boards, and three assists. Robinson connected on four three in seven attempts. Damion Lee, coming off the bench, finished the night with 13. These were the bright spots in a losing effort.

Charlotte had five players in double figures. Dwayne Bacon had 25, Terry Rozier 20, Marvin Williams 11, P.J. Washington 11, and Cody Zeller 10.

The Warriors shot 44.2% from the floor. The Hornets outshot the Warriors 85-77.  They also outrebounded Golden State 48-40. The Warriors had five steals and five blocked shots on defense.

The Warriors held the Hornets to 43 points in the second half. Usually, that effort would get the team a win. The problem for Golden State was that they were held to just 32 points in the final 24 minutes of the game. The young players did not quit. They hustled and had a chance to win. The fans have to realize the fact that these players have only played together for six games. They also are missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, D’Angelo Russell, and Klay Thompson. It may be a long season. Still, players such as Eric Paschall, Glenn Robinson, Ky Bowman, Jordan Poole, and Damion Lee will be players that may contribute to the Warrior success later in the season when the key players return to action. Let’s hope they continue to improve.

Up Next: The Warriors return to action Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Chase Center. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

Warriors play better, but still lose to Spurs 127-110

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors received the news that their superstar, Steph Curry, had surgery on his broken hand Friday. Curry will be re-evaluated in three months. He might not be able to return until at least February.

The Warriors’ Friday night opponent was the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs lost for the first time last night in Los Angeles to the Clippers. Spurs head coach Greg Popovich wanted his team to rebound, and they did just that as they downed the young Warriors 127-110 at the Chase Center. The game was closer than the score would indicate. The Warriors held their own until late in the third quarter when the Spurs were able to pull away.

The Warriors played a very competitive first half. They lost the first and second quarters by one point. They trailed 57-55 at the end of the first 23 minutes of action. D’Angelo Russell led the team with 19 points. Jordan Poole and Alec Burks helped keep the Warriors in the game. The Spurs were led by bench players Rudy Gay and Patty Mills. Mills had 16 and Gay added 10.

The Spurs broke it open late in the third period. They outscored the Warriors 40-31. LaMarcus Aldridge, who scored eight in the first half, scored the Spurs’ first 10 points in the third quarter. The Warriors stayed close, but the veteran Spurs team pulled away to lead 97-86. The Warriors, who were led by Jordan Poole, Damian Lee, and D’Angelo Russell, could not close the gap. The Spurs cruised to a 127-110 win.

With the loss, the Warriors dropped to 1-4. The Spurs improved to 4-1. D’Angelo Russell tallied 30 points for Golden State. Russell also had 8 assists and was 3 for 11 from three-point range. Jordan Poole knocked down 20. The young man from Michigan made four threes in seven tries. Damian Lee had 16, and Alec Burks pitched in with 14.

The Spurs were led by Patty Mills, who finished with 31 points. Mills, who played college basketball at St. Mary’s in Moraga, Calif., made six threes in nine tries. Aldridge had 22, Rudy Gay had 16, Bryn Forbes had 14, and DeMar DeRozan had 13.

The Spurs took nine more shots from the floor than the Warriors. They shot 47.3% while the Warriors shot a respectable 46.4%. The Spurs also made more free throws than the Warriors. They made 26 freebies compared to the Warriors’ 19.

The Warriors were outrebounded 52-39, but they recorded 25 assists. They had good ball movement and were able to find the open man. They also handled the ball better and were able to reduce the number of turnovers. They had just 11 turnovers Friday night.

The Warriors return to action Saturday night at the Chase Center. They will be hosting the visiting Charlotte Hornets. The Hornets will be led by former Boston Celtic, Terry Rozier, who will be their point guard. Their record is 2-3 so far this year. The game will start at 5:30 pm.