Curry’s big third quarter sinks Rockets 113-87

The Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) is jubilant after scoring a three point shot against the Houston Rockets Armoni Brooks (7) during Sat May 1, 2021 game in Houston (Houston Chronicle photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors (32-32) faced the downtrodden Houston Rockets (16-48) at the Toyota Center in Houston Saturday night. The Rockets, without their star John Wall, beat the Milwaukee Bucks Thursday night behind Kevin Porter’s outstanding performance. Porter, who is 20-years-old knocked down 50 points, leading Houston to victory. The Rockets’ management discharged their head coach, Muke D’Antoni, at the end of last season. The Rockets traded Russell Westbrook to the Washinton Wizards, and James Harden went to the Brooklyn Nets.

The Rockets have struggled all season long, and it appears they will be one of the three teams with the worst record in the NBA. Having lost two in a row, the Warriors needed to take advantage of the Rockets to stay in the race for a ninth or tenth spot in the Western Conference standings. Things didn’t go well in the first half of the game. The Rockets found a way to contain Stephen Curry. The Warriors got their act together in the third quarter and were able to win easily 113-87.

The Warriors’ offense in the first two quarters left a lot to the imagination. Curry made two threes in ten tries. The Rockets held him to seven points. The Rockets finished the first quarter with a two-point lead 24-22. The Rockets went on a 9-3 run to start the second quarter to lead 33-25. Curry returned with about six minutes left in the period. Houston kept answering every Warrior basket. The Rockets led at halftime 55-49.

The third quarter was a different story. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr must have read the riot act to his team during the halftime break. They did not play well against the Dallas Mavericks, and they folded against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter Thursday night.

They could not afford to lose to Houston. Kerr’s words must have resonated with the Warriors as they came out smoking to start the third quarter. Golden State went on a 28-4 run to start play in the period. At one point, they scored 24 unanswered points. Curry was on fire. He scored 23 points in his 12 minutes on the floor. He connected on five threes in seven tries. The Warriors outscored the Rockets 39-12 in the quarter to lead 87-67.

The Warriors had Curry and Draymond Green on the bench for the entire fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins, Mychal Mulder, and Jordan Poole provided the offense as the Warriors cruised to victory 113-87

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are 32-32 for the year. They have two more road games left for the year. They will play both against the New Orleans Pelicans. They lead the Pelicans by 3 1/2 games for the final playoff spot. The first game with New Orleans will be Monday night. The Warriors play the last six games of the season at the Chase Center.

The Warriors used eight players again for the second game in a row. Kelly Oubre, Jr. was out with a wrist problem. Damion Lee is still on Covid-19 protocol, and Eric Paschall missed another game due to a hip flexor. Paschall is improving and will be back soon, possibly next week.

Curry had another 30-point game. He had 30 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He was nine-for-23 from the floor and 7-fo-17 from downtown. Andrew Wiggins continued his excellent play on both ends of the court. Wiggins poured in 20 points.

He pulled down two rebounds and had two assists. Mychal Mulder and Jordan Poole each had 17 points. Mulder connected on five threes. Draymond Green nearly had a triple-double. Green scored nine points, pulled down 11 rebounds, and recorded eight assists.

As a team, the Warriors shot 46% from the floor. They made 18 threes in 46 attempts. They moved the ball well, especially in the second half, with 32 assists on 39 made field goals. They had ten steals and eight blocks on defense. They forced 18 Rockets turnover that resulted in 20 points for the Warriors.

The Warriors meet the Pelicans in New Orleans Monday Night. The game will start at 4:30 pm. 

Curry leads Warriors to win over Rockets 125-109

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (30) and Draymond Green (23) share congratulations following their win over the Houston Rockets on Sat Apr 10, 2021 at the Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

What a difererence a day makes. The Golden State Warriors rebounded from a loss Friday night to the Washington Wizards to down the Houston Rockets Saturday night at the Chase Center. The Rockets, coached by Stephen Silas, are not the team that the Warriors faced from 2015 to 2019.

The Rockets’ former head coach Mike D’Antoni is now an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets. Russell Westbrook in a Washington Wizard. Clint Capela is with the Atlanta Hawks, and James Harden is a Brooklyn Net. The Rockets’ best player is John Wall. Wall did not play for two years due to injury.

He requested a trade, and the Wizards sent him to Houston. The Rockets entered the game with a record of 14-38. The Warriors added to their woes by beating them 125-109.

The Warriors did not have Kelly Oubre in the lineup Saturday night. Oubre was complaining of soreness in his wrist, and coach Steve Kerr gave him the night off. Kent Bazemore took his place in the lineup. The Warriors and the Rockets played an entertaining and competitive first quarter.

The Warriors led for most of the quarter. Rookie James Wiseman knocked down six points in the first few minutes of the game. The Warriors led by eight 32-24, but The Rockets were able to get to within two as they scored the last six points of the period to trail 32-30 after the first 12 minutes of action.

The Warriors owned the second quarter. Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole led the team on a 13-2 run to give the W’s the advantage, 47-34. The Warriors played well on defense, too. They won the quarter 33-18 to finish the first half with a 17-point lead 65-48. Andrew Wiggins had 19, Jordan Poole, 14, and Curry, 10. 

The Rockets had to play at their best to close the gap in the third and fourth quarters. They did outscore the Dubs 33-29 in the third. Curry tallied 23 of the Warriors 29 points in the third quarter. The Warriors led 94-80 heading into the final stanza.

Curry was not on the floor to start the fourth quarter. The second unit of Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, Michael Mulder, and Damion Lee kept the Rockets from cutting into the Warrior lead. The Warriors led 111-98 with 5:54 left in the game.

Steve Kerr put Curry back on the floor to finish the game. Michael Mulder and Juan Toscano-Anderson were also in the lineup. The Rockets’ John Wall heated up in the second half. Wall scored 20 points in the second half, and with D.J.Augustin, they closed the gap to 116-107 with 2:40 left. Curry and Toscano-Anderson made baskets in the final two minutes to give Golden State the win 125-109.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are now 25-28 for the year. The Rockets are 14-39. 

Curry scored 30 or more points in a game for the sixth straight time. The last Warrior to accomplish that feat was Rick Barry. Curry has connected on 214 threes this season. He passed Sacramento’s Buddy Hield to lead the NBA in that department. Curry has scored 17,765 points in his career with the Warriors. He needs 18 points to tie the late Wilt Chamberlain for the Warriors all-time scoring record.

Curry finished Saturday night’s game with 38 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He was 13-for-21 from the floor and connected on eight three in 15 attempts from downtown. Andrew Wiggins was second in scoring with 25. Jordan Poole, coming off the bench, had quite a night with 21 points and three threes. Mychal Mulder had 10, Kent Bazemore 9. Draymond Green’s line was two points, seven boards, and seven assists.

The Warriors shot 54 % from the floor. They made 14 threes in 35 attempts. The Warriors recorded 31 assists on 49 made field goals. The Warriors’ defense recorded 13 steals, five blocked shots, and they forced 18 Houston turnover that resulted in the Warriors putting 23 points on the board. The Warriors tallied 28 fast break points.

The Warriors’ big rookie center, James Wiseman, fell hard to the floor in the second quarter and injured his knee. he left the game and did not return. He will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

John Wall led the Rockets with 30 points. He was 11-for 19 from the floor, and he tallied five threes in seven tries. D.J. Augustin, coming off the bench, poured in 19 points. Kelly Olynyk had a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Big Christian Wood licked in with 18. 

The Warriors host the Denver Nuggets at the Chase Center Monday night. The game will start at 7 pm.

Warriors send the Rockets down 108-94 to their 18th loss in a row

Photo credit: @warriors

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors had hoped to rebound after being routed by the Los Angeles Lakers Monday night, and rolled over the hapless Houston Rockets 108-94 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

The Rockets’ two best players, John Wall and Victor Oladipo, did not play. Wall is out with an injury, and Oladipo did not play in back-to-back games. Most of the names in the lineup probably were not well known to Warrior fans. The Warriors, who have lost five of their last six games, wanted to get back on the winning track against Houston. 

However, in the NBA, teams–no matter how dreadful–cannot be taken lightly. The Rockets played a very competitive first quarter. The Warriors turned the ball over seven times in the period, which led to 10 Houston points. Stephen Curry paced the Warrior offense with 13. Houston led 21-18 when the Warriors went on an 11-0 run to go-ahead 29-21. The Rockets scored the next six points to close the gap to two 29-27. Curry made a bucket to give the Warriors the lead at the end of the quarter 31-27.

In the second quarter, the new-look second unit helped outscore the Rockets by 20 points, 37-17, to end the first half with a commanding 24-point lead, 68-44. Since returning from the G-League, Jordan Poole, who has been sensational, led the assault with 15 points, including four threes from downtown. Andrew Wiggins had 15, Curry had 13, and Kelly Oubre had 10. Houston’s leading scorers were Kevin Porter with 13, Christian Wood with nine, and Kenyon Martin with seven.

Houston came to life in the third period. The Rockets outscored the Warriors 27-18. Curry was cold from behind the three-point arc. He finished the night with two threes in 11 tries. Draymond Green continued to play well, finishing the night with a triple-double. Although the Warriors played well on both ends of the court, the one flaw in the game was the number of fouls they committed.

Houston was able to get closer as a result. The Warriors led by fifteen, 86-71, at the end of the third quarter. The Warriors had to hold their collective breaths as Curry fell on his backside as the quarter ended. He limped to the locker room and did not return. He was diagnosed with a tailbone contusion.

The second unit played well in the fourth quarter. Jordan Poole continued to play well. He knocked down two more threes to finish the night with a career-high six threes. Kelly Oubre, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green refused to let the Rockets get back into the game. The Warriors won the game 108-94.

Game Notes and Stats: With the win, the Warriors are now 21-20 for the season. The Rockets set a team record with their 18th loss in a row, and are now 11-28.

Draymond Green had his 27th career triple-double. The Warriors are 26-1 in those games. Jordan Poole led the Warriors with 23 points. Curry had 18 points, five rebounds, and eight assists. Kelly Oubre had 19 points, while Andrew Wiggins had 17 points. Draymond Green had a season-high 16 points. He pulled down 12 rebounds and had 10 assists. The Warriors shot 45.6% from the floor. They were 16-for 45 from downtown. They recorded 32 assists on 41 made field goals. The Rockets outrebounded the Warriors 67-50. The Warriors gave the Rockets 40 free threes. Fortunately, the Rockets made only 21.

Kevin Porter led the Rockets with 25 points. Christian Wood had 21 points, and Kenyon Martin added 13 points.

Up Next: The Warriors play the Memphis Grizzlies in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday in Memphis. The game will start at 5 pm PST.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: After facing NBA’s best, Warriors in Houston to face NBA’s worst tonight

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry (left) seen here taking a shot against the Los Angeles Lakers Dennis Schroder (right). Curry led Golden State in scoring with 27 points on Mon Mar 15, 2021 at Chase Center in San Francisco (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 David, the Warriors (20-20) faced the Los Angeles Lakers (26-13) on Monday night and the contest wasn’t even close as the Lakers dominated for the win 128-97.

#2 For the Warriors it’s was double trouble they had to defend Montrezl Harrell who finished as the top scorer with 27 points and LeBron James with 22 points. The Lakers were certainly a force and that’s considering after the Warriors beat the best team in basketball the night before in the Utah Jazz.

#3 The Warriors are in Houston tonight to face the Rockets (11-26) the Rockets have lost 16 straight games and there is very little doubt that since the departure of James Harden to Brooklyn they have fell on very hard times.

Join David for the Warriors podcasts each Wednesday morning at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor Wed Mar 17, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Kings pick up third win in five games 125-105 over Houston; Play in Atlanta Sat nite

Sacramento Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica (8) reaches in over the head of the Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon (10) for a foul on Thu Mar 11, 2021 at Golden One Center in Sacramento (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Sacramento Kings (15-22) continue to show improvement getting a win against the Houston Rockets (11-24) at Golden One Center in Sacramento on Thursday night 125-105.

#2 This win showed that since they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and narrowly lost to the Portland Trailblazers there has been some improvement over the course of the last three games.

#3 The Kings De’Aaron Fox continues to have strong offensive nights leading the Kings in scoring against the Rockets with 30.

#4 Anytime you get three players finishing second in scoring with 20 points Harrison Barnes, Richaun Holmes, and Buddy Hield it speaks volumes to offense that needs to get back on track.

#5 The Kings travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks (17-20) on Sat Mar 13th. The Hawks have won five of their last eight games so this might be a little bit more of a challenge than this last game with Houston.

Jeremiah does the Sacramento Kings podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson Fri Mar 12, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

Sac Kings game wrap: Kings Fox scores 30 in 125-105 win over Rockets

Houston Rockets center Justin Patton (26) desperately looks for some day light against Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes (22) on Thu Mar 11, 2021 at Golden One Arena in Sacramento (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The Sacramento Kings were back in action on Thursday night and took a crucial game for the win at Golden One Center in Sacramento 125-105 against the visiting Houston Rockets.

Flashback to Mar 4th: The Kings had a week long break as the NBA took a week long hiatus to celebrate the best players in the league. In the Kings last game before the All Star break, they played the Portland Trail Blazers. When the Kings played the Trail Blazers a week ago, the Kings put up a fight. The Kings displayed more defense in the game against the Trail Blazers but it ultimately wasn’t enough to stop Damian Lillard. Lillard scored 44 points and put on a show against the Kings. The Kings weren’t able to get a win heading into the All Star break losing 123-119.

Thursday game recap: The Kings would be looking to get the second half off to a good start against a struggling Houston Rockets team on Thursday. The Rockets had lost 13 straight games coming into Sacramento and the Kings were looking to take advantage. Tip off was set for 7 PM PST in Sacramento.

In the first half, The Kings handed it to the Rockets. The first quarter was close with the Kings out scoring the Rockets 35-33 as neither team played any defense. However, the Kings turned it on in the second quarter.

The Kings managed to outscore the Rockets 30-18 in a very lopsided quarter that saw the Kings finish the half with a 14 point 65-51 lead. The Kings had to feel confident going into the second half against a struggling team.

In the second half, Houston kept the Kings within reach in the third quarter. Houston and Sacramento both scored 30 points in the third as the Kings would take their same lead at halftime into the final quarter up 95-81.

In the fourth, the Kings sealed the deal. The Kings outscored the Rockets 30-24 in the final quarter to hand the Rockets their 14th straight loss. For the Kings it was an encouraging sign.

They managed to get a win coming out of the All Star break against a very poor team. Leading the way for the Kings in victory was De’Aaron Fox who had 30 points as Victor Oladipo led the way for the Rockets with 23 points. The Kings will look to keep the momentum heading into their next game.

Up Next: The Kings will head on the road to take on the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday at 4:30 PM PST in Atlanta.

 

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria: Kings take on struggling Rockets Thursday night in Sacramento

The Portland Trailblazers Carmelo Anthony (00) takes a fade away shot over the Sacramento Kings center Buddy Hield (24) and Cory Joseph (right) on Thu Mar 4, 2021 in Portland (AP News photo)

On the Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony R:

#1 The Kings (14-22) enjoyed the All Star break off but it’s time to get back to work. The Kings lost their last game ending up in a loss 123-119 to the Portland Trailblazers (21-14) in Portland on Thu Mar 4th.

#2 In the loss the Kings did play seven players out of eight who wound up in double figures so they lost by four but ended up playing some good offense against the Blazers.

#3 Tony De’Aaron Fox continues to be consistent with 32 points scored leading the Kings in offense last Thursday he’s getting some help from his teammates where before there were certain games he was carrying the weight of the team.

#4 Also Tony talk about guard Buddy Hield he’s just behind Fox in scoring he was second last Thursday with 21 points and has been a big part of the scoring for Sacramento.

#5 The Houston Rockets (11-23) are next up the Rockets have lost 13 straight games as they visit the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night Mar 11th at Golden One Center. The Rockets really haven’t been the same since James Harden left.

Join Tony R every other Thursday for the Kings podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Tony Renteria Thu Mar 11, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

 

Sacramento Kings podcast with Jeremiah Salmonson: Game just narrowly slips past Kings in loss to Portland

The Portland Trailblazers guard Damion Lillard (0) goes for the lay up against the Sacramento Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica (8) on Thu Mar 4, 2021 in Portland (AP News photo)

On the Kings podcast with Jeremiah:

#1 The Kings (14-22) hung all game with the Portland Trailblazers (21-14) but in the end just couldn’t put the final touches on the Blazers in the 123-119 loss.

#2 The Trailblazers top scorer Damion Lillard led with 44 points Lillard one of the key factors that the Trailblazers were able to pull this game off against the Kings.

#3 The Kings used only eight players in the contest and had seven of them finish in double figures led by De’Aaron Fox with 32 points. The Kings good enough to win but just couldn’t finish.

#4 The Kings for all four quarters were able to hang with the Blazers they had definitely improved on offense and defense and it show when they beat the Lakers on Wednesday night and in this loss to Portland on Thursday night.

#5 The Kings are in Houston against the Rockets (11-23) on Thursday night the Rockets are certainly a different team since James Harden left.

Join Jeremiah for Kings game coverage after every Kings game at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Kings played improved ball but can’t hang on with Blazers 123-119

The Portland Trailblazers forward Robert Covington tried prying the ball out of the hands of the Sacramento Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica during first half action Thu Mar 4, 2021’s contest in Portland (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

The day has finally arrived for Kings players. That day is the end of the first half of the 2021 season. The first half of the season has been very up and down for the Kings. They went on a streak of winning 7-8 games, and also a nine game losing streak. It was really a tale of two teams.

On Thursday night, the Kings would suit up for the last time before the All Star break. It would be the second night of a back to back after playing in Sacramento against the Lakers the night before.

In Wednesday’s game, the King battled. It wasn’t the cleanest game of all time but the Kings did manage to pull out the win against the Lakers. Granted, the Lakers were without their stars Lebron James and Anthony Davis. The Kings managed to win 123-120.

Thursday night, the Kings would be on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland. Tip-off was set for 7 PM PST. Only to lose it in a close well battled game between the two clubs with the Blazers winning 123-114.

In the first half, the Kings played well. They didn’t allow the Blazers to take a large lead and kept the game close. The Kings were out scored 30-27 in the first quarter as they looked to solidify the defensive end of the floor.

In the second quarter, The Kings and Blazers both scored 29 points to send the game into halftime with a 59-56 lead over the Kings. The Kings would look to continue the decent defense in the second half to keep the game close.

In the second half, the Kings pulled ahead early. After the third quarter, in which the Kings out scored the Blazers 34-30, the Kings offense began to show life. It would be up to the defense in the fourth quarter to contain Damion Lillard and come away with a win.

That wasn’t to happen. The Blazers out scored the Kings 34-29 in the final quarter to beat the Kings. The Kings played sloppy offense in the final minute which ultimately cost them the game.

Lillard finished the game with 44 points and the Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox who had 32. This was the Kings final game before the All Star break and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some roster moves when the next Kings game takes place.

Up next: The All Star break will last until Thursday March 11th when the Kings welcome in the Houston Rockets at 7 PM PST in Sacramento.

Sacramento Kings game wrap: Rockets take second game 102-94; Kings get swept in two game match

The Houston Rockets John Wall who led the Rockets in scoring with 28 points contributed to the Rockets eight point win over the Sacramento Kings on Sat Jan 2, 2021 in Houston (AP News photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

On Saturday, the NBA community is mourning the loss of Paul Westphal. The legendary coach passed away at the age of 70. Westphal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

The Sacramento Kings are set for another matchup in this young NBA season. Last game, the Kings were on the losing end against the Houston Rockets on New Year’s eve.The Kings battled through the whole game. Unfortunately, James Harden went off in the last few minutes of the game. The Rockets were able to defeat the Kings 122-119 in Houston.

The Kings didn’t fare much better on Saturday night in Houston taking a second loss to the Rockets 102-94.

However, unfortunate news for the Kings was revealed over the last couple of days. Standout rookie Tyrese Haliburton was not be available for the rest of the road trip. He has an injury to his wrist and his tests came back negative. Haliburton is going to be looked at whether he can play or not on Mon Jan 4th in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors.

In the first half, the Kings kept things close with the Rockets. The Kings matched the Rockets in the first quarter scoring 36 points. Neither team played much defense and the offenses were getting all the shots they wanted. The second quarter was very similar. The Kings and Rockets both scored 28 points to go into halftime tied at 64 apiece.

In the second half, the Rockets pulled away from the Kings. The Rockets outscored the Kings 19-17 in the third quarter as the offense in the game evaporated. Neither team was able to get into an offensive rhythm and both teams played better defense. In the fourth, the Rockets sealed the fate of the Kings. They outscored the Kings 19-13.

De’Aaron Fox led the Kings with 23 points in the game. John Wall led the way for the Rockets with 28 points.

Up Next: The Kings will continue this road trip in San Francisco at Chase Center against Golden State on Monday at 7 PM PST.