Warriors Beat Lakers 121-106 to Stave off Elimination, Force Game 6

Photo credit: @warriors

By: Mary Anne

Wednesday night was do-or-die for the Golden State Warriors, who hosted the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Warriors beat the Lakers 121-106 at the Chase Center.

There was star power in the building, as NBA on TNT analyst and former NBA player Baron Davis rang Wednesday’s bell ahead of Game 5. That said, Golden State was good to go.

The Warriors’ starting five featured Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, and Draymond Green. Curry scored from downtown to get the Warriors going early in the first quarter. Curry and Green weren’t the Splash Brothers, per se, but the two were the first-quarter kings. The Warriors led 32-28 after the first quarter.

The Warriors continued to pour in the points in the second quarter. Jordan Poole took in the basket to score a layup, Andrew Wiggins provided an offensive spark, and Gary Payton II was so good in scoring in the paint. The Warriors led 70-59 at the half.

The second half saw a superb statistic. Stephen Curry passed Mark Jackson for 22nd most assists in NBA playoff history. Jackson is a former NBA player who played point guard for the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets. Jackson also served as the Warriors head coach from 2011 to 2014.

Andrew Wiggins continued to deliver his offensive energy, and the Warriors led 93-82 after three quarters.

The Warriors came in hot in the fourth quarter. Andrew Wiggins was a key offensive player from start to finish, while Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all contributed offensively.

The Warriors survived a win-or-go-home Game 5 for a 121-106 victory.

Stephen Curry led the Warriors in scoring with 27 points, three rebounds, eight assists, and one block.

Andrew Wiggins recorded 25 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. Draymond Green scored 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block.

Gary Payton II had 13 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Jordan Poole had 11 points, one rebound, and four assists. Klay Thompson had 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks. Moses Moody had six points and four rebounds. Jonathan Kuminga had five points, one rebound, and one assist. Kevon Looney had four points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

Donte DiVincenzo added two rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

The Warriors head to Los Angeles to take on the Lakers in Game 6 on Friday at 7:00 pm Pacific.

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Kerr admits team is getting long in the tooth

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (right) talks strategy on Nov 14, 2022 at the Chase Center in San Francisco with guard Stephen Curry (left). Kerr said in an interview this week said that this team won’t be together forever and this might be their last year. (AP News photo)

On the Warriors podcast with Jerry F:

#1 In an interview this week with NBC Sports Bay Area Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he to come to the conclusion that yes his star players are getting a little older and that might have been part of the reason why they had run into that five game losing streak.

#2 The Fearsome Foursome of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala won’t be together forever said Kerr saying this could be the last year they will be together.

#3 It’s too early to tell but the Warriors after losing those five in a row have now won three of their last five games so if they can get to the finals with this team could they come back next season?

#4 Green’s future with Golden State is doubtful and after the famous punch he threw in practice at Jordan Poole other NBA team sought his services in case the Warriors let him go, Curry’s contract runs for three more years, and Thompson’s contract expires at the end of this season.

#5 Warrior and Knicks battle at the Chase Center on Friday night the Warriors are looking for their four win in five games and the Knicks are playing .500 ball winning four of their last eight games.

Join Jerry for the Warriors podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Golden State Warriors podcast with Jerry Feitelberg: Green punches teammate during practice drills; Thompson has mental block in practice

Golden State Warriors Draymond Green slugged teammate Jordan Poole during practice Wed Oct 5, 2022 practice. Green will be suspended by the team that could overlap into the regular season. Poole reportedly had been edgey about getting a contract extension from the team (photo from Clutch Points)

On the Warrior podcast with Jerry F:

#1 Jerry, Golden State Warriors Draymond Green known for occasionally loosing patience and being vocal threw a punch in practice at teammate Jordan Poole during practice on Wednesday. Green is subject to suspension that could overlap from the pre season to the beginning of the regular season.

#2 Jerry Green is noted for getting angry at times after this recent incident some question maybe the Warriors have kept Green too long on the team because of his outbursts and at times having anger issues his most famous when he went after former Warrior Kevin Durant during a bench argument telling him to sign a contract and commit to the team on live television that he should have been let go by the team at that time?

#3 How much of a distraction going into the regular season will this fight impact the Warriors with Green suspended to start the season?

#4 Klay Thompson had what was reported as a mental block regarding his past achilles tendon injury during practice. Warrior head coach Steve Kerr sounding very concerned in talking with the media about Thompson after practice Wednesday hopes that this is something that Thompson can overcome.

#5 Jerry, LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers are in Sunday against the Golden State Warriors. Jerry wanted to ask you about all the hoopla around Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and LeBron. Kareem said that LeBron taking the side of vaccine hesitancy was putting lives and livelihoods at risk. LeBron responded by saying in terms of his relationship with Kareem, “No thoughts and no relationship.”

Join Jerry Feitelberg for the Warriors podcasts each Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

OKC wins in a blowout over Warriors 120-92; GSW remains winless

photo from sfgate.com: Oklahoma City Thunder guard Dennis Schroder (17) shoots in front of Golden State Warriors forward Eric Paschall (7) in the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Oklahoma City.

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Golden State Warriors, smarting from a blowout loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers last Thursday night, were hammered by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday by a score of 120-92. Also, the game was not as close as the final score might indicate. The Warriors trailed by 33 at the end of the first half 70-37. Stephen Curry was the only Warrior in double figures with ten.

The Thunder increased the lead to 37 at the end of the third quarter 105-68. The Warriors outscored the Thunder 24-15 in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.

The Warrior fans have to be concerned this team may not be good enough to make the playoffs. Head coach Steve Kerr and his staff know that it will take six to eight weeks to see where this team will be going. Right now, the Warriors are not playing defense. They have two centers out with injury. Willia Cauley-Stein has an ankle injury and may miss another week before returning to action.

Kevon Looney is seeing a neurologist to determine why he is having neuropathic pain in his leg. His return is unknown. Alen Smailagic, the big center from Serbia, also has an ankle injury. He is making progress, but no one knows when he will play. Also, the offense needs to get better.

The role players such as rookie Jordan Poole and third-tear player Damian Lee are going to have to put more points on the board. Jacob Evans has to step up and assume the role that Shaun Livingston had in the past five seasons. The W’s need to have better ball movement. They recorded 17 assists in the game.

They were making 30 or more in the glory years. Failure to move the ball allows opposing defenses to double team Steph Curry. If Curry is double-teamed, that frees up a shooter, and the role players are going to have to step up and make the shots. Failure to do is costing the Warriors to win.

The Warriors also have nine new players on the roster. D’Angelo Russell scored just six points in Sunday’s game. He was ejected in the third period for arguing with a referee. The Warriors need him to help fill the void created by Kevin Durant’s departure and Klay Thompson’s injury. Glenn Robinson III had just 3 points in Sunday’s game.  Alec Burks is scheduled to return, and that may help the Warriors put some points on the board.

The Warriors shot 32.6% from the floor. They made 5 threes in 31 tries while the Thunder countered with 15 threes. The Warriors had three players in double figures. Curry had 23, Draymond Green 10, and rookie Eric Paschall also kicked in with 10. The Thunder had five players in double figures.

Dennis Schroeder, coming off the bench, led the Thunder with 22. Danilo Gallinari had 21, Terrance Ferguson 13, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 19, and the veteran point guard Chris Paul added 10. The Thunder shot 55.7% from the floor. They outrebounded the Warriors 50-40.

The Warriors play their first back-to-back game Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. Game time at 5:00 p.m. PT. Steve Kerr will be doing everything he can to have his team ready to win their first game of the year.

Kevin Durant signs four-year $164 million deal to play with the Brooklyn Nets

file photo from sfgate.com: Former Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant #35 gets help off the floor in his last hurrah for Golden State with the injured Achilles tendon in the first half of game 5 against the Toronto Raptors.

By Jerry Feitelberg

OAKLAND–The Golden State Warriors lost a key player to free agency on Sunday. Superstar forward Kevin Durant decided to leave the Warriors, a team that he won two championships with, to play for the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets were active Sunday signing point guard Kyrie Irving and center DeAndre Jordan. They will have to wait a year for Durant to play for them as he will be recovering from an Achilles tendon injury that will sideline him for the entire 2019-2020 season.

The big question is, why did Durant decide to leave the Warriors. Golden State offered him a five-year deal worth $ 221 Million. The answer has to be that he was unhappy here with the Warriors. He had a massive dustup with Draymond Green early in the season. The two players didn’t speak for a while, and that may have been a factor even though Green apologized to Durant. Another factor may have been the injury that he sustained in Game Five of the NBA Finals with Toronto. Durant had suffered a calf injury in the series with the Houston Rockets. The team may have asked him to return to action before that injury was healed. No one knows what the Warriors’ doctors told him about the possibility that he might make it worse if he played.

The Warriors did agree to terms with a five -year $190 million contract with Klay Thompson. Klay will be out for at least nine months as he recovers from surgery to fix a torn ACL in his left knee. The Warriors want to re-sign Kevon Looney.  Looney is being courted by the Houston Rockets. Looney proved his worth as he played inspired basketball in the Finals after suffering an injury to his collarbone. The Warriors may try to get DeMarcus Cousins back. The most the can offer Cousins is about 6.3 million. Cousins could help fill the gap left by Durant’s departure. Cousins may stay to get a better deal a year from now. Shaun Livingston may retire, and that is another hole that the W’s will have to fill.

The Warriors should be competitive next year with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala still on the roster. Players such as Damian Jones, Jordan Bell, Alonzo McKinnie, and Quinn Cook will have to step up if the Warriors are to be successful next season. The fans are hoping the GM Bob Myers might have something rolled up in his sleeves to help make the team better. It will be a very different season for the Warriors as they start to play next year at the Chase Center in San Francisco.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Warriors squeak by to live another day as Durant leaves arena on crutches

Photo credit: @NBCS

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

#1 The Warriors and Raptors played to a one-point contest 106-105 with the Warriors keeping themselves alive in the Finals trailing Toronto 3-2 in the series and they did it without Kevin Durant towards the end of the game.

#2 An unlucky shot by the Raptors’ Kyle Lowry that didn’t go in ended up forcing a Game 6 and a possible elimination game for Toronto.

#3 But it was a big offensive night for the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, who led Golden State with 31 points, followed by splash brother Klay Thompson, who finished with 26.

#4 The big question is will Durant be able to return for Game 6 and how badly do the Warriors need him back in the lineup considering risking more damage to his already injured calf?

#5 So Game 6 will definitely wind up being the last home game ever for the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, a building they played in since 1966.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Spanish play-by-play radio talent for the Oakland A’s and does News and Commentary each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Headline Sports podcast with London Marq: Warriors’ Green looked as the “quarterback” of the team; A’s look to have a better week on 9-game road trip; plus more

Photo credit: @nbastats

On Headline Sports podcast with London:

#1 How key has Golden State’s Draymond Green for this Golden State team? He has been called the quarterback of the team.

#2 Green was called for a foul on the Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam. It was Green who said he would stop Siakam after he scored 32 points on Green in Game 1 and got an earful from rapper Drake on the way back to the dressing room after the game.

#3 What happened to the A’s? They’ve lost five straight games after winning 10 straight and are in Anaheim vs. the LA Angels for three straight games the A’s snapped the losing streak with a win over the Angels on Tuesday night.

#4  The Philadelphia Phillies’ Jay Bruce was added to their lineup for some power, but low and behold former San Francisco Giants outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who tore his ACL and will be out for the rest of the season. The Phillies, who are in first place by a half game over the Braves, will miss McCutchen’s bat out of the lineup.

#5 Back to basketball, how does Golden State handle the absence of a couple of their key players Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant?

London Marq does the Headline Sports podcast each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA Finals/Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Expect more rough and tumble basketball for Games 3 and 4

Photo credit: @warriors

On the NBA Finals/Warriors podcast with David:

#1 The Warriors in Game 2 Toronto have to be very greatful for a go-ahead basket by Andre Iguodala that sank the Toronto Raptors 109-104.

#2 For Games 3 and 4, the Warriors come back to Oakland. Is there any chance the Raptors can pull ahead or the Warriors can clear the fence and get ahead of a unpredictable Toronto team?

#3 Warriors injuries Kevin Looney is out, Klay Thompson how long will he be out, and Kevin Durant will he be out for the rest of the series?

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

NBA Finals/Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Do Raptors even have a chance against Golden State?

photo from wisconsinstatejournal.com file photo: In Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives on the Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcom Brogdon (13) in Toronto on May 25th.

On the NBA Finals/Golden State Warriors podcast with Dave:

#1 Much like James Harden of the Houston Rockets, will it be the same challenge for Kawhi Leonard of the Toronto Raptors? Will it be four or five guys versus Leonard? Will Leonard have to do all the heavy lifting?

#2 Is there any chance that this can be a balanced NBA Finals as the Warriors have dominated throughout the postseason? Do the Raptors have any advantage opening up the series at home in Toronto?

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

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: Welcome back Amaury after two months off from surgery; Amaury talks about A’s win streak

twitter.com file photo: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez (left) with broadcast partner Manolo Hernandez Douen (right) prepare to call another Oakland Athletics game in Spanish at the Oakland Coliseum.

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

#1 Amaury you were out for some two months after one of the longest layoffs in your broadcast career. What was that like being away from the mic?

#2 The A’s are currently on one of the longest streaks they’ve had in recent memory. It’s early, but folks have been talking about that 2002 season when they won 20 straight games

#3 In order to put together a win steak like that, you have to have a lot of things working for you and they’ve been getting timely hitting and long ball help from Mark Canha in place of injured Khris Davis.

#4 The Oakland A’s story has almost overshadowed the Golden State Warriors and their NBA Finals appearance starting in Toronto on Thursday night

#5 Amaury, you covered the Stanley Cup Final three years ago when the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins teed it up, This year, San Jose missed the finals by this much and now it’s going to be the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins. What was it like to be there at a very electric Stanley Cup Final when you got to cover it three years ago?

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez is the Spanish radio voice for Oakland A’s baseball on KIQI 1010 San Francisco, the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum, and does News and Commentary each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com