Clippers rough and ready pound Golden State 131-107

from sfgate.com: The Los Angeles Clippers Kawhi Leonard (2) takes a jump shot as the Golden State Warriors Eric Paschall (7) on Tuesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Los Angeles Clippers, stunned by their loss to the Lakers last Sunday, pummeled the injury-riddled Golden State Warriors 131-107 Tuesday night at the Chase Center. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry (seasonal flu), Draymond Green (knee) and Kevon Looney (hip).

The W’s also lost Juan Toscano-Anderson in the first few minutes of the game due to an ankle injury. The Clippers, led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, sprinted out to an early lead and never let the Warriors get back into the game. The Clippers overwhelmed the Warriors on both ends of the court.

The Warriors had no defense for the Clippers three point attack. They connected on ten threes in the first half and ten more in the second. The Clippers finished the first period with a nine point advantage 35-26. They blew the game open in the second quarter when the outscored the Warriors 41-22 to finish the first half with a 28-point lead 76-48.

The Clippers continued to put points on the board in the third quarter. The Clippers’ Patrick Beverly, Reggie Jackson, Landy Shamet, and Montrezl Harrell all made threes. The Warriors had no answers. The Clippers’ head coach Doc Rivers showed mercy as he pulled Leonard and George from the game. They did not play a minute in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors continued to play hard, and they outscored the Clippers by ten in the period. It was not enough. LA wins 131-107.

Game Notes and stats- With the loss, the Warriors drop to 15-50. The Clippers improved to 44-20.

They moved into second place in the Western Conference one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets. The leading scorer for Golden State was Dragan Bender who finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, and he connected on two threes. Andrew Wiggins had 21 points, and he made three threes. Marquese Chriss finished with a double-double. He had ten points and ten boards.

Jordan Poole had 17, Eric Paschall 12, Ky Bowman 11. The Warriors shot 47% from the floor. The Clippers took 13 more shots than the Warriors. The Clippers shot 50% from the floor and were 20 for 44 from downtown. They out rebounded the W’s 47-35.

The Clippers are 3-0 against the Warriors this season. That has not happened since the 2005-2006 season. It was the 27th time this season that the Clippers have scored more than 120 points in a game. The Warriors meet the Brooklyn Nets at the Chase Center Thursday night. The Nets beat the Lakers Tuesday night 104-102. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

Golden State Warriors podcast with David Zizmor: Warriors losses and Draymond doing all the heavy lifting results in frustration

photo from sfchronicle.com: Golden State Warriors Draymond Greens gets his money’s worth after being ejected in the second quarter during Thursday night’s game at Chase Center in San Francisco

On the Warriors podcast with David:

#1 The Golden State Warriors Draymond Green has been doing the heavy lifting for the Warriors most of the season. He did get ejected from his last game against the Los Angeles Lakers getting two technicals for arguing. Would you say say for Draymond the technicals were more out of frustration or just bad play calling from the offiicals.

#2 The Warriors take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday and the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday. Both of these games at on the home floor for the Warriors Dave sets these two games up.

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

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings try to regroup face Zion and the Pelicans Wednesday

New Orleans Pelicans’ Zion Williamson (1) shoots over Minnesota Timberwolves’ James Johnson in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, March 8, 2020, in Minneapolis. (ap photo)

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Toronto Raptors (45-18) on Sunday a big win for them defeating the Sacramento Kings (28-36) 118-113 at Golden One Center.

#2 The Raptors Norman Powell and Ken Lowry led the way with 31 and 30 points respectivley the Kings had a tough time keeping them at bay all night.

#3 The Kings lost by just five points so they kept it interesting with De’Aaron Fox leading with 28 points.

#4 When the Raptors came in Kings head coach Luke Walton knew that this was not going to be any routine game to try and win.

#5 The New Orleans Pelicans come to Golden One on Wednesday night Zion Williamson will be the one to watch he’s been having a career season so far.

Join Charlie on the Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

 

Falling shots cost Kings in loss to Raptors 118-113

The Toronto Raptors Norman Powell (24) attempts to score on the Sacramento Kings Harry Giles III (20) on Sunday night at Golden One Center in Sacramento (ap photo)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–Grant Napier put it perfectly on the Kings broadcast after the win on Saturday night in Portland, “The Kings may have saved their season.” The Kings are playing well but would have a big test on Sunday night. The Toronto Raptors were coming to town. The 2019 NBA Champs would be a tough task for the Kings on the second night of a back to back. Would the Kings be up to the task? TIp off was set for 6 PM PST at Golden 1 Center.

In the first quarter, the Kings didn’t appear up to the task. The Raptors defense and Kings missing open looks led to a double-digit lead early. However, the Kings would turn that tide. The Kings went on a 9-0 run to end the quarter tied at 22. Buddy Hield was able to come in off the bench and score eight points which greatly helped the Kings.

In the second, the Kings looked to keep that momentum going. The Kings managed to sustain that momentum into half. The Kings played toe to toe with the Raptors in the second to go into halftime only down one point at 51-50.

The Kings faltered slightly in the end of the half or they could have taken a slim lead into the half. Leading the way for the Kings was two players off the bench. Buddy Hield and Alex Len both had 11 points to lead the Kings in the first half. For the Raptors, they got a 14 point half from Norman Powell as Serge Ibaka chipped in 13. The Kings looked to keep their composure going into the second half.

In the third, the Kings faded slightly. The Raptors outscored the Kings 27-24 in the third to take a 78-74 lead into the final 12 minutes. The Kings weren’t able to hit shots in the third as they did in the first half but were able to stay close. Harrison Barnes and Kent Bazemore each had seven points in the third.

In the final frame, the Kings would battle. As the game was winding down to the final minutes, the Kings had tied the game with 5:00 left in the game. From there, it was anyone’s game. The rest of the way each team continued to trade baskets.

Until with 34.3 left on the clock, De’Aaron Fox hit an and-one layup. He made the free throw and the game was tied at 111. Nick Nurse drew up a great play in the timeout for Pascal Siakam to take the lead at 113-11 with 27.7 left. The Kings then missed a three-pointer and fouled the raptors in the rebound. Pascal Siakam made both and the Kings were down 115-11.

Richaun Holmes on the next play got downhill for the and-one layup. Holmes missed the free throw and the Raptors were up 115-113. The rest of the way, the Kings weren’t able to hit shots and they ultimately fell 118-113 to the Raptors. It was a hard played loss for the Kings and nothing to hang their heads on. The Kings now turn their attention to the next home game.

Up Next: The Kings stay home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night at 7 PM PST.

Warriors surprise 76ers 118-114; Golden State posts victory without flu ridden Curry

photo sfgate.com: The Philadelphia 76ers Al Horford holds onto the ball as the Golden State Warriors Andrew Wiggins (22) reaches in to get it loose at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Golden State Warriors hosted the Philadelphia 76ers at the Chase Center Saturday night. The Warriors’ Stephen Curry did not play as he was diagnosed with a case of seasonal flu. Draymond Green continued to rest his sore knee and Kevon Looney was out with a hip injury. The Sixers’ two best players, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were not available.

The Warriors, playing well of late, had hoped to have Curry in the lineup. The Warriors lost a close game to the Toronto Raptors Thursday night. The fans, who have suffered along with the team all season long, were beginning to see a glimmer of hope for next season. The Warriors, down eight points at the end of three quarters, rallied to beat the Sixers 118-114.

The Dubs trailed for most of the game. They trailed the Sixers by two at the half 57-55. The Sixers won the third quarter 33-37 to lead 90-82 after three periods of action.

The Warriors had their work cut out for them. They were able to stop the Sixer attack with an aggressive defense. Damion Lee knocked down a three to put the Warriors ahead 113-111. The Sixers’ Tobias Harris countered with a three of his own to put the Sixers back in the lead. Eric Paschall made with two free throws.

The Sixers missed three consecutive shots. Mychal Mulder made two free throws. “It took until the fourth quarter to really get much traction defensively,” Kerr said. “Philadelphia did a good job beating us inside for the first three quarters . But our guys hung in there and kept the game close. And then the fourth quarter really turned up the defense, and we got a lot of great individual performances, too.”

The Warriors held on to win 118-114. The Warriors are now 15-49 for the season. The Sixers are 38-26 and trail the Indiana Pacers by 1/2 game for the fifth spot in Eastern Conference.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors snapped a 10-game home losing streak with the win. They won at the Chase Center for the first time since January 18th. They have won for the third time in the last five games.

The Warriors used nine players in the game. Seven of them were in double figures. Damion Lee led the W’s with 24 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, and he made three threes in eight tries.

Eric Paschall, coming off the bench, tallied 23 points, three rebounds, and six assists. Mychal Mulder, who played the last day of his ten day contract, added 18 points. Marquese Chriss just missed a triple-double.

Chriss recorded 13 points, ten rebounds, and eight assists. Jordan Poole had 11, Dragan Bender ten, and Andrew Wiggins finished with ten. The team shot 55% from the floor. They moved the ball well as they recorded 30 assists. They committed seven turnovers. The Sixers out rebounded them 41-35

The Sixers had six players in double figures. Tobias Harris led the team with 24, Al Horford had 22 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists. Shake Milton had 14, Raul Neto 11. Glenn Robinson and Alec Burks traded to Philadelphia at the trade deadline, returned to the Chase Center with their new team. Robinson tallied 15 points, and Burks added 11.

The Warriors host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco

Kings fall to Sixers 125-108; Kings have lost two of last five games

By Jeremiah Salmonson

SACRAMENTO–The Sacramento Kings have been playing great since the All-Star break. The Kings are only 3.5 games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Kings looked to continue that success at home against a banged up Philadelphia 76ers team. Tip-off was set for 7PM PST at Golden 1 Center.

In the first half, the Kings really struggled to find their shot. The Kings spent most of the first half down double digits as the 76ers made the majority of their three point shots. For a traditionally poor three point shooting team, the 76ers managed to shoot 47.4% (9-19) from downtown in the first half. In contrast, the Kings only managed a 25% (2-8) clip from deep.

That discrepancy alone was enough to put the Kings behind the eight ball going into the second half down 53-63. Leading the way for the 76ers was Tobias Harris who had 19 first half points. De’Aaron Fox led the Kings in the first half with 13 points.

In the second half, the Kings continued to struggle. The 76ers outscored the Kings 33-27 in the third while the Kings couldn’t get stops. The Kings went on a few runs but ultimately couldn’t make up any ground. The Kings would start the 4th down double digits at 96-80.

In the fourth, it was more of the same for most of the quarter. The Sixers were hitting shots while the Kings weren’t and not getting stops. The Kings went on a 16-2 run in the middle of the quarter to get within six points but in the end it wouldn’t matter.

The Kings would fall to the Philadelphia 76ers by a final 125-108. It was a disappointing game for the Kings who had been playing so well of late. They would look to Saturday in Portland to get back on track.

The leading scorer for the 76ers was Tobias Harris who had 28 points. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox led the way with 23 points and Buddy Hield was right behind with 22 points in the game.

Up Next: The Kings head to Portland to take on the Trailblazers on Saturday night.

Curry returns, Warriors play well still lose to Raptors 121-113

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Warriors superstar, Stephen Curry, returned to action after missing 58 games due to a broken hand. His presence on the court electrified the fans.

The Warriors, with the worst record in the NBA, had to play the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors. Many people around the NBA thought the Raptors would not have a good season as their star player, Kawhi Leonard, left the team to play for the LA Clippers.

Under the tutelage of their coach, Nick Nurse, the Raptors own the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors entered the game with a record of 43-18. Stars such as Serge Ibaka, Kyle Lowry, Norman Powell, and Pascal Siakam are the new nucleus of the Raptors. Neither Marc Gasol or Fred Van Vleet was available to play Thursday night. The W’s Draymond Green and Kevon Looney did not play.

The Raptors entered the game as prohibitive favorites. The Warriors, on the other hand, felt that they could compete with the champs. They had won two of the last three they played, and Curry was back. Head coach Steve Kerr said that Curry would play about 25 to 28 minutes.

The Warriors had a 9-7 lead early in the first quarter.  Curry played for about six minutes and did not score. The Raptors led 18-12 about midway through the period. The Warriors stayed with them for the rest of the period. Eric Paschall, Damion Lee, and Mychal Mulder led the Warriors offense. The quarter finished with Toronto leading 32-27.

In the second quarter, the Raptors increased the lead to 10 39-29. Curry scored his first points of the night when he made a bucket and was fouled on the play. The Raptors, behind Norman Powell’s hit hand, increased the lead to 14 49-35. Curry hit a three-point shot that sent the crowd into delirium. The Warriors clawed their way back.

The Warriors behind Curry and Damion Lee cut the lead to five 56-51. The Raptors went on a 7-0 run, but Andrew Wiggins knocked a three to end the second quarter. The Raptors won the period 30-28 and led the W’s 62-55 at the end of the first 24 minutes of play.  Steph Curry, in his 14 minutes of playing time, recorded 11 points, three rebounds, four assists, and he connected on two three-point shots Damion Lee had 12, Marquese Chriss nine, Eric Paschall eight, and Andrew Wiggins six. Toronto’s Norman Powell knocked down 17 points in the second quarter and finished the half with 23. Kyle Lowry was second with ten.

In the third quarter, The Warriors ambushed the Raptors. Over the past few seasons, the Warriors owned the third quarter. This season, it has been the reverse. Opponents have killed them this year. Thursday night, the Warriors looked like the Warriors of old. They won the quarter 33-27 to finish trailing 89-88, heading into the final stanza.

Damion Lee and Curry led the charge. Curry was making magic for Golden State once again. He made behind-the-back passes to his teammates for scores. He made another three and drove to the basket. The Warriors had the lead 85-83. Toronto regained the lead as Powell knocked down two -three-pointers to put them back in the lead.

In the fourth quarter, it sounded like the days of old at the Oracle Arena. The fans were chanting “Warriors, Warriors.” The Warriors did the best they could, but Toronto started to pull away. The Warriors tied the game at 95.

Toronto forced three straight turnovers, and they increased the lead to five 100-95. The Raptors were leading 111-102 when Curry re-entered the game. The Warriors rallied to close the deficit to two 113-111. The Raptors’ Pascal Siakam scored to make it 115-111.

Curry countered with a bucket to make it 115-113. The fans were chanting MVP, MVP, MVP. The Warriors would not score again. The fans, with 1:34 to play, were on their feet as they gave the Warriors a rousing, standing ovation. It is rare to have fans shaking the house, knowing the team is about to lose. The Raptors scored the last six points of the game to win 121-113.

Game Notes and Stats- With the loss, the Warriors went 14-48.  Curry was on the floor for 27 minutes. He scored 23 points, had seven rebounds, and seven assists. He made three threes in ten tries. Damion Lee had 23 points. five boards, three assists, and he made five threes.

Wiggins tallied 21 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and three threes. Marquese Chriss had a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards. Eric Paschall finished with 16 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. The Warriors shot 42% from the floor. They connected on 14 threes in 50 attempts. They moved the ball well as they recorded 34 assists. The W’s outrebounded the Raptors 52-39.

Norman Powell had a career-high 37 points to lead the Raptors. Kyle Lowry had 26, Siakam, 15, Og Anunoby 14, Serge Ibaka 13, and Terrence Davis 10. It was the seventh win in a row for Toronto.

The Warriors host the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday night at the Chase Center. The game will start at 5:30 pm.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: No High Fives at games?

No High Five at games?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

Teams are now taking precautions and sending directives with recommendations on how to handle the spread of Coronavirus The NBA sent a memo to all teams advising them,they should opt for fist bumps instead of high-fives, they also suggested that players do not borrow items from fans like pens and markers to sign autographs.

The memo also says they(the NBA and players union)are closely monitoring the Coronavirus situation,specially consulting with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta.

The NCAA, NHL have been addressing this worldwide epidemic.In Chicago the Chicago State University men’s basketball team will not travel to two regularly schedule Western Athletic Conference games this week,plus,it’s women team will not host two games,citing spread of Coronavirus -said the school.

Major League Baseball has no plans yet to cancel games,however Commissioner Rob Manfred announced MLB is establishing an “internal task force” to coordinate all efforts”working with medical people,local and national as well as making sure all players are seeing by team doctors and are up-to date with regular flu vaccinations.

At this time there is no vaccination for this Coronavirus, although the CDC and WHO (World Health Organization) as well as the Federal Government continues to explain that they are working on a vaccine.

The 2020 Olympics this July in Tokyo,Japan are still on, according to organizers and their respective committees.

The flu has already killed 10,000 across the US,that is the regular flu,not the Coronavirus,which as of today has killed just a handful of people all in Washington State.

Warriors stun Nuggets in Mile-High city 116-100

photo from sfgate.com: Golden State Warriors Andrew Wiggins (22) looks to make a pass as Denver Nuggets Will Baton lll (5) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in Denver

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Warriors, with only nine players available, marched into the Pepsi Center in Denver and stunned the highly-favored Denver Nuggets 116-100. The Warriors, without Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson, did not look anything like the championship club that went to the NBA finals the last five seasons.

Three of the players, Mychal Mulder, Dragan Bender, and Chasson Randle are on 10-day contracts. For Randle, the former Stanford star, it was his first game in the NBA as a Warrior. Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr fielded his 34th different starting lineup Tuesday night.

The W’s had to face the Nuggets, coached by former Warrior assistant coach Mike Malone, with the fourth-best record in the NBA 41-19. The Warriors did not have a true point guard in the lineup. The Warriors had to find a way to get to the rim as the Nuggets had a bigger team. Denver featured big Nikola Jokic on the first unit, and then, another seven-foot giant, Mason Plumlee, on the second unit.

The Warriors jumped out to an early 9-2 lead in the first period. The Nuggets didn’t panic and the first period was very competitive. The Warriors finished with a slim one-point advantage 26-25. The second quarter was a different story.

Denver, with Plumlee and Jokic clogging up the middle, took control of the game as they outscored the Dubs 33-23 to finish the first half leading by nine 58-49. The Warriors Andrew Wiggins was the only player in double figures with ten.

Mychal Mulder was second with eight, Dragan Bender eight, Eric Paschall seven, and Jordan Poole had five. Jamal Murray paced Denver with 14. Plumlee had 11, and Jokic had ten points and 12 rebounds. The Warriors went into the halftime break trailing by nine. The Warriors made ten threes to stay in the game. The Nuggets controlled the boards in the first half. They had 17 second-chance points and tallied 34 points in the paint.

Denver’s Paul Millsap was on fire to start the second half. Millsap’s efforts led the Nuggets to a 14-point lead 70-56. With the score 77-65, it looked as if Denver was going to run away with the game. It was at this point, however, that the Warriors, behind Andrew Wiggins, Dragan Bender, Eric Paschall, And Jordan Poole, caught fire. They went on a 17-4 run to finish the third quarter leading 82-81.

Jordan Poole made three consecutive three-point shots to propel the Warriors into the lead. Poole’s last three came as the buzzer sounded to end the third period. The Warriors outscored the Nuggets 33-23 to erase the nine-point halftime deficit.

The Warriors, feeling confident after the surge at the end of the third period, played well to start the fourth period. The offense was led by Poole, Bender, Wiggins, and Paschall. The Warriors played well on defense. The Nugget fans could not believe what they were seeing.

The lowly Warriors, with the worst record in the NBA, were beating the team with the fourth-best record in basketball. They could not comprehend what was happening. When the Warriors needed a bucket, they found Eric Paschall. When Paschall was bottled up, they found Marquese Chriss.

They moved the ball well. Warrior fans have to keep in mind that these guys have not played together for any length of time. Andrew Wiggins has fit in well since coming over from Minnesota. Mychal Mulder and Dragan Bender looked like seasoned pros.

Jordan Poole has played exceptionally well in his last ten games. Marquese Chriss, the eighth pick in the 2016 draft, has shown the Warriors that he belongs in the NBA. The Warriors outscored the Nuggets 34-19 in the period to finish the game with a well-earned 116-100 victory.

Game Notes and Stats- With the win, the W’s improve to 14-48. The W’s have 20 games left on the schedule. The team is hoping to have Steph Curry in the lineup Thursday night when the play the NBA  Champions, the Toronto Raptors, at the Chase Center.

Andrew Wiggins led the W’s with 22 points, ten rebounds, ten assists, and he connected on five threes. Rookie Eric Paschall finished with 22 points, five boards, five assists, and two threes. Marquese Chriss 16 points, five rebounds, Dragan Bender 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, two threes. Jordan Poole 15 points, six assists, five rebounds, and he made four three in six tries.

The W’s shot 51% from the floor, and they made 18 threes in 41 attempts. The Nuggets made three threes in 20 tries. The Warriors moved the ball well as they frequently found the open man. They recorded 31 assists in the game.

The Nuggets outrebounded the W’s 53-35. However, the Warriors excellent three-point shooting negated any advantage that the Nuggets had. Paul Millsap, with 18, led the Nuggets’ scoring. Plumlee and Jokic each had 16. Jokic had just one rebound in the second half and finished the night with 13. Will Barton, who scored 31 the last time Denver played the Warriors, was held to 18. Jamal Murray ended the night with 14.

The Warriors return to the Chase Center to host the Toronto Raptors Thursday night in San Francisco. The game will start at 7:30 pm.

 

Beal scores 34 to pace Wizards in win over Warriors 124-110 at Chase Center

sfgate.com photo: Washington Wizards guard Shabazz Napier (5) shoots in front of Golden State Warriors forward Dragan Bender during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Sunday, March 1, 2020.

By Jerry Feitelberg

San Francisco- The Golden State Warriors, playing their second game on consecutive nights, fell to the visiting Washington Wizards 124-110 Sunday evening at the Chase Center. The Warriors were hoping to win their second in a row. They beat the Phoenix Suns Saturday night in Phoenix. Their hopes were dashed by the Wizards’ Bradley Beal and Davis Bertrans.

For the second night in a row, the Warriors were down to eight players. Jordan Poole returned to action, but Draymond Green, Ky Bowman, and Kevon Looney did not play.

Both teams were competitive in the first two-quarters of play. The Wizards won the first period by seven points 35-28. The Warriors won the second quarter 29-28 to finish the first half trailing by six 63-57. The Warriors thought they had a chance to win with a strong third quarter.

That did not happen. The third quarter went to Washington 31-19, and now the W’s trailed by eighteen heading into the fourth quarter. The W’s won the fourth quarter by four, but it wasn’t enough. The Wizards win 124-110.

Game Notes and Stats- The Warriors’ record dropped to 13-48. They have 21 games left on the schedule. The Wizards improved to 22-37. Neither team will be in the playoffs this season.

The Warriors had six players in double figures. Andrew Wiggins led the team with 27 points, six rebounds, and two assists.

Wiggins is eager to finally play with Curry and see how “that’s going to open up the floor for everybody else.”

“It will make a big difference, especially for people who can drive and attack the basket because Steph attracts a lot of attention,” Wiggins said.

Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole, and Mychal Mulder each had 17. Damion Lee had 12. Marquese Chriss finished with a double-double.

Bradley Beal had quite a night for Washington. He had 34 points, eight assists, made seven threes, and had five steals.  Beal has scored at least 25 points in a franchise-record 18 straight games. Davis Bertrans, the third-year player from Latvia and coming off the bench, tallied 29. Rui Hachimura, the first Japanese player in the NBA, had 18 points and eight rebounds. Thomas Bryant had 12.

It was the first win on the Warriors’ homecourt in six years.

Steph Curry missed his 56th straight game since breaking his hand. Curry was hoping to play Sunday night, but Warriors’ head coach felt he needed more scrimmage time. The hope now is Curry returning Thursday night. Curry will practice with the Santa Cruz Warriors on Monday. Wizards coach Scott Brooks enjoys watching the West Coast games when his team is done out East — and he has missed Curry.

“I’m sure he was intimidated by the defense our team has been playing this year. He didn’t want no part of it,” Brooks joked before the game when asked about Curry’s imminent return. “It would be exciting for not only his fan base, his coaches, and team to have him out there.

He’s one of the greatest players to ever play, one of the greatest shooters to ever play and causes so many problems for opponents. He makes shots that are almost impossible to go in, and you have to be next to him whenever he crosses half court, which opens up the floor for the other players to drive. He’s been missed by the whole basketball world. … You could turn on games at 10 o’clock at night, and you get a lot of basketball, and he’s always been fun to watch.”

The Warriors meet the Denver Nuggets in the Mile-High City Tuesday night. The game time will be at 6:30 pm. They return home to face the defending NBA Champion Toronto Raptors Thursday night at the Chase Center. That game will start at 7:30 pm.