The Detroit Pistons fall to the Golden State Warriors, 121-114

The Golden State Warriors have clinched a playoff spot for the seventh straight season after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 16.  But they have just recently lost to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night by 35 points, their largest loss margin of the season.  They will look to bounce back as they take on the Detroit Pistons at the Oracle Arena tonight.

The Pistons, on the other hand, are trying to avoid a second straight loss after losing to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night, 112-117.  They are currently at the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

The Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons have met up a grand total of 313 times in the past as the Warriors won 164 games while the Pistons went on to grab 149 victories.  This matchup will mark the second and final time that these two ball clubs will meet up this season.  The last time they saw each other was on December 1 when the Warriors fell to the Pistons, 102-111.  During that game, Blake Griffin scored 26 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and gave out 5 assists while Kevin Durant ended up with 28 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks.

INACTIVES:

Detroit Pistons:

-Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (coach’s decision; 3.2 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.9 APG, 32.9 FG%, 32.6 3P%, 60.0 FT%)
-Glenn Robinson III (coach’s decision; 4.1 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.4 APG, 40.8 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 82.9 FT%)
-Khyri Thomas (coach’s decision; 2.7 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 33.8 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 63.6 FT%)
-Isaiah Whitehead (G-League)
-Kalin Lucas (G-League; 2.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 100.0 FT%)
-Jon Leuer (4.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 0.4 APG, 58.7 FG%, 10.0 3P%, 74.2 FT%)
-Jose Calderon (2.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 37.8 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 81.8 FT%)

Golden State Warriors:

-Damian Jones (pectoral; 5.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 71.6 FG%, 64.9 FT%)
-Marcus Derrickson (coach’s decision; 3.1 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.1 APG, 41.7 FG%, 35.7 3P%, 75.0 FT%)
-Damion Lee (coach’s decision; 4.2 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.2 APG, 43.2 FG%, 37.3 3P%, 80.0 FT%)
-DeMarcus Cousins (rest; 15.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, 48.5 FG%, 25.4 3P%, 75.9 FT%)
-Andre Iguodala (rest; 5.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 49.8 FG%, 33.6 3P%, 59.4 FT%)
-Jacob Evans (0.8 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.6 APG, 30.3 FG%, 12.5 3P%, 0.0 FT%)

GAMETIME:

The Golden State Warriors would have complete control on the game in the first half as they shot sixty-five percent from the field, limiting the Detroit Pistons to forty-four percent.  Klay Thompson got hot for 15 points while drilling 3 three-pointers in the process.  Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry ended up recording eleven points as he also had 3 three-pointers.  Along with that, Curry was able to grab seven rebounds and dish off two assists.

Kevin Durant was kept to just nine points but he did manage to knock down a shot from beyond the arc in the middle of the second quarter.  He did shoot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field as he had three rebounds and seven assists.  Draymond Green had nine points, as well.  He was able to hit a rare three-pointer to beat the buzzer at the end of the first half.  Shaun Livingston played eight minutes off the bench but only had four points.

On the other end of the court, Blake Griffin chalked up eleven points while shooting thirty-seven percent from the field.  He had a three-pointer at the beginning of the first period while he recorded two rebounds and three assists.  Two-time rebounding champion Andre Drummond contributed with eight points, along with seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

Reggie Jackson was limited to just two points while Wayne Ellington was able to drill a three-pointer.  Louisiana-native Langston Galloway played the most minutes off the bench as he had seven points but it was the home team who went to the locker room with a 63 to 49 advantage.

The visiting team, however, was able to storm back as they sparked a 65 to 58 run, shooting forty-eight percent from the field in the second half.  During that run, Griffin put up 13 additional points while knocking down two more shots from behind the three-point line.  He had four rebounds and five assists while Ish Smith helped out with ten points.  Former Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Thon Maker also had ten points which included two three-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Reggie Jackson ended up adding five more points to his scoring total while hitting a three-pointer in the third quarter.  Drummond was kept to just four points in the second half while he grabbed four rebounds.  The 12th pick in the first round of the 2017 draft Luke Kennard played the most minutes off the bench as he had 16 points, including 3 three-pointers.

As for the two-time defending champions, Curry chalked up 15 more points while hitting two three-pointers.  Thompson contributed with nine points which including a three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.  Both Durant and Green were kept to just five points but it didn’t matter as the Golden State Warriors pulled out a 121-114 victory over the Detroit Pistons.  Stephen Curry finished the game with 26 points, along with a season-high-tying nine rebounds, three assists, and one steal while Blake Griffin settled for 24 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists.

So…what’s next?

The Detroit Pistons will travel to Colorado to battle Nikola Jokic (20.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 7.6 APG, 50.7 FG%, 32.6 3P%) and the Denver Nuggets (49-22) on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m.  This will be the second and final time that these two teams will meet up this season.  The last time that they played each other was on February 4 when the Pistons handed the Nuggets a 129-103 loss.  Andre Drummond finished that game with 27 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks while Trey Lyles settled for 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal, and one block.

The Golden State Warriors will head to Tennessee to take on Mike Conley (20.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.4 APG, 43.6 FG%, 36.6 3P%) and the Memphis Grizzlies (29-44) on Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.  This game will mark the third of four times that these two ball clubs will see each other this season.  December 17 was the last time that the Grizzlies and Warriors played each other as the Grizzlies fell to the Warriors, 93-110.  During that game, Kevin Durant scored 23 points, pulled down 3 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, and blocked 2 shots while Omri Casspi had 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and one block.

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The Warriors knock off the Cavaliers, 129 to 105

This would have been one of the most hyped matchups of the season but with LeBron James being gone, it’s just another game for the defending champions.  Tonight, the Golden State Warriors will visit the Quicken Loans Arena to battle the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers.  The Warriors are facing difficulties of their own, though.  They are currently trying to recover from their two only losing streaks this season; one being a four-game losing streak and another one being a recent two-game skid.

Even though they are still without Draymond Green, who is missing his ninth straight game due to a toe injury, the Warriors were still able to get past the Atlanta Hawks, all thanks to Stephen Curry, who outscored the Hawks in the first quarter by himself, 18-17.  This meeting between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers will mark the first of two games between these teams this season.  The Warriors swept the regular season series against the Cavaliers last season before sweeping them in the NBA Finals.

INACTIVES:

Golden State Warriors:

-DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles)
-Draymond Green (toe; 6.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 44.4 FG%, 22.2 3P%, 66.7 FT%)
-Damian Jones (pectoral; 5.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 71.6 FG%, 64.9 FT%)
-Damion Lee (G-League; 5.1 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 0.2 APG, 43.4 FG%, 41.4 3P%, 80.0 FT%)

Cleveland Cavaliers:

-Sam Dekker (ankle; 6.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 45.8 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 80.0 FT%)
-Kevin Love (toe; 19.0 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 32.3 FG%, 29.2 3P%, 81.8 FT%)
-David Nwaba (knee; 6.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 0.6 APG, 42.4 FG%, 22.7 3P%, 67.6 FT%)
-Ante Zizic (knee; 3.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 50.0 FG%, 62.5 FT%)
-J.R. Smith (personal; 6.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 34.2 FG%, 30.8 3P%, 80.0 FT%)

GAMETIME:

The game would be held somewhat close in the first half as the Cleveland Cavaliers shot forty-nine percent from the floor while the Golden State Warriors completed fifty-one percent of their shots.  Former Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood scored fifteen points while hitting two three-pointers early in the first quarter.  Rookie Collin Sexton contributed with twelve points which held three three-pointers while Tristan Thompson chipped in five points, eight rebounds, and one assist.  Larry Nance played sixteen minutes off the bench as he had nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

As for the Warriors, Stephen Curry got extremely hot as he chalked up twenty-five points while knocking down six three-pointers in the process.  He also had three defensive rebounds, four assists, and one steal while Kevin Durant earned ten points for himself.  Durant was also able to drill a three-pointer in the second quarter while grabbing five defensive rebounds, dishing off five assists, committing one steal, and blocking two shots.  Four-time All-Star Klay Thompson was kept to just six points on twenty-nine percent shooting while recording three defensive rebounds.  Jonas Jerebko played the most minutes off the bench but only had six points while the Cavaliers went into halftime with a 64 to 58 advantage.

The Warriors would hit the Cavaliers with a huge 71 to 43 run in the second half as they shot fifty-four percent from the field, holding the Ohio team to forty percent.  During that run, Curry continued to put up a shooting display as he had seventeen additional points, nine coming from beyond the arc and the other eight from the free-throw line.  He also had six defensive rebounds and three assists while Durant put up fifteen points with three three-pointers in the third period.  Thompson would make up for that tough first half he had as he scored ten points with two three-pointers in the fourth.  Jerebko played twelve minutes off the bench as he had only five points which included a three-pointer late in the third.

On the other end of the court, both Thompson and Sexton had nine points apiece while Tristan Thompson saw to it that he got eleven rebounds.  The second round pick in the 2015 draft Cedi Osman scored seven points while knocking down a three-pointer early in the third quarter.  George Hill would be held scoreless in the eleven minutes that he played.  Jordan Clarkson played the most minutes off the bench as he put up seven points but it wouldn’t matter as the Golden State Warriors defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 129-105 final score.  Stephen Curry finished the game with forty-two points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and one steal while Collin Sexton had twenty-one points, two rebounds, and three assists.

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers will host Buddy Hield (18.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 47.5 FG%, 41.8 3P%) and the Sacramento Kings (12-11) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.  This will be the first of two times that these ball clubs will face each other this season.  Both teams tied the regular season series last season at one apiece.

The Golden State Warriors will visit Wisconsin to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo (27.6 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 6.0 APG, 57.8 FG%, 11.5 3P%) and the Milwaukee Bucks (15-7) on Friday at 9:30 p.m.  This game will be second and last one that the Bucks and Warriors will play against each other this season.  The last time they fought each other was on November 8 when the Milwaukee Bucks handed the Warriors a 134-111 blowout loss.  During that game, Eric Bledsoe scored twenty-six points, grabbed four rebounds, dished off six assists, and committed one steal while Klay Thompson finished with twenty-four points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks.

The Golden State Warriors ended their losing streak with a 125-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers

The two-time defending champions Golden State Warriors have been in a slump lately, trying to avoid a fifth straight loss.  This current losing streak is the longest losing streak in the Steve Kerr-era.  They will try to capture their first win since November 13 as they host the Portland Trail Blazers.  The Trail Blazers, on the other hand, are coming fresh off of a 143-100 blowout loss against the Milwaukee Bucks.

This matchup between the Warriors and the Trail Blazers will mark the first of four times that these two ball clubs will meet up during this season.  They have played each other a grand total of 235 times with the Warriors winning 111 games.  The Trail Blazers will go on to win 124 of those games.

INACTIVES:

Portland Trail Blazers:

Gary Trent (5.0 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.0 APG, 44.4 FG%, 66.7 3P%)
Anfernee Simons (2.2 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.2 APG, 33.3 FG%, 0.0 3P%, 25.0 FT%)
Golden State Warriors:

DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles)
Draymond Green (toe; 6.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.2 APG, 44.4 FG%, 22.2 3P%, 66.7 FT%)
Alfonzo McKinnie (foot; 6.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 51.3 FG%, 48.4 3P%, 53.8 FT%)
Stephen Curry (groin; 29.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.1 APG, 51.5 FG%, 49.2 3P%, 92.3 FT%)
Marcus Derrickson (G-League; 1.0 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.0 APG, 50.0 FG%)

GAMETIME:

The Golden State Warriors would have full control of the game in the first half as they fifty-two percent from the field, limiting the Portland Trail Blazers to thirty-nine percent.  The 2007-2008 Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant would get hot for nineteen points which included a three-pointer in the second period.  He also recorded four defensive rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks.

Klay Thompson helped out with fourteen points while knocking down a three-pointer in the middle of the first quarter.  Former Dallas Mavericks point guard Quinn Cook nailed two three-pointers while jumping up for three defensive boards.  Kevon Looney played twelve minutes off of the bench but was kept to just two points.

On the other end of the court, three-time All-Star Damian Lillard earned ten points but shot only thirty-three percent from the field.  He did have two three-pointers Al-Farouq Aminu contributed with nine points and six rebounds.  Aminu was able to hit a three-pointer late in the second quarter while C.J. McCollum also had nine points.  McCollum also had a three-pointer.  Evan Turner played the most minutes off of the bench but only managed to get one free-throw as the Warriors headed into the locker room with a huge 59-44 advantage.

The Warriors went on the close things out in the second half as they went on a 66 to 53 run, shooting sixty-two percent from the field.  Thompson threw up seventeen more points which held three three-pointers in the third period.  Durant had thirteen points while shooting a high eighty-three percent from the field.  Nurkic earned fifteen points for the Oregon team but it wouldn’t matter as the Warriors easily come away with a 125-97 victory.  Kevin Durant finished the game with thirty-two points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and three blocks.  Damian Lillard settled for twenty-three points, along with two rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block.

So…what’s next?

The Portland Trail Blazers will stay in California as they visit the Staples Center to take on Tobias Harris (20.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 51.6 FG%, 43.4 3P%) and the Los Angeles Clippers (12-6) on Sunday at 9:00 p.m.  This game will mark the second of four meetings between these two ball clubs this season.  The last time they saw each other was on November 8 when the Trail Blazers escaped with a 116 to 105 win.  Damian Lillard finished with twenty-five points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block while Danilo Gallinari had twenty-points and five rebounds.  Lou Williams also had twenty-points, along with three rebounds and seven assists.

The Golden State Warriors will host Buddy Hield (18.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 47.8 FG%, 44.1 3P%) and the Sacramento Kings (10-8) on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.  This meeting will mark the first of four times that the Warriors and the Kings will match up with each other during this season.

The New Orleans Pelicans hold off the Golden State Warriors, 119-100, making the series 2-1

The Golden State Warriors looked to take a commanding 3-0 series lead last night as they battled the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center.  The first game was held on April 28 when the Warriors handed the Pelicans a 123-101 blowout loss.  During that game, Klay Thompson scored twenty-seven points, grabbed six rebounds, gave out two assists, and blocked two shots while Anthony Davis finished with twenty-one points, ten rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.  The defending champions would also win the second game by creeping away with a 121 to 116 victory.  Kevin Durant finished that game with twenty-nine points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and three blocks while Anthony Davis had twenty-five points, fifteen rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks.

INACTIVES:

Golden State Warriors:

Patrick McCaw (back; 4.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 40.9 FG%, 23.8 3P%)
Damian Jones (1.7 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 0.1 APG, 50.0 FG%)

New Orleans Pelicans:

Jordan Crawford (coach’s decision; 6.6 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 44.4 FG%, 57.1 3P%)
Frank Jackson (foot)
Emeka Okafor (coach’s decision; 4.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 0.3 APG, 50.5 FG%)
DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles; 25.2 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 47.0 FG%, 35.4 3P%)
Alexis Ajinca (knee)

GAMETIME:

The game would be competitive at the beginning as the New Orleans Pelicans shot forty-nine percent from the field while the Golden State Warriors ending up shooting forty-four percent.  Both Nikola Mirotic and Jrue Holiday scored fourteen points each while Mirotic connected for three three-pointers.  He also had seven defensive rebounds while Holiday had two three-pointers, five rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.  MVP-candidate Anthony Davis contributed with eleven points which held a three-pointer in the first quarter.  He also recorded seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals while Rajon Rondo had ten assists.  Solomon Hill played the most minutes off the bench as he earned nine points from beyond the arc.

On the other end of the court, Klay Thompson got hot for twenty points, which he scored all in the second quarter.  He collected nine of those points from behind the three-point line while pulling down five defensive rebounds.  Kevin Durant helped out with thirteen points as he shot fifty percent from the field.  Stephen Curry saw to it that he got nine points which included two three-pointers while Draymond Green had eight points, eight rebounds, and four assists.  He also had two three-pointers as he shot fifty percent from the field.  Andre Iguodala played sixteen minutes off the bench but was kept to just two points as the home team went into halftime with a 62 to 56 lead.

The Pelicans went on to close things out in the second half as they sparked up a 57 to 44 run, shooting fifty-one percent from the field.  During that run, Davis got extremely hot for twenty-two points as he shot a high seventy-seven percent from the field.  He also had eleven rebounds and two steals while Ian Clark had fourteen points off the bench.  Rondo was able to dish off eleven more assists while Mirotic had six rebounds and six assists.  Curry chalked up ten points for the Warriors but it wasn’t enough as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Golden State Warriors, 119-100.  Anthony Davis finished the game with thirty-three points, a playoff career-high eighteen rebounds, three assists, and a playoff career-high four steals.  Rajon Rondo also finished with a playoff career-high twenty-one assists.  Klay Thompson settled for twenty-six points, seven rebounds, and one assist.

The Golden State Warriors take a 1-0 lead in the series as they rout the New Orleans Pelicans, 123-101

Tonight will mark the first game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Golden State Warriors in their playoff series.  The Pelicans recently swept the Portland Trail Blazers, 4-0, to get to the Western Conference Semifinals while the Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs, 4-1.   This will be the first time since 2008 that the New Orleans Pelicans will get play in the Semifinals as they were defeated by the Spurs, 3-4, last time.  The Warriors and the Pelicans have battled each other a grand total of four times in the regular season as that series ended 3-1 in the Warriors’ favor.  Each team would look to take a 1-0 lead in this playoff series as they play each other at the Oracle Arena.

INACTIVES:

New Orleans Pelicans:

Alexis Ajinca (knee)
DeMarcus Cousins (Achilles; 25.2 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 47.0 FG%, 35.4 3P%)
Frank Jackson (foot)
DeAndre Liggins (coach’s decision; 1.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 37.7 FG%, 35.8 3P%)
Emeka Okafor (coach’s decision; 4.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 0.3 APG, 50.5 FG%)

Golden State Warriors:

Chris Boucher (ankle; 0.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
Patrick McCaw (back; 4.0 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.4 APG, 40.9 FG%, 23.8 3P%)
Zaza Pachulia (coach’s decision; 5.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 56.4 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
Stephen Curry (knee; 26.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.1 APG, 49.5 FG%, 42.3 3P%)

GAMETIME:

The Golden State Warriors would have full control of the game at the beginning as they shot fifty-three percent from the field in the first half, limiting the New Orleans Pelicans to forty-six percent.  In the midst of that, Kevin Durant would score eighteen points which included a three-pointer in the first quarter.  He collected seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks to go along with that while Klay Thompson also had eighteen points.  Thompson had three three-pointers in the second quarter while grabbing four defensive rebounds and dishing off two assists.  Draymond Green contributed with twelve points and ten rebounds while Nick Young drilled a three-pointer in the middle of the first quarter.  Wisconsin-native Kevon Looney played fourteen minutes off of the bench but was kept to just two points.

As for the New Orleans team, Anthony Davis earned himself twelve points on forty-six percent shooting.  He also had five rebounds, one steal, and one block while E’Twaun Moore scored nine points which held a three-pointer in the first quarter.  Former Philadelphia 76ers’ guard Jrue Holiday also had nine points but shot only thirty-eight percent from the field.  Rajon Rondo saw to it that he got eight points, along with six defensive rebounds, nine assists, and one block.  Former Warriors’ shooting guard Ian Clark played the most minutes off of the bench but only scored two points as the home team went into the locker room with a commanding 76 to 55 lead.

The New Orleans Pelicans would attempt to make a comeback as they limit the Warriors to a 47-46 run, shooting forty-two percent from the field.  Thompson would start to cool off as he scored only nine points which contained a three-pointer in the middle of the third quarter.  Durant would help out with eight points while knocking down two three-pointers in the third quarter.  He also had six defensive rebounds while Young drilled another three-pointer near the end of the fourth quarter.  Jordan Crawford chalked up fourteen points off of the Pelicans’ bench but it wouldn’t be enough as the Golden State Warriors defeat the Louisiana team, 123-101, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.  Klay Thompson finished the game with twenty-seven points, six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks while Anthony Davis settled for twenty-one points, ten rebounds, three steals (tying his playoff career-high) and two blocks.

The Oklahoma City Thunder breeze past the Golden State Warriors, 108-91

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors are not really what you would call “rival” teams but they do have some hard feelings towards each other.  What really ignited those feelings is when superstar Kevin Durant decided to ditch Russell Westbrook and the Thunder only to join the Warriors just one month after losing to them in the Western Conference Finals.  These two teams have met up a total of 260 times with the Thunder winning 143 games and the Warriors winning 117 of them.  Tonight’s game in Oklahoma would mark the first matchup of the season.

INACTIVES:

Golden State Warriors:

Jordan Bell (3.2 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 70.4 FG%)
Quinn Cook (G-League; 1.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 100.0 FG%)
Damian Jones (G-League)
Chris Boucher (G-League)

Oklahoma City Thunder:

Nick Collison (coach’s decision; 0.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 1.0 APG)
Kyle Singler (2.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 100.0 FG%)
Daniel Hamilton (G-League; 0.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 FG%)
PJ Dozier (G-League)

GAMETIME:

The Oklahoma City Thunder opened things up well as they shot fifty-two percent from the field in the first half, limiting the defending champions to forty-two percent.  The Thunder’s Big Three all scored double digits in the first half as Russell Westbrook went off for 20 points on fifty-seven percent shooting.  He was able to knock down a three-pointer late in the second period as grabbing seven rebounds and dishing off six assists.  Former Knicks’ forward Carmelo Anthony had 16 points which included two three-pointers.  Paul George recorded 14 points in the midst of grabbing one offensive rebound and three defensive rebounds.  Steven Adams had eight rebounds in the half to put with his eight points.  Jerami Grant played eight minutes off of the bench but only had two points.

As for the Warriors, Kevin Durant scored 14 points while hitting two three-pointers in the first quarter against his former team.  He also collected four defensive rebounds but had two turnovers.  Stephen Curry ended up with thirteen points while earning three rebounds and four assists.  Klay Thompson had one three-pointer in the opening quarter while Draymond Green gave out four assists.  Andre Iguodala played the most minutes off of the bench but only had two points as the Thunder went into halftime with a huge 65 to 48 advantage.

Curry dropped 11 points in the second half which would include one three-pointer late in the third period.  Former Cavaliers’ forward Omri Casspi had nine points to put with his one offensive rebound and four defensive ones.  Durant scored seven points on forty percent shooting while Green had two points and three defensive rebounds.  Nick Young played the most minutes off of the bench but was held completely scoreless.

The Thunder finished things off in the last half as Westbrook posted up 14 points on thirty-nine percent shooting from the field.  He also had three rebounds, three assists, and four steals while George collected two three-pointers to put with his seven rebounds.  Anthony shot only thirty-three percent from the field as he settled for six points and four defensive rebounds.  Josh Huestis played 10 minutes off of the bench but was kept to just a free-throw as the Thunder easily hand the Warriors a 108 to 91 loss.  Russell Westbrook finished with a season-high 34 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals.  Stephen Curry had 24 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and one steal.

So…what’s next?

The Golden State Warriors will host Lauri Markkanen (15.4 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.6 APG) and the Chicago Bulls (3-12) for the first time this season on Friday at 10:30 p.m.  These two teams have met up a total of 159 times with the Bulls winning 87 games and the Warriors winning 72 of them.  The Oklahoma City Thunder will host Tobias Harris (18.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.8 APG) and the Detroit Pistons (11-6) for the first time this season on Friday at 8:00 p.m.  The Pistons and the Thunder have met up a total of 136 times in the past as the Pistons won 66 games while the Thunder ended up winning 70 of the games.

Celtics extend their winning streak to 14 games with a 92-88 win over the Warriors

As of right now, the Boston Celtics have the longest winning streak in the league and they hoped to extend it as they hosted the defending champion, Golden State Warriors, last night.  These two teams have met up a total of 360 times with the Celtics winning 218 games and the Warriors winning 142 games.  With Stephen Curry (24.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 6.6 APG), the Warriors hoped to snap the Celtics’ winning streak as they meet up for the first time this season.

INACTIVES:

Golden State Warriors:

Patrick McCaw (coach’s decision; 3.7 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 50.0 FG%, 33.3 3P%)
Jordan Bell (3.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.0 APG, 70.4 FG%)
Quinn Cook (G-League; 1.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 100.0 FG%)
Damian Jones
Chris Boucher (G-League)

Boston Celtics:

Shane Larkin (coach’s decision; 3.1 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 1.3 APG, 28.3 FG%, 27.8 3P%)
Abdel Nader (coach’s decision; 1.6 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.4 APG, 37.5 FG%, 20.0 3P%)
Guerschon Yabusele (coach’s decision; 2.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 0.2 APG, 45.5 FG%, 33.3 3P%)
Gordon Hayward (ankle; 2.0 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 50.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
Jabari Bird (G-League; 1.5 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.0 FG%, 0.0 3P%)
Kadeem Allen (G-League)

GAMETIME:

The Warriors would play at a top-level at the beginning as they shot forty-one percent from the field in the first half, keeping the home team at thirty percent.  Former Oklahoma City Thunder’s forward Kevin Durant would heat the floor up with 12 points as he collected two defensive rebounds.  Nick Young would knock down two three-pointers in the first quarter while Draymond Green had three points to put with his four rebounds.  Stephen Curry would shoot only thirteen percent from the field while receiving just four points but he did pull down six rebounds.  Andre Iguodala played 16 minutes off of the bench but only scored six points.

Jaylen Brown would keep the Celtics in it as he chalked up eleven points which included one three-pointer in the second quarter.  He also had five rebounds as Al Horford helped out with eight points and five defensive rebounds.  Kyrie Irving would be kept to five points as he pulled down two defensive rebounds and dished off three assists.  Marcus Smart played the most minutes off of the bench but he was held scoreless even though he pulled down two rebounds.  The Warriors would head into the locker room with a 47-42 advantage.

The Boston Celtics would respond as they outscored the Golden State team in the second half, 50 to 41.  Brown would keep things going during that run as he recorded eleven more points with two three-pointers in the third period.  He also had two rebounds while Irving started to heat up with eleven points of his own.  Kyrie Irving had three defensive rebounds and three assists to put with his scoring total, as well.  Horford continued to impress with ten points and six rebounds.  Smart played 15 minutes off of the Boston bench but was limited to just a free-throw but he did manage to get ahold of five rebounds and two assists.

Durant tried to keep his team in it as he posted up ten points on sixty-three percent shooting from the field.  Draymond Green helped out with eight points as he drilled a three-pointer in the middle of the third quarter.  He also had four rebounds as Klay Thompson contributed with eight points and four rebounds.  Curry continued to struggle as he was limited to just five points while hitting a three-pointer late in the fourth.  Iguodala played 14 minutes off of the bench only to score two points from the charity stripe as the Celtics pull away with a 92 to 88 win.  Jaylen Brown finished the game with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and a season-high 2 blocks.  Kevin Durant would finish with 24 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.

So…what’s next?

The Golden State Warriors will travel to Pennsylvania to take on Joel Embiid (23.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.5 APG) and the Philadelphia 76ers (8-6) for the second time this season on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.  These two teams have met up a total of 348 times with the Warriors winning 162 games while the 76ers/Nationals won 186 of the games.  The last time that these teams met up was on November 11 as the Warriors easily pulled away with a 135-114 victory.  Kevin Durant finished with 29 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks while J.J. Redick finished that game with 17 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, and 3 steals.

The Boston Celtics will head down south to Georgia to battle Dennis Schroder (19.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 6.8 APG) and the Atlanta Hawks (3-12) for the second time this season on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.  The Celtics and the Hawks have met up a total of 440 times with the Celtics winning 269 of the games while the Hawks won 171 of them.  The last time that these teams have met up was on November 6 as the Celtics snuck away with a 110-107 win.  Kyrie Irving would finish the game with 35 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists.  Dennis Schroder ended up finishing with 23 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals.

The Warriors overcome a slow start as they hand the Spurs a 112 to 92 blowout loss

The San Antonio Spurs were trying to avoid a four-game losing streak as they hosted the somewhat-struggling Golden State Warriors.  The Warriors are, however, coming fresh off of a 141-133 win against their rival, Los Angeles Clippers.  For this game, the Warriors would be without Quinn Cook (G-League), along with Kevon Looney, Damian Jones, and Chris Boucher (G-League).  The Spurs would play without Kawhi Leonard (quadriceps), Tony Parker (quadriceps), Matt Costello (G-League), Darrun Hilliard (G-League) and Joffrey Lauvergne (ankle).

The Spurs would start the game off right as they shot forty-eight percent from the field while the Warriors shot forty-one percent.  LaMarcus Aldridge would heat up for eleven points as he shot fifty percent in the twelve minutes that he played.  He would connect for two three-pointers in the process while recording one offensive rebound and one assist.  Manu Ginobili shot sixty-seven percent from the field as he received five points in return, collecting three of them from beyond the arc.  Kyle Anderson would chalk up four points to go along with the two offensive rebounds and one assist that he recorded.  Pau Gasol would knock down a three-pointer while gobbling up two defensive rebounds.

As for the Warriors, Klay Thompson shot fifty percent from the field to earn eight points, six coming from behind the three-point line.  Stephen Curry contributed as he also scored eight points with six coming from beyond the arc.  Curry would also pull down two defensive rebounds while Draymond Green shot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field to score four points.

Green also grabbed two rebounds while dishing off two assists.  Kevin Durant was held to just two free-throws in the eleven minutes that he played but he did manage to get his hands on three defensive rebounds while dishing off two assists.  Andre Iguodala was held scoreless off the bench but would commit two steals as the home team went into the second quarter with a 33 to 24 lead.

The Golden State team would respond in the next quarter as they shot fifty-nine percent from the field while holding the Spurs to just thirty-three percent.  Thompson continued to impress as he recorded nine more points while shooting sixty-seven percent from the field.  He would earn three of those points from behind the arc while crashing the boards for two defensive rebounds.  Curry ended up with seven points as he earned three of them from beyond the arc and two from the charity stripe.  Iguodala drilled a three-pointer while Green collected two points, two defensive rebounds, and four assists.  Durant continued to struggle as he was limited to just a three-pointer but he would get two defensive rebounds.

On the other end of the court, Anderson helped out with four points, two coming from the free-throw line.  He also gobbled up one offensive rebound and one defensive rebound while giving out two assists.  Aldridge cooled down as he was held to just four points which all came from the free-throw line.  He did, however, get ahold of three offensive rebounds and two defensive rebounds while recording one assist and one steal.  Pau Gasol and Danny Green are also limited to just four points while Rudy Gay came off the bench to chalk up two points.  He also grabbed two offensive rebounds as the Texas team went into halftime with a tight 55-50 lead.

The Warriors went on a 34-23 run in the third as they shot fifty-four percent, holding the San Antonio Spurs to forty-four percent.  Kevin Durant would make up for the past two quarters as he goes off for fifteen points while shooting eighty-six percent from the field.  He also connected for a three-pointer while grabbing three defensive rebounds and dishing off one assist.  Green would contribute as he scores eight points with three coming from behind the arc.  Curry was held to just two points in the twelve minutes that he played but did manage to get his hands on four rebounds while throwing out three assists.

As for the Spurs, LaMarcus Aldridge chalked up nine more points while pulling down two defensive rebounds.  Two-time champion Pau Gasol contributed with four as he shot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field.  He also grabbed three defensive rebounds while Gay collected four of his own points.  Dejounte Murray came off of the bench to post up two points and two rebounds as the Golden State team entered the fourth quarter with an 84-78 advantage.

The defending champions would close things out in the last period as they went on a huge 28 to 14 run, shooting forty-eight percent from the field while limiting the home team to a low twenty-five percent.  Patrick McCaw came off of the Golden State bench to record nine points with six coming from the three-point line.  Klay Thompson helped out with seven points as he shot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field.  Durant would put up four more points on one-hundred percent shooting as Stephen Curry was held to two points.  Iguodala was also kept to two points but he did manage to grab four defensive rebounds.

On the other end of the court, Michigan-native Bryn Forbes would come off of the bench to score seven points off of seventy-five percent shooting from the field.  Kyle Anderson ended up with six points with four coming from the charity stripe.  He also pulled down three defensive rebounds but it was the Golden State Warriors who pull out a 112 to 92 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.  Klay Thompson would finish the game with twenty-seven points, three rebounds, and two assists while LaMarcus Aldridge finished with twenty-four points, ten rebounds, and two assists.

The New Orleans Pelicans hand the Cleveland Cavaliers a 123-101 loss

The Cleveland Cavaliers were looking to avoid their second straight loss as they visited Louisiana to take on the New Orleans Pelicans.  The Cavaliers ended up taking a heartbreaking loss to the Brooklyn Nets, 112 to 107.  The Pelicans, on the other hand, are looking for their second straight win as Anthony Davis would be available to play along.

During the first quarter of the game, the Pelicans shot sixty-one percent from the field while the Cavaliers were held to thirty-five percent.  Anthony Davis would drop ten points on sixty-seven percent shooting from the field.  He ended up pulling down four defensive rebounds while E’Twaun Moore shot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field as he received ten points, as well.  Jrue Holiday recorded eight points, two defensive rebounds, and three assists while DeMarcus Cousins would be held to five points and four assists.

On the other end of the court, LeBron James shot a low thirty-three percent from the field while posting up eight points.  Kevin Love would contribute with two three-pointers and one free-throw while pulling down five defensive rebounds.  Jae Crowder would come off of the bench to gobble up three rebounds while Iman Shumpert scored five points with three coming from beyond the arc.  Dwyane Wade would be held scoreless in the four minutes that he played as the home team ended the first quarter with a 35 to 22 lead.

The second period would be held closely as both teams shot fifty-five percent from the field each.  Dwyane Wade heated up for ten points off of the bench while Kevin Love would settle for six points along with two defensive rebounds.  Tristan Thompson ended up with five points and two defensive rebounds while LeBron James would be held to just one free-throw in the seven minutes that he played but he did manage to get off three assists.

As for the New Orleans team, Holiday would shoot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field while collecting nine points, earning three of them from beyond the arc.  Moore scored eight points with six of them coming from behind the three-point line.  Cousins shot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field to earn himself six points while pulling down four defensive rebounds and dishing out three assists.  Davis ended up with four points on twenty percent shooting from the field but he managed to collect three rebounds.  Ian Clark would play for the entire quarter but would be held to just a three-pointer as the Pelicans went into halftime with a 65 to 52 advantage.

The Ohio team would go on a 31 to 24 run in the third as they shot fifty-seven percent from the field while holding the Pelicans to forty percent shooting from the field.  DeMarcus Cousins would get hot for fifteen points while shooting fifty-five percent from the field.  He connected for a three-pointer in the process while gobbling up one offensive rebound and three defensive rebounds.  Jrue Holiday would be held to five points in the twelve minutes that he played but would knock down a three-pointer in the process.  Davis settled for four points and three rebounds in the ten minutes that he played.

Love would help the Cavs out as he heated up for eleven points, collecting nine of those points from behind the arc.  He also grabbed one offensive rebound and three defensive rebounds while LeBron James scored nine points on eighty percent shooting from the field.  He would knock down a three-pointer in the process to go along with the three defensive rebounds and three assists that he recorded.  J.R. Smith would drill a three-pointer while Kyle Korver and Wade came off the bench to do the same.  Crowder came off of the bench to dish off two assists as the home team went into the fourth quarter with an 89-83 lead.

The Pelicans would finish things off in the last period as they went on a 34 to 18 run, shooting fifty percent from the field while holding the Cleveland Cavaliers to thirty-three percent.  Anthony Davis would heat up for twelve points as he shot sixty-seven percent from the field.  He ended up connecting for two three-pointers in the process while collecting one offensive rebound and three defensive rebounds.  Jrue Holiday would score seven points with three of those points coming from beyond the arc.  Moore would shoot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field to give himself six points while DeMarcus Cousins settled for three points but did manage to record four defensive rebounds and two assists.

On the other end of the court, former Celtics’ forward Jeff Green would chalk up five points off the bench while shooting fifty percent from the field, collecting two defensive rebounds in the process.  Cedi Osman also came off of the bench as he recorded four points and three defensive rebounds.  Wade would be held to two points while Korver was scoreless in the seven minutes that he played.  Ante Zizic came off of the bench to gobble to two defensive rebounds but it was the New Orleans Pelicans who escaped with a 123 to 101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Anthony Davis finished the game with thirty points, fourteen rebounds, and two assists.  Kevin Love ended up with twenty-six points, eleven rebounds, and one assist.

 

The Golden State Warriors hold on to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning their fifth NBA title

Monday night marked the fifth game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors in their Finals series.  The first game was a victory for the Warriors as they hand the Cavaliers a blowout loss, 113-91.  In that game, Kevin Durant scored thirty-eight points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished off eight assists.  LeBron James finished with twenty-eight points, fifteen rebounds and eight assists.  The Warriors would also win Game 2 with a 132 to 113 score.  Kevin Durant finished with thirty-three points, thirteen rebounds and six assists.  LeBron James settled for twenty-nine points, eleven rebounds and fourteen assists.  The Golden State Warriors would pull away in the third game with a 118-113 win.  In that game, Kevin Durant scored thirty-one points, pulled down nine rebounds and dished off four assists.  LeBron James finished with thirty-nine points, eleven rebounds and nine assists.  The Cleveland Cavaliers would bounce back in the last game as they hand the Warriors a 137-116 blowout loss.  Kyrie Irving would finish with forty points, seven rebounds and four assists.  Kevin Durant would settle for thirty-five points, four rebounds and four assists.  The Warriors looked to close the series out on Monday night as they hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers would start the game off right as they shoot sixty-three percent from the field as a team in the first quarter, limiting the Warriors to forty-two percent.  LeBron James would score twelve points which would include one three-pointer.  He would also pull down one offensive rebound and two defensive rebounds as he shot fifty-six percent from the field.  Kyrie Irving would also put up twelve points while shooting eighty percent from the field.  Tristan Thompson would shoot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field to earn himself six points.  He would also grab two offensive rebounds and one defensive rebound while dishing off two assists.  J.R. Smith would chalk up five points, collecting three of them from beyond the arc.  He would also crash the boards to get two defensive rebounds.

On the other end of the court, Stephen Curry would earn twelve points, as well, along with two defensive rebounds.  Kevin Durant would shoot sixty percent from the field as he settles for eight points.  Former Clippers player, Shaun Livingston, would come off the bench to drop five points as he shot sixty-seven percent from the field.  Draymond Green would play for eleven minutes only to be held to three points, one offensive rebound and one defensive rebound as the Cleveland Cavaliers end the first quarter with a 37-33 lead.

The Oakland team would respond with a 38 to 23 run in the second quarter as Durant heats up for thirteen points, shooting eighty percent from the field.  He would earn nine of those points from beyond the arc as he crashes the boards for one offensive rebound and two defensive rebounds.  Curry would contribute with eight points as he drills a three-pointer in the process.  Stephen Curry would also collect one offensive rebound, one defensive rebound and four assists.  The 2015 Finals MVP, Andre Iguodala, would come off the bench to put up eight points of his own, along with one defensive rebound and two assists.  Green would drop five points while grabbing one offensive rebound, three defensive rebounds and dishing off three assists.

As for the visiting team, James would add nine more points to his scoring total as he shoots sixty-seven percent from the field.  He would collect three of those points from beyond the arc as pulls down two defensive rebounds and throws out one assist.  Former Knicks player, J.R. Smith, would shoot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field as he settles for eight points.  He would knock down two three-pointers in the process of doing so.  Irving would knock down a three-pointer and a free-throw to give himself four points.  He would also grab one offensive rebound, two defensive rebounds and give out three assists.  Tristan Thompson would shoot a perfect one-hundred percent from the field but would only be rewarded with two points as the Golden State Warriors walk into  halftime with a 71-60 lead.

The Cavaliers would come into the third quarter, sparking a 33 to 27 lead.  During that run, Kyrie Irving would chalk up ten points while shooting sixty-seven percent from the field.  Canada-native Tristan Thompson would put up seven points while pulling down one offensive rebound and one defensive rebound.  LeBron James would be limited to six points but would grab one offensive rebound, five defensive rebounds and dish off five assists.  J.R. Smith would contribute to the run with six points as he knocks down two three-pointers.

On the other end of the floor, Durant would put up seven points which would include one three-pointer.  Klay Thompson would help out as he drills two three-pointers, shooting fifty percent from the field.  Two-time NBA MVP, Stephen Curry, would be limited to five points, collecting three of them from the free-throw line.  Iguodala would come off the bench to earn five points, knocking down a three-pointer in the process.  He would also pull down one offensive rebound and one defensive rebound as the home team would close the third quarter with a 98-93 lead.

The Warriors would finish things off in the last period as Kevin Durant would throw up eleven points, collecting three of them from beyond the arc.  He would also crash the boards for two defensive rebounds while giving out two assists.  Curry would shoot fifty-seven percent from the field to get himself nine points, earning three of them from behind the arc.  He would also take down one defensive rebound while dishing off three assists.  As for the visiting team, James would go off for fourteen points while shooting seventy percent from the field.  He would grab two defensive rebounds and throw out two assists while doing so.  Smith would knock down two three-pointers to give himself six points.  Kevin Love would chalk up four points while grabbing two offensive rebounds and two defensive rebounds.  Kyle Korver would come off the bench to knock down a three-pointer but it was the Golden State Warriors who pull away with a 129 to 120 victory, winning the NBA Finals, 4-1.  This would also mark the fifth time the Golden State Warriors would win a NBA title and the first time that Kevin Durant would earn a NBA championship.  Kevin Durant would finish with thirty-nine points, six rebounds and five assists.  He would also be named NBA Finals MVP.  LeBron James finished with forty-one points, thirteen rebounds and eight assists.