What’s better than four NBA championships? Five. And what’s better than five? Six.
You get the idea. And so does Steph Curry.
The Warriors superstar, now 37 years old and in his 16th NBA season, already has one of the most decorated careers in league history and is a lock for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame whenever he decides to retire.
Might that day come if Golden State wins a fifth championship this summer? Longtime teammate Draymond Green joined NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole and Kerith Burke on the latest “Dubs Talk” episode and shared why he doesn’t believe Curry will ride off into the sunset if the Warriors’ dynastic duo were to secure its fifth ring this season.
“He is definitely that type of person where he’s just not going to hold on and do the whole thing a lot of guys do,” Green told Poole and Burke. “If he’s not at an elite level, he’s not going to do it. The problem he has is, if we’re winning number five this year, he’s got a strong chance to get six next year. And he’s not going to screw me out of six so he has no chance of retiring, because if we have a chance to get six, I’ll be at his house every day making sure he ain’t retiring. Because we need to go after that.”
That’s not to say Curry at least won’t consider the possibility of retiring on top, but Green believes his teammate ultimately will recognize that if the Warriors are able to win another championship this year, then they will have a strong chance to do so again next season.
“Honestly, I think the decision will come across his mind for like a week or two where he’s like, ‘Man, I did it.’ And then I think he’ll chill for a week or two and then be like, ‘Alright, I’m doing this again. I feel too great, I’m too at the peak of my powers,'” Green said. “He still has too much left to give to this game to let go now.
“He just turned 37 and he can 1,000 percent play this game at the level he’s playing at for another three years until 40. I wholeheartedly believe that. As much as he’s said that, and I believe him, and I think that would make the question run across his mind, I don’t see it happening this year. Whether we win or not, I don’t think it happens.”
Green’s assessment seems to line up with what Curry himself has said about how much longer he will play, recently telling 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru” that he would like to outplay his current contract, which expires after the 2026-27 NBA season
All three of Curry, Green (player option) and star forward Jimmy Butler are under contract through the 2026-27 NBA season, and many believe the contracts aligning could allow the trio, along with coach Steve Kerr, whose contract is up one year prior, to retire around the same time.
Will Curry and Green secure their fifth rings by then? Only time will tell.
The Washington Wizards are about to complete their seventh losing season in a row. Photograph: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
The business of sports is about winning. But that, of course, doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of losers out there. That’s most evident every year in the NBA around the first day of spring. With about a dozen games left in the regular season, it’s obvious which teams are also-rans – and they have probably known that for some time. But when a team are losing and losing often, how does that affect the roster? How do the players deal with the constant lows?
“When you lose,” says former NBA All-Star Xavier McDaniel, “it’s like getting a life sentence. I knew for me, losing, it started me to drink beer. Losing created a lot of bad habits. Losing can be a disease. We were losing so much [my rookie season] that by January I was drinking beer!”
Growing up, McDaniel was seemingly destined for the pros. Tall, tough and talented, the X-Man led his high school and college teams to victory after victory. In the 1985 draft, he was picked No 4 overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. When you’re a top selection like that, you’re often entering a lowly team. That was the case for McDaniel. His rookie season, the Sonics finished 31-51. They improved in his sophomore season and for most of his career in the league, McDaniel was on winners. But there were a few seasons later in Boston and New Jersey when times were equally as tough.
“I would say [you can tell a losing season is unfolding] when you get about 30 games in and you’re struggling,” he says. “You see you’re going nowhere fast. For me, [losing] feels like shit. When you’re losing, everything is bad. The food is bad, everything is bad.”
If you’re young and on a bad team, you can hope that the roster will get reinforcements via the draft in the coming summers. But if you’re a vet on a loser, you may as well start packing your bags. Bad teams want to showcase the young guys and deal the vets. Or it could be a case that the temperaments on the team just don’t mix. “One thing about the NBA,” says McDaniel, “you’ve got to find guys who play well together.”
When he started his career, Scott Williams barely knew what it was like to lose. In his first three seasons, the undrafted player out of the University of North Carolina won three titles with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. But in subsequent years, he found himself languishing on bad Philadelphia teams. Those squads, he says, didn’t care about the idea of the team. That was their downfall.
“A lot of times,” says Williams, “I’ve found that it’s [about the] character of the makeup of the team. In basketball, really only about eight dudes determine the success or failure of the season. And if you got one or two or three dudes on a team that don’t have the [right] character, you’re going to have a losing year.”
In the NBA, Williams says, everyone is talented. So it is often attitude that separates winners from losers. “If your star doesn’t have good character, if he doesn’t want to put in work, the preparation, the consistence,” says Williams, “if he doesn’t have resiliency, you’re going to struggle.”
Williams remembers his days with Jordan. “There was nobody that had more intensity and stronger will and a passion to work than Michael Jordan,” says Williams. “Everyone has to come along if the superstar is doing it.”
Williams played on 60-plus-win teams and teams that have won games in the teens. There is no greater high in his life, he says, with perhaps the exception of the birth of his children, than winning an NBA title. It’s the culmination of so much work, time and sacrifice. But the opposite is true when you’re on a team going nowhere. Such was the case when he was in Philly on squads helmed by a young Allen Iverson.
“When you’re in a losing season – man, you can’t wait for the freaking year to end,” Williams says. “You’re showing up every day with dudes with negative attitudes who are me-first people. It’s miserable to be around them. You count the days until your contract is finished so you can get out of there.” It’s hard to stay motivated, he says. “It weighs on you. To fight that defeatist mentalist is hard – especially in your 20s when you haven’t had as many life lessons.”
What’s worse, when you’re on a losing team with players who don’t care about improvement, Williams says, it can make you question your own effort. “Why would I want to risk diving for a ball and banging my knee when we’re down 15 when the dude next to you won’t even help you up off the floor after you do it?” he says. “But there’s certain things you have to fight through and realize there’s a bigger picture.”
In 1981, Cedric Maxwell was named the NBA finals MVP. Surrounded by guys like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Tiny Archibald, it was Maxwell who won the hardware when his Boston Celtics beat the Houston Rockets. The win, though, came after several years of rebuilding, including the first two years of Maxwell’s career when the Celtics went 32-50 and 29-53. Boston were in the middle of an overhaul, despite playing in the Eastern Conference finals in 1977. Injuries and ageing players plagued the roster. So, in the hopes of turning things around, Celtics coach Tom Heinsohn looked to his rookie.
The team had lost six games in a row to start Maxwell’s rookie campaign. But he got in and played 30-plus minutes in a game on 11 November against Buffalo. He scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds. “I came in that game and played really well,” says Maxwell. “And I remember [veteran Celtic] John Havlicek came up to me and said, ‘Hey, rook, just keep it going!’” But despite his good play, the Celtics never flipped the script that year. “The [vets] were convinced we’d turn the thing around, like, ‘We’re going to get on a streak!’ But we never did.”
All the losing led Maxwell to feel down, he says. But that’s when the team’s veteran big man offered his own bit of philosophy. “I remember Curtis Rowe saying to me after I felt depressed about one game – Curtis said to me, ‘Rook, there ain’t no Ls or Ws on them checks.”
But while some guys don’t live and die with the results, for Maxwell, winning is everything. “I’ve always been a competitor,” he says. So, he did what he could: he focused on himself and his own self-improvement. He focused on what he could control. “I was going to find a way to make myself better,” he says. He watched his teammates and their bad habits. He made sure that he didn’t follow in their footsteps.
“During the late 1970s, drugs were big in the NBA,” Maxwell says. “I was asked multiple times did I want to get some coke or do some blow. But I had a strong enough constitution to know that wasn’t something I wanted. Those bad habits, those things I was able to avoid.”
Looking back, Maxwell can sum up his position on losing with one piece of advice. Don’t let the noise and negativity affect your game or the way you look at the world. Because right around the corner could be an upswing, the playoffs, a chance at a title.
“The best thing,” says Maxwell, “is to be your own person. As my mom and dad used to say, ‘Be a leader. Don’t be a follower.’ That was something that helped me out in what I wanted to do. So, to any rookie out there, just be true to yourself.”
With teams facing fewer than 10 games remaining in the regular season the playoff stage is being set for some, while a handful are already eliminated from contention. The varying circumstances account for a key factor in which players continue to deliver notable production, while others are shut down, leading to opportunities for new faces to step up and make their name.
One For The Books
Klay Thompson made history on Saturday night, becoming the second player in NBA history to knock down 200 three-pointers in 10 consecutive seasons, joining his former Splash Brother, Stephen Curry, as the only players to achieve the milestone. Aside from the noted achievement, Thompson has not enjoyed a stand-out campaign, averaging 14.3 points on a career-low 41.3 percent shooting from the field, 3.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.6 minutes per game. Nonetheless, his contributions have been sufficient to help keep the Mavs in the playoff hunt, and the return of Anthony Davis to the lineup should give them a significant boost heading into the postseason.
Out For The Season
It was announced on Tuesday that Damian Lillard was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf, and that he would be out indefinitely. The unfortunate news puts a wrench in the gears of an already less-than impressive season for the Bucks, as the squad is sitting sixth place in the East and not showing dominance on either end of the floor. In Lillard's absence, third-year guard Ryan Rollins has gotten the call to step up and has started in four of the last five games, averaging 11.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals over that span. Rollins should continue to grow into the greater role, while Kevin Porter, AJ Green and Gary Trent are also in line for more opportunity.
Since going down with a calf strain in late-November, LaMelo Ball played no more than seven consecutive games, while moving in-and-out of the lineup with one injury after another. Finally, the Hornets announced late last week that he would be shut down for the rest of the season as a result of nagging ankle and wrist injuries. Ball averaged a career-high 25.2 points per game through his 47 appearances this season. However, he also shot a career-low 40.5 percent from the field, including a career-low 33.9 percent from deep. Ball has been significantly limited by various injury trouble over the last three seasons, playing a total of just 105 games over that span, which should cause fantasy managers to question if it is worth the risk to draft him in the following season.
Standing Out
Despite a rough run for the Kings, who are 3-7 in their last 10 games, Keegan Murray has been playing well lately. He averaged 16.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks over four games last week, including a stand-out performance in a loss to the Thunder on Tuesday, where he knocked down 9-for-13 from long range, on his way to a season-high 28 points. He shot 53.6 percent from deep over the four games on the week, which was a significant step up from his season average of 34.8 percent from downtown. Overall, Murray has not shown much improvement over his sophomore season, as he is averaging 2.6 fewer points per game, while his field-goal percentage is also dwindling in comparison.
After suffering a non-contact injury in his debut game with the Mavericks, Anthony Davis is looking good since making his return from an almost six-week absence, as he averaged 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks while playing in three of his squad's four games last week. He delivered his best performance of the bunch in the most recent outing, as he posted 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and two blocks in a one-point win over the Bulls on Saturday. With the Mavs still in the running for a spot in the play-in, Davis can be expected to continue giving it his all, as he looks to help power what would be a stunning postseason run if they were even able to win one round.
Coby White is playing incredibly well lately, averaging 29.2 points on 50.3 percent shooting, 5.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists over the last 10 games, including scoring at least 25 points in all three games played last week and 25-point, 11-rebound double-double in the most recent outing. His play has helped the Bulls earn a firm grasp of a spot in the play-in, and he is in position to continue pushing forward as the team's new scoring leader.
The Lakers' duo of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic is proving to be a fearsome backcourt, as they are both putting up big-time numbers with efficiency. Last week, Reaves averaged 25.8 points on 50.8 percent shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists, while Doncic averaged 30.0 points on 42.9 percent shooting, including 39.0 percent from deep, 8.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.3 steals. The squad has adapted fairly well to the blockbuster trade that brought Doncic into the mix, and they should continue to gather momentum with a healthy roster heading into the postseason.
After shining in the G League this season, Drew Timme signed a two-year deal with the Nets on Thursday and carried his impressive play into his NBA. The 24-year-old center turned in 11 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes of action during his debut during a loss to the Clippers. He then followed up with a 19-point, six-rebound, three-assist effort in a win over the Wizards on Saturday. The big man should continue to see plenty of opportunity to prove himself down the final stretch of the season.
The entire Detroit Pistons team gets a shout-out here, as they have become the first team to ever triple their win total from the previous season. The team finished last season stuck last place in the East, with a record of 14-68, while they currently own a 42-33 record, which has them seated fifth place in the conference with seven games left in the season. Cade Cunningham has been the highlight of the team's success this year, averaging 25.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Meanwhile, Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris and Jalen Duren have also been key contributors. The squad has solid depth with guys like Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, Simone Fontecchio and Isaiah Stewart providing grit and effort that helps keep the energy high. Additionally, the addition of Dennis Schroder has been great for the team, as he is averaging 12.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 6.2 assists over the last 10 games. The Pistons are a young team that will surely give their opponents a hassle in the postseason and should be primed for at least a couple more years of relative success.
The Knicks have the NBA's sixth-best defensive rating over the past month.
In the four-plus months prior to that, New York ranked 16th in defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions).
That's a large discrepancy.
When you ask players about the defensive jump, there's one factor they cite most often: Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson's season debut was Feb. 28, following a lengthy rehab on his surgically repaired ankle/foot.
The Knicks wanted to bring him along slowly, have him healthy and in rhythm by the time the playoffs rolled around.
It seems like things are trending in the right direction.
Robinson has had to shake off rust over the past four-plus weeks. But recently, he's shown flashes of the rim-protecting, pick-and-roll-disrupting big man the Knicks grew accustomed to over the past two-plus seasons.
"The last month and a half, he's been a monster defensively," said Josh Hart. "Blowing up screens, blowing up handoffs, like a free safety on that backside."
The Knicks' net rating is +4.8 with Robinson on the court.
They rank fifth in the NBA in turnovers and ninth in opponent three-point percentage.
"When you have somebody like that out there, then everybody gets more aggressive," Tom Thibodeau said after Sunday's 110-93 win over Portland. "... He's an elite pick-and-roll defender. His anticipation at the rim, he can cover up for mistakes. His communication is really good, and I think his understanding of what we're doing is really good."
Robinson, again, was a key factor in the Knicks' resurgence Sunday.
During his 15 minutes, New York outscored Portland by 19. He had four rebounds, two blocks and two assists.
Sunday's win was New York's third straight. The Knicks have treaded water without Jalen Brunson and -- more recently -- Miles McBride and Cam Payne. All three guards should all be back before the end of the regular season.
So New York's rotation will look different entering the first round of the playoffs. But barring injury, that rotation will still have Robinson coming off the bench. And if the past few weeks are any indication, the Knicks' defense will be stronger because of it.
One adjustment New York made that worked Sunday? Delon Wright switched to defend Anfernee Simons. Wright stifled Simons in the third quarter and helped limit him to 1-of-11 shooting in the second half.
Simons, in the first half, was defended at times by Mikal Bridges. OG Anunoby also contested a few of Simons' attempts in the first half. Bridges helped throw Simons off late in the third quarter.
Anunoby and Bridges were tremendous again on offense. Both finished with 28 points. Bridges had seven assists, and Anunoby had three steals and two blocks.
One of Brunson's remarks that stood out to me was on his conditioning. He won't be in game shape when he gets back on the court.
But he has been doing conditioning work in the pool and, more recently, on the court, in an attempt to keep his conditioning at a high level.
"I've been able to do stuff to maintain, but I feel like it's definitely going to take a hit," Brunson said. "(The rehab is) not in-game reps. Out-of-game conditioning is different from just traditional conditioning, so I'm working my way back towards that.
"I feel like I've been working my ass off, so we'll see."
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MARCH 30: Ronald Holland II #00 of the Detroit Pistons and Donte DiVincenzo #0 of the Minnesota Timberwolves fight in the second quarter. Holland II and DiVincenzo were ejected from the game at Target Center on March 30, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
There had been rising tension between the Pistons and Timberwolves for a few plays, with both Donte DiVincenzo and Rudy Gobert having words with Isaiah Stewart. Then, in the middle of the second quarter, Naz Ried drove the lane and was fouled by Pistons rookie Ron Holland. Reid confronted Holland and pointed at him, Donte DiVincenzo stepped in to support Reid (he didn't want a part of Stewart but jumped in on the rookie) and suddenly it was on — and spilling into the first row.
Wow I don't think I've ever seen before. Officials just ejected 5 players and 2 coaches for this altercation.
Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Ron Holland, Isaiah Stewart, and Marcus Sasser all ejected.
After a fairly lengthy review, the referees came down hard. For Minnesota, Reid, DiVincenzo, and assistant coach Pablo Prigioni were all ejected. For Detroit, Holland, coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Isaiah Stewart and Marcus Sasser were ejected. That is seven people in total, although it's questionable what Holland did that earned an ejection (it was a common foul, then Reid and DiVincenzo escalated things).
Luke Walton took over coaching the Pistons for the rest of the game but did not pick up a win. Minnesota got the victory 123-104 behind 26 points from Julius Randle and 25 from Anthony Edwards. The Pistons were without Cade Cunningham for this one.
Fines and suspensions are coming for both teams at a time neither needs a setback. Detroit is currently the No. 6 seed in the East, with a 1.5 game lead over the Bucks to keep that spot so they are still looking to rack up wins. Minnesota may need wins more as they sit No. 7 in the West, but are just 1.5 games back on No. 5 seed Memphis, and they are just half a game up on the No. 8 seed Clippers (just three games separate the Lakers at No. 4 and the Clippers at No. 8, every team in that group needs wins to hold their position or improve it).
Deni Avidija dropped a game-high 33 points, and the Knicks (47-27) needed someone to keep up -- especially with Towns struggling. New York got a pair of team-high scorers as Anunoby and Bridges rose to the occasion, contributing 28 points apiece. Anunoby and Bridges were a combined 23-of-38 shooting in 37 and 40 respective minutes.
The same could be said with Anunoby and Bridges leading the charge on the other end of the floor in the second half, where the Knicks held Portland (32-43) to 35 points. Initially, New York trailed 58-50 at halftime and by a largest deficit of 14 points (68-54 with roughly eight minutes into the third quarter). In a game where the Knicks lacked the offensive firepower from Towns, who finished with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting over 32 minutes despite a double-double via 11 rebounds, New York's wing-anchored defense clamped the Blazers down the decisive stretch.
Totaling 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, Josh Hart flirted with a triple-double in 38 minutes while making the plays that mattered late as the Knicks pushed a double-digit lead into the final three minutes. New York needed Hart to hit another gear.
The Knicks are 20 games over .500 for the first time since early March. They were 40-20 after their March 2 game at the Miami Heat, a 116-112 overtime win. New York ends this month with a 7-5 record in the absence of Brunson, who started missing games March 7.
Who's the MVP?
Anunoby and Bridges, who gave the Knicks the two-way play that they needed to mount their comeback and eventual 17-point win.
What's next
The Knicks return to action in Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson has been out since early March with an ankle injury, but the two-time All-Star and team captain is working his way back.
"I'm doing rehab stuff," he said before Sunday's 110-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. "More days, as of recently, have been just cranking it up -- two-a-days, if I have to. But whatever I can do to improve myself, it's what I'm doing."
Brunson said that he is "feeling better" and "progressing every day" while cleared for basketball activities.
"Realistically, I'm hoping to play before the playoffs," Brunson said. "I think that's as good for me to get some game reps before we got into that type of stretch run. But most importantly, I want to make sure I'm 100 percent healthy."
Starting with Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. tipoff against the Philadelphia 76ers, New York has eight regular-season games left.
"That's probably a conversation to where we can have with the medical team," Brunson said of if his plan is to wait until he feels fully healthy. "Obviously, I want to feel 100 percent. But a lot of this is also mental, just making sure I can trust everything I do. It's just a conversation for us to have."
Since Brunson's injury March 6 in the Knicks' 113-109 overtime loss at the Los Angeles Lakers, New York has gone 7-5.
"They've responded," Brunson said. "And there were nights where, obviously, we don't play well as a team but then the next day they respond. But that's all we can focus on.
"And there will be times and games and days where things won't go our way, but it's how do we respond from those moments and how do we get better, and I feel like they've progressed that way and I can't wait to join 'em."
Kevon Looney hadn’t hit a 3-pointer in over four years, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr saw an opportunity to end that drought during Golden State’s blowout 148-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Frost Bank Center.
Following the game, Looney revealed Kerr specifically drew up a play with the intention of getting him open on the perimeter, an opportunity the Warriors big man couldn’t pass up.
“About time I got one up,” Looney jokingly told reporters after Sunday’s game. “Steve finally drew up a play for me, so I had to shoot it. He drew it up for me, he asked me, did I want one. I said, ‘Yeah.’
The Warriors’ bench’s reaction to Looney’s 3-pointer was as much of a spectacle as the play itself, with the Golden State big man’s teammates erupting after the triple splashed through the net.
However, Looney didn’t see his teammate’s jubilant reaction.
“I didn’t get to see it yet. I didn’t want to look, I wanted to act like I’ve been there before,” Looney said with a grin. “But it was fun, I worked hard enough on it all summer. I was planning on shooting more this year, but you know how the game goes. But I was able to get one up today and I made it, that’s all that matters.”
Podziemski detailed why his Warriors teammates were so thrilled to see Looney’s triple go down.
“Amazing,” Podziemski said regarding Looney’s 3-pointer. We’ve been joking with him to shoot the three. To see him work on it when he plays 3-on-3 with the stay-ready group and for him to knock that down was pretty cool.”
The Warriors collectively shot 47.7 percent from deep in San Antonio, exactly the kind of lights-out shooting Golden State desperately needed heading into the final stretch of the 2024-25 NBA season.
With opposing defenses already having their hands full with Steph Curry, things could get spooky for the rest of the NBA if Looney continues raining 3-pointers at a 100-percent clip.
Five players and two coaches were ejected after a fight broke out in the second quarter in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Detroit lost head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II and guard Marcus Sasser. Minnesota forward Naz Reid and guard Dante DiVincenzo also were tossed, along with assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.
The skirmish began with 8:36 left in the half with the Pistons up 39-30. Stewart had received a technical foul just moments earlier when he bumped DiVincenzo hard after the whistle. Then Holland was called for a foul as he slapped the ball out of Reid’s hands near the baseline.
Multiple players and coaches were ejected following a scuffle during Pistons-Timberwolves. pic.twitter.com/4vbUMCY2JL
The two exchanged words, DiVincenzo stepped between them and grabbed Holland’s jersey, and soon all 10 players on the court and multiple coaches and trainers were part of the scrum.
As the players were being separated, Bickerstaff and Prigioni were screaming at each other and had to be separated by team personnel.
The whole scene played out just 20 feet from new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez, who walked over from his courtside seat in the aftermath and appeared to call for assistance for a fan who got caught in the middle of the melee.
Fouls and turnovers were problematic in the first quarter. Edwards and Butler each got whistled for two early fouls and the Sixers committed the night’s first six turnovers. They threw quite a few off-target passes and gave Toronto regular opportunities to score in transition.
Barrett was aggressive in his opening stint, scoring 10 points in under five minutes. An Ochai Agbaji three-pointer put the Raptors up 21-12.
The Sixers then turned to a makeshift four-man second unit of Hood-Schifino, Marcus Bagley, Alex Reese and Phillip Wheeler. Hood-Schifino ended the first quarter on a sweet note when he sunk a step-back triple.
Edwards cools off
The Sixers took a lot of tired-looking jumpers on the second night of their back-to-back. As a team, they started 2 for 14 from three-point range.
Edwards (12 points, seven rebounds, four assists) went 0 for 4.
Prior to Sunday, Edwards had scored at least 17 points in seven consecutive games. He’d also made at least one three-pointer in every game during that stretch and shot 50 percent beyond the arc (23 for 46).
Outside shooting was certainly not the Sixers’ sole issue in the second quarter.
They were called for an eight-second violation in the final minute of the second quarter when Butler simply didn’t get the ball across half court in time. Ja’Kobe Walter’s tip-in just before the second-quarter buzzer sent the Raptors into halftime with a 63-49 lead.
Sixers winning race to bottom
The Sixers fell behind by as many as 21 points early in the third quarter, but they made a run back into the game, cutting their deficit as low as six.
Walker had some sharp moments generating his own offense. He also tossed a few creative assists, spotting open teammates off of his drives.
Bona played a nice third quarter and overall game, too.
The rookie big man was again highly efficient, posting 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting and eight rebounds. He also blocked five shots, giving him 11 over his last three games.
Ultimately, even the rebuilding Raptors clearly had more talent available than the Sixers.
They finished off a win without any fourth-quarter drama and the Sixers extended their “lead” over Toronto in the race to the bottom.
Back in the 2009-10 NBA season, in what was his rookie year, Curry set the record at 21 years of age after scoring seven 3-pointers against the Los Angeles Clippers.
On Sunday night, Podziemski finished with 27 points to go with six rebounds and five assists, falling just two points shy of his career high. His seven threes set a new career high, however.
Outside of Podziemski and Curry, the only other Warrior under the age of 23 to have scored at least seven threes in a game is Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole, who did it on five occasions.
Behind Podziemski’s impact from deep, the Warriors now have a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference with eight regular-season games remaining.
With the stakes rising for the Warriors, perhaps there’s no better time for Golden State players to channel their inner Curry.
Brandin Podziemski, often a popular target for Dub Nation’s displeased keyboard gangsters, replied Sunday with the kind of game he’ll need to bottle for the Warriors to make a deep run in the NBA playoffs.
The second-year guard took the right shots, at the right time, and finished with a game-high 27 points. When passing was the obvious option, he chose it rather than holding or pounding his dribble. He did his usual GI Joe stuff, drawing charges from bigger players and grabbing more rebounds than befits his physique.
Moreover, Podziemski played determined defense.
Golden State becomes a real threat if those habits continue in the coming weeks, with the stakes getting considerably higher and the competition getting appreciably tougher than the deficient Spurs, unwitting victims of a 148-106 Golden State runaway in San Antonio.
“You get a night when nobody plays more than 25 or 26 minutes, that’s very helpful,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters at Frost Bank Center. “Big game coming against Memphis [Tuesday night], so we’ll be well rested and in rhythm for that.
“Big stretch coming.”
The Warriors (43-31) go into Memphis in sixth place in the Western Conference, one-half game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves, one game ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers – and one game behind the Grizzlies. A win at Memphis would give the Warriors the head-to-head tiebreaker, effectively moving them into fifth place.
Sunday was, then, a TCB (Take Care of Business) game for the Warriors. They beat a team they were projected to beat and did it convincingly. Stephen Curry played 26 minutes, Jimmy Butler III 24 and Draymond Green 21. None of the accomplished veterans played in the fourth quarter because, for the first time since Feb. 25 against the Charlott Hornets, there was no need.
The Warriors know what those three can do, but there remains uncertainty about how the rest of the roster, with the lone exception being Kevon Looney, will respond to the rugged obstacles ahead.
Perhaps none of the complementary players is more pivotal that Podziemski, who starts alongside Moses Moody, Butler, Curry and Green. Podziemski is a primary ballhandler on offense and is first in the team’s rotation of point-of-attack defenders.
He was terrific against the Spurs, playing at a fast tempo from the start and finishing with a game-high 27 points on efficient 9-of-14 shooting from the floor, including a career-high seven 3-pointers in nine attempts. He added six rebounds, five assists and was plus-22 over 27 minutes.
“To start the game, we did a good job of keeping our man in front,” Podziemski said. “That led to runouts, a couple easy ones for Jimmy early. We put both together.
“Coach put an emphasis on starting strong [Saturday] at practice. But he also told us we’re 10-0 [now 11-0] with this group that we’re starting right now. He challenged us to be better; it puts less pressure on that next wave of guys we bring in to have to fight back for us.”
With the Spurs building fortress around Curry and Butler, Podziemski took charge of the offense. Podziemski was plus-14 in nine first-quarter minutes, making both field-goal attempts. He added three rebounds and three assists, with one sloppy pass turning into a turnover.
“We’ve been talking about getting off to better starts, and we got off to a great start,” Kerr said. “The offense was crisp, and the guys did a good job defensively.”
The Warriors needed less than four minutes to build a double-digit lead (15-5, with 8:09 left in the first quarter) before pushing the advantage to 17 entering the second quarter. They led by as much as 29 points before halftime and coasted from there.
“We put it in our own hands,” Moody said. “We didn’t wait on the rhythm to come to us. We went and found it ourselves. We played faster. We started faster. Defense was the key to it.”
Podziemski was relatively ordinary over the first three games of the road trip, two of which ended in defeat. He was stellar in the fourth and afterward displayed his ability to listen to the pleas of the coaching staff.
“Just being really, really good in the first four [minutes] and the last four of each quarter,” Podziemski said of Kerr’s message. “Not letting team teams feel good going into the next quarter. That’s the biggest thing. Those eight minutes every quarter, that’s a big 32 minutes out of the 48.
“If we can control those minutes – obviously teams are going to go on runs; they’re great players for a reason – but if we can win the first and last four of each quarter, we’ll be alright.”
If Podziemski can elevate his game to his level against better competition, the Warriors at least have a chance to be all right.
It appears Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga is in good spirits despite his early exit from Golden State’s 148-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Frost Bank Center.
Kuminga was ruled out with right ankle soreness at halftime after a hard fall, aggravating the same ankle he injured earlier in the 2024-25 NBA season that caused him to miss 31 games.
The 22-year-old told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Sam Gordon he’s “straight” after the win and is hopeful he won’t miss time after hurting the ankle again Sunday.
Kuminga said he’s “straight.” Asked him if he thinks he’ll miss time. “I hope not,” he said.
The injury came as Kuminga drove to the rim in the second quarter. As he jumped up with both feet, the two Spurs defenders on either side of him knocked him to the ground where he bounced off the hardwood. Kuminga initially mouthed he was “OK,” but ultimately hobbled to the Warriors’ locker room — and no foul was called on the play.
Jonathan Kuminga went to the locker room after taking a hard fall in today's game pic.twitter.com/2wiVMSuqLY
After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Kuminga will be evaluated Monday.
“Such a bummer,” Kerr told reporters. “[He was] just coming back, finding his rhythm, playing well. So, hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.”
Kuminga on Sunday was playing in his ninth contest back after his 31-game absence. The 22-year-old is averaging 16.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists during the 2024-25 NBA season, and 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in eight games since his March 13 return against the Sacramento Kings.
Before his early exit Sunday, Kuminga was a plus-9 in seven minutes with four points and one rebound.
As the Warriors cling to a one-game lead for the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed, they’ll need all the on-court firepower they can get. And considering the athletic edge Kuminga brings every time he’s on the floor, Golden State certainly hopes his injury isn’t serious.
Can a statement win come against a team that’s the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference? It can when a gauntlet is on deck and dominance is displayed for all four quarters.
The Warriors on Sunday dismantled the San Antonio Spurs, 148-106, at Frost Bank Center, putting together the kind of team-wide performance they’ve been searching for recently. The Warriors had two 40-point quarters, and their 148 points were a new season high.
Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all enjoyed the show from the bench during the fourth quarter. All three had strong performances, but it was those around them who really stood out.
Brandin Podziemski fell two points shy of his career high, scoring 27 points to go with six rebounds and five assists. That gave Podziemski his first 20-point game since Feb. 21.
Moses Moody gave Golden State two 20-point scorers, tallying 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, plus he also had three rebounds, three assists, three steals and one blocked shot.
The Warriors as a team shot 57.7 percent overall, had 44 rebounds and 42 assists, as well as 17 steals and 64 points in the paint.
Their win also had implications in the standings. The Warriors now have a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers and a half-game lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 6 seed in the West. They’re one game back of the No. 5 seed, and two games behind the No. 4 seed.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ second consecutive win.
Strong Start
Starting games slow has been a frustrating staple for the Warriors all season long. They came into Sunday ranked 28th in the NBA in first-quarter points (26.7), and trailed through the first 12 minutes in each of their first three games of their current six-game road trip. Not in San Antonio, though.
A new level of focus from the jump was on display. The Warriors played intense defense, hit outside shots and attacked the rim in the first quarter. The results were seen through the scoreboard. Their 44 points were the most the Warriors scored in the first quarter this season.
And they did so with Curry taking one shot and scoring two points.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr used nine players in the first quarter, and all nine scored. Butler scored 10 points, followed by nine from Green, five from Podziemski and Quinten Post, four from Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, three from Buddy Hield and two from Curry and Gui Santos.
This wasn’t because of a 3-point barrage, too. The Warriors overall shot 70.8 percent from the field (17 of 24) in the first quarter, going 4 of 9 on threes (44.4 percent) and 13 of 15 on twos (86.7 percent). They scored 22 points in the paint, assisted on 12 of their 17 made shots and defensively swiped seven steals.
Down Goes Kuminga
The good vibes of the first quarter took a tough break with seven minutes remaining in the second quarter when Kuminga bounced off the hardwood.
Driving to the basket with two defenders guarding him, Kuminga jumped off two feet but crashed to the floor on his way down. Luckily for him, his heels hit the ground first, somewhat bracing Kuminga on the way down. But he still bounced and immediately appeared to be in pain.
Jonathan Kuminga went to the locker room after taking a hard fall in today's game pic.twitter.com/2wiVMSuqLY
Kuminga seemed to mouth “I’m OK,” though he still walked gingerly down the tunnel and back to the locker room with Warriors director of medical services Drew Yoder. During halftime, Kuminga was ruled out for the rest of the game because of right ankle soreness.
That has to be concerning for the Warriors with only two weeks remaining in the regular season. Kuminga from Jan. 5 through March 10 missed 31 games with a badly sprained right ankle. He had played in eight games since returning from injury, averaging 14.3 points per game. Kuminga was a plus-9 in seven minutes Sunday before his fall, scoring four points and grabbing one rebound.
3-Point Party
Golden State’s success always will come down to the new Big Three of Curry, Butler and Green. How those around them play can be what lifts the Warriors or brings them down. Role players like Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody and more are huge to the Warriors’ overall success. In a game where Kuminga went down to injury, two other youngsters stepped up.
Moody in the Warriors’ first 12 games out of the NBA All-Star break was a sharpshooter opposing defenses had to fear, shooting 45.8 percent from deep. But as his defensive responsibilities have ramped up, Moody had gone a lowly 6 of 32 (18.8 percent) on threes in the Warriors’ past six games. On Sunday night, Moody found his shot behind the 3-point line, going 3 of 6 while still being a menace defensively.
Podziemski didn’t just have a strong game beyond the arc, but the best of his career. The second-year pro made a career-high seven threes after combining to go 3 of 13 in the Warriors’ previous two games. His seven threes set a new career-high.
Every single starter made at least one 3-pointer. The Warriors shot 23.6 percent from three Friday night in New Orleans, only to then have a 15-point advantage from three two nights later, going 21 of 44 for a 47.7-percent clip. The cherry on top was Kevon Looney making a corner three in the fourth quarter, his first triple since March 19, 2021.
The Warriors experienced a bit of déjà vu in the second quarter of their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Frost Bank Center.
Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga went to the locker room after a hard fall near the basket — an injury that at first appeared very similar to the one star point guard Steph Curry sustained almost two weeks ago against the Toronto Raptors.
During halftime, the Warriors officially ruled Kuminga out with right ankle soreness.
While it wasn’t a pelvic contusion like the one Curry sustained, just like Steph, no foul was called on the Spurs after Kuminga was knocked down while driving to the rim. Kuminga appeared to mouth, “I’m OK” after the fall, but he walked gingerly to the locker room with Warriors director of medical services Drew Yoder.
Kuminga on Sunday was playing in his ninth game back after missing 31 games with a sprain on the same ankle. The 22-year-old is averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the 2024-25 NBA season, and 14.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in eight games since his March 13 return against the Sacramento Kings.
It’s unclear how badly Kuminga aggravated his previous ankle injury, but Dub Nation certainly hopes the young star is all right.
