Very few people in the world can make Draymond Green zip his lips, and his son, Draymond Jr., is one of them.
Draymond Jr. was on the Warriors’ bench for Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center, which meant his dad had to be on his best behavior. Draymond shared what the moment was like while speaking to reporters after Golden State’s 124-112 loss to the reigning NBA champions.
“Yeah, it’s cool. If anything, it makes me shut my mouth on the bench if I was going to say something,” Green said, smiling. “It keeps me in check. I know he’s watching. But it was cool.”
Draymond, of course, is known to always speak his mind. His mouth often has gotten him in trouble in the past, but his son’s presence prevented that from being the case on Tuesday night.
Draymond repaid his son’s savings by granting a favor the young child had asked.
“He came up to me after the game like, ‘Can you introduce me to Chet Holmgren?’ So I went and introduced him to Chet, and Chet was nice. So I really appreciate that. Anytime you give them those experiences that quite honestly money can’t buy, I’m always forever grateful.”
After having his son on the Warriors' bench tonight, Draymond details having to watch his language and introducing Draymond Jr. to Chet Holmgren 🤣 pic.twitter.com/EhcvVnFH8i
But there is another factor leading to Green’s frustration with the team’s start, and that dates back to Golden State’s up-and-down 2024-25 season, in which the Warriors were second-round playoff exits but the journey getting there was more turbulent than they would’ve liked.
“My Dubs, we are 11-10 [now 11-11] and that is a little bit frustrating because I think we have probably completely blown five games,” Green shared on his “The Draymond Green Show” podcast. “Maybe we blow one or two games, but even if you blow one or two games, you’re sitting here at 14-7, 15-6. It’s frustrating because we dug ourselves a hole last year [then] made the trade for Jimmy. And then from that point on, we were in the playoffs forever because you’re fighting an uphill battle.
“So with the goal being to not put ourselves back in that position so we’re not fighting an uphill battle, you’re able to possibly focus a bit more on the playoffs late in the season as opposed to trying to get to the playoffs late in the season. With that being the goal, it’s a little frustrating because you look back at those five games you’ve blown in those 20 games, and they catch up to you. They catch up in the end. When you’re talking about playoff seeding and you’re fighting for position and all those things, that’s when those games catch up to you.”
Green has a point.
The playoffs seemed out of the picture for a struggling Golden State team before it traded for Butler in February and finished the season 23-7 in games the six-time NBA All-Star played for them.
But after playing desperately and, as Green stated, in playoff mode for the final stretch of the regular season, the Warriors were committed not to make the same mistake this season.
“So it’s a bit frustrating that we’ve blown so many games. And the reality is at some point you’ve got to win games you’re not supposed to win to make those games up. The schedule isn’t getting any easier. It’s gotten easier from a travel standpoint, although we’re about to go back on the road. So it’s gotten easier from a travel standpoint, but from an NBA standpoint, it doesn’t get any easier. And we’re headed East, which is never easy.
“We’ve got to put together a great string of basketball, and I just don’t think we’ve consistently put together a great stretch of basketball. But I do think we’ve put together some good spurts. In order to win in this league, you have to play as close to 48 good minutes as you can play, and we’re just not getting close enough to that.”
Green won’t ever shy away from the truth, no matter how hard it might be to hear.
But the truth must be heard, as long as people are listening.
Mid-season fantasy basketball roster management requires exploiting market value, especially with recent NBA injuries sidelining key players like Zion Williamson. This guide offers essential trade tips to help you capitalize on the changing landscape.
We analyze prime buy-low targets such as Shaedon Sharpe, who is due to regain his starting role after a calf injury, and Naz Reid, who offers immense upside should his star teammates miss time. Conversely, we advise looking to sell high on LaMelo Ball while he is healthy and look to hold value like Ryan Rollins, whose prominent role remains secure despite Kevin Porter Jr.'s return.
Buy
Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers
Sharpe recently missed four games with a calf injury. He has come off the bench in all three games since making his return, playing 22 minutes or fewer in two of them. However, he did play 30 minutes in Tuesday's loss to the Raptors. Over those three games, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals.
Prior to suffering his injury, Sharpe had started the first 14 games for the Trail Blazers. During that span, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.8 three-pointers in 29 minutes per game. The Trail Blazers are likely being cautious with their young guard right now, as calf injuries can become a more serious issue if not handled properly. He should return to his normal starting role and minutes in the near future, so see if you can acquire him now at a discount.
Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
Last season, Reid set career highs by averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 three-pointers per game. The main reason for his increased production was that he averaged 28 minutes. Prior to that, he had never played more than 24 minutes a game in his career. There was a 17-game stretch at one point in the season in which he started and averaged 36 minutes with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert both missing parts of it because of injuries. During that span, he averaged 18.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers.
Reid's production is down slightly this season at 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 three-pointers a night. His minutes are down to 25 a game. The main reason for his muted numbers is that Randle and Gobert have yet to miss any time. It only takes an injury to either of them for Reid to be vaulted into a leading role. Acquiring him now at a discount could pay off in the long run.
Sell
LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
Ball's scoring is down at 18.9 points per game, but he is averaging 6.1 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He is only shooting 37.8% from the field, which is one of the main reasons for his decline in the scoring department. His usage rate is still high at 31.6%. That puts him on pace to have a usage rate of at least 30.0% for the fourth straight season.
The main reason that Ball is a sell-high candidate right now is that he is healthy. He has played in four straight games, which included both ends of a back-to-back set. That's the first time that he has played both halves of a back-to-back set since the second and third games of the season. Ball has a checkered injury history, and the Hornets are bad again, posting a 6-15 record. Ball runs the risk of another injury and/or rest days down the stretch as the Hornets try to improve their draft lottery odds. Look to move Ball now while he is healthy.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
James has appeared in five of the Lakers' six games since returning from injury. His minutes have been fine at 32 per game. However, his production is way down at 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.4 three-pointers per game. He is shooting 46.0% from the field and 55.0% from the free-throw line, but the biggest concern is his 12.6 shot attempts per game. He has never averaged fewer than 18.1 shot attempts for a season in his career.
James is not a sell-high because his production is excellent right now. He's a sell because he probably has more name value than he does actual fantasy value. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are the driving forces behind the Lakers' scoring attack. James can be a good source for assists, but his scoring and rebounding production could remain muted in his current role.
Hold
Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons
Thompson was expected to see a significant increase in playing time this season, and that has come to fruition. After logging 23 minutes per game last season, he has played 28 minutes a game this season. However, he hasn't seen a significant leap in production. He is averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds, compared to 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds last season.
The good news with Thompson is that he is averaging 1.5 steals. He's not jacking up a ton of threes, but he is making his three-point attempts at a rate of 33.3%. His trade value isn't all that high right now, especially with Jaden Ivey back from injury. However, he can still be a valuable source for rebounds and steals, while also shooting for a high rate from the field. Hang onto him for the time being.
Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks
An injury to Kevin Porter Jr. in the first game of the season unexpectedly thrust Rollins into a prominent role. He stepped up in a big way, producing a 19-game stretch in which he averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.5 three-pointers. The Bucks played him 33 minutes a night during that span.
Rollins has remained a starter since Porter has returned from injury. He had 10 points and four assists over 31 minutes against the Nets, which he followed up with 14 points and five assists over 30 minutes versus the Wizards. While fewer shot attempts will likely be coming his way with Porter in the fold, Rollins can still provide enough value across the board to be worth holding onto. The Bucks don't have great depth, so Rollins should remain an important part of their team.
Lakers center Elden Campbell pulls in a rebound in front of Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon during a game in 1997. (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
Former Lakers center Elden Campbell, who played 8 ½ seasons of his 15-year NBA career with the Los Angeles team he watched while growing up here and attending Morningside High, has died. He was 57.
The cause of death is not known.
Former Lakers teammates and friends offered their condolences Tuesday.
The 6-foot-11 Campbell, who was drafted by the Lakers in the first round out of Clemson in 1990, averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds over his career. He won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, getting his title with a win over the Lakers.
Campbell was known for his seemingly effortless style of play and calm and easy-going demeanor.
Lakers center Elden Campbell dunks over Trail Blazers center Arvydas Sabonis during a game on April 25, 1997, at the Forum. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Former Laker Byron Scott, who said he knew Campbell’s family because Scott also grew up in Inglewood and went to Morningside, said the news was painful to hear. Scott and Campbell were teammates on the Lakers when Scott returned for his final season back with L.A. in 1996-97.
“I just remember his demeanor. That’s why we nicknamed him ‘Easy E,’ ” Scott told The Times. “He was just so cool, nothing speeding him up. He was going to take his time. He was just easy. He was such a good dude. I loved Easy, man.”
Campbell averaged 14.9 points per game with the Lakers during the 1996-97 season playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Campbell’s best season was with the Charlotte Hornets, when he averaged 15.3 points and 9.4 rebounds.
“This one hurt to the bone,” Cedric Ceballos said on Instagram about his former Lakers teammate. “Grew up as kids together.”
Campbell was part of the 2025 SoCal Basketball Hall of Fame Class.
After leaving Clemson, Campbell was viewed as a big man with vast potential who would become a force in the NBA. He never quite lived up to that billing, but he was a good defender and had a nice scoring touch.
“I thought that if he really, really wanted to be good — and that’s the only thing I would say negative about him — is that had the potential to be a great player,” Scott said. “He just wanted to play. He didn’t work out until his contract was up and he got ready to try to get another one. He didn’t put that time in, but he had some skills. He was big and strong and could jump out of the gym. He had that nice little turnaround jump shot. He didn’t want to be great, to be honest with you. He just wanted to play. But what a good guy.”
Brunson's performance was indicative of the team's overall poor performance against the rival Celtics.
After getting out to a fast start, going up by 11 points after the first quarter, the Celtics outscored the Knicks 73-44 in the second and third quarters. And although the Knicks had a furious comeback in the fourth, it wasn't enough as Brunson scored just four points on 2-of-7 shooting in the final frame.
Despite the poor performance, Knicks coach Mike Brown wasn't discouraged by what he saw from the team's captain.
"I felt he got the normal looks that he normally takes," he said after the game. "He’s gotta keep shooting 'em and he’s gotta keep getting to his spots. I thought he got to his spots and I thought he took good threes too, they just didn’t go in. And that happens sometimes. So, a guy like him, he's got to keep letting it fly if he's open. Or if he gets to the spots."
With Brunson struggling, the Knicks leaned on Mikal Bridges for the offensive scoring.
The forward scored 17 of his season-high 35 points (12-of-17 shooting) in the fourth quarter, hitting four of his eight threes to help cut the Celtics' lead to as low as three points in the final minutes of the game.
Brown was impressed with Bridges' performance and credited him for almost completing the comeback.
"He was feeling it and he was aggressive and I thought our guys did a good job trying to find him, and he hit some big shots for us," Brown said of Bridges. "He was one of the guys trying to will us back into the game offensively."
Bridges' Knicks tenure has been a rocky one. After the team traded five first-round picks for him ahead of last season, the forward didn't necessarily live up to that package. He averaged 17.6 points a game in his first season with New York, a far cry from the 20 points per game he put up in his two years with the Nets.
And while Bridges entered Tuesday averaging 16.1 points per game, there have been sparks of offensive explosions from the Villanova product among his all-world defense this season. Perhaps Tuesday's performance will carry over 24 hours later when the Knicks take on the Hornets at home in the second of a back-to-back.
The Knicks were defeated by the Boston Celtics 123-117 on Tuesday night at TD Garden.
Here are some takeaways...
- The Knicks have been up-and-down on the road this season, but they got off to about as good a start as you could ask for in this one. Josh Hart continued his strong play, dropping 11 points in the first seven minutes, and New York knocked down four of their first seven attempts from downtown to quickly open a double-digit advantage.
- The Celtics' offense finally found their footing after an early timeout, but New York's hot shooting continued. Boston turned to the 'Hack-A-Mitch' strategy on Mitchell Robinson in an effort to slow down the momentum in down the stretch in the first, but they still found themselves trailing by 11 after 12 minutes.
- The second quarter was a much different story. The Knicks put together one of their worst quarters of the season, losing their composure after some foul calls didn't go their way, and Boston was able to take advantage. The Celtics used a long run to cut into the deficit, and eventually open an advantage of their own, which they carried into the break (58-52).
- Boston outscored the Knicks 37-20 in the middle frame; their leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, was responsible for 18 of those points, as he finally found his touch after going just 2-for-5 from the field in the opening quarter.
- The Celtics were able to keep the momentum going coming out of the break. New York eventually found their groove and was able to get the deficit down to six points, but Brown led Boston on another scoring barrage and they carried their largest lead of the game into the final frame (18).
- The Knicks' second unit helped them regain some momentum in the opening minutes of the fourth. The starters then returned to the court, and behind Mikal Bridges' hot shooting and Karl-Anthony Towns' three-point play, they were able to cut the deficit all the way back down to three points.
- Clutch buckets from Towns, Hart, and Bridges helped New York hang around down the stretch. The Celtics received big plays of their own from Jordan Walsh and Brown in the closing minutes, though, and they were able to just barely hang on for the victory. Brown finished with a game-high 42 points on 16-of-24 from the field.
- Derrick White knocked down four threes, Walsh had eight points on a perfect night from the field and six rebounds.
- Jalen Brunson tied his season-high with 11 assists, but shot an inefficient 6-of-21 from the field (15 points). With the captain struggling it was Bridges who led the way for the Knicks' offense, finishing with 35 points on 12-of-17 from the field and 8-of-12 from three-point land.
- Towns had 29 points and brought in seven boards, Hart ended with 19 and seven boards of his own.
Game MVP: Jaylen Brown
Brown took things over after a quiet first quarter, finishing with a game-high 42 points.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors own the most impressive of regular-season NBA team records, most wins in a season. They took it from Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls not quite 10 years ago, but it’s already facing extinction.
They now know why: The Oklahoma City Thunder want the record — and have the goods to take it.
The Thunder rolled into the Bay Area on Tuesday night flashing such shiny possessions as month-old NBA championship rings and a gaudy 20-1 record that sits high atop the league. Golden State, for all its gallant second-half effort to get close, didn’t have enough to avoid a 124-112 loss because OKC’s closing lineup turned lethal.
The Warriors’ comeback attempt was inspiring insofar as it came without Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III. Coach Steve Kerr turned to random lineups, and they worked – until they didn’t.
“I didn’t learn much,” Draymond Green said of the second half, when the Warriors outscored the Thunder 68-61. “But I hope our guys learned that if we play hard, we can compete with anybody.
“Whether Jimmy is out there or Steph is out there or not, it’s going to be much tougher. The margin for error is a lot less. But you give yourself a chance, and that’s all you can ask for. I hope that’s what we collectively learned.”
To be fair, OKC was taking full advantage of weakened prey. Curry is sidelined with a quad contusion, and Butler, a game-time decision with gluteal contusion, played 15 valiant first-half minutes before hobbling into the night with a sore left knee.
Yet the Warriors, who trailed by as much as 22 in the third quarter, got back in the game. With Seth Curry (14 points in 14 minutes in his Golden State debut) and Pat Spencer (15 points in 12 second-half minutes) leading the charge, the Warriors even took a lead inside the final five minutes, momentarily delighting the sellout crowd (18,064) at Chase Center.
The Thunder’s response was typical of a champion. Neither flinching nor blinking, they ignored the blood on their face and started coming at the Warriors like a squadron of specially trained soldiers, calmly smothering their offense, surgically eviscerating their defense and leaving them for the buzzards with a blistering 18-5 closing run over the final 4:40.
When the Thunder was seriously threatened, their leaders – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren – turned clinical when it mattered most. OKC took eight shots inside over the final 4:40 and made seven.
“They’re 21-1 for a reason,” Kerr said. “Shai is the MVP for a reason. He goes 5 of 6 from three; the step back at the top of the circle was a huge shot. And it’s one you kind of have to live with. You don’t want him getting to the rim. And they made big shots. Isaiah Joe made a corner three. Jalen Williams made a big shot.
“So, give them credit. They’re NBA champs for a reason.”
Champs, yes, but the Thunder are aiming higher. They want to accomplish what the Warriors did not in 2016, which is set a record for wins and then repeat as champions.
“It’s hard, man, but I do think they’re capable,” Green said. “You just need so many things to go right though. Like health, which they kind of plow right through health, so it really don’t matter. You need a lot of breaks to go your way.
“They’re on the right track. And like I said, they’re more than capable. I think 73 wins took some years off my life. It’s hard. But like I said, they’re capable of a lot.”
"I think 73 wins took some years off my life." 😅
Draymond believes the Thunder are "more than capable" of passing the 2015-16 Warriors' record pic.twitter.com/ajyWURdQk6
The Warriors concluded their five-game homestand with a 2-3 record and will be at .500 (11-11) when they fly to Philadelphia on Wednesday to open a three-game tour through the Eastern Conference.
They’ll fly to Philly without Curry, who will stay in the Bay Area and rehab with Rick Celebrini, with the belief that he’ll be cleared when the Warriors return home and face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Dec. 12. Butler’s immediate availability is in question.
The Warriors are trying to find themselves while shorthanded.
Meanwhile, OKC will go home with a 21-1 record that puts it well within reach of the record 73 wins Golden State compiled in the 2015-16 NBA season. They might not get there, but they seem to have the necessary thirst for triumph.
SAN FRANCISCO — If anyone can ignite a Chase Center crowd in an instant, it’s a Curry.
Without superstar Steph Curry (quad contusion) for Tuesday’s 124-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center, his younger brother, Seth, who Golden State re-signed on Monday after waiving before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, provided that signature Curry spark with 14 points, two rebounds and two assists on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 2 of 3 from 3-point range in 17 minutes in his Warriors debut.
Curry helped fuel a monstrous 44-28 third quarter for Golden State, which trailed by 19 points at halftime before storming back to lead by as many as four points in the fourth quarter.
“It felt good, it felt good,” Curry shared postgame. “I’ve been waiting to get on this floor for a while now and the fans showed me a lot of love when I stepped on the floor and it felt good to go out there and make my first shot, kind of ease the pressure a little bit. And then from there, I’m just playing basketball.”
Seth’s performance, albeit not the typical Earth-shattering “Curry Flurry” that Golden State has grown accustomed to over the years, was impressive, and came as no surprise to Warriors coach Steve Kerr and his new teammates.
“He comes from the greatest shooting family in the history of basketball,” Kerr said. He’s a pro, the guy’s been around for a long time and he’s helped win a lot of games for a lot of teams. He kept himself ready and he just knows how to play. He’s in the right place at the right time, he doesn’t turn it over, he’s a good passer and he fights defensively. It’s great to have him.”
“It’s in his blood,” Warriors guard Pat Spencer added. “He’s always been a shooter, man. He’s got the green light to shoot it from anywhere on the floor just like his brother. We have full confidence it’s going in.”
Tuesday’s game was Curry’s first real NBA action since April 11 of last season, when he scored 17 points for the Charlotte Hornets in a loss to the Boston Celtics.
There appeared to be no sign of rust.
“It felt normal, it felt natural,” Curry said about his return to the court. “I was a little nervous, I wasn’t sure how I would feel when I got out there. It’s probably been seven, eight months since I played a game, but once I got up and down a couple times, it was basketball. Nothing new.”
The Warriors are hoping to have Steph, who will not travel with the team on its upcoming three-game road trip, back for the Dec. 12 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. While his absence leaves a massive void in the starting lineup that nobody can fill, Golden State knows Seth is more than capable of replicating some of what his older brother can do on the court.
“Just to add that level of shooting,” forward Draymond Green explained. “He’s led the league in 3-point percentage multiple times, and at one point, I know he was the career leader … Just being able to add Seth and him come out and get going. What he did tonight was great for us, but the one thing we know he can do and we expect him to do is shoot the ball, so it’s on us to make sure we get him looks.”
For one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, that seems like the right call.
Steph Curry, out since last Wednesday due to a right quad contusion, is scheduled to be re-evaluated on Thursday, but coach Steve Kerr took some of the guesswork out of the equation.
Curry won’t travel with the Warriors for their upcoming three-game road trip to Philadelphia, Cleveland and Chicago.
“He’s going to stay home. It was a long shot for him to play in the back-to-back and we don’t play again until Friday,” Kerr told reporters after the Warriors’ 124-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at Chase Center. “So it just makes perfect sense for him to stay home with [director of sports medicine and performance] Rick [Celebrini], get the rehab done here, get his work in and hopefully be ready for Minnesota next Friday.”
Curry sustained the contusion and muscle strain in the Warriors’ 104-100 loss to the Houston Rockets last week at Chase Center.
But he will like it even more when he can get on the court with his brother, and based on Kerr’s statement, that should come on Dec. 12 against the Timberwolves.
SAN FRANCISCO – As predicted, the key to stopping the machine that is the Oklahoma City Thunder is a Warriors team being down both Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler.
No, the Warriors didn’t win, falling 124-112 Tuesday night at Chase Center. What they did do is flip a switch in the second half and fight until the very end.
The Warriors outscored the Thunder 68-61 in the second half behind a plethora of role players answering the call.
Curry missed his second straight game due to a quad contusion. Butler, who came into the game questionable, did not play the entire second half. Butler played 15 minutes in the first half and was a minus-13. He scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting and grabbed three rebounds.
Seth Curry made his long-awaited Warriors debut and was even better than anybody could have expected, scoring 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting while playing 18 minutes off the bench.
Pat Spencer tied his career-high of 17 points, going 8 of 14 from the field, and added six assists without any turnovers. Brandin Podziemski also scored 17 points to go with four rebounds and four assists, but his four turnovers were a team high for the Warriors (11-11).
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ loss to end a 2-3 homestand.
Butler Tries To Power Through
It was exactly three weeks ago when the Warriors lost by 24 points to the Thunder, with Steph Curry, in a game that they trailed by as much as 36. Beating the defending champions with their superstar was a tall enough task. Without him, the proposition felt impossible.
After seeing the scary fall Butler took Saturday night in the Warriors’ win against the New Orleans Pelicans, sitting him would have been understandable. But after being questionable all day due to a left gluteal contusion, Butler played and gave his best effort.
Butler was scoreless in the first quarter and only took one shot. He was ultra-aggressive to begin the second quarter, taking six shots and scoring six points. Halfway through the second quarter, Butler, slightly limping, went to the Warriors’ locker room. He returned for the final two minutes of the first half.
The Warriors trailed by 11 when he exited the Warriors’ bench, and 14 once he returned a few minutes later. Trouble came in the final few seconds of the first half. Butler tried to cut behind the Thunder’s defense and wound up with a bad limp.
Jimmy Butler is not on the floor for the second half after showing discomfort following this play in the second quarter pic.twitter.com/K7Cn0dP9fu
Butler was not on the floor or on the bench to begin the third quarter. At the end of the third quarter, he officially was ruled out the rest of the game because of left knee soreness.
Seth’s Sensational Debut
Steve Kerr, during his pregame press conference, said he wouldn’t hesitate to play Curry after waiting to be signed for the last six weeks. The wait finally ended at the end of the first quarter. Curry was the Warriors’ 11th player to see the floor, coming in for the last 23.8 seconds of the first quarter.
He then started the second quarter, too. Curry’s first shot attempt and make as a Warrior came with a little more than eight minutes left in the first half when he beat the buzzer and nailed a stepback jumper. The long-distance shooting the Curry family is known for showed up a little over a minute later.
Those were Curry’s only two shots of the first half, making both. Curry was a big part of the Warriors’ third-quarter flurry, finding his rhythm and getting better as the game went on.
Curry, after scoring five points in the first half, scored nine in the second half – four in the third quarter and five in the fourth. The last thing he looked like was a player who had been on a month-and-a-half sabbatical. His first game as a Warrior was as encouraging as it possibly could have been.
Stunning Second Half
Watching the Warriors without their Batman and Robin of Steph Curry and Butler can feel like putting anchovies on pizza. Cereal without milk. Dry, bland, and straight up gross.
Except something sparked inside them coming out of halftime without their top two stars. What looked to be a blowout loss became an absolute battle. The Warriors went from being down 19 points at halftime to making it a two-point game going into the fourth quarter, even cutting the deficit to one point with less than two minutes remaining in the third.
After scoring just 44 points in the first half, the Warriors exploded for 44 points in the third quarter. A total of 10 Warriors played in the third quarter, and seven scored. Spencer scored nine points, Podziemski scored eight, Draymond Green scored seven, Gary Payton II and Jonathan Kuminga scored six, and Curry and Buddy Hield each scored four.
A three from Payton at the 8:28 mark of the fourth quarter gave the Warriors their first lead since it was 6-5. Each team kept throwing a combination of haymakers and body blows, connecting each time and never letting up. The more talented team just happened to prevail in the end.
The Thunder scored 33 points in the fourth quarter, nine more than the Warriors’ 24.
New Orleans will never be able to build anything meaningful without a solid foundation it can rely on.
Zion Williamson, who has missed more than half of the struggling Pelicans' games this season, has been diagnosed with a grade 2 right hip adductor strain, the team announced. While the Pelicans would not put an official timeline on his return, he is going to miss "extended time" and will be re-evaluated in three weeks (but is likely out longer), reports Shams Charania of ESPN, a claim confirmed by others.
The New Orleans Pelicans announced today that Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a grade 2 right hip adductor strain. Medical imaging taken this morning confirmed the injury. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.
It's unknown when the injury happened. Williamson played against the Warriors on Saturday night but sat out the second game of the back-to-back Sunday against the Lakers.
The Pelicans have been 9.8 points per 100 possessions better with Williamson on the court this season, and he has averaged 21.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in the 10 games he has played. New Orleans is a league-worst 3-18 on the season and — as has been much discussed around the league — does not control their own first-round pick, having traded away the rights to Atlanta to move up in last year's draft and select Derik Queen.
Williamson's injury history is long and well documented. He missed eight games earlier this season due to a hamstring strain, but since his return, he has played in 5 of 7 games for the Pelicans. The two-time All-Star played in just 30 games a season ago and has played in 65+ games just once in his six NBA seasons prior to this one (and he will not reach that threshold this season either).
It's not just Williamson who has been injured this season, the Pelicans have had their five highest priced players miss time. Dejounte Murray remains out recovering from an Achilles tear suffered last season, Herbert Jones (calf), Trey Murphy III (elbow) and Jordan Poole (quad) also have been out.
After a trip to the Warriors’ locker room in the second quarter, Jimmy Butler was not on the floor to begin the second half of Golden State’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
The Warriors star ultimately was ruled out of the game with a sore left knee near the end of the third quarter.
Butler originally was listed as questionable for the game with a glute contusion after a hard fall in Saturday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but was cleared to play shortly before Tuesday’s tip-off. He appeared to be in discomfort following a play — which included losing his shoe — with 6:36 to go in the first half before heading to the Warriors’ locker room, and he then returned to the bench shortly after.
Jimmy Butler is not on the floor for the second half after showing discomfort following this play in the second quarter pic.twitter.com/K7Cn0dP9fu
Butler didn’t come out of the locker room following the halftime break, however, and Gary Payton II started the second half in Butler’s place as Golden State trailed 63-44 against the defending NBA champions.
Up until his exit, Butler had scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting with three rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes of play. The Warriors already are without Steph Curry in Tuesday’s game, who is missing time with a quad contusion.
After a trip to the Warriors’ locker room in the second quarter, Jimmy Butler was not on the floor to begin the second half of Golden State’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at Chase Center.
Butler originally was listed as questionable for the game with a glute contusion after a hard fall in Saturday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, but was cleared to play shortly before Tuesday’s tip-off. He appeared to be in discomfort following a play — which included losing his shoe — with 6:36 to go in the first half before heading to the Warriors’ locker room, and he then returned to the bench shortly after.
Jimmy Butler is not on the floor for the second half after showing discomfort following this play in the second quarter pic.twitter.com/K7Cn0dP9fu
Butler didn’t come out of the locker room following the halftime break, however, and Gary Payton II started the second half in Butler’s place as Golden State trailed 63-44 against the defending NBA champions.
Up until his exit, Butler had scored six points on 2-of-7 shooting with three rebounds and one assist in 15 minutes of play. The Warriors already are without Steph Curry in Tuesday’s game, who is missing time with a quad contusion.
They notched a 121-102 victory over the Wizards and moved to 11-9 on the season.
Tyrese Maxey posted 35 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds.
The Sixers were down Joel Embiid (right knee injury recovery), Quentin Grimes (right calf soreness), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).
The Sixers will host the Warriors on Thursday night. Here are observations on their win over Washington:
Strong second unit
The Sixers ran plenty of first-quarter plays for Paul George and he was aggressive as a jump shooter. George sunk two catch-and-shoot three-pointers in the first.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse turned to his bench relatively early. Justin Edwards, Jared McCain and Adem Bona were all on the floor after a little over five minutes.
Bona committed a foul on his first defensive possession, biting on a Marvin Bagley III pump fake. The Wizards took the game’s first six free throws and went up 18-12 on a CJ McCollum mid-range jumper.
The Sixers’ bench then started to cook.
McCain swished a three off of a baseline out-of-bounds play and made two driving layups in his first stint. Edwards also knocked down a pair of threes in the first quarter, breaking through a recent slump. He’d gone 4 for 24 beyond the arc over his past seven games. Bona had several possession-earning hustle plays that didn’t show up on the stat sheet, including a forced backcourt violation.
Maxey in his comfort zone
Jabari Walker and Eric Gordon joined the mix in the second quarter. Walker drilled two straight corner threes and a Maxey jumper gave the Sixers a 54-40 lead.
Maxey looked extremely comfortable leading the Sixers’ offense.
He followed up a season-high six turnovers Sunday with zero giveaways and seemed to get wherever he wanted to go.
Seconds after Maxey sat late in the second quarter, he had the pleasure of watching an explosive, audacious Edgecombe slam.
The Sixers led by a dozen at halftime, but the Wizards scored the first seven points of the third quarter. George and Drummond missed jumpers late in the shot clock. Drummond picked up his fourth foul with 9:16 left in the third.
Edgecombe’s effort and athleticism helped the Sixers snap out of their funk and avoid another poor third quarter. He grabbed gritty offensive rebounds on consecutive possessions. The first board led to a George three, the second a Dominick Barlow and-one layup.
The Sixers blew the game open late in the third quarter. McCain drained a transition three. Maxey found a groove and rapidly piled up points. After burying a step-back three, he snagged a steal and coasted the other way for a fast-break dunk that put the Sixers up 99-73.
Maxey subbed out to start the fourth quarter and it was soon abundantly clear he (and all the Sixers’ regulars) would be able to stay on the sidelines the rest of the night.
Drummond threw down a put-back dunk and splashed a corner three. The Sixers led by as many as 36 points, rookies Johni Broome and Hunter Sallis checked in, and Maxey finally finished a game with under 30 minutes. The NBA’s minutes leader logged a season-low 29.
SAN FRANCISCO — Steve Kerr knows better than anyone in NBA history what it takes to break the single-season wins record.
He has done it twice.
First, as a player on the iconic 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10 in the regular season before securing its fourth of six NBA championships in eight years.
Then, as the coach of the 2015-16 Warriors, who went 73-9 in the regular season before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
Fast-forward to this season, and Kerr and the Warriors are preparing to face off against the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who enter Tuesday’s game at Chase Center with an NBA-best record of 20-1.
Not only are the Thunder off to a blistering-hot start, to put it mildly, but OKC currently is on pace to go 78-4 this season, which would shatter the records set by both of Kerr’s iconic teams.
While there is a long, long, long way to go before we officially are on Record Watch, this is the first team since the Warriors broke the record nine years ago that actually feels like they have a very real — if not likely — shot of doing the previously unthinkable.
So what will it take? Nobody knows better than Kerr.
“Overall team mindset of zero agendas, just win every night,” Kerr said pregame Tuesday when asked about the formula to win 70-plus games. “Obviously great talent, but I think high-IQ players [that those teams] had really high IQs individually and as a team, and that’s what I see with OKC. Really, really smart players, good coach, really connected. They’re on pace to shatter the record, it’s pretty remarkable what they’re doing.”
Oklahoma City went 68-14 in the regular season last year before notching 16 more victories in the playoffs, which gave the Thunder 84 total wins on the season, the third-most in NBA history.
Care to guess which two teams had more?
Not only have the Thunder picked up right where they left off in June, but they’re arguably more well-rounded as a team and playing better this season than they did throughout all of last year.
“They have a deeper level of confidence now that they’ve won it all, and then the continuity is so powerful,” Kerr explained. “All their actions that they’re running, they’re so comfortable with. They’ve expanded their offense a little bit, they have a little more motion than they did a year ago. And so these are all things that, in my experience, happen after the championship. After the first one. You’ve got a little different swagger, a little different belief. Next year is the harder one.”
We’re only 21 games into the regular season, and months away from Oklahoma City potentially needing to have some difficult conversations about how to approach the stretch run and how to put its stars in the best position to hoist another Larry O’Brien Trophy this summer.
However, if the Thunder’s potential record chase is anything like Kerr and the Warriors’, there might not be many conversations to be had.
And if there are, the message should be simple.
“We had a game late in the year in Memphis, maybe four or five games remaining, and I was really intent on playing a lot of people and not wearing our guys out,” Kerr recalled when asked if there was a moment where the Warriors decided they were going for the record. “At halftime, Draymond [Green] pulled me aside. He said ‘We really want this thing, let’s not mess around in the second half.’ That was the only discussion I really remember around the record.”
At some point, Oklahoma City will suffer its second loss. Will that be on Tuesday night against a Golden State team, or pieces of one, that once reached the mountaintop that the Thunder currently are climbing?
It seems unlikely, as the Warriors on Tuesday will be without superstar Steph Curry (quad contusion), who led his team to 73 wins nine years ago, but even the mightiest of teams can fall on any given night.
