Category: Basketball

Surprising Warriors rotation change paves way for Will Richard's big night  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — When the Warriors needed a spark on the heels of three consecutive gut-wrenching defeats, Golden State turned to a player who was a healthy scratch in each of those contests — Will Richard.

The 22-year-old rookie proved to be the difference in Golden State’s 119-116 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at Chase Center, dropping 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting including a perfect 4 of 4 from beyond the 3-point line. Richard was a perfect 6 of 6 to begin the game and didn’t record his lone miss until well into the fourth quarter.

“Unbelievable performance, coming off an extended time not being in the rotation,” Steph Curry said of Richard’s efforts in Saturday’s win. “The way he played, not just his scoring, but just his presence all over the floor.”

Will Richard appreciation post 👏 pic.twitter.com/Ci11ekSecc

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 21, 2025

However, Richard’s impact on the Warriors’ bounce-back victory wouldn’t have been possible without ending a different streak. Buddy Hield had suited up and played in every possible game since joining Golden State before the 2024-25 NBA season (110 consecutive games) and had an even larger consecutive-game streak that extended well beyond his time in the Bay.

That streak would come to an end Saturday, as Hield was the only Warriors player to be a healthy scratch in their gritty win over the Suns.

“I replaced [Hield] in the rotation with Will,” Kerr said. “I told him beforehand, I feel terrible, he had a streak of 199 games in a row, it was one of the longest streaks in the league and one of the things I love about Buddy is he’s there for you every single night.

“He’s the greatest teammate ever and just an amazing spirit and a key part of our team, and it felt terrible not to play him, but I sat Will the last five or six games and we needed to get him back out there and you can see why. Buddy’s time will come back around, it always does. He has got the right attitude, he’s going to keep working and getting shots up and I know things will work out for him.”

Beyond the spacing and gravitational pull Hield offers as one of the NBA’s most respected 3-point shooters, it’s clear how much his personality impacts the Warriors’ morale as they navigate the marathon that is an 82-game regular season.

While Hield surely was disappointed with the news he would be bumped for the rotation in favor of the rookie, Richard revealed how the veteran sharpshooter admirably handled the change, maintaining his positive energy and demeanor while supporting his young teammate’s return to action at the cost of his own playing time.

“Buddy is the same every day. He’s always going to be the guy bringing energy to the team,” Richard said. “Always supporting me no matter what. He definitely handled it well and he has been doing a great job of being the same guy every day bringing the energy and just being a guy everyone knows they can look to for support.”

Richard hadn’t played a single minute in nearly two weeks, with his last appearance coming on Dec. 7 in the Warriors’ blowout win over the Chicago Bulls, where he finished the game as a plus-36 in 24:11 minutes of action.

So how exactly did Richard remain prepared to come out firing on all cylinders despite a prolonged absence from the court?

“Working out a lot. Afternoon shootaround, I was at every one of those,” Richard said. “I knew my time was going to be called so I had to be ready when my time.”

After hitting a big 3-pointer during Golden State’s second-half comeback, Richard took a moment to face the rabid Chase Center crowd and share a special moment with the raucous fanbase that was in the process of erupting in response to his heroic efforts.

Going from three consecutive DNPs to having a sellout crowd of 18,064 losing their minds over your contributions would be a roller coaster of emotions for even the most seasoned NBA veterans. How does the 22-year-old rookie compartmentalize that? What are you supposed to think as you’re stamping your impact on a game after not even getting the chance to see the court in two weeks?

For Richard, it’s all about keeping it simple and focusing on what matters most.

“Just trying to win,” Richard said. “I don’t really think a lot when I’m out there, I’m just trying to win games.”

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Lakers guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture toward a game official during halftime of the game Thursday against the Utah Jazz, the NBA announced Saturday.

Smart was assessed a technical foul for his action as walked off the court for intermission after exchanging words with an official.

The Lakers pulled out a 143-135 victory in Salt Lake City when the 31-year-old defensive specialist scored nine of his 17 points by making three of four three-point shots in the fourth quarter.

Smart, who is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 17 games this season, will again be in the starting lineup Saturday night in place of injured Austin Reaves when the Lakers take on the Clippers at Intuit Dome.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Steve Kerr blasts ‘weak' Draymond Green ejection, compares it to Dillon Brooks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr started slowly, then worked himself into a mini-lather when discussing Draymond Green’s ejection during the Warriors’ 119-116 win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at Chase Center.

Green’s first ejection of the season came about 48 hours after Suns guard Dillon Brooks jumped high to defend a shot by Stephen Curry, then deliberately and flagrantly hit the two-time NBA MVP in the stomach.

For anyone who has ever seen Brooks in the NBA, it wasn’t a complete surprise — but other than the Flagrant 1 foul he was assessed, he wasn’t ejected and no further penalties or discipline from the NBA came.

Fast forward to Saturday, when Green and Suns guard Collin Gillespie got into a lightly heated exchange after Green blocked one of Gillespie’s shots. The two men kept jawing at one another, with Green earning his second technical for arguing over the first. 

Draymond Green has been ejected from the game following this sequence 😳 pic.twitter.com/U5pE3NQDje

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 21, 2025

Kerr also picked up a technical for arguing the situation.

“I thought it was weak. I mean, [Green] was yelling at the refs, so he definitely deserved one. But then, he’s walking to the bench and he yells something, and the second technical … We just saw a guy on their team literally punch Steph in the stomach the other night, and premeditated punches him in the stomach,” Kerr said, referring to the Warriors’ loss in Phoenix on Thursday. “No ejection for that. Two nights later, refs got upset with some words from Draymond.

“I just I totally disagree, and that’s why I got my tech because I was furious that they booted him out just like that so easily. This is a guy [Brooks] who broke [Gary Payton II’s] elbow in the playoffs, clothes-lining him with one of the dirtiest plays I’ve ever seen. So it’s not like there’s not a track record there. I don’t know what the point of replay is if you’re not going to kick a guy out for literally punching somebody. It’s bizarre to me that he was not ejected from that game and then suspended or fined. Nothing, nothing.

“So apparently you are now allowed, this is my team, you’re now allowed to premeditate a punch of a shooter who’s left defenseless … you can now take a swing at him. Maybe we’ll do that. Probably not.”

"I thought it was weak."

Steve Kerr shares his thoughts on Draymond Green's ejection tonight 👀 pic.twitter.com/i0ZEKsPlOz

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 21, 2025

That was just one chapter in the Brooks saga Saturday.

Early in the game, the Warriors seemed bent on matching Brooks’ energy and did a lot to show that he wasn’t going to get under their skin as he has with them and so many other teams during his NBA career.

Jimmy Butler grabbed a loose ball and shoved it in Brooks’ chest. When a nearby official refused to call anything, Brooks waved his arms and clearly was upset.

Throughout the night, the Warriors seemed to be playing with a more physical edge to them, especially against Brooks, than they normally do. During the second half, Trayce Jackson-Davis picked up an offensive foul after leveling Brooks with a devastating screen.

Brooks definitely got his, scoring 22 points in 32 minutes. He shot 8 of 11 from the floor and proved to be a good Robin to Devin Booker’s Batman.

Where the Warriors stood out, however, was limiting Brooks’ impact to the stat sheet and not their minds.

“He’s a very intense player,” Jackson-Davis told NBC Sports Bay Area. “Obviously he’s having a really good year this year, but at the same time you can’t be a bully in this league. We came out and we handled business.

“Things got chippy. We got chippy right back. We showed them that we’re not soft and we’re not going for any of the things that he does. It’s not easy to get under my skin in general. That’s just the type of player I am. I remember he cheap-shot me, hit me, and I’m just laughing. Like, ‘You’re going to be an idiot and do dumb stuff, that’s on you.’ At the same time, we’re just gonna go out there, play basketball, play hard.”

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Observations after Sixers flip switch in 4th quarter to beat Mavs  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ backcourt played an outstanding back-to-back and helped the team polish off a 2-0 weekend Saturday night.

With a 121-114 win over the Mavericks at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Sixers moved to 16-11. Dallas dipped to 11-18. 

Tyrese Maxey scored 38 points and VJ Edgecombe added 26, posting his fourth straight 20-point outing.

Dominick Barlow tied his career high with 21 points.

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg scored 24 points. Anthony Davis had 24 points and 14 rebounds. Naji Marshall put up 22 points and 10 boards.

The Sixers were without the following players on the second leg of their back-to-back:

• Joel Embiid (right knee injury management, illness)
• Paul George (left knee injury management) 
• Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee LCL sprain)
• Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) 

The team will host the Nets on Tuesday night. Here are observations on its win over Dallas:

Barlow, Edgecombe step up on offense 

The Sixers started Maxey, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, Barlow and Andre Drummond.

Barlow began the evening on Flagg and turned an early steal into a fast-break slam. Barlow had a big first half offensively, scoring 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting and missing just once inside the arc. He passed his previous season scoring high of 13 points against the Celtics on opening night. 

The Sixers missed a string of layups in the first quarter and went down 13-8 on a Flagg bucket. However, they stormed back late in the first.

Edgecombe was tremendous when Maxey subbed out, hitting two mid-range shots in a row, including an and-one hoop. He then one-upped himself with a four-point play.

With an Adem Bona put-back slam and Edgecombe dunk, the Sixers suddenly had a 33-21 lead. The Edgecombe-Maxey backcourt scored 25 of the Sixers’ 38 points in the first quarter. 

Sixers strong in the possession game

It took little time for the Sixers to gain a sizable advantage in the possession game.

They posted the night’s first 10 points off turnovers and also fared well on the glass. The Sixers pulled down eight offensive rebounds in the first quarter, including four from Bona. 

Edgecombe picked up his third foul with six minutes to go in the second quarter. Soon after Edgecombe exited, Flagg converted a coast-to-coast layup to put Dallas up 54-53.

Maxey made sure to stop the Mavs’ momentum right away.

He drove hard, kept Dallas’ defense on its heels and posed a constant threat. The 25-year-old led a 10-0 Sixers run by scoring three driving baskets and a transition layup. 

Sixers flip switch in the fourth

The Sixers’ third-quarter woes resurfaced.

The Mavs had greater energy coming out of the locker room and scored the first 10 points of the second half. They took a 70-68 lead when PJ Washington leaked out for a layup.

Entering Saturday night, the Sixers ranked last in the NBA with a minus-21.6 net rating in third quarters. That number worsened against the Mavs; they trailed by six points going into the fourth quarter.

The Sixers needed a good start to the fourth and they were excellent in the opening minutes.

Bona (10 points, eight rebounds) knocked down his second career three-pointer. Maxey scored his first points of the second half on a driving layup to pull the Sixers ahead.

The Sixers’ pace accelerated and they ran well off of their stops, pushing the ball down the heart of the court whenever possible. After Flagg missed a leaner, Edgecombe sliced through the defense for a layup that gave the Sixers a 112-104 edge. A Maxey triple extended the advantage to double digits.

The Mavs’ lack of three-point firepower meant their task was especially difficult from there. Dallas has been one of the league’s worst outside shooting teams so far this season and went 3 for 18 beyond the arc in Philadelphia.

What we learned as Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler burn Suns in Warriors' clutch win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – Jimmy Butler made a clutch three-point play with 54.6 seconds remaining, and the Warriors bounced back from their heartbreaking loss in Phoenix two days ago and beat the Suns 119-116 on Saturday at Chase Center.

Butler scored 25 points, while Stephen Curry went deep into his bag of tricks with 28 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Will Richard added 20 points and Brandin Podziemski scored 11 for the Warriors, who ended their three-game losing streak with their third win in their previous eight games.

Butler’s basket had the Chase Center crowd rocking but the Warriors still had to sweat out the final minute. Collin Gillespie’s desperation heave from just behind the arc pulled the Suns within 117-116 with 9.8 seconds left.

After Curry scored on a reverse layup with 5.7 seconds remaining, the Suns had one final chance but couldn’t get a clean look off.

Steph somehow didn't get a foul call on this play 🫨 pic.twitter.com/5vJAhZGdY4

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 21, 2025

It was a much more enjoyable end to the evening for Dub Nation, 48 hours after the Warriors fell one point short, losing 99-98 in Phoenix on a late, controversial foul call.

This time around, the Warriors (14-15) made sure the game wasn’t decided in the final minutes nor did it come down to a foul call.

It wasn’t a complete beauty of a game but it was just enough to bring the positive vibes back to Chase Center.

This one had a little of everything. Curry making his patented step-back 3-pointer, Draymond Green earning two technical fouls and an ejection, and Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks continuing to prove himself to be the biggest antagonist in the NBA.

The two teams came out firing and combined for 76 points in the first quarter. The Warriors had respectable shooting numbers (13-for-23) while the Suns knocked down shots at a clip of nearly 71 percent.

Curry had 12 of his points in the second quarter as Golden State chipped away at the lead and got within 67-64 at the half.

The game flipped in the third quarter when Butler got aggressive and scored 12 points to give the Warriors a 93-87 edge heading into the final 12 minutes.

Here are the takeaways from the Warriors’ skid-busting win:

Richard pushes for more time

For a guy who hadn’t played in nearly two weeks, Richard looked fresh and crisp in his return to the rotation while providing a needed spark off the bench.

Richard made his first six shots, including a clutch putback off DeAnthony Melton’s missed free throw in the final seconds of the first half and a heat-check 3-pointer in the third quarter,

Richards had been a healthy DNP in the Warriors’ previous three games but was active all night and played like a man looking to earn a spot in the rotation against the Suns, snatching five rebounds in 19 minutes.

What an effort from Will Richard 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xK6Vn5zzlG

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 21, 2025

Richards’ extended minutes came at the expense of Buddy Hield, who was held out and did not play for the first time this season.

Bullying the bully

Brooks certainly won’t be getting any Christmas cards this year from the Warriors, and it’s not just because of the cheap shot he took on Curry a few days ago in Phoenix.

The NBA super-villian was booed heartily by the Chase Center crowd whenever he touched the ball, then early in the first quarter, the Warriors gave Brooks a little taste of his own medicine when Butler grabbed the ball during a timeout and purposely shoved it into Brooks’ chest.

A referee was standing nearby but declined to call an infraction on Butler, and Brooks tried to plead his case to deaf ears while the crowd chuckled.

In the third quarter, Trayce Jackson-Davis set a hard screen that sent Brooks sprawling onto the court as the crowd again cheered, though TJD was called for an offensive foul.

While Golden State won that part of the battle, Brooks gave the Warriors’ defense trouble all night. He went 5-for-5 shooting in the first quarter and finished with 22 points and five rebounds.

Doing without Draymond

The Warriors had to play the final 34 minutes without their best defender when Green was slapped with a pair of technicals and ejected for the first time this season.

Green had blocked a shot by Gillespie, then bumped into Gillespie hard from behind as the two jogged to the other end of the court. The two men exchanged words and Green was hit with the first T.

Surprised by the call, Green continued to argue with an official, which ultimately got him the second tech and ejection. His final stat line of four points and three assists didn’t factor much into the final outcome but he’s the Warriors’ enforcer whose energy in many ways provides the heartbeat for this club.

Draymond Green has been ejected from the game following this sequence 😳 pic.twitter.com/U5pE3NQDje

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 21, 2025

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