Inspired by second-innings centuries Jason Sangha and Alex Carey, South Australia has won the Sheffield Shield title for the first time in 29 years with a four-wicket victory over Queensland in the final at Karen Rolton Oval.
What gave Draymond confidence to guarantee Warriors championship
What gave Draymond confidence to guarantee Warriors championship originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Having won four NBA championships, Draymond Green knows what it takes to find success on the biggest stage in basketball.
So when the Warriors forward declared his team would do it again this season after its big trade-deadline acquisition of Jimmy Butler, he had plenty to back his bold prediction.
“When you’ve done something several times, each time feels different,” Green explained to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke and Monte Poole on the latest “Dubs Talk” episode. “This thing needed to turn for us to win this one. That thing needed to turn for us to win that one.
“But amongst all of them, there’s a feeling you have and you know. And you’re like, ‘Oh, this team can do it and here’s why.’ “
It didn’t take long after Butler’s arrival to Golden State for Green to sense that feeling he referenced.
Green made the declaration on Feb. 16 over NBA All-Star Weekend. Butler had played four games with the team by then, in which the Warriors were 3-1.
While it was a small sample size to measure, Green had seen — and felt — enough to speak a fifth championship ring into existence.
“I think when the All-Star break had rolled around, we had played like five games with Jimmy, but I knew the feeling playing in those games,” Green said. “I knew the chemistry. I knew when this thing is going wrong, we got this thing we can go to now. I knew we got Jimmy, that allows us to play small ball, that allows us to go big, that allows us to play different lineups. When you’re trying to win a championship — if you’re going to compete for a championship — you must be able to throw different lineups out there.
“You may remember last year Steph [Curry] and Steve [Kerr] were talking about how we ran out of options. What they were referring to was we could not match any lineup that a team put on the floor. Now, with adding Jimmy, that gives us a much greater chance at matching any lineup that a team could possibly put on the floor. And in the playoffs, that matters.”
The Warriors have gone 16-5 since Butler first suited up on Feb. 8, and they are trying to hold on to the Western Conference’s No. 6 playoff seed in a tight postseason race.
On top of the feeling Green has, he also attributes facts to support his prediction.
“Steph definitely knows how to win a championship,” Green said. “I know how to win a championship. And quite honestly, Jimmy. Jimmy’s gotten to the Finals twice with teams he probably shouldn’t have gotten there with. And to get that far and be on the verge of just one play needing to go your way, he has the know-how. So amongst us three, and don’t add in our maestro who is the guru when it comes to winning championships, he’s got nine of them. We have the know-how — and that’s a big part of it, too.
“Now we have this ability to match lineups, we have this ability to get to the free-throw line, we have this ability to defend. I know what equals. I know how that feels. I also know what the vibe of a championship team feels like — and this team got that. So that’s why I said it. I believe it.”
But there was one final reason Green said what he said on national television during the annual basketball showcase. Despite his proclamation quickly going viral, Green’s message was intended for one specific group.
“And the last reason I said it was because I needed my teammates to understand this is what we’re doing,” Green said. “This is what we’re going after. So more than anybody I was talking to my teammates. I was talking to them.”
Chris Crutchfield receives three-year extension after leading Omaha to first NCAA bid
The Mavs won their first Summit League regular-season and tournament championships and lost to St. John’s 83-53 as a No. 15 seed to end a 22-13 season.
Mets' Paul Blackburn's knee progressing 'really well,' will start throwing Monday
Mets pitcher Paul Blackburn said an MRI revealed “no structural damage” to his right knee and that he will soon resume throwing after beginning the season on the 15-day injured list.
“I should be able to start throwing on my feet on Monday,” the pitcher said from the clubhouse in Houston ahead of Friday’s game.
Blackburn added that the news he’s received about his knee so far has been good and “everything has progressed really well.” Of course, the 31-year-old said it is “frustrating,” but he's glad the issue isn’t worse.
“It could have been structural damage, it could have been a lot of other stuff instead of, we just have to drain this and kind of wait a week and then we’re able to just kind of pick up where we left off,” he said.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said Blackburn’s knee had already responded "really well" to the injection he received on Monday to deal with inflammation. Stearns announced that the veteran right-hander would start the season on the 15-day IL on Wednesday, and that he would be shut down from throwing for 7-10 days.
“Right now it’s just kind of waiting those seven days to just rotate on it again,” Blackburn said Friday.
Blackburn said the injury first presented itself after his final outing of the spring on March 22. He woke up the following morning and the knee was sore but “nothing crazy.” It wasn’t until the morning of Monday, March 24, when there was a “sack of fluid in there” that had to be drained. A gel was then injected.
The veteran wasn’t sure what caused the injury, but revealed an MRI showed “a little bit of cartilage that just seemed a bit pissed off.”
Stearns was upbeat about the situation, and expected Blackburn to return at some point in April. He'll presumably slide into the bullpen, after Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill beat him out for the final two spots in the starting rotation this spring.
It has been a rough start to Blackburn’s tenure with the Mets on the injury front since he arrived in Queens at last season's trade deadline. A line drive off his right arm sent him to the IL in August before a back injury led to a spinal procedure that ended his season.
“I feel for him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said on Friday. “He’s been through some freaky injuries, some scary ones. Especially the one that he was dealing with the back and the fluid and all that, pretty scary.
“And then he worked so hard in the offseason. He’s having a really good camp and feeling good and then for this to pop up his last start in spring training. He’ll get through it.”
When asked about his auspicious time with the Mets, Blackburn just shook his head and, with a wry smile, said, “I don’t know. I really don’t know. Just part of it, I guess.”
Why is Houston-Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium? Cougars face tough men’s NCAA Tournament road
Why is Houston playing at Lucas Oil Stadium? The Cougars' Sweet 16 matchup is practically a home game for Purdue:
Novak Djokovic dismantles Grigor Dimitrov to reach Miami Open final
- Serb beats Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 for shot at 100th career title
- Djokovic misses six first serves in entire match
Novak Djokovic delivered an emphatic display to seal his place in the Miami Open final with a straight-sets victory over Grigor Dimitrov.
The 24-time grand slam champion needed only 69 minutes to secure a one-sided 6-2, 6-3 win against his Bulgarian opponent. Djokovic, 37, is bidding to land his 100th career title – and a record seventh in Miami – and his first since teaming up with Andy Murray as his coach.
Continue reading...Doctor explains why GP2 II's injury return could be ‘challenging'
Doctor explains why GP2 II's injury return could be ‘challenging' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Warriors guard Gary Payton will be sidelined for the next few days as he continues to deal with a partial tear of a ligament in his left thumb.
He was ruled out of Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans and will be re-evaluated next Thursday. While he rehabs the injury on his left shooting hand, Dr. Seth Sherman of Stanford Medicine explained why the road to recovery could be difficult.
“It’s obviously challenging for shooters when it’s your left thumb, that’s critically important,” Dr. Sherman said to NBC Sports Bay Area. “Of course, you can shift and play different roles and still help a team and protect yourself. Defensively, for sure, but there’s no getting around dribbling a basketball, shooting, and, there’s a difference between a stable partial injury where we can live our lives and do the things that make some of us do day-to-day and being in the NBA and performing at that high level.
“So that might lead to a little variability in the time loss, but nonetheless, I don’t think it changes the ultimate prognosis, meaning, injury that’s proven to be partial, stable, if in fact, that’s what it is, usually is something that can be treated conservatively.”
Payton II has been a key piece of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation that has proven to work as of late. In 58 games this season, he’s averaging 6.6 points, 3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 58.5-percent shooting from the field and 33 percent from 3-point range in 14.9 minutes off the bench.
The 32-year-old recently suffered a non-displaced nose fracture in the Warriors’ win over the Charlotte Hornets on March 3 and has played with a mask for the previous nine games he was active before his thumb injury.
Dr. Sherman explained that his potential return will depend on defining the exact injury and when it occurred, noting it could be a positive sign that Payton II played through the injury in Tuesday’s game.
“He was able to complete the game, so that speaks somewhat to the level of severity,” Dr. Sherman said. “I’m sure they did a careful physical exam. X-rays and perhaps an MRI, which helps hone in on the diagnosis. From all accounts, if it’s a quote-on-quote pain tolerance injury, I think that is a reassuring statement.
“That means that it’s not a huge complete and or surgical or unstable injury. So the time loss associated might be less. I think reevaluation in the short term is kind of the plan, non-surgical treatments for now. Splinting, working on range of motion, getting the swelling down, and then, you know, if it truly is partial stable, seeing how he does, with return to performance, in the short term.”
After New Orleans on Friday, the Warriors will visit the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers to complete a six-game road trip before returning home to face the Denver Nuggets on April 4.
‘Game-changing’ Hazlewood spell ignites IPL leaders despite ‘scrappy’ Kohli knock
Table-topping Royal Challengers Bengaluru thrashed Chennai Super Kings by 50 runs on Friday for a second win in this year’s IPL, inspired by a “game-changing” performance from fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.
Sabres Sign Goalie Prospect Leinonen To Entry-Level Deal
The Buffalo Sabres and other NHL clubs will be getting some of their draftees signed to contracts as their clubs in the NCAA and Europe reach the end of their seasons. On Friday, the club signed goalie Topias Leinonen to a three-year entry-level contract that begins in 2025-26.
The Sabres selected Leinonen in the second round (41st overall) at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal after choosing three centers in Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Jiri Kulich in the first round.
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Similar to fellow Finn Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the 6’5″, 225 lb. netminder is the physical package that NHL clubs are looking for, but after putting up excellent numbers in Junior (2.28 GAA and .916 save percentage) and playing internationally for Finland at the Under-18’s in 2022, he struggled the next two seasons at the junior, second-level pro Mestis, and pro-level SM-Liiga with injuries and inconsistency.
The big 21-year-old played just eight games between his Liiga club (JyP) and KeuPa in the second-level Mestis league last season and opted to play in Sweden this year. That decision paid off for Leinonen, as he thrived with Mora IK as their primary starter in the second-level HockeyAllsvenskan, with a 13-10-0 record, 2.31 GAA, .910 save %, and four shutouts during the regular season, and played well in a six-game loss to Djurgarden in the first round of the playoffs.
Vilken räddning av Topias Leinonen 🤯 pic.twitter.com/kX2MuvndeK
— TV4 Hockey (@TV4_Hockey) March 18, 2025
Leinonen joins Luukkonen, Devon Levi, and 2023 draftee Scott Ratzlaff in the Sabres system, as well as unsigned prospect Ryerson Leenders in the club’s goaltending pipeline.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
MLB Opening Day 2025 overreactions: Adley Rutschman for MVP? MacKenzie Gore for Cy Young?
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Opening Day in baseball brings with it a fresh season of hope, excitement and, of course, wild overreactions.
On the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," hosts Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman dive into a couple of their nuclear overreactions from the first slate of games on Thursday.
1. MacKenzie Gore will win NL Cy Young, Phillies will set strikeout record
In the clash between the Nationals and Phillies on Thursday, Washington starter MacKenzie Gore was nothing short of electric, recording 13 strikeouts in six scoreless innings. Unfortunately for Gore, once he was out of the game, the Phillies quickly took the lead en route to a 7-3 victory.
Gore's dominant performance Thursday inspired two bold declarations from Shusterman.
"Not only will MacKenzie Gore win the NL Cy Young unanimously, [but] I think the Philadelphia Phillies will strike out more than any team in Major League Baseball history," he forecast. "They're on pace for over 3,000 strikeouts after striking out 19 times in the opener."
The record, in case you're wondering, is 1,654 strikeouts in a season, set by the 2023 Minnesota Twins.
[Read more: The top 50 people who will impact the 2025 MLB season]
2. Adley Rutschman’s MVP season begins
In the Orioles' emphatic 12-2 victory over the Blue Jays, catcher Adley Rutschman looked every bit the superstar many believe he can be. With two home runs showcasing his explosive power, the Orioles’ catcher might even be sparking some way-too-early MVP chatter.
For Mintz, Rutschman's performance brought back memories of the catcher's college days and reminders of why he was so highly touted coming out of Oregon State.
"It was the way that he moved, the power, the force, the zip, the freaking feeling of that guy," Mintz said, "and my nuclear overreaction is that that dude is freaking back. Adley Rutschman, MVP season, is upon us."
Could this really be the start of an MVP campaign? Rutschman's two home runs Thursday certainly offered a promising start.
"It looked right," Mintz said. "He looked explosive. He looked athletic. There was verve. The 'it' was back."
In baseball, every game provides a new narrative, but the season is a marathon, not a sprint. As we settle in for the long haul of 162 games, only time will tell whether these early overreactions have a ring of truth.
To listen to the full episode and more, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
Are the Boston Celtics the favorites to win the 2025 NBA Finals? | Kevin O'Connor Show
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
The NBA landscape is currently awash with powerhouse teams jockeying for playoff positioning, but one team seems to be emerging as a favorite: the Boston Celtics. On a recent episode of "The Kevin O'Connor Show," NBA analyst Ben Taylor sparked a conversation about the Celtics being potential NBA Finals favorites. This take wasn't just about their current win-loss record, but a deep dive into the intricacies that make this team uniquely potent.
Look at the Celtics' numbers. In March, they went 12-1 despite Jayson Tatum missing a few games. Kristaps Porzingis had a breakout stretch, averaging over 24 points in a mere 29 minutes per game with impressive shooting splits. As O'Connor put it, "KP, when he's playing at the level that he is now, makes the Celtics feel like the absolute Finals favorites on a tier of their own."
The magic of the Celtics isn't just in individual performances; it's about versatility. Taylor highlighted that both the Celtics and teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder are versatile, often throwing different lineups and coverages to keep opponents on their toes.
But is this surge sustainable? O'Connor voiced concerns over Porzingis’ mysterious illness. "He sat on the bench with an illness that he supposedly couldn't shake," he remarked, dipping into conspiracy theories about possible load management. With the Celtics being cautious about player health, maintaining this pace isn't guaranteed.
Even with their spate of injuries, the Celtics are duking it out in a league where other giants like Oklahoma City and Cleveland are battling for supremacy.
As the season noses toward the playoffs, the Celtics' journey may hinge more on health than heft. Can they keep their stars in peak form?
To hear the full discussion, tune into "The Kevin O'Connor Show" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.
York takes ‘full responsibility' for actions, ‘learned a lot' from Tortorella
York takes ‘full responsibility' for actions, ‘learned a lot' from Tortorella originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
VOORHEES, N.J. — Cam York and the Flyers are moving past a reported incident that kept the defenseman on the bench Thursday night for the entire game at the Wells Fargo Center.
The 24-year-old was in uniform as the Flyers beat the Canadiens, 6-4, but he didn’t log a second of ice time. Brad Shaw said it was because of a “disciplinary issue.” The interim head coach wouldn’t comment any further on the matter.
“I’m not going to get into the details of it,” York said Friday after practice. “I will say this, I take full responsibility for my actions. It has been addressed here in the locker room. It’s something that I’m going to put behind me and move on from. We’ve got eight games left here and that’s my focus right now, so we’ll leave it at that.”
The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported Friday that an incident occurred between York and John Tortorella in Toronto on Tuesday night when the Flyers were blown out by the Maple Leafs, 7-2. York was benched by Tortorella after Toronto’s first goal and finished the game with only 3:50 minutes.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Friday that the incident was a heated verbal exchange between the player and coach.
Tuesday night’s loss was Tortorella’s final game as the Flyers’ head coach. He was fired Thursday morning.
“I felt it was time,” general manager Danny Briere said. “It’s not one thing, it’s a series of things that have happened, probably a little bit more in the last three weeks, it escalated since probably around the trade deadline, right after that.”
Tortorella has always been a fiery coach who will challenge his players. Going back to his days in Tampa Bay, where he won a Stanley Cup, a verbal spat was not unordinary.
Tortorella heard about York’s great potential in 2022-23, their first season together, so he coached him hard. He had York go to the minors before the Flyers even reached their final cuts of training camp. Since then, York had been one of the Flyers’ most improved players.
“I’ll admit, when I sent him down, I tried to pick a fight with him when I sent him down, I was so upset with his camp,” Tortorella recalled earlier this month. “I think he went to Lehigh, he put the time in, I felt he had a chip on his shoulder coming back here, mainly at me. I was so proud of him as far as where he brought his game to; there is no reason why I can’t still look for that. And I’m going to continue to look for that.”
York felt bad that the Flyers had to play with five defensemen for most of Tuesday’s game and all of Thursday’s game.
“You never want to put your teammates in a situation like that,” he said.
When asked about Tortorella, York expressed an appreciation for the coach’s work and tough love.
“I have nothing bad to say,” he said. “He taught me a lot of really good things. … He’s a good coach, he gets a lot out of his players. I learned a lot from him and I’m going to use a lot of what he taught me down the road.”
York had to suit up Thursday to give the Flyers a full lineup. Their extra skaters were out with injuries and the team had already made its four permitted call-ups for after the March 7 trade deadline. A disciplinary reason does not allow for an emergency call-up.
Shaw expects York to play hard and be effective Saturday when the Flyers host the Sabres (1 p.m. ET/NBCSP).
“We have lots of young guys that are sort of on different tracks as far as how mature they are and where they’re going to get to,” the interim head coach said. “You learn through the good and the bad. Hopefully he’s a better person at the end of the day for what happened. It’s over now and we’ve dealt with it and we’re going to move forward.”
York will be a restricted free agent this offseason. The bumps this season haven’t changed his view on the Flyers.
“This is where I want to be, I’ve stated that,” York said. “I love what’s going on here, I love what we’re building. It hasn’t been our best of best years, but it’s here, this is where I want to be. I’m looking forward to the future.”
Recalling McGroarty, Koivunen Right Move By Penguins' Management
In their last three games - all losses - against the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Buffalo Sabres, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been outscored, 17-7.
Even though they're not yet mathematically eliminated, this has, effectively, ended their season and any hopes of a playoff run.
And now, the organization turns to the future.
On Friday, the Penguins recalled top forward prospects Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - to the NHL club, using up their final two call-ups of the season.
McGroarty - who turns 21 on Sunday, when the Penguins take on the Ottawa Senators at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh - has 14 goals and 39 points in 60 AHL games this season, including eight goals and 18 points in his last 19 games. The developmental process was there for him all along this season, and the production finally started to catch up in the latter half of the season.
Koivunen - the 21-year-old Finnish forward who came over last spring as part of the Jake Guentzel trade - has registered 21 goals and 55 points in 62 AHL games this season, leading all rookies in scoring and sitting at sixth in overall AHL scoring. He also leads WBS in scoring this season. This is all quite impressive for a player's first season in North American professional hockey.
If folks haven't been paying attention, WBS is on quite the run this season. With one of the youngest rosters they have had in quite some time, the team clinched a Calder Cup playoff berth with a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over the Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday.
WBS Penguins Clinch Playoff Berth With Thrilling 4-3 Overtime Win Over HartfordHeading into a massively important game against the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had led the season series 5-0 and had outscored Hartford, 24-5.
What WBS is doing this season is special. They have scored more goals than anyone in the AHL other than the Colorado Eagles and the San Jose Barracuda. They are tied for sixth in the league in terms of points percentage at .645. And they are 5-2-3 so far this season against the Hershey Bears, the reigning Calder Cup champs who are currently atop the division.
After the trade deadline, Penguins POHO and GM Kyle Dubas stressed the importance of the organization's prospects building a winning culture and playing meaningful games together. And with the certainty of the Calder Cup playoffs a lock, that is still going to happen.
In other words, there is absolutely no hurt in calling up McGroarty and Koivunen to close out the regular season with the NHL club - and it was absolutely the right call.
Beyond the fact that the timeline adds up - Pittsburgh's regular season ends on Apr. 17 against the Washington Capitals and WBS's ends on Apr. 19 against the Cleveland Monsters, making it fair to assume both players will remain in the NHL through the end of the season - there is something to be said about the decision to reward two young prospects for their performance.
‘We’ll Begin To Shift To The Execution’: With Assets Collected, Dubas Eyes The Next Phase For Penguins HockeyPittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas knew that the decision to shift to the future a year ago with the Jake Guentzel trade to Carolina wasn’t going to be a popular one.
WBS will have a good shot at a long playoff run regardless, and both players will be back in time for that run. So this decision doesn't harm that mentality of the young players "winning together" that Dubas and the organziation values. But what it does do is signal to the young players that they will, in fact, be rewarded when they've earned it.
This isn't a small thing for an organization attempting a rebuild on-the-fly, especially with so many prospects on the verge of being NHL-ready. With several pending free agents on the NHL roster - unrestricted and restricted - it's reasonable to assume that some of these prospects will be vying for full-time spots on the NHL roster next season.
When factoring in guys like McGroarty and Koivunen, the Penguins will have a good mix of higher-end veteran talent, youth potential, and rostered placeholders to give youth a good amount of runway to learn and develop at the NHL level. Allowing these two players to remain on the roster for the final eight games of the regular season for the NHL club will give management - and fans - a bit of a preview of what to expect in 2025-26.
Of course, it would have been nice to see prospects like Owen Pickering, Avery Hayes, Vasily Ponomarev, and perhaps even Harrison Brunicke - who was re-assigned to WBS Friday after the conclusion of his junior season with the Kamloops Blazers - get a late-season NHL opportunity as well.
But, unfortunately, the Penguins had just two of their four post-deadline recalls remaining, and they prioritized those final two slots for two players who not only earned the opportunity but also figure to be a large part of the organization's rebuild plan moving forward.
Confidence is crucial for young players. It's important for them to feel like their hard work is being noticed and, again, getting rewarded. That is exactly what has happened here, and McGroarty and Koivunen will be better for it when they attempt to become full-time NHLers next season.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
What we learned as Warriors outlast Pelicans in Steph's return
What we learned as Warriors outlast Pelicans in Steph's return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
With Steph Curry back and the injury-riddled New Orleans Pelicans extremely undermanned, the Warriors were back in the win column Friday night at Smoothie King Center, clawing their way to a 111-95 victory.
How they did so wasn’t pretty, nor was it super encouraging. The Warriors didn’t get their first lead of the night until the 4:51 mark of the second quarter. It was a challenge all game long to beat a 20-win Pelicans team that was without the majority of their top players.
Seemingly, the Warriors got better the longer the game went on. After scoring only 21 points in the first quarter, the Warriors scored 29 in the second, 33 in third and outscored the Pelicans by 15 points, 28-13, in the fourth.
Curry, after missing the previous two games to a pelvic contusion, returned and scored 23 points in 34 minutes. He went just 7 of 21 from the field and 5 of 16 on 3-pointers, but his flurry in the second quarter was vital to the Warriors outlasting the Pelicans. Curry also dished a team-high six assists and swiped a game-high three steals.
Joining Curry, Jimmy Butler gave Golden State an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double. Jonathan Kuminga (16 points), Quinten Post (15 points) and Buddy Hield (11 points) also provided needed points off the bench.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors snapping their two-game losing streak.
He’s back
Three is the magic number for Curry. On his third 3-point attempt, Curry was back on the scoreboard after missing two games. That also accounted for the Warriors’ first made 3-pointer of the night after failing on their first 10 attempts.
By then, however, Curry already had four assists and two steals. Curry only scored three points in the first quarter, slicing the Pelicans’ defense with his passing. And then, Curry’s offense arrived in the second quarter.
After getting his legs back under him, Curry exploded for 13 points in the second quarter, going 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 5 behind the 3-point line. He found his stroke from deep, and turned the jets on. While Curry scored 16 points in the first half, the rest of the starters combined to score 12.
Steph turned on the burners in transition 💨pic.twitter.com/14DbOASXRw
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 29, 2025
Curry in the second half received more help from his supporting cast, and scored seven points of his own. There’s no way Curry is satisfied with his showing, but having him on the floor clearly made all the difference.
Kuminga’s Strong Showing
Oftentimes, a strong performance from Kuminga jumps off the screen. Think poster dunks and multiple highlight reel plays. But in the Big Easy, the little things went a long way for Kuminga.
Steve Kerr used Kuminga as a screener for Curry multiple times, and even switched things up by having Curry setting inverted screens as well. Kuminga’s actions as a screener allowed him to be utilized offensively in efficient ways. At halftime, Kuminga was the Warriors’ only player in double figures aside from Curry, dropping 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting.
All four of his made shots through the first two quarters were within 10 feet. Plus, Kuminga also tallied five rebounds and two assists by that point.
JK splits the defense to find QP 🎯pic.twitter.com/3NLRj0uj4G
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 29, 2025
Kuminga ended up with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He made his first six free throws before missing his last two. His seven rebounds were his most since missing more than two months to an ankle injury. The only downside to Kuminga’s night was when he banged knees in the fourth quarter with Yves Missi.
It’s the Pelicans, but this is the blueprint for Kuminga.
Trouble From 3
The Warriors watched 10 3-point attempts clank out before finally making one. They were 8 of 9 on 2-pointers in the first quarter, and 1 of 14 from 3-point range. Those numbers at halftime became 14 of 19 on twos (73.7 percent), and 6 of 28 on threes (21.4 percent).
Curry was 4 of 8 on threes in the first half, and the rest of the team combined to go 2 of 20.
Though they made two threes early into the third quarter, the Warriors entered the fourth quarter with a one-point lead while going 10 of 43 beyond the arc. Meanwhile, they had made 20 of their 26 2-point shots.
In the end, the Warriors finished the night going 13 of 55, making 23.6 percent of their 3-pointers. Curry, Post and Hield were the only Warriors to make multiple threes. The rest of the Warriors combined to go 3 of 24. To beat better teams going forward, the Warriors will have to find reliable shooters outside of Curry from long distance.
Ohio State's Donovan Jackson showcased strong versatility that should bolster his NFL Draft stock
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
Based on the insights shared by Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice and Mike Tice in the "Football 301 Podcast" episode, Donovan Jackson emerges as a notable NFL Draft prospect for several compelling reasons.
Firstly, Jackson boasts versatility in his play, having shown proficiency at guard and tackle during his time at Ohio State. His experience playing multiple positions on the offensive line makes him a valuable asset for any NFL team looking for depth.
Secondly, Jackson's athleticism stands out. Even though he shifted to tackle following Josh Simmons' injury, it was the later tackle tape that highlighted his movement skills, making him even more appealing as a guard. The Tices appreciated his athleticism and ability to perform in space, which suggests that Jackson has the potential to excel in various offensive schemes.
"How do you miss on the player like this?" Mike Tice asked. "This player is going to be a good player in the league for. For quite a while. ...
"I would definitely have Jackson ahead of [Alabama guard Tyler] Booker."
Moreover, Jackson's pedigree and physical attributes are hard to ignore. As a player who started multiple games and demonstrated solid performance at a high level of competition, he has the experience and background that scouts often look for in a draft prospect.
Finally, his length (33-inch arms), combined with the athleticism noted by Nate and Mike Tice, positions him as a strong candidate to contribute effectively at the next level.
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