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Why Kendrick Perkins believes Warriors organization has ‘failed' Steph Curry

Why Kendrick Perkins believes Warriors organization has ‘failed' Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

At 37 years old, Warriors star Steph Curry still is playing elite basketball. 

But one NBA analyst believes the team he has played with for his entire 17-year career has not done right by him. 

“Everyone has failed Steph in this organization,” ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said on “NBA Today.” “We’re talking about an all-time great… I’m talking about Steve Kerr, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, they can’t get right.” 

After a 120-113 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, the Warriors improved their record to 20-18 and remained in eighth place in the Western Conference standings. It’s a less-than-ideal position for Golden State as it approaches the halfway point of the regular season. 

It’s particularly disappointing considering the improved play towards the end of last season when they acquired Jimmy Butler, a move in which would maximize Curry and the Warriors’ championship aspirations as the superstar’s window gets smaller. 

“This man is averaging 28 points on 47-percent shooting right now, damn near 40-percent from the three, and y’all can’t get right,” Perkins said. “We’re talking about a window where he’s trying to max out, meaning, to go win a championship. You didn’t trade for Jimmy Butler last year just to come in and sign him to an extension to be number eight in the Western Conference.” 

The lackluster record is a complete regression from the Warriors’ 23-8 finish to the 2024-25 NBA season after Butler’s acquisition. Time is running out to get back to their winning ways, but Golden State’s 7-3 record in their last 10 games shows some life. 

Perkins called out the organization for not being able to utilize young players such as Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. He characterizes it as a failure of maximizing Curry’s talent. 

“And then what’s up with your player development? Why can’t Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga thrive under Steve Kerr?” Perkins posed. “They are failing Steph Curry to the max right now.” 

Moody is averaging a career-high 10.5 points in 36 games played this season. He has been inserted into a now-consistently used starting lineup, notching 25 games started so far this season. 

Kuminga’s story is different, slipping out of the rotation completely after a hot start to the season. He likely would be an asset offered by the Warriors if the team makes a move before the Feb. 5 trade deadline. 

Perhaps a big trade-acquisition for a second straight year would move the needle. But as of now, for Perkins, the Warriors are not doing enough for their elite superstar.

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Bruins must rediscover defensive identity to make real playoff push

Bruins must rediscover defensive identity to make real playoff push originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

When the Boston Bruins made the Stanley Cup Playoffs 15 times in an 17-year span from 2007-08 through 2023-24, the foundation of their success was being a strong defensive team.

Sure, having elite goaltending during much of that span helped a lot. But the Bruins were really tough to play against, and opponents had to earn every Grade A scoring chance. The B’s allowed the fewest goals and ranked No. 1 in penalty kill percentage over that 17-year run.

That level of defensive dominance is no longer seen on Causeway Street.

The Bruins have been one of the NHL’s 10-worst defensive teams this season. Couple that with some lackluster goaltending of late and you have a recipe for disaster.

A little less than a month ago, the Bruins were tied for first place in the Atlantic Division. They are now in seventh place and three points out of a playoff spot after losing seven of their last nine games.

The most recent matchup was a 7-4 defeat to the Seattle Kraken on the road Tuesday night. It was the 16th time that Boston has allowed four or more goals in a game this season, and we’re barely past the halfway mark.

The Bruins rank 25th in the league in shot attempts allowed at even strength. They have given up the sixth-most high-danger scoring chances during even-strength action.

The B’s rank 31st in expected goals against but 16th in actual goals against at even strength, which is a testament to how well the goaltending has been at certain points in the season. For example, without Jeremy Swayman posting a .935 in 10 November appearances, the B’s would be in far worse shape.

The Bruins are not making life easy for Swayman. Only one goalie — Juuse Saros of the Predators — has faced more high-danger shots against than Swayman’s 251.

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It is unrealistic to expect your goalies to bail out the team’s defensive miscues for a large chunk of the season. The defense in front of them has to improve.

This goal from Tuesday night cannot happen. Berkly Catton gains the blue line, passes to his right and then skates to the front of the net completely unopposed and scores. He skates past three B’s players and faces no resistance.

When the Bruins give up cheap goals and fall behind, they create a pretty difficult challenge for themselves. They are not built to play from a deficit, evidenced by their 0-16-0 record this season when trailing after two periods.

Another major issue for the Bruins is discipline.

This team spends way too much time in the penalty box. The B’s have taken 187 minor penalties, which is 11 more than any other team. They’ve been shorthanded a league-high 167 times, which is at least 22 more than any other team. Therefore, it’s not surprising that their 35 power-play goals against are tied for the league lead. In Tuesday’s loss, the Bruins gave the Kraken four power plays and Seattle scored on three of them.

Spending so much time on the penalty kill is a tough setback for a Bruins team whose roster is less talented than many of its opponents.

The Bruins have to defend better as a team and individually to give themselves a chance at making a real playoff push in what has been a very competitive Eastern Conference so far this season.

The good news for the Bruins is, because the standings in the East are so jam-packed, their lack of wins lately has not sunk them into an unrecoverable hole. There is still time to fix things and re-establish the defensive identity that made the Bruins so hard to play against for many years.

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Exeter City’s plea for more FA Cup cash from Manchester City turned down

  • League One club asked for greater share of gate receipts

  • Manchester City not changing their standard club policy

Manchester City will not offer Exeter extra money from Saturday’s third-round FA Cup tie. The financially troubled League One club this week revealed they had asked the Premier League club for a greater proportion of the gate receipts as a “statement of solidarity”.

Exeter, whose supporters’ trust is the club’s majority shareholder, will take 8,000 fans to a sold-out Etihad Stadium to face the seven-time FA Cup winners. Each club gets 45% of gate receipts, with the other 10% taken by the Football Association, in line with competition rules. It is estimated ticket sales will generate between £250,000 and £400,000 for Exeter.

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‘We’re losing more’: Ben Stokes admits England need to go back to the drawing board – video

Ben Stokes, the England Test captain, has said the team 'need to go back to the drawing board' after losing the Ashes 4-1.

'When you come up against a team like Australia, who know how to play cricket out here and you are adding to your own downfall then you're going to end up losing the series 4-1 like we have done,' Stokes said.

'In the first couple of years, teams found it difficult to try and come up with anything ​to combat the way we played, but now teams are coming up with plans that are standing up ⁠to a certain style of cricket that we want to play.

'When a trend is happening on ⁠a consistent basis, that's when you do need to go back and look at the drawing board and make some adjustments.'

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Did Jaylen Brown deserve a better whistle in Celtics' loss to Nuggets?

Did Jaylen Brown deserve a better whistle in Celtics' loss to Nuggets? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jaylen Brown, who’s been unafraid to speak his mind this season, vented about a lack of whistles Wednesday night after the Boston Celtics lost to the Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets at TD Garden.

Did Brown have a legitimate gripe with the officiating?

Brown was credited Wednesday night with 31 drives, which was one of his highest totals this entire season and nearly 75 percent more than his season average. But he drew just one foul off those drives, a rate of 3.2 percent. For the season, Brown is drawing 1.6 fouls on 17.8 drives per game, a rate of 9.2 percent.

Here’s a look at his season numbers on drives compared to Wednesday night:

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Brown shot just three free throws — he missed a pair amid “MVP!” chants at one point in the second half — on a night when the Celtics generated just 15 free throw attempts overall. 

“They were physical and they got away with a lot,” Brown said of the Nuggets’ defense. “The refs allowed them to get away with a lot. I would have loved to get to the free-throw line a little bit more.

“I was physical. I was aggressive. I went up strong. I didn’t flop. But I kind of let the officiating get to my head a little bit. I think their defense was good, but it wasn’t great.”

Brown ranks third in the NBA in drives per game, trailing only Portland’s Deni Avdija (20.4) and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (18.1). Brown is second in drive points per game, trailing only Gilgeous-Alexander (13.5).

Feeling like he wasn’t getting a good whistle earlier this season, Brown repeatedly expressed frustration with officials. His free throws slowly climbed from 6.0 per game in October, to 7.1 per game in November, to 8.7 per game in December.

Denver’s size and physicality clearly disrupted Boston’s offensive flow multiple times Wednesday night, most notably early in the fourth quarter, when the Nuggets went on a 16-3 run over a nearly five-minute span to tear open a game that had previously been tied at 90. 

Brown struggled with ball security, turning the ball over four times on drives and seven times overall. But given his high number of credited drives, it’s easy to understand his frustration after drawing only one whistle.

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ESPN outlines potential trade package that sends Trey Murphy to Warriors

ESPN outlines potential trade package that sends Trey Murphy to Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is one name the Warriors — and certainly their fan base — could become enamored with in the coming weeks. If they haven’t already.

With the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline exactly four weeks away, New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III has been linked to the Warriors on numerous occasions, even dating back to the offseason when young forward Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency was in limbo.

However, the Pelicans reportedly have been reluctant to part with the 25-year-old wing and, per NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson, a potential trade for Murphy could cost the Warriors three first-round picks.

So, what would a potential trade package for Murphy look like? ESPN NBA insiders constructed a potential three-team trade that would send Murphy to Golden State:

Golden State Warriors get:

– Jordan Hawkins
– Trey Murphy III

New Orleans Pelicans get:

– Jonathan Kuminga
– Moses Moody
– 2026 first-round pick (via Warriors)
– 2028 first-round pick (via Warriors, top-10 protected)
– 2030 first-round pick (via Warriors, if No. 5 to 20)

Utah Jazz get:

– Kevon Looney
– 2031 second-round pick (via Raptors)
– 2032 second-round pick (via Pelicans)
– Cash considerations

The Warriors would part with Kuminga, who already seems all but certain to be traded in the coming weeks, young guard Moses Moody and three first-round picks (one top-10 protected, one if Golden State’s selection lands within pick Nos. 5 to 20 in 2030) for Murphy and Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins.

“There is risk in this trade when considering the uncertain future of Golden State’s roster,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks wrote. “Besides the newly acquired Murphy, there would be no current Warriors under contract when the 2028 and 2030 first-round picks sent to New Orleans get made.

“But similar to Milwaukee’s approach with [Giannis] Antetokounmpo, there is an obligation to maximize the championship window with Curry and Jimmy Butler III on the roster. And three first-rounders is too much of an offer for New Orleans to refuse, even if they have to include Murphy in the trade.”

Murphy, in his fifth NBA season, is averaging a career-high 21.3 points, 6.1 points and 3.5 assists per game on 49.5-percent shooting from the field and 38.2 percent from 3-point range in 35 games this season.

Many believe that Murphy’s 3-and-D skill set is a perfect fit for Golden State, but with a potential high price tag, should the Warriors be willing to give up that much to acquire him?

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Gilgeous-Alexander leads Thunder to overtime win

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder attempts to drive past Svi Mykhailiuk of the Utah Jazz
Only Luka Doncic (33.5) averages more points per game this season than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.6) [Getty Images]

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 46 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to an overtime win over the Utah Jazz.

The NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player hit the shot to force overtime before helping the defending champions clinch a 129-125 victory.

Chet Holmgren added a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds as the Thunder improved to a 31-7 record and sit top of the Western Conference.

The San Antonio Spurs (26-11) are second in the West having won 107-91 at home to the fourth-placed Los Angeles Lakers (23-12).

Keldon Johnson scored 27 points as a balanced San Antonio attack overcame the individual brilliance of Luka Doncic, with Victor Wembanyama adding 16 points off the bench.

Doncic finished with 38 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Lakers, who rested LeBron James after the veteran shone in Tuesday's win at New Orleans.

The Denver Nuggets (25-12) remain third in the West after claiming a 114-110 win at the Boston Celtics (23-13).

Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic (knee) missed his fifth straight game for Denver, for whom Peyton Watson scored a team-high 30 points while Jamal Murray added 22 and a career-high 17 assists.

The Celtics (23-13) slipped to third in the Eastern Conference as the New York Knicks won 134-111 at home to the Los Angeles Clippers (24-13) to halt a four-game losing streak.

Eastern Conference leaders Detroit are 28-9 after Isaiah Stewart scored a career-high 31 points as the Pistons won 108-93 at home to the Chicago Bulls.

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Harry Brook’s pre-Ashes scuffle with bouncer deepens crisis around England

  • White-ball captain issues apology for October incident

  • Latest revelation just hours after abject Ashes reversal

Harry Brook has issued a public apology for becoming embroiled in a late-night incident in New Zealand just before the Ashes, admitting his actions “brought embarrassment to both myself and the England team”.

A matter of hours after the 4-1 series defeat by Australia was confirmed in Sydney and shortly after the England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive, Richard Gould, launched a formal review into the tour – including into the behaviour of players – the growing sense of crisis around the team deepened.

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Draymond Green praises Jonathan Kuminga's professionalism amid trade rumors

Draymond Green praises Jonathan Kuminga's professionalism amid trade rumors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga continues to miss game action as trade rumors involving the 23-year-old persist. 

It reasonably would be expected that a player would become visibly disgruntled in response to such a situation. But Kuminga’s veteran teammate, Draymond Green, says that it has not been the case with the young forward. 

“What I will say about JK is — I applaud JK and how he’s handled this,” Green said in the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show.” “Such a standup young man and great person and [he] will be a great player.” 

As a result of Kuminga’s offseason contract extension, he is not available to be traded until Jan. 15.  

Even with the nearing date of a probable departure, Green says Kuminga remains engaged on the bench. He shared a moment involving Kuminga and Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski, in which the latter was frustrated about being pulled from the court after a short stint. 

“[Podziemski says], ‘Ah, dang. I just can’t believe they just took me,’ And JK goes, ‘You know, just adjust to it. [You’re] going to go back in. Just adjust to it. Stay ready. You’ll be good,’…” Green recounted. “…No one’s going to highlight that story, but I just wanted to talk about the person Jonathan Kuminga is.”  

“So, a guy who’s not playing, who just signed [a $48.5 million deal]… is sitting at the end of the bench telling another young guy like, ‘No, it’s fine. And here’s why, and here’s why you should move on.’” 

As Green points out, it’s a remarkable moment of poise and professionalism to stay invested in the well-being of a teammate while being in the awkward situation that Kuminga is in himself. 

“I just wanted to tell that story because oftentimes when situations aren’t going right, we start pointing fingers,” Green continued. “And it hasn’t worked as well as anyone would have liked for JK here — for himself or for the organization. It hasn’t worked on both sides. And that happens sometimes in the business that we’re in. But I wanted to point out who that guy is and his professionalism and how he’s dealing with it.” 

Green’s story helps clarify any questions about Kuminga’s morale and character. 

“So, whatever happens at the trade deadline. If Jonathan Kuminga’s moved, whoever gets Jonathan Kuminga, that’s the guy you’re getting,” Green stated. 

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Why Javier Lopez was drawn to role with Buster Posey's Giants front office

Why Javier Lopez was drawn to role with Buster Posey's Giants front office originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Team executives tend to move around in packs at the MLB meetings held every offseason, and even though it’s been more than a year as an executive, Buster Posey still draws plenty of attention when he walks through hallways with the rest of his front office.

But when Posey was walking through a Las Vegas hotel at the GM Meetings last November, he actually wasn’t the Giants executive with the most rings. 

That honor belongs to Javier Lopez, who won a title with the Boston Red Sox early in his career and then was instrumental in helping the Giants win three in five years. The left-hander is tied with Mookie Betts and former teammate Pablo Sandoval (a member of the 2021 Atlanta Braves) for the most titles won by a player who debuted this century. The goal now is to break that tie as an executive. 

Earlier this offseason, Lopez and Curt Casali joined the baseball operations group as advisors. It was a move that was a long time coming for Lopez, who retired in 2016 and successfully jumped to the broadcast booth. He had been talking to Posey, a close friend, for months about coming on board. 

“When he puts his name on it you want to see him be successful,” Lopez said on Thursday’s Giants Talk podcast. “We went back and forth over the last year that he has taken over as president of baseball ops as to how can I be a value add, and we’re kind of trying this out right now for this year. Not only myself, but Curt Casali has come on board as well. 

“We’re going to just try to offer different views and opinions and kind of just see where that ends up at the end of the day. I thought it would be a nice way to kind of dip my toe in the water as far as front office work and trying to just get the Giants back to where the Giants want to be.”

With Lopez and Casali joining, the Giants have eight advisors to Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office. It’s a group of people who long have been close to Posey, but also one that covers a lot of blind spots. 

Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker are former big league managers headed to the Hall of Fame. John Barr was a longtime scout, and the man who drafted Posey nearly two decades ago. Bobby Evans, the former Giants GM, provides a front office perspective, and Posey’s former agent, Jeff Berry, can give a view from the other side of the negotiating table. Ron Wotus was the longest-tenured coach in franchise history and also has a unique perspective on prospects since he still works with them at Giants affiliates.

Lopez and Casali are the newcomers to front office life, with one being a former pitcher and the other a former catcher. In initial discussions about free agents and trade targets, Lopez has mostly focused on the players he knows. 

“For me right now, the focus has been more on the pitching side,” Lopez said. “(It’s) just being able to watch a player and have certain aspects come out, whether it’s something mechanical, whether it’s something physical, or whether it’s something as easy as a pitch mix that just maybe needs to get changed.”

The Lopez addition was not a surprise to his former teammates. He was the rare reliever who became a team leader, and he won the Willie Mac Award in his final season with the Giants. Years of broadcasting have helped Lopez keep up with the developments in the game over the past decade, and that won’t go away. 

Lopez still plans to be part of the mix for NBC Sports Bay Area’s game broadcasts, filling in occasionally for Mike Krukow, but his main focus in 2026 is helping Posey behind the scenes. He noted that he hasn’t forgotten what it was like to win in front of huge crowds at Oracle Park. The goal is to help Posey bring those days back.

“This is always something that I kind of wanted to see if I’m going to be a value add — I’m going to do my best to do that,” he said. “It’s just an opportunity to kind of see what goes on behind the curtain.”

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Kings Fall 4-3 To Sharks In OT After Costly Turnover

The Los Angeles Kings  (18-14-10) let a crucial point slip away Wednesday night, falling 4-3 to the San Jose Sharks  (22-18-3) after a big mistake by Adrian Kempe in the last minute of overtime. In a game where Los Angeles was depleted in their depth at the forward position due to Anze Kopitar, Joel Armia out with injuries, and Corey Perry out for personal reasons, others had to step up if the Kings had a shot. 

Kings Recall Andre Lee and Taylor Ward As Corey Perry Steps Away From TeamKings Recall Andre Lee and Taylor Ward As Corey Perry Steps Away From TeamWith both Anze Kopitar and Joel Armia out with injury, the Kings are turning to their AHL depth, opening up the door for two players who have earned their shot in Ontario.

Both teams were sloppy offensively in the first period, despite creating numerous great chances; neither could score. Los Angeles struggled with puck management, committing a flurry of giveaways early in the match, which hurt them. 

Special Teams Swing the Momentum

San Jose struck first midway in the second period on the power play, finishing the night a solid 2/4 in that category. Los Angeles responded just a few minutes later to tie the game 1-1 after a shot that produced a rebound, which Alex Turcotte buried, tying it to end the second period.

That connection continued for the Fiala-Turcotte-Kuzmenko line, which was consistently dangerous throughout the night and caused problems for the Sharks. 

Kings Take Late Lead, Then Give It Back 

The Sharks regained the lead early in the third when Adam Gaudette deflected a shot past Darcy Kuemper on their second power play of the night, making it 2-1. Once again, the Kings responded and didn't quit. 

Kevin Fiala tied the game with a strong finish off the nice setup from Turcotte and Joel Edmundson. Moments later, Edmundson unloaded a shot that redirected off Alex Laferriere, giving the Kings their first lead of the night, 3-2.

It looked like the Kings were going to hold on and win a game that they weren't supposed to because of all the bodies out. But, with just under a minute left in regulation, rookie phenom Macklin Celebrini tied the game with an outstanding effort, beating Kuemper to force overtime. 

One Mistake Decides the Kings Fate

The Kings had their chances in regulation and certainly in overtime, including a Quinton Byfield look, but the fate didn't end in the Kings' favor. Kempe turned the puck over at the blue line, igniting a fast break possession for the Sharks, who quickly fled for the game-winning goal. 

It was a crushing finish for Los Angeles, which was in the game for most of the night despite missing three key players, but couldn't overcome its turnovers. 

The Kings showed heart today and depth with all their guys out, particularly Fiala and Turcotte, but against a fast, young Sharks team, one mistake proved to be many. 

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