Tag: Golden State Warriors

D’Angelo Russell sports Packers jersey prior to 49ers NFC Championship

Before the 49ers play the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship, D’Angelo Russell broke out his Aaron Rodgers Packers jersey at a press conference.

Against the Orlando Magic, everything was going in the Golden State Warriors direction to snap their season-high 10-game losing streak. Struggling rookie, Jordan Poole was impressive, Stephen Curry was along the sideline broadcasting the game and Klay Thompson got his college jersey retired earlier in the day — what more could the Warriors fanbase want?

Well, if you’re a fan of not just the Warriors, but all teams in the Bay Area, things might have soured when Golden State’s press conference started.

Although the Warriors sealed a victory, the team has struggled mightily in the 2019-20 season, just in time for their Bay Area neighbor, the San Francisco 49ers, to step up and take the baton.

The 49ers are one win away from punching their ticket to a Super Bowl appearance, but to get there, they will have to go through former Most Valuable Player, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

When the NFC Championship kicks-off, one member of the Golden State Warriors will be rooting against the Bay Area home team. During Golden State’s Orlando Magic victory press conference, D’Angelo Russell pulled out a jersey of his favorite NFL team, that may ruffle the feathers of some Warriors fans that pull for the 49ers as well.

Russell was sporting a green Rodgers No. 12 jersey on the eve of the 49ers-Packers NFC Championship tilt.

Russell, a noted Packers fan, has worked out with Rodgers in the past and the two sports stars are friends, according to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle.

During the Packers NFC Divisional round battle against the Seattle Seahawks, Russell cheered on Green Bay from his Twitter.

When the All-Star played for the Brooklyn Nets, Russell received a signed No. 12 Packers jersey from Rodgers himself.

Russell’s new rivalry with Golden State Warriors fans, doubling as San Francisco 49ers supporters will get settled during the NFL’s Championship Sunday. The 49ers kickoff against the Green Bay Packers at 3:40 PM PST on Sunday in Santa Clara, California.

Klay Thompson and Steph Curry undefeated as Warriors sideline analysts

Each time either Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson, have appeared as the Golden State Warrior’s broadcast sideline reporter, the team has registered a victory.

Back in late November, Klay Thompson stepped in front of the microphone, and the Warriors sealed a victory after losing their previous three consecutive games. Thompson brought his quirky attitude to the broadcast, and it followed with the win in favor of Golden State amid their struggling season.

Now, Golden State was on a season-worst 10-game losing streak, to end it, the Warriors turned to the other half of the “Splash Brothers” duo. Stephen Curry joined the Golden State broadcast in the third quarter against the Orlando Magic, and similar to Thompson, the Warriors handled business with their teammate on the call.

Behind an impressive night from rookie Jordan Poole, and a closing effort from D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors snapped their losing streak with a 109-95 win against the Orlando Magic.

Curry stayed on the call during the third quarter against Orlando, and Golden State had their highest-scoring period of the night. Golden State shot 13-of-20 from the field to outscore the Magic, 29-19 in the third quarter with Curry watching. Curry was proud of his team’s effort while he was making his NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast debut.

Before the quarter ended, Poole knocked down a buzzer-beating three-pointer, and Curry signed off with a winning guarantee for his game prediction.

While Golden State has only won 10-games this season, 20% of their victories have come with either Curry or Thompson on the call. While both have missed an extended amount of time, a silver lining to their injuries has been their ability to serve as announcers for games.

Although the Warriors have won each game with the “Splash Brothers” involved in the broadcast, Golden State fans everywhere would rather have either in-game action. However, with both injured, a dose of Curry and Thompson on the broadcast might be the next best thing.

Jordan Poole’s career night vs. Magic snaps Warriors’ losing streak

Rookie Jordan Poole led the Warriors against the Orlando Magic to snap Golden State’s 10-game losing streak.

After winning four-consecutive games to end 2019, the Golden State Warriors have struggled through the start of the new decade, losing 10-straight games. However, with an unlikely hero in rookie Jordan Poole leading the way with Stephen Curry along the sideline, Golden State snapped their season-high losing streak with a 109-95 win against Orlando.

Golden State fell behind 10-0 in the opening minutes, yet was able to pick up the slack in the second and third quarters. Orlando started the fourth quarter with a burst of points to cut down the Warriors’ lead. With Golden State reeling, D’Angelo Russell took over the final period to seal Golden State’s first victory of 2020.

Rolling Rookie

After struggling throughout the start of his rookie season, the Warriors 2019 first-round draft pick has been fantastic since a short stint in the NBA’s G League.

Poole led Golden State in scoring with 21 points for a career-high. Poole has scored in double digits in his last four straight games, shooting 42.1% against the Orlando Magic, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc.

After playing one half of a season at the NBA level, Poole seems to be finding his role in Steve Kerr’s rotation finally.

Stephen Curry on the call

In the third quarter, Golden State’s two-time Most Valuable Player joined the game, not as a player, but as a sideline analyst for the home-broadcast. With Curry on the call, the Warriors stormed out to an 82-71 lead behind a strong third-quarter.

The Warriors’ rookie tandem of Poole and Eric Paschall combined for 14 points in the third period. Golden State shot 13-of-20 from the field. Curry was proud of the Warriors’ performance while he was broadcasting.

Double-double D-Lo

With Curry and Klay Thompson dealing with injuries, D’Angelo Russell has filled in as the Warriors key offensive piece. However, against the Magic, Russell turned into Golden State’s facilitator for a season-high 12 assists.

Russell finished the night with a double-double, scoring 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the field. When the Magic went on a run, Russell was able to step up and knock down a few big shots to close-out Orlando.

Steph Curry to serve as Warriors’ broadcast sideline analyst vs. Magic

Steph Curry will be along the Warriors sideline against the Orlando Magic, but not as the team’s point guard. Curry will join the broadcast as the team’s sideline reporter.

All reports point towards Stephen Curry progressing through his broken hand rehab at a stellar pace. The guard has yet to hit his initial re-evaluation date, but the consensus around his injury seems to be positive with the All-Star around the team with more consistency.

Golden State’s record sits at the bottom of the NBA’s Western Conference standings, making no need for the Warriors to rush him back anytime soon. However, Golden State’s fanbase will get a glimpse of Curry on the Chase Center floor in San Francisco, just not as the team’s point guard.

Curry will serve as the flagship’s broadcast sideline reporter against the Orlando Magic, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.

Curry will be the second member of the “Splash Brothers” to serve as a special sideline reporter this season, with Klay Thompson stepping in front of the microphone earlier in the year.

It’ll be a busy Saturday for Curry, as he’s scheduled to attend Thompson’s jersey retirement at Washington State early in the day. He’ll then fly back from the Pacific Northwest to the Bay Area for his sideline broadcasting debut.

Curry won’t be out on the Chase Center floor launching three-pointers as he’s still injured, but joining the broadcast from the sidelines, commenting on his teammates might be the next best thing.

With the Warriors struggling through a 10-game losing streak, a dose of the former two-time Most Valuable Player on the broadcast might be just what the Golden State fanbase needs.

Warriors pay Klay Thompson tribute prior to college jersey retirement

Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Bob Myers all give Klay Thompson a special message before he gets his Washington State jersey retired.

With the Warriors currently sit with the worst record in the Western Conference in the 2019-20 season; it’s easy to forget, Golden State took over the NBA over the past five seasons. The Warriors won three-titles and made five straight trips to the NBA Finals, but a league-worst 9-34 record makes their run feel like ages ago.

However, the players that built Golden State’s run at a dynasty are getting recognition for their success in the past. Earlier in the season, Draymond Green got his jersey retired by his college alma mater, Michigan State.

Green isn’t the only member of Golden State’s championship run that will see his jersey pulled into the rafters at his college stomping ground. Washington State University will retire Klay Thompson’s No. 1 jersey when Oregon State rolls into Beasley Coliseum.

With the Warriors scheduled to play the Orlando Magic on Saturday during Thompson’s jersey retirement ceremony, many from the Golden State contingent won’t be able to make the trip to Pullman, outside of Stephen Curry.

Members of the Warriors found time to congratulate Thompson prior to the ceremony in a video tribute via social media.

Curry, along with teammates Green and Zaza Pachulia, all praised Thompson’s jersey retirement achievement. Thompson’s coach, Steve Kerr, and Warriors general manager Bob Myers were both involved in the former Cougar’s special message.

At Washington State, Thompson ranks third in all-time points scored (1,756) and scored the most points in a single season during his junior year (733). The Splash Brother was named First-Team All Pac-10 twice in his tenure in Pullman and became only the second Cougar to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Thompson will join Steve Puidokas (No. 55) as the only two Washington State basketball players to get their jersey numbers retired by the university.

Steph Curry to attend Klay Thompson’s Washington State jersey ceremony

When Washington State hangs Klay Thompson’s jersey in the rafters, his fellow Splash Brother, Stephen Curry will be in the building.

While the Golden State Warriors 2019-20 NBA season has been filled with losses and injuries, there’s still been special moments that have popped up along the way.

Draymond Green’s No. 23 Michigan State jersey was retired by the university earlier in the season. However, he isn’t the only Warrior who will see his jersey get pulled into the rafters this year.

Washington State will retire Klay Thompson’s No. 1 when the Cougars host Oregon State on Saturday night. Thomspon ranks third all-time in points (1,756) for Washington State and was named to the Pac-10’s first-team twice during his time in Pullman, Washington.

During Thompson’s special night, fellow “Splash Brother” Stephen Curry will be in the building for the ceremony. Janie McCauley of The Associated Press confirmed Curry will attend the jersey retirement at Thompson’s alma mater.

The Warriors will play the Orlando Magic at Chase Center in San Francisco on Saturday night, limiting Thompson’s teammate’s ability to show up in support for the Cougar alum’s jersey retirement.

Outside of Curry will be Zaza Pachulia and Mike Dunleavy will make the journey from Golden State to the Pacific Northwest for Thompson, according to McCauley.

A silver lining to Thompson and Curry both dealing with injuries at the same time will open the door for the former two-time Most Valuable Player to be in attendance for the ceremony.

Even injured, Stephen Curry’s jersey is one of the most popular in NBA

In the latest merchandise update by the NBA, Stephen Curry’s no. 30 jersey ranks in the top-three in jersey sales.

When Stephen Curry injured his hand on a late October night against the Phoenix Suns, not only did the Golden State Warriors lose the figurehead to their season, the NBA lost one of their biggest stars.

Curry broke his hand against the Suns and has been out of every game except four this season. However, even injured, the Warriors’ two-time Most Valuable Player’s jersey still ranks as one of the most popular in the NBA.

The NBA announced the top-15 selling jerseys according to NBA.com from October through December 2019, and Curry’s Golden State No. 30 placed third on the list.

Curry only trailed behind Lebron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, with All-Star hopefuls Luka Doncic and James Harden behind him.

The Golden State Warriors ranked sixth in team merchandise sales despite having a record that sits at the bottom of the Western Conference.

Fans will have to be patient as Curry is still working his way back to the floor after suffering a broken hand. However, even on the bench, nothing is stopping his jersey from selling at a high level.

LeBron James, Lakers lead jersey sales for second straight year

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers led the NBA in jersey and merch sales for the calendar year of 2019.

Even when the Los Angeles Lakers weren’t atop the Western Conference standings, LeBron James and the squad still led the NBA in jersey and merchandise sales. So now that the Lakers are at the top of the standings, the squad and LeBron James once again lead the NBA in jersey and merchandise sales in the calendar year of 2019.

The NBA announced the jersey and merchandise sales for individual players and teams on Friday, showing LeBron and the Lakers at the top, trailed by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Boston Celtics, respectively.

After Giannis, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, and Houston’s James Harden rounded out the top five for players. Meanwhile, the 76ers, Raptors, and Bucks were in the top-five for teams.

LeBron was joined on the top-15 in jersey sales by his teammate Anthony Davis, who ranked No. 8 behind Clippers star Kawhi Leonard at No. 7. Below are the full results from the NBA.

Top 15 Most Popular NBA Jerseys:                                   Top 10 Most Popular Team Merchandise:

  1. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers                 1. Lakers
  2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks   2. Celtics
  3. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors             3. 76ers
  4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics                          4. Raptors
  5. James Harden, Houston Rockets                       5.  Bucks
  6. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks                     6. Warriors
  7. Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers          7. Rockets
  8. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers             8. Bulls
  9. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers                     9. Heat
  10. Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets                        10. Nets
  11. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
  12. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
  13. Russell Westbrook, Houston Rockets
  14. Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics
  15. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

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Warriors veteran says rookie Jordan Poole ‘got his swag back’

Jordan Poole had his third straight double-digit scoring performance and Glenn Robinson III thinks the Warriors’ rookie ‘got his swag back.’

During the Warriors’ 10-game losing streak, a bright spot has been the solid play of the team’s first-round draft pick, Jordan Poole. The Michigan Wolverine product took a quick detour to the Warriors’ G League affiliate in Santa Cruz. However, since being back in San Francisco, Poole has put together one of his best stretches of the season.

Poole has scored double digits in each of his past three games, shooting 43.8 % from the field and 42.9 % from beyond the arc. A massive improvement in comparison to the rookie’s dreadful start to the season.

In a loss to the Denver Nuggets, Poole provided the Warriors an early spark, hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to give Golden State the lead in the first quarter. Golden State couldn’t close out the game, but the first-year player’s performance impressed one veteran.

Glenn Robinson III spoke after the game and told the media that he’s happy to see Poole regain his confidence, while dropping a nickname for the rookie.

It’s great to see the young guys playing well — J.P; I told him he got his swag back — I started calling him ‘Microwave’ again, that’s his nickname — I call him ‘Wave.’

Robinson told the media that he knows Poole has what it takes to stick around the NBA, especially when he’s getting the Chase Center’s San Francisco crowd into it.

I’m glad to see able to him play —I know he’s an NBA player —I know he can stick in this league — to see him really find his role and he’s at his best when he keeps it simple knocking down shots — then he could get the crowd into it — that’s what he does best, he’s a great player.

Robinson III discusses the play of Poole at 2:00 in the link below.

With Jacob Evans in the NBA’s concussion protocol, Steve Kerr will have to continue to rely on Poole in the backcourt. With the rookie’s steady play of late, it’s an easy decision.

Denver’s overtime comeback extends Warriors losing streak, 134-131

The Warriors couldn’t hold on to a 19-point lead against the Denver Nuggets, losing their tenth straight game. Golden State is still winless since the start of 2020.

For the first 46 minutes of the Warriors home contest against the Denver Nuggets, the game felt like it was leaning towards a Golden State upset. However, a strong final quarter from Nuggets erased the Warriors 19-point lead, sending the game into overtime.

In the extra period, the Warriors were overwhelmed by the Western Conference playoff hopeful. Malik Beasley, Michael Porter Jr and Nikola Jokic all added 10 points in the fourth quarter, enough to take the struggling Warriors into deep water.

Denver handled business in overtime, sealing the comeback win in San Francisco, 134-131. The loss marks the Warriors tenth straight loss and the team is still winless since the start of the 2020 new year.

Seven different members of Golden State scored in double digits, with Damion Lee and Alec Burks leading the way with 21 and 25 points, respectively. Golden State’s collective scoring effort wasn’t enough to slow down the Nuggets duo of Beasley, 28 points and Will Barton, 31 points.

Golden State will have an opportunity to end the losing streak when the Orlando Magic travel to Chase Center.

Starting fast

A primary source of the Golden State Warriors’ struggles throughout the 2019-20 season has been their sluggish first quarters. Golden State has come out of the gate slow in many contests this season, but against Denver, it was the opposite.

Damion Lee, D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Poole combined for 21 points to outscore the entire Nuggets roster alone in the opening quarter. The team shot 50 % from the field and added seven 3-pointers to blitz Denver off the jump The Warriors roared to a 34-19 lead in the first period to set the tone for the remainder of the bout.

Finishing slow

As fast as the Warriors started the game, the Nuggets turned things on when it mattered at the end. Denver dropped 40 points in the final period to cut Golden State’s 12 point fourth-quarter lead.

In the fourth quarter, Russell couldn’t find the ice in his veins, only scoring four points and turning the ball over once ina critical situation.

The Warriors shot a miserable 30 % from the field, while Denver punished Golden State while they were down, shooting 68.2 %. Rookie, Eric Paschall knocked down a late three-pointer to give Golden State the lead, but it wasn’t enough to close out Denver. The Warriors’ sloppy final period opened the door for the Nuggets to stretch the game into overtime.

Jordan Poole figuring it out

A highlight in a disappointing night was rookie Jordan Poole putting together another solid game. Poole registered his third straight double-digit scoring night, dropping 10 points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field. Poole was a significant factor in the Warriors’ fast start, adding two makes from beyond the arc in the first quarter off the bench.