Tag: Mavs

Injury Report: D’Angelo Russell out vs. Clippers, set to return soon

D’Angelo Russell isn’t ready to play against the Los Angeles Clippers, but his return from a shoulder injury is inching closer with a potential return date set.

Two crucial things have been missing at the start of 2020 for the Golden State Warriors — victories and D’Angelo Russell. A loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks registered Golden State’s sixth straight loss after previously setting their season-high win streak of four consecutive wins.

Russell’s injury against the Dallas Mavericks marked the start of the Warriors’ losing streak, and Golden State has struggled since. Russell collided with the Mavericks’ Slovenian star, Luka Doncic, in the third quarter of the game. However, Russell quickly returned to the bench after spending time down on the Chase Center floor. Russell re-entered the game to finish off a 35-point effort.

Since the collision, Russell’s dealt with a lingering shoulder injury that has taken him out of every game since the start of the new year. Russell’s been able to return to practice with the Warriors. Still, the team is being cautious with their 23-year-old All-Star, holding him out against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Russell missed nine-straight games early in the season with a hand injury, now six with a shoulder ailment, but he could be on his way back to Golden State’s starting lineup soon. The Louisville, Kentucky native could be set to return when the Warriors travel into the south over the weekend.

Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle reported Russell would return to action when the Warriors travel to Memphis on Sunday.

Prior to missing the past six games, Russell was playing at an All-Star level during the Warriors win-streak. Russell scored 30 or more points in three of his last four games. Without their 23-year-old All-Star guard, Alec Burks and Glenn Robinson III have stepped up for Golden State, leading the team in scoring in each night without Russell.

Steve Kerr and the Warriors will need to lean on Robinson and Burks again when they arrive at the Staples Center. Against Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and the rest of the 26-12 Clippers, Golden State will need all the help they can get to end their losing streak.

Steph and Riley Curry show off elaborate father-daughter handshake

Stephen Curry and his daughter, Riley showed off an impressive handshake before the Warriors tipped off against the Dallas Mavericks.

Since arriving at superstardom, Stephen Curry’s family has shared the limelight with the two-time Most Valuable Player. Whether it’s his parents, Sonia and Dell celebrating in the crowd, or his wife Ayesha writing her own cookbook, the Warriors’ fanbase has grown to know the Curry family like their own.

However, the most famous descendant from the Curry family tree might be Curry’s eldest daughter, Riley. The child burst onto the scene in 2015, stealing her All-Star father’s Western Conference Finals press conference by casually interrupting him throughout with laughs and telling her dad to “be quiet.”

Riley later returned to the podium when the Warriors’ clinched the Western Conference, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in years. Curry’s daughter took over the press conference again, this time by reciting lines from Big Sean’s rap hit “Blessings.”

Riley returned to the spotlight before her father’s MVP acceptance speech in 2016. Curry’s eldest made a grand appearance to the speech by staring down and pointing out several members of the media before her father took the stage.

Although he’s dealing with an injury, Curry’s progressing through his rehab and able to be around the Warriors’ young roster on a more consistent basis. Instead of splashing long-distance jumpers, Curry’s finding new ways to bring energy to Golden State, as the team’s lead hype man.

Before the Warriors tipped off against the Dallas Mavericks, Curry got a little pregame motivation by showing off his handshake, with none other than his daughter, Riley.

It’s safe to say that not just NBA players, but literally everyone— loves a fun handshake, and the Curry’s might take the cake. Curry’s handshake with his seven-year-old daughter is more elaborate than most pregame handshakes you’ll see across NBA warm-ups.

Curry’s handshake with his daughter is just more evidence as to why Riley is a fan-favorite across the Golden State’s “Dub Nation.”

Draymond Green loves when Klay Thompson’s temper flares for Warriors

Throughout the Warriors’ loss to the Mavericks, trash talk was thrown around from the bench to the floor and Klay Thompson was in the middle of it.

It’s been 12 years since the Warriors upset the 2007 Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs, but in 2019, there looked to be no love lost. The Warriors four-game win streak snapped in a blowout loss against the Mavericks, 141-121. However, the storyline was how chippy things got throughout the game between Dallas and Golden State.

It’s safe to say the holiday spirit for the Warriors and Mavericks has worn off.

The tension between the teams grew when Kristaps Porzingis and Draymond Green had a heated exchange in the second quarter. Green swiped the ball from Porzingis and stared down the 7-foot Latvian.

Porzingis and Green were caught exchanging words that didn’t look all too friendly, which led to the two getting separated by teammates.
A surprise Warrior injected himself into the trash talk, injured All-Star Klay Thompson, got off the bench, and appeared frustrated with Green and Porzingis’ face-to-face battle.

After the game, Green was proud of the way Thompson came to his defense versus Porzingis.

“I don’t think I enjoy many things more in life than when Klay gets into it with somebody,” Green told reporters after the Warriors’ loss. “That’s always a treat—so, that was fun to see.”

Saying there are not many things Green enjoys more in life than seeing Thompson get fired up against an opposing player is high praise from the former Defensive Player of the Year.

Both injured All-Star guards, Thompson and Stephen Curry, have been around the Warriors’ on a more consistent basis as both are progressing through injuries.

According to several Warriors players, Curry and Thompson have brought a new level of energy to the team’s sideline, and it’s shown.

Although the Dubs lost against Dallas, they ended their five-game homestand with a 4-1 record with Curry and Thompson in the building— a breath of fresh air amid a season filled with struggles.

Luka Doncic and Mavs snap Warriors’ season-high win streak, 141-121

D’Angelo Russell’s nine three-pointers not enough to extend the Warriors’ season-high win streak, as Luka Doncic and the Mavericks play spoiler at Chase Center.

Over their past four games, the Golden State Warriors have played their best basketball of the 2019-20 season, and the wins have followed. Against the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic, everything came crashing back down to earth.

Behind Doncic’s 30-point triple-double, the Mavericks blew out Golden State in the second half to spoil the Warriors’ four-game win streak, 141-121.

D’Angelo Russell’s hot shooting night kept the Warriors close early in the game, but a big third quarter from Dallas put Golden State in a hole they couldn’t climb out from. The Mavericks outscored the Warriors 45-24 in the third quarter alone.

Although the blowout loss may look ugly in the box score, the Warriors closed out their five-game homestand with a 4-1 record— a positive sign of improvement for a team that’s struggled throughout 2019.

The Warriors will now hit the road for their next three games before returning to Chase Center in the new decade.

D-Lo down, but not out

During the Warriors’ last six games, Russell has looked like the All-Star product the team traded for from Brooklyn, and against Dallas, he didn’t slow down.

Russell tallied 35 points, six assists and four rebounds on 13-of-21 shooting from the field. Russell added nine three-pointers on 13 attempts from beyond the arc.

A scary moment came in the third quarter when Russell collided with Doncic and didn’t get up. Russell was down on the floor for several minutes, and the Warriors medical staff even brought a stretcher out to help him off the floor, but the former Buckeye was able to walk to the locker room on his own power.

Russell quickly returned to the bench with a right shoulder contusion and re-entered the game in the fourth quarter.

Luka loves playing Golden State

After going nuclear against the Warriors back in November, Doncic didn’t let up at Chase Center in round two. Doncic registered his second triple-double against Golden State this season with 31 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds. With Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry watching, Doncic hit eight three-pointers.

For those counting at home, Doncic’s recorded 66 points, 26 assists and 22 rebounds in two contests against Golden State this season. Luckily for Doncic, the Mavericks return to Chase Center in mid-January for another chance at the Warriors.