Bad News For Golden State Fans

After losing Stephen Curry in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round Series between the Golden State Warriors, the defending champions, and the Houston Rockets in a repeat of last year's Western Conference Championships, the Warrior fans were concerned. Curry would go on to miss the next two games, one at home in the Oracle Arena in Oakland California, and one on the road in the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The Warriors managed to win their home game, but lost on the road after a controversial ending in which the league has announced that the Rockets' winning shot by James Harden should not have counted due to a variety of missed calls in the final minutes of the game. However, last year's MVP would return to Game 4 against the Rockets, but it wouldn't be for long. At the end of the second quarter in which the game was tied at 56, Curry slipped and sprained his right knee. He did not return at all to play in the second half of the game. Fortunately for the Warriors, they did end up winning 121-94, and they will have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday at home in the Oracle Arena. However, Curry's injury could be devastating if he is unable to return. Even if the Warriors advance, they will still have to face one of two talented teams, either the Portland Trail Blazers led by Damian Lillard, or the Los Angeles Clippers led by Chris Paul who always seem to have heated match ups with the Warriors. Curry will have an MRI tommorrow to see if he can still play.

Thunder Take Care Of Business In Dallas

After losing game two in shocking fashion, people began to gossip about whether or not the Thunder had it in them to beat the Dallas Mavericks, let alone compete for an NBA Championship. People began saying that the Mavs were getting into the Thunder stars' heads after the whole incident with Russell Westbrook and Cameron Payne's pre-game dance routine. Everyone also began to talk about how defensive players like Salah Mejri and Wesley Matthews were getting into Durant's head and how he just might not be as great as everyone thought he was before his injury when he won his first MVP. By Game 3 of the First Round Series between the Mavericks and the Thunder, the Oklahoma City Stars were pretty much pissed by all the talk, and were just ready to dominate in the next game, knowing that they pretty much needed at least one win in Dallas to advance to the next round. Durant, especially, was determined to make a mark on this game after all the talk surrounding his poor play in Game 2. The Thunder were on a mission, a mission that they certainly accomplished.
Game 3 started electric, as the home fans from Dallas were absolutely ecstatic from their team's win on the road in Game 2. They all were ready to see another strong performance from their team, and actually had real hopes of advancing to the next round. Unfortunately for them, their team was up against a team with two of the top five players in the league, and more importantly, a team that was fired up, and ready to get payback for their devastating defeat in Game 2. The Thunder opened up strong, winning the first quarter 27-21. More importantly, however, for the Thunder, Durant was making his shots, and role players such as Dion Waiters and Enes Kanter were playing incredibly, providing a much needed spark off the bench. The second quarter did not go much better for the home fans, as the Thunder once again outscored the home team Mavericks, this time by four, taking a ten-point 58-48 lead going into the half. As if the first half was not bad enough for the Mavericks, the Thunder outscored the Mavs by nine points in the third taking a 19-point lead into the final quarter. In the last quarter, the home fans hoped for an incredible comeback from their team. However, that did not happen. The Thunder played even better than they did in the previous quarters, outscoring the Mavs by ten points and winning the game 131-102. Most notable was Durant's performance in this game which was much better than his Game 2 mishap. He scored 34 points on 11-25 shooting, grabbed 7 rebounds, and dished out 3 assists giving the Thunder back home-court advantage.
Game 4 was a bit more competitive, but not much. For the fifth straight quarter in Dallas, the Thunder outscored the home team Mavericks, this time by 15 points 33-18 with some nice play by practically all of Oklahoma City's starters. In the second quarter, Dallas fought back and finally won a quarter at home 30-24, but they still went into the half trailing by nine. The third quarter was much more competitive, but the Thunder still won outscoring the Mavericks 31-32 to take a 89-79 lead into the final twelve minutes to play. In the fourth quarter, the Mavs fought hard, but they were heavily out-manned and the Thunder once again won the quarter by one point 30-29 winning the game overall 119-108. The Thunder now have a 3-1 series lead and can close tomorrow at home to advance to the Western Conference semi-finals against the San Antonio Spurs who advanced earlier today after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies.

Poor Shooting By Durant Costs Thunder Game 2

On Monday, April 20, 2016, the Oklahoma City Thunder met the Dallas Mavericks in the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for Game 2 of the first round of their Western Conference Playoff Series. In their previous meeting, the Thunder basically demolished the worn out Mavericks who are struggling mightily with health concerns, beating them 108-70. This game however, had a very different result, and it was mainly due to a horrible shooting performance by Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant. Durant, who made 47 percent of his shots in Game 1, played absolutely terribly missing 26 shots going 7-33. This was arguably the worst playoff performance in Durant's entire career. Credit should be given to the tough defense of the Mavs, but there were times when Durant just missed on wide open shots that he barely ever misses. Nonetheless, Durant's poor shooting cost the Thunder a 84-85 loss in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series against the Mavs, and the Thunder will need to win at least once on the road in order to advance to the Western Conference Semi-finals against either the Memphis Grizzlies or, more likely, the San Antonio Spurs.
The game started off very differently than Game 1 for the Thunder. Dallas was actually making their shots, especially their three-point attempts, and Durant playing horribly, missing three-pointers, midrange jumpers, even layups, and turning the ball over multiple times. By the end of the period, Dallas had shocked the Thunder up 24-20, but many fans weren't very concerned because it was still early in the game and Durant would most likely heat up later.
The second quarter was a little better for the home fans, as the Thunder outscored the Mavs 23-21, and Durant hit his first three, but they were still trailing by two at halftime, and Durant still hadn't had much of an effect on the game as most thought he would.
In the third quarter, the Thunder were able to grab a three-point lead, but they were still concerned. The Mavs just wouldn't seem to go away, and despite the fact that Durant had made a few shots, he was still throwing up bricks and just didn't seem to get in the rythym many know he is capable of.
In the final quarter, the Mavs came fighting back. The teams traded baskets back-and-forth for the first three and a half minutes of the game, and by the 8:37 mark, the Thunder were up one, but Dallas guard Devin Harris was headed to the free throw line to shoot two and potentially give Dallas back the lead. He drained them both, and after a few empty possessions from both teams, Dion Waiters came back with an and-one jumper to give OKC a two-point 71-69 lead with 7:43 remaining. After a steal by Enes Kanter, OKC increased their lead to four after a made basket by Durant, and the crowd went wild. However, the Mavs were not to go away yet. They fought back hard, and with just 4:18 remaining, feisty guard Raymond Felton drained a shot to give the Dallas Mavericks a 79-78 lead. They continued to battle, and with 17 seconds left, Wesley Matthews of the Mavericks made a layup to give the Mavs a 4 point lead. Durant came in with the next play and drained a three with 9 seconds left, but it was still Mavs ball. Felton missed to free throws on the ensuing possession, but Steven Adams buzzer-beater to win was just a little to late giving the Mavs a win.

OKC Routs the Dallas Mavericks

On Saturday, April 16, 2016, the Oklahoma City absolutely obliterated the injury-ridden Dallas Mavericks. Dallas is currently without Chandler Parsons, and many players on their team are not at 100 percent, including backup guards Deron Williams and JJ Barea. This proved to be very costly for the Mavericks who just did not have the manpower to win against this incredible Thunder team who, in my opinion, have to of the top-five players in the entire league in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Thunder ended up winning by 38 points 108-70 with incredible play from both Westbrook and Durant. The next game will be tomorrow, and the Thunder should not underestimate the Mavs to win.

73-9!

They did it! After a year of questions, doubts from many, and a few bad losses, the Golden State Warriors, last year's NBA Champions, broke the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls record for wins in a season after beating the Memphis Grizzlies at home in the final game of the 2015-2016 NBA regular season. These Warriors have just been a massive force to be reckoned with, finishing with the best record ever recorded in an NBA season with an outstanding 73 wins and only 9 losses, beating the previous record-holding Bulls who were led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen who led their team to a, at the time, seemingly unbeatable 72-10 record.

This amazing team opened up the year 24-0, and ever since then, people questioned whether or not they would be able to do it. Winning 73 games can take a lot out of a team, and could potentially hurt them in the playoffs, but they will be remembered as one of the best teams ever, and their season will go down in the record books as the best season ever recorded for any NBA team.

The Warriors started off their run with a whole bunch of momentum. After Stephen Curry won MVP last year after an incredible season, his Warriors went on to win the NBA Finals against LeBron James in Cleveland's return to the Finals. This gave them, as well as their fans, a whole bunch of motivation and excitement to do well next season, and they certainly did not disappoint, opening with 24 straight wins. Their first loss came as a shocker against a very surprising team, the Milwaukee Bucks. Granted, the game was in Milwaukee, but it seems a little strange that the first loss of the season came against a team that would not even make the playoffs. Most likely, the loss was due to fatigue from the Warriors players, which will also be a major factor in these playoffs as many of the other teams rested their stars unlike the Golden State Warriors who have been focused on obtaining the record. The Warriors would then go on to win their next five straight games, but once again, they lost. This time, however, it wasn't to a team that was horrible, however, they didn't lose to a particularly great team either. In their 31st game of the season, the Warriors lost for the second time in Dallas against the Mavericks. The next seven games would prove very difficult to the tired Warriors, as each team they faced provided them with at least some sort of a challenge, and Golden State would have a much harder time than they had previously in the season, but game-after-game, they managed to pull through. But, once again, they would meet trouble against an unlikely foe who was eager to knock off the defending champs from the top of the power rankings and bring them one more loss to 11 which would prevent them from even tying the Bulls. This time, the loss came against the Denver Nuggets, who at the time, were 14-24. The next night, they returned home for one game against the Lakers before once again going on the road. They ended up winning this game without much trouble, but it was apparent that the Warriors were getting even more tired, but they continued to push on. The next Saturday, the Warriors traveled all the way to Detroit, Michigan to take on the Pistons, and were stunned once again for their fourth loss of the season. They were more than halfway to the record with 37-4, but they were absolutely exhausted, and people began to doubt whether or not these Warriors would be able to persevere and finish what they started. After losing two games in such a short amount of time, the Warriors knew they needed to start getting serious. Not only to break the Bulls incredible record, but also in hopes to stay number one in the western conference as the San Antonio Spurs were right on their tail. This gave the Warriors a new sense of determination, and they won their next eleven straight, including impressive wins over both the aforementioned Spurs as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was inevitable, however, that the Warriors would have to lose once again, and this time it came across a formidable opponent in the Portland Trail Blazers. This loss was the worst one the Warriors had to face this season, getting blown out by 32 points. The Warriors then went on to win their next seven games, before dropping a very surprising game to the Los Angeles Lakers. This was a tough blow because that game was one almost everyone thought the Warriors would win, and sports experts dropped the likeliness of the Warriors breaking the record by a decent amount. Once again, the Warriors went on a seven game win streak before being stopped once again. This time, against the San Antonio Spurs, in a match that showed complete Spurs dominance. Golden State then won their next six, lost against Boston, won against Portland, and then lost their 9th game in overtime against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home. This loss dropped the Warriors chances a lot as they would have to go 4-0 with two match ups against the very same Spurs who beat them previously in a match up that didn't really even seem close. Luckily for them, Coach Gregg Poppovich of the Spurs decided to rest his starters, even at home, and the Warriors were able to beat them, and cap off the record with a win against the Grizzlies at home last night. It will be interesting to see if this run will hurt them in the playoffs as the players are most likely exhausted, but this team will forever be known as the team who broke Michael Jordan's 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls record for most wins in an 82 game NBA season.

Warriors Reach Coveted 72 Wins!

After defeating the San Antonio Spurs yesterday, April 10, 2016, in the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, the Golden State Warriors have tied the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls team led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen by winning 72 games in an 82-game regular season. This game was important for both teams, as the Warriors could reach 72 wins, but if the Spurs won, and then won another game at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder, they could make history by winning all of their home games. However, Gregg Popovich and the Spurs elected to rest Tim Duncan this game, and the Warriors ended up defeating the Spurs 92-86 in their own building for the first time this year.
The first half was pretty back-and-forth with the Spurs outscoring the Warriors by five in the first quarter 19-14, and the Warriors coming right back by outscoring the Spurs by five 21-16 in the second to make the game tied at 35 all by the time the halftime buzzer sounded. The first quarter definitely went the way of the Spurs, as it was slow-paced and low-scoring, and vice-versa, the game went well in the second for the Warriors as the pace picked up, and the Warriors were able to score higher. This is something both coaches were sure to note, heading into the third, as the tempo would definitely be a deciding factor in the game.
The third quarter was pretty competitive, but because it was high-scoring, it favored the Warriors who took a one-point 62-61 lead going into the fourth. In the final quarter, the Warriors outplayed the Spurs, who were, just to remind everyone, without the heart and soul of their defense in Tim Duncan. Golden State kept the tempo up and outscored the Spurs 30-25 in the final period to win 92-86.
The Golden State Warriors have one more game this season, and if they win they can make history. It will be at home, and against a team that does not have a lot of their key players due to health in the Memphis Grizzlies.

Golden State Squeaks By Memphis For 71 Wins

Last night, Saturday, April 10, 2016, the Golden State Warriors traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to take on the Memphis Grizzlies in their 80th game of the season. This is win number 71 for the Warriors, meaning if they win at least one of their two remaining games, one against the San Antonio Spurs, the other against this same Memphis Grizzlies team, they will at least tie the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls Record of 72 wins in an 82-game regular season, and they will make history if they win both. This game, however, was much closer than many anticipated. After beating the Spurs in a show of dominance earlier, many thought this game would be a cake-walk for the Warriors. However, fatigue took a toll on the defending NBA Champions, as has been noticeable as this season has begun to draw to a close, and this win was an extremely close game. The Warriors only ended up winning by one point, achieving their 71st victory with a very slim 100-99 win.
The first quarter went as many expected, with Curry and Thompson playing well with help from role players such as Festus Ezeli, Harrison Barnes, and one of the leaders of this team in Draymond Green. The Warriors outscored the home team Memphis Grizzlies by three points to take a 31-28 lead.
The second quarter was a little more competitive, as the Grizzlies tied the Warriors in points in the quarter with each team achieving 22 points. However, neither team really seemed to be getting things going.
The third quarter was the quarter that shocked the nation. The Grizzlies, who have been riddled with injuries this season, including injuries to their two best players in Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, managed to outscore the Warriors by 11 points 28-17 to take an eight point 78-70 lead with just twelve minutes remaining.
The last quarter was really exciting for everyone, as the Warriors fought really hard to take the lead, but, for the first ten minutes, were unable to. The Grizzlies, to the delight of their fans, kept hanging on, holding on to the lead 1:39 mark when Barnes drilled a three to take a one point lead for the Warriors. The Grizzlies took it right back with a few free-throws by Matt Barnes, but Draymond Green came right back with a two-point tip-in after an offensive rebound with just 1:00 left to play. In the remaining time, neither team scored, thus the Warriors won.