2023 Warriors: Game 77 Loss (Record: 42W-35L)

Game 77 is in the books…  The Warriors lose to the Dallas Mavericks (47W/30L) and yet remain close to locking in our position in the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have edged back to 7 games over .500 after a 2pt loss to the Mavs.  Based on team records, I had predicted a low single-digit loss by the Dubs.
The final score in this game:  106 to 108 in the Mavs favor.  The Warriors starters played just well enough to lose.  We began the game getting blown off the court.  Our bench came in an got us back in the game – so we were actually ahead by 1pt at the end of the first quarter.  We were (again) missing one of our better players:  Jonathan Kuminga, who is still out with knee soreness.  Kuminga was tentatively scheduled in for this game but did not suit up.  He was joined by Andrew Wiggins who suffered a turned ankle late in last night’s game.  He is also expected to be back for the next game.  (Fingers crossed…)
Regular Season Record – (42 Wins – 35 Losses)
Game 77:  Warriors 106 / Mavericks 108
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a single digit loss for the Dubs, but was a laugher at the start.  Although the Mavs were playing without their best player (Luka Doncic), their second best (Kyrie Irving) stepped up and got the job done.  The Mavs started the game with more energy and then finished it with more energy – hence the close win.
Don’t misunderstand me…  The Warriors showed a lot of heart and played reasonably well – very well when the game was drawing down and we were struggling to steal a result.  Unfortunately, we came up short – literally.  Our lack of height and length did us in (again).  The Mavs blocked 9 shots to our 5 blocks, but theirs were the more intimidating blocks and we were clearly altering our shot attempts both in the paint and at the perimeter.
Conclusion:  Curry (28pts) and Klay (16pts) had the another of those too frequent nights were they didn’t get untracked until it was nearly too late – and then it ultimately was too late.  Curry, in particular, got 14pts in the 4th quarter – which sounds terrific, but (in the game) he was 5 for 14 from the 3pt arc when any one of those 9 misses would have meant a win.  Klay was marginally worse.  He was 2 for 8 from the arc.  Well, as I’ve stated before:  “Win by the 3, lose by the 3…”
Game 78 is Sunday against the Utah Jazz (29W/47L) in SF…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a low to mid double digit win by the Dubs.  The Jazz are already eliminated from the playoffs and this is the first of two games we’ll play them before the season ends.  The second game is the final game of the season and also in SF.
With only 5 games remaining, the Warriors are two games below the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss standings (LA is two games ahead on wins) and we are holding on to 10th place in the conference.  We face the Lakers one more time this season, so we can only make up one of those losses.  The LA game is one of the only two games we have left against teams which have not been eliminated from the playoffs.  The other team is the New Orleans Pelicans.
If we get either a loss by the Houston Rockets or win one of our remaining games, we will retain the 10th playoff position even if the Rockets tie us on Won/Loss record as we have the edge on face to face games played.
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On This Day In:
2023	So Far, So Good
	Thinking About My Sister
2022	Dust Under Your Fingertips (Dust In The Wind)
2021	Stopped Counting Decades Ago
	Just Enjoying The Sun (Girls Just Want To Have Fun)
2020	To My Idealistic Sister
2019	Respect For My Sister (I Can Do Hard Things)
2018	I Trust Cows
	No Boundary
2017	Don’t Sink Now
2016	A Burning Passion To Teach Freedom
2015	Before Debit (And Credit) Cards
2014	Herding Cats
2013	Ooops!
2012	Understand A Great Truth
2011	Start Here…
2010	Random Acts of Vandalism On Easter Weekend…

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When You Want To Change The Future

Teaching is the greatest act of optimism.
––     Colleen Wilcox
[Happy Birthday to my sister who has been teaching (and changing the future for the better) for over 30 years!   —  Love ya,  kmab & Hil]
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On This Day In:
2023	So Far, So Good
	Thinking About My Sister
2022	Dust Under Your Fingertips (Dust In The Wind)
2021	Stopped Counting Decades Ago
	Just Enjoying The Sun (Girls Just Want To Have Fun)
2020	To My Idealistic Sister
2019	Respect For My Sister (I Can Do Hard Things)
2018	I Trust Cows
	No Boundary
2017	Don’t Sink Now
2016	A Burning Passion To Teach Freedom
2015	Before Debit (And Credit) Cards
2014	Herding Cats
2013	Ooops!
2012	Understand A Great Truth
2011	Start Here…
2010	Random Acts of Vandalism On Easter Weekend…

Read Full Post »