2023 Warriors: Game 83 Loss (Record: 46W-37L)

Game 83 (playoff game 1) closes the 23-24 season book – and the regular season and our playoff run are both done…  This evening, the Warriors were crushed by the Sacramento Kings (46W/36L).
The Warriors have finished their “Playin (/ Playoffs).  Based on team records, I had predicted a mid single digit victory by the Kings.  We didn’t get it…  Instead we got an absolute drubbing.
The final score in this game:  118 to 94 in the Kings favor.  The Warriors starters mostly played terribly.   The Warriors bench depth kept the game close before the dam burst.  Our starters were outscored almost 2pts to 1pt.  It was only the bench which kept us within 40pts.
End of Season Record – (46 Wins – 37 Losses)
Game 83 (“Playin” game #1):  Warriors 94 / Kings 118
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a mid single digit loss for the Dubs was, in fact, a blowout which was not as close as the score indicates.  The Warriors failed the “eye-test”.  They lost to a clearly superior team – younger, faster, quicker and taller.
The Warriors core was  – simply – showing their age and the basketball gods which allowed them to dominate for a decade regressed to their norm.  Specifically, barring a historic anomaly:  Steph Curry and a Klay Thompson in their prime, you have to have quick players and a dominant big man / center if you want to win in the playoff (or “Playin”).
Conclusion:  Klay Thompson (0pts on 10 attempts) lead the team in futility.  As has happened multiple times this year, Steph Curry led the team in scoring (22pts), but they were mostly garbage points when the team was already behind and the game had been (mostly) decided.  Curry also led the team in turnovers with 6 of the 16 times we gave the ball away.  He had twice as many as the next closest team mate (two others, 3 turnovers each).  46 of the Warriors 94 points came from the bench players, who had substantially fewer minutes played (139min vs 100min) than our starters.
So, what happens now?  The Warriors fall into the between season break with multiple question marks.  The main ones are:  1)  Will Klay Thompson, who is heading into free-agency accept a pay cut and a permanent loss of his starting role going forward?  2)  Will the Warriors shop Draymond Green who is still an elite level defender and one of their few marketable players?  Green still has 3 years left on his recently renewed contract.  3)  Will Steph and / or Draymond renegotiate the their contracts to assist in keeping Klay with the team?  4)  Do the Warriors believe their emerging “core” Kuminga, Podziemski, Jackson-Davis and Moody are the future and what will the organization do to get this new core a legitimate Center (big-man) which can bring the team future championships?  And, last but certainly not least…  5)  What do you do about Steph Curry?  He has never been an elite defender.  He has clearly lost both some of his speed and some of his quickness.  Steph has always been a liability as a point guard because he frequently makes silly passes and the burden of controlling the ball detracts from his ability to move and create space for his open shots.
Father Time is undefeated…  Unless the Warriors can “find” another elite shooter to offset Steph Curry’s gravity, he will continue to draw multiple defenders and his ball handling, passing and decision making weaknesses will continue to be exposed.  And, unfortunately, no amount of otherworldly shooting and scoring will excuse these weaknesses going forward.
Decisions, decisions, decisions…
A closing note:  while this season ends on a crushing loss, the loss does not detract from the excitement which this team has provided over this past season.  There were multiple times during the regular season when I doubted the team would even reach 10th place in the standings.  But they did!  They rallied and got “it” (making the Playin round) done.  As a fan of the game and of the team, sometimes we just have to accept that a good effort is enough…  And we’ll hope for better next year.
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On This Day In:
2023	Cause For Admiration
	Heart Update
2022	Widening The Moat
2021	Core Strength
	Thinking Of You (You Were Always On My Mind)
2020	Rising Danger
	210 Day Health / Weight Update (Apr 2020)
2019	Never Let ‘Em See You Sweat
2018	Just Two?
2017	Living Without Love
	Good News!
2016	At This Moment
2015	Still Dreaming
2014	Good Wins
2013	Before
2012	Look To This Day
2011	One View Of Man

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2023 Warriors: Game 82 Win (Record: 46W-36L)

Game 82 closes the 23-24 season book – and the regular season is done and dusted…  This afternoon, the Warriors defeated the Utah Jazz (31W/51L).  We had already qualified for the “play-in round” and the remaining questions are now answered:  we finished 10th in the Conference;  we will have no home game advantage at the start of any series;  and, we face the Sacramento Kings in Sacramento on Tuesday evening?
The Warriors finish the regular season at 10 games over .500 after a 7pt win over the Utah Jazz.  Based on team records, I had predicted a mid to high double digit victory by the Dubs.  We didn’t get it…  What I didn’t expect was the Dubs would not play Steph Curry or Draymond Green due to injury – “game time decision” – ankle and knee respectively.
The final score in this game:  123 to 116 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors starters mostly played just well enough to win over a weaker team. The Jazz are 31W / 51L this year.  The Warriors bench depth closed out the game after the halftime lead:  Dubs 63, Jazz 56.
Regular Season Record – (46 Wins – 36 Losses)
Game 82:  Warriors 123 / Jazz 116
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a mid to high single digit win for the Dubs, but was a “management decision loss” game.  By sitting the team’s best offensive player and its best defensive player, the Dubs were – in effect – conceding they believed either the Lakers or the Kings were going to win and that the results of this game was irrelevant to our position in the “play-in” round which begins on Tuesday.  As it turned out, both the Lakers and the Kings won their final games, so resting Curry and Draymond may have been a good decision.
The Warriors won three quarters of the game and lost one quarter by (again) losing control of the perimeter shooting and allowing uncontested 3pt shots.  The Jazz hit a good number of them and closed from a double digit deficit multiple times.  In the end, our “Santa Cruz” team (deep second string) was better than the Jazz mix of starters and subs and we got the win.
Conclusion:  Klay Thompson (25pts) lead the team in points, but he could have gotten more as he only played 20 minutes.  I imagine one of the assistant coaches advised Coach Kerr that both the Lakers and Kings games were runaways, so we might as well rest Klay, too.
Game 1 (of the “Play-in” round) is Tuesday against the Utah Jazz (31W/50L) in SF…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a mid single digit win by the Kings.  This is based purely on their “home court” advantage – which is usually good for 3 to 5pts.  They have a better home court record than we do, but we have a better away court record than they do.  We have a 9 game difference (25 to 16) away record to their (24 to 17) at home record.
The “only” substantial advantage we have is in playoff experience.  Our core has four championships.  Theirs have zero rings.  It remains to be seen if they will feel the pressure of being in a short series and fold up or if the home court energy will spur the Kings enough to get past us.
Assuming we pass this test, the second game of the “Play-in” round will be the loser of the 7v8 seed game (Lakers v. Pelicans).  The Pelicans are hosting that (7v8) game.  The winner of that game goes straight to the “regular” playoffs and the loser faces the winner of our game (hopefully the Warriors).  The loser of our game goes home (eliminated).  IF we make it past the loser of the 7v8 game, our reward will be to face the #1 seed (Oklahoma City Thunder) in the first round of the “actual” playoffs…
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On This Day In:
2023	Between Us And Darkness
2022	Or Simple Truths You Don’t Want To Believe
2021	I Never Could Keep A Secret
	A Half A Mile Or So (Sail On)
2020	Facing The Truth
2019	How Much Is Your Education Worth?
	Is America Ready: Mayor Pete – 2020!!
2018	Disruptive Definition
2017	A History Of Small Insights
2016	Be Uncommon
2015	Ooops!
2014	What Price Freedom?
2013	Remembering Val
2012	Good-bye, Val
	Survival Value
2011	Traitors In Our Midst
	Life Ain’t Easy

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2023 Warriors: Game 81 Loss (Record: 45W-36L)

Game 81 is in the books – and the regular season is down to one home game…  Tonight the Warriors lost to the New Orleans Pelicans (49W/32L).  Although we have already qualified for the “play-in round”, the questions remain:  where will we finish and will we play at home or on the road?
The Warriors now sit at 9 games over .500 after a 5pt loss to the Pelicans.  Based on team records, I had predicted a mid to high single digit loss by the Dubs.  That’s pretty much exactly what we got…  What I didn’t expected was the Dubs would not play Jonathan Kuminga due to a groin injury.
The final score in this game:  114 to 109 in the Pelicans favor.  The Warriors starters played just well enough to lose to a better team. The Pelicans are 49W / 32L this year.  The Warriors bench depth got them back in the game in the third quarter, but it was not enough to make up for a horrendous second quarter where the Dubs gave up 45 points – mostly from beyond the 3pt arc.  We also gave up nine turnovers!
Regular Season Record – (45 Wins – 36 Losses)
Game 81:  Warriors 109 / Pelicans 114
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a mid to high single digit loss for the Dubs, but was actually almost a runaway win for us – for one quarter anyway.  The Pelicans started cold and we started hot and we jumped to a double-digit lead.  We finished the 1st quarter with a 9pt lead.  We then lost the game in the second quarter.  The Dubs lost our three-point shooting touch and then failed to defend the Pelicans at the arc.  Combined with constant turnovers (9 in the quarter), the Dubs gave the Pelicans opportunities to stay in the game and find their own touch.  The Pelicans did and it ended up being a crushing quarter.
The Warriors won three quarters of the game and outscored the Pelicans by:  87pts to 69pts (18pts).  The problem is we lost the game in the second quarter where the Pelicans outscored us:  45pts to 22pts (23pts).  And that made it a 5pt loss…
Conclusion:  Steph Curry (33pts) lead the team in points, but he also accounted for almost half of the team’s turnovers (7 of the 16).  To our credit, the team played hard for the whole game.  We were just a bit out of sync on defense in the second quarter and the Pelicans shot the ball phenomenally well from 3pt range – particularly in the second quarter.  They finished the game with over 52% from beyond the arc.  Low 40% is considered good.
Game 82 is Sunday against the Utah Jazz (31W/50L) in SF…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a mid- to high- double digit win by the Dubs.  This game is a MUST win for the Dubs if we are to have any chance of hosting the 9th place vs 10th place play-in game.
With only the final game remaining, the Warriors are tied with the Sacramento Kings in the standings for ninth (Kings) and tenth (Dubs) place(s)…  If the Dubs can win and if Los Angeles and Sacramento lose one more game (each) we will end up with home court advantage for at least one playoff game – hosting the Lakers.  If the Lakers win their last game or if we lose our game, we will play the Lakers in LA.
So, now we have to win this last game to have the best chance of advancing in the 9v10 match-up and then win a second game against the loser of the 7v8 match-up.  Either way, we need two wins to make the proper playoffs.  The question is do we get to play one of them at home…  And, I would be remiss in not mentioning that if we do all that, we’ll then get the honor of being the 8 seed and facing the Conference one seed in the first round…
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On This Day In:
2023	Once Is Rarely Enough
2022	Or Less Perceptive
2021	We Need Professional Journalists AND The First Amendment
	It Was Rainin’ Hard (Taxi)
2020	Neither Alone, Nor Lonely
	Giving
2019	That’s Why It’s Called Faith
2018	So We Agree, #45 Is Dumb – Too
2017	The Morality Of Spying
2016	He Doesn’t Remind Me Of Me
	The First Rule
2015	Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow
	The Man Without Fear
2014	I Blame Robocop
2013	Future Trustees
2012	Praise Not The Day…
2011	Educated Living

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2023 Warriors: Game 80 Win (Record: 45W-35L)

Game 80 is in the books – and the regular season is down to two home games…  One against a good team (Pelicans) and the closer against a not very good team (Jazz).  Tonight the Warriors defeated the Portland Trailblazers (21W/59L).  The questions remain:  where will we finish and who will we face first?  The Warriors now sit at 10 games over .500 after a 8pt win over the Trailblazers.
Based on team records, I had predicted a mid double-digit win by the Dubs.  What I didn’t know was the Dubs would be without two of the core three:  Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were both sidelined with sore knees.
The final score in this game:  100 to 92 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors starters played just well enough to beat a poor team. The Trailblazers are 21W / 59L this year.  The Warriors bench depth again kept them in the game and helped with the win in clutch time (the last five minutes of a game).
Regular Season Record – (45 Wins – 35 Losses)
Game 80:  Warriors 100 / Trailblazers 92
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a mid double digit win for the Dubs, but was almost a disaster from the start.  The Trailblazers played a fast paced game and seemed to surprise the Dubs with both a full-court press and a well played zone.  The Dubs lost their three-point shooting touch which won the previous game (against the Lakers) and the constant turnovers (16) kept giving the Trailblazers opportunities to stay in the game.
The Trailblazers played a decent enough game given they don’t have a very good defense and ours held them under 40% in shooting.  The game was closer than it (probably) should have been because of the above mentioned turnovers and the fact the Dubs had over 20 fewer shot attempts than the Trailblazers.
Conclusion:  Steph Curry (22pts) lead the team in points, but (I felt) he got them late – which won the game, but made his effort “look” unimpressive.  Had Curry made a few of his attempts (8 of 22) early in the game, the game might have been decided much earlier.  Wiggins, Kuminga and Jackson-Davis also finished in double figures.  In the end, the difference was defense and blocked shots (13 for the Dubs to only 3 for the Trailblazers).
Game 81 is tomorrow (Friday) against the New Orleans Pelicans (48W/32L) in SF…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a mid- to high- single digit loss by the Dubs.  This is really a tougher projection than it should be because the Pelicans are 5W / 5L in their last 10 games, while the Warriors are 9W / 1L in out last 10 games.
With only two games remaining, the Warriors are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings in the standings for eight (Kings), ninth (Dubs) and tenth (Lakers) place(s)…  If the Dubs can win out and if Los Angeles and Sacramento lose one more game (each) we will end up with home court advantage for at least one playoff game.
Now, if we can just win out…
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On This Day In:
2023	Eight Best Things
2022	A Little Epiphany
2021	Clear Global Standards
	A Girl Like You (Sauvecito)
2020	Life’s Mysteries
2019	I Doubt I Ever Will
2018	Who Will Thank (If Not Remember) Me
2017	Reinforced Learning
2016	I Choose To Believe
2015	What They Don’t Teach You At School
2014	Still Trying To Die (5)
2013	Honest Doubt
2012	Choice
2011	Ownership Of Thought

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2023 Warriors: Game 79 Win (Record: 44W-35L)

Game 79 is in the books – and the regular season is down to three games – one away and then the last two at home…  The Warriors defeat the Los Angeles Lakers (45W/35L).  Now, the questions are where will we finish and who will we face first?  The Warriors are at 9 games over .500 after a 14pt win over the Lakers.  Based on team records, I had predicted a low single-digit win by the Lakers.  What I didn’t know was the Lakers would be without their second best player – Anthony Davis, who was poked in the eye during their last game.
The final score in this game:  134 to 120 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors starters played well from the start.  We shot the lights out with Draymond Green shocking everyone with 5 of 6 from the three point arc.  (He hit the first five in a row!)
Regular Season Record – (44 Wins – 35 Losses)
Game 79:  Warriors 134 / Lakers 120
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a low single digit win for the Lakers, but was almost a laugher from the start.  The Lakers played a bit “off” without their dominant center (Davis) and fell behind early.  They never caught up.  Interestingly, it was Warrior outside shooting which dominated the scoring / game.  I would have expected the Dubs to take advantage of a backup center and attack the paint.  But, we really did not.
Despite the score, the Lakers played well.  It’s just the Dubs were hitting three’s at +60% and hit a near team record of them.  On a good night, a team may hit 45% of their 3pt attempts;  50% is considered a very good game.  We also hit 58.8% overall for field goals, so even the normal 2pt shots were falling today.
Conclusion:  Steph Curry (23pts, 6 for 6 for 3pts shots), Klay Thompson (27pts, 5 for 10 for 3pts shots) combined for 50pts.  Two of the other four starters (Draymond and Wiggins) got double figures in points and Chris Paul and Brandin Podziemski had double figures coming off the bench.  Jonathan Kuminga (8pts) looked rusty for someone who was very good in our last game.  He looked quick and springy, but his shooting touch was a bit off.
Game 80 is Thursday against the Portland Trailblazers (21W/58L) in Portland…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a mid double digit win by the Dubs.  If the Dubs can win out and if Los Angeles losses one more game we will flip play-in positions as we have the tie-breaking advantage in head-to-head match-up.
With only 3 games remaining, the Warriors are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss standings (LA is one game ahead on wins) and we have secured at least 10th place in the conference.  We are also two game behind the Sacramento Kings and two games behind the Phoenix Suns and three games behind the New Orleans Pelicans…
Now, if we can just win out…
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On This Day In:
2023	GPS
2022	And Do The Right Thing…
2021	Rational Response
	This Can’t Go On (Evil Ways)
2020	A Different Premise
2019	Can Too
2018	To Get Strength
	Drip, Drip, Drip
2017	Bricolage Art
2016	Just A Shame
2015	Treasures Of The Mind
2014	Not Quite Exceeded Reach
2013	Who’s Side?
2012	Why I Joined The Army And Not The Navy…
2011	Is It Your Turn Yet?
	Just Trippin’

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2023 Warriors: Game 78 Win (Record: 43W-35L)

Game 78 is in the books – and the regular season is winding down…  The Warriors defeat the Utah Jazz (29W/49L) and Houston Rockets lose in overtime (to the Mavs) to lock in our appearance in the play-in tournament (at least).  Now, the questions are where will we finish and who will we face first?  The Warriors are at 8 games over .500 after an 8pt win over the Jazz.  Based on team records, I had predicted a mid double-digit win by the Dubs.  The Dubs were up by 23pts before we took our foot off the gas and began resting players.
The final score in this game:  118 to 110 in the Mavs favor.  The Warriors starters played well from the start.  We began the game blowing the Jazz off the court.  Jonathan Kuminga was back from his knee soreness.  Steph Curry took his place on the bench with a “rest” day.  He was joined by Andrew Wiggins who suffered a turned ankle late a couple of games ago and was also rested tonight.
Regular Season Record – (43 Wins – 35 Losses)
Game 78:  Warriors 118 / Jazz 110
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a mid-double digit win for the Dubs, but was almost a laugher from the start.  The Jazz are in a “rebuilding” year and are a young, energetic team which lacks at least one dominant player.  Without at least one big “star” it’s very difficult to compete in the West Conference (let alone the NBA).
Had this game “really” mattered, the Warriors could have won by 30pts.  The Jazz just didn’t display enough defense to be competitive.
Conclusion:  With Curry out, Klay Thompson had to take up the load and he had an excellent game with 32pts in 28mins.  (He sat out much of the second half.)  Three of the other four starters got double figures in points and Kuminga added 21pts coming off the bench.  Kuminga looked very good for someone who has missed the last several games.  His sore knee did not appear to be affecting his quickness or his jumping ability.  That’s VERY good news…
Game 79 is Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers (45W/33L) in SF…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a low single digit win by the Lakers.  If the Dubs can win they will have a slight chance of flipping play-in positions.
With only 4 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 are also two games behind the Sacramento Kings and three games behind the New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns…
If we are able to win out…  AND if there are a tremendous number of breaks going our way (the others all lose at least three of their four remaining games), we have a chance of jumping out of the play-in round and directly into the playoffs.  That’s a BIG “if” and a BIG “and”…  It’s highly unlikely because all of the teams ahead of us have at least one game against each other which means we can’t make up ground for one of the teams in those games.  But, for the moment, I’m just happy the Dubs have made the play-in round!
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On This Day In:
2023	Given The Option
2022	Remember
2021	Now You’re 31…
	Versions: (Father And Son)  (My Way – Presley & Sinatra)
2020	Make A Fuss
2019	Hopefully, You’re Learning To Forgive
2018	Enjoy The Sunsets As Well As The Sunrises
2017	Enjoy
2016	I Got A Feeling
2015	Fiction Leading To History
2014	A Self-Correcting Process
2013	None But He Knows
2012	99% Are Demanding
2011	All In The Family
	Take Your Pick

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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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2023 Warriors: Game 76 Win (Record: 42W-34L)

Game 76 is in the books…  The Warriors defeat the Houston Rockets (38W/38L) and are now close to locking in their position in the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have climbed to 8 games over .500 after a 23pt(!) win over the Rockets.  Based on team records, I had predicted a high single-digit win by the Dubs.  LoL!!  They sure showed me!!
The final score in this game:  133 to 110 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors starters played an excellent offensive game, and were never behind from the first basket – winning all four quarters and the final score.  We were (again) missing one of our better players:  Jonathan Kuminga, who is still out with knee soreness.  Kuminga is tentatively scheduled in for our next game.
Regular Season Record – (42 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 76:  Warriors 133 / Rockets 110
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a single digit win for the Dubs, but was a laugher almost from the start.  The Rockets kept tossing up 3pt attempts and they kept missing.  Other than a horrendous night of turnovers (18) by the Warriors, the Rockets would have been blown out by the half.  Instead, the Warriors let the Rockets hang around until they got the difference under 10pts.  Then (like a light switched being flipped on), the Warriors remembered how to score and they put the game away.
Draymond Green played another superb game:  5pts, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal and 1 blocked shot!!  The stat line (again) does not reflect the impact Draymond had on the outcome of the game as his leadership of the defense made it suffocating for the Rockets.  With Kuminga out and Trayce Jackson-Davis playing center, Draymond is able to direct the defense and play free safety helping everyone with second level protection.
Conclusion:  Curry and Klay had the rare (this season) double star / “Splash Brothers” night and got  58pts between them (29pts each)!  Trayce Jackson-Davis got his first career 20pt game and the second string poured in 40pts.
Game 77 is tomorrow against the Dallas Mavericks (46W/30L) in Dallas…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a low single digit win by the Mavs.  The Mavs are 8W/2L in their last 10 games and are currently on a one(1) game winning streak.   The Dubs are now on our first 6 game winning streak of the season.  As unlikely as it seems, if we win out and the Mavs stumble, we could get close to them in the standings and they (or the Phoenix Suns) could fall into the play-in round.
This game location is a wrinkle caused by the earlier postponed games.  Basically, the location of the earlier Mavs game and this one were swapped to accommodate the rescheduling of the make-up game earlier this week.
With only 6 games remaining, the Warriors are one game 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.  Because the Western Conference is so tight this season, the Warriors can (still) displace them in 9th place.  It’s not likely, but it is possible.  Bottom line:  having beaten the Rockets tonight, if we close out playing .500 ball we are in the play-in at 10th place.  We are not yet a mathematical lock (yet), but we’re getting close.  To bump us, the Rockets need to win out and have us lose all but one.  Again, possible, but unlikely…  (But that’s why we play the games…)
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On This Day In:
2023	Takin’ A Lickin’
	Actually, It’s The Other Way Around
2022	If That’s What You Mean
2021	Awakening The Glow
	I Remember (In The Air Tonight)
2020	Golden Eagle
	Like #45: Incompetent Donald
2019	#45: Who Lost By Three Million Votes
2018	Torn Between Two Loves
	A Girl And A Boy
2017	I Think They Are Starting To…
2016	Living There
2015	Bookin’ West
	Beyond My Reach
	You Never Call Anymore…
2014	Winning?
2013	Still Inventing
2012	Motivated
2011	Waiting In Line At Starbuck’s

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2023 Warriors: Game 75 Win (Record: 41W-34L)

Game 75 is in the books…  The Warriors defeat the Dallas Mavericks (45W/30L) and are still clinging to their chance to make the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have climbed to 7 games over .500 after a 4pt win over the Mavs.  Based on team records, I had predicted a high single-digit loss to the Mavs.  LoL!!  I guess I need to show a little more faith…!!
The final score in this game:  104 to 100 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors starters played an okay offensive game, the second string were crushing and as a team we had a surprisingly good defensive game against a team which I don’t think they match up well with.  We were (again) missing one of our better players:  Jonathan Kuminga, who is still out with knee soreness.
Regular Season Record – (41 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 75:  Warriors 104 / Mavs 100
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a single digit loss for the Dubs.  The teams split the quarters:  we took 1st and 3rd, Mavs took 2nd and 4th, but we took the game.  The main reason:  our second string out-scored the Mavs second string to the tune of 39 to 13!!  26 points!!
Draymond Green played a superb game:  11pts, 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals!!  The stat line does not reflect the impact Draymond had on the outcome of the game (in the closing minutes) when he challenged a driver, forced a pass, turned back to block the shot his original man was taking, and recovered the blocked shot!!  One of the truly great defensive efforts I’ve ever witnessed.
Conclusion:  Curry and Klay had the rare double off night and got only 27pts between them.  Andrew Wiggins helped carry the offense with 23 points, and was very good to excellent on defense.  Wiggins drew Luka Doncic for most of the game and while Doncic got his (30) points, he wasn’t as dynamic in overall team play as he normally is.  (Doncic ended up with a triple-double, but he looked “mostly” contained for much of the game.)
This was the second of the two games which were postponed due to the sudden death of one of the Warriors’ assistant coaches earlier in the year.  This was a close game against a team with a better record and one we haven’t seemed to match up well with in the past.  Combining that with this game’s importance in the standings and it was a very good win!
Game 76 is Thursday against the Houston Rockets (38W/37L) in Texas…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a high single digit win by the Dubs.  The Rockets are 8W/2L in their last 10 games and are currently on a two(2) game losing streak.   A Dubs win will put us up 4 games ahead of the Rockets with 6 games to play.  Not yet sitting in the catbird seat, but at least a little breathing room.
With only 7 games remaining, the Warriors are one game 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, but it seems unlikely we’ll displace them in 9th place.  Given the two teams (Rockets and Dubs) recent playing record (Dubs are 6W-4L), it is still a possibility (downgraded from a near certainty) the Rockets will overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.  The slight edge the Warriors have is we hold the tie-breaker advantage so the Rockets need three more wins than us (in the final 7 games) to over-take and pass us for that last playoff position.  Bottom line:  if we close out playing .500 ball AND beat the Rockets, we are in the play-in at 10th place.  If either of those don’t happen, we’ll need a bit of luck to hold on and slip in.
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On This Day In:
2023	After You, My Dear
2022	I’ve Lost My Share
2021	You Decide
	A Dream And The Wind (Sailing)
2020	Making Me
2019	Inside Your Head
2018	Lingering Curiosity
2017	Just Kidding
2016	The Danger Of Walls
2015	Protection
2014	Let It Go
2013	Don’t Know And Not Telling
2012	A Challenge For Progress
2011	Dependent Difficulty

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2023 Warriors: Game 74 Win (Record: 40W-34L)

Game 74 (75) is in the books…  The Warriors defeat the San Antonio Spurs (18W/57L) and are still clinging to their chance to make the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have climbed to 6 games over .500 after a 4pt win over the Spurs.  Based on team records, I had predicted a Dubs blowout win of 15+pts.  LoL!!  We didn’t quite get there…  In fact, the game was almost a loss.
The final score in this game:  117 to 113 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors played an okay offensive game and a surprisingly good defensive game against a team which they over-matched.  We were missing one of our better players:  Jonathan Kuminga, who is still out with knee soreness.  They were missing two of their “better” players.
Regular Season Record – (40 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 74 (75):  Warriors 117 / Hornets 113
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a near blow-them-off-the-court win for the Dubs.  The Warriors lost three quarters 1 (27-34), 2 (25-26) and 4 (28-32), but won the 3rd quarter by enough (37-21) to carry the game.
Draymond Green played a superb game:  21pts, 6 of 7 – 2pt shots and 2 of 2 – 3pt shots, 3 of 4 free throws, 11 assists and 6 steals!!  (This game film could be a high-light reel for his Hall of Fame presentation.)  The Spurs Victor (“Wemby”) Wembanyama continues to look better each game I see him.  If they add a “great” guard or two otherwise good players to fit their puzzle, Wemby will start leading them deep into the playoffs starting next year.  Barring injuries, Wemby’s career looks to be the best thing since sliced bread AND night-time baseball.
Conclusion:  Curry got 33pts and four other Warriors got double figures (see D. Green above).  Wiggins regressed on offense, but was (just) ok on defense.  Fortunately, we were playing a team which was simply not very good.
Again, it is very difficult to judge the effectiveness of a middle of the pack team (the Warriors) when you are watching them play bottom of the pack teams.  The good news is the Dubs have won four of five on this road trip and they were able to finish off the teams they should have been able to beat.
Game 75 (76) is Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks (45W/29L) in SF…  This is the second of the two games which were postponed due to the sudden death of one of the Warriors’ assistant coaches earlier in the year.  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a high single digit loss by the Dubs to the Mavs.  The Mavs are 9W/1L in their last 10 games and are currently on a seven(7) game winning streak.   Again, a lot of this “guess” is presupposing there are no significant injuries AND the Dubs take the game serious.  Strangely, this season home court has not been the advantage it normally is for the Warriors.
With only 8 games remaining, the Warriors are one game below the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss standings and are still clinging to 10th place in the conference.  We face the Lakers one more time this season (in five games).  The Houston Rockets are right on our tail at two games behind us and we also have to face them again (in the game after the Mavs) before the end of the season.  Houston is 9W-1L in their last 10 games and have already lost their game today.  Given the two teams recent playing record (Dubs are 6W-4L), it is still now “just” a possibility (downgraded from a near certainty) the Rockets will overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.  The slight edge the Warriors have is we hold the tie-breaker advantage so the Rockets need three more wins than us (in the final 8 games) to over-take and pass us for that last playoff position.  Bottom line:  if we close out playing .500 ball AND beat the Rockets, we are in the play-in at 10th place.  If either of those don’t happen, we’ll need a bit of luck to hold on and slip in.
The scheduling of the second postponed game has been announced and is reflected on my season summary page…   Golden State Warriors 2023 Season Record
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On This Day In:
2023	Thanks For The Visit!
	Another Reason I Won’t Support #45 In 2024
2022	For A While
2021	The Cautionary Tale Of 6 January 2021
	When I Needed Sunshine (I’m A Believer)
2020	65K
	Burst Buds
	Faux News Viewers
2019	Tomorrow’s Bread
2018	Impeach 45: Make America Great Again
2017	Training Shoulders
2016	You Just Have To Care
	Day 4 – Blending
2015	My Slow Education
2014	Great Service
2013	You Really Should Wear More Sweaters
	Here I Am God
2012	The Serenity Prayer
2011	The Victory Of Life

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2023 Warriors: Game 73 Win (Record: 39W-34L)

Game 73 (74) is in the books…  The Warriors defeat the Charlotte Hornets (18W/55L) and are still clinging to their chance to make the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have climbed to 5 games over .500 after a 18pt win over the Hornets.  Based on team records, I had predicted a Dubs blowout win of 20+pts.  We didn’t quite get there…
The final score in this game:  115 to 97 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors played an okay offensive game against a team which over-matched.  We were missing two of our better players:  Jonathan Kuminga and Klay Thompson – both out with knee soreness.
Regular Season Record – (39 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 73 (74):  Warriors 115 / Hornets 97
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a blow-them-off-the-court win for the Dubs.  The Warriors looked to be in control of the game from the early going, and although the Hornets were able to close to 5pts at several points in the game, it never really looked like the Warriors would choke this game away.
Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney double-teamed in the middle as rim protectors and rebounders and Jackson-Davis was particularly effective in rolling to the basket for close in points including one spectacular left handed smash through dunk.
Conclusion:  Curry got 23pts, Wiggins got 20pts – and was “surprising” because he got them every-which-way:  3pt’ers, driving 2’s, and shooting 4 of 5 from the free point line.  Again, it was nice to see Wiggins doing it going both ways.  I said in my last game review that on offense, the “key” seemed to be getting Wiggins the ball earlier in the shot clock and allowing him to see the defense and “make or create”.   That did not seem to be an issue in today’s game.  He shot well early in the clock and late (ie. winding down to “0”).  Again, the Warriors had five players in double figures.
It is very difficult to judge the effectiveness of a middle of the pack team (the Warriors) when you are watching them play bottom of the pack teams.  The good news is the Dubs have had three straight wins against teams they’ve managed to keep under 100pts.  While that may not be a “big” deal against the Hornets, it’s a pretty big thing against two teams (Heat and Magic) which both seem to be playoff bound.  And, we beat them all on their court(s).  The old saying is:  “Defense Travels…”
Game 74 (75) is Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs (17W/56L) in Texas…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be another blow-out win for the Warriors, with us winning by 15+pts.  Again, a lot of this “guess” is presupposing there are no significant injuries AND the Dubs take the game serious.  Victor “Wemby” Wembanyama will get his points for the Spurs.  The question is:  can the Dubs shut down the other Spurs?
With only 9 games remaining, the Warriors are one game below the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss standings and are still clinging to 10th place in the conference.  We face the Lakers one more time this season (in five games).  The Houston Rockets are right on our tails at one game behind us and we also have to face them again (in three games) before the end of the season.  Houston is 10W-0L in their last 10 games and are currently leading in tonight’s contest (as this is being written).  Given the two teams recent playing record (Dubs are 6W-4L), it is still almost a certainty the Rockets will overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.  The slight edge the Warriors have is we hold the tie-breaker advantage so the Rockets need two more wins than us to over-take and pass us for that last playoff position.
The scheduling of the second postponed game has been announced and is reflected on my season summary page…   Golden State Warriors 2023 Season Record
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On This Day In:
2023	Squeeze Your Opportunity
2022	Completely Reasonable To Worry
2021	Seeking Happiness
	Check Your Watch (Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is)
2020	Expectation For The Near Future
2019	Indian Myth
	Did He Even Have The Courage To Ask?
2018	Nothing
2017	Approval First
2016	In Search Of Words
	Day 2 – Blending
2015	At What Price?
2014	Intricate And Subtle Order
2013	Attention To Detail
2012	Aequanimitas!
2011	Consider This

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2023 Warriors: Game 72 Win (Record: 38W-34L)

Game 72 (73) is in the books…  The Warriors defeat the Orlando Magic (42W/30L) and are still clinging to their chance to make the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have climbed back to 4 games over .500 after a 8pt win over the Magic.  Based on team records, I had predicted a Magic win of high single digits.  …And, (once again!) that’s why they play the games!!!  The bad news is the Rockets are still winning, are only one game behind the Dubs, and they are nipping at our heels.
The final score in this game:  101 to 93 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors played a poor to fair offensive game against a team which has one of the best defenses in the Eastern Conference (and the league).  We had a (mostly) terrible shooting night and were particularly bad beyond the 3pt arc (10 made for 34 attempts).  Fortunately, the Magic were not much better (10 for 31).
Regular Season Record – (38 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 72 (73):  Warriors 101 / Magic 93
Initial Observations:  The game projected (by me) to be a relatively close win for the Magic.  The Warriors looked to be in serious trouble when Draymond Green was called for a technical foul and ultimately ejected from the game less than four minutes into the first quarter.  Add to that Jonathan Kuminga was not able to play due to a sore knee and it wasn’t looking good for the Warriors early on.
Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney double-teamed in relief for the missing Draymond and (surprisingly) the defense clamped down on the Magic and we got through the game looking strong against a much taller team.  The Magic were playing three guys at 6ft 10ins.  Basically, we out hearted them.  We just wanted it more and made more “energy” plays than they did.
Conclusion:  Curry got 17pts, Klay got 15pts but Wiggins was the surprise with 23pts – and most of them in the second half.  What was particularly nice to see was Wiggins did it going both ways.  He returned to being an outstanding defender and an offensive player capable of shooting from deep or driving to the basket.  The “key” seemed to be getting Wiggins the ball earlier in the shot clock and allowing him to see the defense and “make or create”.   Most of the time this season, Wiggins has been getting the ball with under 8-10 seconds left on the shot clock and he is therefore limited to just putting it up as best he could from wherever he is when he gets the ball.
The bottom line is the team must play hard-nosed basketball and win NOW.  We aren’t good enough this season to take minutes off during a game – let alone take a game off entirely.
Game 73 (74) is Friday against the Charlotte Hornets (18W/54L) in Charlotte…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a blow-out win for the Warriors, with us winning by 20+pts.  Again, a lot of this “guess” is presupposing there are no significant injuries AND the Dubs take the game serious.  The caution, of course, is that every team is still an NBA team and we can’t afford to look past a team with fewer than half the wins we have.  That attitude will get you a loss…
With only 10 games remaining, the Warriors are two games below the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss standings and are still clinging to 10th place in the conference.  We face the Lakers one more time this season.  The Houston Rockets are right on our tails at one game behind us and we also have to face them again before the end of the season.  Houston is 10W-0L in their last 10 games and are currently one of the hottest teams in the League.  Given the two teams recent playing record (Dubs are 5W-5L), it is still almost a certainty the Rockets will overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.  The slight edge the Warriors have is we hold the tie-breaker advantage so the Rockets need two more wins than us to over-take and pass us for that last playoff position.
The scheduling of the second postponed game has been announced and is reflected on my season summary page…   Golden State Warriors 2023 Season Record
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On This Day In:
2023	Folk Guitar
	Then We Probably Don’t Really Agree
2022	A Whole New Kind
2021	Yea, Spring!
	Smile On Your Brother (Get Together)
2020	Spoken And Shared
2019	Real Tools
	Three Cruelties
2018	United States
2017	Out Of Luck
2016	Wavelengths Of The Earth
2015	God Said What To You?
2014	Not Saying
2013	Ears And Tongue
2012	The Story Of Joe (Middle-Class Republican)
2011	Happy Birthday, Diana
	Depending On Kindness

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2023 Warriors: Game 71 Win (Record: 37W-34L)

Game 71 (72) is in the books…  The Warriors defeat the Miami Heat and are still clinging to their chance to make the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have climbed back to 3 games over .500 after a 21pt win over the Heat.  Based on team records, I had predicted a Heat win of 4pts to 8pts.  …And, that’s why they play the games!!!  The bad news is the Rockets have now won their ninth in a row, are only one game behind the Dubs, and they are nipping at our heels.
The final score in this game:  113 to 92 in the Dubs favor.  The Warriors played a fair to good offensive game against a team which was missing a couple of their best players.  More importantly, the Dubs played outstanding defense to not allow a serious comeback by the Heat in the second half.  The Heat fell behind, struggled get back to tie (small lead at the half) and then slipped and got mistreated at both ends of the court.
Regular Season Record – (37 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 71 (72):  Warriors 113 / Heat 92
Initial Observations:  The game projected to be a relatively close win for the Heat.  The Warriors came out aggressive and kept a modest lead over the Heat at various points through the first half, but ended up finishing down by 2pts to the Heat at the end of the half.  The Heat have one of the best defenses in the league this year and used it to stay close.  If the Heat had their best players available, they probably would have won this game going away.  They didn’t…
Basically, our superior second team kept pressuring the Heat until they were down by 10pts at the end of the third quarter.  The combined first and second strings then kept the gas pedal down and outscored the Heat by another 11pts in the fourth quarter to finish the game up by a solid 21pt difference.
Conclusion:  Curry got 17pts, Klay got 28pts(!) and Wiggins and Kuminga combined for 35pts between them.  The Warriors came into the game with heart and it showed for almost all of the game.  We gave the ball away (turnovers) 5 times in the first quarter, but then settled down and only gave up another 5 turnovers (10 total for the game) for the rest of the three quarters.  By the way, Klay got a rare start in this game.  He’s been relegated to the second string for most of this second half of the season.  He’s been good in that role, but he excelled in his return to tonight’s starting five lineup.
The bottom line is whether the team is playing with heart and making shots.  When the Dubs are doing both, they seem to have a key to beating age and the overall lack of team height.  And, of course, the Dubs were fortunate to not be facing the Heat’s two best players who were out with injury.
Game 72 (73) is tomorrow (Wednesday) against the Orlando Magic (42W/29L) in Orlando…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a high single-digit win for the Magic, with them winning by 8 to 10pts.  Again, a lot of this “guess” is presupposing there are no significant injuries AND the Dubs take the game serious.  Note:  other than at the start of this season, it’s been pretty rare for the Dubs to string together back to back great effort games – let alone consecutive wins against better teams.  This makes forecasting the game very difficult.
With only 11 games remaining, the Warriors are two games below the Los Angeles Lakers in the loss standings and are clinging to 10th place in the conference.  We face the Lakers one more time this season.  The Houston Rockets are right on our tails at one game behind us and we also have to face them again before the end of the season.  Houston is 9W-1L in their last 10 games and are currently on a nine(9) game winning streak.  Given the two teams recent playing record (Dubs are 4W-6L), it is almost a certainty the Rockets will overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.  But, as stated above:  that’s why they play the games…!!!
The scheduling of the second postponed game has been announced and is reflected on my season summary page…   Golden State Warriors 2023 Season Record
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On This Day In:
2023	Folk Guitar
	Then We Probably Don’t Really Agree
2022	A Whole New Kind
2021	Yea, Spring!
	Smile On Your Brother (Get Together)
2020	Spoken And Shared
2019	Real Tools
	Three Cruelties
2018	United States
2017	Out Of Luck
2016	Wavelengths Of The Earth
2015	God Said What To You?
2014	Not Saying
2013	Ears And Tongue
2012	The Story Of Joe (Middle-Class Republican)
2011	Happy Birthday, Diana
	Depending On Kindness

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2023 Warriors: Game 70 Loss (Record: 36W-34L)

Game 70 (71) is in the books…  The Warriors lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves and are now looking at failing to make the play-in tournament.  The Warriors have fallen to 2 games over .500 after a 4pt loss the Timberwolves.  Based on team records, I had predicted a blow-out Dubs loss of 20+pts – so at least we were well short of target for my guess.
The final score in this game:  114 to 110 in the Timberwolves favor.  The Warriors played a fair to good game (for us) against a team which was missing their best offensive player.  The Timberwolves fell behind, struggled back mid-way through the fourth quarter and then finished with a close win.  It was a game the Dubs would have won in another season.
Regular Season Record – (36 Wins – 34 Losses)
Game 70 (71):  Warriors 110 / Timberwolves 114
Initial Observations:  The game projected to be a relatively easy win (if not a blowout) for the Timberwolves.  The Warriors came out aggressive and kept a modest lead over the ‘Wolves through the first half of the last quarter.  The Timberwolves have one of the best defenses in the league this year and even though they gave away some shocking turnovers (particularly in the first quarter), the Dubs were never able to really establish a safe buffer lead.  Once again, being up by 12pts at some point in a game was not enough to win the game.  This season, the Dubs simply can’t be relied on to close out games.
Basically, superior defense kept the ‘Wolves in the game and their made 3pt shots (14 Dubs;  21 ‘Wolves) turned the corner for them.
Conclusion:  Curry got 31pts, Klay got 16pts and the Warriors had five players in double figures, but the points were too little and too late – especially at the end.  The Warriors didn’t come into the game obviously listless or tired, but they (to my eyes) simply lack the energy, height, length and athleticism to compete with the better teams this season for a full 48 minutes.  Even when the opponent lacks their star offensive player, the Warriors are barely competitive for the entire game.  That’s not to say they can’t summon the “heart” for any single game, just not for any game in particular.
My bottom line is (until demonstrated otherwise) the Warriors are aging and on the decline.  They do not appear able to compete this year.  Perhaps if they can get a couple of talls with length as trades or as rookie sensations they’ll be able to get one more championship out of their Big Three (Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green), but it certainly looks to me as if the window has closed…
Game 71 (72) is Tuesday against the Miami Heat (39W/32L) in Miami…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a middle single-digit win for the Heat, with them winning by 4 to 8pts.  Again, a lot of this “guess” is presupposing there are no significant injuries AND the Dubs take the game serious.
With only 12 games remaining, the Warriors are statistically below the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings and are now clinging to 10th place in the conference.  The Houston Rockets are right on our tails at one game behind us and we have to face them again before the end of the season.  Houston is 9W-1L in their last 10 games and are currently on an eight(8) game winning streak.  Given the two teams recent playing record, it is almost a certainty they’ll overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.
The scheduling of the second postponed game has been announced and is reflected on my season summary page…   Golden State Warriors 2023 Season Record
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On This Day In:
2023	What My Dog Thinks About Her Daily Walk… (The 59th Street Bridge Song, Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast)
	Still Sunny
2022	Following His Own Path
2021	Show A Brother Some Love
	Beyond Words (Classical Gas)
2020	Especially You, Bro
	Words Without Explanation
2019	Enjoy!
2018	Happy Birthday, Bro!
2017	Love Can Change The World In A Minute (What Do I Know)
2016	60, Little Bro!
2015	Vision and Courage
2014	58 – Little Bro
2013	New Adventures And Old Hopes
	Caving In
2012	Bits And Bobs And Birthdays
	Always Hope
2011	Wet Snow And Long Hills

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2023 Warriors: Game 69 Loss (Record: 36W-33L)

Game 69 (70) is in the books…  The Warriors lost to the Indiana Pacers and are now looking at failing to make the play-in tournament. The Warriors have fallen to 3 games over .500 after a 12pt loss the Pacers.  Based on team records, I had predicted a relatively easy Dubs loss of 10 to 14pts – so I was pretty much on target with my guess.
The final score in this game:  123 to 111 in the Pacers favor.  Basically, the Warriors played a mediocre game against a team which wasn’t going to go away if you jumped on them.  The Pacers fell behind, struggled back and then finished with a comfortable win.  It could have been a larger margin of victory, but they took their foot off the gas to cruise through the final 7-8 minutes of the game once it was well in hand.
Regular Season Record – (36 Wins – 33 Losses)
Game 69 (70):  Warriors 111 / Pacers 123
Initial Observations:  The game projected to be – and ended up being – a relatively easy win for the Pacers.  The Warriors came out aggressive and kept pace with Indiana through the first half.  In fact, the Warriors were briefly up by double figures before closing out the first half ahead by only one point.
Up by 1pt at the half, the game was never again close as the Warriors went on another cold spell and were just unable to hit shots.  The Pacers height and length scared the Warriors out of drives into the paint, and, when reduced to mostly three point attempts, the Warriors’ shooting legs weren’t there.  The shots mostly missed and the Pacers ran the ball back the other way and repeatedly scored uncontested baskets.
Conclusion:  Curry got 25pts, Klay got 17pts and the Warriors had six players in double figures, but the points were mostly too little and too late.  The Warriors “legs” and “heart” just weren’t there tonight and the Pacers out-quicked and out-hustled us for three quarters and a win which was not as close as the score might seem.  The Pacers let us back within 8pts a couple of times in the fourth quarter, but it was illusory.
Anyway, as stated earlier – not enough effort, poor team play, and turnovers resulted in another loss.  The Warriors were in the “bonus” for most of the last 6 minutes of the game yet failed to capitalize because we just would not drive into the paint to create contact while shooting.  The two teams kept exchanging possessions, but we failed to stop the clock and simply ran out of time.
Game 70 (71) is Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves (48W/22L) in Minneapolis…  Based on the teams relative won-loss records, the game promises to be a double-digit win for the Timberwolves, with them winning by 20 to 25pts.  Again, a lot of this “guess” is presupposing there are no significant injuries AND the ‘Wolves take it easy on us.  If not, they could probably beat us by 25 to 30pts.  You have to play the game, but it seems like a very long shot that we are even competitive in this game.
With only 13 games remaining, the Warriors are statistically below the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings and are now clinging to 10th place in the conference.  The Houston Rockets are right on our tails at two games behind us and we have to face them again before the end of the season.  Houston is 9W-1L in their last 10 games and are currently on a seven(7) game winning streak.  There is a very real possibility they’ll overtake us for the 10th playoff (“play-in”) position.
The scheduling of the second postponed game has been announced and is reflected on my season summary page…   Golden State Warriors 2023 Season Record
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On This Day In:
2023	One’s Seal Of Approval
2022	Make It Easy
	On A Lighter Note
2021	I Hope Not
	Diggin’ It (Grazing In The Grass)
2020	Organized Skepticism
2019	An Interest In Life
2018	Two: A Current President With Both
2017	Watch This Space
2016	Beyond The Foundation
2015	Become An Affliction
2014	Just Setting Out
2013	Scott’s Inscription
2012	Good Knowledge
2011	Social Safety Nets

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