Stephless in Houston?

After outscoring Houston in the first quarter all by himself in the first game of the playoffs, Steph Curry left the action later in the game with an ankle injury that also kept him out of the second.  Golden State won both.  The difference was that they blew out Houston early in the first, but pulled significantly ahead late in the second.

Without Steph, they need tighter ball control and defense, and they need Klay Thompson and at least one other shooter to get hot.  They got all of that in the second game, and more.

Now the series moves to Houston, and Steph wants to play in the third game.  Will he?  Nobody associated with Golden State, including fans, would be upset if he didn't.  The ankle has to be strong, not just playable, because further injury might be disastrous.  Steph wants to stay sharp, and the team would probably like to sweep.  But a return for the fourth game on Sunday wouldn't bother anyone, regardless of what happens in the third game.

Whether Houston even wants to play is an open question.  Harden and Howard are not destined to be teammates much longer.

In baseball, both the Pirates and Giants have significantly cooled off since their fast starts.  Right now if the Giants didn't have bad luck, they wouldn't have any luck at all.  They held veterans back in spring training to prevent injuries, which seemed to work--for a week or so.  Now they are hit hard by injuries, particularly among relief pitchers, and their veterans show some signs of rust, with less than stellar fielding and pitching.

But two games lost on double play balls that were instead errors, and then a game that was won with the closer on the mound and just one strike to go but eventually lost in 11 innings?  That's just weird.

Romo and Kontos are on the DL.  Chris Heston was apparently so ineffective in short relief that he was sent down.  The bullpen is getting younger fast.  So far the new starting pitching acquisitions are doing well.  The lowly flu is hampering Bumgarner still, and the veteran back end of the rotation is having a rough time, as was feared.  But Matt Cain giving up three runs really doesn't matter if the Giants can't score at all.

#24 and #73

What an amazing night for basketball fans.

It was the wonder of the past and of the future, both dazzling in the present moment.

After 20 years, Kobe Bryant played his last NBA game Wednesday night. Older and coming off injuries, his farewell tour performances were often cameos, in the worst Lakers season in their history, breaking last year's record.  But in several games late in the season, there were flashes of the old Kobe.  He scored in the 30 point range a few times.

Wednesday the Lakers were playing Utah, a team that until game time was hoping for a playoff berth, but Houston had nabbed it.  The Lakers players fed Kobe the ball and urged him to shoot just about every time down the court.  But these advantages mean nothing unless you make the baskets.  And Kobe did.  Drives to the hoop, steals and one-man fast breaks, and three pointers.  He hit two three pointers in the last minute and a half of the game, to give the Lakers their first lead.  And improbably, they won.

Even more improbably, Kobe Bryant had scored 60 points in his last NBA game, 23 in the fourth quarter alone.  Nobody his age had ever scored even 40 in their last NBA game.  Kobe, who once scored 81 and had a string of 50 plus nights, hasn't scored 60 since 2009.  He retires as the NBA's third leading scorer.  He was praised before the game by Magic Johnson.  He even hugged Shaq, who was one of Kobe's former teammates on hand for the occasion.

Now Kobe is past.  But the future is at Golden State.

The Golden State Warriors won their 73rd game, breaking the single season record for victories nobody thought would ever be broken.  They had to win their last four games to do it, including two against another team having a remarkable year, the San Antonio Spurs.

Steph Curry scored 46 points, including 10 three pointers.  The record for 3 pointers in a season was set last year (by Curry) at 289.  Earlier this season Curry became the first NBA player to hit 300.  And Wednesday, he became the first to hit more than 400.  He finished the regular season with 402.

This storybook season ended where it should have, at home at Oracle Arena.

Next weekend the Warriors begin the playoffs as the top seed, beginning their quest for a second championship in a row.   That's their immediate future, with a pretty bright future as a team.

What a night for basketball.

#72

It had to be the most important regular season win in Golden State Warriors history that didn't have direct playoff implications.  Their victory over the Spurs in San Antonio meant they tied for the single season victory record of 72 wins.  They cinched the first time in NBA history that a team did not lose two games in a row, and/or without losing twice to the same team.

Their victory in San Antonio was Golden State's first since 1997, and it ended the Spurs' bid to become the first team to win out at home (though they could still tie the record for the most home wins in a season.)  The Warriors also set an NBA record with 34 road wins in a season.

Though the game had no direct playoff implications--it didn't change the seeding etc.--it sent a powerful message to the Spurs.  The Spurs lost three times to the Dubs this season, including twice in three games. The Warriors beat them despite playing a tough game less than 24 hours earlier, in Memphis.  The Spurs can no longer count on beating them at home.  And it told the Warriors that with Bogut in the lineup, they can be competitive with the Spurs even in San Antonio.

Bogut's presence was crucial, but it was Green's defense and a return to shooting form and audacity by Steph Curry that made the difference in today's game.  Other players like Thompson and Barnes made key shots--and generally it was the kind of team effort that is the Warriors at their best.

One victory like this changes the story.  Recent struggles can be seen as learning experiences, partly due to reintegrating players back from injuries.  A victory like today's reignites the confidence that can buoy them through the playoffs.

Especially if they come out with crispness and confidence to defeat Memphis when they go for the record 73rd win at their home arena on Wednesday.  As unlikely as that possibility may have sounded at the beginning of the season, or a few days ago.  Just think what it must be like to have tickets to that game!

And if you are counting, Steph Curry made 4 3s today, for a season total of 389. [Update: My math seems to be off here.  It was more like 392.] Reaching 400 is an unlikely but possible feat still, though the least meaningful of these records and benchmarks.  After all, nobody has even hit 300 before.

In San Francisco, Johnny Cueto learned some of the major advantages of becoming a Giant.  He had a terrible first inning against the Dodgers, giving up 5 runs.  But Bruce Bochy did not take him out.  Even in the fifth, with two men on and two out, Bochy did not pinch-hit for him, and his at-bat ended the inning in what had become a tight game.

After the first, Cueto settled down and pitched well for the next six innings but he had given up six runs.  Still, he left the field to a standing ovation.  It was his first game in San Francisco as a Giant, and how could he not feel welcomed by that?

The Giants came back fairly quickly in the game courtesy of homers by Buster Posey and Brandon Belt, then again on a homer by Angel Pagan, before Joe Panik broke it open with a double.  The Giants won 9-6, to take 3 out of 4 from the Dodgers.

A word about Pagan.  Some commentators watching him last season came to the opinion that he's washed up.  But as I noted here, he was playing hurt, and it hurt his play.  But he did it to help the team.  This year he was asked to play left field instead of center, and he has done that without complaint and so far with success.  His speed and power are back.  He's been instrumental in several wins so far.  Angel Pagan is a true Giant and a tremendous asset to this team.

The Great Escape

The Golden State Warriors won their 71st of the season with a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, and escaped Memphis with a one point win, 100-99.

It was another horrible shooting night for Steph Curry, and by now this repetition might be concerning for the playoffs.  He was especially off on 3s, going into the locker room at half time with five misses and no made 3.  He made a crucial one in the fourth quarter, but in the last seconds he had two opportunities to seal the win and missed them both.  He ended up with 3, barely continuing his streak of games with made 3s, and making the mark of 400 in a season less likely.  (He's at 385, so it's not impossible.)

But he contributed in other ways, with assists, and in the final seconds, on defense. It looked as though he blocked or altered what could have been the winning shot.

Steve Kerr held Andrew Bogut out, and that makes the victory more impressive because Bogut has become so essential on both ends.  So Bogut will be fresh for San Antonio, where he did not play last time because of injury, and his absence was crucial in that loss.

So Golden State can still make history, and they will need to make a bunch of it on Sunday, handing the Spurs their first home loss of the season, and breaking their own decades-long losing streak in San Antonio.  If they do, they will tie the single season record for wins, with a chance to break it at home, against that Memphis team they barely beat today.

The San Francisco Giants almost escaped with another win over the Dodgers--they were leading 2-1 in the ninth with one out and a double-play ball on its way to the day's second baseman Kelby Tomlinson.  But it was starting to rain again in a rain-delayed game, and the ball was doing funny things in the wet infield.  It took just one weird bounce to tie the game, and the Dodgers--who had left runners in scoring position all day--finally cashed one in, and eventually won 3-2.

Neither Bumgarner nor Kershaw got a decision.  Kershaw pitched the more efficient game but Bumgarner showed flashes of his typical dominance, and left with the lead.  Part of that lead came from what everybody will talk about from this game--Bumgarner's laser shot home run off Kershaw, the only pitcher to ever ding him more than once.

The 4-0 Pittsburgh Pirates lost their first game of the season, with ace Gerritt Cole again failing to beat Cinncy.

Wild MLB Night, Unfair NBA sked

Think you've seen it all?  On Friday the San Francisco Giants played 10 innings, got not a single, not a double, not a triple, and won the game against the LA Dodgers 3-2.  They were no-hit for 7 plus innings.  They got just two hits in total, but they both happened to be home runs.

Ross Stripling, the Dodgers afterthought of a fifth starter, starting his first MLB game, dazzled the Giants.  He had a no-hitter going in the 8th.  But he was showing signs of wildness and after he walked Pagan on his 100th pitch, new Dodgers manager Dave Roberts took him out, reportedly on front office instruction.

The next batter was second string catcher Trevor Brown, brought up in late summer for a look last year, and who won the backup job in spring training.  He had never hit a major league home run.

But if you've noticed, the 8th inning is home run inning for the Giants this year. And Brown lofted one off reliever Chris Hatcher.  When you're being no-hit, a 2-0 score against you looks huge.  One swing and the game was tied.

Shortly afterwards Roberts went nuts and got thrown out of the game.  The Dodgers had chances but couldn't score.  First batter in the bottom of the 10th was Brian Crawford, who smoked an opposite field line drive over the left field fence.  Game over.

Roberts' decision was the butt of jokes on the Internet even before then.  In baseball terms he was trying to save the arm of a young pitcher who had never even approached 100 pitches before.  But imagine the noise in LA this weekend.

Lost in the fireworks (and there were scheduled fireworks at the Giants yard) was a strong start by Matt Cain.  He kept the Giants in the game through 6.

This game was played in the mist and rain.  The Pirates played in frigid Cinncy.  They fell behind but were powered to the win by Sterling Marte's first grand slam. His swing on this was beautiful.  Wearing a black face mask against the cold, he looked like Batman or maybe the Lone Ranger rounding the bases.

Tomorrow the Giants go for the sweep with Madison Bumgarner against Kershaw. More good news for the Giants--agreement on a long-term contract for first baseman Brandon Belt.

In the NBA, the SA Spurs played their subs in Denver and almost but not quite pulled off the win.  But the loss coupled with the loss at Golden State in their previous game means that the Warriors are the only team not to lose two in a row so far this year.

The Warriors play in Memphis Saturday and in San Antonio Sunday.  This is their second game in San Antonio this year, and the second time it is the second of road back-to-back games.  When the Spurs went to Golden State in January, they had two days off after their game a few hundred miles away in LA.  They had a day off before the Warriors came to San Antonio--the Warriors played in Dallas the night before.  They had a day off between road games when they came to Golden State on April 7.  And they will have a day off between a road game and their home game against the Warriors on Sunday.  Don't seem fair, do it?

#70 and #1

Golden State Warriors with a "convincing" win over the Spurs became the second team in NBA history to record their 70th victory in a season.  Perhaps more importantly, they secured the #1 seed and home court throughout the playoffs.

They also avoided back to back losses, and Steph Curry's shooting recovered. They took advantage of a Spurs injury to run a big lead.

These teams each have a game with another opponent before they meet again in San Antonio.  The Warriors visit S.A. again one day after a game in another city.  According to their coaches, the Spurs will rest their starters for the next game (in Denver) before returning them against the Warriors at home.  Popovich says this strategy has nothing to do with the opponent, nor the home winning streak.  Sure.  Right.

However, with the #1 seed accomplished, the Warriors will meet as a team Friday to decide if any of the starters will be held back from the next three games.  If it is up to the players (and it seems to be at the moment) then it's not likely.

So Golden State has to beat Memphis twice, a dangerous team and the kind that the Warriors have fallen to this season.  In between, a day after their game in Memphis Saturday, they go to San Antonio.  They must win out to break the record. Smart money is on them losing in San Antonio (although if they run out to a big lead, those Spurs starters might get another rest.)  But if the Warriors win in San Antonio Sunday it could well be the biggest regular season victory in their history.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants took their home opener against the Dodgers.  The Dodgers had shut out the Padres for their first three games, and in this game were an inning shy of the record for consecutive shutout innings to open the season.  But once the Giants scored, they kept on going, and won 12-6.  Hunter Pence hit a grand slam in the eighth (their big homer inning so far this year), Joe Panik tripled, Kelby Tomlinson had a pinch hit single, and the Giants had 17 hits. Jake Peavy started, had 5 labored innings, and Chris Heston won in relief.

Game On

It's game on at Oracle tonight.  Both the Warriors and Spurs have big stakes to play for, and the word is that the Spurs will not rest its starters.  The Warriors must win out to get the single season record, but the higher stakes are the top seed in the playoffs.  The Spurs can help their cause by beating the Warriors twice, starting tonight.

Also on the line: the Warriors have not lost two games in a row this season, though now they've lost two out of their last three.  The Spurs also haven't lost back to back (though they also have lost two out of three during the season, but not recently.)

Everyone will be watching Steph Curry.  Was his horrendous shooting night against Minnesota a fluke, or is he facing shooting woes the equivalent of his miraculous shooting for most of the season?

Fascinating that while the Warriors broke several regular season records already, the Spurs may quietly break some significant ones that the Warriors couldn't.  They still can win out at home for the entire season (while the Warriors have recently lost twice), and tonight the no back-to-back losses record is in play for the Warriors.

Baseball: The Giants sent their first off-season pitching acquisition to the mound yesterday.  Jeff S. pitched smart and even without his best stuff managed a 3 run no-decision (the Giants ultimately lost 4-3.)  But that was better than the pitcher he essentially replaced, Mike Leake.  Leake (who got a humugous contract) started for the Cardinals for the first time, in Pittsburgh, and had a terrible game.  He walked in a run and was otherwise ineffective as the Pirates swept their central division rivals (one of them anyway).

Train Wreck at Oracle; Giants, Pirates Looking Good

It had to be one of the worst shooting nights of Steph Curry's life, as he not only had a horrendous first quarter but blew shot after shot in the fourth quarter and in overtime, and the Warriors suffered a stunning defeat vs. Minnesota.  It was the first time this season that they've been ahead by 15 points at any time of the game, and lost.

Now the 73 win season looks much farther away--they have to win out, which means winning two games against the Spurs, one of them in San Antonio.  And two games over Memphis, a depleted team which nevertheless shocked the Bulls who are (or were) fighting for a playoff spot.

Thanks the gods for baseball starting.  The San Francisco Giants are undefeated!  They won their first game on hitting and the second on impressive pitching.  The front office look like geniuses since a lot of the hitting was done by acquisition Denard Span, and the pitching by acquisition Johnny Queto.  The whole team looks good--but they are playing Milwaukee, expected to have a terrible season.

The Pirates are also undefeated but their record is even more impressive because they've won their first two games against division rival St. Louis, the second in 11 innings.  And in the unusual cold at PNC Park.

In Sight

The Warriors scored 136--their highest point total of the season--to beat Portland for their 69th victory. Though it was close most of the way, the Warriors pulled ahead in the fourth with a tremendous burst that it seems only they are capable of. In the course of the game, Steph Curry hit the 1,000 3 pointer for the team this season, another record.  And they keep another record possibility in hand--no back to back losses.

Their next victory will be the one the Bulls chased 20 years ago: 70.  Only that Bulls team ever had more.

The interesting factor in this game was the return of Ezeli, who started in place of injured Bogut.  He did enough for them to win.  That's a good sign.

San Antonio won at home Saturday, and set a franchise record with their 64th win.
The Spurs also have not lost two games in a row this year, so it's entirely possible that this record will be broken by both teams.

The Spurs have but two remaining home games.  If they win them, they will be the first team to win out at home for an entire season.  One of those two is the Warriors, the other is Oklahoma.  Both teams have beaten them on their home courts.  For all the buzz about the Spurs resting players, can they pass up the opportunity to complete this record in the 3rd and second-to the last games of the year?  I'd be surprised if they did.  Their last game is at Dallas, and they can rest their starters then.  The Warriors on the other hand may well be playing for their 73rd win on the last day of the season, at home.

But the more intriguing possibility is this: if the Warriors win their home games against Minn. and the Spurs at home, and then their away game in Memphis, they will be playing for their 73rd win...in San Antonio.

And as the NBA season nears its end, it's time to play ball! on the MLB diamonds.  The traditional opener featuring St. Louis was on Sunday in Pittsburgh, won by their rival--and another of the elder franchises--the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1, on the dominant arm of Francisco Liriano.

The San Francisco Giants open in Milwaukee on Monday.  The team's biggest boast of the spring is that they emerged healthy.  It appears that some players--notably Denard Span--were brought along so slowly that they may need real games to get up to speed.  But the waiting is over.  Now it begins.

Wrinkles in Time for the Warriors-- and the Spurs

Golden State's loss to the Celtics on Friday night shakes up the rest of the regular season schedule, possibly for the Spurs as well as the Warriors.

The loss meant that the Warriors will not be the first team to win out at home for an entire season.  But the Spurs still can be.

The loss also means the Warriors must win one of its two remaining meetings with the Spurs to surpass the Bulls' season record by one game.

It also means that the Warriors will have to win one of its remaining two road games, either at San Antonio (where this Warriors team, like many before it, has not won) or in Memphis.  And of course, win out at home against Portland, Minnesota--and the Spurs.

What both the Warriors and to a lesser extent the Spurs do about resting their starters will likely be determined game-by-game by outcomes.  If the Warriors lose more than one game, Steve Kerr may well opt for rest.That will also depend on when the Warriors clinch the best overall record, giving them home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Which will also factor in whether or when the Spurs rest their vets.

Now the Warriors cannot tie the record by winning their home game against the Spurs.  That might lessen the pressure on the Spurs, and they might rest their veterans for that game.

But the game in San Antonio might be different.  If the Spurs haven't lost at home at that point, they would be highly motivated to go all out to win over the Warriors, so they can be the first team to win out for an entire season.  If the Warriors still have the 73 win possibility, they too will send out their starters.  But if either or both conditions don't pertain, this game may well be played by backups.

As for the Celtics game, the Warriors most prominent vulnerability was in evidence: turnovers.   Also the loss of Andrew Bogut in the second half allowed Boston to keep pace offensively.  Steph Curry and the team made adjustments to free Curry in the second half, but Klay Thompson was stifled--that's a problem.  Still, the tying shot rattled off the rim at the end of the gain, and there wasn't enough time for Curry to reload.  

In the end, of course, it's one game at a time.  And Sunday's game against Portland is no gimme, especially with Bogut listed as questionable, and neither Iguodala or Ezeili apparently ready to play.

Tonight's Challenge (Update: Met!)

As the season record gets closer, Golden State Warriors are doing what is expected of a great team--winning against inferior opponents at home.  (Although as more teams adopt their style of play, no game is safe.)  In a few hours they face one of the remaining obvious tests: less than 24 hours after their home victory Tuesday, they are playing in a different time zone and altitude, in Utah.  If they win this game, the record comes more than a game nearer.

After the game....

The Warriors victory over the Jazz in overtime may be their most significant win in months.  This was not only one of their biggest remaining tests of the regular season run at the record (and possibly their biggest), it may be their last playoff preview.

This is especially true if--as Tony Parker is saying--coach Popovich rests his starters in the remaining two Spurs games with the Warriors.  (Cautioning that such player statements have been tactical misdirections before. If the Spurs are still undefeated at home when the Warriors arrive, I don't see them giving that game away.)

This game showed two things.  The first is the basis of everything: the Warriors as a team have no significant weaknesses in their game. (Of course this game was not the first time this was exhibited.)  They can play defense, they can score in every way, they rebound, they steal, they block shots and they make their foul shots. They can protect the ball (though there have been more games lately when turnovers were higher than they should be.) And they are, as Steve Kerr likes to say, very competitive.  They will exploit any weakness of the other team.

The second is that even though they were playing at Utah altitude after getting there at 4 a.m. from a tough game at home, and were probably physically as well as mentally weary, they pulled up from their reserves the skills and effort to win.  The game in regulation was uneven, but they ran away with overtime--especially Steph Curry.  He wore the Utah defenses down.

 It all bodes well for the playoffs, and, oh yeah, the Record. It was their 68th win, the most in franchise history, one game shy of the Lakers record that the Bulls broke.  They can tie that one on Friday when the Boston Celtics come to Oracle Arena--a streaky team that's got a pretty good record, coming in for their second of a road back to back.

When They're 65

With Bogut back on the home court, the Warriors have returned to form in two victories to reach 65 wins--only the second team to do it for two years running, the first being the team that set a lot of records they're going for this year, the late 90s Chicago Bulls.  In these two games combined, the Splash Brothers (Curry and Thompson) scored more than 135 points.  

Having defeated both the Clippers and Mavs this week, the Warriors now have to guard against lack of concentration as they face clearly inferior opponents, beginning with the Sixers on Sunday.  Several players after the game noted that this sort of happened against Dallas (a likely playoff team), when an 18 point lead almost evaporated in the fourth quarter.

Then come the Wizards, who've been on a bit of a tear lately, and the trip to Utah.  The Jazz took down Cleveland last week and would dearly love to giant-kill GS as well.  The Warriors play Memphis and San Antonio twice more, home and away.  Boston, Portland and Minnesota are their other regular season opponents.  Put it this way--they have to lose 3 out of the remaining 10 to not break the record for most wins in a season.   If they keep winning, they will have the opportunity to tie the record against San Antonio at home.

The Last Ten

Are the last ten the hardest?  I guess we'll see.  The Warriors are at 63-7, after a loss in San Antonio and a close victory in Minnesota.  They have 12 games left, and must win 10 to break the season win record.  With each victory the percentages become better that they will.  Or seem to--because the pressure mounts, and the fatigue, and lately, the injuries.

The Spurs took advantage of Andrew Bogut's absence at center, and tried a new defense of quick switches, especially on Steph Curry.  When the Warriors saw Minnesota doing the same defense they were prepared, even without Bogut.  Curry had two bad shooting games in a row, but both games were close anyway.  The effort to beat them so exhausted the Spurs that for the first time all year they blew a 20 point lead and lost.

The Warriors go home and mostly stay there for 9 of the final 12 games.  But their first game back is a tough one--the Clippers, always out for blood against Golden State.  The Warriors play Dallas and the Spurs on this home stand, and go to Utah and finally to San Antonio.  Those are the five biggest challenges, on paper.  And it starts Wednesday with the Clips.  I'd feel better with Bogut back, but no word on that yet.  Still, the Clips are kind of reeling lately, and Blake Griffith is still out.

At Giants camp, another troubling injury, this time to catcher Trevor Brown, but again it doesn't seem serious.  Brown has a good chance of making the team, especially with Susac still bothered by a mysterious wrist problem.  Hard to evaluate pitchers at this point, but among the veteran position players, the best news appears to be Angel Pagan (hitting well, running better than in recent years, and fielding his new position in left) and Hunter Pence (3 homers, etc.)  Pence and Joe Panik healthy and back in form are confidence builders for sure.

One Down

With a fantastic late flurry in the fourth, the Warriors blew open what had been a close game against Dallas, winning 130-112.  It was yet another record-setter and record-tying performance.

Now the biggest challenge of the season so far: an overnight trip to San Antonio.  To make it more exciting, Andrew Bogut was injured and probably won't play against the Spurs.  That's the biggest personnel loss so far--especially against the Spurs, and especially on defense.

The Splash Brothers were both "on" in Dallas (combining for 70 points), and even though Steph Curry proved in Dallas that he's essentially unguardable, they'll both need to be on big time in San Antonio (which means a back to back big night for Klay Thompson) if the Warriors are going to do what they haven't done in this century, and what nobody has done in San Antonio this season: beat the Spurs in their own building.  If they do, it will be their most spectacular win of the season.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants have fans holding their breath as the injury bug that ate their season last year beginning in spring training has been biting again.  So far, nothing long term, but it's ridiculous.  Several veterans have lost playing time because of injuries, but the most maddening and ridiculous have been to two new Giants--pitcher Cueto throws one pitch and gets hit in the head with a line drive and in his first game playing center field  Denard Span injures his shoulder on the first fly ball hit to him.

But at least so far, the difference is that the injuries weren't serious.  Cueto survived without a concussion, Matt Cain recovered to pitch a great game today against the Padres, with four Giants homering, including Span.  MadBum has recovered from his two small injuries fast enough to start Saturday.

It's actually been a pretty good spring for the Giants, especially with eye-popping hitting by young players who will go back to the minors (or already have) but who make the Giants' future (in some cases, near future) look good.

None Bigger

Golden State finished its home stand still undefeated there, with 61 wins in all for the season so far, thanks to a drubbing of the New York Knicks on Wednesday.  Their home winning streak is at 50, as they keep extending the record.

But their biggest remaining challenge of the regular season is next: back to back road games at Dallas and San Antonio, Friday and Saturday.  One of their 6 losses came in Dallas, and they haven't won in San Antonio (which is also undefeated this year at home) in 20 years, not since the Spurs first featured Tim Duncan.

Plus the Warriors are missing two important pieces:  Andre Iguodala and Festus Ezeli, both injured.  They won't even make the trip.

The drama of the San Antonio game also has to do with that home winning streak.  No team has ever gone through the NBA season undefeated at home.  Right now Golden State and the Spurs are.  Counting this game, the Warriors have two games in San Antonio.  The Spurs have one more at Golden State.

As for the big record, the Warriors have 15 games left.  They must win 12 to break the 72 victory record. At this point, the Warriors are 4 games ahead of the Spurs for the best record this season, their number one goal since it affects the playoffs.  Every game is important.  But there are none bigger than the two this weekend.

There's That Way, and There's This Way

After some games that were shaky thrilling maybe more than they should have been, the Golden State Warriors got back on track, showing how they can beat you that way, and they can beat you this way.

That way was  vs. the Utah Jazz, a game in which the Warriors scored 115 but Step Curry had all of 18 points.  Curry however led the team in assists.

This way was more familiar, even classic: Klay Thompson and Curry combined for 71 of the Warriors' 128 points against Portland, Thompson with 37, Curry with 34.  But as a team, a season low 8 turnovers.  And a stifling defense against the team that beat them at their last meeting by more than 30 points.

45 and The 300

Monday night the Golden State Warriors broke the NBA record for consecutive wins at home with their 45th, and Steph Curry became the first player in NBA history to hit 300 three pointers in a season.  He scored 41, including seven 3s.

Whether it's a temporary lull or a return to reality, the Warriors aren't putting teams away early as they used to, but they still have the best record ever at this point in the season at 56-6.

Even after the Lakers' surprising victory over the Warriors Sunday, the L.A. Times did this story by Dylan Hernandez on why the Warriors are a great team.   He quotes Laker great James Worthy comparing the Warriors with the Magic Johnson Showtime Lakers (and Worthy was the speedster scorer on that team who I thought never got the credit he deserved.)  He recalled that the style of that team was brand new and basketball purists criticized them.  It took awhile--and winning championships--before their style of play was accepted.

You know, I'm just old enough to remember that.  Though I started watching the NBA with the Larry Bird Celtics, the Lakers soon captured my imagination, with Magic, Kareem and Worthy.  And I do remember that "Showtime" was at first a slur before it became a brand.  Following that Lakers team was frowned upon.  (Furtively following them was encouraged by the fact that the networks broadcast those playoff games on tape delay after the late news.)

The Warriors, Worthy points out, are playing in a new way now, and getting some heat from stars of previous generations.  The way to prevail now as then is to win championships.  Meanwhile, they are incredible to watch.  And for the same reason as the other great teams and players--their grace, doing what seems impossible.

Having made the playoffs, the Warriors quest now is the #1 seed in the West.  Their only serious competition is San Antonio, a team that in any other year would be making headlines for their season.  Their loss on Monday was only their tenth.

And the two remaining dangerous patches in the Warriors' schedule both involve the Spurs.  On March 18 and 19 they play back-to-back road games at Dallas and San Antonio.  Then they meet the Spurs in San Antonio again in the second game of a road back to back on April 10, this time with trip to Memphis on April 9.  This is after playing the Spurs at home on April 7.  (The Warriors are done playing the Thunder this regular season, having won all three of those games.)

And of course, these games are likely to figure in whether Golden State breaks the wins in a season record, currently held by the 1996 Chicago Bulls, at 72.  I remember that quest, too, with the Bulls looking weary as the record approached. It may be the hardest of all records to break.

Are You Stephin Kidding Me?

After two wins in Florida on back to back nights, the Warriors flew back across the country to Oklahoma to play the Thunder on Saturday night.  Recall that Steph Curry had a total of 93 points in those two games, and in the last one at Orlando he hit 10 3 pointers.

Besides San Antonio, Oklahoma Thunder are this year's strongest competition in the West.  Their two superstars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, were hitting on all cylinders for the entire game.  When Westbrook fell on Steph Curry, sending him to the locker room with a possible ankle injury, the game seemed lost.

It wasn't.  Curry returned and helped spark a comeback.  Even though the Thunder were up by 11 with 4 minutes left in the game, the Warriors tied it with no time left, on two foul shots by not their best foul shooter, Andre Iguodala.

They fell behind again in overtime, and again the game seemed lost with 14 seconds, and then with 7 seconds to play.  Then--well, except for all the shots that came before it, all those buzzer beaters from another galaxy far, far away--this would go down in history as The Shot.

But for Steph Curry?  Another night at the office.  A shot from outer space and the game was won.  This season for the Warriors and Steph Curry is transcending the history they are making--this is the stuff of myth.

As emerging Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis tweeted, "Is this real life?"

With that shot, Curry tied the single game record for 3s, with 12.  Something like 40% is considered pretty good for making 3s.  Curry's 12 came on 16 attempts. And those were about half of the 46 points he added to the road trip total. By the end of the game, Curry had broken his own record for 3s in a season and the Warriors clinched a playoff spot--with more than two months left in this season.

Now they're going home, where they are undefeated this year.

Here's the ESPN story with the video.  It's a keeper.

More on Curry from the New York Times.

Magic

Orlando hosted a game Wednesday but it was Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors who were Magic.  In back to back games on the road, the Warriors beat Miami and Orlando.  In those two games Steph Curry scored a total of 93 points, and broke the consecutive game record for at least one 3 pointer.  On Wednesday he had 10.  The Warriors have won 3 of 4 games on this road trip since the All Star Break.

His ten included another half court shot at the buzzer.  He does that so often it's like going to a Giants game in one of Barry Bonds record homer years--if you didn't see him hit one, you might feel cheated.  Now if you're lucky enough to get into a Golden State game, if you don't see Curry make a half court shot during the game, you might be disappointed.  But if you got there early, you certainly saw him make a few in warm-ups.

After they beat the Clippers, the LA Times sportswriter contrasted the two locker rooms.  The Clippers being tentative and a bit fractious.  But the Warriors, he wrote, don't just all like each other, they love each other.

That doesn't happen very often.  Which is part of this year's Golden State Magic.  52-5, on their way to Oklahoma Saturday.  Then home.

50-5

The Golden State Warriors became the fastest team to 50 wins in NBA history by beating Atlanta, which could be the start of several records between now and the end of the season.

They came out of the All Star break rusty and dropped their first road game of a challenging trip in Portland.  They rebounded with a victory over the Clippers the next night.  Then with just a travel day across 3 time zones, they hit the court running against Atlanta.  They lost big leads in both of their victories, so Steph got no rest in the fourth quarters.

Now they fly down to Florida for back to back games with Miami and Orlando, before another single travel day to cross time zones to Oklahoma on Saturday.  It's the most punishing trip of the year, and may determine a number of things for the remainder of the season, which they spent mostly at home, but with a quick rematch with Oklahoma and three games later with San Antonio.

To break the all-time victories for a season record they need to go 23-4 for the rest of the season.  They also have the all time record in consecutive home wins in their sights.  Why should they bother with these records instead of resting players for the playoffs?  One championship related answer is San Antonio, which is 47-9 and is riding their own consecutive home wins streak.  Golden State's goal is to give itself the best possible position in the playoffs, and that means holding the best record in the West.  So they'll be out to win every game for the foreseeable future. April is another question, to be answered by what happens this month and through March.