Warriors HQ

Dieter Kurtenbach breaks down the Warriors' big win over the Grizzlies with Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga leading the way. 

Dieter Kurtenbach breaks down the Warriors loss to the Knicks and why Golden State can't see itself as more than a bottom-of-the-play-in-tourney team.

Bay Area News Group NBA writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Wes Goldberg break down the Warriors' avenues to land Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Bucks were knocked out of the postseason. Plus: Wes gives us his scouting report on Anthony Edwards, who might fall to No. 2, and the guys discuss the latest happenings in the NBA bubble. 

The Mercury News' Dieter Kurtenbach and Wes Goldberg break down why Warriors consultant Steve Nash is the perfect hire for Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, take a lay of the new draft landscape and how Golden State can maximize their pick, and get lightyears ahead by finding ways to get Giannis to the Warriors

After a one-plus year hiatus, the Warriors HQ Podcast is back and better than ever. In this episode, Bay Area News Group sports columnist Dieter Kurtenbach (remember him?) is joined by not-exactly-new Warriors beat writer Wes Goldberg to discuss the Warriors landing the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and what they should do with it. (Yeah, a lot has happened over the last few months.) 

Game 6 was the final game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, an emotional and bittersweet occasion. The Warriors entered Game 6 without Kevin Durant, who tore his Achilles tendon — the worst injury in basketball — on Monday. And then, in the third quarter, they lost Klay Thompson to a knee injury that was later confirmed to be a torn ACL. The Toronto Raptors are worthy champions. Where does the team rate for next season and what can GM Bob Myers do to get the Warriors to the playoffs?

Can the Golden State Warriors get it back soon? With the Warriors facing a 3-1 series deficit to the Toronto Raptors, a few outcomes are in store should the Warriors fail to overcome this obstacle just as they did to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016 Western Conference Finals. The Raptors have looked better than the Warriors in nearly every aspect of the sport through four games of these Finals. And after their 105-92 win in Game 4 Friday, they’re up 3-1. The Warriors look like a shell of the team they once were — the team that they have purported themselves to be all season.

The Golden State Warriors’ 18-0 run in the third quarter gave them a 109-104 win over the Toronto Raptors and tied the NBA Finals series at 1-1 as the team's head to Oakland fro Wednesday's Game 3. The game did produce some injuries. Klay Thompson got a fourth quarter hamstring injury, Stephen Curry was fighting some kind of illness that resulted in dehydration and Kevon Looney sprained his collarbone. It is unknown how these injuries will affect the lineup on Wednesday.

The Warriors labored loss to the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals offered the latest evidence to a topic that should have been irrefutable even during the Warriors’ recent success without him. The Warriors are worse without Kevin Durant, who missed his sixth consecutive playoff game because of a strained right calf. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for a 16-of-35 clip from the field. Green’s fifth triple double of the postseason in points (10), rebounds (10) and assists (10) became diminished with six turnovers and five fouls. The Warriors had less of an answer for Toronto forward Pascal Siakam (32 points on 14-of-17 shooting) than Kawhi Leonard (23 points on 5-of-14 shooting). And the Warriors collected 27 fouls, committed 17 turnovers and conceded 17 points in transition.

Beat writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina break down what Game 1 of the NBA Finals holds in store for the Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors. 1:00 What’s the latest on Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins? 3:00 How will DeMarcus Cousins fare in return? 5:00 Can Warriors win without Durant? 8:00 Can Steph Curry win Finals MVP? 10:00 How do Warriors slow down Kawhi Leonard? 16:00 How do Warriors handle their center spot? 22:00 We share our Finals predictions 25:00 Why we're not making much of the regular-season matchups vs Raptors 29:00 Outro promo: The Klay Thompson Deal

Down by 5 at the half, the Golden State Warriors without Andre Iguodala, sweep the Portland Trail Blazers with a 119-117 overtime win. The Warriors will get a nine day rest before the start of the 2019 NBA Championship where they will play either the Toronto Raptors or the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Warriors found another gear for the third and fourth quarters of the all-important game at Moda Center in Portland. Draymond Green, Steph Curry, and Klay Thompson — who have effectively played six seasons worth of ball (if not more) in the span of the last five campaigns — all played more than 75 percent of the available second-half minutes of Game 3. They were pushed. When the Warriors entered the second half trailing again by double digits, Green’s energy and focus on both ends of the court dragged them back into the game.

Andre Iguodala may have stolen the game and the show in Golden State Warriors’ Game 2 win against Portland Trail Blazers. But beat writers Dieter Kurtenbach and Mark Medina instead dissect the Warriors defensive performance in Game 2 against the Blazers to crush a notion of Draymond Green as the most overrated player in the NBA. Defensive tactics don’t evolve as fast as offensive tactics, but ever since the Warriors started switching everything with Draymond Green-at-center lineups in Kerr’s first year as head coach, 2014-15, we’ve seen nearly every team in the league pick up the scheme.

What would have happened if the Warriors actually tried Tuesday? In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals Tuesday, Golden State turned in what was effectively a lax, regular-season effort. They still beat the Portland Trail Blazers by 22 points. What would have gone down had the Warriors played more than five, maybe 10 minutes of focused, playoff-caliber basketball? Would they have won by 30? What about 40? The Blazers just don’t have the players to match up with Golden State — even without Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins in the fold. On top of that, they don’t have the schemes to get the most out of the guys they have. Within the first few possessions of Game 1, it was clear that the Warriors would be able to coast to victory.

After the Warriors prevailed with a 118-113 Game 6 win over Houston to close out the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors showed this win meant much more than those forgettable ones in January. They yelled. They hugged. They expressed relief.This one felt good, Draymond Green said. I’m not going to go home and sugar coat it. This one felt amazing.' So amazing that Warriors coach Steve Kerr considered this 'one of the most satisfying victories we had' amid three NBA title runs in four years. So amazing that Curry said he feels 'damn proud of our team.'

The ball reached Kevin Durant’s hands. Eventually it reached Stephen Curry’s hands, too. That left Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni having some unpleasant thoughts creep into his mind. Fortunately for the Rockets, that nightmare did not happen. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Durant and Curry could not make a 3 to force overtime in a game they did not deserve to win, anyway. The Warriors lost, 112-108, to the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on Monday to tie the series at 2-2 and force a Game 6.

  01:20 “Warriors play ‘slog of a game’”   02:10 Death lineup start and injury review   03:05 Why this game was unwatchable: 24 fouls on Warriors, 21 fouls on Rockets   03:30 Harden’s flailing legs: ‘You can’t complain about getting burned when you’re moving closer to the stove’   05:20 Kevin Durant won the game by matching Harden’s ‘nonsense,’ which Harden is too skilled to need to wield   06:00 Rockets deserve to be ‘punished’ for the way Harden plays ‘every single game’   09:30 Harden ‘did not try to make his three pointer’ at end of the game, he ‘tried to go to the line for three free throws’   10:15 Why Harden’s style ‘makes a mockery’ of the NBA rules   11:00 Harden is ‘chief’ among players ‘actively searching for contact’ making the game about ‘watching litigation in real time’   11:30 Mike D’Antoni’s post-game ‘conniption’   12:10 The ‘conspiracy’ the Rockets believe favors the Warriors   13:50 New York should be ‘on watch’ about viewership loss to ‘unwatchable nonsense’   15:15 The case for Klay Thompson being ‘in the wrong’ on certain referee calls   16:30 ‘Crying wolf’ the whole game will lead to missed calls   17:20 The issue with making your game plan ‘let’s make the referees decide this entire game’  

The Clippers had no business winning one game over the Warriors in the teams’ first-round NBA Playoff series, but after Wednesday’s 129-121 victory, they’ve now claimed two — at Oracle Arena, no less — and Golden State will have to head back to L.A. to play another game in a series that should be long over. And while, yes, the Warriors should still be expected to advance past their Southland rivals — eventually — by failing their test Wednesday, they have now put themselves at a disadvantage heading into their inevitable rematch with the Houston Rockets, who advanced with a Game 5 victory of their own on Wednesday.

To prepare himself for a break-out game, Klay Thompson enjoyed some beach volleyball and then took a dip in the ocean. To prepare himself for a break-out game, Kevin Durant mostly relied on X’s and O’s. With their differing styles and personality, Thompson and Durant appeared in harmony just as their lead performer hit a few off notes. In the Warriors’ 113-105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday. Assuming the Warriors win the upcoming game versus the Clippers, a familiar foe is likely to meet them in the following round. Holding a 3-0 lead in their series, the Houston Rockets are one game away from sweeping the Utah Jazz. Game 4 in that series will take place on Monday. Although the series against Houston is not official, the team is aware of the potential of Rockets ending their series and getting a few extra days of rest before a potential second round playoff matchup versus the Warriors.

Don’t view the Warriors’ Game 3 victory as the team trying to prove a point. No, they were merely trying to restore order to a series that should have never been tied. With the lesson learned in Game 2 — where they had a 16-minute stretch where they, per Stephen Curry, “literally [forgot] how to play basketball”, resulting in choking away a record 31-point lead — still fresh in their mind, Golden State led Game 3 from the opening tip to final buzzer, winning 132-105. After a beat-down like that, let’s call this series what it is: over. The Warriors might only have a 2-1 lead on the Clippers in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series, but it’s near impossible to see a path for Los Angeles to win three of the next four contests. In fact, it’s quite difficult to see them winning other game. The Warriors played sloppy, turnover-happy basketball in Game 1 and won by 17. Then, they opened up a 31-point lead in Game 2 before their bizarre, collective implosion, best (but not completely) explained by a well-conditioned sense of apathy. Thursday, they led by as many as 36 points on the road and declined to give the Clippers a chance to make much of a dent in that advantage.