A Press Democrat Blog

Overtime

Ted Sillanpaa looks at the San Francisco Giants, other Bay Area sports and gives a dad's-eye view of Empire prep and youth sports trends

Warriors … lingering questions while pondering the future …

Saturday, at 11:09 by

By TED SILLANPAA The Warriors did everything so right in their NBA playoff run … until about midway through the third quarter of decisive Game 6 against the Spurs in Oakland. It was then that it became clear that Golden State hit the wall and only Harrison Barnes was able to push through it and keep hustling. How is that? Shouldn’t it be a concern that in the moment when their playoff lives were absolutely on the line — Barnes… Read More »

Either 3-pointers fall or Warriors will go down on Thursday

Wednesday, at 1:20 by

By TED SILLANPAA Mark Jackson’s inspired pep talks won’t save the Warriors. The club won’t suddenly develop a low-post offense that allows them to really grind it out in the halfcourt to beat the Spurs with layups and free throws. Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson can’t defend more than one player apiece so Golden State’s defensive shortcomings aren’t going away, particularly when Jarrett Jack has played brilliantly offensively while offering nothing on the the defensive end. Jackson won’t do it,… Read More »

Warriors turned ball over, shot poorly … still won Game 4 to prove they can make a miracle

Sunday, at 5:27 by

By TED SILLANPAA Magic Johnson spent ABC’s halftime show reading the Warriors postseason obituary. It was hard to imagine Golden State, with Stephen Curry hobbled and foul troubles haunting the bigs, beating the Spurs Sunday or any other day. In fact, Magic said, “The shots aren’t falling for the Warriors. When the shots are falling, they can beat anybody. Jump-shooting teams just don’t win championships.” The Warriors wound up making just 38 percent of their shots in Game 4, and… Read More »

Roaring fans in home arena only helps if Warriors outplay Spurs

Saturday, at 10:40 by

By TED SILLANPAA Much has been understandably made of the Warriors’ crazed, wild, loud home crowd in the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Oddly, though, the capacity crowd that can blow the top of the joint was no advantage at all in Game 3 on Friday night. It turns out, the home crowd really doesn’t help the home team if the visiting team just plays a better game. A loud home crowd didn’t phase the visiting Spurs. Heck, the Warriors rallied from… Read More »

Game 2 win in San Antonio makes Warriors title contender

Wednesday, at 9:35 by

By TED SILLANPAA The Golden State Warriors are no longer that fun, little team that can’t really win in the NBA playoffs. Oh, media types will still mock the notion that they could actually reach the NBA Finals, but they’ve done nothing to show they can do just that. The Warriors went into San Antonio and manhandled the highly-favored Spurs for 3 1/2 quarters before losing Game 1 in double-overtime, then beat them 100-91 to get the game on the… Read More »

Don’t discount what healthy Howard can do for Lakers

Wednesday, at 10:46 by

By TED SILLANPAA Twitter @tedsillanpa ted.sillanpaa@pressdemocrat.com I’m not one of those who felt out of love with Dwight Howard the NBA superstar. If I had the second selection in a draft of every player in the game right now, I’d be quite pleased to pick Howard. Howard’s bizarre behavior in his final season with the Magic doesn’t bother me a bit. He’s a sports man-child who acts more like a kid off the court than the man he becomes on… Read More »

Warriors finally hit inevitable slump

Saturday, at 1:07 by

By TED SILLANPAA Last month, it started to seem as though the Golden State Warriors were actually in a position to push their way into the third seed in the NBA Western Conference playoffs. They’d defeated the Los Angeles Clippers again and it just seemed like these Warriors could over-achieve, get the No. 3 seed and enhance their chances of postseason succes Things have changed after three straight losses, heading into a gave where the Dallas Mavericks jumped to a… Read More »

Warriors have their star, defensive tenacity … just need rim protector

Tuesday, at 1:46 by

By TED SILLANPAA The Warriors’ Stephen Curry has become the go-to, clutch-shooting star that every really good NBA team needs. It’d be foolish to think Klay Thompson can’t become a star, too, despite his early season woes. David Lee’s having a career season. Golden State has been winning consistently because head coach Mark Jackson and assistant Pete Myers are throwback NBA tough guys who finally put together a Warriors’ team that plays defense, plays it well and doesn’t back down… Read More »