Sports

Let the Championship Chase Begin: it’s NBA Playoff Time

Published

11 years ago

April 16, 2015

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry waits for play to resume during a timeout in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

ANTONIO GONZALEZ, AP Basketball Writer

Let the championship chase begin.

New Orleans and Brooklyn are in. Indiana and Oklahoma City are out. And while San Antonio slipped to sixth in the loaded Western Conference, the defending champions are looking awfully dangerous again.

Forget the 82-game grind of the past six months. There are no more back-to-back sets, no more uneven schedules, no more excuses.

The playoff brackets are set. Everybody’s on equal ground. It’s time to crown a champion.

“It’s like a new beginning,” Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “It feels like the first game of the season. You’re excited. There’s a renewed energy and a sense of urgency.”

It took the final night of the regular season — with more than half the games on the closing docket loaded with intrigue — to clear up the cluttered playoff picture.

Stephen Curry and the top-seeded Warriors will face Anthony Davis and the Pelicans in a best-of-seven series starting Saturday after New Orleans snapped San Antonio’s 11-game winning streak Wednesday night. That ran Russell Westbrook — who sealed the NBA scoring title — and the depleted Thunder out of the postseason and into the draft lottery.

“A month-and-a-half ago, nobody thought we would be in this position,” Pelicans coach Monty Williams said. “So many people counted us out … We got here.”

In the East, the Nets nudged their way in by outlasting Orlando and getting a boost with Memphis’ win over a Pacers team that watched Paul George get helped off the floor again, this time with just a sore left calf, the team said.

Atlanta, the top seed in the East, opens against Brooklyn. LeBron James and the Cavaliers begin with Boston. Chicago meets Milwaukee, and Toronto takes on Washington.

In the wild, wacky West, a logjam between second and sixth is finally sorted out.

— No. 3 Los Angeles Clippers will face the Spurs.

— No. 2 Houston hooks up with seventh-seeded Dallas

— No. 5 Memphis meets No. 4 Portland, which won the Northwest Division to finish with a higher seed but will start on the road because of the Grizzlies’ better record.

At this point, seeds are just number anyway.

“If you get in, it’s a whole new season,” Nets forward Joe Johnson said. “Everybody is 0-0 and then you wipe your hands clean and then you give it another go.”

Indeed, the Warriors (67-15) whipped the competition in the regular season, setting a franchise record for wins. Kerr could be NBA Coach of the Year and Curry might be MVP, but only the team that wins 16 more games gets to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy as confetti falls from the rafters.

“This is what we’ve been waiting for,” said Curry, whose Warriors clinched home-court advantage throughout the playoffs a couple weeks ago. “Everything we’ve gone through to this point will hopefully prepare us for this journey.”

A few familiar faces won’t be part of these playoffs.

Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony are among those who will be watching after getting injured or coming up short with their teams — or both.

The Knicks missed out on the best chance to land the No. 1 pick in the draft lottery; the Timberwolves (16-66) won that honor with the league’s worst record.

The Lakers (21-61), who started in Minnesota in 1948, lost more games than any team in their storied history. And after four straight trips — and two titles — to the NBA Finals with James leading the way, the undermanned Miami Heat are home already.

James found his way home to Northeast Ohio last summer.

The four-time MVP will try again to end the longest title drought for any North American city with three professional sports franchises. Cleveland hasn’t won a championship since the Browns beat the Baltimore Colts for the 1964 NFL title, but there’s renewed hope that James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love can do what previous Cavs teams couldn’t.

“We’ve been playing the right way — win, lose or draw — we’ve played the right way,” James said. “We’ve stuck to our system and I think it’s built some great habits for us.”

Now it’s time to put them to use.

___

Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP

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Let the Championship Chase Begin: it’s NBA Playoff Time

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

1 month ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

8 months ago

May 18, 2025

Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.

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Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S. professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

11 months ago

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Oakland Post

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday. Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school. “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.