Stephen Curry vs Russell Westbrook and the Other Intriguing Warriors vs Thunder Matchups for 2013-14
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder will most likely be two of the top-four teams in the Western Conference this upcoming season. Here are five of the most intriguing matchups between these two teams:

1. Stephen Curry vs. Russell Westbrook

Curry and Westbrook are arguably two of the best point guards in the league. However, they play completely differently. We all know that Curry is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He shot an incredible 45.3 percent from three last season, and he can score in many different ways. He’s also one of the best and most creative passers in the league.

Westbrook is one of the most athletic players in the NBA. He’s incredibly quick, and he can beat anyone in transition and in the half court. He might have a questionable shot selection sometimes, but he’s a strong finisher and can beat anyone into the paint.

This matchup of pure shooting versus extreme speed and athleticism will surely be an intriguing one this upcoming season.

2. Harrison Barnes vs. Kevin Durant

Speaking of athletic, Barnes proved many critics wrong last season by displaying his explosiveness and athleticism. Barnes became one of the Warriors’ most exciting players because of his insane dunking ability. Just ask Nikola Pekovic, Anthony Randolph, or Ersan Ilyasova.

Durant can score in so many different ways. He attacks the rim, but he also has a smooth shooting stroke. It will be quite the matchup to see one of the most promising small forwards in the NBA, Barnes, go up against one of the best small forwards right now, Durant.

3. Andre Iguodala vs. Kevin Durant

Iguodala is also extremely athletic and can score in many different ways, just like Durant. He slashes to the rim, but he can also spread the floor and shoot threes. In addition, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, so seeing him going up against Durant, offensively and defensively, will certainly be fun to watch.

4. Klay Thompson vs. Kevin Durant

Thompson isn’t quite the athletic, all-around scorer that Durant or Iguodala is, but he’s arguably one of the best three-point shooters in the league, just like his backcourt teammate. This Splash Brother shot 40.1 percent from three last season, and he’s been working on driving to the basket more. He also has shown much improvement on the defensive end. He’s not quite the defender that Iguodala is, but he showed in the playoffs that he can effectively guard smaller guards, such as Ty Lawson or Tony Parker. When the Warriors go small, it will be interesting to see him guard a larger, longer small forward like Durant.

5. David Lee vs. Serge Ibaka

This will be a fun matchup to watch when the Warriors are on offense. Lee is criticized a lot for his defensive deficiencies, but he is extremely skilled offensively. He can post up, shoot the mid-range shot, and he’s a great passer for a power forward.

On the other side, Ibaka is a beast defensively. He led the NBA last season in blocks per game with 3.03, and he was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for a second consecutive season this year. Ibaka uses his athleticism and his long wingspan to disrupt players in the paint. This matchup, featuring Lee’s offensive abilities and Ibaka’s stellar defense, will certainly be an entertaining one.

San Francisco Giants: Should They Call Up Gary Brown and Heath Hembree?

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Gary Brown and Heath Hembree (Kyle Terada / USA TODAY Sports)

The San Francisco Giants are starting to focus on the future.

They currently have a 52-65 record, are 15.5 games back from the Los Angeles Dodgers, and are in last place in the NL West. Based on their disappointing season, Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy will perhaps decide soon to play their regular players less and call up more players from AAA, such as Gary Brown and Heath Hembree, to see who could possibly contribute to the team during the 2014 season.

However, the Giants are not in complete rebuild mode, since they already have several valuable pieces on their roster who can contribute next season. The Giants have to finish this year strong. If they completely give up now, they will have no momentum whatsoever going into the offseason and going into next season.

Also, Sabean wants to be cautious with rushing players’ development. He said recently that the Giants might have rushed Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford too quickly throughout the minor leagues. He said this might be the reason why they have taken more time to develop as hitters.

Because of this, it seems rather unlikely that Sabean will call up Brown or Hembree soon. When the rosters expand in September, the Giants could easily decide to call them up. For now though, the Giants want to stick to the group that they have, especially because their current roster is very similar to the roster that won the World Series last year.

Besides getting a closer look at some of their prospects, the Giants don’t have a lot of reason to call up Brown and Hembree now based on their performances this year.

Brown has had a disappointing 2013 season. The center fielder currently has a .228 average, 12 home runs, 46 RBI’s, a .286 OBP, and a .384 slugging percentage. He also has 13 stolen bases, but he’s been caught 10 times.

Brown had a promising year in Richmond in 2012 when he hit .279, had a .347 OBP, and had 33 stolen bases. After such a strong year, the Giants have certainly been tracking his progress this year in AAA to see if he should be called up.

However, Brown started off the 2013 season struggling, as he hit .180 in April and .248 in May. After a promising June when he hit .278, Brown has continued to struggle, as he hit .233 in July and .128 in August.

The Giants are in dire need of some help in the outfield and the leadoff spot, but Brown is not the answer, right now at least. He has a low OBP this year, and he hasn’t had success stealing bases.

They could also use his right-handed bat off the bench to hit left-handed pitching, since Jeff Francoeur has not been productive and Joaquin Arias has been injured off and on this season. However, Brown has struggled against left-handed pitchers though, as he’s only hit .247 off them this season. He hasn’t hit right-handed pitchers well either, as he has hit .223 against them this season.

The Giants have also struggled all season with clutch hitting, which hasn’t exactly been a strength of Brown’s this season either. He’s hit only .205 with runners in scoring position so far.

Mar 11, 2013; Surprise, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Heath Hembree (72) pitches during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

As for Heath Hembree, he has had a fairly disappointing season in Fresno also. The right-hander currently has a 4.15 ERA with 26 saves in 47.2 innings pitched. He has struck out 58, but he has allowed 47 hits and given up 15 walks.

Hembree got off to a hot start, as he had a 2.19 ERA and seven saves in 12 games in April. However, he had a dreadful May and June when he had a 5.73 ERA with six saves in 11 games and then a 7.84 ERA with only three saves in nine games. He has bounced back relatively well though. He had a 2.53 ERA in July with seven saves in 11 games, and, so far, he’s had a 0.00 ERA with three saves in four games in August.

Hembree has been an intriguing prospect for the Giants. He’s shown that he’s a promising closer, but he still needs more time to develop. He has a 2.60 ERA against right-handers, but he has a 6.30 ERA against left-handers. He also has a 6.75 ERA with runners in scoring position, which is unacceptable for a closer.

There is a strong possibility that when the rosters expand in September that Brown and Hembree could be called up. However, before then, it doesn’t make much sense for the Giants to rush their development.

They’d much rather stick to the players that rode them to their second World Series title in three years, even if making the playoffs is impossible. The Giants are a loyal organization, and they want this group to finish out this season strong.

How Do the Los Angeles Clippers Match Up with the Golden State Warriors?
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers are the best teams in the Pacific Division. The Los Angeles Lakers have been the kings of the division in recent history, but with their disappointing season last year and the departure of Dwight Howard, the Warriors and the Clippers will compete for the division title in the 2013-2014 season.

The Warriors have not won the division since the 1975-1976 season. The Clippers won their first division title ever last season. The Clippers were championship contenders last season, but they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. We all know about the Warriors’ miraculous playoff run last season that almost took them to the Western Conference Finals.

Not only are these two teams the best in the Pacific Division, but they are going to compete for two of the top four spots in the Western Conference. Both of these teams have aspirations for having home court advantage in the playoffs this upcoming season, so their games against each other will be significant.

Last season, the Warriors won the season series against the Clippers 3-1. The Warriors won the first game against them in Los Angeles 114-110, when Stephen Curry drew a huge charge against Chris Paul at the end of the game. The Warriors blew the Clippers out in their second matchup, at Oracle Arena, 115-94. They played again a few days later in Los Angeles, and the Clippers returned the favor and beat the Warriors 115-89. The Warriors then won the last matchup against them 106-99.

This upcoming season, the Warriors play the Clippers four times. Their first matchup is in Los Angeles, and it’s the second game of the season for the Warriors. The next game is on Christmas Day at Oracle Arena. The next matchup is also at Oracle at the end of January, and the last game is on March 12th in Los Angeles.

Both teams have had excellent offseasons so far. The Warriors have progressed a lot by adding Andre Iguodala, Toney Douglas, Marreese Speights, Jermaine O’Neal, and Nemanja Nedovic. They have a deep roster this year, and, arguably, the best starting five in the NBA.

The Clippers have also had an active offseason. First of all, they now have a head coach who knows how to win championships, Doc Rivers. Unlike Vinny Del Negro, Rivers is one of the best coaches in the NBA, and he’s a proven defensive specialist. The Clippers were a talented team last season, but Del Negro really held them back based on his poor coaching.

Also, in the offseason, the Clippers have added Darren Collison, Jared Dudley, Byron Mullens, and J.J. Reddick. The Clippers have added more shooters to their roster, and they’re certainly a deep team.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

In terms of rosters, both teams are stacked with talent. The Warriors are, obviously, led by Curry, but they also have some intriguing young players such as Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes. They also have a 2012 Western Conference All-Star in David Lee, and they have their dominant inside presence in Andrew Bogut. The addition of Iguodala certainly made them one of the best teams in the Western Conference.

The Clippers are led by All-Stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, and they also have other solid contributors in Jamal Crawford, DeAndre Jordan, Matt Barnes, and Lamar Odom. The Clippers added some solid pieces to their bench also.

In terms of defense, the Warriors were a much improved defensive squad last season and held opponents to just 43.9 percent shooting, which ranked fourth in the NBA. They also averaged 45.0 rebounds per game, which tied for second in the NBA. If Bogut can stay healthy for the majority of the season and with the additions of Iguodala, Douglas, Speights, and O’Neal, the Warriors are only going to become a better defensive team.

The Clippers are more known for their offense than their defense, but they only allowed 94.6 points per game, which ranked fourth in the NBA. Paul also led the NBA in steals per game with 2.41.

The Warriors scored the seventh most points per game last season with 101.2, and the Clippers weren’t far behind with 101.1 points per game, which tied for eighth most in the NBA. The Clippers scored more efficiently though, as they shot 47.8 percent from the field last season, which ranked fourth in the NBA. The Warriors shot 45.8 percent from the field last season, which ranked 11th in the NBA.

The Warriors and the Clippers match up pretty well, categorically. In the past couple years, the Clippers have been closer to a championship contending team than the Warriors have been, but this season that might change. The Warriors have made some significant, bold moves this offseason that might have propelled them past their Pacific Division rival. Regardless of which team wins the division this upcoming season, it’s guaranteed that their rivalry will continue to grow and their games will be entertaining.

San Francisco Giants: Their 3 Biggest Struggles This Season

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

Jul 30, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito (75) wipes the sweat off his head during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies defeated the Giants 7-3. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

After winning two World Series titles in three years, the San Francisco Giants have been extremely disappointing this season. They currently have a 50-63 record and are 13 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Although it’s almost impossible that they will make the playoffs, the Giants are always going to believe that they can come back. They have a “never say die” attitude that rode them to a World Series title last season.

However, if they want to even attempt to make a comeback, or at least just finish out the season strong, they will have to be more consistent in several areas of their game. Here are three of those areas:

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Stephen Curry: A Superstar On and Off the Court
Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

This article was originally published on Let’s Go Warriors.

Stephen Curry is a superstar. Over his four-year career with the Golden State Warriors, he has accomplished a lot. He was the runner-up for the 2009-2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He was a First Team All-Rookie selection. He won the Taco Bell Skills Challenge at the NBA All-Star Weekend in 2011. He was a Gold Medalist at the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey. He had a 54-point game. He made the most three-point field goals (272) in a single season in NBA history, and he should’ve been an All-Star last season.

Despite all of these incredible accomplishments, Curry means much more to this Warriors team than just being their best player. Curry is exactly the type of player an organization would want representing their team. He’s respectful, grateful, humble, friendly, and classy. He’s just a genuinely good person, and he hasn’t changed who he is as a person or how he conducts himself on the court, despite his newfound fame.

Off the court, Curry is extremely giving and generous. He has done a lot of charity work since entering the NBA. First of all, he is a National Spokesperson for ThanksUSA and holds an charity golf tournament to support the organization.

Also, Curry and his father, Dell, hold a summer basketball camp for children and their parents. Steph and Dell also run the Curry Celebrity Classic, a charity golf tournament that supports the Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson, NC.

In addition, Curry recently became the North American brand ambassador for the children’s basketball e-book series, The Dream Ten.

“I really think it’s a great series,” Curry said about The Dream Ten. “…I think the messages are equally important: work hard, stay positive, and believe in yourself. These are the kind of values I’ve always believed in. Kids are going to love it.”

Curry also held a Three for Three Challenge this past season with the organization Nothing But Nets, which meant he donated three life-saving bed nets for every three-pointer he made. This was a great season for Curry to run this challenge, given that he set an NBA record with 272 three-pointers. Curry recently went to Tanzania to visit refugee camps and distribute the bed nets.

“You just try to use the platform the best way you can,” Curry said about his involvement with Nothing But Nets. “A lot of people who watch our games may not be as aware of the problem of malaria and how preventable it is.”

(photo: Stuart Ramson/U.N. Foundation)

(photo: Stuart Ramson/U.N. Foundation)

Not only does Curry represent the Warriors perfectly off the court, but he is the face of the franchise and a symbol of new beginnings. He gives this loyal Warriors’ fanbase hope. The future is bright for the Warriors, and, make no mistake, the culture has changed.

The Warriors have become a legitimate force in the Western Conference because of their “never give up” attitude, their exciting style of play, and because of the emergence of Curry as a superstar. He played at an All-Star caliber level all last season and is, arguably, one of the best point guards in the NBA. Also, with Monta Ellis not on the team anymore, Curry became more of a leader and more of a vocal presence on the team this past season.

After his spectacular 31 point and seven assist performance in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, Mark Jackson claimed that Curry’s performance alone didn’t make him a superstar. In fact, Jackson claimed he already was one because of his leadership and character.

“He’s a guy you point to as an example when you raise kids,” Jackson said. “It could not have happened to a better guy.”

Curry has sacrificed a lot as well. He plays hard and gives everything he can for the Warriors every night. Curry averaged 38.2 minutes per game in 78 games this past season, which ranked as the seventh most minutes per game in the NBA during the regular season. Especially after having two ankle surgeries on his right ankle in the past two offseasons, it’s truly incredible that Curry was able to play in 90 total games last season. Curry is a lot tougher than people give him credit for, and that’s a quality that fans appreciate.

Most importantly, Curry loves being a Warrior. For Warriors fans, the feeling is mutual. The fans worship him for his play and his character. Luckily for the fans, Curry wants to be a Warrior for a long time too.

“No offense to New York, but I’m so, so happy I didn’t fall to them in the draft,” Curry said. “No matter what they do with the new arena, they better not change the dynamics of the fanbase. If we have the same fans, in this new place…man, I’d want to play here forever. Wouldn’t you?”

The Warriors would be extremely lucky to have a player and a person like Curry representing them for many years to come. The Warriors are building around Curry, and if he does in fact play with them for this whole career, they will most certainly find lots of success.

Curry is a special player and a special person. He plays for the love of the game, not the fame. He’s committed to the Warriors and their fans, and he represents the future of the franchise. Steph Curry is a superstar on and off the court.

San Francisco Giants: Are There Any Distinct Hopes of a Second Half Comeback?

Oct 11, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; San Francisco Giants right fielder Hunter Pence (center) huddles with his team prior to the game five of the 2012 NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

This article was originally published on Golden Gate Sports.

At the beginning of the season, it seemed as if the San Francisco Giants had the perfect recipe to repeat this season as World Series champions. First of all, they basically have the same roster that they did last season, minus a few players who are injured.

Second, despite the struggles they’ve endured this season, they won six elimination games to stay alive in the playoffs last season, so they’re a resilient team. Because of these facts, you would think the Giants have what it takes to make a miraculous comeback and somehow sneak into the playoffs at the end of the season, just like they did in 2010.

However, that would be an incredible feat, bordering on impossible and closer to extremely unlikely. The Giants have an incredible ability to never give up, but the numbers alone might prevent them from going to the playoffs this season.

First of all, they currently have a 50-61 record and are 12 games back from the Dodgers in the NL West. They’d have to go 31-20 the rest of the season, just to reach .500. However, reaching .500 is rarely good enough to make the playoffs.

The Giants are currently in last place in the NL West. Even though the NL West has been a little disgraceful this season, there is still very little chance the Giants could win the division. The Los Angeles Dodgers are 62-49, the Arizona Diamondbacks are in second at 56-55, the San Diego Padres are 52-60, and the Colorado Rockies are 52-61. The Dodgers, unfortunately, will most likely be representing the NL West in the playoffs.

The Giants would have a rough time making the playoffs though even in a wild card spot. The Atlanta Braves will most likely win the NL East, and there isn’t much competition for a wild card spot there since the second-place team is the Washington Nationals, who have a 54-58 record right now. There are three incredibly talented teams in the NL Central though, so two of them will most likely take the two wild card spots. The Pittsburgh Pirates are currently first with a 67-44 record, the St. Louis Cardinals are second with a 65-46 record, and the Cincinnati Reds are third with a 61-51 record.

Since the starting pitchers are doing well right now, Ryan Vogelsong is coming back soon, the rest of the division isn’t making a strong push to the playoffs (besides the Dodgers), Hanley Ramirez and Yasiel Puig are dealing with injuries, and with this current series against the last-place Milwaukee Brewers, the Giants would’ve had an opportunity to turn this August into a meaningful month.

However, the Giants are still 12 games back, which is a significant amount of games to overcome, even if the NL West is pretty awful. If the Giants had had a good homestand against the Miami Marlins, the New York mets, and the Chicago Cubs, they could’ve had a shot at coming back.

Instead, the Giants went 3-7 and basically eliminated all hope at making a second half comeback. The Giants have failed to meet expectations all season, and they’ve had several chances to at least stay competitive too.

For example, on this last road trip against the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays, the Giants went 3-3. Although this doesn’t sound like a poor record, the Giants could’ve easily finished the road trip with a better record. Their starting pitching was excellent and they started getting more offensive contributions from Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford. However, they lost two one-run games to end the trip, so what could have been a quality road trip turned into a disappointment.

The Giants tried to be sellers and trade Tim Lincecum, Hunter Pence, or Javier Lopez at the trade deadline. They shopped them in order to try to get back a major league-ready starting pitcher in return, which they will need next next season. Even though the Giants didn’t end up trading any of those players, the Giants made a statement to the rest of MLB that they wanted to focus on next year and move on from this season.

Until it becomes mathematically impossible, the Giants are always going to believe that they can come back. This is valid, given their success in last season’s playoffs. Even though it’s unlikely the Giants will make a second half comeback, fans around the Bay Area and the nation have to admire their “never say die” attitude.