Vince Carter distraught as McCaw leaves on a stretcher after flagrant foul

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Warriors guard Patrick McCaw was taken away on a stretcher after he fell hard to the floor following a foul by Sacramento’s Vince Carter during a 112-96 Golden State win Saturday night.

McCaw was transported to UC Davis Medical Center for further evaluation, the team said. There were no further updates.

“I just hope he’s OK,” a visibly distraught Carter said. “I play this game because I love it and enjoy it, not to see young guys get hurt. He has a bright future. You can tell me whatever, it was an accident. … I don’t like to see him sitting there in pain saying he can’t feel his lower half.”

McCaw drove the baseline and went down with a thud with 41.8 seconds left in the third quarter, hit in the lower body by Carter. McCaw lay in agony for about 10 minutes as the arena silenced.

Carter, who was given a Flagrant-1 foul, knelt nearby as medical personnel from both teams along with Warriors coach Steve Kerr rushed out to the baseline beneath Golden State’s basket.

“Vince is not that type of guy, he’s never been that type of guy,” Golden State’s Draymond Green said. “Freak accidents, things happen. A guy jumps and he didn’t touch him much if you’re as high as you can jump you lose your balance easier. I know that was tough on Vince.”

Players for both teams eventually came to the floor as McCaw was placed on a stretcher and wheeled away with his neck stabilized. McCaw, who appeared to be trying to dunk, did a scissor kick in the air over Carter’s right shoulder before landing hard on his troublesome back.

Kerr swore and was visibly frustrated and hollered “He knows better,” referring to Carter, before going out to the court to check on his second-year guard. Carter got close to McCaw and offered some words just before the stretcher was pulled away. The two teams then gathered in a huddle before the game resumed after about a 10-minute delay.

“I remember his foot hitting the side of my leg, that’s it,” Carter said. “I’m not going to sit here and complain about a flagrant when a man can’t feel his legs.”

Carter said he approached members of the Warriors after the game and apologized. He appreciated the kind words from the Warriors but couldn’t get his mind off seeing McCaw on the floor.

“It’s all well and good but still a young man is trying to get his feeling back and that’s my concern,” Carter said. “Regardless of how it happened, accident, all of the things that they were telling me, you still want to see him OK.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors trounce Spurs minus Leonard for 2-0 series lead

OAKLAND, California — Stephen Curry had 29 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in three quarters and the Golden State Warriors trounced on the Spurs missing Kawhi Leonard, running away from San Antonio for a 136-100 rout Tuesday and 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.

Kevin Durant added 16 points and Draymond Green provided another strong all-around performance with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks. Rookie Patrick McCaw had 18 points and five assists off the bench shooting 6 for 8 as Golden State earned its most lopsided victory of the playoffs to go to 10-0.

Jonathon Simmons scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half as the lone bright spot for the short-handed Spurs.

Leonard re-injured his left ankle in Sunday’s 113-111 Game 1 loss after coming down on Zaza Pachulia’s foot. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich on Monday called out the Warriors starting center for the “dangerous” and “unsportsmanlike” closeout — which had Pachulia insisting he is not a dirty player, was only playing hard, and felt badly that the All-Star forward was injured.

Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in San Antonio.

Pachulia left the game injured for a Warriors team already without key reserve forward Andre Iguodala, held out because of soreness in his left knee that limited him to 10 minutes in Game 1.

Pachulia didn’t come out for the second half because of a bruised right heel. He was scheduled for an X-ray. The big man played nearly 7 minutes but sat the entire second quarter before Matt Barnes took his place.

Golden State quickly established its pass-happy, up-tempo style to take the Spurs out from the opening tip. It was a drastic difference from a game of catch-up two days earlier when the Warriors rallied from 25 down and a 20-point halftime deficit.

Klay Thompson, still struggling to find his steady shooting touch, had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists. The Warriors had 39 assists — the most by any team this postseason — including 30 on their initial 38 baskets.

Shaun Livingston scored in double figures for the first time this postseason with 10 points for Golden State.

Simmons started in Leonard’s place and made 6 of 9 shots to begin the game while the rest of the Spurs were 3 for 22.

The Warriors began 10 for 16 as Curry hit three quick 3s and Green added two more for a 25-12 lead late in the first and 33-16 advantage after one quarter.

LEONARD STATUS

Popovich wasn’t about to guess whether Leonard would return in time for Saturday’s game, saying it could be Friday or even game day before that would be determined.

“I have no idea. Just depends on how the ankle heals,” Popovich said. “I’d probably list him as questionable. But the thing that worries me is that he did it again, the exact same thing. So one would logically think maybe it will take longer, but I’m hoping that’s not true and we’ll have him for Game 3. But I don’t know. I don’t think we’re going to know until Friday and Saturday, probably.”

Popovich said before the game Leonard was back at the hotel “ordering dinner.”

TIP-INS

Spurs: The Spurs had another 23 offensive rebounds after 14 in Game 1. … Patty Mills, playing in place of the injured Tony Parker, had another quiet night. After he went 1 for 8 and missed all six of his 3s in the first game, he finally hit from long range midway through the second Tuesday.

Warriors: Coach Steve Kerr attended his second game this series but again watched behind the scenes as he recovers from a May 5 procedure at Duke University to repair a spinal fluid leak. … Golden State’s 23 first-half assists were its most ever in a playoff half, topping 22 against Phoenix on May 4, 1994. The Warriors notched their fourth 30-assist game this postseason. … Curry extended his NBA record by hitting at least one 3 in his 68th straight postseason game, every one he has played.

source: sports.inquirer.net