Bay Area Buzz 4/13: Warriors Edged in LA, Kings Sale Tough Decision for NBA
By Eric He
Welcome to the weekend, and it was a crazy Friday night to kick things off. Here is what people are talking about:
Apr 12, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts against the Los Angeles Lakers during the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Kobe Bryant Suffers Season-Ending Injury, But Los Angeles Lakers Edged Golden State Warriors
"Sure, it ended badly. Carl Landry capped a chaotic final minute by missing a wide-open jumper that would’ve potentially won the game.And the Warriors missed a chance to move a game and a half up on Houston for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference.But the Warriors and their fans were able to leave Staples Center with their heads held high. Primarily, because the Warriors got back to playing with urgency and resiliency. Coming off an embarrassing home loss to Oklahoma City, the Warriors went toe-to-toe with the Lakers.– Marcus Thompson, San Jose Mercury News"
Sale of Kings Forces NBA to Choose Between Heart and Head
"No matter how this plays out, the result will be bittersweet. One traditional NBA community will be spurned and angry. Each city brings enormous value to the league, and so the league must decide, sooner than later, where its best future lies — in Sacramento or in Seattle? With the heart, or with the head?– Ian Thomsen, Sports Illustrated"
Wind Blows Cubs’ Way in 9th, Not Giants’
"This was turning into a red-letter day for George Kontos, the Chicago native who was three outs from a win in his hometown.As a kid coming to games at Wrigley Field, though, Kontos knew the heartbreak of his team losing when a routine flyball caught the westerly current and flew out of the park. He felt that heartbreak again when he saw pinch-hitter Dioner Navarro open the ninth inning Friday with a fly to right that carried into the right-field seats for a homer that tied the game and dealt Sergio Romo his first blown save.– Henry Schulman, San Francisco Chronicle"
Donte Whitner Correct to Say That San Francisco 49ers Have Top Defense
"Skeptics will point out that their secondary got torched by the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs. But Whitner defended his teammates, stating that their play depends on the performance of the front seven. His confidence in the guys up front makes him a believer that they’ll “be pretty good.”Looking at the numbers and their accomplishments, it’s hard to argue against him. The 49ers remained a top-five defensive unit over the past two seasons while consistently being able to stop the run. With another year together, the defense should not miss a beat.– Travis Chan, Rant Sports"