Warriors Win on my visit to Chase Center

Just wanna jot down some notes after my first Warriors game at Chase Center. 

I suppose Chase Arena is nice, with all the amenities and sights a fan with excess dollars would enjoy. Unfortunately, I’m not all that impressed with sports venues and game entertainment, especially the loud, timeout/halftime entertainment that mostly seems over the top. 

No, it's the game and/or fan reaction to plays that hypes me up or chaps my hyde. That being said, Warriors fans last night seemed average for Warriors fans. On television it appears the arena is buzzing nonstop with yelling and cheering fans, then the team usually responds. Not so much so on this Thursday night against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves. There were moments of uproar accompanying Warriors runs, but nothing like what I expected.

As a Raiders fan who had season tickets for a number of years at Oakland Coliseum, maybe it isn’t fair to criticize fans for their lack of passion and enthusiam. After all, when you go to a Raiders game, the experience can be life changing, spiritually, socially and many other ways. But I digress. Chase Center felt like a nice, clean family outing with the wife and kids leading the way. It was . . . . nice.

As for the game, the Timberwolves, who beat the Warriors once this season, were competitive and put up a good fight. They led at halftime 61-57. Then came the second half, third quarter, where the Warriors came out and went on a 16-4 run. The Wolves, especially Karl Anthony Towns, wouldn’t lay down, but in the end succumbed to the many weapons in the Warriors arsenal, minus Draymond.

One highlight of the night was getting to the floor postgame to watch the shoot around. Got to see Andrew Wiggins, Nemanja Bjelica and Steph Curry each warm-up individually. Steph’s warmup routine is so loose and flexible, yet accurate and consistent. Wiggins and Bjelica were knocking down long range shots like it was nothing, nothing but net. 

Then across the court strolls a brotha in an expensive suit heading for a courtside seat near the scorer’s table, where a TNT camera will broadcast his postgame comments.  Its hall of famer Reggie Miller, not twenty paces away from where I am sitting. Reggie, straight faced and all business, takes his seat facing us fans, puts on a headset, checks a digital device and straightens up his attire, all without raising an eye to us fans watching his pregame, sportcaster’s ritual. I almost wanted to heckle Reggie just to get a response out of him, but I’m no Spike Lee and the environment was family friendly, so I took a few pics and kept my Raiders Trap shut. Did I mention I wore my Raiders cap to the game? 

Final Score

Timberwolves 115

Warriors 124