Young Warriors learn another hard lesson in tough loss
Rick Welts just broke another barrier for the LGBTQ community in sports.
Last Friday, he married his longtime partner Todd Gage at San Francisco City Hall, becoming the first known professional men’s sports executive to marry his same-sex partner.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed pronounced Welts and Gage “spouses for life,” according to a report in the San Francisco Chronicle, making the marriage official.
Everyone from NBA commissioner Adam Silver to former Warrior Kevin Durant reached out to Welts to congratulate him on the big day, according to the report.
Welts, a longtime exec in the NBA’s league offices, was working as president of the Suns when he met Gage, a Southwest flight attendant, on a plane. In 2011, Welts resigned from the Suns and moved to Northern California to be closer to Gage. Within a month, he was announced as the Warriors’ president and COO, offering him a chance at maintaining both his romantic and professional lives.
All he’s done since is help oversee one of the most successful turnarounds in NBA history and move the Warriors across the Bay into one of the most stunning venues in American sports (albeit one that many East Bay residents resent).
GRIZZLIES DEFEAT CAVS FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN
>> Dillon Brooks scored 26 points, Ja Morant added 16 points and eight assists and the Memphis Grizzlies survived a late Cleveland rally to defeat the host Cavaliers 113-109 for their seventh straight win.
Memphis shot 51% for the game.
HAWKS COMPLETE LATE RALLY TO STUN SPURS >> Trae Young scored 31 points, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from a 14-point deficit in the final quarter to stun the San Antonio Spurs 121120. Kevin Huerter drained a 3-pointer from the left corner with 6.3 seconds remaining to complete the rally. San Antonio lost for the third time in four games.
BROGDON’S BASKET
SENDS PACERS PAST TIMBERWOLVES >> Malcolm Brogdon made a tiebreaking 16-footer with 18 seconds left, and T.J. Warren scored 28 points night to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-114.
Two-time All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points in 28 minutes after missing the previous 15 games for the Timberwolves with a sprained left knee. The Timberwolves lost their fourth in a row. RAPTORS POUR IT ON >> Marc Gasol scored a season-high 20 points and matched his career high with six 3-pointers, Norman Powell scored 28 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 140111. The Raptors recorded their highest scoring game of the season and matched the franchise record for points in a game.
KNICKS’ BARRETT OUT AT LEAST A WEEK WITH RIGHT ANKLE SPRAIN >> New York Knicks rookie RJ Barrett will miss at least a week with a sprained right ankle. Barrett was hurt during the Knicks’ loss to Phoenix on Thursday.