SAN FRANCISCO The Warriors had every reason to toss Monday night’s home game against the young, tall and spry Jazz into a growing pile of “scheduled losses.” Golden State, losers of three consecutive, were without several key members of their frontcourt. Jonathan Kuminga was out with knee soreness for the sixth game in a row. Al Horford (sciatica) will be re-evaluated at the end of the week. Draymond Green was held out with a foot injury sustained during the Portland game when Donovan Clingan landed on his foot during a fight for a rebound. But after going down big early, an energized lineup rallied for a much-needed 134-117 victory thanks to a relentless 21-0 run to begin the second quarter. Steph Curry scored 29, while Jimmy Butler put in 18 and dished out seven assists. Gary Payton II, starting at power forward, had his best game of the season: Nine points, six rebounds and a career-high eight assists. And that vaunted size advantage? It never materialized. The Warriors outrebounded Utah 48-47. Keyonte George led the Jazz with 28 points, and highly-touted rookie Ace Bailey put in a career-high 21. Golden State used all 11 of their active players by the early second quarter in a matchup that was truly a game of runs. Utah began the game up 11-0, and then the Warriors embarked on a 15-3 jolt to answer. And once Utah went on a flurry to end the first quarter up 35-26, Golden State answered. Keyed by the energetic play of rookie Will Richard, Moses Moody, Pat Spencer, Quinten Post and Butler, the home team outscored the Jazz 21-0 over the first six minutes of the second as Richard’s former Florida teammate Walter Clayton was among the unfortunate Utah bunch caught in the fray. Golden State led 67-55 at halftime. The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead for the rest of the second half. The Warriors (10-9) will play host to the Kevin Durant-less Rockets on Wednesday in the teams’ first matchup since Golden State eliminated Houston from the 2025 playoffs in a seven-game first round series. Kuminga update The day after telling reporters he did not know Kuminga’s immediate status, Warriors coach Steve Kerr gave a pregame update on the forward who has missed the past six games with knee soreness. “He got an MRI and it was clear,” Kerr said, later adding. “There’s nothing that’s glaring, but it’s bothering so it’s just day-to-day.” DeMarco meets Ionescu Warriors assistant Chris DeMarco is expected to sign a contract to become the New York Liberty’s next coach, and the team’s biggest star was in the building and seen chatting with him pregame.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/24/warriors-instant-analysis-second-quarter-blitz-pushes-golden-state-past-utah/
Tag: materialized
He Let Ohio Pay Taxes in BTC, Now He’s Lost $1.2 Million Trading
Former Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel, once hailed as an early political champion of Bitcoin, has revealed a personal loss of more than $1.2 million on call options tied to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). The former state official’s gamble followed his bold prediction that Bitcoin would reach $444,000 by November 8—a forecast that has clearly not materialized.
Mandel shared details of his failed trade in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying he had gone “all in” on IBIT call options, only to watch them expire worthless.
“Earlier in the cycle, I published a MSTR and MSTR-option-only portfolio. Initially, it was entirely long, then shifted to short with in-the-money covered call sales as I predicted Bitcoin would hit $84,000. These moves worked out well enough, but I grew impatient with my final call for $444,000, and as they say, you’re only as good as your last call,” he wrote.
Mandel added that his post was intended “to be transparent,” rejecting accusations that he misled investors or sought to profit through coin issuance.
### A Crypto Pioneer in Ohio’s Government
Long before retail Bitcoin speculation reached mainstream America, Josh Mandel helped Ohio “plant a flag” for crypto adoption. In November 2018, while serving as State Treasurer, he launched OhioCrypto.com—the first U.S. government platform allowing businesses to pay state taxes in Bitcoin.
The payments, processed through BitPay, were automatically converted into U.S. dollars for the state treasury. At the time, Mandel described Bitcoin as “a legitimate form of currency” and positioned Ohio as a leader in blockchain innovation.
“We’re looking to plant a flag for Ohio,” he told reporters, arguing that the move would modernize state finances and attract tech-forward businesses.
However, the program faced regulatory hurdles under his successor, Treasurer Robert Sprague, who suspended it in 2019 after determining that BitPay’s payment structure may have violated state procurement laws. Fewer than ten companies had used the service before it was shut down.
### Risks and Lessons From the Bitcoin ETF Options Market
Mandel’s high-stakes loss comes as interest in Bitcoin ETF options has surged since their launch in late 2024. According to Kaiko research, trading volumes in Bitcoin ETF options soared, with many traders favoring bullish positions.
Recently, however, Bitcoin ETFs have not been performing well, with outflows reaching levels last seen in May. They only recently recorded the first inflow after a $2.9 billion outflow streak.
Speculative long-term bets like Mandel’s remain outliers, highlighting the significant risks associated with options and the volatility of Bitcoin prices.
By making his investment loss public, Mandel offers a reminder that experienced public figures and crypto pioneers can also misjudge timing or risk in digital assets.
As regulated crypto derivatives expand and attract more investors, Mandel’s experience demonstrates that market predictions, even when widely shared, come with no guarantee of success.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/bitcoin/he-let-ohio-pay-taxes-in-btc-now-hes-lost-1-2-million-trading/