Warriors get Jazzed for fourth annual Jewish Heritage Night

Considering they are based in Utah, a state with one of the smallest Jewish populations in the country, the Utah Jazz don’t often play in front of a large contingent of Jewish basketball fans.

That will change March 1, when the Jazz will be the opposing team at Oracle Arena in Oakland for the Golden State Warriors’ fourth annual Jewish Heritage Night.

The NBA contest between the struggling Warriors (who have twice as many losses as wins this season) and the Jazz (in contention for a playoff spot) will tip off at 6 p.m.

The Jewish Heritage event begins with a family-friendly tailgate party from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the parking lot, featuring Jewish music, kosher food, a barbecue and raffle prizes.

The Warriors have a 2-1 record in previous Jewish Heritage Night matchups. Last year, they beat the Dallas Mavericks 114-104 in a big game in the playoff race, but wound up two wins short of a postseason berth.

They also played and beat Dallas in 2007, ending the Mavericks’ 17-game streak with a 117-100 win. In 2006, Golden State dropped a 116-98 decision to the Washington Wizards.

 Tickets in the special Jewish Heritage Night sections for the March 1 game are $30 — a savings of $18 to $35 per seat over the regular prices in those sections. Everyone who buys a ticket will receive a commemorative T-shirt with “Go Warriors” in Hebrew. Last year, the team sold 500 tickets for this event (tickets ran out early because the game sold out) and the year before the total was 750.

This year’s event is presented in collaboration with local Chabad houses and the JCC of San Francisco.

For more information, contact Chris Murphy at (510) 986-2214 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). com. Tickets can be ordered online at http://www.gswarriors.com (click on “Special events” in the “Tickets” pull-down menu), but check with Murphy for additional discounts and benefits if you have a group of 20 or more.