NBA: Surging Suns edge Warriors, tie team record for wins

Chris Paul hit the game's final two baskets 1:24 apart, including a clutch runner in the lane with 13.1 seconds remaining, as the Phoenix Suns survived a foul-filled finish to equal their single-season franchise record for wins with a 107-103 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday in San Francisco.

Devin Booker finished with 22 points, going 10-for-12 at the line, and Mikal Bridges tied for team-high honors with 22, helping the Suns (62-14) match the franchise victory record set in 1992-93 and tied in 2004-05. Phoenix won its ninth consecutive game.

Jordan Poole tied his career high, set last May against the New Orleans Pelicans, with a game-high 38 points for the Warriors (48-29). Golden State took its fourth straight loss and dropped into a tie for third place in the Western Conference with the Dallas Mavericks.

Paul's difference-making hoop came after Golden State's Draymond Green was called for traveling with his team down 102-101 with 31.2 seconds remaining.

Down three in the final seconds, the Warriors had two subsequent possessions, but the Suns elected to intentionally foul Green on the first one, resulting in two free throws as Phoenix retained a 104-103 lead with 12.4 seconds left.

After Paul hit two foul shots to restore the three-point edge with 7.7 seconds to go, Poole misfired on a half-court shot that could have forced overtime.

Paul broke a 96-all tie with an 8-foot floater with 1:37 remaining, after which 14 of the game's final 16 points were scored at the foul line, where Phoenix ended up 24-for-30 and Golden State 20-for-25.

Booker's 22 points came despite 5-for-21 shooting. The Suns overcame 25 percent shooting on 3-point attempts (7-for-28).

Deandre Ayton chipped in with a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double for Phoenix, Paul finished with 15 points and a game-high eight assists and Jae Crowder added 10 points to the cause.

Andrew Wiggins backed Poole with 19 points for the Warriors, who played once again without star Stephen Curry (foot).

Klay Thompson added 13 points on a 5-for-21 shooting night, while Gary Payton II went for 10 points and Green amassed 10 rebounds, seven assists and eight points.

-reuters

NBA: Warriors rediscover offense while pummeling Mavericks

Jonathan Kuminga led a balanced attack with 22 points off the bench Tuesday night as the Golden State Warriors found their offensive form in a 130-92 thrashing of the Dallas Mavericks in San Francisco.

Dallas took more than just its second loss in its last three games, however. Key reserve Tim Hardaway Jr. broke a bone in his left foot on a drive to the hoop midway through the second quarter.

The Warriors led 40-35 at the time, having overcome a 9-2 deficit with a 27-11 run to end the first quarter, then expanded the margin as Klay Thompson nailed consecutive 3-pointers.

After struggling to a pair of two-point victories over the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz in their last two home starts, the Warriors took a 63-51 lead at halftime on Tuesday and gradually pulled away, eventually leading by as many as 39 in the fourth period.

Kuminga's 22 points came on 8-for-9 shooting in just 18 minutes as the Warriors put up their second-largest point total of the season against a Dallas team that had held 10 of its last 14 opponents under 100 points.

Stephen Curry, who had shot just 11-for-41 overall and 5-for-26 on 3-pointers in his previous two games, struggled once again from beyond the arc, going 2-for-10. However, he made five of his six attempts from inside the arc, finishing 7-for-16 overall on an 18-point night.

Curry also found time for nine rebounds and a game-high seven assists.

Thompson, who had been questionable for the game after missing Sunday's win over the Jazz with pain in his surgically repaired left knee, connected on three of his five 3-point attempts en route to 15 points. The Warriors outscored the Mavericks 51-30 on 3-pointers.

Nemanja Bjelica posted 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Warriors, while fellow reserve Jordan Poole chipped in with 17 points, Andrew Wiggins had 14 and Otto Porter Jr. 12.

Golden State, which had been held under 100 points in six of its previous 11 games, shot 53.3 percent from the field, ending the Mavericks' 24-game run of holding foes below 50 percent.

Luka Doncic went for a game-high 25 points to complement a team-high eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who shot just 35.2 percent.

Jalen Brunson had 11 points and Hardaway 10 in 10 minutes before his injury for Dallas, which had been unbeaten in three previous visits to the 2 1/2-year-old Chase Center, winning those games 141-121, 124-97 and 133-103.

-reuters

Expect fireworks as Lakers, Warriors open NBA 75

Two teams balancing early-season transitions and late-season title aspirations share the national spotlight Tuesday on NBA Opening Night when the Golden State Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers.

The duel of the only Western Conference franchises to win NBA titles since 2014 is a rematch of a historic meeting last May, when the Lakers beat the Warriors 103-100 at home in the opener of the league's first-ever play-in tournament.

Fighting through blurred vision that resulted from getting poked in the eye earlier in the game, LeBron James hit the game-clinching 3-pointer in the final minute in that one, and later declared, "I was seeing three rims and shot at the middle one."

Much has changed since the night when James put up a 22-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, which was barely enough to offset a 37-point night by Golden State's Stephen Curry.

The Lakers have retained just three players from that team that went on to lose to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Western playoffs. And one of those three -- Talen Horton-Tucker -- won't suit up for the opener because of a thumb injury.

James and superstar sidekick Anthony Davis are now surrounded by the likes of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard, the latter two having returned to the team after playing elsewhere last season.

An 0-6 preseason, which included two losses to Golden State, didn't surprise James.

"We're going to have moments where we're not quite right there," he admitted. "We may take steps backward. I think nothing is worth having if it's not worth working for."

The Warriors return six of the eight who got minutes in the season-ending loss, but still are without All-Star guard Klay Thompson, who continues to rehab an Achilles injury that cost him the entire 2021 season, and big man James Wiseman, who is close to returning from a torn meniscus in his knee.

Golden State gave itself a chance in the play-in game by hitting 15 of its 34 3-point attempts, and the Lakers would be wise to expect more of the same this time around.

After setting a franchise record by averaging 38.7 3-point attempts last season, the Warriors went crazy from beyond the arc in the offseason, putting up a whopping 63.2 a night.

Curry hit 17 of his 42 from deep in his four games, but that wasn't even the most encouraging part for the Warriors. Jordan Poole hit 16 treys over five games, while newcomers Otto Porter Jr. (55.2%) and Nemanja Bjelica (44.4%) combined to make 24 in 47 attempts.

The Warriors went 5-0 in the preseason, capped by a 41-point explosion by Curry in a 22-point romp over Portland in Friday's finale.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr stamped his guys ready to go, especially Curry, the league's reigning scoring champ.

"He's been building up perfectly from before camp started to all of the training over the summer to now," Kerr said of Curry. "He's clearly ready to roll for the regular season. He's in a great place."

In opening the NBA's 75th season, the Warriors and Lakers are opening in Los Angeles for the first time since 1982. Times have changed: That game featured a total of nine 3-point attempts and only two were successful: One by LA's Mike McGee and the other by the Warriors' Joe Hassett.

World B. Free led Golden State with 30 points as the Warriors recorded a 132-117 victory over the defending NBA champions who were led by future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (22 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 points) and James Worthy (20 points)

__World B. Free led Golden State with 30 points as the Warriors recorded a 132-117 victory over the defending NBA champions who were led by future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson (22 points), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (20 points) and James Worthy (20 points

--reuters

Andrew Wiggins’ 40 helps Warriors trounce Grizzlies

Andrew Wiggins exploded for a season-best 40 points and Jordan Poole, subbing for injured Stephen Curry, missed his season-high by one with 25 Friday night, lifting the short-handed Golden State Warriors to a 116-103 victory over the host Memphis Grizzlies in the opener of a two-day, two-game series.

The Western Conference playoff hopefuls, who had not met this season, will duel again Saturday night, also at Memphis.

Despite playing without Curry, who suffered a bruised tailbone Wednesday in a win over Houston, and key reserves James Wiseman and Eric Paschall, both out for COVID-related reasons, the Warriors took the lead for good in the 10th minute of the game on a Kent Bazemore layup.

En route to a second straight win on a three-game trip, the Warriors went up by as many as 21 in the second quarter and 25 in the third before coasting home.

Ja Morant and Grayson Allen had 14 points apiece for Memphis, which lost for the fourth time in its last five games.

Wiggins’ 40-point game was the ninth of his career, with the previous eight all having come while he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. It fell seven points shy of his career-high of 47 points for the Timberwolves against the Los Angeles Lakers in November 2016.

Wiggins connected on a season-high six 3-pointers, which was one shy of his career-high.

Poole, who has been productive off the bench since a stint in the G League, made the most of his first start of the season. His 25 points came up just short of his career-high of 26, which he set at Phoenix, also in Curry’s absence, on March 4.

Curry’s brother-in-law, Damion Lee, added season-high 21 points and Kevon Looney chipped in with a season-high-tying 11 for the Warriors, who had been 0-2 in Curry’s previous absences.

Lee bombed in four 3-pointers and Poole three for the Warriors, who outscored the Grizzlies 45-24 from beyond the arc.

Draymond Green recorded a game-high 13 assists and a team-high 11 rebounds to complement two points.

Jonas Valanciunas grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds as part of a double-double with 10 points for the Grizzlies, who were coming off an 89-85 win over Miami on Wednesday.

Brandon Clarke added 13 points.

-reuters

Doncic delivers another triple-double as Mavs rout Warriors

LOS ANGELES – Luka Doncic posted his league-leading seventh triple double of the season en route to a 35-point performance as the Dallas Mavericks trounced the Golden State Warriors, 142-94, on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).

The 20-year-old Slovenian scored 35 points in just 26 minutes of playing time and he finished with 11 assists and 10 rebounds in front of a crowd of 19,500 at the American Airlines Center.

Doncic scored 33 of his points in the opening half en route to his second consecutive triple-double. He was coming off a career-best, 42-point performance in a triple-double Monday against San Antonio.

Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 20 points and went four-for-four from beyond the arc for the Mavs, who posted their third straight win to start a four-game homestand.

Rookie Eric Paschall led Golden State with 22 points.


Elsewhere, Fred VanVleet scored 24 points and added seven assists, and the Toronto Raptors improved to 6-0 at home this season with a 113-97 win over the Orlando Magic.

It was the second win for the Raptors against the Magic this season.

Terence Davis had a career-best 19 points and Pascal Siakam tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Raptors who shot 52 percent from the floor.


Norman Powell added 15 points and Chris Boucher delivered 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Centre Nikola Vucevic and forward Aaron Gordon left the game with sprained ankles in the first half and did not return.

source: philstar.com

Durant suffers right leg injury in Warriors' Game 5 win vs Rockets

LOS ANGELES – Golden State pulled out a 104-99 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time) as the Warriors survived the loss of superstar Kevin Durant to grab a 3-2 lead in their second round NBA playoff series.

Draymond Green and Klay Thompson nailed clutch 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter for the Warriors but the buzz after the game was not about the win but rather the health of Durant.

The Warriors said he had suffered a right calf strain but Durant is expected to undergo an MRI scan to Thursday to determine the full extent of the damage.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr sounded cautiously optimistic — hoping for the best but also preparing for something worse if it does turn out to be more serious like a ruptured Achilles.

"We are all disappointed for him. Excited about the win but concern for Kevin. He had been on this incredible playoff run. I am proud of the guys and the way they pulled out this win and we will see about Kevin tomorrow," said Kerr.

Durant's injury occurred innocently enough after he hit a jumper from the right side with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.

He took a step forward then grimaced in pain and looked down at his lower right leg.

"He's done a lot for us. We got to have his back — that is what tonight was about," said Warriors Stephen Curry.

Thompson finished with 27 points, Curry 25 and Durant 22 for the Warriors, who continued a run of home wins by the teams in the series.

James Harden was the game's leading scorer with 31 points for the Rockets, who were outshot by the Warriors from the field 46 percent to 42 percent.

source: philstar.com

Warriors hold off Rockets for 2-0 series lead

LOS ANGELES – Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Klay Thompson added 21 on Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time) as the Golden State Warriors downed the Houston Rockets, 115-109, in a bruising NBA playoff clash.

The reigning champions never trailed, but they had to battle to the end to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series, which shifts to Houston for game three on Saturday.

Both teams had injury scares in the first quarter, when Houston's 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player James Harden departed with a left eye injury after he was inadvertently swiped in the face by Draymond Green as they battled for the ball.


Warriors guard Stephen Curry left briefly with a dislocated middle finger on his left hand, returning with it taped up before the quarter ended.

Harden returned in the second quarter, but appeared to feel discomfort from the injury during the game, sometimes squinting in the bright lights.


"He got raked pretty good in the eyes," Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said of Harden, who finished with 29 points — including 13 in the fourth quarter. "I'm sure he would have loved to have played better, but under the circumstances I thought he played great."

D'Antoni said he knew Harden would return to the contest unless the injury was "catastrophic" but even with their superstar on the court the Rockets couldn't find a way past the Warriors.

"Tonight we just stayed the course," Thompson said.

Houston trimmed a 15-point deficit to three points in the fourth quarter, but their 18 turnovers, leading to 24 Warriors points, were ultimately too costly.

Curry helped the Warriors' cause with 20 points and Green contributed a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds along with seven assists.

"We had our chances toward the end," D'Antoni said. "They made big plays."

source: philstar.com

Warriors edge Rockets; Celtics baffle Bucks in NBA conference semis

WASHINGTON – Kevin Durant scored 35 points to lead the defending champion Golden State Warriors over Houston, 104-100, Sunday (Monday Manila time) while Boston ripped Milwaukee in the openers of their NBA second-round playoff matchups.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, each playing despite right ankle injuries, scored 18 and 13 points, respectively, while Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green each added 14 as the Warriors jumped ahead in the best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series.

James Harden led Houston with 35 points while Eric Gordon added 27 and Chris Paul contributed 17 in a losing cause, the Rockets hitting only 41.9 percent from the floor.

"We just made them shoot tough shots," Durant said. "I think our defense won this game."

At Milwaukee, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford sparked the Boston Celtics to a 112-90 victory. Irving had game highs of 26 points and 11 assists while Horford scored 20 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked three shots.

The Warriors had lost their two prior playoff home games to the Los Angeles Clippers before escaping the first round, but hung on down the stretch to halt that unwanted streak.

Curry sank a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a five-point lead with 25 seconds remaining, but Harden answered with a dunk with lift the Rockets within 103-100 with 21 seconds remaining.

Houston forced a turnover but Harden missed a 3-pointer and Paul got the rebound but then made a turnover and was ejected after a technical foul with four seconds remaining, Curry sinking a free throw to create the final victory margin.

"Just getting more opportunities," Durant said of his performance. "We've got to win every matchup. We'll bring the focus again Tuesday (for game two)."

Horford quiets Giannis

Boston's Horford led a solid Celtics defensive effort that shut down Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

"We came out and made a statement," Irving said. "We guarded Giannis really tough. We stayed very physical with him. He's so good around the rim, that mid-range area, we had to keep him out of there. I think we did a great job."

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but much of his production came late when Milwaukee was already in a 20-point hole.

The Celtics, seeded fourth in the Eastern Conference against the club with the NBA's best record at 60-22, shot 54 percent against the league's toughest defensive squad.

Boston unleashed a 32-9 run in the third quarter, Horford scoring 11 in the spurt, to seize an 86-65 lead.

While the host Bucks made one unsuccessful run early in the fourth quarter, they never threatened to erase that lead as they had done with a 15-point deficit in the first half.

"Just coming out playing very aggressive, playing poised, understanding they are very tough to beat on their home floor," Irving said when asked about the key to Boston's success.

"It's our preparation, our focus and being there for one another. This is the time you show why you go through the ups and downs of the regular season."

The Bucks, the NBA's third-best scoring club, shot only 34.8 percent for the game.

Antetokounmpo went 7-for-21 from the floor but was denied inside position by Boston's varied defensive schemes.

The Greek star's teammates could not step up and offset his lost production when asked by the Celtics, who dropped two of three regular-season meetings with Milwaukee.

source: philstar.com

Warriors clinch top seed in West; Rockets set record for threes

LOS ANGELES – The Golden State Warriors clinched the Western Conference's top seed with a victory in their final regular-season contest at the Oracle Arena, beating the Los Angeles Clippers, 131-104, on Sunday (Monday Manila time).

Stephen Curry led the charge with 27 points and Kevin Durant added 16 as the Warriors won their fifth straight game.

They wore throwback "We Believe" jerseys in a move designed to honor the past at Oracle, which has been their home venue for 47 years.


The team is moving across the bay from Oakland to a facility in San Francisco where they will play next season.

"Let me just say that for 47 years, Warriors fans have stuck with us through thick and thin," Kerr told the crowd moments after the final buzzer. "Let's be honest, most of those years have been a little thin."


The win gives them home field advantage throughout the West playoffs.

The Warriors' first-round opponent, which will be the eighth seed in the West, is yet to be determined.

There is a chance it could be the Clippers when the playoffs begin next Saturday. They are battling Oklahoma City (47-33) and San Antonio (47-34) — both won on Sunday — for the sixth, seventh and eighth playoff spots in the West.



Elsewhere, the Houston Rockets continued their three-point assault on the NBA as they drained a record 27 from beyond the arc in a 149-113 win over the Phoenix Suns.

The Rockets broke their own league single-game record with the help of 30 points from James Harden.

It came just five days after they tied the mark, initially set against the Los Angeles Lakers in January, with 26 against the Sacramento Kings. They now have four of the top 10 three-point games.

The Rockets made 27 of 57 threes and seven players hit at least two threes, including Eric Gordon who had a career-high eight, Harden who had five, and P.J. Tucker with four.

Austin Rivers broke the record with 69 seconds remaining after Gary Clark had tied it two minutes earlier.

Elsewhere, the Miami Heat edged closer to being eliminated from the playoffs for the second time in three seasons on Sunday after a 117-109 defeat to the Toronto Raptors.

Miami entered the game with their destiny still in their own hands, knowing that victories in their three final regular season fixtures would carry them into the postseason.

But an agonizing loss — they were leading by 13 at one point in the first half — means Miami were now sweating on results elsewhere to have any chance of progressing.

Sunday's loss left Miami with 38 wins and 42 defeats for the season.

Miami icon Dwyane Wade, who could grace an NBA court for the last time when the regular season draws to a close on Wednesday, finished with 21 points.

Westbrook soars

In Minnesota, Russell Westbrook and Paul George combined for 54 points and Dennis Schroder had 14 in the fourth quarter in Oklahoma City Thunder's 132-126 victory over the Timberwolves.

Westbrook added 10 rebounds and 15 assists for his 32nd triple-double of the season as the Thunder remained a half-game ahead of San Antonio for seventh place in the Western Conference.

"That's just what he does," said Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie, who was given the unenviable task of guarding Westbrook.

"He has great teammates around him that can make plays. He's a playmaker himself. He's aggressive, rebounds and can get to the rim."

Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 35 points, while Andrew Wiggins scored 24 and Dario Saric added 23.

source: philstar.com

Curry sizzles as Warriors rout Pacers

LOS ANGELES – Golden State star Stephen Curry scored 26 points on another milestone night on Monday (Tuesday Manila time), leading the defending champion Warriors in a 132-100 rout of the Indiana Pacers.

The Warriors stretched the longest winning streak in the league this season to 11 as they wrapped up a five-game road trip in style in Indianapolis.

Curry connected on 10 of 13 shots from the field, including six three-pointers and became the first player in NBA history to make 200 three-pointers in seven successive seasons.


He did most of the damage in the first half, when his 23 points included eight straight to break a 16-16 tie midway through the first quarter — a burst that put the Warriors on their way.

"Just a really good way to finish it," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the convincing end to the road trip. "I was a little worried about this game. Everybody's anxious to get home, but we've finished off the trip the right way.


"We're in a groove, we're in a good place. We've just got to keep going."

DeMarcus Cousins added 22 points for the Warriors, shaking off a scary fall in the first quarter.

Cousins, playing just his fifth game for the Warriors after missing almost an entire year after a torn Achilles tendon, went down hard after Indiana's Myles Turner fouled him in transition in the first quarter.

"I wasn't actually hurt, I was more spooked from the fall," said Cousins, who was slow to rise but stayed in the game.

Kevin Durant added 16 points for the Warriors, who let "banged up" Draymond Green sit out for a bit of rest.

Turner scored led the Pacers with 16 points, but Indiana dropped their second straight since losing guard Victor Oladipo to a season-ending knee injury.

In Boston, the absence of Kyrie Irving was no problem for the Celtics as Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart scored 21 points apiece to lead the Celtics to a 112-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Aron Baynes added 16 points, Marcus Morris scored 15 and Al Horford and Terry Rozier chipped in 14 each for the Celtics, whose 16 blocked shots were a franchise record.

Irving sat out with a sore left hip — possibly the result of a fall in Saturday's loss to the Warriors.

"I don't think it'll be anything long-term," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said before the game. "We'll see after tonight how he feels tomorrow."

Stevens said it wasn't a tough decision to have Irving sit out a seventh game this season, even with a minor injury, as the team looks to preserve the long-term health of the All-Star point guard.

"Especially with a guy that we were going to sit him eight to 12 games anyway, so when he does have nicks and bruises, it makes sense to sit."

Nuggets rally

The Denver Nuggets, second in the Western Conference behind the Warriors, erased a 25-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Grizzlies in Memphis 95-92.

Nikola Jokic scored 24 points and drained a go-ahead hook shot with 28.9 seconds to play as the Nuggets became the first team in the league this season to win after trailing by 25 in the second half.

Down 17 heading into the final period, the Nuggets forced the Grizzlies into eight straight misses in the final 10 minutes.

Malik Beasley scored 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.

"It's what we do," Beasley said. "We just stayed together, kept our heads up and kept playing hard. We're the best team in this league to me."

source: philstar.com

LeBron vs Warriors headlines NBA's Christmas lineup

There's no NBA Finals rematch this year on Christmas. Not technically, anyway. It's LeBron James vs. the Golden State Warriors for the fourth consecutive year on December 25, though James will be wearing a Los Angeles Lakers uniform this time.

It was a predictable matchup.

It isn't, however, a break from tradition.


That's one of the biggest misnomers about the NBA and the schedule. An NBA Finals rematch is not common, not the norm, not a guarantee for the last two teams that were standing the previous season. The league has crowned a champion every year since 1947, and the tradition of Christmas Day games started later that same year. (They've been an annual fixture since, with the exception of 1998, when a lockout didn't allow that season to begin until February.)

But there have been only nine NBA Finals rematches on December 25. The recent Golden State-Cleveland history may make it seem like more.

James has been in five Finals rematches on Christmas, all since 2011: Miami vs. Dallas that year, Oklahoma City vs. Miami the following year, and Cleveland vs. Golden State in each of the last three years.

The other four rematches on the holiday: Orlando vs. Houston in 1995, Philadelphia vs. the Lakers in 2001, San Antonio vs. Detroit in 2005 and Boston vs. the Lakers in 2008.

So instead of a Cavs-Warriors rematch, getting Lakers vs. Warriors — for the first time in the LeBron L.A. era — makes perfect sense.

"Bron is Bron," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "They're going to be tough, a tough matchup on Christmas Day, but we're looking forward to it."

Inevitably, so will James. Even with the Lakers having lost four of their last six games, they're off to a 19-14 start — their best since the 2011-12 season.

"We've got a long way to go to get to Golden State," James said in September.

He's about to get his first look at how the Lakers measure up with the champs.

Christmas lineup

Tuesday's slate starts with Milwaukee at New York, followed by Oklahoma City at Houston, Philadelphia at Boston, the Lakers at the Warriors and then Portland at Utah. It's Milwaukee's first Christmas game since 1977, which will end what was by far the league's longest December 25 drought. Utah hasn't played on Christmas since 1997.

A look at each of the five games:

Bucks at Knicks

Congratulations to the schedule-makers, because there's no way they could have known this Christmas game would be wrapped in animus. Giannis Antetokounmpo was peeved at New York forward Mario Hezonja — who dunked on him, stared at him and then stepped over him when the teams last met on December 1.

Thunder at Rockets

A rematch of a game from Christmas 2017, which the Thunder won 112-107. Oklahoma City is 6-2 on Christmas since the team moved there; when the franchise was in Seattle, it was 0-11 on the holiday. Rockets star Chris Paul will miss Christmas for the third straight year — with the Clippers, he had a left hamstring strain and missed their game with the Lakers in 2016, sat out last year's Houston-OKC game with a groin strain and this year, it's another left hamstring issue that will keep him out.

76ers at Celtics

These are heated, historic rivals, but they've met on Christmas only once before — in 1961, when the 76ers were the Syracuse Nationals. Boston, which famously avoided home Christmas games forever (the Celtics played their first 30 such games away from Boston), will be at home on the holiday for the second consecutive season.

Lakers at Warriors

It's the 20th consecutive Christmas appearance for the Lakers, and with LeBron James there now don't expect that streak to end anytime soon. Warriors star Kevin Durant apparently loves playing on the holiday; he's averaging 31.1 points in his eight previous Christmas games.

Trail Blazers at Jazz

Portland is 14-3 all-time on Christmas, and could tie Miami (10-2) for the best winning percentage on the holiday if it tops the Jazz. Meanwhile, for Utah, it's a chance for Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell to get his first — but almost certainly not his last — look at playing on Christmas.

Christmas history

The NBA's five-game Christmas lineup is back for an 11th consecutive year, and that may seem like a lot of matchups but has been exceeded plenty of times in the past. There were seven games on the holiday in 1949, 1971 and 1977, as well as six in 1970 and 1976.

And there were some years where everybody played on Christmas.

In 1952, the league had 10 teams so that meant five Christmas games. In 1956, the league's eight teams got together for two Christmas doubleheaders — two games at Madison Square Garden, two others at the War Memorial in Rochester, New York. And in 1959, eight teams meant four games on the holiday again.

With Milwaukee playing, the league's longest Christmas drought will belong to the Atlanta Hawks, who haven't appeared on the holiday since 1989. After the Hawks, the longest droughts will be held by Charlotte (no appearances in 29 seasons), Memphis (no appearances in 24 seasons), Toronto (2001), Sacramento (2003), Indiana (2004) and Detroit (2005).

Everyone else has played at least one Christmas game since 2009.

Year of the 3

Houston set the NBA record for 3-pointers made in a game with 26, doing that against Washington last week.

It cemented that, without question, 2018 in the NBA was the year of the 3-pointer.

So far this season, 11 franchises — Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Golden State, Houston, Milwaukee, Minnesota, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento and Utah — have set or tied team records for 3-pointers made in a regular-season game. That doesn't even take into account Brooklyn, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia also doing it in 2018, albeit last season.

Maybe the craze hasn't caught on in Canada.

The longest-standing team record for 3s in a game is held by the Toronto Raptors, who made 21 on March 13, 2005. Orlando's mark of 23 has stuck since Jan. 13, 2009 and Phoenix's record of 22 came on Nov. 14, 2010.

Meanwhile, Zaza Pachulia's quest for a 3 continues.

Pachulia has the NBA record for most 3s attempted in a career without a make — the Detroit backup center is now 0 for 29 in the regular season, 0 for 31 when including playoffs. He's 0 for 3 in 2018, though all those tries in this calendar year were desperation heaves from midcourt or deeper. And in fairness, only six of his career 3-point tries have been shots inside of 30 feet.

source: philstar.com

Durant powers Warriors past Hawks after Green's suspension

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant scored 29 points with a key jumper in the final minute, a day after a shouting episode on the bench with Draymond Green led to his teammate's suspension Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time), and the undermanned Golden State Warriors held off the Atlanta Hawks, 110-103.

Klay Thompson added 24 points as Splash Brother Stephen Curry missed his third straight game with a strained left groin. The two-time MVP shuffled and danced as he celebrated big plays from the bench.

Taurean Prince scored 22 points, making four 3-pointers and finishing 8 for 14 from the floor in the Hawks' fifth straight loss and ninth in 10.

Durant led the way hours after the Warriors suspended All-Star Green for one game without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. He got into it with Durant on the bench at the end of regulation in a 121-116 overtime road loss to the Clippers and Green wasn't even at the arena Tuesday.

source: philstar.com

Warriors dismember Knicks

NEW YORK – Kevin Durant scored 25 of his 41 points in Golden State’s ruthless fourth-quarter clinic, and the Warriors beat the New York Knicks 128-100 on Friday night.

New York led by three after three quarters before Durant and the Warriors started hitting from all over the floor, making 19 of 26 shots – and things went so well that on a rare long-range miss by Durant, the ball bounced all the way out behind the arc to a wide-open Stephen Curry, who made the 3-pointer.

Curry added 29 points and six 3-pointers, giving him at least five in every game this season. Durant was 17 of 24 from the floor, including 5 of 9 from behind the arc, and grabbed nine rebounds. Golden State outscored New York 47-16 in the fourth quarter.


Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 24 points for the Knicks. They have dropped five in a row after a season-opening victory over Atlanta.

In Houston, Montrezl Harrell scored a career-high 30 points off the bench to help Los Angeles rout short-handed Houston, 133-113.

It was the Clippers’ second win this season over the Rockets, who played without James Harden due to a hamstring injury and dropped to 1-4. Carmelo Anthony scored a season-high 24 points in his first start for the Rockets. Chris Paul had 12 points and eight assists against his former team in his return after serving a two-game suspension for his role in a fight with Lakers guard Rajon Rondo.

In Toronto, Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 12 assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points and Toronto beat Dallas, 116-107, to set a franchise record with its sixth straight win to start the season.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 17 points, Danny Green had 15 and Serge Ibaka 11 as the Raptors eclipsed the 5-0 start they recorded in 2015-16.

DeAndre Jordan had 18 points and 15 rebounds for Dallas. Luka Doncic scored 22 points, and Wesley Matthews had 21.

In other games, it was Pelicans 117, Nets 115; Bucks 125, Timberwolves 95; Hornets 135, Bulls 106; Kings 116, Wizards 112.               

source: philstar.com

All-Star Warriors roll past Thunder in festive NBA opener

OAKLAND, California – Stephen Curry is coming off an injury-plagued season and a summer he thought might be among his best yet.

On a festive night of celebration as another championship banner went up, Curry brought his usual flair and dazzle. Kevin Durant did all of the little things, too.

Curry had 32 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, Durant added 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and the Golden State Warriors opened their quest for a three-peat by holding off the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100 on Tuesday night.

“I love who we are, game 1 of 82,” Durant said. “Just keep grinding.”

Golden State needed a strong fourth quarter after the two-time defending champions received their 2018 rings in a pregame ceremony shortly before tipoff and began the final season at Oracle Arena before a move across San Francisco Bay to new Chase Center. (Related story below)

“It’s a great move for the organization. We know that but this place is special, so we want to make sure this is a special season,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Klay Thompson shot just 5 of 20 for 14 points while center Damian Jones scored 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting for the Warriors in his first career start and 26th game.

Kerr knows his players are still getting in shape and looked tired, saying: “We didn’t look much like ourselves. It’s not surprising either. We need a couple more weeks.”

Curry called it “an emotional night.”

source: philstar.com

Durant sweetens 2nd straight NBA title with another Finals MVP plum

CLEVELAND —Kevin Durant went back-to-back, twice.

It’s now two straight NBA championships for the Golden State Warriors, and two consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards for the forward who played a huge role in getting them to those titles.

Durant scored 20 points in the Game Four clincher Friday night (Saturday Manila time), a 108-85 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers — but his series will be remembered most for what he did in Game Three. Durant scored 43 points in that game, including a 33-foot 3-pointer in the final minute to all but clinch the win for the Warriors.

Durant averaged 28.8 points in the series, along with 10.8 rebounds and 7.5 assists.

“It’s just about the journey, all season,” Durant said. “Getting up every day, going to work with these guys, it’s amazing. The environment is incredible. It’s good for you to be around guys like this. It helps you become a better basketball player and a better man.”

Durant becomes the 11th player to win Finals MVP twice, joining six-time winner Michael Jordan, three-timers Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan and LeBron James,  and two-timers Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon, Willis Reed and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

He’s also the sixth player to win it in consecutive years, with Jordan, O’Neal, James, Olajuwon and Bryant being the others.

Since 2009 the award has been named for Celtics legend Bill Russell, the 11-time champion who surely would have won the award several times if it existed in his playing days. The Finals MVP was first handed out in 1974.

Durant is one of 30 players to win the award.

source: philstar.com

Stealing home; Durant sparks Warriors over host Rockets in opener

MANILA, Philippines — Season wins leader Houston battled an entire campaign to seize a home-court edge throughout the NBA playoffs, but defending champion Golden State stole it away with a 119-106 victory Monday.

Kevin Durant scored 37 points and Klay Thompson added 28 for the Warriors to capture the best-of seven Western Conference final opener in a rare series start on the road for a team seeking its third NBA crown in four seasons.

“We’re just trying to win every game we play,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “It ends up being ‘stealing home court’ but we don’t look at it that way. We won one game on the road. Let’s try to win two.”

Stephen Curry added 18 points, six rebounds and eight assists while Green contributed nine rebounds and nine assists for the Warriors.


“It’s a great start. We played well,” said Thompson, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. “We’re not going to relax. We’re still not where we want to be. We still have a long way to go.”

NBA scoring champion James Harden netted 41 points to lead the Rockets, who host game two on Wednesday.

“We’ve got to do a better job of taking better shots, not turning the ball over and getting back on D,” Harden said. “We’ve got to make them rotate and take tougher shots.

“They do a really good job if you take bad shots or turn the ball over. That’s what they thrive on. Those mistakes can’t happen.”

Durant scored 17 first-half points and sparked Golden State after the Rockets played aggressively at the start, using two big runs to jump ahead only to have the Warriors overtake them by the middle of the second quarter.

“You know they are going to come out with a lot of energy,” Durant said. “We just tried to take their best punch and keep fighting.”
“To withstand that run says a lot about our team,” Green said. “The further you get along in the playoffs, the more intensity you need to bring.”

source: philstar.com

‘Best of West’ final showdown looms

MANILA, Philippines — The Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets both raced to a pair of lopsided wins on Sunday and can book their spots in the Western Conference final with victories on their home courts on Tuesday.

Kevin Durant scored 38 points to power the reigning NBA champion Warriors over the New Orleans Pelicans, 118-92, and Chris Paul finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Rockets defeated the Utah Jazz, 100-87.

Durant said his free form game plan allowed him to be aggressive and effective at the same time.

“I just try to tell myself that I’m at my best when I don’t care what happens after the game, the outcome or anything,” Durant said.


Stephen Curry added 23 points as the Warriors seized a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven second-round series.

The Warriors are seeking a fourth consecutive trip to the NBA finals and their third crown in four seasons.

Curry said the key was getting the ball to their hottest player, Durant.

“Just find ways to get him in scoring positions,” Curry said. “Sometimes, that’s not really hard to do – just throw it to him.

“Just keep the game simple at that point because he’s such a great scorer, you don’t have to really overthink things.”

The host Pelicans, led by 26 points and 12 rebounds from Anthony Davis, never led while Golden State stretched the lead to as many as 26 points.

Durant added nine rebounds while Draymond Green had eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Warriors.

In Utah, NBA veteran Paul, celebrating his 33rd birthday, also had 12 rebounds while James Harden scored 24 points to power the Rockets to a 3-1 series lead.
“It was an emotional, crazy game,” said Paul.

Clint Capela tallied 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks in the win.

Paul powered the offense and when he combined with Harden they were impossible to defend against.

“There are different ways to win,” said Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni. “We got a lot of stuff we can go to. The plan was to get that, so we wouldn’t be a one dimensional team.”                           

source: philstar.com

Warriors use big second quarter to pull away, rout Pelicans

OAKLAND, Calif. — Kevin Durant and Draymond Green ignited a brilliant second quarter with their defense and all-out hustle plays, then Golden State got rolling in transition and Oracle Arena started rocking the way it does this time of year.

The defending champions are dominating again, and now Stephen Curry is ready to rejoin the mix and make them that much better.

Durant had 26 points and 13 rebounds, Green dazzled all over the floor with his fourth career postseason triple-double, and the Golden State Warriors thoroughly overmatched the New Orleans Pelicans for a 123-101 win in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).

Green finished with 16 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals and two blocks and just with his hustle and energy helped the defending champions pull away with a superb, decisive second quarter.


“If we can push the tempo and try to get stuff in transition that’s big for us, so that was key and obviously that starts with stops,” Green said.

Now, they likely get Curry back for Game 2 on Tuesday night and all that he brings — even if in a limited role initially.

Anthony Davis had 21points and 10 rebounds, scoring 10 in the first quarter before having a tougher time generating shots the rest of the way to finish 9 for 20. Jrue Holiday was held to 4-for-14 shooting and 11 points.

Golden State again played without two-time MVP Curry, who has been sidelined since March 23 with a sprained left knee. Coach Steve Kerr called it “very likely” Curry would play Game 2 in the best-of-seven series.

“We’ve adjusted to life without him. Hopefully he comes back Tuesday but we still have to have the same mindset if he isn’t,” Klay Thompson said. “Even if he does come back, it’s natural human emotion to be kind of relaxed because we have so much production coming back in our lineup but that’s going to be a test for us just to put that away in our minds and just focus on the task at hand and not depend on Steph to save the day. He’s done it plenty of times but we have a very deep team, playmakers all around.”
Thompson, who led Golden State with 27 points, hit back-to-back 3-pointers late in the first half that made it 76-48. But New Orleans ended the second on a 7-0 run and Darius Miller’s 73-foot heave at the halftime buzzer counted, getting the Pelicans within 76-55 at the break. They hit another buzzer-beater to end the third but by then it was way too late.

Rajon Rondo had nine points and dished out 11 assists for New Orleans.

“Well, that didn’t go as planned ,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.

Once Golden State got going in transition, the crowd became deafening and the Pelicans couldn’t keep pace — with tempo being something the Warriors know is key this series.

“It was probably the loudest I’ve heard Oracle all year,” Kerr said.

Davis, who averaged 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in a first-round sweep of Portland, made 5 of 7 shots in the opening period. The weeklong layoff hurt, Gentry said.

Green has been brilliant on the boards as Golden State keeps taking its defense up a level, and the Warriors improved to 26-0 when he has a triple-double, 4-0 in the postseason. He had games of 19 and 18 rebounds in the final two matchups of a five-game series with San Antonio in the first round.

“The bottom line is he almost had a triple-double by halftime. That’s not a good situation for us,” Gentry said.

Nick Young started at forward for the Warriors while 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala remained in the starting lineup in place of Curry as Golden State won a franchise-record 13th straight postseason home game.

The Warriors swept the Pelicans in the only other playoff meeting between the franchises in the 2015 first round as Golden State went on to capture its first championship in 40 years.

HIGH-FLYING W’S

Golden State had its highest scoring postseason first half as well as second quarter. The 76 points topped 73 against Phoenix on May 4, 1994, while 41 in the second bested 40 scored against Utah on May 11, 2007.

Golden State shot 13 for 20 in the second, making four 3s and 11 of 14 free throws.

CURRY OUT

As usual, Curry insisted he “feels great and he’s ready to go,” said Kerr, who is encouraged his superstar point guard feels so good.

“Just made the decision based on giving him the extra few days and the fact he only scrimmaged yesterday,” Kerr said. “You’ve been out five weeks and we’re playing in the playoffs, I don’t think one scrimmage is enough, even though he feels great, he wants to play and pleaded his case. ”

Curry returned to full practice with contact Thursday and only scrimmaged 5 on 5 for the first time Friday, and Kerr prefers that Curry get additional on-court time at full speed Sunday.

source: philstar.com

Durant scores 38 points, Warriors beat Jazz to take 3-0 lead

SALT LAKE CITY — Kevin Durant had 38 points and 13 rebounds and the Golden State Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 102-91 on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila) to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were a combined 7 for 29 from the field and 3 for 15 from 3-point range, leaving Durant to lead the Warriors.

The Jazz led 75-74 early in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors went on a 10-4 run and never trailed again. Curry and Durant hit back to back 3ss to give Golden State a 92-84 lead with 3:04 left.

Curry finished with 23 points on 6-for-20 shooting.

Gordon Hayward led Utah with 29 points. Rudy Gobert added 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Game 4 is Monday night in Utah.

The Warriors got out to a quick start, again, and led by 10 after the first quarter.

Utah survived the first-half onslaught by Durant, who had 22 points and six rebounds at the break. There wasn't much the Jazz could do to contend a flurry of turnaround fadeaways, drives to the basket and a pair of 3s. Golden State, however, didn't get much help otherwise and Draymond Green dealt with foul trouble.

The Jazz took a 50-49 lead into halftime after closing the second quarter on a 12-5 run highlighted by Rodney Hood's 3-pointer triple that gave the Jazz their first lead of the series at 48-47.

Green picked up a technical arguing from the bench late in the second quarter after being whistled for his third foul of the half. As the crowd roared, he gave a 2-0 hand gesture to indicate the series record.

The Jazz led by nine in the third quarter, but Curry began to warm up and hit his first 3-pointer of the game on a pull-up in transition. Golden State closed the quarter on a 19-8 stretch to take a 72-70 lead.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Andre Iguodala played his 100th playoff game. ... Curry is alone at No. 8 on the career playoff 3-pointers list (270), surpassing Chauncey Billups. He has hit at least one 3 in all 65 playoff games he's played.

Jazz: Utah continued to have slow starts and shot just 28.6 percent and trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter. ... The Jazz' first lead of the series came with 1:01 left in the second quarter, nearly 119 minutes. ... Golden State was held under 106 points for the first time this postseason.

HILL OUT

Jazz starting point guard George Hill missed his second consecutive game with a big toe injury. Utah hoped the extra rest would have him ready for Game 3, but he didn't progress enough. Shelvin Mack started in his place.

"It is really just a question of his effectiveness," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "There are situations in the game where he lands on it and pushes off and it just aggravates it. It aggravates it to a point where he's just not able to be effective."

KERR OUT

Warriors coach Steve Kerr did not travel with the team as he continues to deal with back issues. He was at Duke University on Friday seeing a specialist.

"He's had a ton of input," acting coach Mike Brown said. "His imprints are all over everything we do. He and I talk a couple times a day.

"There have been a couple of times he has come in to our coaches meetings for an hour or so. But for the most part, we're in constant communication on the phone."

source: philstar.com

Warriors take 3-0 series lead over Blazers with 119-113 win

PORTLAND, Ore. — Stephen Curry scored 34 points, Klay Thompson added 24 and the short-handed Golden State Warriors overcame a slow start to take a 3-0 lead in their playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers with a 119-113 victory on Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).

The Blazers led by as many as 17 points in the first half, but couldn't hold off the Warriors, who can clinch the series with a win Monday night in Game 4 at the Moda Center.

Golden State was without Kevin Durant, who was sitting for a second straight game cause of a left calf strain, and coach Steve Kerr stayed back at the team hotel because of illness.

The Warriors took a 108-100 lead after Andre Iguodala's dunk with 4:05 to go.

Noah Vonleh's dunk got Portland within four at 110-106 with 1:29 left, but Curry answered with a 3-pointer that all but sealed it, sending fans streaming for the exits.

CJ McCollum led the Blazers with 32 points, while Damian Lillard added 31.

Portland saw the return of big man Jusuf Nurkic after he missed the final seven games of the regular season and the first two playoff games at Golden State because of a non-displaced fracture in his right leg. There had been speculation that Nurkic, a 7-footer known as the Bosnian Beast, could return for the playoffs because he has been shooting around in warmups. Playing limited minutes, he finished with two points and 11 rebounds.

The Warriors routed the Blazers 110-81 in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Durant injured his calf in the third quarter of Sunday's 121-109 Game 1 victory, but finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds.

Energized by a raucous home crowd, Portland jumped out to an early 17-9 lead on Vonleh's dunk. The Blazers led by as many as 10, but Golden State closed the gap to 24-21 on McGee's layup.

Portland extended the lead in the second quarter, with Al-Farouq Aminu and Allen Crabbe showing spark after being largely quiet in the first two games. Crabbe's 3-pointer and a free throw put Portland up 49-33.

A 14-5 run put the Blazers up 65-48, but Curry hit a 3-pointer and a long jumper for the Warriors to close out the half down 67-54. Curry and Thompson were off in the opening half, going 8 of 25 from the field with just two 3-pointers — both from Curry.

The Warriors went on a 21-3 run to pull in front 85-83, capped by a pair of baskets from Iguodala and Draymond Green. Portland led 88-87 going into the final quarter.

Warriors assistant Mike Brown stood in for Kerr, who still experiences lingering symptoms from complications following two back surgeries after the franchise's run to the 2015 championship. He missed the first 43 games last season dealing with symptoms such as headaches, nausea and an aching neck.

Despite his prolonged absence, the Warriors went 73-9 last season and played in the NBA championship game. Kerr was named Coach of the Year.

"I don't know all of the circumstances," Brown said before the game. "He's just not feeling well, and we'll see how he feels later on."

Matt Barnes (right ankle/foot sprain), and Shaun Livingston (right index finger sprain) were also out for the Warriors.

The Warriors defeated the Blazers in five games in the second round last season, en route to the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The surprising Blazers got past the Los Angeles Clippers in the opening round after falling to a 2-0 deficit.

Golden State finished atop the conference this season with the best overall record in the NBA (67-15). The Blazers finished eighth after a late-season surge that saw them go 17-6 after March 1.

TIP-INS

Warriors: David West was assessed a flagrant foul for pushing Portland's Evan Turner in the first half. Turner was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct technical. ... The Philadelphia Warriors won the inaugural league title with a Game 5 win against Chicago 70 years ago on Saturday.

Trail Blazers: Portland's bench, which struggled in the first two games of the series, combined for 19 points and 13 rebounds in the first half. ... Lillard has 15 playoff games with 25-plus, second-most in franchise history to Clyde Drexler with 29.

UP NEXT

The Warriors can clinch the series on Monday night (Tuesday in Manila) at the Moda Center.

source: philstar.com