NBA: Red-hot Suns feeding off Kevin Durant ahead of clash with Spurs

The Phoenix Suns will go for their sixth straight win when they host the suddenly dangerous San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.

Phoenix (43-35) is coming together as the regular season heads into the final stretch and its roster is nearly whole. The Suns flexed their considerable muscle on Sunday in a 128-118 win on the road in Oklahoma City, with Kevin Durant scoring 35 points, 13 of those in the fourth quarter, in Phoenix’s fifth consecutive victory, its longest winning streak since November.

Devin Booker finished with 22 points and 10 assists for the Suns, while Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 11 rebounds and Chris Paul had 16 points and eight assists.

Phoenix shot 56.8 percent from the floor in Sunday’s win to match its season high. The Suns remain in fourth place in the West and are three games up on the Lakers and New Orleans in the race to clinch the conference’s guaranteed playoff spots without having to participate in the play-in tournament.

The Suns are 6-0 with Durant in the lineup. Phoenix is becoming the team insiders expected it to be when Durant was brought to the Valley of the Sun.

“There’s not a way that he can’t score,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said about Durant after Sunday’s win. “Those kind of players — they want those (clutch) shots. They’re so used to having the ball in their hands. … Guys work their tails off to be ready for those shots and he and Booker are a case in point. That’s what Kevin does.”

Phoenix has won the first two games with the Spurs this season and has defeated San Antonio eight straight times dating back to May 2021.

The Spurs (20-58) head to Phoenix after a rousing 142-134 overtime win in Sacramento on Sunday that snapped a six-game losing streak. San Antonio got a combined 56 points from reserves Doug McDermott (season-best 30 points) and Julian Champagnie (career-high 26 points).

Nine of McDermott’s points came in the extra period in which the Spurs never trailed, while Champagnie scored 22 of his points before halftime.

San Antonio also got a triple-double from Tre Jones (17 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds) in the win, a double-double from Dominick Barlow (12 points, 10 rebounds), 16 points from Zach Collins, 15 from Malaki Branham and 13 from Keita Bates-Diop.

“I think it’s the defensive end, really,” Jones said. “That’s the main thing for us. We came out in overtime and they scored right away but then we were able to string a few stops together. We were able to get some stops in the middle of it all and that really helped us.”

San Antonio was without Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson due to injuries.

“It was a great night for us,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We had a lot of guys play really well. We had career games by three or four guys. I’m just happy for them. They have been busting their butts all year. We don’t have many wins.”

-reuters

NBA: Durant set to stay with Nets after management talks

NEW YORK -- Kevin Durant looks set to remain with the Brooklyn Nets after holding talks with the club's management team, the Nets said in a statement on Tuesday.

Durant, who requested a trade from the club on June 30, met Nets chiefs in Los Angeles on Monday to discuss his future.

A statement from Nets manager Sean Marks on Tuesday indicated that the 33-year-old 12-time NBA All-Star would remain a Brooklyn player.

"(Head coach) Steve Nash and I, together with (owners) Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, met with Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman in Los Angeles yesterday," Marks said.

"We have agreed to move forward with our partnership. We are focusing on basketball, with one collective goal in mind: build a lasting franchise to bring a championship to Brooklyn."

The statement appears to draw a line under the frenzy of speculation surrounding Durant's future.

A slew of teams had reportedly been interested in restructuring their rosters in an effort to accommodate the superstar.

Earlier this month, multiple US reports said Durant had issued an ultimatum to Nets owner Tsai -- telling him to either fire Marks and Nash or grant his request for a trade.

Durant's trade demand in June came less than a year after he signed a four-year $198 million contract extension with Brooklyn.

However the 33-year-old has grown increasingly frustrated with the direction of the franchise according to reports, and was eager for a change of scenery.

The Nets had hoped to build a super-team around Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. 

However the trio of stars were unable to turn Brooklyn into championship contenders and were swept in the first round of this year's playoffs by the Boston Celtics.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Durant, Irving lead Nets over Pacers, Celtics take second seed

NEW YORK -- Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant combined for 55 points as the Brooklyn Nets held off a rally from the Indiana Pacers on Sunday to seal seventh place in the Eastern Conference and clinch home advantage for next week's play-in.

The Nets' final regular season game looked set to be a blowout for long periods as Brooklyn jumped out to an 18-point lead in the first half.

But a dogged Pacers unit drew level at 89-89 with less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter before Brooklyn regrouped to pull clear and run out 134-126 winners.

The win means Brooklyn will face a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday where a victory will see them enter directly into the playoffs as seventh seeds.

The Nets will head into that showdown buoyed by the recent form of Irving and Durant.

Irving finished with 35 points, seven rebounds and five assists on Sunday, going 15-of-20 from the field.

Durant, meanwhile, completed a triple double of 20 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists while Brooklyn had six players finish in double figures.

"It's been an up and down last few weeks for us -- winning some games, losing some games," Durant said afterwards. 

"I think we're finding out who we are as a group and that's always a good thing." 

Durant is now looking forward eagerly to the business end of the season, starting with Tuesday's assignment against Cleveland. 

"It's been a long year and this is the perfect time of the year to play our best basketball," Durant said.

A Brooklyn victory over Cleveland on Tuesday would see the Nets face the second-seeded Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Tatum 'proud' of Celtics

That crunch showdown -- which would pit Irving against his former club -- was made possible after the Celtics vaulted over the Milwaukee Bucks into second place in the standings.

The Celtics clinched the second seed after a 139-110 blowout of the Memphis Grizzlies in their final game on Sunday.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum led the rout with 31 points -- making 11-of-14 from the field -- in just 26 minutes on court. Jaylen Brown added 18 points with Al Al Horford scoring 13.

The Grizzlies, who had already clinched second place in the Western Conference, rested several of their first choice starting line-up.

The Celtics rise to the second seeding is all the more remarkable given their indifferent early season form. 

As recently as February, Boston were languishing in ninth place in the East, well outside the automatic playoff places.

"It was a tough one, I'm proud of my group and proud of how we responded throughout the season," Tatum said afterwards. 

"It didn't start off well but we managed to figure it out and we've been on a roll and hopefully we'll keep it going through the playoffs."

Milwaukee meanwhile dropped to third in the Eastern Conference standings after their under-strength lineup was thumped 133-115 by the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Sunday.

The Bucks were without key players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis for the game which was notable for a bizarre fleeting cameo by another mainstay Jrue Holiday.

Holiday came onto the court for the tipoff and promptly committed a foul after eight seconds before leaving the court without returning. 

Reports said the brief appearance allowed him to collect a $255,000 bonus included in his contract for featuring in 67 games this season.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: ‘Energized’ Durant (knee) confirms return on Thursday vs. Heat

Brooklyn star Kevin Durant confirmed after the morning shootaround that he will indeed return for the Nets' game against the visiting Miami Heat on Thursday night.

Durant was removed from the injury report Wednesday after missing a month and a half with a sprained left MCL.

"I feel energized," Durant said Thursday. "I feel grateful for the opportunity to play. It sucks being out and not being around the team. I felt bad not being able to help and contribute and try to turn some things around for us. But get an opportunity tonight and hopefully moving forward where I can inject what I do into this team and it hopefully it provides some good results."

Durant is averaging 29.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game this season, but he's been out since Jan. 15 and has played in only 36 games in 2021-22.

The Nets enter Thursday 32-31, good for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. The Nets have 19 regular season games left to play their way out of the play-in tournament.

They still don't know when Ben Simmons (back) will be ready to make his season and team debut while Kyrie Irving still can't participate in home games due to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

"We are cutting it close. There's under 20 games left in the season, but that's the situation we're in, that's the circumstances we're in. So what? We got to go out there and figure it out," Durant said. "We know what the standings are. We know everybody's telling us every day how far we're dropping and where we may end up, constantly telling us the situation we're in."

-reuters

NBA: Sweet 16: Suns' hot streak continues with win over Nets

Devin Booker scored 30 points as the Phoenix Suns never trailed, survived a late comeback attempt by the Brooklyn Nets and pushed their winning streak to 16 games with a 113-107 victory Saturday night.

The Suns are on their second-longest winning streak in team history. Phoenix can match the 2006-07 team for the longest winning streak in franchise lore by beating the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

Booker shot 9 of 18 from the field and hit four 3-pointers. He did most of his scoring in the first and third quarters.

Chris Paul added 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Paul shot 9 of 19 and notched his 5,000th career rebound in the second.

Mikal Bridges added 13 while Deandre Ayton and JaVale McGee contributed 10 apiece as Phoenix shot 44.6 percent.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 39 points, but Brooklyn saw its four-game winning streak stopped.

LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre' Bembry contributed 18 apiece for Brooklyn, which shot 50 percent but also committed 20 turnovers. James Harden finished with a triple-double of 12 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds despite shooting 4 of 15.

Booker scored 16 when the Suns sped out to a 21-8 lead midway through the first quarter and held a 14-point lead after the opening 12 minutes. He added 10 more in the third when the Nets got within seven early in the quarter and helped the Suns take a 90-72 lead into the fourth.

Brooklyn made one last charge, getting within 108-101 on Harden's layup that gave him the triple-double with 2:31 remaining. 

Durant's layup made it 110-103 with 45 seconds left and Harden's layup made it 111-105 with 32 seconds remaining, but Booker finished by hitting two free throws with 19 ticks left.

-reuters-

Kyrie Irving officially joins Brooklyn Nets

NEW YORK – Six-time NBA all-star guard Kyrie Irving signed a contract Sunday (Monday Manila time) with the Brooklyn Nets, finalizing a deal unveiled last weekend to revamp the club that includes obtaining superstar Kevin Durant.

The Nets, who inked center DeAndre Jordan on Saturday, added top talent to a solid young playoff team and figure to be even tougher with Durant, who will miss next season after undergoing surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon.

Irving, 27, averaged 23.8 points, career highs of 5.0 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.5 steals over 67 games with Boston last season.

"Kyrie is one of the NBA's elite guards and has won at the highest level," Nets general manager Sean Marks said.

"His championship pedigree, coupled with his gifted scoring and playmaking abilities, will make him an outstanding addition to our team," the first New Zealander to play in the NBA added.

Irving helped the Cleveland Cavaliers win the 2016 NBA crown and was a member of the 2016 Rio Olympics US gold medal squad.

"The entire coaching staff is excited to have the opportunity to coach a player of Kyrie's caliber," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said.

"He's as talented and accomplished as any point guard in our game and we are enthusiastic about integrating him and our other new roster additions into our returning core."

Over eight seasons with Boston and Cleveland, Irving has averaged 22.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.3 steals over 508 career games.

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 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

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

Thunder down Pelicans, Bucks beat Wizards as NBA heads into All-Star break

The Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into the NBA’s All-Star break with a 121-95 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, aided by 23 points apiece from Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.

On what was an emotional night, Westbrook was one rebound shy of his ninth triple double of the season as he collected 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Durant connected on 10 of 17 from the field and also handed out six assists as Oklahoma City improved to 40-14.

The Thunder are one of three Western Conference teams heading into the All-Star break with at least 40 wins, behind the Golden State Warriors (48-4) and San Antonio Spurs (45-8).

According to Elias Sports, the statistics expert, that’s a first for any conference in NBA history.

“I think we are great, man,” Westbrook said of the Thunder’s position. “Forty wins, I like where we are. Looking to come back in the second half of the season and turn it up a notch.”

Center Anthony Davis scored 23 points to lead the Pelicans, but was limited to three rebounds and no blocked shots.

Guard Jrue Holiday came off the bench to score 23 points and six assists as the Pelicans, ravaged by injury this season, fell to 20-33.

The contest had a somber note, despite the approach of the weekend of festivities built around Sunday’s All-Star game in Toronto.

Ingrid Williams, wife of Oklahoma City assistant coach and former New Orleans head coach Monty Williams, died in a road accident on Tuesday and the news hit both teams hard.

“I thought about what I was going to say, but I just love coach Monty so much,” Durant said. “I feel for him. And it’s somebody we all love, I just don’t understand.”

Davis was one of the Pelicans players who remembered Ingrid Williams as being like a second mother when her husband coached them.

“It was tough, but you have to still go out there and compete,” Davis said. “That’s what we tried to do tonight.”

Bucks down Wizards

In Milwaukee, Khris Middleton scored 14 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter as the Bucks defeated the Washington Wizards 99-92.

Forwards Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 17 points each for the Bucks, and center Greg Monroe chipped in 12 points and nine rebounds.

Five Washington players scored in double figures, led by the 19 points of guard Bradley Beal.

John Wall added 15 for Washington while Otto Porter, Marcin Gortat and Nene scored 14 points apiece.

Mudiay, Booker get skills nod

Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker were named as substitutes for two of the All-Star Game warm-up events.

Mudiay will replace injured defending champion Patrick Beverley in the Skills Challenge that tests dribbling, passing, shooting and agility on an obstacle course.

Beverley will miss the Saturday competition with an ankle injury.

Booker replaces injured Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers in Friday’s Rising Stars Challenge, which features first- and second-year players from the United States against overseas players in their rookie and sophomore seasons.

source: interaksyon.com

Kevin Durant stars as Thunder snap Grizzlies’ six-game streak

Thunder 86, Grizzlies 77: Kevin Durant collected 31 points, eight assists and eight rebounds as host Oklahoma City ended Memphis' six-game winning streak.

Serge Ibaka added 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting and 12 rebounds for the Thunder, who have won 11 of their last 12 games. Durant went 11-of-21 from the field to get back to the 30-point plateau after missing the mark in back-to-back games.

Marc Gasol scored 13 points and Zach Randolph recorded 13 points and 13 boards to lead the Grizzlies. Courtney Lee added 11 points but Nick Calathes slumped to eight on 4-of-11 shooting in his second start in place of injured point guard Mike Conley (ankle).

Lee's basket with 4:54 left pulled Memphis within 78-75 before Durant scored four points in a 7-0 burst to push the lead back to double figures. The Grizzlies managed one field goal the rest of the way and turned it over four times in the final three minutes to help Oklahoma City put it away.

Memphis went without a field goal over the final 6:25 of the second quarter as Durant led a 20-4 run to send the Thunder into the break with a 51-36 lead. The Grizzlies found their rhythm again early in the third quarter and chopped the deficit to 62-57 before four points from Durant in the final minute helped give Oklahoma City a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The teams combined to go 6-of-34 from 3-point range, with Durant struggling to 2-of-7 from beyond the arc.  Memphis held its 11th straight opponent under 100 points – a string that began with a 90-87 triumph over Oklahoma City on Jan. 14.  Thunder reserve C Steven Adams had four of the team's nine blocked shots.

source: interaksyon.com

Amid Durant vs LeBron hype, Thunder cruise to easy victory over Heat

MIAMI — The individual matchup between the NBA’s top two candidates for MVP did not disappoint.

But the battle between the reigning two-time NBA champion Miami Heat and the top team in the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, turned out to be a bit of a dud, especially in the final 42 minutes.

The Thunder overcame an 18-point first-quarter deficit to drill the Heat 112-95 on Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Over those final 42 minutes, the Thunder outscored the Heat 108-73.

“There’s no running away from it,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Other than the first (six) minutes of the game, they outclassed us.

“Our guys were up and ready for this game. (The Thunder) were up and ready, and they played better than us.”

In the matchup of superstars, Heat forward LeBron James, a four-time league MVP, had 34 points on 12-of-20 shooting. But he did not play his usual stellar floor game — just three rebounds, three assists and three turnovers. He was 9 of 9 on the foul line but just 1 of 5 on 3-pointers.

Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant, a three-time NBA scoring champ, had 33 points, seven rebounds and five assists with four turnovers. He was 5 of 5 from the foul line and 4 of 9 on 3-pointers.

“We were down 22-4, and we could have easily folded up, especially on the road,” Durant said. “It could be my last game any time I step on the floor, so I have to give it my all.”

Durant enjoyed his 12th consecutive game with 30 or more points. His streak is the third longest in the NBA in the past 30 years, trailing only runs by Kobe Bryant (16) and Tracy McGrady (14).

“(James and Durant) are going to go down as two of the greatest players ever to play the game,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “Defensively, they are solid. Offensively, they are amazing.

“They were challenging each other. It would’ve been fun to clear the court and watch them play one on one. But the thing I love is that they are both team guys.”

Forward Serge Ibaka scored 22 points to help Oklahoma City (37-10) extend its winning streak to nine games. The Thunder also got major contributions from reserve guards Jeremy Lamb (18 points) and Derek Fisher (15 points). Fisher made all five of his 3-point attempts.

“Our effort was great — it was a good team win,” Brooks said. “I thought Fisher did a great job inspiring us when we got down. He made a couple of big threes, and everyone chipped in.”

Miami (32-13) lost at home for just the fourth time in 23 games this season. Forward Chris Bosh added 18 points for the Heat, guard Dwyane Wade scored 15.

Oklahoma City won the game largely due to 3-point shooting. The Thunder made 16 of 27 from beyond the arc (59.3 percent), while the Heat made just 3 of 19 (15.8 percent).

After the Heat got off to their hot start, the Thunder got back in the game with a 12-0 run.

By the end of the first, the Heat led 30-21. Bosh had 11 of Miami’s first 22 points, and the Heat outshot the Thunder 55 percent to 36 percent in the period.

The Thunder won the second quarter 34-20 and led 55-50 at halftime. The Thunder outshot the Heat 52 percent to 42 percent in the quarter. Bosh cooled off in the second quarter — only one point — and Lamb heated up with 13 points.

“(The Heat) doubled off the pick and roll,” Lamb said. “We swung the ball to find the open shots.”

At the half, Durant (16 points) and James (15) virtually negated each other.

The Thunder outscored the Heat 36-25 in the third quarter and headed into the fourth leading 91-75. Fisher closed the quarter by banking in a 3-pointer at the buzzer. It was the second 3-pointer Fisher made off the glass in the game.

The Durant vs. James duel heated up in the third quarter as each scored 12 points. Durant made 4 of 7 shots, including two 3-pointers, and James made 5 of 7.

“He made some great shots,” Spoelstra said of Durant. “Those are the shots that everyone will remember. From our standpoint, we will remember some of the close-outs we didn’t make to give Lamb and Fisher some open threes.”

NOTES: After Sunday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs in which he came off the bench for the first time in eight years, Heat G Dwyane Wade returned to the starting lineup Wednesday. Wade was used as a reserve Sunday because he missed four games due to knee soreness and wanted to work his way back into fitness. … Since the Thunder clinched the best record in the West by the Feb. 2 cut-off date, Scott Brooks will coach the conference’s team at the All-Star Game. He also coached the West in 2012. … Thunder F Kevin Durant was averaging 28.2 points when G Russell Westbrook was healthy. In the first 17 games since Westbrook got hurt, Durant averaged 36.5 points. His shot total went up from 18 to 22 per game. … Next up for the Heat is a Saturday night game at the New York Knicks, where the teams will be part of the pre-Super Bowl hoopla. … The Thunder will also be in New York this weekend, playing the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.

source: interaksyon.com

Kevin Durant scores 41, hits game-winning shot to lift Thunder past Hawks

OKLAHOMA CITY — NBA games in late January are supposed to be tedious. With the All-Star break around the corner, many players and teams don’t put much stock into them.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant is not one of them. On a night he described as emotional, the MVP candidate scored 41 points and hit the game-winning shot in a 111-109 comeback victory over the Atlanta Hawks Monday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

“I’m just trying to inspire the team by my play,” Durant said. “Just playing hard. Being emotional, hopefully it helps. Sometimes it may not. I got to take that risk. Take that chance. That’s how I am on the court. I’m an emotional player. I know we play a lot of games. A lot of people say January don’t mean anything. But when you are playing this game with your heart and passion like we do, sometimes you have to sit back and just enjoy it.”

With 2:34 left on the clock, Durant went to the foul line and hit one of two to close Atlanta’s (23-21) lead down to 107-105. Hawks forward Paul Millsap missed a jumper and Durant made him pay with a contested layup to tie the game.

Millsap tried to post up guard Reggie Jackson but Durant came from behind with the blocked shot.

After another loose-ball scramble, the Hawks got a wide-open 3-point attempt that was off. But Millsap got the rebound. However, a few seconds later, Millsap was called for traveling and Oklahoma City (36-10) got the ball back with 34 seconds on the clock.

Coming out of a timeout, guard Derek Fisher got the ball to Durant. With Atlanta forward DeMarre Carroll guarding him, Durant hit a step-back jumper to put the Thunder up 109-107 with 25 seconds left.

Millsap answered right back when he drove into the lane and flipped a left-handed shot over guard Thabo Sefolosha. With 22 seconds left, the Thunder took over. Durant got the ball with seven seconds remaining at the top of the key and quickly recognized the “San Antonio umbrella defense” as the Hawks sent a double-team at him. He drove the other way and knocked down a 15-foot jumper with 1.5 seconds left.

“I was going to pass it, then I saw I was in my spot and I just had to pull up,” Durant said.

Atlanta was unable to get a shot off in the final seconds. Along with Durant’s 41 points (15-for-25), he collected five assists and three blocked shots. He also extended his scoring streak to 11 games with at least 30 points.

Jackson added 18 points and five assists. Forward Serge Ibaka had six blocked shots and nine points.

The Hawks had seven players score in double figures. Millsap led with 23 points on 9-for-19 shooting. Guard Shelvin Mack and Carroll each posted 15 points. Forward Mike Scott came off the bench to score 16 points.

“Losing is very hard in this league and our guys are hurting,” Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer said. “You have to give Oklahoma City a lot of credit. It was a heck of a fourth quarter and a heck of a basketball game. They made a couple of more plays than we did.”

The Hawks bullied the Thunder on the offensive backboards. Even though they only had a 15-10 advantage, they led in 31-15 in second-chance points.

But that wasn’t enough to offset Durant’s clutch fourth quarter, which has become the norm for the league’s leading scorer.

“It was an emotional game,” Durant said. “I was up and down the whole game. My emotions were everywhere. So I just had to try and keep it together at the end of the game and come through for my team. By the grace of God, I was able to hit a few shots.”

NOTES: For the second week in a row and the fourth time this season, Oklahoma City F Kevin Durant was named the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week after averaging 38.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists for games played Jan. 20 through Jan. 26. Durant was joined on the court by the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Atlanta F Paul Millsap. He led the Hawks to a 3-1 record while posting 21.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals. “I think that’s a huge compliment to him,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Obviously he’s been great for us all year. To get that recognition is something that is good for him and good for our group.” … Atlanta G Kyle Korver hit a 3-pointer to start the game. It extended his streak to 113 consecutive games with a 3-pointer. … Oklahoma City continued its tradition of honoring the military with the sixth annual Military Appreciation Night Monday. More than 1,000 military personnel were in attendance for the game against Atlanta. “I think it’s great,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “It’s very cool to see. Our season ticket holders are very generous to give up a lot of their tickets for tonight. It’s an honor for us to have them here. I wouldn’t be surprised one day in the future if all 19,000 of our season ticket holders give it up for a game.”

source: interaksyon.com

Thunder sweep season series against Clippers

LOS ANGELES – The Oklahoma City Thunder’s playoff push gathered steam on Sunday with a 108-104 NBA victory over the Los Angeles Clippers behind a 35-point performance from Kevin Durant.

Russell Westbrook finished with 29 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists for the Thunder, who swept the season series against the Clippers.

Forward Serge Ibaka had a strong game for the Thunder as he manhandled Clippers star Blake Griffin several times under the basket and finished with 16 points and two blocks in front of a crowd of 19,371.

Ibaka took his aggressive play too far at one point and was nearly ejected after he delivered a hard slap to Griffin’s groin late in the game, a move which earned him a foul.

The Clippers were the hotter of the teams heading into Sunday’s crucial matchup as they had won four in a row and eight of their last nine.

But Westbrook’s baseline jumper with 26 seconds left in the fourth quarter gave Oklahoma City some much needed breathing room in a contest that was close to the final buzzer.

“I expect our guys to be able to fight and get us back in the game,” said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro. “We were more aggressive in the second half but turnovers and free throws were the difference.

“We had our opportunities but we didn’t convert down the stretch.”

The second place Thunder improved to 43-16 on the season and now lead the third place Clippers (43-19) by one and a half games in the Western Conference standings.

Chris Paul had 26 points, eight assists and pulled down six rebounds, Griffin had 20 points and nine rebounds and Jamal Crawford scored 20 in the loss.

The Thunder completed a season sweep over the Clippers that included winning 117-111 in over-time on November 21 in Oklahoma City and by 12 points on January 22 in Los Angeles.

source: interaksyon.com