NBA: Curry to auction 'Bruce Lee shoes' for families of Atlanta shooting victims

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will auction a pair of custom game-worn shoes featuring a picture of martial arts icon Bruce Lee to raise money for the families of last month's Atlanta-area shootings victims.

Curry wore the yellow, white and black shoes -- designed with the Bruce Lee Foundation and featuring Lee's famous quote "under the heavens, there is but one family" -- during Sunday's 117-111 defeat by the Atlanta Hawks.

In the last year, there has been increased reports of anti-Asian hate crimes in the United States. Eight people -- six of whom were Asian women -- were killed in a March 16 rampage in Atlanta.

"I think Stephen's gesture is a beautiful example of allyship and solidarity in action," Shannon Lee, the daughter of the martial arts legend and chairperson of the board of directors for the Bruce Lee Foundation, tweeted.

"I am honoured he would choose my father and my family as the symbol for the idea that we are all one family, as my father said, and therefore must all stand for one another."

Speaking before Sunday's game, Curry said he had feelings of "disgust, horror and outright anger" at the violence in the United States.

"After all we have been through this past year, let alone in the history of our country, people still deal with unnecessary tragedy and are afraid for their lives," he told The Undefeated website.

"We have to do better."

The Biden administration announced measures responding to rising anti-Asian violence, including deploying $49.5 million from COVID-19 relief funds for U.S. community programs that help victims. (Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford )

-reuters

LeBron James is wealthiest athlete on Instagram

MANILA, Philippines — Lebron James has been identified as the highest earning NBA player through Instagram, a recent report said.

With his 54.7 million followers, the Los Angeles Lakers forward, now on his 16th year in the league, reportedly earns $300,850 per sponsored post, a study by Online Gambling Canada revealed.

Following him for the second spot is Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, who has some 28.2 million followers and earns $155,100 with each post.

The two are trailed in the rankings by Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving, who rake in $83,000, $79,750 and $74,800 per post, respectively.

"Whether it’s shooting hoops or enjoying their multi-million dollar homes, it’s safe to say the players know how to entertain their audiences, on and off the court. However, the entertaining doesn’t come at a cheap price," Online Gambling said.

Of the study's methodology, the website said, "Using Instagram we were able to compile a list of the highest followed NBA players, sports athletes & celebrities.  We used the Hopper HQ Instagram Rich List combined with Later to establish how much all of individuals earned per sponsored Insta post."

"From this we were able to compare earnings across the different verticals, which allowed our client to form their piece," they added.

Despite the eye-popping numbers, the NBA superstars' Instagram earnings are still no match for their celebrity counterparts.

For instance, Kylie Jenner tops the list of celebrity Instagram earnings with a whopping $1,266,000 earned with every Instagram post.

Professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, too, rakes in $975,000 every time he posts on the social media platform.

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

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

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

Warriors avoid upset axe against lowly Sixers on Barnes’ game-winner

Golden State’s Harrison Barnes drained a three-pointer with two-tenths of a second left as the mighty Warriors held on for a 108-105 victory over the 76ers in a duel of the NBA’s best and worst in Philadelphia.

Up by 24 midway through the third period and by 15 with 5:42 remaining, the reigning champion Warriors appeared headed for a predictable win over the lowly 76ers.

But they had to fight to the wire to improve to 43-4, matching the 1966-67 76ers for best 47-game start in NBA history while the current Sixers fell to 7-41.

A 20-5 late 76ers scoring run included seven points from guard Ish Smith.

Smith’s steal and breakaway dunk with 22.3 seconds left knotted the score at 105-105.

On the final Warriors’ possession, guard Stephen Curry fired a pass from the right wing to forward Draymond Green at the top of the circle.

He found Barnes in the right corner for the winning three-pointer.

“He always shoots a tremendous percentage from the corner,” Green said of Barnes. “It’s like a layup for him.”

Guard Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 32 points. Curry finished with 23 points, while Green contributed 10 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Barnes, who had made just three of 10 shots until his game-winner, finished with 11 points.

Guard Isaiah Canaan scored 18 points off the bench for Philadelphia, including a four-point play with 38.6 seconds left.

Thompson, who notched a season-high 45 points in a victory over Dallas on Wednesday night, had 21 in Saturday’s first half, staking the Warriors to a 73-54 lead.

Despite a welter of turnovers that totalled 23 for the game, Golden State were up 100-85 after Thompson made a layup with 5:42 to play before Philadelphia stormed back, electrifying a sell-out crowd — many of whom had turned out to cheer the Warriors.

Cavs rout Spurs

LeBron James scored 29 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers dominated San Antonio 117-103 to consolidate their spot atop the Eastern Conference with 34 victories in 46 games.

They have now won four straight since dropping their first game under new head coach Tyronn Lue, who took over a week ago after the surprise dismissal of David Blatt.

Going into the game, Cleveland were 0-3 against the top two teams in the West, having fallen at San Antonio earlier this month and lost twice to Golden State.

But they took full advantage of the absence of Spurs star Tim Duncan and the fact that San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge was in foul trouble much of the night.

With their new-look offense firing, the Cavaliers shot 64 percent in the second quarter and led 66-49 at halftime.

San Antonio opened the third with an 8-0 scoring run, but their rally was quickly squelched by the Cavs, who had 21 points apiece from Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.

Irving and backup point guard Matthew Dellavedova combined for the first 18 points of the fourth quarter as Cleveland powered to the win.

“We’re just pushing the pace, pushing it every single night,” said James, whose Cavs have scored at least 114 points in four straight games.

“Coach Lue is getting on us every single day to keep the tempo going and we’ve been able to do that and not turn the ball over. So that’s resulting in us playing some really good basketball so far.”

Pelicans swoop late

Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday drained a three-pointer from the left wing with 9.3 seconds remaining, then made a game-winning 15-foot jump shot with 1.3 seconds left to lift New Orleans to a 105-103 home win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The Pelicans notched their seventh win in nine games.

In Indianapolis it went to overtime, with Pacers guard Monta Ellis scoring a season-high 32 points in a 109-105 overtime triumph over the Denver Nuggets.

The Pacers led 106-105 when Ellis drove for a layup with 20.4 seconds left, drawing a foul and making the free throw to complete the three-point play that sealed the win.

source: interaksyon.com

Warriors stomp Spurs in clash of NBA heavyweights

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Golden State Warriors recorded a knockout in Round 1 of their battle with the San Antonio Spurs for Western Conference regular-season superiority Monday night, riding Stephen Curry’s 37 points to a 120-90 victory in the highly anticipated showdown.

The reigning NBA Most Valuable Player bombed in five 3-pointers as the Warriors (41-4) shot 11-for-26 from beyond the arc in the first meeting of the top two teams in the West this season.

Golden State’s 39th consecutive home victory — their 21st this season — gave it a three-game lead over San Antonio (38-7) in their duel for top seeding in the Western playoffs.

The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak for the Spurs, who had an 18.0-point average margin of victory during that run. They played without star power forward Tim Duncan, who was resting an ailing right knee.

Curry, who hit 12 of his 20 shots overall, also had four assists and five steals in 29 minutes for the Warriors, whose last home loss (Nov. 11, 2014) came at the hands of the Spurs.

In fact, San Antonio had prevailed in 23 of its previous 26 visits to Oakland before falling behind by seven in the fifth minute of the game and by as many as 19 in the second period.

Curry set the tone early, connecting on three 3-pointers in a 15-point first period during which the Spurs fell behind despite playing their most competitive ball of the night.

But when backup guard Shaun Livingston got into the act with five consecutive hoops in the second period, including dunks off assists from Curry, power forward Draymond Green and fellow reserve Andre Iguodala, the game got away from the Spurs for good.

Curry crushed the Spurs with three more 3-pointers in the third period, during which the Warriors ran up a 95-66 lead to set the stage for an inconsequential final 12 minutes.

Curry added 18 points to his total in the quarter while nearly outscoring San Antonio (19) single-handedly.

Livingston totaled 13 points for the Warriors, who won their fourth straight game. Fellow backups Brandon Rush and Marreese Speights also finished with 13 points.

Green had 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 27 minutes, and shooting guard Klay Thompson was a sixth Warrior in double figures with 11 points.

The Warriors shot 51.8 percent from the field, compared to San Antonio’s 41.9 percent.

Small forward Kawhi Leonard hit seven consecutive free throws in a 16-point outing for the Spurs, whose six previous losses had come by a total of just 33 points.

Power forward David West, starting in place of Duncan, made six of his eight shots on a 12-point night for San Antonio, which won the season series 2-1 over the champion Warriors last year.

Backup center Boban Marjanovic dropped in 12 points in 13 minutes.

The Spurs’ starting backcourt of Tony Parker (five points) and Danny Green (three) was outscored 45-8 by Warriors counterparts Curry and Thompson.

NOTES: Asked to describe his anxiety level before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich admitted, “I’ve got butterflies in my gut. I don’t feel like that every night.” … The matchup of 40-4 and 38-6 clubs had the highest combined winning percentage (.886) in NBA history for a showdown at least 40 games into the season. The previous mark of .871 had been set on Jan. 9, 1972, when the Milwaukee Bucks (35-8) ended the 33-game winning streak of the Los Angeles Lakers (39-3). … The game pitted the league’s top offense (Golden State, 114.7 points per game) against the league’s top defense (San Antonio, 89.8). … Warriors coach Steve Kerr was teammates with Spurs PF Tim Duncan (four years), PG Tony Parker (one year) and SG Manu Ginobili (one year) during his four seasons playing for Popovich in San Antonio. … When asked how the Spurs have improved defensively this season, Kerr observed, “The biggest change is Tony Parker. He just looks healthier and more active defensively.”

source: interaksyon.com

Curry, Warriors overcome LeBron’s 40-14-11 night as Golden State beats Cavs in Game 5 to near NBA title

The Golden State Warriors moved just one win away from their first championship in 40 years after dispatching the Cleveland Cavaliers, 104-91, in a pivotal Game Five win in the NBA finals Sunday (Monday morning Philippine time) at the Oracle Arena in Oakland.

Reigning NBA MVP Steph Curry poured in 37 points, 17 in the fourth quarter as he knocked down crucial triples down the stretch to give the Warriors a 3-2 series lead.

Cleveland superstar LeBron James tallied another Herculean triple-double of 40 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists but his Cavaliers just couldn’t contain Curry and the Warriors.

For the first time in the series, the Cavaliers went all out playing small-ball basketball. Big man Timofey Mozgov, who had a career night in Game Four, only saw limited action as Cleveland at times slotted in James as center to counter Golden State’s prolific lineups.

After struggling in his last game, JR Smith came out firing off the bench early, scoring eight points in the first quarter off James’ dishes. He continued his hot shooting in the second quarter with back-to-back triples as they took a 31-26 lead.

But Curry and the Warriors displayed their usual deadly shooting form and kept the game close. An eight-second backcourt violation by James followed by a Harrison Barnes and-one helped put the Warriors ahead, 51-50, at halftime.

Both teams engaged in a tight battle in the third frame but a 13-4 run by the Warriors put them up, 73-67, entering the final period.

Cleveland started the fourth period with an 8-2 run fueled by triples from James and Iman Shumpert that tied things up at 75-all.

The Warriors then waxed hot from downtown, with Curry and Klay Thompson knocking down triples. Andre Igoudala scored five straight crucial points and Curry fired a signature pull-up triple to give Warriors their biggest lead at 10, 96-86, with 2:44 left.

Curry sank a dagger triple from way beyond the arc with over a minute left to ice the win.

The Warriors will try to close out the series in Game Six in Cleveland on Wednesday.

source: interaksyon.com

MVP Steph Curry scores 40 as Warriors breeze to 35-point Game 3 rout of Rockets

The Golden State Warriors and their MVP, Steph Curry, were in dominant form on Saturday as they breezed past the Houston Rockets, 115-80, to take move to within a win of sweeping the NBA Western Conference finals.

Curry scored 40 points on 12-for-19 shooting from the field in a scintillating offensive performance. He scored 19 of those in the third quarter, where he hit four of his seven three-pointers in the game.

He shot 7-for-9 from beyond the arc and 9-for-10 from the free throw line as well as dishing out a team-high seven assists.

Curry set a new record for most three-pointers made in a single postseason, smashing Reggie Miller’s old mark of 58 in the 2000 NBA playoffs. The Warriors guard already had 64 at the end of Game 3.

The Warriors guard did it in fewer attempts and far fewer games. He needed only 13 games as compared to Miller’s 22 while tallying his 64 on just 143 attempts (44.7%) compared to Miller’s 147.

Golden State also got contributions from Draymond Green, who had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Klay Thompson, who added 17 as well.

Behind Curry, the Warriors turned it into a rout as early as the first half. He scored 18 first half points – 15 of those in the second quarter – as they opened up a 25-point halftime lead, 62-37.

They held the Rockets to 12-for-41 (29.3%) from the field and 2-for-13 (15.4%) from beyond the arc. James Harden had just eight points on 1-for-8 shooting over the first two periods.

Houston tried to mount a run in the third. They scored seven unanswered points to get crowd pumped up and their deficit to under the 20-point mark.

But Curry stomped out the rally with a remarkable 19-point performance in the third quarter, with his three-pointer with 39.4 remaining in the period giving the Warriors a 31-point lead, 92-61.

The league MVP had 37 points in 31 minutes at the end of three periods.

source: interaksyon.com