NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled.James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format.The league is hoping that trying to something new will bring back some old-school intensity that has been absent from the last two games, when the West nearly scored 200 points.James also took the New Orleans duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. His reserves are Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, the NBA MVP, Cleveland teammate Kevin Love, Washington guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Kristaps Porzingis of New York.After taking starters Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto, Curry rounded out his roster with Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto's Kyle Lowry, Portland's Damian Lillard, and Boston's Al Horford.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant is apologizing to referee James Williams for behaving like a "jerk," using an expletive to describe how he acted during a victory against the Knicks on Tuesday night when the NBA Finals MVP was ejected late for a second technical.While Durant had yet to hear from the NBA on Wednesday, he said he is prepared for whatever fine he receives. He also plans to say sorry in person the next time he sees Williams and vowed to handle himself more respectfully next time."I wish I had handled that better obviously but it was kind of a heat-of-the-moment for me. I could be better. It was a great learning experience for me though," Durant said after practice. "... I wasn't getting picked on last night. I was being a diva last night. I've got to just own up to it. I watched it when I got home. I was wondering why he was coming at me so hard but then I watched the plays I was like, 'Yeah, I looked like a jerk out there.' It was bad. Luckily we won and we can move past... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant is apologizing to referee James Williams for behaving like a "jerk" and he also used an expletive to describe how he acted during a victory against the Knicks on Tuesday night, when the NBA Finals MVP was ejected late for a second technical.While Durant had yet to hear from the NBA on Wednesday, he said he is prepared for whatever fine he receives. He also plans to say sorry in person the next time he sees Williams and vowed to handle himself more respectfully next time.Durant had 14 points, a career-high 14 assists and two blocks before his ejection with 2:50 left in the 123-112 win, then criticized Williams publicly afterward.Durant says he watched the plays that earned him the technical and noted that he behaved inappropriately.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

LeBron, Stephen, you have some big decisions to make.We're here to help.Just like in fantasy sports, where you know most people are relying on a mock draft they found online or in some magazine anyway, AP Basketball Writers Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds have drafted the teams for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game — in case captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry needed a bit of guidance on how to put together their rosters for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles.Mahoney won a coin toss and goes first, where he drafts as if he were picking Team LeBron; Reynolds drafted as if he were picking Team Stephen. And since the NBA isn't planning to make the draft details public, this might be as close as you get to the real thing anyway.___STARTER ROUNDFirst PickMahoney: Giannis Antetokounmpo.He's a dominant athlete who wants to dunk on everyone and is too young and hungry to know you're not supposed to go all out in the All-Star Game.Reynolds: Kevin Durant.Because he's Kevin Durant and I know if he doesn't... [More]

LeBron, Stephen, you have some big decisions to make.We're here to help.Just like in fantasy sports, where you know most people are relying on a mock draft they found online or in some magazine anyway, AP Basketball Writers Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds have drafted the teams for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game — in case captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry needed a bit of guidance on how to put together their rosters for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles.Mahoney won a coin toss and goes first, where he drafts as if he were picking Team LeBron; Reynolds drafted as if he were picking Team Stephen. And since the NBA isn't planning to make the draft details public, this might be as close as you get to the real thing anyway.___STARTER ROUNDFirst PickMahoney: Giannis Antetokounmpo.He's a dominant athlete who wants to dunk on everyone and is too young and hungry to know you're not supposed to go all out in the All-Star Game.Reynolds: Kevin Durant.Because he's Kevin Durant and I know if he doesn't... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry will be able to stock his All-Star roster with plenty of Golden State teammates.Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were chosen as reserves Tuesday, giving the defending NBA champions a record-tying four All-Stars for the second straight year.The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards also had two reserves selected, and they will go into the pool of players that Curry and fellow captain LeBron James can draft to comprise the teams for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles. Their rosters will be unveiled Thursday, though the selection process won't be televised.Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen from the Western Conference, along with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Portland's Damian Lillard.Besides Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, the rest of the Eastern Conference reserves were Boston's Al Horford, Cleveland's Kevin Love, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Indiana's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry will be able to stock his All-Star roster with plenty of Golden State teammates.Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were chosen as reserves Tuesday, giving the defending NBA champions a record-tying four All-Stars for the second straight year.The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards also had two reserves selected, and they will go into the pool of players that Curry and fellow captain LeBron James can draft to comprise the teams for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles. Their rosters will be unveiled Thursday, though the selection process won't be televised.Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen from the Western Conference, along with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Portland's Damian Lillard.Besides Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, the rest of the Eastern Conference reserves were Boston's Al Horford, Cleveland's Kevin Love, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Indiana's... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant became the 44th player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points Wednesday night.Durant reached the milestone on a pull-up jumper from the left wing at the 1:41 mark of second quarter. The Warriors announced his accomplishment on the main scoreboard and Durant received a standing ovation, shaking his head in acknowledgment while still very much in game mode.The NBA Finals MVP returned from a three-game absence with a strained right calf and scored 25 points in the first half against the Clippers — KD's biggest half of the season. He came in needing exactly 25 points for 20,000.Durant, who had a four-point play during the second quarter on the way to 14 points in the period, is at 29 the second-youngest player behind LeBron James and the first to reach the 20,000 mark as a member of the Warriors.___For more NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry was out for Wednesday night's home game against the Clippers after he slipped during the shootaround and re-sprained his troublesome right ankle.The Warriors updated their injury report to include Curry's status. It's the same injury that recently sidelined him for 11 games, though coach Steve Kerr said "I don't think it's serious." No MRI or X-rays were scheduled for now though Curry was sore and the Warriors won't take any chances."I didn't see anything," Kerr said before the game. "We just had a normal shootaround and he was in his usual game day routine with Q (Bruce Fraser) and he just rolled his ankle somehow," Kerr said. "Just kind of a fluke thing, kind of caught us off guard, but obviously he won't play."The reigning Western Conference player of the week, Curry has scored at least 29 points in seven straight games with 30 or more in six of those games. He has 12 30-point performances overall this season.Kevin Durant was set... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry pumped his fists and flexed his biceps. He dangled that signature mouthpiece from his teeth in sheer delight.Oh, and he knocked down some of those familiar way-back 3-pointers, too.Yes, Golden State's sharp-shooting star is feeling it again, and he's proud to be, in his words, "that presence that kind of gets us going." Yet Curry was ruled out for Wednesday night's game against the Clippers after he slipped during the morning shootaround and tweaked his troublesome right ankle.In a 32-point, nine-assist performance against Denver on Monday, Curry wound up 9 for 17 overall while making 5 of 10 3-pointers. He remains a menace for opposing defenses even without his best shot.Curry's mere existence on the court makes every Warrior better. Teammate Draymond Green shot 42.1 percent from the field while Curry missed 11 games with a sprained right ankle. In the five games since Curry's return, Green has hit 55.6 percent. Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala have... [More]

Gregg Popovich was the coach nobody wanted.It's hard to fathom now, after five NBA championships as coach of the San Antonio Spurs and with him now alone in fifth place on the league's all-time victory list. But it's true — Popovich's decision to fire Bob Hill and make himself coach and general manager in December 1996 was horribly received at first, leaving even some of his own players baffled.The San Antonio Express-News took a poll after that season and found that 92 percent of Spurs fans wanted Popovich fired.As Popovich would suggest now (on politics, one of his favorite topics), sometimes voters get it wrong."The pressure is always there for any coach," Popovich said. "You've got to get the job done. If you don't, you're not there. If you do get it done, you get to stay."He said those words in 1997. He was right.Popovich now has 1,176 wins. He's 34 away from No. 4 Pat Riley, 45 shy of No. 3 Jerry Sloan, and should catch both next season. He would need 156 to catch No. 2 Lenny Wilkens,... [More]

WASHINGTON -- Otto Porter scored 26 points and Bradley Beal had 21 as the Washington Wizards handed the Houston Rockets their fifth consecutive loss with a 121-103 win on Friday night.Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Wizards (20-16), who turned a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter into a rout. John Wall finished with 17 points.James Harden led the Rockets (25-9) with 20 points. Chris Paul started and scored eight points in 25 minutes after sitting out the previous three games with a left adductor strain.The Rockets, who average more 3-point attempts than any team, shot 5-for-25 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished 14 of 48.Porter sank 7 of 11 shots from long distance and the Wizards shot 18 of 36 on 3-pointers. Washington finished at 53.4 percent from the field compared to Houston's 42.7 percent.Hornets 111, Warriors 100OAKLAND, Calif. -- Dwight Howard totaled a season-high 29 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists to propel... [More]

F Kevin Durant made the highlight reel with two flying dunks during a third-quarter runaway Wednesday night.He was hoping afterward that some room on the tape was saved for his blocked shots.Durant was a dominant force both offensively and defensively against the Utah Jazz, propelling the Golden State Warriors to a 126-101 victory, their 13th in the last 14 games."It's cool to have people recognize me as more than a scorer," Durant said after a 21-point, six-rebound, four-assist, three-block performance that also featured 7-for-10 shooting. "I've been trying to shake that reputation since 2012. I try to impact the game at both ends of the floor."Durant became the first Golden State player since C Adonal Foyle in 2002 to record two or more blocks in 10 consecutive games.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Klay Thompson broke a late tie with a 3-pointer and Kevin Durant protected the lead with two key defensive plays on LeBron James, lifting the Golden State Warriors to a 99-92 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA's marquee matchup on Christmas Day.Neither team led by more than nine points in the tightly contested rematch of last spring's NBA Finals, which the Warriors won in five games.Durant, despite just 8-for-19 shooting, had 25 points to pace the Warriors, who have won six of their last seven at home against the Cavaliers.Kevin Love had a game-high 31 points and 18 rebounds for the Cavaliers. James was held to 20 points on 7-for-18 shooting.Sixers 105, Knicks 98NEW YORK -- Joel Embiid had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and J.J. Redick added 24 points with four 3-pointers as Philadelphia snapped its season-high five-game losing streak.Enes Kanter had 31 points -- including 14 in the third quarter -- and 22 rebounds, and Kristaps Porzingis added 22 points for... [More]

F Kevin Durant scored 25 points in Monday's win over Cleveland. He shot 8 of 19 and also came up with two key defensive stops on F LeBron James down the stretch. "It's Christmas," Durant said afterward, deflecting the praise he was being given as the game's chief difference-maker. "So much joy in the arena, and we feed off of that. It's just fun to be a part of."

F Kevin Durant's 0-for-5 night from beyond the arc was a season worst. Durant attempted at least five 3-pointers and missed them all for the 18th time in his career. It happened three times last season. Durant's two blocks increased his career total to 800. Durant led the Warriors with 18 points.

HOUSTON -- Austin Rivers caught fire in the second half and, with some help from Lou Williams, shot the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers past the Houston Rockets 128-118 on Friday night at Toyota Center.Rivers scored 30 of his team-high 36 points on 10-of-18 shooting in the second half, drilling 5 of 10 3-pointers down the stretch to keep the injury-riddled Rockets (25-6) at bay.Williams, traded by Houston in the offseason as part of the blockbuster Chris Paul acquisition, scored 32 points. Rivers and Williams combined to shoot 13 for 24 from behind the arc to offset another breathtaking performance from Rockets guard James Harden, who posted his second consecutive 51-point outing.Harden finished 15 of 28 from the floor and 15 of 16 from the free-throw line while adding eight assists. Eric Gordon chipped in 28 points for Houston, which closed a season-long seven-game homestand with consecutive losses to the Los Angeles teams.Warriors 113, Lakers 106OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State regained... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS -- A Terry Rozier steal and go-ahead layup with 1.5 seconds remaining gave the Boston Celtics a wild win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.Boston gave up a 19-point lead to the Pacers late in the fourth quarter, but a furious late rally was capped by Rozier's steal and game-winner, giving the Celtics a 112-111 victory.Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 30 points. Al Horford flirted with a triple-double, scoring 14 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out nine assists. Jayson Tatum chipped in 16 points and Marcus Smart added 15.Indiana was paced by Victor Oladipo's 38 points, 30 of which came after halftime. Domantas Sabonis scored 18 points off the bench. Center Myles Turner had a season-low two points.Warriors 116, Lakers 114 (OT)LOS ANGELES -- Kevin Durant had 36 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and Golden State extended its winning streak to nine with an overtime victory against Los Angeles. The result ruined the Lakers' celebration on the night when Kobe... [More]

F Kevin Durant missed his first seven shot attempts and was 6 of 25 from the field through four quarters Monday. In overtime, he made all four of his shots and scored 12 of his 36 points to help the Warriors extend their winning streak to nine with a 116-114 overtime victory over the Lakers."I just tried to slow down in the fourth quarter and overtime," Durant said. "Coach (Steve Kerr) called some great plays, and I was able to hit a few shots."

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James tied Larry Bird for sixth all time in triple-doubles and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 121-112.James' 59th triple double in 15 seasons consisted of 25 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Kevin Love led all scorers with 28 points, while Jose Calderon added a season-high 17 points.Lonzo Ball, the Lakers rookie playing in his first game against James, finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Brandon Ingram paced the Lakers with 26 points.The Cavs scored 100 points for the 22nd consecutive game. James dunked with 2:20 left and nailed a 6-footer with 1:38 remaining for a 117-108 lead. Lakers rookie Josh Hart scored a career-high 11 in his first pro start.Warriors 112, Mavericks 97OAKLAND, Calif. -- Klay Thompson buried three consecutive 3-pointers during a fourth-quarter flurry that finally allowed Golden State to pull away from Dallas for its season-high eighth straight victory.The Mavericks led by as many as eight points in the... [More]