OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant is yet to progress to on-court work in his recovery from a strained right calf and won't be ready to return for Golden State in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on May 30.Big man DeMarcus Cousins might be healthy for the series opener against either Milwaukee or Toronto. Both players were re-evaluated Thursday and the Warriors expect they each will be ready at some point during the team's fifth straight finals.Cousins is working back from a torn left quadriceps muscle sustained in Game 2 of the first round against the Clippers. He practiced for the first time Thursday since getting hurt April 16 in just his second career playoff game.Golden State took two days off after completing a sweep of the Trail Blazers on Monday night in Portland. Durant was injured during Game 5 of the conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets.Warriors coach Steve Kerr wouldn't commit to a role for Cousins when he returns.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

And now, they wait.Again.The Golden State Warriors have gotten used to going to the NBA Finals, and their win in Portland on Monday night clinched their fifth consecutive trip. They've also gotten used to waiting for those finals to begin, with long layoffs after the Western Conference finals having become their norm.By the time Game 1 of the NBA Finals arrives in either Milwaukee or Toronto on May 30, it'll be a 10-day gap between games for the Warriors. It's not the longest in NBA history, but it matches the length of the break that the Warriors handled in 2017, and this marks the third time in this five-year run of finals trips that they've had at least a week off."Happy to get a little rest before we have to play again," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.It is much-needed rest, too.The Warriors clinched the series in Portland without Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala — all sidelined by injuries. There's no way of knowing yet if Durant and Cousins will be back in time for... [More]

And now, they wait.Again.The Golden State Warriors have gotten used to going to the NBA Finals, and their win in Portland on Monday night clinched their fifth consecutive trip. They've also gotten used to waiting for those finals to begin, with long layoffs after the Western Conference finals having become their norm.By the time Game 1 of the NBA Finals arrives in either Milwaukee or Toronto on May 30, it'll be a 10-day gap — nine full off days — between games for the Warriors. That matches the length of the break that the Warriors handled in 2017, and this marks the third time in this five-year run of finals trips that they've had at least a week off."Happy to get a little rest before we have to play again," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.It is much-needed rest, too.The Warriors clinched the series in Portland without Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala — all sidelined by injuries. There's no way of knowing yet if Durant and Cousins will be back in time for the finals, either.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr remains optimistic Kevin Durant will return from a right calf injury to play for Golden State at some point this postseason but isn't guessing when that might be."There's definitely some gray area with any injury but with a calf injury like that especially," Kerr said Friday before the team traveled to Portland for Game 3. "It's going to be how he responds to the treatment and how his body recovers over the next days and however long it takes."Warriors director of sports medicine and performance Rick Celebrini told Kerr from the time Durant was injured in Game 5 of the conference semifinals against Houston that it would be tough to predict the timetable for the two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP's healing, based on the wide range in rehab and recovery for this injury.Durant was re-evaluated before a 114-111 Game 2 win Thursday night and won't play in Games 3 or 4 of the Western Conference finals at Portland, Saturday and Monday. He is likely to miss the entire... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Toronto guard Kyle Lowry squarely planted his feet and braced for contact with Milwaukee Bucks athletic big man Giannis Antetokounmpo barreling down on him.Lowry, one of the best in basketball at taking a charge, absorbed the punishment and drew a foul against the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo. These days, not everybody is willing to do what Lowry does in the fast-paced, open-floor NBA game."I think it's kind of a lost art," DeMarcus Cousins of the Golden State Warriors said of taking a charge.Spurs coach Gregg Popovich won't argue that sentiment."It seems so, doesn't it? You can count on one hand how many charges are taken over the course of five or 10 games, in some situations," Popovich said with a chuckle. "You see it a lot more in college than you do in the NBA. Maybe they're protecting their contracts, don't want to get hurt, I don't know. There aren't very many, that's for sure."Successfully taking a charge is difficult and even those who are willing to try won't... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Warriors star Kevin Durant will miss the upcoming Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference finals in Portland as he continues to recover from a strained right calf, and the timing of his next examination by doctors likely means he would not return until the NBA Finals if Golden State advances.Durant was re-evaluated Thursday before Golden State's 114-111 Game 2 win in of the best-of-seven series with the Trail Blazers that put the Warriors up 2-0. Durant is not ready for on-court work — a necessary step before the two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP can return to game action. He will be re-examined in another week.The Warriors said Durant "has shown good progress since beginning his rehabilitation program one week ago. At this point, Durant is not ready to advance to on-court work.""There's no mental adjustment, you just play. You go out there with what you have," coach Steve Kerr said. "This is our third game, 3 ½ games really, without him. We're just trying to hold... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Warriors star Kevin Durant will miss the upcoming Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference finals in Portland as he continues to recover from a strained right calf, and the timing of his next examination by doctors likely means he would not return until the NBA Finals if Golden State advances.Durant was re-evaluated Thursday before Game 2 of the best-of-seven series with the Trail Blazers and is not ready for on-court work — a necessary step before the two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP can return to game action. He will be re-examined in another week.The Warriors said Durant "has shown good progress since beginning his rehabilitation program one week ago. At this point, Durant is not ready to advance to on-court work."Durant's 34.2 points per game lead all postseason scorers. He strained his right calf during the third quarter of Game 5 of the conference semifinals against the Rockets last Wednesday and didn't travel to Houston for the Warriors' Game 6 clincher. He... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — In the NBA city most familiar with "gris-gris," folks see no small measure of poetic justice in the fact that their team will dictate the fate of a coveted prospect named Zion.Mystical explanations aside, the Pelicans are in the driver's seat now — but say they're in no hurry to disclose their plans for likely pick Zion Williamson or disgruntled All-Star Anthony Davis.A franchise that looked downtrodden for months since Davis requested a mid-season trade has been suddenly buoyed by the leverage that comes with winning the NBA's draft lottery— and the option to pick the Duke star, widely seen as the best pro prospect since Davis entered the league in 2012."What it's doing to the franchise and to the city of New Orleans is probably not even measurable at this point," said David Griffin, hired just weeks ago as New Orleans' top basketball executive. "There's a groundswell of excitement that frankly is palpable."What has to come next is that we have to make it mean something.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins won't necessarily return from injuries in time to play for the Golden State Warriors during the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers.Durant is likely to miss at least the first two games of the best-of-seven series beginning Tuesday night at Oracle Arena. Coach Steve Kerr said after practice Monday a more extensive update on Durant's status would come Thursday once his calf injury is re-evaluated.Reserve Portland guard Rodney Hood was listed as questionable for Game 1. The team said Monday an MRI exam showed a bone bruise from the third quarter of a 100-96 Game 7 win Sunday at Denver to clinch the West semifinals. Hood, who had to be helped off the court, has contributed key minutes off the bench to help Portland reach its first conference final since 2000.Durant, the two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP leading all postseason scorers, strained his right calf during the third quarter of Game 5 against the Rockets... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant watched from home in the Bay Area as the Golden State Warriors finished off James Harden and the Houston Rockets on the road.The two-time reigning NBA Finals MVP has a bit more cheerleading to do before he gets back on the court.Durant is likely to miss Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers while he recovers from a strained right calf. Durant was injured in Game 5 against Houston."Everyone needs to slow down a little bit on the Kevin stuff. He hasn't even stepped on the floor yet," coach Steve Kerr said Monday, a day before Game 1, noting a more extensive update would come Thursday.Golden State showed it can win without KD: Stephen Curry came alive at last in the second half of the clincher at Houston, scoring all 33 of his points after the break.Curry and Splash Brother Klay Thompson will look to build off strong performances in that final game against the Rockets to lead the top-seeded Warriors. The two-time... [More]

The scenario is simple right now for Milwaukee and Golden State: Win a road game on Monday, go home toting a 3-1 series lead and be one win away from a spot in the NBA's version of the Final Four.The scenario is equally simple for Boston and Houston: Win a home game on Monday, or else.Top-seeded Milwaukee leads fourth-seeded Boston 2-1 in their Eastern Conference semifinal series, and top-seeded Golden State leads fourth-seeded Houston 2-1 in their Western Conference semifinal. The Celtics and the Rockets host Game 4s, knowing a win will earn them a berth in what becomes a best-of-three showdown and knowing a loss places them squarely on the abyss that overlooks elimination."It's a great opportunity to respond," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said.Boston had the home-court edge over Milwaukee, then gave it back with a loss on Friday night. Houston was a bounce or two away from getting into the most-dreaded 3-0 hole against Golden State, then rallied to win Game 3 on Saturday night and keep... [More]

Golden State was looking ahead to facing Houston. At least, Klay Thompson acknowledged that was the case.Kevin Durant said he wasn't sure about that.And Stephen Curry flatly dismissed the notion.The Warriors weren't in sync for Game 5 of their Western Conference first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers — and still weren't in sync afterward when asked if their minds drifted ahead to what would be a second-round date with Houston in a rematch of last season's West finals. And perhaps to the surprise of many, the Warriors-Clippers series is still chugging along.The Clippers will play host to Game 6 on Friday night, looking to knot the series at 3-3 and send it back to Oracle Arena for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday. They staved off elimination with a 129-121 win on the Warriors' home floor in Game 5 on Wednesday."We're looking forward to going home," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "My guess is that probably not a lot of tickets sold because I don't think a lot of people thought... [More]

Just a few months ago, Enes Kanter was toiling for a New York Knicks team that was heading nowhere.Now, he's a significant contributor for a Portland Trail Blazers team heading to the Western Conference semifinals.Kanter is one of several players starring in their supporting roles and helped put their respective teams in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Others have helped put their teams on the brink of advancing.The Knicks waived Kanter after the trade deadline in February and Portland swooped in to pick him up. The 6-foot-11 center stepped in as a starter for the Trail Blazers after Jusuf Nurkic suffered a leg injury. The Blazers' playoff hopes looked bleak after Nurkic went down, but Kanter has taken full advantage of his new situation. Kanter averaged 13.2 points and 10.2 rebounds in the Trail Blazers' 4-1 series win against Oklahoma City."I would like to appreciate the teams that didn't pick me," Kanter said after Portland's clinching Game 5 win on Thursday night. "I tried to... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr drove home from a stunning 35-point defeat at Oracle Arena one night last month and thought of something on the bright side: He can't recall very many ugly losses during Golden State's sensational five-year run.This season has brought a handful of embarrassing performances in the final hurrah at Oracle, and the Los Angeles Clippers added to the list by rallying from a 31-point deficit in the second half to win Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.Now, the two-time defending NBA champions will try to eliminate the Clippers by winning Game 5 on Wednesday night in Oakland. James Harden and Houston lead Utah 3-1 and also will try to wrap up their first-round series at home — potentially setting up one of the most anticipated second-round postseason matchups between the Warriors and Rockets."Close-out games are always difficult," Kerr said Tuesday. "Both teams at this point have a really good feel for one another, strategically what each one is trying... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr drove home from a stunning 35-point defeat at Oracle Arena one night last month and thought of something on the bright side: He can't recall very many ugly losses during Golden State's sensational five-year run.This season has brought a handful of embarrassing performances in the final hurrah at Oracle, and the Los Angeles Clippers added to the list by rallying from a 31-point deficit in the second half to win Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.Now, the two-time defending NBA champions will try to eliminate the Clippers by winning Game 5 on Wednesday night in Oakland. James Harden and Houston lead Utah 3-1 and also will try to wrap up their first-round series at home — potentially setting up one of the most anticipated second-round postseason matchups between the Warriors and Rockets."Close-out games are always difficult," Kerr said Tuesday. "Both teams at this point have a really good feel for one another, strategically what each one is trying... [More]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The stars have been stars in these playoffs.Kyrie Irving has Boston on the cusp of sweeping away Indiana Pacers. Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Golden State are coming off a game against the Los Angeles Clippers where the Warriors looked very much like the NBA champions again. Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook are going at each other big-time in the Portland-Oklahoma City series.And then there's Pascal Siakam.Toronto's surprise story is no surprise anymore.Siakam has been perhaps the biggest breakout player in these playoffs, adding to his breakout season for the Raptors — who lead the Orlando Magic 2-1 in their first-round matchup thanks largely to the 25-year-old from Cameroon and his 24.3 points and 10 rebounds per game in the series.It's easy to forget that Siakam only started playing organized basketball seven years ago."Seriously?" Raptors guard Danny Green asked, unaware of his teammate's unique background.Seriously.Raptors coach Nick Nurse was amused by... [More]

The Golden State Warriors are trying to regain the lead in a series they probably still can't believe is tied.Same with the San Antonio Spurs, who like the Warriors know they are facing an opponent who won't stay down no matter how far they fall down.The Clippers' historic comeback against the Warriors, followed by Denver's potential season-saving surge against the Spurs, made that clear.So things are all even in those two Western Conference first-round series, which resume with a pair of Game 3s on Thursday night.Philadelphia and Brooklyn play the other Game 3 of the night in an East series that also is tied at a game apiece.Golden State would be up 2-0 if not for the Clippers' colossal comeback — or the Warriors' colossal collapse — on Monday night in Game 2. The Warriors led by 31 in the third quarter before Los Angeles charged back to win 135-131 after the biggest rally in NBA postseason history.The Warriors won Game 1 by 17, appeared headed toward an even easier win in Game 2, and... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Center DeMarcus Cousins is unlikely to return this postseason for the Golden State Warriors yet won't require surgery on his torn left quadriceps muscle.Coach Steve Kerr has named Andrew Bogut as his starter in place of Cousins for Game 3 Thursday night of the team's first-round playoff series against the Clippers in Los Angeles.Playing in just his second career postseason game after a nine-year wait, the 28-year-old Cousins went down in the first quarter of a 135-131 Game 2 loss Monday night. He fell in front of the Golden State bench after swiping a ball from Patrick Beverley in the back court. Cousins immediately grabbed at his left quad then hobbled to the locker room at the 8:09 mark.The tear was revealed by an MRI exam Tuesday. The big man returned in January from a nearly yearlong absence while recovering from surgery for a torn left Achilles tendon."More than anything, I'm just crushed for DeMarcus," Kerr said Wednesday. "He's been waiting his whole career... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Center DeMarcus Cousins is unlikely to return this postseason for the Golden State Warriors yet won't require surgery on his torn left quadriceps muscle.Coach Steve Kerr has named Andrew Bogut as his starter in place of Cousins for Game 3 Thursday night of the team's first-round playoff series against the Clippers in Los Angeles.Playing in just his second career postseason game after a nine-year wait, the 28-year-old Cousins went down in the first quarter of a 135-131 Game 2 loss Monday night. He fell in front of the Golden State bench after swiping a ball from Patrick Beverley in the back court. Cousins immediately grabbed at his left quad then hobbled to the locker room at the 8:09 mark.The tear was revealed by an MRI exam Tuesday.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins has a torn left quadriceps muscle that will sideline the Golden State center indefinitely, a devastating injury that the Warriors feared was serious when he went down in the first quarter of their first-round playoff loss to the Clippers.An MRI exam Tuesday morning on Cousins' left leg revealed the tear. The two-time defending NBA champion Warriors said Cousins will begin rehabilitation immediately and updates will be "provided as appropriate."Coach Steve Kerr said after the Warriors' 135-131 Game 2 loss on Monday night that Cousins would be out for a significant period.Playing in just his second career postseason game after a nine-year wait, Cousins went down in the first quarter in front of the Golden State bench after swiping a ball from Patrick Beverley in the back court. He immediately grabbed at his left quad. Cousins hobbled to the locker room at the 8:09 mark.Cousins had just returned in January from a nearly yearlong absence following surgery... [More]