OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Someday, years or even decades from now, at one of those celebratory reunions teams like to do, Stephen Curry knows he and Kevin Durant will reminisce with fondness about their three insanely successful years together on the Golden State Warriors.They will reflect on the greatness, the fun, all they learned from each other shooting side by side day after day. Two championships, a pair of NBA Finals MVP awards for Durant."I'll always remember the three years we had. We'll probably be back here down the road celebrating those like they did the '74-75 team," Curry said, nodding in the direction of the Warriors' recent championship banners. "It'll be cool when that happens."For now, Curry is embracing new beginnings as the oldest player on a Golden State roster that will look far different come training camp next month — and that also was the theme he shared with girls attending his Warriors camp this week in one of his bittersweet final trips to the downtown Oakland... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Someday, years or even decades from now, at one of those celebratory reunions teams like to do, Stephen Curry knows he and Kevin Durant will reminisce with fondness about their three insanely successful years together on the Golden State Warriors.They will reflect on the greatness, the fun, all they learned from each other shooting side by side day after day. Two championships, a pair of NBA Finals MVP awards for Durant."I'll always remember the three years we had. We'll probably be back here down the road celebrating those like they did the '74-75 team," Curry said, nodding in the direction of the Warriors' recent championship banners. "It'll be cool when that happens."For now, Curry is embracing "new beginnings" as the oldest player on a Golden State roster that will look far different come training camp next month — and that also was the theme he shared with girls attending his Warriors camp this week in one of his "bittersweet" final trips to the downtown Oakland... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Golden State coach Steve Kerr knows that a new era of Warriors basketball is about to begin.He just doesn't know what that means yet.It has been a rough summer for Kerr, whose roster is wildly different following the offseason departures of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins and Shaun Livingston — all on the heels of the team losing the NBA Finals to Toronto and Klay Thompson tearing an ACL in the last game of this past season. He spoke of the summer of tumult Monday, when USA Basketball opened its World Cup training camp."This summer was painful in many ways, losing the guys that we did," said Kerr, a USA Basketball assistant this summer under coach Gregg Popovich. "But reassuring, in the sense that we brought back some key guys who are going to help us kind of get to that next era, whatever that looks like."The Warriors kept Thompson, to no surprise, after a five-year, $190 million contract got finalized quickly in free agency. Golden State also reached an... [More]

Draymond Green entered this offseason vowing that the Golden State Warriors would remain a contender for NBA titles. His opinion hasn't changed.Green and the Warriors have agreed on the terms of a four-year extension worth nearly $100 million, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was unsigned, though that was expected to be completed imminently.ESPN first reported the agreement, citing Green's agent, Rich Paul.Green's new deal will start with the 2020-21 season, so he is under contract through 2023-24. Klay Thompson signed a five-year, $190 million extension with the Warriors last month, and Stephen Curry is under contract through the 2021-22 season, so three major pieces of the Warriors' half-decade of success are now locked up for at least three more years."I think everybody thinks it's kind of the end of us," Green said in June, after the Warriors lost a six-game series to Toronto... [More]

A person familiar with the situation says the Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green have agreed on a four-year extension worth nearly $100 million, meaning the three-time All-Star is under contract through the 2023-24 season.Green and the Warriors intend to make the deal official imminently, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because it has not been finalized.ESPN first reported the agreement, citing Green's agent, Rich Paul.The extension means that the five-time defending Western Conference champion Warriors have three of their mainstays — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Green — under contract through 2022 or beyond. Curry has three seasons left on his deal, and Thompson agreed last month to a five-year, $190 million extension.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Bob Myers has accepted Kevin Durant's departure for the Brooklyn Nets with an appreciation for all the superstar forward accomplished with the franchise, even if the Golden State general manager would have loved to keep KD around a little longer."I have a peace about it," Myers said Monday as he discussed the Warriors' flurry of moves in free agency.And Myers doesn't think he would do anything differently in an attempt to keep Durant, who told Myers he was ready for a new chapter after winning championships with the Warriors in 2017 and '18 as NBA Finals MVP both years."You do the best you can," Myers said. "I think all along, to me it was a blessing that he came, that he wanted to be a part of this. This is a guy who can move in whatever direction he wants because of his talent. He came and he delivered. In my opinion he was everything we could have asked for. He represented us on the court, he represented us off the court. He still has a great relationship with... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State general manager Bob Myers plans to meet with both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson ahead of the start of free agency this weekend."Yes," Myers answered succinctly Monday when asked about sit-downs with both free agents, each injured for the runner-up Warriors during the NBA Finals and expected to miss at least most of next season.Is Myers optimistic about having productive conversations with the two stars?"We'll see."And that was all on that Monday, when the Warriors formally introduced their three draft picks.Though Myers did say he expects Thompson to have surgery this week after he tore the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Game 6, which the Warriors lost at home as the Raptors clinched the franchise's first championship. Durant was injured in the previous game at Toronto and underwent surgery for a ruptured right Achilles tendon that could keep him out for the majority of the 2019-20 season.Myers and coach Steve Kerr have made... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat has been selected as this season's winner of the Magic Johnson Award, presented by the Pro Basketball Writers Association.Wade, who just completed his final season before retirement, was chosen as "the player who best combines excellence on the basketball court with cooperation and dignity in dealing with the media and the public."Wade averaged 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his 16th and final NBA season. He was a three-time champion, the 2006 NBA Finals MVP and a 13-time All-Star.The PBWA created the Magic Johnson Award in 2001. Other finalists this season included Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards, Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Nikola Vucevic of the Orlando Magic.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NB A and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — When Game 4 was over, while Toronto fans were waving Canadian flags in celebration inside an otherwise-stunned Oracle Arena, a glum-faced Kevin Durant was outside the Golden State locker room to greet equally glum teammates as they sauntered off the floor.That's been his only visible role on game nights in the NBA Finals.If that doesn't change Monday, this series is probably going to end.With it, in that case, so would Golden State's reign as NBA champions. And then it's possible that Durant, a free-agent-in-waiting, has played for the Warriors for the last time.Durant limped off the floor at Oracle Arena a month ago — Game 5 of the second round — with what the team called a mild calf strain. It's apparently the most severe "mild" calf strain in the history of injuries, because he hasn't played since and there's no way of knowing if that's going to change on Monday.And the Warriors clearly need him if they're going to pull off a comeback against the Raptors in these... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The mantra for Golden State during Steve Kerr's five seasons with the Warriors has been "Strength in Numbers."It's more than a marketing slogan.It's a catchy phrase on shirts, for sure, and it's emblazoned plenty of places for all to see — even on one shoulder of Stephen Curry's gray sweat suit, with the NBA Finals logo on the other side. But it's hard to imagine a time where it means more to the Warriors than right now, when the only thing being tested more than their mettle is their depth.The champions are heading home off a win ailing, but not trailing. Whether it was DeMarcus Cousins playing 28 minutes, or Quinn Cook tying a playoff career-high with three 3-pointers, or all 13 Warriors getting into the game — some of them for only four seconds, but in nonetheless — the two-time defending NBA champions found a way.Game 2 is in the books. Golden State 109, Toronto 104. Series tied at 1-1.Off to Oracle Arena in Oakland, California for Game 3 on Wednesday night."When you... [More]

Obnoxious sideline celebrities are as much a part of the NBA as slam dunks and getting away with an extra step or two.From Jack Nicholson to Spike Lee to Jimmy Buffett, we've grown accustomed to boorish, entitled superstars doing their best to make themselves part of the game.Welcome to the club, Drake.The Toronto rapper-slash-superfan has gotten as much air time as anyone on the court with his antics during the playoffs. He mocked Philadelphia's Joel Embiid. He rubbed the shoulders of Raptors coach Nick Nurse during a game. And, after the opener of the NBA Finals, he exchanged some heated words with Golden State's Draymond Green.Here's an idea: Let's ignore Drake for the rest of what could be a memorable series between the Raptors and Warriors.That goes for the TV cameras that can't seem to turn away from him. That goes for those of us in the media who can't seem to quit writing about him (I promise, this will be my one and only Drake column). And it most certainly goes for the Warriors,... [More]

Metta World Peace needed to win a championship ring so his career wasn't defined only by one angry moment in Detroit.Before he could get it with the Los Angeles Lakers, though, World Peace had to heal his mind. The therapy had to come first if the former Ron Artest was to make it to Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics."I would not have been able to deal with the adversity. I would have been ejected," World Peace said about the therapy that finally helped lift him out of the dark places he always seemed to frequent. "I would have probably gotten into a fight or done something stupid. I don't think the old Ron Artest would have been ready for that final."The old Ron Artest, of course, was best known for going into the stands in 2004 in Detroit to battle fans in what became known as "Malice at the Palace." He was a hard-nosed defensive specialist who brought playground grudges from the housing projects in Queens onto the court, often with bad consequences.The new World... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry hears the dynasty discussion about his Golden State Warriors during another postseason run.Draymond Green realizes special teams only stay together for so long before something breaks them apart.That's why the Warriors decided from Day 1 of training camp to cherish this season.Golden State is a franchise in its prime — five straight trips to the NBA Finals and seeking a third consecutive title. But the clock is ticking and the Warriors are well aware of the possible ramifications of free agency and how things could change in a hurry this summer."Basketball careers aren't that long. If you can get 10 out of it, you're lucky," Green explained. "To be to five straight finals, I don't even know what to say about it. This is what you play for. This is our goal every year and to get here five straight times is special."The Warriors started this run with three All-Stars in Curry, Green and Klay Thompson. They added two more in Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry hears the dynasty discussion about his Golden State Warriors during another postseason run.Draymond Green realizes special teams only stay together for so long before something breaks them apart.That's why the Warriors decided from Day 1 of training camp to cherish this season.Golden State is a franchise in its prime — five straight trips to the NBA Finals and seeking a third consecutive title. But the clock is ticking and the Warriors are well aware of the possible ramifications of free agency and how things could change in a hurry this summer."Basketball careers aren't that long. If you can get 10 out of it, you're lucky," Green explained. "To be to five straight finals, I don't even know what to say about it. This is what you play for. This is our goal every year and to get here five straight times is special."The Warriors started this run with three All-Stars in Curry, Green and Klay Thompson. They added two more in Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins.... [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 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) — 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]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Golden State Warriors still have plenty of work to do if they hope to win their third straight championship.But after fending off the Houston Rockets on Friday night without leading playoff scorer Kevin Durant to advance to the Western Conference finals, they did take a moment to celebrate the accomplishment."It shows you how much respect we have for Houston," coach Steve Kerr said. "We just finished the conference semifinals series. We're only halfway home to where we want to be. And yet the celebration in there felt like a much bigger occasion and that's because of the challenge that this team put before us."Stephen Curry scored all of his 33 points in the second half to lead the Warriors to a 118-113 win.Klay Thompson added 27 points to help two-time defending champion Golden State reach the conference finals for a franchise-record fifth straight year and eliminate Houston for the fourth time in five seasons. The Warriors did it with Durant sidelined by a calf injury... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Golden State Warriors will be without postseason scoring leader Kevin Durant as they try to close out the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals."Well, we'll just find somebody on the bench who can give us 35 points and two blocks and 11 boards and nine assists," coach Steve Kerr said once the team arrived back in Houston on Thursday evening.An MRI exam Thursday confirmed the Warriors' initial diagnosis of a strained right calf announced during Wednesday's 104-99 win at Oracle Arena.As the Warriors returned to Houston for Friday's Game 6, Durant stayed behind in the Bay Area to undergo treatment. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated next week, meaning if there is a decisive Game 7 in the series Sunday he would be out of that one as well. The Warriors lead the series 3-2."He's been the best player in the NBA, in the playoffs. He's been phenomenal, so it's obviously a huge loss, but our team has a lot of confidence," Kerr said. "They trust each other.... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant will miss the remainder of the Golden State Warriors' Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets with a strained right calf.An MRI exam Thursday confirmed the Warriors' initial diagnosis announced during Wednesday's 104-99 win at Oracle Arena.The team has returned to Houston for Game 6 on Friday but Durant stayed behind in the Bay Area to undergo treatment. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated next week, meaning if there is a decisive Game 7 in the series Sunday he would be out of that one as well. The Warriors lead the series 3-2."It's a tough injury," teammate Klay Thompson said. "We'll have to collectively make up for what he does. We've done it before. It's going to be incredibly difficult. It's the playoffs. I know they're not going to feel sorry for us, the media, the fans. It will be a gut check time. We go down there and give it our best effort. That's all we can do. If we do that, I have confidence every man on this team will step... [More]