In this era of players wanting to join up with other players, or even just being friendlier with some opponents than guys on their own teams, it's nice to know there is still some good, old-fashioned hatred in the NBA.Yes, Joel Embiid hates the Celtics.He hates Boston so much that he got fined $25,000 last time the 76ers played them because he was so sick of losing to the Atlantic Division foes that he lost his cool afterward.On Wednesday, he gets his last chance during this regular season to beat Boston.The 76ers host the Celtics, who knocked them out of the playoffs last season, spoiled their opening game in this one, and then ruined their Christmas with another nationally televised victory.A long-time rivalry that delivered a famous fight between Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Julius Erving has become so one-sided that Embiid declared earlier this season that it wasn't even a rivalry anymore, because the Celtics always win.Boston has won 17 of the last 19 regular-season meetings, the... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Klay Thompson will miss Golden State's game against the 76ers with a sore right knee.Thompson has missed only two games this season, both against the Sixers. Alfonzo McKinnie started in Thompson's place on Saturday night.Thompson was hurt in Thursday's loss at Orlando."He hurt it during the game. He banged his knee on the floor," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "It didn't really hurt him until (Friday) morning. It's inflamed enough where it didn't make sense to play him tonight."Thompson will likely need an MRI on the knee.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Sonya Curry hasn't stopped smiling all weekend.She has had quality time with her grandchildren with the entire family in town for All-Star Weekend festivities. She even hit a half-court shot at a community center her family helped refurbish.On Saturday night, she emerged from Suite 21 at the Spectrum Center beaming after spending the evening with family and watching sons Stephen and Seth and husband Dell participate in the NBA All-Star 3-point contest."It's been everything that I hoped it would be," she said of her sons' return to their hometown for All-Star weekend. "Seeing Dell out there on the court being able to share that moment with the boys was awesome. And having the family all here to watch — that's hard to beat."With remnants of half-eaten appetizers and drinks still sitting on the counter, some of the young ones were starting to fuss having grown restless after being up well past their bedtimes.Still, Sonya didn't want the night to end.Neither did her husband.Dell... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Dell Curry looks forward to those nights when he can open a bottle of wine, take a seat on his recliner in front of the fireplace alongside wife Sonya and watch their NBA sons play basketball simultaneously on two large-screen television sets in his living room.Those are the nights he has to pinch himself realizing how blessed his family is.Everyone in the Curry clan has been pinching themselves lately; the family has been downright giddy about NBA All-Star Weekend."It's going to be incredible," said Curry, a former NBA player and color commentator for the Hornets TV network who still lives in Charlotte. "It's going to be a mini family reunion."There will be plenty of fellowshipping in Charlotte, including family dinners and group outings. Of course there also will be a little basketball. Stephen and Seth Curry will be returning to their hometown for the festivities. Stephen, a two-time league MVP, will join younger brother Seth in the 3-point shootout Saturday night... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Denver coach Michael Malone is headed to the All-Star Game, where he will coach the team that will be picked by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.Malone clinched his first All-Star coaching nod Saturday night, when the Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-106. The All-Star coaching gigs were determined by which teams have the best records in each conference through Sunday, and Denver (37-15) has clinched a tiebreaker over Golden State (also 37-15) by having a better record against Western Conference opponents.Denver star Nikola Jokic is also going to the game, as one of the reserves. The All-Star Game is Feb. 17 in Charlotte."Obviously any time you can be a part of the All-Star weekend, that's an honor not only for yourself but for your entire coaching staff and for your organization," Malone said. "And that's why we feel tremendous pride that Nikola was voted an All-Star reserve this year. His first time and our first All-Star since Carmelo Anthony. So... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Denver coach Michael Malone is headed to the All-Star Game, where he will coach the team that will be picked by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.Malone clinched his first All-Star coaching nod Saturday night, when the Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-106. The All-Star coaching gigs were determined by which teams have the best records in each conference through Sunday, and Denver (37-15) has clinched a tiebreaker over Golden State (also 37-15) by having a better record against Western Conference opponents.Denver star Nikola Jokic is also going to the game, as one of the reserves. The All-Star Game is Feb. 17 in Charlotte."Obviously any time you can be a part of the All-Star weekend, that's an honor not only for yourself but for your entire coaching staff and for your organization," Malone said. "And that's why we feel tremendous pride that Nikola was voted an All-Star reserve this year. His first time and our first All-Star since Carmelo Anthony. So... [More]

The Golden State Warriors don't just have streaks.They have streaks of streaks.Golden State has won 10 straight games, the longest winning streak in the NBA this season. And that makes this the sixth consecutive season that the Warriors have had a double-digit streak of victories — which ties San Antonio for the longest such run in league history. The Spurs had a 10-game streak in every season from 2010-11 through 2015-16.That said, here come the champs, again.Golden State is back atop the West, and in the mix with Milwaukee and Toronto for the NBA's best record. The stretch where the Warriors lost four straight and six of nine earlier this season, prompting whispers that the reigning back-to-back champions are vulnerable, seems long forgotten."We've got an edge about us," Warriors guard Stephen Curry said. "It hasn't been perfect and we know we can still get better, but we've talked about putting a run together for a while now and we're right in the middle of a really good one. We want... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets woke up out of first place in the Western Conference for the first time in 2019.Arriving at work on Wednesday, a stark reminder of just why awaited: Watching the footage of Golden State hitting 21 3-pointers.It wasn't fun viewing.The playoff-contending Nuggets learned a hard truth in a 142-111 loss to the Warriors in which they allowed an NBA-record 51-point first quarter and all those 3-pointers: They still have plenty of work to do."This was not a blame day," coach Michael Malone said after a lively practice that followed the film session. "This was not anything of the sort. It was to watch film, to learn from it, to get better."If we want to be the team we all talk about being, we have to learn from this."In a playoff-like atmosphere Tuesday and in front of a capacity crowd at the Pepsi Center, the Nuggets couldn't raise their game .On the other side, the occasion brought out the best in the Warriors."We don't have that level yet," said Malone, whose... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Golden State Warriors scored an NBA-record 51 points in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.Kevin Durant led the way with 17 points as the Warriors shot 76 percent from the field. The team hit 10 of 14 from 3-point range, with four from Stephen Curry and three each by Klay Thompson and Durant. The Warriors led 51-38 after the quarter.The old mark for an opening quarter was 50 points and accomplished by several teams. The last time it happened was also against Denver, when Phoenix erupted for 50 on Nov. 10, 1990.Golden State and Denver are the top two teams in the Western Conference.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins will start immediately for coach Steve Kerr when the All-Star center makes his long-awaited Warriors debut in about a week following a lengthy recovery from surgery on a torn left Achilles tendon.Cousins has targeted Golden State's game Jan. 18 at the Clippers as his return date and first game of the season, though Kerr said it could even be sooner if all continues going well — perhaps even against his former New Orleans team at home next Wednesday."The idea is we have to give ourselves a little leeway," Kerr said Thursday. "That Clipper game is sort of the one we've targeted but we should give ourselves some leeway on either side, because we have to see how the next week goes. I suppose it's a possibility that it could be New Orleans, maybe there's a possibility it's whoever's after the Clippers ... Lakers. That's the range that we're looking at."The coaching staff has spent the past couple of weeks more intensely planning for Cousins' return and... [More]

With eight shopping days to Christmas, the NBA's decision to have Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia's Joel Embiid in its holiday lineup is more than just sides in another hoop smorgasbord.It puts the spotlight on — and raises a question — about the MVP race, as in, who in the Eastern Conference is a legitimate contender. It's a question because the last East MVP, LeBron James going on six years ago, has moved West.Of course, the conversation has to include the biggest name to go the opposite direction this past offseason: Toronto's Kawhi Leonard, who forced his way out of San Antonio in a trade after missing most of last season with a mysterious leg injury."Oh yeah," first-year Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce declared about the East's MVP hopes."We missed Kawhi last year and the people that coached against him didn't for a reason," said Pierce, who was an assistant with the 76ers for Embiid's first two seasons. "He's a dominant two-way player. Antetokounmpo is unbelievable and... [More]

Vince Carter could have gone anywhere.To a contender, to chase a ring. To retirement, because he has nothing left to prove. To television, which seems like it will be his next vocation whenever his playing days end.Instead, he chose Atlanta — a young team, a rebuilding team, a team that probably has minimal chance of making the playoffs.And he's happy."I'm with a great bunch of guys," Carter said. "I enjoy helping young guys who want to learn, who are willing to be coached and let you coach them and ask questions. It's a small thing, but it's a major thing — because if you're asking questions, that means you're trying to learn and grow. And these guys are all great."He's the NBA's oldest active player, someone who turns 42 next month. When he was drafted in June 1998, neither Trae Young nor Kevin Huerter had been born yet. And they're the starting backcourt for the Hawks this season, Carter's 21st in the league, with Atlanta being the eighth team he's played with.Carter talked with Dwyane... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Draymond Green isn't apologizing for his part in a dustup with Kevin Durant that led to a one-game suspension by the Golden State Warriors.But Green vowed Thursday that the Warriors are not imploding, regardless of whatever is, or isn't happening, following the heated exchange between he and Durant in Monday night's overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.Green said he and Durant have spoken and that they're "moving forward."The Warriors forward spoke on Thursday for the first time since the incident. He opened his session with reporters by saying: "I'm going to speak on this one time and one time only," and refused to take any questions about it after he was done."I think there's no secret that I am an emotional player," he said. "I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I play with that same emotion. Sometimes they get the best of me. And (if) it doesn't work to my favor I'm going to live with that."He continued by saying that the passionate way he plays the game has led him... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The best NBA team in Los Angeles right now isn't the one with LeBron James.It's the no-name Clippers.Going into Wednesday, the Clippers were fourth in the rugged Western Conference at 8-5, with overtime wins against defending NBA champion Golden State and Milwaukee, as well as Oklahoma City and Houston (twice)."We're going to keep on getting better," leading scorer Tobias Harris said. "We've showed we can play with the best of them."While they don't have talent on par with those teams, the Clippers are transitioning to a new era with a mix of veterans like Danilo Gallinari, Harris, Marcin Gortat and Patrick Beverley. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has cracked the starting lineup as a rookie point guard. Montrezl Harrell brings a contagious energy off the bench.In a win over Washington, they had a franchise-record nine players score in double figures."They seem to all have a chip on their shoulder because a lot of those guys are really good players but they might not get the... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Golden State Warriors don't expect Draymond Green's latest dustup with Kevin Durant to become a long-term issue for the two-time defending NBA champions.Nor do they expect the emotional Green to change after his one-game suspension by the team Tuesday.Durant said he expects to work things out with Green, saying, "I'm sure it will, we've got a long season ahead.""His presence has been a part of this team for a while, even before I got here he'd been a huge staple in this organization," Durant said. "Obviously it's definitely weird not having him around and everything that went down. But that's what happens, (stuff) happens in the NBA."Green was suspended one game without pay for conduct detrimental to the team following an altercation a night earlier with Durant, though general manager Bob Myers declined to offer specifics on the All-Star forward's behavior that was considered going too far. Myers and Steve Kerr collaborated on the decision."We just felt like this... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Golden State Warriors don't expect Draymond Green's latest dustup with Kevin Durant to become a long-term issue for the two-time defending NBA champions.Nor do they expect the emotional Green to change after his one-game suspension by the team Tuesday.Green was suspended one game without pay for conduct detrimental to the team following an altercation a night earlier with Durant, though general manager Bob Myers declined to offer specifics on the All-Star forward's behavior that was considered going too far. Myers and Steve Kerr collaborated on the decision."We just felt like this rose to the level of acting the way we did," Myers said, noting of Green: "He was professional. He loves to play basketball, which is all you can ask of him."The Warriors made the announcement about four hours before they were set to host Atlanta, and the 28-year-old Green was serving the suspension against the Hawks. He wasn't at Oracle Arena and didn't immediately respond to a text... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green was suspended one game without pay by Golden State on Tuesday for conduct detrimental to the team.The Warriors made the announcement about four hours before they were set to host Atlanta, and said Green would serve the suspension against the Hawks.In the closing seconds of regulation during Monday's 121-116 overtime loss on the road to the Clippers, Green secured a rebound and, with Kevin Durant calling for the ball, instead dribbled the length of the court into traffic and lost control as the Warriors failed to get a shot off. Durant was shown on camera visibly upset immediately afterward.Then, back on the bench waiting for the extra period to begin, the two traded words and gestured with Klay Thompson seated between them and Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins and others trying to calm the situation.General manager Bob Myers and coach Steve Kerr have long supported Green's fiery nature that leads to technical fouls. Myers even... [More]

The best 3-point shooter who ever lived, at least in terms of volume, is Ray Allen.Boston used to have him.Milwaukee used to have him.And he doesn't figure into either franchise's greatest single-game 3-point barrage.With NBA records being set from 3-point range this season — Golden State's Klay Thompson has already busted the mark for 3s in a game with 14, one more than the standard his fellow Warriors sharpshooter Stephen Curry established in 2016, the league is well on its way to making more shots from beyond the arc than ever before.The record, set last season, is 25,807. The NBA is on pace this season to make about 27,300 shots from 3-point land.Now, not even three full weeks into this season, five teams have broken their own franchise record for 3s in a game. The most recent entry into that club was Milwaukee, which connected on 22 3s — on 56 tries, as opposed to 39 from inside the arc — in its 144-109 win over Sacramento on Sunday. The Bucks used 13 players, with everyone trying... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Klay Thompson has broken teammate Stephen Curry's NBA record for 3-pointers in a game with his 14th during a brilliant offensive performance by the Golden State Warriors.Thompson set the mark with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter Monday night against the Chicago Bulls. He was mobbed by teammates as the players headed to the sideline for a timeout, with the Warriors leading 113-69.Golden State led 92-50 at halftime, the second highest point total for a half in NBA history. Phoenix scored 107 points in the first half of a 173-143 victory over Denver in 1990.Thompson was just 5 for 36 from long range through Golden State's first seven games.Curry hit 13 3-pointers against New Orleans on Nov. 11, 2016.___For more AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry appreciated the freedom from coach Steve Kerr to shoot from wherever he darn well pleased, no distance off limits.On this night, Curry could get away with anything. He was feeling it."It is nice to turn around and not hear your coach on the sideline chewing you out," Curry said. "I'd like to say I deserve that little wiggle room there for sure."Even with another post-championship, whirlwind summer that included welcoming a son, more golf tournaments and travel, Curry considered it among his best and most productive offseasons.His body is fully healthy and recovered after the Golden State superstar played only 51 regular-season games during the latest championship run because of injuries.Through five games, Curry is as dominant as ever — as evidenced in a spectacular 51-point performance in Wednesday night's 144-122 win against the Wizards playing only three quarters. He scored 18 straight for the Warriors during one stretch."It was a joy to be on the... [More]