NBA: Unheralded Walker sparks Lakers rally as Warriors wobble

MIAMI -- Unheralded bench player Lonnie Walker led a fourth-quarter rally as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors to leave the NBA champions on the brink of elimination from the playoffs on Monday.

The 24-year-old Walker erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points as the Lakers completed a dramatic 104-101 victory to put them one win away from clinching the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.

Walker, who has struggled to establish himself since joining the Lakers on a one-year contract last year after battling a series of injuries, was mobbed by LeBron James and other Lakers teammates after the victory.

James, who scored 27 points in the victory, said he had urged Walker before the game to be ready to help out.

"I've been telling him 'Lonnie you stay ready. We're going to need you at some point'," James said.

"For him to be as young as he is, to have that professionalism, to come out and stay ready when his number was called -- we don't win this game without Lonnie Walker tonight, that's for sure."

Walker said he had been primed to make a contribution.

"It means the world to me, truly," Walker said.

"By the grace of god I was given an opportunity to play. Night-in, night-out I've been going to the gym, everyone's been telling me to stay ready -- Bron, coach, all of them. So when the call came I was locked in the entire time."

The Lakers will take a 3-1 series lead to San Francisco for game five on Wednesday with the Warriors needing to win to keep the series alive.

For long periods of Monday's game it looked as if the champions were poised to square the series.

Stephen Curry finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in a dazzling playmaking performance that helped Golden State take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.

But the introduction of Walker changed the game, with the unlikely hero scoring 15 points as the Lakers outscored their opponents 27-17 in the final frame to clinch victory.

- 'A resilient bunch' -

"We're just a resilient bunch," James said. "They hit us with haymaker after haymaker after haymaker, trying to get us to fall.

"We just stayed in the fight. It's a 48-minute game, a 12-round boxing match. And we stayed in it for 12 rounds and were able to pull through."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr paid tribute to Walker's fourth-quarter performance.

"I don't know whether he scored all their points in the fourth quarter but it felt like it," Kerr said. "He made a huge impact.

"A lot of times that's what the playoffs are about. A close game and somebody comes in who you don't expect to make an impact. The fourth was about Walker."

Agence France-Presse

Draymond Green gets one-game NBA ban for accumulated technical fouls

NEW YORK, United States - Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green was suspended one game without pay by the NBA on Thursday after being whistled for his 16th technical foul of the season.

Green, a four-time NBA champion with the Warriors, received his most recent technical foul with 40 seconds remaining in the second quarter of Golden State's 134-126 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Under NBA rules, a player or coach who receives a 16th technical foul during the regular season is automatically banned for one game.

For every two additional technical fouls received the remainder of the season, Green faces being suspended for another game.

Green, a 33-year-old American known for physical play and an outspoken manner on and off the court, will serve his ban on Friday when the defending NBA champion Warriors visit Atlanta.

In his 11th NBA season, all spent with Golden State, Green is averaging 8.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per contest.

The Warriors are 36-34 this season to rank sixth in the Western Conference.

Agence France-Presse

Golden State confirms Curry won’t return before playoffs

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, sidelined by a sprained ligament in his left foot, won't return to action before the playoffs, the NBA team said Friday.

In a statement posted on the team Twitter feed, the Warriors said Curry was making "good progress" in his recovery but wouldn't play again in the regular season, which concludes on April 10.

"Stephen will gradually begin individual on-court activities next week, and his eventual return to practice will be based on his continued progress," the Warriors said. "Our next update on his status will be provided on April 11."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters the news was not a surprise.

"We were hoping maybe he'd play one or two games at the end of the regular season," Kerr said. "But that was always a long shot."

Curry hasn't played since he was hurt in a March 16 game against the Boston Celtics, when he was rolled on by Boston's Marcus Smart as they chased a loose ball.

Curry, the NBA's all-time leader in three-point shots, was averaging 25.5 points per game and the Warriors are 1-6 since he's been sidelined.

Although players including Jordan Poole have stepped up their offensive output, no one has filled the void left by Curry.

The Warriors are currently fourth in the Western Conference and have yet to officially clinch their playoff berth, although the could find themselves in on Friday if the Minnesota Timberwolves lose to the Denver Nuggets.

Kerr said Curry remains a key contributor to the playoff push.

"You can see him during practice, pulling guys aside, talking to them," Kerr said. "He understands his value as a leader as well as an All-Star Player."

And Kerr said he has no concerns that Curry will need time to ramp up when does return.

"All it takes is one shot and he's back in rhythm," Kerr said.

Agence France-Presse

Klay Thompson says ‘he’ll be fine’ after pulling hamstring in Warriors’ Game 2 win

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson got hurt early in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors and did not return.

Thompson limped toward the locker room after landing in a split following a three-point attempt.

ESPN’s Doris Burke, who was working courtside, reported during the game that Thompson felt tightness in his left hamstring.

After the game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr reportedly said Thompson told him “he’s fine” but added the severity of the injury remains unclear at this point.

“Klay said he’ll be fine, but Klay could be half dead and he would say he would be fine. We’ll see. He pulled his hamstring. He thinks it is minor, so I don’t know what that means going forward,” Kerr said during the post-game press conference after steering Golden State to a 109-104 win that leveled the series.

Thompson still led the Warriors with 25 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the three-point area that went with five rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes.


Steph Curry shrugged off a slow start to finish with 23 points on 6-of-17 shooting from the field.

The series shifts to Oakland at Oracle Arena for Game 3 on Thursday (Manila time).

source: sports.inquirer.net

Steph Curry, shorthanded Warriors knock out Rockets in Game 6

HOUSTON — Stephen Curry scored all 33 of his points in the second half and the Golden State Warriors overcame Kevin Durant’s absence to finish off Houston in six games, beating the Rockets 118-113 on Friday night to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Klay Thompson added 27 points to help the two-time defending champion Golden State reach the conference finals for the fifth straight year and eliminate Houston for the fourth time in five seasons. The Warriors did it with Durant sidelined by a calf injury sustained in the second half of their Game 5 victory.


James Harden led Houston with 35 points, and Chris Paul added 27.

Harden’s layup got the Rockets within three with less than a minute to go, but Thompson made a 3-pointer with 36.1 seconds remaining to extend Golden State’s lead to 110-104.

Gerald Green then missed a 3 for Houston and the Rockets were forced to foul Curry. He made both shots before Harden’s 3 got Houston within five at 112-107 with 24 seconds left.

Playing with a dislocated finger on his left hand, Curry made two more free throws before P.J. Tucker hit a 3 for Houston. But two more free throws by Curry made it 116-110 with 12.3 seconds left and Harden dribbled it off his foot for the last of his six turnovers.

The Rockets failed to score for a big chunk of the fourth quarter and had to watch the Warriors celebrate a series victory on their home court for the second straight season after they won the conference finals in Houston last year. Harden was 11 of 25 from the field, going 6 of 15 from 3-point range, and went 7 of 12 on free throws.

Curry struggled early, failing to score in the first half for the first time in 102 career playoff games, and had just 10 points through three. But he got going in the fourth, scoring 23 points.

There were questions entering the game about how the Warriors would weather the loss of Durant — and his more than 34 points a game. But they didn’t seem to miss a beat, getting 21 from Thompson in the first half before Curry closed it in the fourth.

The Rockets had a five-point lead to start the fourth and it was tied at 95 with about 7 1/2 minutes to go after three points by Golden State’s Shaun Livingston.

Harden and Curry exchanged baskets soon after that before both teams failed to score for the next 2 1/2 minutes. Houston missed five shots in that stretch and the Warriors missed four before Kevon Looney made a layup to put Golden State on top 99-97 with just under four minutes left.

A 3-pointer by Curry gave the Warriors a five-point lead before Harden ended a scoring drought by the Rockets of almost four minutes with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 102-100 with about 2 1/2 remaining.

Harden was called for a charge after that before Curry scored all of Golden State’s points in a 5-2 run that made it 107-102 with 90 seconds left.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Durant didn’t make the trip to Houston, remaining in the Bay Area to receive treatment for his injury. The Warriors said he’ll be re-evaluated next week. … The Warriors started Andrew Bogut for Durant and he had three rebounds and zero points. … C Damian Jones, who is out with a torn pectoral muscle, has been cleared for contact drills and could be available later in the playoffs if the Warriors advance. …

Rockets: Tucker had 15 points and has scored at least 10 points in eight of Houston’s last 11 games. … Clint Capela had with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

UP NEXT

The Warriors move on to face the Denver-Portland winner.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors prepare for rested James Harden, Rockets in West rematch

LOS ANGELES — After outlasting the no-name Los Angeles Clippers in six games, the Golden State Warriors have a superstar on their hands next.

James Harden and the Houston Rockets in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference finals. That’s when the Rockets let a 3-2 lead slip away and saw the Warriors go on to win their second straight NBA championship.

This time the teams meet in the West semifinals beginning Sunday in Oakland.

“We know them well,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Friday night after his team finished off the Clippers with a 129-110 victory to win the best-of-seven series 4-2. “They’re going to come after you and pick-and-roll. We know they’re already in the Bay waiting for us, so it will be a quick turnaround.”

Anticipating a Warriors’ closeout, the Rockets flew to Northern California on Friday to be ready for the series opener. They’ve been resting since Wednesday, when they defeated the Utah Jazz 4-1.

The Warriors were stretched to six games for the first time in the opening round in Kerr’s five seasons.

“One of the things that can happen during the playoffs is you can sharpen your game against an opponent that forces you to do so,” Kerr said. “We had leads in some games that we lost. Every time we thought, all right, we’ve got this, we didn’t have it.”

Kevin Durant had a statement game for the Warriors, scoring 38 of his playoff career-high 50 points in the first half at Staples Center. He was 15 of 26 from the floor, made 14 of 15 free throws and hit six 3-pointers.

Durant was coming off a 45-point performance in a losing effort in Game 5.

“No matter what anybody does, he can get a good shot,” Kerr said.

Harden averaged 27.8 points in the first round against the Jazz, but he struggled at times to get going offensively. His worst effort came in Game 3 when Houston won despite him missing his first 15 shots to set an NBA record for most misses to start a playoff game.

Durant believes Harden’s game is much more than drawing fouls and getting to the line.

“He can score in a variety of ways, so we have to be locked in from the beginning,” Durant said. “You can’t fully stop a guy like that; you’ve got to be ready to play him tough all game.”

Stephen Curry finished with 24 points, the only other Warrior with at least 20 Friday. Klay Thompson had nine points. Both of them were banged up slightly in the game, but Kerr said he’s hopeful they’ll both be good to go Sunday.

Draymond Green had his fifth career playoff triple-double of 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists after not playing well in Game 5.

Warriors center Kevon Looney expects to see the Rockets employ some of the same defensive schemes used by the Clippers, who twice won in Oakland, including a 31-point comeback that was the biggest in NBA history.

“Defending the pick-and-roll is going to be huge,” Looney said. “The Clippers punched us in the mouth and woke us up. They showed us it’s not a cakewalk in the West. Every game is going to be hard.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Stephen Curry scores 38 to push Warriors past Timberwolves

OAKLAND, Calif. — Steve Kerr long ago ran out of superlatives to describe Stephen Curry.

The Warriors coach isn’t even trying anymore, not with the way his All-Star point guard is playing since coming back from a groin injury.


Curry had 38 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Golden State beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-108 on Monday night in Draymond Green’s return to the Warriors’ lineup.

Klay Thompson scored 26 points and Kevin Durant had 22 as Golden State prepared for Wednesday’s showdown with Toronto by earning its fourth straight win.

Curry went 7 for 14 from 3-point range.

“He’s good at basketball,” Kerr deadpanned. “Nothing he does surprises me. Even on a night he gets off to a slow start he finds a way.”

Curry, who recently returned after sitting out 11 games with an injured groin, got going after missing six of his first nine shots. He made a pair of 3s and scored 14 points in the third quarter, including Golden State’s final nine of the period, and then made consecutive shots from deep after the Timberwolves closed to 101-93 in the fourth.

Thompson and Durant provided plenty of support. It’s the fourth time this season that the trio has scored 20 or more points in the same game.

Curry is averaging 31.4 points in five games since coming back from the injury.

“We were trying to do a lot in the first half just because we had another playmaker out there,” Curry said. “We were playing really, really fast and excited. Just had to settle in and make the simple play. In the second half we kind of slowed down.”

Green, the 2017 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, had seven points, 10 rebounds and seven assists after being sidelined for 11 games with a right toe injury. He made his first shot, a 3-pointer, and then playfully challenged the Timberwolves to come guard him.


“I felt like a kid in the candy store the last few days,” Green said. “To come back off a layoff like that, I felt pretty good. I really had no issues at all. It’s good to get back to who we are.”

Karl Anthony-Towns had 31 points and 11 rebounds for Minnesota. Derrick Rose added 21 points.

“It’s a great team and to beat a great team you’ve got to play 48 minutes,” Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We didn’t do that.”

The Warriors led 12-0 early and got a spark from Green.

After making his 3-pointer, Green had a second bucket on a goaltending call against Gorgui Deng, and then scored on a driving layup. The excitable Green also picked up a foul for setting an illegal screen and jawed at a referee while walking down the court.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: Robert Covington scored seven points on 2-of-7 shooting in his return after sitting out Saturday’s loss in Portland. … Rose scored 11 points in the second quarter, and then made an outstanding play to block a 3-point attempt by Jonas Jerebko near the Minnesota bench in the third. … Minnesota has lost six straight to Golden State.

Warriors: Thompson made a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half. … Andre Iguodala did not play because of tightness in his right hip. … Curry, Durant and Thompson have each scored 20 or more points in the same game 35 times as teammates.

COUSINS GETTING CLOSE

DeMarcus Cousins practiced with the Warriors G-League team in Santa Cruz earlier in the day, and then was back on the court at Oracle to put in some extra work before the game against the Timberwolves.

There is still no timetable for Cousins’ return from a torn Achilles tendon, but the four-time All-Star center is definitely getting close.

“We want to make sure he’s really comfortable with his conditioning and movement before we put him out there,” Kerr said. “Everything has come along nicely. This is not about a doctor saying he can’t play. It’s more about when he’s ready to go out there and perform well.”

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: Play at Sacramento on Wednesday night.

Warriors: Host Toronto on Wednesday night. The Raptors beat Golden State 131-128 in overtime on Nov. 29.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Big 3 Durant, Curry, Thompson lead Warriors to 128-111 win over Atlanta

ATLANTA — Golden State’s Big Three went for balance.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points, Kevin Durant had 28 and Klay Thompson chipped in with 27 as the Warriors cruised past the Atlanta Hawks 128-111 Monday night, snapping a six-game losing streak on the road.


All three stars have scored more than 50 points in a game this season.

This time, they spread the wealth .

“Our defense set the tone,” Curry said. “Everybody gets to touch the ball.”

With Curry scoring 18 points in the opening quarter, this one was never in doubt.

Golden State raced to a 34-17 lead in the first 12 minutes — Curry outscored the Hawks by himself — and the defending NBA champions won for only the fourth time in 10 games.

Playing for the second time since missing 11 games with a groin injury, Curry hit his first six shots, four of them beyond the arc . He finished 6 of 10 from 3-point range

“I think he’s now back in the groove,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He looked great handling the ball.”

The Warriors led 61-47 at halftime and stretched the margin as high as 24 points, sending the rebuilding Hawks to their third straight loss.

“We needed a win on the road,” Curry said. “We kind of didn’t want to give them life.”



Despite the win, Kerr said he’s not pleased with his team’s performance.

“We’re not where we need to be by any stretch of the imagination,” Kerr said. “We’ve been kind of uneven to this point.”

John Collins led Atlanta with 24 points , and Trae Young added 20.

But it was a tough night for Young, the rookie guard who the Hawks are hoping to turn into their Curry-like centerpiece. He had seven turnovers and missed all five of his 3-point attempts.

“I really don’t listen to or care about the comparisons,” Young said. “All I’m thinking about are my teammates and putting them in the best position to win.”

The youngster is struggling with his shot, especially from long range. He’s only connecting on 23.9 percent of his 3-pointers.

“They’re picking me up full court,” Young said. “They’re not going to just sag off and let me have open 3s. I’ve got to find a way to knock them down. I will.”

INJURY REPORT

Hawks forward Taurean Prince could be out for an extended period after spraining his left ankle when he came down on Shaun Livingston while shooting.

Prince hobbled to the locker room in the fourth quarter. Afterward, he headed for home on crutches.

“The X-rays were negative,” Prince said. “We’ll have an MRI tomorrow.”

For Golden State, Draymond Green missed his ninth straight game with a sprained toe on his right foot. He’s expected to miss at least the last two games of a five-game road trip, which ties the longest of the season.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Improved to 31-3 when Curry, Thompson and Durant all reach 20 points. … Golden State has won nine in a row over the Hawks, including four straight in Atlanta. … Thompson has scored at least 20 points in nine straight games, the longest streak of his career. … Kevon Looney scored a season-high 14 points . … Quinn Cook picked up five fouls in only 11 minutes.

Hawks: Jeremy Lin returned after missing two games with a sprained left ankle, scoring 14 points and converting a couple of three-point plays after drawing fouls on drives to the basket … DeAndre’ Bembry didn’t have much luck trying to guard Durant, picking up four fouls. … Atlanta had 18 turnovers and went 5 of 26 from outside the 3-point stripe. “We’ve got to value the ball a little bit better than we have,” coach Lloyd Pierce said.

CURRY’S FOULS

The Warriors star went to the bench after picking up his third foul with 2½ minutes left in the first half.

Kerr strolled over near center court, where Vince Carter was checking into the game for Atlanta.

“A lot of people paid good money to see him play,” Kerr said, referring to Curry.

Carter smiled.

Curry picked up only one foul the rest of the way, playing a little over 29 minutes.

ROOKIE OF THE MONTH

Young was named Eastern Conference rookie of the month for October and November after averaging 15.6 points and 7.6 assists in the first month and a half of the season.

Despite the accolades, he isn’t satisfied with his performance.

“Personally, I haven’t played the way I wanted to,” he said. “I know I haven’t.”

UP NEXT

Warriors: Continue their road trip at Cleveland on Wednesday.

Hawks: Host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Kevin Durant’s 49 points carry Warriors past Magic

OAKLAND, Calif. — Ever the perfectionist and competitor, Kevin Durant knows he should have scored well more than 50 points if a few more shots had fallen.

“I’m pretty sure all my teammates felt that way,” the typically efficient Golden State star said.


Durant scored a season-high 49 points, giving Golden State the lead on a three-point play with 1:19 left before hitting a 3-pointer with 22 seconds remaining to send the Warriors past the Orlando Magic, 116-110 on Monday night.

“I still missed 17 shots. I tricked off a 50-piece. I felt like I had some shots that I wish I could have made last game and this game,” Durant said.



“I could be in a better groove I feel like. Just playing a lot of minutes and having the ball in your hands, especially with the way the game is, the flow of the game. Obviously if you can score a little bit, you’re going to score some points in this league.”

Durant topped his 44-point performance two nights earlier with another brilliant outing on both ends, even if he didn’t like shooting 16 for 33. Klay Thompson was his scoring sidekick once more as the two-time defending NBA champions played without injured All-Stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.



Thompson hit his sixth 3 of the night to tie it with 1:45 left and finished with 29 points.

The past three games, Durant has scored 125 points and Thompson 91.

“It was hard to stop them. That’s why they’re such great players,” Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic said. “They made shot after shot at the end.”

Durant became the seventh player in Warriors history to post consecutive 40-point games — along with Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain, Curry, Antawn Jamison, Purvis Short and Thompson, according to Elias.

Vucevic had 30 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Magic, who were coming off a victory at the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.


Durant also had nine assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks, having taken his defense to another level the past week.

He and Thompson have carried the load as the Warriors won a third straight following a rare four-game losing streak.

Golden State closed the third on a 12-2 run to pull within 83-79 heading into the final 12 minutes. Mo Bamba’s 3 with 10:35 to go gave the Magic an 88-79 lead before Thompson answered from deep the next two possessions.



Quinn Cook, starting in place of Curry, contributed eight points, six rebounds and four assists as Golden State concluded a four-game homestand by beating the Magic for the 11th straight time — the Warriors’ second-longest active streak against an opponent after 16 wins in a row against Phoenix.

The Warriors shot just 4 for 15 from 3-point range in the first half and fell behind 64-47 at the break. They hope two-time MVP Curry will return at some point during their upcoming five-game road trip. Curry missed his 11th straight game with a strained left groin, while Green sat out a sixth in a row and eighth in all with a sprained right toe.

Evan Fournier made four of his first six shots then missed his final eight for Orlando.

CURRY UPDATE

Curry scrimmaged Monday and is scheduled to go through a full practice Tuesday, making it possible he could play Thursday at Toronto.

“He might,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry was hurt Nov. 8 against the Bucks trying to contest a shot in transition by Eric Bledsoe.

“Steph looked good today. Totally dominated the film crew,” Kerr quipped. “They couldn’t guard him. (Assistant) Willie Green put up a pretty good fight, but he’s a couple of years past his prime.”

TIP-INS

Magic: Aaron Gordon began 0 for 6 then left in the third with lower back tightness and didn’t return. … The Magic are 2-2 on the road vs. the West. … Orlando hasn’t beaten the Warriors since Dec. 14, 2012, and not in Oakland since Dec. 3 that same year.

Warriors: Durant is 29 of 30 from the free throw line the past two games. “I’m trying to stay over 90 this year. Hopefully my 3-point percentage comes up, too.”… Golden State is 7-1 against the Eastern Conference this season. … The Warriors won their sixth straight at home vs. Orlando. … Green was limited to conditioning work Monday and rode the bike. He needs to be on the court a couple of times before Kerr is ready to put him back in a game. … Key reserve Alfonzo McKinnie was sidelined a sixth consecutive game.

UP NEXT

Magic: Continue their West Coast swing at Portland on Wednesday.

Warriors: At Raptors on Thursday trying for a ninth straight victory in the series and fifth in a row in Toronto.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors’ Iguodala has a knack for big playoff performances

OAKLAND, Calif. — Andre Iguodala knocked down another clutch 3-pointer and let out some rare emotion, triumphantly reaching his arms out wide as he ran back to the defensive end. The Golden State swingman had thrown down a spectacular alley-oop dunk only 31 seconds earlier, and he was feeling it as the clocked ticked away on a second straight lopsided playoff win.

There’s something about Iguodala in the postseason. He paces himself through the regular season to be fresh and ready — and sometimes dominant — on the big stage for the defending NBA champions.

“Everyone gets hyped when Andre gets hyped because that’s a rare occurrence,” teammate Klay Thompson said. “You might see it on the golf course.”


It’s just what the short-handed Warriors were hoping to see.

Iguodala is back in the starting lineup for Golden State’s first-round series against the Spurs, filling in for Stephen Curry as the two-time MVP recovers from a sprained left knee. That’s how versatile Iguodala is: the 6-foot-6 swingman can be inserted in place of a point guard. The Warriors will go for a 3-0 lead Thursday when the best-of-seven series shifts to San Antonio.

At 34, Iguodala knows how to take care of himself over the long grind of an NBA season, all to be prepared to do whatever is asked of him in the playoffs.

“For us to be able to throw Andre out there really 1 through 4 both offensively and defensively, it’s an incredibly valuable weapon,” coach Steve Kerr said.

That’s when he has been at his brilliant best for the Warriors — and they are getting their money’s worth from a major investment last summer.

Many feared he might leave, but Iguodala received a $48 million, three-year contract to stay put and chase another championship. Even if he could have landed a bigger role elsewhere.

“Well, we met with him and we gave him our pitch and lots of money so we were hoping he wasn’t going to leave,” Kerr said. “I didn’t anticipate him leaving because he knows this is a great situation for him and we rewarded him for everything he’s done and for what we think he can do for us. I think this year was a good example of that. A lot of people were grumbling about he’s not shooting the ball well or whatever. … It’s the incredible defense, amazing awareness, intelligence, leadership.”

Iguodala keeps it simple, whether he’s in the lineup or coming off the bench: “Just try to do whatever it takes to help the team get over the hump and get a win.”

In 2015, Kerr moved Iguodala into the starting lineup, and he became Finals MVP as the franchise captured its first championship in 40 years.

Golden State is hoping for the same this spring. Iguodala had only started seven times before Game 1 of the playoffs Saturday, when he had seven rebounds, four assists and three points.

That’s after he missed four of the final five regular season games with a sore left knee.

“He’s definitely got to pace himself, the man’s played so much hoops in the last 15 years,” Thompson said. “Andre is a gamer. He is going to step up in the biggest moments, and right now it’s the playoffs. We have all the trust in the world for him, that’s why he’s a Finals MVP.”

On Monday, Iguodala finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting with four 3-pointers, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.

And he can guard anybody.

“His hands are so good. That’s the small thing that people don’t realize, he’s got great hands when he gets steals,” Kevin Durant said. “So guys are just thinking about that when they’re trying to score on him. As a scorer you’ve got to think about something other than getting to your spots or getting into your rhythm and it throws you off just a little bit. And that’s all you need to guard the best player, just for them to think just a tiny bit and Dre does that.”

Iguodala was part of the Warriors group that traveled to the Hamptons to persuade Durant to join a super team in July 2016.

“I always knew what Andre could do,” Durant said. “I played two USA teams with him, so I kind of knew his value. He’s not one of those guys that’s going to go out and say, ‘Here, Dre, give us 30 points.’ He’s one of those who can do just about everything good — he can shoot, he can pass, he can dribble, he can defend, he can rebound, he can do all those things really good. It’s not like he wants to do one thing more than the other.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors come back to beat Wizards; Green, Beal ejected

OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State lost its emotional leader when Draymond Green was ejected shortly before halftime. The defending champs were sloppy again, even forgetting several plays after one timeout and still somehow won — but it has hardly been easy so far.

Kevin Durant had 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to help rally the Warriors from 18 points down and beat the Wizards 120-117 on Friday night, a game marred by a fight between Green and Washington’s Bradley Beal that led to both being tossed.

Stephen Curry added 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds, hitting two 3s and two free throws in the final minute of the third quarter to get Golden State within 97-87 heading into the final 12 minutes. Then Klay Thompson and Durant made 3s early in the fourth for a four-point game. Thompson scored 18 points.

Durant’s jumper with 1:20 to go put Golden State up by five, but the Warriors still needed his two free throws with 9.4 seconds left. John Wall missed an off-balance 3 then Washington couldn’t capitalize on one final chance.

David West made two straight baskets for the Warriors midway through the fourth but Otto Porter Jr. hit consecutive 3-pointers for the Wizards, answering a 3 by Durant with a baseline dagger on the way to 29 points for the Wizards.

With 19.5 seconds left in the second quarter, Beal held the front of Green’s jersey with his left hand while grabbing Green around the jaw with his right. That enraged Green, who threw his right arm in frustration and wrapped arms with Beal as if hugging, then other players joined the scrum.

“It was a scuffle. I’m not going to go into details about it. I’ll do that with the league tomorrow,” Beal said. “We just got into it and things got out of hand and we both got ejected. I told my teammates I can’t put myself in a situation like that to leave them out there to battle out against a tough team without me out there.”

Green had to be pulled away from the skirmish by Andre Iguodala and Warriors security personnel. Green was tossed after getting his second technical foul. The back of his uniform was torn from near his right shoulder down to his waist.

“I thought Draymond defended himself and bit the bullet of being ejected for the game,” West said.

Green was hit with his first technical at the 8:05 mark of the second quarter for arguing an offensive foul call. He had six assists, three points, three rebounds and three blocks before his early exit.

The Warriors are still trying to figure things out, having given up 17 offensive rebounds two nights earlier in holding off the Raptors and also committing 17 turnovers — which they did again Friday.

Golden State began 1 for 10 from 3-point range while committing seven turnovers and allowing six 3s by early in the second quarter. But the Warriors did enough to win a fourth straight at home against the Wizards.

“We’re not ready, we’re still not ready,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We’re not locked in.”

Wall had 20 points and 14 assists for Washington. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 and Marcin Gortat had 18 for the Wizards, whose three-game winning streak to open the season was snapped in embarrassing fashion with a 102-99 overtime loss at the Lakers on Wednesday.

AL ATTLES NIGHT

The Warriors honored beloved Al Attles, who missed his tribute night because he’s in the hospital. The 80-year-old Attles is in his 58th year with the franchise as a player, coach of the 1975 title team, a GM and now ambassador.

Kerr wore an itchy, “100 percent polyester” retro suit for the occasion, while Warriors players wore shooting shirts featuring his likeness and a bobblehead was the giveaway.

His wife, Wilhelmina Attles, son, Alvin Attles III, and Hall of Famer Rick Barry represented him during an on-court tribute after the first quarter.

“Great to honor him,” Kerr said. “I know our fans who have been following us for a long time know about Al’s influence, but 57 years with the organization, obviously he won the championship with the team in ’75, was GM, drafted Chris Mullin, one of the best players early on in the Warriors history. He’s pretty much done it all. Fitting tonight we will honor him and his family. We know he’ll be watching on TV. I hope he’s not offended by my suit.”

TIP-INS

Wizards: Washington shot 15 for 33 on 3s. … C Ian Mahinmi played almost 13 minutes after he had been questionable with a sprained left ankle.

Warriors: Key reserve Shaun Livingston was out for personal reasons to attend a funeral. … Rookie Jordan Bell was inactive for the first time as C JaVale McGee became available after sitting out Wednesday against Toronto. “Some guys are guaranteed minutes every night, some aren’t,” Kerr said of his plans in the season’s early stages.

UP NEXT

Wizards: At Sacramento on Sunday.

Warriors: Host Pistons on Sunday seeking an eighth consecutive home victory in the series.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Green shows range, leads Warriors past Jazz for 2-0 lead

OAKLAND, California — Draymond Green showed Quin Snyder his hot hand and range up close, knocking down five 3-pointers and scoring 21 points before a brief knee scare late in the Golden State Warriors’ 115-104 victory over the Utah Jazz on Thursday (Friday Manila time) for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Kevin Durant added 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, while Stephen Curry had 23 points, seven assists and played smothering defense as Golden State stayed unblemished through six playoff games.

Gordon Hayward overcame a poor Game 1 and slow start in this one to score 33 points, and Rudy Gobert had 16 points and 16 rebounds before fouling out for a Jazz team missing injured point guard George Hill. He was ruled out earlier in the day because of a sore left big toe.

Game 3 is Saturday night in Salt Lake City.

Green received chants of “Dray-mond!” when he headed for the locker room with 7:24 to play, then cheers when he returned at the 5:16 mark. He came up awkwardly after hitting the floor on a drive, then grabbed at his left knee – which the team said he “tweaked.”

Snyder made it clear when the series began he won’t be alienating Green again by daring him to let it fly from long range – or saying anything that could be perceived as criticism.

Five months after the Jazz coach questioned Green’s perimeter range and commented about allowing the emotional Golden State star to shoot from way out, Snyder said before the game he had learned his lesson about fueling the All-Star forward.

Green has been fueling himself just fine, and his teammates, too – delivering on the offensive side this game after establishing the Warriors’ defensive intensity during the first five playoff games.

All his 3s were in the first half as the Warriors led wire to wire again. Golden State’s six straight victories to begin a postseason are a franchise record.

Green also had seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and another block to bring his six-game playoff total to 20.

The Jazz will have to hope more of their shots start falling once back home at altitude.

Hayward began 1 for 5 but bounced back after going 4 for 15 in Game 1.

Utah cut the lead to six on Rodney Hood’s jumper with 9:55 remaining in the third and trailed by 10 heading into the final 12 minutes. The Warriors went on a 5-0 run and the Jazz couldn’t do much more to threaten.

Shelvin Mack started in Hill’s place and scored 14.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr missed his fourth straight game as he deals with symptoms stemming from complications after two back surgeries following the 2015 championship run. Kerr won’t travel with the team to Utah as he seeks answers in his healing and goes to medical appointments. Mike Brown and a veteran coaching staff are leading the way.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors advance with rout of Trail Blazers

LOS ANGELES—The Golden State Warriors punched their ticket to the second round of the NBA playoffs in emphatic style on Monday (Tuesday, Manila), with a 128-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Stephen Curry scored 37 points with eight assists and seven rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter as the Warriors wrapped up a four-game sweep of the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series.

The Warriors’ 45 first-quarter points tied the NBA record for the most points scored in the opening period of a playoff game.

Kevin Durant, sidelined the past two games with a left calf injury, scored 10 points in 20 minutes on the floor.

In the next round the Warriors will face either the Los Angeles Clippers or Utah Jazz, whose series was knotted at two games apiece.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors clinch West, NBA’s top record

PHOENIX — The NBA regular season belongs to the Golden State Warriors – again.

The high-speed Bay Area dynamo needed 42 points from Stephen Curry to hold off the pesky Phoenix Suns 120-111 Thursday night, a victory that ensured Golden State will have the best record in the NBA for the third straight season.

“Yeah, it’s impressive,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “We have had a great run.”

The Warriors won their season-best 13th straight game, all of them without the injured Kevin Durant.

Getting the top playoff seed was “a goal that we set going into the season,” Curry said, “to make sure the regular season mattered for us, to clinch that, and we did.”

With Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala resting and Durant one game away from returning from injury, the Warriors prevailed in front of a noisy crowd.

“I think our guys enjoy the position we are in. They know it is a special era that is not going to last forever,” Kerr said. “We have a special group of talented players at the same time, so we are trying to enjoy every moment.”

Curry scored 23 in the first quarter when the Warriors blew open a 41-18 lead, but the Suns rallied with a 34-17 second quarter and made a game of it from there.

“I think we got mesmerized as a team,” Kerr said. “We were so enamored with what Steph was doing that we kind of stopped playing to start the second quarter.”

Devin Booker scored 21, Tyler Ulis 20 and Jared Dudley matched his season high with 19 for the Suns, who tied a franchise record with their 13th straight loss.

Alan Williams scored 16 and grabbed a career-best 17 rebounds for Phoenix.

“We just wanted to keep the game close, give ourselves the chance,” Dudley said. “Obviously, they are a championship team and for us, we want to just keep putting our young guys in situations where they can just learn from it.”

Golden State became the first team have the NBA’s best record for three consecutive seasons since the Boston Celtics did it in 1983-84, ’84-’85 and ’85-’86. The Warriors, Boston – multiple times – and Philadelphia are the only franchises in NBA history to achieve that feat.

The Warriors also are the first team to win at least 65 games in three straight seasons.

Klay Thompson scored 22 for the Warriors, including a critical late 3-pointer.

With the Spurs’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors are 65-14, 4 1/2 games ahead of San Antonio. Golden State has three games to play, San Antonio four.

The Warriors raced to that 23-point lead after one quarter, but Phoenix outscored Golden State 34-17 in the second quarter to cut it to 58-52 at the break.

Golden State led by 13 entering the fourth quarter.

But the Suns, with the worst record in the West and second-worst in the NBA, didn’t fold.

A 10-0 Phoenix run sliced Golden State’s advantage to 104-101 on Ulis’ 20-footer with 5:01 to play. Curry responded with his eighth and final 3-pointer, but the Suns twice cut it to four again – the last at 109-105 after Ulis made a pair of free throws 2:29 from the finish.

Thompson’s 3, only his second in nine tries, made it 112-107 and Phoenix never got closer than five again.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Warriors eventually find flow without Green, beat Wolves

OAKLAND, Calif. — Do-everything Draymond Green is fiery, vocal and brings energy on both ends of the court.

On a night the Golden State Warriors were without their emotional leader, it took them a while to find a flow.

Stephen Curry had 34 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Golden State overcame Green’s absence to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-102 on Saturday night for their 11th straight victory.

“It wasn’t as loud, obviously,” Klay Thompson said of missing Green. “Collectively we had to raise our voices to make up for it.”

Curry shot 13 for 19 with four 3-pointers, while Kevin Durant added 28 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and a career-high six blocked shots — the Warriors’ first time ever having someone finish with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and five blocks. Thompson scored 23 points with four 3s.

Durant figured he had to do more.

“Especially tonight. We missed Draymond,” Durant said. “We were a little stagnant early.”

Green sat out a day after bruising his left ankle at Los Angeles in a collision with teammate Ian Clark, who also missed the game after being hit in the throat on the play.

“Without Ian and Draymond our bench was thinned out,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Zach LaVine scored 31 points with five 3s, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 12 of his 18 points in the first quarter on 6-for-10 shooting. He then quieted down and missed five of his next six attempts before a three-point play with 4:03 remaining to make it a 10-point game.

Without Green, Golden State lacked offensive flow and an interior defensive presence against Towns until finding some rhythm late in the first half and early in the second.

The Warriors went off for a franchise-record 47 assists in their previous home game three nights earlier against the Lakers, but managed only 25 Saturday.

Golden State didn’t get its first field goal of the second quarter until 7:41 remaining on Durant’s three-point play.

“It’s good to see that we can step up in a guy like Draymond’s absence and still have contributions from other guys on the floor,” Curry said.

Kevon Looney made his first career start in place of Green and had six points, three rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes.

Curry’s 17 third-quarter points were his second-most in a quarter this season.

Minnesota handed Golden State one of only two home defeats last regular season, 124-117 in overtime on April 5 — just the Timberwolves’ second win in the last 17 meetings, including Saturday.

The Warriors won their sixth straight home game since a 129-100 season-opening loss to San Antonio, and ninth in 11 meetings with Minnesota dating to 2013.

TIP-INS

Timberwolves: Former Warriors G Brandon Rush was welcomed back on the video board during a first-quarter timeout, and he smiled and waved. … A night after getting 15 steals — five by Ricky Rubio — and forcing 26 turnovers, Minnesota managed only nine steals among the 18 turnovers by Golden State. … The Wolves will host the Warriors on Dec. 11, and Golden State has a nine-game winning streak at Minnesota.

Warriors: Curry had his sixth 30-point performance of the season, while he, Durant and Thompson each went over 20 points in the same game for the seventh time. … Golden State’s streak of 10 straight games with 30 or more assists was snapped. … The Warriors are 36-7 in the second game playing on consecutive nights dating to 2014-15, including 3-1 this season. … They shot above 50 percent for the third straight game. … Golden State wore its slate alternate jerseys for the first time at home, improving to 24-2 all-time in that uniform.

THIBODEAU’S INFLUENCE

First-year Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau paid the Warriors a couple of visits last season in his year out of NBA coaching, a chance to observe Kerr’s practices and catch up with old pal Ron Adams, Golden State’s assistant and defensive guru.

“It was fun to pick his brain and share knowledge and insight,” Kerr said.

Thibodeau called the Warriors “something we aspire to be.”

“Golden State was a good model for us,” he said of focusing on improvement. “They went step by step.”

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: Host the Utah Jazz on Monday for a quick two-game visit home.

Warriors: Host Atlanta on Monday in the second game of a five-game homestand and look to beat the Hawks at home for the fifth time in a row.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Richard Jefferson says he’s retiring as a champion

OAKLAND, Calif. — Richard Jefferson is an NBA champion, and that’s how he says his career will end.

The Cleveland forward told Fox Sports Ohio after Game 7 of the NBA Finals that he is retiring. Jefferson turns 36 on Tuesday, and just completed his 15th NBA season.

Jefferson was the No. 13 pick in the 2001 NBA draft. He spent his first seven seasons with New Jersey, and also played for San Antonio, Milwaukee, Utah, Golden State and Dallas before coming to Cleveland.

After the Cavaliers beat Golden State on Sunday night for the title, Jefferson offered emotional praise for finals MVP LeBron James, saying he owes his “entire basketball career to him.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA: Frustrated Curry, Warriors on brink of biggest choke

Unanimous NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry is feeling the frustration of the Golden State Warriors’ collapse to the brink of the biggest choke in NBA Finals history.

The record-setting 3-point shooter and NBA scoring champion was fined $25,000 Friday by the league for hurling his mouthguard into the crowd after fouling out of Thursday’s 115-101 loss at Cleveland, which left the best-of-seven series deadlocked at 3-3.

“It was obviously frustrating fouling out in the fourth quarter of a clinching game and not being out there with my teammates,” Curry said. “So it got the best of me, but I’ll be all right for next game.”

Sunday’s game seven at Oakland will decide if Curry and the Warriors, who won a record 73 of 82 regular-season games, defend their crown or become the first players in 70 NBA Finals to squander a 3-1 series lead and let the title slip away.

“Nothing about our playoff run has been perfect,” Curry said, citing a 3-1 deficit to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference final. “We were in adversity the last series and had to rattle off three straight wins so things haven’t gone our way despite how the regular season went.

“So, yeah, it’s frustrating, but the work we’ve put in and the opportunity we’ve given ourselves, you’ve got to be excited about that.”

Outbursts prove costly

Warriors coach Steve Kerr also was fined $25,000 for complaining about officiating, defending Curry’s contention that referees were wrong about the last calls that resulted in Curry fouling out for the first time since 2013 and receiving a first-ever ejection.

“I didn’t think I fouled,” Curry said. “That’s just kind of my perception of the plays and I had a reaction to it. I had some stuff I wanted to get off my chest after the way the game went.”

Kerr described the foul calls as “ridiculous” and said officials were fooled by flops, adding, “I’m happy he threw his mouthpiece. He should be upset… three of the six fouls were incredibly inappropriate calls for anybody, much less the MVP of the league.”

In his anger, Curry hurled the mouthpiece into the son of a part-owner of the Cavaliers who was sitting in the front row.

“I definitely didn’t mean to throw it at a fan, but it happened,” Curry said. “I went over and apologized to him because that’s obviously not where I was trying to take my frustration out.”

It’s such lack of discipline that has the Warriors in the mess they find themselves. Draymond Green swung has hand into the groin of Cleveland star LeBron James in game four and was banned from game five for accumulated flagrant fouls, his absence helping Cleveland win and being compounded when Australian center Andrew Bogut suffered a left knee injury that ended his season.

Green had to be restrained by Kerr as he argued a foul call late in game six, his anger and yelling risky given the chance of an incident that could have brought a game seven ban.

“It wasn’t an ideal situation to not have him out there and hopefully he’s not put in that situation again where he’s putting his playing status in jeopardy,” Curry said.

Racial profiling and plots?
Curry can’t even escape the tensions of the finals at home. His wife, Ayesha, tweeted her husband’s ejection was part of a plot to “rig” the outcome to force a game seven “for money or ratings.” She later deleted the message, saying it was a “heat of the moment” missive.

There’s no doubt the drama of the NBA’s two biggest stars, Curry and James, and the thrill of a record-setting comeback or a repeat champion has captivated US sports fans at a profitable pace for telecasters. Some 20.7 million people watched game six in America, 6.5 percent of the population, and TV ratings are the second-best in finals history.

Curry’s father-in-law was nearly arrested ahead of game six in what Ayesha Curry called a case of racial profiling. She said he was detained because in the mistaken belief he was a con artist thought to be trying to attend the game with phony credentials.

“Police racial profiled my father and told him to remove credentials and tried to arrest him. It’s been a long night for me. I apologize,” she tweeted.

“I’m okay we lost… I just can’t take people coming at my family for absolutely no reason. Something I don’t understand or stand for.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA: Desperate Warriors beat Thunder to stay alive

LOS ANGELES—Stephen Curry scored 31 points as the defending champion Golden State Warriors kept their record-setting season alive with a 120-111 win over Oklahoma City in game five of their Western Conference playoff.

Curry, who has been plagued by injuries throughout the postseason, saved his best game of the series for Thursday night as he also had seven rebounds and six assists.

After a record-setting 73 regular season wins, desperation set in for Golden State on Thursday as they now trail the Thunder 3-2 in the series.

The Warriors have a daunting task ahead of them when the teams square off for game six Saturday in Oklahoma City as just nine NBA teams have rallied from being down 3-1 to win a playoff series.

source: sports.inquirer.net

WATCH: Curry accepts 2nd NBA MVP trophy in front of Warrior fans

Golden State superstar Stephen Curry, NBA’s first-ever unanimous MVP winner, accepted his second MVP in front of the Warrior fans at Oracle Arena ahead of game five of the Western Conference semifinals.

The Warriors moved on to the WCF Finals after ousting the Portland Trailblazers in five games.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Sans Curry, Warriors rout Rockets for 2-0 lead

OAKLAND, California – As Stephen Curry emphatically waved his arms to ignite the crowd and coached from the bench when he could do little else, Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors’ supporting cast picked up the slack for their absent NBA MVP to hold off the Houston Rockets 115-106 on Monday (Tuesday Manila time) and take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series.

Thompson scored 34 points and dished out five assists for the defending champions, playing without Curry because of an injured right ankle. Curry cut short his pregame warmup routine after appearing to be in discomfort as he was shooting while putting little pressure on the tender ankle.

Andre Iguodala, last year’s Finals MVP, added 18 points with four 3-pointers and Draymond Green had 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Now, Curry has until Game 3 in Houston to get healthy.

James Harden had 28 points and 11 assists to lead the Rockets, losers of six straight and 14 of 15 to Golden State. He made 13 of 15 free throws after not attempting one in the opener.

Big man Marreese Speights hit a key momentum 3-pointer from the baseline with 8.2 seconds remaining in the third quarter to make it 86-79, and the deep, versatile Warriors showed they can win without Curry on the playoff stage just as everybody on the roster believed.

Golden State did it on New Year’s Eve on Houston’s home court and did it again Monday at rockin’ Oracle Arena.
Shaun Livingston, who left Sunday’s practice with an illness, had 16 points and six assists playing in Curry’s place.
After a 26-point victory in Game 1, the Warriors had to work a little harder in Game 2.

Dwight Howard’s dunk of an alley-oop pass with 6:54 left in the third pulled the Rockets within 71-67, but Golden State kept answering with big baskets.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr called for better ball movement, hard cuts and intensity on defense in Curry’s absence. For much of the game, the Warriors did those things well.

“There’s a smaller margin for error,” Kerr said of a lineup minus Curry.

Kerr looked at more film from that Dec. 31 game in Houston the past couple of days after already having watched it before Curry’s latest injury.

Harden went without a free throw attempt in Game 1 for the first time in 30 playoff games with the Rockets. Then on three occasions in the first half, Harden drew a foul beyond the 3-point line and sent the fans into fits. He missed 7 of 8 3-point tries.

But it was Thompson’s three free throws after interim Rockets coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s technical with 7:16 left that helped seal this one. Livingston scored the next time down for a 99-86 lead.

Curry didn’t take part in the morning shootaround or practice after getting hurt late in the first half of his team’s Game 1 win Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

He received treatment Sunday and Monday. He took the court some 90 minutes before tipoff and first went through his normal dribbling session before he started shooting.

At one point, Curry lined up to try a long jumper from the right wing but didn’t release the ball and hopped in apparent pain before throwing the ball in the air, clearly frustrated. He left the court moments later.

source: sports.inquirer.net