However, the Warriors will likely look to play with more intensity and focus on meeting their goal of making the NBA Finals again and defending their 2022 championship. That much is clear to four-time champion Klay Thompson (29 points), who noticed that Golden State “relaxed a bit more than we should have,”

“I think with Steph and [Andrew Wiggins] back, we probably relaxed a bit more than we should have,” Gy Thompson said, per ESPN. “We thought with them showing up; we’d just get the dub.”

Meanwhile, Curry and Wiggins are looking to regain their rhythm and swag. Chef Curry dropped 24 points on 8-22 shooting from the floor and 5-15 from beyond the arc. Wiggins contributed 10 points on 5-16 shooting and was noticeably looking to find that aggression and rhythm he had before he suffered his abductor strain and illness that took him out for over a month.

Curry said that he wasn’t thinking about his shoulder while he played and that he didn’t think his conditioning took much of a hit due to the 11 games he missed after suffering a shoulder issue on Dec. 14. He also believed that playing under a minute restriction made finding his rhythm back a little more complicated.

He noted that there was a level of pressure to play at a high level of play within a certain amount of time on the court. He tried to balance regaining his form while trying to play within the flow of the game and said that his first game back was “hit or miss” as he tried to knock the rust off and play within the speed of the game.

“It’s hit or miss with how much rust you will have and how close you can get to the speed of the game,” Curry said. “The first quarter, it felt good just to be out there, running with our guys. I felt like I got stronger as the game went on. In the fourth, the intensity of the game picked up. We were playing very desperately, trying to come back and make some plays. I felt like myself again.”

The Warriors were encouraged by their play in the fourth quarter when they outscored the Suns 34-27 as they climbed back into the game as Curry scored 14 points in the final frame. The two-time MVP hit three consecutive triples to give the Warriors some momentum, then Jordan Poole (27 points) hit a layup, the Dubs got a stop, and Poole hit a three-pointer to pull Golden State to within six after trailing by 27.

“I’m hoping that fourth quarter was the team that I have come to know and love and recognize,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “But we have to show in the first quarter, not in the fourth quarter.”

At the halfway point of the season, Kerr and the Warriors hope they can consistently play as they did in the fourth quarter. They have another 41 games left in the season to see if that’s who they are or if this Jekyll and Hyde type of season is who they are.

“We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” Curry said. “Eventually, you have to do it, or else time runs out. We have 41 games to figure it out — or else we won’t.”

The post Stephen Curry on His Return to Play and Regaining His Rhythm appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors have said they wanted Wiggins to be a full participant in practice before he can play again, and that stipulation has finally been met. Head coach Steve Kerr announced Wiggins participated in all practice activity on Thursday and that “there’s a chance he could play tomorrow,” according to ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.

Andrew Wiggins practiced in full today, Kerr said.

“There’s a chance he could play tomorrow.”

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) January 6, 2023

Wiggins’ return comes on the heels of Kerr announcing Stephen Curry could come back from his shoulder injury as soon as Jan. 13 when the Warriors start their next road trip against the San Antonio Spurs next week.

The Warriors (20-19) are coming off a last-second loss to the Pistons. They look to return to their winning ways on Saturday when they take on the Orlando Magic. They’re two games back of grabbing fourth place in the Western Conference playoff standings.

The post Steve Kerr: ‘There’s a Chance’ Andrew Wiggins Could Return and Play on Saturday appeared first on SLAM.

On Wednesday, Myers shared that Curry was evaluated New Year’s Weekend and that the two-time MVP didn’t suffer any “setbacks or anything like that.” Myers believes Curry can return by Golden States’ upcoming road trip, which begins Jan. 13 against the San Antonio Spurs.

“He’s going to get evaluated this weekend, and he’s working out on the court,” Myers told 95.7 The Game. “The two-week mark to evaluate him was this weekend, but there’s been no, at this point, setbacks or anything like that. So that would be — what, the first road game is on Friday; I think it’s San Antonio.

That would be a hope. I mean, that will be what we’ll be shooting for — He’s been, not contact, but out there doing all this stuff, and he looks like the same guy. He’s got a sleeve on his shoulder and his arm, but that would be the plan. We’ve got to see what he looks like this weekend.”

Curry suffered a left shoulder subluxation on Dec. 14 when the Warriors took on the Indiana Pacers. The injury knocked him out of Golden State’s last nine games. The Warriors have been able to go 6-3 without the only unanimous MVP in NBA history and are riding a five-game win streak capped by Klay Thompson’s season-high 54-point outing against the Toronto Raptors.

The post Bob Myers Reveals Stephen Curry Could Return as Soon as Next Week Against San Antonio appeared first on SLAM.

 The five-time All-Star showed he’s another step closer to reaching those peak performances after dropping 54 points on 21-39 shooting from the field, 10-21 from the three-point line, leading the Warriors to a 143-141 double-overtime against the Hawks.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for me,” Thompson said per ESPN. “There were some hard days for me when I didn’t know that this would be possible in real-time. I am just going to embrace the heck out of it.”

Klay in the Warriors 2-OT win!

54 PTS
7 REB
10 threes pic.twitter.com/CdOB2SqCaT

— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023

The 54-point outing was his biggest scoring out since his career-best 60-point performance in three quarters on Dec. 5, 2016, against the Indiana Pacers. It was Thompson’s fourth career 50-point game and his seventh with at least 10 3s

“He just made shot after shot and play after play. He was incredible,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.

After a prime-time performance like that, Thompson’s confidence will likely be at an all-time high. It’s the type of performance that can also set up some great things in 2023. Great news for a team looking to reverse their fortunes and make a run for a higher seed in the playoffs. However, teammate Draymond Green doesn’t want Thompson to not place too much pressure on himself.

“You don’t have to be the same Klay that you once were before,” Green said. “When you understand that, and you buy into that, then you become the Klay you were before.”

“When you’re as competitive as he is when you’re as good as he is, it’s tough sometimes,” Green said. “For two years, everybody is doubting you. That same fire toward that doubt is what made you, Klay Thompson — you don’t just lose that. That is embedded in you. It’s good to see him settle down. He’s not chasing it anymore, and it’s falling right in his lap. When you are that good, that’s usually what happens.”

Fourth career 50-point game.
Klay Thompson balled out last night.

» https://t.co/ocDF2EHeJH pic.twitter.com/anzqUguZj1

— VoteDraymond4AllStar (@warriors) January 3, 2023

Thompson says he’s in a place now than at the start of the season. The 32-year-old sharpshooter told reporters that wanting to prove everyone wrong was a disservice to himself, and now he has to remind himself that playing for the Warriors “is a dream” and that he’s shifted his mindset to “having fun and playing hard.”

“I have to remind myself daily that [playing for the Warriors] is literally the dream. What matters most is having fun and playing hard. All the numbers, all the big nights will come as long as I do those two things.”

The Warriors and Klay Thompson will play the Pistons on Wednesday.

The post Steve Kerr Calls Klay Thompson ‘Incredible’ After 54-Point Performance appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, the former lottery pick continued to make his case for more minutes once with his fourth-quarter defense against Hornets swingman P.J. Washington, his opportune buckets, and his athleticism to finish plays on both ends of the floor. Being able to play the entire fourth quarter was proof of head coach Steve Kerr’s trust in his defensive play. He also found a way to contribute some timely buckets too.

“We went with him for his defense,” Kerr said, per The Athletic. “He’s playing really well defensively, and he was guarding LaMelo (Ball).”

“At the moment — fourth quarter,” Kuminga admitted, “I don’t usually get to be in the game.”

Here were the five big Jonathan Kuminga plays in crunch time tonight vs Hornets

*Rips away a steal from PJ Washington
*Traffic rebound over Plumlee
*Gets available for dunk
*Floater in iso vs Hayward
*Cuts open for another dunk pic.twitter.com/kEvGuzLhqg

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 28, 2022

During crunch time, Kuminga sat down, put a seat belt on Washington, and subsequently forced a turnover; he grabbed a traffic rebound out of Miles Plumlee’s hands and hit a floater over Gordan Hayward to give Golden State a five-point lead. Kuminga ripping the ball and collecting a steal garnered a lot of praise from Kerr and four-time champion Draymond Green.

“That was will,” Draymond Green said. “That was ‘I want the ball more than you.’ That was, ‘Our backs are against the wall. We’ve lost the lead. Let me go make a play myself.’ So he took the ball. He goes and gets a dunk. He goes and snatches a rebound in traffic. He made every play down the stretch. I think it all started with that play with PJ Washington taking the ball. He manhandled him.”

Here’s some of that Draymond Green sound on Jonathan Kuminga and individual vs team defense

“I don’t play defense within the team concept. I know most people think I do. But I don’t. When you’re good enough, the team concepts adapt around you.” pic.twitter.com/AnfplvJ63k

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 28, 2022

Kuminga put the finishing touches on the win with a cutting dunk in the lane and clamped up LaMelo Ball for 90 feet. Ball wanted a quick bucket with 10 seconds left, but Kuminga’s pitbull mentality forced Ball into a miss that sealed Charlotte’s loss. Kuminga’s effort is a welcome development for a Warriors team looking to reclaim the stingy defensive identity that former coach Mark Jackson built that led to four championships.

“It’s been a beautiful thing to watch,” Green said. “It’s his (improved) understanding on that side of the ball. He’s in the right spot more often than not now. I think his growth in that area has been absolutely amazing. Quite frankly, it’s been much needed for us. Because we haven’t guarded dribble penetration well. We haven’t been really good at the point of attack all year. He’s changing that for us.”

Although Kuminga isn’t a seasoned veteran yet, his physical acumen and embrace of being Golden State’s defensive hound dog will help the Warriors turn around a season that hasn’t gone quite as they expected. Getting stops and forcing timely turnovers like Kuminga caused will do the job. Draymond Green took the time to the point that, saying, “it’s a beautiful thing to watch,” Kuminga became a dogged defender in real-time.

“He f—ing locks up now,” Green said. “I think it’s very impressive to see. Not that you never thought he was capable, but to see the maturity and buying into a role. Like, ‘Oh, that’s my role; that’s what I need to do. I’m going to go do that better than anyone.’ We’ve seen his impact over the last few weeks. He’s hawking every point guard he gets on. … As a competitor, you lose your spot in the rotation; what are you going to do to get it back? Some sulk. Most sulk. Then some go and take it back. That’s what he’s done.”

Green also believes that if Kuminga can continue developing his defensive acumen and basketball IQ, he can play within and outside Kerr’s defensive concepts. Being disruptive on the ball and locking up his individual assignments will also help.

“I don’t play defense in the team concept,” Green said. “I know most people think I do, but I don’t. When you’re good enough, the team concepts adapt around you. That’s what he’s starting to show. We may not want him to pick up as high as he picks up all the time. But if you’re wreaking havoc, and it’s bettering us, and it’s worsening the opponent’s offense, who is going to say stop? When you’re good enough, and you’re capable, the team concepts adapt around you.”

The post How Jonathan Kuminga Impressed Draymond Green With His Defense appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State outlasted Memphis 123-119 due to Jordan Poole’s magical 32-point outing helping make Ja Morant’s 36-point effort mute. The win was highlighted by some heated jaw-jacking between the Warriors and Grizzlies, particularly between teammates Klay Thompson (24 points, nine rebounds, four assists) and Draymond Green (13 rebounds, 13 dimes, two blocks, one steal) and Grizzlies swingman Dillon Brooks.

#NBAXmas was a vibe.@MichelobULTRA || Joy Cam pic.twitter.com/N4sPUkAExM

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

At one point, Thompson hit a mid-range J from the free-throw line to put the Dubs up 16, and while he ran back to play defense, Brooks stumbled backward and fell. Replays showed Thompson leaning over Brooks and sticking his tongue out in Brooks’ face as he shuffled back to the other end of the court.

“Some good, old-fashioned trash talk,” Thompson said per ESPN. “It’s always fun to talk trash. We’ve been doing that since we were in middle school. You usually play your best, or you get frazzled. For me, it’s usually the former.”

Get hype, #DubNation pic.twitter.com/0Ao8iD1njD

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

Although the Warriors and Grizzlies may not call it a rivalry, it’s hard not to call it with all the evidence in front of us. The contention started after the Grizzlies outlasted the Warriors during the 2021 play-in tournament to get a first-round matchup with the Utah Jazz. The following year, the Warriors beat the Grizzlies 4-2 in the second round of the Western Conference semifinals.

That playoff rematch lit the flames of a burgeoning rivalry as Green got ejected in Game 1 for a Flagrant 2 foul on Brandon Clarke, and then he got elbowed in the eye during Game 2.

Brooks earned a one-game suspension for his role Gary Payton II missed extensive time after he fouled Payton hard on a fast break resulting in Payton suffering an elbow injury that knocked him out of 10 postseason games. The damage only seemed to stoke some flames as Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called Brooks out for violating an unwritten code.

From there, the second-round playoff series only got more heated and physical as Golden State tried to prove the old grizzled (no pun intended) vets had some juice left in them and could outlast the young and hungry Grizzlies. Once the series was over and Golden State marched on to win their fourth title in eight seasons, the Warriors, specifically Thompson and Green, took offense to Memphis talking trash and called them out for what they perceived to be disrespectful comments.

Way to bring the energy tonight, #DubNation

pic.twitter.com/pFXTGubWTj

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2022

After the championship parade, Green and Morant had a back-and-forth on Twitter, with both parties declaring their excitement for a primetime Christmas. The anticipation and hype did not fail as the Dubs and Grizzlies put on a show. However, the Grizzlies will have to wait a little longer to exact their revenge after losing on Sunday.

The post The Memphis-Golden State Rivalry Continued with ‘Trash Talk’ on Christmas Day appeared first on SLAM.

They’re also 1-5 on their latest trip, highlighted by back-to-back blowout losses to the Knicks (132-94) and Nets (143-113).

“You are what your record says you are,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “It was a bad road trip. We are 15-18, so we’re a below-.500 team, and we’ve got to find a way to reverse that.”

Steve Kerr: “Bad road trip. We are 15-18. We’re a below .500 team. Gotta figure out a way to reverse that.” pic.twitter.com/FdgK0TZH7O

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 22, 2022

The Warriors gave up a 29-point lead in the first quarter, the second-worst deficit in franchise history, and they scored 17 points, the second-fewest in an opening frame this season. The Dubs also allowed the Nets to score a Brooklyn-record 91 points in the first half, becoming the third time in League history to score 91 points through the first half.

The 40-point lead Brooklyn held over Golden State was also a franchise record. The point differential is also the largest halftime deficit by a defending champion in the history of the NBA.

“That first half, it was kind of a shock,” Draymond Green told ESPN.

One way the Warriors can address their struggles is by cutting down on turnovers. They turned the ball over 13 times in the first and finished the night with 21, with Brooklyn scoring 36 points off those miscues. Another would be picking up the energy and allowing it to help them play more organized fashion on both ends of the floor.

Those changes will likely have to come from Jordan Poole (13 points on 4-17 shooting, 1-11 from beyond the arc, and seven turnovers) and James Wiseman (30 points on 12-14 shooting in 27 minutes). That means Wiseman will likely have to continue to play at a consistently high level as he did on Wednesday. The Warriors can deal with Poole figuring out how to adjust to playing as a scouting report focus, but they likely need him to refind the magic he possessed last season.

“The simpler [he] plays, the easier shots [he] gets. It sounds like a bit of a paradox, but it’s been an issue here for us the past few games,” Kerr said. “The last couple of nights [he was] just trying way too hard.”

For now, the Warriors are stuck in a weird place while they figure out their win-and-develop-now ethos. For Green, that means Golden State must keep their cool over this stretch without Curry in the lineup. As well as Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green, and maintaining Klay Thompson for the long haul.

“You have to have that understanding because you don’t want to overreact,” Green told ESPN. “In saying that, the most important thing is always playing right; as long as you’re not making effort-related mistakes, you live with the results — we just have to understand where we are.”

The post Steve Kerr On the Golden State Warriors’ ‘Bad Road Trip’ appeared first on SLAM.

On Tuesday, their 132-94 loss to the Knicks in Madison Square Garden can be chalked up as a mixed result as they never led and played without Stephen Curry for the third straight game since he went down with a shoulder injury on Dec. 14. Golden State never led after the Knicks opened the game with an 8-0 run and never looked back during a wire-twire-win that gave New York their eight straight win.

The Warriors made it as close as 35-33 in the first-half but the Knicks pulled away over time and entered halftime with a 69-56 lead.

“The Knicks are in a good groove right now. They totally outplayed us,” Kerr said per ESPN. “We sank tonight. We’re trying to hang in there and we will. Another game tomorrow.”

When Anthony Slater of The Athletic asked about the fourth quarter effort Kerr got from Jordan Poole (26 points), Moses Moody (11 points), Jonathan Kuminga (13 points, four rebounds, and four assists) James Wiseman (four points, three rebounds, one steal, two blocks), the nine-time champ said that Golden State’s young guys are “working their butts off” and that they have “to keep our energy and our spirit up” when “things don’t go well.”

Steve Kerr on the struggles from the younger portion of the roster tonight vs Knicks pic.twitter.com/6B5u1T5sj4

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 21, 2022

As the Warriors continue to mesh their maxamzie both their present and future lineups, they will have to see that Poole, Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, and Andrew Wiggins (when healthy) are capable of taking the torch Curry, KlayThompson, and Draymond Green lit and continue to build on the championship DNA and culture that’s led to four titles since 2015.

The post Steve Kerr on Young Players Keeping Their ‘Spirits Up’ During Tough Times appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s get it!

Anthony Davis (right foot) is Out At Least One Month After Suffering A Foot Injury On Friday:

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, Antony Davis will reportedly miss at least one month after suffering an undisclosed right foot injury.

AD has been dominant this season while helping the Lakers surge to a 6-4 stretch over their last 10 contests. The Brow is averaging 27.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game on 59.3 percent shooting from the field and has dropped 19 30+ games with one 44-point game against the Bucks and a dominant 55-point effort against the Wizards.

Before he got hurt, AD had a three-game streak of scoring at least 30 points that were broken when he suffered his foot injury against the Nuggets.

Lakers are bracing for an indefinite absence for the Lakers star, sources say, after he sustained the right foot injury in Friday’s win over Denver. Davis has played arguably the most dominant ball of his career this season. https://t.co/WCTr2y7eNp

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2022

Devin Booker Puts Up a Historic 58-Point Effort to Beat New Orleans:

Devin Booker lifted the Suns over the Pelicans 118-114 after dropping a season-best 58 points. It was the second time this season that Book scored 50 points after he posted 51 against Chicago on Nov. 30.

He’s now the sixth-youngest player to score 12k points in his career, trailing only LeBron, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Tracy McGrady.

“Once I get it going a little bit, shooting over a hand is the right play,” Booker said per ESPN.

.@DevinBook‘s second 50-point game of the season. pic.twitter.com/CMwBniJ5Mv

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 18, 2022

Nikola Jokic Posts His 81st Career Triple-Double After Dropping 40-27-10 Against the Hornets:

Nikola Jokic (40 points, 27 rebounds, and 10 dimes) f***ed around and got his fifth triple-double of the season to lead Denver to a 119-115 win over Charlotte on Sunday night.

The two-time MVP sealed the W with two game-winning free throws with 13 seconds left on the clock. Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said he didn’t know Jokic was putting up massive numbers but knew that Jokic was having “another Nikola Jokic stellar performance, efficient,” and praised Jokic for his “ability to make every one of his teammates better,” and called Joker a “generational talent.”

“To be honest, I think it’s because of our defense, and I was just in the right spot to rebound the ball,” Jokic said per ESPN. “It’s not that I was grabbing for them or whatever, chasing for them. It just happened, you know? I wish it could be every night, to be honest.”

Triple double # 8️⃣1️⃣

40-27-10

m.v.p pic.twitter.com/ljQpTIVCHl

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 19, 2022

Jordan Poole has a Career-High Night For the Ages:

Jordan Poole hung a career-high 43 points on 14-23 shooting from the field and 5-11 from beyond the arc. He also handed out six assists and scored career-best 25 points in the first half to lead the Warriors past the Raptors. The 126-110 win was the Dubs’ first win in five attempts without Stephen Curry in the lineup. ˝Golden State also snapped their three-game losing streak and are now 3-14 on the road.

“He was incredible on both sides of the ball,” Draymond Green (17 points and nine rebounds) said per Yahoo Sports. “And when you connect the game like that, things will go your way. We all know what a special talent he is. He’s been going through some growing pains. To see him come out tonight and have the game that he had – especially with Steph being down and us needing to get a win – was really huge.

“His effort on the defensive end carried over to the offensive end.”

What a night for 3️⃣.@googlecloud || Player of the Game pic.twitter.com/lKxkgmnlJz

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 19, 2022

WNBA Won’t Expand in 2024:

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Athletic that the League’s plan for franchise expansion will be delayed until at least 2025. The commission is in touch with 10 investor groups discussing potential arenas, practice facilities, season ticket markets, and potential corporate partners.

Engelbert said that a new team would need around 18-24 months to hire coaches and executives and bring on players through an expansion draft, among the many preparations it takes to build a professional basketball franchise. Although expansion is delayed, Englerbet said it’s still a part of the W’s long-term plans and reiterated that the WNBA is on a growth trajectory.

Toronto, Nashville, and the Bay Area (Oakland and San Francisco) are on the short list of expansion cities.

“I’m a big, big believer in: let’s transform the economics, and then we’ll expand, not expand and then hope that economics transform,” she said per Front Office Sports. “We want to bring new owners in that are going to be successful in standing up a franchise that can compete for a championship.”

The post NBA Weekend Recap: AD is Out, Devin Booker and Jordan Poole Put Up Season and Career Best Performances appeared first on SLAM.

Golden State's Steph Curry is expected to miss "a few weeks" with his left shoulder injury, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 15, 2022

Stephen Curry will undergo MRI testing on his left shoulder while Golden State is in Philidelphia on Thursday. Curry injured his left shoulder during Golden State’s 125-119 loss against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

The two-time MVP suffered the injury late in the third quarter after attempting to strip the ball from Pacers center Jalen Smith who was going up for a layup deep in the paint. Chef Curry immediately grabbed his shoulder and held it as he went down the court. The injury seemed worrisome, and the Warriors subsequently called a timeout so Curry could be examined in the locker room by Dubs head trainer Rick Celebrini.

Curry was ruled out of playing just moments later and was seen with ice wrapped around his ailing left shoulder postgame.

“I checked in with [Curry] briefly but haven’t had a chance to go into detail,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said per ESPN. “Steph is always a guy with a great outlook on life, so he’s in good spirits.”

Curry will get an MRI tomorrow, Kerr says. Kerr checked in with Curry briefly postgame, said he was in good spirits.

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) December 15, 2022

When he suffered the injury, Curry was primed to guide the Warriors to a dramatic finish after scoring 38 points on 1–19 shooting from the floor, knocking down five triples, and was 11-11 from the free-throw line through the first 34 minutes of the game. He scored half of Golden States’ first-half points, 27, and nearly half of the Warriors’ total points (80) when he went down with a shoulder injury.

“He was just stunning,” Kerr said. “He put us on his shoulders in the minutes he was out there. Generating so much offense, getting to the line, getting the ball to other people. He was brilliant.

Beast Mode

: @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/5kWkbsG7oB

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 15, 2022

The Warriors are 67-133 all-time without Curry in the lineup. Golden State may struggle without the greatest shooter of all time during a season where they’ve struggled to combine their youth movement with their veteran core led by Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and the rest of their “foundational six.”

The post REPORT: Stephen Curry Expected to Miss ‘A Few Weeks’ Due to Shoulder Injury appeared first on SLAM.

However, the two threes that Thompson hit moved him into some very elite NBA company. Coming off a recent game where he had just moved up to 13th in the NBA’s all-time made three-pointers list, Thompson is also the 13th NBA player ever to make 2,000 career three-pointers.

Thompson now joins Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, James Harden, Kyle Korver, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, Jamal Crawford, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Kyle Lowry, and Paul Pierce as the only NBA players ever to accomplish such a milestone.

Becoming a part of such an elite group of sharpshooters must feel great to Thompson after battling his way back to form after suffering an Achilles injury in 2020 after just returning from an ACL injury in 2019.

This 2023 season has been sort of a “revenge tour” for Thompson, as he has trying to block out the noise and prove to the doubters that he’s still got it. Admittedly Thompson has come out and said that comments about his game “slipping” have hurt, but he knows that he can’t please everybody.

While it is a great career moment for Thompson, he and the Warriors look to get back on the winning track Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.

The post Klay Thompson Becomes the 13th NBA Player to Knock Down 2K Threes appeared first on SLAM.

Stephen Curry delivered another brilliant Finals performance, this time against the Boston Celtics, with his typical distance shooting and desire to get his teammates involved in the flow of the offense. Although Curry had solidified his legacy, it couldn’t have been done without the contribution of Andrew Wiggins.

In that series against the Celtics, Wiggins made his case for Finals MVP by shutting down the opposing superstar in Jayson Tatum and being the team’s second-best scorer at 18.3 points a game. He even led the team in rebounding with an 8.8 average and blocks with 1.5, ahead of Draymond Green and Kevon Looney.

The 2014 first overall pick had himself a series that cemented his name into NBA history, but in their title defense season, a rematch with the Celtics at Chase Center will feature Wiggins on the bench due to a right adductor strain, according to head coach Steve Kerr.

It's a bird.
It's a plane.
It's Andrew Wiggins! pic.twitter.com/DCpMYWfLBT

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 28, 2022

Wiggins had missed the last two games resulting in losses for the Warriors, but before his absence, in a win against the Houston Rockets, the forward dropped 36 points in the 34 minutes played. He went 14-19 from the field while shooting 80 percent from three (8-10), showcasing his improvement as an offensive threat once more.

Klay Thompson, the usual Robin to Curry as Batman, has struggled to get to form this season, averaging 18.9 points on the lowest field goal percentage shooting of his career at 39.6 percent. However, Thompson has found his rhythm lately, scoring 20+ points in five of his last seven games. With Wiggins sitting out this primetime matchup, Thompson will have to carry just a little more weight to make up for that missing production.

In Tatum and Jaylen Brown‘s revenge tour, the duo is currently averaging over 25 points each and have led the Celtics’ best record in the NBA at 21-5. The Finals rematch is shaping up to be completely different than last season after the Celtics added another scoring talent in Malcolm Brogdon, and interim coach Joe Mazzulla has created a League-leading 119.9 offensive rating.

The Warriors will have to find some defensive answers to figure out against the Celtics, but Kerr is “hopeful” that two of his four-time champions will be able to suit up, in Green and Curry. Dub Nation will undoubtedly miss what Wiggins can bring to the table, being one of the best two-way players in the game, but there should be no doubt in an NBA fan’s mind that the dynamic Warriors can find a way to steal a victory.

The post Andrew Wiggins to Miss Finals Rematch Between Warriors and Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

The coolest MFer in the NBA scored 28 points on 8-16 from three, reaching 13,000 career points and catapulting himself into the No. 13 spot on the all-time made 3-pointers list. Thompson passed Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki with a total of 1,989 threes. 

“Grew up loving both those guys, especially Dirk because he’s a shooter and JK, just as a baller, Bay legend,” Thompson told reporters per Yahoo. “So yeah, it means a lot to me. I don’t take that for granted. Two of the all-time greats right there, so that means a lot to me.”

After missing consecutive seasons with a torn Achilles and ACL, the Golden State guard has been vocal about how his appreciation of the game has grown. Fellow Splash Bro and all-time made three-pointer king Stephen Curry echoed Thompson and expressed his hope that more people stop to appreciate the milestone.

Rather than taking Thompson’s shooting for granted and calling this moment just “a matter of time,” Curry wants fans to understand that “just being able to play these games after what he’s been through is amazing and something that you shouldn’t just gloss over,” Curry hopes Thompson continues to climb up the list.

“There will be a lot of respect for him as a shooter, him as a clutch guy, to knock it down no matter where he’s at. He set a high standard for what shooting the basketball is in today’s game.”

Let’s enjoy and appreciate Thompson’s milestone with a few clips of shooting beauty:

The post Lucky 13’s: Klay Thompson Climbs Up All-Time Made Three-Pointers List in Warriors Loss appeared first on SLAM.

After the loss, Kerr addressed the media about the NBA’s lack of enforcement on travel calls this year.

“I think only based on consistency,” said Kerr on Thursday via 95.7 The Game’s “Damon and Ratto” when asked if travel calls are currently being enforced in the League. “On tape, all seven of ours were definitely travels. There was one on Dallas that I did not think was a travel — But there were also five or six other plays in the game that were definitely travels, including where Luka (Dončić) carries the ball in the post when he’s backing you down, and he puts his hand all the way underneath the ball. That’s a travel, and you’ve got to enforce it all — especially if you’re going to call the one on Steph (Curry) at the end with the game on the line when it’s a tiny little shuffle.”

By all means, the nine-time champ is not disagreeing with travel calls being called more since players are somehow getting away with them nowadays. He is just saying that these rules have to be called both ways during games, and it has to happen with all the other 29 teams in the NBA. Kerr made sure to reiterate this point too.

“You know me; I’m Mr. Travel. I’m all for enforcing traveling,” Kerr pointed out. “But it just has to be done all the time. And it can’t just be sort of selective.”

These comments on there being more balance with which teams are being called out more for travels trace back to what Kerr touched on earlier in November after a game with the Miami Heat. Warriors guard Jordan Poole had more travel calls called on him than the entire Heat team by the final buzzer. 

“Jordan Poole has been called for, I would guess, seven or eight palming violations over the last month since the League decided to really enforce all that stuff,” Kerr said following the Warriors’ loss to Miami on Nov.1. “And if that’s the case, then we’ve got to call it on everybody – And that’s my only beef, is that these things are happening a lot. We got called for a bunch of them. I have no problem with it. Like I said, a rule’s a rule, but let’s just be consistent. That’s all I ask.”

The Warriors will be back in action on Friday in a showdown with the Chicago Bulls.

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Wiseman hasn’t been the pivotal factor to the aging Dubs lineup as head coach Steve Kerr would’ve hoped for. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green nearing the end of their prime years, Kerr’s response was to send Wiseman down to the G League to “get more reps” in the G-League.

“Every player needs a foundation,” said Kerr, per NBC Sports, on how Wiseman jumpstarts his true potential. “but when you have a guy who missed all of that time with the circumstances and hasn’t been able to really build that foundation, you have to try and do the right thing to help him get going. This is what we’re thinking.”

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The Warriors have put their young talent in circumstances where they have to prove themselves individually, and the Wiseman project rides the same boat, even after a two-year absence.

Kerr suggests that a defense’s attention on the lottery pick will help expose Wiseman to a brighter offensive play style.

“I think it’s just all part of natural evolution of a young player who doesn’t have much experience, who happened to come into the league as the pandemic started and then missed a year-and-a-half with an injury. That’s it; that’s the bottom line.

“Practice is the big thing,” Kerr said. “When you get individualized attention like the guys do in the G League, it’s easier to make more progress, I think, rather than the stops and starts that happen during the NBA season when you’re not in the rotation.”

It’s inevitable that the Warriors will move on from their Big Three that has them four championships. However, good franchises build toward the future to keep the motions of title contention. Kerr and Golden State are making the proper adjustment towards making Wiseman a dominant presence as he was once projected to be.

The post Steve Kerr Won’t Rush James Wiseman Back: ‘Every Player Needs a Foundation’ appeared first on SLAM.

This season, the only unanimous MVP in NBA history is scoring 32.2 points, grabbing 6.7 rebounds, and dishing out 6.6 assists per game and is set to join Steve Nash and Larry Bird as the only players with multiple 50/40/90 seasons while he shoots 52.8 percent from the field. 44.3 percent from deep and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line.

However, the main thing that’s stood out during Curry’s hot start to the season is his finishing in the paint. Within three feet of the rim, he’s making a remarkable and career-best 79.1 percent of his attempts, according to Basketball-Reference. Per the NBA, Curry is hitting 76.4 percent of his looks in the restricted area, 12th most efficient

“Obviously knowing I can shoot the ball and put a lot of pressure on the defenses there, you gotta be able to have a change-up to get to the paint and find creative ways to finish,” Curry said after the Warriors’ win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 11, per YahooSports. “I’m not playing above the rim so it’s just about playing angles and having some touch in there. Gotta use your shot as a threat to open up driving lanes and I’ve been able to do that. Even coming off great screens from guys, not being afraid of contact either. I don’t get to the foul line that much, but still just trying to figure out how to get your lane, get your driving angle, protect the ball, get it on the rim and hope it goes in.”

Curry is also making 5.7 two-pointers per game and 63.7 percent of his attempts inside the arc; both are career-highs. He’s third in the League in scoring and leads the association in made three-pointers by a wide margin, 77 compared to the 55 Buddy Hield has made.

As it stands, Curry could join Larry Bird and Steve Nash as the only hoopers with multiple 50/40/90 campaigns.

“You run out of adjectives to describe Steph’s play. He’s just amazing night after night,” Steve Kerr said. “He’s in such great shape. If there’s one area where he’s dramatically better now than when I first got here, it’s his strength and conditioning. He’s much bigger and stronger, much more capable of defending at a really high level and sustaining two-way basketball for an entire game. And just knocking down shots from all over and finishing at the rim. He’s unbelievable.”

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The defending champs have heard all the noise, and last night, one player, in particular, stepped up and gave us an offensive performance for the ages. Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson had a vintage shooting performance last night versus the Houston Rockets on the road.

Thompson dropped 41 points on 14-23 shooting from the field, which included 10 threes! It was an absolutely unconscious offensive performance, the likes of which many basketball fans have missed from him. Not only was this a huge win and boost for Thompson’s confidence, but his supernova night helped to snap Golden State’s eight-game road losing streak.

Thompson has had to overcome some major injuries over the past few NBA seasons, from a torn Achilles and ACL. So when hearing that, some people thought his game was slipping coming back this season after fighting for two seasons to get back hurt.

In a postgame interview with CBS Sports following the Warriors’ win, Thompson had this to say about his night:

“It feels amazing. I’m hard on myself, so I’ve been wanting one of these. And to get one and kind of open the floodgates, it’s only up from here. I promise you,” Thompson said in his postgame interview. “I finally feel like myself. My legs feel great. I’m cutting to the rim, taking great shots, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. Man, I’m not gonna lie, guys, that felt amazing. Wow. I don’t care if it’s a mid-November game. That felt great.”

Shout out to Klay Thompson, a true warrior; the game has missed you!

The post Klay Thompson’s Big Night Helps Golden State Secure Their First Road Win appeared first on SLAM.

The 2022-23 campaign was supposed to be a referendum on the Warriors successfully fulfilling their dual timeline of focusing on winning now while developing for the future after letting several key veterans walk away in free agency. The results early on feature the Warriors playing less than stellar on defense and their bench play struggling to maintain the leads that the starters built.

The unexpected losses come despite Stephen Curry playing up to his usual superstardom. Furthermore, there is no reason to write off the Warriors dynasty just yet. Especially when a defensive anchor like Green plays with all-time great shooters in Curry and Klay Thompson.

During the first 14 games out of the 82 game-season, Green believes the struggles couldn’t come at a better time, but the learning curve (through the wins and losses) must be addressed because of the difficulty in the profession.

“You’d rather have them sooner rather than later,” said Green to The Athletic on the Warrior’s unexpected losses. “But in saying that, to build what we’re trying to build, we do understand that it takes time. —We’ve been in this position before, where we’ve had struggles and things that we needed to work on and that we had to fix.”

Defense Offense pic.twitter.com/Ngr6zxOyQh

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 15, 2022

Outside of the MVP-caliber play of Curry, the Warriors haven’t played to their’ Strengths in Numbers.’ The team’s leading rebounder, Kevon Looney, is averaging 6.9 rebounds a game, and as a team, they’re the 7th worst in the League in that category. Not to mention, they’re averaging the sixth most turnovers (15.7), and their five-time All-Star in Thompson has struggled to find his shooter’s touch.

Is age starting to be a factor for the Dubs? Head coach Steve Kerr indicated that was a possibility.

“We know this isn’t going forever,” said Kerr. “This could be the last year; maybe next year is the last year. We’re in the final stages. We know that.”

Basketball is a beautiful game.

@NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/XumncvBDX9

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 15, 2022

The Warriors are currently four games behind the Western Conference’s top seed. Although the playoff picture isn’t the current thought of the team, Green uses the record of his rival opponents to motivate the group towards reaching the throne they have been accustomed to seeing in four of the last seven years.

“In the West, I was looking at the other day, and it’s like no one has stood out,” said Green. “It’s right there for us. If we get ourselves together, which we will, it’s right there for us.”

The post Draymond Green On Having Golden State Struggle ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’ appeared first on SLAM.

The other half of the legendary Splash Bros has been going through a tough start to begin the season. However, Thompson believes that that shouldn’t discredit the four championships he’s contributed to the team and his legacy as one of the greatest shooters of all time.

11th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
Grew up in the 11th house on 11 Lane
K is the 11th letter in the alphabet
Wears number 11

11.11 || @KlayThompson pic.twitter.com/OzZTyxSEEf

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 11, 2022

He’s currently averaging the lowest points per game since his rookie season (12.5) at 14.7. The 20 points per night that NBA fans are accustomed to seeing for years has come in the way of his red-hot three-point shooting or his point totals at the foul line. This season, however, Thompson is shooting career lows in both statistical categories; his three-point percentage currently rides at 33 percent, while his free throw shooting takes a significant drop to 75 percent.

Doubters will have a field day with numbers like this, but there’s plenty of hoop action for Thompson to redeem where his strengths are.

“You just can’t please everybody,” Thompson said in an interview with Bleacher Report. “But for myself individually, it’s about rediscovering that form of efficiency and that two-way play that made me great. And I feel like I’m well on my way there.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Thompson plans on shutting the critics down. On Jan. 9, when he returned to action after two seasons missed due to a torn Achilles and ACL, Thompson dropped 14 points on the Cleveland Cavaliers, showing promise that the injury did not hold him back. The five-time All-Star played a pivotal role in Golden State advancing to their sixth NBA Finals since 2015.

The Warriors ultimately won the 2022 NBA Finals after beating the Celtics in six games. Despite winning his fourth title after an arduous journey just to get back to the hardwood sanctuary, Thompson believes that his injuries weren’t accounted for enough in their title victory.

“Yeah, that’s true, but I feel like I deserve more credit for battling through all that injury s—,” said Thompson. “I helped a team win a championship last year, and people still want to discredit what you do.”

An 82-game season has its ways of bringing the lows of a player, but for Thompson, his Hall-of-Fame career can be a testament to how quickly he can flip the script on his struggles. In doing so, the Dubs may be competing in mid-June once more for a back-to-back title, solidifying the greatest dynasty of the new generation.

“On the bright side, I’m happy to go through this now compared to a few months from now,” said Thompson. “I have no doubt in my mind I’ll get back to form; I was there last year. We won a championship – The proof is in the pudding. But there’s one more thing I’ll say: You can’t take away the hardware.”

The post Klay Thompson Addresses the Latest Backlash Towards Him and the Warriors appeared first on SLAM.

Kerr made the announcement on Monday following Golden State’s 132-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs. Wiseman played nine minutes and posted two points, two rebounds, and assists. He didn’t play in any of Golden’s Staes’ previous three games.

“Yeah, he going to go to Santa Cruz tomorrow, and we will keep him there for an extended period to get really good practice time and some games,” Kerr said per NBCS Warriors. “It’s not going to be one game and bring him back; we want to give him 10 straight days, something like that, and then come back.”

Steve Kerr said James Wiseman will go to the G-League tomorrow and stay down there for an extended time. Warriors want to get him reps. Said it could be 10 consecutive days or longer. pic.twitter.com/zIMOKAK8J6

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022

Wiseman was expected to be a meaningful contributor on a Warriors team looking to prioritize winning and developing their young studs like Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. The former No. 2 played 39 games before he suffered a season-ending knee injury that forced him to miss the entire 2021-22 season.

Wiseman first played in the G League in March before the Warriors shut him down. This season, the former Memphis Tiger is averaging 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds on 58.8 percent shooting from the field. When Jordan Poole was asked about Wiseman getting a G League assignment, the Michigan Man said he told Wiseman not to see it as a demotion or punishment.

Furthermore, Poole believes that Wiseman will be “a-okay” and that the G League assignment will allow Wiseman to get back into his bag and work on shots and moves he doesn’t get to utilize while being on the main roster.

Jordan Poole on James Wiseman going to the G-League (which Poole once did): “I told him it’s not a demotion. It’s not a punishment. He’s going to go down there and shoot as many shots as he wants, get as many touches as he wants, work on as many moves as he wants.” pic.twitter.com/ISivLSigjn

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) November 15, 2022

From a former player and coach’s perspective, Kerr knows it’s tough being a young player falling out of the rotation. However, the veteran coach has confidence that Wiseman will “find his way back to the rotation at some point.” Most of all, Kerr believes that the G League stint is “the best thing for him” since he’ll get “play a lot of minutes.”

“It’s really hard. It’s really hard for anybody to be in and out of the lineup, but for a young guy who’s been through a lot already, it’s a lot to go through,” Kerr said. “But this is part of his journey. Everybody’s got a different one. Part of his is he barely played any basketball before he got to the NBA, and he had a major injury. What I love about James is that he’s got incredible character, work ethic, and care for the team.

The Warriors will look to build on their latest win and build a winning streak when they play the Suns on Wednesday.

The post James Wiseman Headed to Santa Cruz For ‘Extended Period’ appeared first on SLAM.

“I played with a really dominant, great leader in Milwaukee in Giannis,” DiVincenzo said when talking about the leadership of the Greek Freak and Stephen Curry, per NBC Sports. “And coming here, obviously hearing a bunch about Steph, he’s really shocked me in terms of how down-to-earth as a person, down-to-earth as a leader and as a basketball player, how damn good he is.”

The 25-year-old is “blown away at how great a leader Curry is both on and off the court and how the four-time NBA champion has exceeded all his expectations.”  

DiVincenzo is particularly impressed by Curry’s ability to listen. 

“I think that’s what makes him such a great leader and such a great player because, obviously, he knows other people see different things and he could blow you off at any time, but he doesn’t, and I think that’s the biggest thing as a leader that’s important,” the Villanova product noted.

After straining his left hamstring and watching the Warriors’ 0-5 road trip from his couch, DiVincenzo will likely return to play Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

“It was frustrating not being with the guys,” DiVincenzo said, per East Bay Times. “I knew, selfishly, it was the best thing for me getting back on the court. But I’m all about everyone being together. That was frustrating.”

The Warriors hope DiVincenzo’s veteran presence can boost the struggling bench. The guard averaged 15 minutes in his first three games with the Dubs. Upon returning, he wants to “take the energy to a whole other level” and have a “plus/minus in the energy and be really high on that end.”

On the hardwood, DiVincenzo can help loosen up the scoring load and, hopefully, give Jordan Poole a jumpstart. 

“Not going to come here and try to be a hero on Friday. Just coming in with that second unit and letting Jordan get back to his, letting his mind go free and letting him do his thing,” DiVincenzo said of his role. 

“For me, to keep the offense moving, facilitate everything. So when it comes back to JP, he doesn’t have so much pressure to initiate everything and try to be aggressive scoring the ball. Take a little bit of that load off him.”

DiVincenzo and the Dubs take on the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night in the Bay Area.

The post Donte DiVincenzo ‘Blown Away’ by Stephen Curry’s Leadership appeared first on SLAM.

Despite the alarming losses and their incomplete defensive performances thus far, Steve Kerr isn’t pushing the panic button just yet.

“There are times in the NBA season when things can go off the rails a little bit,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “A big part of being a great team, being a solid organization, is just understanding how to work through that.”

Last season, the Warriors had a 2-9 slump that stretched from February to March, but they went on to win the championship a few months later. Things change quickly in the NBA. 

Draymond Green said a few days ago that the Warriors can’t fix all their problems right now, but they need to zero in on their biggest ones. At the moment, the biggest problem is the defense. The Warriors rank 25th in the NBA in points per shot allowed in transition and 23rd in field goal percentage allowed in transition, according to Second Spectrum tracking. Last season, they allowed the lowest field goal percentage in transition.

Golden State is also 24th in defensive rebounding after being sixth last year.

The Warriors Dynasty has had its fair share of ups and downs (mainly ups), but it is reasonable to surmise that they will bounce back and reclaim their excellence. 

“We just need to bring more of a sense of urgency,” Thompson said. “We had a long run last year, but 2022 is over. It’s time to kick into high gear and play that championship level of basketball that we’re used to. I fully expect us to do that.”

The Warriors, just like every other NBA team, will play tonight and get a chance to end their losing streak. 

The post Steve Kerr Believes the Warriors Will Bounce Back From 5-Game Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

With the 130-129 loss yesterday, the Warriors now sit at 12th in the Western Conference. While it is still early in the season, through their nine games played thus far, the Warriors’ defensive and bench production struggles have been glaringly apparent.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke on the team’s struggle postgame per ESPN, stating;

“We have to save us because nobody else is coming.”

When asked what was the “first step” to save the team, Kerr added;

“We’ve had nine games now, so we’ve had a decent look at combinations. It’s time to try something different. Everybody’s going to get a chance to play. We’ve got guys who are dying to get on the floor, and we’ve got to find combinations that play. We will look at that as a staff.”

Warriors veteran Draymond Green also chimed in postgame on the team’s struggles, saying;

“It’s our defense; we have to correct our defense.”

Whatever adjustments that need to be made, best believe Kerr and the Warriors staff will figure things out. The Warriors have found diamonds in the rough before through their G-League system. Two prime examples are Jordan Poole and former Warrior, now Portland Trailblazer Gary Payton II.

There is no doubt that Golden State will turn things around. The only question is when? The Warriors look to bounce back Friday versus the New Orleans Pelicans on the road in the final stop on their current road trip.

The post Steve Kerr: Warriors ‘Have to Save’ Themselves Amidst Four-Game Losing Streak appeared first on SLAM.

The one thing that got the legendary shooter out of character were some recent comments Charles Barkley made suggesting Thompson’s game was “slipping” despite it being less than a year since he returned from a torn achilles. Unprompted, Thompson addressed those critics after the Warriors beat the Miami Heat, 123-110, on Thursday night.

“I’ve got one thing to say,” Thompson said. “So, it hurts when someone like Charles Barkley, with the platform that he has, says you’re not the same player prior to the injuries you had. It’s like ‘No, duh, man.’ Consecutive years, like. I tore my ACL and Achilles in consecutive years and still helped the team win a championship. It hurt hearing that because I put so much freaking effort to get back to this point. It’s hard to even put into words what I had to do to be the player I am today.

“I played 55, 57 games in three years. Give me some freaking time to get that back. To hear someone say ‘Oh, he’s not the same player as he was prior to the injuries.’ Like, duh. Who goes through that and comes back…I don’t know, it just hurt my heart hearing that. But you know, I’m going to internalize it and it’s going to be fuel for me to be even better. I’m very proud of what we accomplished last year and I feel like I was a huge part of it. I’m not going to let these injuries be a crutch for me. I’m just going to keep going and I’m going to have a great year. You can bet on that.”

Thompson cont.: "I played 57 games in three years. Give me some freaking time to get that back. Who goes through something like that and comes back — it just hurt my heart. But I’m going to internalize it and it’s going to be fuel for me." https://t.co/VnhRTy7atz

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 28, 2022

Barkley’s comments came after Thompson was ejected for the first time in his career during the third quarter of a blowout loss to the up-and-coming Phoenix Suns. Thompson and Devin Booker were jaw-jacking during a tension-filled third quarter that featured the Suns and Warriors drawing a record-tying seven technical fouls in one quarter.

During halftime of the nationally televised Warriors-Suns game, Barkley suggested that Thompson and Draymond Green are “slipping” and suggeseted that “Father Time is knocking on the door of a couple of those guys.” The comments come during a time when Coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors medical staff placed the four-time champs on a minute restriction to start the season.

On Tuesday, Thompson responded with season-high numbers nearly across the stat sheet. The five-time All-Star posted 19 points on 6-19 shooting from the field and 5-14 shooting from beyond the arc in 29 minutes, all season-high marks for Thompson.

“It’s so great and it’s a huge building block for me” Thompson said about his workload. “It’s the best I’ve feld conditioning-wise.”

Thompson on playing a season-high 29 minutes: "It's so great and it's a huge building block for me. It's the best I've felt conditioning-wise."

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) October 28, 2022

When Stephen Curry was asked about Thompson’s postgame reponse, he noted that his Splash Brother was in a good mood all day long, but believes that Barkley’s remarks fueled Thompson to put on his 19-point performance.

“The comments are part of our success, like you’re always going to be in a spotlight and people care about how you’re playing and care to comment positively or negatively because they know that will move the needle,” Curry told reporters after the win Thursday. “And when you say certain names, people are going to pay attention. But it’s interesting because certain guys forget what their careers looked like on the back end. So you can kind of cast and throw those stones but Klay’s still in here, like you said, helping us win a championship after the two hellish years that he had.

“And now, it’s just balancing, for him, the expectations of what he was before the injuries and what he can get back to, all the while maintaining his impact on winning. I’m sure he’s comparing to the stat lines and percentages and all that, but I think I heard coach [Steve Kerr] talk about it earlier. He’s gone through this, even before the injuries, where slow starts don’t really hold him down, don’t kill his confidence. But when you come off a championship, you have such a hunger and a desire to get back to what he wants to be personally. And he’s going to get there. It’s just a matter of sticking with the program, the time that he puts in. His competitive fire that comes out every single night. And he’s going to make shots. We’re not worried about that. It’s a long season.”

Thompson, Green, and the Warriors will have another chance to dispute Barkley’s observations when they take on the Charlotte Hornets to start a five-game Eastern Conference road trip.

The post Klay Thompson ‘Hurt Hearing’ Comments That His Game Is ‘Slipping’ appeared first on SLAM.

There is nothing like a regular season NBA game with a playoff atmosphere, and basketball fans watching on television and in attendance got a real treat watching these two teams go at it so early in the season.

With the Warriors coming off yet another impressive championship run and a young seasoned Suns team on the rise knocking at the door trying to get back to the Finals, things got a bit heated between the two teams.

Can’t. Be. Stopped. @DevinBook with his 3rd straight 30-point game! pic.twitter.com/bFQdtuNsMC

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 26, 2022

In the third quarter, Warriors legend Klay Thompson was ejected for the first time in his professional career after picking up two quick technical fouls. These techs were given after Thompson was seen visibly taunting the Sun’s bench and jawing back and forth with Suns guard Devin Booker.

In that third quarter alone, a record-tying seven technical fouls were given out between both teams in one quarter. Postgame, Stephen Curry had the following to say per ESPN in regard to Thompson getting tossed.

“After he got thrown out, he had a lot more to say, which I love,” Curry said. “The back and forth is a part of the game, and I like that he’s engaged in that respect because it matters to him.”

Curry added that since the Warriors are the defending champs, teams will try to come at them, especially on the road, to get their home crowd into it. Curry and the Warriors know they have a target on their back coming off their fourth championship win in the last seven years and that every team going against them will have something to prove.

When Dubs Coach Steve Kerr weighed in on Thompson’s ejection postgame, he downplayed the altercation, and talked about how D-Book and Thompson had a similar incident when Booker was first breaking into the League.

“He and Book have gotten into it a little bit over the years; they’re just competitors, both great players — I remember four or five years ago when Book was first coming up, Klay was in his prime, he went at it one night in Oracle, and the same type of thing happened,” Kerr said. “There were no ejections, but they’re both competitive, they’re guarding each other, and this is the NBA. Highest competition in the world, stuff like that happens.”

Suns Coach Monty Williams also downplayed Booker and Thompson’s interaction when spoke to the media after the game. Williams believes that the championship veteran Warriors will always bring the best out of an up-and-coming team like the Suns.

“I think both teams want it. I don’t think it’s personal at all. I think we respect them. They’re the champions,” Williams said. “So, they’re going to get our best because they are the best. So, I think a lot of the emotion is just about being competitive. We don’t take it personally at all; we just understand better that once all that stuff happens, we got to get back on focusing on being competitive and trying to win the game.”

When Booker said his two cents, the former Kentucky Wildcat said that he admires Thompson and that he’s trying to become a champion like his shooting guard contemporary.

“We’re just two competitors; I love Klay Thompson,” Booker said. “I have for a really long time. But it’s not going to excuse from us being competitive and talking to each other. I’ve always admired his game, how he plays on both ends of the ball. And obviously, the rings speak for themselves.”

Devin Booker spoke on the situation with Klay Thompson. Went on to say Klay was probably frustrated by the off night he was having and noted he kept going back to the 4 rings, which is what he wants pic.twitter.com/vInEsJcJnp

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 26, 2022

This situation is not one that needs to be overanalyzed or blown out of proportion. It is just a simple case of two teams and two top players going at it; this is nothing new, especially in sports. We have all seen it repeatedly; it’s just basketball. At the end of the day, both teams and players have a great deal of respect for one another and will not let this deter them from accomplishing their true goal, a championship.

These two teams have two more matchups this season on November 16th and January 10th. If that first game did not make things clear enough, their next matchup is one that you do not want to miss!

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Wiggins’ improvement comes after he joined a Warriors team that allowed him to take a lesser role as a valuable third scorer and premium defender tasked with defending any opponent’s top perimeter threat. It’s the kind of role that’s allowed him to prevent anybody from saying he didn’t live up to his potential as Maple Jordan.

The rapid development caused Coach Steve Kerr to rave about how “confident” he looks this season and how he’s used his role on the ’22 title team to “springboard” into possibly having a better year than he did last year. During the Finals, Wiggs averaged 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while primarily being a thorn in Jayson Tatum’s side. He also played tough defense against Luka Doncic and Ja Morant while being a go-to scorer late in the shot clock.

“I think (Andrew) Wiggins — this is I’ve ever seen Wiggs,” Kerr said. “He’s an All-Star last year; he helped us win a championship. I think he’s used that momentum that he gained a year ago to kinda springboard into this season, and I don’t think he’s ever looked more confident.”

"This is the best I've ever seen Wiggs." pic.twitter.com/XopHFZCytm

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 24, 2022

As of Tuesday, Maple Jordan is averaging 22.3 points, a career-high 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game on 52.0 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from downtown. It’s a small sample (three games), but it’s the type of production that justifies Golden State’s commitment to its future while prioritizing its veteran championship experience.

“Not only in his own game but with what we’re doing, the way we play. You saw the extra pass last night that he made to (Stephen Curry) for the three. He’s making those simple plays, but then he’s attacking when he needs to attack and playing just really efficient basketball, playing great defense. So a lot of good stuff, but we have to put it together as a team, and that’s gonna take some time.”

Draymond Andrew pic.twitter.com/GDNRYHOHSR

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 24, 2022

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Right off the bat, Coach Steve Kerr has decided to put four-time champions Klay Thompson and Draymond Green on minute restrictions to start the campaign for conditioning. In the team’s season opener versus the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson played only 20 minutes, while Green finished at 25.

Kerr told reporters that the two veterans’ that he thinks their minute restrictions will be lifted slowly to their normal regular season minute level in a “couple of weeks.” 

Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins will be expected to step up during the process. In fact, they did exactly that on Tuesday. Poole dropped 12 points and seven assists in 28 minutes, while Wiggins scored 20 points in 29 minutes.

The Warriors will take on the Nuggets on Friday for their second game of the season. Perhaps Thompson and Green will see a slight increase in their playing time then.

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We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, here are seven takeaways from last night’s action.

Revenge SZN: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking even better

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a nightmare for teams on both sides of the ball for a few years now. They have three ECF trips under their belt and a recent appearance in the NBA Finals — they’re not supposed to still be getting better. After showing up to opening night rockin’ some pretty eye-catching fits, Brown and Tatum dropped a combined 70 points (dropping 35 points apiece) and solidified the dub over Philly.

Both were attacking from every part of the floor. Having two dynamic players like Brown and Tatum gives the Celtics a good chance to get back to the Finals and maybe even win it this time. 

Ring Night: The Warriors may be poised to make another championship run

On ring night, the Warriors look good. Damn good. Stephen Curry is still just as good as he’s always been, and the Warriors’ weapons all kept them afloat and out of reach. The Dubs had their trademark explosive third quarter, and signature contributions from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Curry, and Andrew Wiggins on offense guided them to a win. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney anchored a strong defensive performance. Their young core (Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga) came in off the bench and provided valuable minutes. Sheesh, the Warriors are deep. 

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The Beard drops a 30-piece on Opening Night

James Harden has been a picture of perfect health for the majority of his NBA career, but during his tenure with the Nets, and leading into his tenure with the Sixers, Harden was dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that sapped away a lot of his explosiveness and his ability to change speeds that made him so difficult to contain during his days in Houston. Houston Harden showed up in Boston last night for Philadelphia.

He finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 64.2 percent shooting from the field and 12/12 shooting from the line. Some may say vintage Harden; we say he’s back. 

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LeBron James speaks on Lakers’ Shooting Troubles:

The Los Angeles Lakers Big 3 finished with 77 of 109 points as the remainder of the team struggled to score all game with their limited spacing. Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis also shot a combined 4-16 from three, while the Lakers as a whole shot 10-40. After the game, The King was quick to recognize this deficiency in the Lakers’ offense, citing a lack of “lasers.”

Moving forward, the Lakers need better shooting performances if they do not want to repeat their fate from last season. 

Honoring No. 7: Jaylen Brown Speaks on Bill Russell’s Legacy

The legendary Bill Russell, and 11-time NBA Champion (twice as a head coach of the Celtics), passed away this past summer. The Boston Celtics legend had his No. 6 retired around the League, and every team is wearing a “6” patch on their jersey to honor him. The Celtics took each step, however, intent on honoring their greatest player. Jaylen Brown took a few moments to commemorate Bill Russell before the game, honoring him as a player, a father, a leader, and a man. 

Coaching Debuts of Mazzulla and Ham:

Darvin Ham and Joe Mazzulla both made their head coaching debuts on opening night. Mazzulla won his first game, and Ham lost his. Mazzulla is an interim head coach, for now, following Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics.

Near the end of their contest against the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy joked that Mazzulla now has the best winning percentage in NBA history. This is true and looks to remain true, at least through his next game. Ham, on the other hand, has the tall task of coaching a veteran Lakers team back to promise. There are some positive takeaways to be had from the team’s performance but look for tweaks in the next few games as they look to find their footing. 

FREE BG 

October 18th marked the beginning of the NBA season, but it was also Britney Griner’s 32nd birthday. Stephen Curry took some time to bring awareness to her wrongful incarceration in Russia during his direct address to the fans in attendance as well as the fans watching on TV at home. The fight for Griner’s freedom continues to be a major point of emphasis as the season begins. 

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After winning the chip, the veteran forward draped himself in a Mexican flag, proudly honoring his Mexican heritage. 

Toscano-Anderson broke many Warriors fans’ hearts after he decided to sign with the Lakers for the 2022-2023 season.

In five preseason games, he averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 boards, and a whole lot of competitive fire in 18.3 minutes.

“Juan is doing some amazing, competitive basketball-playing,” Lakers Coach Darvin Ham said, per Andscape. “You need those kinds of guys that can get you 50-50 balls, take charges, and put bodies on bodies knowing that they may not be the one who gets the rebound or stat or whatever.”

“They still sacrifice for their teammates. You can’t have enough of those guys in your locker room. And Juan Toscano-Anderson is at the top of the list of everything he does. His attitude, [the] energy [he] brings to work every day. His teammates are very fond of him.”

Not only does JTA’s character shine on the court and in the locker room, but he is trailblazing a path for Mexico and basketball. 

“Things don’t happen overnight,” Toscano-Anderson said. “Basketball is a growing sport in Mexico, there; there’s a lot of financial interest in it — I know there are guys that can do it for me, but it’s a different world now in regard to marketing and advertising. I’m opening doors to bridge the gap between the U.S. and Mexico.”

Toscano-Anderson is the first Laker of Mexican descent. For a city that is 75 percent ethnically Mexican, is populated by over five million Mexicans, and has the largest Hispanic, JTA’s arrival is momentous. While the Lakers have aired Spanish-speaking broadcasts since 1993, the franchise has not had a Spanish-speaking player since Kobe Bryant retired in 2016.

Although he was not Hispanic, Bryant energetically embraced the Mexican community in Los Angeles.

“If there was a guy that understood the love, the passion, the loyalty of the Hispanic community, especially towards the Lakers, it was Kobe.” former Lakers Spanish television announcer Adrian Garcia Marquez said. 

Being the first Spanish-speaking player since Kobe and being half-Mexican, JTA can connect to L.A’s Hispanic and Latino roots.

“There are probably more Mexicans watching the Lakers than any other demographic. That’s very important, not only for myself in the Lakers, but in L.A. for [the] Mexican community, the Latino community,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I don’t want to call myself an ambassador, but somebody who’s representing and who can speak the language. I’m representing full throttle. I can speak the language; I represent my culture, everything.”

Toscano-Anderson is embracing the L.A. community, and the L.A. community is embracing him. Known for murals of Laker greats – Kobe, Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, and more – the city recently added a Juan Toscano-Anderson mural. On the outside wall of a Mexican bakery, JTA dons a Lakers jersey with a Mexican flag wrapped around his shoulders, and Mexico City’s Tenochtitlán pyramids and downtown L.A. in the background.

“I went to the reveal of the mural. That was really dope,” Toscano-Anderson said. “I’m very appreciative of that. It’s LA, man, City of Champions. That was really cool. I couldn’t believe it, to be honest. I didn’t have anything, nothing like that before. It was more than just the sports thing. It was about that community embracing me there.”

Born to an African American father and a Mexican mother, JTA wants to be a positive role model for both Mexican American and African American kids. 

“It’s been magnified that I’m Mexican, but I also want people to know that I’m just as proud of being Black.”

“I’m Black every day. The way I dress, the way I talk. My sauce. I’m a Black man when I step out on America — Black is beautiful; I’m proud of being Black as well. Being Black makes me who I am.”

For Oakland, Los Angeles, and Mexico, Toscano-Anderson’s impact has not gone unnoticed. The community-oriented forward plays in his first game as a Los Angeles Laker tonight against the Golden State Warriors. The second NBA player of Mexican descent to win a title, Toscano-Anderson will be honored and receive his championship ring.

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Andrew Wiggins’ deal includes a player option, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V51QrQ7tkr

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 15, 2022

When Wiggins came to Golden State, he had a complicated resume as a “empty-calorie” scorer that hadn’t lived up to the massive contract he signed to be the leader in Minnesota. There was also questions about his intensity and whether or not he would live up to the moniker of Maple Jordan.

Since then, Wiggins has evolved into a first-time All-Star, two-way star, and third-scoring option who helped Golden State win their fourth title since starting their dynasty run in 2015. Maple Jordan took a paycut to stay in Golden State, going form making $33 million this year and will earn up to $24 million in 2023. Wiggins is set to make $15 million less than the max he could’ve made if he tested the open market next summer.

What makes this extension even sweeter is the fact that it cames just hours after teammate Jordan Poole signed his contract extension over the weekend. Golden State being able to lock down two of their young stars bodes well for a franchise that is looking to make the most out of their “foundational six” still being on the roster while aiming to develop the stars that they hope will carry the Warriors into the future.

“You never know what the future holds. I’m happy here,” Wiggins said. “We have a chance to do something special. I believe in the guys, the organization. So we have a deal done and I’m happy about it.”

Heading into the 2022-23 season, Wiggins will be asked to reprise his role as the ideal wing next to Stephen Curry. Namely being a primary defender against opposing teams’ best offensive players that attacks the boards at a high clip while filling in as the third option capable of being a strong shotmaker when the shot clock is winding down. In fact, it was

That’s the role he mastered on the way to his first title, and that’s the role he can be expected to refill while the Warriors look to successful defend their title.

“What I see with Wiggs is just a comfort level with his daily routine and our style,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “The way we play is very different from the way he played his first years. So he looks relaxed and ahead of the game compared to the first years where ehe had to figure out how we played, he’s comfortable in it because he’s got a couple of years of work within the style.”

When asked about that he wants to bring over from the playoff run of his life, Wiggins said that his main priority is continuing to rebiund the ball and play defense at a high level. Wiggins believes that he “took a step with the playoffs” that’s capable of continuing to play at that level. Heading into his second full year with the Warriors, Wiggins will look to prove Kerr’s thoughts about him correct.

“There are a handful of guys like Steph or LeBron (James), Giannis (Antetokounmpo) who are going to be great no matter where they are,” Kerr said. “But most of the league, you have to find a good spot. And Wiggs found a good spot.”

Photos via Getty Images.

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The former Michigan Wolverine went from showing a lot of promise during his rookie year to being demoted to the G League because he played so little during the 2020-21 season. He played 11 games with Golden State’s G League affiliate before they recalled him.

“His rookie year, he was lost, frankly,” Kerr said, per The Athletic. “But most rookies are. The game is different. The pace is different, the athleticism. What I admired about JP from the start was his understanding of how much work it would take to get where he wanted to go.”

How it started How it’s going pic.twitter.com/jOi0SbRkMy

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 16, 2022

Poole started the first 28 games of the 2021-22 season, with the Warriors going 23-5 before Coach Steve Kerr benched him to make way for Klay Thompson’s triumphant return from a two-season absence. Poole has repeatedly answered adversity through his first three seasons in the League.

When his rookie season was cut short by the pandemic, Poole reportedly lived at the gym and fully dedicated himself to improving his skillset. When he was sent down to the G League, Poole took full advantage of the opportunity by dominating on the court with his shifty handle and automatic jumper. Poole came back with unshakeable confidence and a chip on his shoulder when he came back.

Last year, Poole responded to coming off the bench by becoming an invaluable walking bucket capable of taking over games and being a significant part of Golden State’s title run.

“You go through different stages — high school, AAU, college,” Poole said. “There’ll be adversity. You just gotta have faith and have confidence. Self-belief will take you a very long way. Obviously, you mix that in with hard work and an open mindset, and anything is possible.

“Obviously,” he continued, digging into his bag of perspective, “people will try to write you off, and they’ll have things to say. That just comes with it. People will say good things. People say bad things – But as long as you focus and you have tunnel vision, and you lock in. Once you set your mind to something and you come up with a plan to do it, everything else takes care of itself. So it was just an amazing feeling not only for me but for my family. They put in so much time, so much money, and a lot of things that you can’t repay them for. So it’s just amazing to have them be a part of this as well. And my teammates who helped me get here. We can go down the entire line just talking about it. But it was a very, very special, life-changing moment.”

The @warriors dropped a 10 min video of Jordan Poole highlights. Watch this and be inspired the next time you hoop. pic.twitter.com/BYuNmijTfP

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2022

Now, the Warriors have rewarded his ability to persevere with a four-year, $140 million dollar extension. When Poole signed the contract, he couldn’t help but smile as he put ink to paper in Myers’ office.

“I couldn’t stop smiling,” Poole said Sunday. “I really tried to stop smiling. But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.”

Bag earned. : @_JordanJimenez pic.twitter.com/YljCsDiPHO

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 15, 2022

Poole’s deal signifies Golden State’s dedication to solidifying its future. It’s also a sign of things to come as the Warrior starts to contemplate their future without the foundational members of the dynasty. Stephen Curry is locked in for four more years while Draymond Green and Klay Thompson wait to see how their extension negotiations go.

When asked about the fallout of his altercation with Green, Poole responded diplomatically, only saying he and Green our professionals and that they “plan on handling ourselves that way.”

“In regards to the Draymond situation,” Poole said, addressing the altercation publicly for the first time, “you know, he apologized, and we’re professionals. We plan on handling ourselves that way. We’re gonna play basketball, and everybody in the locker room and on our team knows what it takes to win a championship. And we’re gonna do that on the court. I mean, that’s really all I have to say on the matter. We’re here to win a championship and keep hanging banners.”

It remains to be seen just how the Warrior’s dynamic will be changed, if at all, this season. Kerr called the situation” the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had” Knowing that the Warriors have been able to wither plenty of storms is a testament to their culture. What happens this season will be the ultimate test of the Warrior’s way and their”Strength in Number” mantra that resulted in four championships.

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The sides are reportedly close to crossing the Ts and dotting the Is on the rookie scale extension. According to Poole’s representatives, a formal agreement is expected to be completed later on Saturday. Poole’s extension comes days before Monday’s deadline for 2019 Draft class members.

Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole is finalizing a four-year, $140 million contract extension, his agents Drew Morrison and Austin Brown of CAA Sports tell ESPN. Sides are completing final details today and formal agreement expected soon. pic.twitter.com/hIP8MaOhzp

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 15, 2022

Poole’s extension solidifies the Warrior’s commitment and belief in Poole as a franchise cornerstone. At 23-years-old, Poole has become one of Golden State’s more solidified offensive weapons as they look to defend their fourth championship in eight seasons.

How to make the stadium explode 101: be like Poole.

(via @NBAUK) pic.twitter.com/P3LagLBtHC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 6, 2022

Last season, Poole averaged a career-high 18.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. During the Warriors’ run to the 2022 NBA championship, Poole averaged 17.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game and scored 25 points on 60 percent shooting six times, according to ESPN. That run of 25+ point outings Poole tied with Jerry West (1968 postseason) for second-most in a single-postseason, right behind Andrew Toney in 1982.

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Curry, arguably the greatest shooter of all time, has four titles under his name with a Finals MVP to back up his coveted career. The Warriors superstar believes there’s another teammate who was playing for the legacy he has submitted in Golden State.

In a recent interview with NBC Sports’ Kerith Burke, Curry remarks on the legacy of his longtime teammate, Andre Igoudala, who he believes was a significant contributor to the Warriors’ four titles and is a sure shot at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“Absolutely, I didn’t know that was much of a debate,” said Curry on Igoudala being labeled a Hall of Famer. “He’s kind of the mature vet that’s still putting up solid numbers but impacting winning at a level that is a difference maker.”

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Igoudala’s four championships with the Warriors may be underestimated by playing with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry through the years. However, his defensive tenacity in the 2015 NBA Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers kicked off Golden States’ illustrious dynasty.

Igoudala scored 16.3 points, four assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game and won the 2015 Finals MVP. In that series, Curry and Thompson averaged 34.2 percent shooting from their three-point distance, but Igoudala’s heroics kept James shooting at 38.1 percent from the field when guarded by him.

Iggy is now in the later stages of his career. He rejoined the Dubs over the summer and averaged 4.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game during the regular-season. When it came down to the postseason, Coach Steve Kerr trusted the 38-year-old to play during the 2022 Finals. Iggy rewarded that trust by posting seven points and three assists during Game 1 and played spot duty the rest of the Finals as a 3-and-D wing.

“I hope there’s a keen eye part of just watching his career unfold,” said Curry. “Seeing the different iterations of himself that impact winning, that’s what it should be about.”

Igoudala enters his 19th season in the League, more importantly, his last go at defending a championship for the Warriors. The farewell tour starts against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Chase Center.

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Green stayed home for the last week to help cool down and mitigate the wounds caused by his controversial squabble with Poole. Since then, Coach Steve Kerr announced that the Warriors fined Green and decided not to suspend the four-time champion. Kerr put an exclamation point on the incident by calling it “the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had.”

“We had the conversations about what we need to do moving forward, and we’re going to do that,” Green said per ESPN. “We are not going to continue to hold on to the past.”

Swoosh@Oracle || Game Ready pic.twitter.com/wzOQcZBAqu

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 13, 2022

Before Green came back, the Dubs had meetings with the front office, coaching staff, and prominent players like Poole, Looney, Stephen Curry, and Andre Iguodala. Once players, specifically Poole, gave the thumbs up, the Warriors decided it was time to bring Green back.

Green is set to play in Golden States’ final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. He will also be available when the Warriors have presented their rings ahead of their opening night contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

GAME DAY pic.twitter.com/Mi74ILE99s

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) October 14, 2022

Green didn’t tell reporters what he was up to during his self-imposed break from the team, but he did say he was in a better mental state on Thursday than when he left. According to Green, Kerr, and Kevon Looney, Thursday’s practice was business as usual, and there was no on-court awkwardness between anyone.

Despite the public backing from Kerr and his teammates, Green admitted there would be lingering feelings about his quarrel with Poole. Kerr touched on the moment on Wednesday when he said that the Warriors’ “culture had been damaged by the incident. You have to work to repair that.” Kerr added that Green broke the team’s trust but also said that Green deserves the benefit of the doubt due to the relationship they’ve built since 2015.

“It’s about making sure our team camaraderie is right,” Green said. “You can tell when you’re playing against a team, and they have good camaraderie — if not, they can be broken easy — if you have that, you can build through anything. [Our camaraderie doesn’t] get very shaken.”

Although Green acknowledged that he had some work to do when he stepped away from the team, Green seemingly had some contention with the notion that he had to rebuild trust with his teammates. The Warriors have been victorious because of the trust the Warriors’ “foundational six” has built over the last eight seasons. Not to mention their desire to win and knowing what it takes to win.

Green will use that mindset to navigate his relationship with Poole for the foreseeable future.

“Jordan is a professional, and I am a professional. We have a job to do — we’re going to do just that,” Green said. “[As far as a personal relationship], I’m not sure. That’s not up to me, nor do I think there is much relevance. We’re paid to do a job, and we are going to do that job to the best of our abilities.”

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Kerr made the announcement after the Dubs’ preseason game against the Trail Blazers on Monday. He distinctly called the contentious moment “the biggest crisis that we’ve ever had.” Kerr also said Green would return to the team on Thursday and expects Green to play Golden State’s last preseason game and their opening night contest against the Lakers.

“It’s been an exhaustive process,” Kerr said per Yahoo Sports. “We feel like this is the best way after assessing everything for us to move forward. It’s never easy, no matter what decision you make in a situation like this. It’s not going to be perfect.”

Kerr said that key figures in the organization, including Green, Poole, Stephen Curry, and GM Bob Myers, were involved in the decision-making process leading up to Kerr’s announcement. Kerr added that he trusts Green and that the former Michigan State Spartan has earned the benefit of the doubt following Green’s lapse in judgment.

“I trust him,” Kerr added. “He broke our trust with this incident. But I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt because I think he’s earned that. I think our team feels the same way.”

Kerr added Green and Poole had played a role in deciding Green’s punishment and that the two veterans have “had a great discussion” that he believes will help them “move forward” from the incident.

Poole has yet to address what happened, but Kerr said that the franchise would make the former Michigan Wolverine available to reporters soon.

According to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, the tension between Green and Poole had been simmering since the start of the training camp. Although both players are eligible for contract extensions, Green flat-out denied that the dispute was over money. Green also said that he was “wrong for my actions that took place” last week and that he’s apologized not just to Poole and his teammates but to Poole’s family for “the embarrassment” he caused to the team. He also declared that: “I failed as a leader. I failed as a man.”

“I was wrong for my actions that took place on Wednesday,” Green said. “For that, I have apologized to my team. I have apologized to Jordan.”

The Warriors open their regular season at home on Oct. 18 against the Los Angeles Lakers, where they’ll celebrate their 2022 NBA championship with a ring ceremony.

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“Look, it’s the NBA in professional sports these things happen, nobody likes it we don’t condone it,” Myers said. “Draymond apologized to the team this morning, Jordan was there in the room.

Head coach Steve Kerr added: “I’m not going to answer anything more because Bob already answered what needed to be answered. The only thing I will say is that Jordan has been fantastic throughout camp. There was a report that I was made aware of last night that someone put out there that Jordan had an attitude in camp. Nothing could be further from the truth, he’s been fantastic. So, disappointing to see this information out there, but I wanted to make sure I set the record straight on that. Everything else, we will handle internally and go from there.”

Stephen Curry also reiterated Kerr’s sentiment about Poole’s behavior, saying, “JP’s been great. There’s nothing that warrented the situation yesterday. We made that clear, but it’s also something that we feel like will not derail our season and what we’re trying to build and that’s with Draymond as a part of that.”

It seems that for now at least, the Warriors have it under control and we’l; have to wait and see what comes about from the situation.

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“So, I just wanted to go relax. Long season, clearly,” Tatum said in an interview with Andscape. “Enjoy some time with my son and the family. Get away from it. The Finals were so fresh in my mind.

And every time we walked out the room, somebody saw me and said, ‘Oh, man, we wish you would’ve … ’ ‘Good luck next year.’ And that’s even said to this day. But it was just three or four days afterwards, so it was really fresh.”

Two seasons after being eliminated from the Eastern Conference Finals by the Miami Heat in 2020, the Celtics came back this past season to win a pivotal Game 7 in Miami to clinch their first NBA Finals berth since 2010.

“It was just a learning experience, learning a lesson,” he added. “Maybe do some things differently next time if you get to that point. Obviously, it’s tough to learn a lesson that way, but it is what it is …It just fuels you. Motivates you to get back to that point.”

While Tatum has using the moment as “fuel,” his all-around game is enough to catch the attention of even his own competitors. Four-time NBA champion and Warriors forward Draymond Green recently called JT the ‘Young GOAT.’

“Resiliency allows teams to show their true characters,” said Green on The Draymond Green Show. “We’ll get to see the true character of the Boston Celtics led by none other than the young GOAT, young next greatest Jayson Tatum.”

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That persistence paid off as the third-year big man played well at Summer League, where his tantalizing skillset shined. Wiseman said he felt good after Summer League play and Coach Steve Kerr recently raved about Wiseman gaining a lot of confidence in his knee.

In the Golden State Warrior’s first preseason game in Tokyo, Japan, versus the Washington Wizards, Wiseman sure looked like his old self finishing the game with 20 points on 72.7 percent shooting from the field while grabbing nine rebounds and one block as well.

“This is my first game out of two years,” Wiseman said. “But I just went out there and just played my game. I wasn’t trying to do as much; I wasn’t trying to do something that was outside of my boundaries, just keep the game simple and just be myself out there.”

Wiseman’s preseason debut lasted a little over twenty-three minutes a. The brief stint filled Warriors fans’ minds with optimism as the Dubs look to win back-to-back championships. Given the Golden State Warrior’s strong foundation, a budding young core of talent, and a roster full of elite vets, there talented is no reason why the Warriors should not be top favorites to win it all again this season.

With the 2023 NBA season set to tip off in just a few more days, the Warriors start their long journey to become the back-to-back champs Tuesday, Oct. 18, versus the Los Angles Lakers.

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Former Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo started the festivities with some interesting comments about who he believes is the best player in the world.

“I think the best player in the world is the person that is the last one standing, the person that takes his team to the finish line and helps them win games and become champion.”

“Two years ago when we did that, yeah, when I was sleeping in my bed, I was like, ‘Ah yeah, maybe I’m the best player in the world.’ But now, no. In my opinion, the way I view it, the winner is the best. The guy who wins is the best — I believe that the best player in the world is Steph Curry until the next player.”

When reigning Finals MVP and defending champ Stephen Curry heard the Greek Freaks’ comments, he was appreciative and said he would’ve said the same thing.

“I don’t know if it was gamesmanship to set the table for — I would say the same thing when you’re facing the champions,” Curry said. “That’s part of like the nature of the league. We all want to win the championship, and when you look at the team that’s the last team standing and who was playing the best, I was thinking the same thing about him last year, coming off their run.

“So I appreciate the compliment. It’s not going to soften me up to get complacent at all. But you do appreciate the respect of your peers to say stuff like that, and I’ve been in the situation where I’m complimenting guys around the league a lot as well.”

Curry will look to defend his fourth championship and go back-to-back for the first time since the Warriors did it in 2017-2018. Antetokounmpo will look to avenge Milwaukee’s second-round exit and return to the Finals for the second time since their championship run in 2021.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls Stephen Curry ‘the Best Player in the World’ appeared first on SLAM.

One of the NBA’s most elite dynasties, the Golden State Warriors, has reached the top of the mountain once more. With the brilliant play of Stephen Curry and company, the franchise has won four championships in a 7-year span. It’s quite remarkable, to say the least, but it all starts with one of the veteran pieces that keep the locker room in check and comes up big on the biggest stage.

The 38 year old Andre Igoudala may not be the pivotal factor to decide a championship series, but there’s something about his presence in the locker room that leads to success. It’s not just with the Warriors too, Igoudala took part in the Miami Heat‘s incredible 5th seeded run to the NBA Finals in the 2020 Bubble. His high IQ on defense was a major contributor to the Heat’s success, but the team ultimately fell to the LeBron James led Los Angeles Lakers.

The matchup between him and LeBron James is always considered one of the more unexpected rivalries in League history. However, in 2015 with the Cavaliers up 2-1 in the NBA Finals, Igoudala stepped up to attribute 16.3 points a game with 5.8 rebounds and 4 boards. What carved his name into the Bill Russell Finals MVP award, was his teriffic defense on a LeBron James who’d been dominating all post-season long.

“I’m letting you know now Steph,” said Igoudala. “This the last one.”

Though the Warriors haven’t come to terms with a deal for Igoudala, it seems clear he’s comitted to signing a veternan minimum deal. If so, Igoudala will play his final season, in a quest with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green at their fifth ring.

The post Andre Iguodala Confirms He’ll Return to the Warriors for His 19th Season appeared first on SLAM.

On the latest update for the Memphis product, things are looking solid. In fact, he’s spent the past couple of weeks playing pickup games, according to Coach Steve Kerr.

“He’s healthy,” Kerr said. He’s played in a ton of pickup games in our building – I think he’s got a lot of confidence in that knee now. That’s the first step. The next step is finding his role within this team.”   

The 21-year-old has still not scratched the surface of his potential. There’s a reason why he was selected with the second pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. When Wiseman played at Memphis, he averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game on an impressive 76.9 percent shooting from the field. This translated well in his rookie season when he averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 51.9 percent shooting. 

With Wiseman rejoining a team that just won the championship in June, carving out a role with the Warriors will be an exciting development. Wiseman is a part of the developmental core that the Warriors have chosen to pair with their “foundational six.” The Memphis products’ two-way skillset and ability to stretch the court opens another dimension for the Warriors on both ends of the court.

Training camp and the regular-season are around the corner, and with these significant developments coming out about Wiseman, it’s time to get excited about what the third-year big man has in store for this upcoming season.

The post Steve Kerr: James Wiseman Has ‘a Lot of Confidence in His Knee’ After Summer Playing Pickup Games appeared first on SLAM.

Sarver was caught using several offensive languages around his respected organizations. With reports coming out stating he used the ‘N-Word’ frequently, as well as misogynistic comments, Draymond Green opened up about how this makes a representation of the NBA.

“That’s bulls–t. You can’t continue to represent way more people than yourself with those views,” said Green. “With speaking to people the way he did, with treating African Americans and women the way he has. That’s not OK.”

The NBA has been able to address racial justice matters pretty seriously; however, this recent polemic on behalf of Sarver has the basketball community believing he should be removed from his position and banned for life.

The support of the Black Lives Matter movement since 2020, and the termination of former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling back in 2015 make this case look rather simple for League commissioner Adam Silver. However, he ponders the idea that removing the rights to Sarver’s ownership of the teams is too much to get behind. Essentially, Silver believes the $10 million fine and one-year suspension will serve as a lesson for the inappropriate acts caused by Sarver.

“What it would take to remove that team from his control is a very involved process,” said Silver. “and it’s different than holding a job. It just is. When you actually own a team, it’s just a very different proposition.”

Green called on League governors to vote on Sarver’s position. A vote is required from at least three-quarters of the board to remove him, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Draymond Green continues to shed light on matters that need to be discussed around the League, and his input will certainly re-adjust the decision of Adam Silver.

The post Draymond Green Reacts to Robert Sarver’s Suspension on His Podcast appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors decided to go all in on maximizing their championship window by keeping their “foundational six” around and choosing to develop Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman by throwing them in the fire after deciding to let Porter Jr., Payton, and Juan Toscano-Anderson walk away to the Raptor, Trail Blazers, and Lakers respectively.

Column on my pre-camp conversation with Warriors president Bob Myers…https://t.co/A4eNHKKBeD

— Tim Kawakami (@timkawakami) September 16, 2022

The Warriors have yet to come to terms with a deal with Green, Poole, and Wiggins this summer. Wiggins can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Poole can become a restricted free agent next July if he doesn’t sign a rookie extension by Oct. 17 per rookie extension rules, and Green can become a free agent if he decides to opt out of the current deal he’s currently on.

When Bob Myers was asked about keeping Wiggins and Poole, Myers included Green in his question, making it clear that he wanted to keep “all three as long as we can have them.”

“I think with both those guys and Draymond, the goal, we want all three as long as we can have them,” Myers said, per The Athletic. “We’ve had conversations with all three players, their representatives. I’m not going to get into the likelihood or not of any of them getting done. But we know how important they are — I don’t know that we win a championship last year if you take any of them away. Draymond, his pedigree here, he’ll go down as one of the best Warriors ever to put on a uniform.

“So we know the value of all those guys. Too early for me to say what will happen or won’t happen. But the goal is to keep those guys, all three of them, as long as we can. But again, there’s financial components.”

Being able to sign Green, Poole, and Wiggins will be a costly endeavor for the Warriors. Golden State currently has a $380 million payroll; unless the Warriors make cuts, Poole’s extension will take them over $400 million during the 2023-24 season. A scenario that Warriors owner Joe Lacob doesn’t see as “remotely possible.”

If there are any cuts to make, fans would think that Draymond Green fits that role as someone who doesn’t produce monster numbers. However, Stephen Curry wants to play the remainder of his career with Green, who is a part of that “foundational six,” he’s consistently healthy and has embodied the Warriors’ non-positional greatness and defensive prowess since 2015.

According to Myers, the Warriors see Green as “not a guy we look at and say he’s not going to be around,” but he did leave the door open about Golden State possibly having to make a difficult decision in not re-signing Green whether or not he opts-out of his player option.

“No, no, I would definitely, unequivocally say (he’s) not a guy we look at and say he’s not going to be around,” Myers said. “Now, at some point, decisions are going to have to be made. But as far as his importance to this organization and what he’s done, we’re going to do everything we can to keep him in the fold.

“We don’t make these decisions definitively, ‘This guy’s going to be here, this guy’s not.’ We don’t do that. Because right now, we’re not making those decisions today. So everything’s on the table. And you really have to, in my position, do your best, and you owe it to the fans and the organization, to players that have helped in the way that all of those players have.

“Draymond, certainly it’s obvious to anybody what he’s done for us. I could never sit here and say, ‘Well, he’s not going to be around.’ I can’t even get the words out of my mouth.”

The Warriors will celebrate their 2022 title on Oct. 18 when they host the Lakers for ring night.

The post Bob Myers: ‘We Want’ Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole ‘As Long We Can Keep Them’ appeared first on SLAM.

Chef Curry is coming off of such a historic 2021-2022 season for himself, where he became the League’s all-time three-point record holder and won what he believed to be his most meaningful championship last year; Curry is on the verge of yet another historic accomplishment!

In a recent interview, Curry did with Rolling Stone; Curry revealed that he “has nearly locked down a lifetime contract with Under Armor worth potentially more than $1 billion.” Curry appeared on SLAM Kicks 25 to talk about Under Armour dropping the 10th sneaker in his signature line.

“The Curry 10 is expressing consistency and continuing to level up your game. The fact that you can have 10 signature shoes and, coming off a championship, being at this level, like, you want people to be a part of that journey with you. We’re also bringing back classic colorways from throughout my career, that meant a lot to me. A special moment. It’s a celebration of success, the journey, the process, the work, the memories, everything. The Curry 10, ballplayers should know that it’s gonna help them be better, help them perform better, give them all the advantage they can have on the court when they lace up, but it’s also going to give them joy, hopefully. That’s what I’m trying to express through the shoes. They get to embody it as well.” Curry told SLAM.

Curry is certainly making as many splashes off the court as he is on it. Steph has already earned over $254.7 million dollars in his NBA career alone, along with the rest of the off-court money he makes from other endorsement deals. Whenever he does end up inking this lifetime deal with Under Armor to go along with the highly anticipated release of his 10th signature shoe set to release sometime this year, Curry will once again shock the world in his own unique way.

The post Stephen Curry On the Verge of Signing Lifetime Deal With Under Armour appeared first on SLAM.

When Matt Sullivan of Rolling Stone asked Curry how much longer he’d like to play in the NBA, the Baby-Faced Assasin revealed that he’d like to “at least” play through his current four-year deal before contemplating retirement. Golden State’s main focus going into next season will be maximizing their championship core while developing their young hoopers like Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman.

“The championships are just getting in the way,” Curry told Sullivan.

GOODNIGHT. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/dkNo4Pv8lf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry averaged 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and a career-low 38.0 percent from beyond the arc. Curry has the type of game that ages gracefully, relying more on finesse than physicality. However, Curry was able to unlock another level of physicality alongside his legendary stamina that helped him dominate when it mattered most in the playoffs.

Heading into his 14th season, Curry says that the hardwood remains “his safe space” even as his veteran status increases. The eight-time All-Star is renowned for his conditioning and can lean on his improved physicality to ward off the lengthy wings that match-up against him. Although he shot a career-low from three last year, it’s likely an outlier, not a sign of things to come. Curry is a career 42.8 percent shooter from three-point territory.

“There are more thoughts, as you get older, of that healthy insecurity: ‘How long can this go?’ ” Curry told Sullivan. “I’m not afraid of what’s next, but the invisibility — the fact that when you’re in your actual prime, you’re not thinking anything else — now I have a healthy balance of both.”

Curry and the Warriors will look to start their title defense against the Lakers on Oct. 18.

The post Stephen Curry Reveals He Wants to ‘at Least’ Play Four More Years appeared first on SLAM.

The four-time NBA champ won three Big 10 titles with Michigan State and led the Spartans to two Final Four trips. Green’s efforts for the program were recently recognized after MSU notified him would be inducting him into the Athletics Hall of Fame. Upon finding out the news, the former Spartan was in complete shock.

“Absolutely insane,” said Green on his podcast “The Draymond Green Show. “Hall of Fame? That’s forever. We won’t be here forever. We’ll leave, we’ll leave this world. But that’s a forever thing as long as this world is here — As a kid that went to Michigan State, everybody told me I was dumb for going there. That I would never play there, well, I’m going to the Hall of Fame.”

It’s official

Draymond Green is the newest addition to the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/71pY5FoXwO

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) September 9, 2022

Green, along with the other members of the Michigan State Hall of Fame Class of 2022, was acknowledged at halftime for their legendary contributions during halftime of the Spartans’ 52-0 win over Akron.

Moments of work, for a lifetime of memories @united || Champions Tour pic.twitter.com/uVM9zL9xa4

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) September 10, 2022

Green was inducted into the Hall of Fame over the weekend. The Warriors start their title defense against the Lakers on Oct. 18.

The post Draymond Green Inducted Into Michigan State’s Athletic Hall Of Fame appeared first on SLAM.

On Sunday, Rolling Stone revealed that the reports of a potential Warriors-KD reunion were being seriously discussed within Golden State, according to reigning Finals MVP and four-time champ Stephen Curry. Curry told Rolling Stone that he and the Warriors’ front office had a “conversation” about his thoughts on acquiring Durant.

“There was a conversation internally amongst us about ‘If he was available, would you?'” Curry said three days after Durant made his trade request. “Every team has those conversations, and obviously, in our situation, they’re gonna call me and ask me, ”How do you feel about it?”

However, Durant and the Nets made up last month despite Durant reiterating his trade request and giving team owner Joe Tsai the ultimatum of choosing him or Coach Steve Nash and GM Sean Marks. Curry sees the narrative around his future Hall-of-Famer teammate and says that Durant is “misunderstood” and that he would have welcomed Durant into Golden State with open arms.

When Curry sat down with Rolling Stone on Aug. 9, he told the magazine that he was “never hesitant” about playing with KD again and that he had “so much fun playing with him those three years.”

“I was never hesitant. The idea of playing with KD and knowing who he is as a person, from our history in those three years, I think KD’s a really good dude. I think he is misunderstood. I think he has had certain things happen in his life that hurt his ability to trust people around him, in a sense of making him feel safe at all times. So all of those things, I understand, having played with him and gotten to know him. I love that dude.”

Curry also gave the Warriors a resounding yes to acquiring Durant but understood it would take a lot of finesse to trade for KD.

“And if you said, ”Oh, KD’s’ coming back, and we’re gonna play with him,” I had so much fun playing with him those three years, I’d’ be like, ”Hell, yeah!” Then you have to think: What does that actually mean? What does it look like? You tell me I’m’ playing with [current Warriors teammates Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Draymond Green], I’m’ like, ”Hell, yeah!” There’s all types of emotion and things that happen to the league. And if anybody’s saying that you wouldn’t entertain that conversation—no disrespect to anybody on our team—but you don’t know how things work. But you also understand, like, if we run this thing back, I’ve’ got complete confidence in my team that we can win it again, as constructed.

“So, all those things were true. And it started with me wanting to play with KD at the beginning. Yeah, it’s about winning, it’s about having fun, playing the game of basketball. And that was part of the reaction of, like, ‘Yeah; it’d be amazing.”’

Curry also talked with his younger brother Seth, Durant’s teammate in Brooklyn, about a potential Durant deal that could put both the Currys on the same roster for the first time in their careers. When the prospect of Durant going to Phoenix or Boston came up, Curry suggested that it would be unrealistic for Durant to think any team he went to outside of Brooklyn could retain a championship roster around him.

He specifically stated that it would be a mind-blowing transaction if Boston did indeed swap Jaylen Brown for Durant. Curry does believe that Durant made the right move in staying in Brooklyn.

The Warriors begin their title defense on Oct. 14 against the Lakers after being presented with their championship rings.

The post Stephen Curry Reveals Warriors ‘Internally’ Discussed Trade for Kevin Durant appeared first on SLAM.

Despite his personal and team success in South Beach, Hardaway decided not to ask former Coach Pat Riley or Alonzo Mourning to be his presenters at this Saturday’s Hall of Fame ceremony. That honor will instead go to the figures that fostered his love for the game from before his time in Miami teaming up with Mourning and Riley.

Tim Hardaway explains bypassing Pat Riley, Alonzo Mourning as Hall of Fame presenters. https://t.co/mBJsfMaNHQ No, not a Miami Heat snub, but rather a tribute to those who were there for him at the beginning.

— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 8, 2022

Hardaway’s presenters will be Isiah Thomas (Class of 2000), his Run-TMC teammates Mitch Richmond (’14) and Chris Mullins(’11), longtime friend Yolanda Griffith (’21), and former college coach Nate Archibald (’91).

“There’s one thing I do know I want to tell you; it takes a village to raise a kid; Chicago South Side raised a kid. This is Chicago South Side. This is for them,” Hardaway said of his decision, per Ira Winderman.

“Isiah Thomas, I grew up watching him play, my basketball idol, no question, from the city of Chicago,” Hardaway explained. “Nate Archibald, my college assistant coach, came back to his alma mater and coached me [at Texas-El Paso] and helped me understand. Yolanda Griffith, we went to high school together. We graduated in the same class. And I wanted to acknowledge her as being the first before me and wanted people to understand that. She was a Hall of Famer before me, and she needs to be recognized.”

The choice to bypass Riley, Mourning, and former Coach Don Nelson was difficult. Hardaway knows it and even admitted that he “can’t even mention a lot of people that I want to mention.” As a result, Hardaway’s speech will likely not “mention a lot of people” that he wants to mention.

Instead, the UTEP two-step creator will make a point to mention critical figures during his time in Miami during his HOF media session that’ll be aired on NBA TV.

“I’m sorry, everybody can’t be there,” he said of those standing alongside on stage. “And I’ll tell you this, in my speech, I can’t even mention a lot of people that I want to mention because it’s a lot of us going up this year. So I can’t mention a lot of people I want to mention.”

Hardaway’s Hall of Fame induction class includes four-time NBA champion Manu Ginobli, two-time college Coach of the Year Bob Huggins, sixth-winningest NBA coach George Karl, and veteran NBA ref Hugh Evans. Five-time All-Star Lindsay Whalen, four-time All-Star Swin Cash, and NCAA national champion and former WNBA Coach of the Year Marianna Stanley will be inducted on the woman’s side.

Mourning will attend the HOF ceremony, as well as Coach Erik Spoelstra, GM Any Ellisburg, assistant GM Adam Simon, scouting director and former teammate Keith Askins, and multiple other Heat front office members. Rily will not be able to attend due to a scheduling conflict but heaped heavy praise on Hardaway when he was interviewed for the HOF’s event program that’ll be passed around at the ceremony.

“I had just come from New York, and we had a team that was noted for defense and things of that nature, you know, rough and tumble. I needed to get a point guard, and Tim was available,” Riley said of acquiring Hardaway for the Heat from the Warriors in 1996.

“He was not the explosive, up-and-down-the-court kind of a player. He could keep a team really organized. He was tough as nails, and we were fortunate to have him.”

Hardway’s Hall of Fame induction will begin this Saturday evening.

The post Tim Hardaway Explains Why He Didn’t Pick Pat Riley and Alonzo Mourning as Hall of Fame Presenters appeared first on SLAM.

During a Sports Illustrated podcast interview, Curry said that the 2022 Finals win “hits different,” especially after the Warriors went from being a lottery time and just missing the playoffs in 2021 to returning to the playoffs and winning the whole damn thing after beating the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Mavericks on the way to besting the Boston Celtics in six games.

The fourth title was significant and the process to getting back on top of the NBA mountaintop was so meaningful that it was only natural that Curry shed tears on the court as the final seconds ticked off the game clock and the Warriors have crowned champions for the fourth time in eight years.

“You don’t find me ugly crying on the court for no reason,” Curry said. “That raw emotion that came out after Game 6 kind of signaled how much this meant to me, how much this meant to our team.

“The first one, you don’t really know what you’re doing until you accomplish it, and then you’re celebrating. The next two were kind of validation, trying to remain champions. But after these last three years and winning that one, definitely the most special.”

When Curry was asked if he would rather have the 2022 championship or the back-to-back Finals wins he got with Kevin Durant in 2017 and 2018, he responded that he would take his 2022 “all day, every day.”

The statement is further validated when you realize Curry was able to erase any notion that he can’t dominate an NBA Finals after he won his first Finals MVP while putting up 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 48.7 percent shooting from the field and 43.7 percent from beyond the arc.

“No, I want this one,” Curry said. “No, give me this one, all day, every day.”

Curry and the Warriors will look to start their championship reign with an opening night win over the Lakers on the same night they receive their NBA Finals rings.

The post Stephen Curry Believes 2022 Championship is More Meaningful appeared first on SLAM.

This summer, Curry finished the necessary classwork to receive his college diploma. As a result, Curry was subsequently eligible to have his jersey retired by the Wildcats men’s basketball program. On Wednesday, the North Carolina-based university held a rare-personal graduation ceremony for the four-time champ. The Wildcats also inducted him into their athletic Hall of Fame and jersey retirement.

Steph Curry, the graduate!

Davidson College #CurryFor3 | @DavidsonCollege | @warriors pic.twitter.com/paRCVjspn2

— Ashley Stroehlein (@ashstro) August 31, 2022

Curry was awarded his Bachelor of Arts in sociology. Currreceiveded his sociology degree after he re-enrolled during the spring 2022 semester. The first unanimous MVP in NBA history worked with four current and former Davidson professors to complete his coursework. Curry was busy winning the 2022 title and earning his first Finals MVP to attend Davidson’regularal commencement.

During the ceremony, school president Doug Hicks dropped his version of Curry’s night-night celebration and made a bold proclamation for the former Wildcat.

“Every president at every commencement makes hopeful statements about graduates’ futures. In that spirit, I hereby predict, with confidence, Stephen Curry, that you will enjoy considerable success in your life and career after college.”

Curry’s mother, Sonya, was the commencement speaker for the afternoon.

College Graduate: #CurryFor3 pic.twitter.com/khTCiabmc3

— Davidson Basketball (@DavidsonMBB) August 31, 2022

The afternoon subsequently ended with Curry’s jersey retirement and his induction into the school’s Hall-of-Fame. Dell Curry and recently retired Coach Bob McKillop spoke during the final two events.

Davidson only retires jerseys for student-athletes who graduate. During his three seasons at Davidson, Curry led the Wildcats to an Elite Eight run and first-team All-American honors during his junior season. Curry has gone on to revolutionize the game with his shooting, becoming an Naismith Hall-of-Famer since the Golden State Warriors drafted him 7th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

The post Stephen Curry Receives College Diploma and Jersey Retirement appeared first on SLAM.

Patrick McCaw and Norris Cole hope that leading Team USA to their eighth gold medal at the AmeriCup tournament will help them return to the NBA. The two veterans have a combined five championships and plenty of wisdom and championship experience to pass down to any team looking to make that leap.

“I think it’s more about representing the USA for me right now,” McCaw said. “I want to make it back to the NBA. I know that’s a process. And I know one day, whenever, next week, next month, next year, when it’s supposed to happen, it’ll happen. But right now, I’m just focusing on this USA, wearing these three letters, giving my all to this team, and representing the United States of America.

For @pg30_Cole and Patrick McCaw, the priority for the next two weeks is getting @usabasketball an AmeriCup title.

After that, they hope the NBA gives them a call.

The AP story on two champions who believe they have a lot more to offer:https://t.co/7eME1z7jgB

— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) August 31, 2022

McCaw last played four games for the Toronto Raptors during the 2020-21 season. The UNLV products career has primarily slowed down due to a slew of injuries he says are no longer concerns. Cole last played for the OKC Thunder in April 2017. Since then, he’s spent the last five seasons playing in Israel, China, Montenegro, Italy, France, and Puerto Rico.

“I still have the ability,” Cole said. “God has still blessed me with the ability. I still have the fire, the hunger, and I still feel like I have something to prove, things that I would like to accomplish as a player. That feeling of winning a championship, the mission, the goal, the work to try to get to that point again, that’s what drives me as a competitor. And I want that feeling again.”

McCaw is 27-years-old, while Cole will be 34 by the time the season starts. Although they are at different points in their professional basketball careers, they both have the tangible of being around winning that makes any veteran attractive to a front office looking to surround their young players with vets that can help push them and a franchise to the next level.

McCaw is a threepeat champion, winning back-to-back titles with Golden State and his most recent championship in 2019 with the Raptors. Cole was a part of the legendary Miami Heatles teams led by LeBron James. Cole was a speedy three-and-D threat who won back-to-back rings with the Heat against the Thunder and Spurs.

“We’ve been around winning,” Cole said. “Patrick has that working for him. He knows what winning looks like, and anytime you’re around winning, it rubs off on you. He has that, he has a fun personality, and I think he definitely deserves another shot. I definitely believe that he deserves to be on an NBA roster.”

Three NBA champs headline Team USA in Cole, McCaw, and Jodie Meeks. They are joined by Zylan Cheatham, Gary Clark Jr., Will Davis II, Anthony Lamb, Frank Mason III, Jeremy Pargo, Elijah Pemberton, Craig Sword, and Stephen Zimmerman.

In training camp, Cole reportedly won every sprint he was in and established himself as the point guard of Team USA. McCaw’s talent shined through amongst a group of highly skilled players who played in the NBA or the G League. The most important thing for McCaw is that his confidence is coming back after battling knee and spine issues that left him off an NBA roster last season.

“I’ve been off the radar,” McCaw said. “I think this is a huge step because people are going to be able to watch these games and see where I’m at now. That’ll help, for sure. It was injuries that set me back. It wasn’t anything else in the way, or life, or me changing the type of person I am. It was injuries. And it was tough dealing with them. But this trip to Brazil, I definitely think it’ll open up some doors again.”

When it’s all said and done, Coel and McCaw will be focused on gold, but they have a glimmer in their eye that the tournament will be the ideal springboard to getting back to the NBA.

The post Patrick McCaw and Norris Cole Hope to Parlay FIBA Play into NBA Return appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Curry averaged 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game while shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from beyond the arc. The first unanimous MVP in NBA history led the Warriors to their fourth title since 2015 and won his first Finals MVP after playing a large role in Golden State, beating the Boston Celtics in six games.

The fact that O’Neal believes Curry is the best in the world speaks volumes about his play in last season’s playoff run to the 2022 title. Curry was tough, especially in the NBA Finals, when he averaged 31.2 points per game and shot 43.7 percent from 3-point range.

“I do, but nobody’s going to beat the best player in the world, Steph Curry,” O’Neal said when asked about the Western Conference.

As a four-time champ and Hall-of-Famer himself, the Big Aristotle knows a thing or two about dominant basketball players and who’s holding the crown as the best hooper in the world. When O’Neal was given a chance to elaborate on his take, he didn’t back down about his opinion. His feeling about Curry is backed up by the fact that Curry averaged 31.2 points per game on 43.7 percent shooting from the field on his way to his first Finals MVP.

“Yeah, by far,” O’Neal said of Curry being the best player in the world. “Hell yeah. As Kenny [Smith] would tell you, you can have a category, but the real ones are recognized by the championships that you have. Nobody plays better than Steph Curry. He’s a tough shot-taker, tough shot-maker. I like where he’s brought his career.”

Curry will have a chance to validate O’Neal’s confidence in him with a successful title defense and another season of dominance from the greatest shooter of all time.

The post Shaquille O’Neal Dubs Stephen Curry ‘the Best Player in the World’ appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: NBA’s 2022-23 Opening Night, Oct. 18 on TNT:

– 76ers at Celtics
– And as previously reported: Lakers at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

Per Charania, the upcoming season will begin on October 18, with the four inter-conference foes facing off against one another. The Celtics and 76ers will kick off the action on TNT, while the Warriors will host the Lakers on the same night they conduct their ring ceremony.

The Warriors and Lakers are facing off for the second year in a row after opening up the season against each other last season. The Warriors won three Out of the four times the Western Conference titans faced off last year. The Sixers and Celtics split their season series. The Heat eliminated the 76ers team finishing the season with an identical 51-31 record. The C’s advanced to the Finals but fell to the Warriors in six games.

The Warriors and Celtics will have their Finals rematch on December 10.

Golden State-Boston NBA Finals rematch dates for the 2022-23 season, per sources:

Dec. 10 in Golden State
Jan. 19 in Boston

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2022

The Christmas Day matchups will be highlighted by a second-round playoff rematch between the Grizzles and Warriors and a playoff rematch between the Bucks and Celtics. The Grizzlies and Warriors have been jaw-jacking since the Warriors won the Finals, and Draymond Green and Ja Morant made it clear on Twitter that they wanted this matchup on Christmas.

Sources: NBA’s 2022 Christmas Day schedule:

Bucks at Celtics
76ers at Knicks
Suns at Nuggets
Lakers at Mavericks
Grizzlies at Warriors

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2022

The 22-23 season should be fun with the healthy return of stars like Kawhi Leonard, the heightened expectations for the Lakers, and the title defense of the Warriors. Not to mention how the Bucks and Celtics will respond after tough losses in the playoffs.

The post REPORT: Opening Night Schedule for 2022-23 Season Leaked appeared first on SLAM.

Wiggins has since brought the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Canada as he hosted youth camps in Vaughan and Mississauga. The 2022 All-Star returning to his hometown allowed him to prove to the kids attending his camp that when you believe in yourself and shut out the outside news, you can reap a lot of awards.

“I feel great,” Wiggins said per the Toronto Star. “There’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of people had counted me out, but to be back and … winning a championship? All the sacrifices, all the ups, and downs, all the stuff was worth it. It makes the story that much better.”

HOW'S THE AIR UP THERE WIGGS? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dR3ehMFnft

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

It was a challenging and humbling lesson Wiggins learned as he went from being a volume scorer in Minnesota known for putting up empty calorie stats on losing teams. When he arrived in Golden State, Wiggins was able to thrive as the third star on a group headlined by Stephen Curry and Klay Thomspon.

Under the watchful eye of GM Bob Myers, Coach Steve Kerr, Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green, Maple Jordan embraced being a two-way wing that could be relied on to get a bucket late in the shot clock while guarding the toughest perimeter threat.

“When I step on the court, I’ve always been confident in what I can do,” he said. “When I was in Minnesota, I put up numbers. But people said, ‘He put up numbers on a bad team.’ So, I go to Golden State, and I’m not scoring as much, but I’m doing a lot at a more efficient rate, so the whole world gets to see.”

Wiggs is so damn smooth.
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/T9unmLqnet

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

He played a pivotal role in guarding offensive threats like Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, and Jayson Tatum. He took on each assignment and won more than his fair share of battles, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.

“It’s been a different type of summer, but the best summer of my life,” he said. “It’s been amazing coming down here and feeling all this love and positivity. It’s been great. Just being able to bring the trophy back home to where it all started for me —— where all my friends and family are, that helped me get to the place where I’m at now.”

Wiggins hopes to come into the 2022-23 season with a freshly minted extension after carrying a significant two-way load last season. The Warriors will likely have to lean on Wiggins as they implement Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman into the lineup after they let several veterans walk away in free agency.

The post Andrew Wiggins Feeling ‘Great’ During ‘Best Summer’ of His Life appeared first on SLAM.

The eighth-year head coach identified Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green as the Warriors’ “foundational six,” with the latter three serving as the team’s established core.

Kerr believes Golden State’s core is among the best in the League, especially after adding the younger trio of Looney, Wiggins, and Poole to the mix.

“We have probably more continuity than anybody in the League with our core group,” Kerr said. “Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they’ve gained, and we have a really strong foundation. That’s the most important thing you can have in this League.

“We had it going into last year. But the difference was, a year ago, we didn’t know if we were really contenders. That’s why the 18-2 start was so big. It reinforced it. This year, being defending champs, it doesn’t guarantee anything, but you have a confident sense in who you are. We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night. That allows us to bring our young guys along.”

The Dubs’ roster also features future stars such as Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman, all of whom Kerr claims “have shown really good signs.” Moody and Kuminga saw action in the playoffs during the Warriors’ Finals run last season (and also impressed in the most recent NBA Summer League), while Wiseman was sidelined due to injury.

The Warriors will have a lot to prove as they focus on their win-and-develop mindset. Their future success will be predicated on their young core of Moody, Kuminga, Wiseman, Poole, and Wiggins being able to successfully takeover once Golden State’s “foundational six” leave the Warriors.

Next season will be a different journey after the Warriors’ lottery-bound seasons but coming off a championship brings a different level of confidence. Furthermore, being able to get substantial contributions from Moody, Kuminga, and Wiseman on top of his “foundational six” next season, the future could hold another championship for Golden State.

“I don’t know that it’s a bigger challenge because last year felt like a huge challenge going in,” Kerr said. “Last year felt more daunting because we’d had two lousy seasons in a row. This year feels different because we’re the defending champs. It feels like we’ve got our groove back. We’ll have Klay back for a full season. Our foundation in place. While we’re absolutely going to play a lot of young guys, we kind of have a core six, a foundational six players who are really the ones that make everything happen and will allow us to bring the young guys along.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post Steve Kerr on the ‘Strong Foundation’ the Warriors Have Built appeared first on SLAM.

Green is on an expiring $8.2M contract.

Vet minimum (8 years of service) is $2.63M.

Golden St. would incur a $1.83M cap hit (2 years of service).

3 roster spots still open for the Warriors. https://t.co/WZUJmLMlZe

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 19, 2022

Green reportedly agreed to a one-year deal to help provide another stretch forward coming off the bench after the Dubs let Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica walk in free agency this summer. Green is a career 36.6 percent shooter from long distance but is coming off a disastrous campaign as a shooter after shooting the long ball at a 26.2 percent clip last year in Denver.

Green will also be relied upon for his physical defense in the paint. When beat reporters asked him about what he expects his role to be, the Alabama product said he aims to replicate the same effort and energy Draymond Green puts out on the floor.

“Be a dog, Do the dirty work. Help Draymond out with the dirty work.” Green said.

Green says he sees his main role with the Warriors will be to “be a dog, do the dirty work. Help Draymond out with the dirty work.”

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) August 1, 2022

As far as his struggles from deep go, Green said that he plans on addressing and fixing them this summer.

“It’s all about rest and confidence. As long as I get my reps this summer, I’ll be good to go. I was just fighting through some things last year.”

Green attributes some of his poor shooting last season to a wrist injury.

“It’s all about rest and confidence. As long as I get my reps this summer, I’ll be good to go. I was just fighting through some things last year.”

— Kendra Andrews (@kendra__andrews) August 1, 2022

Green averaged 7.2 points and 4.5 rebounds on 47.4 percent shooting from the field and 34.8 percent from long distance during his tenure in Denver.

The post JaMychal Green Set to ‘Be a Dog’ With Warriors and Will Embrace ‘the Dirty Work’ appeared first on SLAM.

After his first pitch, Curry was subsequently interviewed and asked about living in the Bay Area and wanting to stay with the Golden State Warriors for the entirety of his career.

“That was a really natural process actually for me,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area, “Cause like you said, I just finished my 13th year, and to be able to say I’ve played for one team my entire career, and also to say between the 10 years in Oakland and these last three years in San Francisco, I can honestly say how special this place is — Honestly, I don’t want to leave ever. I want this to be my one and only home, and even thinking about what happens after basketball is done.”

“I don’t want to leave ever. I want this to be my one and only home” – Steph on the Bay Area pic.twitter.com/aWHLidy8b1

— NBC Sports Bay Area & CA (@NBCSAuthentic) July 27, 2022

Curry signed a four-year max extension last summer and won’t hit the free agent market until 2026, when he’s 38-years-old. The happiness that will come with playing Golden State comes with one caveat; he wants to play out the final years of his career with the championship teammates that he’s gone to battle with for the last decade.

Curry reportedly wants Golden State’s front office to pay Draymond Green and Klay Thompson so they can play together, at least through the end of his current contract. The only problem is the luxury tax the Warriors will have to pay to keep Green, Thompson, Curry, Andrew Wiggins, and Jordan Poole on the team for the next three seasons. Green reportedly wants a max contract that, per multiple reports, could be in the four-year range.

The one thing that could keep the band together would be a player deciding to take a paycut. The Warriors are also in a win-and-develop mode right now as they focus on making the most out of Curry, Thompson, and Green’s remaining prime years while making sure that their young core of Poole, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga, and James Wiseman get a chance to play and be thrown the fire of playing on a championship contender team.

The post Stephen Curry Wants Golden State ‘to Be His One and Only Home’ appeared first on SLAM.

To mitigate concerns with paying the League’s luxury tax, the Warriors decided to fully invest in their win-and-develop now mentality by letting their bench mob walk in free agency and relying on their young core to compliment their championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green. Green, in particular, is reportedly set to request a max extension from Joe Lacob and Bob Meyers, per Marcus Thompson of The Athletic.

Steph Curry would not be happy if the Warriors lost Draymond Green because the team didn’t want to pay him, sources tell @ThompsonScribe and @anthonyVslater.

Curry has a desire for Green and Klay Thompson to be with him for the length of his stay. https://t.co/watYncUTw5 pic.twitter.com/0UNi0mzImq

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 27, 2022

Green has played a major role as the emotional leader and defensive anchor of Golden State’s championship teams. He’s also been a lightning rod for criticism from fans and national media for his trash-talking and physical play style. Be that as it may, Green has become the ultimate team player after winning four rings, winning the DPOY award in 2016, earning seven All-Defensive and two All-NBA team selections.

The former Michigan State Spartan is so integral to Golden State’s success that Curry would reportedly “not be happy” if the Dubs decide not to pay Green or Thompson, who is also eligible for an extension and can hit free agency in 2024.

Signing Green and Thompson to three-year deals would align their contracts with Curry, who is under contract until the summer of 2026. The critical factor will be who is most willing to take a pay cut to keep the band together and keep the Warriors championship window open for a few more seasons.

The post REPORT: Draymond Green Wants Max Extension Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Jonathan Kuminga first learned the game by watching Kobe highlights at an internet cafe in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Now at 19 years old, he’s an NBA champion. pic.twitter.com/FD8bjjSFRl

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 26, 2022

Everything you see from Kuminga, his work ethic, and his potential as a two-way lockdown star for the Warriors came from the adversity of his journey to the League. It came from Kuminga growing up watching Kobe Bryant highlights in an internet cafe in the Congo.

“It was crazy cause there’s a lot of things that you have over here that you don’t get over there. Going to the Internet cafe at an early young age, just watching Kobe, and that’s when I fell in love with basketball.” Kuminga said.

Kuminga went on say that people his age or younger that come to the States should use the presented opportunity to come here and take advantage of it.

Kuminga parlayed his high school success into becoming a part of the inaugural G League Ignite team. Kuminga went on to cement his potential as a lottery pick-level player, averaging 15.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. After his season of development with the G League Ignite, the Golden State Warriors were impressed with Kuminga enough to draft him seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

“Just me going to the G League; it was just basically like me leaving home and coming here. I think I was going to be drafted just a year after that, and it be way higher. That’s what made me go to the G League and just get ready to be professional and way ahead of everybody. The night I got drafted, my parents came over, and then I heard my name get called just to sit at the same table; I don’t think that happened since I left home. That was just a joyful time to enjoy it with my parents and my family.”

Next season, Kuminga will have a prime opportunity to become a vital piece of the Warriors’ rotation as they attempt to defend their 2022 title. The Warriors let vital members of their bench mob walk in free agency in order to focus on their develop and win now philosophy, while Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green remain on the roster.

The post How Jonathan Kuminga Learned the Game by Watching Kobe Bryant’s Highlights in Cafe in the Congo appeared first on SLAM.

Lacob had gone onto Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner’s “Point Forward Podcast” when the episode had turned to the NBA’s luxury tax system. Golden State had a total payroll of $346 million last year while paying up $170 million in luxury taxes, an NBA record.

“The hardest thing of all is navigating this luxury tax, unfortunately,” Lacob said. “I went back to New York this week for labor meetings. I’m on the committee. And you know, obviously, the league wants everyone to have a chance, and right now, there’s a certain element out there that believes we “checkbook win,” we won because we have the most salaries on our team.”

“The truth is, we’re only $40 million more than the luxury tax. Now, that’s not small, but it’s not a massive number. We’re $200 million over in total because most of that is this incredible penal luxury tax. And what I consider to be unfair, and I’m going to say it on this podcast, and I hope it gets back to whoever is listening — and obviously, it’s self-serving for me to say this, but I think it’s a very unfair system because our team is built by — all top eight players are all drafted by this team.”

The NBA forbids criticism from team owners and officials regarding League’s collective bargaining agreement with the NBAPA.

The post Warriors Owner Joe Lacob Fined $500,000 For Calling the Luxury Tax ‘Unfair’ appeared first on SLAM.

However, just because that may be true doesn’t mean that Iggy is retired to hang up his sneakers and retire. If Iguodala knows one thing at this point, it’s that he doesn’t want to be a player-coach if he returns to the Warriors this summer.

“I like basketball,” Iguodala told NBC Sports Bay Area, “I actually like training, too. Summer training is probably the hardest thing. People don’t understand that to really get ready for a season what your body has to go through.

“I’m trying to reflect on the season, enjoy it, enjoy being a champion. And if that time comes — I don’t know if it’s going to be a tough decision, but I’m ready for whatever.”

Iggy filled that role for Golden State last season, similar to what former teammate Udonis Haslem has done over the previous six seasons.

When they were teammates on the Heat, Iguodala saw firsthand how hard Haslem worked as a player-coach, being ready to play despite playing only 58 games since the 2015-2016 season, his 5 a.m. wake-up calls, and attending every practice. Iggy called it a “testament to his work ethic.” but said that he’s “got to kill” any notion that that’s what he wants to do at this late stage of his career.

“The thing that I don’t want to see misconstrued, or I don’t want the perception thrown out there, is that I’m a coach,” he said, describing himself as a businessman who plays basketball. “I don’t want to get thrown into the ‘just go coach.’ That’s not a route I’m looking forward to taking. Not at all.”

If Iggy decides to return, he most likely will be tasked with mentoring the youngest players on the Warriors once again, 20-somethings like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Jordan Poole, and the like. It’s not an easy job, but it’s a job Iguodala thrived in this past season, and it’ll be a part of the reason why Kuminga, Moody, and Poole end up stepping up and doing well when Coach Steve Kerr calls them into action this upcoming season.

The post Andre Iguodala On Continuing Career or Retiring: ‘Ready for Whatever’ appeared first on SLAM.

One of the main leaders on that team, Tony Parker, one-third of the Spurs Big Three that helped deliver four championships to San Antonio, believes that with Coach Ime Udoka leading from the sidelines, the Boston Celtics can make up for their heartbreaking Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors. It all starts with allowing 2022 to serve as a motivator to the ultimate goal of not only making it back to the Finals but winning it all.

“For the Celtics,” Parker said per The Athletic, “that’s what they have to do.”

“He was with us in those years,” Parker said. “So he can definitely take some stuff from what we had to go through. I played with him as teammates and had him as a coach. He’s been through everything with us, so he knows better than anybody how to bounce back from a tough NBA Finals loss.”

There are some big differences between those Spurs and these Celtics. For one, the core of the Celtics are all under 30, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown being 24 and 25-years-old respectively. The Spurs championship core were all well into their 30s execpt Kawhi Leonard, who won his first Finals MVP that season but was yet to become the lethal scorer he is today.

The main thing that the Celtics will have to do is continue to play like they did from the flip into 2022 until the end of the regular season, finishing the season fifth in assists per 100 posessions and forming the top-ranked defense in the Legue. Being able to lean into team play will allow the Celtics to not allow offensive lapses like they did during their run to the Finals and over the final four of the championship series against the Warriors.

Both Udoka and team president have stated that they want to see the Celtics play with “a little bit more movement,” on the court. Being able to replicate what the Spurs did during their 2014 title run will be difficult, espcially with two wings that are deadly in isolation, but in order Boston to hang their record 18th title, they might have to sacrifice those points in order to accomplish their ultimate goal.

“For me, the way we lost in 2013, it created what happened in 2014,” Parker said. “Maybe one of the best finals in NBA history. Maybe the best Spurs basketball that we played. In 2014, the way we played, the passing game, everything, we were maybe at the highest level of my whole career. It started with a tough loss in 2013.”

The post Tony Parker Thinks Boston Can Avenge Finals Loss Like Spurs Did in 2014 appeared first on SLAM.

The newest inductee to the team is Juan Toscano-Anderson, who became the first NBA player of Mexican descent to win an NBA title.

Toscano-Anderson, who played his college basketball at Marquette, contributed to two seasons of the Marquette Golden Eagles going to the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight in consecutive seasons. Toscano-Anderson wasn’t the best player on his team, so he made his most significant contributions on the defensive end.

After going undrafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, Toscano-Anderson played in Mexico, Venezuela, spent some time with the Warriors G-League team, and then made Golden State’s roster in February 2020, signing a three-year contract.

Toscano-Anderson went from averaging 8.3 points as a senior in college to NBA champion and Slam Dunk participant, making him the first player of Mexican descent to do so.

The post Juan Toscano-Anderson Becomes First Player of Mexican Descent to Win NBA Title appeared first on SLAM.

At the championship stage, there are no moral victories. For what it’s worth, nine-time champion (combined as a player and coach) Coach Steve Kerr praised the Celtics for their run to the Finals after starting the season at .500 through the first 50 games. Boston ended up winning 26 of their last 32 games and finished the regular season with the League’s best defense.

The Celtics then went through a successful revenge tour through the Eastern Conference playoffs, beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heats on their way to the Finals. Those three squads are the only other teams to beat Boston in the last three postseasons.

“I wanna say congrats to the Celtics on a great series,” Kerr said. “They were incredible. Their defensive athleticism, length, and toughness was really tough to overcome. They had us on the ropes in the series and had a tremendous season. Since I’ve been here, we lost in the Finals twice, and it’s devastating to get this far and to come up short. I got a lot of friends across that hall between Ime and Will Hardy, Damon Stoudamire, Aaron Miles, a bunch of really good friends. Guys, I’ve coached and in FIBA, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White — great group of guys.”

“I genuinely feel for them cause I know what it’s like to lose at this point. But they had an amazing run, and it’s a great series.”

Steve Kerr sends his respect to the @celtics after a tough series.#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/7dVZDJAz1S

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

For the first time in their playoff run, Boston not only lost back-to-back games after winning their first seven games after a loss, but they lost three straight for the first since late December. Turnovers played a significant part in that December losing streak, committing at least 15 in those three consecutive l’s. On Thursday, Boston coughed the ball up a season-worse 22 times.

The Celtics were 0-8 in this postseason when they turned the ball over at least 15 times. Jaylen Brown led Boston in scoring with 34 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, followed by Al Horford’s 19 points and 14 rebounds outing and Jayson Tatum’s 13 points and seven dimes on 6-18 shooting from the field.

“Offensively, we were not good this series,” said Brown, who was Boston’s leading scorer for the series with an average of 23.5 points per game. “Give credit to the Warriors. They forced us into doing stuff that we didn’t want to do, and that resulted in turnovers, et cetera. At times, we just got to be better. That’s it.”

Tatum, in particular, struggled with ball security, becoming the first player in playoff history to commit 100 turnovers. He also committed 23 turnovers in the Finals. Tatum scored 21.5 points per game in the Finals, a drop from the 27 he averaged during the regular-season. Tatum’s struggles in the Finals could be attributed to the grueling road to the Finals.

The Celtics played back-to-back Game 7’s against the Bucks and Heat, two of the most physical teams in the League. There’s also the emotional wear and tear it takes to make it to the championship stage.

Regardless, Boston’s core of Tatum, Brown, and Smart is under contract next season, and their championship window will still be open despite the significant challenges the Bucks, Heat, and Brooklyn Nets will present in Boston’s hopeful return to the Finals.

The post Steve Kerrs Praises Boston Celtics Run to the Finals: ‘They Were Incredible’ appeared first on SLAM.

The rest of Golden State’s core, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green could be seen dapping up and hugging each other, and 2015 Finals MVP and the first critical free-agent acquisition of the dynasty Warriors era, Andre Iguodala, joined in on the festivities too.

“This one is definitely different because of the three years of baggage we carried coming out of that Game 6 in 2019,” Curry said per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I can say it now; I don’t know how many teams could carry that as long as we have with the expectations of comparing us now to teams of past and make it to the mountaintop again.”

A brotherhood forged in GOLD pic.twitter.com/O65aUCMXHT

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

For Curry, Green, and Thompson, their fourth title in eight years felt a little different. It’s mainly because Golden State’s developed quite the chip on their shoulder since their kingdom collapsed following their 2019 Finals loss to the Raptors. As he celebrated in his champagne-soaked jersey, Curry could be seen asking no one in particular, “what else are they gonna say?”

"What are they gon say now" -Stephen Curry

Celebration Time #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/Tg5Adi73tz

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

The 2022 Finals MVP and Thompson were on top of the championship dias, getting ready for an embrace, when Thompson blurted out, “All we do is shoot threes and win championships.”

Most importantly, the signature depth that led the Warriors to so much success since 2015 reemerged during this run to the 2022 title.

“This is a collective season,” Thompson said. “Strength in numbers is alive and well.”

“All we do is shoot threes and win championships… I love you brother!”@KlayThompson x @StephenCurry30 pic.twitter.com/bAKemr80kf

— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022

Speaking of “Strength in Numbers,” Thompson perhaps had the biggest chip on his shoulder since he’s returned from not playing basketball for over 940 days. He took it personally when Jaren Jackson Jr. trolled the Warriors after the Grizzlies beat them in the regular season in March.

“I can’t wait; there is this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted ‘strength in numbers’ after they beat us in the regular season, and it pissed me off so much,” Thompson angrily said. “I can’t wait to retweet that thing—frigging bum. I had to watch that, like this frigging — okay, okay. Sorry. Bad memory just popped up. Going to mock us? Like, you ain’t ever been there before, Bro. We been there. We know what it takes. Hold that. Twitter fingers, can you believe it? “I’ve got a memory like an elephant; I don’t forget.”

"I can't wait to retweet that thing. Freakin' bum."

Klay's been keeping receipts pic.twitter.com/WJReCAVukK

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 17, 2022

That the Warriors were able to turn these perceived slights into fuel for a championship run isn’t unusual. The greatest NBA dynasties, players, and teams have been able to turn it on after the proverbial bear was poked. Curry, Thompson, and the Warriors are just the latest to join the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as the all-time champs of petty.

The basketball gods have certainly given the Warriors grace as their dynasty went through its ups and downs. Becoming the first team to go from the League’s worst record in 2020 to a championship in a three-year span speaks a lot to their resilience and championship DNA.

“You get goosebumps just thinking about, you know, all those snapshots and episodes that we went through to get back here, individually, collectively,” Curry said. “And that’s why I said I think this championship hits different. That’s why I have so many emotions, and still will, just because of what it took to get back here.”

After a grueling season, the Warriors can kick their feet up and appreciate what it means to be champs again. It’ll be a few months before the Warriors will likely have to find another collection of slights to help inspire them to another championship run.

The post Fourth Title in Eight Years Feels ‘Different’ For Golden State’s Championship Core appeared first on SLAM.

Not only have the Warriors won their fourth title since 2015, but Curry won the 2022 NBA Finals MVP for the first time in his storied career. Curry finished Game 6 with 34 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, along with two steals and one block on 12-21 shooting from the field, knocking down 6-11 three-pointers to break his uncharacteristic streak of 10 straight missed triples.

4x Champ
2x MVP
8x All-Star
8x All-NBA
2x Scoring Champ
No. 1 All-Time 3’s Made
2022 NBA Finals MVP

The Chef’s resume is ridiculously extensive.

: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/QkjX7BGNl9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry entered Thursday night with the second-most career playoff points before winning his first Finals MVP, trailing only Bryant (4,381) and Chamberlain (3,430).

“It means we won; it means we took advantage of the opportunity to get back here,” Curry said during a postgame interview with Lisa Salters of ESPN. “We hear all the chatter; at the end it’s about what we do on the floor. Ain’t gotta talk about just gotta go do it, and that’s what this is about.”

It’s about damn time. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/LAiEBVoowa

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

The Warriors’ run to the ’22 title led by Curry highlights a record-breaking season for the two-time MVP. Curry started the season grabbing the all-time record for made threes; he created the 3k club for made three, won an All-Star MVP, and got to play with Splash Brother Klay Thompson for the first time in over 900 days. Curry also became the first Warrior to pass 3000 playoff points.

When you look back, the Warriors’ season was a roller coaster as they finished the season ranked third in the Western Conference season despite a foot injury that knocked Curry out for the final weeks of the regular season.

Back on top. Your 2022 NBA World Champions.

: @MarcusA11en pic.twitter.com/HJ04P2P3X3

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Now with the season mercifully over, Curry can sit back on his reclaimed throne.

“I’m so proud of our group,” Curry said. “I thank God every day that I get to play this game at the highest level with some amazing people.”

“You know this is what it’s all about — playing for a championship and what we’ve been through the last three years, beginning of the season, no one thought we’d be here except everybody on this court right now. It’s amazing. It’s very surreal, though, very surreal.”

Blood, sweat and tears.

: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/rv4PhdFfxe

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Game 6 was a game of runs; Boston raced out to a 12-2 run after making four of their first six shots, including two three-pointers from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But the Warriors went on a game-altering 21-0 run in the first half to bust the game wide and give themselves a 21-point cushion after a Thompson three-pointer.

Tatum stopped the bleeding and stopped the bleeding with a layup, but the Warriors had already thrown the first haymaker of the night. Oh yeah, and Chef Curry finally hit a three after missing his first attempt from the field.

Damn Stephen… (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/jGdIka9ZMk

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Boston was able to pick up some major runs in the second half, cutting the deficit to within nine points after unleashing a 12-2 run, highlighted by a nasty and-1 over Thompson and Jordan Poole. However, Boston was never able to get any closer than that.

No moment was more significant than the 29-footer Curry buried to give Golden State a 22-point lead with 6:15 left in the third quarter. To top it off, Curry pointed right to his right ring finger like Aaron Donald did throughout the Los Angeles Rams run to the Super Bowl in February.

The Chef wants #4. pic.twitter.com/tO7H1adzcB

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

Curry couldn’t have gone the night without hitting his clutch silencer, putting the Celtics to sleep and sending his teammates, particularly Poole, into a frenzy as the Warriors grabbed a 96-81 lead with a little over three minutes to go in the game.

GOODNIGHT. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/dkNo4Pv8lf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 17, 2022

“We were so far away from it,” Curry said when asked why this title means so much. “We were here for five straight years and got three of them; then we hit rock bottom with injuries, then the long road of work ahead and just trying to fill in the right pieces and right guys. You could never take this for granted cause you never know when you’ll be back here. To get back here and get it done means the world.”

In six games against the Celtics, Curry averaged 31.2 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He shot 48 percent from the field and 44 percent from beyond the arc. Curry’s Final MVP performance has put him in some exclusive company. Curry joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players to win an MVP, Finals MVP, All-Star Game MVP, and a scoring title per ESPN.

The post Stephen Curry Claims First-Ever NBA Finals MVP appeared first on SLAM.

Silver has already missed Game 5 due to the same issue.

If the Golden State Warriors win Game 6 tonight, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will present the championship trophy in Adam Silver’s absence, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/W45jf0SKTs

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 16, 2022

Should the Warriors win Thursday’s Game 6, Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum will present Golden State with Larry O’Brien Trophy and the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP, according to Woj.

Silver has been the NBA’s commissioner since February 2014. This is the ninth championship series the league has held during his tenure, including the 2020 season that took place in the Orlando Bubble.

The post Adam Silver Set to Miss Game 6 Due to Health and Safety Protocols appeared first on SLAM.

But Draymond Green apparently doesn’t see the 2022 Finals against Boston as fierce as previous challenges, such as defeating LeBron James in the NBA Finals. Green opened about the mental hurdles it takes to defeat James per the Athletic:

“It doesn’t compare to mentally playing against LeBron James, who I think is arguably the smartest guy to ever play this game,” Green said. “Not one of; he is arguably the smartest guy to set foot on a basketball court. To say that it compares to that, it’s disrespectful to LeBron, and it’s a lie to you.”

Green, a three-time champion with the Warriors, had to defeat the four-time Finals MVP in three of his five NBA Finals appearances to secure his rings. Green’s first Finals loss came from the infamous 2016 Finals, where Golden State blew a 3-1 lead, and the second loss came against Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals.

The Warriors and the James-led Lakers have also met in the 2021 play-in tournament for the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs. James ultimately led the Lakers to a win after hitting a clutch fadeaway three to secure the Lakers’ date with the Suns in the first-round of the playoffs.

Green did acknowledge that Boston is challenging in their own way, per Yahoo Sports:

“Now, in saying that, they do have a guy over there in Marcus Smart who is extremely smart, who it’s like a chess match going up against him. He is kind of the brain of that team. I think every team you kind of have that guy,” That’s the brain of that team, and they have that in Marcus Smart, a guy who I have a tremendous amount of respect for and his basketball IQ. So it’s a challenge for sure. Ime [Udoka, Celtics coach] is extremely smart. We know his pedigree.”

Green and the Warriors will look to wrap things up in Thursday’s Game Six in Beantown. If Boston wins Game 6, the series will shift to San Francisco for a win-or-go-home Game 7 in Chase Center.

The post Draymond Green Speaks On Facing LeBron James Versus Closing Boston appeared first on SLAM.

"I couldn't imagine sharing this journey with anyone else. We've built this thing from the ground up…"

Draymond Green on his relationship with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. pic.twitter.com/UKJczE3ZNs

— NBA (@NBA) June 15, 2022

Since the 2012-2013 campaign, the Warriors have only missed the playoff once in the 2019-2020 season after the departure of two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant and the absence of Thompson due to a torn ACL. The Warriors qualified for the play-in tournament, but they ultimately ran outta stamp in losses to the Lakers and Grizzlies.

This past season, Golden State (53-29) finished third in the Western Conference and ran through the Denver Nuggets, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the Dallas Mavericks to make it back to the Finals for the sixth time, this time for a date with the Boston Celtics.

The time between the Warriors’ last Finals appearances has been well documented. Green, Curry, and Thompson have endured a lot, especially Thompson, who didn’t play a game for 941 days after suffering a torn Achilles during the 2020 offseason. Curry broke his hand in 2019-2020, leaving Green out there without the Splash Brothers for the first time in what seemed like forever.

Going into Game 6 of the Finals, Green expressed his gratitude for the Splash Brothers.

“I couldn’t imagine sharing this journey with anyone else. We’ve built this thing from the ground up.”

The core of the Warriors has a chance to close out the Finals on Thursday’s Game 6 and win their fourth title since 2015.

The post Draymond Green Speaks About His Relationship With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson appeared first on SLAM.

On Monday, Wiggins didn’t need to be the alpha dog to save the Warriors from a dismal performance from Curry. The 2015 Rookie of the Year finished Game 5 with 26 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. It was the type of performance that reminds you why Wiggins was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Most importantly, it gave the Warriors a 3-2 series lead and pushed them to within one win of a title.

“We knew we needed his athleticism and defense and his versatility,” Kerr said per Sports Illustrated. “We had no idea that he would make this kind of contribution. But I think it’s a reminder that for almost every player in the NBA, circumstances are everything. You kind of need to find the right place, the right teammates, that kind of stuff. Wiggs has been a great fit.”

HOW’S THE AIR UP THERE WIGGS? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dR3ehMFnft

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

After Wiggins helped lead the Warriors to a pivotal win, his teammates gave him his flowers. Draymond Green gave Wiggins particular kudos with an enthralling story he told reporters about the 2022 All-Star. Green said the Warriors knew that they could trust Wiggins to deliver in big moments based on the belief the notoriously demanding Knicks Coach Tom Thibodeau had in Wiggins.

What really punctuated the moment was the fact that the equally demanding Jimmy Butler raved about Wiggins despite his ugly and infamous departure from Minnesota in 2018.

“I mean that trust has been building for two and a half years now since he got here. A lot of people looked at the trade as it’s another piece that they can move,” Green told reporters. “And we looked at the trade from the very beginning like that is a guy who can fit next to a healthy group absolutely well. When he first came here, and I’ll never forget, it’s when Thibs wasn’t with the Knicks, and Thibs was like, ‘you guys are going to love him. He competes, he defends’ — and he was telling us Jimmy (Butler) loved him, and we all know how Jimmy Butler is, if you got any softness to you Jimmy don’t like you. That’s just how Jimmy is cut, and he’s continued to show that, he’s continued to get better, he’s taken on every challenge that we’ve thrown in front of him, and it’s huge, and we need him to do it for one more win.”

Draymond Green on the trust they have in Andrew Wiggins. Some great perspective, and even something Tom Thibodeau told the Warriors after the trade happened: pic.twitter.com/imd2iWZDB7

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) June 14, 2022

Wiggins has averaged 16.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game on 47.4 percent shooting from the field in 20 games this postseason. Wiggins has thrived as a two-way player in Golden State’s vaunted system and will play a key role in guarding Tatum and being a security blanket late in the shot clock as a capable off-the-bounce bucket.

The Finals shifts to Boston for Thursday’s Game 6, and the Celtics will likely play with force and urgency to tie the series back and force a do-or-die Game 7 back in San Francisco.

The post Draymond Green Raves About Andrew Wiggins After Game 5 appeared first on SLAM.

But in Game 5, Curry’s rocketship of momentum came back down to earth after finishing Monday night’s game with 16 points on 7-22 shooting from the field, including missing all nine of his three-point attempt.

Coach Steve Kerr wasn’t surprised that Curry ended up having an off night.

“I think Steph was probably due for a game like this,” Kerr said per NBCSports. “He’s been shooting the ball so well. At some point, he’s going to have a tough night. But we’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of depth that can make up for that. And our guys did a good job of that tonight.” 

Chef with the layyy. (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/w0V7NJ4Myp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

Up until Game 5, Curry knocked multiple triples down in 38 straight playoff games, including 132 games with at least one three made. Curry has made at least one three in 233 consecutive games between the regular season and postseason. The credit goes to Boston’s defense, wearing the two-time MVP with different defensive looks, and not allowing Curry to walk into his three-point attempts like he was able to in the previous four games.

"Warriors"

The energy from inside the Chase Center pic.twitter.com/t0cgxUsRZF

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2022

However, Golden State proved that they could win even if Curry weren’t playing at a superhero level. Andrew Wiggins scored a team-high 26 points and 13 rebounds, Klay Thompson finished with 21 points, and Jordan Poole contributed 14 points, including three to beat the third-quarter buzzer to steal the momentum going into the final frame.

“Steph is the best to ever shoot it — everyone in this building, including the fans and those watching, believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips,” Thompson said.

"Steph is the best to ever shoot it… everyone in this building including the fans and those watching believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips."

Klay Thompson on Steph Curry's shooting struggles in Game 5. pic.twitter.com/kAi9pn6spM

— NBA (@NBA) June 14, 2022

The Golden State Warriors are just one win away from claiming their first title since 2015. The Warriors’ 104-94 point win also snapped Boston’s 7-0 record after a loss.

The post Steve Kerr: Stephen Curry ‘Due’ For Rough Outing appeared first on SLAM.

Instead of allowing Curry’s slow night to deter him and his Warriors teammates, Maple Jordan showed up and showed out, finishing the Warrior’ 104-94 win over the Celtics with 26 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

“Attacking the rim,” Wiggins said after being asked what felt good about his offense in a postgame TV interview with ESPN’s Lisa Salter. “I felt like I got a lot going on early and got in that mindset to stay aggressive and stay attacking.”

Wiggs is so damn smooth.
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/T9unmLqnet

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

The Warriors, now up 3-2 in the Finals, are a game away from winning their fourth title since 2015, extending their home record to 11-1 and giving Boston their first back-to-back postseason losses.

It was Wiggins, and Draymond Green (seven rebounds and six assists) who set the tone of Game 5, playing with a burst of energy as Green was making plays on both sides of the game, scoring all eight of his points in the first half, throwing down a two-handed dunk for safety after faking a handoff to Klay Thompson (21 points and three rebounds)to give Golden State a 12-4 lead nearly five minutes into the game.

Draymond said see ya. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/5nhY04ZIIr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

Wiggins scored 16 points in the first half, helping the Warriors grab an 11-point lead heading into the second quarter. Boston could cut that lead to six as Curry sat, but once he re-entered the game with seven minutes to go, Golden State’s offense opened up, and the Warriors led 51-39 at halftime.

Once halftime came and went, Boston woke up and smothered the Warriors’ offense as they jumped out to a 19-4 run to grab their first lead of an Al Horford (nine points and nine rebounds) triple. However, that dominant Celtics run was answered by Thompson and Jordan Poole (14 points), who hit a pair of threes apiece, including a buzzer-beater that stole the momentum while giving Golden State a one-point lead at the end of three quarters.

Thompson, Poole, and Wiggins continued to push that momentum forward with a 10-0 run to start the final frame. By the time Curry returned with 7:44 left on the clock, the Warriors had held an eight-point lead that Boston would never cut into.

“I’m just trying to do every little thing to win,” Wiggins said. “That’s it. Whether I gotta score, rebound, defend, anything I’m asked to do on the court or to help, I’m going to do.”

Quick Poole Party at the end of the third. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/tKBEI87s8l

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

The former No. 1 overall pick scored 10 points in the fourth on 5-6 shooting. His consistent effort defensively and in the rebounding effort meant everything on a night Curry only scored 16 points and eight dimes on 7-22 shooting.

Wiggs be soaring. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/4IP5Zvqgej

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

This time, the Warriors’ secondary players delivered when Curry rested to start the fourth quarter. Thompson, Poole, and Wiggins contributed heavily to Golden State’s 10-0 run to start the quarter. His poster on Derrick White cemented his big-time performance with a little over two minutes left in the game.

“We’re here, we’re hungry, and we want this. The team that wants it the most can get it, and we want it.”

HOW’S THE AIR UP THERE WIGGS? (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/dR3ehMFnft

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 14, 2022

Golden State looks to close the series out on Thursday at the TD Garden. Should the Warriors lose, Game 7 will be in San Francisco.

“I’m excited. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, something I’ve worked hard for; this whole team worked hard for. So I’m excited; I can’t wait.”

The post Andrew Wiggins After Game 5: ‘We’re Hungry and We Want This’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania, Wiseman could be ready to go for NBA Summer League as he nears clearance for full-contact basketball activities.

Wiseman hasn’t been on an NBA floor since April 4, 2021, when he played six minutes in a win over Houston, but hasn’t appeared since due to knee troubles. Wiseman flew to London to receive plasmic injection treatments with Warriors GM Bob Meyers and has been progressing ever since, per the Athletic:

“Wiseman underwent an orthobiologic injection during a multiday trip to London with Warriors general manager Bob Myers in April, multiple sources told The Athletic, as both sides worked to find a way to promote healing in the knee. The plasma-rich injection in Wiseman’s arm was a therapeutic treatment used to increase healing throughout the body.

A torn meniscus cut Wiseman’s rookie season short, and he had surgery to repair it in April 2021 under the belief he would return in the middle of the 2021-22 season. But persistent swelling led to multiple setbacks and a December knee scope, eventually persuading the Warriors to shut down Wiseman and his decision to go the orthobiologic route.”

Having played in 39 NBA games, Wiseman holds career averages of 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds on 51.9 percent shooting from the field (31.6 percent from distance). Wiseman is included in a young core of Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody behind the leading group of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green to maintain Golden State’s stranglehold on the Western Conference.

Wiseman’s upcoming summer will be critical for his career. Golden State will be hosting the California Classic on July 2 and 3, giving Wiseman his first big opportunity to return to play before heading out to Las Vegas.

The post REPORT: Warriors Optimistic James Wiseman Can Play in Summer League appeared first on SLAM.

Stephen Curry finished Game 4 with 43 points and 10 rebounds, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to stamp the Warriors’ comeback from five points down. Curry has scored at least 30 in the last three games and has led the series in scoring with 137 total points. Curry is scoring 31.3 points per game in the Finals.

” A lot of our pride in our group,” Curry said after ESPN’s Lisa Salters asked him how he felt about the win. ” A lotta talk over the last 48 hours about how we can get back in the series and win in this building, finally figured out the fourth quarter, get some stops, and execute on the other, but it’s crazy because I still feel like we can play just a little bit better but to win on the road and get home-court advantage back — big for this group.”

Talk yo shit Stephen.

43 PTS
10 REB
7-14 3PM

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/qN5MoiLcS8

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

Curry and Jayson Tatum (23 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists) dueled bucket for bucket in the first quarter, with both All-Stars scoring 12 in the first. However, the Celtics were able to leave the opening frame with a 28-27 advantage, with Boston pushing its lead to 54-49 by halftime.

Simply spectacular, Chef. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/uIJgxgrWaG

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

Going into the second half of Game 4, the Warriors outscored the Celtics by 49 in the third quarter, while the Celtics outscored the Warriors by 40+ in the fourth. This time around, the third quarter trend for Golden State continued after the Warriors won the third by four points as Curry dropped 14 in the third and grabbed a 79-78 going into the final frame.

KYP – Gary Payton II. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/IRqChzFSq9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

Golden State reversed its fourth-quarter fortunes and outscored the Celtics by a 28-19 margin.

The Boston Celtics led by as many as five in the final frame at one point but Behind Curry’s 10 points, Golden State was able to win as they outscored Boston 17-3 over the final 5:15 of the game, including a decisive 10-0 run that turned a four-point deficit into a 100-95 Golden State lead after Curry knocked down the last of his seven three-pointers.

“Been here six times, got a lot of experience in terms of staying composed and confident in what you can do, the endurance in being able to fight through the foot (injury) and just play my game for (40) minutes I’m out there,” Curry said. “I’m just thankful for everybody on our team cause they brought a lot of toughness tonight and physicality to get off to a better start which allowed us to stay in the game and then go win it at the end.”

With the stroke of a flamethrower. (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/Y0igtfZYeq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 11, 2022

With the Finals tied at 2-2 heading back to San Francisco, the Finals turn into a best-of-three series. If it comes down to it, Golden State holds home-court advantage for a do-or-die Game 7.

The post Stephen Curry Drops 43 to Tie Finals Up At 2 Games Apiece appeared first on SLAM.

A significant source of contention from NBA luminaries like Isiah Thomas and Kendrick Perkins is Green’s regular podcasting during the playoffs. The two NBA champions have questioned if Green’s apparent lack of focus and pondered could be attributed to his recording episodes of The Draymond Green Podcast so soon after playoff games are finished.

Even Coach Ime Udoka and the Celtics have found time to dissect Green’s podcast, using Green’s content to help them scout the Warriors, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

So what’s Green’s response to all these inquiries?

“Y’all gone get this podcast like I told y’all the beginning of these playoffs,” Green declared. “This podcast ain’t going nowhere.”

“Y’all gone get this podcast. Win, lose, draw. Hoisting the trophy, putting my ring on my finger, you name it.”

Draymond Green goes off on the recent criticism of his podcast. pic.twitter.com/VAm8jNjdbc

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) June 9, 2022

Green’s media responsibilities have grown in the last few months. In January, he signed a unique deal with TNT that would allow him to be a contributor for their iconic NBA show, Inside the NBA. To clarify, Green doesn’t get tired of talking his talk on the court, on his podcast, or TV. Like he said, “y’all gon’ get this podcast.”

“It’s all business, you know? The way I view my podcast is that I’m operating a business. Like, you can’t get tired of operating your own business, or it fails. So, it’s something that I take as serious as I do basketball. And so, if I’m going to show up for the game, I show up for (the podcast), or it doesn’t work.”

Green also goes into detail about how he operates as a podcaster, reitterating that building his audience, gaining their trust as a player in media, and making sure his audience gets the most for investing their time into listening to him. The former Michigan State Spartan also said this is all something he feels he is obligated to do.

“Ultimately, it’s understanding what’s important to you. My podcast is important to me. I’ve worked to get that to where it is and to build that audience. And I think it’s very important for me in understanding and building that audience you have to continue to give to them, you know? They’re giving you their ear. They’re giving you their time, and so you have to continue to give what you can give to them. For me, that’s an obligation more so than a want. I want to do it, and I enjoy doing it. But at the end of the day, if you’ve built an audience, and they’ve given you their ear and they’ve given you their time, you appreciate that, and you make sure you give back to them what they’re giving to you.”

Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, and Boston leads the series with a 2-1 lead over Golden State. The series then shifts to San Francisco for Game 5.

The post Draymond Green Taking Podcasting As ‘Serious As I Do Basketball’ appeared first on SLAM.

At this point in the season, with everything on the line, that’s what basketball and team sports are really all about. Who has the mental toughness, health, and confidence to drag their teammates across the finish line to win a championship?

The Warriors’ Kevon Looney says these Finals against Celtics nearing rivarly mode of old Cavs series. Whoa whoa whoa…could that be true? ⁦@TheAthleticNBA⁩ https://t.co/yO6GP7nGYd

— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) June 10, 2022

In Kevon Looney’s opinion, the intensity of this Finals series between Boston and Golden State is what births excellent rivalries.

“That’s what makes it fun, makes it special,” Looney said Thursday per The Athletic. “That is what builds rivalries.”

To hear Looney, who has played all seven of his season with the Warriors, compare the Warriors-Celtics series to some of Golden State’s previous battles, like their battles with Cleveland, is fascinating.

The Cavs and Warriors played against each other in four consecutive Finals series and three straight times on Christmas days. Playing that often on the big stage is sure to garner some bitterness and helps build tension that could match the legendary Lakers-Celtics matchup or the mutual hatred Chicago and the Bad Boy Pistons have for each other.

“It’s right up there,” Looney said. “I’ve been here for a long time with the Warriors. We’ve played Houston a lot of times that got chippy. Playing Cleveland every year in the finals, it was real intense.”

The intensity and physicality of the Finals thus far seem to stem from the antics of Draymond Green. The 2016 Defensive Player of the Year has already drawn a tech after mixing it up with Grant Williams in Game 2. In some eyes, he was dangerously close to getting another after a dust-up later with Jaylen Brown in the first half of the same game.

Green embraced being the bully that game and his reputation as the hard-charging do-everything enforcer of the Warriors precedes him. However, Boston responded in Game 3 and bullied the bully. Boston punched Golden State often and early, dominating the inside as they put Green and Stephen Curry in foul trouble, preventing them from keeping or even establishing their rhythm early.

To top it all off, when Green fouled out after pushing Marcus Smart off Curry, who looked to have tweaked his regular-season ending sprained foot during a late scramble for a loose ball, the Celtics faithful rained down thunderous “F— you, Draymond” chants on the emotional leader of the Warriors.

Boston fan or not, though, Green is doing everything NBA fans are used to seeing him do in the Finals. The reactions from both sides are interesting to see; Green’s wife taking issue isn’t surprising, especially when you have your kids with you. But Klay Thompson calling out Boston for being “classy” is even more interesting.

After playing at least a decade in the NBA, Green and Thompson came up together in the League and have surely heard worse. At this point, Finals vets like Green and Thompson know that playing at the championship stage draws a little something more out of not just your opponent but their fans too.

“Not the worst things I’ve heard,” Williams said.

“Some of those chants, you just accept,” Williams said. “Some people respond to them well; some embrace them. Others, they shy away from them — Especially if you’re on the road, like, you’re going to get that no matter where you go. You walk down the street; you’re going to get something like that.

“For me, it’s like, you got to accept it.”

This year’s Finals do indeed have an edge to them. When it comes to team x and team y having a grudge with one another, it’s more likely you see the upstart Grizzlies and veteran Warriors developing a rivalry than Golden State and Boston. Memphis and Golden State have faced off in the playoffs in consecutive years, with both sides playing increasingly physical with each other.

Warriors fans and players have a grudge against Dillon Brooks; Memphis will remember Curry’s “Whoop that Trick” retort and Green’s hard fouls too.

The closest thing that the Warriors-Celtics series has to that is whatever is brewing between Green and Williams. The two have had to be separated a few times this series for getting tangled up and talking at each other. The intensity between the two seems to be fueled by Williams’ comments saying he used to admire Green while playing college ball at Tennessee.

During Game 2, Green could be heard telling Williams, “You’re not me; you want to be me.”

“When a guy comes and starts … when you say that and then you start talking junk to me, then yes, I’m going to say something about that,” Green said. “I didn’t say anything about that in Game 1 because he wasn’t talking to me. I’m not going to go watch his press conference where he gives me props, where he appreciates my game, and then go throw it in his face.

“Once he starts going at me, and it got chippy, and he’s yap, yap, yap — all right, bro, you can’t say that and then come and say this.”

With Friday’s Game 4 approaching, according to Looney, Draymond Green hasn’t allowed his teammates to be friendly with the Celtics.

“He makes sure that there ain’t no friends on the court,” Looney said. “Ain’t no helping nobody up, none of that extra stuff. We follow his lead in that regard. It’s been like that since I’ve been here.”

Down 2-1, they can’t afford to be friendly with their opponents, it’s do-or-die time, and the Warriors can’t afford to lose with the series shifting back to San Francisco for Game 5. Green will have to respond and play with an intensity similar to Game 2 and set the tone early in Game 4. Warriors fans have to hope that Curry stays off his left foot and treats it around the clock and that Thompson can record a second consecutive notable performance as the Robin to Curry’s Batman.

The post Kevon Looney On Scrappy NBA Finals: ‘That Is What Builds Rivalries’ appeared first on SLAM.

After a dismal Game 3 performance that coincided with Golden State surrendering a 2-1 series lead to Boston, Draymond Green proved the old saying correct, bluntly saying he played “like sh*t” when asked how he felt played. The former Michigan State Spartan finished the Warriors’ 116-100 loss with two points, four rebounds, and three assists before fouling out in 35 minutes of action.

“Just think I never found a rhythm, really on both ends of the floor,” Green said, “Not enough force, but just gotta find a rhythm quicker.”

Reporter: "How do you feel you played?"

Draymond Green: "Like shit." pic.twitter.com/rR1D1NgRg7

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) June 9, 2022

Green’s performance differed sharply from Game 2, where the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year set the tone as Golden State’s resident enforcer and bully. Green forced a jump ball just seconds into the first quarter. He got into the face of Grant Williams, drawing a tech, and was seen jaw jackin’ with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum throughout the game.

That version of Draymond Green was nowhere to be seen in Game 3 aside from a brief, tense interaction he had with Williams in the second quarter. In fact, Boston bullied the bully and dominated the inside, outscoring Golden State 52-26 in the paint. Boston also outrebounded the Warriors by a 47-31 margin, including grabbing nine more offensive boards that led to the Celtics scoring 22 second-chance points.

“I was soft,” Green said. “That’s what was most disappointing to me.”

Green’s up-and-down Finals performances are compounded by the fact that he’s allowing 1.24 points per play when he’s the direct defender, the worse he’s allowed in any playoff series since 2014, per Second Spectrum.

In the NBA Finals, Draymond Green is allowing 1.24 points per play when he’s the direct defender, which is his worst of any playoff series since 2013-14, per @SecondSpectrum. pic.twitter.com/f3No6dgSbY

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 9, 2022

Coach Steve Kerr said the expectation is for Green to bounce back heading into Friday’s Game 4 in TD Garden, playing a significant role in hopefully helping Golden State tie the series up at 2-2 as the series shifts back to San Francisco.

“I trust Draymond as much as I trust anybody,” Coach Steve Kerr said per Yahoo Sports. “You know, he always bounces back from losses and from tough nights individually. He’ll be back on Friday.”

The post Draymond Green Remains His Toughest Critic After Tough Game 3 Outing appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors are optimistic that Curry will be ready to go for Friday’s Game 4 in TD Garden.

The Golden State Warriors and their fans will have to wait until Thursday for an update on Stephen Curry’s health status.

The two-time MVP suffered the injury late in the fourth quarter while diving for a loose ball. Replay showed that Al Horford accidentally fell on Curry while the two vets scrambled for the ball. The play resulted in Curry staying on the floor wincing in pain before he got up and walked around in an attempt to walk off the injury.

Steph appeared to be in pain after scrambling for a ball late in the fourth quarter pic.twitter.com/nRkBaWfCSA

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 9, 2022

Curry remained in the game before Coach Steve Kerr pulled him and the rest of Golden State’s starters with a little over two minutes left.

“The injury didn’t force him out of the game, but I took him out down 14 with two minutes left because we weren’t going to catch up,” Kerr said. “We will know more tomorrow.”

Curry revealed that he had pain in his foot but was hopeful he could play in Friday’s Game 4 during his postgame press conference with reporters.

Curry finished Game 3 with 31 points on 12-22 shooting from the field and 6-11 from distance in 37 minutes of action. The eight-time All-Star made history as the first player in NBA history to record three straight games with five-plus made triples multiple times in his career.

“I got caught — obviously in some pain, but I’ll be all right,” Curry said. “See how it feels tomorrow and get ready for Friday.”

Stephen Curry has now recorded 3 straight #NBAFinals games with 5+ 3PM.

Curry is the only player in NBA History to accomplish this multiple times in his career. #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/5HImNztSWK

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 9, 2022

Game 4 is scheduled for Friday, which doesn’t give Curry much time to recover from the foot injury. The record holder for made three-pointers plays a considerable role in keeping the Warriors’ offense humming. If he’s not at 100 percent, it may hinder Golden State from being able to tie the series back up at 2-2 as the series shifts back to San Francisco.

“We need him if we want to win this thing,” Thompson added. “I know Steph is going to do everything he can in his power to play. I am really hoping he’s okay because he’s our identity, and without him, it will be very difficult.

The post REPORT: Stephen Curry Avoids Major Injury to His Left Foot appeared first on SLAM.

Jaylen Brown (27 points, nine rebounds, five assists) and Jayson Tatum (26 points, six rebounds, nine assists) combined to score 53 points for the night. Brown scored 22 points in the first half to kick off the festivities, while Tatum took over Boston’s scoring duties and dropped 15 points in the second half.

Jayson to Jaylen (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/eZ6lBAdzlr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Boston grabbed their 2-1 lead over Golden State by throwing the first punch and bullying the bully. Namely, Boston took Draymond Green (two points, four boards, three dimes) out of the game and forced him to foul out in 35 minutes.

The Celtics outplayed the Boston on the inside, outscoring the Warriors in the paint, 52-26. As a team, the Celtics outrebounded the Warriors 47-31, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds, which turned into 22 second-chance points.

“Game 2, they brought the heat to us,” said Marcus Smart (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists). “For us, that left a bad taste in our mouth because what we hang our hat on is effort on the defensive end and being a physical team. It definitely woke us up a little bit.”

For the series, the Warriors have outscored the Celtics by 43 points in the third frame. A seven-point swing highlighted their third quarter after Stephen Curry (31 points, four rebounds, two assists, including 15 in the third) knocked down a three-pointer as he was fouled by Al Horford (11 points, eight rebounds, six assists).

Horford’s foul was ruled flagrant because he didn’t give Curry any room to land. After Curry sank the subsequent free throw, Otto Porter Jr. (six points and four rebounds) hit a three-pointer to complete the seven-point sequence.

ANNDDD ONNEEEEE! (via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/bSZhs14X5v

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Curry hit another three just a minute later to give Golden State its first lead since 17 seconds into the first quarter. Boston did just enough at the end of the third and clung to a 93-89 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“It’s all about how you respond. We didn’t hold our head down or anything. We called a timeout, figured it out, and made winning plays.”

The Celtics kept their composure and responded to Golden State’s dominant run with a 9-2 run to open the final frame that extended their lead to 11 points. The Warriors were unable to cut the deficit to any closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Tatum scored eight points, followed by Smart’s eight before Coach Ime Udoka pulled Bostons started with two minutes left in the game.

“We talked about it quite a bit, our group being resilient and being able to fight through a lot of things and at times when it’s most needed being able to lock down on defense,” Udoka said. “We did in the fourth quarter,”

Takes some finesse. (via @espn) pic.twitter.com/xvmFzaPbYq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 9, 2022

Now in control of their destiny with a 2-1 lead heading into Friday’s Game 4, Boston can feel good knowing that out of the 39 previous times teams who have split the first two games of the finals, whoever won Game 3 went on to win the series 82% of the time. Also, Boston is now 7-0 after losing and has yet to lose back-to-back games in the postseason.

However, neither has Golden State. In fact, Golden State has won at least one road in every playoff series since the first round of the 2013 playoffs. The Warriors will have to extend that streak to win their fourth title since 2015. After Boston bullied the bully that is Golden State, the question is who will take on that bully role on Friday.

The post Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum Lead Boston to Game 3 Win appeared first on SLAM.

After 13 seasons in the League, Curry has started to earn acclaim for his impact on the defensive side of the ball. Long are the days when Coach Steve Kerr would hide him on defense. Curry has had key moments engaging high-scoring wings and guards in the most significant moments of the game.

Steph was so happy when he got called a two-way player pic.twitter.com/uQ4L3QWCbS

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) May 16, 2022

At this stage, winning the 2022 title takes figuring out how best to take advantage of your opponents’ weaknesses. The Warriors made switch-happy defenses famous in the League eight years ago, and now offenses have countered the switch by running actions to get their best offensive threat against the weakest defender on the floor.

Curry is no longer a go-to target when opponents run pick-and-rolls to create those mismatches. At 34-years-old, he’s acquired the basketball IQ, quick hands, and added bulk that has made him one of the Warriors’ most important defenders and presents Boston with the problem of figuring out who they can exploit when they run pick-and-rolls.

“Teams used to try to call Steph into every action and just try to pick on him, but that doesn’t work anymore,” Draymond Green said per The San Francisco Chronicle. “He’s able to hold his ground, so you’re not able to bump him off his spot, and that’s been huge for us. I’m not shocked he’s playing that type of defense.”

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With Curry evolving into a stronger perimeter and team defender, the Boston Celtics are prone to offensive droughts. The Celtics have had to deal with a fearsome seven-man rotation of stars in their two-way role in former Defensive Player of the Year Green, effective positional defender Kevon Looney, former All-Defensive teamer Klay Thompson as starters can deploy ball-hawk Gary Payton II, and the savvy Otto Porter Jr. off the bench.

After Jayson Tatum knocked down a three-pointer to cut Golden State’s lead to six late in the third quarter, the Celtics were subsequently overwhelmed and allowed the Warriors to unleash a 19-2 run, being outscored 35-14 on the way to a 107-88 Game 2 loss on Sunday.

Curry played his part during that dominant defensive stretch by disrupting passing lanes, communicating effectively, and smothering Tatum and Jaylen Brown on pick-and-rolls. Curry’s effort was highlighted by two plays. One where Curry muscled through a Derrick White pick-and-roll and was able to stick to White’s hip long enough that Curry forced a contested three-pointer from Marcus Smart at the end of the shot clock.

The second came when Curry walled up on Al Horford in the paint, forcing the former Florida Gator to swing the ball out to Grant Williams. Curry followed up that stop by picking Williams’ pocket. The sequence showed that Curry can’t be bullied in the low post or get exposed for making bad reads. Curry is now one of the smartest and most physically strong players on the Warriors’ roster.

Steph Curry might be best known for his offense but he’s been spectacular on defense, playing passing lanes and picking off steals in bunches!

Check out Steph’s best defensive work from this season pic.twitter.com/VwosW6PAGh

— NBA (@NBA) June 7, 2022

Curry finished the regular-season ranked second in defensive win shares. He also averaged 2.0 fouls per game in 35.4 minutes per game. Curry has a better understanding of angles and spacing now, helping him become a better rotational defender, keeping him patient while looking to force turnovers, or making it difficult for his matchup to catch the ball.

“It’s always been a point of emphasis in terms of trying to win basketball games and do your job,” Curry said of his defense. “Over the course of my career, it’s been a physical development that’s happened over time that obviously helps, a lot of work that’s gone into that.

“But at the end of the day, from my rookie year to now, it’s always been about effort and just a care factor, overcoming physical limitations with matchups or whatever it is. If you try hard, good things will happen.”

Curry being able to become a plus defender was never the expectation. The only unanimous MVP can do more on the defensive side than just guarding spot-up shooters in the corner. However, Curry remains to get attacked on pick-and-rolls. In the Western Conference Finals, part of the Dallas Mavericks’ game plan was to wear down Curry as the game went on.

The eight-time All-Star was involved in 42.4 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions. That figure is 6.1 more than any other player in the conference finals. Although his teammates and Kerr have complimented Curry’s defense, many teams, like Dallas, still see Curry as a mismatch. Curry has changed that narrative on the most prominent basketball stage, playing defense at a high level in the Finals.

“He can guard 50 screen-and-rolls a game and run 50 screen-and-rolls a game,” Kerr said. “Not many people can do that.”

The post Stephen Curry Giving Boston Problems On Both Ends of the Floor appeared first on SLAM.

That doesn’t happen without Curry being the most uniquely dominant player the NBA has ever seen. Curry will forever be known as the greatest shooter ever after breaking the record for most made three-pointers and becoming the first player to hit over 3k triples as well. After 13 seasons, there isn’t much left for Curry to conquer. The main trophy that eludes him is a Finals MVP.

Curry has won three titles in five Finals appearances. Curry perhaps had his best chance to win Finals MVP when he led the Warriors in points, assists, and minutes. The award went to Andre Iguodala instead for playing a pivotal part in turning the series around with his defense on LeBron James.

Now in his sixth Finals appearance since 2015, Curry has played like a man on a mission not only to win his fourth career title but his first Finals MVP. In the Warriors’ Game 1 loss, Curry scored 34 points, including 21 in the first quarter. In Game 2, Curry dropped 29 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals in a 107-88 win to tie the series up.

“It would mean everything because that pretty much means you’re winning the series,” Curry said on NBA Today. “You think about when Andre won when KD won his two; there’s just so much joy in that moment. No matter who wins it, there’s so much joy in that moment; you wanna be able to experience it.

And I think the context of every series changes in terms of what it’s gonna take to actually win, and I think for us to win this championship, get three more wins, and hold that Larry O’Brien trophy, I’m gonna have to keep playing the way I am and hold myself to that standard.”

Steph Curry joined @malika_andrews on NBA Today and discussed what a Finals MVP would mean to him:

“There’s just so much joy in that moment no matter what. … You want to be able to experience it.” pic.twitter.com/i6Vrl9xuB2

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 7, 2022

The Warriors have a chance to take control of the Finals with a Game 3 win on Wednesday. Neither Boston nor Golden State has lost back-to-back games in this year’s postseason, but Boston has a 5-4 record at home. Meanwhile, the Warriors have only won three games on the road. Game 3 will be a battle to the last possession, with both teams fighting to gain a 2-1 lead.

Curry will most likely be facing a Boston defense that has made adjustments to their pick-and-roll coverage to prevent Curry from taking advantage of the walk-up looks he’s gotten in Games 1 and 2. As a champion and former MVP, it’ll be up to the eight-time All-Star to respond and make sure he continues his upward progression towards winning another title and the only trophy that’s evaded him, a Finals MVP.

“That smaller trophy isn’t the motivation at all,” Curry explained. “But you know what comes with winning the big one and what it takes to do that. So I’m focused on that. The fact that I have another opportunity, and we have another opportunity to be here on this stage after the conversations over the last two to three years, that says a lot— So I’m excited about it.”

The post Stephen Curry On Winning Finals MVP: ‘It Would Mean Everything’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors sharpshooter has shot a combined 10-for-33 from the field through both games and shot 4-of-19 from the field (1-of-8 from three-point range) in Golden State’s bounce-back win over the Boston Celtics during Sunday’s Game 2. 

Realizing he’s struggling, Thompson says he’s going to watch his highlights on YouTube to get himself out of his shooting slump. Thompson was made available to the media Tuesday and was asked what his go-to search on Youtube was, to which he responded, “Game 6 Klay,” with a smile.

Ever since Thompson’s 41-point performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, the “Game 6 Klay” legend will never die. Since that game, Thompson’s always been known to show out once a series hits Game 6 (other performances include a 35-point game against the Houston Rockets in the 2018 Western Conference Finals and a 30-point showing against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals).

“I’ll probably just YouTube’ Game 6 Klay’ because there were some very high pressurized situations I was in, and I ended up shooting the ball well,” Thompson told reporters Tuesday. “When you can do it when your back’s against the wall, you know you can do it at any given moment. It’s just about keeping that mental strong.”

Draymond Green agrees with Thompson’s idea, saying a shooting slump is about “the power of the mind.”

“You just need to see the ball go in the rim. It’s not always that simple in the game, Green said. “And so if you can go back to that, just a reminder like, I know I can do that, I know what I’m capable of. I can go back, I can feel that, and it gets you to feeling good about yourself. I think that’s a very big deal.”

Regardless of what Thompson does to escape his shooting slump, the Dubs will look to bounce back in Game 3 when they face the Celtics on the road at TD Garden tomorrow night.

The post Klay Thompson Says He’s Rewatching ‘Game 6 Klay’ Tape Amid Shooting Slump appeared first on SLAM.

The technical came after Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart were whistled for back-to-back fouls on Stephen Curry in the same possession. The fouls put the Warriors into the bonus with more than half of the quarter remaining.

Udoka says he received the technical “on purpose” to gain the referees’ attention and make sure his disapproval of how the game was officiated was known.

“I just let them know how I felt, throughout the game, in a demonstrative way, on purpose to get a technical,” Udoka said following Boston’s 19-point loss.

Al Horford wasn’t surprised to see Udoka get T’d up in the third quarter.

“I could see that coming a mile away. That whole first half was definitely different,” Horford said after the game. “We knew it was going to be different. We just kind of wanted to stay the course. It is what it is. On to Game 3.”

The Celtics went on a 6-0 run following Udoka’s technical but couldn’t hold on to that momentum, as the Warriors went on a 19-2 run to close the quarter. Golden State went on to win Game 2, 107-88. The series now heads to TD Garden, where the Celtics will look to use their home-court advantage in Games 3 and 4.

The post Ime Udoka: Game 2 Technical Was ‘On Purpose’ appeared first on SLAM.

In the Warriors’ 107-88 win over the Celtics, Green finished with nine points, five rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block. But it wasn’t just his counting stats that contributed to Golden States Game 2 win. No, it was his ability to get under the collective skin of Boston.

The former Michigan State Spartan spent most of Game 2 jaw-jacking with the Celtics, flexin’ on them after tough buckets, and played with a level of intensity Golden State missed in Game 1.

Green’s motor and tenacity set the tone for the Warriors. He forced a jump ball with Al Horford during the game’s first possession. Moments later, Green drew a technical foul after drawing a foul on Grant Williams, staying in his face, and pushing him around after the call was made.

“We need that energy,” he said per The New York Times. “For me to sit back and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to push it to this edge and try to pull back,’ that don’t work. I’ve got to be me.”

Green continued to play the physical two-way, bone-crushing screen-setting and playmaking style that’s earned him plenty of admiration and ire across the League. Day-Day was close to crossing the line and drawing a second tech in the second quarter. Green contested a Jaylen Brown three-pointer hard, bowling Brown over.

Brown took exception to Green’s legs being on top of him and got up quickly as the two All-Stars got into a pushing match. The minor incident ultimately didn’t draw a second tech, which would’ve resulted in Green being ejected early in Game 2.

Stephen Curry (29 points, six rebounds, four assists on 5-12 shooting from deep) said it was clear to him after “about five minutes” after Golden State’s Game 1 loss that Green would play Sunday’s Game 2 with another level of intensity.

“He knew what he needed to do,” Curry said. “I think we talk about how some of that stuff doesn’t always show up in the stat sheet in terms of points, rebounds, assists. But you feel him in his presence, and the other team feels his presence and his intensity, and that’s contagious for all of us.”

The Warriors held the Celtics to 37.5, shooting from the field as a team. Green held Brown to 5-17 shooting as his primary defender. As the director of the Warriors’ defense, Green has gained a lot of leeway from his teammates and coaches as the Warriors won titles and lost some. He’s earned an improved ability to toe the line and play hard and press forward or pull the fire back during pivotal moments.

“I think we’re in a great mental space,” Green said. “Nobody panicked. Everybody stayed the course. And we ultimately knew if we go out and play our game, we put ourselves right back in position to take control of the series.”

The NBA Finals shift to Boston this week, starting with Wednesday’s Game 3.

The post Draymond Green’s ‘Energy’ Pivotal in Game 2 Win appeared first on SLAM.

The Warriors turned the game upside during the third quarter when they outscored Boston 35-14. The Warriors grabbed a double-digit lead over the Celtics during the third frame with a 10-2 run. The decisive spurt was powered by Stephen Curry (29 points, six rebounds, four assists), who scored five points, including 14 points, two boards, and one assist during that timeframe.

How to make the stadium explode 101: be like Poole.

(via @NBAUK) pic.twitter.com/P3LagLBtHC

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 6, 2022

However, it was third-year guard Jordan Poole (17 points, two rebounds, three assists, and two steals) who stole the show after knocking down back-to-back triples to give Golden State a 23-point leading going into the fourth quarter. Poole’s second three-pointer, a 39-footer, sent the Chase Center into a frenzy, with Curry dapping Poole up with a big smile across his face and a congratulatory hug.

“I want the ball at all of the ends of the quarters and shot-clocks,” Poole said in an NBA TV interview. “My teammates looked for me, and I knew I had him on his heels and having endless range, I guess — I saw the rim.”

From there, Poole scored eight points to cement Golden States’ series-tying win. The Warriors and Celtics are now tied at one win apiece as the series shifts to Boston for Games 3 and 4 at TD Garden.

The post Jordan Poole On His Viral Three-Pointer to End the Third Quarter appeared first on SLAM.

For Boston to stay tight with the Warriors despite an off-night from Jayson Tatum (12 points on 3-17 shooting from the field, 1-5 from three-point range) bodes well for the Celtics. Tatum didn’t let his below-average scoring night deter him; the former Duke Blue Devil took over playmaking duties for Boston, matching Bob Cousey with a career-high and a Finals record-tying 13 assists in his Finals debut.

Tatum’s 13 dimes place him over Michael Jordan, Isaiah Thomas, and John Stockton, the previous single-game record-holders with 12.

“Ecstatic, right? Forty points in the fourth quarter? JB played big. Al, Payton (Pritchard), D-White. Those guys made big shots — timely shots as well. And we won, right?” Tatum said per The Athletic despite his off-night shooting. “I had a bad shooting night. I just tried to impact the game in other ways. We’re in the championship. We’re in the finals. All I was worried about was trying to get a win, and we did. That’s all that matters at this point.

“So I don’t expect to shoot that bad again. But if it means we keep winning, I’ll take it.”

Boston entered the fourth quarter down 12 points but was confident going into the final frame of Game 1. Jaylen Brown (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Al Horford (26 points on a Finals-debut record 6-8 shooting from three) awarded that confidence by scoring 21 combined points. Horford powered the Celtics’ decisive 17-0 run with 14 points, knocking down back-to-back triples to take the lead.

At the same time, the Celtics held the Warriors scoreless for nearly five minutes, allowing Stephen Curry (34 points, five boards, five assists) to contribute four points and two dimes on 2-6 shooting from the field.

“The message at the start of the fourth was: We’ve been here before. We know what it takes to overcome a deficit like that,” Tatum said. “Obviously, that’s a great team. It’s not going to be easy. But just knowing we’ve been in that situation before, and we’ve gotten (ourselves) out of it. We had a lot of time left, right? It wasn’t time to hang your head or be done; it was time to figure it out.”

“We know what it takes to overcome a deficit like that.”@jaytatum0 on Boston’s huge 4th quarter comeback in Game 1. pic.twitter.com/ljSshFv91H

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022

Brown and Horford’s excellence in the fourth quarter allowed Tatum not to feel like he had to force the issue. Instead, Tatum could focus on swinging the ball when it came his way, contest shots on defense, and sprint to the corners to create optimum spacing when Brown or Derrick White (21 points on 5-8 shooting from distance) pushed the tempo. It was Tatum who dimed Horford for his second straight triple that gave Boston a six-point lead late in the fourth.

According to Tatum’s trainer, Drew Hanlen, he’s been hammering the importance of Tatum learning to be a game manager since last summer.

“I think the biggest thing is the advice that Michael Jordan gave Kobe Bryant: At the end of the day, the only thing that people are going to judge you on is if you get the job done or not,” Hanlen said. “In past years, (Tatum’s) focus has been on scoring and being able to carry the load on the offensive end through scoring. Whereas now, it’s more so just reading what the defense is giving him, making the right play, not forcing shots, not taking ‘my turn’ shots, and really just getting everybody involved.”

Tatum’s acceptance of that development allowed him to simply keep playing fast with his teammates instead of trying to slow the game down after Golden State tied the game at 103 with a Curry finger-roll. Instead, Tatum initiated the sequence intended for a White corner three that eventually ended with Horford hitting his first back-breaking triple to retake the lead they wouldn’t look back on.

To top it off, Tatum finished a plus-27 in the fourth despite not scoring. His passes created 38 points in Game 1 per Synergy. Only one of his 13 dimes was a shot inside the arc.

“All year leading up to this, we’ve been kind of grooming and preparing Jayson for these moments where teams are going to key in on you so much that they try to take you out of the game,” Smart said. “For us, it’s just to make sure he stays confident and knows that even though they’re doing a good job on you, you still who you are, and we got your back. That’s what we are here for, to help you when times like that, to help you get going.”

The Boston Celtics’ usual formula for winning has usually allowed Tatum and Brown to lead them across the finish line. This time around, Tatum played second-fiddle to Brown and the Celtics’ collection of role players.

When the Celtics capped off their comeback win with a Horford and-1, Tatum baited the Warriors into blitzing him. Tatum subsequently got off the ball and gave Smart enough room to put the game away with the dime to Horford, which ultimately gave them a 120-105 lead with less than a minute to go.

YEA AL pic.twitter.com/6kPA4z8aab

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022

Boston can take a 2-0 lead as the series shifts to TD Garden after Sunday’s Game 2.

The post Jayson Tatum Sounds Off On Boston’s 4th Quarter Comeback appeared first on SLAM.

Stephen Curry deserves a lot of credit for the Warriors leading for much of the game after scoring 34 points, five rebounds, and five assists. His 21 points in the first quarter were the most scored in a quarter in the NBA Finals since Michael Jordan had 22 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns in 1993. 

Curry’s six three-pointers also set a Finals record for most triples in a single quarter; the previous record was five made triples in a quarter. He shared the record with Ray Allen and Kenny Smith.

However, despite the spectacular exploits of the only unanimous MVP in NBA history, the Boston Celtics were never too far behind through the first three-quarters of Game 1. Yes, they were down by 15 at one point in the third quarter, but the Celtics were routinely able to cut any deficit down, tying the game up five times and exchanging leads up to nine.

Boston bided its time until the final frame, knocking down their first seven three-point attempts to outscore the Warriors 40-16. The onslaught was led by Jaylen Brown (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Al Horford (26 points, six boards, and a Finals-debut record six threes), who scored a combined 21 points to help Boston retake the lead late in the fourth quarter.

Horford scored 14 points during Boston’s decisive 17-0 run to take Game 1, giving Boston a lead it wouldn’t give up after scoring eight straight points, including back-to-back three-pointers late in the fourth quarter. Boston also kept Golden State scoreless for nearly five minutes as they scored 17 unanswered, only ceding two meaningless field goals to Klay Thompson and Nemanja Bjelica over the final 69 seconds of the game.

“They gotta good defense,” Draymond Green (four points, 11 rebounds, five dimes), “We knew that coming in. There was no surprises; we know what they wanna get to on the defensive side and how they like to play; they know what we’re tryna get to. So, yeah, no surprises, they are who we thought they were, and now we’ll watch the clips, watch the film and figure out what we need to do to attack it.”

“They are who we thought they were.”

Draymond Green addressed the media after Game 1 of the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/PtWlkoMNr3

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022

Green elaborated a bit more on his thoughts a moment later during his press conference. In his eyes, the Warriors were dominant for as much as “the first 41, 42 minutes” of the game. However, Golden State trailed in the first half at one point, and their most dominant stretch came in the third quarter when they built a 15-point lead and outscored the Celtics by 14 points.

Green also pointed out that Boston hit 21 three-pointers in Game 1, the bulk of which came from Horford, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White, who hit a combined 15 long-range bombs. Green directly downplayed the hot shooting of Smart and White, saying:

“They hit 21 threes, and Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Derrick White combined for 15,” Green said. “Those guys are good shooters, but they combined for what, 15 out of eight, Smart seven, eight, 15-23. Is my math right? Eight, seven, and eight. Eight, seven, and eight. Yea, that’s 23, right? 15-for-23 from those guys. Eh. We’ll be fine.”

To counterpoint, Horford went from hitting 33.6 percent of his regular-season three-point attempts to improving that mark to 46.3 percent in the playoffs. White was shooting 20.8 percent from deep before catching fire over the last three games, managing to hit 11 out of his previous 18 three-point attempts, good enough for a 61.1 percent clip over his last three outings. Smart is hitting threes at a 34.5 percent clip also.

“They stayed within striking distance, and they made shots late,” Green said. “We’ll be fine. We’ll figure out the ways we can stop them from getting those threes and take them away. I don’t think it was a rhythm thing. We pretty much dominated the game for the first 41, 42 minutes, so we’ll be fine.”

Draymond Green: “We pretty much dominated the game for the first 41, 42 minutes. So, we’ll be fine.” pic.twitter.com/5eXa49pIFp

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) June 3, 2022

Regardless, the championship core of the Warriors and Coach Steve Kerr will have some time in between now and Game 2 to readjust and formulate a new game plan. The Warriors will look to tie the series up and retake home-court advantage with a win Game 2 win on Sunday before the series shifts to TD Garden in Boston.

The post Draymond Green Not Dwelling Much On Late Game 1 Loss to Boston appeared first on SLAM.

It’s almost as if Horford knew this was going to happen. In a way, you could sorta say he did. When the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Horford back to Boston last summer, one of the first things he did was text Jayson Tatum to let him know he saw the Celtics’ potential and was looking forward to playing in the Finals.

“It’s one of these things that I’ve been waiting for this moment,” Horford said, “I know it’s different, but I played in a similar stage in college. Those type of games, I just felt comfortable out here, and I wanted to project that to the group.”

“I wanted to make sure that our guys came out here, play free, understand that this is just a game, and just go out there and have fun.”

"I've been waiting for this moment."

Al Horford talked to @SHAQ about his performance in the Game 1 win for the @celtics. pic.twitter.com/0NlDaRkX0M

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022

Horford played a pivotal role in Boston’s 120-108 come-from-behind win over the Warriors. The five-time All-Star finished Game 1 with a team-high 26 points, six rebounds, and three assists on a Finals-debut record 6-8 shooting from beyond the arc.

The former Florida Gator choose the fourth quarter to shine the brightest in Boston’s win. Horford scored 11 points in the final frame, including back-to-back triples and a mid-range jumper, to give the Celtics a lead they would never give up. Horford’s key three-pointers powered a decisive 17-0 run that allowed Boston to outscore the Warriors 40-16 in the fourth.

“It was the way that we were moving the ball on offense,” Horford said per NBCSports. “Just being in those positions, I felt like the guys kept finding me time after time. Derrick White hit some tough shots there too. Get some looks, knock ’em down, that’s that.”

A 4Q surge helped us take Game 1, as we closed out with a 120-108 finish against the Warriors. pic.twitter.com/BoxdYNVfVF

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 3, 2022

Boston didn’t allow a single Warrior field goal for nearly five minutes during that game-altering run. The Celtics’ shocking win to steal home-court advantage came on a night when Horford and Jaylen Brown (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists)had to carry the scoring load due to Tatum’s jumper being off on Thursday.

Even as Golden State built a lead as large as 15 through the first three-quarters, Boston was right there, bidding their time until they could strike. When they did, Golden State had no answers for Horford or Brown, who scored a combined 21 points when it mattered the most in Game 1.

“The group that started the fourth quarter, I think, did a great job setting the tone,” Horford said. “Jaylen attacking, Rob got a lob dunk, and that just kinda got us going, and from that point on, we felt like we’re gonna stay solid continue to fight, and that’s what we did.”

Horford’s confident prediction has come true nearly one year after that fateful trade. Boston is indeed back in the Finals after a grueling revenge tour through the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Celtics beat the Nets, Bucks, and Heat on their way to their first Finals trip since 2010. After Thursday’s Game 1 win, Horford has the Celtics in the driver’s seat, up 1-0 on the Warriors.

The Celtics and Warriors will play again on Sunday in Chase Center, with Boston looking to take a commanding 2-0 series lead as the series shifts to TD Garden.

The post Al Horford on Finals Debut: ‘I’ve Been Waiting For This Moment’ appeared first on SLAM.

But Boston never stopped coming back at them. The team with no previous Finals experience outlasted the three-time champs with their defensive tenacity and a substantial fourth-quarter performance from Jaylen Brown (24 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Al Horford (26 points and six rebounds).

Al Horford was in his BAG in his #NBAFinals debut pic.twitter.com/v9kMeeuRY8

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 3, 2022

Brown and Horford combined to score 21 points in the fourth; Brown started the festivities off, leading Boston to a 12-2 run, cutting the Warriors’ lead to 94-92 after he knocked down a three-pointer with 8:22 left in the game. Horford then took over just a few moments later, hitting back-to-back triples to give Boston a lead they would never surrender.

“JB is special,” Derrick White (21 points in 32 minutes) said. “Some of the shots he makes, the moves he makes, it’s just hard to guard, and it’s fun to watch. I’m glad I’m on his team. He’s one of the best players in the League for a reason, and he’s always making plays for us.

Al hitting some big shots right now. You love to see it.

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 3, 2022

Horford’s game-altering buckets were a part of a game-sealing 17-0 Boston run. The Celtics held the Warriors to zero field goals for nearly five minutes, holding Stephen Curry (35 points, five rebounds, five assists) to just four points in the final frame. Boston ultimately outscored the Warriors 40-16 in the fourth, assisting on 12 of their 15 field goals.

“The group that started the fourth quarter, I think, did a great job setting the tone,” Horford said. “Jaylen attacking, Rob got a lob dunk, and that just kinda got us going, and from that point on, we felt like we’re gonna stay solid continue to fight, and that’s what we did.”

Game 2 between the Warriors and the Celtics will be back in Chase Center on Sunday, with the Warriors looking to tie the Finals up at 1-1 before the series shifts to Boston.

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Boston enters the Finals after beating the Nets, Bucks, and Heat, who each beat the Celtics during the last three postseasons. The Celtics were able to make this run despite a slow start to the season. Boston went .500 over the first 50 games of the season but won after 26 of their last 32 games, finishing the season with the best defensive rating in the League.

The Warriors beat the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Mavericks during their run to the Finals. They finished the regular-season with a 53-29 record, good for third in the West. They’ve had a season of triumph with Stephen Curry breaking the all-time record for made three-pointers and creating the 3k club and the happy return of Klay Thompson following 942 days away from the hardwood.

They also had to deal with injuries to Curry and Green that almost knocked them off the top of the West, but the emergence of Jordan Poole and some timely big games from Thompson helped them stave off any trouble.

The regular-season series between the Warriors and Celtics ended in a 1-1 tie, with both teams winning their home games; Boston won the last matchup 110-88, but the Warriors were missing Andrew Wiggins, and Curry suffered a foot sprain that night that sidelined him until Game 1 of the first-round after colliding with Marcus Smart as the two fought for a loose ball.

Here, we take a look at these two powerhouse squads:

Can Golden State Solve Boston’s Defense?

Boston has the top-ranked defense remaining in the Finals and is designed to stop the chaotic motion offense of the Warriors. The Celtics’ ability to wear teams out physically and their switching makes them the best defense in the League.

On the other side, the Dubs are the top-ranked offense in the playoffs, scoring 116.1 points per game—up to four points from what they scored during the regular season. Will Golden State rely on their typical offensive actions against a defense that’s been excellent at stopping superstar scorers like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Giannis Antetokounmpo? We’ll have to find out and see.

Tatum Exploiting Mismatches

While Boston is equipped with a squad full of bucket-getters, one standout has been Jayson Tatum, who has hunted mismatches against the Warriors—whether it’s shooting over defenders or whipping the ball around so that Boston can attack Golden State when have a 4-on-3 advantage. As JT continues to step up as a playmaker, Boston has continued to thrive.

Coach Steve Kerr’s solution may be to mix different coverages against him, likely doubling, switching, and mixing in some zone looks like the Warriors used against Luka Doncic. Another question is if Derrick White, Smart, and Brown can continue to show out and knock down shots, including the ones Tatum helps create for them.

X-FACTOR

An x-factor for Golden State has been two-way play of Andrew Wiggins. As a member of the Warriors, Wiggins has emerged as an All-Star after thriving as a third option scorer. His shot creation, defensive versatility, and offensive rebound makes him indispensable players. Will Wiggins make the most of his opportunities against a physical defense that thrives at reducing ball movement and forcing some iso play?

Robert Williams is another x-factor for the C’s. The Time Lord’s shot-blocking at the rim and perimeter has been invaluable when he was healthy. On the offensive end, Williams is a primetime lob threat.

The post 2022 NBA Finals Preview appeared first on SLAM.

But Iggy’s injury woes haven’t prevented him from playing a vital role for the Warriors as a player-assistant coach while in street clothes. This is mainly done by mentoring Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody all season and keeping this deep playoff run in perspective. According to Shayna Rubin of the Mercury News, Iguodala has made sure to remind the rookies to take plenty of pictures and keep memorabilia.

“Historically, they aren’t supposed to take on everything that comes with being in the Finals,” Iguodala said. “They’re supposed to be on college campuses learning about themselves, learning who they are as people, learning what they like, learning what they don’t like, instead of these guys making five-plus million dollars a year, got all the pressures, the madness of having money and being in the spotlight. You can become jaded. You can start taking these things for granted.

“It’s not their fault. I’m guilty of it, just being in the Finals so many times where I feel nothing. I just know it’s my job to go out and win. Really no joy in it; it’s just going to work.

Iggy has also maintained his brutal honesty with playoff vets like Kevon Looney and players playing in the playoffs for the first time like Jordan Poole. The third-year guard said Iggy “doesn’t leave any rock unturned,” and as a three-time champ, he coaches “how he sees the game unfold.”

“Extremely meticulous,” Poole said. “He likes to point out the details and small things. He has a lot of knowledge, and he’s willing to share, which is really cool to be a part of — He’s also extremely real. He’ll keep it a rack; he won’t sugarcoat anything. Being able to have him in our corner as a vet is huge.”

Iguodala’s knowledge as an 18-year vet and a player who played a significant role in the Warriors’ title runs as a versatile defender in Golden State’s small-ball lineups has earned him the ear of the younger Warriors.

His institutional knowledge of Golden State’s playstyle and culture has helped him stay in the League just as much as his quick hands, length, and athleticism. At 38-years-old, Iggy isn’t a part of the Warriors’ long-term plan, but for the time he’s relied on to be a strong voice on the bench.

He’s been given even more leeway as a veteran and player-coach because the Warriors championship core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson trust him to help Poole, Kuminga, and Moody see what they see on the floor. Having him in their collective ear will only make playing on the biggest stage of basketball even more when it matters the most.

“He has access, not just physical access but emotional access that the coaching staff does not have,” Coach Steve Kerr said. “Frankly, there’s a trust factor that exists that can’t possibly exist between players and coaches. That’s why the role is so important. He has a different vantage point, and the guys believe in him so much, and he’s just brilliant at demanding and embracing and everything in between.”

Iggy awaits clearance for Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The post Andre Iguodala’s Veteran Presence Essential to Finals Run appeared first on SLAM.

He first tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals; then, before coming back for the 2021 season, he tore his Achilles which forced him to sit out 132 games before hitting the floor again.

Thompson, playing in only 32 regular-season games, was able to score 20.4 points per game on and 38.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The 2022 playoffs saw Thompson average 19.8 points, knocking down 39.9 percent of three-point attempts, 45.7 percent shooting from the field, and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.

None of the numbers have ever mattered for Thompson. All he wants to do is play basketball. His quote from Finals media day has echoed all over in recent hours and epitomized his character as both player and person.

“I’m going to enjoy every second of this, play as hard as I can, and walk away with no regrets,” Thompson told reporters on Monday.

He admitted that he never thought he would get to as many NBA Finals as he has. Thompson’s perseverance has gotten him back to familiar ground, and he will look to play a major role in the Warriors’ quest for a fourth ring with this iteration of the Golden State dynasty.

Golden State hosts Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.

The post Klay Thompson Plans to ‘Enjoy Every Second’ of Sixth Finals Appearance appeared first on SLAM.

Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Andre Iguodala were announced as questionable for Game 1 but did participate in the Warriors’ brief, full-contact scrimmage at Chase Center on Wednesday. The three injured Warriors players’ participation is welcome since all three weren’t on the court for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.

“We’ll see how they turn up tomorrow, but it was a good sign that they were able to take contact,” Kerr said.

During Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal series, Payton II suffered a broken elbow against the Memphis Grizzlies. Dillon Brooks fouled Payton hard as he attempted to attack the rim on a fast break opportunity. Payton averages 5.5 points per game off the bench during the Golden States playoff run to the Finals.

The former Oregon State Beaver missed three other games in the playoffs due to foot soreness in both feet.

“Still got a couple boxes to check off,” Payton said. “Still not quite there yet. But excited. Getting better every day so.” He said he needed “a couple green lights” from various people inside the Warriors’ organization — presumably team medical personnel.

Iguodala hasn’t been on the court since Game 4 of the first round with a disc injury in his neck.

NBA Finals begin on Thursday, with Golden State hosting Game 1 in San Francisco.

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Boston’s defensive focus will mainly be on Stephen Curry, perhaps the best perimeter-oriented player in the League.

He gets to see the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Boston’s Marcus Smart, who will likely be stalking Curry the entire series. For opposing guards in the League, the assignment doesn’t get much more complex than Curry, let alone stopping him in the NBA Finals.

In an interview with Chris Haynes of YahooSports, Smart had said that guarding Curry on this stage is “special,” considering that this is also his first Finals appearance. The most important detail, as Smart noted, was getting his rest. 

“Getting sleep in this series is huge, man,” Smart told Haynes. “You know they are going to make you run. You have to put on your track shoes, and you have to be ready. So for me, it’s about being able to get my rest and a good night’s sleep. My conditioning is there to keep up with these guys, but you have to be fresh for them.”

Perhaps Boston is the best-equipped team to deal with Golden State than previous teams, given their physical nature and how tall their lineups are. Players such as Smart and Jaylen Brown will be able to match up with Curry and Klay Thompson, given their similarities with physical tools. 

The battle within the war also has some extra incentives to it as well because of the two times that Boston and Golden State met in the regular season, specifically during a Warriors-Celtics game on March 16 when Smart rolled Curry’s ankle while diving for a loose ball.

Smart is also seen as a target by players and fans because of his playstyle: a rigid, blue-collar attitude that reflects in Smart and how others perceive him. He plays as hard as anyone in the League, diving for everything on the floor, and plays perhaps the most exhilarating defense with a proud personality. Sometimes he can rub people the wrong way, but that doesn’t mean he will change to please people.

“I know I’m not the League’s favorite, I know I’m not the fan-favorite all the time, and I know I’m not a lot of people’s favorite player,” Smart suggested per Haynes. “My whole life has been like that. I’ve always been the underdog.”

This year’s Finals will be a matchup of polar opposite forces who are similar in many different ways. The Warriors are seen as the standard of the NBA, while Boston is more of an underdog team with hard-working players who fight for everything. And if Boston’s seven-game slugfest with Miami indicates anything, Golden State is in for a bumpy ride in these NBA Finals.

The post Marcus Smart Embracing Challenge of Guarding Stephen Curry Ahead of Finals appeared first on SLAM.

The three foundational members of the championship Warriors have gone through a lot since their first championship run in 2015. They’ve seen it all from failure in the Finals, teammates departing, and injuries. The journey from bottoming out in 2020 and narrowly missing the playoffs in 2021 makes this trip to the Finals all the sweeter for Curry, Green, and Thompson.

“It’s happened multiple times for me now,” Green told Marc J. Spears of Andscape after the Warriors’ practice on Monday. “You go through these moments, and you feel like you put all the work in to get through, and then you get to the moment, and the only two things I can think about once you get to the moment: No. 1, is the feeling of appreciation that I get for seeing guys that have not done it before. That first-time feeling, and just sitting there and watching them, and how they react, and how they smile, and how they appreciate that first-time feeling.

“You go through it, and you like, ‘Man, I got to feel that again.’ And the reality is you never feel it again. You go through it that first time, you never feel that way again — And so, I think for me, I get to that space, and then you just start to look around, and it just brings joy to see guys go through it for their first time.

For Green, he finds as much joy, if not more, when he sees the reactions of guys like Jordan Poole, Nemanja Bjelica, and Jonathan Kuminga, who are making their Finals run. As the Western Conference Finals trophy was moved and the Warriors celebrated their series win, Green recalled the familiar feeling of “you get to that moment after all the work that you put in, and it’s getting the trophy, and you just can’t help but think about the journey. What did it take to get here? How did this happen?”

Green also recollected being fearful of never getting that championship feeling again. Like many other past champions, Green said the only way to get that feeling back was to keep winning ‘ships. He did add one caveat, though. Winning, again and again, didn’t elicit the same feelings as the first title, but he does feel satisfied.

“Once you put yourself in the position to where you thought you would get that feeling back, it’s satisfying enough. I didn’t necessarily get that feeling that I got the first time, but I understand it now, and it’s satisfying, the feeling that I do get. The feeling of appreciation, the feeling of watching these guys for their first time experience the highest pinnacle of basketball, and their appreciation for it.”

When Game 1 of the NBA Finals kicks off on Thursday, Green recognized that the Celtics “have it on the offensive end, they have it on the defensive end.” and that Boston has been the best team in the NBA since January while also lauding their hunger for greatness and the culture they’ve built within the organization. The main thing the Warriors have to figure out, per Green, is Boston’s weakness on defense.

After learning what “the real NBA” is after two straight years of losing, Green and the Warriors are back in the spotlight and playing basketball when it matters the most. Green also said he’s back to enjoying hooping says he has “a much larger appreciation for it now than I did” since playing in the Finals “was kind of all I knew.” All in all, helping lead the Warriors to their sixth Finals trip since 2015 simply means this.

“It just shows the continuity and the focus level that we have. But most importantly, the competitive spirit and nature that we have. When we set out on this journey eight years ago, I can’t say we expected this. But we did know that we had a young group, a young core and that if we can put it together, we can be good for a very long time. And see it actually come to a fruition, it’s special.”

The post Draymond Green On His “Feelings of Appreciation” Making Sixth NBA Finals Appearence appeared first on SLAM.

Wow. The Golden State Warriors are back in the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years after their 120-110 series-clinching win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Warriors!

A look from inside the arena as the @warriors accept the Oscar Robertson Trophy! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/KuOKSHPmUL

— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2022

The win is sweeter when you remember where the Warriors were after their 2019 NBA Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors.

A lottery finish in 2020 and a play-in tournament flameout in 2021 wasn’t enough to stop the Warriors’ core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green from dreaming of coming back to the FInals again. The Dubs (53-29) finished the regular-season with the third-seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The 2021-22 campaign was highlighted by Curry becoming the all-time king in long-range shooting and Thompson’s long-awaited return.

To get to this point, the Warriors beat the Nuggets in a gentlemen sweep, outlasted the Grizzlies in six games, and beat the Mavericks in five games.

“This is a blessing,” Curry said. “Obviously, this is a team effort with what Draymond said, for us to be out the mix the last two years. To be where we belong back in the Finals — this is special.”

“Everything about it is special. . We know this isn’t the ultimate goal, but we have to celebrate this cause of all we went through these last three years.”

THEY’RE BACK!!! (via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/2VkJClrPLg

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2022

Game 6 Thompson (32 points on eight made threes) made an early appearance to help the Warriors close out the Mavericks on Thursday’s Game. The five-time All-Star scored 19 points on five triples, giving Golden State a 17-point lead on this dagger-three that Thompson celebrated with a Curry-like shimmy.

Klay hitting the shimmy got me LITTTTT (via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/KSCf8NuMX0

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2022

In the second-half, Golden State grew their lead to as many as 25 points after Curry (15 points, nine assists) knocked down a floater. Luka Doncic (28 points, nine rebounds, six dimes) then woke up from his sleepy start and scored 15 points in the third frame, helping to engineer a 15-4 run that cut the deficit to eight points powered by back-to-back triples from Luka Magic.

Luka with 15 points in the 3Q pic.twitter.com/NJVAPVSzm3

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 27, 2022

However, that’s as close as Dallas would get. The Warriors scored five straight points to bring the lead back to 15, and the Golden State Big 3 of Curry, Green (17 points, six rebounds, nine assists, including seven in the fourth), and Thompson scored 15 points to close Game 6 out, with Curry and Thompson knocking down consecutive three-pointe to build a 16-point lead with 2:02 left in the game.

“You’re going to make me emotional, man,” Thompson said, smiling from corner to corner. “It’s hard to put in words — I dreamt of this day. There were some dog days, and to be here, I’m so thankful for our squad they started the season so incredibly well, allowed us to finish out strong, and we are four wins away from a championship.”

With the WCF series wrapped up, Curry became the first-ever Magic Johnson Trophy winner. The Warriors await the winner of the Heat-Celtics series, the Celtics lead the series 3-2. Golden State will host Game 1 of the FInals when they begin on June 2.

The post Golden State Advances to Sixth NBA Finals in Eight Years appeared first on SLAM.

The Baby-Faced Assassin is the first-ever winner of the Magic Johnson Trophy, the NBA’s newest postseason awarded earlier this month.

Stephen Curry is the first-ever recipient of the Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy awarded to the Western Conference Finals MVP! #DubNation pic.twitter.com/OmZ13l0LQS

— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2022

Curry won the award after averaging 23.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.

“This is a blessing,” Curry said. “Obviously, this is a team effort with what Draymond said, for us to be out the mix the last two years. To be where we belong back in the Finals — this is special.”

“Everything about it is special. . We know this isn’t the ultimate goal, but we have to celebrate this cause of all we went through these last three years.”

“This is special… we know this isn’t the ultimate goal but we have to celebrate this”

Stephen Curry accepts the FIRST EVER Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy awarded to the Western Conference Finals MVP. pic.twitter.com/5vCYlLxrcQ

— NBA (@NBA) May 27, 2022

Curry is now 6-0 in conference finals and will be making his six NBA Finals appearances in eight years. The two-time MVP has won three titles with the Warriors, last winning the whole thing in 2018 to end the final chapter of the Warriors-Cavaliers rivalry.

Steph really don’t care (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/atPHeBVf9M

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 27, 2022

The No. 3 seed Warriors will meet the winner of the Miami-Boston Eastern Conference Finals. No. 2 seed Boston is currently up 3-2 heading into Friday’s Game 6 in Boston.

Although Boston and Golden State split their regular-season series, Golden State (53-29) owns the superior regular-season record. They will therefore hold home-court advantage when the Finals begin on June 2.

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2021-22 All-NBA teams:

First: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

Second: Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMar DeRozan

Third: Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Trae Young, Pascal Siakam

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 25, 2022

Although Jokic is the reigning MVP, he wasn’t the leading vote-getter for All-NBA First Team, Antetokounmpo was. The Greek Freak received all 100 votes for one of the forward spots on the First-Team. Jokic and Joel Embiid, who finished as runner-up for the ’21 and ’22 MVP, split votes as the First-Team center. Embiid ended up being named as the center for the Second-Team.

Antekounmpo was not only the lone unanimous All-NBA selection this season, but he also became the first player over the last 50 years to be a unanimous selection to the All-NBA First Time in four consecutive seasons, according to ESPN Stats and Information research.

Doncic became the fourth player in NBA history to earn his third First-Team selection before turning 24-years-old, joining Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zazlofsky. Jokic, Antetokounmpo and Doncic were joined by Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker. According to the NBA, this is the first time since 1954-55 that the First-Team comprises players at least 27-years-old or younger.

Booker and Tatum earned the First-Team nod for the first time in their career. This is the first overall All-NBA selection for Booker and Tatum’s second nod. Tatum is the first Celtic to make All-NBA First-Team since Kevin Garnett did it in 2008. He’s also the youngest Celtic to earn an All-NBA First-Team selection since Larry Bird in 1980.

The Second-Team is rounded out by Stephen Curry, Ja Morant, DeMar DeRozan, and Durant. Chris Paul, Trae Young, LeBron James, Pascal Siakam, and Karl-Anthony Towns filled out the Third-Team. James picked up his record 18th All-NBA nod, placing him ahead of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan for most All-NBA picks, and became the first player in League history to make the All-NBA in his 19th+ season.

Paul is the first guard since Bryant to make an All-NBA team in his 17th+ season.

The post Nikola Jokic Headlines 2021-2022 All-NBA Teams appeared first on SLAM.

That subsequent offseason featured a roster overhaul after two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, and Andre Igoudala was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal to acquire D’Angelo Russell. The Warriors would also lose Klay Thompson for the first of two-and-a-half seasons after he tore his ACL during Game 6 of the 2019 Finals.

The following two seasons were a far departure from the supernova of greatness NBA fans grew accustomed to for the previous five seasons. The Warriors moved to San Francisco, leaving the fan-favorite Oakland Arena for the posh new Chase Center. What followed the subsequent two regular-season campaigns was a 15-50 COVID-19 shortened season 2019-2020, punctuated by the three-month absence of Stephen Curry due to a broken hand.

“None of these people really removed us from this space,” Green told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk of the team missing the playoffs the previous two seasons. “Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, ‘All right, the Golden State Warriors’ time is up.'”

Draymond: “None of these people really removed us from this space. Toronto beat us, but no one really came and said, 'All right, the Golden State Warriors' time is up.'" https://t.co/gNK8gsRYwV

— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) May 23, 2022

The Warriors didn’t spend that season just losing; at the 2020 trade deadline, the Warriors acquired Andrew Wiggins, a top-3 protected first-round pick and a second-rounder. Although the Warriors weren’t invited to the Orlando Bubble, the future looked bright.

The Warriors spent the offseason going into the 2020-21 season drafting James Wiseman with the No. 2 overall pick. However, the Warriors’ wind got knocked out of them when Thompson tore his Achilles during a pickup game, forcing him to miss the entirety of the season.

The Warriors responded to yet another tumultuous season by qualifying for the newly-created Play-In Tournament thanks to Curry’s scoring prowess, winning his second scoring title and leading the Warriors to a 39-33 record. However, the Warriors hit a brick wall after playing so hard to get to the Play-In Tournament, ultimately losing to the Lakers and the Grizzlies for the final two spots in the playoffs.

“We didn’t leave the space because we just got too old to do it,” Green told Youngmisuk. “We didn’t leave the space because all of us went our separate ways. We left the space because Klay Thompson was out, and then he was out again, and Andre [Iguodala] wasn’t here.

“And then Steph Curry was out. We didn’t leave this space because we weren’t capable of being in the space anymore.”

Heading into this last regular-season campaign, many around the NBA believed that the Warriors would once again be title favorites when healthy. Thompson finally had his glorious on-court return, playing for the first time in 941 days in January against the Pacers. But the season was marred by injuries to Draymond Green and Curry. However, the emergence of third-year guard Jordan Poole helped offset those losses.

The Warriors (53-29) finished the regular season with the third-best record in the West. They went on to gentlemen sweep the Nikola Jokic-led Nuggets, beat Ja Morant and the upstart Grizzlies in six games, and are on the verge of zooming past another superstar in Luka Doncic and the Mavs in a sweep.

His movement off the ball is god-tier. Curry with the iconic look-away three.

(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/QApyPsgQCJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

This run is even more impressive because the Warriors have beaten the young teams and superstars who are supposed to have next as this Warriors core grows older. Even as their Western Conference foes continue to grow, none of them have close to replacing the Warriors at the top of the League they ruled for five straight seasons.

Heading into Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Mavericks, the Warriors will have their first chance to sweep a WCF foe since 2019, when they beat the Trail Blazers to advance to that fateful 2020 NBA Finals loss. The Dubs have won nine straight conference finals games, going back to a Game 7 win against the Rockets in 2018

“For us to get back to this stage and win one playoff series, let alone where we are now, it’s not motivation,” said Curry, who finished Game 3 against Dallas with 31 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds. “It’s more of an excitement that we can do it a different way.

“The motivation is that we’re back on this stage with an opportunity to chase the Finals appearance after a two-year hiatus with our core and a new cast of characters.”

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Now that they’re staring down a 3-0 series deficit after losing Sunday’s Game 3 to the Warriors, 109-100, Coach Jason Kidd elected to keep the Mavs’ unexpected ascension to the Western Conference Finals in perspective during his postgame presser.

“This is just the beginning of this journey,” Kidd told reporters postgame. “I know you guys have us winning the championship before the season started. And that’s a joke if you didn’t get it. This is a lot bigger than just this one game or this series. This is huge for our franchise because none of you guys had us here.”

Luka pulled out the shimmy after this buzzer beater over Curry .

(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/4fSXlnSya9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

He also credited their loss to getting outrebounded and not being able to hit enough of their three-point attempts. For the night, Golden State rebounded Dallas 47-33, with Kevon Looney leading the Warriors with 12 boars, followed by 11 from Andrew Wiggins (27 points). Doncic (40 points) led the Mavericks with 11 rebounds, but no other Maverick corralled more than five boards.

Heading into a do-or-die Game 4, the Mavs will have to kick up their physicality inside in order to win the rebounding battle. They will also need their snipers like  Reggie Bullock and Maxi Kleber not to go 0-12 from the three-point line. The decision to attack the boards and create second-chance buckets will be pivotal when they’re not hitting shots, and the Mavs will need all the extra possession they can get to extend the series.

“I’ve said we’re going to live and die by the three, but we’re also dying by not getting rebounds,” Kidd said, per Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News.

Luka Magic dimes.

(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/rxAoQ8Uvpg

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 23, 2022

Game 4 of the WCF will be on Tuesday, with the Mavs hoping to avoid the sweep. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 deficit.

The post Jason Kidd On 3-0 Series Deficit: ‘None of You Guys Had Us Here’ appeared first on SLAM.