F Kevin Durant scored a game-high 38 points, helping the Warriors record their 13th straight postseason win in Thursday's 113-91 victory over Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. After the Warriors made only three 3-pointers in the first half en route to a 60-52 lead at the break, Durant buried a 26-footer on Golden State's first possession of the third period to spark a 13-0 run.

G Stephen Curry scored 28 points, including a pair of 3-pointers in a 13-0 flurry to begin the second half, in Thursday's 113-91 victory over Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. "We had an opportunity to win the first game of the series, get off to a good start; we were able to do that," Curry said. "You're not going to see crazy celebrations. You're not going to see us getting ahead of ourself. We feel like we can play much better, especially offensively."

F Kevin Love recorded 15 points and a game-high 21 rebounds in Thursday's 113-91 loss at Golden State in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

F Draymond Green recorded nine points and 11 rebounds in Thursday's 113-91 victory over Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

F Kevin Durant is willing to take less than the maximum contract extension this summer if it helps Golden State keep its core intact, ESPN reported on Thursday, citing league sources. The move would permit the Warriors to keep their entire core together with two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry potentially signing one of the first five-year contracts created by the new collective bargaining agreement. In that light, a club can reward one designated veteran player per year with a contract starting at 35 percent of next year's projected $101 million salary cap. In order for Golden State to sign Durant to a maximum possible extension, the team would have to renounce its rights to 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and fellow free agent Shaun Livingston to create room under the salary cap. That total would start at an estimated $35.4 million per year, as opposed to a little under $32 million without creating cap space. Durant, who is the 2014 NBA MVP, is eligible for the 10-year veteran maximum contract after signing a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors last season. The 28-year-old, who averaged 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season, spent his first nine years of his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder.Golden State has won all 12 of its postseason contests heading into Thursday night's Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

G Kyrie Irving had 24 points in Thursday's 113-91 loss at Golden State in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. "Definitely a lot of things we can correct," Irving said. "Twenty (turnovers) in the Finals, definitely not going to get it done."

Golden State Warriors star forward Kevin Durant is willing to take less than the maximum contract extension this summer if it helps the team keep its core intact, ESPN reported on Thursday, citing league sources.The move would permit the Warriors to keep their entire core together with two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry potentially signing one of the first five-year contracts created by the new collective bargaining agreement. In that light, a club can reward one designated veteran player per year with a contract starting at 35 percent of next year's projected $101 million salary cap.In order for Golden State to sign Durant to a maximum possible extension, the team would have to renounce its rights to 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and fellow free agent Shaun Livingston to create room under the salary cap. That total would start at an estimated $35.4 million per year, as opposed to a little under $32 million without creating cap space.Durant, who is the 2014 NBA MVP, is eligible for the 10-year veteran maximum contract after signing a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors last season. The 28-year-old, who averaged 25.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season, spent his first nine years of his NBA career with the Oklahoma City Thunder.Golden State has won all 12 of its postseason contests heading into Thursday night's Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the reigning champion Cleveland Cavaliers.

A Los Angeles home owned by Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was vandalized Wednesday morning with a racial slur spray-painted on the front gate of the $21 million estate.The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed officers were called to the Brentwood neighborhood estate to investigate the incident of the racial epithet.The vandalism was discovered about 6:45 a.m. PT and has since been painted over by the property manager, according to the LAPD.A Los Angeles Times source described the slur as the "N-word."The LAPD is investigating the incident as a hate crime and an official police report was expected later Wednesday.Police did not specify whether security footage was being used as part of the investigation to identify any suspects for the graffiti.James bought the 9,440-square-foot house in 2015 for about $20.9 million, according to public records. His primary residence during the NBA season is in Akron, Ohio,James, a sports icon who has spoken out against racism throughout his career,... [More]

The Los Angeles Clippers reportedly are interested in hiring NBA legend Jerry West from the Golden State Warriors.League sources told ESPN's Marc Stein that the Clippers would like to bring the 79-year-old West into their organization in an advisory capacity, similar to the ?role he holds with the Warriors since May 2011.The Hall of Famer is under contract with the Warriors through July as a member of the franchise's executive board. He previously was an executive with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, winning NBA Executive of the Year twice.Warriors owner Joe Lacob said last week he wants West to remain with the team."We want (West) back," Lacob told the San Jose Mercury News. "We love him. He's been a great contributor to the organization, someone I consider a personal friend, as well. We would love him back, and we've made that known."The Clippers, who made the playoffs in each of the last six seasons and finished 2016-17 with a 51-31 record, have failed to get out the second... [More]

The San Antonio Spurs lured LaMarcus Aldridge in free agency two years ago and could be ready to chase another addition, All-Star point guard Chris Paul.The Spurs are exploring the feasibility of making a free agent run at Paul, and the Los Angeles Clippers regard the threat of San Antonio signing him as a legitimate concern, league sources told ESPN.The Spurs presently don't have salary-cap flexibility, but the prospect of adding Paul to the frontcourt duo of Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge could potentially create a star trio that closes the gap on the Golden State Warriors, ESPN reported on Saturday.The Clippers still are regarded as favorites to retain Paul and fellow free agent-to-be Blake Griffin when they hit the open market on July 1.The Spurs would be counting on the Clippers' inability to overcome injuries and reach the conference finals even once in Paul's six seasons in Los Angeles to give them a chance.The 32-year-old Paul is eligible for a five-year deal worth an estimated... [More]

The Golden State Warriors are tuning out talk that their star-studded teams in recent years are to blame for uncompetitive playoff basketball.Kevin Durant, who signed a two-year, $54.3 million free agent contract last offseason, said his move to join the Warriors has not negatively affected the NBA and ruined parity in the league."Like I'm the reason why (expletive) Orlando couldn't make the playoffs for five, six years in a row?" Durant told USA Today Sports in a wide-ranging article published Friday. "Am I the reason that Brooklyn gave all their picks to Boston? Like, am I the reason that they're not that good?"I can't play for every team, so the truth of the matter is I left one team. It's one more team that you probably would've thought would've been a contender. One more team. I couldn't have made the (entire) East better. I couldn't have made everybody (else) in the West better."The 2015 champion Warriors will face the 2016 champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals for the third... [More]

G Isaiah Thomas said Friday that surgery is not currently the top option for his injured right hip. Thomas told reporters Friday that he must wait until the swelling subsides in his hip before determining his rehabilitation plan. "(Surgery is) not the number one option right now, but it could be once the swelling goes down," Thomas said. Thomas, who averaged 28.9 points per game during the regular season and 23.3 during the postseason, scored 19 total points in the first two games against the Cavaliers.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be the underdog against the Golden State Warriors as the NBA Finals get underway next week.The 2016 champion Cavs will battle the 2015 champion Warriors for the third straight year.James scored 35 points and passed Michael Jordan to become the NBA's all-time playoff scoring leader as the Cavaliers routed the Boston Celtics 135-102 on Thursday night to claim their third straight Eastern Conference title.Both teams dominated throughout the playoffs -- the Warriors making history by going an unprecedented 12-0 through three rounds in the Western Conference with the Cavs losing just a single game to the Celtics.The league will showcase the two best teams again when the NBA Finals tip off on Thursday night (ABC, 9 p.m. ET).The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook installed Golden State as a minus-260 favorite, with Cleveland at plus-220, meaning a $100 bet on the Warriors would win $38.46 and the same bet on the Cavaliers would win $220, according to ESPN.The... [More]

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will be the underdog against the Golden State Warriors as the NBA Finals get underway next week.The 2016 champion Cavs will battle the 2015 champion Warriors for the third straight year.James scored 35 points and passed Michael Jordan to become the NBA's all-time playoff scoring leader as the Cavaliers routed the Boston Celtics 135-102 on Thursday night to claim their third straight Eastern Conference title.Both teams dominated throughout the playoffs -- the Warriors making history by going an unprecedented 12-0 through three rounds in the Western Conference with the Cavs losing just a single game to the Celtics.The league will showcase the two best teams again when the NBA Finals tip off on Thursday night (ABC, 9 p.m. ET).The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook installed Golden State as a minus-260 favorite, with Cleveland at plus-220, meaning a $100 bet on the Warriors would win $38.46 and the same bet on the Cavaliers would win $220, according to ESPN.The... [More]

F Amir Johnson (sprained right shoulder) was able to play Thursday in the Celtics' season-ending loss to the Cavaliers. He scored one point in six minutes.

F James Jones is going to his seventh straight NBA Finals, all with LeBron James. Bill Russell holds the record of appearing in 10 consecutive Finals. Jones scored two points in eight minutes Thursday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals vs. Boston.

G Avery Bradley led the Celtics with 23 points in a season-ending loss to the Cavaliers on Thursday."We're definitely disappointed. I felt like if we weren't, it would be a problem," Bradley said. "We feel like we should be here, and we feel like we should be a championship-contending team."

F Jae Crowder (strained left thigh) was able to play Thursday in the Celtics' season-ending loss to the Cavaliers. He had 11 points and six rebounds in 29 minutes.

G Deron Williams contributed 14 points in 17 minutes off the bench as the Cavaliers rolled to a 135-102 blowout of the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

F Kevin Love had 15 points and 11 rebounds and was a game-high plus-43 as the Cavaliers rolled to a 135-102 blowout of the Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.