OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry realizes there's plenty of chatter about the defending champions and their lack of sheer domination during the season's first half.Steve Kerr has a list of things he'd like to clean up as his Warriors push toward another playoff berth — and, they hope, a winning Finals run — this spring."You've just got to have a certain level of care about what you're doing," Curry said.Even with some early bumps, everybody still knows how great this Golden State group is: the best in the NBA to date, to be precise.That hardly means this perfectionist group is close to content in early February with the playoffs still two months away."I'd like to see us come back from the All-Star break and really turn it up," Kerr said. "But for now we're going to continue to talk about the issues, not grind them to death but keep them mindful of what we're trying to accomplish and take advantage of these next four games at home and try to get back on track."It's quite a stretch before... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — To LeBron James, the Golden State Warriors are a highly respected rival — nothing more.Now and forever.James strongly denounced a report that said he would consider playing for the Warriors if the NBA champions were able to restructure their roster to accommodate the four-time league MVP. On Thursday, ESPN, citing anonymous league sources, reported James would meet with the Warriors this summer if they cleared the salary-cap space to sign him, assuming he will opt out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and become a free agent"It's nonsense, and it's a non-story," James said Friday following the Cavaliers' practice. "I think it's a discredit to what I'm trying to do here. It's a discredit to my teammates and the coaching staff here. My only focus right now is trying to figure out how we can become a championship-caliber team in these next few months. It's been so many stories about me in the last few months, in the last few days, about where I'm going... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James wouldn't reveal the order he drafted players for his All-Star team.Kevin Love had an idea when he was chosen."Probably dead last," Love said, joking."Kev would say that," James said.Cleveland's All-Stars will indeed play together in the Feb. 18 game after James selected his teammate — and former Cavs guard Kyrie Irving — to join him on a squad that will face a team featuring Golden State's Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Los Angeles.As the top two vote-getters, James and Curry were named captains and selected their teams for the All-Star game, which the league has acknowledged needs a jolt of excitement, intrigue and intensity following some lackluster affairs. Last year, the West won 192-182 in a game devoid of defense or much competitiveness.James, who will be playing in his 14th consecutive All-Star game, nabbed Warriors star Kevin Durant with his first pick. But he wouldn't divulge how the rest of the draft unfolded or the reasons... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James wouldn't reveal the order he drafted players for his All-Star team.Kevin Love had an idea when he was chosen."Probably dead last," Love said, joking."Kev would say that," James said.Cleveland's All-Stars will indeed play together in the Feb. 18 game after James selected his teammate — and former Cavs guard Kyrie Irving — to join him on a squad that will face a team featuring Golden State's Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in Los Angeles.As the top two vote-getters, James and Curry were named captains and selected their teams for the All-Star game, which the league has acknowledged needs a jolt of excitement, intrigue and intensity following some lackluster affairs. Last year, the West won 192-182 in a game devoid of defense or much competitiveness.James, who will be playing in his 14th consecutive All-Star game, nabbed Warriors star Kevin Durant with his first pick. But he wouldn't divulge how the rest of the draft unfolded or the reasons... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled. However, Durant later said that he had been the No. 1 selection.James was among those who said fans should have watched the proceedings and his decision to draft Irving could have made for a must-see moment. The point guard asked out of Cleveland last summer and the Cavaliers traded him to conference rival Boston."Kyrie was available on the draft board, he's one of the best point guards we have in our league," James said. "It was an easy choice for me."James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled.James was among those who said fans should have watched the proceedings and his decision to draft Irving could have made for a must-see moment. The point guard asked out of Cleveland last summer and the Cavaliers traded him to conference rival Boston."Kyrie was available on the draft board, he's one of the best point guards we have in our league," James said. "It was an easy choice for me."James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format.James had the No.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled.James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format.The league is hoping that trying to something new will bring back some old-school intensity that has been absent from the last two games, when the West nearly scored 200 points.James also took the New Orleans duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. His reserves are Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, the NBA MVP, Cleveland teammate Kevin Love, Washington guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Kristaps Porzingis of New York.After taking starters Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto, Curry rounded out his roster with Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto's Kyle Lowry, Portland's Damian Lillard, and Boston's Al Horford.

LeBron, Stephen, you have some big decisions to make.We're here to help.Just like in fantasy sports, where you know most people are relying on a mock draft they found online or in some magazine anyway, AP Basketball Writers Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds have drafted the teams for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game — in case captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry needed a bit of guidance on how to put together their rosters for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles.Mahoney won a coin toss and goes first, where he drafts as if he were picking Team LeBron; Reynolds drafted as if he were picking Team Stephen. And since the NBA isn't planning to make the draft details public, this might be as close as you get to the real thing anyway.___STARTER ROUNDFirst PickMahoney: Giannis Antetokounmpo.He's a dominant athlete who wants to dunk on everyone and is too young and hungry to know you're not supposed to go all out in the All-Star Game.Reynolds: Kevin Durant.Because he's Kevin Durant and I know if he doesn't... [More]

LeBron, Stephen, you have some big decisions to make.We're here to help.Just like in fantasy sports, where you know most people are relying on a mock draft they found online or in some magazine anyway, AP Basketball Writers Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds have drafted the teams for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game — in case captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry needed a bit of guidance on how to put together their rosters for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles.Mahoney won a coin toss and goes first, where he drafts as if he were picking Team LeBron; Reynolds drafted as if he were picking Team Stephen. And since the NBA isn't planning to make the draft details public, this might be as close as you get to the real thing anyway.___STARTER ROUNDFirst PickMahoney: Giannis Antetokounmpo.He's a dominant athlete who wants to dunk on everyone and is too young and hungry to know you're not supposed to go all out in the All-Star Game.Reynolds: Kevin Durant.Because he's Kevin Durant and I know if he doesn't... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry will be able to stock his All-Star roster with plenty of Golden State teammates.Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were chosen as reserves Tuesday, giving the defending NBA champions a record-tying four All-Stars for the second straight year.The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards also had two reserves selected, and they will go into the pool of players that Curry and fellow captain LeBron James can draft to comprise the teams for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles. Their rosters will be unveiled Thursday, though the selection process won't be televised.Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen from the Western Conference, along with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Portland's Damian Lillard.Besides Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, the rest of the Eastern Conference reserves were Boston's Al Horford, Cleveland's Kevin Love, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Indiana's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry will be able to stock his All-Star roster with plenty of Golden State teammates.Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were chosen as reserves Tuesday, giving the defending NBA champions a record-tying four All-Stars for the second straight year.The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards also had two reserves selected, and they will go into the pool of players that Curry and fellow captain LeBron James can draft to comprise the teams for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles. Their rosters will be unveiled Thursday, though the selection process won't be televised.Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen from the Western Conference, along with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Portland's Damian Lillard.Besides Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, the rest of the Eastern Conference reserves were Boston's Al Horford, Cleveland's Kevin Love, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Indiana's... [More]

Semi Ojeleye, Cedi Osman and Royce O'Neale have never started in an NBA game. Cameron Payne last played in April. Matt Costello has scored two points in his NBA career.They're not stars.Yet somehow, someone in an NBA locker room apparently thought they should start in this year's All-Star Game.Only 10 players will start in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, but 249 players — roughly half the league — were listed on at least one ballot in the player portion of the All-Star selection process. And while some of the results might suggest not everyone took it seriously, making the list seemed to leave Philadelphia's Amir Johnson genuinely moved."That's pretty cool, man," Johnson said Thursday night when told that he got a vote. "That shows you how together we are. ... It's just everybody against the world. It's us against everybody."So guys like Ojeleye, Osman, O'Neale, Payne and Costello all got a vote from at least one player. Andre Iguodala, a recent NBA Finals MVP, did not.The league is trying a new... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing the league's officiating.The punishment was announced Tuesday by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the league's executive vice president for basketball operations.DeRozan made his remarks after the Raptors' 127-125 loss to Golden State on Saturday in Toronto.He was fuming in part about a scramble for a loose ball that went out of bounds next to the Warriors' bench. After a video review, Golden State was awarded possession with three seconds left. Stephen Curry was fouled and made a pair of free throws before Fred VanVleet hit a buzzer-beating 3.DeRozan said after the loss that "It's frustrating being out there feeling like you're playing 5-on-8. Some of those calls were terrible, period."___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

TORONTO (AP) — Stephen Curry is back in the starting lineup for Golden State's game against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night.Curry re-sprained his troublesome right ankle before the Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. He also sat out Friday's win at Milwaukee.Curry missed 11 games in December with a similar injury but had averaged 35.2 points in five games since returning. The two-time MVP is averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 28 games for the defending NBA champions.Warriors forward Andre Iguodala, who injured his hip Friday, was available against Toronto while forward Omri Casspi missed his second straight game because of a sore lower back.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry won't play on Friday night against Milwaukee, the second straight game the sharpshooting guard will have been sidelined by a right ankle injury.Curry re-sprained the troublesome ankle before the Warriors' loss Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Clippers.Coach Steve Kerr said Curry lobbied to return Friday and felt good at shootaround, but that the ankle still wasn't well enough for him to play.The Warriors are beginning a five-game trip. Kerr said Curry will also be listed as questionable for the game Saturday night in Toronto.Golden State is getting Klay Thompson back on Friday night after the guard was rested against the Clippers.___For more NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry was out for Wednesday night's home game against the Clippers after he slipped during the shootaround and re-sprained his troublesome right ankle.The Warriors updated their injury report to include Curry's status. It's the same injury that recently sidelined him for 11 games, though coach Steve Kerr said "I don't think it's serious." No MRI or X-rays were scheduled for now though Curry was sore and the Warriors won't take any chances."I didn't see anything," Kerr said before the game. "We just had a normal shootaround and he was in his usual game day routine with Q (Bruce Fraser) and he just rolled his ankle somehow," Kerr said. "Just kind of a fluke thing, kind of caught us off guard, but obviously he won't play."The reigning Western Conference player of the week, Curry has scored at least 29 points in seven straight games with 30 or more in six of those games. He has 12 30-point performances overall this season.Kevin Durant was set... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry pumped his fists and flexed his biceps. He dangled that signature mouthpiece from his teeth in sheer delight.Oh, and he knocked down some of those familiar way-back 3-pointers, too.Yes, Golden State's sharp-shooting star is feeling it again, and he's proud to be, in his words, "that presence that kind of gets us going." Yet Curry was ruled out for Wednesday night's game against the Clippers after he slipped during the morning shootaround and tweaked his troublesome right ankle.In a 32-point, nine-assist performance against Denver on Monday, Curry wound up 9 for 17 overall while making 5 of 10 3-pointers. He remains a menace for opposing defenses even without his best shot.Curry's mere existence on the court makes every Warrior better. Teammate Draymond Green shot 42.1 percent from the field while Curry missed 11 games with a sprained right ankle. In the five games since Curry's return, Green has hit 55.6 percent. Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala have... [More]

Isaiah Thomas' debut with Cleveland last week came with the same rules as when Kawhi Leonard rejoined the Spurs.His coach could use him, just not too much.Both were playing under the dreaded minute restrictions, which coaches learn to accept but will never learn to love."It really is a pain in the neck," San Antonio's Gregg Popovich said.Popovich has dealt with it this season with Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green. In their cases, as well as Thomas, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and others returning from injuries, the team's medical staff gives the coach guidelines for how much workload they can handle and how often — a challenge even for a coach who's been at the forefront of resting players."It's difficult because it's very strange to try to figure out rotations. You can't do it," Popovich said. "You want to put somebody on the court, but you can't because of minutes, so you put somebody else on the court that shouldn't be on the court based on matchups or what you're trying to do defensively... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry returned from an 11-game absence due to an ankle injury and set an NBA season-high by hitting 10 3-pointers as the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 141-128 on Saturday.In his first game since Dec. 4, Curry scored 38 points on 13 of 17 shooting. He made 10 of 13 as Golden State (29-8) shot 54.5 percent (18 of 33) from behind the arc and 58.8 percent overall.Klay Thompson added 21 and hit five 3-pointers while Kevin Durant contributed 20 for the defending champions.Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies (11-25) with 27 points while Tyreke Evans added 22 as Memphis shot 52.1 percent and 71.4 percent (15 of 21) from 3-point range.Jazz 104, Cavaliers 101SALT LAKE CITY -- Rookie Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and Utah held off Cleveland.Derrick Favors added 19 while Ricky Rubio totaled 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Utah (16-21) beat Cleveland for the fourth straight time.LeBron James turned 33 and played for the seventh time on his birthday.... [More]

PG Stephen Curry (sprained right ankle) will scrimmage Thursday and the door is open for the two-time MVP possibly to return to the team for Friday's home game against Charlotte.