HOUSTON (AP) — Andre Iguodala's bruised left knee improved Wednesday, but he was still listed as questionable for the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.Iguodala missed Tuesday night's game after banging his left knee in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game. Kerr says: "He's feeling a little better today. He's out on the floor, not doing a whole lot but making progress."Houston got a 95-92 win in Game 4 on Tuesday to even the series at 2-2 heading in Thursday's game.Klay Thompson is also listed as questionable after straining his left knee Tuesday night. But Kerr said that Thompson was "moving around really well" on Wednesday and that he thought he'd be fine.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Rockets have reason to feel good, tied with Golden State after winning Game 2 in a rout in the Western Conference finals.But a big challenge awaits Sunday at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors have won an NBA-record tying 15 straight playoff games.Houston coach Mike D'Antoni knows all about Golden State's success in Oakland, but thinks it has less to do with being at home than the fact that the Warriors are a great team."The challenge is you're playing Golden State. That's why they've won 15 in a row. Not because of the building, but because they're good," he said. "All these players are used to playing in hostile environments ... it helps a little bit (but) sometimes you feed off the energy also from the other crowd. So you try to take them out as soon as you can and take out the crowd."The Rockets aren't daunted by Golden State's winning streak there and are looking forward to the challenge."It's definitely a great place to play," Trevor Ariza said. "Their fans are great.... [More]

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Ray Allen has enjoyed watching former teammate LeBron James lead Cleveland through the NBA playoffs. And it's not much different than what Allen saw almost daily when the two were part of the Miami Heat's run to a NBA title in 2013."He's the main cog of what the Cavaliers are doing," Allen said Monday. "I don't see him doing anything outside of his spectrum. He's doing what he's been doing most of his career. When we start talking playoff basketball and about the players who are good, we expect them to do their jobs when it's time to do their jobs."For the two-time NBA champion in Allen, there's no higher compliment.Allen spent his stellar, 19-year career well prepared for whatever moment there was. He was a 10-time NBA all-star who helped a trophy-starved Boston to a championship in 2008, then joined James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Heat to capture the 2013 crown.Allen, the son of an Air Force veteran, starred for Hillcrest High School in Dalzell, South... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are in the unfamiliar position of opening on the road as they prepare for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals with the top-seeded Rockets in Houston on Monday night in the series that many have been waiting for all season.It's the first time the No. 2 Warriors have been in a playoff series without home-court advantage since 2014 when they lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 4-3 in the opening round.For a team that has matched the Chicago Bulls' NBA record with 15 straight home playoff victories, the feeling is a bit unsettling."It's different," coach Steve Kerr said. "I think our guys, they are taking the challenge and they're embracing it. They feel like, 'OK, we don't have home court for the first time,' but we seem to be at our best when we are threatened. That's been kind of the M.O. of this team. We're definitely threatened. We're on the road for Game 1, we've never felt that."The Rockets, who earned the top seed for the first time in franchise... [More]

Capsules for NBA's conference finals that start Sunday in the East, Monday in the West:___EASTERN CONFERENCENo. 2 BOSTON CELTICS (55-27, 8-4) vs. No. 4 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (50-32, 8-3)Season series: Cavaliers, 2-1.Story line: Cleveland's LeBron James is one round away from his eighth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, and it's an East finals rematch between two franchises that look incredibly different than they did 12 months ago. Kyrie Irving went from Cleveland to Boston last summer; his season is over because of a knee injury. Isaiah Thomas went from Boston to Cleveland in that deal; his season is over because he's long moved on from the Cavs. It's two teams that were written off plenty of times this season, yet here they are again.How They Got Here: Boston beat No. 7 Milwaukee 4-3 and No. 3 Philadelphia 4-1. Cleveland beat No. 5 Indiana 4-3 and No. 1 Toronto 4-0.Key Matchup: Boston's Al Horford vs. Cleveland's Kevin Love. James is going to be great; that's a given. The Cavs will need... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — After a Game 3 flop in New Orleans, similar to that lone first-round loss against San Antonio last month, coach Steve Kerr provided a quick reminder to the Golden State Warriors:It's not supposed to be easy at this stage — especially for the defending champions.There's no way this postseason can go as brilliantly as the last one. That remarkable, record-setting 16-1 run to the title, well, it's not going to happen often, or maybe ever again."I told our team actually after Game 3 the day we practiced, I said, 'What we did last year was the first time and only time anybody has ever accomplished that in the playoffs, gone 16-1," Kerr said. "I know the Lakers went 15-1, they had a similar kind of joy ride where very little adversity, but that's the extreme exception. Year after year, the NBA champion has to go through so much to get there. And that's why you pour champagne on each other, because it's really hard, and it's supposed to be hard. The fact that it is so difficult... [More]

The "Death Lineup" breathed new life into the Golden State Warriors.It was yet another reminder: In the NBA playoffs, where even a brief downward slide can be enough to end a season, even the best teams won't hesitate when they feel a need to shake up their starting lineups.Desperate times in the first round sent Cleveland to desperate lineup measures. Toronto, the team that finished with the NBA's second-best regular season record, sought a spark by changing its starting five against the Cavs for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Utah showed Houston a new look Sunday in Game 4 of their West semifinal matchup, and while the Jazz slowed the high-powered Rockets at times they still fell into a 3-1 series deficit.And then there's the Warriors, who were coming off a big loss in Game 3 against New Orleans so they put their five best players — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green — on the floor Sunday to start a game for the first time all season.... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rajon Rondo and Draymond Green have won NBA titles and never have been known to shy away from conflict on the court.Now their combustible convergence in the playoffs is providing a spicy subplot to the Western Conference semifinal series between New Orleans and Golden State."We're here to fight," Rondo said following New Orleans' lopsided Game 3 victory that trimmed the Warriors' series lead to 2-1. "With my guys on the court, I'm going to fight as hard as I can ... and do whatever it takes."Green and Rondo had to be separated after whistles twice in the first three games — never mind some other antics in the flow of the game — and they'll be back at it again in one of two pivotal Game 4s to be played on Sunday. The other pits Houston against Utah in a series that the Rockets lead 2-1.The Rondo-Green sideshow is compelling because of what both players mean to their teams. They are not the type of trash-talking, loud-mouths who otherwise play marginal roles. They are accomplished... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rajon Rondo and Draymond Green have won NBA titles and never have been known to shy away from conflict on the court.Now their combustible convergence in the playoffs is providing spicy subplot to the Western Conference semifinal series between New Orleans and Golden State."We're here to fight," Rondo said following New Orleans' lopsided Game 3 victory that trimmed the Warriors' series lead to 2-1. "With my guys on the court, I'm going to fight as hard as I can ... and do whatever it takes."Green and Rondo had to be separated after whistles twice in the first three games — never mind some other antics in the flow of the game — and they'll be back at it again in one of two pivotal Game 4s to be played on Sunday. The other pits Houston against Utah in a series that the Rockets lead 2-1.The Rondo-Green sideshow is compelling because of what both players mean to their teams. They are not the type of trash-talking, loud-mouths who otherwise play marginal roles. They are accomplished... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — When Stephen Curry's shot needs a little something, he dives into "The Menu." Warriors teammate Klay Thompson might put up a few extra shots after an off night. If Kevin Durant is trying to rediscover his rhythm, he does some studying that usually means watching his made shots.Golden State boasts some of the world's best shooters and each has his own way of bouncing back from a poor performance.For Curry, there is no actual list or book for "The Menu." The two-time MVP and his right-hand shooting man, Bruce Fraser, keep all the details in their heads for what the record-breaking 3-point sharpshooter could use work on any given day. It comes in especially handy when the shots aren't falling, though Curry certainly found his touch fast in returning from nearly six weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury to score 28 points in a Game 2 win against New Orleans on Tuesday night. Golden State leads the series 2-0 going into Friday.Maybe Curry needs more catch and shoots... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — When Stephen Curry's shot needs a little something, he dives into "The Menu." Warriors teammate Klay Thompson might put up a few extra shots after an off night. If Kevin Durant is trying to rediscover his rhythm, he does some studying that usually means watching his made shots.Golden State boasts some of the world's best shooters and each has his own way of bouncing back from a poor performance.For Curry, there is no actual list or book for "The Menu." The two-time MVP and his right-hand shooting man, Bruce Fraser, keep all the details in their heads for what the record-breaking 3-point sharpshooter could use work on any given day. It comes in especially handy when the shots aren't falling, though he certainly found his touch fast in returning from nearly six weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury to score 28 points Tuesday night against New Orleans.Maybe Curry needs more catch and shoots. Or off-the-dribble work. Sometimes, it's ballhandling into his shot. Perhaps... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — When Stephen Curry's shot needs a little something, he dives into "The Menu." Warriors teammate Klay Thompson might put up a few extra shots after an off night. If Kevin Durant is trying to rediscover his rhythm, he does some studying that usually means watching his made shots.Golden State boasts some of the world's best shooters and each has his own way of bouncing back from a poor performance.For Curry, there is no actual list or book for "The Menu." The two-time MVP and his right-hand shooting man, Bruce Fraser, keep all the details in their heads for what the record-breaking 3-point sharpshooter could use work on any given day. It comes in especially handy when the shots aren't falling, though he certainly found his touch fast in returning from nearly six weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury to score 28 points Tuesday night against New Orleans.Maybe Curry needs more catch and shoots. Or off-the-dribble work. Sometimes, it's ballhandling into his shot. Perhaps... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr refers to Pelicans star Anthony Davis "one of the very best players on earth."That means the Golden State Warriors' defense will face a far different test than what San Antonio presented in the first round of the NBA playoffs when New Orleans arrives for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday night on the defending champions' home floor.The pace. The playmakers. And, of course, the load that is Davis.Davis' daunting playoff averages: 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.New Orleans got here even after losing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins three months ago to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. That's when Davis said the Pelicans became "great.""It was tough. We were still learning when he was here," Davis said."We were still in that early stage of trying to figure out how to close games, how to play for each other, defensive assignments. And we started to figure it out before he got hurt. ... Then when he went down, we had to... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr refers to Pelicans star Anthony Davis "one of the very best players on earth."That means the Golden State Warriors' defense will face a far different test than what San Antonio presented in the first round of the NBA playoffs when New Orleans arrives for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday night on the defending champions' home floor.The pace. The playmakers. And, of course, the load that is Davis.Davis' daunting playoff averages: 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.New Orleans got here even after losing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins three months ago to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. That's when Davis said the Pelicans became "great.""It was tough. We were still learning when he was here," Davis said."We were still in that early stage of trying to figure out how to close games, how to play for each other, defensive assignments. And we started to figure it out before he got hurt. ... Then when he went down, we had to... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry resumed full practice with contact and could play for the defending champion Golden State Warriors as soon as Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday night against New Orleans.Curry looked strong as he practiced Thursday wearing a protective brace over his sprained left knee, which has sidelined him since the injury March 23 — the same day he returned from a six-game absence because of a hurt right ankle.Coach Steve Kerr is calling Curry questionable for Saturday. That could change if the two-time NBA MVP still feels fine Friday and is fine after one more day of full practice before the Pelicans visit Oracle Arena to begin the best-of-seven series."Steph practiced at 100 percent, he did everything, he looked good," Kerr said. "What we have to do is see how his body responds the rest of the day, put him through another practice tomorrow. I think he needs to string together two good days but it was very positive today. ... I think it's been... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant drove coast-to-coast just before halftime for a monster two-handed slam.Klay Thompson swished a turnaround fadeaway as the halftime buzzer sounded and scurried for the tunnel hands raised high in triumph. Stephen Curry, in street clothes, hopped up and down on his injured left knee celebrating wildly with his Splash Brother.Draymond Green pounded the glass at every chance for another spectacular rebounding night.The defending champions are back, all right. They are rolling. And Curry could be close to putting on a uniform again."I hope, but I'm not going to expect it because I don't want to get my hopes up and not have them fulfilled," Thompson said. "If he doesn't play, we're prepared. If he does play, hallelujah."Golden State has endured barely a blip so far, losing only Game 4 of its first-round series against San Antonio before closing out the Spurs with Tuesday night's 99-91 victory.They will open the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals against... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jrue Holiday's postseason production is providing Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis with a more comfortable margin for error — and has left Portland with precious little.Holiday's 54 points, 16 assists and slew of defensive successes in the first two games are big reasons why the sixth-seeded Pelicans hold a surprising 2-0 series lead over the third-seeded Trail Blazers as they prepare for Game 3 Thursday night in New Orleans."Playoff Jrue, I guess," Davis quipped after Holiday scored 33 — including a late, deep 3-pointer — in the Pelicans' Game 2 triumph in Portland on Tuesday night. "He's in a different mode."Philadelphia visits Miami in one of two other Game 3s on Thursday night, while the Spurs' return to San Antonio after a pair of double-digit losses at defending champion Golden State.Pelicans general manager Dell Demps bet big on Holiday on the first day of free agency last summer, giving the 27-year-old guard a five-year contract worth about $126 million. But if... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jrue Holiday's postseason production is providing Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis with a more comfortable margin for error — and has left Portland with precious little.Holiday's 54 points, 16 assists and slew of defensive successes in the first two games are big reasons why the sixth-seeded Pelicans hold a surprising 2-0 series lead over the third-seeded Trail Blazers as they prepare for Game 3 Thursday night in New Orleans."Playoff Jrue, I guess," Davis quipped after Holiday scored 33 — including a late, deep 3-pointer — in the Pelicans' Game 2 triumph in Portland on Tuesday night. "He's in a different mode."Philadelphia visits Miami in one of two other Game 3s on Thursday night, while the Spurs' return to San Antonio after a pair of double-digit losses at defending champion Golden State.Pelicans general manager Dell Demps bet big on Holiday on the first day of free agency last summer, giving the 27-year-old guard a five-year contract worth about $126 million. But if... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Andre Iguodala knocked down another clutch 3-pointer and let out some rare emotion, triumphantly reaching his arms out wide as he ran back to the defensive end. The Golden State swingman had thrown down a spectacular alley-oop dunk only 31 seconds earlier, and he was feeling it as the clocked ticked away on a second straight lopsided playoff win.There's something about Iguodala in the postseason. He paces himself through the regular season to be fresh and ready — and sometimes dominant — on the big stage for the defending NBA champions."Everyone gets hyped when Andre gets hyped because that's a rare occurrence," teammate Klay Thompson said. "You might see it on the golf course."It's just what the short-handed Warriors were hoping to see.Iguodala is back in the starting lineup for Golden State's first-round series against the Spurs, filling in for Stephen Curry as the two-time MVP recovers from a sprained left knee. That's how versatile Iguodala is: the 6-foot-6 swingman... [More]

Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra have copious amounts of championship jewelry in their possessions, and their teams committing to the level of defense necessary to win in the postseason is a major reason why that's the case.Vastly improved defense will be what both coaches demand — or at least hope for — on Monday.Popovich's San Antonio Spurs just didn't have enough answers for Golden State in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, and Spoelstra's Miami Heat offered Philadelphia absolutely no resistance in a second-half meltdown that opened their Eastern Conference series. The Warriors and 76ers are both looking to take 2-0 leads when those matchups resume on their respective home floors."We understand that we are not favorites," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We are underdogs. We talked about it, and to get a win here, we've got to overachieve. We've got to do better than we think we can do, even. So we'll fight as hard as we can in Game 2."That will have to be a mantra for both... [More]