Steve Kerr is teaching. And learning.That is his silver lining from this season.After five consecutive years of being No. 1 in the Western Conference — and ending up as NBA champions in three of those seasons — the Warriors are at the bottom of the league. Everyone knows why: Kevin Durant left, Stephen Curry got hurt, Klay Thompson got hurt, D’Angelo Russell got hurt, Andre Iguodala got traded, Shaun Livingston retired, DeMarcus Cousins left ... it goes on and on.“You can’t have worse luck than they’ve had,” Orlando coach Steve Clifford said.But to Kerr’s credit, the Warriors are desperate to make the best of their situation.This will be a losing season for Kerr, his first in more than a quarter-century. He was a winner almost every year as a player, a winner in each of his three seasons as an executive in Phoenix, a huge winner in his first five seasons as coach. He won five titles as a player, three more as a coach. And next year — with Curry back, Thompson back, a top-five lottery pick... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shaun Livingston's career nearly ended far ahead of his schedule because of a gruesome knee injury. Now, he gets to retire on his own terms — and with three championships after playing a key role during the Golden State Warriors' recent title runs.The 34-year-old Livingston announced his retirement Friday following 15 NBA seasons, an anticipated move. He reached the NBA Finals in each of his five seasons with Golden State, his ninth NBA team.In a social media post, Livingston said: "After 15 years in the NBA, I'm excited, sad, fortunate and grateful all in one breath. Hard to put into a caption all of the emotions it takes to try and accomplish your dreams. I wasn't supposed to be here. Anybody that has beat the odds understands the mental and emotional strain it takes to inspire yourself on an uphill war, let alone inspire others."With the Clippers on Feb. 26, 2007, Livingston's left leg buckled when he fell to the court in a freak accident. Doctors thought it might have to be amputated.Livingston tore three major ligaments in his knee — the anterior cruciate, posterior cruciate and medial collateral — as well as his lateral meniscus, then required extensive surgery performed by renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama.Livingston, who also dislocated his knee cap and tibiofemoral joint, overcame long medical odds just to get back on the court.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Shaun Livingston's career nearly ended far ahead of his schedule because of a gruesome knee injury. Now, he gets to retire on his own terms — and with three championships after playing a key role during the Golden State Warriors' recent title runs.The 34-year-old Livingston announced his retirement Friday following 15 NBA seasons, an anticipated move. He reached the NBA Finals in each of his five seasons with Golden State, his ninth NBA team.With the Clippers on Feb. 26, 2007, Livingston's left leg buckled when he fell to the court in a freak accident. Doctors thought it might have to be amputated.Livingston tore three major ligaments in his knee, as well as his lateral meniscus, then required extensive surgery.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Someday, years or even decades from now, at one of those celebratory reunions teams like to do, Stephen Curry knows he and Kevin Durant will reminisce with fondness about their three insanely successful years together on the Golden State Warriors.They will reflect on the greatness, the fun, all they learned from each other shooting side by side day after day. Two championships, a pair of NBA Finals MVP awards for Durant."I'll always remember the three years we had. We'll probably be back here down the road celebrating those like they did the '74-75 team," Curry said, nodding in the direction of the Warriors' recent championship banners. "It'll be cool when that happens."For now, Curry is embracing new beginnings as the oldest player on a Golden State roster that will look far different come training camp next month — and that also was the theme he shared with girls attending his Warriors camp this week in one of his bittersweet final trips to the downtown Oakland... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Someday, years or even decades from now, at one of those celebratory reunions teams like to do, Stephen Curry knows he and Kevin Durant will reminisce with fondness about their three insanely successful years together on the Golden State Warriors.They will reflect on the greatness, the fun, all they learned from each other shooting side by side day after day. Two championships, a pair of NBA Finals MVP awards for Durant."I'll always remember the three years we had. We'll probably be back here down the road celebrating those like they did the '74-75 team," Curry said, nodding in the direction of the Warriors' recent championship banners. "It'll be cool when that happens."For now, Curry is embracing "new beginnings" as the oldest player on a Golden State roster that will look far different come training camp next month — and that also was the theme he shared with girls attending his Warriors camp this week in one of his "bittersweet" final trips to the downtown Oakland... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Golden State coach Steve Kerr knows that a new era of Warriors basketball is about to begin.He just doesn't know what that means yet.It has been a rough summer for Kerr, whose roster is wildly different following the offseason departures of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins and Shaun Livingston — all on the heels of the team losing the NBA Finals to Toronto and Klay Thompson tearing an ACL in the last game of this past season. He spoke of the summer of tumult Monday, when USA Basketball opened its World Cup training camp."This summer was painful in many ways, losing the guys that we did," said Kerr, a USA Basketball assistant this summer under coach Gregg Popovich. "But reassuring, in the sense that we brought back some key guys who are going to help us kind of get to that next era, whatever that looks like."The Warriors kept Thompson, to no surprise, after a five-year, $190 million contract got finalized quickly in free agency. Golden State also reached an... [More]

Draymond Green entered this offseason vowing that the Golden State Warriors would remain a contender for NBA titles. His opinion hasn't changed.Green and the Warriors have agreed on the terms of a four-year extension worth nearly $100 million, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was unsigned, though that was expected to be completed imminently.ESPN first reported the agreement, citing Green's agent, Rich Paul.Green's new deal will start with the 2020-21 season, so he is under contract through 2023-24. Klay Thompson signed a five-year, $190 million extension with the Warriors last month, and Stephen Curry is under contract through the 2021-22 season, so three major pieces of the Warriors' half-decade of success are now locked up for at least three more years."I think everybody thinks it's kind of the end of us," Green said in June, after the Warriors lost a six-game series to Toronto... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Bob Myers has accepted Kevin Durant's departure for the Brooklyn Nets with an appreciation for all the superstar forward accomplished with the franchise, even if the Golden State general manager would have loved to keep KD around a little longer."I have a peace about it," Myers said Monday as he discussed the Warriors' flurry of moves in free agency.And Myers doesn't think he would do anything differently in an attempt to keep Durant, who told Myers he was ready for a new chapter after winning championships with the Warriors in 2017 and '18 as NBA Finals MVP both years."You do the best you can," Myers said. "I think all along, to me it was a blessing that he came, that he wanted to be a part of this. This is a guy who can move in whatever direction he wants because of his talent. He came and he delivered. In my opinion he was everything we could have asked for. He represented us on the court, he represented us off the court. He still has a great relationship with... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant vs. James Harden. This duel may just go the distance, and the two stars know it.Everyone figured the Western Conference semifinal between Golden State and Houston had a chance to be more like the NBA Finals in terms of talent on each side, and now it's tied at 2-all.The NBA's best are dazzling on defense and trading big shots on offense."The way both teams are playing with such intensity and aggression, it's fun to be out there," Durant said. "We're looking forward to Game 5."The series resumes Wednesday night at Oracle Arena, which could host its final game if Golden State doesn't handle business at home. The Warriors will move to new Chase Center in San Francisco next season."The mood's good. Playoffs, this is what it's about," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday afternoon once his team touched down in Oakland. "Our team has been here many times. We've been in much worse situations, being down in a series, being on the road for Game 7s. We've pretty... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant vs. James Harden. This duel may just go the distance, and the two stars know it.Everyone figured the Western Conference semifinal between Golden State and Houston had a chance to be more like the NBA Finals in terms of talent on each side, and now it's tied at 2-all.The NBA's best are dazzling on defense and trading big shots on offense."The way both teams are playing with such intensity and aggression, it's fun to be out there," Durant said. "We're looking forward to Game 5."The series resumes Wednesday night at Oracle Arena, which could host its final game if Golden State doesn't handle business at home. The Warriors will move to new Chase Center in San Francisco next season."The mood's good. Playoffs, this is what it's about," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Tuesday afternoon once his team touched down in Oakland. "Our team has been here many times. We've been in much worse situations, being down in a series, being on the road for Game 7s. We've pretty... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — DeMarcus Cousins shoves off assistant coach Jarron Collins and goes hard for the basket. He swishes a 3-pointer from up top, then hits a jumper inside the arc on the right wing. Cousins drives to the hoop and makes a shot from close range, then a turnaround jumper goes in before he moves to the left side to begin the sequence again.Long before the rest of the Golden State regulars have taken the court for pregame warmups, there is Cousins, earbuds in, meticulously focused on his preparation. In the locker room, he is one of the first to pull on his game jersey.Cousins can't wait for his first playoff chance."It's been a long time coming for him," Collins said. "I definitely think he's excited and he's ready for the moment to play on the biggest stage. Obviously there's a lot that goes into it, the preparation, the dedication."This is why Cousins approached the Warriors last summer and asked for a chance, even though he was working back from season-ending surgery for... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Stephen Curry would ordinarily be getting off his feet as fast as possible after a morning shootaround practice, saving his legs for the looming game that night.Wednesday, however, wasn't ordinary.Golden State coach Steve Kerr invited some students — including ones from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, the school in Parkland where 17 students and staff were killed in a massacre on Feb. 14, 2018 — into the Warriors' game-morning practice in Miami. And long after the session was over, Curry was throwing alley-oop lobs and engaging in 3-point contests with kids who couldn't believe they were hanging out with stars from the two-time defending NBA champions."You hate that you have these opportunities because of what happened at our school," said Jeff Foster, a teacher and former coach at Stoneman Douglas. "But at the same time, it's nice to have these contacts and meet people and coach Kerr has been at a few of the events with our kids ... you're always glad to sit around and talk... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Hawks forward Taurean Prince will miss at least three weeks after injuring his left ankle in a lost to Golden State.The team announced Tuesday that an MRI revealed a ligament sprain, bone bruise and associated soft tissue inflammation.Prince was injured in Monday night's 128-111 loss to the Warriors when he came down on Shaun Livingston while shooting. The Atlanta player hobbled straight to the locker room and left the arena on crutches.The 6-foot-8 Prince is the Hawks' third-leading scorer at 15 points a game. A first-round pick out of Baylor, he's in his third season with the rebuilding team.___For more AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry has a mild to moderate left groin strain and will miss Golden State's home game against Brooklyn on Saturday night.Curry underwent an MRI exam Friday but the Warriors will wait a few days to fully determine the severity of the injury. Coach Steve Kerr said it doesn't appear to be significant."This doesn't look like it's going to be a long-term injury. He's disappointed but it could have been a lot worse," Kerr said. "We'll just monitor his progress over the next several days."The two-time NBA MVP was hurt midway through the third quarter of Thursday night's 134-111 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Curry grabbed at his inner thigh after trying to contest Eric Bledsoe's shot in transition at the 6:50 mark of the third.The 30-year-old Curry has been averaging 29.5 points, 6.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 49.2 percent from 3-point range.Curry scored 10 points Thursday in his second straight game below 20 after getting at least 23 in every game previously... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry appreciated the freedom from coach Steve Kerr to shoot from wherever he darn well pleased, no distance off limits.On this night, Curry could get away with anything. He was feeling it."It is nice to turn around and not hear your coach on the sideline chewing you out," Curry said. "I'd like to say I deserve that little wiggle room there for sure."Even with another post-championship, whirlwind summer that included welcoming a son, more golf tournaments and travel, Curry considered it among his best and most productive offseasons.His body is fully healthy and recovered after the Golden State superstar played only 51 regular-season games during the latest championship run because of injuries.Through five games, Curry is as dominant as ever — as evidenced in a spectacular 51-point performance in Wednesday night's 144-122 win against the Wizards playing only three quarters. He scored 18 straight for the Warriors during one stretch."It was a joy to be on the... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The ending was weird.The postgame was weird.At least Game 1 of what was supposed to be a lopsided NBA Finals was anything but boring. It had a little of everything: A player stumbled and buckled Klay Thompson's knee to send the Warriors' sharp-shooter limping to the locker room in the opening minutes; let Stephen Curry get loose for a 30-footer at the halftime buzzer; grabbed a rebound in the final seconds of regulation with the score tied and inexplicably ran toward midcourt as if he thought the game was over.And all that was just J.R. Smith.The opener of this Cleveland-Golden State series should have been memorable for other reasons — LeBron James scoring a playoff career-high 51 points, the Warriors having three players score at least 24 and Draymond Green nearly getting a triple-double. Instead, this game's legacy is an overturned charge call late in regulation, Smith's gaffes, contradictory explanations from Cleveland and hot tempers in the final seconds.Warriors... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The ending was weird.The postgame was weird.At least Game 1 of what was supposed to be a lopsided NBA Finals was anything but boring. It had a little of everything: A player stumbled and buckled Klay Thompson's knee to send the Warriors' sharp-shooter limping to the locker room in the opening minutes; let Stephen Curry get loose for a 30-footer at the halftime buzzer; grabbed a rebound in the final seconds of regulation with the score tied and inexplicably ran toward midcourt as if he thought the game was over.And all that was just J.R. Smith.The opener of this Cleveland-Golden State series should have been memorable for other reasons — LeBron James scoring a playoff career-high 51 points, the Warriors having three players score at least 24 and Draymond Green nearly getting a triple-double. Instead, this game's legacy is an overturned charge call late in regulation, Smith's gaffes, contradictory explanations from Cleveland and hot tempers in the final seconds.Warriors... [More]

Editors:To help you with the upcoming NBA postseason, here are some of AP's plans. Please direct questions to Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org). Times are ET. This digest will be updated.PLAYOFF COVERAGE— Each series will get a preview, 650-750 words.— Game coverage will follow the regular-season format, with final updates of about 750 words. Sidebars on merit.— During the early rounds, we will again move BKN--TIPOFF each day until the conference finals, featuring the top story lines looking ahead to the next day's games.— Team wrapups will move the day after the regular season in most cases.___UPCOMING FEATURESBKN--PLAYOFFS SETMIAMI — Finally, the brackets will be set. A race that went to the end in both conferences — just to decide who got in out West, and to decide who plays who in the East — is over, and the long road to the NBA Finals is now underway. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 3 a.m. THURSDAYBKN--WARRIORS-DIFFERENT PATHOAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Curry... [More]

Editors:To help you with the upcoming NBA postseason, here are some of AP's plans. Please direct questions to Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org). Times are ET. This digest will be updated.PLAYOFF COVERAGE— Each series will get a preview, 650-750 words.— Game coverage will follow the regular-season format, with final updates of about 750 words. Sidebars on merit.— During the early rounds, we will again move BKN--TIPOFF each day until the conference finals, featuring the top story lines looking ahead to the next day's games.— Team wrapups will move the day after the regular season in most cases.___UPCOMING FEATURESBKN--THE FINAL DAYMIAMI — The last day of the NBA season has arrived, with some statistical races still to be decided and perhaps some milestones even within reach. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. TUESDAYNOTE: Story will move shortly after Tuesday's games are complete___BKN--OLADIPO-INDIANA'S BEST MANINDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers thought Victor Oladipo... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — By rule, any substitute checking into an NBA game must first report his intentions to the scorer's table. Denver's Jamal Murray was on his way there during a game last month, then got derailed when an errant pass came flying his way.That's when referee Jason Phillips intervened.Phillips could have easily been a stickler for rules and told Murray — who never made it to the table — that he had to wait until the next stoppage of play. But Phillips knew Murray was on his way to checking in long before the play was dead and allowed him to enter the game."Thank you," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, and Phillips nodded.There were moments of civility like this between referees, players and coaches this season. They just were overshadowed way too often. Now everyone is watching to see how things unfold in the playoffs.The league wants to avoid more headline-grabbing confrontation with the playoffs starting Saturday and stakes and emotion becoming even higher, so officials met with... [More]