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NBA Christmas Day Schedule, Live TV Channels: Dec. 25

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MIAMI, FL – A well anticipated Christmas Day schedule awaits NBA fans on Tuesday, although there is no NBA Finals rematch this year.

However, there is a familiar matchup listed on the day’s schedule.

For the fourth consecutive year on Christmas Day, LeBron James will go up against the Golden State Warriors, although he will be wearing the colors of Los Angeles Lakers this time.

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This clash will see James facing off with Steph Curry and it headlines the five games slated for December 25.

The Lakers visit to the Warriors will be televised live by both ESPN and ABC and streaming on WatchESPN, starting at 8 p.m. ET.

In addition to James and Curry, the Christmas Day fixtures will see the likes of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Joel Embiid all in action.

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The NBA Christmas Day Showdowns will tip off on ESPN and WatchESPN at Noon ET with the Milwaukee Bucks traveling to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks.

This is followed by Westbrook going up his former teammate James Harden when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Houston Rockets (3 p.m. ET), live on ABC and WatchESPN.

Boston Celtics will be hosting the Philadelphia 76ers on ABC and WatchESPN at 5:30 p.m. ET, before the Lakers visit the Warriors. Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz will close out Christmas Day in Salt Lake City (10:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN and WatchESPN.

Christmas Day 2018 – December. 25
Bucks vs. Knicks | Noon ET | ESPN and WatchESPN
Thunder vs. Rockets | 3 p.m. ET | ABC and WatchESPN
Sixers vs. Celtics | 5:30 p.m. ET | ABC and WatchESPN
Lakers vs. Warriors | 8 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN and WatchESPN
Trail Blazers vs. Jazz | 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN and WatchESPN

Warriors Guard Steph Curry Unhurt In 3-Car Crash

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OAKLAND, CA — Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors escaped unhurt after he was involved in a three-car crash on a California highway Friday morning, it is being reported.

According to a California Highway Patrol spokesman told KABC-TV, Curry’s black Porsche was damaged when the car was hit twice.

ESPN reports that the vehicle was first by a car that spun out and then rear-ended by another.

No injuries were reported, with the California Highway Patrol believing weather may have played a factor in the accident.

Images showed Curry on the scene next to his banged-up car.

The Warriors point guard apparently made it safely to the practice facility where he continues to get treatment on his injured groin.

Curry has not played since featuring for 26 minutes in a 134-111 defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 8.

The 30-year-old will miss his eighth straight game on Friday when Golden State hosts the Portland Trail Blazers at ORACLE Arena.

He will be re-evaluated Saturday, but he will also not play against the Sacramento Kings.

The Warriors have lost four of their past five games.

Stream NBA Finals Game 5: Warriors v Cavaliers on WatchESPN, ABC

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OAKLAND, Calif., Sporting Alert — The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will battle in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, seeking a win for different reasons.

Live streaming of this game will be on WatchESPN, while ABC will broadcast the action live on television, starting at 9:00 pm ET.

After racing through the opening 15 games of this year’s playoffs, the Warriors’ win streak was snapped in Game 4, but the Western Conference champions are confident about wrapping this series up and securing theirs second NBA title in three seasons.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers, who shot lights out in a 137-116 victory in Game 4 when going 24-of-45 from 3-point range at home on Friday to avoid being swept, are hoping to build on that momentum heading into what is expected to be another challenging game at the ORACLE Arena.

LeBron James NBA Finals
LeBron James soars to the basket

Another victory tonight for the Cavs would see LeBron James and Co. forcing a sixth game in Cleveland, as they continue their push to create NBA history.

Veteran Richard Jefferson, who is expected to spend a lot of time guarding Kevin Durant again in Game 5, outlines what this game is shaping up to be.

“I can tell you a lot of people didn’t believe that we wanted to get on a plane and come back here,” he said. “I guarantee you they don’t want to get on a plane and go back to Cleveland [for Game 6] because then we’ll probably be getting on a plane and coming back here again.

“We believe our fans in Cleveland are so good and we play so well at home that if we win Game 5, it’s probably going to go seven, and anything can happen in Game 7.”

Jefferson added: “I’ve guarded K.D. since he came into this league. He’s one of the best talents the league has seen. It’s the same with guarding LeBron.

“I had to do that [with other teams], all the high-level small forwards, Carmelo [Anthony of the Knicks]. You have your hands full . . . There is no stopping K.D.

Kevin Durant and Draymond Green
Kevin Durant and Draymond Green on the bench for the Warriors

“There is no stopping LeBron or Steph [Curry] or Kyrie [Irving]. It’s just trying to give them different looks that take away one or two possessions a game.”

Golden State entered Game 5 last season in a similar position and ended up losing in seven games.

However, the addition of Durant in the offseason has made the Warriors a better team and head coach Steve Kerr believes it will be a “different situation” this time.

“Totally different situation. Different team,” he said. “They’re a different team also. We’re in a much better position this year.

“We’re healthy, we got Kevin Durant. That’s a good thing. But they’re better too. They’re a better team too.”

Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors looks on

In Game 1, the Warriors eased to a 113-91 victory before taking Game 2 by a score of 132-113 and the third game 118-113.

The series was once a lopsided and boring 3-0 advantage for the Warriors.

Now it’s 3-1, a little more exciting and unpredictable.

Still, Durant is prepared to continue to have some fun.

“We’ll just come and play our game, continue to build on what we’ve been doing since Day 1 of training camp,” said the former Oklahoma City Thunder forward.

“(We’re) looking forward to going out there and having some fun (Monday). That’s the only thing that matters.”

The Cavaliers managed to stave off elimination in Game 4 last week, but ESPN’s Basketball Power Index is giving the Warriors an 80 percent chance to win and closeout this series at home.

Can Cleveland win again in the face of elimination?

Warriors Hunt 3-0 Lead: Watch Cavaliers v Golden State Game 3

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CLEVELAND, Sporting Alert — LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers return home for Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors with his legacy in question. Watch live streaming coverage on WatchESPN, while ABC will have the live national television broadcast, starting at 9:00 pm ET.

The Cavaliers head home down 2-0 in the seven-game finals after losing the two previous games by double-digits.

NO MAJOR CHANGES SAYS LEBRON

Cleveland has been totally outplayed in the finals thus far and can’t afford to fall behind 3-0 in the series.

Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James and coach Ty Lue in the playoffs

Still, despite the ineffective efforts to halt the likes of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry, James isn’t expecting any major adjustments in the lineup Game 3 at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Three-time NBA champion and superstar forward isn’t prepared to change the way he plays as well, noting that win or lose, he’s ready to “live with the results.”

“It’s something I am accustomed to,” James said. “It’s something that I feel like is — that it’s OK for me to kind of always go back and know that I can refocus.

“I can get my guys ready, get myself ready. But you hate to continue to put yourself in these positions, but at the end of the day it’s still just basketball, man, and that’s what gives me [comfort] and I’m more comfortable about it because it’s just a game.

“I prepare myself, I’m going to go out and do my job and live with the results.”

The Cavs, who were hammered 113-91 in Game 1 and 132-113 in Game 2 of this series, were in a similar position through two games in the NBA Finals last season and were able to turn things around.

CAN CAVS TURN IT AROUND?

LeBron James of Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers

James and Co. defeated Golden State by 30 points in Game 3 last year and they hold the same level of confidence entering this matchup Wednesday night.

However, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index isn’t siding with the defending champions, given that the Warriors are a different team this time with the addition of Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City.

COULD BE A FINALS SWEEP

Base on the first two games, there is talk of a sweep in Cleveland and ESPN’s BPI favors the Warriors by 62 percent to take a 3-0 series lead on the road.

NBA preseason: Kevin Durant Warriors
Kevin Durant for the Warriors in NBA preseason

The Cavs will hope history repeats itself, as they defeated Golden State by 30 points in Game 3 last year when trailing 2-0.

After sweeping through the early rounds, Golden State is now on a 14-0 win streak in this year’s playoffs.

Durant, who is averaging 35.5 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and 2.5 blocks per game, has been the standout man for the Western Conference champions in the finals and you can expect the All-Star forward to continue building on that momentum as he hunts his first ever NBA championship.

SUPPORT CAST MUST STEP UP

James recorded a triple-double of 29 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in the last game and is averaging 28.5 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in the series.

However, the four-time MVP is going to need help from the likes of Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving, JR Smith and the bench, to avoid being swept aside.

Watch NBA Finals Game 2 on WatchESPN: Warriors v Cavaliers

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OAKLAND, Calif., Sporting Alert — After crushing Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night, the Golden State Warriors aim to take a 2-0 lead in the seven-game series at ORACLE Arena on Sunday.

Watch Live Streaming of Game 2 on WatchESPN, while ABC will have live television broadcast, starting at 8:00 pm ET.

DURANT MEANS BUSINESS

Kevin Durant joined an already star-studded Warriors lineup from Oklahoma City at the end of last season to win NBA championships and the superstar forward showed he’s prepared to get there as quickly as possible after dominating the Cavs in Game 1.

Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA

Durant finished with 38 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and shot 53.8-percent in 38 minutes during the 113-91 victory over the Cavaliers in the series opener.

Cavs’ LeBron James admitted afterwards that Durant was certainly the difference between the two teams and vowed to pay closer attention to the All-Star free scorer.

The defending champions are confident about drawing the series level ahead of their home fixtures, but ESPN’s Basketball Power Index is backing the Warriors to continue their dominance at home.

Golden State, which swept its way into the NBA Finals, have won 13 straight in the playoffs this season and ESPN’s BPI is giving the Stephen Curry-led squad an 85-percent chance to win Game 2.

NBA Warriors Steph Curry
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors

Despite losing the first game, Cleveland managed to hold all but two Warriors players below double figures in scoring, with only Durant and Curry, who hit six 3-pointers and scored 28 points, reaching those numbers.

CAVS BIG 3 NEED HELP TO STOP WARRIORS

James (28), Kyrie Irving (24) and Kevin Love (15) combined to score 67 of the Cavaliers’ 91 points, while Tristan Thompson was held without scoring in 22 minutes and was 0-for-3 from the field.

Reserves Deron Williams and Kyle Korver who were picked up mid-season specifically for this moment, failed to trouble the scoreboard and will need to do more offensively if Cleveland is going to challenge the Warriors.

LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in action in the NBA

At the same time, Golden State will hope Klay Thompson will break out of his shooting slump after an unproductive series opener.

Thompson, who is averaging 13.8 points across 13 games in the playoffs this season, scored just six points on 3-of-16 shooting, while going 0-for-5 on 3-point attempts in Game 1.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue admits after the game that he’s never seen a team as dominant as Golden State.

“They’re the best I’ve ever seen,” Lue told reporters. “They’re 13-0. They’re constantly breaking records every year.”

WARRIORS HUNTING ANOTHER RECORD

Meanwhile, according to ESPN Stats and Information, Golden State’s 13-0 record in the postseason this campaign sees it drawing level with the 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers and 2016-17 Cleveland Cavaliers for the longest postseason win streak in NBA history.

Mike Brown Warriors action head coach
Mike Brown Warriors action head coach in the NBA playoffs 2017

Another win on Sunday would tie the Western Conference champions with the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins for the longest postseason win streak across the 4 major North American pro sports leagues, which involve the NBA, NHL, MLB and NFL, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

KERR COULD RETURN IN GAME

Coach Steve Kerr had hoped to be on the bench for Games 1, but opted to stay in the locker room as he continues to recover from difficulties from his back surgery almost two years ago.

The third-year coach is hoping to be out on the court for Game 2, but if he’s not there, stand-in head coach Mike Brown will remain in the spotlight.

Highlights, Box Scores, Reports: Warriors 113, Cavaliers 91 in Game 1

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OAKLAND, Calif., Sporting Alert (Box Score — Golden State Warriors cruised past the Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-91, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night and LeBron James has identified the cause for his team’s lopsided beat-down at ORACLE Arena.

Kevin Durant scored 38 points on 14-of-26 shooting, with eight rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors, who recorded their 13th straight postseason win this term.

“I mean, you take one of the best teams that we had ever assembled last year, that we saw in the regular season and in the postseason, and then in the offseason you add a high-powered offensive talent like that and a great basketball IQ like that, that’s what stands out,” James said about the impact of Durant in Game 1.

“I mean, it’s no if, ands, or buts. It is what it is. We got to figure out how to combat that, which is going to be a tough challenge for us. But that’s what stands out.”

Stephen Curry hit six 3-pointers in scoring 28 points with 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals for Golden State, but his guard partner Klay Thompson continues to struggle in this season’s playoffs after finishing with just six points on 3-of-16 shooting.

Box Score | Play-by-Play | Team Stats | Videos

“The best thing about tonight, obviously, was just our defensive presence and effort for 48 minutes,” Curry said.

MVP and sharp shooter Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors
MVP and sharp shooter Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors

“We were really good in just being ourselves, playing Warriors basketball.”

The Warriors, who swept their way into the NBA Finals, never trailed after the first eight minutes.

James had 28 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for Cleveland, but committed eight turnovers, trying to get his teammates involved.

Kyrie Irving had 24 points and Kevin Love grabbed 21 rebounds, 15 points and three blocks for the Cavaliers, who shot just 34.9 percent from the field and turned the ball over 20 times.

LeBron James of the Cavs
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA

“When you’re playing a good team like this, you can’t give them 20 more shots than you have,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said.

“Having 20 turnovers and not being able to get back and get your defense set, they really take advantage of that, especially at home. They thrive off turnovers and getting out in transition.”

Irving added: “Definitely a lot of things we can correct. Twenty (turnovers) in the Finals, definitely not going to get it done.”

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday, live again on ABC and the Watch ABC.

Warriors v Cavaliers 2017 NBA Finals Game 1 on WatchABC

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OAKLAND, Calif., Sporting Alert — Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors takes place on Thursday night at ORACLE Arena.

Live coverage of the much-anticipated championship series will be on ABC, starting at 9:00 pm ET, while Watch ABC will provide live stream of the game as well.

The clash will be a rematch of the last two NBA Finals with the teams splitting the most recent title-chasing series 1-1.

Stephen Curry NBA playoffs
The Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry Shoots

This is also the first time the same two teams will feature in three successive NBA Finals.

Both teams have reloaded for this season with Golden State most notably adding the free-scoring Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City during the offseason.

Defending champions Cavaliers have also added to their roster to provide lots of options on both offense and defense.

After sweeping their way into the NBA Finals, following series wins over Portland, Utah and San Antonio, the Warriors enter this battle aiming to avenge the disappointment of last season when they let a 3-1 lead slipped.

LeBron James
LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers in playoffs action

Cleveland was also impressive in the early rounds of the playoffs this term, winning all but one game in the postseason, which they used as motivation.

Entering Thursday night’s tip-off, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Warriors a big advantage over the Cavs.

According to ESPN Stats and Information, Golden State has an 84 percent chance to win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, which will feature a combined 47 All-Star appearances from 11 players, including seven All-Stars from 2017.

ESPN Stats and Information also revealed that this year’s NBA Finals will see the teams enter with the fewest postseason losses since the current playoff format started.

LeBron James will be playing in his seventh consecutive NBA Finals and he will be hoping to team up with the likes of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Co. to win his fourth world championship.

However, the likes of Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have already shown what they are capable of doing, making this finals rematch something very special.

In their previous two meetings in the regular season this term, James averaged 25.5 points with 10.5 rebounds and shot 45-percent in the 1-1 series.

Durant averaged 28.5 points and 10.5 rebounds for the Warriors during the series, while shooting 51.3-percent.

Curry Scores 36pts, Warriors Sweep Spurs, Advanced To NBA Finals

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SAN ANTONIO — Stephen Curry scored 36 points and the Golden State Warriors completed their third successive sweep in this year’s playoffs with a 129-115 victory over the injury-hit San Antonio Spurs Monday night to win their third straight Western Conference title.

Prior to this series, Golden State had also completed 4-0 sweep over the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah Jazz in the opening two rounds of the playoffs.

San Antonio was again without injured star forward Kawhi Leonard, who failed to recover from a left ankle problem. Reserve forward David Lee (left knee) also miss the game.

Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors looks on

In the closeout win on Monday night, Curry shot 14-of-24 from the floor and also finished with six assists and five rebounds.

ESPN’S GAME STATS AND BOX SCORE

Box Score | Play-by-Play | Team Stats | Videos

Kevin Durant added 29 points on 10-of-13 shooting to go with 12 rebounds, while Draymond Green had 16 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Golden State, which became the first team in NBA history to start the playoffs 12-0.

“It’s a great run, and we had an opportunity to get it done tonight, but more importantly, it was obviously just a closeout kind of mentality and trying to take care of our business and play a good 48-minute game,” Curry said.

Kevin Durant of Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant of Golden State Warriors in the NBA playoff

“For the most part, we did.

“We had some slip-ups and some mental errors, but for the most part it was a solid night. Contributions from everybody.

“Going 12-0 is great, but it doesn’t mean anything going into the next series, and we have to understand that.”

Also on the night, reserve Ian Clark contributed 12 points, while Klay Thompson ended with 10 points on just 3-of-13 shooting for the Warriors.

Kyle Anderson led the Spurs with 20 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Manu Ginobili, in what might have been the final game of his 15-year NBA career, added 15 points and seven assists in a rare starting role.

Gregg Popovich and Manu Ginobili NBA Playoffs
Gregg Popovich and Manu Ginobili talk during NBA playoffs series v Houston

“We started him tonight out of respect,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “That was the whole reason for starting him.

Ginobili left the game in the final minutes to a standing ovation.

“Before the game, you think it may or may not be his last game that he ever plays in, and I did not want to miss the opportunity to honor him in front of our home fans for his selflessness over the years.”

Pau Gasol had 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench, Patty Mills scored 14 points and Jonathon Simmons ended with 13 for San Antonio, which suffered just its third sweep in the Gregg Popovich era.

“Everybody tries to put together as much talent as they can, and that’s what (Golden State) did,” added Popovich.

“Make no mistake — they’re really talented. But that’s not the whole equation. That’s not everything that describes them.

“(Golden State is) maybe the best defensive team in the league on top of everything. So they don’t just play with talent.

“They execute at the defensive end of the floor. On offense, no team is more unselfish finding the open man and that sort of thing. Coaches are always trying to get their team to do that.

“But they’ve got a multitude of people who are unselfish in that regard and play a beautiful game. They’re way, way more than just their talent.”

As a team, the Warriors shot 55.8 percent to the Spurs’ 42.3 percent and dominated the home side at the AT&T Center, 53 to 41 in the rebounding stats.

Golden State advanced to the NBA Finals and now awaits the winner of the Eastern Conference finals series between the defending champions Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics.

Curry Scores 29 pts, Warriors Rout Spurs 136-100 For 2-0 Series Lead

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OAKLAND, Calif., Sporting Alert — Stephen Curry had a game-high 29 points and four Golden State starters scored in double figures in the Warriors’ run-away 136-100 win over the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.

The All-Star point guard who shot 8-of-13 from the field, buried six 3-pointers and scored 15 of his total points in a 33-16 first-quarter breakaway, as Golden State took full advantage of the absence of Kawhi Leonard, who missed the game with an ankle injury.

Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs
Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs did not play in Game 2

Curry also collected seven rebounds and seven assists in the comfortable victory as the Western Conference No. 1 seeded side took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven game series.

Golden State reserve guard Patrick McCaw added 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting with three 3-pointers, Kevin Durant scored 16 points.

Draymond Green had 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots for the Warriors, who got a season-best 63 points from the bench.

“They came out with a sense of urgency from the beginning and they played that way for 48 minutes,” acting Warriors head coach Mike Brown told reporters.

Klay Thompson finished with 11 points, but was 4-of-10 from shooting with six rebounds, while Shaun Livingston and Ian Clark each had 10 points for Golden State to secure its 10th consecutive playoffs win this season.

Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA

“That’s just been the message all year, just play with urgency and start the game off with some energy and throw the first punch,” Durant said.

“Unlike Game 1 we did that tonight. We know they’re a little undermanned but they still play extremely hard, so we knew we couldn’t come out here and relax and think they were just going to give us the game. We had to go take it.”

Meanwhile, Jonathon Simmons, who started in place of Leonard, led the Spurs with 22 points and shot 8-of-17 from the floor.

Gregg Popovich and Manu Ginobili NBA Playoffs
Gregg Popovich and Manu Ginobili talk during NBA playoffs series v Houston

San Antonio, which never led in the game, trailed by as many as 41 points and was outperformed 46-44 in points in the paint and 20-13 fast break points.

The visitors shot 37-percent, well below the Warriors’ 56.2 percent, while making just 8 of their 23 shots from 3-pointers compared to Golden State’s 18-for-37 from long distance.

The defeat on Tuesday night saw the Spurs going behind 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time since being swept by the Phoenix Suns in the Western semifinals in 2010 and San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich warns that the series could be over if the men from Texas doesn’t get it together.

A disappointed Popovich deems that as a group, his players never believed they could have won the game.

“I don’t think we believed,” the veteran coach said. “I’m disappointed.

“The only way I can process this is I think it’s not about the O’s and X’s or rebounds or turnovers or anything like that.

“You have to believe. I don’t think as a group they really did, which means probably a little bit feeling sorry for themselves psychologically.

“It showed in the lack of edge, intensity … That was disappointing.”

Davis Bertans finished with 13 points for the Spurs in the defeat.

Game 3 is on Saturday in San Antonio.

Curry Scores 30, Green Records Triple-Double; Warriors Sweep Jazz

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SALT LAKE CITY, Sporting Alert — It was another sweep and more rest for Golden State after the Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 121-95 to complete a 4-0 series and advance in their Western Conference semifinals on Monday night.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points on 15 shots to go with seven assists and five rebounds, and Klay Thompson added 21 for the Warriors, who eliminate the Jazz and sweep back-to-back series for the first time in the franchise history.

Kevin Durant finished with 18 points, six rebounds and five and Green registered a triple-double with 17 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which also swept the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round.

Kevin Durant of Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant of Golden State Warriors in the NBA playoffs

Also reaching double figures in scoring for the Western Conference No. 1 seed was JaVale McGee, who chipped in 12 points in 11-minutes off the bench.

“We have a lot of talent. We have guys that try to do it by committee. That’s our approach to every game,” Curry was quoted as saying.

“We never know who’s going to have a hot night. We try to move the ball, use each other to create open shots, and when we do that, the ball is hopping and a lot of good things happen.”

Gordon Hayward scored 25 points for Utah, which never led and trailed by as many as 26 points during the game.

“They’re a historically great team,” Hayward admitted. “You have to be almost perfect on every possession or else they turn it into an 8-0 run, 9-0 run or 10-0 run, so you can’t have mental lapses against a team like this.

Draymond Green
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors

“It will be a great learning experience for us to realize this is what it takes. It can be one mental lapse and it turns the game, turns the momentum.”

Shelvin Mack added 18 for the Jazz, Dante Exum scored 15 points off the bench, and Rudy Gobert contributed a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds for the Jazz, who missed 56 shots and shot 37.1 percent from the floor.

Utah, which was outpaced 19-4 in fast break points, was 8-for-27 from 3-point range for 29.6 percent.

“One of the things we kept telling our guys is we didn’t want them to be comfortable offensively,” acting Warriors head coach Mike Brown told reporters.

“We wanted to get up into them and force the issue.”

The Warriors shot 51.2 percent from the field, while knocking down 11 3-pointers and had 28 assists on 43 made baskets.

Utah was again without guard George Hill, who missed his third successive game with a left big toe sprain, while fellow guard Rodney Hood picked up a knee sprain early in the fourth quarter and did not return.

Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference Finals where they will face the winner of the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets series.

ESPN NBA GAME STATS: Box Score | Play-by-Play | Team Stats | Videos

 

Curry Leads, Durant Returns; Warriors Sweep Blazers in First Round

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PORTLAND, Ore. — Stephen Curry scored 37 points, Kevin Durant returned to the lineup and the Golden State Warriors secured a 128-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 on Monday night to sweep their first-round playoff series. Download NBA Playoff Box Score and Game Book

Curry made seven 3-pointers and shot 12-of-20 from the floor, while finishing with eight assists and seven rebounds before sitting out the final quarter.

Golden State never trailed and led by as many as 33 points.

”We’re very confident about who we are and how were going to be successful,” Curry said.

The Warriors, who joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as the first two teams to advance to the NBA playoffs second round this season, also welcomed back star forward Durant, who had missed Game 2 and Game 3 because of a strained left calf.

Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors
Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors in the NBA

Durant totaled 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting with two 3-pointers, while adding three rebounds, two assists, two blocks and looked good across 20 minutes for Golden State, which jumped out to a strong 45-22 lead after the opening quarter, which tied an NBA record for most points scored in the first quarter.

“We knew if we threw the first punch, we knew that it would overwhelm them a bit, especially being up 3-0,” Durant said.

Draymond Green hit five 3-pointers in adding 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Klay Thompson scored 18 points, David West chipped in with 12 points and Zaza Pachulia had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors.

Damian Lillard paced Portland with 34 points and six assists, but none of the other four starters scored in double figures.

Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers scored 51 points against the Warriors
Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers during his warmup before a game

Reserve Al-Farouq Aminu added 25 points and seven rebounds and Shabazz Napier also scored 14 points off the bench, while CJ McCollum, who averaged 28 points in the first three games of the series, was held to just six points in Game 4.

“They came out really energized, focused. They showed their championship pedigree,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.

“We were slow to react to it and we just couldn’t get it going.

“And we didn’t play nearly as well as they needed to and they showed why they’re a championship team.”

With the victory, Golden State advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, and will face the winner of the first round series between the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers, which is currently locked at 2-2.

Meanwhile, Mike Brown served as head coach for the Warriors again after coach Steve Kerr, who has been struggling with a back problem, missed his second straight game.

“That was unbelievable. Our guys were locked in on both ends of the floor,” Brown told reporters after the game.

“I wish I could say this one thing or that one thing was really good but everything we tried to do, we tried to do it on a high level.

“It was fun to watch. Fun to be a part of.”

Latest NBA Scores on April 5: Wins For Warriors, Cavaliers

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NEW YORK, Sporting Alert — The Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers both picked up wins in the latest NBA scores on Wednesday night.

WARRIORS 120, SUNS 111

PHOENIX — Stephen Curry hit eight 3-pointers and shot 15-of-26 from the floor overall on his way to tallying 42 points with 11 assists and the Warriors held off the Phoenix Suns 120-111 on the road.

Curry scored 23 points in the first quarter as Golden State raced out to a 41-18 lead before the Suns rallied with a 34-17 second quarter to cut the huge deficit.

Klay Thompson added 22 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors (65-14) to secure their season-high 13th straight win and clinched the best record in the NBA for the third straight season.

Golden State, which shot 50 percent from the floor (45-of-90), was without Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, who were both rested.

Devin Booker, in the meantime, led Phoenix with 21 points with five assists and three steals, while Tyler Ulis added 20 points and six assists.

Jared Dudley matched his season high with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting to go with seven rebounds, six assists and two steals and Alan Williams finished with 16 points, a career-best 17 rebounds and four steals for the Suns (22-57), who tied a franchise record after losing their 13th straight.

CAVALIERS 114, CELTICS 91

Cavaliers forward LeBron James
Cavaliers forward LeBron James looks on during an NBA game.

BOSTON — LeBron James and Kevin Love both recorded double-doubles as the Cleveland Cavaliers went to Boston and beat the Celtics 114-91 to move back into first place in the Eastern Conference Standings.

James, who downplayed the importance of the head-to-head battle before tip-off, finished with 36 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and two blocks for the Cavs.

Love added 15 points and 16 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving ended with 19 points and five assists, JR Smith scored 12 points and Channing Frye finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers (51-27), who now lead the Celtics by one game.

Isaiah Thomas led Boston (50-28) with 26 points, six assists and four rebounds, Jae Crowder scored 13 points, while Al Horford chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics.

Kelly Olynyk scored 12 points for Boston, which had its two-game win streak snapped.

NBA SCORES AND RESULTS
Wednesday, April 5, 2017

WARRIORS 120, SUNS 111
LAKERS 102, SPURS 95
CAVALIERS 114, CELTICS 91
ROCKETS 110, NUGGETS 104
CLIPPERS 112, MAVERICKS 101
THUNDER 103, GRIZZLIES 100
HEAT 112, HORNETS 99
RAPTORS 105, PISTONS 102