PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Fanatics founder Michael Rubin is selling his stake in the company that owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.
Rubin, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-rubin/?sh=1e9685d43da9">worth an estimated $8 billion according to Forbes</a>, said on social media posts he was “s <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelrubin/status/1539611717323350017">hifting from part-owner</a> ” of the teams run by Harris Blitzer Sports &amp; Entertainment and “back to life-long fan.”
Rubin was part of the ownership group when it purchased the 76ers in 2011 for $290 million. But as Fanatics has grown, and expanded into sports betting, and other business ventures have taken off, Rubin decided it was time to sell his estimated 10% stake in HBSE.
The 76ers were valued at $2.45 billion, according to a Forbes. That was the 11th highest value among the NBA's 30 teams. The Devils are valued at $775 million, 15th in the 32-team NHL.
"As our Fanatics business have grown, so too have the obstacles I have to navigate to ensure our new businesses don't conflict with my responsibilities as part-owner of the Sixers,” Rubin wrote.
Rubin frequently sits courtside at Sixers' games and rubs elbows with some of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh9xXjujyoT/?taken-by=michaelgrubin">biggest sports starts and celebrities</a> that also attend the games. Rubin is <a href="https://reformalliance.com/about/">co-chairman of the Reform Alliance</a>, which aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture in the justice system. He worked to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/32d406d826af472f8db1d5392bfd0b01">free rapper Meek Mill from prison</a> and in 2018 arranged for a helicopter to take Mill from prison to a Sixers’ playoff game.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Fanatics founder Michael Rubin is selling his stake in the company that owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.
Rubin, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-rubin/?sh=1e9685d43da9">worth an estimated $8 billion according to Forbes</a>, said on social media posts he was &ldquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelrubin/status/1539611717323350017">hifting from part-owner</a> &rdquo; of the teams run by Harris Blitzer Sports &amp; Entertainment and &ldquo;back to life-long fan.&rdquo;
Rubin was part of the ownership group when it purchased the 76ers in 2011 for $290 million. But as Fanatics has grown, and expanded into sports betting, and other business ventures have taken off, Rubin decided it was time to sell his estimated 10% stake in HBSE.
The 76ers were valued at $2.45 billion, according to a Forbes. That was the 11th highest value among the NBA's 30 teams. The Devils are valued at $775 million, 15th in the 32-team NHL.
"As our Fanatics business have grown, so too have the obstacles I have to navigate to ensure our new businesses don't conflict with my responsibilities as part-owner of the Sixers,&rdquo; Rubin wrote.
Rubin frequently sits courtside at Sixers' games and rubs elbows with some of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh9xXjujyoT/?taken-by=michaelgrubin">biggest sports starts and celebrities</a> that also attend the games. Rubin is <a href="https://reformalliance.com/about/">co-chairman of the Reform Alliance</a>, which aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture in the justice system. He worked to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/32d406d826af472f8db1d5392bfd0b01">free rapper Meek Mill from prison</a> and in 2018 arranged for a helicopter to take Mill from prison to a Sixers&rsquo; playoff game.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Fanatics founder Michael Rubin is selling his stake in the company that owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.
Rubin, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-rubin/?sh=1e9685d43da9">worth an estimated $8 billion according to Forbes</a>, said on social media posts he was &ldquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelrubin/status/1539611717323350017">hifting from part-owner</a> &rdquo; of the teams run by Harris Blitzer Sports &amp; Entertainment and &ldquo;back to life-long fan.&rdquo;
Rubin was part of the ownership group when it purchased the 76ers in 2011 for $290 million. But as Fanatics has grown, and expanded into sports betting, and other business ventures have taken off, Rubin decided it was time to sell his estimated 10% stake in HBSE.
The 76ers were valued at $2.45 billion, according to a Forbes. That was the 11th highest value among the NBA's 30 teams. The Devils are valued at $775 million, 15th in the 32-team NHL.
"As our Fanatics business have grown, so too have the obstacles I have to navigate to ensure our new businesses don't conflict with my responsibilities as part-owner of the Sixers,&rdquo; Rubin wrote.
Rubin frequently sits courtside at Sixers' games and rubs elbows with some of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh9xXjujyoT/?taken-by=michaelgrubin">biggest sports starts and celebrities</a> that also attend the games. Rubin is <a href="https://reformalliance.com/about/">co-chairman of the Reform Alliance</a>, which aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture in the justice system. He worked to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/32d406d826af472f8db1d5392bfd0b01">free rapper Meek Mill from prison</a> and in 2018 arranged for a helicopter to take Mill from prison to a Sixers&rsquo; playoff game.

Fanatics founder Michael Rubin is selling his stake in the company that owns the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.

Fanatics founder Michael Rubin selling stake in 76ers

During a break between Golden State's Western Conference finals games against Dallas, then-Warriors top assistant Mike Brown jumped on a plane to San Diego to watch his new star De’Aaron Fox work out and take the Sacramento guard and his family to lunch.
Brown got right back on a plane afterward to rejoin Golden State for playoff preparations.
At last Tuesday, Brown was formally introduced as the Kings' new coach, just one day after celebrating the Warriors' fourth championship in eight years with a victory parade through San Francisco.
“I’ve been heavily involved,” Brown said of getting going with the Kings as the schedule permitted. “I’ve talked to every single player on multiple occasions.”
Sacramento hired the well-traveled Brown in May but he stayed with the Warriors through their postseason run that ended with the franchise's fourth championship in eight years last Thursday night in the clinching Game 6 at Boston.
“First of all, I’d like to start out by thanking everyone in Warrior land,” Brown said.
The 52-year-old Brown will be tasked with ending the league's longest playoff drought ever at 16 years. He takes over for previous Warriors top assistant and former Lakers coach Luke Walton, hired by the Kings in 2019 before his firing last November. Alvin Gentry took over on an interim basis before the Kings finished 30-52.
Sacramento's .366 winning percentage was its worst since the 2017-18 season.
Brown is determined to build a consistent winner in the state capital.
“One of the main reasons that I was brought here was to bring some leadership in a lot of different areas,” he said. “I’ve been with a lot of different teams in my 30 years. I’ve experienced something that I believe can get organizations over the top, not just in one year but year in and year out, and that’s having a winning culture. My job is to lead in that area. Every organization out there, in my opinion, has a soul. The stronger that soul is the better that organization will be.”
Brown previously had two stints as head coach in Cleveland, where he guided the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007, and also coached the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since moving to Sacramento in 1985, the Kings have had only one stretch of success, making the playoffs in all eight seasons under coach Rick Adelman from 1999-2006. Adelman was fired in 2006 and remains the only coach in the Sacramento era to post a winning record in any season.
“We conducted in the front office here a very robust, thorough, comprehensive process," Kings general manager Monte McNair said. “We wanted to ensure that we found the right coach. We did a lot of research and it came down to three key things for us: experience, successful head coaching experience, relationships, the ability to build relationships across the organization, and leadership — leadership as a head coach and leadership for everything that we're trying to do here.” 
On several occasions, Brown stepped in for Warriors coach Steve Kerr, most recently when Kerr dealt with COVID-19 and missed three playoff games.
Now, it's time for a new chapter that he hopes will produce a regular contender much like where he has been.
And when someone congratulated Brown on the Warriors' title, Brown showed off his signature warm smile and cracked: “Can you say that again?”
“I've got four,” he added, holding up four fingers and chuckling.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

During a break between Golden State's Western Conference finals games against Dallas, then-Warriors top assistant Mike Brown jumped on a plane to San Diego to watch his new star De&rsquo;Aaron Fox work out and take the Sacramento guard and his family to lunch.
Brown got right back on a plane afterward to rejoin Golden State for playoff preparations.
At last Tuesday, Brown was formally introduced as the Kings' new coach, just one day after celebrating the Warriors' fourth championship in eight years with a victory parade through San Francisco.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been heavily involved,&rdquo; Brown said of getting going with the Kings as the schedule permitted. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve talked to every single player on multiple occasions.&rdquo;
Sacramento hired the well-traveled Brown in May but he stayed with the Warriors through their postseason run that ended with the franchise's fourth championship in eight years last Thursday night in the clinching Game 6 at Boston.
&ldquo;First of all, I&rsquo;d like to start out by thanking everyone in Warrior land,&rdquo; Brown said.
The 52-year-old Brown will be tasked with ending the league's longest playoff drought ever at 16 years. He takes over for previous Warriors top assistant and former Lakers coach Luke Walton, hired by the Kings in 2019 before his firing last November. Alvin Gentry took over on an interim basis before the Kings finished 30-52.
Sacramento's .366 winning percentage was its worst since the 2017-18 season.
Brown is determined to build a consistent winner in the state capital.
&ldquo;One of the main reasons that I was brought here was to bring some leadership in a lot of different areas,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been with a lot of different teams in my 30 years. I&rsquo;ve experienced something that I believe can get organizations over the top, not just in one year but year in and year out, and that&rsquo;s having a winning culture. My job is to lead in that area. Every organization out there, in my opinion, has a soul. The stronger that soul is the better that organization will be.&rdquo;
Brown previously had two stints as head coach in Cleveland, where he guided the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007, and also coached the Los Angeles Lakers.
Since moving to Sacramento in 1985, the Kings have had only one stretch of success, making the playoffs in all eight seasons under coach Rick Adelman from 1999-2006. Adelman was fired in 2006 and remains the only coach in the Sacramento era to post a winning record in any season.
&ldquo;We conducted in the front office here a very robust, thorough, comprehensive process," Kings general manager Monte McNair said. &ldquo;We wanted to ensure that we found the right coach. We did a lot of research and it came down to three key things for us: experience, successful head coaching experience, relationships, the ability to build relationships across the organization, and leadership &mdash; leadership as a head coach and leadership for everything that we're trying to do here.&rdquo;
On several occasions, Brown stepped in for Warriors coach Steve Kerr, most recently when Kerr dealt with COVID-19 and missed three playoff games.
Now, it's time for a new chapter that he hopes will produce a regular contender much like where he has been.
And when someone congratulated Brown on the Warriors' title, Brown showed off his signature warm smile and cracked: &ldquo;Can you say that again?&rdquo;
&ldquo;I've got four,&rdquo; he added, holding up four fingers and chuckling.

“I’ve been heavily involved,” Mike Brown said of getting going with the Kings. “I’ve talked to every single player on multiple occasions.”

Mike Brown introduced as Kings coach after helping Warriors win

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have hired Morgan Cato as an assistant general manager and vice president of basketball operations, becoming the first woman of color to hold an assistant GM title for an NBA franchise. 
Cato comes to Phoenix after spending nearly a decade with the NBA league office, where she most recently worked as the associate vice president of business operations for NBA’s league operations department.
“We're excited to welcome Morgan to the Valley and to the Suns organization,” Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement. “With the league office, Morgan played a pivotal role on countless initiatives to grow the game and strategically develop for it to be played at its best. The addition of her background and knowledge will allow us to elevate our basketball operations in several areas."
The team says Cato, from Brooklyn, New York, will report to Jones and coach Monty Williams to help the team's “strategy and business processes for basketball growth and performance with a focus on coaching development, player engagement and front office personnel operations."
___
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The Phoenix Suns have hired Morgan Cato as an assistant general manager and vice president of basketball operations, becoming the first woman of color to hold an assistant GM title for an NBA franchise.
Cato comes to Phoenix after spending nearly a decade with the NBA league office, where she most recently worked as the associate vice president of business operations for NBA&rsquo;s league operations department.
&ldquo;We're excited to welcome Morgan to the Valley and to the Suns organization,&rdquo; Suns general manager James Jones said in a statement. &ldquo;With the league office, Morgan played a pivotal role on countless initiatives to grow the game and strategically develop for it to be played at its best. The addition of her background and knowledge will allow us to elevate our basketball operations in several areas."
The team says Cato, from Brooklyn, New York, will report to Jones and coach Monty Williams to help the team's &ldquo;strategy and business processes for basketball growth and performance with a focus on coaching development, player engagement and front office personnel operations."

Morgan Cato comes to Phoenix after spending nearly a decade with the NBA league office.

Suns hire Morgan Cato as NBA's first woman-of-color assistant GM

Former Purdue basketball star Caleb Swanigan has died at 25.
The Allen County Coroner&rsquo;s office confirmed Tuesday that Swanigan died Monday of natural causes at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
A private doctor will be handling his death certificate, according to Rebecca Maze, a senior investigator at the coroner&rsquo;s office.
Purdue Men&rsquo;s basketball tweeted Tuesday: &ldquo;Devastated,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Our thoughts and prayers to Caleb Swanigan&rsquo;s family and friends. The world lost a gentle soul last night. Love you Biggie.&rdquo;
The 6-foot-9 center was from Fort Wayne and attended Homestead High School before playing for the Boilermakers from 2015-2017. He averaged more than 14 points and 10 rebounds for Purdue.
Swanigan was selected as The Associated Press player of the year in the Big Ten Conference in 2017 when he averaged more than 18 points. He was a unanimous pick for both Big Ten Player of the Year and the AP All-Big Ten team.
Swanigan was a first-round draft pick in 2017 by the Portland Trail Blazers. He also played for the Sacramento Kings.

Former Purdue basketball star Caleb Swanigan has died at 25.

Former Purdue star, NBA pro Caleb Swanigan passes away at 25

LAS VEGAS (AP) — NBA Summer League will start with a little Midnight Madness feel, at least in some of the country. 
And if the Orlando Magic keep the No. 1 draft pick, then that player won't wait long for his summer debut.
The league released the 75-game summer league schedule on Monday, with the first game in Las Vegas set to pit Orlando against Houston on July 7 at 10 p.m. Eastern. That game will be followed by a midnight Eastern tip-off between Portland and Detroit, with those two matchups the only ones on the Day 1 schedule.
Most teams will open their Las Vegas slates on July 8 or July 9. All 30 NBA teams will be taking part, all playing five games.
The first four games for each team are scheduled through July 15. The league will then seed all 30 teams for one final game each.
The two highest seeds will play a championship game on July 17, and all other teams play their final game on either July 16 or July 17.
There are two other smaller summer leagues this year, a four-team, four-game event hosted by the Golden State Warriors on July 2 and July 3 and a four-team, six-game event hosted by the Utah Jazz from July 5 through July 7.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NBA Summer League will start with a little Midnight Madness feel, at least in some of the country.
And if the Orlando Magic keep the No. 1 draft pick, then that player won't wait long for his summer debut.
The league released the 75-game summer league schedule on Monday, with the first game in Las Vegas set to pit Orlando against Houston on July 7 at 10 p.m. Eastern. That game will be followed by a midnight Eastern tip-off between Portland and Detroit, with those two matchups the only ones on the Day 1 schedule.
Most teams will open their Las Vegas slates on July 8 or July 9. All 30 NBA teams will be taking part, all playing five games.
The first four games for each team are scheduled through July 15. The league will then seed all 30 teams for one final game each.
The two highest seeds will play a championship game on July 17, and all other teams play their final game on either July 16 or July 17.
There are two other smaller summer leagues this year, a four-team, four-game event hosted by the Golden State Warriors on July 2 and July 3 and a four-team, six-game event hosted by the Utah Jazz from July 5 through July 7.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NBA Summer League will start with a little Midnight Madness feel, at least in some of the country.

Magic-Rockets, Pistons-Blazers to open Vegas summer league

MILWAUKEE (AP) &mdash; Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst says Grayson Allen has undergone a &ldquo;little procedure&rdquo; on his left ring finger to deal with an injury that was bothering the 26-year-old guard during the season.
&ldquo;A lot of times, guys do maintenance-type stuff, routine stuff in the offseason to kind of get ready,&rdquo; Horst said Friday during a pre-draft media availability. &ldquo;It was good for him to kind of approach it in the offseason. It&rsquo;ll be fine. There&rsquo;s no kind of lasting effects.&rdquo;
Allen averaged 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 27.3 minutes his first season with the Bucks to set career highs in all three categories.
He also shot a career-high 40.9% from 3-point range during the regular season, though he went 2 of 18 on 3-point attempts over the final six games of the Bucks&rsquo; seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the Boston Celtics.
Horst also said forward Khris Middleton is feeling better after missing much of the Bucks&rsquo; playoff run with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee. The three-time All-Start hurt his knee in Game 2 of a first-round series with the Chicago Bulls and didn&rsquo;t play again.
&ldquo;(He) looks great, really starting to ramp up his court work and his lifting and everything,&rdquo; Horst said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s fine.&rdquo;

Grayson Allen had a “little procedure” on his left ring finger to deal with an injury that bothered the 26-year-old during the season.

Bucks GM Jon Horst says Grayson Allen underwent procedure on finger

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) — LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles">A one-of-a-kind James trading card — called the “Triple Logoman” — is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it wind up as the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini’s 2020-21 “Flawless” collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
“The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,” said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin — which is auctioning the card this month. “Typically, it’s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there’s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.”
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five “Triple Logoman” cards, and James’ further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he’s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
“It’s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,” Goldin said. “This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it’s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.”
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A one-of-a-kind James trading card &mdash; called the &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; &mdash; is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it wind up as the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini&rsquo;s 2020-21 &ldquo;Flawless&rdquo; collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
&nbsp;
&ldquo;The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,&rdquo; said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin &mdash; which is auctioning the card this month. &ldquo;Typically, it&rsquo;s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there&rsquo;s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.&rdquo;
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; cards, and James&rsquo; further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he&rsquo;s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,&rdquo; Goldin said. &ldquo;This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it&rsquo;s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.&rdquo;
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A one-of-a-kind James trading card &mdash; called the &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; &mdash; is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it wind up as the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini&rsquo;s 2020-21 &ldquo;Flawless&rdquo; collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/lebron1_690w.jpg" alt="" />
&ldquo;The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,&rdquo; said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin &mdash; which is auctioning the card this month. &ldquo;Typically, it&rsquo;s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there&rsquo;s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.&rdquo;
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; cards, and James&rsquo; further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he&rsquo;s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,&rdquo; Goldin said. &ldquo;This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it&rsquo;s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.&rdquo;
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A one-of-a-kind James trading card &mdash; called the &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; &mdash; is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it wind up as the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini&rsquo;s 2020-21 &ldquo;Flawless&rdquo; collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/lebron1_690w.jpg" alt="" width="554" height="369" />
&ldquo;The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,&rdquo; said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin &mdash; which is auctioning the card this month. &ldquo;Typically, it&rsquo;s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there&rsquo;s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.&rdquo;
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; cards, and James&rsquo; further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he&rsquo;s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,&rdquo; Goldin said. &ldquo;This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it&rsquo;s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.&rdquo;
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A one-of-a-kind James trading card &mdash; called the &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; &mdash; is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it wind up as the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini&rsquo;s 2020-21 &ldquo;Flawless&rdquo; collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/lebron1_690w.jpg" alt="" width="554" height="369" />
&ldquo;The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,&rdquo; said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin &mdash; which is auctioning the card this month. &ldquo;Typically, it&rsquo;s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there&rsquo;s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.&rdquo;
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; cards, and James&rsquo; further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he&rsquo;s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,&rdquo; Goldin said. &ldquo;This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it&rsquo;s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.&rdquo;
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A one-of-a-kind James trading card &mdash; called the &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; &mdash; is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it may wind up being the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini&rsquo;s 2020-21 &ldquo;Flawless&rdquo; collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/lebron1_690w.jpg" alt="" width="554" height="369" />
&ldquo;The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,&rdquo; said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin &mdash; which is auctioning the card this month. &ldquo;Typically, it&rsquo;s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there&rsquo;s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.&rdquo;
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; cards, and James&rsquo; further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he&rsquo;s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,&rdquo; Goldin said. &ldquo;This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it&rsquo;s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.&rdquo;
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) &mdash; LeBron James might be on the cusp of setting another record.
And someone will have to pay a lot of money to make it happen.
<a href="https://goldin.co/item/2021-22-panini-flawless-triple-logoman-3lg-lbj-lebron-james-game-usedc3kir?utm_source=socialmedia+&amp;amp;utm_medium=Twitter&amp;amp;utm_campaign=June_Elite&amp;amp;utm_id=SM_Profiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A one-of-a-kind James trading card &mdash; called the &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; &mdash; is up for auction this month,</a> with some believing that it may wind up as the most expensive card ever sold. The current record is $6.6 million that was spent for a Honus Wagner trading card last year.
The Wagner card is more than 100 years old. The James card is part of Panini&rsquo;s 2020-21 &ldquo;Flawless&rdquo; collection, and features the NBA logo patch from three of his jerseys, one each from his time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers.
<img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/lebron1_690w.jpg" alt="" width="554" height="369" />
&ldquo;The card stands out like no other card in the history of the industry,&rdquo; said Ken Goldin, the founder and executive chairman of the collectibles marketplace Goldin &mdash; which is auctioning the card this month. &ldquo;Typically, it&rsquo;s the older vintage cards that are very valuable. ... But there&rsquo;s really never been a card this popular before it was even pulled from a pack.&rdquo;
Through Wednesday afternoon, bidding was at $1.7 million. The auction continues through June 25.
Panini created only five &ldquo;Triple Logoman&rdquo; cards, and James&rsquo; further stands out as the lone one featuring three patches from a single player. The hunt was frenzied, with even rapper Drake getting involved and purchasing packs with hopes of landing the James card.
The card was found earlier this year, and Goldin got the right to handle its sale.
James already can say he&rsquo;s been the featured athlete on the highest-priced basketball trading card in history. A card from his rookie season sold for $5.2 million last year.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s got a reasonable shot of passing $5.2 million,&rdquo; Goldin said. &ldquo;This, to me, is an iconic card, and if it can break that record, it just shows people how valuable trading cards can be and that it does not have to be 100 years old. I think it&rsquo;s really going to encourage people to go out to their local stores, go out to their hobby shops, go out to the Targets and Walmarts and buy packs of cards and rip them open trying to find the next golden ticket.&rdquo;
James is No. 2 on the NBA's career scoring list, and on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the top spot next season.

A one-of-a-kind LeBron James card called the “Triple Logoman” is up for auction, with some believing it'll be the most expensive card ever.

LeBron James 'Triple Logoman' card may fetch record price at auction

BOSTON (AP) — He hit a championship-winning shot with Michael Jordan. He calls the shots for Stephen Curry.
From clutch to coach, Steve Kerr has done it all for some of basketball’s biggest winners. Any team that can claim to be a dynasty across the last 30 years of the NBA has some link to Golden State’s coach.
Now back in Boston, the winning Warrior is a victory away from a ninth NBA championship. It used to be that to win that much, you had to be a Celtic.
Kerr just has to beat them. 
If the Warriors win Game 6 on Thursday night, forget about another banner being hung in Boston. Instead, Kerr will be celebrating underneath them.
If so, he will credit Curry and Klay Thompson, just as he did as a player with Jordan and Scottie Pippen, or Tim Duncan and David Robinson, when trying to explain his success. 
“Just hanging around the right people,” he said with a smile. “You hang around superstars long enough, you’re going to get some residual success falling your way.”
There's more to it than that, of course. Talent may take a team to the top, but staying there — and then getting back again after being knocked down — demands more than that. It requires understanding the personnel on the court and the personalities in the locker room.
It means thinking the game as well as playing it, and Kerr does that with the best of them.
“The man’s knowledge for the game is second to none,” Thompson said. 
Kerr hasn’t won quite like Bill Russell, the Celtics Hall of Fame center who pocketed 11 rings as a player. Nor as much as Phil Jackson, who won 11 of his own as a coach.
Yet, when it comes to combining winning as a player and a coach, few have done it better than Kerr.
He won five titles in uniform with Chicago and San Antonio. Add in three as Golden State’s boss on the bench, and he is the first person in NBA history to win at least three championships as a player and a coach.
Throw in a couple stints as an analyst for TNT around his time as general manager of the Phoenix Suns, and Kerr has seen NBA basketball from almost every angle.
“I mean, Steve has had such an incredible, unique career, from player to coach, GM. He just knows how to jell talent together,” Thompson said. “Then he draws from his playing days, which is really cool to hear and talk about, playing with Mike and Scottie, the Twin Towers in San Antonio.”
Kerr wasn't a player like those Hall of Fame talents. A second-round pick in the 1988 draft, he started only 30 games in his career. He never averaged double figures in any of his 15 seasons, sticking around that long by being a good teammate and a better shooter. 
Most players aren't superstars, and because he wasn't, Kerr makes it a point of reaching out to players like himself.
Celtics guard Derrick White remembers Kerr helping make him comfortable when he was promoted to the U.S. roster for the 2019 Basketball World Cup after originally only being a player on the team practicing against the Americans.
“Any time I needed a question or anything during that whole USA experience, he was there for me,” White said.
Said Kerr: “I definitely identify with role players more than I can identify with a star player, just because I have the experience of coming off the bench and trying to figure out a role and all that stuff."
Being a role player doesn't mean Kerr didn't have a big role. 
Curry may be considered the greatest outside shooter ever, but it's Kerr whose 45.4% career mark from 3-point range is tops in NBA history. He knocked down the jumper to secure the Bulls' 1997 championship, joking during the victory celebration in Chicago that he stepped up to take the shot <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1536365892216291329?s=20&amp;t=_CcuhkDXT9CpYaxH4C8nbw">because Jordan didn't feel comfortable doing so</a>.
The confidence Kerr showed on the floor then is the same he demonstrates in the huddle now, a resolve that Draymond Green says makes the Warriors feel “invincible.”
“There are times where we get a little rattled as a team and he’s just right there, steady force, like ‘Hey, man, just calm down, settle down,’” Kerr said.
No surprise. He's the same guy who once got in a fistfight with Jordan at practice.
These Warriors needed that steadiness more than during their run of three titles in four years from 2015-18. With Thompson still recovering from injuries well into the season and then Curry and Green going down after he returned, Golden State was hardly at full strength before the playoffs and certainly not the powerhouse of recent years.
“We’ve had to figure some things out on the fly,” their coach said.
Teams with Kerr usually do.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; He hit a championship-winning shot with Michael Jordan. He calls the shots for Stephen Curry.
From clutch to coach, Steve Kerr has done it all for some of basketball&rsquo;s biggest winners. Any team that can claim to be a dynasty across the last 30 years of the NBA has some link to Golden State&rsquo;s coach.
Now back in Boston, the winning Warrior is a victory away from a ninth NBA championship. It used to be that to win that much, you had to be a Celtic.
Kerr just has to beat them.
If the Warriors win Game 6 on Thursday night, forget about another banner being hung in Boston. Instead, Kerr will be celebrating underneath them.
If so, he will credit Curry and Klay Thompson, just as he did as a player with Jordan and Scottie Pippen, or Tim Duncan and David Robinson, when trying to explain his success.
&ldquo;Just hanging around the right people,&rdquo; he said with a smile. &ldquo;You hang around superstars long enough, you&rsquo;re going to get some residual success falling your way.&rdquo;
There's more to it than that, of course. Talent may take a team to the top, but staying there &mdash; and then getting back again after being knocked down &mdash; demands more than that. It requires understanding the personnel on the court and the personalities in the locker room.
It means thinking the game as well as playing it, and Kerr does that with the best of them.
&ldquo;The man&rsquo;s knowledge for the game is second to none,&rdquo; Thompson said.
Kerr hasn&rsquo;t won quite like Bill Russell, the Celtics Hall of Fame center who pocketed 11 rings as a player. Nor as much as Phil Jackson, who won 11 of his own as a coach.
Yet, when it comes to combining winning as a player and a coach, few have done it better than Kerr.
He won five titles in uniform with Chicago and San Antonio. Add in three as Golden State&rsquo;s boss on the bench, and he is the first person in NBA history to win at least three championships as a player and a coach.
Throw in a couple stints as an analyst for TNT around his time as general manager of the Phoenix Suns, and Kerr has seen NBA basketball from almost every angle.
&ldquo;I mean, Steve has had such an incredible, unique career, from player to coach, GM. He just knows how to jell talent together,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;Then he draws from his playing days, which is really cool to hear and talk about, playing with Mike and Scottie, the Twin Towers in San Antonio.&rdquo;
Kerr wasn't a player like those Hall of Fame talents. A second-round pick in the 1988 draft, he started only 30 games in his career. He never averaged double figures in any of his 15 seasons, sticking around that long by being a good teammate and a better shooter.
Most players aren't superstars, and because he wasn't, Kerr makes it a point of reaching out to players like himself.
Celtics guard Derrick White remembers Kerr helping make him comfortable when he was promoted to the U.S. roster for the 2019 Basketball World Cup after originally only being a player on the team practicing against the Americans.
&ldquo;Any time I needed a question or anything during that whole USA experience, he was there for me,&rdquo; White said.
Said Kerr: &ldquo;I definitely identify with role players more than I can identify with a star player, just because I have the experience of coming off the bench and trying to figure out a role and all that stuff."
Being a role player doesn't mean Kerr didn't have a big role.
Curry may be considered the greatest outside shooter ever, but it's Kerr whose 45.4% career mark from 3-point range is tops in NBA history. He knocked down the jumper to secure the Bulls' 1997 championship, joking during the victory celebration in Chicago that he stepped up to take the shot <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1536365892216291329?s=20&amp;t=_CcuhkDXT9CpYaxH4C8nbw">because Jordan didn't feel comfortable doing so</a>.
The confidence Kerr showed on the floor then is the same he demonstrates in the huddle now, a resolve that Draymond Green says makes the Warriors feel &ldquo;invincible.&rdquo;
&ldquo;There are times where we get a little rattled as a team and he&rsquo;s just right there, steady force, like &lsquo;Hey, man, just calm down, settle down,&rsquo;&rdquo; Kerr said.
No surprise. He's the same guy who once got in a fistfight with Jordan at practice.
These Warriors needed that steadiness more than during their run of three titles in four years from 2015-18. With Thompson still recovering from injuries well into the season and then Curry and Green going down after he returned, Golden State was hardly at full strength before the playoffs and certainly not the powerhouse of recent years.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had to figure some things out on the fly,&rdquo; their coach said.
Teams with Kerr usually do.

BOSTON (AP) &mdash; He hit a championship-winning shot with Michael Jordan. He calls the shots for Stephen Curry.
From clutch to coach, Steve Kerr has done it all for some of basketball&rsquo;s biggest winners. Any team that can claim to be a dynasty across the last 30 years of the NBA has some link to Golden State&rsquo;s coach.
Now back in Boston, the winning Warrior is a victory away from a ninth NBA championship. It used to be that to win that much, you had to be a Celtic.
Kerr just has to beat them.
If the Warriors win Game 6 on Thursday night, forget about another banner being hung in Boston. Instead, Kerr will be celebrating underneath them.
If so, he will credit Curry and Klay Thompson, just as he did as a player with Jordan and Scottie Pippen, or Tim Duncan and David Robinson, when trying to explain his success.
&ldquo;Just hanging around the right people,&rdquo; he said with a smile. &ldquo;You hang around superstars long enough, you&rsquo;re going to get some residual success falling your way.&rdquo;
There's more to it than that, of course. Talent may take a team to the top, but staying there &mdash; and then getting back again after being knocked down &mdash; demands more than that. It requires understanding the personnel on the court and the personalities in the locker room.
It means thinking the game as well as playing it, and Kerr does that with the best of them.
&ldquo;The man&rsquo;s knowledge for the game is second to none,&rdquo; Thompson said.
Kerr hasn&rsquo;t won quite like Bill Russell, the Celtics Hall of Fame center who pocketed 11 rings as a player. Nor as much as Phil Jackson, who won 11 of his own as a coach.
Yet, when it comes to combining winning as a player and a coach, few have done it better than Kerr.
He won five titles in uniform with Chicago and San Antonio. Add in three as Golden State&rsquo;s boss on the bench, and he is the first person in NBA history to win at least three championships as a player and a coach.
Throw in a couple stints as an analyst for TNT around his time as general manager of the Phoenix Suns, and Kerr has seen NBA basketball from almost every angle.
&ldquo;I mean, Steve has had such an incredible, unique career, from player to coach, GM. He just knows how to jell talent together,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;Then he draws from his playing days, which is really cool to hear and talk about, playing with Mike and Scottie, the Twin Towers in San Antonio.&rdquo;
Kerr wasn't a player like those Hall of Fame talents. A second-round pick in the 1988 draft, he started only 30 games in his career. He never averaged double figures in any of his 15 seasons, sticking around that long by being a good teammate and a better shooter.
Most players aren't superstars, and because he wasn't, Kerr makes it a point of reaching out to players like himself.
Celtics guard Derrick White remembers Kerr helping make him comfortable when he was promoted to the U.S. roster for the 2019 Basketball World Cup after originally only being a player on the team practicing against the Americans.
&ldquo;Any time I needed a question or anything during that whole USA experience, he was there for me,&rdquo; White said.
Said Kerr: &ldquo;I definitely identify with role players more than I can identify with a star player, just because I have the experience of coming off the bench and trying to figure out a role and all that stuff."
Being a role player doesn't mean Kerr didn't have a big role.
Curry may be considered the greatest outside shooter ever, but it's Kerr whose 45.4% career mark from 3-point range is tops in NBA history. He knocked down the jumper to secure the Bulls' 1997 championship, joking during the victory celebration in Chicago that he stepped up to take the shot <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1536365892216291329?s=20&amp;t=_CcuhkDXT9CpYaxH4C8nbw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">because Jordan didn't feel comfortable doing so</a>.
The confidence Kerr showed on the floor then is the same he demonstrates in the huddle now, a resolve that Draymond Green says makes the Warriors feel &ldquo;invincible.&rdquo;
&ldquo;There are times where we get a little rattled as a team and he&rsquo;s just right there, steady force, like &lsquo;Hey, man, just calm down, settle down,&rsquo;&rdquo; Kerr said.
No surprise. He's the same guy who once got in a fistfight with Jordan at practice.
These Warriors needed that steadiness more than during their run of three titles in four years from 2015-18. With Thompson still recovering from injuries well into the season and then Curry and Green going down after he returned, Golden State was hardly at full strength before the playoffs and certainly not the powerhouse of recent years.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had to figure some things out on the fly,&rdquo; their coach said.
Teams with Kerr usually do.

Any team that can claim to be a dynasty across the last 30 years of the NBA has some link to Steve Kerr as a player or coach.

The Kerr Dynasty: As player or coach, Steve Kerr just wins

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The wear and tear from back-to-back seven-game series seems to be taking its toll on the Boston Celtics at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-basketball-536a43e4b69904f1af3fec6377f0f249">worst possible time</a>.
Tired legs have led to shots falling short down the stretch in back-to-back losses that have left the Celtics on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Boston.
The Celtics missed 11 of 15 shots in the fourth quarter of a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-f1b347ccb9112bc771d45fdf3f8175a9">104-94 loss</a> to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 on Monday night.
“I had a couple shots that were short,” star Jayson Tatum said. “I just got to not fade as much. Use my legs. You’re going to be a little more tired in the fourth than you are in the first quarter. You got to get your legs a little more under you on a couple of those shots. Give yourself a chance.”
The Celtics are the 12th team in NBA history to win Game 7s in back-to-back series before the finals, with nine of the previous 11 losing their next series.
The latest loss mirrored the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-nba-sports-robert-williams-e0166f40336235445d4c821279e19b17">107-97 defeat</a> in Game 4 when the Celtics shot 30.8% in the final quarter, with Tatum missing four of five shots in both games and missing two free throws on Monday night.
“Part of that could be fatigue,” coach Ime Udoka said. “Expended a lot. Obviously, him playing 44 minutes, he was one of our main guys rolling. When he got it going in the third, we rolled him a little bit longer there. The bench production wasn’t as sharp as usual, so we ran Jayson longer. Some of that fatigue and decision making could play a part in the fourth quarter.”
The Celtics have had to ride Tatum hard this postseason after sweeping Brooklyn in the first round. Boston then needed seven games to beat Milwaukee in the second round, including a road win in Game 6, and seven against Miami in the Eastern Conference finals capped by a Game 7 road win.
That has led to Tatum playing 943 minutes already this postseason, the most for a player since LeBron James played 960 in 2013 for Miami.
“That probably has something to do with the misses," Udoka said. ”Not only free throws but some of his 3-pointers being off a bit."
Tatum isn't alone in struggling in the fourth quarter. Running mate Jaylen Brown went just 1 for 4 in the fourth quarter Monday with both stars playing more than 44 minutes. 
“I wanted to be on the floor,” Brown said. “Ime trusted me to be out there. Over the course of the game, we made some good plays. We were in it. I felt like we just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Now the Celtics will try to change their fortunes back home in Game 6 on Thursday night.
If the Celtics do manage to pull off the comeback and become the 10th team to overcome a 3-2 finals deficit and the fifth to do it without both games at home, it would cap a historic playoff run.
Only one team has ever won three Game 7s in a single postseason, with the Lakers doing it in 1988, beating Utah, Dallas and Detroit at home on the way to a repeat title.
Boston would have to do it by winning two Game 7s on the road, something that has never been done in a single postseason.
“You better be confident, right?” Tatum said. “We ain’t got to win two in one day. We just got to win one game on Thursday. We’ve been in this situation before. So it’s not over. Got to win on Thursday. That’s all we got to worry about right now.”
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The wear and tear from back-to-back seven-game series seems to be taking its toll on the Boston Celtics at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-basketball-536a43e4b69904f1af3fec6377f0f249">worst possible time</a>.
Tired legs have led to shots falling short down the stretch in back-to-back losses that have left the Celtics on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Boston.
The Celtics missed 11 of 15 shots in the fourth quarter of a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-f1b347ccb9112bc771d45fdf3f8175a9">104-94 loss</a> to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 on Monday night.
&ldquo;I had a couple shots that were short,&rdquo; star Jayson Tatum said. &ldquo;I just got to not fade as much. Use my legs. You&rsquo;re going to be a little more tired in the fourth than you are in the first quarter. You got to get your legs a little more under you on a couple of those shots. Give yourself a chance.&rdquo;
The Celtics are the 12th team in NBA history to win Game 7s in back-to-back series before the finals, with nine of the previous 11 losing their next series.
The latest loss mirrored the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-nba-sports-robert-williams-e0166f40336235445d4c821279e19b17">107-97 defeat</a> in Game 4 when the Celtics shot 30.8% in the final quarter, with Tatum missing four of five shots in both games and missing two free throws on Monday night.
&ldquo;Part of that could be fatigue,&rdquo; coach Ime Udoka said. &ldquo;Expended a lot. Obviously, him playing 44 minutes, he was one of our main guys rolling. When he got it going in the third, we rolled him a little bit longer there. The bench production wasn&rsquo;t as sharp as usual, so we ran Jayson longer. Some of that fatigue and decision making could play a part in the fourth quarter.&rdquo;
The Celtics have had to ride Tatum hard this postseason after sweeping Brooklyn in the first round. Boston then needed seven games to beat Milwaukee in the second round, including a road win in Game 6, and seven against Miami in the Eastern Conference finals capped by a Game 7 road win.
That has led to Tatum playing 943 minutes already this postseason, the most for a player since LeBron James played 960 in 2013 for Miami.
&ldquo;That probably has something to do with the misses," Udoka said. &rdquo;Not only free throws but some of his 3-pointers being off a bit."
Tatum isn't alone in struggling in the fourth quarter. Running mate Jaylen Brown went just 1 for 4 in the fourth quarter Monday with both stars playing more than 44 minutes.
&ldquo;I wanted to be on the floor,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Ime trusted me to be out there. Over the course of the game, we made some good plays. We were in it. I felt like we just couldn&rsquo;t get over the hump.&rdquo;
Now the Celtics will try to change their fortunes back home in Game 6 on Thursday night.
If the Celtics do manage to pull off the comeback and become the 10th team to overcome a 3-2 finals deficit and the fifth to do it without both games at home, it would cap a historic playoff run.
Only one team has ever won three Game 7s in a single postseason, with the Lakers doing it in 1988, beating Utah, Dallas and Detroit at home on the way to a repeat title.
Boston would have to do it by winning two Game 7s on the road, something that has never been done in a single postseason.
&ldquo;You better be confident, right?&rdquo; Tatum said. &ldquo;We ain&rsquo;t got to win two in one day. We just got to win one game on Thursday. We&rsquo;ve been in this situation before. So it&rsquo;s not over. Got to win on Thursday. That&rsquo;s all we got to worry about right now.&rdquo;
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The wear and tear from back-to-back seven-game series seems to be taking its toll on the Boston Celtics at the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-basketball-536a43e4b69904f1af3fec6377f0f249">worst possible time</a>.
Tired legs have led to shots falling short down the stretch in back-to-back losses that have left the Celtics on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Boston.
The Celtics missed 11 of 15 shots in the fourth quarter of a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-f1b347ccb9112bc771d45fdf3f8175a9">104-94 loss</a> to the Golden State Warriors in Game 5 on Monday night.
&ldquo;I had a couple shots that were short,&rdquo; star Jayson Tatum said. &ldquo;I just got to not fade as much. Use my legs. You&rsquo;re going to be a little more tired in the fourth than you are in the first quarter. You got to get your legs a little more under you on a couple of those shots. Give yourself a chance.&rdquo;
The Celtics are the 12th team in NBA history to win Game 7s in back-to-back series before the finals, with nine of the previous 11 losing their next series.
The latest loss mirrored the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-nba-sports-robert-williams-e0166f40336235445d4c821279e19b17">107-97 defeat</a> in Game 4 when the Celtics shot 30.8% in the final quarter, with Tatum missing four of five shots in both games and missing two free throws on Monday night.
&ldquo;Part of that could be fatigue,&rdquo; coach Ime Udoka said. &ldquo;Expended a lot. Obviously, him playing 44 minutes, he was one of our main guys rolling. When he got it going in the third, we rolled him a little bit longer there. The bench production wasn&rsquo;t as sharp as usual, so we ran Jayson longer. Some of that fatigue and decision making could play a part in the fourth quarter.&rdquo;
The Celtics have had to ride Tatum hard this postseason after sweeping Brooklyn in the first round. Boston then needed seven games to beat Milwaukee in the second round, including a road win in Game 6, and seven against Miami in the Eastern Conference finals capped by a Game 7 road win.
That has led to Tatum playing 943 minutes already this postseason, the most for a player since LeBron James played 960 in 2013 for Miami.
&ldquo;That probably has something to do with the misses," Udoka said. &rdquo;Not only free throws but some of his 3-pointers being off a bit."
Tatum isn't alone in struggling in the fourth quarter. Running mate Jaylen Brown went just 1 for 4 in the fourth quarter Monday with both stars playing more than 44 minutes.
&ldquo;I wanted to be on the floor,&rdquo; Brown said. &ldquo;Ime trusted me to be out there. Over the course of the game, we made some good plays. We were in it. I felt like we just couldn&rsquo;t get over the hump.&rdquo;
Now the Celtics will try to change their fortunes back home in Game 6 on Thursday night.
If the Celtics do manage to pull off the comeback and become the 10th team to overcome a 3-2 finals deficit and the fifth to do it without both games at home, it would cap a historic playoff run.
Only one team has ever won three Game 7s in a single postseason, with the Lakers doing it in 1988, beating Utah, Dallas and Detroit at home on the way to a repeat title.
Boston would have to do it by winning two Game 7s on the road, something that has never been done in a single postseason.
&ldquo;You better be confident, right?&rdquo; Tatum said. &ldquo;We ain&rsquo;t got to win two in one day. We just got to win one game on Thursday. We&rsquo;ve been in this situation before. So it&rsquo;s not over. Got to win on Thursday. That&rsquo;s all we got to worry about right now.&rdquo;

Tired legs have led to shots falling short down the stretch in back-to-back losses that have left the Celtics on the brink of elimination.

Grueling playoffs take toll on Celtics in NBA Finals

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — For the first time in his career, Stephen Curry couldn't get a 3-pointer to fall in an NBA postseason game. 
Curry was 0 for 9 behind the arc in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-f1b347ccb9112bc771d45fdf3f8175a9">Warriors’ 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5</a> of the NBA Finals on Monday night. The drought ended a streak of 233 postseason and regular-season games in which Curry had made at least one 3-pointer, a run that lasted 3 1/2 years.
The most prolific 3-pointer shooter in NBA history was 7 for 22 overall, finishing with 16 points while the Warriors moved within a victory of another championship.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been happier after a 0-for-whatever type of night,” Curry said, “just knowing the context of the game, the other ways you tried to impact the game and the fact that, you know, you had four guys step up in meaningful ways to help us win offensively.”
Curry, who was coming off a 43-point performance in Game 4, hadn't gone without a 3-pointer in a game since Nov. 8, 2018. His 233-game run topped his previous record of 196 straight games and is more than twice as long as any player ever.
Curry also had made a 3 in all 132 of his postseason games, easily another record. That streak began in 2013.
He had made 25 3s in the first four games. 
“Steph is the best to ever shoot it. And I’ll tell you what, everyone in the building, including the fans and those watching, believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips,” teammate Klay Thompson said. 
“So we’re never stressed or worried about No. 30. He has done so much and elevated this franchise to a place where it was hard to even imagine that he has leeway, and he can have a bad night. I just know he’ll respond.”
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For the first time in his career, Stephen Curry couldn't get a 3-pointer to fall in an NBA postseason game.
Curry was 0 for 9 behind the arc in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-f1b347ccb9112bc771d45fdf3f8175a9">Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5</a> of the NBA Finals on Monday night. The drought ended a streak of 233 postseason and regular-season games in which Curry had made at least one 3-pointer, a run that lasted 3 1/2 years.
The most prolific 3-pointer shooter in NBA history was 7 for 22 overall, finishing with 16 points while the Warriors moved within a victory of another championship.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ve ever been happier after a 0-for-whatever type of night,&rdquo; Curry said, &ldquo;just knowing the context of the game, the other ways you tried to impact the game and the fact that, you know, you had four guys step up in meaningful ways to help us win offensively.&rdquo;
Curry, who was coming off a 43-point performance in Game 4, hadn't gone without a 3-pointer in a game since Nov. 8, 2018. His 233-game run topped his previous record of 196 straight games and is more than twice as long as any player ever.
Curry also had made a 3 in all 132 of his postseason games, easily another record. That streak began in 2013.
He had made 25 3s in the first four games.
&ldquo;Steph is the best to ever shoot it. And I&rsquo;ll tell you what, everyone in the building, including the fans and those watching, believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips,&rdquo; teammate Klay Thompson said.
&ldquo;So we&rsquo;re never stressed or worried about No. 30. He has done so much and elevated this franchise to a place where it was hard to even imagine that he has leeway, and he can have a bad night. I just know he&rsquo;ll respond.&rdquo;
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

For the first time in his career, Stephen Curry couldn't get a 3-pointer to fall in an NBA postseason game.
Curry was 0 for 9 behind the arc in the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/boston-celtics-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-klay-thompson-f1b347ccb9112bc771d45fdf3f8175a9">Warriors&rsquo; 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5</a> of the NBA Finals on Monday night. The drought ended a streak of 233 postseason and regular-season games in which Curry had made at least one 3-pointer, a run that lasted 3 1/2 years.
The most prolific 3-pointer shooter in NBA history was 7 for 22 overall, finishing with 16 points while the Warriors moved within a victory of another championship.
&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ve ever been happier after a 0-for-whatever type of night,&rdquo; Curry said, &ldquo;just knowing the context of the game, the other ways you tried to impact the game and the fact that, you know, you had four guys step up in meaningful ways to help us win offensively.&rdquo;
Curry, who was coming off a 43-point performance in Game 4, hadn't gone without a 3-pointer in a game since Nov. 8, 2018. His 233-game run topped his previous record of 196 straight games and is more than twice as long as any player ever.
Curry also had made a 3 in all 132 of his postseason games, easily another record. That streak began in 2013.
He had made 25 3s in the first four games.
&ldquo;Steph is the best to ever shoot it. And I&rsquo;ll tell you what, everyone in the building, including the fans and those watching, believe the ball is going in when it leaves his fingertips,&rdquo; teammate Klay Thompson said.
&ldquo;So we&rsquo;re never stressed or worried about No. 30. He has done so much and elevated this franchise to a place where it was hard to even imagine that he has leeway, and he can have a bad night. I just know he&rsquo;ll respond.&rdquo;

For the first time in his career, Stephen Curry couldn't get a three-pointer to fall in an NBA postseason game.

Curry's 233-game run of made three-pointers ends in NBA Finals

The Boston Celtics couldn&rsquo;t make a 3-pointer to start the game and found themselves in a deep hole. Then they couldn&rsquo;t miss and turned the game around.
But when the outside shooting failed them down the stretch, the Celtics had no answer against the Golden State Warriors and now head home on the brink of elimination following a&nbsp;<a class="" href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/wiggins-delivers-on-both-ends-warriors-lead-nba-finals-32" target="_blank" rel="noopener">104-94 loss in Game 5 of the NBA Finals</a>&nbsp;on Monday night.
The Celtics went on an outside shooting rollercoaster ride never seen before in the NBA Finals, becoming the first team ever to miss its first 12 shots from long range and then the first team to make eight straight from 3, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
They then missed seven straight down the stretch and head back home for Game 6 on Thursday night after first back-to-back losses this postseason. The Celtics will look to turn things around and force a decisive seventh game on Sunday back in San Francisco but will need much more consistency from 3.
The scoreboard mirrored Boston&rsquo;s outside shooting as the Celtics fell behind 16 points early when they couldn&rsquo;t make a 3 and then turned things around after Jayson Tatum and Al Horford made back-to-back 3-pointers midway through the third quarter.
Marcus Smart added another one and then Boston made its first five 3-pointers in the third quarter &mdash; including three from Tatum &mdash; and led 66-61 after a three-point play from Grant Williams.
The Celtics then missed their next seven from long range with the key point coming at the close of the third quarter when Jaylen Brown missed a pull-up with 6 seconds left and Boston was slow to get back on defense, leading to a buzzer-beater from 3 by Jordan Poole that gave Golden State the lead.
Boston&rsquo;s frustration boiled over early in the fourth quarter starting when Klay Thompson hit a 3-pointer on a play the Celtics wanted a push-off called. Coach Ime Udoka, who got a technical early, got heated with official Tony Brothers during a timeout and it just built from there.
Smart got called for a technical foul of his own on the next possession and then was called for an offensive foul on the inbound pass and a delay of game warning. Poole made a basket at the other end and Boston&rsquo;s five-point from the third quarter turned into an 85-74 deficit.
By the time Tatum broke the late-game cold spell, it was far too late for the Celtics, who spent much of the fourth quarter complaining.

Boston became the first NBA Finals team to miss its first 12 shots from long range and then the first team to make eight straight from 3.

Streaky Celtics hit cold spot at bad time, lose Game 5 of NBA Finals

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver canceled plans to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics on Monday night because of the league's health and safety protocols.
Silver typically attends all finals games.
The league did not say if Silver had tested positive for COVID-19 or been deemed a close contact of someone who had, nor released any details about his health.
Also unclear is when Silver will be able to resume attending games. Part of his role as commissioner involves handing out the league's championship trophy, which one team will be awarded either Thursday in Boston or Sunday in San Francisco.
Silver has been the NBA's commissioner since February 2014. This is the ninth championship series the league has held during his tenure, including the 2020 season that resumed inside a bubble at Walt Disney World in Florida in the early stages of the pandemic.
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NBA Commissioner Adam Silver canceled plans to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics on Monday night because of the league's health and safety protocols.
Silver typically attends all finals games.
The league did not say if Silver had tested positive for COVID-19 or been deemed a close contact of someone who had, nor released any details about his health.
Also unclear is when Silver will be able to resume attending games. Part of his role as commissioner involves handing out the league's championship trophy, which one team will be awarded either Thursday in Boston or Sunday in San Francisco.
Silver has been the NBA's commissioner since February 2014. This is the ninth championship series the league has held during his tenure, including the 2020 season that resumed inside a bubble at Walt Disney World in Florida in the early stages of the pandemic.

The NBA did not say if Adam Silver had tested positive for COVID-19 or been deemed a close contact of someone who had.