LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in a play-in Friday night and earn the West’s No. 8 seed for the playoffs.
The Pelicans made the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18, guided by first-year coach Willie Green, a former Clipper. They’ve been without Zion Williamson all season because of a foot injury.
The Clippers were dealt a huge blow earlier in the day when Paul George entered the league’s health and safety protocols. They’d already been without Kawhi Leonard all season while he rehabbed an ACL injury. He watched from the bench early in the game.
CJ McCollum added 19 points for New Orleans, which will play No. 1 seed Phoenix in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in the desert.
Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson each had 27 points for the Clippers. 
The Pelicans shot 57% in the first half and were better on the boards, in the paint and off the bench. They led by 16 in the second quarter before the Clippers cut their deficit to 56-46 at halftime.
The Clippers roared back in the third, outscoring the Pelicans 38-18. They opened with a 20-2 run that had the crowd on its feet. Jackson scored 10 points and Morris added six in the spurt.
Robert Covington started the third in place of 7-footer Ivica Zubac and his three-point play gave the Clippers a 75-62 lead, their largest of the game.
Ingram scored five of the Pelicans’ final 12 points to send them into the fourth trailing 84-74.
That’s when New Orleans staged a rally of its own.
After the Clippers scored to go up by 13 points, the Pelicans ran off 11 straight points and then McCollum hit a 3-pointer to tie it, 88-all.
Rookie Trey Murphy hit his second 3-pointer of the quarter for another tie at 94-all.
That sparked a 10-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 101-94 lead, capped by Murphy’s 3-pointer that bounced on the rim and went in.
The Clippers twice closed within two in the final 1:17, but they missed 2 of 4 free throws and Jackson and Morris missed shots down the stretch to see their season slip away.
The Clippers, who made the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history last year, also were missing Luke Kennard. The league’s 3-point percentage leader didn’t play because of a sore right hamstring that kept him out of the loss at Minnesota on Tuesday in the team’s first play-in game.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: They had won the season series, 3-1.
Clippers: Hadn't missed the playoffs since 2017-18 season. ... Nicolas Batum and Terance Mann started in place of George and Kennard ... Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, said Leonard “continues to progress with his rehab,” but there is no timetable for his return.
UP NEXT
The Pelicans were 1-3 against the Suns this season.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in a play-in Friday night and earn the West&rsquo;s No. 8 seed for the playoffs.
The Pelicans made the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18, guided by first-year coach Willie Green, a former Clipper. They&rsquo;ve been without Zion Williamson all season because of a foot injury.
The Clippers were dealt a huge blow earlier in the day when Paul George entered the league&rsquo;s health and safety protocols. They&rsquo;d already been without Kawhi Leonard all season while he rehabbed an ACL injury. He watched from the bench early in the game.
CJ McCollum added 19 points for New Orleans, which will play No. 1 seed Phoenix in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in the desert.
Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson each had 27 points for the Clippers.
The Pelicans shot 57% in the first half and were better on the boards, in the paint and off the bench. They led by 16 in the second quarter before the Clippers cut their deficit to 56-46 at halftime.
The Clippers roared back in the third, outscoring the Pelicans 38-18. They opened with a 20-2 run that had the crowd on its feet. Jackson scored 10 points and Morris added six in the spurt.
Robert Covington started the third in place of 7-footer Ivica Zubac and his three-point play gave the Clippers a 75-62 lead, their largest of the game.
Ingram scored five of the Pelicans&rsquo; final 12 points to send them into the fourth trailing 84-74.
That&rsquo;s when New Orleans staged a rally of its own.
After the Clippers scored to go up by 13 points, the Pelicans ran off 11 straight points and then McCollum hit a 3-pointer to tie it, 88-all.
Rookie Trey Murphy hit his second 3-pointer of the quarter for another tie at 94-all.
That sparked a 10-0 run that gave the Pelicans a 101-94 lead, capped by Murphy&rsquo;s 3-pointer that bounced on the rim and went in.
The Clippers twice closed within two in the final 1:17, but they missed 2 of 4 free throws and Jackson and Morris missed shots down the stretch to see their season slip away.
The Clippers, who made the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history last year, also were missing Luke Kennard. The league&rsquo;s 3-point percentage leader didn&rsquo;t play because of a sore right hamstring that kept him out of the loss at Minnesota on Tuesday in the team&rsquo;s first play-in game.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: They had won the season series, 3-1.
Clippers: Hadn't missed the playoffs since 2017-18 season. ... Nicolas Batum and Terance Mann started in place of George and Kennard ... Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, said Leonard &ldquo;continues to progress with his rehab,&rdquo; but there is no timetable for his return.
UP NEXT
The Pelicans were 1-3 against the Suns this season.

In a hotly-detested play-in contest, the New Orleans Pelicans fought their way into a first-round series against the Phoenix Suns.

Pelicans earn 105-101 win over Clippers, claim No. 8 seed

PHOENIX (AP) — Embattled Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver is retiring from his role as executive chairman of the Western Alliance Bancorporation.
The company released a statement on Friday saying Sarver would step down in June after having a lead role in the company since 2002. Sarver was the company's CEO from 2002 to 2018.
The NBA has asked a law firm to investigate the Suns after ESPN published a report in November detailing allegations that Sarver has a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents during his 17-year tenure in charge of the franchise. 
Sarver — who has owned the Suns since 2004 — has strongly denied the allegations. The 60-year-old Phoenix businessman also owns the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury. 
“It has been an honor to serve as Executive Chairman of Western Alliance Bancorporation. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to our employees, whose hard work and dedication have allowed us to achieve so much during my 20 years at the company,” Sarver said in a statement. “With the company well positioned for continued success and growth, the time is right for me to begin a new chapter."
The Suns have flourished on the court this season, leading the NBA with a franchise-record 64 wins. They're set to host either the Clippers or Pelicans in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Embattled Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver is retiring from his role as executive chairman of the Western Alliance Bancorporation.
The company released a statement on Friday saying Sarver would step down in June after having a lead role in the company since 2002. Sarver was the company's CEO from 2002 to 2018.
The NBA has asked a law firm to investigate the Suns after ESPN published a report in November detailing allegations that Sarver has a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents during his 17-year tenure in charge of the franchise.
Sarver &mdash; who has owned the Suns since 2004 &mdash; has strongly denied the allegations. The 60-year-old Phoenix businessman also owns the WNBA&rsquo;s Phoenix Mercury.
&ldquo;It has been an honor to serve as Executive Chairman of Western Alliance Bancorporation. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to our employees, whose hard work and dedication have allowed us to achieve so much during my 20 years at the company,&rdquo; Sarver said in a statement. &ldquo;With the company well positioned for continued success and growth, the time is right for me to begin a new chapter."
The Suns have flourished on the court this season, leading the NBA with a franchise-record 64 wins. They're set to host either the Clippers or Pelicans in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Embattled Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver is retiring from his role as executive chairman of the Western Alliance Bancorporation.
The company released a statement on Friday saying Sarver would step down in June after having a lead role in the company since 2002. Sarver was the company's CEO from 2002 to 2018.
The NBA has asked a law firm to investigate the Suns after ESPN published a report in November detailing allegations that Sarver has a history of racist, misogynistic and hostile incidents during his 17-year tenure in charge of the franchise.
Sarver &mdash; who has owned the Suns since 2004 &mdash; has strongly denied the allegations. The 60-year-old Phoenix businessman also owns the WNBA&rsquo;s Phoenix Mercury.
&ldquo;It has been an honor to serve as Executive Chairman of Western Alliance Bancorporation. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to our employees, whose hard work and dedication have allowed us to achieve so much during my 20 years at the company,&rdquo; Sarver said in a statement. &ldquo;With the company well positioned for continued success and growth, the time is right for me to begin a new chapter."
The Suns have flourished on the court this season, leading the NBA with a franchise-record 64 wins. They're set to host either the Clippers or Pelicans in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs on Sunday.

Embattled Suns owner Robert Sarver is retiring from his role as executive chairman of the Western Alliance Bancorporation.

Embattled Suns owner Sarver retiring from role with bank

CLEVELAND (AP) — Trae Young scored 32 of his 38 points in the second half and the Atlanta Hawks overcame losing center Clint Capela to a knee injury to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-101 in the play-in on Friday night and earn the Eastern Conference's No. 8 playoff seed.
Young started slowly for the second straight game, but “Ice Trae,” as he fancies himself, heated up when it mattered most.
The All-Star guard scored 16 points in third quarter to rally the Hawks from a 10-point halftime deficit, and added another 16 in the fourth to finish off the Cavs, whose inexperience showed throughout the second half.
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 19 points for Atlanta, which will play No. 1 seed Miami in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in South Florida.
The Hawks, who made it to the conference finals a year ago, may have to go forward without Capela. The 6-foot-10 center hyperextended his right knee late in the first half, had to be helped from the floor and couldn't return.
Lauri Markkanen scored 26 and Darius Garland 21 for the young Cavaliers, whose unexpected season fell just shy of a playoff berth.
Cleveland hasn't been to the playoffs since 2018, and the Cavs haven't been to the postseason without LeBron James on their roster since 1998.
As if to add insult to injury, James tweeted an emoji of an ice cube in the closing seconds — a nod to Young — as the Hawks were ending Cleveland's season.
Lifted by a rowdy, towel-waving crowd in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavs were in position to advance and played well in long stretches. However, Cleveland's offense bogged down in the third quarter, and the Cavs had no answer defensively for Young.
As the final seconds ticked off, Young waved goodbye as the Cleveland crowd thinned out and headed to the exits.
Those who stayed saluted the Cavs, who weren't expected to get this far after winning just 22 games last season. While they've been relegated to lottery picks and losing since James left after a four-year run to the NBA Finals four years ago, the future in Cleveland is bright.
With the season on the line, Cleveland got a huge emotional and defensive lift by the return of All-Star center Jarrett Allen, who had missed the previous 19 games with a broken finger on his left hand. Allen finished with 11 points.
The Hawks were in big trouble late in the third quarter, when Young finally heated up.
Ignoring some vulgar chants by Cleveland fans, the dazzling guard made a pair of 3-pointers and scored Atlanta's final 12 points in the quarter as the Hawks closed with a 17-8 run over the final 3:48 to tie it 84-all going into to the final 12 minutes.
Markkanen made four 3-pointers and Cleveland hit six shots from long range in the first 12 minutes to open an 11-point lead after one.
Atlanta helped with some sloppy play and committed seven turnovers, four by Young.
But once he started taking care of the ball, and making shots, there was no stopping him.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Danilo Gallinari added 14 points. ... Young averaged 32.5 points in four games against Cleveland in the regular season. ... F/C John Collins (finger, foot) and Lou Williams (back) both sat out. ... Committed a league-low 11.9 turnovers per game during the regular season.
Cavaliers: Kevin Love only played 10 minutes — one in the second half. ... Cleveland's 22-win improvement was the second biggest in club history. The 1991-92 Cavs made a 24-game jump.
CLEVELAND ROCKS
It was an extraordinary sports night in Cleveland.
While the Hawks and Cavaliers tangled with a postseason spot up for grabs, the Guardians played their first home game since changing their name next door at Progressive Field.
The doubleheader was reminiscent of 2016, when the Cavs received the NBA title rings on opening night as Cleveland’s baseball team, then called the Indians, hosted a World Series game.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Atlanta went 1-3 vs. Miami during the season.
Cavaliers: More time to rest up after an injury-ravaged season.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Trae Young scored 32 of his 38 points in the second half and the Atlanta Hawks overcame losing center Clint Capela to a knee injury to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-101 in the play-in on Friday night and earn the Eastern Conference's No. 8 playoff seed.
Young started slowly for the second straight game, but &ldquo;Ice Trae,&rdquo; as he fancies himself, heated up when it mattered most.
The All-Star guard scored 16 points in third quarter to rally the Hawks from a 10-point halftime deficit, and added another 16 in the fourth to finish off the Cavs, whose inexperience showed throughout the second half.
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 19 points for Atlanta, which will play No. 1 seed Miami in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in South Florida.
The Hawks, who made it to the conference finals a year ago, may have to go forward without Capela. The 6-foot-10 center hyperextended his right knee late in the first half, had to be helped from the floor and couldn't return.
Lauri Markkanen scored 26 and Darius Garland 21 for the young Cavaliers, whose unexpected season fell just shy of a playoff berth.
Cleveland hasn't been to the playoffs since 2018, and the Cavs haven't been to the postseason without LeBron James on their roster since 1998.
As if to add insult to injury, James tweeted an emoji of an ice cube in the closing seconds &mdash; a nod to Young &mdash; as the Hawks were ending Cleveland's season.
Lifted by a rowdy, towel-waving crowd in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavs were in position to advance and played well in long stretches. However, Cleveland's offense bogged down in the third quarter, and the Cavs had no answer defensively for Young.
As the final seconds ticked off, Young waved goodbye as the Cleveland crowd thinned out and headed to the exits.
Those who stayed saluted the Cavs, who weren't expected to get this far after winning just 22 games last season. While they've been relegated to lottery picks and losing since James left after a four-year run to the NBA Finals four years ago, the future in Cleveland is bright.
With the season on the line, Cleveland got a huge emotional and defensive lift by the return of All-Star center Jarrett Allen, who had missed the previous 19 games with a broken finger on his left hand. Allen finished with 11 points.
The Hawks were in big trouble late in the third quarter, when Young finally heated up.
Ignoring some vulgar chants by Cleveland fans, the dazzling guard made a pair of 3-pointers and scored Atlanta's final 12 points in the quarter as the Hawks closed with a 17-8 run over the final 3:48 to tie it 84-all going into to the final 12 minutes.
Markkanen made four 3-pointers and Cleveland hit six shots from long range in the first 12 minutes to open an 11-point lead after one.
Atlanta helped with some sloppy play and committed seven turnovers, four by Young.
But once he started taking care of the ball, and making shots, there was no stopping him.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Danilo Gallinari added 14 points. ... Young averaged 32.5 points in four games against Cleveland in the regular season. ... F/C John Collins (finger, foot) and Lou Williams (back) both sat out. ... Committed a league-low 11.9 turnovers per game during the regular season.
Cavaliers: Kevin Love only played 10 minutes &mdash; one in the second half. ... Cleveland's 22-win improvement was the second biggest in club history. The 1991-92 Cavs made a 24-game jump.
CLEVELAND ROCKS
It was an extraordinary sports night in Cleveland.
While the Hawks and Cavaliers tangled with a postseason spot up for grabs, the Guardians played their first home game since changing their name next door at Progressive Field.
The doubleheader was reminiscent of 2016, when the Cavs received the NBA title rings on opening night as Cleveland&rsquo;s baseball team, then called the Indians, hosted a World Series game.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Atlanta went 1-3 vs. Miami during the season.
Cavaliers: More time to rest up after an injury-ravaged season.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Trae Young scored 32 of his 38 points in the second half and the Atlanta Hawks overcame losing center Clint Capela to a knee injury to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-101 in the play-in on Friday night and earn the Eastern Conference's No. 8 playoff seed.
Young started slowly for the second straight game, but &ldquo;Ice Trae,&rdquo; as he fancies himself, heated up when it mattered most.
The All-Star guard scored 16 points in third quarter to rally the Hawks from a 10-point halftime deficit, and added another 16 in the fourth to finish off the Cavs, whose inexperience showed throughout the second half.
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 19 points for Atlanta, which will play No. 1 seed Miami in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in South Florida.
The Hawks, who made it to the conference finals a year ago, may have to go forward without Capela. The 6-foot-10 center hyperextended his right knee late in the first half, had to be helped from the floor and couldn't return.
Lauri Markkanen scored 26 and Darius Garland 21 for the young Cavaliers, whose unexpected season fell just shy of a playoff berth.
Cleveland hasn't been to the playoffs since 2018, and the Cavs haven't been to the postseason without LeBron James on their roster since 1998.
As if to add insult to injury, James tweeted an emoji of an ice cube in the closing seconds &mdash; a nod to Young &mdash; as the Hawks were ending Cleveland's season.
Lifted by a rowdy, towel-waving crowd in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavs were in position to advance and played well in long stretches. However, Cleveland's offense bogged down in the third quarter, and the Cavs had no answer defensively for Young.
As the final seconds ticked off, Young waved goodbye as the Cleveland crowd thinned out and headed to the exits.
Those who stayed saluted the Cavs, who weren't expected to get this far after winning just 22 games last season. While they've been relegated to lottery picks and losing since James left after a four-year run to the NBA Finals four years ago, the future in Cleveland is bright.
With the season on the line, Cleveland got a huge emotional and defensive lift by the return of All-Star center Jarrett Allen, who had missed the previous 19 games with a broken finger on his left hand. Allen finished with 11 points.
The Hawks were in big trouble late in the third quarter, when Young finally heated up.
Ignoring some vulgar chants by Cleveland fans, the dazzling guard made a pair of 3-pointers and scored Atlanta's final 12 points in the quarter as the Hawks closed with a 17-8 run over the final 3:48 to tie it 84-all going into to the final 12 minutes.
Markkanen made four 3-pointers and Cleveland hit six shots from long range in the first 12 minutes to open an 11-point lead after one.
Atlanta helped with some sloppy play and committed seven turnovers, four by Young.
But once he started taking care of the ball, and making shots, there was no stopping him.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Danilo Gallinari added 14 points. ... Young averaged 32.5 points in four games against Cleveland in the regular season. ... F/C John Collins (finger, foot) and Lou Williams (back) both sat out. ... Committed a league-low 11.9 turnovers per game during the regular season.
Cavaliers: Kevin Love only played 10 minutes &mdash; one in the second half. ... Cleveland's 22-win improvement was the second biggest in club history. The 1991-92 Cavs made a 24-game jump.
CLEVELAND ROCKS
It was an extraordinary sports night in Cleveland.
While the Hawks and Cavaliers tangled with a postseason spot up for grabs, the Guardians played their first home game since changing their name next door at Progressive Field.
The doubleheader was reminiscent of 2016, when the Cavs received the NBA title rings on opening night as Cleveland&rsquo;s baseball team, then called the Indians, hosted a World Series game.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Atlanta went 1-3 vs. Miami during the season.
Cavaliers: More time to rest up after an injury-ravaged season.

Trae Young scored 32 of his 38 points in the second half and the Atlanta Hawks overcame losing center Clint Capela to a knee injury to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 107-101 in the play-in on Friday night and earn the Eastern Conference's No. 8 playoff seed.
Young started slowly for the second straight game, but &ldquo;Ice Trae,&rdquo; as he fancies himself, heated up when it mattered most.
The All-Star guard scored 16 points in third quarter to rally the Hawks from a 10-point halftime deficit, and added another 16 in the fourth to finish off the Cavs, whose inexperience showed throughout the second half.
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 19 points for Atlanta, which will play No. 1 seed Miami in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in South Florida.
The Hawks, who made it to the conference finals a year ago, may have to go forward without Capela. The 6-foot-10 center hyperextended his right knee late in the first half, had to be helped from the floor and couldn't return.
Lauri Markkanen scored 26 and Darius Garland 21 for the young Cavaliers, whose unexpected season fell just shy of a playoff berth.
Cleveland hasn't been to the playoffs since 2018, and the Cavs haven't been to the postseason without LeBron James on their roster since 1998.
As if to add insult to injury, James tweeted an emoji of an ice cube in the closing seconds &mdash; a nod to Young &mdash; as the Hawks were ending Cleveland's season.
Lifted by a rowdy, towel-waving crowd in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, the Cavs were in position to advance and played well in long stretches. However, Cleveland's offense bogged down in the third quarter, and the Cavs had no answer defensively for Young.
As the final seconds ticked off, Young waved goodbye as the Cleveland crowd thinned out and headed to the exits.
Those who stayed saluted the Cavs, who weren't expected to get this far after winning just 22 games last season. While they've been relegated to lottery picks and losing since James left after a four-year run to the NBA Finals four years ago, the future in Cleveland is bright.
With the season on the line, Cleveland got a huge emotional and defensive lift by the return of All-Star center Jarrett Allen, who had missed the previous 19 games with a broken finger on his left hand. Allen finished with 11 points.
The Hawks were in big trouble late in the third quarter, when Young finally heated up.
Ignoring some vulgar chants by Cleveland fans, the dazzling guard made a pair of 3-pointers and scored Atlanta's final 12 points in the quarter as the Hawks closed with a 17-8 run over the final 3:48 to tie it 84-all going into to the final 12 minutes.
Markkanen made four 3-pointers and Cleveland hit six shots from long range in the first 12 minutes to open an 11-point lead after one.
Atlanta helped with some sloppy play and committed seven turnovers, four by Young.
But once he started taking care of the ball, and making shots, there was no stopping him.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Danilo Gallinari added 14 points. ... Young averaged 32.5 points in four games against Cleveland in the regular season. ... F/C John Collins (finger, foot) and Lou Williams (back) both sat out. ... Committed a league-low 11.9 turnovers per game during the regular season.
Cavaliers: Kevin Love only played 10 minutes &mdash; one in the second half. ... Cleveland's 22-win improvement was the second biggest in club history. The 1991-92 Cavs made a 24-game jump.
CLEVELAND ROCKS
It was an extraordinary sports night in Cleveland.
While the Hawks and Cavaliers tangled with a postseason spot up for grabs, the Guardians played their first home game since changing their name next door at Progressive Field.
The doubleheader was reminiscent of 2016, when the Cavs received the NBA title rings on opening night as Cleveland&rsquo;s baseball team, then called the Indians, hosted a World Series game.
UP NEXT
Hawks: Atlanta went 1-3 vs. Miami during the season.
Cavaliers: More time to rest up after an injury-ravaged season.

Trae Young scored 32 of his 38 points in the second half to lift the Hawks to the playoffs.

Trae Young's 38 lift Hawks past Cavs for No. 8 playoff seed

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry threw down a two-handed slam dunk during practice and the Golden State star is optimistic about his chances of being on the court again for the Warriors in their playoff opener Saturday against Denver.
Curry took a key step in his recovery from a sprained ligament in his left foot when he scrimmaged Thursday. If he plays in Game 1, “for sure I'll start,” Curry said.
“I’ve never enjoyed practice so much,” Curry said after an extensive, hours-long workout. “... I see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
The two-time MVP participated in three six-minute stretches in full team scrimmaging work then his full individual shooting routine, too. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday.
Coach Steve Kerr also is hopeful of having Curry in the opener against the Nuggets at Chase Center. Curry's foot is still tender four weeks later and he also dealt with a bone bruise that had him in a walking boot for nearly three weeks.
“There’s a confidence that the whole team gets when Steph is playing,” Kerr said. “And then I think there’s a confidence that comes with the continuity and familiarity of groups that have been together and been through a lot of experience, playoff experiences together.”
It would be the first time all season the Warriors’ four postseason veterans are healthy and available — Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson.
“Steph looked like himself. He just gives everybody a lift, just his presence on the court,” Thompson said. “Great to have him out there.”
The 34-year-old Curry was injured March 16 at home against Boston and Golden State went 6-6 without him, though the Warriors found their rhythm and won the final five regular-season games.
Curry is confident he can help the Warriors win even if he's not quite at full strength. His rehab mantra has been: “positive and patient.” His conditioning gives him the trust that he won't be a step slow or winded after a few minutes.
“When you’re dealing with an injury you want to make sure you’re over the limiting factors of how you move, what the pain is like and all that, then you worry about where you are conditioning wise and rhythm wise and figure out how much is left to get to 100 percent," he said. "Everything’s just been positive in terms of getting back out there and understanding I’ll be ready to play whenever that time is, I’m hoping it’s Saturday.” 
He can lean on his experience working back from ankle and tailbone injuries in recent seasons — and Curry has long shown a knack for being able to come back from injuries and immediately return to dominant form. 
“It’s just who he is on a human level, it’s the wealth of expertise and confidence built over time,” Kerr said.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Stephen Curry threw down a two-handed slam dunk during practice and the Golden State star is optimistic about his chances of being on the court again for the Warriors in their playoff opener Saturday against Denver.
Curry took a key step in his recovery from a sprained ligament in his left foot when he scrimmaged Thursday. If he plays in Game 1, &ldquo;for sure I'll start,&rdquo; Curry said.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never enjoyed practice so much,&rdquo; Curry said after an extensive, hours-long workout. &ldquo;... I see the light at the end of the tunnel.&rdquo;
The two-time MVP participated in three six-minute stretches in full team scrimmaging work then his full individual shooting routine, too. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is scheduled for Monday.
Coach Steve Kerr also is hopeful of having Curry in the opener against the Nuggets at Chase Center. Curry's foot is still tender four weeks later and he also dealt with a bone bruise that had him in a walking boot for nearly three weeks.
&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a confidence that the whole team gets when Steph is playing,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;And then I think there&rsquo;s a confidence that comes with the continuity and familiarity of groups that have been together and been through a lot of experience, playoff experiences together.&rdquo;
It would be the first time all season the Warriors&rsquo; four postseason veterans are healthy and available &mdash; Curry, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson.
&ldquo;Steph looked like himself. He just gives everybody a lift, just his presence on the court,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;Great to have him out there.&rdquo;
The 34-year-old Curry was injured March 16 at home against Boston and Golden State went 6-6 without him, though the Warriors found their rhythm and won the final five regular-season games.
Curry is confident he can help the Warriors win even if he's not quite at full strength. His rehab mantra has been: &ldquo;positive and patient.&rdquo; His conditioning gives him the trust that he won't be a step slow or winded after a few minutes.
&ldquo;When you&rsquo;re dealing with an injury you want to make sure you&rsquo;re over the limiting factors of how you move, what the pain is like and all that, then you worry about where you are conditioning wise and rhythm wise and figure out how much is left to get to 100 percent," he said. "Everything&rsquo;s just been positive in terms of getting back out there and understanding I&rsquo;ll be ready to play whenever that time is, I&rsquo;m hoping it&rsquo;s Saturday.&rdquo;
He can lean on his experience working back from ankle and tailbone injuries in recent seasons &mdash; and Curry has long shown a knack for being able to come back from injuries and immediately return to dominant form.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just who he is on a human level, it&rsquo;s the wealth of expertise and confidence built over time,&rdquo; Kerr said.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Steph Curry took a key step in his recovery from a sprained ligament in his left foot when he scrimmaged Thursday.

Stephen Curry optimistic about returning for Game 1

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley was fined $30,000 by the NBA on Thursday for what the league declared “inappropriate statements,” including the “egregious use of profanity” in a media interview and social media post following the team's play-in game victory.
Beverley was especially emotional after the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-clippers-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-anthony-edwards-eeb23f11c4002d7d2f48dffeac32dcc9">Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104</a> on Tuesday. He played the last four seasons for the Clippers and confidently predicted upon arrival in Minnesota that the Timberwolves would make the playoffs.
Beverley was just fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for improper conduct toward a game official. He was ejected from Minnesota's final regular-season game on Sunday for receiving two technical fouls, which were levied against him for complaining about calls and non-calls.
The Timberwolves earned the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and play at Memphis on Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round series.
___
More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Patrick Beverley was fined $30,000 by the NBA on Thursday for what the league declared &ldquo;inappropriate statements,&rdquo; including the &ldquo;egregious use of profanity&rdquo; in a media interview and social media post following the team's play-in game victory.
Beverley was especially emotional after the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-clippers-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-sports-anthony-edwards-eeb23f11c4002d7d2f48dffeac32dcc9">Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-104</a> on Tuesday. He played the last four seasons for the Clippers and confidently predicted upon arrival in Minnesota that the Timberwolves would make the playoffs.
Beverley was just fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for improper conduct toward a game official. He was ejected from Minnesota's final regular-season game on Sunday for receiving two technical fouls, which were levied against him for complaining about calls and non-calls.
The Timberwolves earned the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and play at Memphis on Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Patrick Beverley was just fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for improper conduct toward a game official.

Wolves' Beverley fined again; $30K for interview profanity

The NBA fined Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges $50,000 Thursday for throwing his mouthpiece into the crowd after he was ejected from Wednesday night’s play-in game loss to the Hawks in Atlanta.
After picking up two technical fouls for arguing a call, an agitated Bridges left the floor for the locker room and was heckled by a male fan in the tunnel. He then heaved his mouthpiece in that direction, hitting a young female.
Bridges apologized after the game for the incident and again Thursday following his exit interview in Charlotte.
“I lost my cool last night with a lot of stuff that went on,” Bridges said. “I normally don't act like that and that was an embarrassment on my part and for the organization.”
Bridges said he was ready to take “full responsibility” for any punishment the league handed down.
“I deserve it,” Bridges said. "You are never supposed to go out like that, especially because the fans come to the game to watch you play. For their safety to be in danger at that time, that is wrong on my part. I take full responsibility."
Bridges said he has reached out to the female fan on Instagram to apologize, but has not heard back. The Hornets public relations department said it is trying to get Bridges in touch with the fan.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The NBA fined Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges $50,000 Thursday for throwing his mouthpiece into the crowd after he was ejected from Wednesday night&rsquo;s play-in game loss to the Hawks in Atlanta.
After picking up two technical fouls for arguing a call, an agitated Bridges left the floor for the locker room and was heckled by a male fan in the tunnel. He then heaved his mouthpiece in that direction, hitting a young female.
Bridges apologized after the game for the incident and again Thursday following his exit interview in Charlotte.
&ldquo;I lost my cool last night with a lot of stuff that went on,&rdquo; Bridges said. &ldquo;I normally don't act like that and that was an embarrassment on my part and for the organization.&rdquo;
Bridges said he was ready to take &ldquo;full responsibility&rdquo; for any punishment the league handed down.
&ldquo;I deserve it,&rdquo; Bridges said. "You are never supposed to go out like that, especially because the fans come to the game to watch you play. For their safety to be in danger at that time, that is wrong on my part. I take full responsibility."
Bridges said he has reached out to the female fan on Instagram to apologize, but has not heard back. The Hornets public relations department said it is trying to get Bridges in touch with the fan.

Miles Bridges said he was ready to take “full responsibility” for any punishment the league handed down.

Miles Bridges fined $50K for throwing mouthpiece into crowd

ATLANTA (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets were delayed getting to the arena Wednesday for their NBA play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks.
By a freight train, of all things.
Tracks run all around State Farm Arena, a remnant of a time when the area was the site of the city's two major passenger stations. Both stations were torn down decades ago, but many of the tracks that remain are still frequented by freight trains running near the heart of downtown Atlanta.
One of those trains stopped on a crossing before the game, blocking the Hornets' chartered buses from reaching the players' entrance on the bottom level of the arena. The buses were forced to turn around and find an alternate route to the arena. They were delayed about 15 minutes.
Apparently, it slowed the Hornets' offense. Atlanta routed Charlotte 132-103.
“I've never seen that,” <a href="https://twitter.com/nickcarboniwcnc/status/1514359184422281231?s=21&amp;amp;t=BkLxqydCuK5QMSiLxfsIfg">Hornets coach James Borrego</a> said. “I've been coming to this arena for 20 years, and I've never seen a train stop before the game."
He seemed to imply that the Hawks had something to do with the freight train stopping at the crossing.
“Somebody figure it out. I have no idea,” Borrego said. “But our guys noticed.”
He said the delay fired up the Hornets, However, the Hawks outscored the Hornets 42-24 in the third quarter during a 12-minute barrage, hitting 16 of 24 shots, and led 102-76 heading to the final period.
The 10th-seeded Hornets were looking to earn their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. 
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Charlotte Hornets were delayed getting to the arena Wednesday for their NBA play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks.
By a freight train, of all things.
Tracks run all around State Farm Arena, a remnant of a time when the area was the site of the city's two major passenger stations. Both stations were torn down decades ago, but many of the tracks that remain are still frequented by freight trains running near the heart of downtown Atlanta.
One of those trains stopped on a crossing before the game, blocking the Hornets' chartered buses from reaching the players' entrance on the bottom level of the arena. The buses were forced to turn around and find an alternate route to the arena. They were delayed about 15 minutes.
Apparently, it slowed the Hornets' offense. Atlanta routed Charlotte 132-103.
&ldquo;I've never seen that,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/nickcarboniwcnc/status/1514359184422281231?s=21&amp;amp;t=BkLxqydCuK5QMSiLxfsIfg">Hornets coach James Borrego</a> said. &ldquo;I've been coming to this arena for 20 years, and I've never seen a train stop before the game."
He seemed to imply that the Hawks had something to do with the freight train stopping at the crossing.
&ldquo;Somebody figure it out. I have no idea,&rdquo; Borrego said. &ldquo;But our guys noticed.&rdquo;
He said the delay fired up the Hornets, However, the Hawks outscored the Hornets 42-24 in the third quarter during a 12-minute barrage, hitting 16 of 24 shots, and led 102-76 heading to the final period.
The 10th-seeded Hornets were looking to earn their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The Charlotte Hornets were delayed getting to the arena Wednesday for their NBA play-in game against the Atlanta Hawks.
By a freight train, of all things.
Tracks run all around State Farm Arena, a remnant of a time when the area was the site of the city's two major passenger stations. Both stations were torn down decades ago, but many of the tracks that remain are still frequented by freight trains running near the heart of downtown Atlanta.
One of those trains stopped on a crossing before the game, blocking the Hornets' chartered buses from reaching the players' entrance on the bottom level of the arena. The buses were forced to turn around and find an alternate route to the arena. They were delayed about 15 minutes.
Apparently, it slowed the Hornets' offense. Atlanta routed Charlotte 132-103.
&ldquo;I've never seen that,&rdquo; <a href="https://twitter.com/nickcarboniwcnc/status/1514359184422281231?s=21&amp;amp;t=BkLxqydCuK5QMSiLxfsIfg">Hornets coach James Borrego</a> said. &ldquo;I've been coming to this arena for 20 years, and I've never seen a train stop before the game."
He seemed to imply that the Hawks had something to do with the freight train stopping at the crossing.
&ldquo;Somebody figure it out. I have no idea,&rdquo; Borrego said. &ldquo;But our guys noticed.&rdquo;
He said the delay fired up the Hornets, However, the Hawks outscored the Hornets 42-24 in the third quarter during a 12-minute barrage, hitting 16 of 24 shots, and led 102-76 heading to the final period.
The 10th-seeded Hornets were looking to earn their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

“I've been coming to this arena for 20 years, and I've never seen a train stop before the game," Hornets coach James Borrego said.

Choo-choo: Hornets' arrival to Play-In blocked by freight train

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets held a moment of silence before their play-in game against Cleveland and said they were donating $50,000 to help those who were injured after at least 10 people were shot on a subway Tuesday.
The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-subway-shooting-fef3cd9b41a50cfca639897baa52e382">shooting occurred at a station in the Sunset Park neighborhood</a> of Brooklyn that is the one closest to the Nets' training center, where they held their morning shootaround Tuesday.
“That’s the subway stop for our practice facility and for our office,” Nets coach Steve Nash said before the game. “My kids go to school not exceedingly far, so it does hit home and you just feel for all those affected and you recognize that we have a lot of growing to do as a society and a community, and you just feel for everybody in our community that was affected.”
The donation from the Nets and the New York Liberty Foundation was announced just before the moment of silence. The Nets thanked first responders and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
The Nets urged fans earlier in the day to arrive early to the game and were told to expect an increased security presence at the arena. Members of the police counter terrorism unit were positioned at the top of the steps outside the subway station across the plaza from Barclays Center. 
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team's thoughts were with those who were on their way to work or school when the shooting started. 
“So that’s first and foremost, is keeping those people in our minds and whatever we can do to help there, help there," he said. "And then we go play a basketball game, and if it’s an extra 15 minutes on the trip or you’ve got to check your purse at the door, like, so be it, because people were impacted in a way bigger way than we ever will be.” 
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; The Brooklyn Nets held a moment of silence before their play-in game against Cleveland and said they were donating $50,000 to help those who were injured after at least 10 people were shot on a subway Tuesday.
The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-subway-shooting-fef3cd9b41a50cfca639897baa52e382">shooting occurred at a station in the Sunset Park neighborhood</a> of Brooklyn that is the one closest to the Nets' training center, where they held their morning shootaround Tuesday.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the subway stop for our practice facility and for our office,&rdquo; Nets coach Steve Nash said before the game. &ldquo;My kids go to school not exceedingly far, so it does hit home and you just feel for all those affected and you recognize that we have a lot of growing to do as a society and a community, and you just feel for everybody in our community that was affected.&rdquo;
The donation from the Nets and the New York Liberty Foundation was announced just before the moment of silence. The Nets thanked first responders and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
The Nets urged fans earlier in the day to arrive early to the game and were told to expect an increased security presence at the arena. Members of the police counter terrorism unit were positioned at the top of the steps outside the subway station across the plaza from Barclays Center.
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team's thoughts were with those who were on their way to work or school when the shooting started.
&ldquo;So that&rsquo;s first and foremost, is keeping those people in our minds and whatever we can do to help there, help there," he said. "And then we go play a basketball game, and if it&rsquo;s an extra 15 minutes on the trip or you&rsquo;ve got to check your purse at the door, like, so be it, because people were impacted in a way bigger way than we ever will be.&rdquo;

The Brooklyn Nets held a moment of silence before their Play-In game against Cleveland and said they were donating $50,000 to help those who were injured after at least 10 people were shot on a subway Tuesday.
The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/brooklyn-subway-shooting-fef3cd9b41a50cfca639897baa52e382">shooting occurred at a station in the Sunset Park neighborhood</a> of Brooklyn that is the one closest to the Nets' training center, where they held their morning shootaround Tuesday.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s the subway stop for our practice facility and for our office,&rdquo; Nets coach Steve Nash said before the game. &ldquo;My kids go to school not exceedingly far, so it does hit home and you just feel for all those affected and you recognize that we have a lot of growing to do as a society and a community, and you just feel for everybody in our community that was affected.&rdquo;
The donation from the Nets and the New York Liberty Foundation was announced just before the moment of silence. The Nets thanked first responders and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.
The Nets urged fans earlier in the day to arrive early to the game and were told to expect an increased security presence at the arena. Members of the police counter terrorism unit were positioned at the top of the steps outside the subway station across the plaza from Barclays Center.
Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the team's thoughts were with those who were on their way to work or school when the shooting started.
&ldquo;So that&rsquo;s first and foremost, is keeping those people in our minds and whatever we can do to help there, help there," he said. "And then we go play a basketball game, and if it&rsquo;s an extra 15 minutes on the trip or you&rsquo;ve got to check your purse at the door, like, so be it, because people were impacted in a way bigger way than we ever will be.&rdquo;

The shooting occurred at a station in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn that is the one closest to the Nets' training center.

Nets donate $50,000 to recovery after subway shooting

A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run. 
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
“I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,” Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>. 
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis’ playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed. 
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team. 
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
“I’m focused on us,” the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It’s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.”
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket. 
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV. 
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his “elite level” ballhandling skills. 
“That’s what you need at this level,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I’m trying to follow him at times to see what’s coming next but when he does something I’m like, ‘Here we go!’ This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that’s going to definitely surprise me.”
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games. 
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ. 
“His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he’s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,” Mosley said. "He’s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.”
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside. 
“He does a fantastic job going to his left,” Walker said. “It’s either, if he’s on the right side, he’s going to snake it or if he’s on the left side, he’s going downhill and doing what he does.”
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
“He’s so quick,” McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He’s a great player, and we’ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season. 
“He’s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we’re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we’re great.”
___
AP Freelance Writer Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
&ldquo;I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,&rdquo; Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>.
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis&rsquo; playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed.
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team.
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m focused on us,&rdquo; the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It&rsquo;s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.&rdquo;
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket.
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV.
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his &ldquo;elite level&rdquo; ballhandling skills.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need at this level,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I&rsquo;m trying to follow him at times to see what&rsquo;s coming next but when he does something I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Here we go!&rsquo; This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that&rsquo;s going to definitely surprise me.&rdquo;
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ.
&ldquo;His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he&rsquo;s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,&rdquo; Mosley said. "He&rsquo;s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.&rdquo;
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside.
&ldquo;He does a fantastic job going to his left,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s either, if he&rsquo;s on the right side, he&rsquo;s going to snake it or if he&rsquo;s on the left side, he&rsquo;s going downhill and doing what he does.&rdquo;
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so quick,&rdquo; McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He&rsquo;s a great player, and we&rsquo;ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we&rsquo;re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we&rsquo;re great.&rdquo;

A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
&ldquo;I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,&rdquo; Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>.
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis&rsquo; playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed.
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team.
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m focused on us,&rdquo; the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It&rsquo;s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.&rdquo;
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket.
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV.
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his &ldquo;elite level&rdquo; ballhandling skills.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need at this level,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I&rsquo;m trying to follow him at times to see what&rsquo;s coming next but when he does something I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Here we go!&rsquo; This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that&rsquo;s going to definitely surprise me.&rdquo;
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ.
&ldquo;His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he&rsquo;s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,&rdquo; Mosley said. "He&rsquo;s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.&rdquo;
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside.
&ldquo;He does a fantastic job going to his left,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s either, if he&rsquo;s on the right side, he&rsquo;s going to snake it or if he&rsquo;s on the left side, he&rsquo;s going downhill and doing what he does.&rdquo;
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so quick,&rdquo; McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He&rsquo;s a great player, and we&rsquo;ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we&rsquo;re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we&rsquo;re great.&rdquo;
___
AP Freelance Writer Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.
___
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A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-taylor-jenkins-memphis-3edf112695f80293ee4a45297b50ae52">sore right knee</a>.
&ldquo;I felt like I needed a game or two to get my legs back under me, to get the game-type feel,&rdquo; Morant said.
It appears he has his legs back under him.
Morant <a href="https://apnews.com/6c14b04053027561ae8e40065ebab0fc">scored 21 points in a win over the New Orleans Pelicans</a> that tied Memphis' franchise record for victories in a season at 56. Then, along with the other Grizzlies starters, he sat out the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-grizzlies-boston-celtics-nba-sports-santi-aldama-bd5aa43bdefea2681b5c59dd1df5f2f0">regular-season finale</a>.
It has been a steady ascension for Morant, who boosts the Grizzlies with each step he takes.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft and 2020 rookie of the year, Morant helped end Memphis&rsquo; playoff drought in 2021 when the Grizzlies played their way to the No. 8 seed.
Now with a resume worthy of MVP consideration, he has led Memphis to its highest seed ever at No. 2 in the West with the NBA's second-best record of 56-26. The Grizzlies believe they are ready to take the next step; reaching the playoffs is no longer good enough for this team.
Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota, a 109-104 winner over the Los Angeles Clippers. Not that the opponent matters to Morant.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m focused on us,&rdquo; the third-year guard out of Murray State said. "Getting better during that week stretch and just being ready to go out there and play the first two games here at home. No matter who it is, we go into the game's the same way. It&rsquo;s going to be different coverages, depending on the team, but our play style never changes.&rdquo;
This franchise was swept in the 2013 Western Conference finals, which was the only time it got past the second round.
Morant's value to the Grizzlies goes beyond mere stats.
Head cheerleader when on the bench, he brings everyone to their feet by <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1498479488316809217?s=20&amp;t=vElgdbRggUxur_d4YlmOAw">dunking over 7-footers</a>, throwing down lobs or dishing the ball off to a teammate for an easy basket.
Even his high-flying <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1512944760541126657">blocks</a> on defense are must-see TV.
His own coach wants to see what Morant does next to attack with his &ldquo;elite level&rdquo; ballhandling skills.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what you need at this level,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. "I&rsquo;m trying to follow him at times to see what&rsquo;s coming next but when he does something I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;Here we go!&rsquo; This is what he does. I know he has more in store moving forward that&rsquo;s going to definitely surprise me.&rdquo;
And likely opponents as well.
Morant boosted his scoring average by 8.3 points a game and improved in every statistical category this season. He averaged 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists in 57 games.
Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said people get so enamored watching Morant's nightly highlight-reel plays that they forget his high basketball IQ.
&ldquo;His ability to understand where the reads are on the floor, teams are still going under him and he&rsquo;s still able to get to the paint at such a high clip,&rdquo; Mosley said. "He&rsquo;s just playing at a tremendous pace, and he has the ability to get to the paint continuously without teams being able to stop him.&rdquo;
Morant's speed and fearlessness driving to the basket helped him shoot 49.3% in the paint where he averaged an NBA-high 16.8 points. He had 22 games this season scoring at least 20 points in the paint, most by a guard over the last 25 seasons, according to ESPN Stats &amp; Info.
Spurs guard Lonnie Walker IV said he could learn from Morant on how to go attack the big men inside.
&ldquo;He does a fantastic job going to his left,&rdquo; Walker said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s either, if he&rsquo;s on the right side, he&rsquo;s going to snake it or if he&rsquo;s on the left side, he&rsquo;s going downhill and doing what he does.&rdquo;
With this ability to get to the basket, when he's making 3s, San Antonio forward Doug McDermott said Morant is almost un-guardable.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s so quick,&rdquo; McDermott said. "He can split ball screens and he gets everyone else involved. He&rsquo;s a great player, and we&rsquo;ll be seeing a lot of him in the coming years."
Having Morant healthy for the postseason is a confidence boost for the Grizzlies, even though they went 20-5 without him during the season.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s the motor for our team," forward Brandon Clarke said. "Obviously we&rsquo;re still a good, good team without him. But with Ja, we&rsquo;re great.&rdquo;
___
AP Freelance Writer Clay Bailey in Memphis contributed to this report.

Memphis starts its quest Saturday when it hosts Minnesota. Not that the opponent matters to Ja Morant.

Healthy Ja Morant has Grizzlies thinking deep postseason run

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — CJ McCollum scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half, Brandon Ingram shook foul trouble to add 27 points and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night in a Western Conference play-in game.
The Pelicans, who finished ninth in the West after starting the season 3-16, will play at the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, with the winner getting the eighth seed and a spot against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. New Orleans beat Los Angeles in three of four meetings this season.
The Pelicans seemed headed to a rout, leading 96-75, with 10:39 left, but the 10th-seeded Spurs used a 16-1 run over the next 5:25 to cut it to 97-91. The Pelicans missed seven consecutive shots during the run.
Ingram a pair of soft jumpers in the lane and Jonas Valanciunas added a short jumper to out New Orleans back on top, 103-91. Valaciunas had 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 23 points. Dejounte Murray had 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
After Ingram went to the bench with three fouls 5:17 before halftime, McCollum carried the Pelicans offensively. In a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half, McCollum made two 3-pointers and pierced the San Antonio defense for two finger-roll layups on strong drives into the lane as New Orleans built a 61-50 lead.
McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2 of 3 from long range, despite drawing consistent double teams. 
TIP INS
Spurs: After eight years as a San Antonio assistant, Becky Hammon officially assumed her new position as head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Coach Gregg Popovich said he would miss Hammon’s contributions. “She’s been wonderful for a while,” Popovich said. “I just wish her well, and I just wish she was here.” … G Dejounte Murray had two of his 13 triple-doubles against the Pelicans in the regular season.
Pelicans: While F Zion Williamson missed the entire regular season with a fractured right metatarsal, the former No. 1 overall pick was doing 360-degree dunks in pregame before sliding back into his street clothes. Coach Willie Green said he was not looking for Williamson to return until the beginning of next season.

CJ McCollum scored 27 of his 32 points in the first half, Brandon Ingram shook foul trouble to add 27 points and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night in a Western Conference play-in game.
The Pelicans, who finished ninth in the West after starting the season 3-16, will play at the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, with the winner getting the eighth seed and a spot against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the first round. New Orleans beat Los Angeles in three of four meetings this season.
The Pelicans seemed headed to a rout, leading 96-75, with 10:39 left, but the 10th-seeded Spurs used a 16-1 run over the next 5:25 to cut it to 97-91. The Pelicans missed seven consecutive shots during the run.
Ingram a pair of soft jumpers in the lane and Jonas Valanciunas added a short jumper to out New Orleans back on top, 103-91. Valaciunas had 22 points and 14 rebounds.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 23 points. Dejounte Murray had 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting.
After Ingram went to the bench with three fouls 5:17 before halftime, McCollum carried the Pelicans offensively. In a 14-4 run over the final 3:36 of the half, McCollum made two 3-pointers and pierced the San Antonio defense for two finger-roll layups on strong drives into the lane as New Orleans built a 61-50 lead.
McCollum made 10 of his first 12 shots, including 2 of 3 from long range, despite drawing consistent double teams.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
TIP INS
Spurs: After eight years as a San Antonio assistant, Becky Hammon officially assumed her new position as head coach of the WNBA&rsquo;s Las Vegas Aces. Coach Gregg Popovich said he would miss Hammon&rsquo;s contributions. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s been wonderful for a while,&rdquo; Popovich said. &ldquo;I just wish her well, and I just wish she was here.&rdquo; &hellip; G Dejounte Murray had two of his 13 triple-doubles against the Pelicans in the regular season.
Pelicans: While F Zion Williamson missed the entire regular season with a fractured right metatarsal, the former No. 1 overall pick was doing 360-degree dunks in pregame before sliding back into his street clothes. Coach Willie Green said he was not looking for Williamson to return until the beginning of next season.

The New Orleans Pelicans beat the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 on Wednesday night in a Western Conference play-in game.

McCollum, Ingram lead Pelicans past Spurs 113-103 in Play-In game

ATLANTA (AP) — <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514407986122219522">Trae Young</a> bounced back from a sluggish start to score 24 points and De'Andre Hunter led a third-quarter surge that carried the Atlanta Hawks to a 132-103 rout of the Charlotte Hornets in an Eastern Conference play-in game Wednesday night.
The Hawks, who finished ninth in the East after a surprising run to the conference final a year ago, will travel to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Friday night. 
The winner claims the No. 8 seed in the East and will face the top-seeded Miami Heat in the opening round of the playoffs.
The season is over for the Hornets, who were overwhelmed in the 9-10 play-in game for the second year in a row and haven't made the playoffs since 2016.
All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures, as did Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench. <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514406292911116290">It was Hunter</a> who came up big in the decisive third period, bursting out with 16 points after being held to 3 in the first half.
Hunter finished with 22 points, while <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514411937366380546">Danilo Gallinari</a> added 18 and Clint Capela 15. Kevin Huerter and <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514410586058072065">Bogdanovic</a> chipped in with 13 apiece. 
The Hornets closed the regular season strong and felt like they had a good chance to win a couple of play-in games on the road. But those hopes came crashing down against their I-85 rival.
LaMelo Ball led with 26 points but made only 7 of 25 shots.
The Hawks led by as many as 13 in the first half before settling for a 60-52 advantage at the break. Charlotte had a bit of momentum in the closing minutes of the half, but it sure didn’t carry over to the third.
The Hawks outscored the Hornets 42-24 during that 12-minute barrage, hitting 16 of 24 shots, and led 102-76 heading to the final period.
With the Hornets doubling at every opportunity, Young made only 1 of 9 shots in the opening quarter and 3 of 13 in the first half. 
But his teammates found plenty of open looks and made the Hornets pay dearly. 
Charlotte should've known what kind of night it would be on their way to State Farm Arena.
The Hornets' chartered bus was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-james-borrego-57d6cb54deb7e6d31051a94eb3a86669">blocked by a freight train</a> that stopped on a crossing near the downtown sports complex. The bus had to turn around and take a different route to the arena, delaying Charlotte's arrival for pregame warmups.
It didn't get much better once the game tipped off.
The Hornets' frustration boiled over with about 6 1/2 minutes to go when <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514414068278255616">Miles Bridges</a> complained so vehemently about a goaltending call that he picked up two quick technicals and was ejected. 
TIP INS
Hornets: Terry Rozier had 21 points. .... As a team, Charlotte shot 37.8% (37 of 90) from the field. 
Hawks: F John Collins (sprained foot, sprained finger) has stepped up workouts but still wasn't able to play. His hasn't been in a game since March 11. ... G Lou Williams also was inactive with lower back discomfort.
UP NEXT
The Hawks went 3-1 against the Cavaliers during the regular season, splitting the two games in Cleveland.
___
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___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514407986122219522">Trae Young</a> bounced back from a sluggish start to score 24 points and De'Andre Hunter led a third-quarter surge that carried the Atlanta Hawks to a 132-103 rout of the Charlotte Hornets in an Eastern Conference play-in game Wednesday night.
The Hawks, who finished ninth in the East after a surprising run to the conference final a year ago, will travel to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Friday night.
The winner claims the No. 8 seed in the East and will face the top-seeded Miami Heat in the opening round of the playoffs.
The season is over for the Hornets, who were overwhelmed in the 9-10 play-in game for the second year in a row and haven't made the playoffs since 2016.
All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures, as did Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench. <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514406292911116290">It was Hunter</a> who came up big in the decisive third period, bursting out with 16 points after being held to 3 in the first half.
Hunter finished with 22 points, while <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514411937366380546">Danilo Gallinari</a> added 18 and Clint Capela 15. Kevin Huerter and <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514410586058072065">Bogdanovic</a> chipped in with 13 apiece.
The Hornets closed the regular season strong and felt like they had a good chance to win a couple of play-in games on the road. But those hopes came crashing down against their I-85 rival.
LaMelo Ball led with 26 points but made only 7 of 25 shots.
The Hawks led by as many as 13 in the first half before settling for a 60-52 advantage at the break. Charlotte had a bit of momentum in the closing minutes of the half, but it sure didn&rsquo;t carry over to the third.
The Hawks outscored the Hornets 42-24 during that 12-minute barrage, hitting 16 of 24 shots, and led 102-76 heading to the final period.
With the Hornets doubling at every opportunity, Young made only 1 of 9 shots in the opening quarter and 3 of 13 in the first half.
But his teammates found plenty of open looks and made the Hornets pay dearly.
Charlotte should've known what kind of night it would be on their way to State Farm Arena.
The Hornets' chartered bus was <a href="https://apnews.com/article/atlanta-hawks-charlotte-hornets-nba-sports-james-borrego-57d6cb54deb7e6d31051a94eb3a86669">blocked by a freight train</a> that stopped on a crossing near the downtown sports complex. The bus had to turn around and take a different route to the arena, delaying Charlotte's arrival for pregame warmups.
It didn't get much better once the game tipped off.
The Hornets' frustration boiled over with about 6 1/2 minutes to go when <a href="https://twitter.com/i/status/1514414068278255616">Miles Bridges</a> complained so vehemently about a goaltending call that he picked up two quick technicals and was ejected.
TIP INS
Hornets: Terry Rozier had 21 points. .... As a team, Charlotte shot 37.8% (37 of 90) from the field.
Hawks: F John Collins (sprained foot, sprained finger) has stepped up workouts but still wasn't able to play. His hasn't been in a game since March 11. ... G Lou Williams also was inactive with lower back discomfort.
UP NEXT
The Hawks went 3-1 against the Cavaliers during the regular season, splitting the two games in Cleveland.

Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks routed the Charlotte Hornets to advance past the play-in game in the NBA Playoffs.

Young, Hunter lead Hawks to 132-103 Play-In rout of Hornets

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry's status for Golden State's playoff opener Saturday against Denver remains unclear as he rehabs a sprained ligament in his left foot. 
The reigning scoring champion has been doing individual work on the court in recent days and could be integrated into full practices and scrimmages sometime this week. The Warriors said Tuesday that “his eventual return to game action — and the possibility of playing this weekend — is undetermined and will be based on his continued progress.” 
“He continues to get his work in,” coach Steve Kerr said. “It's literally day to day, so tomorrow we'll meet with the team and go through our strategy, our game plan, practice in the afternoon and then each day we'll just determine where Steph is as far as how much he'll be able to do.” 
Curry was injured March 16 at home against Boston and Golden State went 6-6 without him, finding some rhythm to win the final five regular-season games.
Kerr said his team will scrimmage Thursday, so that could be Curry's first opportunity to test the foot in live action if he's ready. He won't play in a game until he has been in a scrimmage.
“The whole team will need a scrimmage given that we generally play every other day and all of a sudden we have six days between games, that's pretty unique," Kerr said. "Everybody will need a scrimmage but it would be irresponsible to put Steph out there in a playoff game without having scrimmage time before."
The Warriors finished 53-29 to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They will host the Nuggets on Saturday night in Game 1 of the first round at Chase Center.
“At the end of the week we'll determine whether he's ready or not,” Kerr said when asked whether there is a timetable for making a decision about Curry's availability. “It's hard to predict much.”
Playing Boston, Curry was injured with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter while scrambling for a loose ball. Marcus Smart made a diving lunge on the play and landed on the two-time MVP’s leg. Curry grimaced in pain and got up but hobbled along before exiting on the next dead ball moments later. 
___
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Stephen Curry's status for Golden State's playoff opener Saturday against Denver remains unclear as he rehabs a sprained ligament in his left foot.
The reigning scoring champion has been doing individual work on the court in recent days and could be integrated into full practices and scrimmages sometime this week. The Warriors said Tuesday that &ldquo;his eventual return to game action &mdash; and the possibility of playing this weekend &mdash; is undetermined and will be based on his continued progress.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He continues to get his work in,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;It's literally day to day, so tomorrow we'll meet with the team and go through our strategy, our game plan, practice in the afternoon and then each day we'll just determine where Steph is as far as how much he'll be able to do.&rdquo;
Curry was injured March 16 at home against Boston and Golden State went 6-6 without him, finding some rhythm to win the final five regular-season games.
Kerr said his team will scrimmage Thursday, so that could be Curry's first opportunity to test the foot in live action if he's ready. He won't play in a game until he has been in a scrimmage.
&ldquo;The whole team will need a scrimmage given that we generally play every other day and all of a sudden we have six days between games, that's pretty unique," Kerr said. "Everybody will need a scrimmage but it would be irresponsible to put Steph out there in a playoff game without having scrimmage time before."
The Warriors finished 53-29 to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They will host the Nuggets on Saturday night in Game 1 of the first round at Chase Center.
&ldquo;At the end of the week we'll determine whether he's ready or not,&rdquo; Kerr said when asked whether there is a timetable for making a decision about Curry's availability. &ldquo;It's hard to predict much.&rdquo;
Playing Boston, Curry was injured with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter while scrambling for a loose ball. Marcus Smart made a diving lunge on the play and landed on the two-time MVP&rsquo;s leg. Curry grimaced in pain and got up but hobbled along before exiting on the next dead ball moments later.

Stephen Curry's status for Golden State's playoff opener Saturday against Denver remains unclear as he rehabs a sprained ligament in his left foot.
The reigning scoring champion has been doing individual work on the court in recent days and could be integrated into full practices and scrimmages sometime this week. The Warriors said Tuesday that &ldquo;his eventual return to game action &mdash; and the possibility of playing this weekend &mdash; is undetermined and will be based on his continued progress.&rdquo;
&ldquo;He continues to get his work in,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;It's literally day to day, so tomorrow we'll meet with the team and go through our strategy, our game plan, practice in the afternoon and then each day we'll just determine where Steph is as far as how much he'll be able to do.&rdquo;
Curry was injured March 16 at home against Boston and Golden State went 6-6 without him, finding some rhythm to win the final five regular-season games.
Kerr said his team will scrimmage Thursday, so that could be Curry's first opportunity to test the foot in live action if he's ready. He won't play in a game until he has been in a scrimmage.
&ldquo;The whole team will need a scrimmage given that we generally play every other day and all of a sudden we have six days between games, that's pretty unique," Kerr said. "Everybody will need a scrimmage but it would be irresponsible to put Steph out there in a playoff game without having scrimmage time before."
The Warriors finished 53-29 to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They will host the Nuggets on Saturday night in Game 1 of the first round at Chase Center.
&ldquo;At the end of the week we'll determine whether he's ready or not,&rdquo; Kerr said when asked whether there is a timetable for making a decision about Curry's availability. &ldquo;It's hard to predict much.&rdquo;
Playing Boston, Curry was injured with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter while scrambling for a loose ball. Marcus Smart made a diving lunge on the play and landed on the two-time MVP&rsquo;s leg. Curry grimaced in pain and got up but hobbled along before exiting on the next dead ball moments later.

Stephen Curry's status for Golden State's playoff opener vs. Denver remains unclear as he rehabs a sprained ligament in his left foot.