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Warriors

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash;&nbsp;Lonnie Walker scored all of his 15 points in a phenomenal fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied late to take a 3-1 series lead with a 104-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 on Monday night.
LeBron James scored 27 points and Anthony Davis had 23 points and 15 rebounds for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who moved to the brink of an improbable trip to the Western Conference finals with their eighth consecutive home victory since March.
Los Angeles overcame Stephen Curry's third career postseason triple-double down the stretch largely because of Walker, who has made a seismic impact in returning to the Lakers' rotation in this series after the former starter was stuck on the bench in recent weeks.
Walker went 6 for 9 in the fourth quarter and hit the go-ahead jumper with 1:53 to play. Curry&rsquo;s layup with 1:05 left trimmed the Lakers&rsquo; lead to one point, but Curry missed a long jumper and a 3-point attempt on Golden State&rsquo;s next possession before Walker made two free throws with 15 seconds to play.
Davis then forced a jump ball in the waning seconds, and it went out of bounds off Curry with 1.3 seconds to play.
&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t win this game tonight without Lonnie Walker, that&rsquo;s for sure," James said. "As hard as this game was, it&rsquo;s going to be even harder. We understand that. We know that.&rdquo;
Curry had 31 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in his 13th career triple-double for the defending champion Warriors, who will have to overcome a 3-1 series deficit for only the second time in franchise history to continue their NBA title defense. Golden State also did it in the 2016 Western Conference finals.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in San Francisco.
Gary Payton II scored a season-high 15 points in his first start of the season for Golden State, but Klay Thompson had his second straight quiet game in Los Angeles, scoring nine points in 41 minutes. Andrew Wiggins added 17 points for the Warriors, who made just 25 combined 3-pointers in their two games in Los Angeles after making 21 apiece in the first two games in San Francisco.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr switched to a three-guard starting lineup to affect the Los Angeles defense that held the Warriors to 97 points in Game 3, and the changes largely worked: Davis, who blocked 11 shots in the first three games, wasn&rsquo;t able to protect the rim with the same ferocity when his defensive matchups required him to go out to the perimeter, and the Warriors capitalized with 52 points in the paint.
The Lakers compensated: They made all 20 of their free throws, and Austin Reaves added 21 points.
But they won with a gritty, timely effort by Walker, who picked up the Lakers&rsquo; slack when D&rsquo;Angelo Russell scored just four points on 1-for-10 shooting after a strong performance in Game 3.
Curry secured the 13th triple-double of his career early in the fourth quarter, adding it to his postseason triple-doubles in the 2017 NBA Finals and again in 2019. But he missed nine of 10 3-point attempts spanning three quarters, and the most prolific 3-point shooter in NBA history finished 3 for 14 from distance.
The rivals split the series&rsquo; first two games last week in the Bay Area, and the Lakers followed up their 27-point loss in Game 2 with a 30-point thrashing of the Warriors in Game 3. Both teams shot poorly to begin Game 4, but Curry&rsquo;s 17 points put Golden State ahead at the half.
The Warriors minimized Davis&rsquo; impact on defense after he dominated long stretches of the Lakers&rsquo; first nine playoff games this spring. After blocking 19 combined shots &mdash; 11 by Davis &mdash; in the first three games of this series, Los Angeles blocked just one shot in Game 4 &mdash; a majestic, swooping swat by James on a layup attempt by Curry in the fourth quarter.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Payton&rsquo;s only previous NBA start this season was for Portland on Feb. 8. He started two playoff games for Golden State last year before signing a three-year deal in the summer with the Trail Blazers, who traded him back to the Warriors in February. Payton&rsquo;s return was slowed by a core muscle injury. ... Kevon Looney started Game 1 against Los Angeles, while JaMychal Green started Game 2 and Game 3. Lakers: In the first quarter, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar &mdash; who was courtside &mdash; for the most two-point baskets in NBA playoff history. Game 4 was James&rsquo; 276th career postseason game, while Abdul-Jabbar played in 237. James passed Abdul-Jabbar to become the top scorer in NBA history in February. ... Jack Nicholson returned to his courtside seats for the second time in their last three home games. The Lakers&rsquo; 86-year-old superfan headlined another celebrity-studded crowd including Chris Pratt, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, Dave Chappelle, Dustin Hoffman, Kim Kardashian, Colin Jost and Flea.

LeBron James and the Lakers rallied late to take a 3-1 series lead with a 104-101 victory over the Warriors in Game 4 on Monday night.

Lakers rally past Warriors 104-101, take 3-1 series lead

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Anthony Davis had 25 points and 13 rebounds, a slow-starting LeBron James finished with 21 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series with a 127-97 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 on Saturday night.
D&rsquo;Angelo Russell hit five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who remained unbeaten at home in the postseason with a strong defensive effort against the reigning NBA champions.
James didn&rsquo;t take a shot in the first quarter for the first time in his NBA-record 275 playoff appearances, but he warmed up in time to lead several runs in the second and third quarters while Los Angeles pulled away.
Stephen Curry scored 23 points and Andrew Wiggins had 16 in a collective stinker for the Warriors, who committed 19 turnovers and never mounted a response to the Lakers on either end in the second half. Golden State went 13 for 44 on 3-pointers &mdash; making just 10 while the game was still competitive &mdash; after hitting 21 in each of the series&rsquo; first two games in San Francisco.
Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles.
Davis had an impressive bounce-back game under both baskets after contributing minimally in Game 2, blocking four shots and leading the Lakers&rsquo; latest strong defensive effort. Los Angeles has built its 16-5 run since March 17 on defense, and the Warriors couldn&rsquo;t hit enough shots from the perimeter to counteract their disadvantages in size and athleticism.
Klay Thompson had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, but the rest of the roster beyond their top three scorers struggled mightily, combining for just 18 points before coach Steve Kerr pulled his starters with 9:11 to play. Draymond Green had two points in 23 minutes while playing with foul trouble.
The Warriors were held under 100 points for only the fifth time in 92 games this season.
The rivals split two games in San Francisco to open the series, with the Warriors earning a 27-point blowout victory in Game 2 after dropping the opener.
But this much-anticipated playoff rematch between generational superstars James and Curry has featured more garbage time than memorable thrills in the past two games. After Lakers coach Darvin Ham sat down his stars before the fourth quarter of Game 2, Kerr pulled the plug while facing a 26-point deficit early in the fourth quarter of Game 3.
James began Game 3 making a clear effort to be a playmaker, but he didn&rsquo;t even take his first shot until 8:02 remained in the first half. He hit a free throw for his first point with 6:32 left, and he subsequently led a rally that pushed the Lakers in front to stay.
JaMychal Green stayed in the Warriors&rsquo; starting lineup even with Kevon Looney available to play in Game 3. Looney missed Game 2 with an illness.
FIGHT ON
James&rsquo; son, Bronny, announced his decision&nbsp;<a class="paragraph-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/bronny-james-lebron-usc-cad1708433f0af166e241e2001426363">to play at the University of Southern California</a>&nbsp;about two hours before tipoff. The 18-year-old was among the top uncommitted recruits in the nation, and he chose to stay close to home with a loaded Trojans team coming off its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Bronny James, USC hoops coach Andy Enfield and Trojans football coach Lincoln Riley all attended Game 3.
TIP-INS
Warriors: The Los Angeles-born Thompson grew up a Lakers fan in Orange County, and this series is his first chance to play against the 17-time NBA champion franchise in the postseason. His father, Mychal, is the Lakers&rsquo; radio color commentator, and his brother, Trayce, plays for the Dodgers. ... Andre Iguodala has increased his workload and should return to practice next week, Kerr said. The veteran has been out since March 13 after having surgery on his left wrist. He isn&rsquo;t likely to play in this series, but could return later in the postseason. ... Moses Moody got a flagrant foul in the second quarter for tripping Davis while lying on the ground after Davis blocked his shot.
Lakers: James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for fifth place on the NBA&rsquo;s career playoff rebounding list. ... Backup center Mo Bamba missed his third straight game with a left ankle injury. ... Another celebrity-laden sellout crowd gathered for the Lakers&rsquo; longest playoff run in their home arena since 2012. Fans near courtside included Michael B. Jordan, Kim Kardashian, Woody Harrelson, Don Cheadle, Dustin Hoffman, Nia Long, Adele, Andy Garcia, Kevin Hart and quarterback Bryce Young, the Pasadena native and No. 1 overall pick by Carolina in last month&rsquo;s NFL draft.

The Lakers took a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series with a 127-97 victory over the Warriors in Game 3 on Saturday night.

LeBron James, Lakers rout Warriors 127-97, take 2-1 series lead

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; After yet another big basket, Klay Thompson scurried toward the fans sitting courtside opposite the Warriors bench and raised his arms in the air to ignite an entire arena behind him. It didn&rsquo;t take much the way his shots were falling.
He has been waiting his entire life to shine against his father&rsquo;s Los Angeles Lakers on the big stage.
Thompson scored 30 points with eight 3-pointers, Golden State limited Anthony Davis while allowing LeBron James 23 points, and the defending champion Warriors evened their Western Conference semifinal with the Lakers at one game apiece with a 127-100 win Thursday night.
&ldquo;I was just trying to get the crowd going,&rdquo; Thompson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always fun when you shoot the ball well, it&rsquo;s even better when you couple that win a win.&rdquo;
Stephen Curry added 20 points and 12 assists as Splash Brother Thompson got hot to help Golden State make 21 more 3-pointers &mdash; giving the Warriors an NBA record for most in the first two games of a playoff series at 42. James&rsquo; Cavaliers hit 40 against Atlanta in the 2016 second round.
&ldquo;They made their adjustments. We knew they were going to do that, that&rsquo;s what a championship team does,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;They held serve on their home court tonight.&rdquo;
Coach Steve Kerr switched things up and inserted JaMychal Green into the starting lineup for Kevon Looney, who had a career-high 23 rebounds in Game 1 but has been dealing with an illness. Kerr aimed to give a different look with scoring options and more free-throw chances by going hard with a physical presence against Davis in the paint &mdash; where Golden State got thoroughly outplayed in a 117-112 loss in the opener.
Thompson&rsquo;s basket with 7:48 left in the third gave Golden State its biggest lead at 82-64 and the Warriors rolled from there.
&ldquo;Klay got it going and our defense was kind of fueling our offense,&rdquo; Kerr said.
The Warriors had more fast-break points and points in the paint. JaMychal Green matched his playoff career high with 15 points, while Draymond Green contributed 11 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists after insisting he had to get more aggressive.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been waiting on this moment, just wanted to show that I could help,&rdquo; JaMychal Green said. &ldquo;They always tell me to stay ready, my time will come.&rdquo;
The best-of-seven series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday. Back home in Southern California, Thompson said he would play in the memory of &ldquo;my biggest inspiration&rdquo; Kobe Bryant and daughter, Gigi.
&ldquo;I have so much respect for just the opportunity ahead for me,&rdquo; Thompson said.
James shot 6 for 8 in the first with a pair of 3s for 14 points as the Lakers led 33-26. He retrieved a loose ball and let it fly for a pretty 3 with 7:47 before halftime but the Warriors were too much.
Davis followed up his brilliant Game 1 performance &mdash; 30 points, 23 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots and 11-for-19 shooting &mdash; with 11 points while shooting 5 for 11, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
&ldquo;We played with more force,&rdquo; Draymond Green said.
Golden State outscored the Lakers 84-47 over the second and third quarters &mdash; recording two 40-point quarters in the same playoff game for the first time in franchise history.
&ldquo;It was hard for us to guard four shooters,&rdquo; Lakers forward Rui Hachimura said. &ldquo;Defensively they were more aggressive I feel like. They had all the loose balls and the rebounds and everything.&rdquo;
Looney received huge roars as he came off the bench for his first action with 3:41 left in the first. He grabbed eight rebounds and scored six points playing just less than 12 minutes &mdash; and the Warriors still outboarded the Lakers 55-40 without its best rebounder.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re capable of playing a lot of different ways, I&rsquo;m capable of playing a lot of different ways,&rdquo; Curry said.
Kerr was hardly worried ahead of Game 2, pointing to how Golden State lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals at home to Boston last year before winning it all.
The Warriors also rallied from a 2-0 deficit in their first-round series to beat Sacramento, the first defending champion to do so.
&ldquo;You could tell, they came out just ready to try to secure a game,&rdquo; Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, &ldquo;and again not go back to our place down 0-2.&rdquo;
KLAY&rsquo;S DAY
Thompson shot 11 for 18 and 8 of 11 from deep. His 19 points in the first half were his most in a postseason contest since he scored 21 in Game 6 against the Rockets in 2019.
KEY SEQUENCE
The Warriors challenged an offensive foul call on Andrew Wiggins with James defending at the 2:50 mark of the second quarter. The call was overturned and a block assessed to James, and a Lakers assistant received a technical during the review process &mdash; and the Warriors converted all three free throws to lead 60-50 before Thompson&rsquo;s 3 the next time down.
TIP-INS
Lakers: James was -27 through three quarters. The only time he had a worse plus-minus through three in a playoff game was Game 1 of a second-round series against the Pistons in 2006. ... In a big change from Game 1, the Lakers didn&rsquo;t take their first free throws until 1:03 before halftime and their four attempts matched their second-fewest in a first half this season.
Warriors: Moses Moody added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench and Gary Payton II seven points and five boards as Golden State controlled the glass all game. ... JaMychal Green earned his first playoff start since April 26, 2019, for the Clippers against the Warriors in Game 6 of the first round. &ldquo;Two hours before game time Loon came down pretty ill,&rdquo; Kerr said. ... Golden State improved to 20-6 in Game 2s dating to the 2014-15 title run.

Klay Thompson scored 30 points, and the Warriors evened their series with the Lakers at 1-1 with a 127-100 win on Thursday night.

Klay Thompson scores 30, Warriors adjust to beat Lakers 127-100

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Stephen Curry scored 36 points with 22 of those in the fourth quarter and overtime, shining in his first home game back from a long injury absence and leading the Golden State Warriors past the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks 125-116 on Saturday night.
Curry hit a tying 3-pointer with 19 seconds left in regulation, then blocked a layup attempt by Jrue Holiday in the closing moments. The Warriors got the ball back with 1.9 seconds remaining and Curry inbounded to Draymond Green, who missed from deep.
Holiday had put Milwaukee up on a 3 with 32.7 seconds to play and wound up with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. But the Bucks (48-19), playing without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, had their three-game winning streak snapped with just their second defeat in 21 games since Jan. 21.
Curry&rsquo;s 3 with 1:08 remaining in regulation got Golden State within 108-106. A steal by Klay Thompson on the other end moments later led to a tying layup by Curry before Holiday delivered.
Thompson added 22 points, Donte DiVincenzo had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Warriors won at home for the seventh in a row and 11th in 12.
Khris Middleton had 19 points and five assists, Bobby Portis contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds and Brook Lopez 19 points and seven boards.
Bucks leading scorer and rebounder Antetokounmpo missed his second straight game with right hand soreness and third overall after sitting out March 7 with a non-COVID illness.
Golden State used a 16-4 burst out of halftime to go ahead 66-53 but the Bucks fought back to get within 80-77 heading into the fourth.
Green went down hard and limped to the locker room midway through the third quarter before returning with 38.7 seconds left. While cutting through the key, Green&rsquo;s left foot got tangled with Holiday&rsquo;s right leg and Green tripped.
Green finished with five points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
Curry returned March 5 at the Lakers from a left leg injury suffered Feb. 4 that sidelined him for 11 games. He played on the team&rsquo;s three-game road trip.
The reigning NBA Finals MVP came back injured against Dallas on Feb. 4 in a collision while defending McKinley Wright IV as he drove to the basket. Wright&rsquo;s knee hit Curry&rsquo;s shin.
JaMychal Green scored 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter for Golden State making three 3-pointers.
OUCH
Curry&rsquo;s full-court pregame heave from the tunnel just missed, but hit a ball boy in the face and knocked off his glasses. He was OK and attended to by Warriors medical personnel.
KLAY&rsquo;S GIFT
Thompson presented soon-to-be 16-year-old Braulio Noriega with a birthday surprise: a custom-basketball wheelchair. Noriega had his left leg amputated from above the knee because of cancer as a 6-year-old.
The teen hopes to compete playing wheelchair basketball in college and eventually in his home country of Mexico.
&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t even describe how I felt,&rdquo; an overjoyed Noriega said. &ldquo;... There&rsquo;s so much emotional energy from him.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Bucks: Milwaukee shot just 9 of 25 on 3s in the first half to 10 for 24 by the Warriors. Allen missed his initial five and shot 2 of 9 overall. ... The Bucks managed just seven offensive rebounds to the Warriors&rsquo; 18.
Warriors: Golden State had 33 assists &mdash; its 35th game with 30 or more to tie the Nuggets for most in the NBA. ... G Moses Moody was recalled from the G League Santa Cruz Warriors and grabbed four rebounds in six minutes as the Warriors held a 65-48 advantage on the boards.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit Sacramento on Monday night riding a 13-game winning streak against the Kings.
Warriors: Host the Suns on Monday night having lost the last two in the series at home.

Stephen Curry scored 36 points, leading the Golden State Warriors past the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks 125-116 on Saturday night.

Stephen Curry leads Warriors to OT win over NBA-leading Bucks

CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; The shots splashed through the net like they almost always do for the Golden State Warriors.
However, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson didn't launch any.
Jordan Poole scored 32 points, Ty Jerome added 22 and the Warriors dropped 23 3-pointers while Curry and three other starters sat on the bench in a 120-114 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
Poole (5) and Jerome (3) combined for eight 3-pointers as the defending NBA champs ended a five-game trip with an improbable win.
&ldquo;We kind of hung on for dear life down the stretch, but got it done,&rdquo; Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "It was just one of those nights. You play 82 games, so you know you&rsquo;re going to have a few of these.&rdquo;
Following Golden State's stinging three-point overtime loss Thursday night in Boston, Kerr rested Curry along with fellow first-teamers Thompson, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins.
It didn't matter. Even with their top players on the bench in street clothes, the short-handed Warriors came out firing and barely slowed down.
&ldquo;The biggest thing is, even without our guys, we expect to win,&rdquo; said Jerome, who is on a two-way contract with Golden State and Santa Cruz. "Everyone that played was good tonight and that&rsquo;s awesome for us.&rdquo;
Darius Garland scored 31 points to lead the Cavs, who were without star Donovan Mitchell because of a strained groin and suffered their most embarrassing loss this season. Caris LeVert added 22 points and Evan Mobley 17 for Cleveland.
Afterward, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn't mince words in describing his team's dismal performance.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t respect the game. It&rsquo;s that simple,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;ve got champions over there, and we thought some of those guys were out so we were going to take it lightly and we got what we deserved."
Golden State made a season-high 14 3-pointers in the first half &mdash; tying the most ever by a Cavs opponent for a half &mdash; to take a 64-59 halftime lead.
Although Bickerstaff stressed limiting Golden State's outside attack at halftime, his team didn't get the message as the Warriors made five 3s in the first five minutes to open a 20-point lead.
The Cavs, who have 11 comeback wins when trailing by double digits, fought back and pulled within 114-110. But Jerome dropped the Warriors' final 3-pointer with 1:39 left.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re good basketball players, and if you&rsquo;re going to disrespect them, they&rsquo;re going to make you pay," Bickerstaff said. "We came out of the gate soft and disrespectful and they were out there shooting warmup shots with no contest, no challenges, nobody in their space and they gave us what we deserved.&rdquo;
MEMORY LANE
Kerr has an emotional attachment to Cleveland.
He played in the city from 1989-92 and his oldest son was born here. It's also where he won NBA titles as a coach in 2015 and 2018 as the Warriors and Cavs met four straight times in the finals.
&ldquo;This building will always be special for us,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Just coming in here, feeling the vibe, feeling the juice from those days. They were incredible games. Just an amazing rivalry, two great teams. The level of play was just so high. I will always think of those Finals when I come in here.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Warriors: Donte DiVincenzo added 17 points and Kevon Looney had 17 rebounds. ... Golden State opened 7 of 8 on 3-pointers. ... The 23-year-old Poole reached 500 career 3-pointers, surpassing Thompson as the youngest player in team history to reach the plateau. ... F Jonathan Kuminga (right foot sprain) returned after missing eight games and scored 10. F JaMychal Green (right lower leg infection) saw his first action in 15 games and had 13 points.
Cavaliers: G Ricky Rubio got the night off as part of the maintenance plan for him after returning from knee surgery. He's averaging 5.3 points and 13.1 minutes in four games back. ... Mobley is one of three players averaging 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 blocked shots while shooting better than 50.0% from the field. 76ers C Joel Embiid and Lakers C Anthony Davis are the others. &hellip; Cavs assistant coach Luke Walton went 39-4 as Golden State&rsquo;s acting head coach in 2015-2016 while Kerr recovered from back surgery.
&nbsp;

Jordan Poole scored 32 points, and the Golden State Warriors earned a 120-114 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Without Curry, Warriors make 23 3-pointers and beat Cavs

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Kevon Looney rushed his first try, not realizing he had a little time. Then he tipped in the game-winner as the final buzzer of the second overtime sounded. He got swarmed in celebration.
The durable big man who played every game last season and all of them so far in this one delivered a career-high 21 rebounds with two in the final 2 seconds, Klay Thompson scored a season-best 54 points, and the Golden State Warriors held off the Atlanta Hawks 143-141 on Monday night.
Looney laughed when asked if he had ever scored the game-winning basket &mdash; &ldquo;not a walkoff game-winner.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I rushed the first one I didn't think I had that much time, but I saw I had more time so I took my time on the second one and I was able to make it,&rdquo; Looney said.
Trae Young tied the score on a floating layup with 8.2 seconds remaining before the Warriors' final chance. Young made four crucial free throws late in the first OT and finished with 30 points and 14 assists.
Looney also had 14 points and five assists. Draymond Green made his only 3-point attempt of the game with 43.8 seconds left in the last OT and finished with 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
Thompson shot 21 for 39 and his 10 3-pointers matched a season high &mdash; and his 54 were six off his career-best scoring outing of 60 accomplished in three quarters on Dec. 5, 2016.
&ldquo;He just made shot after shot and play after play, he was incredible,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said.
Thompson hit a go-ahead 3 with 18 seconds left in the first overtime after his tying 3 with 1:55 to go in the initial extra period.
Thompson recently began ignoring social media, slowing things down to be more patient and has found his form from back in 2019 before surgeries on his left knee and right Achilles that sidelined him more than 2 1/2 years.
He is nearing the first anniversary of his return to the court, on Jan. 9.
&ldquo;It's better than good, amazing,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Those moments where you have the ball with the game on the line down the stretch and your teammates trust you, those are what you really live for as a competitor, as a basketball player. It was hard to see those at times during the rehab process.&rdquo;
Donte DiVincenzo corralled a crucial offensive rebound then knocked down a tying 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into OT after Thompson and Jordan Poole had each missed from long range the same sequence.
The undermanned defending champions run their season-best winning streak to five games with a sixth straight home victory.
Reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry danced in delight at outcome after missing his ninth straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder.
Poole&rsquo;s 3 put Golden State ahead 129-126 with 1:35 left in the first OT. He finished with 28 points, six rebounds and five assists coming off a 40-point performance in a 118-112 win against Portland on Friday night.
John Collins scored 21 of his 25 points after halftime and dished out 13 assists as the Hawks roared back after trailing by as many as 21 in the first half. Dejounte Murray also scored 25 to go with 10 rebounds and seven assists.
All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures and six players in all, including Bogdan Bogdanovic's 21 off the bench.
De&rsquo;Andre Hunter returned from a three-game absence with a sprained left ankle to scored 17 points for the Hawks, who lost their fourth straight. Atlanta rallied in the third to tie the game at 95 heading into the fourth.
Golden State is 17-2 at Chase Center and 5-0 on its current eight-game homestand that matches the longest in franchise history.
INJURED WARRIORS
Jonathan Kuminga joined the injury report with a sprained right foot that swelled up after Friday's game. He is using a walking boot.
Center James Wiseman sat out a second straight game after he rolled his left ankle during a 3-on-3 scrimmage following the morning shootaround Friday.
All-Star Andrew Wiggins missed his 14th game, dealing with an illness again that came on the heels of being sidelined by tightness in his right upper leg.
JaMychal Green is out of the league health and safety protocols but now dealing with an infection in his lower right leg.
TIP-INS
Hawks: Atlanta shot 2 of 16 from deep in the first half to fall behind 70-53. ... C Clint Capela sat out for the seventh time in eight games with a bruised right calf. ... The Hawks are 0-3 on the road vs. the Western Conference.
Warriors: Veteran Andre Iguodala, yet to play in a game this season, scrimmaged with the G League squad earlier in the day at Chase Center.
&nbsp;

Klay Thompson scored a season-best 54 points, and the Golden State Warriors held off the Atlanta Hawks 143-141 in 2OT.

Thompson's season-best 54 leads Warriors past Hawks in 2OT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; The Golden State Warriors have been working to find their defensive groove, and Draymond Green leads the charge. On Friday night, Green and his supporting cast got it done in crunch time.
Jordan Poole scored 41 points, Klay Thompson made a key 3-pointer with 1:36 left and added 31, and the Warriors held off Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers 118-112 to improve the league&rsquo;s best home record to 16-2.
Green's defense keyed a late 12-0 run after the Warriors trailed by eight with 5 minutes to play, and now the reigning champions have their first four-game winning streak all season.
&ldquo;That is incredible. That is absolutely amazing," Green said. &ldquo;I think we're just starting to fight.&rdquo;
Lillard did his best to rally the Trail Blazers after halftime and finished with 34 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Poole notched his second 40-point game in the past 15 contests. His 3 with 2:57 remaining got Golden State within 110-109 but he turned the ball over the next possession before Jonathan Kuminga's driving, two-handed slam for the lead moments later.
Ty Jerome hit a half-court buzzer-beater to end the first quarter that put Golden State ahead 41-25, <a href="https://twitter.com/JanieMcCAP/status/1609048995422408705" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much to the delight of a cheering Stephen Curry</a> as the reigning NBA Finals MVP missed his eighth straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder. Poole has been the Warriors' top scorer in nine of the 10 total games missed by Curry so far.
&ldquo;All four wins required an element of grit,&rdquo; coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;Our fans can feel it, our fans have been great. I think they&rsquo;re really enjoying watching this team grow.&rdquo;
The Blazers, who have lost four of five, began the third on a 19-9 burst to go ahead 75-69. Anfernee Simons added 22 points and seven rebounds.
Lillard and Simons were a combined 8 for 26 from long range.
Portland called timeout at the 10:25 mark of the first after the Warriors jumped out to a 9-0 lead by making their first four shots &mdash; three by Thompson.
Golden State has won the last four in the series and also four in a row at home.
GP2'S RING NIGHT
Portland guard Gary Payton II, yet to play for the Trail Blazers as he recovers from surgery for a core muscle injury after signing a $28 million, three-year deal, received his championship ring from the Warriors and Green delivered it.
&ldquo;It's just amazing,&rdquo; Payton said during a quick stop at halftime. He greeted dozens of old friends and arena workers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Gary Payton II loved the moment getting his sparkling ring, and even shook my hand with it, too. <a href="https://t.co/AXjJTNhfx3">pic.twitter.com/AXjJTNhfx3</a>
&mdash; Janie McCauley (@JanieMcCAP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JanieMcCAP/status/1609040371392339969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2022</a></blockquote>

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&ldquo;I&rsquo;m pretty sure it&rsquo;s a validating moment to be able to first and foremost earn a championship ring,&rdquo; Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. &ldquo;He just wasn&rsquo;t on the team and kind of watching from the sideline, he helped earn that ring, and he played his part. So it&rsquo;s actually awesome for him, all the attention will be on him tonight.&rdquo;
Golden State had cut him in the preseason then brought him back.
&ldquo;We don&rsquo;t win the championship without him, I know that,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Big man Jusuf Nurkic sat out with an illness, the second game he has missed in the past five. ... The Blazers shot 12 for 39 from deep. ... Billups said Payton is &ldquo;close, very close,&rdquo; to making his season debut. ... Portland last won on Golden State's home floor with a 124-108 victory on March 26, 2021.
Warriors: C James Wiseman rolled his left ankle taking part in a 3-on-3 scrimmage after the morning shootaround and Kerr said &ldquo;it doesn't seem too serious.&rdquo; All-Star Andrew Wiggins also took part in that scrimmage as he works back from an illness that followed his stint sidelined by tightness in his right upper leg &mdash; 13 in a row missed overall. The hope is he will play Monday after one more practice day. ... F JaMychal Green is out of the league health and safety protocols but now dealing with an infection in his lower right leg.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Return home for one game to host Billups' old Pistons team Monday night.
Warriors: Host Atlanta on Monday night.

Jordan Poole scored 41 points and the Warriors held off the Blazers 118-112 to improve the league’s best home record to 16-2.

Poole scores 41, Thompson 31 as Warriors beat Blazers 118-112

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Jonathan Kuminga is earning more minutes for his defense, and he showed everybody the big strides he has made as a stopper with veteran Andre Iguodala as his guide and mentor.
Klay Thompson scored 29 points and Kuminga delivered on both ends down the stretch, including a gutsy steal that helped the Golden State Warriors hold off the Charlotte Hornets late for a 110-105 win Tuesday night.
Kuminga cherishes getting a chance with the game on the line late, which isn't always the case.
&ldquo;If Coach trusts you and puts you in there, you've got to go and execute things and make things happen,&rdquo; said Kuminga, a second-year forward.
In one flashy sequence, Kuminga had a steal on one possession and then a defensive rebound and go-ahead dunk moments later on the other end. He made a short floating jumper from the baseline with 1:22 to go, and then dunked again with 21 seconds left. He finished with 14 points and five rebounds.
&ldquo;He's playing really well defensively," coach Steve Kerr said. &ldquo;Just wanted to stay with him because of the impact he was making on the ball and with his energy.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole had 24 points and six assists for Golden State. Kevon Looney finished with 11 points and nine rebounds. Thompson went 5 for 12 from 3-point range and also had five rebounds and four assists.
LaMelo Bell overcame 7-of-25 shooting &mdash; 2 for 11 from deep &mdash; to finish with 21 points and 10 rebounds as Charlotte completed the second game of a back-to-back after losing 124-113 at Portland on Monday.
Terry Rozier scored 19 points and Mason Plumlee grabbed 13 rebounds for the Hornets, who went 2-4 on a six-game West Coast road swing.
The backcourt of Thompson and Poole delivered with Stephen Curry sitting out a sixth straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder on a night when his father, Dell, was in town working the Hornets broadcast.
Golden State's Draymond Green contributed nine points, 10 rebounds and five assists while dealing with right foot soreness.
TALKING TECHS
After Golden State got six technicals in a 123-109 Christmas Day matchup with Memphis, Kerr chatted with his team about it leading into Tuesday.
&ldquo;The message is we have to show more poise than that, we can't be in a battle with officials every night,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;There's going to be some games where you get frustrated and there are plenty of games that go perfectly well. There's going to be some of both, you just have to be able to play through that. We haven't done that.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Hornets: Charlotte shot 4 for 23 from deep in the first half and 10 of 38 overall. ... G Kelly Oubre Jr. missed the game against his former team with a sprained right hand. He played part of the 2020-21 season with Golden State before signing with the Hornets as a free agent in August 2021. ... Charlotte has lost the last three on the Warriors' home floor dating to a 93-87 victory on Nov. 2, 2019, in the team's initial visit to Chase Center. ... The Hornets fell to 3-9 playing on consecutive days, swept for a third time.
Warriors: The Warriors are 3-3 without Curry. ... All-Star Andrew Wiggins missed his 11th straight game and 13th overall with a strained muscle in his right thigh area. &ldquo;Unfortunately, he's sick now,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;He's been cleared to play but he's not in the building tonight because he came down ill yesterday.&rdquo; ... F JaMychal Green remains in the league's health and safety protocols and there's no timetable for his return.
&nbsp;

Klay Thompson scored 29 points and the Golden State Warriors held off the Charlotte Hornets late for a 110-105 win.

Klay Thompson scores 29, leads Warriors past Hornets 110-105

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Jacque Vaughn wasn't aware his Brooklyn Nets had the best first half in their history.
One of the best in NBA history, actually.
Kevin Durant scored 23 points, all but two in a 91-point first half that was the third-biggest in the league, and the Nets routed the Golden State Warriors 143-113 on Wednesday to send the reigning champions staggering home with their second blowout loss in two nights in New York.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what happens when you come to work and you&rsquo;re ready to work from the beginning,&rdquo; Vaughn said.
With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins all sidelined, the Warriors finished 1-5 on their trip to the East and will hope to get healthy before they have to get back on the court on Christmas against Memphis.
Curry will remain sidelined by a shoulder injury, but Wiggins could be back, and the Warriors will take all the help they can get after trailing by 44 in this one.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s the Warriors," Durant said. "You always respect them no matter who&rsquo;s on the floor. They have a championship system and championship players.&rdquo;
The Nets matched a franchise record with nine players in double figures and won their seventh straight, even with Kyrie Irving out with right calf tightness.
James Wiseman scored a career-high 30 points on 12-for-14 shooting for the Warriors, who lost by 38 points to the Knicks on Tuesday night.
The Nets had to come from 18 and then 19 points down in their last two victories, but this one was over not long after the Warriors' bus finally arrived after some New York holiday traffic.
The Nets made 11 of their first 12 shots and by the time the first quarter was over it was 46-17, a 29-point differential that was the largest in any period in the NBA this season.
Coach Steve Kerr said the Warriors' early turnovers &mdash; they finished with 21 that led to 36 points &mdash; helped the Nets get going.
&ldquo;And then they made everything,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;They were phenomenal in the first half.&rdquo;
It was 68-31 when Durant was whistled for a technical foul for his sideline celebration after Ben Simmons slammed down a long lob pass. The Warriors scored the next seven in one of their only highlights of the night before Brooklyn extended it to 91-51 at the half on Durant's 3-pointer.
Phoenix set the NBA record with 107 points in the first half against Denver on Nov. 10, 1990. The Warriors &mdash; with Durant playing for them &mdash; scored 92 against Chicago on Oct. 29. 2018.
Simmons got the first two baskets of the third for the largest lead at 95-51, but Durant was 1 for 8 playing all 12 minutes as the Nets managed only 18 points in the period.
TOGETHER AGAIN?
Kerr hopes to have Durant on his side again on the 2024 U.S. Olympic team. Durant is the leading scorer in U.S. men&rsquo;s history and Kerr said USA Basketball leadership hopes he will play in Paris, where he could become the first man to win four basketball gold medals.
&ldquo;That would be nice,&rdquo; said Kerr, who joked he would &ldquo;most likely pull him aside tonight&rdquo; to make a recruiting pitch. &ldquo;I mean, he&rsquo;s been so dominant with Team USA and like I said, he&rsquo;s a guy who just, he loves to play. So we&rsquo;re hoping he decides to keep going.&rdquo;
Durant said it was too early to make his decision.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State starts an eight-game homestand Sunday. ... Wiggins has missed the last eight games with a right groin strain. ... Kerr had no update on the status of Donte DiVincenzo (illness unrelated to COVID-19) or JaMychal Green (health and safety protocols).
Nets: Brooklyn has won 11 of its last 12 games. ... The Nets' most lopsided quarter was a 32-point advantage (48-16) in the fourth against Detroit on March 9, 1980.
&nbsp;

Kevin Durant scored 23 points, all but two in a 91-point first half, and the Brooklyn Nets routed the Golden State Warriors 143-113.

Nets score 91 in 1st half, wallop weary Warriors 143-113

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points, Jalen Brunson had 21 and the New York Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the depleted Golden State Warriors 132-94 on Tuesday night.
Quentin Grimes added 19 points and RJ Barrett had 18 as New York extended the longest current winning streak in the NBA.
&ldquo;No one has talked about the streak at all,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;Obviously, we tell each other to keep it rolling. But, we&rsquo;re just trying to be the best team we can be and just focus on one day at a time.&rdquo;
Julius Randle finished with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Mitchell Robinson had nine points and 11 rebounds and Miles McBride added 10 points.
&ldquo;We have a lot of players on this team who are capable of having monster games,&rdquo; Brunson said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not surprising when someone like &lsquo;Quick&rsquo; plays that way or &lsquo;Q&rsquo; having that type of game or even Deuce (McBride) getting double figures. When they do it, it&rsquo;s definitely a plus.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole scored 26 points for the Warriors, who are without Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and other key players. Jonathan Kuminga had 13, while Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Ty Jerome each had 11.
The Knicks scored the first eight points of the game and never trailed. They led 33-25 at the end of the first quarter.
The Warriors pulled within 35-33, but a 3-pointer by Grimes with 4:17 left in the second quarter gave the Knicks a 60-45 lead. New York led 69-56 at halftime.
&ldquo;Winning naturally gains confidence,&rdquo; Randle said. &ldquo;But, I&rsquo;m not going to put much into a winning streak or whatever. It&rsquo;s still December.&rdquo;
Robinson&rsquo;s free throws put the Knicks up 88-67 with 5:37 remaining in the third quarter. They again went up by 21 on Quickley&rsquo;s free throws with five seconds left in the quarter.
Quickley shot 6 for 10 after going 3 for 20 in the previous two games.
The Knicks led 100-81 heading into the fourth, and the Warriors never got any closer.
Svi Mykailiuk&rsquo;s free throws with 58 seconds remaining gave New York its biggest lead of the night and were the final points of the contest.
&ldquo;The Knicks are in a good groove right now. They totally outplayed us,&rdquo; said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. &ldquo;We sank tonight. We&rsquo;re trying to hang in there and we will. Another game tomorrow.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Warriors: Golden State is now 3-15 in away games this season, 1-8 against the Eastern Conference. &hellip; Donte DiVincenzo (illness, unrelated to COVID-19) and JaMychal Green (health and safety protocols) did not play. &hellip; Curry became the NBA&rsquo;s career leader in 3-pointers made the last time he played at Madison Square Garden (Dec. 14, 2021). He missed his third straight game (left shoulder injury). &hellip; Andre Iguodala has yet to play this season (left hip injury).
Knicks: New York had lost eight straight home games to the Warriors. The Knicks&rsquo; last victory over Golden State was on Feb. 27, 2013, a 109-105 victory in which Curry&rsquo;s 54 points were his career high. &hellip; Obi Toppin has not played since Oct. 10 (fractured right fibula). Coach Tom Thibodeau said he is doing better but was only working in the pool and still not doing anything on the court.
LONE WARRIOR
Kevon Looney is the only Warrior to start all 32 games this season. Poole is the other Golden State player to see the floor in all 32 games, but he has only started 13.
&nbsp;

Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points and the Knicks rolled to their eighth straight victory, beating the Warriors 132-94.

Knicks rout Warriors 132-94, extend win streak to 8 games

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Steve Kerr wanted Klay Thompson to relax a little, let the game come to him.
And Thompson is certainly showing signs of finding his shooting groove again.
&ldquo;I thought a lot about that,&rdquo; Thompson said about being patient.
He scored 20 points with four 3-pointers, Stephen Curry added 24 points, 10 assists and six rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors beat the New York Knicks 111-101 on Friday night.
Andrew Wiggins added 20 points with seven rebound and Draymond Green contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists with two blocked shots.
Thompson hit 4 of his first 6 shots with three 3s for 11 early points.
&ldquo;It seemed like every time Klay just made an extra pass, the ball started to move and then we got a wide open shot,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;We ended up with 32 assists. It started with early on Klay taking a more patient approach. And then the game rewarded him.&rdquo;
Jordan Poole scored 13 points off the bench and JaMychal Green 12. He credited a team meeting earlier Friday as the Warriors had a tough conversation about their struggles and &ldquo;addressed the elephants in the room.&rdquo;
Thompson called it &ldquo;a very constructive meeting ... an incredible time of growth.&rdquo;
&ldquo;I feel like tonight was the best game we've put together on the defensive end,&rdquo; he said.
Julius Randle had 20 points and seven rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 18 for the cold-shooting Knicks, who began 5 of 22, shot 34.5% and tried to play catch up all night.
Jalen Brunson struggled on his shot to go 2 for 13 &mdash; 1 for 5 from long range &mdash; and finish with 13 points for New York coming off a 106-103 win at Denver on Wednesday night. The Knicks had won two straight and three of four but missed matching their longest winning streak so far.
HOME AND ROAD
The Warriors are 7-1 at home and 0-8 on the road.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m actually much more interested in why we&rsquo;re not playing well on the road than why were are playing well at home,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;I expect to play well at home. We&rsquo;ve got a good record here over the years and good players, great fans. No reason we shouldn&rsquo;t control our home court. But we got to start putting it together on the road, too.&rdquo;
Golden State snapped a three-game home skid to the Knicks and has won its last eight in New York.
&ldquo;To me, the road record is directly connected to the defense,&rdquo; Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Knicks: C Mitchell Robinson sat out with a sprained right knee. ... New York lost on the Warriors' home floor for the first time in four games since a 122-95 defeat on Jan. 8, 2019. ... The Knicks missed their initial 10 3-pointers before RJ Barrett connected at the 9:15 mark of the second quarter. Derrick Rose, Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley began a combined 0 for 9 from deep.
Warriors: The Warriors shot just 11 of 20 at the free throw line, Curry missing two and Wiggins three. &ldquo;It happens, just one random game,&rdquo; Kerr said. ... Thompson passed J.J. Redick (1,950) &mdash; in the house working the broadcast &mdash; for 16th place on the 3-pointers list. ... C Kevon Looney has played in 127 consecutive regular-season games, the third-longest active streak. ... Golden State built an 18-point lead in the first quarter and kept pushing.
UP NEXT
Knicks: At Phoenix on Sunday in the fourth contest in a five-game, seven-day trip. The Knicks will play at Oklahoma City on Monday night to complete the back-to-back and finish the swing out West.
Warriors: At Houston on Sunday for the first in a road back-to-back that finishes at New Orleans on Monday night.

Stephen Curry had 24 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds as the Golden State Warriors beat the New York Knicks 111-101 on Friday.

Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins help Warriors beat Knicks 111-101

This is not a declaration that James Wiseman is a bust, or some irredeemable player. He is not the only issue with the Golden State Warriors, or even the Warriors' bench unit.
Conversely, this won't be a Warriors slander piece. If you were looking for either of those conclusions, you can close the tab (and thank you for the click).
Now that we have that out of the way: Wiseman being with the Warriors doesn't appear to benefit either party right now. A center with enough face-up and shooting flashes to raise your brow probably shouldn't be relegated to only screen-and-roll duties.
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And a win-now team spearheaded by one of the greatest players of all-time in Stephen Curry, who's still playing at an all-time level, shouldn't be tasked with being superhuman because the team bleeds points every time he sits.
It's important to note that point isn't solely on Wiseman; we're all waiting on Jordan Poole to regain his form (53.5% True Shooting, 59.8% TS last season) and confidence, for example. Head coach Steve Kerr has recently alluded to leaning on more experienced role players like [check notes] Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome instead of the trio of Wiseman, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
"The thought process is when you're struggling, you don't have a rhythm, you don't have consistency, veteran players are going to be able to provide that more than young players are." -Steve Kerr on playing Anthony Lamb &amp; Ty Jerome more than Warriors youngsters. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DubNation?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DubNation</a>
&mdash; Kylen Mills (@KylenMills) <a href="https://twitter.com/KylenMills/status/1590455066267615232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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But think about who the Warriors are at their best. Quick, versatile, shape-shifting. It's a buzzsaw of cuts, relocations, ball-movement and switchability, We've seen how Moody fits into that. We've seen how Kuminga can fit into that, especially when he's able to log minutes at the 4 (or 5).
Have we really seen that from Wiseman? Part of the appeal was that he&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;fit snugly into that; his vertical presence and overall athleticism was a stark difference to what the Warriors had in their frontcourt room. In theory, being able to mix in his dynamic would make the Warriors even more difficult to deal with.
We've seen flashes of that: the Warriors generated 1.03 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a Curry-Wiseman ball screen during Wiseman's rookie season, per Second Spectrum. It's easy to see how Wiseman's downhill juice could vibe with the flamethrowing of Curry.
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But in order for him to carve out a more consistent role, there had to be growth in the more "Warrior-like" elements. That growth hasn't happened at an ideal rate, mostly because Wiseman hasn't been able to stay healthy.
They rarely use Wiseman as the hub for their patented post-split action, mostly because he has limitations as a passer. That would be okay if he had more juice as an off-ball screener, but he's still trying to master the details of timing and angles. His results are spotty right now.
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Defensively, Wiseman is even more of a mixed bag. Because of his size and length, he can act as a true deterrent at the rim. He has legtimately good reps in drop on film. But because of his footwork, drop seems to be the only coverage he's truly comfortable in.
Add in the process of figuring out the gap in drop &mdash; how far he should play back, when to step up to ball-handlers, and not giving away easy reads in the process &mdash; and you get more messiness than positivity. Pull-up shooters can find pockets to attack; drivers often have space to chew up.
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He'll often find himself slightly out of position, which alters the strength of his contests. For a guy with his gifts, it's kinda wild how often you'll see ball-handlers driving through his chest &mdash; or drawing fouls.
The numbers aren't great. Opponents are generating over 1.2 PPP on trips featuring a ball screen defended by Wiseman. Among players defending at least three shots at the rim per game, Wiseman's efficiency allowed (70.3% FG) is one of the worst marks in the league. On top of that, he's averaging 6.8 fouls per 36 minutes &mdash; a mark higher than his rookie campaign (5.2).
The Warriors would operate better with a veteran 5; it's part of why they brought JaMychal Green into the fray over the offseason. And frankly, I'd like to see Wiseman with a team that can really prioritize his development without championship pressure.
I'd make a call if I were the Oklahoma City Thunder, just by virtue of having 1.5 true centers on the roster. With Chet Holmgren done for the year, you can afford to give Wiseman a bit of a runway. And for the Warriors, there are vets (hello, Mike Muscala and Kenrich Williams) worth inquiring about. Heck, there are also younger players (hello, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Aaron Wiggins) who may be better equipped for what they want to do than Wiseman is right now.
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There could be similar appeal in San Antonio, who may be willing to take another young flier in the frontcourt in light of the Zach Collins injury news. They've already spun the tires on Charles Bassey; I'd at least see what the interest level would be. There are vets to inquire about (Josh Richardson, Doug McDermott, Gorgui Dieng), though it's worth noting that the Warriors might have to add something minor to the pot to pry Richardson or McDermott out of there.
(This is likely a no-go because of how the draft went, but Wiseman under the tutelage of Steve Clifford in Charlotte would also intrigue me.)
Again: none of Wiseman's issues are impossible to overcome. With continued health, I'd honestly bank on him overcoming most of them. There's a good player in there; even the archetype he's been kinda pigeonholed into thus far &mdash; a rim-running dunkaholic who can man the fort in drop &mdash; has value on good teams.&nbsp;
Considering the Warriors are getting blitzed in his minutes &mdash; a <a href="https://www.pbpstats.com/wowy-combos/nba?TeamId=1610612744&amp;Season=2022-23&amp;SeasonType=Regular%2BSeason&amp;PlayerIds=1630164" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minus-22.4 net rating</a> with opponents converting nearly 59% of their twos &mdash; I'm just not sure if the Warriors can give him the time to work through those growing pains while also trying to compete. It would behoove both parties to look for an alternative.

Should the Golden State Warriors and James Wiseman go their separate ways? It may benefit both parties, writes Nekias Duncan.

A James Wiseman-Warriors split would be best for both parties

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic had a triple-double of 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists playing with a sore right wrist he had taped, and the Denver Nuggets beat Golden State 128-123 on Friday night in a rematch of the teams' first-round playoff series won by the Warriors in five games on their way to the title.
Jordan Poole made a backcourt steal from Bones Hyland and scored 14.7 seconds left to get Golden State within 124-123 then Bruce Brown dunked immediately. The Warriors had another chance and Klay Thompson missed a potential tying 3 from the top with 9.3 seconds left.
Jokic secured the rebound then converted two free throws. He also had a three-point play with 4:21 remaining moments after a putback dunk by JaMychal Green, then the Denver bigman made another timely basket at 3:07.
Stephen Curry scored 34 points with five 3-pointers after a second straight slow start shooting and has 30-point performances in his first two games. But the Warriors committed 19 turnovers that led to 30 Denver points.
Brown scored 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 17 apiece for the Nuggets, who handed the Warriors their lone loss in the preseason last Friday night.
Golden State debuted revamped &ldquo;Run TMC&rdquo; blue jerseys to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hall of Famer Chris Mullin's gold medal with The Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics.
Thompson and Draymond Green had 16 and 13 points, respectively, playing increased minutes &mdash; 23 for Thompson and 27 for Green, who also had nine assists.
Thompson played nearly 20 minutes and Green almost 25 in a season-opening 123-109 victory against the Lakers on Tuesday night.
Denver has three straight regular-season victories on the Warriors' home floor, getting in the win column after the Nuggets lost their opener to the Jazz 123-102 at Utah on Wednesday.
The Warriors fell behind 5-0 then roared back, getting Curry&rsquo;s four-point play at the 9:14 mark of the opening quarter. But Denver shot 59.5% in the first half on the way to a 70-52 lead at the break.
KERR HONORS BROWN
Kerr offered his thoughts to the family of longtime referee Tony Brown, who died Thursday at age 55 from pancreatic cancer.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a great ref and he made an impact on this league and everybody liked him,&rdquo; Kerr said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve missed him the last couple years and the news yesterday it really hit home and hit hard for all of us, the players, coaches, entire organization.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nuggets: G Jamal Murray sat out and won't play both games of back-to-backs early on as he nurses a left knee injury. &ldquo;My hope is we can build throughout the year,&rdquo; coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;We want to be smart. ... Hopefully by Christmas, New Year, All-Star break what we're doing now is not what we're doing then.&rdquo;
Warriors: Curry begins his 14th season with the Warriors, surpassing Mullin's 13 for most in franchise history. ... F Andre Iguodala sat out a second straight game to start the season as the Warriors manage his left hip injury.
UP NEXT
Nuggets: The Nuggets return to Denver during this grueling early stretch of three games in four nights with their home opener Saturday night against the Thunder.
Warriors: Host the Kings and former top assistant Mike Brown, Sacramento's first-year coach, on Sunday night.

Nikola Jokic had a triple-double of 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists playing with a sore wrist, and the Nuggets beat Golden State.

Nikola Jokic notches triple-double as Nuggets top Warriors

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Paolo Banchero scored 17 points in the No. 1 pick's first home appearance, and the Orlando Magic beat the Memphis Grizzlies 109-105 on Tuesday night.
Wendell Carter Jr. led the Magic with 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, Terrence Ross scored 17 points and Franz Wagner finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Wagner also had two steals, including a key one with 30 seconds left as the Grizzlies made a final run.
Desmond Bane, who struggled shooting early in the preseason, scored 33 points, converting 11 of 18 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Ja Morant scored 23, but had a rough night from the field, shooting 8 for 24 and missing all six from behind the arc.
Banchero helped the Magic to a quick lead with 13 points in the first half. Orlando led by as much as 18, but Memphis got within single digits in the fourth quarter. Unlike other preseason games, both teams came back with the bulk of their starters for the final six minutes. That made for an entertaining close to the game as the teams traded baskets until the Magic pulled away at the end.
Caleb Houston, a second-round pick out of Michigan, had 13 points for the Magic. Bol Bol finished with nine points and nine rebounds.
THUNDER 117, PISTONS 99
In Detroit, Jalen Williams, the 12th overall pick last summer from Santa Clara, had 16 points and seven rebounds as Oklahoma City beat a Pistons team that lost Marvin Bagley III to a right knee injury.
Lu Dort and Josh Giddey also had 16 points apiece, with Giddey adding nine assists.
Killian Hayes led the Pistons with 20 points and seven assists, while Saddiq Bey finished with 19 points. Cory Joseph and No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey had 11 points apiece.
Bagley left the game in the first minute with the right knee injury. Bagley seemed to slip in the lane defending a fast break and went down, immediately grabbing his knee. He was helped off the court, and Detroit soon announced Bagley, who signed a three-year contract with the Pistons this summer, would not return to the game.
WARRIORS 131, TRAIL BLAZERS 98
JaMychal Green and Moses Moody scored 20 points apiece as a team of Golden State reserves dominated visiting Portland.
James Wiseman, coming back after missing last season with a right knee injury, had 18 points and seven rebounds. Green was 8 of 10 from the field, including missing only one of his five shots from outside the arc. Wiseman, who played 18 minutes, made 6 of 8 from the field.
Shaedon Sharpe, the seventh overall pick from Kentucky, led Portland with 17 points, while Jusuf Nurkic finished with 16 points. Anfernee Simons had 12.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins were among the key Warriors sitting out before Friday&rsquo;s preseason finale against Denver. Draymond Green remained away from the team after he punched Poole during practice last week.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game that Green would return to practice on Thursday and not be suspended. He expects the defensive mainstay to play in Friday&rsquo;s preseason finale, and on opening night.
Kerr said Green was fined an unspecified amount.
&ldquo;We feel like this is the best way, after assessing everything, for us to move forward,&rdquo; Kerr said, adding: &ldquo;This is the biggest crisis that we&rsquo;ve ever had since I&rsquo;ve been coach here. It&rsquo;s really serious stuff.&rdquo;
Donte DiVincenzo, who started with the stars sitting, had 10 assists.
BULLS 127, BUCKS 104
Patrick Williams scored 22 points, along with five rebounds and five assists as Chicago beat visiting Milwaukee, which sat a significant part of its main rotation.
Nikola Vucevic had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Bulls, while Andre Drummond added 16 points, connecting on 7 of 9 from the field.
Jordan Nwora led the Bucks with 25 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Marques Bolden finished with 21 points.
The game featured two teams expected to play into the postseason in the Eastern Conference, but the active rosters only had shells of the full squads. The Bucks sat many of their players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Serge Ibaka and Grayson Allen, most of them on rest management.
Chicago played without key offensive players Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.
SPURS 111, JAZZ 104
Devin Vassell had 24 points, Keldon Johnson added 22 points to lead visiting San Antonio over Utah.
Vassell shot 10 for 15, including 3 of 5 from outside the arc. Johnson was 9 for 13 as San Antonio&rsquo;s starters combined to make 28 of 43 shots in the game.
Lauri Markkanen had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Utah. Jared Butler had 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Jordan Clarkson and Walker Kessler added 12 points apiece.

Paolo Banchero scores 17 in his home pre-season debut as the Orlando Magic beat the Memphis Grizzlies.

Banchero scores 16 in home debut, Magic hold off Grizzlies

<a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1549896252132827136" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to The Athletic's Shams Charania</a>, Mac McClung has agreed on a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors.
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Guard Mac McClung has agreed on a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors, his agent Dan Poneman of <a href="https://twitter.com/beyond_am?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@beyond_am</a> told <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthletic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>. McClung averaged 13.4 points and 4.8 assists in summer league for the Warriors.
&mdash; Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1549896252132827136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2022</a></blockquote>

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<a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1549896987616632833" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charania added</a> that McClung is getting a standard, non-guaranteed deal and he will have an opportunity&nbsp;to make the Warriors&rsquo; roster out of training camp.
ANALYSIS: After losing some key players in Gary Payton II and Otto Porter, Jr. this offseason, the Warriors are looking for discounts to fill out their roster <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jamychal-green-to-be-bought-out-by-thunder-join-warriors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including JaMychel Green</a>. McClung has shown over the past two years that he can be on an NBA roster and now he'll get a big opportunity to be a part of the Warriors as they look to defend their champions.
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Mac McClung has agreed on a one-year deal with the Golden State Warriors.

Mac McClung, Warriors agree to one-year deal

Veteran forward JaMychal Green is working toward a contract buyout with Oklahoma City, and once that&rsquo;s completed and he&rsquo;s cleared waivers, Green intends to sign with Golden State, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1549504488964296704" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>.
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Veteran forward JaMychal Green is working toward a contract buyout with Oklahoma City, and once that&rsquo;s completed and he&rsquo;s cleared waivers, Green intends to sign with Golden State, sources tell ESPN.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1549504488964296704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote>

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ANALYSIS: This certainly helps the Warriors with their bench depth. In the midst of losing Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica, and Gary Payton II, Green should give them a reliable veteran. Green has established himself as a stretch big, but didn't have the best season last year with the Nuggets where he shot only 26 percent from three. However, that could change now that's slated to play with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Peele.

JaMychal Green has agreed to a buyout with the Thunder and will join the Warriors once it's finalized.

JaMychal Green to be bought out by Thunder, join Warriors

The Oklahoma City Thunder chose Gonzaga&rsquo;s Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night and hit the accelerator on their rebuild by adding three of the top 12 selections.
In Holmgren, the Thunder got a versatile 7-footer who was a second-team Associated Press All-American in his only college season. He averaged 14.1 points and 9.9 rebounds and ranked fourth nationally with 3.7 blocks per game for the Zags.
Thunder general manager Sam Presti believes Holmgren will be a good fit.
&ldquo;We&rsquo;re pretty comfortable with the idea of him blending in with the group that we have,&rdquo; Presti said. &ldquo;He was the person for Oklahoma City. He was the person for the Thunder.&rdquo;
He will join a young team led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who averaged 24.5 points last season, and Josh Giddey, last year's No. 6 overall pick who made the All-Rookie second team.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s a great situation, great dynamic playing with guys like Josh and Shai as well as everybody down the roster,&rdquo; Holmgren said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lot of great players there with unique skill sets. I feel like I can kind of pair up with them and help enhance theirs as well as have their skill sets enhance mine.&rdquo;
The New York Knicks traded the No. 11 pick -- 19-year-old French forward Ousmane Dieng -- to the Thunder for three future conditional first-round picks. Dieng played for the New Zealand Breakers last season and averaged 8.9 points and 3.2 rebounds.
He had more immediate concerns than playing for the Thunder.
&ldquo;I think I need to buy a new phone because I need an American number, so I will need to buy that," he said.
The Thunder then took Santa Clara guard Jalen Williams at No. 12. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 18 points and 4.2 assists last season as a junior. He&rsquo;s the first Santa Clara player picked since Steve Nash was selected 15th overall in 1996.
Williams played against Holmgren twice last season in the West Coast Conference.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s super talented,&rdquo; Williams said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s kind of cool that we get to go through this experience together now instead of being enemies on the court.&rdquo;
Holmgren shot 61% from 3-point range and 39% from 3-point range last season &mdash; the kind of efficiency that could help a Thunder team that ranked last in the league in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and scoring last season. His skill could help him be effective as he works to add to his slender 195-pound frame.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s going to have to adjust and learn like any player,&rdquo; Presti said. &ldquo;I think he&rsquo;s unique. I think sometimes, unique is beneficial, and I think some of the things that make him unique can be leveraged and utilized.&rdquo;
The Thunder's core includes Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey, Lu Dort, Darius Bazley and Tre Mann. Dort is one of the league&rsquo;s best defensive players when healthy. Bazley is an athletic wing player and Mann was an explosive scorer off the bench. Gilgeous-Alexander, the oldest player in that group, is just short of his 24th birthday.
The Thunder hope Holmgren eventually can help them regain some of the glory from the Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook era. The Thunder went to the Western Conference Finals four times with that duo and the NBA Finals once. The Thunder have not won a playoff series since Durant left and have missed the playoffs the past two seasons. They went 24-58 last season.
The franchise has had success early in drafts in the past, selecting Durant No. 2 overall in 2007, Westbrook No. 4 overall in 2008 and James Harden No. 3 in 2009.
The Thunder selected Arkansas&rsquo; Jaylin Williams with the 34th overall pick. The 6-10, 240-pound forward averaged 10.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last season. He shot 46% from the field and led the nation with 54 charges drawn.
The Thunder also picked UCLA&rsquo;s Peyton Watson at No. 30 overall, though he is going to the Denver Nuggets. The Thunder acquired JaMychal Green and a 2027 protected first-round pick from the Nuggets for the rights to Watson and two future second-round picks.
Green has appeared in 487 career games and posted averages of 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds on 47% shooting.
___
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney contributed to this report.

In Holmgren, the Thunder got a versatile 7-footer who was a second-team Associated Press All-American in his only college season.

Thunder take Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren with No. 2 overall pick

The intensity is turning up as the NBA Draft looms on June 23.&nbsp;With all combines and withdrawal deadlines behind us, the final steps to draft night will take place behind closed doors &mdash; apart from rumors and reports, of course.
On Monday, we saw the first pre-draft trade of the season go down. <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/denver-trades-jamychal-green-to-oklahoma-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski</a>, Oklahoma City dealt its No. 30 overall pick and two future second-rounders to Denver in exchange for JaMychal Green and a 2027 first-round pick. That should be just the start of one of the most chaotic newsbreaking stretches in basketball.
Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babock updated our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Mock Draft</a> on Tuesday. Jabari Smith remains the No. 1 overall pick, but movement later on in the lottery highlights his projections. Babcock discused the notable changes and gave his pulse on the pre-draft chatter.
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Most mock drafts have either Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren at No. 1 to the Orlando Magic, and you have not wavered from Smith yet. How close is the decision between these two?
I have not wavered from having Jabari Smith as the No. 1 pick. However, at this point in the process, we've shifted our approach from being scouts and making our own picks to projecting what the teams will actually do. From my understanding, most teams are operating under the impression that Jabari Smith will be the first pick, but I have heard some teams think it could be Holmgren too. So we'll see what Jeff Weltman and John Hammond decide to do soon enough.
What pick do you consider to be the first major inflection point for unpredictability in the draft?
We currently have Chet Holmgren at No. 2, but I'm not overly confident that's how it will actually unfold. For starters, will Oklahoma City even stay put at this pick? Sam Presti is known to be a wheeler and dealer. Could the Thunder take Paolo Banchero or even Jaden Ivey? I also heard Holmgren has not provided his medical information to teams (at least most of them), and did not do the NBA's heart screening. That could suggest that his agents are trying to manipulate the draft and direct Holmgren to a specific spot, which is probably the most likely scenario. I don't know which team that would be though.
Shaedon Sharpe continues to be one of the most mysterious players in this pre-draft process. How have things been going for him?
Shaedon Sharpe has become a polarizing prospect for this year's draft. However, I don't think there is any denying that he has a lot of raw talent and upside. There have been some rumblings that he could slip a bit, but even with that said, he's still likely to go mid-to-late lottery.
What has <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jeremy-sochan-a-citizen-of-the-world-sets-his-course-for-the-nba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremy Sochan</a> continuing to rise up your mock draft to No. 9?
The San Antonio Spurs have a lot of young pieces on the perimeter, but I think they need to address their frontcourt. I've heard they do have interest in Sochan. I also heard earlier today that the Spurs could be a team on the hunt to move up, with Keegan Murray being their likely target.
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Ousmane Dieng is slotted at No. 14 to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Is it safe at this point to say he'll be the first international player selected?
Rumors are flying that Ousmane Dieng has a guarantee, and he did receive an invite to the green room. Could that guarantee be coming from Cleveland? Maybe.
Were you surprised by any of the players who pulled their names out, or kept their names in, at the final withdrawal deadline?
I was a little surprised by some of the international players who decided to stay in the draft, as I expected guys like Yannick Nzosa, Ibou Badji and Matteo Spagnolo to pull their names out.
Which prospects do you think possess higher upside than most anticipate?
A few guys with a lot of upside that might not be getting a ton of attention are Max Christie from Michigan State, Moussa Diabate from Michigan and Josh Minott from Memphis. I'm not sure how much these players are ready to contribute right off the bat, but I wouldn't be surprised to see any or all of them establish themselves in the league over the next couple of years or so.
Who is one player that you think teams have higher on their draft boards compared to the media and general public?
At this point in the pre-draft process, I think teams and the media are generally pretty aligned. Of course, it only takes one team to take a player higher than expected to make all of our mock drafts look questionable. It just adds to the fun of the NBA Draft though.
We've seen one pre-draft trade go down so far between the Nuggets and Thunder (Note: Dallas also traded its No. 26 pick to Houston on Wednesday night). In general, do you expect a lot of movement or relative stability this year?
Oh, of course I always expect there to be movement on draft night. It's part of the business, but has naturally became part of the event's appeal as well. I remember being a kid and freaking out anytime David Stern would walk up to the podium and say, "We have a trade." The NBA Draft is such a special part of the NBA and the basketball industry. I'm very fortunate to be involved in something that I have loved since I was a kid. And this year, I'll be in New York for the draft. See you soon!
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Matt Babcock discussed his latest NBA Draft insights with Ethan Fuller after recently updating his 2022 NBA Mock Draft.

2022 NBA Draft: Q&A with Matt Babcock on notable risers, latest intel

The 2022 NBA Draft is only 10 days away. How will it all play out for teams hoping to change their long-term fortunes? Not only will the draft selections bring intrigue, but so will the endless amounts of trade rumors.
Buzz is already picking back up, but who are some players that are flying a little too far under the radar from a potential trade standpoint? Let&rsquo;s go ahead and dive into five names who make a lot of sense as potential movers on draft night.
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Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield was a revelation within Rick Carlisle&rsquo;s system in Indiana, posting a career-high 4.8 assists per game for the Pacers. Hield was already known as one of the NBA&rsquo;s most dangerous sharpshooters, but added offensive equity makes him even more of an attractive trade chip for the rebuilding Pacers to consider moving.
Every contender needs additional three-point shooting, and there&rsquo;s not a better potential option out there this offseason than Hield. With $39 million remaining over the final two years of his contract, it could be tough trying to find the ideal trade partner. However, some teams can get creative to fit the veteran into their salary sheet.
A potential fit for Hield that makes way too much sense is Philadelphia. Armed with the No. 23 overall pick they didn&rsquo;t plan on using, alongside Danny Green&rsquo;s expiring non-guaranteed $10 million contract, the Sixers could be an under-the-radar team to monitor over the next few weeks. Getting involved for someone like Hield, who adds even more gravity with Joel Embiid and James Harden, checks a lot of Daryl Morey-related boxes.
Hield doesn&rsquo;t fit the Pacers&rsquo; timeline, so don&rsquo;t be stunned if he&rsquo;s on the move after building back up his value for a few months in Indianapolis.
Pacers receive: Danny Green, Furkan Korkmaz, Shake Milton, No. 23
76ers receive: Buddy Hield, No. 58
Gary Trent Jr.
Toronto has been sniffing around on the top prospects in this year&rsquo;s draft, including names such as Arizona wing Bennedict Mathurin and G League Ignite playmaker Dyson Daniels. Both are projected to go within the first 10 picks, but the Raptors won&rsquo;t be on the clock until No. 33 overall. Whether it be OG Anunoby or Gary Trent Jr., Toronto has its trade chip available to move up the board.
It&rsquo;s been reported that it would take a hefty offer in order for the Raptors to even consider dealing Anunoby. Operating under that assumption, Trent feels like the more realistic bargaining chip on draft night. GTJ is a certified bucket-getter who is nowhere even close to his prime years. In a top-heavy class, Toronto could move into the late lottery by parlaying the former Duke Blue Devil as the price.
How about a hypothetical scenario involving the Washington Wizards? Washington is in win-now mode, especially with the future of Bradley Beal seemingly always up in the air. How would D.C. feel about Trent and Beal as a scoring combination paired with the inside duo of Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford? It&rsquo;s at least a start, and the board could be rather thin for Washington by the time No. 10 rolls around.
Raptors receive: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, No. 10 overall
Wizards receive: Gary Trent Jr., No. 33 overall
Bogdan Bogdanovic
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After reporting Landry Fields' promotion to general manager, ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski relayed on Monday that the Atlanta Hawks are expected to be <a href="https://twitter.com/KLChouinard/status/1536466951832317959?s=20&amp;t=h-2FroyKYxbsEcKv3zAKfg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of the most active teams in trade talks</a> between now and free agency. Rumors of potential draft-night deals involving John Collins are out there, but there&rsquo;s also some smoke billowing around the future of Bogdan Bogdanovic in Atlanta. Having already paid Kevin Huerter, and with De&rsquo;Andre Hunter soon due a lucrative extension, could now be the right time to let go of Bogdanovic?
If the Hawks indeed plan on being aggressive, Bogdanovic and the No. 16 overall pick could get them a strong return package. The Athletic&rsquo;s James Edwards III shared that he&rsquo;s heard the Hawks have shown recent interest in Jerami Grant, which includes Bogdanovic and their first-round pick going to Detroit. Honestly, that&rsquo;s a fair, win-win trade for both the Hawks and Pistons.
Expect a lot of changes for the Hawks&rsquo; roster as they retool around Trae Young. Collins feels like he could soon be out the door, but watch out for Bogdanovic as well.
Hawks receive: Jerami Grant
Pistons receive: Bogdan Bogdanovic, No. 16 overall
Bojan Bogdanovic
Everyone around the NBA is waiting to see what domino falls next in Salt Lake City as the Jazz enter a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/an-awkward-offseason-looms-for-the-jazz-as-they-try-to-avoid-rebuild" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tumultuous offseason</a>. Uncertain futures of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert cloud what has been an impressive run over the last few years. Now, it seems to be reaching a decision point one way or another between Mitchell and Gobert. Going off multiple reports, if Mitchell gets his way, New York Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant will be the new lead voice in Utah while Gobert is shipped off elsewhere.
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Outside of the star angles in Utah, the team's roster has a lot of talent that could net value for executive Danny Ainge. Bojan Bogdanovic immediately stands out as one of those premier assets to flip on a $19.2 million expiring contract. Entering his age-33 season, Bogdanovic could be the main piece utilized by the Jazz to bring in more all-around versatility and/or youth.
In this scenario, Utah and Atlanta strike a deal involving Bogdanovic for Danilo Gallinari&rsquo;s barely-guaranteed $21 million salary and Atlanta's first-round pick at No. 16 overall. The Jazz net a top-20 pick while Atlanta gets a win-now piece to surround its superstar point guard.
Jazz receive: Danilo Gallinari, No. 16 overall
Hawks receive: Bojan Bogdanovic
Luguentz Dort
Oklahoma City is already making moves before draft night arrives a little over a week from now. The Thunder acquired veteran forward JaMychal Green from the Denver Nuggets in a salary dump. OKC sent the Nuggets the No. 30 overall pick in exchange for a 2027 protected first-rounder and Green. With so many future draft picks at their disposal as they embark on this historic rebuild attempt, the Thunder need to consolidate some of them due to current roster construction. With so much young talent already on the roster, it was going to be impossible to fit in more than a few extra rookies.
Rumors have been picking up steam around Shaedon Sharpe, which easily could be a smokescreen because of OKC&rsquo;s history. Sharpe&rsquo;s fit with the Thunder actually makes a lot of sense, though, plus ESPN&rsquo;s Jonathan Givony said the interest is mutual. Operating under the assumption that Chet Holmgren is selected by them at No. 2, imagine if the Thunder could also snag Sharpe as well in a trade-up? Instantly, OKC would be a major draft-night winner.
Sharpe&rsquo;s arrival would probably mean Lu Dort could be sent out in the same deal, especially to make Portland move back five spots in this scenario. Dort is entering the final year of his deal and is extension-eligible. Although losing Dort would be a major blow, getting Holmgren and Sharpe to go with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey would bring immense hope to Oklahoma City.
Thunder receive: No. 7 overall, Keon Johnson
Trail Blazers receive: No. 12 overall, Luguentz Dort
Trade speculation is only beginning with the offseason cycle now picking up full steam. Stay tuned to BasketballNews.com as we&rsquo;ll have you covered all offseason.
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With the NBA Draft less than two weeks away and buzz picking up, are there any names who could be trade candidates?

Analyzing 5 players who could be traded during the 2022 NBA Draft

Denver is trading F JaMychal Green and a protected 2027 first-round pick to Oklahoma City for the No. 30 pick in this month&rsquo;s NBA Draft and two future second-round picks, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1536385675582267392?s=21&amp;t=-iw6BCdOXnO0aW34AyOCRA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN</a>. Nuggets have No. 21 and 30 in this draft now and Thunder has Nos. 2, 12 and 34.
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ESPN Sources: Denver is trading F JaMychal Green and a protected 2027 first-round pick to Oklahoma City for the No. 30 pick in this month&rsquo;s NBA Draft and two future second-round picks. Nuggets have No. 21 and 30 in this draft now and Thunder has Nos. 2, 12 and 34.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1536385675582267392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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After the trade was completed, Wojnarowski added that Green is expected to exercise his $8.2M contract for 2022-2023. The deal gives Nuggets flexibility to use a $6.4M tax mid-level exception or an $8.2M trade exception in offseason. Nuggets expect to be a tax-paying team. Thunder have $31M in cap space to absorb Green salary.
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Green is expected to exercise his $8.2M contract for 2022-2023. Deal gives Nuggets flexibility to use a $6.4M tax mid-level exception or an $8.2M trade exception in offseason. Nuggets expect to be a tax-paying team. Thunder have $31M in cap space to absorb Green salary.
&mdash; Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) <a href="https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1536386388056190977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2022</a></blockquote>

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ANALYSIS:&nbsp;Reading between the lines here, this sounds like an ode of confidence that Michael Porter Jr.'s injury issues will be a thing of the past. Green plays basically the exact same positions as MPJ and Denver relied on him in their rotation. Trading him away indicates that they believe Porter will be ready to take on a heavier load when the 2022-23 season starts.

The Nuggets have traded JaMychal Green to the Thunder for the 30th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.