Richard Jefferson says he's retiring as a champion

Richard Jefferson is reportedly retiring from the game
of basketball.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Richard Jefferson is an NBA champion, and that's how he says his career will end.

The Cleveland forward told Fox Sports Ohio after Game 7 of the NBA Finals that he is retiring. Jefferson turns 36 on Tuesday, and just completed his 15th NBA season.

Jefferson was the No. 13 pick in the 2001 NBA draft. He spent his first seven seasons with New Jersey, and also played for San Antonio, Milwaukee, Utah, Golden State and Dallas before coming to Cleveland.

After the Cavaliers beat Golden State on Sunday night for the title, Jefferson offered emotional praise for finals MVP LeBron James, saying he owes his "entire basketball career to him."

"To be able to get on a team and walk in with a guy that says he's going to be able to carry you and bring me here, I owe everything, every shot, every play, everything I've ever done to that man," Jefferson said. 

Warriors' Curry, Kerr each fined $25,000

NBA Release.

NEW YORK - Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and head coach Steve Kerr have each been fined $25,000 for separate incidents, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Curry has been fined $25,000 for throwing his mouthpiece into the spectator stands. The incident, which resulted in a technical foul and subsequent ejection for

Curry, occurred with 4:22 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Warriors' 115-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game 6 of The Finals on June 16 at Quicken Loans Arena.

Kerr has been fined $25,000 for public criticism of the officiating during his press conference following the same game.

Curry gets ejected late, Warriors lose Game 6 of NBA Finals

CLEVELAND (AP) — Ayesha Curry was angry about getting into Game 6 of the NBA Finals later than she planned. Stephen Curry was steaming when he left the game earlier than he wanted.

A tough night for the Curry family.

A tougher night for the Golden State Warriors.

Stephen Curry, the league's two-time reigning MVP, was in foul trouble most of the way and thought most of the calls were in error — especially the one when he fouled out and got ejected for good measure for a combination of throwing his mouthpiece and berating referee Jason Phillips. It was an inglorious end to a troubling Thursday night, one where the Warriors lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-101 in Game 6 to knot the title series at 3-3.

"I've never been ejected before. It was a weird feeling," Curry said. "It was just frustration and kind of hilarious the way that the last two fouls and me blowing up kind of unfolded, some of the things that were said out there."

He was laughing a bit then, but this is no joke: The legacy of this season for the Warriors hinges entirely on the Game 7 that awaits on Sunday night.

The Warriors haven't lost three straight all season. No team in NBA Finals history has ever blown a 3-1 lead . And Golden State better hope both of those things still ring true after the 1,316th and final game of the season, or else their record-setting 73-win regular season will be overshadowed by the memory of not being able to take home the biggest prize.

"Let me be clear: We did not lose because of the officiating," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "They totally outplayed us and Cleveland deserved to win. But three of the six fouls (called on Curry) were incredibly inappropriate calls for anybody, much less the MVP of the league."

Draymond Green was a nonfactor, Harrison Barnes couldn't make a shot and Andre Iguodala's back was so balky that he often winced when he moved and needed treatment multiple times during the game.

They were battered, they were beaten, and they were livid afterward.

Kerr will surely get fined for criticizing officials; his comments on Curry and how Phillips fell for what the Warriors thought was a LeBron James flop will cost the coach of the year $25,000 — money well spent if the Warriors win Game 7.

Curry will also likely face a fine for throwing the mouthpiece that struck a fan sitting courtside — if league precedent in such matters holds. Curry immediately apologized to the fan and it appeared that he and Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue were sharing a laugh about the incident in the immediate moments that followed.

"I've thrown my mouthpiece before," Curry said. "I usually aim at the scorer's table. I was off-aim. ... But the last two fouls I had, I didn't think I fouled either Kyrie (Irving) or LeBron. That's my perception of the plays and I had a reaction to it."

Golden State never led, faced their largest end-of-first-quarter deficit of the entire season and now will have an unimaginable amount of pressure when Sunday night's winner-take-all game rolls gets played at Oracle Arena.

"No, we're fine," Green said. "It's a new game. Game 7 at home. If you ask any player and coach in the league, if they have Game 7 at home for the NBA championship they'll take it."

Curry led the Warriors with 30 points, and Klay Thompson finished with 25 yet neither ever seemed to get totally on track. The other three Golden State starters — Green (8), Iguodala (5) and Barnes (0 for 8 from the field, 0 points) — combined for 13 points.

Golden State trailed 31-9 late in the first quarter before getting within eight points later in the half, then trailed by 24 in the third quarter and eventually cut that deficit down to 86-79 early in the fourth, albeit in vain.

"Just didn't go our way," Curry said.

James was unstoppable, dominating play at both ends and finishing with 41 points for the second consecutive game. Tristan Thompson made all six of his shots and finished with 15 points and 16 rebounds for Cleveland — which outrebounded the Warriors 45-35.

Ayesha Curry got to her seat just before tipoff, tweeting out that the bus carrying her and other Warriors' family members wasn't getting into the arena very quickly.

So the start of the night set her off, and the way it ended was worse.

"I've lost all respect sorry this is absolutely rigged for money... Or ratings in not sure which," Ayesha Curry tweeted just before the final buzzer, a post she deleted after a few minutes and around 80,000 retweets. "I won't be silent . Just saw it live sry."

She'll see another game live on Sunday night. It'll decide the season.

James, Irving each score 41, Cavs stay alive in NBA Finals

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Booed every time he touched the ball, LeBron James cut through Golden State's defense and made layups look easy. Dunks and 3-pointers, so smooth, too.

And Kyrie Irving also completely had his way with the Warriors.

King James and Irving thoroughly overpowered the defending champions from every spot on the floor, and the Cavaliers are still alive to chase that elusive championship.

The unflappable, determined-as-ever James had 41 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists, Irving also scored 41 points and Cleveland capitalized on the absence of suspended star Draymond Green, staving off NBA Finals elimination with a 112-97 victory in Game 5 on Monday night.

"We had a mindset that we wanted to come here and just extend our period and have another opportunity to fight for another day," James said. "That was our main concern, and we were able to do that."

James and Irving became the first teammates to score 40 points in an NBA Finals game as the Cavaliers pulled within 3-2 and sent their best-of-seven series back to Ohio.

Afterward, sitting side by side on the podium, they offered back-and-forth shoutouts, with James noting of Irving, "It's probably one of the greatest performances I've ever seen live."

Take that, haters. James has much more to say about these playoffs before he's done — and not with his mouth, even as the criticism came from all directions following his Game 4 tussle with Green and reaction to what he considered the Golden State forward's inappropriate words. James was booed again as the Cavs left the court for their locker room, but thousands of fans had already made for the exits minutes earlier.

"Now, mind you, to repeat a performance like this would definitely be tough, but whatever it takes to win," Irving said.

Cleveland handed Golden State just its fourth defeat all season at sold-out Oracle Arena, denying MVP Stephen Curry and the Warriors a chance to celebrate another championship with their golden-clad "Strength In Numbers" supporters. Now, Curry and Co. must try to win on the road, just the way the Warriors did last year and also in their only other championship season out West in 1975.

The Warriors will get Green back Thursday as they try again for that repeat title.

"I kind of like our position," coach Steve Kerr said. "... I like our position a lot better than theirs."

Banned from the arena, Green watched from a baseball suite in the Oakland Coliseum next door, joined by Golden State general manager Bob Myers.

The All-Star forward was suspended Sunday for his fourth flagrant point of the postseason. He was assessed a retroactive Flagrant-1 for his swipe at James in the fourth quarter of Friday's Game 4.

Tied 61-all at halftime Monday, the Warriors missed 14 of their first 20 shots out of intermission and shot 7 for 24 in the third as James and the Cavs grabbed command by doing all of the little things on both ends of the floor — the very intangibles Golden State desperately missed without Green's high-energy presence on both ends. James jumped in the passing lanes to create defensive havoc, flipped passes around and got open.

Klay Thompson scored 37 points with six 3-pointers and Curry added 25 points with five 3s, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. But as the game wore on, the Splash Brothers shot airballs and clanked 3-point tries off the front rim. The Warriors often failed to get a hand in the face of Cleveland's shooters.

"We weren't very good defensively," Kerr said. "We obviously knew we were without Draymond, so there's no point in harping on that. We had to play better, and we didn't."

James and Irving combined to shoot 33 for 54, while the Warriors went cold and finished 36.4 percent from the field. James also had three steals and three blocked shots.

Andre Iguodala had 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists starting in place of Green, but Oakland must hold off in planning another victory parade for now.

"We like our chances going forward and continuing to just try to be us, the best we can, and get one more win," Curry said.

Warriors center Andrew Bogut went down early in the third grabbing his left knee and writhing in pain, and will have an MRI exam on his sprained knee Tuesday.

Irving's three-point play with 7:30 remaining put Cleveland ahead 102-92, and the Cavs kept pushing. They answered on offense and made all the key stops on defense.

"It obviously stings real bad," Thompson said. "We'll come back stronger."

MOMENT OF SILENCE

Former Orlando Magic star Grant Hill spoke on behalf of the NBA in offering support, thoughts and prayers to victims in the Orlando mass shooting before a moment of silence.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Kevin Love returned to the starting lineup for the first time since sustaining a concussion in Game 2 here on June 5. ... James extended his NBA-record streak to 26 straight playoff series with at least one road win. ... James played his 197th postseason game, tying him with Manu Ginobili for No. 9 on the NBA's career list. He also passed Elgin Baylor (1,724) for No. 9 on the rebounds list.

Warriors: Golden State committed 17 turnovers. ... The Warriors had won their last four against the Cavs on their home court, outscoring Cleveland by a combined 48 points in Games 1 and 2 of these finals. ... Golden State had its streak of six straight Game 5 victories in the postseason dating to last year's Western Conference semifinals snapped.

2016 NBA Mock Draft - v1.0

Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com on May 27 released his Mock Draft for the 2016 NBA Draft.

The following is his complete mock draft.

1. Philadelphia 76ers

Brandon Ingram | Duke | SF | 6-9 | 200

Philadelphia's need for scoring gives Ingram the edge over Ben Simmons in what many teams consider a close call for who goes No. 1. Ingram was smooth as a freshman, with enough ball-handling skills to create his own shot on the perimeter or play above the rim when he moves inside. Even with rough patches in his transition to college, the NBA finds it easy to envision a small forward with great size who will need to get stronger as he gets older. Ingram does not turn 19 until September, just before training camp. "You can't expect anything out of him next year," a GM said. "He's so weak it's crazy."

2. Los Angeles Lakers

Ben Simmons | LSU | PF | 6-10 | 245

While Julius Randle just averaged 10.2 rebounds in his first full season, Simmons' versatile offensive game allows him to fit almost anywhere. And if the 76ers pick Simmons, Ingram is a great fit for Los Angeles. The increased public visibility once Simmons reached college, as opposed to simply being tracked by the NBA from his native Australia to high school in Florida, was followed by the inevitable backlash. But Simmons was the consensus No. 1 at the start of the season and held the spot as his LSU one-and-done ended with the Tigers missing the NCAA tournament and saying they would not accept an invitation to one of the smaller postseason events. There are concerns about an attitude that comes across as, in the words of one GM, prima donna.

3. Boston Celtics

Dragan Bender | Israel | PF | 7-1 | 220

For all the talk about the possibility of the 76ers and/or Lakers making deals, the Celtics are probably the best candidate of all as a team pushing to get in position for a long playoff run now. The obvious need of adding outside shooting, especially behind the arc, puts Buddy Hield in the mix for the top three. But some teams think Bender has a chance to be great and one GM said he could easily see the Croatian becoming the best player in the draft in time. Bender is not Kristaps Porzingis no matter how many people want to make the comparison -- Bender is a better distributor, Porzingis has better range -- but the offense is very intriguing.

4. Phoenix Suns

Jaylen Brown | California | SF | 6-7 | 220

It's easy to see the Suns considering several different directions here. Brown has the kind of elite athleticism that translates into a great open-court player, a good rebounder for a wing and the potential to be a high-level defender, all with good size for a small forward. That package came through even as he shared time with Ivan Rabb, a possible lottery pick before deciding to return to school, and Tyrone Wallace, who should get drafted. Brown was the Pacific 12 Conference Freshman of the Year.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Buddy Hield | Oklahoma | SG | 6-4 | 215

The first pick by new head of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau could be a potential defensive standout like Kris Dunn to fit the style of new coach Tom Thibodeau. But upgrading the 3-point game is a Minnesota priority, and that's Hield. Think he'd get some open looks playing with Karl-Anthony Towns andAndrew Wiggins? One of the stars of the college game in 2015-16, Hield is a versatile and explosive threat who can score in transition or as a catch-and-shoot guy in half-court sets. He gets to the rim and creates on the perimeter, with the added benefit of four seasons in a major program and being 22 years old. In short, Hield will be one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft.

6. New Orleans Pelicans

Jakob Poeltl | Utah | C | 7-0 | 235

New Orleans has to go center somewhere this offseason, whether the draft, trade or free agency. Poeltl has the chance to put Austria on the NBA map after two seasons on the college fast track from unheralded recruit to possibly the first half of the lottery. Playing for former NBA big man Larry Krystkowiak at Utah, Poeltl showed he can be a bruising inside presence, especially on defense while appearing not only able to handle the contact but enjoying the chance to initiate it. He has been working to develop an offensive game, the area where his lack of experience most showed, but is the kind of worker who will put in the time to get better.

7. Denver Nuggets

Jamal Murray | Kentucky | SG-PG | 6-5 | 200

The latest installment of the recent Canadian influx into the NBA is the 2016 version of D'Angelo Russell, lacking great athleticism while projecting as a versatile guard with good size and natural instincts as a passer but also the scoring ability to play off the ball. Murray is more shooting guard than point guard. He shot 40.8 behind the arc as part of a big second half that included 11 consecutive games with at least 20 points. His work as a ball handler needs to get much better, though -- Murray had more turnovers (84) than assists (79).

8. Sacramento Kings

Kris Dunn | Providence | PG | 6-4 | 205

The decision to return for his junior season took Dunn from possible lottery pick in 2015 to an automatic for the top 10 barring an unexpected development. Some teams talked about him as a possibility for No. 3 based on defense and maturity, but he is a very good fit in Sacramento. Even if Rajon Rondo re-signs, it's not like he will be around for many years. And if Rondo does not return, Dunn could possibly move right into the opening lineup at age 22 and more developed physically and emotionally than most from the draft class. "He's good enough to start for a good team as a rookie," an executive said.

9. Toronto Raptors

Henry Ellenson | Marquette | PF-C | 6-10 | 230

Having a lottery pick, thanks to a trade with the Knicks, while playing in a conference final is house money. The Raptors have a veteran roster that would allow Skal Labissiere or Timothe Luwawu to develop mostly behind the scenes, and general manager Masai Ujiri is a risk taker in a way that could push him to Labissiere. But Ellenson is a big man who has the mobility to handle an up-tempo system as well as the strength to play physical. That makes for the potential a very good draft follow up for the state of Wisconsin a year after Frank Kaminsky went ninth and Sam Dekkerwent 18th.

10. Milwaukee Bucks

Deyonta Davis | Michigan State | PF | 6-10 |240

His college coach, Tom Izzo, raved about Davis' high ceiling, with the supporting evidence of a freshman continuing to improve while being held back by persistent foul trouble early in the season. Though not much of an offensive threat now, especially beyond the paint, Davis showed the potential to develop a perimeter game. Rebounding and blocking shots has driven the rise from late-first round in January into solid lottery territory.

11. Orlando Magic

Skal Labissiere | Kentucky | C-PF | 7-0 | 220

High-risk, high-reward. Labissiere was the second-best prospect at worst at the start of the season, and No. 1 in the eyes of some execs, and had a bad start that caused his draft stock to plummet. His skills are not the issue. "Does he love to play?" one general manager said. "That's the question." An encouraging finish to the season helped, but teams will want to see desire in the individual workouts.

12. Utah Jazz

Timothe Luwawu | Serbia | SG-SF | 6-7 | 205

Luwawu made his big move last year playing in his native France, then built on that in 2015-16 against tougher competition with a varied offensive game of scoring and passing. His size would be an asset in the backcourt, with enough athleticism that he won't be a liability on defense against smaller, quicker shooting guards. With little experience before this season other than the lesser French leagues, not even as part of the national teams at a junior level, he has had to ease concerns about the jump in competition.

13. Phoenix Suns

Marquese Chriss | Washington | PF | 6-9 | 235

Chriss surprised even himself in coming so far so fast as a freshman, using advanced athleticism and a decent perimeter game to charge up draft boards. Teams like to see a prospect trending up, and that's Chriss in a big way. But he is not a good rebounder for a power forward and he fouled out in 15 of 34 games.

14. Chicago Bulls

Furkan Korkmaz | Turkey | SG | 6-7 | 185

Korkmaz is a scoring threat beyond the 3-point line and also a talented and willing passer, a nice combination for someone with good size for a shooting guard with the chance to keep growing. He needs to add bulk more than height, but is still only 18 and could fill out in time. And if he doesn't get stronger, Korkmaz could still make a big contribution as a shooter and facilitator.

15. Denver Nuggets

Domantas Sabonis | Gonzaga | PF | 6-10 | 230

The son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis was an intriguing prospect a year ago, in the same lottery territory at 2016, before returning for his sophomore season. Domantas moves well for a big and plays hard, a combination that produces good results on the boards. He does not have much of an offensive game, especially beyond close range.

16. Boston Celtics

Denzel Valentine | Michigan State | SG | 6-6 | 225

The important part of the Final Four team in 2014-15 had a nice climb up draft boards last season with more experience and a larger role for an elite program. Valentine earned that centerpiece spot as 22-year-old senior who is smart and versatile. He shot 44.4 percent behind the arc and also easily leading the team in assists, a testament to his ability to become a secondary ball handler in the pros as well as score.

17. Memphis Grizzlies

Demetrius Jackson | Notre Dame | PG | 6-1 | 195

Memphis needs depth at point guard even if Mike Conley re-signs. Jackson has speed to play in the open court, leaping ability to play above the rim and a quick first step to create an opening. The physical advantages are especially important because he does have great size. He gives Notre Dame the chance to send a point guard into the first round for the second year in a row (after Jerian Grant went 19th last June).

18. Detroit Pistons

Damian Jones | Vanderbilt | C | 7-0 | 250

Detroit needs offense in general and especially 3-point threats, but there is no obvious answer here in the land of backup big men. Jones turns 21 the week after the draft, is more developed than many others in the class and could play behind Andre Drummond. Jones has NBA size and athleticism, the makings of being able to play up in an up-tempo system or a power game and become a shot blocker. The offense needs work.

19. Denver Nuggets

Ivica Zubac | Croatia | C | 7-0 | 240

And so begins the run of draft-and-stash players with the perfect candidate, a team making its third pick of the opening round. Zubac has an opportunity to become a solid player on both ends, with a good chance he would stay in Europe at least one more season to continue to develop. He will only be 19 at the time of the draft, yet already has good size along with excellent mobility and good hands that will allow him to play in transition.

20. Indiana Pacers

Wade Baldwin IV | Vanderbilt | PG | 6-3 | 195

The improbable rise from under-the-radar college recruit to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team has taken him all the way to the edge of the lottery, and possibly into the top 14 with good workouts, after the sophomore campaign. He is a fiery, emotional leader who tries to take control, even as a freshman. With the extra attention from defenses, though, he went from 43.9 percent overall to 42.7 and from 43.9 percent behind the arc to 40.6.

21. Atlanta Hawks

Diamond Stone | Maryland | C | 6-10 | 250

Stone built a case for the teens, and was in the lottery conversation earlier in the season, despite a relatively limited role early as a part-time starter who averaged 22.6 minutes. He turned 19 on Feb. 10 and already has NBA size as a true center, while also moving well with a large frame. That is the obvious selling point. Meanwhile, his defense is improving.

22. Charlotte Hornets

Brice Johnson | North Carolina | PF | 6-10 | 230

He coasts with frustrating regularity, enough to possibly, though not likely, be the difference between first-round talent and second-round reality. He has good scoring instincts, the experience of four seasons on Tobacco Road and good height for the position along with the leaping ability that helped him win two high school state high-jump championships in South Carolina.

23. Boston Celtics

Ante Zizic | Croatia | C | 6-11 | 240

A high-energy player with nice athleticism for a big, he runs the floor well and handles the contact of playing inside. His offensive game is still limited, though. Zizic is 19, making him an ideal draft-and-stash pick for the end of the first round. With his intensity and with time, he could become a contributor for an NBA team.

24. Philadelphia 76ers

Tyler Ulis | Kentucky | PG | 5-9 | 160

Yeah, the height. But Ulis is such a great leader that Kentucky's John Calipari called him the best floor general he has ever coached, a list that includes Derrick Rose, John Wall and Brandon Knight. Ulis was also third in the nation in assist-to-turnover two seasons ago and first in the SEC in 2015-16. NBA teams liked him as a freshman and then really liked him this season in an expanded role after Andrew Harrison went to the pros along with two other members of the Wildcats backcourt.

25. Los Angeles Clippers

Stephen Zimmerman | UNLV | C | 7-0 | 235

Size plus the ability to play in transition plus a nice touch from the perimeter plus the potential to defend both big-man spots. It's easy to see Zimmerman moving back up, after previously being in the lottery mix. The question is whether he will convince front offices he can play a physical style as well, at least on defense and go after contact rather than rely entirely on finesse. It didn't help that his freshman season was dotted by nagging injuries, illness and a coaching change.

26. Philadelphia 76ers

Juan Hernangomez | Spain | PF-SF | 6-9 | 220

The 76ers don't want a third rookie along with two possible redshirt rookies,Joel Embiid and Dario Saric, so one of the picks in the 20s is almost surely ticketed for a trade or a player to remain overseas. (If they deal No. 1, everything changes.) Hernangomez has used a season of good production to greatly help his chances of making the first round. His experience -- 20 years old now, 21 for the start of training camp -- shows. He is a good athlete who runs the floor well, plays above the rim and can score in a variety of ways. His brother Willy was the No. 35 pick by the 76ers last year and traded the same night to the Knicks.

27. Toronto Raptors

Taurean Prince | Baylor | SF | 6-7 | 215

The same player who began high school at a 5-9 guard and left as a 6-7 center has made similar strides in college, even if not on the growth chart. Prince will leave Baylor as one of the top seniors in the nation as a 3D prospect on the wing -- three-pointers and defense, although he did drop from 39.5 percent behind the arc in 2014-15 to 36.1 last season.

28. Phoenix Suns

Cheick Diallo | Kansas | PF | 6-9 | 220

The Mali native who attended high school in New York had a very choppy freshman season at Kansas, from missing two exhibitions and five games as the NCAA sorted through eligibility issues to undependable play once he was cleared. There were stretches when just staying on the court was a challenge, and he averaged 7.5 minutes. But athleticism, size and potential on defense makes him a very intriguing prospect. While it would not be a surprise if he dropped out of the first round, some team will be lured by the physical tools to invest intensive coaching and a lot of NBA D-League time.

29. San Antonio Spurs

Dejounte Murray | Washington | PG-SG | 6-5 |170

He excels in transition, whether pushing the ball himself or running the wing and staying in attack mode. That is comes through at 170 pounds is especially appealing to front offices that expect him to fill out and get stronger. Poor shooting is the problem. Murray made just 41.6 percent of his attempts overall and 28.8 percent of his 3s.

30. Golden State Warriors

Zhou Qi | China | C | 7-2 | 210

Zhou said he can make a smooth transition to the United States even if it not in a city with a large Chinese population, so ending up in the Bay Area would simply be a bonus. Similarly, it would not be a marketing move by the Warriors. (Like they need one.) Zhou needs to bulk up, but someone will probably invest a weightlifting regiment and patience around the end of the first round or the start of the second for a 7-2 prospect with agility. Chances are good Golden State, looking for cap flexibility heading into free agency, will pick a player to stay overseas, whether Zhou or someone else.

LeBron, Cavaliers on the ropes after Game 4 loss to Warriors

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James said Game 4 was another "do-or-die" scenario for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He can only hope he was wrong.

The NBA Finals have all but slipped away from James and the Cavaliers, an offensive disaster of a fourth quarter their undoing in what became a 108-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 on Friday night. Cleveland now trails the series 3-1, a deficit that no team has ever successfully overcome in the championship round.

Game 5 is Monday in Oakland, where the defending champion Warriors are 50-3 this season. If Cleveland is going to pull off this miracle, it'll need to win there twice.

So it's not over.

It only seems that way, and James' all-too-familiar June nightmare is one loss away from being officially complete — though he certainly didn't sound Friday night that the series was over.

"We feel like the chips have been stacked up against us all year anyway," James said.

This is James' seventh trip to the finals, and barring the most improbable of comebacks this will be his fifth time watching someone else hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy. He'll likely be blamed for yet another setback, even though he's averaging 24.7 points, 11 rebounds and 9.3 assists in this series. He told the Cavaliers to follow his lead, took the blame when they fell behind 2-0 in the series, has tried to say and do all the right things.

"We're just trying our best," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "He's a freight train out there. We have certain rules and we're trying to follow our rules ... but no matter what you do, he's going to have a huge stat line and he's going to impact the game 1,000 different ways."

True, but the Warriors are one win from denying him again. It went six games last year when the Cavaliers didn't have Kevin Love for the entirety of the series and Kyrie Irving for most of the matchup. This one could end in five even though Irving has played well for much of this matchup and Love returned to the lineup for Game 4 after missing essentially six quarters with a concussion.

"If you don't think we can win, don't get on the plane," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said, when asked what the approach is now. "I just think we've got to come back anyway, so we might as well come back and play. We've got to come back to Cleveland, don't we?"

Cleveland was threatening to take control early in the third of Game 4, leading by eight. Less than 30 seconds later, the lead was down to two.

Stephen Curry 3-pointer. Splash.

Klay Thompson 3-pointer. Splash.

The Warriors suddenly had life. Cleveland's lead was 83-81 when James scored with 10:21 left, and it was about seven minutes before the Cavaliers managed another field goal. A 12-1 run in the fourth put the Warriors on top for good, and that 11-point margin was the exact difference between the teams when time expired.

"I went with my best players in the fourth quarter ... and it didn't work," Lue said.

All James could do then was glumly slap hands with a few of his teammates, his face hardly showing any emotion. Fans started leaving long before the final horn, quite possibly for the final time this season.

The Eastern Conference championship banner for this season is already swaying from the rafters in Quicken Loans Arena, and "2015-16" has been added to the banner displaying Central Division titles next to that one.

James delivered those. The one he wants most may be out of reach, but the Warriors aren't writing him off.

"At any moment, the guy can just turn into an uncontainable player," Warriors guard Andre Iguodala said. "You've got to have the appropriate fear."

A team that calls the Cavs' arena home might win a championship this weekend, though it won't exactly become worldwide news if the Lake Erie Monsters — the Columbus Blue Jackets' affiliate in the American Hockey League — finish off a sweep of the Hershey Bears and hoist the Calder Cup on Saturday night.

It'll be nice, but it's not the title Cleveland craves.

Since the Cleveland Browns won their last football title in 1964 — the championship game wasn't even known as the Super Bowl then — Cleveland has experienced 147 NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL opening days with title dreams that ultimately were dashed. (Yes, an NHL team was briefly here.) Over that span, 56 different franchises in the four biggest U.S. sports leagues have at least one championship.

James returned to Cleveland after four successful years in Miami to end that drought.

His summer might start as early as Monday, the drought still there. But for now, all James is thinking about is Game 5.

"We've got to come in with the mindset that our coaching staff will give us a great gameplan," James said. "And we'll execute that."

LeBron scores 32, Cavs wallop Warriors 120-90 in Game 3

CLEVELAND (AP) — Crawling on the floor after a loose ball, LeBron James gathered himself and quickly got to his feet.

He stood tall, and so did the Cavaliers.

James had 32 points and 11 rebounds, Kyrie Irving added 30 points and Cleveland, pushed for 48 minutes by a delirious, championship-starved crowd, hammered the Golden State Warriors 120-90 in Game 3 on Wednesday night to pull within 2-1 in the NBA Finals.

On their home floor, where they have been dominant all postseason, the Cavs recovered from a 33-point loss in Game 2 and yanked their season from the brink of disaster following back-to-back blowouts in the Bay Area.

"We finally got back to our game," said James, whose energy from the start electrified 20,000 fans, and most importantly his teammates. "It was a good flow, a collective team win."

They Cavs did it without starting forward Kevin Love, with little help from their bench and by keeping Stephen Curry penned in.

The league's MVP was mostly MIA, scoring 19 points — two in the first half — on 6-of-13 shooting. Harrison Barnes scored 18 and Klay Thompson 10 for the Warriors, who had won seven straight over Cleveland — the first two finals games by a combined 48 points — and came back to the birthplace of rock and roll looking to party like they did after winning the title in Quicken Loans Arena last year.

The Cavs, though, have made this a series after it appeared the Warriors were on the fast track to another crown.

James had called it "do or die" for Cleveland.

Done and living.

The Warriors didn't look anything like the team that won a record 73 games during the regular season or the one that overcame a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference finals.

"We were soft," said coach Steve Kerr. "When you're soft, you get beat on the glass and turn the ball over."

Curry didn't offer any excuses, but the two-time MVP hasn't been himself so far in this series.

"I've got to play 100 times better than that," he said, dismissing any notion he's slowed by injuries. "I'm fine. Not the way we wanted the night to go."

Irving bounced back from two rough games out West, J.R. Smith made five 3-pointers and Tristan Thompson did the dirty work inside, getting 13 rebounds for the Cavs, who improved to 8-0 at home and can even the series with a win in Game 4 on Friday night.

The Cavs hardly missed Love, still suffering from a concussion sustained in Game 2. He wanted to play, but is still in the NBA's concussion protocol and has not yet been cleared to return by league and team doctors.

Coach Tyronn Lue started veteran Richard Jefferson and moved James into Love's power forward spot, giving the Cavs a smaller lineup better equipped to run with the Warriors.

The 35-year-old Jefferson gave the Cavs a huge boost in 33 minutes, scoring nine points with eight rebounds.

Leading by eight at half, Cleveland took control in the third quarter when James and Irving combined on a play that symbolized the Cavs' resurrection.

Scrambling on his hands and knees while for a ball near midcourt, James got to his feet and whipped a pass to Irving on the left side. Irving returned a lob to James, who leaped high and flushed it with his right hand, a basket that seemed to erase all that went wrong for the Cavs in California.

"I wanted to see something great," Irving said of high pass, which forced James to soar. "It was awesome."

Said James, "I had to go get it."

The Cavs had to get Game 3, and James gathered his teammates in the hallway with some instructions.

"Follow my lead from the beginning!" he screamed. "And do your job!"

The Cavs listened, scoring the game's first nine points and opening a 20-point lead in the first quarter, rattling the Warriors.

"They just punched us right in the mouth," Kerr said.

BLOWOUT CITY

The Warriors won the opener 15, Game 2 by 33 and then lost by 30. What gives?

"It's the NBA," Kerr said. "This is how it is. As Gregg Popovich used to tell me, the other guys make millions of dollars to play too."

PICKED OFF

Klay Thompson left briefly in the first quarter with a thigh bruise after he crashed into Cleveland's Timofey Mozgov trying to set a screen.

"It seemed kind of dirty to me," Thompson said. "He stuck his knee out, too."

SIT DOWN

Curry was beaten on two back cuts early in the game and was benched by Kerr.

"I would have done the same thing," Curry said. "He's trying to figure out a way to get me going."

TIP-INS

Warriors: Are 0-4 in Game 3s in these playoffs. Golden State is 2-6 in Game 3s over the past two seasons and 28-5 in all other games. ... Kerr became emotional before the game when paying his respects to Sean Rooks, his former Arizona teammate who died Tuesday at the age of 46.

Cavaliers: Have won their eight home games in these playoffs by an average 22 points. ... Cleveland is 13-0 when scoring 100 points in this postseason. ... James has 82 career 30-point games in the playoffs, third most all-time. Only Michael Jordan (109) and Kobe Bryant (88) have more. ... Lue said he doesn't pay any attention to the all the outside second-guessing about his lineups. "I don't care," he said. "They (critics) should be coaches."

Cavs' Love out for Game 3 of NBA Finals with concussion

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers say forward Kevin Love won't play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors because of a concussion.

Love, who was injured in Sunday's Game 2, took part in the team's shootaround Wednesday morning, a positive step toward his return to the floor. But the 27-year-old has not been cleared by doctors and will miss Game 3 on Wednesday night.

Love has been following the league's concussion protocol since he was diagnosed with the head injury, a result of him taking an elbow to the back of the head from Warriors forward Harrison Barnes.

According to the protocol, Love is required to gradually increase his physical activity and remain symptom free before he can be cleared.

Love is averaging 16.5 points and a team-leading 9.4 rebounds in 16 postseason games. He missed the finals last year after dislocating his left shoulder earlier in the playoffs and undergoing surgery.

Warriors whip Cavaliers 110-77 to take 2-0 NBA Finals lead

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Draymond Green emphatically flexed his bulging biceps with big plays on both ends of the floor, and these Golden State Warriors might just be far too strong for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

That repeat title Golden State has spoken of since the very start more than eight months ago is suddenly two wins from reality.

It will be the only way the Warriors' record-setting season ends right. For now, they sure seem unstoppable.

Green had 28 points with five 3-pointers, seven rebounds and five assists, while MVP Stephen Curry scored 18 points despite foul trouble, and Golden State thoroughly overwhelmed Cleveland 110-77 in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

"There's no point in celebrating or jumping up and down saying, 'Look at us.' We're two games away from winning a championship, but we still have to go out and get the job done," Curry said. "It's a trap to think that we've figured things out, that we have the perfect formula to beat Cleveland and they have no chance in the series. That's not how we're supposed to think."

The 33-point win was the Warriors' most lopsided ever in a finals game — and they have won the first two by a combined 48 points.

"They just beat us," LeBron James said. "We didn't win anything. No points of the game did we beat them in anything."

Once the Splash Brothers found their shooting touch, Cleveland couldn't keep up. Klay Thompson got hot after halftime to finish with 17 points as Golden State became the first team to go ahead 2-0 in the finals since the Lakers in 2009 against Orlando.

Now, the series shifts to Cleveland, and James and the Cavs must show up for Game 3 on Wednesday in front of their title-starved fans down 2-0 to the defending champs and with forward Kevin Love dealing with a head injury.

"We've got to be tougher," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said.

The NBA said Love experienced dizziness early in the second half and left for the locker room to be re-examined, then was placed in the NBA's concussion protocol. He hadn't exhibited any symptoms before then, even after taking an elbow to the back of the head from Harrison Barnes in the second quarter and going down for several minutes before returning following a timeout. He immediately made a baseline 3-pointer for the Cavs' first basket in nearly 5½ minutes.

After a scoreless first quarter when he missed all five shots but had five assists, James scored 14 of his 19 points in the second and also finished with nine assists and eight rebounds, but seven turnovers — and he took the blame. James' teams had won nine straight postseason Game 2s after losing the series opener dating back to a loss in the 2008 Eastern Conference semifinals to Boston.

"I'm definitely surprised at the margin of victory tonight," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "It happens in the NBA, sometimes things get away from you. Sometimes shots go in, sometimes they don't. ... Everything changes when we go to Cleveland, we know that."

After Curry and Thompson combined for only 20 points in Thursday's 104-89 Game 1 win on 8-for-27 shooting and the bench carried the load, they each hit four 3-pointers and went 13 for 24. And Curry got a postgame treat: He exchanged jerseys with Barcelona and Brazil soccer star Neymar.

Green shot 11 for 20 and made 5 of 8 3-pointers, sparking a suggestion he might apply to be a Splash Brother alongside fellow All-Stars Curry and Thompson.

"Stop it," Green said with a chuckle.

"Tonight, he's one of us," Thompson said.

The Warriors' 87 victories matched the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, the team Golden State topped for the most regular-season victories in NBA history with 73.

Andrew Bogut had four of his five blocks — Golden State had nine overall — in the first 7:15 and received a standing ovation when he came out with 3:50 left in the first. He went to the locker room late in the quarter after having hit his hand on the rim early and grimacing in pain.

Green credited the defense for holding down James and Co.

While the outspoken swingman insists he just wants rings and isn't yet ready to consider the Warriors among the best of all time, the typically quiet Thompson let loose a little.

"We're better than the Showtime Lakers," he quipped, a friendly jab at former power forward father, Mychal.

OUCH

Andre Iguodala, the 2015 finals MVP, took another hard hit to the groin in the first quarter on an offensive foul called against James, causing the Warriors forward to grimace in pain. Matthew Dellavedova got Iguodala in the same area in Game 1.

REMEMBERING THE GREATEST

A moment of silence was held for late boxing great Muhammad Ali, who died Friday night at an Arizona hospital. Photos of Ali showed on the main scoreboard ahead of the national anthem.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: James' career-best 25 straight postseason games scoring 20 or more points was snapped. ... James played in his 194th postseason game, passing Karl Malone and Danny Ainge (193 each) for 10th place on the career list. His first-quarter steal also moved James past John Stockton (338) at fourth place for career postseason steals.

Warriors: Bogut's four blocks in the first were the most in one finals quarter since Ben Wallace's five for Detroit during Game 3 against San Antonio in 2005. ... The Warriors committed six of their 21 turnovers in the first quarter alone after having only nine all of Game 1.

Warriors' supporting cast leads Game 1 NBA Finals win

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry realizes every last man on the bench can mean so much to winning a championship.

As he and Klay Thompson endured rare off nights that even featured Curry tossing his mouthpiece in frustration, the MVP's "Strength In Numbers" supporting cast made all the timely shots and all the difference for the defending champions in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Draymond Green had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, Shaun Livingston scored a personal postseason best of 20 and Golden State's bench came up big as the Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night to move three wins from a repeat title.

The Splash Brothers? They totaled — gasp! — 20 points on 8-for-27 shooting, each knocking down a late 3-pointer.

"You don't win championships without the entire squad coming in and making an impact on games," Curry said. "That's why we're here."

Golden State's bench outscored the Cavs' reserves 45-10 in the opener of this finals rematch, which the Warriors reached even with Curry missing six games with injuries in the postseason.

Game 2 is Sunday night back at Oracle Arena, and James knows Cleveland must adjust immediately.

"When you get outscored 45-10 on the bench and give up 25 points off 17 turnovers, no matter what someone does or doesn't do, it's going to be hard to win, especially on the road," James said. "Don't matter what you do with Steph and Klay, don't matter what you do with Draymond."

In a series with so much star power on both sides, this was a night for Livingston and fellow reserves Leandro Barbosa and Andre Iguodala. Barbosa returned from a minor back injury to shoot 5 for 5 on the way to 11 points, while 2015 finals MVP Iguodala had 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and some stingy defense on James.

"We play a lot of people, and we feel like we have a lot of talent on the bench that can come in and score when we need it," coach Steve Kerr said. "So it's a great sign, obviously, that we can win in the finals without those two guys having big games, but it's not really that surprising to us. This has been our team the last couple of years."

It made for a strong start while surrounded by those thousands of golden yellow "Strength in Numbers" T-shirts worn by the raucous fans throughout sold-out Oracle.

"That's our motto. That's what we believe in," Livingston said. "We pick each other up. We believe in each other and we just fight."

James kicked off his sixth straight finals with 23 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, but cold-shooting Cleveland went 38.1 percent from the floor. Kyrie Irving, lost to a devastating knee injury in a Game 1 overtime defeat last year, scored 26 points, 11 on free throws.

Iguodala had moved into the starting lineup Monday for the Game 7 clincher against Oklahoma City with a primary duty of defending Kevin Durant, but went back to the bench and played 36 minutes Thursday. He shook his head in delight after a two-handed slam off a pass from Curry with 5:44 left and didn't let an aggravating, hard hit to the groin by Matthew Dellavedova derail his focus for the final quarter.

Kerr stuck with regular starter Harrison Barnes, and he delivered 13 points. Curry had 11 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Thompson scored nine points.

"I thought our guys did a great job of locking into those guys," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. "Their bench played well. So we've got to go back to the drawing board and try to figure out how to take those guys out of the game."

Kevin Love made an impressive finals debut with 17 points and 13 rebounds after missing last year's run with a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. His basket with 3:57 left in the third put the Cavs ahead before Green's dunk moments later.

With 34.1 seconds left in the third, Iguodala took issue with Dellavedova's swat into his groin that after review was ruled a personal foul and no flagrant. Iguodala knocked down a 3-pointer less than 8 seconds later and Golden State took a 74-68 lead into the final 12 minutes.

Livingston, whose remarkable comeback from a potentially career-ending left knee injury nine years ago has so inspired Kerr and many others, made a key follow shot late in the third on the way to his first 20-point performance in the postseason.

James has scored 20 or more points in a career-best 25 straight playoff games, topping his previous mark of 24 in a row from May 12, 2008, to April 25, 2010.

CLIPBOARD CHOP

Kerr karate chopped his white clipboard in half in the third quarter, frustrated how his team came out of the break as the Cavs grabbed some momentum.

He felt better afterward.

"Destruction tends to ease some of the anger," the Coach of the Year said. "So I try to take it out on a clipboard instead of a player. So it's better that way."

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: The Cavs, who were allowing 94.3 points per game, dropped to 12-3 this postseason and 5-3 on the road. ... Averaging a playoffs-high 14.4 3s per game, the Cavs shot 7 of 21 from beyond the arc.

Warriors: Longtime Cavs big man Anderson Varejao got on the floor in the opening quarter for the Warriors, the first player to have been on both finals teams in the same season. ... Andrew Bogut scored 10 points, his entire total from last year's finals. ... Curry has made a 3 in a record 52 straight postseason games.

Curry and record-setting Warriors headed back to NBA Finals

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry knocked down yet another 3-pointer in the waning moments, pulled his jersey up into his mouth and yelled to the rafters in triumph once more.

A special, record-setting season saved for the defending champs, with a memorable comeback added to the long list of accomplishments.

Splash Brothers Curry and Klay Thompson carried the 73-win Warriors right back to the NBA Finals, as Golden State rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-88 on Monday night in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals.

Now, Curry and Co. are playing for another NBA title — just as they planned since Day 1 of training camp in September.

Bring on LeBron James again.

"You appreciate how tough it is to get back here," Curry said. "You've got to be appreciative of this accomplishment, and look forward to getting four more wins."

The MVP scored 36 points with seven 3-pointers to finish with an NBA-record 32 in a seven-game series, and also had eight assists. Thompson added 21 points and six 3s, two days after his record 11 3-pointers led a Game 6 comeback that sent the series home to raucous Oracle Arena for one more.

The Warriors became the 10th team to rally from a 3-1 deficit and win a postseason series. They return to the NBA Finals for a rematch with James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who lost the 2015 title in six games as Golden State captured its first championship in 40 years.

Game 1 is Thursday night in Oakland.

"We survived by the skin of our teeth," coach Steve Kerr said. "We were able to pull it out, and we're moving on."

His signature mouthpiece dangling out and the game ball cradled in his left hand, Curry pumped his right arm as yellow confetti fell through Oracle Arena once the final buzzer sounded.

With the Thunder trailing 90-86, Serge Ibaka fouled Curry on a 3-point try with 1:18 to go and the shot clock running out. Curry made all three free throws, then that 3-pointer to seal it.

"This is who he is. Having a clutch performance in a Game 7, that's Steph Curry," Kerr said.

And Golden State's beloved "Strength In Numbers" catchphrase coined by Coach of the Year Kerr was needed in every way.

"No one ever had any doubt that we could get this done," Draymond Green said. "People have seen teams down 3-1 before but they ain't seen many. They've definitely never seen a 73-win team down 3-1."

Andre Iguodala joined the starting lineup for just the second time all season and the 2015 NBA Finals MVP hung tough against Kevin Durant, who scored 27 points on 10-for-19 shooting. Shaun Livingston's breakaway, one-handed dunk late in the third provided a big lift off the Warriors bench.

Oklahoma City won Game 1 108-102 at deafening Oracle Arena, so Golden State never envisioned this one coming easily. Russell Westbrook had 19 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds for the Thunder.

"It hurts losing, especially being up 3 games to 1," Durant said.

It took a quarter and a half for Thompson to warm up after his 41-point performance in a 108-101 win Saturday at Oklahoma City that sent the series back to the East Bay.

He missed his initial seven shots before hitting a 3 6:02 before halftime, energizing the Warriors in their first Game 7 at home in 40 years.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Thompson and Iguodala pulled the Warriors within 54-51 with 7:57 left in the third. They tied it on Curry's 3 at 7:21 and he followed with another 3 to give his team the lead.

Curry and Thompson each topped the previous record for 3s in a seven-game series, 28 by Dennis Scott and Ray Allen. Curry hit one over 7-foot Steven Adams in the third, and Thompson wound up with 30 3s.

Iguodala replaced Harrison Barnes in the starting lineup and what a move by Kerr, who did the same thing last year in crunch time. Iguodala made a pretty bounce pass through the paint to Green for Golden State's first basket, and his smothering defense on Durant kept the Thunder star without a shot until his 3 at the 5:45 mark in the first. Durant had just nine points on five shots in the first half.

But Oklahoma City dictated the tempo with snappy passes and the hard, aggressive rebounding that had been such a part of its success this season. The Thunder couldn't sustain it.

"They won a world championship last year, and they've broken an NBA record, and people are already talking about it before the playoffs started, this may be the greatest team to ever lace them up in the history of the NBA," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.

The Warriors, who fell behind 35-22, lost their last Game 7 at home: 94-86 to Phoenix in the Western Conference finals on May 16, 1976.

TIP-INS

Thunder: The Thunder's 12 third-quarter points were the fewest allowed by Golden State in a playoff third quarter during the shot clock era. ... Durant took nine shots in the first 33:25. ... Oklahoma City led by as many as 13 in the first half. ... Donovan celebrated his 51st birthday. ... The Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers, Golden State's opponent the previous round, are the only teams to beat the Warriors twice this season.

Warriors: The Warriors are 4-4 all-time in Game 7s — 3-1 at home. ... Iguodala earned his first since Jan. 2 against Denver. ... Golden State wasn't whistled for its first foul until 2:34 in the first. ... The Warriors' 42 first-half points were their fewest at home this season. ... Curry hit a 3 in his 51st straight playoff game.

Grizzlies name David Fizdale Head Coach

Statement from the Grizzlies website.

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today named David Fizdale as the team’s new head coach. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Considered one of the rising stars in NBA coaching ranks, Fizdale comes to Memphis after spending eight seasons (2008-16) with the Miami Heat, including the last two as the assistant head coach and the previous six as an assistant coach under Erik Spoelstra. During that time, Fizdale’s assistance in game preparation, involvement in player development and rapport with the roster played a major role in the Heat’s championship success. Dating back to his first season on the Heat sidelines in 2008-09, Miami won more playoff games (70) and playoff series (15) than any team in the NBA and compiled the league’s second-best regular season (.623) and fourth-best postseason (.619) winning percentages.

Before his tenure in Miami, Fizdale spent four seasons (2004-08) as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks, where he was instrumental in the development of their young players. The Hawks increased their win total in each of his final three seasons and in 2007-08 earned the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 1999. He began his NBA coaching career as an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors for one season (2003-04).

Prior to joining the Warriors, Fizdale spent five seasons coaching in the college ranks. After one year (1997-98) in the Heat video department, he started his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of San Diego. After four seasons (1998-2002) with the Toreros, he spent one season (2002-03) as an assistant coach at Fresno State University.

A three-year starter at point guard while playing at the University of San Diego, Fizdale was selected to the All-West Coast Conference team after his senior season in 1996.

The Los Angeles native earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in sociology from San Diego in 1996.

Thompson's 41 points, 11 3s save Golden State's season

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Stephen Curry turned things over to Klay Thompson, and his Splash Brother delivered.

And when Curry came on late, the Golden State Warriors were assured at least one more game in their record-setting season.

Thompson made a playoff-record 11 3-pointers and scored 41 points, and the defending champions forced a seventh game in the Western Conference finals with a 108-101 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.

Curry bounced back from a slow start to finish with 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. The Warriors, who set the NBA regular-season record with 73 wins, will host Game 7 on Monday. They'll try to become the 10th team to overcome a 3-1 deficit and earn the right to play Cleveland in the NBA Finals.

"We've got a lot of belief and a lot of heart, and we've given ourselves a chance to win this series," Curry said. "That's all we could ask for. There's obviously a lot of excitement, but we still have one job to do."

Thompson scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to help the Warriors overcome an eight-point deficit.

"Steph told me before I went out in the fourth, 'This is your time,'" Thompson said. "'You know, put on a show out there and have fun.' I took those words to heart, and I just tried to be aggressive."

Oklahoma City dominated Games 3 and 4 at home, but the Warriors made 21 of 44 3-pointers on Saturday, while Oklahoma City was 3 of 23.

Kevin Durant scored 29 points and Russell Westbrook added 28 for the Thunder. But Durant made just 10 of 31 shots and Westbrook was 10 of 27.

The Thunder, who blew a number of fourth-quarter leads during the regular season but had been better in the playoffs, fell apart in the final minutes after Golden State had finally gone ahead for good. The Thunder committed six turnovers in the final 2:55, and Westbrook had three in the last 55 seconds.

"That really wasn't — hasn't been us in the last month and a half," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "I thought we got a little stagnant coming down the stretch."

Thompson's barrage was similar to Curry's performance in Oklahoma City during the regular season. Curry scored 46 points and tied and NBA record with 12 3-pointers to help the Warriors beat the Thunder in overtime.

Thompson kept the Warriors in it with four 3-pointers in just over seven minutes to start the fourth quarter. Curry then hit two 3s, the second of which tied the game at 99 with 2:47 to play.

Thompson's 3 with 1:35 remaining put the Warriors up 104-101.

Westbrook lost control of the ball, and after Thompson missed a 3, Westbrook turned the ball over again, leading to a layup by Curry. Westbrook turned it over one more time, and Golden State was in the clear.

"They switched everything and kind of closed the game up, and we missed some shots and they got hot from the 3," Durant said.

The Thunder led 23-20 after one quarter, then seized momentum early in the second. Steven Adams' powerful one-handed dunk on Warriors All-Star Draymond Green drew a roar from the crowd and gave Oklahoma City a 37-28 lead. Green, who had hit Adams in the groin area twice during the series, was a constant target for the vocal Thunder fans.

Thompson opened the second half with back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Warriors a 54-53 edge, but the Thunder closed the quarter strong and led 83-75 heading into the fourth.

The Warriors held the Thunder to 18 points in the fourth quarter to stay alive. They expect another tough battle in Game 7.

"To be in this situation — people were doubting us," Green said. "It will be the hardest game of our lives. It will be way harder than this game. Going back home, everybody will think, 'Oh, it's done.' It will be way harder. But if we come out and do what we did and stick to the game plan, we'll be fine."

___

STAT LINES

Westbrook had 11 assists and one turnover in the first three quarters and zero assists and four turnovers in the fourth.

QUOTABLE

Durant: "We know we've got another game to play. We're excited about that. We've got another opportunity. We can't hang our heads. We've got another game to play."

TIP-INS

Warriors: Curry went 0 for 3 from the field and didn't score in the first quarter. ... Green committed three fouls in the first half and finished with five. ... The Warriors made just 15 of 43 shots inside the 3-point line. ... Green had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Thunder: Serge Ibaka had 12 points in the first half on 5-for-8 shooting, but he committed three fouls. ... Durant shot 6 for 19 in the first half. ... Ibaka scored 13 points and Andre Roberson added 11. ... Westbrook has 24 steals in the series.

___

(via Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press)

Police: Pelicans guard Dejean-Jones fatally shot in Dallas

By AP via NBA.com.

DALLAS (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans guard Bryce Dejean-Jones was fatally shot after breaking down the door to a Dallas apartment, authorities said Saturday.

A man living at the apartment was sleeping when he heard his front door kicked open, Dallas Police Senior Cpl. DeMarquis Black said in a statement. When Dejean-Jones began kicking at the bedroom door, the man retrieved a handgun and fired.

Officers who responded found Dejean-Jones collapsed in an outdoor passageway, and he later died at a hospital. He was 23.

"We are devastated at the loss of this young man's life," the Pelicans said in a statement.

It is legal in Texas for someone to use deadly force in order to protect themselves from intruders.

"I just lost my best friend/cousin last night enjoy life because you never know if tomorrow is guaranteed," Shabazz Muhammad of the Minnesota Timberwolves wrote on Twitter.

Julie Keel, a spokeswoman for Camden Property Trust, the real estate company that owns the apartment complex in Dallas, confirmed that the complex's apartment manager had sent out an email to residents saying that the person who had been shot had been trying to break into "the apartment of an estranged acquaintance" and that this person had "inadvertently" broken into the wrong apartment.

Black said he could not confirm that Dejean-Jones was trying to access an acquaintance's apartment.

In Dejean-Jones' only NBA season, which ended in February because of a broken right wrist, the 6-foot-6 guard started 11 of 14 games and averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called it a "tragic loss."

"Bryce inspired countless people with his hard work and perseverance on his journey to the NBA, and he had a bright future in our league," Silver said in a statement issued Saturday.

Dejean-Jones was part of the 2014-15 Iowa State team that went 25-9, captured a Big 12 title and made a fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. He was fourth on the team in scoring, averaging 10.5 points in 33 games. He shot a career-best 47.6 percent in his lone season as a Cyclone. He also played at Southern California and UNLV and was signed by the Pelicans last summer after not being selected in the 2015 draft.

"Bryce's dedication and hard work on his journey to the NBA will forever serve as an inspiration to us all," said National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts, who had posted a link to the story of Dejean-Jones' death on Twitter and wrote that it was "The news I pray every day I never have to hear."

Dejean-Jones was suspended late in the 2013-14 season from UNLV for conduct detrimental to the team, and announced that he was leaving USC midway through the 2010-11 season.

"This is a very, very sad and tragic day for everyone that's a part of the Cyclone basketball family," Iowa State coach Steve Prohm said.

Former Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg, now the coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls, added in a statement that Dejean-Jones was a "passionate and talented player that lived out his dream of playing in the NBA through hard work and perseverance."
Besides Muhammad, several NBA players reacted on Twitter on Saturday.

"Crazy how life is man," wrote Brooklyn Nets guard Shane Larkin. "Prayers out to Bryce Dejean Jones and his family."

Added Quincy Pondexter, one of Dejean-Jones' teammates with the Pelicans: "This Can't be real life... Rest easy lil bro."

James scores 33, Cavaliers reach second straight NBA Finals

Game Recap by Ian Harrison of AP via NBA.com.

TORONTO (AP) For LeBron James, it's six straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Maybe this one will end Cleveland's long wait for a championship.

James scored 33 points, Kevin Love had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the Cavaliers advanced to their second straight finals by beating the Toronto Raptors 113-87 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Friday night.

The Cavs will be seeking to end Cleveland's 52-year championship drought, the longest by any city with at least three professional teams. No Cleveland team has won it all since the Browns blanked Baltimore 27-0 to win the NFL championship in 1964.

''This city has been craving a championship,'' coach Tyronn Lue said. ''We have the right team and we have the right talent.''

James, who grew up in nearby Akron, is well aware of what a championship would mean to Cleveland.

''I know our city deserves it, our fans deserve it,'' James said. ''But that gives us no sense of entitlement. We've still got to go out and get it. We've still got to go out and prove ourselves.''

Kyrie Irving had 30 points and J.R. Smith added 15 for the Cavaliers, who will face the winner of the Golden State-Oklahoma City series on Thursday.

Cleveland would open at home against the Thunder but would be on the road against the 73-win Warriors, who trail 3-2 against Oklahoma City heading into Saturday's Game 6.

''We're still not satisfied at all,'' Irving said. ''There's still a goal at hand that we have to accomplish and I know these guys are going to be ready for it.''

It's the third finals appearance in team history for the Cavaliers. Cleveland lost to Golden State in six games last year and got swept by San Antonio in 2007.

James broke the 30-point barrier for the first time this postseason and finished with 11 rebounds and six assists.

''We needed LeBron to set the tone for us early and I thought he did that,'' Lue said.James played in four straight finals with Miami before returning to Cleveland. He will be the eighth player in NBA history to appear in six consecutive finals and the first who didn't play for the Boston Celtics.

''He's just a great player,'' Lue said. ''He's a proven winner. He's always won over the course of his career. To go to six straight finals is unbelievable.''

James got there by taking down a Toronto team that set a franchise record with 56 wins and reached the conference finals for the first time in 21 seasons.

After a second-quarter dunk, James shared some verbal barbs with rapper Drake, the Raptors' global ambassador and the man who popularized the nickname `6ix' for Toronto.

Kyle Lowry scored 35 points and DeMar DeRozan had 20 as the deepest playoff run in Raptors team history ended, much to the disappointment of a sellout crowd of 20,605 dressed in red and white T-shirts that formed a maple leaf pattern on either side of the court. Fans stood and cheered ''Let's go, Raptors! Let's go, Raptors!'' throughout most of the final three minutes.

Raptors coach Dwane Casey said reaching the conference finals was ''a tremendous learning experience'' for his young team, one that's ''a step ahead'' in its process of becoming a championship contender.

''We're learning,'' Casey said. ''We're not where (the Cavaliers) are right now. We're going to be.''

A dejected Lowry said it was hard to see the positive side of Toronto's best season ever.

''Of course you're going to look back at some point but right now I'm disappointed,'' he said. ''Simple as that, I'm disappointed.''

Toronto prolonged the series with back-to-back home wins in Games 3 and 4 but never mounted much of a challenge to the conference champions in Game 6, falling behind by 21 in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers came in 0-4 at Air Canada Centre counting the regular season and playoffs, but looked much more like the team that handed the Raptors a trio of lopsided losses in Cleveland this series.

The Raptors trailed 88-78 on a jumper by DeRozan with 10:23 remaining but James scored six points in a 14-3 run that gave the Cavs a 102-81 lead with about 6 minutes left.

James scored 14 in the first and five of Cleveland's nine field goals were from long range as the Cavaliers led 31-25 after one.

After video review, the officials waved off a basket by Biyombo with 3:18 left in the period and gave him a flagrant foul for knocking down Love.

Tempers flared again early in the second when Richard Jefferson reacted angrily to catching an elbow from Jonas Valanciunas as the two battled for a rebound. Patrick Patterson came over and shoved Jefferson out of the way. Both Patterson and Jefferson were given technical fouls.

The Cavaliers made 10 of 15 3-point attempts in the first half, while Toronto was 2 of 12.

The Cavs led 78-57 after a 3 by Love at 3:53 of the third but Lowry scored 15 points as Toronto closed the quarter with a 17-8 run, cutting it to 86-74.

THE WEIGHT

Clutching the Eastern Conference trophy in his arms, Smith broke up his teammates' postgame press conference by joking, ''Can we go? This thing is kind of heavy.''

STAR WATCH

Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista and Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban watched from courtside seats, while actor Jamie Foxx sat in a private suite.

TIP INS

Cavaliers: Shot 17 for 31 from 3-point range. ... Outscored Toronto 17-5 in fast break points.

Raptors: Finished their playoff run by playing every other day from April 29 onward, a 15-game run that started with Game 6 of the first round against Indiana.

Defending champion Warriors stave off elimination, beat OKC

By Janie McCauley of AP via NBA.com.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) ''We ain't going home! We're not going home!'' Stephen Curry screamed at the top of his lungs.

No, his Golden State Warriors are going back to Oklahoma City, after keeping their title reign and the winningest season in NBA history alive for at least one more game.

Curry scored 31 points, raising his arms in the early moments to fire up Golden State's raucous crowd, and the defending champions staved off elimination with a 120-111 victory over the Thunder on Thursday night in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals.

''We just did what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to win at home,'' Curry said. ''We know what we still have to do going forward. ... We knew if we didn't win we were going home. There's no other motivation you need.''

For all the speculation about the current state of Curry's beat-up body - that troublesome ankle, sore knee or tender elbow - he did it all.

''I thought he looked like 91 percent,'' coach Steve Kerr cracked. ''He came out and played a really good game. That's all I can tell you. He's going to compete every night. He had an excellent night and helped us get it done.''

Led by Curry, the Warriors looked like their old winning selves again.

The MVP made a snazzy layup late and dished out six assists, while Klay Thompson added 27 points as Golden State sent the best the best-of-seven series back to Oklahoma City for Game 6 on Saturday night. The Warriors trail 3-2 and are trying to become just the 10th team to rally from a 3-1 deficit.

''None of us want to go home,'' Thompson said. ''We're having too much fun out there.''

Kevin Durant scored 40 points and Russell Westbrook added 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and five steals for the Thunder, trying for the fifth NBA Finals appearance in franchise history and first championship since moving from Seattle.

The record-setting, 73-win Warriors, coming off their first back-to-back defeats all season, had been blown out in two losses at Oklahoma City by a combined 52 points.

''We have to take that game and travel,'' Curry said of keeping momentum.

Durant's 3-pointer with 4:34 left got the Thunder within 103-98, then Curry answered with a three-point play.

Curry scored seven points in a 58-second stretch of the second quarter and hit more big shots late, but the Thunder didn't go away easily.

''I liked our will, I liked our fight,'' Kerr said. ''We were embarrassed in OKC the last couple games.''

Trailing 58-50 at halftime, Oklahoma City came out of the break with a 9-2 run. Westbrook's 3-pointer with 6:06 left in the third put Oklahoma City ahead 68-67 for its first lead of the night. But Golden State led 81-77 going into the fourth and began the final period with an 8-0 burst.

''We didn't shoot a particularly good percentage when we got into the lane and got into the deep paint,'' Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. ''We had our opportunities.''

Curry shot 9 for 20 and also had five steals, while Thompson had his 11th 20-point game for the second straight postseason despite shooting 2 for 9 from 3-point range. After struggling the past two games, Draymond Green had 11 points and 13 rebounds a day after receiving some encouraging words from Kobe Bryant on the phone.

''We really relied on the entire team tonight, which is when we're at our best,'' Curry said.

Kerr figured his Warriors might have an edge against the percentages of teams having trailed 3-1 because they're the defending champs and were playing at home, where they have been nearly unbeatable.

He wasn't surprised to see this team respond so well.

''We played with great desperation,'' Kerr said. ''I knew how we would play. This is a championship team.''

Kerr called for center Andrew Bogut to do more and the 7-footer delivered with a playoff career-high 15 points and 14 rebounds for his second double-double this postseason and seventh of his career.

Marreese Speights had a pair of three-point plays on follow shots and a 3 in the second quarter to give Golden State a nice lift off the bench. He had nine points in four minutes during that stretch and 14 points overall for his fifth double-digit scoring game this postseason.

''Their bench came in and made shots, made plays for them,'' Durant said. ''We know we're going home. We can't relax.''

Golden State made 31 of 34 free throws.

With his 1,248th career postseason point in the third, Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain (1,246) for second place on the franchise's playoff scoring list.

''That's who he is, that's what he's done, and that's what's made him a very good player,'' Donovan said.

TIP-INS

Thunder: The franchise lost in the finals in 1977-78, 1995-96 to Kerr and the Chicago Bulls and in `12. ... Steven Adams sat down with his second foul at the 9:34 mark of the first quarter. The Thunder had seven fouls to Golden State's one after the first. ... Oklahoma City took Game 1 at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors have lost only three times all season. ... The Thunder started the game 3 for 14.

Warriors: Green picked up his fifth technical of the postseason. He also has at least one steal in 16 straight playoff games. ... Golden State missed six of its first seven 3s. ... The Warriors supported Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager with ''Sager Strong'' T-shirts for sale to support awareness and research for leukemia and lymphoma, both blood cancers.