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.

Former NBA center, 76ers assistant Sean Rooks has died

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former NBA center and Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach Sean Rooks died Tuesday after interviewing earlier in the day for a job with the New York Knicks. He was 46.

Rooks had visited with Knicks President Phil Jackson and general manager Steve Mills for an assistant coaching position on Jeff Hornacek's staff. He had spent the past two years on Brett Brown's staff in Philadelphia.

The cause of death was not known.

"It is with a profound deal of sadness that we mourn the sudden loss of a beloved son, father and friend, Sean Rooks. Words simply cannot express the heartbreak and shock our entire organization is feeling over this loss," 76ers co-managing owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer said on behalf of the team.

Rooks played 12 seasons after being selected in the second round of the NBA draft by Dallas in 1992. He averaged 6.2 points in 749 games with seven teams.

His interview with the Knicks was first reported by Yahoo Sports.

Lute Olson, who coached Rooks in college, called it a "terrible loss for Arizona basketball."

"This is just a horrible shock," Olson said. "Sean was such a wonderful young man with a great disposition. During his time at Arizona, he was always one of the most pleasant individuals to be around."

Rooks' son, Kameron, is a 7-footer playing for California. He also is survived by another child, Khayla, and his mother, Deborah Brown.

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.