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Kerr's historic Warriors coaching achievement silences critics

Kerr's historic Warriors coaching achievement silences critics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr would be the 1,001st person to tell you he owes much of his glorious coaching career to the organizational structure that supports him and, moreover, the talented Warriors roster he inherited nearly 11 years ago.

The first 1,000 to tell you that would be those who have spent the past few seasons punching their keyboards to gripe about Golden State’s incompetent head coach.

In the words of Stephen Curry some 33 months ago after the Warriors closed out the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals in Boston: “What they gonna say now?”

Already the most accomplished coach in Warriors history, Kerr on Saturday became the winningest. Golden State’s strenuous 97-94 victory over the New York Knicks was his 558th win, moving him past the late legend Alvin Attles and into first place in franchise history.

When asked immediately after the game about his journey to this moment in NBA history, Kerr couldn’t resist a moment of sarcasm.

“Well, it’s amazing to do this without any talent at all,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke. “I had to coach up these guys who you know, and they …

“I mean are you kidding me to be able to coach Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala,” Kerr said, turning serious. “We have been blessed with such incredible rosters the entire 11 years. And more than anything, this was a reflection of organizational strength, stability and collaboration that we all share. The players, coaches, management, ownership. We have an incredible group of people, and the record is just a reflection of that.”

Since Kerr took over as coach in May 2014, the Warriors have won four NBA championships – one more than the franchise achieved in its first 68 seasons. Of the 384 playoff games the Warriors have appeared in beginning in 1947, 140 of them came under Kerr. His 70.7 postseason win percentage (99-41 record) sits atop the all-time list – ahead of such Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers as Red Auerbach, Phil Jackson, Pat Riley and Gregg Popovich.

This latest milestone, however, is about regular-season accomplishments. Kerr’s 558-302 record and 64.9 winning percentage rank behind Jackson and Auerbach but ahead of Riley and Popovich, and No. 1 among active coaches with more than three seasons’ experience.

It’s impressive stuff by any reasonable measure, and Kerr’s achievement was recognized by the Attles family, who presented him with the game ball.

“It was a great moment, being awarded the game ball by the Attles family was really beautiful, to sort of be honored by their presence,” Kerr said. “Obviously, Al Attles is Mr. Warrior forever. The record, it’s kind of surreal to even think that this could happen.”

The feat took more than 10 seasons, some marvelous, some forgettable. After losses, Kerr often was a popular target for armchair coaches, some even urging his firing. Once a regular on Twitter, now known as X, Kerr avoided the platform for three years and since has deactivated his account.

What they gonna say now?

Here, in chronological order, are five wins under Kerr in the regular season that are particularly notable on the road to 558:

March 31, 2015, at Los Angeles Clippers

Kerr’s first season, Game 74, against Golden State’s most detested rivals. He’s hired one week after the Warriors dismiss Mark Jackson after losing a searing seven-game playoff series against the Clippers. The new coach is on the spot.

The Warriors, who had won nine consecutive games, trail by as much as 17 points against a Clippers team that had won seven in a row. Golden State comes back to outscore LA by 10 in the fourth quarter for a 110-106 victory at Staples Center. The Warriors sweep LA 4-0 in each of the next two seasons. The rivalry is dead.

Feb. 27, 2016, at Oklahoma City Thunder

The defending champion Warriors were 52-5, the Thunder 41-17. Kerr and Green have a screaming match in the locker room at halftime. Curry limps off the court in the third quarter after spraining his left ankle. He returns – to the surprise of many – later in the quarter.

Iguodala, shooting 61.4 percent from the line that season, is fouled and awarded two free throws with Golden State down two and 0.7 seconds left. He makes both, sending the game into overtime.

Curry puts the Thunder to sleep with a 32-foot 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining for a 121-118 victory. It’s the last three of his 46 points in what is known is the “double bang” game, as described by play-by-play announcer Mike Breen.

April 10, 2016, at San Antonio Spurs

The Warriors took a 71-9 record into one of the NBA’s toughest environments against a mighty team; the Spurs were 39-0 at home. The Warriors needed to win Game No. 81 to keep alive a chance to reach a league-record 73 wins. Game 82 was at Oracle Arena, where they were invincible.

Golden State, however, had lost 33 consecutive games at San Antonio, the last win coming in 1997, when Kerr still was an active player with the Chicago Bulls.

Curry scores 37 points, 20 in the second half, as the Warriors slip out of town with their 72nd win. Three days later, they snag No. 73 against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Dec. 25, 2017, at Oracle vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Still sore about losing the 2016 NBA Finals to Cleveland on a late shot in Game 7 by Kyrie Irving, the Warriors seek a modest form or revenge in a national TV game on Christmas Day against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Kevin Love.

Curry is sidelined, with Patrick McCaw starting in his place. Zaza Pachulia is out, too, with rookie Jordan Bell starting at center. How would this makeshift lineup fare against the champs?

Maybe it helps to have Kevin Durant. He has 25 points, seven rebounds and five blocks. Thompson scores 24. Green posts a triple-double. Final: Warriors 99, Cavs 92.

April 2022

The dynastic Warriors are a thing of the past. The rebuilt Warriors are trying to close with a surge to finish among the top four teams in the Western Conference. They are 48-29, with five games remaining.

Curry misses all five games. Thompson is sidelined for two of the five. Kerr picks starting lineups from a hat, inserting Gary Payton II for one game, Damion Lee for another and rookie Moses Moody in a third.

The Warriors win all five games. By an average of 13.2 points. Two months later, they win their fourth championship under Kerr.

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2024-25 Fantasy Basketball Week 20 Schedule Breakdown

For fantasy managers competing in Yahoo! public leagues or with Yahoo! default settings, Week 20 means that the playoffs are underway. Most teams will play four games during the week, including some who have already begun their "silly season" shenanigans. Let's look at the Week 20 schedule breakdown.

Week 20 Games Played

4 Games: CHA, CHI, CLE, DEN, DET, GSW, HOU, IND, LAL, MIA, NOR, NYK, PHI, SAC, SAS, UTA, WAS

3 Games: ATL, BKN, BOS, LAC, MEM, MIL, MIN, OKC, PHO, TOR

2 Games: DAL, ORL

Week 20 Storylines

- Avoid Dallas and Orlando until Wednesday.

The Mavericks and Magic have the worst Week 20 schedules, as the teams are scheduled only to play two games. Making matters worse is that they're both on Wednesday/Friday setups, meaning low-rostered players who may have been streamed during Week 19 will be of little value to begin Week 20. One player who immediately jumps to mind is Naji Marshall, who is rostered in 54 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Given how banged-up Dallas is, a case can be made that he's worth holding onto despite the poor schedule. However, the rest of the fantasy managers' rosters will also dictate that decision.

If the production from other players allows for Marshall to be stashed until Wednesday, that is an approach worth considering. As for Orlando, they've been at less than full strength at point guard. Jalen Suggs (knee) is out for the season, and Cole Anthony has missed time with a toe injury. While the Week 20 schedule may work in Anthony's favor, he hasn't performed where he would qualify as a "must-stash" player.

- Philadelphia, San Antonio, Utah and Washington are among the teams worth targeting

The 76ers, Spurs, Jazz and Wizards are among the teams that will play four games during Week 20. And with this quartet all headed for the draft lottery, there's a good chance that low-rostered standouts will continue to emerge. Adem Bona (Philadelphia), Stephon Castle (San Antonio), Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski (Utah), and Kyshawn George (Washington) are a few of the names fantasy managers will need to be mindful of as they craft their lineups for Week 20. Castle will be the most difficult to find on waiver wires, but the others are all available in at least 70 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

- Brooklyn and Milwaukee are active on all three "light days."

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are the light game days of Week 20, and the Nets are Bucks will be playing on all three. While there hasn't been much value to find among low-rostered players in Milwaukee, that can't be said for Brooklyn. With Cam Thomas done for the season, Ziaire Williams and Keon Johnson are two perimeter players who should continue to play starters' minutes. While field goal percentage can be an issue for both, the circumstances make Williams and Johnson worth the risk. Day'Ron Sharpe will also be worth a look, especially if the Nets look to limit Nic Claxton's playing time for the rest of the season.

- Will the Lakers get back to full strength during Week 20?

Before Friday's loss to the Nuggets, Lakers coach JJ Redick said LeBron James (groin), Rui Hachimura (knee) and Jaxson Hayes (knee) were all "very close" to returning to action. Will that happen during Week 20? The Lakers play four home games next week, beginning with the Spurs on Monday, and they'll also have a Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back against the Nuggets and Bucks. James' status will be most impactful on fantasy basketball, with Gabe Vincent and Dalton Knecht being the players to watch. Hachimura's absence opened up a place in the starting lineup for Dorian Finney-Smith, one of many players held out of Friday's loss to Denver. As for Hayes, the Lakers have tried various options at the center position with him out, including Alex Len, Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko, but none have impacted fantasy basketball.

- Orlando and Minnesota have the worst playoff schedules for leagues that begin their postseasons during Week 20.

The Magic and Timberwolves only play nine games during weeks 20 through 22. As noted above, Orlando plays two games during Week 20 but will have four games during Week 22. As for Minnesota, they're on a 3-3-3 schedule for weeks 20 through 22. Orlando has not seen any low-rostered players emerge, especially with Cole Anthony currently dealing with an injury. As for the Timberwolves, Jaden McDaniels (68 percent rostered) and Mike Conley (38 percent) may be the closest a manager can get to finding someone worthwhile who may be available in standard leagues. Ten teams are scheduled to play 10 games during weeks 20 through 22, including the Mavericks (four games in weeks 21 and 22), Nets and Pelicans.

Light Game Days

Tuesday: 4 Games

ATL vs. CHA

BKN vs. BOS

MIL vs. GSW

CLE vs. LAC

Thursday: 5 Games

NYK vs. CHA

BKN vs. IND

TOR vs. GSW

CHI vs. SAC

MIL vs. LAL

Saturday: 5 Games

BKN vs. IND

GSW vs. ATL

WAS vs. NYK

MIL vs. SAC

CHI vs. LAL

Week 20 Back-to-backs

Sunday (Week 19)-Monday: LAL, MIN, ORL, PHI, PHO, TOR, UTA

Monday-Tuesday: GSW

Tuesday-Wednesday: CLE

Wednesday-Thursday: CHI, IND, LAL, NYK, SAC

Thursday-Friday: CHA

Friday-Saturday: WAS

Saturday-Sunday: ATL

Sunday-Monday (Week 21): BOS, DEN, NOR, PHI, TOR

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Watch Jordan Poole's deep game-winner lift Wizards past Nuggets

Washington Wizards v Denver Nuggets

DENVER, COLORADO - MARCH 15: Jordan Poole #13 of the Washington Wizards reacts after shooting the game-winning basket late in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 15, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

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Denver had lost three of its last seven games, but those losses came against quality teams: Boston, Oklahoma City, and a red-hot Minnesota squad.

Saturday night the Nuggets lost at home to the tanking Wizards. Then again, how were they going to stop this ridiculous Jordan Poole game-winner from deep with 1.8 seconds left?

Washington, which has played relatively better of late, was boosted by a big night from rookie Alex Sarr, who dropped 34 points on Denver and hit five 3-pointers himself.

This game was the second night of a back-to-back for Denver, but that didn't slow Nikola Jokic, who finished with 40 points and 13 rebounds. Jamal Murray added 24 and Russell Westbrook 22.

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Knicks' Jalen Brunson could be out until April with ankle injury: report

While the initial reports on Jalen Brunson's sprained right ankle projected a recovery period of roughly two weeks, it appears that the Knicks might be playing without their superstar captain for a much longer stretch of time.

Prior to the Knicks' hard-fought loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night, ESPN's Shams Charania provided a televsion update on Brunson's injury, revealing that the two-time All-Star could be sidelined through March or early April. Charania placed the timeline in the three-to-four week range, at a minimum, during the pregame broadcast.

Brunson injured his ankle in overtime against the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6, after landing on Austin Reaves' foot during a layup attempt. At that time, SNY's Ian Begley reported that the specific sprain grade was unknown and the diagnosis was much better than what the Knicks feared.

But the latest information from Charania is far more discouraging. Brunson has missed the Knicks' last four games, and the team still has nine games remaining this month. Once the calendar turns, they'll play eight more regular-season contests before the playoffs arrive on April 19.

It's no secret that the Knicks will only go as far as Brunson takes them. He's the undisputed catalyst, who's averaged a team-high 26.3 points and 7.4 assists in 61 games. Entering the All-Star break, he ranked first in points, assists, and minutes among all 28-year-olds in the NBA this season, and he recently became the fastest player in franchise history to score 5,000 points.

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Knicks' grittiness goes unrewarded in tense 97-94 loss to Warriors

The Knicks wrapped up their five-game California road trip on a sour note, falling to the red-hot Golden State Warriors, 97-94, on Saturday night at Chase Center.

Here are the takeaways...

-- The Knicks made a concerted effort to run their offense through Karl-Anthony Towns from the jump, and his aggressiveness in the paint yielded six points and four rebounds within the first three minutes of action. It was a clear message sent to Warriors veteran Draymond Green, who unfairly criticized Towns for missing their first meeting of the season back on March 4.

-- Towns' presence didn't overwhelm Golden State in the first quarter, however. There were a combined 63 points scored, along with 11 lead changes. But the Knicks stressed ball movement down low in the opening period, and wound up tallying twice as many paint points (20-10) as the Warriors.

-- The back-and-forth nature of the first half wasn't devoid of physicality or foul trouble. And much to the Knicks' chargin, defensive miscues restricted Towns' playing time. He committed his third foul with 8:08 left in the second quarter, and before leaving the floor for the remainder of the half, he ignited the crowd by briefly squabbling with Green.

-- It wasn't the least bit surprising to see the Knicks discombobulated with Towns on the bench and captain Jalen Brunson inactive due to a week-to-week ankle injury. They scored just 19 points in the second quarter, compared to 31 in the first, and Mitchell Robinson was visibly gassed on both ends of the court as Towns' replacement. New York simply lacked rhythm.

-- Luckily for the Knicks, persistence from their supporting cast kept the score close. The Warriors were also limited to 19 second-quarter points, despite contributions from all players in their 10-man rotation. If not for nine turnovers that resulted in 10 Warriors points, the Knicks would've entered halftime with the lead. Instead they trailed, 54-40.

-- The second half opened with Towns back on the court, and he wasted no time getting involved. He drained a three from the right wing within the first 30 seconds, and three possessions later, he bumped his points total to 16 with a jumper from the left block. But Towns struggled defending Stephen Curry off pick-and-rolls, which displeased Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.

-- While the Warriors increased their lead to nine midway through the third, the Knicks didn't relent. They managed to trim their deficit down to three, 75-72, entering the final quarter. At that point, wingers Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby had logged 17 points and 16 points, respectively, and Miles McBride provided a huge boost by contributing 17 points.

-- With gritty momentum on their side, the Warriors opened the fourth quarter with sharper shooting that helped bump their lead back to nine. The Knicks couldn't match early on, as they missed five of six shots by the first media timeout. During the break, cameras near the bench caught Thibodeau arguing with Josh Hart, who stunningly went scoreless in 39 total minutes played.

-- By avoiding further foul trouble, Towns regained dominance with the rock. He scored 11 straight points for the Knicks midway through the fourth, pushing his total to 29 by the 4:39 mark. Moments later, the Knicks knotted the score at 88-88 with a jumper from Bridges. But a driving layup from Moses Moody placed the Warriors ahead again with 2:26 left, and they didn't look back.

-- It was Green who wound up getting the last laugh over Towns. In the final minute, he drained a pair of free throws to push the Warriors lead to four, and after a costly turnover from McBride on the ensuing possession, Green drove to the rim for a layup that bumped the lead up to six, 94-88. New York's attempts at fouling in the closing seconds were ultimatey fruitless.

Game MVP: Stephen Curry

Curry's performance wasn't exactly vintage, but he scored when it mattered most. The first player in NBA history to record 4,000 career threes finished the game with 28 points on 8-of-20 shooting with seven rebounds and five assists. Golden State also improved to a stunning 14-1 since acquiring Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat.

Highlights

Up next

The Knicks (42-24) return to Madison Square Garden on Monday night for a matchup against the Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. tip).

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Nets drop third straight with tight 115-113 loss to Celtics

NEW YORK (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 points in his return from an eight-game absence with an illness, getting 14 in the fourth quarter to help the Boston Celtics hold off the Brooklyn Nets 115-113 on Saturday night.

Payton Pritchard added 22 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Celtics, who seemed headed for an easy night after a 25-7 run to open the second quarter gave them a 21-point lead. The Nets cut it to two in the fourth quarter before Porzingis made some clutch plays in his first game since Feb. 26.

The Celtics rested Derrick White and Al Horford a night after winning in Miami and clinching a playoff spot, then lost Jaylen Brown in the second half after he left with back spasms.

Pritchard, who set the NBA single-season record during the game with his 219th 3-pointer off the bench, made three free throws in the closing seconds.

Cam Johnson scored 23 points and Keon Johnson had 21 for the Nets, who lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

Takeaways

Celtics: Boston relies on the 3-pointer, but having Porzingis man the middle provides a different dimension when the long balls aren’t falling.

Nets: Brooklyn announced Saturday that leading scorer Cam Thomas is expected to miss the rest of the season with a strained left hamstring. Thomas averaged 24 points but was limited to 25 games by the injury he initially sustained in November.

Key moment

Boston’s lead was down to 94-92 with 7:59 to play before Porzingis converted a three-point play and then made his only 3-pointer of the night to push it to 100-92 a minute later.

Key stat

Boston has won eight straight in the regular season in Brooklyn, not losing since April 23, 2021.

Up next

Brooklyn hosts Atlanta on Sunday. The Celtics don’t play again until hosting the Nets on Tuesday night.

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Steph hilariously grades Draymond's ‘night night' celly against Knicks

Steph hilariously grades Draymond's ‘night night' celly against Knicks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Everyone has the ability to improve.

Even four-time NBA champion Draymond Green, at least when it comes to his celebrations.

After Green used his teammate’s signature “night-night” celebration to culminate the Warriors’ 97-94 win over the New York Knicks, Steph Curry shared his grade for this rendition of his now-iconic gesture.

“[Green] has evolved his version of it since the Minnesota game earlier in the year,” Curry told reporters. “He’s softened it a little bit. He’s brought it down to where a pillow is supposed to really be. I realized he does everything aggressive and with his whole body.

“I’m giving that a solid A-minus effort on the “night night” tonight. That was beautiful.”

So, why not take a closer look at this celebratory evolution?

Green first debuted the “night night” — or perhaps now the “nightmare,” per Moses Moody — after his dagger layup to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves and longtime archenemy Rudy Gobert back on Dec. 8.

For comparison, here is Saturday night’s anticipated sequel.

Curry clearly has a point in noticing his teammate’s celebratory progress.

The ever-aggressive Green appears less stiff this time around, in addition to his improved hand placement.

Now, does Green match the aura of a vintage Curry “night night”? There might still be room for more growth.

But that shouldn’t diminish the menacing impact of Draymond Green bombastically wishing you a safe trip home.

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Warriors continue winning without relying on Butler's to score

Warriors continue winning without relying on Butler's to score originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – As much as the Warriors have gotten better since acquiring Jimmy Butler III prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline, they’ve found ways to keep playing at a high level on those rare occasions when Butler isn’t in top form.

Saturday’s win against the New York Knicks was a perfect example.

While Butler sputtered through one of his roughest shooting outings since the trade (3 of 11), Golden State received significant contributions up and down the roster on the way to a 97-94 win over the Knicks at Chase Center.

The bottom line – another Warriors win – was primary on Butler’s mind in Golden State’s locker room after the game.

“We’re winning so I don’t care about nothing else,” Butler said. “I can say it till I’m whatever color in the face. But as long as we win, I’m straight.

“The game is just simple. You just pass the ball to the open guy. When you’re open you shoot it. Somebody got a better shot you pass it to them. Everybody is doing it here and that’s why we’ve been stacking wins.”

To no one’s surprise Stephen Curry was at the center of everything that went well for the Warriors against the Knicks. Curry cooked his way to a team-leading 28 points with seven rebounds and five assists but was minus-five in a game that Golden State didn’t fully take fully control until the very end.

Butler didn’t have a terrible game by any means (11 points, six rebounds, seven assists) but didn’t show the flashiness or firepower that Warriors fans have grown accustomed to over the past five weeks.

It hardly mattered.

Moses Moody scored 18 points and continued to play well in his role as a starter after coming off the bench for the first three months of the 2024-25 NBA season. Jonathan Kuminga had 10 points in his second game back after missing 31 games with an ankle injury. Gui Santos made his second career start and added five points and seven rebounds.

Steph’s solid supporting cast against the Knicks included more yeoman-like nights from Quinten Post (five points, six boards) and Gary Payton II (six points, four rebounds) and Kevon Looney (six points, four rebounds).

“He’s always on a superstar level because even when he’s not scoring he’s still creating for everyone,” Draymond Green said. “He draws some double-teams, he kicks out and get us open shots. I think he’s always playing at a superstar level because his presence is always at a superstar level. When he’s making the right play and you get 18 (points) out of (Moody), that’s making up for some of that. Ten from JK off the bench, we can live with that.

“But we all know there’s going to be games where we need him to go score, and we know he’s more than capable and he’ll do that. What’s been huge for us is just him always making the right play. Always make the right play. He’s getting guys easy looks. You know who gets guys easy looks? Superstars.”

That is the essence of Butler.

Blessed as one of the NBA’s most electrifying scorers, his impact goes way beyond the boxscore. As Green pointed out, Golden State having Butler in the lineup has a domino effect on the rest of the Warriors.

On most nights, Butler’s shot is pure silk and he’ll put up points by the dozens. When his shot isn’t falling, however, he still finds a way to make an impact.

Since joining the Warriors Butler has been limited to six points or fewer three times. His 11 points against the Knicks were his fourth-fewest in a Warriors uniform.

Golden State is 4-0 in those games.

That’s a very encouraging and promising sign for a team trying to maintain its hold on the No. 6 slot in the Western Conference.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr called Butler a ‘connector’ and Curry agreed.

“He’s very good at just staying under control, making the right play,” Curry said. “You can tell he doesn’t really look to score as much right now because he’s reading the defense, taking whatever they’re giving him. Having the ball in his hands is usually a good thing.”

Make no mistake, Butler remains a scorer first and foremost, and he’ll do it when the need arises. For now he’s content finding his flow with the rest of Golden State’s offense.

“I’m not just a scorer. I can score whenever I want to ,” Butler said. “I can shoot the toughest of shots if I wanted to and, nobody’s ever going to say anything. I want to get everybody involved. I want to get guys in their spots. When it’s mytime you’ll know that it’s my time. But until then we’re going to pass the ball to the open man, get my guys some jumpers, get them out in transition, keep winning.”

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Dallas down to eight healthy players with few two-way games left, could it have to forfeit a game?

Could Dallas have to forfeit a game because it doesn't have enough healthy players?

It's possible. It's not likely, but it's not out of the question. It's something Bobby Marks first got into at ESPN.

NBA rules require a team to dress at least eight healthy players for a game, or it must forfeit. Dallas has been so ravaged by injuries that it is down to eight healthy players: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, Max Christie, Spencer Dinwiddie, Brandon Williams, Dwight Powell, and Kessler Edwards.

That's because all these players are injured:

• Kyrie Irving (torn ACL)
• Anthony Davis (adductor strain)
• Dereck Lively II (ankle stress fracture)
• Daniel Gafford (knee sprain)
• P.J. Washington (ankle sprain)
• Dante Exum (fractured hand, announced Saturday)
• Olivier Maxence-Prosper (right wrist injury)
• Jaden Hardy (ankle sprain)
• Kai Jones (quad strain)

The concern in Dallas is that two of their healthy players are two-way players nearing their limit of 50 games up with the main club. Kessler Edwards has been with Dallas for 47 games, while Bradon Williams is at 44. Once they reach 50, they can no longer play with the Mavericks and must return to the G-League.

Why don't the Mavericks convert one or both of Edwards or Williams to regular contracts or sign another player on a 10-day contract? Because they can't afford to. Dallas is hard-capped at the first apron of the luxury tax and currently sits just $51,000 below that number, and a standard 10-day contract is double that. The Mavericks have no financial flexibility.

On the bright side, big men Jones and Washington didn't play on Friday but were listed as questionable for the game, suggesting they are close to returning. A week ago, coach Jason Kidd said that the three centers — Davis, Lively, and Gafford — were improving, although no timeline was given.

It's likely by the time Edwards and Williams max out the games they can play in Dallas Jones, Edwards and maybe one or two of the centers can return to the rotation. Dallas will almost certainly field eight players for all the rest of their games.

But the fact this is a conversation shows just how decimated the Mavericks have been by injuries.

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Payton Pritchard makes NBA history in Celtics' win over Nets

Payton Pritchard makes NBA history in Celtics' win over Nets originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

On Saturday, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard set an NBA record that will make it difficult to vote against him for the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Pritchard notched 22 points on five 3-pointers in the C’s 115-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets. With his fourth make from deep, he surpassed Wayne Ellington for the most 3s off the bench in a single NBA season (219).

With 14 regular-season games still left to play, Pritchard has a chance to own the single-season record by a significant margin. It’s a remarkable feat for the 27-year-old, but it was business as usual for him after the historic performance.

“It just means I did my job off the bench at a high level, and hopefully I can continue to do that,” Pritchard said.

Pritchard isn’t focused on his 3-point record or the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, which he currently is favored to win. He simply wants to continue his development into one of the game’s best.

“There’s no records, there’s no awards that I ever look at,” he said. “It’s all about self-improvement, looking at every game, what I can do to keep growing and keep bettering myself. Ultimately, that’s all that matters to me is trying to take another step. So hopefully I can keep that going.”

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla is proud of how far Pritchard has come since being drafted out of Oregon in 2020.

“If you count the the amount of timely shots that he’s hitting and the timely offensive rebounds that he’s gotten — he had one tonight coming out of the timeout when they went zone, in the corner, which just has an ability to impact the game in so many ways,” Mazzulla said.

“Just continues to get better and better. His competitive nature and work ethic’s unreal. So that’s an awesome thing and it takes a special person to fulfill that role, and he takes pride and does it every day.”

Pritchard is now averaging 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game this season with a 41.8 shooting percentage from 3-point range. He’ll look to repeat Saturday’s performance when the Celtics host the Nets for a rematch on Tuesday.

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Draymond drops epic ‘night night' on Knicks to seal Warriors' win

Draymond drops epic ‘night night' on Knicks to seal Warriors' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green sent the New York Knicks back to the city that never sleeps with an epic “night night” celebration on Saturday night.

Green’s driving layup with 25.8 seconds remaining gave the Warriors a six-point lead in a game they eventually won 97.94 at Chase Center.

Green, after jawing with Karl-Anthony Towns all night, beat the Knicks’ big man to the basket and got the last laugh.

When Green got to the Warriors’ bench, he did the “night night” gesture with injured guard Brandin Podziemski.

Green finished with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field to go along with four rebounds, three assists and one block.

While Steph Curry made the “night night” celebration a global sensation, the Warriors have another term for the action when Green does it.

“We say in the locker room, Draymond do the ‘nightmare,’ ” guard Moses Moody told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke after the Warriors’ win. “Nah, bit it’s cool. That’s something obviously started with Steph, but he passed it on, moved it around and the whole team is sending them home.”

Green and the Warriors have won seven consecutive games and improved to 39-28 with the win over the Knicks, who head back to New York after going 2-3 on a five-game West Coast road trip.

After Saturday’s loss, the Knicks might not sleep well on the cross-country flight.

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What we learned as Warriors' defense fuels gritty win over Knicks

What we learned as Warriors' defense fuels gritty win over Knicks  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors on Saturday night at Chase Center extended their win streak to seven consecutive games, beating the New York Knicks, 97-94, making more history along the way. 

Steve Kerr now has 558 career regular-season wins as the Warriors’ head coach, giving him one more than Hall of Famer and franchise icon Al Attles. 

Steph Curry scored a game-high 28 points, and added seven rebounds and five assists. The spotlight always belongs to Curry. Moses Moody in this win deserves an equal amount of praise. 

Moody was a plus-12, scoring 18 huge points and draining four 3-pointers, each one feeling more timely than the other. 

The Warriors’ largest lead was nine points. The Knicks’ largest lead was five points. This came down to the last man standing as the Warriors outlasted every punch the Knicks threw their way.

Here are three takeaways from yet another impressive Warriors win.

Draymond, KAT Claw All Game

The matchup to watch was between a Swiss Army Knife who plays point-center and a 7-footer who lives behind the 3-point line. Basketball wasn’t the main reason everybody was locked into watching Draymond Green and Karl-Anthony Towns. Controversy was. 

Towns missed the Knicks’ game against the Warriors at Madison Square Garden on March 4, to which Green on his podcast joked the All-Star center was ducking Butler, his former teammate in Minnesota. The real reason Towns didn’t play was to attend the funeral of a longtime family friend. 

Trash talk began shortly after the opening tip. Towns got Green to jump on pump fake, drove past him and threw down a dunk. When Green one minute later went through Towns for a contested layup, the volume was turned up. The same can be said about Green’s reaction to his first three of the night.

Green’s defensive genius was on display in the second quarter while guarding Towns behind the 3-point line. Towns, dribbling between his legs, tried to lull Green. But right when Towns gathered to get in a shooting motion, Green got right up on him, knocking the ball off Towns and out of bounds. 

All four quarters felt like a heavyweight fight, especially between two big men who are polar opposites. Towns dropped 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but Green hit him with Curry’s signature Night Night celebration after driving past him for a layup with 25 seconds remaining in the game.

Another New Starting Lineup

Quinten Post as a rookie already has given Golden State more than the Warriors ever could have asked for this season. The fact is, despite all the winning, the Warriors’ starting lineup hasn’t been working as Brandin Podziemski continues to nurse his lower back soreness. 

The five-man lineup of Curry, Butler, Green, Post and Moses Moody had played four games together going into Saturday night for a total of 32 minutes. They produced a minus-21.9 net rating with a 95.8 offensive rating and a 117.6 defensive rating. Steve Kerr had seen enough, at least for one game, so he opted to use his 36th different starting lineup this season. 

In came Gui Santos for Post. Even with Santos’ first 3-point attempt getting blocked, he showed why he’s the perfect glue guy and fits multiple lineups. 

Kerr’s newest starting five played the first four-plus minutes of the game together, spending five minutes and 25 seconds on the floor as a group in the first half. Through two quarters, they outscored the Knicks 12-11. Santos in 25 minutes had five points and seven rebounds. As a group, the starting five played 12 minutes and 19 seconds together, outscoring the Knicks by one point, 25-24.

Every Detail Matters

Both the Warriors and Knicks have star powers. Big names on the court, and fan bases full of celebrities. A game between two contenders came down to every small detail mattering. 

The Warriors in their previous five games averaged more than 16 turnovers, which resulted in an average of nearly 20 points for the opposition. In their win against the Knicks, the Warriors are two fewer turnovers. As the Warriors totaled 11 turnovers that resulted in eight points for the Knicks, Golden State turned New York’s 13 turnovers into 19 points. 

Though the Knicks had four more rebounds, 10 more points in the paint and eight more second-chance points, the Warriors won the battle of assists, 3-pointers, free throws, steals and fastbreak points. 

Their bench also outscored the Knicks 26-4.

Strong screens. Better box outs. Crisp passes and disrupting the lanes defensively. That’s how the Warriors will beat teams chasing a title like the Knicks, as well as their next two opponents in the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks.

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Kerr becomes winningest head coach in Warriors history

Kerr becomes winningest head coach in Warriors history originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr stands on top in the Warriors’ record book.

The Golden State coach now has the most wins in franchise history, earning his 558th victory with the team’s 97-94 triumph over the New York Knicks on Saturday night at Chase Center.

Kerr came into the game tied with Warriors legend Al Attles at 557 franchise wins.

Immediately after the record-setting win, Kerr spoke to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke on the Chase Center court, and in typical fashion, he had a tongue-in-cheek beginning to his answer about the accomplishment.

“It’s amazing to do this without any talent at all. I’ve just had to coach up these guys,” Kerr said jokingly. “Are you kidding me? To be able to coach Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, I mean, we’ve been blessed with such incredible rosters the entire 11 years. And more than anything, this is a reflection of the entire organizational strength, stability, the collaboration we all share, the players, coaches, management, ownership. We have an incredible collection of people and the record is just a reflection of that.”

Kerr’s 558 career wins place him 29th all-time among NBA coaches. His mentor, Gregg Popovich, holds the record with 1,415 wins.

Appointed by Warriors CEO Joe Lacob, Kerr’s head coaching career began with Golden State in May 2014, succeeding Mark Jackson. 

In the 2014-15 NBA season, Kerr and the Warriors won 67 games, becoming NBA champions after defeating superstar LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Kerr, a five-time NBA champion as a player, brought a winning culture to the Warriors from the moment he arrived in the Bay. Along with a franchise-record 558 franchise victories, the 59-year-old has won 91 playoff games and four NBA titles at the helm.

Outside of the 2019-2020 season, the Warriors have finished every season above .500 under Kerr, who also led Golden State to an NBA-record 73 wins during the 2015-16 season.

As it stands, Golden State can benefit from all of Kerr’s coaching expertise as it looks to punch a playoff ticket.

The Warriors currently sit at xx-xx and are the No. x seed, x games back of the Houston Rockets for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with x regular-season contests remaining.

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Pacers vs. Bucks Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for March 15

It’s Saturday, March 15, and the Indiana Pacers (37-28) and Milwaukee Bucks (37-28) are all set to square off from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

The Pacers are currently 16-18 on the road with a point differential of 1, while the Bucks have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home. Milwaukee is 2-1 in the season series but Indiana won the most recent matchup on Tuesday thanks to Tyrese Haliburton's game-winning four-point play.

Milwaukee is 8-4 since the All-Star break but 1-3 over the past four games. Indiana has won two straight but is 2-3 over the past five games.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Pacers vs. Bucks live today

  • Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
  • Time: 8:00PM EST
  • Site: Fiserv Forum
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming:

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Pacers vs. Bucks

The latest odds as of Saturday:

  • Odds: Pacers (+154), Bucks (-185)
  • Spread:  Bucks -4.5
  • Over/Under: 236 points

That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 117.11, and the Bucks 119.46.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Saturday’s Pacers vs. Bucks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Bucks to cover:

"These teams just met on Tuesday and the Pacers won on a miracle four-point play. This is an easy handicap. It's Bucks or pass for me. The loser of the previous meeting during the same week often covers or wins the second matchup and the Bucks have plenty of motivation."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Pacers & Bucks game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Bucks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at +4.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 236.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Pacers vs. Bucks on Saturday

  • The Bucks have won four of their last five home games against teams with winning records
  • The under is 4-1 in the Bucks' last five matchups against divisional opponents
  • The Bucks have covered the spread in four of their last five games against teams with winning records
  • The Bucks have won and covered the handicap in four of their last five home games against teams with winning records and they can make the most of a scheduling advantage here, with the Pacers having played a tough game against the 76ers last night.

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Nets’ Cam Thomas expected to miss rest of season with hamstring strain

Nets star Cam Thomas suffered a left hamstring strain during Thursday night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls. 

The team announced Saturday that given the number of days left in the schedule and the time it would take to work his way back to full health, the 23-year-old is expected to be out the remainder of the season. 

This is Thomas’ third hamstring ailment this year -- limiting him to just 25 games.

He has, however, remained a scoring machine when healthy -- averaging a career-high 24 points over that span while putting together a team-leading six 30+ point showings, including a season-high 43 points on Nov. 15 against the Knicks. 

He notched his first career double-double in his final game of the year (24 points, 10 assists). 

It’ll be interesting to see how the rebuilding Nets handle things with Thomas this offseason, as he is currently in the final year of his rookie deal and is set to be a restricted free agent at season's end. 

He appeared to be headed for a big payday coming into this year, but we’ll see if the injury-plagued season affects that.