Category: Basketball

Veteran sports analyst Steve Viuker of Brooklyn believes that James Dolan is getting a bit of a bum rap from his critics. Viuker makes points that command attention. To wit:

1. KNICKERBOCKERS: Dolan's baby, his Knicks,  are a very exciting NBA contender.

2. RANGERS: Although they aren't exactly hotshots, Steve says "They Blueshirts are usually competitive."

3. OTHER OWNERS ARE WORSE: Viuker mentions the likes of sports bosses Don Sterling, Clippers, Woody Johnson of the Jets and – perhaps he has forgotten – the Maras of football Giants infamy. 

"For better or worse," read Viuker concludes, "Jim Dolan is a hands-on owner. While he may be far from the best owner, there are many who are much worse!"

Steve Kerr hilariously recalls his angriest career ejections as Warriors coach  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr can laugh about it now.

Speaking Thursday on 95.7 The Game, the Warriors coach recalled some of the angriest ejections of his coaching career — including Monday night’s highly visible outburst against the Los Angeles Clippers.

When asked where that ejection ranked on his personal “anger meter,” Kerr didn’t hesitate.

“I read that I’ve been ejected five times,” Kerr joked. “So I’m just going to say it was top five.”

As he looked back, Kerr began cycling through other moments that still stand out.

One came in a matchup with the Sacramento Kings, where the embarrassment only compounded as he made his way off the floor. At the time, the Kings were led by DeMarcus Cousins — one of the league’s most fiery personalities, and no stranger to technical fouls or ejections himself.

“I remember getting ejected in Sacramento, and as I was being led off the floor, DeMarcus Cousins, who was playing for the Kings, was laughing at me,” Kerr said. “And so that’s never a good sign when DeMarcus is laughing at you because you got kicked out.”

Another flashpoint came years later in a game against the Portland Trailblazers, when a call involving Draymond Green pushed Kerr over the edge.

“I got mad at Kenny Mauer in Portland one year when he called a flagrant foul on Draymond [Green], and I went nuts and got tossed,” Kerr explained. “So, yeah, I mean, every once in a while, I snap, and it’s happened a handful of times. I can’t really rank them, because I lose my mind. And I don’t remember much. Sometimes I just feel like I have to back up the team. And sometimes it’s genuine anger and conviction.”

That same principle applied Monday night, Kerr explained, referencing the missed goaltending call that ultimately led to his ejection against the Clippers.

“You just cannot miss an obvious goaltend,” Kerr noted. “A lot of that was just principle.”

What made this ejection different, however, was everything surrounding it.

Kerr recalled that the game was played with his mother in attendance — and that his ejection was memorably narrated by Snoop Dogg on Peacock’s broadcast.

“This was the most memorable one, for sure, because I got the narration from Snoop, which gives me great street cred, and then I got completely shot down by my mom for my behavior,” Kerr said. “So, yeah, it was like the full, you know, I got praise, and I got mom’s glare. So I guess I’m back to square one.”

For Kerr, the memories now land less as moments of regret and more as reminders of why those eruptions happen in the first place — passion, principle, and a willingness to stand up for his team, even if it means hearing about it from his mom afterward.

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Warriors trade interest Anthony Davis reportedly sidelined with hand injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It appears one of the Warriors’ rumored trade interests will be sidelined for at least a little while.

Dallas Mavericks star center Anthony Davis sustained ligament damage in his left hand, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday, citing sources.

Pending advice from a second opinion and whether surgery will be required, Davis could be sidelined for months.

The 10-time NBA All-Star and one of the league’s most prime trade targets could be out through the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline, Charania added, and possibly even longer.

Golden State has longed for a true center for the past few years and its interest in Davis again circulated when The Athletic recently reported that the Warriors called the Mavericks about a potential trade for Davis.

Two league sources confirmed the Warriors’ interest in Davis to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole, who noted that while the five-time All-NBA big man addresses several of the team’s needs, a deal coming to fruition still is more of a fantasy than reality.

Davis has dealt with several leg/lower-body injuries recently with the Mavericks, including missing 14 games earlier this season due to a calf strain.

In 20 games this season, Davis is averaging 20.4 points on 50.6-percent shooting, with 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks in 31.3 minutes.

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Checking in on four ex-Celtics ahead of Kornet's return to Boston originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics lost a whole lot of experience, leadership and good vibes this offseason when they parted ways with Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet.

But how much did they really lose in on-court production?

It’s a fair question to ask, considering Boston hasn’t missed a beat in their absences. Even with superstar Jayson Tatum sidelined, the Celtics enter Friday night with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference (23-13) and the second-best offensive rating (122.2) in the entire NBA.

We’ve written plenty about how Boston has been able to thrive with its new-look roster. But with the first “reunion game” for that departed quartet set for Saturday night — when Kornet’s San Antonio Spurs visit TD Garden — it’s time for another check-in on these four former Celtics.

Luke Kornet, Spurs

• 2025-26 stats: 29 games, 8.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 blocks, 66.2 percent FG
• First game back in Boston: Saturday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Boston)

What if we told you that, among this group, Kornet has made the biggest impact on his new team?

You might not be too surprised, given how much the versatile big man affected winning in Boston. But Kornet is certainly living up to the four-year, $41 million contract he received from San Antonio.

After missing seven games early in the season due to an ankle injury, Kornet has become a frontcourt stalwart for the Spurs, starting 21 of 29 games while Victor Wembanyama missed time due to injury. Kornet has already racked up three double-doubles and has scored 10 or more points in 10 games, including a 23-point, five-block outburst against Portland last week.

Kornet is on pace for career highs across the board while playing 24.9 minutes per game, and his ability to hold down the frontcourt while the Spurs manage Wembanyama’s minutes is a big reason why San Antonio has the second-best record in the Western Conference (26-11).

Jrue Holiday, Blazers

• 2025-26 stats: 12 games, 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, 44.6 percent FG, 36.5 percent 3PT
• First game back in Boston: Monday, Jan. 26 at 8 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Boston)

Holiday got off to a hot start in Portland, logging more than 33 minutes per night as the Blazers’ starting point guard while ranking among the NBA’s assist leaders. He suffered a calf injury on Nov. 14, however, and hasn’t played since.

While Holiday could return soon (he was upgraded to doubtful for Portland’s next game), it’s possible the 35-year-old transitions to a smaller role, as Deni Advija is putting up career numbers as the Blazers’ primary ball-handler.

Portland (18-20) is actually still in the playoff picture as the No. 9 seed in the West, but whether it maintains that pace — and whether Holiday can stay on the court when he returns — remains to be seen.

Kristaps Porzingis, Hawks

• 2025-26 stats: 17 games, 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 blocks, 45.7 percent FG, 36.0 percent 3PT
• First game back in Boston: Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Boston

Porzingis has had a rough go of it so far in Atlanta.

Earlier this season, it was revealed that the “mystery illness” Porzingis dealt with in Boston was postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, an autonomic condition that can “dramatically increase a patient’s heart rate when standing up instead of spread horizontal,” per The Athletic.

Porzingis’ condition has limited him to 17 games this season, and he missed 14 of 15 games from late November to late December. The 7-foot-2 big man has played in four of Atlanta’s last five games but hasn’t played more than 22 minutes in any of those contests as the Hawks try to manage his minutes.

Porzingis is on an expiring contract making $30.7 million this season, so if Atlanta is looking to shed more salary after dealing Trae Young, he’d be a potential trade candidate.

Al Horford, Warriors

• 2025-26 stats: 19 games, 6.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 blocks, 37.3 percent FG, 34.9 percent 3PT
• First game back in Boston: Wednesday, March 18 at 7 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Boston)

Remember when Horford said he chose Golden State over Boston in part because he wanted a better chance at a title? That hasn’t aged particularly well: Horford’s Warriors are 8th in the West at 20-18, while the Celtics own the East’s No. 3 seed at 23-13 entering Friday’s games.

As is the case with Holiday and Porzingis, Horford has missed a decent amount of time, including 11 games in a 12-game stretch last month. Since returning to action on Christmas Day, however, the 39-year-old has been fairly effective, averaging 9.2 points over a six-game span while making 44.8 percent of his 3-pointers.

The Warriors have been linked to a few big men (most notably Anthony Davis) on the trade market, but if Horford gives them decent enough production between now and the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline, perhaps they’d be convinced to stand pat.

Warriors' Steve Kerr wants people to ‘settle down' with Draymond Green criticism originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors coach Steve Kerr pushed back on recent criticism of Draymond Green, urging fans and analysts to avoid overreacting to short-term analytics and small sample sizes.

Speaking Thursday on 95.7 The Game, Kerr defended Green’s ongoing impact — particularly on the defensive end — while cautioning against placing too much weight on recent plus-minus numbers.

“One of the big themes from the analytics department is, you know, be careful with small sample sizes,” Kerr said. “So when I hear people say, ‘Draymond has been a negative for, you know, the last 10 games.’ I’m like, ‘Well, he’s been positive for the last 12 years.’ So like, let’s, let’s settle down here. Let’s, let’s give it some time.”

Kerr’s comments came one day after Green logged a physical, high-energy defensive performance against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, serving as Golden State’s primary matchup against the two-time NBA MVP. While Antetokounmpo still finished with strong counting stats, Kerr emphasized that Green made nearly every possession difficult — and played a key role in the Warriors securing a 120-113 win.

“Draymond is probably the best possible matchup for Giannis that we could find,” Kerr noted. “His brain, his IQ, his strength, his length, physical strength — all that stuff just comes into play when you’re playing a guy like Giannis. I mean, you need everything, and Draymond has everything.”

Kerr acknowledged that Green’s on-court metrics — particularly his plus-minus — have not matched his usual standard this season, but emphasized that context matters when evaluating those numbers.

“I think you have to allow for all the circumstances that are involved — where the league is, how people are playing,” Kerr added. “I’m going to keep hammering home … that if we take care of the ball and we get offensive rebounds, then we’re going to be a really good team, and Draymond is going to be on the plus side.”

For Kerr, the bigger picture remains unchanged.

“I just think you can’t get too carried away with the numbers,” Kerr said. “You have to study them and take them with a grain of salt, too.”

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De'Anthony Melton's patience, perspective clarified bigger picture with Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Video games are just one outlet that got De’Anthony Melton through another long rehab. Hours controlling a world through joysticks when his own body kept having setbacks as an elite athlete in his mid-20s.

Melton, now 27, scoured streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max, going through a number of shows and currently is watching The Sopranos. Books were another friend to him, too, and Melton shared Thursday after Warriors practice that The 48 Laws of Power and The Power of Now are two that he read in a time when basketball wasn’t an option.

Having to be taken to physical therapy appointments by his uncle and the worry of hitting his surgically repaired left knee getting in and out of the car are memories that will remain. Those days also will always be part of his story.

A closed chapter of his own book that’s being written day by day.

“Man, just to hear I’ve been playing for over a month, I’m excited about it,” Melton said Thursday. “I’m feeling well. Taking it game by game. I think adjusting to different teams, different coverages and different players is what I’m trying to get more acclimated with.”

Right when Melton last season was proving what a perfect fit he is next to Steph Curry, he sustained a partial tear of his left ACL that eventually required season-ending surgery after only six games. Back to rehab he went. 

The player Melton knows he is, the player the Philadelphia 76ers thought he could be from seeing what he was becoming in Memphis, and the player some might have forgotten about in between is who balled off the bench Wednesday night in the Warriors’ 120-113 win against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Melton scored a season-high 22 points, second to Curry’s 31, on 8-of-12 shooting and 5 of 9 on threes, three rebounds and one steal. For the first time all season, he played 25 minutes. For the first time since Dec. 27, 2023, he scored 20 or more points.

But Wednesday night’s win also was only Melton’s 25th game played since scoring 22 points in a 76ers victory against the Orlando Magic more than two years ago.

“It’s just crazy to even think about, honestly. But I’m just so blessed. I’m so blessed just to be in this position I am today,” Melton said. “To have the team that I have around me today and to still be able to lace them up is always important for me.

“Like I said, just keep taking it day by day, game by game. I think before I was just trying to sum up everything in my next game or my next play. Now I’m just trying to be more free about stuff and kind of cut myself some grace too.”

Since January of 2024, Melton’s career has been halted. Back complications in the 2023-24 season held him out of the first three games of the new year when he was with the 76ers before playing two and missing the next 18. He returned for three more and then was out for another 21. 

After playing a career-high 77 games his first season as a Sixer, Melton played just 38 his second season. His first season in a Warriors jersey was even more unfortunate and lasted all of three weeks.

On the one-year anniversary of his ACL surgery, Melton made his 2025-26 season debut for the Warriors and again gave a reminder of the player he is. Melton closed a last-second loss where he scored 14 points and had three assists, two steals and a blocked shot in 21 minutes. He had another strong performance of 13 points and three 3-pointers in his second game but then shooting struggles began and the Warriors had a turbulent month of December. 

Each loss weighed on him and the weight Melton was putting on his back became heavier by the game. Confidence didn’t waver but he tightened, and the self-inflicted pressure couldn’t let him play free. Melton went five straight games without making a three in 15 attempts and averaged 3.4 points in that stretch. 

“I wanted it so bad,” Melton said. “I just wanted to be productive and especially win games so bad that I was kind of putting it all on me.” 

Conversations from teammates, coaches, and Melton’s inner circle brought grace back to him and made him remember he’s allowed it, talking about how much has changed throughout the NBA in the last two years and just how hard it is to even play against the best in the world. What his body went through gave Melton a lot of time to himself to think, and a new perspective with that. 

So of course all he could do was rush when he got that first taste of being back in the game. 

The Warriors realized right away in last season’s training camp what an important player Melton is to their success. Curry after Wednesday’s win against the Bucks explained how Melton is what every team is looking for out of today’s shooting guard. 

“He’s just versatile,” Curry said. “Defensively, he can guard on the ball, point of attack. He plays passing lanes. He’s just smart. Quick on his feet and has a crazy wingspan where he can be a pest out there. 

“And then offensively, he’s a solid knock-down shooter. Can catch and shoot, but he’s one of the few that has a pace to him where when he puts the ball on the floor he can create something. … He’s a prototypical starting 2 guard and he’s played on good teams, so he knows what that level looks like. I’m happy that he’s healthy and able to do it for us.”

Steve Kerr after Thursday’s practice said the prototypical shooting guard is someone who, in the simplest of terms, makes plays. That it’s a playmaking league. Someone who can dribble, pass and shoot reliably, and make a difference defensively. 

“He’s a two-way player, excellent defender. But when he’s out there I can have him handle the ball, I can have him off the ball,” Kerr said. “You see the shooting is starting to come around and it’s fun to see him really finding his groove after missing most of two years.”

Melton isn’t playing both sides of back-to-backs to preserve his health and has missed three games, yet is second on the Warriors in plus/minus (plus-57) since making his Dec. 4 debut. He also isn’t starting games, which he did in the final two he played last season next to Curry when he averaged 16.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and went 11 of 23 from the field and 7 of 14 from 3-point range. Kerr says that until he gets the green light to give Melton 30 minutes, he’ll keep playing him around 25.

He’ll also bump that to 30 as soon as he’s allowed. Notice that Curry said prototypical starting 2 guard. Melton is the long-armed defender he needs next to him that also can create, make shots and score 15 to 20 or more points, knowing that the impact still will be there in games he scores below that. 

Curry and Melton’s sample size together this season is 11 games and 116 minutes, and their 124.2 offensive rating is already the best among anybody next to Steph. Wednesday was Melton’s 13th game this season and the fourth he has made multiple threes. The Warriors are 4-0 in those games, and Melton has averaged around 23 minutes in them.

Going day by day is all Melton wants and asks for. He’s happy to have regained that mindset. It’s helped him see the big picture, and he also unapologetically admits he wants to be the Warriors’ starting shooting guard once the biggest games are here, fully trusting his and the team’s process.

“I think starting in this league is something everybody should hope for, honestly,” Melton said. “I’m willing to do whatever the team takes. … Just that ramp up stage is most important for me. I want to make sure I’m accessible and available for this team in May and the month after that. I’m not trying to be too worried about January. I feel like that’s what was kind of hindering my play in December, worrying so much about the full season. 

“So I just want to take it game by game and see where that goes.” 

Melton accepted the grace granted to him, and in return, can give the Warriors the perfect partner for Curry as the team gets closer to what they pictured when he’s healthy.

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