Andrew Wiggins scored 26 points as the Golden State Warriors battled past the Boston Celtics 104-94 to move within one win of a seventh&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;championship crown on Monday.

With Stephen Curry having a rare off-night after his 43-point game four heroics, Wiggins seized control to lead a balanced Golden State offensive effort which leaves the Warriors 3-2 up in the best-of-seven series. Wiggins delivered a huge performance at both ends of the Warriors' Chase Center court, shooting 12-of-23&nbsp;while hauling in 13 rebounds with two steals and a block.

The Warriors can clinch the championship when the series heads back to Boston for game six on Thursday. "We have two cracks at getting one win, but we also know how difficult it's going to be," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Nobody's celebrating but we are excited to be in this spot and we want to take advantage of it."

Kerr led the tributes for Wiggins, the Canadian former No.1 draft pick who has steadily become an integral part of the Warriors set-up since joining the franchise two years ago. "He loves the challenge. He loves the competition. And&nbsp;he's found such a crucial role on our team, and I think that empowers him," Kerr said. "He knows how much we need him, so he's been fantastic."

Wiggins led the Warriors scorers while Klay Thompson provided support with 21 points including five three-pointers. Gary Payton II (15 points) and Jordan Poole (14) both made double-digits from the bench.

Curry, the Warriors' talisman and front-runner for&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;Finals MVP, chipped in with 16 points but shot only 7-of-22 from the field, going 0/9 from three-point distance. It was the first time in Curry's playoff career he has failed to score a three-pointer and the first time he has drawn a blank from beyond the arc in any&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;game since 2018.

"I think Steph was probably due for a game like this," Kerr said. "But we've got a lot of talent and a lot of depth that can make up for that, and the guys did a good job of that tonight."

Warriors star Draymond Green, who had an improved performance despite fouling out in the fourth quarter, said Curry's display was good news for Golden State. "He's going to be livid going into game six, and that's exactly what we need," Green said.

Andrew Wiggins scored 26 points as the Golden State Warriors battled past the Boston Celtics 104-94 to move within one win of a seventh NBA championship crown on Monday.

Andrew Wiggins scored 26 points as the Golden State Warriors battled past the Boston Celtics 104-94 to move within one win of a seventh NBA championship crown on Monday. With Stephen Curry having a rare off-night after his 43-point game four heroics, Wiggins seized control to lead a balanced Golden State offensive effort which leaves the Warriors 3-2 up in the best-of-seven series. Wiggins delivered a huge performance at both ends of the Warriors' Chase Center court, shooting 12-of-23 while hauling in 13 rebounds with two steals and a block. The Warriors can clinch the championship when the series heads back to Boston for game six on Thursday. "We have two cracks at getting one win, but we also know how difficult it's going to be," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. "Nobody's celebrating but we are excited to be in this spot and we want to take advantage of it." Kerr led the tributes for Wiggins, the Canadian former No.1 draft pick who has steadily become an integral part of the Warriors set-up since joining the franchise two years ago. "He loves the challenge. He loves the competition. And he's found such a crucial role on our team, and I think that empowers him," Kerr said. "He knows how much we need him, so he's been fantastic." Wiggins led the Warriors scorers while Klay Thompson provided support with 21 points including five three-pointers. Gary Payton II (15 points) and Jordan Poole (14) both made double-digits from the bench. Curry, the Warriors' talisman and front-runner for NBA Finals MVP, chipped in with 16 points but shot only 7-of-22 from the field, going 0/9 from three-point distance. It was the first time in Curry's playoff career he has failed to score a three-pointer and the first time he has drawn a blank from beyond the arc in any NBA game since 2018. "I think Steph was probably due for a game like this," Kerr said. "But we've got a lot of talent and a lot of depth that can make up for that, and the guys did a good job of that tonight." Warriors star Draymond Green, who had an improved performance despite fouling out in the fourth quarter, said Curry's display was good news for Golden State. "He's going to be livid going into game six, and that's exactly what we need," Green said.

Golden State Warriors on verge of NBA title as Andrew Wiggins' 26 points punishes Boston Celtics

Stephen Curry produced a dazzling 43-point display as the Golden State Warriors battled past the Boston Celtics 107-97 to level the NBA Finals series at 2-2 on Friday. With the Warriors needing a victory at Boston's TD Garden to avoid going down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, Curry delivered one of the best performances of his glittering career to reignite Golden State's hopes of a seventh championship.

Curry had entered game four with concerns swirling over his health after suffering a knock to his foot in the Warriors' game three defeat on Wednesday. But the 34-year-old two-time NBA Most Valuable Player emphatically laid to rest any doubts about his fitness as he single-handedly hauled Golden State back into the finals with game five back in San Francisco on Monday.

Curry finished with 43 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on a night when Golden State again struggled to find their offensive rhythm for long periods against a powerful Boston line-up.

Klay Thompson added 18 points for the Warriors while Andrew Wiggins produced 17 points and 16 rebounds in a crucial contribution. Jordan Poole added 14 from the bench.

"A lot of pride in our group, a lot of talk over the last 48 hours about how we can get back into this series," an elated Curry said afterwards.&nbsp; "It's crazy because I still feel we can play a little bit better. But to win on the road and get home court advantage back, is big for this group.&nbsp;We've been here six times, we've got a lot of experience of staying confident and composed.&nbsp;

"I'm just thankful for everyone on our team because we brought a lot of toughness and physicality tonight. "We knew how big this game was. That five-and-a-half hour flight home got a little better after tonight."

<h2>- Green struggles -</h2>

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, meanwhile, took the bold decision to remove Draymond Green from the fray during the fourth quarter before returning him to the court for the closing passage of play. Green again struggled on offense with only two points but finished with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals.

But the undeniable man of the hour was once again Curry, a model of clear-headed composure as bedlam raged around Boston’s raucous arena.

"Just stunning," was how Kerr described Curry's performance. "The physicality out there is, you know, pretty dramatic. I mean, Boston's got obviously, best defense in the league.

"Huge and powerful at every position, and for Steph to that kind of pressure all game long and still be able to defend at the other end when they are coming at him shows you, I think, this is the strongest physically he's ever been in his career, and it's allowing him to do what he's doing."

Boston coach Ime Udoka was left pondering what might have been. The Celtics must now win at least one more game in San Francisco -- where they won game one -- to win a record 18th NBA crown.

"Had our opportunities tonight, especially when we did have a five-, six-point lead," Udoka said. "It felt like we didn't have our best possessions, and kind of let them back in the game, whether it was turnovers or poor offense.

"It could have been an easier road, obviously, if you get the win tonight. But it is what it is. We're 2-2 now. We know we can do it. We've done it before. Keep your head up and let's go get one on the road."

A closely-fought contest saw neither side lead by more than seven points until Golden State's decisive late burst in the final minutes secured a 10-point victory. Boston had led by four points at 94-90 with just under five minutes remaining before a Wiggins layup and a Thompson three-pointer put Golden State up 95-94. Curry then extended the lead with a layup to make it 97-94 before driving in the dagger with a three-pointer to leave the Warriors 100-94 ahead.

Al Horford cut the deficit for Boston with a corner three, but Kevon Looney’s layup restored the Warriors' five-point cushion.

Curry then closed out the game, cleverly drawing fouls from Boston to nail five points from the free throw line. Jayson Tatum led the Boston scorers with 23 points while Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points. Marcus Smart added 18 points and Derrick White chipped in with 16.

Stephen Curry produced a dazzling 43-point display as the Golden State Warriors battled past the Boston Celtics 107-97 to level the NBA Finals series at 2-2 on Friday.

Stephen Curry produced a dazzling 43-point display as the Golden State Warriors battled past the Boston Celtics 107-97 to level the NBA Finals series at 2-2 on Friday. With the Warriors needing a victory at Boston's TD Garden to avoid going down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, Curry delivered one of the best performances of his glittering career to reignite Golden State's hopes of a seventh championship. Curry had entered game four with concerns swirling over his health after suffering a knock to his foot in the Warriors' game three defeat on Wednesday. But the 34-year-old two-time NBA Most Valuable Player emphatically laid to rest any doubts about his fitness as he single-handedly hauled Golden State back into the finals with game five back in San Francisco on Monday. Curry finished with 43 points, 10 rebounds and four assists on a night when Golden State again struggled to find their offensive rhythm for long periods against a powerful Boston line-up. Klay Thompson added 18 points for the Warriors while Andrew Wiggins produced 17 points and 16 rebounds in a crucial contribution. Jordan Poole added 14 from the bench. "A lot of pride in our group, a lot of talk over the last 48 hours about how we can get back into this series," an elated Curry said afterwards. "It's crazy because I still feel we can play a little bit better. But to win on the road and get home court advantage back, is big for this group. We've been here six times, we've got a lot of experience of staying confident and composed. "I'm just thankful for everyone on our team because we brought a lot of toughness and physicality tonight. "We knew how big this game was. That five-and-a-half hour flight home got a little better after tonight." - Green struggles - Warriors coach Steve Kerr, meanwhile, took the bold decision to remove Draymond Green from the fray during the fourth quarter before returning him to the court for the closing passage of play. Green again struggled on offense with only two points but finished with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals. But the undeniable man of the hour was once again Curry, a model of clear-headed composure as bedlam raged around Boston’s raucous arena. "Just stunning," was how Kerr described Curry's performance. "The physicality out there is, you know, pretty dramatic. I mean, Boston's got obviously, best defense in the league. "Huge and powerful at every position, and for Steph to that kind of pressure all game long and still be able to defend at the other end when they are coming at him shows you, I think, this is the strongest physically he's ever been in his career, and it's allowing him to do what he's doing." Boston coach Ime Udoka was left pondering what might have been. The Celtics must now win at least one more game in San Francisco -- where they won game one -- to win a record 18th NBA crown. "Had our opportunities tonight, especially when we did have a five-, six-point lead," Udoka said. "It felt like we didn't have our best possessions, and kind of let them back in the game, whether it was turnovers or poor offense. "It could have been an easier road, obviously, if you get the win tonight. But it is what it is. We're 2-2 now. We know we can do it. We've done it before. Keep your head up and let's go get one on the road." A closely-fought contest saw neither side lead by more than seven points until Golden State's decisive late burst in the final minutes secured a 10-point victory. Boston had led by four points at 94-90 with just under five minutes remaining before a Wiggins layup and a Thompson three-pointer put Golden State up 95-94. Curry then extended the lead with a layup to make it 97-94 before driving in the dagger with a three-pointer to leave the Warriors 100-94 ahead. Al Horford cut the deficit for Boston with a corner three, but Kevon Looney’s layup restored the Warriors' five-point cushion. Curry then closed out the game, cleverly drawing fouls from Boston to nail five points from the free throw line. Jayson Tatum led the Boston scorers with 23 points while Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points. Marcus Smart added 18 points and Derrick White chipped in with 16.

Stephen Curry's dazzling display propels Golden State Warriors to win vs Boston Celtics, level NBA Finals

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 to propel the Boston Celtics to a 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;Finals. Marcus Smart added 24 points for the Celtics, who led by as many as 18 in the first half at TD Garden.

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They weathered another third-quarter surge from the Warriors, who briefly took a one-point lead only for the Celtics to pull away late for the convincing win. Boston, seeking a record 18th&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;title, host game four of the best-of-seven series on Friday.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 to propel the Boston Celtics to a 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 to propel the Boston Celtics to a 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday and a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals. Marcus Smart added 24 points for the Celtics, who led by as many as 18 in the first half at TD Garden. ALSO READ | Columbian cyclist wins race, celebrations cut-short after he crashes into his wife - WATCH They weathered another third-quarter surge from the Warriors, who briefly took a one-point lead only for the Celtics to pull away late for the convincing win. Boston, seeking a record 18th NBA title, host game four of the best-of-seven series on Friday.

Boston Celtics beat Golden State Warriors, take 2-1 lead in NBA Finals

LeBron James goes head-to-head with Stephen Curry on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers face the in-form Golden State Warriors in a heavyweight NBA play-in tournament showdown.

The Lakers and the Warriors collide at the Staples Center where a first-round playoff series against the second-seeded Phoenix Suns will be on the line for the winners.

The loser faces a further game against either the Memphis Grizzlies or the San Antonio Spurs, with the winner of that game advancing to a first-round meeting against the top-seeded Utah Jazz.

While the return to fitness of James and Anthony Davis has left the Lakers confident of mounting a successful defence of their NBA Finals crown, James is looking no further than Wednesday's date with Curry and the Warriors.

The Warriors head into the play-in tournament on the back of six straight victories after a regular-season campaign that as recently as last month was looking increasingly shaky.

A run of seven defeats in eight games left the Warriors four wins below .500 in early April and in danger of missing out on a place in the play-in tournament altogether.

However, Curry's scintillating, MVP-worthy form helped transform the Warriors' season, with Steve Kerr's team stitching together a run of wins that included victories over the top-ranked Utah Jazz, second-seeded Phoenix and Eastern Conference top seeds Philadelphia.

Over the course of the season, Curry averaged a career-best 31.8 points per game and on Sunday clinched the second scoring title of his career.

James, a long-time admirer of Curry who duelled with the Warriors ace in four consecutive NBA Finals between Golden State and Cleveland from 2015-2018, is relishing another meeting.

"For our paths to continue to cross in our careers is pretty unique and pretty cool," James said. "Our paths have been crossed again.

"It's always been a level of respect that's even beyond the game of basketball, the way I feel for Steph."

James believes that Curry has been the best player in the league this year.

"Just look what he's done this year," James said. "Everybody counted him out this year. Everybody saying now that Klay (Thompson) is hurt, can Steph lead a team on his own? Can he carry a team into the postseason? Can he keep a team afloat? He's done that and more.

"If you're looking for MVP, if Steph is not on Golden State's team, what are we looking at? We get caught up in the record sometimes instead of just saying, 'Who had the best season that year?' And Steph has had, in my opinion, the best season all year."

While the Warriors head into Wednesday on the back of six straight wins, the Lakers too have hit form at the right time, reeling off five consecutive victories to close the season.

Lengthy injury layoffs to both James and Davis and other key members of the Lakers personnel sent the champions tumbling down the Western Conference standings, leaving them outside the automatic postseason places.

However James believes that in the make-or-break environment of the playoffs, seeding will be irrelevant, despite the fact that no-team ranked lower than sixth seeded Houston in 1995 has ever won the championships.

"I don't look at our seeding," James said. "It doesn't matter. Obviously, we know we wanted to play a lot better this season, but the injuries took a toll on our team. I look forward to the challenge."

LeBron James goes head-to-head with Stephen Curry on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers face the in-form Golden State Warriors in a heavyweight NBA play-in tournament showdown.

LeBron James goes head-to-head with Stephen Curry on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers face the in-form Golden State Warriors in a heavyweight NBA play-in tournament showdown. The Lakers and the Warriors collide at the Staples Center where a first-round playoff series against the second-seeded Phoenix Suns will be on the line for the winners. The loser faces a further game against either the Memphis Grizzlies or the San Antonio Spurs, with the winner of that game advancing to a first-round meeting against the top-seeded Utah Jazz. While the return to fitness of James and Anthony Davis has left the Lakers confident of mounting a successful defence of their NBA Finals crown, James is looking no further than Wednesday's date with Curry and the Warriors. The Warriors head into the play-in tournament on the back of six straight victories after a regular-season campaign that as recently as last month was looking increasingly shaky. A run of seven defeats in eight games left the Warriors four wins below .500 in early April and in danger of missing out on a place in the play-in tournament altogether. However, Curry's scintillating, MVP-worthy form helped transform the Warriors' season, with Steve Kerr's team stitching together a run of wins that included victories over the top-ranked Utah Jazz, second-seeded Phoenix and Eastern Conference top seeds Philadelphia. Over the course of the season, Curry averaged a career-best 31.8 points per game and on Sunday clinched the second scoring title of his career. James, a long-time admirer of Curry who duelled with the Warriors ace in four consecutive NBA Finals between Golden State and Cleveland from 2015-2018, is relishing another meeting. "For our paths to continue to cross in our careers is pretty unique and pretty cool," James said. "Our paths have been crossed again. "It's always been a level of respect that's even beyond the game of basketball, the way I feel for Steph." James believes that Curry has been the best player in the league this year. "Just look what he's done this year," James said. "Everybody counted him out this year. Everybody saying now that Klay (Thompson) is hurt, can Steph lead a team on his own? Can he carry a team into the postseason? Can he keep a team afloat? He's done that and more. "If you're looking for MVP, if Steph is not on Golden State's team, what are we looking at? We get caught up in the record sometimes instead of just saying, 'Who had the best season that year?' And Steph has had, in my opinion, the best season all year." While the Warriors head into Wednesday on the back of six straight wins, the Lakers too have hit form at the right time, reeling off five consecutive victories to close the season. Lengthy injury layoffs to both James and Davis and other key members of the Lakers personnel sent the champions tumbling down the Western Conference standings, leaving them outside the automatic postseason places. However James believes that in the make-or-break environment of the playoffs, seeding will be irrelevant, despite the fact that no-team ranked lower than sixth seeded Houston in 1995 has ever won the championships. "I don't look at our seeding," James said. "It doesn't matter. Obviously, we know we wanted to play a lot better this season, but the injuries took a toll on our team. I look forward to the challenge."

NBA: Curry, James showdown as Lakers-Warriors clash

Stephen Curry scored 46 points and claimed his second NBA scoring title as the Golden State Warriors won their sixth straight by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 113-101 on Sunday in San Francisco.

Curry finished the regular season with a 32.0-point scoring average, claiming the league title over Washington's Bradley Beal who scored 25 points earlier Sunday to finish at 31.3 points per game.

"I had a lot of good looks all night," Curry said. "We were in sync. The guys set great screens for me."

The 33-year old Curry won his first scoring title in 2016. He and Michael Jordan are the only NBA players to win a scoring title after turning 33.

Curry also joins Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players with multiple scoring titles, most valuable players awards and NBA championships.

"He's like the Picasso of our time," said teammate Juan Toscano-Anderson. "You can't have a knock on him. He's the best doing it right now."

Curry scored 17 of his game-high 46 points in the third quarter as the Warriors seized the Western Conference number eight spot in this week's play-in tournament.

Golden State will now play on Wednesday, at either Portland or the&nbsp;Los Angeles Lakers, both of whom took the court later Sunday.

"He's never been better, I can say that," coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry got plenty of help from his supporting cast, including Jordan Poole who halted a Grizzlies rally with a late three pointer.

The Warriors outscored the Grizzlies 45-18 from three-point range and outshot their opponents 49.4 percent to 43.5 overall.

"It is just confidence and the expectation and ability to know they are going to have opportunities," said Curry of his teammates. "If I get a lot of attention we move the ball, they are out there to make plays.&nbsp;

"Everybody has to be confident they are going to make an impact on both ends of the floor. We are going to need that."

Andrew Wiggins finished with 21-points and 10-rebounds, while Draymond Green just missed a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and a game-high-tying nine assists. Kevon Looney a team-high 11 rebounds for the Warriors.

Jonas Valanciunas scored 29 points and delivered 16 rebounds for Memphis, who had all five starters in double figures.

Brooks finished with 18 points, while Ja Morant tallied 16 and nine assists for the Grizzlies, who trailed 86-69 at the end of the third quarter.

Stephen Curry scored 46 points and claimed his second NBA scoring title as the Golden State Warriors won their sixth straight by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 113-101 on Sunday in San Francisco.

Stephen Curry scored 46 points and claimed his second NBA scoring title as the Golden State Warriors won their sixth straight by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 113-101 on Sunday in San Francisco. Curry finished the regular season with a 32.0-point scoring average, claiming the league title over Washington's Bradley Beal who scored 25 points earlier Sunday to finish at 31.3 points per game. "I had a lot of good looks all night," Curry said. "We were in sync. The guys set great screens for me." The 33-year old Curry won his first scoring title in 2016. He and Michael Jordan are the only NBA players to win a scoring title after turning 33. Curry also joins Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players with multiple scoring titles, most valuable players awards and NBA championships. "He's like the Picasso of our time," said teammate Juan Toscano-Anderson. "You can't have a knock on him. He's the best doing it right now." Curry scored 17 of his game-high 46 points in the third quarter as the Warriors seized the Western Conference number eight spot in this week's play-in tournament. Golden State will now play on Wednesday, at either Portland or the Los Angeles Lakers, both of whom took the court later Sunday. "He's never been better, I can say that," coach Steve Kerr said. Curry got plenty of help from his supporting cast, including Jordan Poole who halted a Grizzlies rally with a late three pointer. The Warriors outscored the Grizzlies 45-18 from three-point range and outshot their opponents 49.4 percent to 43.5 overall. "It is just confidence and the expectation and ability to know they are going to have opportunities," said Curry of his teammates. "If I get a lot of attention we move the ball, they are out there to make plays. "Everybody has to be confident they are going to make an impact on both ends of the floor. We are going to need that." Andrew Wiggins finished with 21-points and 10-rebounds, while Draymond Green just missed a triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds and a game-high-tying nine assists. Kevon Looney a team-high 11 rebounds for the Warriors. Jonas Valanciunas scored 29 points and delivered 16 rebounds for Memphis, who had all five starters in double figures. Brooks finished with 18 points, while Ja Morant tallied 16 and nine assists for the Grizzlies, who trailed 86-69 at the end of the third quarter.

Curry captures second NBA scoring title, Warriors win sixth straight

The Toronto Raptors captured their first NBA crown on Thursday, defeating Golden State 114-110 to become the first league champion from outside the United States by dethroning the defending titleholders.

Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam each scored 26 points while Kawhi Leonard and reserve Fred VanVleet each added 22 as Toronto won the best-of-seven series four games to two.

Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career after the first in 2014 with San Antonio, which traded him to Toronto last July.

"Last summer I was going through a lot. I just kept working hard and had my mind set on this goal right here. This is why I play basketball. This is what I work hard for. I'm glad to see it all pay off," Leonard said.

The Raptors became the first Canadian club to win a major North American sports title since the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays captured Major League Baseball's World Series.

Klay Thompson scored 30 points to lead the Warriors but left the game with a left knee injury late in the third quarter after landing awkwardly on his left leg.

Injury-hit Golden State was already without two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, who returned in game five Monday after being sidelined for a month only to suffer a ruptured right Achilles tendon.

Andre Iguodala added 22 points for the Warriors, Stephen Curry had 21 and Draymond Green contributed 11 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists.

"Everybody on this team played with a lot of heart. We just came up a little short," Green said.

Golden State had a final shot to win trailing 111-110 but Curry missed a 3-pointer and Green called a timeout when the team had none, setting up three final free throws by Leonard to seal the victory.

The Raptors spoiled the Warriors' farewell appearance at Oracle Arena, Golden State's home since 1971 will be replaced by a new $1 billion venue in San Francisco next season.

Toronto's triumph made this first NBA Finals where road teams won five consecutive games.

Lowry scored 21 points in the first half to give Toronto a 60-57 lead, hitting 7-of-10 shots from the floor and 4-of-5 from 3-point range.

Thompson led the Warriors with 18 first-half points.

Thompson goes down 
 
Iguodala scored six points in a 14-4 Warriors run, joining Curry and Thompson in hitting 3-pointers in the spurt to give Golden State an 80-76 advantage just before disaster struck again.

Thompson landed awkwardly on his left leg on a missed shot and went to the floor writhing in pain, being helped to the locker room with a knee injury as the Warriors called a timeout.

Walking to the locker room, Thompson turned back and returned to the court, a standing crowd screaming with delight to see him sink two free throws.

Thompson couldn't have returned had he not shot the free throws, which gave the Warriors their biggest lead at 85-80.

But after he was seen limping, Thompson was removed and later ruled out with a left knee injury, seen walking out of the arena on crutches.

VanVleet big late 
 
Fielding largely reserves, Golden State held off Toronto but VanVleet sank two 3-pointers and his three free throws with 5:39 remaining pulled the Raptors level at 99-99.

VanVleet struck again from 3-point range and Serge Ibaka scored off a rebound to put Toronto ahead 106-101 with 3:03 remaining.

Draymond Green's 3-pointer pulled the Warriors within 108-105 and after trading free throws, Cousins scored a layin to pull Golden State within 109-108 with 46 seconds remaining.

Siakam hit a jumper but Curry answered with two free throws and after Toronto's Danny Green threw a bad pass out of bounds, the Warriors got the ball with nine seconds remaining down 111-110, setting up the closing drama.

A roaring crowd created an electric atmosphere with a standing ovation at the start but Lowry quieted them with three 3-pointers and a layup for all the Raptor points in an 11-2 run to begin the game.

Thompson had 10 points and Cousins five in a 19-9 Golden State run for a 27-26 Warriors edge and the game stayed tight the rest of the first half.

The Toronto Raptors captured their first NBA crown on Thursday, defeating Golden State 114-110 to become the first league champion from outside the United States by dethroning the defending titleholders.

The Toronto Raptors captured their first NBA crown on Thursday, defeating Golden State 114-110 to become the first league champion from outside the United States by dethroning the defending titleholders. Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam each scored 26 points while Kawhi Leonard and reserve Fred VanVleet each added 22 as Toronto won the best-of-seven series four games to two. Leonard was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career after the first in 2014 with San Antonio, which traded him to Toronto last July. "Last summer I was going through a lot. I just kept working hard and had my mind set on this goal right here. This is why I play basketball. This is what I work hard for. I'm glad to see it all pay off," Leonard said. The Raptors became the first Canadian club to win a major North American sports title since the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays captured Major League Baseball's World Series. Klay Thompson scored 30 points to lead the Warriors but left the game with a left knee injury late in the third quarter after landing awkwardly on his left leg. Injury-hit Golden State was already without two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, who returned in game five Monday after being sidelined for a month only to suffer a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Andre Iguodala added 22 points for the Warriors, Stephen Curry had 21 and Draymond Green contributed 11 points, 18 rebounds and 13 assists. "Everybody on this team played with a lot of heart. We just came up a little short," Green said. Golden State had a final shot to win trailing 111-110 but Curry missed a 3-pointer and Green called a timeout when the team had none, setting up three final free throws by Leonard to seal the victory. The Raptors spoiled the Warriors' farewell appearance at Oracle Arena, Golden State's home since 1971 will be replaced by a new $1 billion venue in San Francisco next season. Toronto's triumph made this first NBA Finals where road teams won five consecutive games. Lowry scored 21 points in the first half to give Toronto a 60-57 lead, hitting 7-of-10 shots from the floor and 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Thompson led the Warriors with 18 first-half points. Thompson goes down Iguodala scored six points in a 14-4 Warriors run, joining Curry and Thompson in hitting 3-pointers in the spurt to give Golden State an 80-76 advantage just before disaster struck again. Thompson landed awkwardly on his left leg on a missed shot and went to the floor writhing in pain, being helped to the locker room with a knee injury as the Warriors called a timeout. Walking to the locker room, Thompson turned back and returned to the court, a standing crowd screaming with delight to see him sink two free throws. Thompson couldn't have returned had he not shot the free throws, which gave the Warriors their biggest lead at 85-80. But after he was seen limping, Thompson was removed and later ruled out with a left knee injury, seen walking out of the arena on crutches. VanVleet big late Fielding largely reserves, Golden State held off Toronto but VanVleet sank two 3-pointers and his three free throws with 5:39 remaining pulled the Raptors level at 99-99. VanVleet struck again from 3-point range and Serge Ibaka scored off a rebound to put Toronto ahead 106-101 with 3:03 remaining. Draymond Green's 3-pointer pulled the Warriors within 108-105 and after trading free throws, Cousins scored a layin to pull Golden State within 109-108 with 46 seconds remaining. Siakam hit a jumper but Curry answered with two free throws and after Toronto's Danny Green threw a bad pass out of bounds, the Warriors got the ball with nine seconds remaining down 111-110, setting up the closing drama. A roaring crowd created an electric atmosphere with a standing ovation at the start but Lowry quieted them with three 3-pointers and a layup for all the Raptor points in an 11-2 run to begin the game. Thompson had 10 points and Cousins five in a 19-9 Golden State run for a 27-26 Warriors edge and the game stayed tight the rest of the first half.

Toronto Raptors dethrone Golden State Warriors to lift first NBA crown

The Golden State Warriors secured their second NBA championship in three seasons with a 129-120 Game Five win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, capping a near-perfect run through the playoffs.

The Warriors, who beat Cleveland in the 2015 Finals only to lose to them last year after squandering a 3-1 series lead, went a record-setting 15-1 in the playoffs, their only loss coming in Game Four of the best-of-seven championship.

The win provided redemption for the Warriors, who brought Kevin Durant over from the Oklahoma City Thunder last offseason to bolster their already high-powered offense.

Durant, who lost in his only previous Finals appearance in 2012, led the way for the Warriors with 39 points and was relieved after feeling pressure to deliver prior to the game.

&quot;I couldn&#39;t sleep for two days,&quot; Durant, who was named the Finals MVP, said during an on-court interview. &quot;I was anxious, I was jittery.

&quot;I just wanted to lay it all out there. I put in work, I just had to trust in it. We were really good tonight.&quot;

Cavaliers&#39; forward LeBron James had a game-high 41 points and guard Kyrie Irving hit tough shots all night but defensive breakdowns by Cleveland led to easy baskets late in the game for the Warriors, igniting a deafening crowd.

James said he had no reason to feel sorry for himself. &quot;I left everything on the floor every game, all five games,&quot; he said. &quot;I have no reason to put my head down.&quot;

Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said the experience of losing last year&#39;s Finals served them well this season.

&quot;We learned from everything we&#39;ve been through,&quot; Curry said during the trophy celebration. &quot;To be back here and bring gold Larry (O&#39;Brien trophy) back home, I&#39;m just excited to be a part of this group and accomplish something special. I&#39;m ready to do it again.&quot;

An unprecedented third straight Finals clash between the Warriors and Cavaliers was hyped as the ultimate championship rubber match and expected to be the antidote for a postseason that had little in the way of drama.

But that idea fizzled fast when the Warriors opened with a pair of lopsided wins at home, fought back late to steal the next game in Cleveland and then, after dropping their first game of the postseason, closed out the series at home.

In the end, the Cavaliers simply did not have enough top-class talent to topple the Warriors, even with four-time league MVP James doing all he could to keep his team in it.

For James, already a three-times champion, the loss puts him in rare company as only the fourth player to come up short in five NBA Finals.

Cleveland&#39;s inability to give the Warriors much of a fight has already sparked talk that James, who left the team in 2010 for Miami before returning four years later, could consider another move during 2018 free agency.

(Reuters)

Durant, who lost in his only previous Finals appearance in 2012, led the way for the Warriors with 39 points

The Golden State Warriors secured their second NBA championship in three seasons with a 129-120 Game Five win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, capping a near-perfect run through the playoffs. The Warriors, who beat Cleveland in the 2015 Finals only to lose to them last year after squandering a 3-1 series lead, went a record-setting 15-1 in the playoffs, their only loss coming in Game Four of the best-of-seven championship. The win provided redemption for the Warriors, who brought Kevin Durant over from the Oklahoma City Thunder last offseason to bolster their already high-powered offense. Durant, who lost in his only previous Finals appearance in 2012, led the way for the Warriors with 39 points and was relieved after feeling pressure to deliver prior to the game. "I couldn't sleep for two days," Durant, who was named the Finals MVP, said during an on-court interview. "I was anxious, I was jittery. "I just wanted to lay it all out there. I put in work, I just had to trust in it. We were really good tonight." Cavaliers' forward LeBron James had a game-high 41 points and guard Kyrie Irving hit tough shots all night but defensive breakdowns by Cleveland led to easy baskets late in the game for the Warriors, igniting a deafening crowd. James said he had no reason to feel sorry for himself. "I left everything on the floor every game, all five games," he said. "I have no reason to put my head down." Warriors point guard Stephen Curry said the experience of losing last year's Finals served them well this season. "We learned from everything we've been through," Curry said during the trophy celebration. "To be back here and bring gold Larry (O'Brien trophy) back home, I'm just excited to be a part of this group and accomplish something special. I'm ready to do it again." An unprecedented third straight Finals clash between the Warriors and Cavaliers was hyped as the ultimate championship rubber match and expected to be the antidote for a postseason that had little in the way of drama. But that idea fizzled fast when the Warriors opened with a pair of lopsided wins at home, fought back late to steal the next game in Cleveland and then, after dropping their first game of the postseason, closed out the series at home. In the end, the Cavaliers simply did not have enough top-class talent to topple the Warriors, even with four-time league MVP James doing all he could to keep his team in it. For James, already a three-times champion, the loss puts him in rare company as only the fourth player to come up short in five NBA Finals. Cleveland's inability to give the Warriors much of a fight has already sparked talk that James, who left the team in 2010 for Miami before returning four years later, could consider another move during 2018 free agency. (Reuters)

NBA Championships: Golden State Warriors ride Durant to beat LeBron James' Cavaliers

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James unleashed a historic scoring spectacle Friday to power defending champion Cleveland over Golden State 137-116 in the NBA Finals, ending the Warriors&#39; bid for a perfect playoff run.

Irving scored 40 points, hitting 15-of-27 shots from the floor and 7-of-12 3-pointers, while James added 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to pull the Cavaliers within 3-1 in the best-of-seven championship series.

&quot;The magnitude of the game, it hit me in a very deep place,&quot; Irving said. &quot;You want to play extremely well and you understand that&#39;s a do-or-die game.&quot;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Kyrie (40), LeBron (31) &amp; Love (23) combine for 94 points to help the <a href="https://twitter.com/cavs">@cavs</a> take Game 4 victory! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash">#NBAFinals</a> <a href="https://t.co/zD9DpZILbr">pic.twitter.com/zD9DpZILbr</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/873408145300770816">June 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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No team has escaped a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series in 126 tries and the Warriors can claim the crown by winning game five at home on Monday in Oakland, California, but the Cavs made the greatest NBA Finals comeback last year from 3-1 down to beat the Warriors.

&quot;The job is still far from over,&quot; Irving said. &quot;We&#39;re still in a hole. But this is a good start.&quot;

Opening the game with the highest-scoring quarter and half in NBA Finals history, the Cavaliers became the first finals team trailing 3-0 to force a fifth game since the 1996 Seattle SuperSonics.

&quot;At the end of the day we&#39;ve just got some resilient guys,&quot; James said. &quot;We&#39;re battle tested, they&#39;re battle tested. And getting swept is something that you never want to have happen. You hate to get swept, lose two games on your home floor. So I think a lot of guys had that in their mind today, and they came out and played like it.&quot;

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LeBron is now 3rd all-time in most PTS scored in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash">#NBAFinals</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThisIsWhyWePlay?src=hash">#ThisIsWhyWePlay</a><a href="https://t.co/WUi1pW89Wo">https://t.co/WUi1pW89Wo</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/873406218936647680">June 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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The defending champion Cavaliers snapped Golden State&#39;s NBA-record post-season win streak at 15 games. The Cavaliers shot 24-of-45 from 3-point range, setting a finals record for 3-pointers and ending one shy of matching the league&#39;s all-time record.

&quot;We were in attack mode,&quot; James said. &quot;It&#39;s going to be even tougher in game five. But we look forward to the challenge.&quot;

The ninth career NBA Finals triple-double by James broke the all-time record he shared with Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson. No one else has more than two.

Kevin Durant led Golden State with 35 points while Draymond Green added 16 points and 14 rebounds and Stephen Curry had 14 points, but the Warriors -- who never led -- could not manage the ninth sweep in finals history.

&quot;It would have (been special),&quot; Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. &quot;You can&#39;t hold on to it. It&#39;s gone. It&#39;s over with -- 16-1 sounds pretty damn good anyway. Forget about that undefeated talk. It&#39;s time to put on a show for our fans.&quot;

&#39;Cavs in Seven&#39;&nbsp;

Cleveland led 49-33 after the first quarter and 86-68 at half-time, the Cavaliers setting scoring records for any half or quarter in finals history. Irving had 28 points at half-time with 22 from James and 17 from Love.

The old mark of 81 points in a half was set by the 1982 Philadelphia 76ers.

A physical third quarter featured five of the game&#39;s seven technical fouls, two from heated talk between Durant and James after Love fouled Durant, another on Green that appeared to see him ejected before it was revealed that an earlier technical on him had instead been issued to Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

&quot;It was just an incredibly physical game,&quot; Kerr said. &quot;Ton of fouls called early, a lot of holding and grabbing and pushing and shoving. It got out of hand a little bit, and the third quarter it seemed like the game was stopping every time.&quot;

Asked about the weight of trying for playoff perfection, Kerr said, &quot;I don&#39;t think there was any concern or thoughts about history. I think it was we played a desperate team on their home floor, a great team, with great players, and they came out and handed it to us.&quot;

A James 3-pointer put Cleveland ahead 115-96 entering the fourth quarter. James rested for the first 97 seconds of the fourth quarter but two quick Warriors&#39; 3-pointers hastened his return as Golden State surged within 115-104.

But they never got closer.

Cavaliers fans were chanting, &quot;Cavs in seven&quot; in the final minutes. It&#39;s the same phrase J.R. Smith had posted on his Twitter feed, which he said was hacked.

Now he says that&#39;s not an impossible notion, a comeback to outdo the greatest comeback they made a year ago.

&quot;I wouldn&#39;t say it&#39;s out of the question,&quot; he said. &quot;If we play like we did tonight, it&#39;s very possible.&quot;

(AFP)

A LeBron James-powered Cleveland Cavaliers broke a raft of Finals records to open their account in the title-deciding playoff

Kyrie Irving and LeBron James unleashed a historic scoring spectacle Friday to power defending champion Cleveland over Golden State 137-116 in the NBA Finals, ending the Warriors' bid for a perfect playoff run. Irving scored 40 points, hitting 15-of-27 shots from the floor and 7-of-12 3-pointers, while James added 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to pull the Cavaliers within 3-1 in the best-of-seven championship series. "The magnitude of the game, it hit me in a very deep place," Irving said. "You want to play extremely well and you understand that's a do-or-die game." Kyrie (40), LeBron (31) & Love (23) combine for 94 points to help the @cavs take Game 4 victory! #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/zD9DpZILbr — NBA (@NBA) June 10, 2017 × No team has escaped a 3-0 deficit to win an NBA playoff series in 126 tries and the Warriors can claim the crown by winning game five at home on Monday in Oakland, California, but the Cavs made the greatest NBA Finals comeback last year from 3-1 down to beat the Warriors. "The job is still far from over," Irving said. "We're still in a hole. But this is a good start." Opening the game with the highest-scoring quarter and half in NBA Finals history, the Cavaliers became the first finals team trailing 3-0 to force a fifth game since the 1996 Seattle SuperSonics. "At the end of the day we've just got some resilient guys," James said. "We're battle tested, they're battle tested. And getting swept is something that you never want to have happen. You hate to get swept, lose two games on your home floor. So I think a lot of guys had that in their mind today, and they came out and played like it." LeBron is now 3rd all-time in most PTS scored in the #NBAFinals! #ThisIsWhyWePlayhttps://t.co/WUi1pW89Wo — NBA (@NBA) June 10, 2017 × The defending champion Cavaliers snapped Golden State's NBA-record post-season win streak at 15 games. The Cavaliers shot 24-of-45 from 3-point range, setting a finals record for 3-pointers and ending one shy of matching the league's all-time record. "We were in attack mode," James said. "It's going to be even tougher in game five. But we look forward to the challenge." The ninth career NBA Finals triple-double by James broke the all-time record he shared with Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson. No one else has more than two. Kevin Durant led Golden State with 35 points while Draymond Green added 16 points and 14 rebounds and Stephen Curry had 14 points, but the Warriors -- who never led -- could not manage the ninth sweep in finals history. "It would have (been special)," Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. "You can't hold on to it. It's gone. It's over with -- 16-1 sounds pretty damn good anyway. Forget about that undefeated talk. It's time to put on a show for our fans." 'Cavs in Seven' Cleveland led 49-33 after the first quarter and 86-68 at half-time, the Cavaliers setting scoring records for any half or quarter in finals history. Irving had 28 points at half-time with 22 from James and 17 from Love. The old mark of 81 points in a half was set by the 1982 Philadelphia 76ers. A physical third quarter featured five of the game's seven technical fouls, two from heated talk between Durant and James after Love fouled Durant, another on Green that appeared to see him ejected before it was revealed that an earlier technical on him had instead been issued to Warriors coach Steve Kerr. "It was just an incredibly physical game," Kerr said. "Ton of fouls called early, a lot of holding and grabbing and pushing and shoving. It got out of hand a little bit, and the third quarter it seemed like the game was stopping every time." Asked about the weight of trying for playoff perfection, Kerr said, "I don't think there was any concern or thoughts about history. I think it was we played a desperate team on their home floor, a great team, with great players, and they came out and handed it to us." A James 3-pointer put Cleveland ahead 115-96 entering the fourth quarter. James rested for the first 97 seconds of the fourth quarter but two quick Warriors' 3-pointers hastened his return as Golden State surged within 115-104. But they never got closer. Cavaliers fans were chanting, "Cavs in seven" in the final minutes. It's the same phrase J.R. Smith had posted on his Twitter feed, which he said was hacked. Now he says that's not an impossible notion, a comeback to outdo the greatest comeback they made a year ago. "I wouldn't say it's out of the question," he said. "If we play like we did tonight, it's very possible." (AFP)

NBA finals: Cavaliers win to prevent Warriors' historic playoffs sweep

Former NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, the biggest prize on the free agent market, announced on Monday that he will join the Golden State Warriors. 
 
Durant, a four-times league scoring champion and seven-times All-Star who spent the first nine years of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise, said in a piece posted on the Players&#39; Tribune website that this has been the most challenging time of his professional life. 
 
&quot;The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player - as that has always steered me in the right direction,&quot; Durant wrote. 
 
&quot;But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth,&quot; he further confided in the piece and added, &quot;With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Golden State Warriors.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Durant, whose former Thunder team came one win short of reaching the 2016 NBA Finals, met with Oklahoma City, Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat before making his decision. 
 
He joins a Warriors team that includes reigning league MVP Stephen Curry, won the NBA title in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2016 after a remarkable campaign in which they had a record 73 wins during the 82-game regular season. 
 
Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Durant is reportedly expected to sign a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors. 
 
(Reuters)

Durant is expected to sign a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors

Former NBA Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant, the biggest prize on the free agent market, announced on Monday that he will join the Golden State Warriors. Durant, a four-times league scoring champion and seven-times All-Star who spent the first nine years of his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise, said in a piece posted on the Players' Tribune website that this has been the most challenging time of his professional life. "The primary mandate I had for myself in making this decision was to have it based on the potential for my growth as a player - as that has always steered me in the right direction," Durant wrote. "But I am also at a point in my life where it is of equal importance to find an opportunity that encourages my evolution as a man: moving out of my comfort zone to a new city and community which offers the greatest potential for my contribution and personal growth," he further confided in the piece and added, "With this in mind, I have decided that I am going to join the Golden State Warriors." Durant, whose former Thunder team came one win short of reaching the 2016 NBA Finals, met with Oklahoma City, Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat before making his decision. He joins a Warriors team that includes reigning league MVP Stephen Curry, won the NBA title in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2016 after a remarkable campaign in which they had a record 73 wins during the 82-game regular season. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Durant is reportedly expected to sign a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors. (Reuters)

Eyeing growth, Star NBA player Kevin Durant decides to join Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, whose father was murdered by a violent Islamic group in 1984, has made a passionate plea for stronger background checks on US gun purchases. 
 
Kerr spoke on Friday on a podcast by San Jose Mercury News sports columnist Tim Kawakami about the Warriors` loss to Cleveland in the NBA Finals then took the conversation into politics. 
 
&quot;Our government is insane,&quot; Kerr said, for failing to pass gun control legislation. 
 
Democratic members of the House of Representatives staged a 24-hour sit-in Wednesday and Thursday to protest the inability to even have a vote on gun restriction proposals. 
 
Kerr`s father, Malcolm, was the president of the American University of Beirut.&nbsp; 
 
He was gunned down in the hallway outside his office in 1984 while his son was a freshman basketball standout at the University of Arizona. 
 
&quot;When 90 per cent of our country wants background checks on gun purchases and we&#39;ve got our Senate and our House not only voting it 
down but using the Bill of Rights as a reason for people to have rights to carry these automatic weapons, and we`re getting people murdered every day at an alarming rate -- I just have to get this off my chest -- our government is insane. We are insane.&quot; 
 
Kerr&#39;s call for arms control came two weeks after a terror attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, left 49 dead and 53 others wounded in the deadliest mass shooting in US history, a massacre that came the night before Kerr`s Warriors lost game five of the NBA Finals on their way to squandering a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, the worst collapse in finals history. 
 
&quot;What bugs me is this adherence to the right to bear arms,&quot; Kerr said. &quot;That was back in 1776. People didn`t own automatic rifles.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;You had to have a musket in case the Redcoats were coming, the British were coming. And the beautiful thing about the Constitution is they left open amendments to change things because things change over time. 
 
&quot;I kind of think that our forefathers would not have OK`d automatic weapons to be sold to everybody if they existed back then. Let`s have some checks. It`s easier to get a gun than it is to get a driver`s license. It`s insane.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;And as somebody who`s had a family member shot and killed, it devastates me every time I read about this stuff -- like what happened in 
Orlando -- and then it`s even more devastating to see the government just cowing to the NRA (National Rifle Association) and going to this totally outdated Bill Of Rights, right to bear arms.&quot; 
 
Kerr, who spent much of his youth overseas, called for political change to toss out those who back the NRA`s desire to avoid any limits on gun ownership. 
 
&quot;If you want to own a musket, fine, you know, but come on. The rest of the world thinks we`re insane. We are insane,&quot; Kerr said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;And until we vote these senators and congressmen and women out of office, the same thing is going to happen. And it`s infuriating.&quot; 
 
Kerr wondered how US lawmakers might react if their family members were at greater risk of being slain in mass shootings. 
 
&quot;You wonder if any of these senators and congressmen and women who are so opposed to even holding a vote on not only the right to 
buy an automatic weapon but just the background checks and the lists and all the stuff, how would they feel about this if their own child, their own mother, their own father, sister, brother, wife, husband was murdered. Mass murdered,&quot; Kerr said. 
 
&quot;How many times do we have to go through this before our government actually does something about it?&quot; 
 
(AFP)

'Our government is insane' for failing to pass gun control legislation, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, whose father was murdered by a violent Islamic group in 1984, has made a passionate plea for stronger background checks on US gun purchases. Kerr spoke on Friday on a podcast by San Jose Mercury News sports columnist Tim Kawakami about the Warriors` loss to Cleveland in the NBA Finals then took the conversation into politics. "Our government is insane," Kerr said, for failing to pass gun control legislation. Democratic members of the House of Representatives staged a 24-hour sit-in Wednesday and Thursday to protest the inability to even have a vote on gun restriction proposals. Kerr`s father, Malcolm, was the president of the American University of Beirut. He was gunned down in the hallway outside his office in 1984 while his son was a freshman basketball standout at the University of Arizona. "When 90 per cent of our country wants background checks on gun purchases and we've got our Senate and our House not only voting it down but using the Bill of Rights as a reason for people to have rights to carry these automatic weapons, and we`re getting people murdered every day at an alarming rate -- I just have to get this off my chest -- our government is insane. We are insane." Kerr's call for arms control came two weeks after a terror attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, left 49 dead and 53 others wounded in the deadliest mass shooting in US history, a massacre that came the night before Kerr`s Warriors lost game five of the NBA Finals on their way to squandering a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, the worst collapse in finals history. "What bugs me is this adherence to the right to bear arms," Kerr said. "That was back in 1776. People didn`t own automatic rifles. "You had to have a musket in case the Redcoats were coming, the British were coming. And the beautiful thing about the Constitution is they left open amendments to change things because things change over time. "I kind of think that our forefathers would not have OK`d automatic weapons to be sold to everybody if they existed back then. Let`s have some checks. It`s easier to get a gun than it is to get a driver`s license. It`s insane. "And as somebody who`s had a family member shot and killed, it devastates me every time I read about this stuff -- like what happened in Orlando -- and then it`s even more devastating to see the government just cowing to the NRA (National Rifle Association) and going to this totally outdated Bill Of Rights, right to bear arms." Kerr, who spent much of his youth overseas, called for political change to toss out those who back the NRA`s desire to avoid any limits on gun ownership. "If you want to own a musket, fine, you know, but come on. The rest of the world thinks we`re insane. We are insane," Kerr said. "And until we vote these senators and congressmen and women out of office, the same thing is going to happen. And it`s infuriating." Kerr wondered how US lawmakers might react if their family members were at greater risk of being slain in mass shootings. "You wonder if any of these senators and congressmen and women who are so opposed to even holding a vote on not only the right to buy an automatic weapon but just the background checks and the lists and all the stuff, how would they feel about this if their own child, their own mother, their own father, sister, brother, wife, husband was murdered. Mass murdered," Kerr said. "How many times do we have to go through this before our government actually does something about it?" (AFP)

NBA: Warriors coach Kerr makes emotional gun control plea

LeBron James ensured his place among the NBA&#39;s all-time legends by leading the Cleveland Cavaliers in the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history and has made a solid case for being considered the greatest player ever. 
 
The 31-year-old forward scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed out 11 assists to power Cleveland&#39;s 93-89 victory over defending champions Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals. 
 
With size, strength and speed that enable him to muscle his way to the hoop and finesse as a passer to make teammates a threat from anywhere on the court, James has made himself the dominant player of his era, reaching the NBA Finals six years in a row. 
 
Michael Jordan pushed the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s with remarkable athletic skill and determination, setting the &quot;best ever&quot; standard for many fans over such icons as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 
 
Boston Celtics 1960s big man Bill Russell won a record 11 NBA titles in an era of domination no team is likely to repeat, while Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O&#39;Neal both excelled but often with help, sometimes from each other. 
 
But James unleashed a magical comeback in the past week unseen in the NBA&#39;s 70-year history. 
 
No team had ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the best-of-seven NBA Finals until he lifted the Cavaliers to deliver the NBA&#39;s greatest shocker, ending his city&#39;s 52-year wait for a major sports title. 
 
In the process, James matched Johnson, O&#39;Neal and Tim Duncan as three-time NBA Finals&#39; most valuable players.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;You put everything into the game. The game always gives back to people that are true to the game,&quot; James said. &quot;I know the history of the game and I was just confident and calm.&quot; 
 
The Cavaliers ousted an ultimate foe that won a record 73 regular-season games and boasted the NBA&#39;s current top scorer and two-time most valuable player in Stephen Curry. 
 
James was an unprecedented leader in every major finals statistical area, averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocked shots a game. James flagged off jubilations that continued on Monday when he and the team landed at the Cleveland airport, displaying the championship trophy to more than 20,000 wellwishers. The party is set to continue Wednesday with a victory parade. 
 
Overwhelmed by emotion in the moments after the title was decided revived memories of Jordan&#39;s tearful finish at the 1996 final. Both came on Father`s Day and for Jordan it was the first title since his father&#39;s death in 1993. 
 
Comparisons with Jordan are apt as he and James may be the central players in the &quot;greatest ever&quot; argument for their versatility and success. Both made spectacular dunks and stunning shots in their younger days before learning to trust teammates as they got older, spreading the ball among talented role players to make their teams even more dangerous. 
 
While James was only seconds away from becoming the first NBA most valuable player to lose five finals, he instead improved to 3-4 in the championship series, having gone 2-2 during four seasons with the Miami Heat. James had the last laugh at naysayers who nagged him all along his quest, posting an Instagram statement Monday beside a photo of him holding the trophy. 
 
&quot;They said u lost a step, wasn&#39;t explosive as once was, the best days was in the rear view, questioned your drive, your leadership, your commitment, you don&#39;t have killer instinct, going back home is the worst mistake in your career, he got the coach fired, players traded, won&#39;t work between him and Kyrie (Irving), Him and Kev (Kevin Love) won&#39;t work, love your teammates to much, there&#39;s no way he can deliver a championship in his hometown, etc etc etc.. But guess what THATS NONE OF MY BUSINESS Hahahaha!!! Yes sir,&quot; he posted. 
 
(AFP)

After leading the Cleveland Cavaliers in the greatest comeback ever in the NBA Finals, he has made the case

LeBron James ensured his place among the NBA's all-time legends by leading the Cleveland Cavaliers in the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history and has made a solid case for being considered the greatest player ever. The 31-year-old forward scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed out 11 assists to power Cleveland's 93-89 victory over defending champions Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals. With size, strength and speed that enable him to muscle his way to the hoop and finesse as a passer to make teammates a threat from anywhere on the court, James has made himself the dominant player of his era, reaching the NBA Finals six years in a row. Michael Jordan pushed the Chicago Bulls to six NBA titles in the 1990s with remarkable athletic skill and determination, setting the "best ever" standard for many fans over such icons as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Boston Celtics 1960s big man Bill Russell won a record 11 NBA titles in an era of domination no team is likely to repeat, while Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal both excelled but often with help, sometimes from each other. But James unleashed a magical comeback in the past week unseen in the NBA's 70-year history. No team had ever rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the best-of-seven NBA Finals until he lifted the Cavaliers to deliver the NBA's greatest shocker, ending his city's 52-year wait for a major sports title. In the process, James matched Johnson, O'Neal and Tim Duncan as three-time NBA Finals' most valuable players. "You put everything into the game. The game always gives back to people that are true to the game," James said. "I know the history of the game and I was just confident and calm." The Cavaliers ousted an ultimate foe that won a record 73 regular-season games and boasted the NBA's current top scorer and two-time most valuable player in Stephen Curry. James was an unprecedented leader in every major finals statistical area, averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocked shots a game. James flagged off jubilations that continued on Monday when he and the team landed at the Cleveland airport, displaying the championship trophy to more than 20,000 wellwishers. The party is set to continue Wednesday with a victory parade. Overwhelmed by emotion in the moments after the title was decided revived memories of Jordan's tearful finish at the 1996 final. Both came on Father`s Day and for Jordan it was the first title since his father's death in 1993. Comparisons with Jordan are apt as he and James may be the central players in the "greatest ever" argument for their versatility and success. Both made spectacular dunks and stunning shots in their younger days before learning to trust teammates as they got older, spreading the ball among talented role players to make their teams even more dangerous. While James was only seconds away from becoming the first NBA most valuable player to lose five finals, he instead improved to 3-4 in the championship series, having gone 2-2 during four seasons with the Miami Heat. James had the last laugh at naysayers who nagged him all along his quest, posting an Instagram statement Monday beside a photo of him holding the trophy. "They said u lost a step, wasn't explosive as once was, the best days was in the rear view, questioned your drive, your leadership, your commitment, you don't have killer instinct, going back home is the worst mistake in your career, he got the coach fired, players traded, won't work between him and Kyrie (Irving), Him and Kev (Kevin Love) won't work, love your teammates to much, there's no way he can deliver a championship in his hometown, etc etc etc.. But guess what THATS NONE OF MY BUSINESS Hahahaha!!! Yes sir," he posted. (AFP)

LeBron: The best ever?

LeBron James powered the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in an electrifying Game Seven to complete an improbable comeback unlike any seen before. As a result, the Cavs picked up their first NBA championship. 
 
With the win over the top-seeded Warriors, who celebrated a championship win on Cleveland&#39;s home court last year, the Cavaliers became the first team to rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the best-of-seven NBA Finals and win the title. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve had the goal for two years since I came back to bring a championship to the city,&quot; said an emotional James, who returned to the Cavaliers in 2014 after a four-year stint with Miami that included a pair of NBA championships. &quot;I gave it everything that I had. I poured my heart, my blood, my sweat and my tears into this game.&quot; 
 
When the final buzzer sounded to end what was the closest game of the Finals, an emotional James dropped to the floor before he was mobbed by his teammates. 
 
James led Cleveland in the championship-clinching win with a triple-double as he recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists en route to being named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals for a third time. 
 
The win ends decades of heartbreak for the city of Cleveland, which had not won a professional sports championship since the 1964 Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. 
 
For James, the win not only marks his third NBA title, but it will go down as the single greatest achievement of his storied career as it fulfills his promise to deliver a title to his home state of Ohio. 
 
&quot;I came back for a reason. I came back to bring a championship to our city,&quot; said James, who was in tears as he wrapped his arms around the Larry O&#39;Brien Championship Trophy. &quot;I knew what I was capable of doing. I knew what I learned in the last couple years that I was gone, and I knew I had the right ingredients and the right blueprint to help this franchise get back to a place that we&#39;ve never been.&quot; 
 
The back-and-forth game lived up to its billing staying tight throughout. It included 20 lead changes while no team was able to pull ahead by more than eight points. 
 
Facing elimination in each of their previous two games, James carried the Cavs back from the brink as they became only the third team to force a Game Seven after falling behind 3-1 in the championship round. 
 
For the Warriors, who had a record 73 wins during the 82-game regular season, Sunday&#39;s defeat marked the first time since November 2013 that they have lost three consecutive games. 
 
&quot;It wasn&#39;t easy what we accomplished, and it&#39;s not an easy pill to swallow what we didn&#39;t accomplish,&quot; said two-time league MVP Stephen Curry, who had 17 points in the loss. &quot;So got to just take the good with the bad.&quot; 
 
After a record smashing regular season the Warriors could not cap off the campaign with a second successive title, unable to deliver the knockout punch after going up 3-1 in the best-of-season series. 
 
The Warriors were ultimately undone by the disappearance of their high-octane offense, a suspension to defensive stalwart Draymond Green, a season-ending injury to rim-protecting center Andrew Bogut and defensive specialist Andre Iguodala dealing with a balky back. 
 
&quot;Just an incredible run that obviously didn&#39;t end the way we wanted it to,&quot; said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. &quot;It&#39;s been an incredible two-year run. We&#39;re disappointed that it didn&#39;t go our way at the end, but that&#39;s life.&quot; 
 
When the Warriors raced out to a 3-1 series lead the Cavs were left for dead by many impartial observers who expected the Golden State to run away with the series. 
 
But with their backs against the wall, a Cavaliers team that once seem overmatched never gave up in their quest for a maiden NBA title. 
 
&quot;I knew what we were capable of, even being down 3-1 versus the greatest regular season team ever,&quot; said James. &quot;Everybody counted us out and that&#39;s when we strived the most and that&#39;s definitely when I strived the most when everybody counted me out.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

His 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists make him Most Valuable Player of the finals

LeBron James powered the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in an electrifying Game Seven to complete an improbable comeback unlike any seen before. As a result, the Cavs picked up their first NBA championship. With the win over the top-seeded Warriors, who celebrated a championship win on Cleveland's home court last year, the Cavaliers became the first team to rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the best-of-seven NBA Finals and win the title. "I've had the goal for two years since I came back to bring a championship to the city," said an emotional James, who returned to the Cavaliers in 2014 after a four-year stint with Miami that included a pair of NBA championships. "I gave it everything that I had. I poured my heart, my blood, my sweat and my tears into this game." When the final buzzer sounded to end what was the closest game of the Finals, an emotional James dropped to the floor before he was mobbed by his teammates. James led Cleveland in the championship-clinching win with a triple-double as he recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists en route to being named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals for a third time. The win ends decades of heartbreak for the city of Cleveland, which had not won a professional sports championship since the 1964 Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. For James, the win not only marks his third NBA title, but it will go down as the single greatest achievement of his storied career as it fulfills his promise to deliver a title to his home state of Ohio. "I came back for a reason. I came back to bring a championship to our city," said James, who was in tears as he wrapped his arms around the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. "I knew what I was capable of doing. I knew what I learned in the last couple years that I was gone, and I knew I had the right ingredients and the right blueprint to help this franchise get back to a place that we've never been." The back-and-forth game lived up to its billing staying tight throughout. It included 20 lead changes while no team was able to pull ahead by more than eight points. Facing elimination in each of their previous two games, James carried the Cavs back from the brink as they became only the third team to force a Game Seven after falling behind 3-1 in the championship round. For the Warriors, who had a record 73 wins during the 82-game regular season, Sunday's defeat marked the first time since November 2013 that they have lost three consecutive games. "It wasn't easy what we accomplished, and it's not an easy pill to swallow what we didn't accomplish," said two-time league MVP Stephen Curry, who had 17 points in the loss. "So got to just take the good with the bad." After a record smashing regular season the Warriors could not cap off the campaign with a second successive title, unable to deliver the knockout punch after going up 3-1 in the best-of-season series. The Warriors were ultimately undone by the disappearance of their high-octane offense, a suspension to defensive stalwart Draymond Green, a season-ending injury to rim-protecting center Andrew Bogut and defensive specialist Andre Iguodala dealing with a balky back. "Just an incredible run that obviously didn't end the way we wanted it to," said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. "It's been an incredible two-year run. We're disappointed that it didn't go our way at the end, but that's life." When the Warriors raced out to a 3-1 series lead the Cavs were left for dead by many impartial observers who expected the Golden State to run away with the series. But with their backs against the wall, a Cavaliers team that once seem overmatched never gave up in their quest for a maiden NBA title. "I knew what we were capable of, even being down 3-1 versus the greatest regular season team ever," said James. "Everybody counted us out and that's when we strived the most and that's definitely when I strived the most when everybody counted me out." (Reuters)

LeBron delivers on promise, leads Cleveland Cavaliers to NBA title