According to Forbes, Cristiano Ronaldo has once again been named as the world’s highest-paid athlete, topping the list for the third year in a row. NBA star Stephen Curry has climbed to second place. According to the business magazine, Ronaldo’s total earnings have risen by $15 million, bringing his income to an estimated $275 million (around £206 million). He has now topped the list five times in his career. Only retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has earned more in a single year, earning $300 million in 2015 and $275 million in 2018.&nbsp;Ronaldo, 40, joined Saudi club Al Nassr in late 2022. Along with his salary, he earns a lot through sponsorships and endorsements, thanks to his massive social media following of over 939 million people.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-is-the-net-worth-of-jake-paul-in-2025-1751186291521">What is the net worth of Jake Paul in 2025?</a>&nbsp;On the other hand, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is now second on the list, earning $156 million (about £117 million). Curry also made history in March by becoming the first NBA player to score 4,000 three-pointers.&nbsp;British boxer Tyson Fury takes third place with $146 million (roughly £110 million), even though he lost his world heavyweight title to Oleksandr Usyk in December. Fury’s earnings were boosted by a Netflix reality show and a deal with Malta’s tourism board.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has dropped from third to fifth place, falling further behind his longtime rival Ronaldo.&nbsp;Top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2025&nbsp;1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) – $275m (£206.6m)&nbsp;2. Stephen Curry (Basketball) – $156m (£117.2m)&nbsp;3. Tyson Fury (Boxing) – $146m (£109.7m)&nbsp;4. Dak Prescott (American Football) – $137m (£103m)&nbsp;5. Lionel Messi (Football) – $135m (£101.4m)&nbsp;6. LeBron James (Basketball) – $133.8m (£105.5m)&nbsp;7. Juan Soto (Baseball) – $114m (£85.7m)&nbsp;8. Karim Benzema (Football) – $104m (£78.2m)&nbsp;9. Shohei Ohtani (Baseball) – $102.5m (£77m)&nbsp;10. Kevin Durant (Basketball) – $101.4m (£76.2m)

The rankings show that athlete earnings today are shaped not only by their performance in sports but also by their growing income from endorsements, streaming deals and owning brands.

According to Forbes, Cristiano Ronaldo has once again been named as the world’s highest-paid athlete, topping the list for the third year in a row. NBA star Stephen Curry has climbed to second place. According to the business magazine, Ronaldo’s total earnings have risen by $15 million, bringing his income to an estimated $275 million (around £206 million). He has now topped the list five times in his career. Only retired boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has earned more in a single year, earning $300 million in 2015 and $275 million in 2018. Ronaldo, 40, joined Saudi club Al Nassr in late 2022. Along with his salary, he earns a lot through sponsorships and endorsements, thanks to his massive social media following of over 939 million people. Also read | What is the net worth of Jake Paul in 2025? On the other hand, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is now second on the list, earning $156 million (about £117 million). Curry also made history in March by becoming the first NBA player to score 4,000 three-pointers. British boxer Tyson Fury takes third place with $146 million (roughly £110 million), even though he lost his world heavyweight title to Oleksandr Usyk in December. Fury’s earnings were boosted by a Netflix reality show and a deal with Malta’s tourism board. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has dropped from third to fifth place, falling further behind his longtime rival Ronaldo. Top 10 highest-paid athletes in 2025 1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Football) – $275m (£206.6m) 2. Stephen Curry (Basketball) – $156m (£117.2m) 3. Tyson Fury (Boxing) – $146m (£109.7m) 4. Dak Prescott (American Football) – $137m (£103m) 5. Lionel Messi (Football) – $135m (£101.4m) 6. LeBron James (Basketball) – $133.8m (£105.5m) 7. Juan Soto (Baseball) – $114m (£85.7m) 8. Karim Benzema (Football) – $104m (£78.2m) 9. Shohei Ohtani (Baseball) – $102.5m (£77m) 10. Kevin Durant (Basketball) – $101.4m (£76.2m)

The rankings show that athlete earnings today are shaped not only by their performance in sports but also by their growing income from endorsements, streaming deals and owning brands.

THIS player tops the list with impressive net worth, its not Messi, Tyson Fury

Golden State Warrior star Stephen Curry has been ruled out for at least a week with a hamstring injury, the NBA team said on Wednesday in a blow to the club's playoff hopes.
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">Stephen Curry ruled out for a week</h2>
The 11-time All-Star suffered the injury during Golden State's 99-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, limping out of action in the second quarter of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal opener.
The Warriors said in a statement that Curry underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning and the test confirmed the injury as a grade one hamstring strain.
"Curry will be re-evaluated in one week," the team added.
Game two will be held in Minnesota on Thursday with game three on Saturday and game four on Monday both in San Francisco.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rohit-sharma-announces-retirement-from-test-cricket-9045477" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket</a>
"I think we all want (number) 30 back, that is for sure," teammate Jimmy Butler said Tuesday.&nbsp;
"But we want him to do his best for himself, best for our group. Until then, we can hold down the fort. I know we can."
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Golden State Warrior star Stephen Curry has been ruled out for at least a week with a hamstring injury, the NBA team said on Wednesday in a blow. World | Sports

Golden State Warrior star Stephen Curry has been ruled out for at least a week with a hamstring injury, the NBA team said on Wednesday in a blow to the club's playoff hopes. Stephen Curry ruled out for a week The 11-time All-Star suffered the injury during Golden State's 99-88 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, limping out of action in the second quarter of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal opener. The Warriors said in a statement that Curry underwent an MRI on Wednesday morning and the test confirmed the injury as a grade one hamstring strain. "Curry will be re-evaluated in one week," the team added. Game two will be held in Minnesota on Thursday with game three on Saturday and game four on Monday both in San Francisco. ALSO READ | Rohit Sharma announces retirement from Test cricket "I think we all want (number) 30 back, that is for sure," teammate Jimmy Butler said Tuesday. "But we want him to do his best for himself, best for our group. Until then, we can hold down the fort. I know we can." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Stephen Curry ruled out for a week in NBA playoff blow to Golden State Warriors

Superstar big man <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/anthony-davis">Anthony Davis</a> dazzled in his Dallas debut before hobbling out hurt in the third quarter of the Mavericks' 116-105 NBA victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
Davis had given Dallas fans still fuming over the trade of Luka Doncic plenty of reasons to welcome his arrival, scoring 26 points with 16 rebounds, seven assists and three of the Mavs' 18 blocked shots.
But he pulled up in pain with less than three minutes remaining in the third period, departing with what the team called a lower-body injury.
There had been no contact when Davis stopped short and put his hand to his groin, heading immediately for the sideline.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/exclusive-varun-chakaravarthy-in-champions-trophy-playing-xi-india-2011-odi-wc-winning-spinner-piyush-chawla-says-no-8704901">Exclusive: Varun Chakaravarthy in Champions Trophy Playing XI? India's 2011 ODI WC winning-spinner says 'straight away no'</a> Davis, whose Mavs debut was delayed as he recovered from an abdominal strain, downplayed the injury after the game, saying it was "nothing serious."
"I'm fine," he said, adding that he felt "a little spasm" in his groin-quadriceps area and could not get it loose.
Even so, the injury will likely fuel the ire among some Mavs fans at the trade that brought Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Doncic -- the 25-year-old Slovenian star who led the team to the NBA Finals last season.
Some gathered outside American Airlines Center before the game with signs calling for general manager Nico Harrison to be fired.
<h2>Huge ovation</h2>
Nevertheless, Davis received a huge ovation when he was introduced and the cheers were even louder when he fed Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop dunk for the first points of the game.
Davis had 14 points on six of eight shooting in the first quarter with eight rebounds, three assists and a block as the Mavs surged clear of the Rockets and coasted to a comfortable victory.
Elsewhere the Lakers, still waiting for Doncic to make his debut as he recovers from a calf strain, shrugged off the absence of superstar LeBron James -- nursing a sore ankle -- to beat the Indiana Pacers 124-117.
Austin Reaves, questionable to start with an elbow injury, scored a career-high 45 points. Rui Hachimura added 24 on his 27th birthday to help the Lakers win their fifth straight.
In Chicago, Jimmy Butler made a winning start to his career with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/golden-state-warriors">Golden State Warriors</a>, scoring 25 points on his debut in a 132-111 victory over the Bulls.
The Warriors trailed by as much as 24 points early in the third quarter but a stunning <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/stephen-curry">Stephen Curry</a>-inspired rally flipped the game on its head.
Curry rattled in 24 points in the third quarter as the Warriors outscored Chicago 42-25 to edge into a slender lead before closing out victory in the fourth quarter.
Curry finished with 34 points, including eight three-pointers, to lead Golden State's scoring.&nbsp;The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their lead at the top of the Western Conference, dominating the second-placed Memphis Grizzlies 125-112 on the road in a statement win.
The Grizzlies took a fleeting two-point lead early in the first quarter but after that it was all Oklahoma City, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with 32 points. Aaron Wiggins added 26 points and Jalen Williams 25.
In New York, Jayson Tatum erupted for 40 points as the Boston Celtics thrashed the Knicks 131-104.&nbsp;
Payton Pritchard backed Tatum with 25 points off the bench, shooting six of eight three-point attempts, as the Celtics improved to 37-16 to remain second in the Eastern Conference.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA, Sports: Davis had given Dallas fans still fuming over the trade of Luka Doncic plenty of reasons to welcome his arrival, scoring 26 points with 16 rebounds and seven assists

Superstar big man Anthony Davis dazzled in his Dallas debut before hobbling out hurt in the third quarter of the Mavericks' 116-105 NBA victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday. Davis had given Dallas fans still fuming over the trade of Luka Doncic plenty of reasons to welcome his arrival, scoring 26 points with 16 rebounds, seven assists and three of the Mavs' 18 blocked shots. But he pulled up in pain with less than three minutes remaining in the third period, departing with what the team called a lower-body injury. There had been no contact when Davis stopped short and put his hand to his groin, heading immediately for the sideline. Also Read: Exclusive: Varun Chakaravarthy in Champions Trophy Playing XI? India's 2011 ODI WC winning-spinner says 'straight away no' Davis, whose Mavs debut was delayed as he recovered from an abdominal strain, downplayed the injury after the game, saying it was "nothing serious." "I'm fine," he said, adding that he felt "a little spasm" in his groin-quadriceps area and could not get it loose. Even so, the injury will likely fuel the ire among some Mavs fans at the trade that brought Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Doncic -- the 25-year-old Slovenian star who led the team to the NBA Finals last season. Some gathered outside American Airlines Center before the game with signs calling for general manager Nico Harrison to be fired. Huge ovation Nevertheless, Davis received a huge ovation when he was introduced and the cheers were even louder when he fed Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop dunk for the first points of the game. Davis had 14 points on six of eight shooting in the first quarter with eight rebounds, three assists and a block as the Mavs surged clear of the Rockets and coasted to a comfortable victory. Elsewhere the Lakers, still waiting for Doncic to make his debut as he recovers from a calf strain, shrugged off the absence of superstar LeBron James -- nursing a sore ankle -- to beat the Indiana Pacers 124-117. Austin Reaves, questionable to start with an elbow injury, scored a career-high 45 points. Rui Hachimura added 24 on his 27th birthday to help the Lakers win their fifth straight. In Chicago, Jimmy Butler made a winning start to his career with the Golden State Warriors, scoring 25 points on his debut in a 132-111 victory over the Bulls. The Warriors trailed by as much as 24 points early in the third quarter but a stunning Stephen Curry-inspired rally flipped the game on its head. Curry rattled in 24 points in the third quarter as the Warriors outscored Chicago 42-25 to edge into a slender lead before closing out victory in the fourth quarter. Curry finished with 34 points, including eight three-pointers, to lead Golden State's scoring. The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their lead at the top of the Western Conference, dominating the second-placed Memphis Grizzlies 125-112 on the road in a statement win. The Grizzlies took a fleeting two-point lead early in the first quarter but after that it was all Oklahoma City, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with 32 points. Aaron Wiggins added 26 points and Jalen Williams 25. In New York, Jayson Tatum erupted for 40 points as the Boston Celtics thrashed the Knicks 131-104. Payton Pritchard backed Tatum with 25 points off the bench, shooting six of eight three-point attempts, as the Celtics improved to 37-16 to remain second in the Eastern Conference. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits for grammar and punctuation. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Davis dominant in Dallas Mavericks' debut, Curry magic gores Bulls

LeBron James and Steph Curry served up a Christmas Day feast as their rivalry delivered another classic with the Los Angeles Lakers edging the Golden State Warriors 115-113 on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p>
Curry made a stunning 31-foot three point throw with 7.1 seconds left on the clock to tie the game, only for Austin Reaves to win the game for the Lakers with a driving layup with 1.1 seconds left.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-man-utd-boss-ruben-amorim-confirms-marcus-rashfords-stand-at-club-says-he-wants-to-786658" rel="dofollow">Premier League: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim confirms Marcus Rashford's stand at club, says 'he wants to...'</a> 
The 36-year-old Curry and James, three years his senior, had traded three-pointers down the stretch as fans were treated to a ding-dong finale from the two future Hall of Famers.<o:p></o:p>
James put up 31 points and ten assists without the support of teammate Anthony Davis, who left the game in the first quarter after turning his ankle.<o:p></o:p>
Game-winner Reaves enjoyed a triple double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.<o:p></o:p>
Curry's 38 points included 8-15 three point shooting while Anthony Wiggins made 21 points and 12 rebounds, but Golden State fell to an 11th loss in 14 games.<o:p></o:p>
"Today is the day of giving, and that's what me and Steph continue to do and try to do for our fans, for our beautiful game," said James. "We don't know how many times we're going to be able to have this matchup. We try to give the game what it deserves, because it's given us so much, we try to give it right back," he added.<o:p></o:p>
James was playing in a record 19th Christmas Day game and took the occasion to take a gentle swipe at the NFL's encroachment on the day.<o:p></o:p>
"I love the NFL but Christmas is our day," he said.<o:p></o:p>
Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks edged Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 117-114 in a thriller at Madison Square Garden.<o:p></o:p>
French star Wembanyama put up 42 points with 18 rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs but Bridges took the glory with a brilliant 15-point fourth-quarter display that left him with a season-high 41 points and the win.<o:p></o:p>
The 20-year-old, who stands 7-foot-3 (2.21m), was 16-31 on shooting and made six of 16 three-point throws and while Bridges took the applause from the home crowd, he was quick to praise the Frenchman.<o:p></o:p>
"From 40 feet out, from right under the rim, from 15 feet out, he's just unbelievable, just to see what he's doing, credit to him and how much work he has put in," said Bridges.<o:p></o:p>
The 28-year-old Bridges, who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets in July, shot 17-25 from the field and was six for nine on three-point attempts as his team improved to 20-10.<o:p></o:p>
San Antonio were just a point behind with two minutes remaining before Bridges made back-to-back jumpers to open up a five-point lead.<o:p></o:p>
Karl-Anthony Towns with 21 points and Jalen Brunson with 20 points and nine assists were crucial for the Knicks in the win.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA - Curry's 38 points included 8-15 three point shooting while Anthony Wiggins made 21 points and 12 rebounds, but Golden State fell to an 11th loss in 14 games.

LeBron James and Steph Curry served up a Christmas Day feast as their rivalry delivered another classic with the Los Angeles Lakers edging the Golden State Warriors 115-113 on Wednesday. Curry made a stunning 31-foot three point throw with 7.1 seconds left on the clock to tie the game, only for Austin Reaves to win the game for the Lakers with a driving layup with 1.1 seconds left. ALSO READ: Premier League: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim confirms Marcus Rashford's stand at club, says 'he wants to...' The 36-year-old Curry and James, three years his senior, had traded three-pointers down the stretch as fans were treated to a ding-dong finale from the two future Hall of Famers. James put up 31 points and ten assists without the support of teammate Anthony Davis, who left the game in the first quarter after turning his ankle. Game-winner Reaves enjoyed a triple double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Curry's 38 points included 8-15 three point shooting while Anthony Wiggins made 21 points and 12 rebounds, but Golden State fell to an 11th loss in 14 games. "Today is the day of giving, and that's what me and Steph continue to do and try to do for our fans, for our beautiful game," said James. "We don't know how many times we're going to be able to have this matchup. We try to give the game what it deserves, because it's given us so much, we try to give it right back," he added. James was playing in a record 19th Christmas Day game and took the occasion to take a gentle swipe at the NFL's encroachment on the day. "I love the NFL but Christmas is our day," he said. Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks edged Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 117-114 in a thriller at Madison Square Garden. French star Wembanyama put up 42 points with 18 rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs but Bridges took the glory with a brilliant 15-point fourth-quarter display that left him with a season-high 41 points and the win. The 20-year-old, who stands 7-foot-3 (2.21m), was 16-31 on shooting and made six of 16 three-point throws and while Bridges took the applause from the home crowd, he was quick to praise the Frenchman. "From 40 feet out, from right under the rim, from 15 feet out, he's just unbelievable, just to see what he's doing, credit to him and how much work he has put in," said Bridges. The 28-year-old Bridges, who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets in July, shot 17-25 from the field and was six for nine on three-point attempts as his team improved to 20-10. San Antonio were just a point behind with two minutes remaining before Bridges made back-to-back jumpers to open up a five-point lead. Karl-Anthony Towns with 21 points and Jalen Brunson with 20 points and nine assists were crucial for the Knicks in the win. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers pip Golden State Warriors after another LeBron-Curry show

Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors spoiled Klay Thompson's return to the Bay Area with a thrilling 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Cup on Tuesday. Thompson -- a beloved member of four NBA championship-winning Golden State teams before joining Dallas in July -- received a rapturous welcome in his first game back in San Francisco since his departure.

The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player who famously used to commute to work in his fishing boat. But despite delighting the home crowd with six three-pointers in a 22-point haul, Thompson was upstaged by former team-mate Curry who produced a stunning fourth-quarter performance to drag the Warriors over the line.

The Mavericks looked poised to snatch victory after battling into a six-point lead at 114-108 with just over three minutes remaining. But Curry then took over with 10 unanswered points -- including one sensational step-back three from 28 feet -- to put Golden State into a 118-114 lead, before adding two late free throws to seal the win.

"There was a lot of emotion but both teams wanted to win," Curry told TNT television. "It was a playoff-like atmosphere, with great players making great plays. That's why we love the competition."

Thompson meanwhile said it had felt "surreal" lining up against his former team-mate. "We've guarded each other plenty of times in practice for Team USA or All-Star Games, but a competitive NBA game -- it was pretty surreal," Thompson said.&nbsp; "It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries. Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. It sucks."

<h2>- Embiid back but Sixers beaten -</h2>

In other games, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks. Embiid missed the first six games of the season as the team managed his rehabilitation from a left knee injury, and was suspended for three games after a locker room altercation with a journalist.

Embiid's lack of game time was apparent in a sluggish performance that saw him finish with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/formula-1/news-formula-one-rui-marques-succeeds-niels-wittich-as-new-race-director-775680">Formula One: Rui Marques succeeds Niels Wittich as new race director</a>

With Embiid not firing on all cylinders, the Knicks dominated for long periods, leading for almost the entirety of the game before pulling away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Sixers 33-24.

Karl-Anthony Towns impressed with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists while O.G. Anunoby led the scoring with 24 points. In Boston the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the shock of the opening round, defeating the in-form Celtics 117-116 despite missing injured talisman Trae Young.

A game which saw the lead change hands 14 times looked to have swung decisively in favor of the home side midway through the third quarter as the Celtics raced into a 15-point lead.

But Dyson Daniels led a late rally which included 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Onyeka Okongwu tipped in the winning basket with 6.1sec left on the clock to snatch victory. Daniels led Atlanta's scorers with 28 points while Larry Nance Jr. added 19 with Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela chipping in with 18 points each.

The victory was sweet for Atlanta, who had suffered a 123-93 mauling by the Celtics at home on Nov&nbsp;4. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Atlanta "outplayed us in every facet of the game."&nbsp;"They beat us on all the margins and they deserved to win," Mazzulla said.

Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns downed the Utah Jazz 120-112 while the Milwaukee Bucks beat Toronto 99-85. The NBA Cup was introduced last season as a way of providing a knockout competition in the early months of the league season.

All 30 league teams are drawn into six groups of five, with eight teams advancing to single-elimination knockout rounds, with the semi-finals and final taking place in Las Vegas on Dec&nbsp;14-17.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors spoiled Klay Thompson's return to the Bay Area with a thrilling 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Cup on Tuesday.

Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors spoiled Klay Thompson's return to the Bay Area with a thrilling 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Cup on Tuesday. Thompson -- a beloved member of four NBA championship-winning Golden State teams before joining Dallas in July -- received a rapturous welcome in his first game back in San Francisco since his departure. The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player who famously used to commute to work in his fishing boat. But despite delighting the home crowd with six three-pointers in a 22-point haul, Thompson was upstaged by former team-mate Curry who produced a stunning fourth-quarter performance to drag the Warriors over the line. The Mavericks looked poised to snatch victory after battling into a six-point lead at 114-108 with just over three minutes remaining. But Curry then took over with 10 unanswered points -- including one sensational step-back three from 28 feet -- to put Golden State into a 118-114 lead, before adding two late free throws to seal the win. "There was a lot of emotion but both teams wanted to win," Curry told TNT television. "It was a playoff-like atmosphere, with great players making great plays. That's why we love the competition." Thompson meanwhile said it had felt "surreal" lining up against his former team-mate. "We've guarded each other plenty of times in practice for Team USA or All-Star Games, but a competitive NBA game -- it was pretty surreal," Thompson said. "It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries. Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. It sucks." - Embiid back but Sixers beaten - In other games, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks. Embiid missed the first six games of the season as the team managed his rehabilitation from a left knee injury, and was suspended for three games after a locker room altercation with a journalist. Embiid's lack of game time was apparent in a sluggish performance that saw him finish with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds. Also read: Formula One: Rui Marques succeeds Niels Wittich as new race director With Embiid not firing on all cylinders, the Knicks dominated for long periods, leading for almost the entirety of the game before pulling away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Sixers 33-24. Karl-Anthony Towns impressed with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists while O.G. Anunoby led the scoring with 24 points. In Boston the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the shock of the opening round, defeating the in-form Celtics 117-116 despite missing injured talisman Trae Young. A game which saw the lead change hands 14 times looked to have swung decisively in favor of the home side midway through the third quarter as the Celtics raced into a 15-point lead. But Dyson Daniels led a late rally which included 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Onyeka Okongwu tipped in the winning basket with 6.1sec left on the clock to snatch victory. Daniels led Atlanta's scorers with 28 points while Larry Nance Jr. added 19 with Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela chipping in with 18 points each. The victory was sweet for Atlanta, who had suffered a 123-93 mauling by the Celtics at home on Nov 4. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Atlanta "outplayed us in every facet of the game." "They beat us on all the margins and they deserved to win," Mazzulla said. Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns downed the Utah Jazz 120-112 while the Milwaukee Bucks beat Toronto 99-85. The NBA Cup was introduced last season as a way of providing a knockout competition in the early months of the league season. All 30 league teams are drawn into six groups of five, with eight teams advancing to single-elimination knockout rounds, with the semi-finals and final taking place in Las Vegas on Dec 14-17. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Stephen Curry dazzles on Klay Thompson's return as Golden State Warriors beat Dallas Mavericks

Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will miss at least the next two games with a left ankle injury, the team announced on Monday.

The four-time NBA champion was injured with 7:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of Golden State's 112-104 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Curry underwent an MRI exam late Sunday that showed no structural damage, the Warriors said, and also confirmed he suffered a peroneal strain in the area where tendons connect the fibula and ankle.

Curry, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, is averaging 18.3 points, 6.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals for the Warriors (2-1).

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/real-madrid-and-barcelona-pm-narendra-modi-talks-el-clasico-craze-in-india-during-roadshow-with-spain-pm-771440">'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow</a>

The 36-year-old superstar, who helped the United States team of NBA stars capture Olympic gold in Paris in August, will miss home games on Tuesday and Wednesday against New Orleans before being re-evaluated on Friday, the team said.

The Warriors also said guard De'Anthony Melton, who left the game Sunday in the fourth quarter with a lower back strain, underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage. He also will be re-evaluated on Friday.

Melton, who missed more than half of last season for Philadelphia with back issues, has averaged 6.3 points and 2.7 assists a game.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will miss at least the next two games with a left ankle injury, the team announced on Monday. The four-time NBA champion was injured with 7:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of Golden State's 112-104 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors will miss at least the next two games with a left ankle injury, the team announced on Monday. The four-time NBA champion was injured with 7:55 remaining in the fourth quarter of Golden State's 112-104 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. Curry underwent an MRI exam late Sunday that showed no structural damage, the Warriors said, and also confirmed he suffered a peroneal strain in the area where tendons connect the fibula and ankle. Curry, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, is averaging 18.3 points, 6.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals for the Warriors (2-1). ALSO READ | 'Real Madrid and Barcelona...,' PM Modi acclaims El Clasico craze in India during roadshow The 36-year-old superstar, who helped the United States team of NBA stars capture Olympic gold in Paris in August, will miss home games on Tuesday and Wednesday against New Orleans before being re-evaluated on Friday, the team said. The Warriors also said guard De'Anthony Melton, who left the game Sunday in the fourth quarter with a lower back strain, underwent an MRI that showed no structural damage. He also will be re-evaluated on Friday. Melton, who missed more than half of last season for Philadelphia with back issues, has averaged 6.3 points and 2.7 assists a game. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Stephen Curry to miss at least two games with left ankle injury for Golden State Warriors

The United States won their fifth straight Olympic men's basketball crown on Saturday, holding off a battling France 98-87 to take their tally of Olympic golds to 17.

In a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics final three years ago, LeBron James and the US team stacked with NBA stars once again proved too much for France, despite the efforts of sensational NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.

France sliced a 14-point deficit to three with 3min 04sec to play on Wembanyama's put-back dunk, but Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry drilled a three-pointer -- one of four from him with less than three minutes remaining -- and the United States relentlessly powered to the finish.

Curry finished with eight three-pointers -- including a rainbow over a leaping Wembanyama -- and led the US scoring with 24 points.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-olympics-chief-thomas-bach-says-will-not-seek-third-term-749040">Olympics chief Thomas Bach says will not seek third term</a>

"You just simply marvel," James said of Curry. "Having him on your side, you just try to get stops and figure out other ways on the other end but keep finding him, keep getting him the ball."

Curry said of his late-game heroics: "I was just trying to settle us down."

"All we wanted to do was get a good shot," Curry said. "It had been a while since we had a good possession.

"(Finally) the momentum was on our side. At that point, your mind goes blank. You don't really care about setting or the scenario or anything. It's just a shot."

Kevin Durant and Devin Booker added 15 points apiece and James scored 14 with six rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and a block.

For Durant it was a US men's record fourth Olympic gold. James earned his third and Curry, a four-time NBA champion, claimed his first in his first Olympic appearance.

"There's a lot of relief," Curry said. "It wasn't easy but, damn, I'm excited, man. This is everything that I wanted it to be and more, so I'm excited."

Wembanyama had his best offensive game of the Olympics, scoring 26 points. Guerschon Yabusele added 20.

France connected on just nine of 30 three-point attempts and the United States held a 31-9 advantage in fast-break points.

Both teams were locked in defensively in a tense first half that featured 10 lead changes.

Wembanyama soared for a dunk that gave France an 11-10 lead and sent the Bercy Arena crowd into a frenzy.

The Americans were soon back in front when Booker made a layup off a behind-the-back pass from James and a steal from James set Jayson Tatum loose for a dunk.

Down by five after one quarter, France took a 25-24 lead on a Bilal Coulibaly dunk, but the US continued to capitalize in transition off of France's misses.

James drove through traffic for a layup, drawing a foul and flexing at the US bench before making the free throw to put the United States up 37-31, and they led 49-41 at halftime.

<h2>Dream final</h2>

The dream final drew a raft of luminaries. French President Emmanuel Macron was in the house and so was sprint star Sha'Carri Richardson, a day after she anchored the US 4x100m relay to gold.

James signalled his intentions early, taking the court in golden shoes and opening the scoring with a dunk.

Curry, who scored 36 points in the come-from-behind semi-final victory over Serbia, heated up in the second half, giving the US their biggest lead of the game, 61-47, with a three-pointer early in the third.

France kept pressing and were only six down heading into the fourth quarter, but finally had to watch the US players celebrate at the end, draped in flags.

A downcast Wembanyama could only hug his teammates, but with the silver medal around his neck he called the experience "incredible" and said he'd try to return the favor at Los Angeles in 2028.

"I will be going for gold in four years' time," he said.

Earlier Saturday, Serbia won bronze with a dominant 93-83 victory over World Cup champions Germany.

Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic posted a triple double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Serbia, who lost 95-91 to the United States in the semi-finals.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The United States won their fifth straight Olympic men's basketball crown on Saturday, holding off a battling France 98-87 to take their tally of Olympic golds to 17.

The United States won their fifth straight Olympic men's basketball crown on Saturday, holding off a battling France 98-87 to take their tally of Olympic golds to 17. In a rematch of the Tokyo Olympics final three years ago, LeBron James and the US team stacked with NBA stars once again proved too much for France, despite the efforts of sensational NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama. France sliced a 14-point deficit to three with 3min 04sec to play on Wembanyama's put-back dunk, but Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry drilled a three-pointer -- one of four from him with less than three minutes remaining -- and the United States relentlessly powered to the finish. Curry finished with eight three-pointers -- including a rainbow over a leaping Wembanyama -- and led the US scoring with 24 points. ALSO READ: Olympics chief Thomas Bach says will not seek third term "You just simply marvel," James said of Curry. "Having him on your side, you just try to get stops and figure out other ways on the other end but keep finding him, keep getting him the ball." Curry said of his late-game heroics: "I was just trying to settle us down." "All we wanted to do was get a good shot," Curry said. "It had been a while since we had a good possession. "(Finally) the momentum was on our side. At that point, your mind goes blank. You don't really care about setting or the scenario or anything. It's just a shot." Kevin Durant and Devin Booker added 15 points apiece and James scored 14 with six rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and a block. For Durant it was a US men's record fourth Olympic gold. James earned his third and Curry, a four-time NBA champion, claimed his first in his first Olympic appearance. "There's a lot of relief," Curry said. "It wasn't easy but, damn, I'm excited, man. This is everything that I wanted it to be and more, so I'm excited." Wembanyama had his best offensive game of the Olympics, scoring 26 points. Guerschon Yabusele added 20. France connected on just nine of 30 three-point attempts and the United States held a 31-9 advantage in fast-break points. Both teams were locked in defensively in a tense first half that featured 10 lead changes. Wembanyama soared for a dunk that gave France an 11-10 lead and sent the Bercy Arena crowd into a frenzy. The Americans were soon back in front when Booker made a layup off a behind-the-back pass from James and a steal from James set Jayson Tatum loose for a dunk. Down by five after one quarter, France took a 25-24 lead on a Bilal Coulibaly dunk, but the US continued to capitalize in transition off of France's misses. James drove through traffic for a layup, drawing a foul and flexing at the US bench before making the free throw to put the United States up 37-31, and they led 49-41 at halftime. Dream final The dream final drew a raft of luminaries. French President Emmanuel Macron was in the house and so was sprint star Sha'Carri Richardson, a day after she anchored the US 4x100m relay to gold. James signalled his intentions early, taking the court in golden shoes and opening the scoring with a dunk. Curry, who scored 36 points in the come-from-behind semi-final victory over Serbia, heated up in the second half, giving the US their biggest lead of the game, 61-47, with a three-pointer early in the third. France kept pressing and were only six down heading into the fourth quarter, but finally had to watch the US players celebrate at the end, draped in flags. A downcast Wembanyama could only hug his teammates, but with the silver medal around his neck he called the experience "incredible" and said he'd try to return the favor at Los Angeles in 2028. "I will be going for gold in four years' time," he said. Earlier Saturday, Serbia won bronze with a dominant 93-83 victory over World Cup champions Germany. Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic posted a triple double of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists to lead Serbia, who lost 95-91 to the United States in the semi-finals. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Games 2024: USA win fifth straight men’s basketball gold after France thrashing

The United States kept the dream alive with a stirring fourth quarter rally to tame feisty Serbia 95-91 on Thursday and move into the Paris Olympics men's basketball gold medal final against France. Trailing by double digits for much of the game and down 76-63 heading into the fourth quarter, the United States chances of a fifth consecutive gold were quickly dimming. Then NBA stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry took charge, bringing a wide-eyed capacity crowd at the Bercy Arena to their feet with a furious fight back.

The U.S. win delivered the final basketball fans wanted to see, as the American Dream Team takes on an inspired France on Saturday, in what will be a hostile Bercy Arena cauldron.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/olympics/news-paris-olympics-wait-what-noah-lyles-reveals-being-covid-positive-after-200m-bronze-win-out-of-tournament-748622">Paris Olympics: Wait, what? Noah Lyles reveals being Covid positive after 200m bronze win, out of tournament</a>

A rematch of the 2016 Rio Olympic gold medal game featured an intriguing matchup of NBA most valuable players with James, a four-times MVP against Serbia's reigning three-times MVP Nikola Jokic.

But it was two-times MVP Curry who came out with the hot hand, scoring 14 of the first 15 U.S. points in opening four minutes.

Curry finished with game-high 36 points that included nine three pointers and two clutch free throws with eight seconds to play to clinch victory.

"To come back the way we did... I've seen a lot of team USA basketball and that was a special," said Curry.

After grinding away at the Serbia lead, James drove to the hoop, tying the contest at 84-84. Curry finally put the U.S. ahead with a three-pointer seconds later.

The quick fire burst continued with James driving to the bucket again followed a Curry steal and another basket to leave a reeling Serbia down 91-86 and on the ropes.

"My teammates believe in me and I was able to come through for them," said James, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. "I told them that it's good to be tested. It's great to be tested.

"I'm 39 years old, going into my 22nd season. I don't know how many opportunities and moments I'm going get like this to be able to compete for ... something big and playing big games, and tonight was a big game."

<h2>France Thriller</h2>

Earlier, bolstered by an electric home crowd, a turbo-charged France won a 73-69 thriller over Germany.

France was led by a 17-point effort from Guerschon Yabusele while Isaia Cordinier chipped in 16, none more important than two free throws with seven seconds to play to blunt a Germany fight back and seal victory.

"I think the national team, this jersey, brings to us that different energy that we can't find nowhere else," said Victor Wembanyama, the first Frenchman taken number one overall in the NBA draft.

"We can see how intense we've been over the last two games. It's something that we all feel as patriots. We love our jersey. We love our country," said the 2.2-metre (7-foot, 3-inch) tall centre.

After a loss to Germany in their final group game, France came prepared for a battle and got one in a tense nail-biter that was not decided until the final seconds.

French fans arrived prepared to party, but Germany dialled back some of that excitement when they jumped out to a 12-2 lead.

The arena was soon rocking again as France worked their way back, the crowd erupting in a mighty rafter rattling roar when Wembanyama hit the final basket of the half to send the teams into the break deadlocked at 33-33.

Fully fuelled by the pumped up crowd, France powered to a 56-50 third-quarter lead and led 70-65 with just 40 seconds to play.

Franz Wagner dampened the party atmosphere by hitting a three-pointer to cut the France advantage to just two, leaving a stunned French crowd on the edge of their seats.

But France refused to buckle. Cordinier's steely free throws turned the volume all the way up again with a massive celebration erupting as the final seconds ticked down, the players mobbing each other and dancing to roars of approval.

"Incredible moment with the fans," said Wembanyama. "They made it hard for me not to cry."

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The United States kept the dream alive with a stirring fourth quarter rally to tame feisty Serbia 95-91 on Thursday and move into the Paris Olympics men's basketball gold medal final against France.

The United States kept the dream alive with a stirring fourth quarter rally to tame feisty Serbia 95-91 on Thursday and move into the Paris Olympics men's basketball gold medal final against France. Trailing by double digits for much of the game and down 76-63 heading into the fourth quarter, the United States chances of a fifth consecutive gold were quickly dimming. Then NBA stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry took charge, bringing a wide-eyed capacity crowd at the Bercy Arena to their feet with a furious fight back. The U.S. win delivered the final basketball fans wanted to see, as the American Dream Team takes on an inspired France on Saturday, in what will be a hostile Bercy Arena cauldron. ALSO READ: Paris Olympics: Wait, what? Noah Lyles reveals being Covid positive after 200m bronze win, out of tournament A rematch of the 2016 Rio Olympic gold medal game featured an intriguing matchup of NBA most valuable players with James, a four-times MVP against Serbia's reigning three-times MVP Nikola Jokic. But it was two-times MVP Curry who came out with the hot hand, scoring 14 of the first 15 U.S. points in opening four minutes. Curry finished with game-high 36 points that included nine three pointers and two clutch free throws with eight seconds to play to clinch victory. "To come back the way we did... I've seen a lot of team USA basketball and that was a special," said Curry. After grinding away at the Serbia lead, James drove to the hoop, tying the contest at 84-84. Curry finally put the U.S. ahead with a three-pointer seconds later. The quick fire burst continued with James driving to the bucket again followed a Curry steal and another basket to leave a reeling Serbia down 91-86 and on the ropes. "My teammates believe in me and I was able to come through for them," said James, who finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds. "I told them that it's good to be tested. It's great to be tested. "I'm 39 years old, going into my 22nd season. I don't know how many opportunities and moments I'm going get like this to be able to compete for ... something big and playing big games, and tonight was a big game." France Thriller Earlier, bolstered by an electric home crowd, a turbo-charged France won a 73-69 thriller over Germany. France was led by a 17-point effort from Guerschon Yabusele while Isaia Cordinier chipped in 16, none more important than two free throws with seven seconds to play to blunt a Germany fight back and seal victory. "I think the national team, this jersey, brings to us that different energy that we can't find nowhere else," said Victor Wembanyama, the first Frenchman taken number one overall in the NBA draft. "We can see how intense we've been over the last two games. It's something that we all feel as patriots. We love our jersey. We love our country," said the 2.2-metre (7-foot, 3-inch) tall centre. After a loss to Germany in their final group game, France came prepared for a battle and got one in a tense nail-biter that was not decided until the final seconds. French fans arrived prepared to party, but Germany dialled back some of that excitement when they jumped out to a 12-2 lead. The arena was soon rocking again as France worked their way back, the crowd erupting in a mighty rafter rattling roar when Wembanyama hit the final basket of the half to send the teams into the break deadlocked at 33-33. Fully fuelled by the pumped up crowd, France powered to a 56-50 third-quarter lead and led 70-65 with just 40 seconds to play. Franz Wagner dampened the party atmosphere by hitting a three-pointer to cut the France advantage to just two, leaving a stunned French crowd on the edge of their seats. But France refused to buckle. Cordinier's steely free throws turned the volume all the way up again with a massive celebration erupting as the final seconds ticked down, the players mobbing each other and dancing to roars of approval. "Incredible moment with the fans," said Wembanyama. "They made it hard for me not to cry." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Olymics: LeBron, Curry star for USA in thriller against Serbia, to face France in dream basketball final

Stephen Curry admits playing on a stacked USA Olympic team where he is not expected to carry the offence like he does with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA is requiring a great deal of adjustment. The star point guard scored just three points in 22 minutes during USA's 98-92 win over Australia in a warm-up game in Abu Dhabi on Monday that saw the Americans almost blow a 20-point lead in the last 15 minutes.

Lakers center Anthony Davis came off the bench to lead the scoring for USA with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards was right behind him with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.

"It's an adjustment, not just for me, for everybody," said Curry, who will be making his Olympics debut in Paris this summer. "Even how we're rotating the lineups right now, just because we're trying to get a feel for different combinations. "You're going five minutes at a time, then you sit. Hockey subs, that's different, how we're playing with the talent around, that's a different adjustment. "It's just a mindfulness of knowing where your shots might come and being ready for those."

Head coach Steve Kerr had said before the game he planned on testing out different starting lineups during these exhibition games and he did indeed tweak the first unit he used in last week's win over Canada, keeping LeBron James, Curry, and Joel Embiid but starting Edwards and Jayson Tatum instead of Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker.

Kevin Durant remains sidelined with a calf strain, while Davis, Booker, Holiday, Bam Adebayo, and Tyrese Haliburton served as the second unit that alternated with the starters throughout the game.

USA led by 20 points midway through the third quarter but the Aussies narrowed their deficit to just six points with five minutes left in the fourth. Back-to-back threes from Indiana Pacers' Haliburton briefly got the Americans back on track but the Boomers upped the pressure once again and got dangerously close to erasing the gap.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/paris-olympics-2024-india-bharat-hindustan-virat-kohlis-special-message-to-indian-athletes-watch-741158">Paris Olympics 2024: 'India, Bharat, Hindustan,' Virat Kohli's special message to Indian athletes | WATCH</a>

<h2>- Australia fight back -</h2>

Australia's Jock Landale, Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels all finished in the double digits and combined for 51 points. Kerr said Monday's game -– the second of five friendlies USA will play prior to the Olympics -– was a welcome warning against complacency and a reminder the team can't take their foot off the gas pedal after building big leads.

He is confident there is enough time for the group -– which is the most star-studded and most decorated to represent USA since the famous Dream Team of 1992 –- to iron out the kinks before their Olympics opener against Serbia in Lille on July 28. Kerr paid special tribute to Davis, who also found himself in an unfamiliar role on Monday, coming off the bench.

"He was amazing tonight, he's been fantastic those first 10 days or whatever we've been together," said Kerr. "Obviously we've got a lot of talent, every single guy is capable of starting and playing big minutes.

The strength of our team is our depth and we have to utilise that depth and put pressure on teams for 40 minutes, regardless of the combinations." Next up for USA is an exhibition clash on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi against Serbia, who will be led by reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Jokic and his Serbian teammates were in the stands and watched the first half of the USA-Australia game.

"They're a great team. They're in our pool in Paris and we're going to have to beat them when it counts in a couple of weeks but it'll be good to get a good feel for what we're going to face," said Curry of the 2023 World Cup silver medallists. "They have a very strong, big, physical team and we have to match that physicality and be able to play Team USA basketball. It would be good to get some film on it too."

Stephen Curry admits playing on a stacked USA Olympic team where he is not expected to carry the offence like he does with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA is requiring a great deal of adjustment.

Stephen Curry admits playing on a stacked USA Olympic team where he is not expected to carry the offence like he does with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA is requiring a great deal of adjustment. The star point guard scored just three points in 22 minutes during USA's 98-92 win over Australia in a warm-up game in Abu Dhabi on Monday that saw the Americans almost blow a 20-point lead in the last 15 minutes. Lakers center Anthony Davis came off the bench to lead the scoring for USA with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards was right behind him with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists. "It's an adjustment, not just for me, for everybody," said Curry, who will be making his Olympics debut in Paris this summer. "Even how we're rotating the lineups right now, just because we're trying to get a feel for different combinations. "You're going five minutes at a time, then you sit. Hockey subs, that's different, how we're playing with the talent around, that's a different adjustment. "It's just a mindfulness of knowing where your shots might come and being ready for those." Head coach Steve Kerr had said before the game he planned on testing out different starting lineups during these exhibition games and he did indeed tweak the first unit he used in last week's win over Canada, keeping LeBron James, Curry, and Joel Embiid but starting Edwards and Jayson Tatum instead of Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker. Kevin Durant remains sidelined with a calf strain, while Davis, Booker, Holiday, Bam Adebayo, and Tyrese Haliburton served as the second unit that alternated with the starters throughout the game. USA led by 20 points midway through the third quarter but the Aussies narrowed their deficit to just six points with five minutes left in the fourth. Back-to-back threes from Indiana Pacers' Haliburton briefly got the Americans back on track but the Boomers upped the pressure once again and got dangerously close to erasing the gap. Also read: Paris Olympics 2024: 'India, Bharat, Hindustan,' Virat Kohli's special message to Indian athletes | WATCH - Australia fight back - Australia's Jock Landale, Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels all finished in the double digits and combined for 51 points. Kerr said Monday's game -– the second of five friendlies USA will play prior to the Olympics -– was a welcome warning against complacency and a reminder the team can't take their foot off the gas pedal after building big leads. He is confident there is enough time for the group -– which is the most star-studded and most decorated to represent USA since the famous Dream Team of 1992 –- to iron out the kinks before their Olympics opener against Serbia in Lille on July 28. Kerr paid special tribute to Davis, who also found himself in an unfamiliar role on Monday, coming off the bench. "He was amazing tonight, he's been fantastic those first 10 days or whatever we've been together," said Kerr. "Obviously we've got a lot of talent, every single guy is capable of starting and playing big minutes. The strength of our team is our depth and we have to utilise that depth and put pressure on teams for 40 minutes, regardless of the combinations." Next up for USA is an exhibition clash on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi against Serbia, who will be led by reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Jokic and his Serbian teammates were in the stands and watched the first half of the USA-Australia game. "They're a great team. They're in our pool in Paris and we're going to have to beat them when it counts in a couple of weeks but it'll be good to get a good feel for what we're going to face," said Curry of the 2023 World Cup silver medallists. "They have a very strong, big, physical team and we have to match that physicality and be able to play Team USA basketball. It would be good to get some film on it too."

Paris Olympics: Stephen Curry says playing for USA an 'adjustment' after warm-up win vs Australia

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry gained a 10th NBA All-Star nod and Lakers star Anthony Davis a ninth as reserves for the mid-season showcase were announced on Thursday. Coaches chose the seven reserves from each conference, with Minnesota's Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns both selected in the West.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns were also named to the West squad which will be captained by 20-time All-Star LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. The East reserves include three first-timers in Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, Orlando's Paolo Banchero and the New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson.

The Knicks' Julius Randle was also named a reserve along with Boston star Jaylen Brown, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell and Miami's Bam Adebayo. All-Star starters, selected by a combination of fan voting and voting by a media panel and by players, were named last month.

Four-time NBA champion James broke the record he had shared with another Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with his 20th selection. James will captain and join a starting lineup that also includes Phoenix's Kevin Durant and Serbian center Nikola Jokic, a two-time MVP from the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pl-kobbie-mainoo-stars-in-dramatic-man-united-win-at-wolves-west-ham-fight-back-to-draw-with-bournemouth-686185">PL: Kobbie Mainoo stars in dramatic Man United win at Wolves, West Ham fight back to draw with Bournemouth</a>

West starting guards included Slovenian Luka Doncic of Dallas and Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada. Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was named captain for the East, whose frontcourt starters also include Cameroon's reigning NBA MVP and this season's top scorer Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston's Jayson Tatum.

East guards included Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton, the NBA assists leader, and Milwaukee's Damian Lillard. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select the replacement for any player unable to play in the All-Star Game, selecting a substitute from the same conference.

It looks as if Silver will have multiple replacements to name. The Knicks said Thursday that Randle will miss two to three weeks with a dislocated shoulder while the 76ers revealed Embiid has a meniscus injury in his left knee with no timetable yet for his return.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry gained a 10th NBA All-Star nod and Lakers star Anthony Davis a ninth as reserves for the mid-season showcase were announced on Thursday.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry gained a 10th NBA All-Star nod and Lakers star Anthony Davis a ninth as reserves for the mid-season showcase were announced on Thursday. Coaches chose the seven reserves from each conference, with Minnesota's Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns both selected in the West. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns were also named to the West squad which will be captained by 20-time All-Star LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. The East reserves include three first-timers in Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, Orlando's Paolo Banchero and the New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson. The Knicks' Julius Randle was also named a reserve along with Boston star Jaylen Brown, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell and Miami's Bam Adebayo. All-Star starters, selected by a combination of fan voting and voting by a media panel and by players, were named last month. Four-time NBA champion James broke the record he had shared with another Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with his 20th selection. James will captain and join a starting lineup that also includes Phoenix's Kevin Durant and Serbian center Nikola Jokic, a two-time MVP from the defending champion Denver Nuggets. Also read: PL: Kobbie Mainoo stars in dramatic Man United win at Wolves, West Ham fight back to draw with Bournemouth West starting guards included Slovenian Luka Doncic of Dallas and Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada. Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was named captain for the East, whose frontcourt starters also include Cameroon's reigning NBA MVP and this season's top scorer Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston's Jayson Tatum. East guards included Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton, the NBA assists leader, and Milwaukee's Damian Lillard. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select the replacement for any player unable to play in the All-Star Game, selecting a substitute from the same conference. It looks as if Silver will have multiple replacements to name. The Knicks said Thursday that Randle will miss two to three weeks with a dislocated shoulder while the 76ers revealed Embiid has a meniscus injury in his left knee with no timetable yet for his return.

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, LA Lakers' Anthony Davis among NBA All-Star reserves

NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry are among several top players interested in competing for the United States at next year's Paris Olympics, according to multiple reports on Monday.

Two-time Olympic champion and four-time NBA champion James has been recruiting fellow NBA stars for a US squad that seeks a fifth gold medal in a row next year in France, according to The Athletic.

Curry, a four-time NBA champion guard with the Golden State Warriors, has expressed a desire to play on the Olympic squad guided by Warriors coach Steve Kerr, ESPN reported.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nfl-jets-star-quarterback-aaron-rodgers-leaves-opening-game-against-buffalo-bills-with-ankle-injury-635098">Jets' star quarterback Aaron Rodgers leaves opening game against Buffalo Bills with ankle injury</a>

The news comes a day after a US team of 20-something NBA stars left the Basketball World Cup empty handed following losses to Canada in the bronze-medal game and to eventual champion Germany in a semi-final.

James, a 38-year-old forward, led the USA to Olympic gold in 2008 at Beijing and 2012 at London but has not played since.

He knows the sting of defeat on the global stage, however, having been a reserve on the 2004 US squad that settled for bronze at the Athens Olympics and a 2006 team that took bronze at the Basketball World Cup.

James is not only interested in playing for Paris Olympic gold but has called fellow former NBA Most Valuable Players Curry and Kevin Durant hoping to entice them to play in 2024.

Two-time NBA champion Durant, a Phoenix Suns forward who turns 35 later this month, helped US Olympic gold-medal efforts in London as well as 2016 in Rio and in 2021 at Tokyo.

Curry has never played for the US Olympic squad but helped American clubs win the 2010 and 2014 World Cup crowns -- their only such titles since 1994.

Others James has recruited for the 2024 US Olympic team, according to The Athletic, include his Los Angeles Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, Golden State's Draymond Green and Boston's Jayson Tatum.

Phoenix's Devin Booker, a three-time NBA All-Star, and 38-year-old Chris Paul of Golden State, a 2008 and 2012 gold medalist, are also among those ESPN said are interested in the Paris Olympics.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry are among several top players interested in competing for the United States at next year's Paris Olympics, according to multiple reports on Monday.

NBA superstars LeBron James and Stephen Curry are among several top players interested in competing for the United States at next year's Paris Olympics, according to multiple reports on Monday. Two-time Olympic champion and four-time NBA champion James has been recruiting fellow NBA stars for a US squad that seeks a fifth gold medal in a row next year in France, according to The Athletic. Curry, a four-time NBA champion guard with the Golden State Warriors, has expressed a desire to play on the Olympic squad guided by Warriors coach Steve Kerr, ESPN reported. Also Read: Jets' star quarterback Aaron Rodgers leaves opening game against Buffalo Bills with ankle injury The news comes a day after a US team of 20-something NBA stars left the Basketball World Cup empty handed following losses to Canada in the bronze-medal game and to eventual champion Germany in a semi-final. James, a 38-year-old forward, led the USA to Olympic gold in 2008 at Beijing and 2012 at London but has not played since. He knows the sting of defeat on the global stage, however, having been a reserve on the 2004 US squad that settled for bronze at the Athens Olympics and a 2006 team that took bronze at the Basketball World Cup. James is not only interested in playing for Paris Olympic gold but has called fellow former NBA Most Valuable Players Curry and Kevin Durant hoping to entice them to play in 2024. Two-time NBA champion Durant, a Phoenix Suns forward who turns 35 later this month, helped US Olympic gold-medal efforts in London as well as 2016 in Rio and in 2021 at Tokyo. Curry has never played for the US Olympic squad but helped American clubs win the 2010 and 2014 World Cup crowns -- their only such titles since 1994. Others James has recruited for the 2024 US Olympic team, according to The Athletic, include his Los Angeles Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, Golden State's Draymond Green and Boston's Jayson Tatum. Phoenix's Devin Booker, a three-time NBA All-Star, and 38-year-old Chris Paul of Golden State, a 2008 and 2012 gold medalist, are also among those ESPN said are interested in the Paris Olympics. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Basketball: NBA stars including Lebron James gearing up for Paris Olympics next year, say reports

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry almost costed his team Game 4 against the Sacramento Kings as he called out a timeout in the fourth quarter which the Warriors didn't have.

Curry made the call for a timeout with the Warriors barely hanging on a five-point lead as the box-score read 126-121. With 42.4 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, Curry's call for the timeout resulted in a technical foul which gave the Kings a crucial possession. Have a look at the video here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Steph Curry pulled a Chris Webber and called a timeout for the Warriors <a href="https://t.co/psJJgacaq7">pic.twitter.com/psJJgacaq7</a>
— Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) <a href="https://twitter.com/ohnohedidnt24/status/1650261180043214850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Sacramento's Malik Monk then made the free throw as the Kings reduced the deficit to four points and retained the possession. De'Aaron Fox then stepped up big time, first with the game-high 38 points then with a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds of the game as the score became 126-125.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-timberwolves-beat-nuggets-in-ot-in-game-4-to-keep-round-1-series-alive-585586">Timberwolves beat Nuggets in OT in Game 4 to keep Round 1 series alive</a>

Kings' Harrison Barnes, however, missed a game-winning shot for three points as the Warriors won the game, barely though, and equaled the seven-game Round 1 series at 2-2.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr although, took the responsibility for Curry's mental lapse, saying he should have told the guys that 'we don't anymore timeouts left.'

"As we're exiting the huddle, that's on me, I've got to remind the guys we're out of timeouts," Kerr said. "I didn't say that, so Steph wasn't aware," he added.

Notably, the Warriors had lost their last timeout two minutes before Curry called out for it when they challenged a foul call on their center Kevin Looney. The Golden State had lost both, the challenge and their final timeout.

Nonetheless, the Warriors went on to win the game and Curry scored 32 points. Apart from him, Klay Thompson also dropped 26 points while Jordan Poole scored 22.

For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox dropped 38 and Keegan Murray scored 23. The next game of the series is scheduled to played on Wednesday in Sacramento.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry almost costed his team Game 4 against the Sacramento Kings as he called out a timeout in the fourth quarter which the Warriors didn't have.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry almost costed his team Game 4 against the Sacramento Kings as he called out a timeout in the fourth quarter which the Warriors didn't have. Curry made the call for a timeout with the Warriors barely hanging on a five-point lead as the box-score read 126-121. With 42.4 remaining on the clock in the fourth quarter, Curry's call for the timeout resulted in a technical foul which gave the Kings a crucial possession. Have a look at the video here: Steph Curry pulled a Chris Webber and called a timeout for the Warriors pic.twitter.com/psJJgacaq7 — Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 23, 2023 × Sacramento's Malik Monk then made the free throw as the Kings reduced the deficit to four points and retained the possession. De'Aaron Fox then stepped up big time, first with the game-high 38 points then with a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds of the game as the score became 126-125. Also Read: Timberwolves beat Nuggets in OT in Game 4 to keep Round 1 series alive Kings' Harrison Barnes, however, missed a game-winning shot for three points as the Warriors won the game, barely though, and equaled the seven-game Round 1 series at 2-2. Warriors coach Steve Kerr although, took the responsibility for Curry's mental lapse, saying he should have told the guys that 'we don't anymore timeouts left.' "As we're exiting the huddle, that's on me, I've got to remind the guys we're out of timeouts," Kerr said. "I didn't say that, so Steph wasn't aware," he added. Notably, the Warriors had lost their last timeout two minutes before Curry called out for it when they challenged a foul call on their center Kevin Looney. The Golden State had lost both, the challenge and their final timeout. Nonetheless, the Warriors went on to win the game and Curry scored 32 points. Apart from him, Klay Thompson also dropped 26 points while Jordan Poole scored 22. For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox dropped 38 and Keegan Murray scored 23. The next game of the series is scheduled to played on Wednesday in Sacramento. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Warriors' Steph Curry makes COSTLY timeout call vs Kings in Game 4 - WATCH

The Sacramento Kings, in a thriller, beat defending champions Golden State Warriors 114-106 to take a 2-0 lead in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.&nbsp;

The Warriors started well and took a lead of six points by the end of first quarter, only to let the advantage slip by the half-time with the box scored reading 58-52 in the Kings' favour. The Kings scored 41 points in the second quarter while the Warriors could manage only 29.

The game went back and forth in the third quarter with the Kings scoring two points more than the Warriors' 23. The box score, entering into the chaotic fourth quarter, read 83-75 in the Kings' favour.&nbsp;

The Warriors felt like on a mission as they erased their 12-point deficit to bring the game at 93-93 by the mid of fourth quarter. The Kings, however, were more determined as they matched up the Warriors' intensity and skills.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-grizzlies-jaren-jackson-jr-named-defensive-player-of-year-for-second-time-in-a-row-583519">Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. named Defensive Player of Year for second time in a row</a>

Both the teams scored 31 points in the fourth quarter and the final score read 114-106 in the Kings' favour, giving them the precious advantage in the seven-game series.

The Warriors were ahead of the Kings in field goal percentage, three-point conversion, and free throws but it was 20 turnovers compared 14 by the Kings that left them hanging.

For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis scored 24 points each while Malik Monk managed 18. For the Warriors, Stephen Curry drained 28 points, Andrew Wiggins dropped 22 and Klay Thompson managed 21 points but all for nothing good.

"We didn't play well enough to win a playoff game on the road," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. "With that said, it was a tie game with a few minutes left. We know we have to play better, and we will play better. These guys are champions. The way our guys fought showed what they're made of," he added further.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The Sacramento Kings, in a thriller, beat defending champions Golden State Warriors 114-106 to take a 2-0 lead in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. The Warriors started well and took a lead of six points by the end of first quarter, only to let the advantage slip by the half-time with the box scored reading 58-52 in the Kings' favour.

The Sacramento Kings, in a thriller, beat defending champions Golden State Warriors 114-106 to take a 2-0 lead in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. The Warriors started well and took a lead of six points by the end of first quarter, only to let the advantage slip by the half-time with the box scored reading 58-52 in the Kings' favour. The Kings scored 41 points in the second quarter while the Warriors could manage only 29. The game went back and forth in the third quarter with the Kings scoring two points more than the Warriors' 23. The box score, entering into the chaotic fourth quarter, read 83-75 in the Kings' favour. The Warriors felt like on a mission as they erased their 12-point deficit to bring the game at 93-93 by the mid of fourth quarter. The Kings, however, were more determined as they matched up the Warriors' intensity and skills. Also Read: Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. named Defensive Player of Year for second time in a row Both the teams scored 31 points in the fourth quarter and the final score read 114-106 in the Kings' favour, giving them the precious advantage in the seven-game series. The Warriors were ahead of the Kings in field goal percentage, three-point conversion, and free throws but it was 20 turnovers compared 14 by the Kings that left them hanging. For the Kings, De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis scored 24 points each while Malik Monk managed 18. For the Warriors, Stephen Curry drained 28 points, Andrew Wiggins dropped 22 and Klay Thompson managed 21 points but all for nothing good. "We didn't play well enough to win a playoff game on the road," said Warriors coach Steve Kerr. "With that said, it was a tie game with a few minutes left. We know we have to play better, and we will play better. These guys are champions. The way our guys fought showed what they're made of," he added further. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Sacramento Kings beat Golden State Warriors again to take 2-0 lead in Round 1

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

From Lionel Messi to Stephen Curry: Top 5 Forbes’ richest athletes of 2022

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

Several of the NBA’s best players are preparing to come back after missing most or all of last season. The list of returnees includes two former Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners and five players who were NBA All-Star selections as recently as two seasons ago.&nbsp;

• STEPHEN CURRY, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (5 GP LAST SEASON): The two-time Kia NBA MVP led Golden State to three NBA championships and five consecutive NBA Finals appearances before last season’s extended absence (he returned in March and played one game before the season was paused). Curry needs five three-pointers to reach 2,500 for his career and is 66 threes from passing Reggie Miller for the second-most in NBA history. He is also poised to become the Warriors’ franchise leader in both points and assists this season.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-nba-to-super-bowl-heres-complete-list-of-winners-in-2020-350549" hreflang="en">From NBA to Super Bowl: Here's complete list of winners in 2020</a>

• KEVIN DURANT, BROOKLYN NETS (0 GP): The 10-time NBA AllStar and 2013-14 Kia NBA MVP is set for his first action since the 2019 NBA Finals. In three seasons with Golden State, Durant won two Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP awards and reached the NBA Finals three times. A four-time scoring champion, Durant has the sixth-highest scoring average in NBA history (27.0 ppg).&nbsp;

• BLAKE GRIFFIN, DETROIT PISTONS (18 GP): In 2018-19 (his first full season with Detroit), Griffin averaged a career-high 24.5 points, was named an NBA All-Star for the sixth time and earned All-NBA Third Team honors. He also made a career-high 189 three-pointers.&nbsp;

• KYRIE IRVING, BROOKLYN NETS (20 GP): Irving made a splash with 50 points in his first game as a Net, the highest-scoring debut in NBA history. He averaged 27.4 points in 20 games, which would have been a career-high over a full season. Before last season, Irving had been named an NBA All-Star six times in a seven-year span.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-mahomes-to-giannis-athletes-with-biggest-contracts-in-sporting-history-350214" hreflang="en">From Mahomes to Giannis: Athletes with biggest contracts in sporting history</a>

• KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (35 GP): Towns actually played more than half of Minnesota’s games last season, but he also had two extended absences, one of which sidelined him for the final 12 games. He averaged 26.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists and shot 41.2 per cent from three-point range in 35 games. Towns was an NBA All-Star selection in 2017-18 and 2018-19.&nbsp;

• JOHN WALL, WASHINGTON WIZARDS (0 GP): Wall is poised to return two years after his last regular-season NBA game (Dec. 26, 2018). He made five consecutive NBA All-Star teams from 2014-18, a stretch during which he averaged at least 10.0 assists three times. This will be Wall’s 10th playing season with the Wizards, who selected him with the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Several of the NBA’s best players are preparing to come back after missing most or all of last season. The list of returnees includes two former Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners and five players who were NBA All-Star selections as recently as two seasons ago.

Several of the NBA’s best players are preparing to come back after missing most or all of last season. The list of returnees includes two former Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award winners and five players who were NBA All-Star selections as recently as two seasons ago. • STEPHEN CURRY, GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (5 GP LAST SEASON): The two-time Kia NBA MVP led Golden State to three NBA championships and five consecutive NBA Finals appearances before last season’s extended absence (he returned in March and played one game before the season was paused). Curry needs five three-pointers to reach 2,500 for his career and is 66 threes from passing Reggie Miller for the second-most in NBA history. He is also poised to become the Warriors’ franchise leader in both points and assists this season. ALSO READ: From NBA to Super Bowl: Here's complete list of winners in 2020 • KEVIN DURANT, BROOKLYN NETS (0 GP): The 10-time NBA AllStar and 2013-14 Kia NBA MVP is set for his first action since the 2019 NBA Finals. In three seasons with Golden State, Durant won two Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP awards and reached the NBA Finals three times. A four-time scoring champion, Durant has the sixth-highest scoring average in NBA history (27.0 ppg). • BLAKE GRIFFIN, DETROIT PISTONS (18 GP): In 2018-19 (his first full season with Detroit), Griffin averaged a career-high 24.5 points, was named an NBA All-Star for the sixth time and earned All-NBA Third Team honors. He also made a career-high 189 three-pointers. • KYRIE IRVING, BROOKLYN NETS (20 GP): Irving made a splash with 50 points in his first game as a Net, the highest-scoring debut in NBA history. He averaged 27.4 points in 20 games, which would have been a career-high over a full season. Before last season, Irving had been named an NBA All-Star six times in a seven-year span. ALSO READ: From Mahomes to Giannis: Athletes with biggest contracts in sporting history • KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS, MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (35 GP): Towns actually played more than half of Minnesota’s games last season, but he also had two extended absences, one of which sidelined him for the final 12 games. He averaged 26.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists and shot 41.2 per cent from three-point range in 35 games. Towns was an NBA All-Star selection in 2017-18 and 2018-19. • JOHN WALL, WASHINGTON WIZARDS (0 GP): Wall is poised to return two years after his last regular-season NBA game (Dec. 26, 2018). He made five consecutive NBA All-Star teams from 2014-18, a stretch during which he averaged at least 10.0 assists three times. This will be Wall’s 10th playing season with the Wizards, who selected him with the first overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Top players back in action in NBA as fresh season awaits

Steph Curry,&nbsp;who spent nine months off the court while launching his own brand, is back on the court as he said he is raring to go after not playing any basketball for such a long time. “I never had a time of not playing games for such a long time,” Curry said speaking to media after Golden State Warriors started their training camp with individual workouts on Wednesday.

A league&nbsp;worst 15-50 record and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a longer than expected break for the Warriors, but Curry was going from strength-to-strength. As restrictions eased, he started playing in scrimmages eventually leading up to 5-on-5 workouts with teammates until last month. “It was good to kind of shake the cobwebs off and not wait until December to get competitive live-action before playing regular-season games,” said Curry.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-draft-2020-top-picks-trivia-and-best-quotes-344039" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-draft-2020-top-picks-trivia-and-best-quotes-344039&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi2noO7iLTtAhVSwzgGHXPbD0AQFjAEegQIBBAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1FMwsMZaPX5MUurCif7gy4" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-draft-2020-top-picks-trivia-and-best-quotes-344039" target="_blank">NBA&nbsp;Draft 2020: Top picks, trivia and best quotes</a>

In an off-season like never seen before, Curry was not only strengthening his left hand, but he kept himself relevant interviewing America’s lead expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made a virtual appearance at the Democratic National Convention and teed off with Phil Mickelson. And he saw the ‘Bubble’ too. “Watching the bubble was weird. It was nice to be a fan for a little bit, but I definitely want to be playing competitive basketball and in games that matter,” he remarked.

Unlike a few years back, Warriors don’t carry the favorites tag, but Curry has a lot of weight to carry as Klay Thompson was ruled out for a second consecutive season. “It is going to be a tough year without him,” Curry admitted. Warriors will look to their No.2 Draft pick James Wiseman to play a bigger role and Curry knows the 19-year-old will contribute to make them a much better basketball team. “He has a game that doesn’t look like a 19-year-old. He doesn’t lack confidence and he knows he belongs here,” said Curry of Wiseman.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-paul-and-walker-chart-different-routes-for-the-upcoming-season-347159" hreflang="en">NBA: Paul and Walker chart different routes for the upcoming season</a>

Come Dec. 22 (Dec. 23 IST), Curry and the Warriors tip-off the 2020-21 NBA season against the Brooklyn Nets on the road and he knows the anticipation and expectations that will come with the game as Kevin Durant will play against his former teammates for the first time since moving to Brooklyn. Straight from Brooklyn they go to Milwaukee for Christmas Day game. “I have to figure out what we’re going to do in Milwaukee for Christmas,” Curry said with a grin, “But other than that it’s going to be pretty awesome just to be playing basketball again. I’m excited. It’s going to be here before you know it.”

Steph Curry, who spent nine months off the court while launching his own brand, is back on the court as he said he is raring to go after not playing any basketball for such a long time.

Steph Curry, who spent nine months off the court while launching his own brand, is back on the court as he said he is raring to go after not playing any basketball for such a long time. “I never had a time of not playing games for such a long time,” Curry said speaking to media after Golden State Warriors started their training camp with individual workouts on Wednesday. A league worst 15-50 record and the COVID-19 pandemic led to a longer than expected break for the Warriors, but Curry was going from strength-to-strength. As restrictions eased, he started playing in scrimmages eventually leading up to 5-on-5 workouts with teammates until last month. “It was good to kind of shake the cobwebs off and not wait until December to get competitive live-action before playing regular-season games,” said Curry. ALSO READ: NBA Draft 2020: Top picks, trivia and best quotes In an off-season like never seen before, Curry was not only strengthening his left hand, but he kept himself relevant interviewing America’s lead expert on infectious diseases, Dr. Anthony Fauci, made a virtual appearance at the Democratic National Convention and teed off with Phil Mickelson. And he saw the ‘Bubble’ too. “Watching the bubble was weird. It was nice to be a fan for a little bit, but I definitely want to be playing competitive basketball and in games that matter,” he remarked. Unlike a few years back, Warriors don’t carry the favorites tag, but Curry has a lot of weight to carry as Klay Thompson was ruled out for a second consecutive season. “It is going to be a tough year without him,” Curry admitted. Warriors will look to their No.2 Draft pick James Wiseman to play a bigger role and Curry knows the 19-year-old will contribute to make them a much better basketball team. “He has a game that doesn’t look like a 19-year-old. He doesn’t lack confidence and he knows he belongs here,” said Curry of Wiseman. ALSO READ: NBA: Paul and Walker chart different routes for the upcoming season Come Dec. 22 (Dec. 23 IST), Curry and the Warriors tip-off the 2020-21 NBA season against the Brooklyn Nets on the road and he knows the anticipation and expectations that will come with the game as Kevin Durant will play against his former teammates for the first time since moving to Brooklyn. Straight from Brooklyn they go to Milwaukee for Christmas Day game. “I have to figure out what we’re going to do in Milwaukee for Christmas,” Curry said with a grin, “But other than that it’s going to be pretty awesome just to be playing basketball again. I’m excited. It’s going to be here before you know it.”

NBA: 'I’m excited' - Stephen Curry back and raring to go in new season

NBA player Stephen Curry chanted the name "George Floyd" as he and some of his Golden State Warrior teammates joined a throng of protesters at a peaceful march in California on Wednesday.

Curry, along with Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney and Damion Lee, participated in the Oakland march to protest the killing of Floyd, an African American man who suffocated as a white police officer knelt on his neck on May 25 in Minneapolis.

As some protesters called for others to "Say his name", Curry was among those shouting their response: "George Floyd."

The march took place in the same location as the NBA club's championship rallies and parades.&nbsp;

"We're all here for the same purpose, not just for black people," said march spokesman Juan Toscano-Anderson.&nbsp;

"Right now it's about black people, but for humanity. There's people all over the world being oppressed.&nbsp;

"And we're just trying to take a step in the right direction and start something -- me and my boys, my brothers. Thank you guys for being here."&nbsp;

Floyd was in custody for allegedly using counterfeit money to try and buy cigarettes when Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes.&nbsp;

Chauvin, who was fired, was initially charged with third-degree murder, but prosecutors changed it to second-degree murder on Wednesday.&nbsp;

NBA player Stephen Curry chanted the name "George Floyd" as he and some of his Golden State Warrior teammates joined a throng of protesters at a peaceful march in California on Wednesday.

NBA player Stephen Curry chanted the name "George Floyd" as he and some of his Golden State Warrior teammates joined a throng of protesters at a peaceful march in California on Wednesday. Curry, along with Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney and Damion Lee, participated in the Oakland march to protest the killing of Floyd, an African American man who suffocated as a white police officer knelt on his neck on May 25 in Minneapolis. As some protesters called for others to "Say his name", Curry was among those shouting their response: "George Floyd." The march took place in the same location as the NBA club's championship rallies and parades. "We're all here for the same purpose, not just for black people," said march spokesman Juan Toscano-Anderson. "Right now it's about black people, but for humanity. There's people all over the world being oppressed. "And we're just trying to take a step in the right direction and start something -- me and my boys, my brothers. Thank you guys for being here." Floyd was in custody for allegedly using counterfeit money to try and buy cigarettes when Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. Chauvin, who was fired, was initially charged with third-degree murder, but prosecutors changed it to second-degree murder on Wednesday.

NBA star Curry marches, chants with US anti-racism protesters

Lionel Messi beats Cristiano Ronaldo in Forbes top 100, Virat Kohli only Indian in list

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

NBA superstar Stephen Curry stepped gamely into the political fray on Wednesday, responding to Under Armour apparel company chief Kevin Plank&#39;s description of US President Donald Trump as a &quot;real asset&quot; to the country.

&quot;I agree with that description, if you remove the &#39;et&#39; from asset,&quot; Curry told the Mercury News when asked about the comments from Plank.

Curry is the key endorser of Under Armour&#39;s line of basketball gear. He&#39;s under contract with the firm through 2024, and acknowledged he was surprised to hear Plank&#39;s comment, made in an interview this week with CNBC.

Curry, who endorsed Hillary Clinton in the bitter US presidential election, told the Mercury News he had spoken to &quot;countless people&quot; at Under Armour.&nbsp;

He said he was reassured by a statement released by Plank on Wednesday, clarifying the remarks in which he said having &quot;such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country&quot;.

In the statement, Plank said Under Armour has long been committed to supporting American jobs and manufacturing, but stressed the Baltimore-based firm was committed to diversity.

&quot;We have teammates from different religions, races, nationality, genders and sexual orientations; different ages, life experiences and opinions,&quot; the statement said. &quot;This is the core of our company.&quot;

Curry said he wouldn&#39;t rule out a departure from the company that manufactures his signature basketball shoe.

&quot;If I&nbsp;can say the leadership is not in line with my core values, then there is no amount of money, there is no platform I wouldn&#39;t jump off if it wasn&#39;t in line with who I am,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

&quot;So that&#39;s a decision I will make every single day when I wake up.&quot;

(AFP)

Stephen Curry, a key endorser of the apparel company, says he he was surprised by the company chief's praise for Trump

NBA superstar Stephen Curry stepped gamely into the political fray on Wednesday, responding to Under Armour apparel company chief Kevin Plank's description of US President Donald Trump as a "real asset" to the country. "I agree with that description, if you remove the 'et' from asset," Curry told the Mercury News when asked about the comments from Plank. Curry is the key endorser of Under Armour's line of basketball gear. He's under contract with the firm through 2024, and acknowledged he was surprised to hear Plank's comment, made in an interview this week with CNBC. Curry, who endorsed Hillary Clinton in the bitter US presidential election, told the Mercury News he had spoken to "countless people" at Under Armour. He said he was reassured by a statement released by Plank on Wednesday, clarifying the remarks in which he said having "such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country". In the statement, Plank said Under Armour has long been committed to supporting American jobs and manufacturing, but stressed the Baltimore-based firm was committed to diversity. "We have teammates from different religions, races, nationality, genders and sexual orientations; different ages, life experiences and opinions," the statement said. "This is the core of our company." Curry said he wouldn't rule out a departure from the company that manufactures his signature basketball shoe. "If I can say the leadership is not in line with my core values, then there is no amount of money, there is no platform I wouldn't jump off if it wasn't in line with who I am," he said. "So that's a decision I will make every single day when I wake up." (AFP)

Under Armour says Trump's an asset, NBA star Curry's response: 'Remove 'et' from it'

LeBron James reportedly joined an NBA All-Star lineup of talent Thursday that will not play for the United States at the Rio Olympics, while Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant will try to bring the Americans a third consecutive gold medal. 
 
A flurry of reports ahead of next week&#39;s announcement of the final US roster for Brazil was topped when Cleveland.com said James has told USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski that he will not play in August. 
 
&quot;I could use the rest,&quot; James told the website. 
 
James, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the greatest-ever NBA Finals comeback to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, cited the grind of having logged so much court time through six consecutive trips to the finals. 
 
NBA Most Valuable Player and scoring leader Stephen Curry of Golden State said during the finals that he would not play in Rio. 
 
Star guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City, Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and James Harden of Houston also have backed out of consideration, as have San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Washington forward John Wall, Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis of New Orleans. 
 
Joining that group Thursday were Portland&#39;s Damian Lillard, who wants to rehabilitate a plantar fascitis injury; Utah forward Gordon Hayward and San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard. 
 
The pullout brings back memories of 2004, when security worries were a concern in the Athens run-up and many top names withdrew. Those who played could only muster bronze. 
 
The roster to be named next week by USA Basketball is expected to include Oklahoma City star Durant and New York playmaker Anthony plus Indiana&#39;s Paul George, Golden State&#39;s Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Sacramento&#39;s DeMarcus Cousins, Chicagos Jimmy Butler, the Clippers&#39; DeAndre Jordan, and Toronto&#39;s Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Two other available spots could include Cleveland star guard Kyrie Irving, who played a key role alongside James in bringing the first sports title to Cleveland since 1964. 
 
A source told the website a desire to rest his body from the title run to better prepare his bid to defend the crown was his only reason for not playing in Rio, the Zika virus not playing a role in his decision. 
 
James, 31, sparked the US squad of NBA stars to gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He is the US team&#39;s all-time scoring leader with 273 points and second in total rebounds with 95. 
 
He was also a reserve on the 2004 US team that settled for bronze at Athens and on the US team that finished third at the 2010 world championships in Japan. 
 
&quot;King&quot; James is one of three men to play on three Olympic basketball teams and in 2012, he became one of the select few to win an NBA crown and Olympic gold in the same year. 
 
(AFP)

Cleveland.com said James has told USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski that he will not play in August

LeBron James reportedly joined an NBA All-Star lineup of talent Thursday that will not play for the United States at the Rio Olympics, while Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant will try to bring the Americans a third consecutive gold medal. A flurry of reports ahead of next week's announcement of the final US roster for Brazil was topped when Cleveland.com said James has told USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski that he will not play in August. "I could use the rest," James told the website. James, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the greatest-ever NBA Finals comeback to dethrone the Golden State Warriors, cited the grind of having logged so much court time through six consecutive trips to the finals. NBA Most Valuable Player and scoring leader Stephen Curry of Golden State said during the finals that he would not play in Rio. Star guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City, Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers and James Harden of Houston also have backed out of consideration, as have San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge, Washington forward John Wall, Clippers forward Blake Griffin and Anthony Davis of New Orleans. Joining that group Thursday were Portland's Damian Lillard, who wants to rehabilitate a plantar fascitis injury; Utah forward Gordon Hayward and San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard. The pullout brings back memories of 2004, when security worries were a concern in the Athens run-up and many top names withdrew. Those who played could only muster bronze. The roster to be named next week by USA Basketball is expected to include Oklahoma City star Durant and New York playmaker Anthony plus Indiana's Paul George, Golden State's Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins, Chicagos Jimmy Butler, the Clippers' DeAndre Jordan, and Toronto's Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. Two other available spots could include Cleveland star guard Kyrie Irving, who played a key role alongside James in bringing the first sports title to Cleveland since 1964. A source told the website a desire to rest his body from the title run to better prepare his bid to defend the crown was his only reason for not playing in Rio, the Zika virus not playing a role in his decision. James, 31, sparked the US squad of NBA stars to gold medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He is the US team's all-time scoring leader with 273 points and second in total rebounds with 95. He was also a reserve on the 2004 US team that settled for bronze at Athens and on the US team that finished third at the 2010 world championships in Japan. "King" James is one of three men to play on three Olympic basketball teams and in 2012, he became one of the select few to win an NBA crown and Olympic gold in the same year. (AFP)

LeBron out, Carmelo in for US team at Rio Olympics

stephen-curry

Stephen Curry, News on Stephen Curry, stories on Stephen Curry, articles on Stephen Curry, Stephen Curry stories at Wion, Stephen Curry news, Stephen Curry latest news

stephen curry