Draymond Green welcomed the news that Steve Kerr has agreed a contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, calling the development "incredible".

Golden State defeated the Charlotte Hornets 97-84 at home on Friday after reports had emerged that Kerr has agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history.

The new deal, which is not yet formally signed, will reportedly pay Kerr, who has guided the Warriors to four NBA championships, $17.5 million a year.

His current deal was set to expire at the end of this season but Warriors forward Green was not worried about the prospect of Kerr leaving, as he was always confident an agreement would be struck.

"No [I was not worried], because I know [owner] Joe [Lacob] is going to do the right thing," Green said, per ESPN.

"He has done nothing but build that trust with us that he is going to do the right thing and take care of those who take care of this organization."

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is reported to make more annually than Kerr, but he also serves as the team’s president.

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra signed an eight-year extension that pays him approximately $15m a season.

Kerr, 58, is in his 10th season as coach of the Warriors and holds a career regular season record of 501-264 and is 99-41 in the playoffs. 

He won his 500th game last week to become the fifth-fastest coach to do so in history.

"I think it's incredible," added Green. "I wouldn't want to finish my time here with any other coach. 

"What he has meant to this franchise and the winning ways that he brought here – you can't replace that. He got what he deserved."

Kerr will also coach Team USA in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. He said he felt "really good" about the team's future but could not comment on the deal until it was officially signed and announced.

The victory means Golden State (29-26) has now won 10 of its last 12 games in the NBA, while Charlotte (14-42) had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Stephen Curry had 15 points and five assists in a game that saw him take on his younger brother Seth, with their father Dell on commentary to make it a special night for the family.

The Warriors' Curry (23,160 points) moved past Elgin Baylor (23,149) into 33rd place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. 

Hornets forward Miles Bridges had 19 points and 11 rebounds but was involved in a scuffle that saw Lester Quinones and Grant Williams ejected in garbage time. 

An argument had ensued after Quinones drove to the basket and attempted a layup with 10.9 seconds remaining, with Bridges called for goaltending.

"I don’t really understand why people get so mad at somebody scoring at the end of the game," added Green.

"It’s like this dumb, unofficial, unwritten rule. If you all were winning by 13 points would you get mad if he laid a ball up? I doubt it. So it's kind of like a sore loser type thing."

The Warriors will next host the Denver Nuggets in a big Sunday game.

The Golden State Warriors and coach Steve Kerr have agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday.

The new deal will pay Kerr, who has guided the Warriors to four NBA championships, $17.5 million a year.

His current deal was set to expire at the end of this season.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich makes more annually, according to sources, but he also serves as the team’s president. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra signed an eight-year extension that pays him approximately $15 million a season.

Kerr, 58, is in his 10th season as coach of the Warriors and holds a career regular season record of 501-264 and is 99-41 in the playoffs. He won his 500th game last week to become the fifth-fastest coach to do so in history.

LeBron James has been ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers' road game against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday as he continues to nurse an ankle problem.

James has been suffering from peroneal tendinopathy in his left ankle, and the issue caused him to miss the Lakers' 138-122 road win over the Utah Jazz before the All-Star break.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer did feature in Sunday's All-Star Game, but he was limited to just 14 minutes on the court as the Western Conference All-Stars lost 211-186 to their Eastern Conference counterparts.

James said before Sunday's game that he would use the break to undergo treatment on his ankle, also suggesting his status for Thursday's trip to Chase Center was uncertain.

On Wednesday, the Lakers announced he had officially been downgraded to out, causing him to miss his eighth game of the season.

James had 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists as the Lakers beat the Warriors in a double overtime classic last month, and the 39-year-old is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game this season.

Prior to the trade deadline earlier this month, the Warriors reportedly enquired about James' availability, only to be knocked back by Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.

James said last week that he wishes to finish his glittering career in Los Angeles, though he is yet to decide whether to take up his $51.4million player option for 2024-25.

Thursday's matchup could prove crucial to the playoff hopes of both teams, with the Lakers emerging from the mid-season hiatus at 30-26 and the Warriors having a 27-26 record. 

LeBron James has outlined his desire to finish his storied career with the Los Angeles Lakers, despite recent reports linking him with a trade.

While James' average of 24.8 points per game this season is down on last term's 28.9, the NBA's all-time leading scorer has continued to impress while playing through a niggling ankle injury in his 21st season in the league.

He has only missed seven of Los Angeles' 56 games thus far in 2023-24, helping the team win the inaugural NBA in-season tournament in December. 

James has a $51.4million player option for 2024-25 with the Lakers, but he recently said he was undecided on whether to take up that option.

That led to speculation that he could be available, with his current team fielding calls from the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the trade deadline earlier this month.

However, the 39-year-old stayed put, and speaking before his record-extending 20th appearance in the NBA's All-Star Game on Sunday, he gave his clearest indication yet that he sees his future in Los Angeles. 

"I am a Laker and I'm happy. I have been very happy being a Laker for the last six years and hopefully it stays that way," James said. 

"I don't have the answer to how long it is or which uniform I'll be in, but hopefully it is with the Lakers. It's a great organisation with so many greats, but we'll see."

Warriors forward Draymond Green reportedly lobbied team owner Joe Lacob to enquire about a blockbuster trade for James, but he says he played no part in any talks with Golden State.

"I actually heard about it when everybody else heard about it," James told TNT Sports of their interest. 

"Sometimes there's conversations that happen behind closed doors that you don't even know about, I guess until it's real or not, then they'll bring it to you. It never even got to me."

Looking further ahead, James knows the curtain will soon come down on his glittering career, but he is yet to make any decisions regarding the nature of his NBA farewell.

Asked whether he would announce his retirement in advance in order to receive a proper send-off, as opposed to quitting in the offseason, James said: "I'm 50-50, to be honest.

"I was asked this question a couple of days ago; 'Will you take the farewell tour, or will you just Tim Duncan it?'

"There's times when I feel like I owe it to my fans that have been on this journey with me for two decades, to be able to give them that moment where it's every city and they give you flowers or whatever the case may be. That seems cool.

"But on the other side, I've never been that great with accepting praise. It's a weird feeling for me. I don't know how it's going to end, but it's coming. It's coming, for sure." 

Steve Kerr is considering how best to use Klay Thompson after the 34-year-old responded to being benched with an emphatic showing for the Golden State Warriors.

Thompson was benched for the first time since 2012 on Thursday, but responded with his best performance of the season as the Warriors beat the Utah Jazz 140-137.

The small forward finished with 35 points and six rebounds. Thompson had started 727 straight games.

Golden State's win marked Kerr's 500th victory as Warriors coach, and he believes Thompson, who is averaging 17.3 points per game this season.

"It's been a tricky season for him and for us," said Kerr.

"It's not as easy to do what Klay did five or six years ago for him.

"I think this could be a good balance to get the best out of Klay and to get the best out of our team.

"He's just such a competitor. I've watched him win championships. I've seen him hit a million big shots. I've seen him guard the toughest guys in the league.

"Klay's a champion. He's an incredible player, a great person."

Thompson has now surpassed 15,000 points, becoming the sixth Golden State player, and the 153rd player in total, to do so.

"You can do two things: You can pout or you can go out there and respond," said Thompson. "I thought I did the latter very well tonight.

"Throughout the game, when I'm running with the second unit, I realised I might be more of a focal point to the offense.

"That's a fun role to play. I just wanted to take it upon myself to prove to coach that I was going to respond like the champ I am.

"I thought about [former Spurs great] Manu Ginobli, that guy has four rings and a gold medal, and he came off the bench his whole career, and I don't think anyone looks down on his Hall of Fame candidacy.

"He's one of the greats. And I thought, I mean, I embraced it before tip, and I deserved it really."

Klay Thompson scored a season-high 35 points with seven 3-pointers in his first appearance off the bench since his rookie season in the Golden State Warriors’ 140-137 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday.

A reserve for the first time since March 11, 2012, Thompson scored 17 points in the Warriors’ 84-point first half. He was 13 of 22 from the field and 7 of 13 from 3-point range with six rebounds in 28 minutes.

Brandon Podziemski replaced him in the starting lineup and had 13 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Draymond Green scored a season-best 23 points, Andrew Wiggins added 19 and Stephen Curry contributed 16 points and 10 assists as Golden State won its seventh in eight games.

Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 35 points and nine assists, while Keyonte George set career highs with 33 points and nine 3s.

 

Wolves start fast in rout of Blazers

Anthony Edwards scored 13 of his 34 points in a dominant first quarter and the Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a 128-91 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and Jaden McDaniels scored 17 as Minnesota opened a 44-14 lead after one quarter in its fourth straight victory.

The Wolves’ 30-point lead was the most lopsided first quarter in the NBA this season.

Jerami Grant scored 20 points for Portland, which has lost six straight.

 

Grizzlies hold off Bucks

Ziaire Williams and GG Jackson each scored 27 points and the Memphis Grizzlies held on for a 113-110 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Vince Williams had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Lamar Stevens added 13 points off the bench to help Memphis win its second straight following a season-high nine-game losing streak.

Giannis Antetokoumpo had his 43rd double-double of the season with 35 points and 12 assists, and Damian Lillard had 24 points and seven assists.

Milwaukee has lost its last two and five of its past seven games.

Stephen Curry labelled the Golden State Warriors as "very average" after they gave up a big lead against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Warriors looked set to claim a sixth straight win after a strong first three quarters against the Clippers on Wednesday.

However, despite at one stage holding a 15-point lead, and a 13-point advantage heading into the final quarter, the Warriors could not hold on.

It is the sixth time this season that Golden State have lost after holding a 15-point lead - only the San Antonio Spurs have a poorer record.

And Curry, who finished with 41 points, bluntly said: "We're very average. 

"Very average doesn't get it done in this league. We need to make a run, hopefully, we bounce back tomorrow and after the All-Star break hit a stride where we win every game [at home] and steal a few on the road.

"We've been very average so far, so we have to regain that home-court fear that we have grown accustomed to in the past."

The Warriors blew a 22-point lead against the Clippers earlier in the season, and held an 11-point lead when their coach Tyronn Lue was ejected midway through the fourth quarter.

Yet the Clippers then went on a 36-22 streak, and Curry acknowledged the Warriors came up against an in-form side.

"They're a really good team that has some confidence, and we're still trying to prove that we're that type of team," Curry said.

While the Clippers are third in the Western Conference, the Warriors are 10th, just above the playoff line.

"Either way, how tonight would have gone, we would say the same thing about tomorrow, we're trying to keep the streak going and not have any missteps," added Curry.

"Now, it's the same mission but a different mindset of bounding back and just feeling good going into a six-day break. It's a very, very, very, very important game, to say the least."

Norman Powell hit four 3-pointers over the final 7:03 and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from 12 down in the fourth quarter to end the Golden State Warriors’ five-game winning streak, 130-125 on Wednesday.

James Harden had 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and Paul George scored 24 points before fouling out as the Clippers won their fifth straight on the road despite missing Kawhi Leonard, who sat out with a left leg injury.

Stephen Curry scored 41 points and went 9 for 19 from 3-point range and became the first player in NBA history to make at least seven 3s in four straight games. He notched his sixth 40-point game of the season.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr was denied his 500th regular season win and Golden State suffered just its second loss in the last nine games.

The Clippers had lost six straight on the Warriors’ home floor.

 

Surging Celtics rip Nets

Payton Pritchard scored 28 points and Derrick White had 27 as the Boston Celtics pounded the Brooklyn Nets 136-86 for their sixth straight win and a sweep of their home-and-home series.

Jayson Tatum added 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds as the Celtics gave coach Joe Mazzulla his 100th victory.

Boston, which enters the All-Star break with a league-best 43-12 record, made 22 of 44 from 3-point range and won by at least 50 points for the fifth time in team history.

The Celtics won their 10th in the last 11 meetings against the Nets, who have lost five of six overall.

 

Irving keeps Mavericks red hot

Kyrie Irving had 34 points and Luka Dončić added 27 before leaving early in the fourth quarter as the streaking Dallas Mavericks rallied for a 116-93 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Doncic, who also had nine rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes, left three minutes into the fourth holding his neck. A team spokesman said the Dallas superstar received treatment.

The Mavs erased a 15-point deficit to win their season-high sixth straight.

Victor Wembanyama scored 20 of his 26 points in the first half and grabbed nine rebounds as the Spurs lost for the eighth time in nine games.

Jusuf Nurkic hit out at Draymond Green after the pair exchanged words and taunts during the Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry-inspired win over the Phoenix Suns.

The resurgent Warriors won 113-112 thanks to Curry's 33-foot 3-pointer in the dying seconds on Saturday.

But while Curry wrote the headlines, and received high praise from all involved, including former teammate Kevin Durant, Green and Nurkic were involved in a verbal tussle.

Green has been careful with his behaviour since he returned from an indefinite NBA suspension in January. He had been banned because he had hit Nurkic in the face during a clash between the Warriors and the Suns in December.

But Nurkic does not believe Green has learned any lessons.

"It's sad," he said. "He didn't learn anything. It's just a matter of time.

"He's going to hit somebody else again. I take everything back, what I said. He doesn't deserve a chance."

Nurkic taunted Green by slapping the floor twice with a "too small" gesture during the third quarter, with the Warriors star returning the favour when he scooped the ball over the Suns center two minutes later.

"You can't be a nothing defender if you're going to do that," Green said of Nurkic.

"You probably outweigh me by 70 pounds and you get put in the rim? Got to be more careful.

"I thought I was great tonight. He tried to get in my head, and it didn't work. If he wants me to walk around quiet, like him, I'm never going to do that. Quiet guys don't win.

"He can keep rocking with that same horse that he rode in on. He can ride his a** right out of here on that same horse. It's not working."

Curry laughed off Nurkic's comments.

"He's given us a lift every game he's been back," Curry said of Green. "He connects, obviously, our defense, but you can talk about his defense every game.

"What he did offensively tonight, especially in the fourth quarter, he gave us great energy in the sense of having that competitive spirit you need to win a game like tonight, to meet the moment.

"Draymond knows how to walk the line that he needs to walk. This is probably the best game that you've seen it.

"You can tell when someone is in your head when you go out of your way to celebrate. Then Draymond comes back at him. All of the talk, Draymond was in his head, plain and simple."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr likewise defended Green.

"That month off, that suspension was real," Kerr said. "[Draymond] knew that his career was on the line or is on the line. He understands that he's got to be the guy he's been the last nine years, not the one he's been the last year. I see him doing that."

Ultimately, it was Curry's quality that settled the contest. The two-time MVP finished with 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists, with his match-winning moment coming when Bradley Beal missed an attempted steal, after Brandin Podziemski had picked out Golden State's talisman.

"He's the best to ever shoot it," Beal said. "So you know the result after that."

For Durant, who played alongside Curry with the Warriors, there was not much more the Suns could have done to deny his former teammate.

"You give him a look like that for the game, he's licking his chops," Durant reflected. "I still think we could've had that steal. It's a tough play. Sometimes guys are just that great."

Kerr added: "We were due. We were due for one of these tight games to go our way. But the guys earned it. It didn’t just happen."

The Warriors have now won their last four games and sit 10th in the Western Conference with a 25-25 record, while the Suns are sixth on 31-22.

Stephen Curry urged the Golden State Warriors not to run before they can walk after his 42-point haul inspired them to victory over the Indiana Pacers.

The Warriors won for the fifth time in six games on Thursday, claiming an emphatic 131-109 win over Indiana.

Curry was in scintillating form, with 29 of his points coming in the first half. The four-time NBA champion has now recorded three 40+ point games across his last seven outings.

Golden State are 11th in the Western Conference, with a 24-25 record, but are now looking up as they aim to secure a playoff place.

But they must keep their feet on the ground.

"The challenge is to not get too far ahead of yourself, thinking you can just show up and win games," Curry said.

"We've got a long way to go to get some security."

Coach Steve Kerr believes the Warriors are beginning to show what they are truly made of.

He added: "We had a great start to the season and then things, obviously, went kind of haywire for a while.

"But this feels like the best version of us, with the starting lineup, playing they are, bringing guys off the bench who are giving great energy and effort.

"And then, Steph was just scalding hot there early."

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle offered up few excuses, simply pointing to the quality of Curry's performance.

"Well, he was making shots, but we got beat by their hard play — and our lack of hard play," he said.

"Simple as that. It was ugly. I think we lost every quarter."

Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson both spoke with confidence about the Golden State Warriors’ prospects this season after they recorded a big win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Golden State won 127-104 on Wednesday for its second-largest victory of the NBA season.

The Warriors have now won four in five, helped by Draymond Green returning from suspension last month, with the only loss in that span being a double overtime defeat against the Atlanta Hawks, in which Stephen Curry poured in 60 points.

Despite that improvement, Kerr’s squad remain outside the playoff standings and have been subject to huge trade speculation ahead of Thursday’s deadline.

But Kerr was optimistic and watched his side move to 23-25 with a road win against a 76ers team struggling without Joel Embiid.

"If we don't do anything [before the deadline], I feel like we have got a good group that we can push through with," Kerr said, per ESPN.

"The guys who are here, they are an incredibly accomplished group and we have got some exciting young players.

"Every guy on our team has really overcome a lot, individually, this year. Taken out of the starting lineup, to injuries, young players have emerged through hard work and patience.

"I enjoy coaching this team. It is a long haul, but I feel like this team could be something special."

Andrew Wiggins had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Warriors to victory.

Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 points and Thompson also had 18 two nights after being benched for the final seven minutes against the Brooklyn Nets. The four-time NBA champion has been mentioned in trade talk but wants to stay with the Warriors, as does Wiggins.

"You see Steph Curry, you see Draymond," Thompson said. "Go home and check our playoff record of our trio. 

"We are champions and I believe [in us]. It is a long season and I will always believe we can always make a run, especially when we are all suited up.

"That is correct [that I want to stay with the Warriors]. I don't partake in NBA discourse. I think it's such a waste of energy. 

"At the end of the day, whether I'm wearing a Dubs uniform or another uniform, I'm going to be myself. I'm going to be KT."

Wiggins added: "I love it here – the organization, the coaches, all of my teammates.

"I feel like we've been finding something good and it's been working for us. As long everyone buys into what we've got going on and always makes it about the team, we'll be good."

The Warriors are back in action on the road against the Indiana Pacers (29-23) on Thursday.

Stephen Curry was left frustrated after having no win to show for his 60-point haul in the Golden State Warriors' loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Curry scored a season-high 60 points, while recording six rebounds and four assists, but the Warriors went down 141-134 in overtime on Saturday.

The Warriors are now 21-25 for the season, and 12th in the Western Conference.

Having fallen just two shy of his career-best 62 points, Curry became the 10th player in NBA history to register multiple 60-point games.

Yet the four-time champion was left with a sour taste in his mouth after watching Trae Young lead the Hawks to a fourth straight win with his 35 points.

"It sucks to not have something to show for it," Curry said.

"It's frustrating, obviously, not coming away with the win knowing a couple plays here, a couple plays there could have been a different outcome. It just adds to our frustrating season."

Draymond Green chipped in with seven points, six rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors, and despite the result, he was delighted to see Curry shine.

"It just seems he continues to get better, which is special at his age," Green said of Curry, while coach Steve Kerr added: "We competed like crazy but just couldn't get over the hump."

Young and Curry embraced on the court after the game, with the latter offering some advice to the Hawks star, who is averaging 27.3 points per game but missed out on an All-Star pick.

"I told him after the game it will all come back to him if he continues to approach the game in the right way," said Curry.

Stephen Curry scored 60 points for the second-most in his career and made 10 3-pointers, but the Atlanta Hawks started fast in overtime in a 141-134 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

Curry had eight points in overtime to notch the second 60-point game of his career, falling two points shy of matching his career high set against Portland on Jan. 3, 2021. He was 22 of 38 from the field, 10 of 23 from long range, and made all six free throws.

Dejounte Murray scored the last seven points in an 11-0 run to open overtime for the Hawks and finished with 19 points.

Curry’s second 3 of overtime drew Golden State within 136-131 with 67 seconds to play but Trae Young hit a floater and Jalen Johnson’s layup with 20 seconds left sealed the win.

Young scored 35 points with seven 3-pointers, and Onyeka Okongwu added a career-high 22 points and a season-best 16 rebounds for Atlanta, which has won a season high-tying four straight.

 

Lakers snap Knicks’ 9-game streak

LeBron James scored 24 points and the Los Angeles Lakers pulled away down the stretch for a 113-105 victory to end the New York Knicks’ nine-game winning streak.

Austin Reaves had 22 points, D’Angelo Russell and Taurean Prince each scored 16 and Anthony Davis added 12 with 18 rebounds.

It was the second straight impressive road win for the Lakers after their 114-105 victory at NBA-leading Boston on Thursday.

Jalen Brunson poured in 36 points and Donte DiVincenzo added 26 before fouling out. The Knicks were done in by a nearly seven-minute scoreless stretch in the fourth quarter, as the Lakers turned a 96-94 deficit into a 105-96 lead.

 

Antetokounmpo outduels Doncic in Bucks’ win

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 48 points and the Milwaukee Bucks rallied from a 25-point deficit for their first win under coach Doc Rivers, 129-117 over the Dallas Mavericks.

Antetokounmpo shot 20 of 28 from the field to go with 10 assists and six rebounds as Milwaukee avoided a season-high third straight loss.

The Bucks, who lost their first two games under Rivers, started the rally with a 15-0 run in the final two minutes of the first half to get within five.

Damian Lillard added 30 points on 10-of-11 shooting and hit all five 3-point attempts.

Luka Dončić had 40 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to fall just shy of his 10th triple-double of the season.

Maxi Kleber scored 21 points and Josh Green had 20 with nine rebounds for Dallas, which had its biggest blown lead in a loss this season and dropped to 2-6 in its last eight games.

LeBron James is looking forward to talking about his thrilling matchups against Stephen Curry with his grandchildren.

That is how much James relishes going up against the Golden State Warriors star, as the duo served up another wonderful instalment of their long-running rivalry on Saturday.

James and the Los Angeles Lakers came out on top, edging out the Warriors 145-144 in double overtime.

Curry led the game with 46 points, with 15 of those coming across the two OT periods, but James inspired the Lakers with a triple-double of 36 points, 12 assists and a career-best 20 rebounds.

"It's something I'll be able to talk about with my grandkids," James said.

"When you talk about me being able to compete versus one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

"It's been a treat to go against one of the greatest to ever play this game.

"For us to continue to push each other at the state of our careers, you don't take it for granted because you don't know how many times you're actually going to get the moment to actually be on the same floor with such a talent."

James and Curry dominated four successive NBA Finals, and the pair, who have eight championship rings between them, rekindled that fire in magnificent fashion.

However, neither team have been enjoying their best campaigns. The Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference with a 24-23 record, three places ahead of the 19-24 Warriors.

"Every year that we get to do this and go back and forth, the battles, the Finals runs, the playoff battles last year, after the horn sounded tonight there was a little laugh of, I can't imagine a scenario where a game like tonight happens, [with] him in Season 21 and me in Year 15," Curry said.

"You look forward to the battles, but you also appreciate the mutual respect of what it takes to keep doing what you're doing at this level. Only a few people know how hard it is. I'm happy to be in that group."

Klay Thompson, who scored 24 points for the Warriors, is simply happy to have played alongside, and against, two of the NBA's greatest.

"Credit to LeBron for what he's doing at his age. I mean, that guy is a freak of nature in terms of his ability to play at this level for so long. Same with Steph," Thompson said.

"When you're younger, you don't ever really think that basketball will stop because it's what you love. It's all you do.

"But when you get to your thirties, you realise there's an end point to being an athlete. Knowing that, I am very grateful to step on the floor with those guys and play against LeBron."

LeBron James is in his 21st NBA season, and still accomplishing things he's never done before.

James had a career-high 20 rebounds as part of a triple-double and hit two late free throws in the second overtime to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 145-144 road win over the Golden State Warriors in an epic showdown with Stephen Curry on Saturday.

James also had 36 points and 12 assists as part of his 110th career triple-double while playing a season-high 48 minutes.

He became the first Laker to have at least 35 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a game in the last 40 seasons.

 Curry scored 10 of his season-high 46 points in the second overtime, and put the Warriors up 144-143 on his season-best ninth 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds to play.

On the Lakers ensuing possession, James drove the lane and drew a foul with 1.2 seconds remaining. He hit both free throws to put Los Angeles up by one point and Curry then missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer.

D'Angelo Russell finished with 28 points, and hit a key 3-pointer late in regulation and another clutch 3-pointer with 52 seconds remaining in the second overtime.

Anthony Davis exited for a bit in the third quarter due to a hip spasm but returned to finish with 29 points and 13 rebounds for Los Angeles (24-23), which trailed by as much as 15 points.

The Warriors (19-24) lost for the fourth time in five games despite scoring a season high in points and making a season-best 23 3-pointers.

Klay Thompson drained a tying 3 with 5.9 seconds to play in the first extra period and then hit another with 1:53 to play in the second, but he ended up fouling out 39 seconds later. He finished with 24 points and made six 3-pointers.

 

Clippers roll in Boston for fifth straight win

One month ago, the Boston Celtics trounced the Clippers in Los Angeles.

The Clippers returned the favour.

Los Angeles led by as much as 36 en route to a 115-96 victory over the NBA-best Celtics in Boston.

The Pacific Division-leading Clippers (30-14) rode a 21-0 run in the third quarter to avenge a 37-point home loss to the Celtics on December 23. The Clippers have won five in a row with all victories coming by double digits.

Kawhi Leonard had a game-high 26 points, while Paul George added 17 points in just 22 minutes for Los Angeles, which scored 64 points in the paint.

With the outcome in little doubt, both teams emptied their bench for the fourth quarter.

The Celtics (35-11) were opening a season-high seven-game home-stand, but came out sluggish, scoring a season-low 21 first-quarter points.

Jayson Tatum was the only Celtic starter in double figures, scoring 21 while the other four Boston starters combined for 17 points on 5-of-37 shooting (13.5 per cent).

It marked the second straight home loss for the Celtics, who opened the season 20-0 in Boston.

 

 Knicks win sixth in row but Randle injured

The New York Knicks' latest win may have come at a cost.

The Knicks extended their winning streak to six games with a 125-109 victory over the Miami Heat, but Julius Randle injured his shoulder late in the fourth quarter.

Randle exited with 4:27 to play after appearing to land hard on his right shoulder after colliding with the Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. He was reportedly diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder, and it's uncertain how long he'll be sidelined.

 Jalen Brunson led New York with 32 points and eight assists, and Randle had 19 points and nine rebounds before getting hurt. OG Anunoby also scored 19 for the Knicks (29-17), who improved to 12-2 since the calendar flipped to 2024.

Things have not been going nearly as well for the Heat (24-22), who have lost a season-high six straight games.

Jimmy Butler had 28 points and eight assists for Miami, which is still atop the Southeast Division despite its recent slide.

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