GARY PAYTON II

Free agency opens Thursday in the NBA.

From the moment all those months ago that Klay Thompson uttered “championship or bust,” the Golden State Warriors seemed set to make good on his lofty proclamation.

NBA Finals Warriors Celtics Basketball Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) tries to strip the ball from Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first quarter of Game 6 of basketball's NBA Finals, Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Boston. After climbing back to the top of the Eastern Conference, the Celtics fell flat in the latter stages of the NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors won the final three games, claiming the title with a 103-90 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night. That made it 37-22 early in the second quarter, leaving Celtics fans in stunned silence — which was broken later in the quarter when they even booed the home team. That put them in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

When Jayson Tatum made consecutive baskets to cap a game-opening Boston blitz, TD Garden was at its absolute loudest.

NBA Finals Warriors Celtics Basketball Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) high fives Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) during the second quarter of Game 6 of basketball's NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (Steven Senne)BOSTON — (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the Boston Celtics 103-90 on Thursday night for their fourth title in the last eight seasons. The first three rings came in 2015, 2017 and 2018, when Golden State was dynastic and made five consecutive trips to the finals. It thrust a Golden State team into a rebuild that became a reload. For Golden State coach Steve Kerr, it’s a ninth championship overall after winning five as a player.

Jaylen Brown is starting the NBA Finals on the road.

Gary Payton II is expected to return for the Golden State Warriors at some point during the NBA Finals from a broken left elbow that he injured when Grizzlies star Dillon Brooks committed a hard foul across Payton's head on a layup attempt during the playoffs' second round. Brooks received a Flagrant 2 foul and was ejected, then suspended for one game without pay for what the NBA called “unnecessary and excessive contact.” Forwards Andre Iguodala and Otto Porter Jr. also are making positive strides toward playing again.

Kerr said his symptoms were mild with a cough and congestion but his biggest concern was not to get anyone around him sick. “It really wasn't too bad,” Kerr said Sunday, still waiting on his team's opponent from Game 7 of the Mavericks-Suns series. Associate head coach Mike Brown, who last weekend became the next coach of the Sacramento Kings, filled in for Kerr as Golden State wrapped up the series with a 110-96 win in Game 6 on Friday night. Guard Gary Payton II said everyone is thrilled to have Kerr back in the building and locker room. He couldn't sit there and think, ‘What would I do?’” and that led to the Warriors staff starting Kevon Looney in the clincher.

Steve Kerr is out of the NBA health and safety protocols and preparing to coach the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals after missing the last three games of the semifinal round against Memphis with COVID-19.

Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are cherishing this playoff run a little more given they spent the past two years watching the postseason instead of their familiar position chasing championships.

Klay Thompson knocked down eight 3-pointers on the way to 30 points, Stephen Curry scored 29 with six 3s, and the Golden State Warriors advanced to the Western Conference finals by beating the Memphis Grizzlies 110-96 in Game 6.

The Memphis Grizzlies say All-Star guard Ja Morant is doubtful for the remainder of the postseason after an MRI and further evaluation revealed a bone bruise in his injured right knee.

Grizzlies star Ja Morant is out for Game 5 with a bone bruise in his right knee.

Stephen Curry converted eight free throws over the final 45.7 seconds on the way to 32 points, leading the Golden State Warriors’ fourth-quarter comeback for a 101-98 victory against the Memphis Grizzlies and a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is out for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Warriors with a right knee injury.

ESPN, citing sources, first reported that Jokic would be named the MVP. The Nuggets' 7-foot center was the first player in league history to eclipse 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season. And that sort of dominance by the player nicknamed “Joker" helped convince voters that he should be the 13th player of the NBA's exclusive MVP back-to-back club. ___AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds, AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton and freelance writer Michael Kelly contributed to this report. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant is unlikely to play in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals against Golden State on Monday night after injuring his right knee on a play with Jordan Poole that the teams are debating from Memphis’ 142-112 defeat Saturday night.

Grizzlies Warriors Basketball Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the basket against Memphis Grizzlies forward Kyle Anderson during the first half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball Western Conference playoff semifinal in San Francisco, Saturday, May 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) (Jeff Chiu)SAN FRANCISCO — (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 30 points, Klay Thompson had 21 and nine rebounds and the Golden State Warriors shut down Ja Morant's supporting cast to embarrass the Memphis Grizzlies 142-112 on Saturday night for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. Golden State did so with a balanced attack and energy on both ends after Green called for the offense to do more to better the defense. Warriors: The Warriors outrebounded the Grizzlies 21-14 in the first half and 53-37 overall. ... Golden State is 4-0 playing at home during this postseason and 49-11 dating to the 2015 title run that ended with the franchise's first championship in 40 years.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points, Klay Thompson had 21 and nine rebounds and the Golden State Warriors shut down Ja Morant’s supporting cast to embarrass the Memphis Grizzlies 142-112 on Saturday night for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Stephen Curry had a message for Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. after the Golden State Warriors took Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Morant scored the last 15 points for Memphis, starting with 4:16 left. He returned for the second quarter after getting stitches for a cut at his right eye that was nearly swollen shut by halftime. Memphis scored the first eight points of the game and led 33-25 after the hectic first quarter with Morant scoring 14, Jackson 10. The second quarter got a bit sloppy at times with the Warriors going 2 of 11 outside the arc with five turnovers. The Grizzlies led 56-51 at halftime with Morant scoring the final four points of the second for Memphis, giving him 23.

Ja Morant scored 47 points to match his postseason high and carry the Memphis Grizzlies into a tie in the Western Conference semifinals with a 106-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.

Klay Thompson hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, and the Golden State Warriors overcame Draymond Green’s first-half ejection to edge the Memphis Grizzlies 117-116 on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have the Golden State Warriors in their seventh Western Conference semifinal in 10 seasons.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points in his return to Golden State’s starting lineup and the Warriors beat Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets 102-98 on Wednesday night to end the first-round series in five games.

Stephen Curry came off the bench for a second straight game and showed he’s healthy at last, scoring 34 points to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Denver Nuggets 126-106 for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series.

Jordan Poole shined in his long-awaited playoff debut scoring 30 points, staying in the starting lineup as Stephen Curry returned from a foot injury by coming off the bench initially, and the Golden State Warriors’ defense smothered Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets 123-107 in the opener of their first-round playoff series.

Devin Booker’s two free throws with 34.2 seconds left put Phoenix ahead, Draymond Green traveled to turn it over before Chris Paul made a short jumper, and the NBA-best Phoenix Suns held off the Golden State Warriors 107-103 in a furious finish between Western Conference rivals.

Stephen Curry dazzled for 47 points on his 34th birthday, Draymond Green returned from a 29-game absence to ignite the defense, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Washington Wizards 126-112.

Klay Thompson scored a season-best 38 points, raising his right arm in triumph to ignite the home crowd and leading the Golden State Warriors past the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, 122-109 on Saturday night.

Stephen Curry scored 24 of his 34 points in the second half, and the Golden State Warriors closed the game with a 13-0 run to beat the Denver Nuggets 113-102.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and had his third triple-double of the season to help Milwaukee rout the Golden State Warriors 118-99 on Thursday night in Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer’s return from the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols.

Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the Dallas Mavericks celebrated before a ceremony to retire Dirk Nowitzki’s number by beating cold-shooting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Stephen Curry became the first player in NBA history to make 3,000 career 3-pointers on Tuesday night in a game where the Denver Nuggets barely held off the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors 89-86.

Stephen Curry had 33 points, Otto Porter Jr. scored seven of his 19 during a key late stretch and the Golden State Warriors regained to top spot in the NBA from Phoenix, beating the Suns 116-107 on Saturday.

Stephen Curry bounced back from one of the worst shooting nights of his career and scored 23 points, and the Golden State Warriors convincingly ended the Phoenix Suns’ 18-game winning streak, 118-96, on Friday night.

Gary Payton II was waived by the Warriors, then brought back with 15th and final roster spot. Now he's helping them dominate.

Stephen Curry scored an NBA season-high 50 points with nine 3-pointers and added 10 assists and seven rebounds, almost single-handedly leading the Golden State Warriors past the Atlanta Hawks 127-113.

Stephen Curry became the oldest scoring champion since Michael Jordan in 1998, finishing with 46 points as the Golden State Warriors held off the Memphis Grizzlies 113-101 in a regular-season finale that determined the play-in tournament’s eighth and ninth spots.

Stephen Curry hit 10 3-pointers and scored 49 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 107-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.