NBA: Breaking Stories and all the Latest from NBC Sports

Report: Pacers’ coach Frank Vogel’s contract up, no talks yet about extension
Would the Pacers really let him walk?

Walton has unfinished work with Warriors before Lakers job
Luke Walton was in no rush to leave his job as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors.

Warriors’ defense too good, Klay Thompson too hot for Blazers in easy Game 1 win
Golden State opened the game on an 18-4 run and never looked back.

Stephen Curry says “pretty good” chance he plays in Game 3 next Saturday
If the Warriors are up 2-0 in the series, will they hold him out longer?

Heat, in first playoff series win without LeBron James in a decade, look complete, beat Hornets
As the national anthem played, a tear streaked down Dwyane Wade‘s cheek. “I knew tonight would be a great moment for these guys,” Wade said. “I felt that we was going to win this game. I knew that our energy and our crowd was going to be enough, and we was going to be prepared. […]

Report: Kings to interview Patrick Ewing for coaching job
There’s an obvious potential big man connection with DeMarcus Cousins.

Playoff Preview: Four things to watch in Portland vs. Golden State series
Portland needs to win games early in the season while Curry is out, but that’s not that going to be simple.

Even without Stephen Curry, adjusting for playoff rotations still favors Warriors over Trail Blazers
When the Warriors put five players expected to be in the playoff rotation on the floor during the regular season, they outscored opponents by 20.9 points per 100 possessions. No other team even neared that level with five of its own playoff-rotation players. The second-place Spurs (+13.1 adjusted net rating) were closer to 10th place […]

Watch LaMarcus Aldridge drop 38 on Thunder
He got too many open looks.

Report: Heat complained to ‘highest levels of the league office’ about favorable calls for Jeremy Lin and Kemba Walker
The Heat and Hornets are clearly tiring of each other, six games of testiness culminating with Game 7 today. One particular battle line being drawn is over Jeremy Lin (6.3) and Kemba Walker (5.5), who lead players in this series in free-throw attempts per game. Marc Stein: ESPN sources say that one of the factors […]

Four Things to Watch in two Game 7s Sunday
Can the Raptors handle the Game 7 pressure?

NBA: Trail Blazers scored after uncalled illegal screen by Trail Blazers in final minutes
Should we be preparing for Game 7 of the Trail Blazers-Clippers series today? If the officials had called the final minutes of the last game correctly, maybe. Portland won Game 6 to take the series 4-2, but a missed call a key missed call helped clinch. With 1:45 left, Mason Plumlee got away with offensively […]

Spurs demolish Thunder to take Game 1 of second-round series
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 38 points.

Report: Warriors to replace Luke Walton from outside the organization
David Blatt is unlikely to come on board.

Hawks get another playoff shot at King James and Cavaliers
A year ago, Atlanta’s magical season ended with a resounding sweep by Cleveland in the Eastern Conference final.

Luke Walton says he won’t run the triangle as Lakers coach
His team will play a similar style to the Warriors.

Report: Luke Walton’s Lakers contract is for 5 years, $25 million
That’s Steve Kerr money.

Carmelo Anthony undecided about playing in Rio Olympics
It will depend on how he feels.

Steve Kerr: “Not going to rule out” Stephen Curry for Game 2 vs. Blazers
But it’s unlikely.

Report: Ty Lue still has assistant’s contract with Cavs
But no interim tag.

Paul Pierce “50/50” about playing next season
Pierce has played 18 seasons.

“Purple shirt man” trash talks Dwyane Wade through end of Heat victory
“Purple shirt man, have a seat.” Dwyane Wade was his vintage self through the closing minutes of Miami’s season-saving victory over Charlotte Friday night, with eight points and a key block in the final four minutes as Miami hung on for the victory. Through the very end, “purple shirt man” would not back down, heckling Wade […]

LeBron James ‘not fond’ of NBA’s reviews of officiating
LeBron James isn’t a fan of the NBA’s officiating reviews.

Austin Rivers gets 11 stitches after elbow to face, returns for Clippers
He came back in the game and had 21 points on the night.

Trail Blazers advance to face Warriors after 106-103 victory over the Clippers
Damian Lillard scored 28 points and the Portland Trail Blazers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by beating the resilient Los Angeles Clippers 106-103 on Friday night to claim the first-round playoff series 4-2.

Heat hang on with Wade’s heroics, force Game 7 vs. Hornets
Wade hit two late threes and finished with 23 points.

Pacers force Game 7 against Raptors with 101-83 win
Paul George scored 21 points, Myles Turner added 15 and the Indiana Pacers beat the Toronto Raptors 101-83 on Friday night to force a Game 7 of their series.

LeBron James, Cavaliers refocus with Hawks waiting in playoffs
The Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t flinging any footballs or dancing on Friday – at least not in public.

Optimism high as Celtics enter a likely active offseason
The emergence of an All-Star and lots of victories made the Celtics one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this season.

Drake performs free concert outside Air Canada Centre before Raptors playoff game
Drake gave fans in Toronto a nice surprise.

Lakers announce hire of Luke Walton as head coach
Walton went 39-4 as interim head coach for the Warriors this season.