NBA: Golden State Warriors Set New Winnig Streak Record

So much for Pat Riley's “disease of more.” The defending champion Golden State Warriors have started better than any team in NBA history, winning their first 16 games in dominant fashion. The latest: a 111-77 victory over the lowly Los Angeles Lakers at Oracle Arena on Tuesday.

This was a typical Warriors blowout. They outscored Los Angeles 30-11 in the first quarter and ended the third up 89-55. No Golden State starter even saw the floor in the final frame. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 24 points on 10-for-21 shooting, including 4 for 12 from 3-point range, which is an off night for him. Curry added nine assists, four rebounds and two steals, though, and didn't turn the ball over in his 30 minutes.

Kobe Bryant scored four points on 1-for-14 shooting for the Lakers, and the Warriors' defense prevented them from even passing the ball cleanly, let alone getting open shots. Golden State, meanwhile, was able to push the pace, share the ball and seemingly find easy looks whenever it wanted to.

My Legacy Will Speak For Me - LeBron James

There is little doubt that LeBron James is as he put it, "the best player in the world." James did literally everything he physically could to will the Cleveland Cavaliers to victory in the NBA Finals but injuries and the sheer brilliance of the Warriors was too much for one man to overcome. This was James' fourth Finals loss and the question about his legacy was immediately brought up by many afterwards.

James going to six finals (his overall Finals record is 2-4) is an amazing feat and should not be downplayed. This is something that James is well aware of, which is why he isn't worried about his legacy as he told the "Today" show's Matt Lauer.

NBA FINALS: Warriors Will Be Nervous In Game 1

The Golden State Warriors will be nervous in Game 1 of the Finals vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers Thursday. They know that, and instead of trying to deny it or run from it, they're turning into the slide, and trying to use the inevitable "jitters" as something they can prepare for.

"There are always going to be jitters," Harrison Barnes said Wednesday at Oracle Arena's availability. "No matter how relaxed you try to be. The biggest thing is to use it in a positive way, not getting too hard on yourself. Game 1 there are going to be adjustments, we have to be able to adapt. We don't know defensively, how they're going to guard Steph, all that stuff. So we just have to be ready to turn that energy into a good thing."

The Warriors do not feature a player with NBA Finals experience, and have gotten off to slow starts at home consistently. They trailed after the first quarter in two of the three games vs. Houston and have a home first-quarter point-differential of just plus-0.3.

NBA: Rockets' James Harden Suspended For Kicking LeBron James

The NBA suspended Rockets SG James Harden one game for an incident in Sunday's overtime win over the Cavaliers.

With 2:08 remaining in the third quarter, LeBron James tried to strip the ball from Harden. In the fight for the ball, Harden was knocked to the floor. He then lifted his foot and kicked James in the groin.

BASKETBALL: Orlando Magic Sacks Coach Jacque Vaughn

After a week of reports that the front office was not happy with his job, the Orlando Magic have fired coach Jacque Vaughn on Thursday. The team will hold a press conference later in the day to announce his departure. Former video coordinator James Borrego will be the team's interim coach. Scott Skiles has also emerged as a serious candidate to replace Vaughn, per Wojnarowski.

General manager Rob Hennigan released the following statement:

HAWKS 112 MINNESOTA 100: Firing Horford Leads Hawks To 16th Straight Win

Al Horford isn't missing many shots these days for the Atlanta Hawks. Not that it would matter much if he did. The Hawks just keep winning.

''We always push each other to play hard,'' Horford said. ''That's why I feel like this group is a little different when it comes to that.''

I Have No Hard Feelings Over LeBron James - Chris Bosh

Miami Heat star Chris Bosh told reporters Thursday that he has in fact spoken to LeBron James, something he said Tuesday he had not done, since the Cavaliers star returned home by spurning his Big 3 teammates on South Beach. Bosh also made it clear that no matter what their relationship is now, there are no hard feelings between him and the King.

BASKETBALL: Victor Oladipo Suffers New Injury

Magic guard Victor Oladipo suffered a sprained MCL during a recent team scrimmage, the team announced Monday.

Oladipo apparently suffered the injury Friday, though the extent is not yet known. He becomes the second Magic player to suffer this injury, as Channing Frye went down last week with the same issue. At this point, it is not clear how much this injury is expected to linger, nor whether it will impact Oladipo's availability for the start of the season.

BASKETBALL: Steve Kerr Would Accept Knicks Head Coaching Position If Offered

Longtime NBA star and current TNT basketball analyst Steve Kerr is expecting an offer from the New York Knicks to become their next head coach and is prepared to accept the position.

George Willis of the New York Post reports figuring out who will coach the team next season is the first major order of business for new president Phil Jackson. A source close to Kerr stated he expects to get the opportunity and is already working behind the scenes with Turner Sports in case an offer comes:

According to a source close to the situation, Kerr "absolutely expects" to be offered the job. "And if he’s offered the job he’s definitely going to do it," the source told The Post.

BASKETBALL: Injury Rules Kobe Byrant Out Of The Season

The Los Angeles Lakers have ruled Kobe Bryant out for the remainder of the season after a re-examination of the veteran guard's injured knee showed it still hadn't healed, the team announced Wednesday.

Bryant has been sidelined since Dec. 17 with a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in his left knee. He also missed the Lakers' first 19 games while recovering from a torn Achilles in his left leg suffered last season.

"Obviously this has been a frustrating and disappointing season, but I appreciate all the support I've received from the Lakers and the fans and look forward to being back and ready for the start of training camp," Bryant said in a statement released by the team.

BASKETBALL: Heat Crush Spur in Finals Rematch

The prominent players were different. The atmosphere was far less electric. And the level of intensity certainly did not rival the San Antonio Spurs' and Miami Heat's classic Game 6 and Game 7 NBA Finals contests in Miami.

Buoyed by 24 points from Bosh and a near triple-double from James, the Heat pulled away in the second half to turn one of the regular season's most hyped matchups into a 113-101 blowout of San Antonio on Sunday, Jan. 26.

In a battle of the NBA's second-most efficient offense and fourth-best defense (per NBA.com), Miami's whirring flurry of ball movement and open jumpers won out. The Heat shot 58.1 percent from the floor, highlighted by an excellent third quarter that reminded fans why there is no better team on the planet when they are motivated.

BASKETBALL: Sun's Eric Bledsoe To Undergo Surgery, Out Indefinitely

A person with knowledge of the situation says Phoenix Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe will have surgery on his right knee and will be sidelined indefinitely.

The person asked not to be identified because the Suns have not officially revealed that surgery is planned.

The dynamic Bledsoe has been a crucial element in Phoenix's surprising success this season. Acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, Bledsoe has teamed with Goran Dragic to form a dynamic backcourt that has been the catalyst to the Suns' 21-13 record.

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