Nets name Nash as new coach
The Brooklyn Nets hired Steve Nash as their coach Thursday, putting the Hall of Fame point guard in charge of the team that hopes to have Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving together next season.
Nash, two-time NBA MVP as the engineer of the high-scoring Phoenix Suns teams under Mike D’antoni, had been a player development consultant with the Golden State Warriors, where he had worked with Durant.
“Coaching is something I knew I wanted to pursue when the time was right,” Nash said in a statement.
The Nets finished the season under Jacque Vaughn, who they said would remain on staff as Nash’s lead assistant.
The Nets reached the postseason despite having Irving for only 20 games and Durant for none. But the two stars, who came to Brooklyn together as free agents last summer, are expected to be ready for the 2020-21 season.
That made the Brooklyn vacancy an attractive position, and general manager Sean Marks said he met with a number of highly accomplished candidates.
Rockets edge Thunder in Game 7
James Harden made up for a miserable shooting night with a big blocked shot, Russell Westbrook scored 20 points against his former team and the Houston Rockets edged the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-102 on Wednesday night in Game 7 of their Western Conference first-round series in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
The Rockets pulled out a tense final game of the first round that lasted long past the final basket as replays and fouls were sorted out.
In the end, Houston prevailed to set up a second-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers that begins tonight.
The Rockets took the lead for good at 103-102 when P.J. Tucker scored with 1:25 remaining. After changes of possession, the Thunder got the ball to Lu Dort, who attempted a three-pointer that Harden blocked with 4.8 seconds left.
Heat takes 2-0 lead on Bucks
Jimmy Butler made two free throws with no time remaining and the Miami Heat wasted a six-point lead in the final 27 seconds yet found a way to beat the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks 116-114 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in an Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Butler got fouled by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo with about a tenth of a second left on a jump shot from the left corner. He rattled in the first free throw, which was the only one that mattered, then made the second for the final margin.
And just like that, the Heat became the first No. 5 seed in NBA history to take a 2-0 series lead over a No. 1 seed.