ESPN dropping Warriors’ games vs. Raptors, Pacers
Apparently not everyone is as enthused as Warriors fans over the return of Steph Curry.
ESPN announced that two Warriors games have been dropped from the schedule according to multiple media outlets.
ESPN will drop the Warriors' game at the Toronto Raptors next Monday. The game between the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks will be take its place.
And on March 18, ESPN will air the San Antonio Spurs-New Orleans Pelicans game instead of the Warriors game at the Indiana Pacers.
Curry, a two-time MVP, returned to action last Thursday after missing 58 games with a broken left hand. He scored 23 points in 27 minutes with a handful of dazzling assists in a home game against defending NBA champion Toronto. Curry sat out Saturday's home game against the Philadelphia 76ers with the flu.
These are not the first Warriors games to be cut from national TV this season. By the end of January, five Warriors games had been removed from ESPN's or TNT's national broadcast schedule.
Of their 18 games left in the season, the Warriors still do have six remaining games on national TV, plus two more that will air on NBA TV. The first of those national games is Tuesday night against the Clippers at Chase Center. NUGGETS 109, BUCKS 95 >> Jamal Murray scored 21 points, including Denver's first nine to start the fourth quarter, Paul Millsap had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the host Nuggets beat short-handed Milwaukee.
Jerami Grant added 19 points for Denver, and Gary Harris had 15. Will Barton scored 13 points and Nikola
Jokic had 10 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets, who swept the season series from the NBA leaders.
Milwaukee played without reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and nearly the entire starting lineup to end an 0-3 road trip. Kyle Korver led the Bucks with a season-high 23 points, Sterling Brown had 16 points, Robin Lopez scored 11 and D.J. Wilson contributed 10 points and nine boards.
Milwaukee has lost three in a row for the first time this season.
HAWKS 143, HORNETS 138, 2 OT >> De'Andre Hunter broke a tie by sinking three free throws with 13.3 seconds remaining in the second overtime, and Atlanta beat Charlotte following a controversial finish to the first extra period.
Trae Young had 31 points and 16 assists for Atlanta, and Hunter finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
RAPTORS 101, JAZZ 92 >> Serge Ibaka scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as visiting Toronto defeated Utah to extend its winning streak to four games.
Pascal Siakam added 27 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and Kyle Lowry had 21 points for the Raptors, who finished a 4-1 road trip.
Joe Ingles had 20 points off the bench — 10 in the fourth quarter — for the Jazz, who had their winning streak ended at five. CLIPPERS BRING NOAH ABOARD >> The Clippers have signed free-agent center Joakim Noah, giving them an aggressive, physical presence with playoff experience.
The 35-year-old twotime All-Star played 42 games with Memphis last season after agreeing to a buyout with the New York Knicks. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.1 assists and 5.7 rebounds for the Grizzlies.