Curry undergoes MRI on ankle
NBA NOTEBOOK NBA PLAYOFFS SCOREBOARD
underwent an MRI exam on his injured right ankle Tuesday and the Golden State Warriors said nothing of concern came up on the test. The reigning MVP remained questionable for Game 3 of his team’s playoff series on Thursday in Houston.
Curry missed Monday night’s 115-106 victory against the Rockets at Oracle Arena after cutting short his warmup routine because his troublesome ankle was tender.
He will continue to undergo treatment for the injury ahead of Thursday, and coach mentioned there is ample time for Curry to try to get healthy and stay off his feet.
Top-seeded Golden State leads the best-ofseven series 2-0 as it shifts to Houston for the next two matchups.
had 16 points and six assists playing in Curry’s place.
SUNS NAME WATSON COACH
The Phoenix Suns are retaining former Oklahoma City Thunder guard Earl Watson as head coach for next season.
Watson was named interim coach after Jeff Hornacek was fired on Feb. 1.
The team went 9-24 under Watson, finishing the season with the second-worst record in franchise history. But Watson has said he was told he would not be judged on wins and losses because of the injury-depleted roster he inherited but on other factors, including how hard the team played.
Watson was the Thunder starting point guard in the franchise’s first game in Oklahoma City and played 68 games for the 2008-2009 Thunder.
Phoenix general manager praised the coach’s “natural leadership qualities and ability to connect with and motivate” the Suns players.
The 36-year-old Watson, who played 13 season in the NBA, is the league’s youngest coach.
LEBRON AVOIDING WAR OF WORDS WITH VAN GUNDY
LeBron James
won’t get into any verbal fight with Pistons coach Stan
Detroit’s coach was critical of the officiating during Cleveland’s win in Game 1 on Sunday and was fined $25,000 by the NBA for his comments during a TV interview after the first quarter. Van Gundy complained that James “gets to do what he wants.”
James said after practice Tuesday that he wasn’t aware of Van Gundy’s comments. But James says the remarks are a non-issue and the coach is trying to gain an advantage for the eighth-seeded Pistons.
James, who uses social media less during the playoffs, also didn’t know that Pistons 19-year-old rookie forward said the Cavaliers star had tried to throw him to the floor in the opener.
James says he’s “not having an individual matchup with Stan or Stanley or any other Stan they can possess.”