Author: Dan Wolken, USA TODAY

The picks and moves during the NBA draft won’t seem nearly as important after Thursday night’s initial brouhaha.

Game 5 of the NBA Finals will be a seminal moment for athletes everywhere: If you don’t look out for your best interests, who else will?

Kevin Durant left Game 5 in the second quarter after sustaining Achilles injury. He should have never played Monday.

Wishful thinking on Kevin Durant hasn’t done much for Warriors’ play, nor has it sped up healing of calf. Warriors failed from start on his status.

Toronto breathes sigh of relief as forward Fred VanVleet cleared of concussion, will play in Game 5 on Monday.

Once a coaching vagabond of basketball’s minor leagues, Nick Nurse proves NBA teams don’t need to keep recycling same names to find big-time coach.

There was desperation simmering under the surface in a must-win Game 4, and the Warriors probably played their last game ever at Oracle Arena.

The popular commissioner didn’t come down hard enough on Mark Stevens, failing to protect the NBA’s image and the players who are vulnerable.

Steph Curry was spectacular in Game 3, but it wasn’t enough for the injury-depleted Warriors to beat the Raptors.

With all the headwinds facing the Warriors now, winning this title may be enough to put Steve Kerr on the same tier as the best who’ve ever done it.