The Golden State Warriors have named Mark Jackson, a 17-year NBA veteran as a player and current ABC/ESPN broadcaster, as the team’s new head coach, it was announced today.  Jackson becomes the 24th head coach in franchise history and the 19th since the team moved to the West Coast in 1962.

According to three separate reports, Jackson’s coaching deal is for three years, with a Warriors team option for the fourth year.

Jackson, 46, played for seven organizations – New York (twice), the L.A. Clippers, Indiana (twice), Denver, Toronto, Utah and Houston – during his highly-successful 17-year NBA career and helped guide his teams to the playoffs in 14 of those 17 seasons.  A native of Brooklyn, New York, he ranks third on the NBA’s all-time assists list (10,334) – trailing only John Stockton and Jason Kidd – and was named a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 1989.  Jackson was originally selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft (18th overall) and promptly captured NBA Rookie of the Year honors at the conclusion of the 1987-88 campaign.  He established a still-standing NBA record for assists by a rookies in a single season (868) and played for five Hall of Fame coaches during his collegiate and professional careers (Lou Carnesecca, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Larry Brown).

“After an extensive search and a great deal of consideration, we have come to the conclusion that Mark Jackson is the best coach for this team,” said Warriors’ General Manager Larry Riley. “He will bring a youthful and fresh approach to our team and the fact that he enjoyed a stellar playing career, where he served most of that time as the leader of some very successful teams, will prove invaluable in the long run.  We were looking for a coach with leadership ability and a strong personality and believe Mark possesses those qualities.  He’s very well respected in NBA circles, is a consummate professional and his knowledge and background will be an incredible asset for our team and organization.”

“We are tremendously excited about the addition of Mark Jackson as our new head coach,” said Warriors’ Owner Joe Lacob. “He epitomized leadership as a player in this league for 17 seasons and we think that characteristic – and many other positive traits – will translate very well into his coaching duties with our young team.  He was a leader and a winner both on and off the floor in this league and we’re convinced that he is the right person to guide this team into the future and help us achieve the success that we are striving for as an organization.”

InsideHoops.com had suggested in the past that Jackson might have to gain experience as an assistant coach before a team would offer him a head coaching position. But the Warriors, under new ownership, are clearly looking to shake things up and roll the dice.

“I am really elated about this opportunity and I’m looking forward to the challenge of building the Warriors into a perennial contender,” said Jackson.  “I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the organization during our meetings, beginning at the top with Joe Lacob and, of course, with Larry Riley, Bob Myers and Jerry West.  I have sensed that Joe is committed to winning and building a team and a culture the right way.  I think we all witnessed that with some of the recent front office additions as well and some of the other positive things that have been done in recent months.  This is an incredible opportunity and I am honored and thank God that I have been chosen to be the next coach of the Warriors.  The Bay Area has always had some of the best fans in the NBA and I look forward to being a part of that incredible atmosphere at Oracle Arena, along with my wife, my kids and my church family, who are thrilled as well.”

Jackson, who will assume his new duties at the conclusion of the NBA Finals, appeared in 131 playoff games during his career, including 23 with the Indiana Pacers in 2000, when he was a member of the Eastern Conference Champions (played L.A. Lakers in the NBA Finals).  Additionally, he led the NBA in assists during the 1996-97 campaign (11.4 apg).

Jackson will be introduced to the Bay Area media later this week.

Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.

The AP reports:

Dwyane Wade kept soaring and scoring, doing everything he could to get the Miami Heat a crucial win towards an NBA title.

Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem provided the final push.

Bosh made a 16-foot, go-ahead jumper from the baseline with 39.6 seconds left and Haslem pestered Dirk Nowitzki the rest of the way as the Heat held on for an 88-86 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night for a 2-1 lead in the NBA finals…

The Heat recovered to lead 81-74 with 6:31 left. Everyone knew the Mavericks’ comeback bid would be in Nowitzki’s hands, but it didn’t matter. He still scored 12 straight points—six free throws, a layup, a dunk and a tough jumper—tying it at 86.

With under a minute to go, Wade got the ball to LeBron James near the top of the key. Haslem screened Nowitzki while Bosh got set, took the pass from James and ripped it through the net, quite a thrill for the Dallas native who’d been 0-8 in his hometown. It was even more impressive considering his left eyelid was swollen because of an accidental poke by Jason Kidd in the first quarter, and he’d been misfiring all series, even when his vision was good…

“Emotional game, fought back, and to fall short at the end is tough,” said Nowitzki who scored 34 points. “But they need two more. Hopefully we can play a better all-around game and finally get some shots to go down.”

Wade made 12 of 21 shots and was at his dynamic best from the start, looking like the guy who lifted the Heat past Dallas and to the title in ’06…

Wade and Bosh each scored seven points in the fourth quarter. Bosh finished with 18 points.

James came in talking about being more aggressive, but wasn’t. He went more than 6 minutes before taking his first shot, but certainly made it worth the wait—a drive through the teeth of the defense for a powerful dunk. He also had a two-handed jam in the second half that put Miami up by 13.

He finished with 17 points and nine assists. He also had four turnovers, including a pair during the fourth quarter—not counting the shot-clock violation—that helped bring Dallas back.

Nowitzki scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, but didn’t get much help, in the period or the rest of the game.

Terry scored 15 and Shawn Marion had 10. Both were shut out in the fourth quarter. The only other scorers were backup point guard J.J. Barea early in the quarter and Tyson Chandler dunking off a rebound.

For the game, Nowitzki made 11 shots, the rest of the Mavericks 17.

Calvin Watkins of ESPN reports:

Peja Stojakovic was one of the more dangerous shooters during his prime.

Now 33, he has provided only a few fleeting moments.

In his first NBA Finals, Stojakovic is struggling mightily. A liability on defense, Stojakovic scored his first points of the series Sunday night but isn’t making shots like he used to. He was benched for all but four seconds of the second half in Game 3. He was on the court for the last shot — a miss by Dirk Nowitzki — in the Mavs’ 88-86 loss to the Miami Heat.

Stojakovic finished 1-for-2 from the field with two points in just over six minutes of action.