Washington - he Golden State Warriors signed Don Nelson to a contract extension Wednesday, hours before the veteran coach opened his 30th NBA season against New Orleans. The club refused to divulge terms of the deal, but Nelson said last weekend he had all but agreed to a two-year extension to his current deal, which expires this season. Nelson also said the financial terms were roughly the same as those in his first contract. "We're elated that Don has elected to sign an extension," Warriors president Robert Rowell said. "He has proven to be one of the most successful and innovative coaches in the history of our game, and his continued presence on the sidelines is certainly a prominent asset for our team and organization. Our fans and players enjoy his entertaining style, and we all look forward to the day he establishes the NBA's all-time wins record for a coach."

The 68-year-old coach is 1,280-954, trailing only Lenny Wilkens in career victories. After stints with Milwaukee, Golden State, New York and Dallas, he rejoined the Warriors in 2006 and immediately led the club to its first playoff appearance in 13 years and a first-round upset of the Mavericks.

Nelson followed with a 48-win season last spring, Golden State's best record since 1994 and the NBA's best record for a non-playoff team in 25 years.

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