Nelson guaranteed by the Warriors

The Golden State Warriors exercised the option Tuesday to keep Coach Don Nelson under contract for the 2008-09 season.

The two sides reworked Nelson’s deal in September, giving Nelson a raise in exchange for turning the third year of his contract into a team option.

The Warriors (39-23) made the playoffs for the first time in 12 years last season, and the team decided to guarantee Nelson a reported $5.1 million for next season. Golden State is eighth in the Western Conference, 2 1/2 games ahead of Denver for the final playoff spot.

“We’re extremely pleased with the job that Don has done this season,” team President Robert Rowell said. “He’s done a terrific job of building on last year’s success and certainly has our team in position to challenge for another exciting postseason journey.”

Nelson, 67, is the second-winningest coach in NBA history with 1,271 wins, trailing only Lenny Wilkens (1,332) on the all-time list. He is 81-63 in his second stint with the Warriors.

Denver city prosecutor Russell Stone was suspended for three days without pay when Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin was allowed to keep his driver’s license despite receiving two tickets for going more than 100 mph on a city street and a freeway.

“At a minimum . . . there’s an appearance that [Martin] did receive preferential treatment,” said Vince DiCroce, the top prosecutor at the Denver city attorney’s office.

Stone, who lost an appeal of the punishment, said he was not allowed to comment under city attorney’s office rules.

Nuggets spokesman Eric Sebastian said neither Martin nor the team would comment.

Martin’s plea deals, first reported in January by KMGH-TV, stemmed from tickets written in 2006 for going 101 mph in a 30-mph zone and 103 mph in a 55-mph zone.

In both cases, Martin’s license could have been revoked.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Eric Snow, who underwent surgery on his left knee before the season, will probably miss the rest of the regular season because of arthritis-related symptoms in the knee, the team said.

Snow has played only 22 games and is averaging 1.0 points.