Basketball Page 15 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Fast-starting Celtics out to get a jump on Raptors next
Strong starts have propelled the Boston Celtics to victory in each of their last two games, and they will look to continue that trend against the visiting Toronto Raptors on Sunday afternoon. ,The Celtics (52-25) made 11 shots from 3-point range and set a franchise record by scoring 53 points in the...

Lakers G Austin Reaves (oblique) set to undergo MRI
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to get troublesome news in the injury department with star guard Austin Reaves scheduled to undergo an MRI on his midsection Saturday, multiple outlets reported.,Reaves came away from Thursday's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with discomfort in his rib/oblique area...

Amar’e Stoudemire, Candace Parker named to 2026 Hall of Fame class
Basketball's Naismith Hall of Fame officially announced its nine inductees for the 2026 class on Saturday, with a pair of current head coaches to be honored, as well as three former WNBA players.,The induction class also includes the entire 1996 United States women's national team that earned gold a...

Nets G Malachi Smith signs multi-year contract
Brooklyn Nets guard Malachi Smith signed a multi-year contract on Saturday.,Terms of the deal were not disclosed by the team for Smith, an undrafted player out of Gonzaga who competed on a pair of 10-day contracts before receiving a standard pact.,Smith, 26, has averaged 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and...

Pistons aim to secure East's top seed in clash vs. Sixers
The Detroit Pistons are one win away from accomplishing a feat they haven't achieved in nearly 20 years.,The Pistons will aim to secure the top spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the first time since 2007 when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.,Detroit (56-21) needs one wi...

NBA roundup: Cooper Flagg's 51 points aren't enough for Mavs vs. Magic
Franz Wagner went for 18 points in just 17 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. led the way with 28 and the Orlando Magic used balanced scoring to easily overcome Cooper Flagg's historic 51 in a 138-127 triumph over the host Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.,Desmond Bane chipped in with 27 points and Tristan...

Cooper Flagg makes history with 51, but balanced Magic down Mavs
Franz Wagner went for 18 points in just 17 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. led the way with 28 and the Orlando Magic used balanced scoring to easily overcome Cooper Flagg's historic 51 in a 138-127 triumph over the host Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.,Desmond Bane chipped in with 27 points and Tristan...

Dylan Cardwell, Kings reject Pelicans in final seconds
Dylan Cardwell made a pair of emphatic blocks in the waning moments to cap a stretch of clutch defensive plays as the Sacramento Kings sent the visiting New Orleans Pelicans to a seventh consecutive loss with a 117-113 decision on Friday.,Sacramento (21-57) held a two-point lead when Zion Williamson...

Reports: NBA probes Bucks' handling of Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo maintains he is healthy enough to play. The Milwaukee Bucks say he is hurt, and they have kept him off the court for the past 10 games.,The dispute is on the radar of the NBA, which is investigating the situation, The Athletic and ESPN reported on Friday.,Before the Bucks lost ...

Cooper Flagg scores 51, but balanced Magic down Mavs
Franz Wagner went for 18 points in just 17 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. led the way with 28 and the Orlando Magic used balanced scoring to easily overcome Cooper Flagg's season-high 51 in a 138-127 triumph over the host Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.,Desmond Bane chipped in with 27 points and Tris...

Raptors remain in running for top-6 seed, pound Grizzlies
RJ Barrett scored 25 points, Collin Murray-Bowles added 19 and Brandon Ingram contributed 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the visiting Toronto Raptors to a 128-96 victory Friday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.,Scottie Barnes finished with 10 points and six assists, but failed to reach 10 or m...

Rockets win fifth straight by blasting Jazz
Kevin Durant scored 25 points to pace six in double figures as the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to five games with a 140-106 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday.,Amen Thompson paired 21 points with eight rebounds while Alperen Sengun added 19 points and five assists for th...

Celtics exploit short-handed Bucks for latest lopsided win
Jaylen Brown scored 26 points and Jayson Tatum added 23 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Boston Celtics to a dominant 133-101 victory over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.,It's the second win in a row for Boston (52-25) and fifth in its last six contests. Six Celtics scored ...

Knicks jump out to massive lead, pummel Bulls by 40
OG Anunoby shot 70% from beyond the arc and had a game-high 31 points and Mitchell Robinson added 17 points and 11 rebounds as the host New York Knicks jumped out to a 20-1 lead and never looked back in a 136-96 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.,Jalen Brunson returned to the lineup and had...

Hawks keep rolling with wire-to-wire demolition of Nets
CJ McCollum scored 25 points as the surging Atlanta Hawks never trailed and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 141-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets Friday night in New York.,The Hawks (45-33) improved to 18-2 in their past 20 games and earned their third win over the Nets in this surge.,McCol...

Sixers' drive to playoffs continues with win over Wolves
Paul George scored 23 points and Kelly Oubre capped a 21-point effort with a pair of clutch 3-pointers as the Philadelphia 76ers topped the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103 on Friday., ,In a game with playoff implications for both teams, Philadelphia (43-34) overcame an ugly first half to win...

Balanced-scoring Hornets cruise to victory over Pacers
Brandon Miller scored 22 points and the Charlotte Hornets had plenty of offensive sources in a 129-108 victory against the visiting Indiana Pacers on Friday night.,The Hornets (42-36) have won eight of their past 10 games to remain in the chase for a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference and a guar...

Report: Lakers star Luka Doncic (hamstring) out indefnitely
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic will miss the final five games of the regular season and potentially more time with a left hamstring injury, ESPN reported Friday.,Doncic is out indefinitely, with his status for beyond the end of the regular season uncertain, per the ESPN report.,Doncic lead...

Fire take Lynx’s Bridget Carleton No. 1 in WNBA expansion draft
The Portland Fire selected Bridget Carleton first overall in the WNBA's two-team expansion draft on Friday, and the Toronto Tempo followed by making Julie Allemand their first pick.,Carleton comes from the Minnesota Lynx and is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. That means Portland can desig...

Struggling Heat eager to get right vs. woeful Wizards
Hoping to finish strong, the Miami Heat will play host to the Washington Wizards on Saturday afternoon.,The Heat (40-37) have clinched a spot in the play-in round. They entered play on Friday in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, but they have five games left in the regular season and could move ...