Basketball Page 163 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Short-handed Spurs battle Suns in Kevin Durant's return to Austin
The San Antonio Spurs will be the de facto home team when they square off against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in Austin, Texas, but they won't have the game's most popular player in their huddle.,That's because the contest will be a homecoming for the Suns' Kevin Durant. It will mark the first time...

Spurs expect Victor Wembanyama (blood clot) to miss rest of season
San Antonio Spurs All-Star center Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the rest of the season with a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, the team announced on Thursday.,Thrombosis occurs when blood turns into clumps inside a blood vessel, creating a blood clot. ESPN reported that the Spurs ...

LeBron James: Ankle soreness a continuing concern
Lakers forward LeBron James expects to deal with left ankle discomfort for the rest of the season. ,The injury that pushed him out of the All-Star Game on Sunday but, at 40 and in his 22nd season, he plans to play in regular-season games.,Listed as questionable ahead of the Lakers' 100-97 loss to th...

Bucks' Bobby Portis Jr. suspended 25 games for positive drug test
Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. was suspended 25 games without pay by the NBA on Thursday for violating the league's anti-drug policy.,The NBA said Portis tested positive for the drug Tramadol, a medication used to treat severe pain among adults. ,"I was dealing with an elbow injury and usi...
Let’s Overreact to Luka Doncic’s First Three Games With the Los Angeles Lakers
Luka Doncic's first three games with the Los Angeles Lakers have not been great, and it might be time to take off the rose-colored glasses surrounding this trade....

After stumbling out of break, Lakers set to battle Blazers
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to insist it will take time to assimilate Luka Doncic into the group.,Apparently they can't beat the woeful Charlotte Hornets while they try to figure it out.,One night after a humbling defeat, the Lakers will look for a better result when they visit the Portland Trai...

Healthy Nuggets eye ninth straight win as Hornets visit
Riding an eight-game winning streak, the Denver Nuggets return to action, rested and ready for the last 27 games of the regular season. The Charlotte Hornets aren't as fresh for Thursday night's matchup in Denver.,Charlotte was in action Wednesday in the first NBA game since All-Star weekend and wil...

Report: Cavaliers to add Javonte Green after buyout from Pelicans
Forward Javonte Green is expected to join the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers upon completing a buyout and clearing waivers from the New Orleans Pelicans, according to a report on Wednesday night.,Cleveland would be the fourth team in Green's six-year NBA career. ESPN's report cited u...

LaMelo Ball delivers late as Hornets fend off Lakers
LaMelo Ball scored 27 points, including a driving layup with 14.2 seconds remaining, as the visiting Charlotte Hornets pulled off a 100-97 victory in a make-up game Wednesday over the Los Angeles Lakers., ,Miles Bridges scored 29 points, Nick Smith Jr. had 12 and Mark Williams added 10 points with n...

Spurs battle Suns in Kevin Durant's first return to Austin as pro
The San Antonio Spurs will be the de facto home team when they square off against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in Austin, Texas, but they won't have the game's most popular player in their huddle.,That's because the contest will be a homecoming for the Suns' Kevin Durant. It will mark the first time...

Spurs battle Suns in Durant’s first return to Austin as a professional
The San Antonio Spurs will be the de facto home team when they square off against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday in Austin, Texas, but they won't have the game's most popular player in their huddle.,That's because the contest will be a homecoming for the Suns' Kevin Durant. It will mark the first time...

Refreshed Clippers, Bucks eager to make playoff push
After a much-needed All-Star break for both teams, the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks believe they're well-positioned for the final stretch of the regular season. ,Los Angeles holds the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, while the Bucks are fifth in the East.,Both teams hope to...

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama (illness) doubtful vs. Suns
San Antonio All-Star center Victor Wembanyama is listed as doubtful because of illness for the Spurs' game Thursday against the Phoenix Suns in Austin, Texas.,Wembanyama, 21, is averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.1 steals and a league-high 3.8 blocks in starting all 46 games he has played this ...

Knicks come out of break with confidence against sliding Bulls
The New York Knicks prepared for their challenging schedule following the All-Star Break in about the only way a blue-collar team could do so: By playing their longest game of the season.,The Knicks will begin their playoff push Thursday night, when they host the Chicago Bulls as both teams return f...

Hornets' Mark Williams sure he didn't fail physical in rescinded trade
Just hours before the Charlotte Hornets visited the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, Mark Williams remained miffed.,The Charlotte center was dealt to the Lakers prior to the trade deadline before Los Angeles rescinded the deal 48 hours later, apparently due to issues pertaining with Williams' ...

Cavaliers ride latest win streak into meeting with Nets
A significant measure of how the regular season is unfolding for the Cleveland Cavaliers is that they can talk about pursuing other trophies after Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley teamed up to win the All-Star skills competition.,After a season-opening 15-game winning streak and another 12-game run,...

Magic 'rejuvenated' entering critical clash with Hawks
There's a good chance the Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic are going to be muscling with each other for playoff position over the final eight weeks of the season. ,That makes head-to-head matchups, like the one scheduled for Thursday in Atlanta, even more important.,The teams are neck-and-neck in the...

Celtics G Jrue Holiday eyeing return vs. 76ers
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday will be available for a meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night after missing the past four games due to a shoulder injury.,Holiday last played on Feb. 4, when he had six points, six rebounds, one assist and two steals in a 112-105 win over the Clevela...

Report: NBA ASG ratings plumment to 2nd lowest in history
Trying out a new format for the NBA All-Star Game apparently didn't sit well with the masses, with this year's edition of the event bringing in the second-fewest average viewers, Front Office Sports reported Wednesday. ,Only the 2023 All-Star Game averaged less viewers (4.6 million) than the 4.7 mil...

Pacers get thrown right into fire after break, host Grizzlies
There will be no easing back into action after the All-Star break for the Indiana Pacers when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night in Indianapolis.,Indiana coach Rick Carlisle knows his squad will need to be switched to on from the opening tip against one of the league's most dangerous ...