Basketball Page 171 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Playoff spot set, Lakers face Blazers, await Round 1 opponent
The Los Angeles Lakers are still playing the waiting game, despite clinching the third seed in the Western Conference.,The Lakers (50-31) head into their regular-season finale against the host Portland Trail Blazers (35-46) waiting to learn the identity of their opponent for the first round of the p...

East-best Cavaliers to rest most starters in clash vs. Pacers
The Cleveland Cavaliers have clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference and the Indiana Pacers are locked into the fourth spot, setting up a potential second-round playoff matchup.,Cleveland also is guaranteed the second-best overall record behind West-leading Oklahoma City, leaving it and the ...

Upstart Pistons face final regular-season test against Bucks
While their first playoff appearance since 2019 is set in stone, the Detroit Pistons visit Milwaukee on Sunday looking to get one back on the Bucks to wrap up the regular season.,Despite losing to Milwaukee 125-119 on Friday, Detroit (44-37) will be seeded sixth in the Eastern Conference for the pos...

Celtics seek to brush off Hornets in preparation for playoffs
The Boston Celtics will be seeking a season sweep of the visiting Charlotte Hornets when the teams conclude the regular season on Sunday afternoon.,The Celtics (60-21) won the three previous meetings against the Hornets (19-62), including Friday night's 130-94 victory in Boston. The Celtics received...

Heat look to head into playoffs on high note in clash vs. Wizards
The play-in-bound Miami Heat will look to close their regular season on the right note Sunday afternoon, as they host a Washington Wizards team that seemingly has an incentive to lose.,Miami (37-44) enters Sunday's contest locked into the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Heat trail the Chica...

Knicks visit Nets as they gear up for playoffs
The New York Knicks conclude the regular season on Sunday at the Brooklyn Nets already having clinched the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed. ,Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, however,wants to see a more complete effort from his team ahead of the playoffs. ,New York (50-31) comes into Sunday's contest afte...

Magic, Hawks square off ahead of play-in tournament matchup
The visiting Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks will get an early test of one another on Sunday, two days before they square off in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.,The outcome of Sunday's game will have no impact on the playoffs, as the Magic and Hawks already are locked into the seventh and...
Few Players Can Stop Anthony Edwards — Unfortunately, He’s One of Them
Anthony Edwards' 18th technical foul leads to a suspension, potentially sidelining him for a crucial game as the Timberwolves fight for playoff positioning....

NBA roundup: Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware lead Heat to record win
Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware had double-doubles, eight of their Miami teammates scored in double figures and the visiting Heat made history in a 153-104 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.,The Heat posted the highest-scoring game in franchise history, topping a 149-141 double-overtime win ove...

Luka Doncic scores 39, Lakers clinch 3 seed
Luka Doncic recorded 39 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the Western Conference's No. 3 seed with a solid 140-109 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Friday night.,LeBron James had 14 points and eight assists in 22 minutes before sitting out the ...

Jimmy Butler III scores 24 as Warriors top Blazers
Jimmy Butler III had 24 points and seven assists and the visiting Golden State Warriors got a win they needed, beating the Portland Trail Blazers, 103-86, on Friday night.,The win moves the Warriors to 48-33 this season with their last regular-season game at home against the LA Clippers Sunday. Gold...

James Harden's triple-double leads Clippers to 7th straight win
Behind James Harden's triple-double and Kawhi Leonard's 20-point first half, the Los Angeles Clippers extend their season-long winning streak to seven games with a 101-100 defeat of the host Sacramento Kings on Friday.,Harden earned his third triple-double of the season in a closing stretch, grabbin...

Ryan Dunn leads balanced Suns attack in romp over Spurs
Ryan Dunn scored 26 points and took 11 rebounds to help the host Phoenix Suns to a 117-98 romp past the San Antonio Spurs on Friday in the penultimate game of the season for both teams.,Both the Suns (36-45) and Spurs (33-48) will miss the postseason, with Phoenix falling short of the playoffs for t...

Nuggets storm back in final minutes, topple Grizzlies
Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists for the Denver Nuggets, who outscored Memphis 14-1 in the final six minutes to beat the visiting Grizzlies 117-109 on Friday night.,Jokic guaranteed he will be the third player to average triple-double for a season, and the first center. He has ...

Isaiah Joe's 10 3-pointers fuel Thunder's rout of Jazz
Aaron Wiggins scored 35 and Isaiah Joe drained 10 3-pointers for 32 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 145-111 Friday night in Salt Lake City.,With both teams relying on reserves, the Thunder (67-14) shot the lights out en route to a third straight win. They hit 56.0 percent ...

Rudy Gobert's career-high-tying 35 points lead Wolves past Nets
Rudy Gobert matched his career-high with 35 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets 117-91 on Friday night.,Gobert also had 11 rebounds while fellow frontcourt veteran Julius Randle added 21 points -- including 5 of 6 on 3-point attempts -- as Minnesota (48-33) overt...

Anthony Davis' triple-double powers Mavericks past Raptors
Anthony Davis notched his fourth career triple-double, tallying 23 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a blowout 124-102 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors on Friday.,Despite being locked into next week's play-in, Dallas played with a palpable sense of urgency. The ...

Julian Phillips' career night carries Bulls past Wizards
Julian Phillips posted career-highs in scoring and rebounding, and Chicago cruised past the Washington Wizards 119-89 in the Bulls' regular-season home finale on Friday.,Phillips' 23 points led all scorers, pacing five Bulls scorers with at least 12 points. Among them was Nikola Vucevic, who flirted...

Heat set team record for points, pound Pelicans 153-104
Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware had double-doubles, eight of their Miami teammates scored in double figures and the visiting Heat made history in a 153-104 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.,The Heat (37-44) posted the highest-scoring game in franchise history, topping a 149-141 double-overtim...

Cavaliers complete massive rally, but Knicks still clinch No. 3 seed
Darius Garland scored 13 fourth-quarter points Friday night for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who overcame a 23-point first-half deficit to beat the host New York Knicks 108-102 in the penultimate regular-season game for both teams.,Despite the loss, the Knicks (50-31) clinched the third seed in the East...