Basketball Page 20 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Red-hot Austin Reaves leads Lakers into NBA Cup clash with Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers enter Friday's game, their first in NBA Cup play, with momentum gained in the same fashion.,The Grizzlies won 114-113 Wednesday at Phoenix on a floater in the lane by Ja Morant in the closing seconds. The Lakers won 116-115 Wednesday at Minne...

Matas Buzelis, unbeaten Bulls prep for struggling Knicks
The surprising Chicago Bulls have been searching for a star player since trading away Zach LaVine last season. They may have found one in second-year forward Matas Buzelis.,The 6-foot-9 Buzelis has led the Bulls to their first 4-0 start since the 2021-22 campaign. They'll look to remain among the NB...

Raptors, Cavs aim to right ship in NBA Cup opener
After playing their first five games in four different cities, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be able to sleep in their own beds for the next week.,Cleveland begins a three-game homestand Friday against the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Cup opener for both teams.,The teams are part of East Group A with t...

Celtics out to avenge loss, hand Sixers first defeat
The Philadelphia 76ers are already making last season feel like a distant memory., ,The Sixers aim to continue their unbeaten start to the season Friday when they host the Boston Celtics as part of the NBA Cup tournament., ,Philadelphia has won its first four games in stark contrast to last season's...

Without Trae Young, Hawks face winless, depleted Pacers
The Atlanta Hawks have avoided the worst-case scenario with Trae Young's knee injury, but they'll likely be without their floor general for the foreseeable future -- starting with Friday's NBA Cup home opener against the winless, injury-riddled Indiana Pacers.,Young sprained his right knee when team...

Storm C Dominique Malonga joining Unrivaled but Angel Reese not returning
Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga, a WNBA All-Rookie first-team selection, is playing in the Unrivaled league in 2026.,The professional 3x3 basketball league for women also announced on Thursday that the other remaining overall roster spots are going to the Indiana Fever's Aari McDonald and the...

76ers pick up option on G Jared McCain (knee/thumb), who returns to practice
The Philadelphia 76ers exercised the third-year contract option on guard Jared McCain, who returned to practice on Thursday after his impressive rookie season was cut short last December by a knee injury.,McCain's return this season was further delayed when he tore the UCL on his right thumb during ...

Thunder G Nikola Topic in treatment for testicular cancer
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic has started chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with testicular cancer, general manager Sam Presti announced Thursday.,Per Presti, doctors are "extremely positive" about the long-term health for Topic.,"Our only expectations for him are to focus on t...

NBA approves sale of Lakers to Mark Walter
The NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the sale of the majority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter on Thursday.,The league said the transaction is expected to close shortly. The $10 billion valuation makes it the largest sale in history for a professional sports franchise.,"M...

Hornets G LaMelo Ball fined $35K for obscene gesture
The NBA fined Hornets guard LaMelo Ball $35,000 on Thursday for making an obscene gesture on the court.,The incident occurred with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter of Charlotte's 144-117 loss at Miami on Tuesday night.,Ball, who earned a technical foul on the play, had 20 points, nine assists and eig...

Hornets, Magic continue search for defensive solutions
The visiting Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Hornets might need to crank up their offenses in large ways when they meet Thursday night.,Or do something about their defenses.,Both teams are fresh off lopsided losses, largely because they gave up too many points.,The Hornets were demolished in Miami w...

NBA roundup: Austin Reaves, Lakers sink Wolves at buzzer
Austin Reaves made a driving jump shot at the buzzer to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.,Reaves finished with 28 points and 16 assists to lead Los Angeles, which won despite playing without injured stars LeBron James and ...

Ja Morant hits winner in final seconds as Grizzlies edge Suns
Ja Morant had 28 points including the winning basket with 7.6 seconds remaining, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 18 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the host Phoenix Suns 114-113 to extend the Suns' losing streak to four.,Cedric Coward and Santi Aldama had 14 points apiece off the bench and Kentavious C...

Austin Reaves' buzzer-beater carries Lakers past Timberwolves
Austin Reaves made a driving jump shot at the buzzer to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Minneapolis.,Reaves finished with 28 points and 16 assists to lead Los Angeles, which won despite playing without injured stars LeBron James and ...

Blazers nearly squander 22-point lead, hold off Jazz
Jrue Holiday scored 27 points and hit four key free throws in the final seconds to lift the visiting Portland Trail Blazers to a 136-134 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.,Deni Avdija added 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists, Shaedon Sharpe and Jerami Grant each scor...

Nikola Jokic's 4th straight triple-double lifts Nuggets over Pelicans
Nikola Jokic had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to extend his triple-double streak to four games to start the season, and the host Denver Nuggets used a 29-2 run to start the third quarter and beat the winless New Orleans Pelicans 122-88 on Wednesday night.,Jokic has 168 career triple-doubles...

Mavericks bench comes up big in win over Pacers
Brandon Williams' 20 points led a 64-point night from Dallas reserves, and rookie Cooper Flagg recorded a double-double as the Mavericks sent the visiting Indiana Pacers to their fourth consecutive loss in a 107-105 decision on Wednesday.,Dallas lost big man Anthony Davis a little more than midway t...

Bulls blow past Kings in Zach Levine's return to Chicago
Matas Buzelis scored 27 points, and Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic both notched double-doubles to help the surging Chicago Bulls defeat the visiting Sacramento Kings 126-113 on Wednesday.,At 4-0, the Bulls have matched their best start since 2021-22.,Playing the second night of a back-to-back, the K...

Hawks overcome Trae Young injury to beat winless Nets
Jalen Johnson highlighted a 23-point showing with a dunk from near the foul line in the fourth quarter as the Atlanta Hawks overcame an injury to Trae Young along with an early 12-point deficit to hang on for a 117-112 victory over the winless Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night in New York.,Nickeil Al...

Cade Cunningham scores 30 to carry Pistons past Magic
Cade Cunningham poured in 30 points and handed out 10 assists as the host Detroit Pistons pulled away from the Orlando Magic, 135-116, on Wednesday night.,Cunningham scored 19 of his points in the second half during the Pistons' fourth victory in their last five games. Tobias Harris had 23 points, w...