Basketball Page 226 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Lakers G Luka Doncic (calf) questionable to play against Jazz
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is questionable to play in a road game against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night due to a left calf strain.,Doncic, 25, made his debut for the Lakers on Monday, collecting 14 points and four assists in 24 minutes of a 132-113 home victory over the Jazz. ,Acquired ...

Hornets G LaMelo Ball (ankle) out vs. Magic
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball has been ruled out of Wednesday's game at Orlando due to ankle soreness.,Ball sat out the final three quarters of a 97-89 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in New York.,He missed five games bridging January and February due to a sprained left ankle before playing...

Grizzlies carry momentum into meeting with Clippers
A pair of Western Conference playoff contenders will meet at different points of their season-long journey when the Los Angeles Clippers face the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at Inglewood, Calif.,While the Grizzlies are roaring into the All-Star break, having won 11 of their past 13 games, the Cli...

Rockets pursue defensive improvement vs. Suns
For a bulk of the first half of the season, the Rockets were second only to the Oklahoma City Thunder in defensive rating, which helped propel Houston up the Western Conference standings.,However, Houston has experienced slippage of late, sliding to fourth in defensive rating while dropping six cons...

Bulls, after historic beatdown, get shot at redemption vs. Pistons
A case of deja vu sounds lovely to the Detroit Pistons. For the Chicago Bulls, it's something to avoid at all costs.,After thumping the host Bulls 132-92 on Tuesday, Detroit plays in Chicago again on Wednesday in the teams' pre-All-Star-break finale.,Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff embraces the chall...

Knicks, Hawks on upswing ahead of last game before break
The NBA schedule-maker decided to play a little "This Is Your Life" with the New York Knicks just before the All-Star break.,The Knicks will conclude a three-game stretch against the peers with whom they are most compared on Wednesday, hosting the Atlanta Hawks in the final game for both teams befor...

Cavs, already with an eye on playoffs, clash with Raptors
The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday with the luxury of being able to experiment with moves they hope will lead to a long playoff run.,"It's a little bit my DNA," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said after his team's 128-107 home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday...

Pacers seek a lift vs. wallowing Wizards
In the final game before the All-Star break for each team, the Indiana Pacers travel to the nation's capital to meet the lowly Washington Wizards on Wednesday.,Indiana has lost three of four games and is looking to enter the weeklong break with momentum as it finishes the unofficial first half of th...

Sputtering Sixers seek turnaround vs. improving Nets
The Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets are defying preseason expectations for differing reasons.,Predicted to contend for a high playoff seed, the 76ers are well under .500 heading into a Wednesday road game against the Brooklyn Nets, who are in their best stretch of a rebuilding season.,Philadelp...

Grizzlies spoil milestone night for Suns' Kevin Durant
Ja Morant recorded 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help the Memphis Grizzlies post a 119-112 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.,Phoenix's Kevin Durant scored 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting and became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points. His t...

Suns' Kevin Durant becomes 8th to score 30,000 points
Phoenix forward Kevin Durant made two free throws with 1:11 left in the third quarter of the Suns' Tuesday home game against the Memphis Grizzlies to become the eighth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points.,Durant needed 26 points prior to the contest to join the exclusive group. He go...

NBA roundup: Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks trounce Pacers
Karl-Anthony Towns notched 40 points and 12 rebounds, Josh Hart scored a season-high 30 points, and the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 128-115 on Tuesday night in Indianapolis.,Miles McBride added 15 points off the bench for New York and Landry Shamet added 11 as the Knicks secured the seas...

Pistons embarrass Bulls, 132-92
Reserve Malik Beasley scored 24 points and Cade Cunningham added 20 points and seven assists to guide the visiting Detroit Pistons to a 132-92 rout of the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.,The Pistons never trailed while shooting 53.1 percent from the field. Their biggest advantage was 49 points.,Detroit ha...

Karl-Anthony Towns scores 40 as Knicks top Pacers
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 40 points and 12 rebounds, Josh Hart added a season-high 30 points, and the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 128-115 on Tuesday in Indianapolis.,Hart also had 10 rebounds and five assists while shooting 12 of 16 from the field. Miles McBride added 15 points for New...

Raptors notch rare road win vs. slumping 76ers
Scottie Barnes collected 33 points and 10 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley added 23 points, lifting the visiting Toronto Raptors to a 106-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.,Barnes made 10 of 16 shots from the floor and Quickley sank 7 of 11 attempts for the Raptors, who snapped a four...

New-look Lakers visit Jazz, go for 7th straight win
After Luka Doncic's successful, albeit limited, debut for the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, the Lakers aim to extend their win streak to seven games when they face the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night.,Los Angeles coach JJ Redick said he plans on playing Doncic alongside LeBron James a...

Jimmy Butler, Warriors look to keep foot on gas vs. depleted Mavs
The Jimmy Butler trade is already paying dividends for the Golden State Warriors, who appear to be rejuvenated with the six-time All-Star in their lineup.,The Warriors look to improve to 3-0 with Butler on the floor when they face the host Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.,Stephen Curry scored a season...

Mavericks' injury woes continue with C Daniel Gafford (knee)
The depleted Dallas Mavericks frontcourt has taken another hit with the loss of center Daniel Gafford to a right knee sprain, the team announced on Tuesday.,The Mavericks said Gafford, 26, will be reevaluated within two weeks.,Gafford collected four points, three rebounds and two assists in a 129-12...

Nuggets aim to extend win streak against short-handed Blazers
The Denver Nuggets own the league's longest active winning streak of seven games, which also represents their best run of the season.,Denver will look to add another victory to the streak on Wednesday night when it hosts the Portland Trail Blazers in the final game before the All-Star break for both...

Lakers sign C Alex Len, release Christian Wood
The Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent Alex Len on Tuesday to fill a roster spot at center.,In a corresponding move, the Lakers waived forward/center Christian Wood.,Los Angeles attempted to acquire a center at the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but later rescinded a trade for the Charlotte Hornets' Mark ...