Basketball Page 276 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Grizzlies F Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring) hurt in first practice
Memphis Grizzlies standout Jaren Jackson Jr. injured his hamstring on Tuesday during the team's first practice of the season.,Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Jackson will undergo imaging after feeling tightness in the hamstring while driving to the basket.,"We're anticipating that it might be a ...
Bulls G Lonzo Ball eyeing opening-night return
After missing the past two seasons with a serious knee injury, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is hoping to be in uniform on opening night.,Ball, 26, last played in a game for Chicago on Jan. 14, 2022. Multiple procedures on his left knee since then include a rare double cartilage transplant.,"I'm fe...
Clippers' Kawhi Leonard expects knee to be chronic issue
Even though he continues to deal with right knee inflammation, Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard doesn't intend to miss the team's season opener against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 23. ,Speaking to reporters at the Clippers' media day on Monday, Leonard indicated that his knee issues won'...
'Pure joy' for LeBron James as Bronny joins him on Lakers
Before they become the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA, LeBron James and Bronny James got their close-up Monday at Los Angeles Lakers media day.,The Jameses were at the center of the show at the preseason event a few weeks before the start of the 2024-25 season. LeBron James made it...
Sun, X-factor Marina Mabrey aim for 2-0 lead on host Lynx
The Connecticut Sun will aim to take a 2-0 series lead while the Minnesota Lynx hope to even up the score when the two sides face off again Tuesday night in the semifinals of the WNBA playoffs in Minneapolis.,Connecticut took a 1-0 advantage in the five-game series on Sunday night, topping Minnesota...
Pistons await return of F Ausar Thompson (blood clot)
Ausar Thompson's rookie campaign with the Detroit Pistons ended prematurely because of a blood clot. Now, he and the team are waiting to find out when he can take the court for his sophomore season.,Trajan Langdon, the Piston's vice president of basketball operations, said Monday that Thompson still...
76ers star Joel Embiid down 30 pounds: ‘All about’ playoff health
Joel Embiid has an NBA Most Valuable Player award and five All-NBA selections to his name. What he doesn't have is a healthy run in the playoffs this decade.,The Philadelphia 76ers are expecting a leaner, meaner Embiid in 2024-25 after the center said at Monday's preseason media day that he has drop...
Damian Lillard embraced boot camp to bring 'real me' to Bucks
A few days past the one-year anniversary of Damian Lillard being traded to the Bucks, the eight-time All-Star checked in for the start of his 13th season.,Lillard turned 34 in July and said he took a different approach to the offseason. He was in regular contact with Milwaukee co-star Giannis Anteto...
Bucks G Khris Middleton working his way back from ankle surgery
Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton will be limited as training camp starts, still recovering from offseason surgery on both ankles, coach Doc Rivers said Monday.,Middleton, 33, will start camp in Irvine, Calif., sitting out five-on-five work initially, Rivers said.,"He'll participate in camp," Ri...
Bulls G Josh Giddey working through ruptured ankle ligament
New Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey said he ruptured an ankle ligament while playing for Australia at the Paris Olympics but expects to start the season on time.,Speaking at the Bulls' media day on Monday, Giddey said the injury to his anterior talofibular ligament occurred during Australia's final ...
Valkyries' expansion draft set to take place Dec. 6
The roster of the expansion Golden State Valkyries will begin to take shape when the WNBA conducts an expansion draft on Dec. 6.,The Valkyries will begin play in 2025 as the league's 13th team, with franchises in Toronto and Portland set to come on board in 2026.,Each current WNBA team can protect s...
Liberty intend to show more of same in Game 2 vs. Aces
The New York Liberty are chasing a commanding 2-0 lead in their WNBA semifinal matchup with the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces when the best-of-five series continues Tuesday in Brooklyn.,Outside of a 3-3 score early in Sunday's eventual 87-77 Game 1 win, New York led Las Vegas wire-to-wi...
Heat's Erik Spoelstra: Jimmy Butler 'needs me, I need him'
Entering their sixth year together, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes a breakthrough in his relationship with Jimmy Butler is imminent. ,That thesis is based almost entirely on longevity and mutual need.,"When you get to that many years together, there's a lot of unspoken understanding," Spoe...
Overhauled Knicks open camp with changes still swirling
Unable to comment on the latest roster addition, New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau played his hand with his facial expression on Monday. ,A pending trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves that would bring Karl-Anthony Towns to New York has yet to be finalized with the NBA's stamp of approval, which ...
Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo dies of brain cancer
Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo died Monday from brain cancer, the NBA announced. He was 58. ,Known for both his shot-blocking and finger-wagging in addition to a pronounced gravelly voice, Mutombo provided a dominating presence at Georgetown before playing for six NBA teams. ,The 7-foot-2 center also...
Sun fend off Lynx down stretch behind Alyssa Thomas
Alyssa Thomas scored 17 points and flirted with a triple-double as the Connecticut Sun won Game 1 of a WNBA semifinal series, beating the Minnesota Lynx 73-70 in Minneapolis on Sunday night.,Thomas made the Sun's final two shots with under a minute to play and went 8-for-12 from the floor in additio...
Liberty strike first in semifinal series with Aces
Breanna Stewart scored 34 points, Jonquel Jones recorded a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds and the New York Liberty never trailed in their 87-77 Game 1 defeat of the visiting Las Vegas Aces to open their WNBA semifinal series on Sunday.,New York opened its 2023 WNBA Finals rematch with th...
Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, F Napheesa Collier win key WNBA awards
Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve won a pair of top WNBA awards and forward Napheesa Collier was named the Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced Sunday.,Reeve was honored as Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year after leading the Lynx to a 30-10 regular season and a sweep of the P...
Reports: G Jose Alvarado lands 2-year, $9M extension with Pelicans
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado has agreed to a two-year, $9 million extension, multiple media outlets reported Saturday. ,Alvarado will get a player option for the 2026-27 season as part of the deal, per the reports. ,In 56 games off the bench last season, Alvarado averaged 7.1 points, 2.3...
Knicks-Wolves blockbuster shifts NBA title odds
The blockbuster deal between the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves led oddsmakers to quickly adjust the futures market for the 2024-25 NBA title.,And the early returns were positive for both teams.,In a swap of All-Star forwards, the Knicks will reportedly land Karl-Anthony Towns in exchang...