Basketball Page 37 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Blazers out to end playoff drought, face Suns in play-in round
Phoenix coach Jordan Ott is confident regarding the host Suns' mindset entering their play-in tournament game against the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday.,"We'll be juiced and ready to rock," Ott said as the Suns look to return to the postseason after missing out last year.,Trail Blazers ...
Wings select UConn star Azzi Fudd No. 1 overall in WNBA draft
UConn guard Azzi Fudd was chosen by the Dallas Wings with the No. 1 overall pick of the WNBA draft on Monday night in New York.,Fudd is the seventh UConn player to be selected first in the draft. One of the others is Paige Bueckers, who went No. 1 to Dallas last year. Fudd and Bueckers are in a rela...
Report: Luka Doncic to return to L.A. Friday; game status unknown
Lakers star Luka Doncic is expected to return to Los Angeles on Friday after receiving specialized treatment for his Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Europe, ESPN reported Monday, though when he will return to game action remains unknown.,The 27-year-old reportedly spent a week in Spain receiving mu...
Hornets happy to be home for play-in clash with Heat
In order to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the No. 9 seed Charlotte Hornets will need to win a pair of games this week in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. ,The first of those games is set for Tuesday when they host the No. 10 seed Miami Heat in an elimination game.,The H...
Milwaukee Bucks Enter Uncertain Future After Doc Rivers Exit
The Milwaukee Bucks face a pivotal offseason after Doc Rivers’ departure and uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo....
Coby White Eyes Breakthrough as Hornets Face Heat
Coby White and the Hornets face the Heat in a crucial NBA play-in matchup—full preview and analysis....
Warriors' Stephen Curry on minutes restriction for play-in game
Four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry will be on a minutes restriction for the Golden State Warriors' play-in game against the host Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.,The 12-time All-Star point guard has played no more than 29 minutes in any of his four games since returning from a 27-game abse...
Doc Rivers steps down as head coach of Bucks
Doc Rivers officially stepped down as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday after two-plus seasons.,The Bucks' finished 32-50 with Sunday's season-ending 126-106 loss at Philadelphia. It marked their worst record since 2013-14 and the first time they missed the playoffs since 2015-16.,"I have ...
Hornets, Blazers among 8 trying to survive, advance from play-in tournament
With minimal shuffling at the conclusion of the NBA regular season on Sunday, the final seedings were determined and some less-frequent qualifiers are continuing their seasons.,We're looking at you, Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers.,While the top six seeds in the Eastern and Western conf...
After dominant regular season, Thunder big favorite to hold onto NBA crown
Oddsmakers really like Oklahoma City Thunder to continue their reign over the NBA and successfully defend their championship.,The Thunder, who concluded the regular season on Sunday with the league's best record at 64-18 (.780), are the clear favorite to keep the Larry O'Brien Trophy at a range of +...
NBA roundup: Raptors top Nets to earn first postseason spot since 2022
Scottie Barnes had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists Sunday, and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets 136-101 to clinch their first playoff spot since 2022.,In recording his third triple-double of the season and the ninth of his career, Barnes helped the Raptors (46-36) secure...
Mercury re-sign Kahleah Copper, DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas
The Phoenix Mercury, after a run to the WNBA Finals in 2025, announced on Sunday the re-signing of core players Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and Sami Whitcomb.,Copper, 31, averaged 15.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 26.9 minutes in 28 regular-season games (all st...
Timberwolves' reserves take spotlight in final game, beating Pelicans
Rookie big man Joan Beringer scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on for a 132-126 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night in Minneapolis.,Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 26 points for Minnesota (49-33), which relied on young players and reserves in its...
Ryan Nembhard totals 23 assists as Mavericks roll past Bulls
Ryan Nembhard notched the second-most assists in a game in Dallas history as the Mavericks defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls 149-128 on Sunday.,Nembhard fell narrowly short of a triple-double in the season-ending clash, chalking up 15 points, nine rebounds and 23 assists.,Only current Dallas coach...
Clippers turn back Warriors in play-in game preview
The Los Angeles Clippers sent a message to their play-in opponent Sunday night, riding Bennedict Mathurin's 20 points and a stingy defense to a 115-110 home win over the Golden State Warriors in what turned out to be an otherwise meaningless regular-season finale.,The victory allowed the Clippers (4...
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets beat Spurs for 12th straight victory
Denver's Nikola Jokic scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 18-plus minutes of court time -- all in the first half -- as the visiting Nuggets rolled to a 128-118 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both playoff-bound teams.,The Nuggets (54-28) clinched ...
Trail Blazers lock up No. 8 seed in West by beating Kings
Deni Avdija recorded 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers secured the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a 122-110 victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings in the regular-season finale for both teams.,Jrue Holiday added 23 points and seven rebounds for Portl...
Lakers empty the bench in lopsided win over lowly Jazz
Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each posted 22-point, 10-rebound double-doubles on Sunday to help the Los Angeles Lakers earn a 131-107 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz in the regular-season finale.,LeBron James completed his 23rd regular season, finishing with 18 points in 17 minutes for the Lak...
Suns rout Thunder as reserves take center stage in finale
Jamaree Bouyea scored a career-high 27 points to help the Phoenix Suns close the regular season with a 135-103 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.,With their playoff positions secure going into the game, both teams sat the majority of their starters and major rotational players.,The T...
Rockets rest starters, rout short-handed Grizzlies
Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as the host Houston Rockets closed the regular season with a 132-101 victory over the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.,The Rockets (52-30) concluded the schedule ...