Basketball Page 39 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Avoiding injury looms large as Thunder host Suns in regular season finale
The Oklahoma City Thunder's place in the postseason is set.,The Thunder (64-17) will be the No. 1 overall seed when the playoffs open, their third consecutive season earning the top spot in the Western Conference.,The Phoenix Suns (44-37) will be headed to the play-in tournament as the No. 7 seed, t...
Depleted Grizzlies wrap season against resting Rockets
The Houston Rockets finally had displayed signs of consistency that seemed to validate their standing as a contender in the West, with an eight-game winning streak confirming as much.,One result likely won't change that perspective, but the Rockets' defensive effort against the short-handed Minnesot...
Resting Timberwolves close regular season vs. Pelicans
The Minnesota Timberwolves do not know their playoff opponent yet.,All they know for sure is they will start the postseason on the road -- but not before they play one more home game in their regular-season finale. The Timberwolves (48-33) will tip off against the New Orleans Pelicans (26-55) on Sun...
Billy Donovan, perhaps coaching Bulls for last time, faces Mavericks
Chicago's season-ending road clash with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday will be Bulls coach Billy Donovan's 482nd regular-season game on the bench.,Speculation continues to swirl that it may also be his last, what with the 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach linked to a shift to Chicago's front office.,Th...
Post-season bound Sixers host disappointing Bucks in finale
A horrible season in Milwaukee is coming to an end, while Philadelphia will play on beyond the regular season finale. The Bucks travel to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the 76ers on Sunday.,Milwaukee (32-49) was eliminated from postseason contention a while ago. This is the first time since 2...
Valkyries sign Veronica Burton to multiyear deal
Veronica Burton, the WNBA's Most Improved Player last season, re-signed with the Golden State Valkyries on a multiyear deal, the team announced Saturday.,Burton, 25, posted career highs of 11.9 points, 6.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals while starting all 44 games for the expansion franchise l...
Seven-time All-Star G Skylar Diggins joins Sky
Seven-time All-Star guard Skylar Diggins signed as a free agent with the Chicago Sky, the team announced Saturday.,Terms weren't divulged, but reports pointed to a two-year deal.,Diggins, 35, has career averages of 16.4 points, 5.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 335 games over 11 seasons.,"...
Raptors strive to secure top-six playoff spot in clash vs. Nets
The Toronto Raptors can clinch a top-six playoff spot with a win on Sunday night against the visiting Brooklyn Nets in the teams' regular-season finale.,The Raptors (45-36) dropped to sixth -- the final guaranteed playoff spot -- in the Eastern Conference on Friday night with a 112-95 road loss to t...
Dream re-sign G Rhyne Howard, four others
The Atlanta Dream re-signed guard Rhyne Howard and four other players, the team announced on Saturday.,The Dream also signed Allisha Gray, Brionna Jones, Naz Hillmon and Jordin Canada.,"This is a group that believes in Atlanta, believes in each other and is united in the pursuit of a championship," ...
Heat, Hawks clash with major playoff implications
The Miami Heat are guaranteed a fourth straight year in the play-in round, but -- with one game left in the regular season -- there's still something for Miami to chase.,On Sunday night, the Heat (42-39) will host the Atlanta Hawks (46-35). If Miami beats Atlanta and Charlotte loses at the New York ...
Hornets aim to bounce back in season finale vs. Knicks
After clinching the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks are expected to sit a number of key players in their regular-season finale against the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.,New York (53-28) has won five straight games and 12 of its past 15, including a 112-95 victory ov...
Cavaliers conclude regular season vs. last-place Wizards
The playoff-bound Cleveland Cavaliers and last-place Washington Wizards are locked into their spots in the standings, leaving nothing tangible for either team to play for -- except pride -- in their regular season finale Sunday.,Host Cleveland (51-30) is assured of finishing fourth in the Eastern Co...
Fever re-sign G Lexie Hull
Restricted free agent guard Lexie Hull re-signed with the Indiana Fever on Saturday.,Terms were not disclosed by the team for Hull, who announced her return earlier on Saturday in a TikTok with Fever star Caitlin Clark.,"Indy has been my home over the last four years, and there was no other place I ...
Report: Dearica Hamby re-signing with Sparks
Three-time All-Star forward Dearica Hamby is finalizing a three-year, fully guaranteed contract to remain with the Los Angeles Sparks, ESPN reported on Saturday.,Per the report, the total sum of the deal is close to $3.5 million.,The news on Hamby comes one day after Nneka Ogwumike announced she was...
Pistons, Pacers close regular season in opposite positions
With the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference already locked up, the Detroit Pistons visiting the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in Indianapolis with an opportunity to complete a 60-win regular season for the first time in 20 years.,The surprising Pistons (59-22) come into Sunday's regular-season finale w...
Report: Satou Sabally reaches multi-year deal with Liberty
Three-time All-Star forward Satou Sabally has agreed to sign a multi-year contract to join the New York Liberty, her representation told ESPN on Saturday.,WME Basketball did not disclose the terms of the deal for the New York-born Sabally.,She averaged a team-best 16.3 points to go along with 5.9 re...
Magic try to avoid play-in, wrap regular season vs. Celtics
The Orlando Magic will visit the Boston Celtics on Sunday as they attempt to avoid the play-in tournament.,Orlando (45-36) is currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic have the same record as the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors, who own the tiebreaker.,The Magic helped their case ...
Sky acquire Jacy Sheldon from Mystics for 1st-round pick
The Chicago Sky acquired guard Jacy Sheldon from the Washington Mystics on Saturday in exchange for a 2028 first-round draft pick.,Sheldon, 25, has averaged 6.3 points, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in 70 career games (43 starts) with the Dallas Wings (2024), Connecticut Sun (2025) and Mystics (2025...
F Azura Stevens rejoins Sky on reported 3-year deal
Free agent forward Azura Stevens rejoined the Chicago Sky on Saturday following three seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks.,Terms were not disclosed by Chicago but ESPN reported that the 6-foot-6 Stevens, 30, landed a three-year contract.,Stevens previously played for the Sky from 2020-22, winning a ...
Toronto signs WNBA's first $1M backcourt pairing
The expansion Toronto Tempo signed guards Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes to two-year max contracts.,Mabrey, 29, reportedly will earn $1.2 million in each of the next two seasons. Sykes, 32, is also eligible for a seven-figure deal, making them the league's first known $1 million backcourt.,The tea...