Basketball Page 8 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Magic eager to continue winning ways in encounter vs. Bulls
The Orlando Magic have climbed the Eastern Conference standings and have a chance to avoid the play-in tournament thanks to a late-season surge.,Orlando enters Friday night's visit to the Chicago Bulls on a four-game winning streak, its second-longest run of the season.,Magic coach Jamahl Mosley use...
Without star Joel Embiid, Sixers set to visit Pacers
With an unfortunate development for star Joel Embiid looming over them, the Philadelphia 76ers will try to pull out of a three-game slide when they meet the Indiana Pacers on Friday night in Indianapolis. ,Philadelphia (43-37) learned that the former NBA MVP needed an appendectomy on Thursday before...
Celtics vie to secure East's No. 2 seed in clash vs. Pelicans
The Boston Celtics will have another chance to secure the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs when they host the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.,Boston (54-26) could have clinched second place by beating New York on Thursday night, but the Knicks scored nine of the final 11 points t...
Why the Tar Heels Made a $50M Gamble on Michael Malone
The North Carolina Tar Heels hired Michael Malone as their next men's basketball coach. Here's why they took a massive swing at a man who has never coached college hoops....
Why the Cavaliers Are Done Playing the Seeding Game in the East
The Cleveland Cavaliers are taking a different approach to playoff seeding this year—here’s why focusing on culture over matchups could pay off....
'Outclassed' Heat searching for answers entering matchup vs. NBA-worst Wizards
The Miami Heat will play in the postseason but are struggling.,Miami, which will visit the Washington Wizards on Friday night, has lost 10 of its past 13 games. That stretch includes a 128-114 home loss on Thursday night to a Toronto Raptors squad that is 4-0 against the Heat this season.,All that l...
NBA roundup: Knicks top Celtics to extend home win streak to 6
Josh Hart had 26 points and Jalen Brunson added 25 points and 10 assists as the New York Knicks extended their home winning streak to six games by beating the visiting Boston Celtics 112-106 on Thursday.,Boston was within 109-106 after a Nikola Vucevic basket with 35.6 seconds left, but a Hart 3-poi...
Kevin Durant scores 29 as Rockets hold off 76ers for 8th straight win
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 29 points and drilled a critical late 3-pointer that helped the host Houston Rockets fend off the hard-charging Philadelphia 76ers 113-102 on Thursday.,The Rockets extended their winning streak to eight games but had to sweat out the final minutes. The 76ers (43-37) s...
LeBron James dazzles in Lakers' win over Warriors
LeBron James tallied 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 119-103 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday in San Francisco.,Deandre Ayton scored 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting and Jake LaRavia added 16 points for the Laker...
$1 million athlete: Jackie Young, Aces reportedly agree to historic deal
All-Star guard Jackie Young and the Las Vegas Aces are close to agreeing on a one-year deal, according to a Thursday report from ESPN. The deal is expected to be worth $1.19 million, the maximum amount for players not eligible for the WNBA's max contract of $1.4 million.,That number would make Young...
Kevin Durant scores 29 as Rockets hold off 76ers
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 29 points and drilled a critical late 3-pointer that helped the host Houston Rockets fend off the hard-charging Philadelphia 76ers 113-102 on Thursday.,The Rockets extended their winning streak to eight games but had to sweat out the final minutes. The 76ers (43-37) s...
Clippers, Trail Blazers duke it out for No. 8 seed
Jockeying for positioning in the Western Conference play-in round hits the home stretch on Friday when the Portland Trail Blazers welcome the Los Angeles Clippers for a crucial showdown.,Los Angeles (41-39) heads into its final two games of the regular season with a one-game lead over Portland (40-4...
Josh Hart's clutch shooting lifts Knicks over Celtics
Josh Hart had 26 points and Jalen Brunson added 25 points and 10 assists as the New York Knicks extended their home winning streak to six games by beating the visiting Boston Celtics 112-106 Thursday night.,Boston (54-26) was within three points, 109-106, after a Nikola Vucevic basket with 35.6 seco...
Obi Toppin's big game guides Pacers past Nets in also-ran matchup
Reserve Obi Toppin collected a season-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Indiana Pacers seized control in the first quarter and rolled to an 123-94 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday in New York.,The game featured teams with the NBA's second- and third-worst records.,The Pacers ...
Brandon Ingram nets 38 as Raptors sweep four games from Heat
Brandon Ingram scored 23 of his 38 points in the first half Thursday night and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Miami Heat 128-114.,The Raptors (45-35) swept the four-game season series with the Heat (41-39) and moved one-half game ahead of Orlando and into sixth place in the Eastern Confer...
Tre Jones helps Bulls beat Wizards for second time in 3 days
Tre Jones scored 31 points, Collin Sexton had 27 and Leonard Miller recorded a career-high 26, fueling the visiting Chicago Bulls to a 119-108 victory over the Washington Wizards on Thursday.,Jones sank 9 of 14 shots from the floor and all 12 of his attempts from the free-throw line for the Bulls (3...
WNBA approves expansion into Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia
The WNBA announced formal approval for expansion teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on Thursday.,The move certifies those three cities, previously announced, gained authorization to join the league on their own timelines.,Cleveland is set to begin play in 2028, with Detroit following in 20...
Grizzlies offer chance for slumping Jazz to play different tune
The Utah Jazz have shown flashes of potential and competitiveness during its current 10-game losing streak. But the lows have outnumbered the highs heading into a showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies in Salt Lake City on Friday night.,Utah hit one of those lows in a 156-137 loss to New Orleans on Tue...
Nuggets take aim at No. 3 seed in the West against Thunder
Oklahoma City wrapped up the No. 1 overall seed with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, making the final two games inconsequential for the reigning NBA champions.,The Denver Nuggets, on the other hand, have something to play for when they host the Thunder on Friday night.,Denver...
Spurs look to continue torrid stretch against feisty Mavericks
The San Antonio Spurs look to keep their momentum growing in preparation for the upcoming playoffs when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday in the penultimate game of the regular season for the Lone Star State rivals.,The Spurs (61-19) have won 13 of their past 14 games and have gone 29-3 since...