NBA Page 18 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Rockets return home off morale-boosting win to face Cavaliers
In dire need of a performance more in line with their early-season successes and an effort that could mask the stench of three overtime losses during their just-wrapped six-game road trip, the Houston Rockets produced a result on Thursday that made their recent struggles appear aberrant.,Rockets coa...

Sixers sign F MarJon Beauchamp to two-way contract
The Philadelphia 76ers signed forward MarJon Beauchamp to a two-way contract Friday. Terms were not disclosed.,Beauchamp, 25, has averaged 20.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in seven games this season for the NBA G League's Delaware Blue Coats. He is shooting 44.2% from 3-point range.,He last...
Five Teams Who Think They Can Take Down the Thunder And Why They’re Probably Wrong
After a wild Christmas Day slate, five NBA teams believe they’ve found a way to beat the Thunder. Here’s what it would take to pull it off....

NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic's historic triple-double too much for Wolves in OT
Nikola Jokic compiled 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists as the host Denver Nuggets rallied from nine down in overtime to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Thursday night.,The 30-year-old star produced the first NBA game ever with at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic als...

Nikola Jokic's 56-point triple-double lifts Nuggets past Wolves in OT
Nikola Jokic compiled 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists as the host Denver Nuggets rallied from nine down in overtime to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Thursday night.,The 30-year-old star produced the first NBA game ever with at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic als...

Lakers G Austin Reaves (calf) reportedly headed for MRI
Austin Reaves exited the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the visiting Houston Rockets on Thursday night due to left calf soreness, and he is headed for MRI exam on Friday, according to The Athletic and ESPN.,Reaves, the team's second-leading scorer this season behind Luka Doncic, scored 12 points o...

Mavericks F Anthony Davis (groin) exits game vs. Warriors
Oft-injured Mavericks big man Anthony Davis left Dallas' Thursday game against the Golden State Warriors with what the team called right groin spasms.,He did not return to the Christmas Day showdown, with ESPN reporting that the team was operating with an "abundance of caution.",Following the Maveri...

NBA roundup: Spurs smother Thunder for third time in 13 days
De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 29 points as the visiting San Antonio Spurs knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-102 to hand the Thunder their first back-to-back losses this season.,The Spurs have won eight consecutive games -- which does not include the NBA Cup final loss to the New York Knick...

Rockets wrap up trip with dominant Christmas win over Lakers
Amen Thompson scored 26 points and Kevin Durant added 25 as the visiting Houston Rockets led wire-to-wire in a 119-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in a Christmas Day matchup on Thursday.,Jabari Smith Jr. had 16 points for Houston, which finished its six-game road trip with a 2-4 record. Alperen S...

Lakers G Austin Reaves (calf) ruled out vs. Rockets
Austin Reaves won't return to the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the visiting Houston Rockets on Thursday night due to left calf soreness.,Reaves, the team's second-leading scorer this season behind Luka Doncic, scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting in 15 minutes during the first half.,Reaves missed...

Timely Stephen Curry scoring helps Warriors defeat Mavericks
Stephen Curry lost a personal scoring duel with Cooper Flagg in their first head-to-head, but joined with Gary Payton II to stall a late Dallas rally as the Golden State Warriors held off the Mavericks 126-116 as part of the NBA's Christmas Day card Thursday afternoon in San Francisco.,Flagg went fo...

Clippers aim for season-best 3-game win streak at Blazers' expense
Kawhi Leonard's hot streak is inserting much-needed life into the Los Angeles Clippers.,Leonard looks for another superb outing and the Clippers seek a season-best third straight victory when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.,Leonard scored 32 points in Saturday's 103-88 victory...

After holiday off, Eastern Conference-leading Pistons take on Jazz
Left out of the 10-team Christmas Day showcase despite owning the best record in the Eastern Conference and sent on the road to spend the holiday in the West, the Detroit Pistons have plenty of incentive to put on a show when they visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night in Salt Lake City.,And the Piston...

Mavericks F Anthony Davis (groin) won't return vs. Warriors
Oft-injured Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis left Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors with what the team called right groin spasms.,He will not return to the Christmas Day showdown, with ESPN reporting that the team is operating with an "abundance of caution.",Davis removed himse...

Spurs assert themselves, take down Thunder again in Christmas spotlight
De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a 117-102 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday.,The Spurs have won eight consecutive games, extending their longest winning streak since 2018-19.,The Thunder have dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season a...

Pelicans look to resume recent surge against visiting Suns
The Phoenix Suns begin a four-game road swing on Friday night with the first of back-to-back contests against the New Orleans Pelicans.,The weekend double-dip in the Big Easy marks the second and third of four matchups between the Western Conference counterparts, with the Suns winning the first in P...

Bucks visit Memphis looking to grind out another road win
The Milwaukee Bucks got an early Christmas gift in the form of a rare road victory on Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.,Is it greedy to covet a post-Christmas road win, too?,The Bucks will get the opportunity to make it two straight when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday n...

Raptors hope to keep bouncing out of slump vs. struggling Wizards
Looking to take advantage of the team with the worst record in the league, the visiting Toronto Raptors wrap up a three-game road trip on Friday against the lowly Washington Wizards.,The upstart Raptors sit as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference in the way-too-early postseason picture, but have...

Streaking Bulls open six-game homestand against Sixers
Winners of four straight after a stretch of eight losses in nine games, the Chicago Bulls aim to maintain momentum as they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.,Chicago kicks off a six-game homestand on the heels of Tuesday's 126-123 victory in Atlanta, which saw the Bulls rally from an 18-po...

Jalen Brunson, Knicks explode to rally past Cavaliers
Jalen Brunson hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:05 left Thursday afternoon for the host New York Knicks, who overcame a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 126-124.,Brunson scored 13 of his 34 points over the final 7:15 for the Knicks, who mounted their biggest comeback ...