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Celtics into NBA Finals with clean sweep against Pacers

The Boston Celtics will play in the NBA Finals after wrapping up a clean sweep in their Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Indiana Pacers.

Jaylen Brown found Derrick White to score a decisive three-pointer with 45 seconds left to play and seal a 105-102 win for the Celtics.

It is the second time in three seasons they have reached the NBA Finals.

"It's been nothing but a grind, we haven't skipped any steps all season," said Brown.

"We've got a bunch of great guys in this locker room, tough guys. Our coaching staff has been great, front office great and now we want to take the next step."

Brown scored 29 points while Jayson Tatum added 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics ran out 4-0 series winners.

"Look at all the talent, look at the players we have," said Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.

"It's really all about them, they let us coach them. They allow us to push them, they listen to us and they set the temperature of the organisation every single day.

"As a coach, the greatest gift you can have is a group of guys that trust you and allow you to coach them."

Boston, who will feature in the NBA Finals for the 23rd time in franchise history, have raced through their post-season fixtures, beating the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Pacers with a 12-2 record.

They will face either the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Finals.

Dallas lead 3-0 in the best-of-seven series as they prepare to host Minnesota in game four at 01:30 BST on Wednesday.


BBC
 
Timberwolves hit back against Mavericks in play-offs

The Minnesota Timberwolves claimed a crucial 105-100 win against the Dallas Mavericks to stay in contention for a place in the NBA Finals.

Trailing 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, the Timberwolves knew anything but a win would end their season in Dallas.

Anthony Edwards led the scoring with 29 points while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 25 points.

"We just wanted to get one game and extend the series," Edwards said.

"I've never been swept in my career. I didn't want to get swept. Not on their home court, hearing their fans talk trash all day."

Minnesota started strongly and boasted a 12-point advantage in the first quarter, but they were unable to maintain that lead as the fifth-seeded Mavericks fought back.

It became a back-and-forth encounter until Towns scored a three-pointer with just under six minutes left to play, giving the Timberwolves a 92-90 lead.

The visitors did not fall behind again.

"Give Minnesota credit," Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said.

"They fought and they found a way to extend the series, and now it goes back to Minnesota."

The Timberwolves, making their first trip to the Conference Finals in 20 years, and just the second in the franchise's 35 seasons, will be at home for Game 5 at 01:30 BST on Friday.

The winner of this Western Conference Finals series will face the Boston Celtics in NBA Finals after they completed a clean sweep against the Indiana Pacers.

BBC
 
The Dallas Mavericks will face the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals after beating
the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference finals

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving each hit 36 points to lead the Mavericks to a resounding 124-103 victory in game five in Minnesota.

Slovenian star Doncic, 25, set the tone with 20 points in the first quarter before Dallas moved into a dominant 69-40 lead at half-time and the Timberwolves could not fight back.

It is the first time the Mavericks have reached the Finals since winning their sole NBA title in 2011 and only the third time overall.

They beat the Los Angeles Clippers in round one before reaching the conference finals with victory over top seed the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The best-of-seven NBA Finals begin in Boston on Thursday.

The Celtics are chasing a record 18th NBA title in their 23rd Finals appearance.

Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 28 points for the Timberwolves, who beat the Phoenix Suns 4-0 in round one before stunning defending champions the Denver Nuggets in the conference semi-finals.

But their usually superb defence could not stifle the sublime Doncic throughout the series.

"It was Luka magic mode," said Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.

"He set the tone and then he made it easier for everyone else. Everybody else stepped up."

Irving took over the scoring in the second quarter and will now appear in his first NBA Finals since 2017.

"I was enjoying it, you're just watching a special performance take place," said Irving.

"When Luka starts off a game like that, we're a tough team to beat."

Source: BBC
 

Former NBA player Drew Gordon, 33, dies in car crash​


Former NBA player Drew Gordon, the older brother of Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, was tragically killed in a car accident in Portland, Oregon on Thursday, the team confirmed in a statement. He was 33.

Gordon’s agent, Calvin Andrews, first confirmed the news to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears.

"The Denver Nuggets organization is devastated to learn about the tragic passing of Drew Gordon," the team said in a statement shared on social media.

"Drew was far too young to leave this world, but his legacy will forever live on through his three beautiful children and all of his loved ones. Our hearts are with Aaron and the Gordon family during this extremely difficult time."

According to the Albuquerque Journal, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a "fatal crash" near South Spingwater Road just before 6 p.m.

Police did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital.

Gordon was a top recruit before joining the UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team in 2008. He played for two seasons before joining the University of New Mexico, where he led the Lobos to a conference title and was named tournament MVP. He earned All-MWC First Team honors his senior year.

He went undrafted in the 2012 NBA Draft and would make his pro debut with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014. He played in nine games that season.

Gordon played in the G League and several leagues in Europe before announcing his retirement on social media less than a year ago.

Gordon is survived by his wife and three sons.

www.foxnews.com

Former NBA player Drew Gordon, 33, dies in car crash

Drew Gordon, a former NBA player and the older brother of Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, died in a car accident in Oregon on Thursday. He was 33.
www.foxnews.com www.foxnews.com
 
Celtics dominate Mavericks in game one of NBA Finals

Jaylen Brown starred as the Boston Celtics put on a dominant display to beat the Dallas Mavericks 107-89 in game one of the NBA Finals.

The 27-year-old top scored with 22 points, while five of his team-mates also recorded double figures for the Celtics who are aiming to win a record 18th title.

But the Celtics' defensive display was just as good, helping them to a 29-point lead in the first half at the TD Garden in Massachusetts.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who scored 30 points and 10 rebounds, helped his side to close the deficit to eight points in the third quarter but the home side pulled away again in the fourth quarter.

"When they cut it to eight, that's when the game started," said Brown.

"I liked how our team responded. We stayed composed. Offensively, we got to our spacing and was able to push that lead back out and make some plays."

Kristaps Porzingis made his return from injury for the Celtics after missing 10 games with a calf injury during the play-offs.

The Latvian, playing against his former side, scored 20 points including 11 from rebounds.

On a disappointing night for the Mavericks, the Texan side will be looking to take hope from their performance in the third quarter.

"I think in those moments we were playing our basketball," said Doncic.

"We were getting stops. We didn't allow them to offensive rebound. We were having fun out there in those moments, and that's what we've got to do more."

Boston host game two of the best-of-seven series on Sunday.

They are aiming to move clear of the Los Angeles Lakers, who also have 17 NBA Championship titles, and will know that 70% of NBA Finals have been won by the team that was victorious in game one.

BBC
 

Celtics take 2-0 lead against Mavericks in NBA Finals​

Jrue Holiday top scored for the Boston Celtics as they took a 2-0 lead against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA finals.

Holiday scored 26 points as the Celtics won game two 105-98 in the best-of-seven series while team-mate Jayson Tatum registered 18 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.

Luka Doncic contributed 32 points along with 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a triple double for the Mavericks, who made 16 out of 24 free throws compared to 19 of 20 from the Celtics.

"They were double-teaming him [Tatum] and he was making the right play," said Holiday.

"The way that he played, the way that he led us, getting into the paint, making plays, finding me wide open - it was all about him."

The Celtics were also helped by Jaylen Brown and Derrick White contributing 21 and 18 points respectively.

The next game takes place on Wednesday in Dallas when Doncic, who made four of his eight free throws and conceded eight turnovers, knows he and his team will need to improve.

"At the end of the day we've got to make some more shots," said the Slovenian.

"I think my turnovers and my missed free-throws cost us the game, so I've got to do way better in those two categories."

PJ Washington was the second-highest scorer for the Mavericks with 17, while Kyrie Irving manged 16.

"He [Doncic] is in the right for wanting to single himself out," said Irving.

"But this is a team game. He's not alone and we're going to tell him that.

"He's fresh off the court. He's spilling into his emotions, feels like he could play better, just like me.

"It's on all of us. I think the message right now is just get our bearings together."

Source: BBC
 
Clark misses out on USA basketball Olympic call

USA Basketball has opted for experience in selecting the 12 women to represent the country at this summer's Olympics in Paris.

Diana Taurasi is set to make her sixth appearance at the Games, while nine other members of the squad have already won an Olympic gold medal.

There is no place for WNBA breakout star Caitlin Clark.

USA Basketball women's national team committee chair Jennifer Rizzotti said the selection process had been "challenging and competitive".

"We have selected a team that we are confident will represent our country to the highest standard in Paris," Rizzotti said.

The 12-strong roster heading to Paris boasts a combined 15 Olympic gold medals, 18 women's World Cup titles and 55 WNBA All-Star appearances.

Despite being heavy favourites as they chase an eighth successive Olympic gold medal, some have suggested the USA have missed a trick by not including rookie Clark.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a trailblazing college career with Iowa and her performances in the WNBA have helped boost the profile of women's sport while smashing attendance and viewing records.


www.bbc.com

2024 Paris Olympics: Caitlin Clark not included in USA squad

USA basketball opts for experience in confirming the 12 women to represent the country at this summer's Olympics in Paris.
www.bbc.com
 
Lakers legend and NBA logo muse West dies aged 86

Jerry West, the basketball legend whose silhouette inspired the iconic NBA logo, has died aged 86, the Los Angeles Clippers have confirmed.

West featured in nine NBA Finals with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning the title once in 1972.

He was also an NBA All-Star in every season of his 14-year playing career.


BBC
 
Tatum stars as Celtics go 3-0 up against Mavericks

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown helped the Boston Celtics hold off a Dallas Mavericks fightback to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA finals.

Tatum scored 31 points and Brown 30 as the Celtics won 106-99 in game three of the best-of-seven series.

The Mavericks reduced their deficit from 91-70 early in the fourth quarter to one point with three and a half minutes left but failed to turn an impressive comeback into a victory.

Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 35 for Dallas, while team-mate Luka Doncic contributed 27 but fouled out of the game with just over four minutes remaining.

Boston are one win away from an 18th NBA title and first since 2008, with the next game on Saturday (01:30 BST).

"We are not relaxing or anything like that," said Tatum. "You know, not even focusing on winning or whatever.

"However long it takes, that's our motto. However long it takes, that's what it's going to take. Nobody is not trying to relax at all."

Brown added: "That was a big-time win for us, and I'm proud of how we played.

"They had some momentum, but we kept our poise. We made timely baskets.

"We got some good shots going in, and we found a way to win."

The Mavericks will have to make history if they are to claim the NBA title as no team has ever recovered to win from 3-0 down to win a play-off series.

"It's not over till it's over," said Doncic. "We've just got to believe.

"Like I always say, it's first to four. We're going to stay together. We lose together, we win together."

BBC
 
Man what a disaster , seems like we aren’t able to cross the final frontier in Hockey and Basketball since i moved to Dallas more than half a decade ago.

Kyrie’s comeback is so late and unappreciated.

Glad atleast Rangers are world series champion.
 
Mavericks beat Celtics to keep Finals series alive

The Dallas Mavericks kept their NBA Finals hopes alive with a 122-84 victory to deny the Boston Celtics a clean sweep in the best-of-seven championship series.

Luka Doncic top-scored with 29 points while Kyrie Irving added 21 as the Mavericks ended their opponents' 10-game play-off winning streak and claimed the third-largest win in Finals history.

But they still have a mountain to climb as they try to become the first team to come from 3-0 down and win an NBA play-off series, with game five to come in Boston on Tuesday (01:30 BST).

"We knew we have to get it, we can't lose no more," said the Slovenian. "As we always say, we're going to believe until the end.

"I think our energy was way higher. Everybody was locked in defensively."

Doncic and Irving helped their side go 34-21 up after the first quarter, and they dominated defensively after that to lead 61-35 at the break.

The Mavs were up 92-57 when the pair left the game with one minute and 29 seconds left in the third quarter.

BBC
 

Hawks GM Landry Fields plans to keep No. 1 pick in NBA draft​

ATLANTA -- Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields said he likes his options for the potential top picks in the NBA draft -- and he insists he's not planning on trading the No. 1 pick, even though his phone lines remain open.

"I think we're really excited by the draft," Fields said Monday as he continued to prepare for the No. 1 overall pick in the draft on June 26. "And the more that we uncover, like we go, great, I'm glad we have No. 1. I keep joking around like I'm not giving it back. So, I think we're in a really good position here. I'm excited about it, frankly."

The Hawks were the surprise winner of the NBA draft lottery on May 12. Atlanta won the No. 1 draft pick despite just 3% odds after finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference at 36-46.

Fields says his initial enthusiasm about landing the top pick has not been diminished as he and his staff have examined options such as two French stars, Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard and UConn center Donovan Clingan.

Even so, Fields acknowledged the task of determining which prospect should be No. 1 is an ongoing process. He said he, not team owner Tony Ressler, will make the draft choice.

The decision on keeping the No. 1 pick could be affected by the fact the Hawks have no other selections in the draft. The roster might need help from more than one draft pick after the team lost to Chicago in the first round of the play-in tournament.

Fields said he and his staff are assembling tiers of draft prospects. When asked if a trade down for more picks would be wise if he sees no prospect clearly ranking above all others, Fields said, "Eventually you'll narrow down to your guy, for sure."

Fields said the pool of possible top picks on the Hawks' draft board continues to shrink.

"I would say a week ago it was wider than it is now," he said. "The board is definitely shaping up, tiering itself out."

Fields said he's looking for a player "to be No. 1 and just the guy that we see is a great fit for us, not just for the next day, but for the future as well."

Aside from a slight break on Sunday for Father's Day, Fields has stayed busy on the phone, taking and receiving calls from other executives.

"For the most part, it continuously rings," he said.

The Hawks have been frustrated by the inability to revive a franchise that has not won a playoff series since advancing to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals despite scoring leadership from guards Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. The Hawks kept Murray at the trade deadline in February when there was much speculation he might be dealt for draft picks.

Decisions about the future of center Clint Capela and forward De'Andre Hunter also might be looming this offseason. But the first priority is making a decision on the No. 1 pick.

"We as a group looked at a ton of different scenarios," Fields said. "Like if you keep the pick, you try to get back into the draft. ... With where we are right now, we'll pick one. ... We're planning on picking one."

Source: ESPN
 
NBA Finals: Celtics defeat Mavericks for record-setting 18th championship

The Celtics are back on top.

Boston defeated the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 at TD Garden Arena on Monday to win the 2024 NBA title in five games. The result marked Boston’s 18th championship, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most in league history.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 31 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. Jaylen Brown — named NBA Finals MVP — added 21 points and 8 rebounds.

“Bill Russell would be so proud,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said of Brown before handing him the trophy named after the late Celtics great.

Luka Doncic led the Mavericks in defeat with 28 points and 12 rebounds.

"We knew we needed each other," Tatum said of his teammates after the win. "It's a team sport, and we went through the ups and downs. We deserved this. We earned this."

Boston claimed the Larry O’Brien Trophy thanks to one of the greatest offenses in NBA history. The Celtics — who boasted the NBA’s best regular-season record at 64-18 — ranked No. 1 in the league with a 122.2 offensive rating. They were second in points per game (120.6) and rebounds per game (46.3), and they hit the most 3-pointers per game (16.5) of any team.

Tatum was named first team All-NBA after he put up 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game this season. Jaylen Brown complemented him with averages of 23 points and 5.5 rebounds.

Boston’s defense wasn’t too shabby, either. The Celtics’ 110.6 rating was No. 2 in the NBA this season, and they led the league in blocked shots (6.6 a contest).

It is Boston's first title since 2008, when it beat the Lakers in six games.

Celtics big man Al Horford played in 186 postseason games before winning a title, the most in NBA history. After the win, he said the wait was worth it.

"It’s been long. A lot of hard work, but I’m so proud to be part of this team,” he said. “I can’t believe it. I still can’t believe it. But we did it. We’re here."

SOURCE: NBC NEWS
 
LA Lakers name TV pundit Redick as new head coach

The LA Lakers are have named television pundit and former player JJ Redick as their new head coach.

The former Orlando Magic and LA Clippers shooting guard moved into punditry with broadcaster ESPN after ending his 15-year playing career and has no previous coaching experience.

The 40-year-old also co-hosts a basketball podcast alongside Lakers stalwart LeBron James.

“I am incredibly humbled to join the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic and successful sports franchises in the world,” Redick said.

He replaces Darvin Ham, who was sacked by the Lakers in May.

"JJ is a fierce competitor and has an extraordinary basketball IQ and understanding of the modern game that will energize players and excite fans," Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said, adding there had been "a thoughtful and thorough search process".

"His rigorous analysis will immediately unlock new opportunities for our roster while setting a foundation for player development over the long term."

Earlier this month, the University of Connecticut's head coach Dan Hurley turned down an offer, external reportedly worth $70m (£55.2m) to take over as Lakers coach



BBC
 
Hawks take French teen Risacher with NBA draft first pick

The Atlanta Hawks selected teenage French forward Zaccharie Risacher with the first overall pick of the NBA draft.

It is the second year running that a French player has been chosen first.

Last year there was little doubt Victor Wembanyama would be the number one pick, whereas this year Risacher and fellow Frenchman Alexandre Sarr have frequently traded places atop mock drafts over the past month.

Risacher, 19, is 6ft 9in and weighed in at 195 pounds at the draft combine in May, having most recently played in the French top flight for JL Bourg-en-Bresse.

"[It's] so exciting," he told ESPN. "There's a lot of feelings and emotions right now. I don't know what to say, I'm so blessed."

The Washington Wizards took Sarr, also 19, with the second overall pick after the centre spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Perth Wildcats of Australia's National Basketball League.

It marked the third time in NBA draft history that the top two picks had no college experience, although Sarr's brother Olivier, 25, is a centre with Oklahoma City Thunder.

"He's shared a lot with me," Alexandre Sarr told ESPN. "Everything I've learned is through him and he gave me all his knowledge, and to this day it's really special to have someone like him in my corner."

Kentucky's Reed Sheppard went to the Houston Rockets with the third pick and UConn's Stephon Castle landed with the San Antonio Spurs at number four.

Ron Holland of G League Ignite, who will be joining the Detroit Pistons, rounded out the top five, while Tidjane Salaun made it three French players to come off the board among the first six picks as the 18-year-old was taken by the Charlotte Hornets.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has said he wants to play with or against his son before the 39-year-old ends his NBA career.

Bronny James, 19, is expected to be selected in the second round on Thursday. The Lakers selected Dalton Knecht 17th overall and their next pick is late in the second round.

This year's draft has been split into two days, with the first round having taken place at the Barclays Center in New York while the second is set to be staged at ESPN's Seaport District Studios, also in New York.

BBC
 

Celtics ownership puts franchise up for sale​

The ownership group of the Boston Celtics announced Monday its intentions to sell all shares of the team.

"The controlling family of the ownership group, after considerable thought and internal discussion, has decided to sell the team for estate and family planning considerations," Boston Basketball Partners L.L.C. said in a statement.

The majority interest is expected to be sold later in 2024 or early 2025. Majority owner Wyc Grousbeck is expected to remain the team's governor until 2028 when the second balance of the sale is to be completed.

The investment group bought the franchise for $360 million in 2002.

Boston has the fourth-highest valuation among NBA franchises at $4.7 billion, according to Forbes. The Celtics rank behind the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Los Angeles Lakers.

This past December, the Dallas Mavericks were sold to the Adelson and Dumont families for $3.5 billion. Earlier in 2023, Mat Ishbia bought the Phoenix Suns for $4 billion and Jimmy and Dee Haslem paid $3.5 billion for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The franchise has largely been successful under its current ownership, reaching the playoffs in 19 out of 22 years and winning championships in 2008 and this past June.

Source: The Score
 

UConn great, four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker retires​

Kemba Walker, a champion at UConn and a four-time All-Star in the NBA, announced his retirement on social media Tuesday.

"I know I couldn't have made it to this point without my incredible support system around me," Walker said in his statement. "There are so many people to thank -- my mom, dad and entire family, my teammates who have become family, and the coaches who believed in me and brought out the best in me."

Walker, 34, was drafted No. 9 overall by the then-Charlotte Bobcats in the 2011 NBA draft after leading UConn to a national championship that spring.

Walker improved steadily in Charlotte before breaking out as an All-Star in 2016-17. He was an All-Star again in each of the next two years, with his best season coming in 2018-19 as he averaged a career-best 25.6 points per game and was named to the All-NBA third team.

www.espn.com

UConn great, 4-time All-Star Kemba Walker retires

Kemba Walker, who won a championship at UConn and was a 4-time All-Star in the NBA, announced his retirement Tuesday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 

Report: Isaac agrees to 5-year, $84M extension with Magic​

Forward Jonathan Isaac agreed to a five-year, $84-million contract extension and renegotiation with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The defensive ace has spent all seven of his professional seasons with Orlando since being drafted sixth overall in 2017. The 26-year-old missed two campaigns due to a left ACL injury he suffered in 2020.

Isaac played in 58 games last season, the most since his sophomore campaign. He averaged 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per contest.

The Magic have been busy this offseason. They've brought back Moe Wagner on a two-year, $22-million deal, kept guard Garry Harris on a two-year, $14-million contract, retained center Goga Bitadze on a three-year, $25-million deal, and signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66-million pact.

Orlando was also reportedly considered a contender in the Paul George sweepstakes before the nine-time All-Star joined the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Magic returned to the postseason in the 2023-24 campaign for the first time since 2020. Orlando lost in the opening round of the playoffs to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

 
'Be happy it happened' - Thompson to leave Warriors

Klay Thompson told fans "don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened" as he confirmed he is leaving the Golden State Warriors.

The 34-year-old shooting guard, who is expected to join the Dallas Mavericks, was selected by the Warriors with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft.

Thompson went on to help the San Francisco-based team reach the NBA Finals six times between 2015 and 2022, winning four titles. He was named an All-Star five times.

"Oh Bay Area, there are not enough words and images to convey how I really feel about y'all," he said on Instagram., external

"From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the best times of my life. It was such an honour to put that Dubs jersey on from day one."

In 2015 Thompson helped the Warriors win their first NBA championship in 40 years, before going back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.

After reaching a fifth straight Finals in 2019, Thompson suffered a serious knee injury late in the series and spent more than two years out before returning to win a fourth title in 2022.

"I really just wanted to be the best I could be and help bring as many championships as possible to the region," Thompson said.

"The best part was not the rings, though. It was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime."

We changed the way the game is played - Curry

Thompson formed a devastating partnership with Stephen Curry, who was selected seventh in the 2009 draft, and they became known as the 'Splash Brothers' for their shooting prowess from three-point range.

In three straight seasons from 2014 to 2016 they broke the NBA record for combined three-pointers in a season.

"Gonna miss you," Curry said on Instagram on Tuesday. "Even though we won’t finish the journey together, what we did will never be done again.

"Couldn’t have imagined a better run with you and [Green]. Changed the whole Bay Area. Changed the way the game is played. Killa Klay at the centre of it all.

"Thank you for everything bro. Go enjoy playing basketball and doing what you do. Splash Bros 4 life my guy."

BBC
 
Thompson feels 'wanted again' after Warriors exit

Klay Thompson says his move to the Dallas Mavericks is a "fresh start" after a "tough" ending to his Golden State Warriors career.

The 34-year-old ended his 13-year stay with the Warriors to join the Mavericks this week.

Thompson, an 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft for the Warriors, reached six NBA finals between 2015 and 2022, winning four titles.

But the five-time All-Star shooting guard has struggled in recent years with injuries, missing almost two years of action between 2019 and 2021 with knee and Achilles problems.

Thompson's contract with the Warriors was due to expire in June but despite lobbying from team-mate Stephen Curry for the franchise to extend his deal, the two parties could not find an agreement.

"Coming here is just such a fresh start," Thompson said.

"Feeling just wanted again, like I bring great value... It just gets me excited to go out there and even work out after this press conference and get shots up."

Thompson, alluding to his strained relationship with the Warriors, added there were times last year when "it was tough" and not "as joyful as it was in the past".

Tatum signs record-breaking Celtics deal

The Boston Celtics have tied Jayson Tatum down to a new five-year deal worth a reported $314m (£245m).

The 26-year-old led the Celtics to a record-breaking 18th NBA Championship last season with a five-game victory over the Mavericks.

Tatum, a third overall draft pick in 2017, overtakes team-mate Jaylen Brown as the best player in the NBA.

Brad Stevens, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, said the franchise is "obviously ecstatic" that Tatum, a four-time All-NBA star, chose to commit his future to them.

Elsewhere, LeBron James' hopes of playing with his son Bronny for the La Lakers are still alive after he signed a new deal on the west coast.

The 39-year-old signed a two-year extension with the Lakers last week in what is likely to be his final deal with the franchise.

The deal is reportedly worth $104m (£81.5m).

Bronny was selected by the Lakers in the second round of the NBA Draft in June.

LeBron has been open about his ambition to become the first father-son partnership in NBA history by playing with Bronny before the end of his career.

BBC
 
NBA star to become first black Greek Olympic flagbearer

Greek basketball star Giannis Antetokounmpo is to become the first black athlete to bear the flag for Greece at the Olympics.

The two-time NBA MVP will carry the flag alongside race walker Antigoni Ntrismpioti in Paris on 26 July.

The Greek men’s basketball team qualified for its first Olympic Games since 2008, after beating Croatia in front of a home crowd in Piraeus on Sunday.

The 29-year-old, who was drafted by Milwaukee Bucks in 2013 and led them to the 2021 NBA title, was in tears after the game.

"It's an incredible feeling," he said after qualification. "Since I was a kid I always wanted to play in the Olympic Games."

His journey to become Greece's Olympic flagbearer hasn't been an easy one.

Antetokounmpo's parents emigrated to Greece from Nigeria. For the first 18 years of his life, Antetokounmpo could not travel outside Greece and was effectively stateless, having no papers either from Greece or Nigeria. He was eventually issued Greek citizenship in May 2013, less than two months before the NBA draft.

Antetokounmpo spoke about his childhood in a recent interview with ESPN.

"I used to sell things since I can remember myself, since I was six or seven years old.

“I was always out of home trying as much as I could to help my mom and dad by selling watches, glasses, CDs, DVDs, and everything I could find. I was doing that until I turned 17 because I had to. I had no other choice. When I was selling all those things, I was the best seller."

But even after becoming a star in the US, Antetokounmpo encountered racism at home.

In a TNT documentary in 2020, he said: "Greece is a country of white people, life can be difficult for someone with the colour of my skin. Or of another nationality. You go to a lot of neighbourhoods, and you face a lot of racism."

There was a backlash to his comments from some in Greece, including Konstantinos Kalemis, then-coordinator for refugee education in the Malakasa camp north of Athens, who used a range of racial slurs against Antetokounmpo and was fired as a result.

He has also faced discrimination from government officials.

In 2018, Adonis Georgiadis, the current health minister, repeatedly mispronounced his name and falsely claimed he had been born in Africa instead of Greece.

Antetokounmpo will be one of the first athletes to open the Games, as Greece - the birthplace of the Olympics - traditionally leads the parade.

Spyros Kapralos, president of the Greek Olympic Committee, said there was "unanimity" in the decision for Antetokounmpo to carry the flag in Paris. He added that both flagbearers will "lift our country high".

Antetokounmpo hasn't publicly commented yet, but simply posted a video to X showing highlights from the qualifying campaign with the word "Greece".

BBC
 
USA smoke Serbia in exhibition behind Steph Curry and dominant defense

Team USA ran away from Serbia for a 105-79 exhibition game victory on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi to improve to 3-0 on the team’s pre-Olympics tour.

Bam Adebayo scored at will – inside and out – and helped Anthony Davis make life difficult for Serbian star and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. Davis had six blocks, including a pin off the glass at the eight-minute mark in the fourth quarter that preceded a standing ovation.

Adebayo had 17 points and seven rebounds and Steph Curry had 18 points in the first half and finished with six threes and 24 points.

Team USA made 16 of 36 shots from three-point range.

Jokić was 3-of-10 shooting and finished with eight points.

Curry corralled a loose ball and with a lightning release from the left wing, splashed his fifth three-pointer of the game to inflate the US advantage to 90-63 before LeBron James emphatically stamped a right-handed slam off a lob from Adebayo. The next possession was a highlight reel of dribbling and passing that ended with another Curry three, followed by James getting downhill and powering for a lefty finish and 31-point lead.

Jokić touched the ball on nearly every possession and passionately implored teammates to dig in defensively to no avail. Jokić spent the fourth quarter seated with Serbia and the US to meet again in the first Pool C game for both countries in the Olympics on 28 July.

Shooting and depth stood out as the US gathered around Jokić on the defensive end and spread the ball around with extra passes. Adebayo drained a three from the top of the key to push the lead to 81-53 late in the third quarter.

Team USA ended the first half with a finishing kick sparked by high-energy defense and led 59-45 thanks to the bench outscoring the starters, 30-29.

Curry had 18 points in the first 20 minutes. He rattled off a solo run of nine consecutive points at the midpoint of the second quarter and Anthony Edwards nailed a three to give the US a 47-40 edge with 4:12 left in the half.

Adebayo stretched the run to 13-2 with consecutive baskets bookended by a pair of Davis rejections of Jokić shots in the lane. After Davis altered another Jokić shot to start the break, Edwards flushed one to extend the lead to 56-42.

Team USA play two more games before the Olympics begin with pool play this month, with South Sudan up next Saturday in London.

The Guardian
 
GB match abandoned after medical incident in crowd

Great Britain women's basketball match against Germany on Sunday was abandoned after a medical incident in the crowd.

The exhibition match at the Copper Box Arena in London was called off after the third period when a fan alerted the Germany bench to the emergency.

Medics moved into the stands to assist and raised sheets for privacy around the spectator, who was later taken away on a stretcher.

Germany were leading 54-43 but both sides decided to end the match.


BBC
 
James inspires USA to win against Germany in London

LeBron James scored 20 points for the United States as they beat Germany 92-88 in their final warm-up match before the Olympic Games.

The 39-year-old produced 11 points of his game-high tally in the final four minutes as the USA survived a tough test at a sold-out O2 Arena in London.

Germany led 71-68 at the end of the third quarter before James inspired the United States to victory.

He sank a three-pointer with one minute 26 seconds remaining to put the USA 90-86 up, then added two more points to give them a 92-86 lead on the way to the win.

Joel Embiid scored 15 points and Stephen Curry 13 against Germany in a victory which means the United States have won all five of their pre-Olympic exhibition games.

"It was a good test for us. And I'm glad we were able to once again keep our composure, persevere like we did the other day versus South Sudan," said James, who will be a flagbearer for Team USA at Friday's Olympic Games opening ceremony.

The USA are targeting a fifth consecutive men's basketball gold medal at this summer's Olympics in Paris, with their 12-man squad filled with some of the NBA's greatest talents.

"Now it's obviously a matter of showing up when the lights are bright next week," Curry said.

"I think we're ready. I think we're prepared. Now we have to perform."

They begin their Olympics campaign against Serbia (28 July), before facing South Sudan (31 July) and Puerto Rico (3 August).

Flagbearer James carried team too - Analysis

\Despite winning both exhibition games in London, Team USA have work to do.

World champions Germany made a statement by forcing the US into unnecessary turnovers, regaining possession and punishing them for it.

This lack of focus will undoubtedly frustrate the coaches, despite some defensive improvements in other coverages seen from the game against South Sudan.

But does any of that matter if you have LeBron James on your team?

He'll be carrying the US flag on Friday, but against Germany he carried the entire team when needed.

At 39, James lit up the O2 Arena, igniting the crowd with an opening dunk that set the tone for the night.

Down the stretch, as he did against South Sudan, James took over.

Team USA’s final 11 points were all courtesy of the four-time gold medallist, who ended the night with 20 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Powering past German defenders to score in the paint and showcasing his finesse with a three-pointer as the clock hit two minutes, the British crowd erupted in applause for 'the King.'

James has aged like the finest of wines, growing even more valuable with time.

BBC
 
Lebron is also picked to carry US flag at the Olympics, thereby becoming the first Basketball player ever to do so. Even Michael Jordan didn’t get this honour.
 
USA's women begin title defence with win over Japan

The USA women's team started their Olympic title defence with a dominant 26-point win over Japan.

It was a repeat of the Tokyo 2020 final, in which Japan secured their first ever basketball Olympic medal.

Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson registered 24 points of USA's 102-76 win.

The American squad combined have 15 Olympic gold medals and 18 Fiba Women’s World Cup titles, with all 12 players having either won an Olympic or World Cup gold medal.

Their victory on Monday means they are on a 56-game unbeaten Olympic streak, having won nine out of the 12 Olympic golds that have been awarded.

They will face Belgium next, on Thursday, before playing Germany for a spot in the quarter-finals.


BBC
 
US wins the gold. Again.

Steph Curry had a poor start with the shooting but went absolutely nuts afterwards. What a player and match winner.

US overall nailed the 3d tonight. Major difference.
 
Bhaijaan said:
US wins the gold. Again.

Steph Curry had a poor start with the shooting but went absolutely nuts afterwards. What a player and match winner.

US overall nailed the 3d tonight. Major difference.
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5 wins in a row and the Chef with three clutch three pointers to nail it for the Americans.. it was awesome but also somewhat sad to see the Big 3 of LBJ, Steph and KD together as this is likely the last time we’ll see a big three just hoop together like this.
 
offstump said:
5 wins in a row and the Chef with three clutch three pointers to nail it for the Americans.. it was awesome but also somewhat sad to see the Big 3 of LBJ, Steph and KD together as this is likely the last time we’ll see a big three just hoop together like this.
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Yes brother, totally worth staying awake late in the night for this.

Lebron, KD, Chef all showing their class.

I was a bit worried when Steph missed some 3s early on, I thought maybe it was going to be a bad night for him but then he started nailing them 3s and by the end of the game he went nuts. It was a spectacle.
 
Bhaijaan said:
Yes brother, totally worth staying awake late in the night for this.

Lebron, KD, Chef all showing their class.

I was a bit worried when Steph missed some 3s early on, I thought maybe it was going to be a bad night for him but then he started nailing them 3s and by the end of the game he went nuts. It was a spectacle.
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Steph showed his class and why he’s the greatest shooter the world has ever seen. Goona miss this era of hoopers, the next generation will be a mixture of American and euro stars sprinkled with some other global players. But I do see Anthony Edwards taking the reigns here for the US, he’s a throwback to the 90s smash mouth in your face basketball players I love to watch.
 
offstump said:
Steph showed his class and why he’s the greatest shooter the world has ever seen. Goona miss this era of hoopers, the next generation will be a mixture of American and euro stars sprinkled with some other global players. But I do see Anthony Edwards taking the reigns here for the US, he’s a throwback to the 90s smash mouth in your face basketball players I love to watch.
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Gonna miss the big 3.
KS & Steph have 3-4 more years left in the tank and might play another Olympics. Lebron maybe 1-2 years but legacy wise umm don’t see left to be done now. Lakers aren’t winning an NBA title. Gonna be missed even at 39 the way he goes coast to coast with that speed m, power and agility what an athlete.
 
Bhaijaan said:
Gonna miss the big 3.
KS & Steph have 3-4 more years left in the tank and might play another Olympics. Lebron maybe 1-2 years but legacy wise umm don’t see left to be done now. Lakers aren’t winning an NBA title. Gonna be missed even at 39 the way he goes coast to coast with that speed m, power and agility what an athlete.
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Yeah, same here. Lebron will be 43 but I can see him badly wanting to play in LA for the Olympics, whether or not he’s effective at that stage is another story but he’s a freak of nature and sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber so who knows! I think KD will be done by then, Steph might still be around but by then Halliburton, Ant Man, and Tatum will probably be front and centre. Plus, US won’t have AD by then, they need a big and Embiid is a question mark in 4 years time. I think US winning gold this year is massive as it might not happen again for a while as the world has caught up and any of the countries can give them a run.
 
offstump said:
Yeah, same here. Lebron will be 43 but I can see him badly wanting to play in LA for the Olympics, whether or not he’s effective at that stage is another story but he’s a freak of nature and sleeps in a hyperbaric chamber so who knows! I think KD will be done by then, Steph might still be around but by then Halliburton, Ant Man, and Tatum will probably be front and centre. Plus, US won’t have AD by then, they need a big and Embiid is a question mark in 4 years time. I think US winning gold this year is massive as it might not happen again for a while as the world has caught up and any of the countries can give them a run.
Click to expand...

I genuinely believe this is the greatest Basketball roster ever assembled. Greater than the Dream Team 1. It was an absolute pleasure follow this roster where Jayson Taytem was struggling to get minutes.
 

Netflix to launch NBA sports series 'Starting 5' featuring star players​


Netflix said on Wednesday it will launch a sports series titled "Starting 5" that will showcase behind-the-scenes moments from the National Basketball Association games' 2023-2024 season.

Streaming services have been increasingly investing in sports content to drive up viewership and advertising revenue. Netflix signed new content deals with World Wrestling Entertainment and National Football League this year, expanding its sports slate with live programming.

The new series will be divided in 10 parts and follow popular NBA stars Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis and Jayson Tatum.

Set to premiere on Oct. 9, the series will be produced by James' digital media company, Uninterrupted, in association with Barack and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions.

Netflix has had success with behind-the-scenes shows, such as the 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' documentary series that fueled the sport's global popularity.

 
Curry signs one-year Golden State Warriors extension

Stephen Curry has ended speculation over his future by signing a one-year contract extension with the Golden State Warriors until 2027.

The deal is worth a reported $62.6m, external (£47.5m) and means the four-time NBA champion will be guaranteed $178m (£135m) over the next three years.

The 36-year-old, who has twice been named the league's Most Valuable Player, will become the fourth NBA player to pass $500m in career earnings - after LeBron James, Paul George and Kevin Durant.

At the end of his new deal, Curry's total on-court earnings will be about $532m (£403m), which currently ranks as the second highest in NBA history - behind only James ($580m).

Curry has spent his entire NBA career with the Warriors since they drafted him with the seventh overall pick in 2009.

This season the 10-time NBA All-Star will be without long-time team-mate Klay Thompson.

Despite lobbying from Curry, Golden State were unable to reach an agreement over a new contract and Thompson ended his 13-year association with the Warriors by leaving for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.

Of the four players that played in each of the Warriors' NBA title wins, Curry and Draymond Green are now the only two remaining.

They are set to lead the team into a new era as they plan to lean more on their young players after missing out on last season's play-offs.

What makes Curry so valuable?

Curry has revolutionised the way basketball is played. He and Thompson became known as the 'Splash Brothers' for their shooting prowess from three-point range.

But Curry was the biggest threat. Despite standing at 6ft 2in, his accuracy from behind the three-point line has meant players in every position are now expected to be able to shoot - and guard against - three-point shots.

During the 2022 season, Curry became the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers. His tally now stands at 3,747.

At the end of that season, the Warriors became NBA champions for the fourth time in eight years, which was seen as Curry's 'crowning achievement'.

Two years on, his powers have shown little sign of waning. Last season, Curry averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 45% overall and 40.8% on three-pointers.

He led the NBA in three-point field goals for the eighth time in his career, with 357 the third most in a single season. Curry tops that list with 402 in 2015-16.

Last season Curry also led the league for points (189), three-pointers (32) and field goals made (59) during the decisive final minutes.

At this summer's Olympics in Paris, the point guard became only the fifth NBA player to have won at least four NBA championships, two MVP awards and an Olympic gold medal - after LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell.

BBC
 

Clippers sign Terance Mann to three-year, $47M extension that runs through 2028​

The Los Angeles Clippers have signed Terance Mann to a three-year, $47M extension that will run through 2028, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Mann was already under contract this year for $11.4M. The extension kicks in before the 2025-26 season.

Mann has spent each of his five NBA seasons with the Clippers, who took him in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Florida State. At that draft slot, his career has already been a huge success, and this new deal only cements that fact. Very few second-rounders have any kind of career in the NBA, let alone sign a $47M contract.

The Clippers need Mann on the wing. They'll have to replace Paul George collectively, and Mann will be a part of that wing rotation along with Norman Powell and summer additions Derrick Jones Jr. and Nicolas Batum.

Mann will be even more important if Kawhi Leonard isn't able to make it back for the start of the regular season. Leonard, who signed will miss training camp and the preseason as he focuses on getting his right knee in the best shape possible after offseason surgery.

Mann is a solid player. He can defend and create for himself, and his dip in 3-point percentage last season notwithstanding, he's a highly efficient shooter who connected on 39% of his 3s two years ago including a dazzling 45% on non-corner 3s, per Cleaning the Glass.

Mann has a chance to go to another level with increased opportunity this season, and this contract reflects the Clippers' belief that he can do that.

Source: CBS SPORTS
 
NBA legend Mutombo dies from brain cancer aged 58

NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo has died from brain cancer at the age of 58.

The eight-time NBA All-Star, who retired in 2009, spent 18 years playing in the league for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

Mutombo began treatment for a brain tumour in October 2022.


www.bbc.com

Dikembe Mutombo: NBA legend dies from brain cancer aged 58

NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo dies from brain cancer at the age of 58.
www.bbc.com
 
LeBron James and son Bronny make NBA history

LeBron James and his son Bronny made history after they became the first father-son duo to share the court in an NBA game during the Los Angeles Lakers' season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The much-anticipated moment came with four minutes left of the first half of the Lakers' 110-103 victory when the duo were introduced by coach JJ Redick.

The sold-out crowd at the Crypto.com Arena let out a huge roar when the pair stepped on to the court with the Lakers 51-35 ahead at the time.

The pair also played together earlier this month during the Lakers' pre-season game against the Phoenix Suns.

"It's always been family over everything," LeBron said alongside Bronny after the game.

"I lost a lot of time because of this league so to be able to have this moment where I am working still and I can work alongside my son, it's one of the greatest gifts I've ever got from the man above and I'm going to take full advantage of it."

The James double-act was watched at courtside by Ken Griffey Sr and Ken Griffey Jr, who made Major League Baseball history playing for the Seattle Mariners as father and son in 1990-1991.

Bronny, 20, ended up playing three minutes in the first half, missing both of his field-goal attempts and hauling in an offensive rebound.

LeBron collected eight points and three boards in 17 minutes of action before the break. He ended the game with 16 points in 35 minutes.

"Going up to the scorers' table and checking in for the first time was a crazy moment I will never forget," Bronny said.

"I'm just extremely grateful for everything. I was given an amazing opportunity to come into this league and get better every day and learn every day."

Bronny joined the Lakers as a second-round draft pick from the University of Southern California in June.

LeBron, 39, is the NBA's all-time record point-scorer and a four-time NBA winner.

The veteran is now in his 22nd season in the NBA and has yet to say when he plans to call time on his career.

He signed a new two-year deal with the Lakers following Bronny's arrival at the franchise.

BBC
 
James and Davis help Lakers extend winning start

LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 63 points - 30 of them in the fourth quarter - as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 131-127 to make it three wins from three this season.

The Lakers led by as many as 15 points on the way to a 64-60 half-time lead at the Crypto.com Arena in LA.

But the Kings fought back and were 94-87 in front heading into the final quarter before a 21-0 scoring run from the Lakers, including 16 points from James.

Davis, who finished with 31 points, became the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2005-06 to open the season with three successive games of at least 30 points, while James scored 32 points and made 14 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Kings were led by 29 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists from Domantas Sabonis, and 28 points and 10 assists from De'Aaron Fox.

Kevin Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to pass 29,000 points as he led the Phoenix Suns to a 114-102 home win over the Dallas Mavericks.

The 14-time All Star, who is in his 17th season, scored 31 points to take his career tally to 29,010.

James, the all-time leading scorer with 40,543 points, is the only other current player to have reached 29,000.

Reigning NBA champions the Boston Celtics mounted a late charge to triumph 124-118 at the winless Detroit Pistons.

The Celtics came from 112-106 down with just over five minutes left, with Jayson Tatum scoring 37 points and Jaylen Brown 24.

BBC
 

Curry injured in Warriors' defeat against Clippers​


Head coach Steve Kerr said the injury Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry picked up in the 112-104 defeat against the LA Clippers is a "concern".

The 36-year-old first limped out of the game in the third quarter, when he received treatment for a twisted ankle.

Curry, a two-time MVP, returned to the game four minutes into the fourth quarter but immediately aggravated the issue and had to be helped to the locker room by team-mate Gary Payton.

"He's doing OK. He used the word 'mild' or 'moderate'," Kerr said.

"He's obviously sprained that ankle many times before. He doesn't think it's too bad, but it's a concern."

Curry, who has an extensive history of ankle injuries, scored 18 points as the Warriors lost their first game of the NBA season.

Ivica Zubac and James Harden both totalled 23 points for the Clippers.

It was Zubac's second successive double-double as the Croatian put up 17 rebounds with six assists to go with his 23 points.

"Every time they needed a bucket, they seemed to get one from Zubac," Kerr said.

Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 124-118 while the Houston Rockets narrowly lost 109-106 against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Miami Heat cruised past the Charlotte Hornets 114-106 after unveiling a statue of franchise legend Dwayne Wade.

Wade, 42, is Miami's leading all-time scorer and led the Heat to three NBA Championships over two stints in Florida.

www.bbc.com

NBA: Steph Curry injured as Golden State Warriors lose to LA Clippers

Stephen Curry injures his ankle in the Golden State Warriors' 112-104 defeat against the LA Clippers.
www.bbc.com
 
Lakers off to a very positive 3-0 start with Lebron and AD both firing already. Great team spirit as well and new coach JJ Reddick seems to be having a positive impact on the locker room. Looking very proactive.

Too early to draw conclusions however. I am waiting till ASB to form an opinion on this squads. Reckon they can make the playoffs again.
 
Lakers' unbeaten start to NBA season ended by Suns

Phoenix Suns duo Kevin Durant and Devin Booker combined to send Los Angeles Lakers tumbling to their first NBA defeat of the season.

Booker bagged 33 points and Durant 30 to give the Suns a thrilling 109-105 win at Phoenix's Footprint Center.

Lakers star LeBron James had a quiet game and registered just 11 points as team-mate Anthony Davis top scored with 29, while Austin Reaves added 23.

The Lakers had gone into the match with an impressive 3-0 start to the campaign under new head coach JJ Redick and made a superb start to the game.

Davis bagged 16 points in the first quarter to give the Lakers a 26-8 lead.

Phoenix hit back to go 50-48 up before the Lakers responded with a 35-point third quarter to regain the lead.

However, the Suns dominated the fourth as they outscored the Lakers 33-22 to seal a hard-fought victory.

Suns coach Mike Budenholzer hailed the "toughness" of his side's defence after taking "a punch like that in the first quarter" as a crucial factor in the win.

Elsewhere, Paolo Banchero became the first Orlando Magic player with a 50-point game in 20 years as they edged out the Indiana Pacers 119-115.

Banchero tied the franchise record for points in a half, scoring 37 in the first two quarters against the Indiana Pacers.

He added 13 rebounds and had nine assists while Jalen Suggs provided offensive support with 25 points.

Banchero finished with a career-high 50 points, equalling the club's fifth-highest scoring effort and the best return since Tracy McGrady’s record of 62 points in a March 2004.

"It was just being in the zone. I felt like I was in an open gym, back at home, just working on my game," Banchero said.

"Every shot felt like it was going in and it’s a good feeling when you’ve got a day like that.”

BBC
 
Seems like Bron Bron had an off night. This is where Rui, Reeves, DLo will have to step up.
 
'Unbelievable moment' - Bronny James hits first NBA points

Bronny James scored his first NBA basket for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 134-110 defeat by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Evan Mobley grabbed 25 points and Donovan Mitchell added 24 as the Cavaliers made it five straight wins to record their best start to a season since 2016-17.

LeBron James, 39, who previously had two spells at Cleveland, and his son Bronny, 20, made history last week, becoming the first father-son duo to share the court in an NBA game during the Lakers' season-opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"To see him get his first NBA basket in this arena, where he grew up not too far from here - it's an unbelievable moment," LeBron said.

Bronny came on with just over five minutes left against the Cavaliers and scored his first NBA points on a step-back, 14-foot jumper over Tristan Thompson.

He missed a three-point attempt with less than a minute to play, while his father finished with 26 points, six rebounds and six turnovers.

Meanwhile, Pascal Siakam made a tie-breaking three-pointer with 7.3 seconds remaining in overtime to help the Indiana Pacers defeat the Boston Celtics 135-132 in Indianapolis.

Jaylen Brown missed a three-point attempt to tie the game on the defending champions' final possession, resulting in a first defeat of the season.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 44 points as the New York Knicks beat the Miami Heat 116-107, while the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 105-93.

San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama limped off with an injured foot in the second quarter, before the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year returned to finish with a career-low six points.

The Detroit Pistons earned their first win of the season following a 105-95 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

It was a closer game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the LA Clippers in California, as Anfernee Simons scored 25 points in a one-point 106-105 victory for the visitors.

In other results, the Golden State Warriors managed without Stephen Curry, who injured his ankle against the Clippers on Monday, to win 104-89 against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Curry's replacement Brandin Podziemski nearly recorded a triple-double, and Buddy Hield managed 21 points.

Bilal Coulibaly scored a career-high 27 points in the Washington Wizards' 133-120 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

In North Carolina, Tre Mann and Cody Martin combined for 52 points off the bench to help the Charlotte Hornets edge past the Toronto Raptors 138-133.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls came back from a 10-point half-time deficit to beat Orlando Magic 102-99, despite 32 points from Paolo Banchero.

Finally, the Brooklyn Nets eased past the Memphis Grizzlies 119-106 after Dennis Schroder scored a season-high 33 points.

BBC
 
Wembanyama hits rare 5x5 as Spurs see off Jazz

Victor Wembanyama further enhanced his reputation by sealing a rare 5x5 to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the Utah Jazz 106-88.

Wembanyama scored 25 points with nine rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and five steals.

It is the second time he has accomplished the 5x5 - five in each category - and he joined Hakeem Olajuwon and Andrei Kirilenko as the only players to achieve that feat more than once.

"It tells me I need to get my standards up when I don't get 5x5s because I am able to help my team in all those areas. It should be a consistent thing," Wembanyama said.

The Spurs, who had lost their previous two fixtures, are 12th in the Western Conference, while the Jazz are bottom after losing all five games.

In Memphis, Tennessee, Ja Morant starred as the Memphis Grizzles beat the Milwaukee Bucks 122-99.

Morant recorded the 12th triple-double of his career by scoring 26 points with 14 assists and 10 rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's game-high 37 points was not enough for the Bucks as they slumped to a fourth successive defeat.

"I thought we played with the right spirit," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said.

"We didn't make shots and you're going to have nights like that. But on those nights we have to find a way to get stops."

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns benefitted from a stunning Devin Booker performance to overturn a 21-point deficit and beat the Los Angeles Clippers 125-119.

Booker registered a season-high 40 points in Inglewood, California and he was aided by 21 points from Royce O'Neale and a further 18 from Kevin Durant.

Rookie Ryan Dunn, making just his second career start, also chipped in with 16 points.

The Suns' second win in the space of two weeks at the Clippers' new Intuit Dome venue has them sitting third in the Western Conference.

BBC
 
NBA investigating alleged Embiid altercation

The NBA says it is investigating after Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid had an alleged physical altercation with a reporter.

Embiid confronted the reporter in the Philadelphia locker room about an article that referred to his son and late brother, as well as criticising his fitness and professionalism.

The seven-time NBA All-Star and 2023 Most Valuable Player has yet to play this season because of a knee issue.

The incident happened after the 76ers' 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

"The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I'm going to do to you and I'm going to have to live with the consequences," Embiid is reported to have said.

As the altercation continued Embiid, 30, is then alleged to have pushed the reporter on the shoulder before a Sixers official got between the pair.

Embiid had mentioned the article in question during a news conference on Friday.

"When I see people saying 'he doesn't want to play' - I've done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk, for people to be saying that," he said.

In a statement, the NBA said: "We are aware of reports of an incident in the Sixers locker room this evening and are commencing an investigation."

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told ESPN the club has also launched an investigation and takes the situation "very seriously".

BBC
 
Doncic leads Mavericks to dominant win over Magic

Luka Doncic delivered 32 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a "real fun" performance as the Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 108-85 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday.

Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter to help the Mavericks to a 30-22 lead and they were 65-40 ahead at the break.

The 25-year-old Slovenian scored 25 first-half points, including five three-pointers.

"Today was real fun," he said. "We were guarding everybody, defending, rebounding, playing with a lot of pace. So that's fun for me."

Dallas maintained their momentum in the second half and stretched their advantage to 82-52 on Doncic's free throw with six minutes and five seconds to play in the third quarter and they led by as many as 33 points during the fourth quarter.

Daniel Gafford scored a season-high 18 points for Dallas while Kyrie Irving added 17 and Dereck Lively II had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

It was a third defeat in a row for Orlando who made just eight of 41 three-point attempts and are currently without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, who has an abdominal muscle injury and is set to miss at least the next four weeks.


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NBA: Luka Doncic dominates as Dallas Mavericks beat Orlando Magic

Luka Doncic dominates with 32 points in 32 minutes as the Dallas Mavericks ease past the Orlando Magic.
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Cavaliers beat Bucks to match franchise record

The Cleveland Cavaliers matched a franchise record by winning their first eight games of the season as they edged a 116-114 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Cavaliers matched a record set in 1976-77 with a win in which Darius Garland scored a game-high 39 points against a Bucks side without the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Garland sank a three-pointer with 45 seconds left and then set up Jarrett Allen for a lay-up with 12.2 seconds remaining to secure the win.

"It's hard to get one [win] so eight is crazy," Garland said.

Damian Lillard scored 36 points for the Bucks, who were 106-98 up with just over six minutes left, but could not prevent his side losing a sixth game in a row.

Cleveland had also beaten the Bucks 114-113 on Saturday when Donovan Mitchell scored with 0.3 seconds left.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are also unbeaten this season as they won a seventh successive game by beating the Orlando Magic 102-86.

Jalen Williams scored 23 points for the Thunder, while team-mate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 points.

Elsewhere, Stephen Curry returned from a three-game absence to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Washington Wizards 125-112.

Curry was back after spraining his left ankle and scored 24 points against the Wizards as the Warriors improved their record to 4-0 on the road.

The Detroit Pistons ended a seven-game losing run with a 115-103 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jaden Ivey scored 26 points while Pistons team-mate Cade Cunningham registered a triple-double of 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

The Lakers' Anthony Davis, who continued to play in the fourth quarter after appearing to be troubled by an ankle issue, led all scorers with 37 points.

Kevin Durant scored 35 points to inspire the Phoenix Suns to a 118-116 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Boston Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks 123-93.

BBC
 
Embiid given three-game ban for pushing journalist

Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid has been suspended for three games for pushing a journalist.

The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player shoved a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist after the reporter wrote a critical article that referred to his son and late brother, as well as criticising his fitness and professionalism.

The incident happened after the 76ers' 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

Embiid, a seven-time All-Star, is yet to play this season because of a knee issue.

"Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and media in the NBA," league executive vice-president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a statement.

"While we understand Joel was offended by the personal nature of the original version of the reporter's column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical."

In Embiid's absence, Philadelphia have won just one of their first six games to start the season.

BBC
 
Curry passes Barkley record as Warriors beat Celtics

Steph Curry passed NBA legend Charles Barkley on the all-time scoring list as the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 118-112 on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old, a four-time NBA Championship winner, registered 27 points on the night, plus a triple double, as he moved to 30th on the all-time list and the Warriors sealed their fifth consecutive win.

Curry registered the 23,747th point of his career in the third quarter to surpass 61-year-old Barkley.

Barkley, a member of the NBA's Hall of Fame, is a long-term critic of Curry and predicted the Warriors would be "mediocre" this season.

Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers recorded a franchise record nine wins in a row with a 131-122 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Donovan Mitchell top scored for the Cavaliers with 29 points.

The LA Lakers were beaten 131-114 by the Memphis Grizzlies, despite LeBron James scoring a season-high 39 points.

"He played hard," said Lakers coach JJ Redick. "Almost 40 years old and he played the hardest on our team. It says a lot about him."

BBC
 
Bucks end six-game losing streak with win over Jazz

Damian Lillard scored 34 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo 31 as the Milwaukee Bucks ended a six-game losing streak by beating Utah Jazz 123-100 on Thursday.

There were seven assists by Lillard, while Bobby Portis scored 19 points off the bench.

Lillard and Antetokounmpo - who took 16 rebounds - combined for 22 of the Bucks' 31 points in the third quarter.

They held a 88-77 lead at the start of the fourth and were up by at least 11 points through the whole of the quarter.

Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 33 points plus eight rebounds and six assists to help the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 135-119 win over the Chicago Bulls.

Julius Randle also added 22 points and 10 rebounds as Minnesota scored 45 points in the fourth quarter to subject the Bulls to their fourth consecutive defeat.

Elsewhere, Malaki Branham and Keldon Johnson each scored 17 points off the bench as San Antonio Spurs won 118-105 against the Portland Trailblazers.

Eight players scored in double figures for San Antonio, with Zach Collins, Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie all collecting 14 points.

It was Portland's third loss in four games, despite Deandre Ayton and Jerami Grant both adding 21 points for the visiting team.

BBC
 
Cavaliers beat Warriors for 10th straight win

The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their best start to an NBA season with a 10th successive victory by beating the Golden State Warriors 136-117.

Darius Garland scored a game-high 27 points for the Cavs, who became only the 15th team to start with a 10-0 record.

Cleveland dominated from the outset and led 83-42 at half-time, with Stephen Curry managing just 12 points for the Warriors whose five-game winning streak was halted.

"10-0 is a magic number," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We're playing really good basketball and I'm just really pleased where the group is.

"I was worried about tonight - they're 7-1 and rolling and they're coming in here, they're champions and they're going to try and knock our block off.

"The way we came out tonight - that surprised me, how ready we were, how hungry we were."

Elsewhere, Jayson Tatum scored 33 points as reigning champions the Boston Celtics earned a 108-104 overtime win against the Brooklyn Nets.

Boston, who suffered a first loss in their previous game against the Warriors, did not lead until the fourth quarter before sealing the victory in overtime after the match was tied 94-94 at the end of normal time.

The Phoenix Suns edged past the Dallas Mavericks 114-113 with Jusuf Nurkic netting a match-winning free throw with 0.8 seconds left.

The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from four defeats in five on the road to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116-106 at home.

Anthony Davis scored 31 points for the Lakers while LeBron James recorded the 114th triple-double of his career with 21 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds.

SOURCE: https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/articles/cly21ln092no
 
Davis and LeBron James help Lakers beat Raptors

Anthony Davis and LeBron James starred as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to claim a 123-103 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors.

Davis scored 22 points in 26 minutes before leaving the game with an eye injury in the third quarter as he tried to block a shot by the Raptors' Jakob Poeltl.

The 31-year-old sustained a number of eye injuries last season, suffering a corneal abrasion in March against the Golden State Warriors before being hit again in the left eye in April against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

James added 19 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds for his second consecutive triple-double, with the 39-year-old becoming the oldest player in NBA history to achieve the feat. It was his third triple-double of the season and the 115th of his career.

The Raptors led 34-26 at the end of the first quarter and were 10 points ahead (48-38) in the second quarter before the Lakers hit back to cut the gap to 55-53 at the interval.

The visitors led 77-72 with three minutes and 59 seconds left in the third quarter before the Lakers went on a 16-5 run and from then on they controlled the game.

Elsewhere, Stephen Curry hit seven of his 13 three-point efforts, finishing with 36 points as the Golden State Warriors beat Oklahoma City 127-116.

But Giannis Antetokounmpo's 43 points were in vain as the Milwaukee Bucks lost 113-107 to the Boston Celtics.

Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 12 rebounds for the reigning NBA champions, who have won nine of their opening 11 games but are still two games behind the unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.

Payton Pritchard scored 18 points off the bench for Boston with Derrick White and former Buck Jrue Holiday adding 15 points each and Jaylen Brown hitting 14.

Greek star Antetokounmpo also claimed 13 rebounds and elbowed Brown to the floor at one point, offering a hand to help him up only to pull it away when Brown reached for it.

"Giannis is a child," said Brown. "I'm just focused on helping my team get a win."


BBC
 
Cleveland extend winning start to 12 games

Cleveland Cavaliers became just the eighth team in NBA history to win their first 12 games of a regular season with a 119-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

It is the best start to a NBA season since the Golden State Warriors in 2015-16, who went on to win a record 24 successive games.

Donovan Mitchell top-scored with 36 points and five other players reached double figures as the Cavaliers fought back from nine points down in the third quarter to seal victory

"We dug deep," said Mitchell ."For us to continue to be what we want to be, that's what it's going to take.

"It was a complete team win. Every night it's somebody different. We're playing for each other, being selfless. We've got to keep it going."

Zach LaVine scored 26 points while Coby White and Nikola Vucevic added 20 in reply for the Bulls, who slip to 4-7 for the season.

Elsewhere, Victor Wembanyama scored 34 points and had 14 rebounds and six assists as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Sacramento Kings 116-96.

Julian Champagnie scored 13 points and Chris Paul added 12 as all of the Spurs starters posted double figures.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander starred as the Oklahoma City Thunder bounced back from their weekend defeat by the Golden State Warriors with a 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 45 points, with Jalen Williams adding 28 and Luguentz Dort 19.

The Thunder announced before the game that centre Chet Holmgren will be assessed in eight to 10 weeks after suffering a pelvic fracture against the Warriors.

Cam Thomas scored 17 points as the Brooklyn Nets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 107-105, while the the Houston Rockets eased to a 107-92 win over the Washington Wizards.

BBC
 
Curry steals show on Thompson's return to Warriors

Steph Curry registered 37 points as the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-117 in the NBA Cup on Klay Thompson's return to the Chase Center.

The 36-year-old scored the Warriors' final 12 points - including a superb three-pointer to make it 118-114 - as he continued his fine start to the season.

Thompson, 34, scored 22 points as he made his first return to the Bay Area after ending his 13-year stint with the Warriors to join the Mavericks last summer.

Curry, who won four NBA Championships alongside Thompson, says it was strange to come up against his former team-mate.

"We went over our pre-game scout and the match-ups," said Curry.

"It was almost surreal saying, 'Steph, you got Klay.'"

Thompson, a five-time NBA all-star, was all too aware of Curry's game-winning ability.

"It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries. Steph got hot at the end," said Thompson.

Elsewhere, Portland Trail Blazers beat Minnesota Timberwolves 122-108 while the Milwaukee Bucks saw off the Toronto Raptors 99-85.

The NBA Cup starts with a split group stage, which is followed by single-elimination knockout rounds.

BBC
 
Davis leads LA Lakers to fifth straight win

Anthony Davis starred for the Los Angeles Lakers as they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 104-99 to secure their fifth consecutive NBA win.

The 31-year-old scored 31 points and added 14 rebounds, while Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht scored 27 points.

LeBron James managed 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the visitors but failed to extend his career-best streak of four consecutive triple-doubles.

Brandon Boston Jr and Brandon Ingram, who had 32 points for the hosts, made consecutive three-pointers to give the Pelicans a 97-95 lead.

But 39-year-old James responded with back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers a 101-97 lead with 37 seconds remaining.

"Big-time win. We want all the wins we can get. We don't have no time to feel out the first month or two," James said.

"Every game is important. To get this win in a hostile environment was big for us."

Elsewhere on Saturday, Jayson Tatum scored a three-pointer at the buzzer to guide the Boston Celtics to a 126-123 overtime win over the Toronto Raptors.

Tatum narrowly missed a triple-double with 24 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists as Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 27 points.

De'Aaron Fox scored 49 points as the Sacramento Kings beat the Utah Jazz 121-117 while the Dallas Mavericks posted a 110-93 win against the San Antonio Spurs, who were without the injured Victor Wembanyama.

BBC
 
Ball fined for homophobic comment

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 (£79,000) by the NBA for making an "offensive and derogatory" homophobic comment.

The 23-year-old made the remark in a courtside interview after the 115-114 home win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

He was discussing his team's defensive strategy on the final play of the game, when the Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a last-gap two-point effort.

"I really didn’t mean anything and don’t want to offend anybody. I've got love for everybody, and I don't discriminate," Ball said after scoring 31 points in Sunday's 128-114 defeat at the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The fine was the maximum the NBA could hand out under current guidelines.

It also fined Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards $35,000 (£28,000) for making an obscene gesture towards fans during Friday's 130-126 overtime win at the Sacremento Kings.

Edwards was fined $40,000 in 2022 for using homophobic language on Instagram.

In 2021 Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant was fined $50,000 for using homophobic and misogynistic language in private messages that were then released publicly.


BBC
 
Lakers 9-4 in the regular season

Dalton Knecht is showing a lot of promise. Too early to say but if everyone remains fit in the roster, Lakers can make a deep playoff run this year.
 
Lillard's late show helps Bucks beat Rockets

Damian Lillard scored with 3.9 seconds left as the Milwaukee Bucks completed a thrilling late comeback to beat the Houston Rockets 101-100 in the NBA.

The Rockets led 100-94 with one minute 59 seconds remaining before Lillard sank two free throws, set up AJ Green for a three-pointer and made a driving lay-up.

He finished with 18 points and 10 assists at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, while Brook Lopez scored 27 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo 20.

"Normally when something is wrong with me I feel like I can will myself through it, but this was probably one of the first times in my life and definitely in my NBA career where I was like 'something is off'," said Lillard, returning from a three-game concussion absence.

"It was a little frustrating. I just didn't like not being with the team."

Defeat ended a five-game winning run for the Rockets, who trailed by 14 points at one stage. Fred VanVleet scored 26 points and Jalen Green 21 for the Rockets.

The Bucks are fourth from bottom in the Eastern Conference, while the Rockets are fourth in the West.

The Los Angeles Clippers held off a comeback from the in-form Golden States Warriors to win 102-99 at Intuit Dome.

Norman Powell scored 23 points for the Clippers, including five three-pointers, while Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 26.

"I'm proud of the team. They made a big run like they always do, and we were able to keep our composure and come away with the win," said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.

The Clippers are ninth in the Western Conference and the Warriors second.

BBC
 
Celtics end Cavaliers' 15-match winning run

The Cleveland Cavaliers' 15-match winning run came to an end in a thrilling 120-117 defeat by the Boston Celtics in the NBA Cup at TD Garden.

The Cavaliers became just the fourth franchise in NBA history to go 15-0 at the start of a campaign by beating the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.

But six Celtics players, led by Jayson Tatum's 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, reached double figures to inflict a first defeat on the Cavs.

Trailing by 17 points at half-time, the Cavaliers mounted a spirited comeback through Evan Mobley, who finished with 22 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

It helped them to make it a two-point game midway through the final quarter but the Celtics held out.

"Everybody knew that they were undefeated and coming to our building," said Celtics' guard Derrick White.

"And it's an NBA Cup game, and we already lost one. So, it was a really big game in that aspect. We were all aware."

The Los Angeles Lakers extended their own winning streak to six games with a 124-118 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Dalton Knecht, 17th pick in the 2024 draft, scored a career-high 37 points.

The 23-year-old matched a rookie record by hitting nine three-pointers in the victory.

Elsewhere, the Denver Nuggets beat the Memphis Grizzlies 122-110, while the Dallas Mavericks crushed the New Orleans Pelicans 132-91.

The NBA Cup, launched in 2023 and won by the LA Lakers, counts towards regular-season standings but not the Championship, which sits outside the regular season.

BBC
 
Antetokounmpo scores 41 points as Bucks beat Bulls

Giannis Antetokounmpo put in a dominant performance as he scored 41 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks to a 122-106 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Antetokounmpo, who has scored 40 points or more on three occasions this season, added eight rebounds and nine assists, while team-mates Brook Lopez and Damian Lillard contributed 21 and 20 points respectively.

Zach LaVine top scored with 27 points for the Bulls, who reduced their deficit to 104-102 with just under eight minutes left before the Bucks pulled away.

The victory continued a resurgence for the Bucks as they claimed a fourth triumph in five games after winning just two of their first 10 and they are now ninth in the Eastern Conference.

The Cleveland Cavaliers bounced back from their first defeat of the season with a convincing 128-100 win over the New York Pelicans.

Ty Jerome scored a team-high 29 points for the Cavaliers, who had their 15-game winning streak ended by the Boston Celtics in their previous game.

Jerome landed six of his seven three pointers for the Eastern Conference leaders in a second quarter in which he scored 20 points.

"It was great. Those moments don't happen a lot in the NBA," said Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson.

"It was a superstar performance. It was great for the crowd, great for the group and great for Ty."

The Golden State Warriors, who are top of the Western Conference, beat the Atlanta Hawks 120-97 to record a fifth straight home win.

Andrew Wiggins scored a game-high 27 points for the Warriors, while team-mate Stephen Curry added 23.

BBC
 
Bhaijaan said:
Lakers 9-4 in the regular season

Dalton Knecht is showing a lot of promise. Too early to say but if everyone remains fit in the roster, Lakers can make a deep playoff run this year.
Click to expand...

Followed it up with the best game of his season. Dalton Knecht has been the steal of the draft for Lakers and is the top ROTY contender right now. That man giving young Klay Thompson vibes.
 
Wagner's late three sees Magic end Lakers run

Franz Wagner scored a three-pointer with three seconds left to secure a dramatic 119-118 win for the Orlando Magic and end the Los Angeles Lakers' unbeaten home record.

The 23-year-old German top-scored with 37 points, 11 assists and six rebounds as the Magic took advantage of some wayward Lakers shooting in the fourth quarter.

The home side were on the brink of an eighth successive home victory when they opened up a 118-114 lead with 27 seconds left.

Wagner narrowed the gap to 118-116, before Lakers forward Anthony Davis missed two free throws when he had the chance to put the game beyond reach.

The Magic took full advantage, with Wagner's 26-foot shot sealing a seventh win in eight games.

It means Orlando improve to 10-7 and stay fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are also fourth in the West after slipping to 10-5.

Elsewhere, Brandon Miller scored a career-high 38 points as the Charlotte Hornets recovered from losing a 20-point lead to beat the Detroit Pistons 123-121 in overtime.

Detroit trailed 89-69 in the third quarter but fought back to level at 107-107 with one minute 33 seconds remaining.

But Tre Mann's lay-up with 3:03 left in overtime gave the Hornets a lead they never relinquished and sealed just a second win in six games.

RJ Barrett scored 31 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, as the Toronto Raptors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-105.

Harrison Barnes had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Utah Jazz 126-118.

BBC
 
Antetokounmpo stars as Bucks win again in NBA Cup

Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his second triple-double of the season as the Milwaukee Bucks led wire-to-wire to beat the visiting Indiana Pacers.

The NBA's two-time Most Valuable Player claimed 37 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Bucks won 129-117 on Friday to improve to a 2-0 record in the NBA Cup.

Damian Lillard added 24 points and 13 assists for his third straight double-double, and the result means Milwaukee have won five of their last six since opening the season with a 2-8 record.

They had six players in double figures for points, with Antetokounmpo, 29, recording his 47th career triple-double.

Jaylen Brown had 31 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 108-96 win at the stubborn Washington Wizards.

Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday added 16 points each for last season's NBA champions, who have won three straight overall and are 2-1 in the NBA Cup.

James Harden had 22 points and nine assists as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to four games with a 104-88 victory against the visiting Sacramento Kings.

The Clippers were without leading scorer Norman Powell because of a hamstring strain and are now 1-1 in the in-season tournament, which concludes next month with the semi-finals and championship game being played in Las Vegas.

Jared McCain declared to the crowd that he is "the rookie of the year" after scoring a three-pointer in the Philadelphia 76ers' 113-98 win over the visiting Brooklyn Nets.

The 20-year-old, who was the 16th overall draft pick in June, scored 30 points as the Sixers halted a five-game losing streak, despite playing without Joel Embiid and Paul George.

McCain posted his seventh consecutive game scoring 20-plus points, joining Embiid, Allen Iverson, Jerry Stackhouse and Lee Shaffer as the only rookies in franchise history to accomplish that feat,

BBC
 
BouncerGuy said:
Wagner's late three sees Magic end Lakers run

Franz Wagner scored a three-pointer with three seconds left to secure a dramatic 119-118 win for the Orlando Magic and end the Los Angeles Lakers' unbeaten home record.

The 23-year-old German top-scored with 37 points, 11 assists and six rebounds as the Magic took advantage of some wayward Lakers shooting in the fourth quarter.

The home side were on the brink of an eighth successive home victory when they opened up a 118-114 lead with 27 seconds left.

Wagner narrowed the gap to 118-116, before Lakers forward Anthony Davis missed two free throws when he had the chance to put the game beyond reach.

The Magic took full advantage, with Wagner's 26-foot shot sealing a seventh win in eight games.

It means Orlando improve to 10-7 and stay fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are also fourth in the West after slipping to 10-5.

Elsewhere, Brandon Miller scored a career-high 38 points as the Charlotte Hornets recovered from losing a 20-point lead to beat the Detroit Pistons 123-121 in overtime.

Detroit trailed 89-69 in the third quarter but fought back to level at 107-107 with one minute 33 seconds remaining.

But Tre Mann's lay-up with 3:03 left in overtime gave the Hornets a lead they never relinquished and sealed just a second win in six games.

RJ Barrett scored 31 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, as the Toronto Raptors beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-105.

Harrison Barnes had 25 points and 10 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Utah Jazz 126-118.

BBC
Click to expand...

Annoying

Lakers were leading the whole game although not by a big lead.
 
Wembanyama stars on return as Spurs beat Warriors

Victor Wembanyama scored 25 points on his return as the San Antonio Spurs fought back for a 104-94 win over the Golden State Warriors.

The Spurs trailed by 17 late in the third but Wembanyama, who had missed San Antonio's previous three games due to a knee injury, and rookie Stephon Castle helped the hosts rally in the fourth quarter

Six of Castle's 19 points came during a late 11-0 run which swung the game in the Spurs' favour and secured a third straight win.

In Saturday's other NBA games, the Milwaukee Bucks held on to beat the visiting Charlotte Hornets 125-119 and extended their winning streak to four.

The Bucks survived a career-best 50 points from Charlotte's LaMelo Ball, with Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring 32 points and Damian Lillard adding 31.

Ball scored 40 of his points in the second half to eclipse his previous best of 38 points, set earlier this month.

Nikola Jokic had 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 127-102 win at the Los Angeles Lakers.

Michael Porter Jr scored 13 of his 24 points in the third quarter as the Nuggets bounced back, having lost three of their previous four games.

Scotty Pippen Jr scored a career-high 30 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 142-131 win at the Chicago Bulls.

The Grizzlies led throughout in Chicago, where Pippen's father won six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998.

Pippen - who is playing in his first full NBA season after going undrafted in 2022 - added 10 assists, while Jaylen Wells scored a career-high 26 points as the Grizzlies claimed their second straight win.

BBC
 
Sources: Hornets' Grant Williams (torn ligaments) out for season

Charlotte Hornets forward Grant Williams sustained season-ending tears to the ACL, meniscus and associated ligaments in his right knee, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

Williams, who is averaging 10.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season, was injured late in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 125-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks when he was driving to the basket with just under four minutes remaining.

The Hornets on Sunday only said that a preliminary diagnosis revealed an ACL tear and that Williams would be out indefinitely.

In his sixth NBA season, Williams had established himself as a veteran leader for the Hornets and a starter alongside LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges.

Williams joined the Hornets in a trade deadline deal from the Dallas Mavericks last season.



www.espn.in

Sources: Hornets' Williams out for rest of season

Hornets forward Grant Williams suffered season-ending tears to the ACL, meniscus and associated ligaments in his right knee, sources told ESPN.
www.espn.in www.espn.in
 
James' triple-double helps Lakers see off Spurs

LeBron James registered his sixth triple-double of the season to help the Los Angeles Lakers to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 119-101.

James scored 16 points and added 11 assists with 10 rebounds as the Lakers ended a run of three defeats in a row.

Seven players from the visiting Lakers racked up double figures, including Dalton Knecht with 20 points and Anthony Davis with 19.

French sensation Victor Wembanyama top scored for the Spurs with 20 points but could not stop his side's four-game winning streak coming to an end.

Elsewhere, Eastern Conference leaders the Cleveland Cavaliers suffered their first home defeat of the season and only their second loss of the campaign as they were beaten 135-124 by the Atlanta Hawks.

Trae Young recorded 20 points and a career-high 22 assists for the Hawks, while team-mate De'Andre Hunter scored 26 points.

"They are a really good team who have been playing well all year and I feel we have been a little inconsistent but the times that we have played well, we've played really well," said Young.

James Harden scored 43 points for the Los Angeles Clippers in their 121-96 win at the Washington Wizards.

It was Harden's highest points tally since March 2021 and came against a Wizards side who have lost 13 games in a row.

The Golden State Warriors were without the injured Stephen Curry and went down to a 105-101 home defeat against Western Conference leaders the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points for the Thunder, while the Warriors suffered a third defeat in a row.

In Salt Lake City, Nikola Jokic contributed 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to help the Denver Nuggets to a 122-103 victory against the Utah Jazz.

BBC
 
New first for Antetokounmpo as Bucks win again

Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded his first career 40-point triple double as the Milwaukee Bucks made it six wins in a row with a 124-114 defeat of the Washington Wizards.

It was also a third triple double of the season for Greek star Antetokounmpo, who ended the night with 42 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.

Damian Lillard's 25 points and 10 assists helped to condemn the Wizards to a 14th consecutive defeat, despite Jordan Poole's 31 points for the visitors.

The Golden State Warriors saw their own losing streak extend to four games with a 113-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns, despite having Stephen Curry back from injury.

The Suns dominated - leading by 17 points at half-time - as Devin Booker (27) and Kevin Durant (21) were among five players to score double figures.

The Charlotte Hornets are also on a losing streak, a 107-104 defeat at home to the Atlanta Hawks making it five in a row.

Elsewhere, Cameroonian centre Joel Embiid was again missing for the Philadelphia 76ers through injury as they beat the Detroit Pistons 111-96, though Paul George was back after missing the last three games. Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points for the 76ers.

And the Dallas Mavericks made it five wins from six without injured star Luka Doncic as Kyrie Irving's 30 points led them to a 106-94 victory over the Utah Jazz.

BBC
 
Bucks winning streak ended by Hawks fightback

The Milwaukee Bucks' seven-game winning streak ended with a defeat by the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, while the Los Angeles Lakers were thrashed by the Miami Heat.

The Bucks had won their past four games in the NBA and three in the NBA Cup - but were unable to maintain an early 10-point lead as they fell 104-119 in Milwaukee.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points while team-mate Damian Lillard added 25, but Jalen Johnson and De'Andre Hunter hit back with 23 and 20 points respectively as Atlanta recorded a fifth-straight victory.

Next up for the Bucks is a trip to reigning NBA champions the Boston Celtics, while the Hawks will face the LA Lakers, who suffered their heaviest defeat of the season in a 134-93 loss at the Miami Heat.

Miami guard Tyler Herro starred with 31 points, 21 of them coming in the third quarter. He finished with nine of the Heat's franchise record-equalling 24 three-pointers.

After racing into a 17-point lead at half-time, the Heat set a franchise record with 42 assists while delivering a fresh blow to a faltering Lakers side.

LeBron James and his team-mates have lost six of their past eight matches, a run that has included elimination from the NBA Cup.

This defeat, two days on from a 29-point defeat by the Minnesota Timberwolves, sees LA's NBA record slip to 12 wins and 10 defeats.

Lakers first-year coach JJ Redick described the performance as "embarrassing" and criticised what he called a lack of fight and professionalism by his players.

Elsewhere, NBA champions the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 130-120 despite the absence of Jayson Tatum, while the Orlando Magic bounced back from a heavy loss to the New York Knicks with a 106-102 victory over the injury-hit 76ers in Philadelphia.

The LA Clippers lost to the Timberwolves for a second time in the space of five days (80-108), while the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Indiana Pacers 99-90.

BBC
 
Jokic passes Johnson to go third on triple-doubles list

Nikola Jokic passed NBA legend Earvin 'Magic' Johnson on the all-time list for triple-doubles, but could not prevent the Denver Nuggets being beaten by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jokic now has 139 triple-doubles, the third-most in the league's history - behind just Oscar Robertson (181) and Russell Westbrook (200).

A triple-double is when a player registers double digits in three out of the five statistical categories - Jokic scored 27 points with 20 rebounds and 11 assists.

"It's something that you're probably going to look at after you finish your career," Jokic said.

"Right now, you don't even think about it. But it's a great thing. It's really nice."

Despite Jokic's ninth triple-double of the season, the Nuggets - the 2023 NBA champions - came up short in Cleveland, losing 126-114.

Donovan Mitchell starred for the hosts, scoring 28 points as the Eastern Conference leaders recorded a season-high 22 three-pointers.

"It took everybody," Mitchell said. "Jokic is MVP for a reason, he makes that team phenomenal."

Serb Jokic was named as the NBA's Most Valuable Player for a third time in 2023.

The defeat leaves the Nuggets eighth in the Western Conference, having lost 11 of their 20 matches.

"I love Nikola, I really do, and I'm fortunate to coach him and he's one of the best to ever do it," head coach Michael Malone said.

"But I'm just so much more concerned about my team right now."

Meanwhile, Luka Doncic moved up to joint-seventh on the all-time triple-double list, scoring 21 points with 10 rebounds and 10 assists as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Washington Wizards 137-101.

It was Doncic's 78th triple-double and puts the Slovenian level with Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden.

BBC
 
Young three-pointer secures Hawks win over Lakers

Trae Young scored a three-point basket with 7.4 seconds of overtime remaining to secure the Atlanta Hawks a 134-132 win at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Young was the Hawks' top scorer, with 31 points and 20 assists, while De'Andre Hunter added 26 off the bench as Atlanta claimed a sixth consecutive victory.

The Lakers fell to a third successive defeat, despite the best efforts of the NBA's all-time leading points scorer LeBron James, who claimed 39 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Anthony Davis weighed in with 38 points.

James had a chance to win it for the Lakers with the final shot of the game, but his effort at a three-pointer hit the rim of the basket and bounced out.

Reigning NBA champions the Boston Celtics extended their winning streak at home to seven matches with a 111-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Celtics trailed by four points late in the fourth quarter but rallied, thanks in part to Jayson Tatum's game-high 34 points and 10 rebounds.

Damian Lillard's 31 points had put the Bucks in a winning position, while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Elsewhere, Philadelphia 76ers bounced back from a home defeat by the Orlando Magic to win the second game of their two-match series 102-94.

Star player Joel Embiid was missing for the 76ers with a knee injury, but Paul George stepped up to lead the scoring for the hosts with 21 points.

Anthony Edwards led the Minnesota Timberwolves to a fifth consecutive victory over the Golden State Warriors, scoring 30 points in their 107-90 win in San Francisco, with the two teams set to play each other again on Sunday.

Utah Jazz ended a five-game losing streak with a thumping 141-99 win at Portland Trail Blazers, while Sacramento Kings claimed a similarly conclusive victory at San Antonio Spurs, running out 140-113 winners.

And Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points for the Indiana Pacers in their 132-123 win at Chicago Bulls as the visitors notched up a first victory in five matches.

BBC
 
Lakers coach unsure on James return after defeat

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick says he does not know when LeBron James will return after he missed a second consecutive game.

James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a four-time NBA champion, sat out Sunday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers because of a sore foot and missed practice this week for what Redick said were "personal reasons".

Asked before Friday's 97-87 defeat at the Minnesota Timberwolves if he knew when 39-year-old James would be back with the team, Redick said: "No."

The loss at Target Centre was the Lakers' eighth defeat in 11 games, while the Timberwolves claimed a fifth win in six games thanks to 23 points from Anthony Edwards and 21 from Julius Randle.

Anthony Davis finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday (02:30 GMT, Monday).

Joel Embiid suffered a sinus fracture in the Philadelphia 76ers' 121-107 home defeat by the Indiana Pacers.

The 2022-23 Most Valuable Player was playing only his sixth game of the season after missing the start of the campaign with a knee injury and serving a ban for an altercation with a reporter in the locker room.

He was struck accidentally near his cheekbone as the Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin leapt for a rebound in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center.

Embiid received treatment on the court and did not return.

BBC
 
Antetokounmpo guides Bucks to NBA Cup final

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and secured 14 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Atlanta Hawks 110-102 to reach the NBA Cup final.

The Bucks will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the final on Tuesday (01:30 GMT, Wednesday) in Las Vegas after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also scored 32 in their 111-96 semi-final success over the Houston Rockets.

Greek star Antetokounmpo, who currently leads the NBA scoring stats, added nine assists, four blocks and a steal.

The Bucks had 25 points from Damian Lillard and 16 from Brook Lopez while Trae Young led Atlanta with 35 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

The win gives the Bucks a chance to make amends for losing in the semi-finals of last season's inaugural in-season tournament.

"We were able to disrupt their offense," said Antetokounmpo, whose side started the started the season with two wins from their opening 10 games but have won 12 of their next 15.

"We were moving the ball, playing team basketball, getting to our spots, knocking down a few shots down the stretch. That's why we were able to get the win.

"We trust one another. We play together. There's no more hero ball."

Canadian guard Gilgeous-Alexander was a key figure as Oklahoma City, the Western Conference leaders, put in a strong second-half display against Houston.

As well as his points tally, he added eight rebounds, six assists and five steals in the win.

"I just wanted to be aggressive through all the ups and downs, highs and lows, and it paid off," he said "Hopefully we can do the same thing on Tuesday.

"If we play defence, we give ourselves a chance every night. We just have to play hard, play together and have fun."

BBC
 
James returns in Lakers' win against Memphis

LeBron James scored 18 points as he returned from a two-game absence in the Los Angeles Lakers' 116-100 win against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 39-year-old missed last Sunday's match against Portland and Friday's game against Minnesota because of "personal reasons" and a sore foot.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said on Friday that he was unsure when James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, would return.

However, the Lakers announced 45 minutes before tip-off against the Grizzlies that James was available to start.

James displayed little rustiness as he finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in 34 minutes.

It helped the Lakers to a comfortable victory, with Anthony Davis scoring 40 points of his own.

Asked what the side hoped to gain from James' absence, Redick said: "Just hoping that he was getting a good mind and body reset.

"I played 15 [seasons] and was emotionally, mentally, physically drained, fried. I put everything I had into this game. I had nothing left.

"For guys like him and the Tom Bradys of the world, the Roger Federers of the world, it's hard to comprehend having that level of sustained excellence for so long, because of the toll that it takes on all of you, not just your body."

Elsewhere, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 143-133 thanks to the 80th triple-double of Luka Doncic's career.

The Slovenian put up a season-high 45 points with 13 assists and 11 rebounds.

NBA
 
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