Steph Curry’s first 3-pointer of the third quarter rippled the net from 32 feet away, eliciting a murmur from the Portland crowd at Moda Center on Sunday night. His second make was a 25-foot stepback from the right wing, turning the murmur into nervous groans on the very next possession.

Curry’s third make in a minute and a half was a 26-...Read more

Steph Curry’s first 3-pointer of the third quarter rippled the net from 32 feet away, eliciting a murmur from the Portland crowd at Moda Center Sunday night. His second make was a 25-foot stepback from the right wing, turning the murmur into nervous groans on the very next possession.

Curry’s third make in a minute and a half was a 26-foot ...Read more

PHOENIX — LeBron James missed the first free throw that would have tied it. Then, bailed out by a foul with 3.9 seconds remaining, he missed the second. A long-awaited swish finally quieted a restless crowd.

The Los Angeles Lakers squandered a 20-point fourth-quarter lead and survived only after Devin Booker fouled James on a 3-pointer with ...Read more

NEW YORK — With Jordi Fernández sidelined by the flu and Steve Hetzel stepping in, the Brooklyn Nets put together one of their most balanced efforts of the season, beating the shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks 127-82 Sunday at Barclays Center. The win pushed Brooklyn to 7-18 and marked its fourth victory in the last six games.

Egor Demin drove a ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves came into Sunday night at Target Center shorthanded with Anthony Edwards and Mike Conley both out because of injuries. Then just as they were getting rolling in the second half against the Sacramento Kings, Rudy Gobert left the game for personal reasons.

With this split squad, the Wolves didn’t play ...Read more

MIAMI — Gimmicks come with expiration dates, as the Miami Dolphins learned with the evolution and then devolution of their Wildcat, quarterback-free approach in 2008 and 2009.

Now the question becomes whether the Heat are on a similar timetable, eight weeks into the shunning of NBA staples such as pick-and-roll sets in favor of a constant-...Read more

SEATTLE — They tried going back to the zone defense. They tried moving Tyler Bilodeau back to center.

Nothing the UCLA Bruins did to combat their lack of rim protection worked for more than a couple of possessions at a time.

And so a coach known for defense had to watch his team get bludgeoned inside once again while giving up an unusually ...Read more

This isn’t the banner the Knicks envisioned chasing this season — but after a 132-120 quarterfinal victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, the NBA Cup is within reach. And recent, limited history says competing for the in-season tournament banner gives you a head start in chasing the real thing later down the line.

In 2023, the first ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats needed a win Saturday night.

It wasn’t pretty — and, for a long while, it looked like it wasn’t coming at all — but the Cats earned that victory in the end.

Kentucky beat Indiana 72-60 in a renewal of the border-state rivalry, the Wildcats’ first win over a high-major opponent ...Read more

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — All good things must come to an end, even Michigan basketball’s ridiculous streak of six consecutive wins by at least 25 points. That’s the bad news.

The good news? The second-ranked Wolverines remained unbeaten and swept their early pair of Big Ten contests by besting Maryland, 101-83, Saturday at Xfinity Center.

...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina had nearly stretched its early lead to double digits Saturday over South Carolina Upstate when, a few minutes before halftime, Caleb Wilson stole the ball and passed it ahead to Luka Bogavac. Wilson didn’t record a dunk in UNC’s last game — a win over Georgetown on Sunday — and that might as well have...Read more

ATLANTA — Nearly two months after Shaquille O’Neal’s new Range Rover made a pit stop near Dahlonega for customizations and then vanished in Atlanta while being transported to the NBA legend, a man linked to a phishing tactic has been charged.

The arrest in New York came after the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office executed 19 search ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Hawks are a little closer to seeing the return of four-time All-Star guard Trae Young.

The Hawks announced Saturday that Young has continued to increase his reconditioning activities. The Hawks expect him to return to practice next week and will update his status as appropriate.

Young sustained a right knee MCL sprain Oct. 29 ...Read more

Tom Izzo won’t be happy about that one.

In its first road game of the season Saturday against Penn State, No. 9 Michigan State trailed in the first half and at various points throughout the second in a turnover-marred outing. Though Penn State nearly pulled off the upset at its own Bryce Jordan Center, the Spartans clawed back for a 76-72 win...Read more

NEW YORK — While there’s plenty of season left, the Nets‘ odds at a top-three selection in the 2026 NBA draft have slipped a bit after a recent hot streak. Entering Friday, Tankathon had them picking sixth in a loaded draft class, with a 37.2% chance at a top-four selection and a 9% chance at the No. 1 overall pick.

Brooklyn took an NBA-...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Warriors have spent the first portion of the season wandering through a congested schedule packed with back-to-backs and travel days.

So taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves with four days of rest buffering the Friday night matchup at Chase Center with Golden State’s Sunday victory in Chicago? That was ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — During both phases of the $245 million renovation of Spectrum Center, the two-decade-old arena underwent several upgrades to enhance the experience.

Instead of adding sparkling new entryways, allowing patrons to be ushered into the festivities in a streamlined, expedited process, perhaps they should also have installed a ...Read more