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Mark Story: Mark Pope's rivalry test: In 2025-26, Kentucky will face new hurdles vs. top rivals

Sports / Basketball /

LEXINGTON, Ky. — As Kentucky men’s basketball coach, one of Mark Pope’s foremost “assignments” each year is to win more than UK’s share of its games against the teams that the Big Blue Nation most yearns to beat.

Last season, in Pope’s debut as UK coach, the Wildcats went 5-2 in “rivalry games.”

Alas, Pope’s success vs. ...Read more

Ishika Samant/Getty Images North America/TNS

Liberty cruise past Caitlin Clark-less Fever, 98-77

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — The Liberty ended the first half of the season on a high note.

Facing an Indiana Fever team that was without Caitlin Clark, the Liberty cruised to a 98-77 victory at Barclays Center on Wednesday night behind one of their most well-rounded performances of the year.

Breanna Stewart led the way with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting to ...Read more

Stacy Revere/Getty Images North America/TNS

Aces lose guard Jackie Young to injury but hold on to beat Wings, 90-86

Sports / Basketball /

Jackie Young went down with a hip injury, but the Aces held on to beat the Dallas Wings, 90-86, on Wednesday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas, to close their schedule of games before WNBA All-Star Break.

A’ja Wilson led the Aces (11-11) with 37 points and 10 rebounds. Jewell Loyd added 14 points and rookie Aaliyah Nye scored 13 ...Read more

Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images North America/TNS

Mirjam Swanson: Clippers get steal in Bradley Beal and look good – on paper

Sports / Basketball /

Words that did not belong in the same sentence until Wednesday: Bradley Beal and bargain. Bradley Beal and cheap. Bradley Beal and incredible deal.

But now, no matter how you look at it, how you waive and stretch it, Beal is a steal – for the Los Angeles Clippers.

They’ve reportedly agreed to sign the three-time All-Star who has averaged ...Read more

Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/TNS

Kristian Winfield: Knicks face significant second apron decisions for 2026-27 NBA season

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — Just how much is an NBA championship worth? The Knicks’ brain trust is about to find out.

Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear only fast-tracked the inevitable — NBA franchises cost-cutting at high levels.

The Boston Celtics promptly traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday once Tatum’s injury rendered 2025-26 championship ...Read more

Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Joel Embiid talked to ESPN about coming back too soon from injury, his history with James Harden, and more

Sports / Basketball /

PHILADELPHIA — After a disastrous season that saw the 76ers finish with a 24-58 record, their fans were relying on the offseason to offer a beacon of hope. Things looked brighter when the Sixers selected guard V.J. Edgecombe with the third pick in the draft.

However, they dimmed when the team announced that their nine-time All Star Paul ...Read more

Brian Fluharty/Getty Images North America/TNS

This time it's the right groin: Caitlin Clark's latest injury puts All-Star role in jeopardy

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — WNBA All-Star weekend is only a few days away, with the anticipation of hometown favorite Caitlin Clark serving as captain of Team Clark for the game in Indianapolis palpable among fans.

Nothing like a pulled muscle to mute the buzz.

The Indiana Fever superstar guard grabbed her right groin and appeared to be holding back tears...Read more

Brian Fluharty/Getty Images North America/TNS

Fever star Caitlin Clark ruled out vs. Liberty with groin injury

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark’s face said it all.

Moments after she grabbed the inside of her right leg, the Indiana Fever superstar went to the bench in visible frustration in the final minute of Tuesday’s win over the Connecticut Sun in Boston.

And while the Fever had maintained the possibility that the 23-year-old sensation would be able ...Read more

Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images North America/TNS

Clippers to land Bradley Beal after Suns buy out his contract

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — The Clippers will add scoring punch to their lineup by acquiring three-time All-Star Bradley Beal after he clears waivers following a contract buyout from the Phoenix Suns, his agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed to The Los Angeles Times.

Beal has agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal that includes a player option for the second...Read more

Analysis: Why Sonics' return wasn't buoyed by NBA's latest announcement

Sports / Basketball /

LAS VEGAS — It’s a start. Slow. Incremental. Not very exciting.

But, technically, if the NBA does eventually return the SuperSonics to their original place and bring the league back to Seattle, it will be here in the desert in the middle of July where it started.

“If” remains the big word there, because there was little indication from...Read more

Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Mike Sielski: Paul George is injured. Again. The Sixers are in trouble. Again. Nothing changes with this team.

Sports / Basketball /

PHILADELPHIA — Think back. It’s difficult, sure. It’s especially difficult in light of that press release that the 76ers dropped Monday: that Paul George had knee surgery earlier in the day. That he would be evaluated again sometime before training camp, in late September. That a 35-year-old former star with three years and $162.4 million ...Read more

Matt Stone/Boston Herald/TNS

Sun suffer late collapse in showdown with Fever at sold-out TD Garden

Sports / Basketball /

BOSTON — The Connecticut Sun and Indiana Fever put on a show for a sold-out crowd of more than 19,000 fans at TD Garden on Tuesday night, but the visiting team emerged with an 85-77 victory after seven lead changes and 10 tied scores.

The Sun never led in the second half, but the game didn’t get out of reach until the final minutes of the ...Read more

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America/TNS

NBA owners expected to discuss expansion in Las Vegas

Sports / Basketball /

LAS VEGAS — NBA expansion is among the items expected to be discussed Tuesday when the league’s board of governors meets in Las Vegas during the Summer League.

After years of talks about the potential to expand from the NBA’s current 30 franchises, with Las Vegas and Seattle among the favorites to receive one, Tuesday’s meeting marked ...Read more

Michael Hickey/Getty Images North America/TNS

Caitlin Clark to face Liberty in Brooklyn, then compete against Sabrina Ionescu in 3-point contest

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark’s previous visit to Barclays Center marked a rare low point in her young career.

Then a rookie, Clark managed only three points on 1-of-10 shooting in her Indiana Fever’s blowout loss to the Liberty on June 2, 2024.

“As a team, we understand who the head of the monster is on that team,” Liberty guard Sabrina ...Read more

Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune/TNS

'Heart over height:' Yuki Kawamura searches for place in NBA during summer league stint with Bulls

Sports / Basketball /

LAS VEGAS — Yuki Kawamura came to Las Vegas with a simple goal: get a contract.

The second-year point guard understands the challenge. Last season, Kawamura was the shortest player in the NBA at 5-foot-8. No matter. He won a training camp contract, then a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. His playing time wasn’t much — 93 minutes ...Read more

Michael Hickey/Getty Images North America/TNS

Brook Lopez could see a potential 'twin towers' role with Ivica Zubac on Clippers

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — The Clippers team Brook Lopez grew up watching as a young kid in Southern California is not that same franchise anymore.

These Clippers are about putting a winning product on the court and about putting together the right talent to win games — and that is what sold Lopez on signing with them.

"It's crazy to see, but it's very...Read more

Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Sixers' Paul George underwent surgery after injuring his left knee in a workout, team says

Sports / Basketball /

PHILADELPHIA — Paul George might be one of the unluckiest 76ers when it comes to injuries.

The 76ers announced that the forward underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center in New York.

Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow performed the surgery on the nine-time All-Star. Glashow has worked with and rehabbed...Read more

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America/TNS

Kobe Bryant not in NBA's all-time top 10? Shaq thinks that ranking is 'criminal.'

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — Shaquille O'Neal has an issue with a recent ranking of the all-time best NBA players.

On Monday, Bleacher Report released its list of the "top 100 NBA players ever," based on a compilation of rankings from a "legion of B/R NBA experts, writers and editors."

O'Neal finished just outside the top five. He didn't seem to have an ...Read more

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/TNS

Sean Keeler: Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr. might be your Lex Luthor. But to this Denver family, he'll always be Superman.

Sports / Basketball /

DENVER — Michael Porter Jr. might be your Lex Luthor, but he’s Ashley Salvador’s Superman.

“I knew that it was probably coming because (the Nuggets) needed to kind of shake things up,” Salvado told me last Friday. “I was still sad when they announced it.”

MPJ officially became a member of the Nets last week. While you cheered, ...Read more

Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Bill Plaschke: Kobe Bryant has one more lesson for LeBron James -- how to retire

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES —The news seemed routine.

The ramifications could be resounding.

Late last month, LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for next season. It was an expected transaction that, at first weary glance, appeared to be no big deal.

Of course he would take the guaranteed money, more than anyone else in ...Read more