LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Clippers have played four games in seven days. In 10 games this season, they’ve played three sets of back-to-backs.

Before Saturday’s game against the Toronto Raptors, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue told his players they can’t afford to buy into their circumstances.

Despite blowing a 14-point lead, the Clippers...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — It took some time to break in the rims at the XL Center on Saturday night, but the UConn men’s basketball team raced away from New Hampshire in the second half for a 92-53 win.

Alex Karaban had a steady 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and four blocks to lead the way as five Huskies finished in double-figure scoring....Read more

The Nets threw haymakers with the defending champions on Friday then built a 14-point lead against the last undefeated team in the NBA on Saturday. But despite another inspired performance, they fell, 105-100, to the Cleveland Cavaliers and have now lost two straight games.

Brooklyn fell to 4-5. Cleveland improved to 11-0 and remains the only ...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden released a statement late Saturday afternoon acknowledging an ongoing school inquiry a day after a report of accusations he stalked and sexually harassed multiple women, including students.

The Gators’ third-year coach also said he’s considering “defamation claims” as he...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky didn’t waste much time putting the second game of its season out of reach Saturday.

The No. 23-ranked Wildcats used a series of early runs to jump out to a big lead, ultimately defeating Bucknell, 100-72, in Rupp Arena for the second victory of the Mark Pope era. It was UK’s final tuneup before its date with No. ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — This would be the worst.

If these allegations are true, they would constitute the worst, the ugliest, the creepiest, the most shocking college sports scandal in state history.

Being a graduate of the University of Florida and the father of a daughter who also graduated from there, I got sick to my stomach when I read the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — D'Angelo Russell, whom JJ Redick moved to the Lakers' second unit earlier in the day on Friday, responded with 18 points for a bench that desperately needed offensive punch and helped the Lakers beat Philadelphia, 116-106.

"I just wanted to win," Russell said in his first response postgame. "So whatever it took, change of plans,...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings found a way to overcome their 3-point shooting struggles over the first two weeks of the season, but not this time.

Norman Powell had 32 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 107-98 victory over the Kings on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 17,832 at Golden 1 Center in ...Read more

HENDERSON, Nev. — Tyler Bilodeau rose for a three-pointer that fell through the net while getting knocked to the court.

The UCLA forward and his team were on the verge of getting blown out midway through the second half in their first test of the season. If the Bruins were going to rally from a double-digit deficit, they needed to start here...Read more

DENVER — Jamal Murray’s return from the shelf was a soothing reminder to the Nuggets: Even if he is struggling, their starting lineup is better off with him in it.

Murray scored 28 points after missing the last three games with a concussion, and Denver’s top unit played some of its crispest offensive basketball of the season in a 135-122 ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In Las Vegas last summer, a veteran NBA coach spoke about the Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to hire JJ Redick noting that nothing can prepare someone — an assistant, broadcaster, whoever — for the massive volume of decisions a head coach needs to make on a nightly basis.

Most of the choices are relatively small — what ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Dancing both beyond the 3-point line and on drives to the rim, Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards delivered his team a three-game winning streak and a 6-3 record with nine 3s made and 37 points scored in Friday’s 127-102 home victory over Portland.

Edwards went 12 for 22 from the field and 9 for 15 on 3-pointers during a game ...Read more

LAWRENCE, Kan. — This much ballyhooed, much-anticipated, much-celebrated meeting Friday night between Kansas and North Carolina — one whose climactic 92-89 final in favor of the home team featured multiple late lead changes and a missed 3-pointer as time expired — seemed headed for a letdown, and looked for the longest time like the game ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — There’s something about home-cooking.

On a night when both sides were missing key starters due to injuries, the Magic led the entire game in their 115-88 victory over the visiting Pelicans at Kia Center on Friday night.

More importantly, coach Jamahl Mosley's squad snapped a five-game losing streak behind a game-high 27 ...Read more

DETROIT — Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder said he did not know much about the Detroit Pistons this season except that they have established a reputation as one of the hardest-playing teams in the league. Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, Snyder gained a better understanding, as the Pistons beat the Hawks, 122-121.

The Pistons nearly fell ...Read more

BOSTON — A 33-point outburst from Jayson Tatum and clutch overtime makes by Payton Pritchard helped the Celtics overcome a dreadful start and avoid their second straight home loss Friday night at TD Garden.

Tatum’s turnaround fadeaway with 1:19 remaining in the extra period proved to be the difference in a 108-104 victory over the Brooklyn ...Read more

If the Warriors were due for a stinker, the bill arrived in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers, the lone remaining undefeated team in the league, completely dominated Golden State, who never led in the contest. Former Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson’s group started 13 for 17 from 3 and built a commanding 40-point cushion in the first half.

Already ...Read more

LAWRENCE, Kan. — The ball hung on the rim for what felt like forever.

Finally, guard Zeke Mayo’s layup dropped through the net, tying the game at 89-all.

That’s how it went Friday night. Whenever the No. 1-ranked Kansas Jayhawks needed a bucket in their men’s basketball showdown against the No. 9-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, the ...Read more

Nic Claxton returned to the Nets’ starting lineup, seemingly for good, on Friday against the Boston Celtics. That meant Ben Simmons, who had started six games at center this season in place of a limited Claxton, came off the bench for the first time in 2024-25.

It was painfully obvious that Claxton, Brooklyn’s $100 million man, was not ...Read more