AVON, Conn. — Dan Hurley takes pride in the fact that he was able to return four players from last year’s “Fab Five” recruiting class, which was headlined by the fourth overall pick in the NBA draft, Stephon Castle. Of course, there is pride in sending players like Castle to the draft, but the retention is what separates UConn from other...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — On media day last week, both Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy Jr. outlined their high hopes for veteran wing Andrew Wiggins.

He’s highly motivated, they said. He came into camp in great shape. He’s primed to get back to his level of play from a couple years ago, when he was an All-Star. He’s still at his physical peak and ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Almost two hours before the game Tuesday, Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, basically, made a promise:

This time the defense would be better.

Reeve was better than her word. The Lynx brought defense. They brought offense. They brought toughness, an edge.

They brought a victory.

In a do-or-die Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals, the Lynx ...Read more

The Connecticut Sun couldn’t overcome a disastrous first-half performance in Game 5 of their WNBA playoff series against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday in Minneapolis, suffering an 88-77 loss that ended the team’s season in the semifinals for a second consecutive season.

Former UConn star Napheesa Collier became the first player in WNBA ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — As coach JJ Redick began to extol the virtues of Austin Reaves' game and how the Lakers have asked for a little more out of the guard, Redick also mentioned the word defense.

No, Reaves is not a lock-down defender, but he has shown Redick during training camp and the first two preseason games that he knows how to guard.

"I ...Read more

Over the first three years of his NBA career, Ayo Dosunmu developed into an active example of the sports mantra that progress isn’t linear.

The fourth-year Chicago Bulls guard has bobbed in and out of the rotation for his hometown team, from a stopgap starting point guard as a rookie to one of the last players off the bench the next season. ...Read more

NEW YORK — Though the Knicks’ starters showed promise in their 15 minutes of play during Sunday’s preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets, head coach Tom Thibodeau made it clear that the team has much to improve upon if they want to fully tap into their potential.

“You’re striving to be a 48-minute team, and so we’re nowhere ...Read more

It wasn’t the description of choice when the Miami Heat formally announced Monday that their home games starting with the Oct. 23 regular-season opener will be played on the “Pat Riley Court at Kaseya Center.”

But coach Erik Spoelstra couldn’t help himself.

“I think it’s totally badass. I really do,” Spoelstra said. “When we ...Read more

The Miami Heat’s Thursday night exhibition against the Atlanta Hawks at Kaseya Center has been postponed due to Hurricane Milton. The game has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 16.

The Heat announced Tuesday that all tickets for the originally scheduled date will be honored for the rescheduled date.

According to the Heat, refunds will be ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. has agreed to a three-year, $59 million contract extension to secure his stay in Orlando through the 2028-29 season, a person with knowledge of the terms told the Orlando Sentinel on Monday night.

Carter is currently entering the third of his four-year, $50 million contract with the Magic and ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — It didn’t take long Friday for Timberwolves big men Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert to find a new kind of connection.

The moment came four minutes into a 124-107 preseason-opening victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in Palm Springs, Calif.

That’s when a team seeking to play faster after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade went nearly ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — His job as coach of the Clippers has demanded that Tyronn Lue be more than that at times. His job this season has called upon Lue to be more of a teacher.

This is because of six new players on the roster. Also because he has six players 25 years old or younger.

After spending about a week in Hawaii for training camp and playing...Read more

LOS ANGELES — David Kohler has quite an impressive collection of Lakers memorabilia.

A plaster cast worn by Kobe Bryant.

The microphone used by Chick Hearn for his final broadcast.

Goggles worn by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The rim the ball went through when current Lakers superstar LeBron James broke the NBA's all-time scoring record.

The ...Read more

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The Connecticut Sun had their backs to the wall, and were being pressed against it. It’s a tight spot for sure, but nothing a veteran team hadn’t experienced before, and it’s nothing the Sun won’t experience again.

“There was nothing to be said after we lost (Game 3), we kind of sat there in silence,” DeWanna ...Read more

ATLANTA — After finishing last season on a confident note, Hawks wing Vit Krejci has ridden that wave into training camp. Heading into his fourth season in the league, he looks to channel that confidence into an impactful season for the team.

During the offseason, the Hawks signed Krejci to a four-year deal with a club option in the final ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James barreled through the lane and slammed home a left-handed hammer. He sprung through the air to reject a shot. On the first night of Year 22 — albeit during the preseason — not a lot had changed and James was doing the kinds of things he's done on the court for a generation. By halftime, he had scored 19 points for...Read more

As Minnesota sports fans know, when it comes to big games, you never want to leave with regrets.

The other team plays better and you lose? That’s part of high-level athletics. You lose because of a silly mistake, a strategical error, a lack of nerve, or because you didn’t play the way you’re capable of playing? Those losses haunt, but ...Read more

It was difficult not to think of last year’s Game 4 of the WNBA Finals while watching Sunday’s Game 4 of the semifinal round.

Last year, Breanna Stewart came up short — 3-of-17 in that elimination game — and went into the offseason with the weight of disappointment on her shoulders.

And Sabrina Ionescu was limited while dealing with a ...Read more

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The Connecticut Sun bounced back from an ugly Game 3 loss to keep their season alive in the WNBA semifinals with a 92-82 win over the Minnesota Lynx at Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday.

The series now returns to the No. 2 Lynx’s home court in Minneapolis for a win-or-go-home Game 5 on Tuesday. No. 3 Connecticut has reached at...Read more