PHILADELPHIA — Sixers rookie sensation Jared McCain will officially miss the remainder of the season as he recovers from a left knee injury, the team announced Thursday evening.

McCain, who suffered a torn meniscus in the Sixers’ Dec. 13 game against the Indiana Pacers, underwent surgery to repair the injury on Dec. 17. The surgeon who ...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY — As the Miami Heat broke their huddle in the locker following Tuesday night’s victory over the Golden State Warriors, the chant was, “Breakthrough on three!”

The hope, after an excruciating double-overtime loss the night before against the Sacramento Kings, was of better days ahead amid a largely middling season,

In ...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Welcome to the Big Ten, Washington.

For the first time since conference realignment brought four Pac-12 programs into the Big Ten, the No. 16 Michigan State men’s basketball team hosted the Huskies at Breslin Center Thursday night. That introduction was largely one-sided. The Spartans (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten) romped to an ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Put another dunk on Anthony Edwards’ highlight reel.

In the third quarter of the Timberwolves’ 104-89 victory over the short-handed Magic on Thursday, Edwards took flight from the left side of the lane as Orlando’s Anthony Black came over to defend.

Black was unsure whether he wanted to challenge Edwards or get out of ...Read more

DETROIT — After two straight disastrous showings against the Kings and Heat, the Warriors’ effort was in question for the first time all year. Head coach Steve Kerr called it a “crisis of confidence.” He needed to see more “competitive spirit.”

Even short five rotation players, the Warriors played with the type of urgency they’d ...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY — On the day an interview with Miami Heat President Pat Riley dropped regarding dealing with player empowerment, more clarity emerged about the ongoing team suspension of forward Jimmy Butler.

Amid the unpaid seven-game suspension of Butler, an NBA party familiar with the process offered background on the ongoing stalemate that...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers' game against the Charlotte Hornets scheduled for Thursday has been postponed because of the continuing wildfire crisis in Los Angeles County, the league and team announced.

The game, which was slated to tip off at 7:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena, will be rescheduled at a later date. Tickets for Thursday's game will be ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — UCLA coach Mick Cronin sounded exasperated as he cataloged his team's crimes against his brand of basketball, pointing out his players didn't play defense and allowed their opponents to push them aside to collect rebounds. The details he recalled during his 10-minute postgame news conference were intended to support an ...Read more

CHICAGO — It’s almost time for the Chicago Sky to be back on the clock for improving their roster.

The Sky will enter the first stage of free agency Saturday — a nine-day window of extending qualifying offers to restricted free agents — that will set the tone for the rest of their offseason roster construction. And with plenty of cap ...Read more

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas Jayhawks guard Shakeel Moore has a knack for big plays.

That was on display Wednesday night against Arizona State. Moore stole the ball on an inbound Sun Devils pass and threw down a ferocious dunk on the other end of the floor. The Allen Fieldhouse crowd roared and gave Moore a standing ovation.

That bucket, one of...Read more

DENVER — The Nuggets have experience beating the Los Angeles Clippers without Nikola Jokic.

They pulled it off in Los Angeles last season, led by Reggie Jackson’s stirring 35-point, 13-assist performance. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were also absent from that game, which was memorable enough for coach Michael Malone to reminisce on ...Read more

Malik Beasley has never been shy about shooting. He began the year as one of the league's best 3-point shooters, connecting on 41.1% of his shots during the first 28 games. However, Beasley experienced a drop-off in his percentage, shooting 34.6% from behind the arc over the last eight games.

But Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets, ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The product inside the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday was the effects of load management, injuries and tanking.

The contest was exciting. But the 76ers and Washington Wizards were both shells of themselves in a game far from the NBA standard. It will go down as a 109-103 victory that improved the Sixers to 15-20.

Tyrese Maxey...Read more

NEW YORK — Streak snapped. New York is back in the win column.

And just in time, because things are about to heat up at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are set to host six consecutive teams projected to qualify for the playoffs, a grueling stretch that will test their depth.

The Toronto Raptors aren’t a playoff-bound group and the Knicks...Read more

NEW YORK — A recent onslaught of trades, injuries and illness has only made Year 1 more difficult for Jordi Fernandez and his staff. But even as the Brooklyn Nets shamelessly tank, it’s difficult to write them off on most nights. Regardless of available personnel, if they have a pulse, Fernandez usually has them ready to play.

Brooklyn was ...Read more

VILLANOVA, Pa. — The ninth-ranked UConn men’s basketball team saw its eight-game winning streak snapped in a 68-66 loss in Villanova’s on-campus Finneran Pavilion Wednesday night.

Alex Karaban stared into a wall of opposing fans in the snug, 6,500-seat arena as he went to the free-throw line with a chance to give UConn a lead with three ...Read more

NEW ORLEANS — This week, when Chris Finch made a change to his starting lineup, he substituted Donte DiVincenzo in at point guard for Mike Conley. Staying in the starting lineup, perhaps to the chagrin of a portion of Timberwolves fans, was Julius Randle.

Those hoping that Finch might not stop with the Conley-DiVincenzo swap should read what ...Read more

SEATTLE — There are no shortcuts to calluses.

They are, by nature, not easily earned — formed through friction and blisters and blood. They can’t be bought or borrowed. They are tangible evidence of resistance and resolve, of axes swung and tunnels dug through miles of rock and mud. The calluses on your hands and feet are rigorous ...Read more

NEW YORK — Dwight Howard says he received a call from NBA commissioner Adam Silver almost immediately after he tweeted “Free Palestine” more than a decade ago — a claim the league denies.

The controversy occurred in July of 2014, when Howard was a member of the Houston Rockets.

“Less than 10 minutes after I tweet that, I get a call ...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY — All Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young needed was a little bit of time.

Jazz guard Collin Sexton nailed a 3-point shot after Hawks guard Dyson Daniels broke up Utah’s original plan to drive inside the paint. But Young didn’t bat an eye at Sexton tying the score at 121-121 with 2.9 seconds left on the clock. He signaled for ...Read more