ORLANDO, Fla. — The night Paolo Banchero suffered a torn right abdominal muscle, the Magic were fourth in the East.

It was still early in the season and Jamahl Mosley‘s squad had played just five games.

But 72 days and 35 games later?

Orlando was still fourth entering Banchero’s highly-anticipated return to the court against the No. 5 ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It was gone, Lakers coach JJ Redick already knew, but he needed to see it.

The morning after his team flew into Los Angeles with the city sky lit by the raging wildfires that would destroy his family's home, he rode through Pacific Palisades to survey the erasure of a community that he, his wife, his children and his sister-in-...Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. — It is a week Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez had circled since the NBA schedule came out in August, consecutive games against the Los Angeles teams and the opportunity to reconnect with so many elements of his past.

From the Heat’s practices back on his college campus at UCLA to his high school retiring his number on the ...Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. — If the thought was that the second week of Jimmy Butler’s seven-game team suspension would quiet the outside noise regarding the Miami Heat forward, that hardly appears to be the case.

At 2-2 since the team issued the unpaid sanction for “conduct detrimental to the team,” the Heat continue their six-game western swing ...Read more

MIAMI — Long before the summer of 2010, the Heat carefully cleared their books to set the table for what would be the most monumental free-agent splash in NBA history, one that delivered LeBron James and Chris Bosh and created a Dwyane Wade-anchored Big 3 that made four NBA Finals and won two of them.

The Heat are now positioned to clear ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The reigning king of college hoops had wrung himself dry over the previous couple of hours, as he does every game, win or lose — the ranting, the raging, the whining, the often-brilliant coaching. Dan Hurley then changed out of his navy blue suit and into UConn sweats for his meeting with the media Wednesday night, after his ...Read more

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