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Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Hornets' Mark Williams addresses latest chatter surrounding nixed trade to Lakers

Sports / Basketball /

DENVER — Sporting colorful jeans along with a black jacket, Mark Williams’ attire was a little different than the gear he had on 24 hours earlier.

Instead of matching up with Nikola Jokic on the night the three-time MVP received a piece of hardware commemorating the Denver star winning the Western Conference player of the month honors for ...Read more

Kansas coach Bill Self addresses report he spoke with Oklahoma State about job vacancy

Sports / Basketball /

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Oklahoma State University athletics officials spoke to Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self about the Cowboys’ head-coach opening last spring, the Jayhawks coach confirmed Friday afternoon.

Berry Tramel of the Tulsa World had earlier on Friday reported that Self, an OSU graduate, “seriously considered” an offer to ...Read more

Robin Buckson/The Detroit News/TNS

Michigan, basketball coach Dusty May reach agreement on contract extension

Sports / Basketball /

Michigan basketball coach Dusty May has made an impression in his first year at the helm.

And the Wolverines made sure he won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel announced Friday that the university and May have agreed to a contract extension. Terms of the deal weren't provided.

"I am excited to announce ...Read more

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/TNS

Don't ask Nikola Jokic about turning 30, even if his game is aging like wine: 'It makes me feel sad'

Sports / Basketball /

DENVER — When it comes to gifts, Nikola Jokic is a man of simple tastes. He doesn’t want much, and he didn’t receive much on Wednesday when he begrudgingly celebrated his 30th birthday.

But he did appreciate the tea collection he got from one of the Nuggets’ new team security officials. The reigning MVP has been known to occasionally ...Read more

Chris Gardner/Getty Images North America/TNS

Sam McDowell: 'As frustrating as it's been for me': Here's what's ailing Bill Self and Kansas basketball

Sports / Basketball /

LAWRENCE, Kan. — The door slides open to a second-floor entrance hall inside Allen Fieldhouse, showcasing a lobby full of trophies so abundant that you’d probably need to count them twice to ensure you got the number right.

It doubles as a waiting room for Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self’s colorful and vast office, where, inside...Read more

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America/TNS

Matt Calkins: The NBA's return to Seattle may seem inevitable. Here's why it isn't.

Sports / Basketball /

SEATTLE — I used to live in a four-bedroom house in Los Angeles with a friend who was tasked with finding potential roommates. One day a young man stopped by and seemed instantly smitten with the space.

He said he was in, and told my buddy he'd bring him the first month's rent the next day.

"Sounds like we got a new roomie," I said.

My ...Read more

Alika Jenner/Getty Images North America/TNS

With Luka Doncic out, LeBron James and Austin Reaves lead Lakers past Portland

Sports / Basketball /

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for answers when it comes to maximizing their star trio. For the star duo of LeBron James and Austin Reaves, things were a little less cluttered Thursday night as the pair took turns dragging the Lakers to a much-needed win after awful back-to-back losses.

James and Reaves made the biggest ...Read more

Greg Fiume/Getty Images North America/TNS

No. 20 Maryland men's basketball stays hot, sprints past USC, 88-71

Sports / Basketball /

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Early in Maryland men’s basketball’s game against Southern California, Derik Queen had a chance for a fast-break dunk before banging the ball off the back rim and out.

That missed opportunity was one of few miscues made by the No. 20 Terps as they had too much firepower to be contained by the visiting Trojans in an 88-...Read more

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/TNS

Troy Renck: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic dominates game with brain, just like Peyton Manning

Sports / Basketball /

DENVER — The genius of Nikola Jokic is not told by statistics. It lies in his mind.

As the Nuggets began the second half of their season Thursday night, it finally hit me. Jokic is an all-time great not because he operates like Larry Bird and Bill Walton, but rather Peyton Manning.

Think about the similarities.

Jokic is not an athletic ...Read more

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/TNS

Nuggets move past Grizzlies into second place in West with ninth consecutive win

Sports / Basketball /

DENVER — The Nuggets’ win streak survived the threat of an All-Star break hangover. Its next obstacle is Luka Doncic in purple and yellow.

Jamal Murray scored 34 points, and Denver held off the Hornets on Thursday night at Ball Arena, 129-115, in the team’s return from the league-wide break. Nikola Jokic added 29 points, 17 rebounds and ...Read more

Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/TNS

NBA-best Cavaliers storm past Nets, 110-97

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — The Nets had the No. 1 defense in the NBA over their last 10 games entering the All-Star break and didn’t skip a beat at that end of the court on Thursday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But offense remained a struggle throughout in their 110-97 loss against the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference at Barclays Center.

Cam Thomas...Read more

Al Bello/Getty Images North America/TNS

Knicks hold on for 113-111 overtime victory vs. Bulls

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — A close overtime victory barely compensates for a glaring Knicks flaw on display at Madison Square Garden.

All-Stars Jalen Brunson (22 points) and Karl-Anthony Towns (32) combined for 54 points, and Mikal Bridges came up with a massive block on Bulls center Nikola Vucevic to force overtime in New York’s 113-111 victory over the ...Read more

Jason Getz/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Magic outlast Hawks behind Paolo Banchero's 36 points

Sports / Basketball /

ATLANTA — When the Magic and Hawks met in the second-to-last game before the NBA All-Star break, Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner combined for 68 points in a six-point loss at Kia Center.

Thursday night at State Farm Arena, however, the Magic took advantage of the scoring spree from their star duo in their first game coming out of the league. ...Read more

Tyger Williams/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

La Salle coach Fran Dunphy, 'Mr. Big 5,′ to retire from coaching at the end of the season

Sports / Basketball /

PHILADELPHIA — Fran Dunphy, the winningest coach in Big 5 history, will retire from coaching at the end of the 2024-25 basketball season, La Salle announced Thursday.

Dunphy, 76, will finish his third season leading La Salle, his alma mater, at next month’s Atlantic 10 men’s tournament. He will then assume the role of special assistant to...Read more

David Berding/Getty Images North America/TNS

Jim Souhan: What Chris Finch must do for Wolves to win

Sports / Basketball /

MINNEAPOLIS — This Timberwolves team is disappointing, and promising.

Talented, and oddly fitted.

Deep, yet confusing.

Injured, but healing.

Capable of beating the beat team in the league — which happened last week — and of losing to lousy teams, which has happened far too frequently.

As the Timberwolves begin the post-All-Star ...Read more

Ryan C. Hermens/Lexington Herald-Leader/TNS

John Clay: How much has Kentucky improved on the defensive end? We'll find out Saturday.

Sports / Basketball /

LEXINGTON, Ky. — They are not Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars. Or Rick Barnes’ Tennessee Volunteers. Or Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm. But Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats are starting to show up a little more on the defensive end of the floor.

“We’ve got a lot of room for improvement because we aren’t great,” the ...Read more

Jamie Squire/Getty Images North America/TNS

UConn coach Dan Hurley announces tell-all book to be released in September

Sports / Basketball /

HARTFORD, Conn. — College coaches across the country might argue that UConn’s Dan Hurley wrote the book on innovative offense.

Now, he’s written a book about his life.

“Never Stop: Life, Leadership and What It Takes To Be Great,” written by Hurley and co-authored by sportswriter Ian O’Connor, is set to come out on Sept. 16. The ...Read more

Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Scott Fowler: Wait, Mark Williams played 29 minutes in win over Lakers? I thought he failed a physical.

Sports / Basketball /

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For a guy who failed his physical, Mark Williams sure looked pretty healthy Wednesday night for the Charlotte Hornets.

Williams was in his first game back for the Hornets after being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, only for the Lakers to say “never mind” and rescind the trade once they took a good look at Williams at ...Read more

Justin Casterline/Getty Images North America/TNS

Storm reunite with sharpshooter Katie Lou Samuelson on 1-year deal

Sports / Basketball /

SEATTLE — Katie Lou Samuelson is on the move again, and this time the long-range sharpshooter is headed back to Seattle.

The Storm agreed to a one-year deal with Samuelson, her agent, Lindsay Kagawa Colas, told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Since being taken No. 4 overall in the 2019 WNBA draft by Chicago, the former Connecticut Huskies ...Read more

Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Dylan Hernández: The Lakers are struggling. Can JJ Redick help them find their footing?

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — Deflating. Frustrating. Embarrassing.

What other words can be used to describe the Lakers' 100-97 defeat to the Charlotte Hornets at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night?

So what if Luka Doncic was playing for only the third time since Christmas? So what if Austin Reaves was ejected in the third quarter? So what if the Lakers' ...Read more