NEW YORK — The New York Knicks were already thin at center when they arrived at Madison Square Garden for Friday night’s interborough meeting with the Brooklyn Nets.

But their frontcourt took its biggest hit yet about 30 minutes before tip-off, when leading scorer and rebounder Karl-Anthony Towns was ruled out with a left knee injury.

The ...Read more

No problem, right?

The Timberwolves broke a three-game losing streak Friday night at Sacramento, 130-126. Sounds simple?

No. Not with De’Aaron Fox going off for 60 points.

Up 20 at one point in the third quarter, up 19 late in the quarter and up 16 entering the fourth, the Wolves went ice cold, ceding that lead and finding themselves down ...Read more

NEW ORLEANS — The upper deck of Smoothie King Center was almost as sparse as the Denver Nuggets’ and New Orleans Pelicans’ active rosters for their first NBA Cup game.

New Orleans was missing six players to injuries, including star forward Zion Williamson. Denver was fending for the first time this season without Nikola Jokic, who didn’...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Early in the second quarter, Brandin Podziemski sprint to a loose ball in front of the Golden State Warriors’ bench, caught up with it just in time and flung a behind-the-back pass up the court.

Somehow, the blind pass found a streaking Jonathan Kuminga, who started the play with a deflection in the paint, for a dunk.

...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Joel Embiid got off to a dominant start, but clearly ran out of gas. Paul George never found an offensive groove. And Jared McCain could not maintain his blistering scoring pace before fouling out.

That all led to the 76ers’ eighth loss in their first 10 games to continue their disastrous start to a much-anticipated season, ...Read more

After a heartbreaking defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, the Detroit Pistons (6-8) bounced back with a 99-95 victory over the Toronto Raptors (2-11) at Scotiabank Arena on Friday night.

The Pistons are now 2-0 during the NBA's in-season tournament for East Group B, having won two of their last three games.

The first half was a back-...Read more

SAN ANTONIO — The dance music blared as the crowd took turns roaring their way through a fourth-quarter timeout, Lakers coach JJ Redick frustrated after another clean look for the Spurs allowed them to get within a point.

To that point, the game had delivered.

With the NBA Cup raising the stakes, Anthony Davis and Victor Wembanyama dueled. ...Read more

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — If the first three games of the men’s college basketball season were preludes to the first real test, then Maryland let a prime opportunity slip away.

The Terps could not protect a four-point lead at halftime and did not have much of a solution for containing Kam Jones as No. 15 Marquette rallied for a 78-74 victory ...Read more

INDIANAPOLIS — This time it didn’t matter whether Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had a timeout left at the end (he did).

In need of a bounceback after Tuesday night’s horrendous overtime loss in Detroit — decided on a technical foul for Spoelstra calling a timeout he did not have — the Heat got exactly that with a 124-111 victory ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — All-Star Weekend is a time for NBA fans and players to take a break from the regular season. It's a time to watch your favorite players participate in dunk contests, three-point shootouts, and, of course, the All-Star Game. But this year could feature a different flavor as talks about a new tournament emerge ahead of the 2025 ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Former Lynx player Sylvia Fowles has become the latest player from the franchise to be named to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. The 2025 class was announced Friday.

“I am immensely proud that Syl is being recognized,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said in a statement from the team. “Syl is the most dominant center ever to...Read more

NEW ORLEANS — Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will not play against the Pelicans on Friday night due to personal reasons, according to the team’s injury report.

Jokic was ruled out Friday around noon after being listed as questionable on Thursday. The Nuggets (7-3) are tipping off a three-game road trip in New Orleans with their first ...Read more

NEW YORK — Hours before their interborough battle with the Knicks, the Brooklyn Nets lost a big piece of their starting lineup.

Nic Claxton was diagnosed Friday with a lower-back strain and is set to miss at least a week, the Nets announced.

The 6-11 center had been listed as questionable before he was ruled out Friday. He was set to receive...Read more

NEW YORK — The Knicks landed Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal last summer that sent shockwaves across the NBA. Whether or not he actually forced his way out of Brooklyn, as some reported, is anyone’s guess. The move was designed to further bolster New York’s championship odds. The banner-thirsty franchise took it a step further and ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Hawks will see the return of two of their key players when they face the Washington Wizards on Friday night at State Farm Arena.

The team released its injury report for Friday’s game, and top point guard Trae Young (right Achilles tendinitis) and forward De’Andre Hunter (personal family reasons) were noticeably absent from ...Read more

MIAMI — Cayden Boozer said it was tough to pick between Duke and Miami.

Cameron Boozer said there was no wrong answer, complementing both programs.

But in the end, the talented twin sons of former NBA star Carlos Boozer, chose Duke last month over the Hurricanes.

On Thursday afternoon, they sat together at a table set up inside the Columbus...Read more

LOS ANGELES — History and hindsight have made it a little difficult to contextualize what the Lakers accomplished last winter, the team hoisting a trophy and hanging a banner after winning the NBA's first in-season tournament.

On one hand, only the Lakers and the Boston Celtics were able to celebrate championships last year. On the other, no ...Read more

NEW YORK — Kristaps Porzingis isn’t yet ready to make his Boston Celtics season debut. But he’s progressing well in his recovery, according to head coach Joe Mazzulla.

The rehabbing big man traveled with the team to Brooklyn and went through an active pregame warmup ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with the Nets at Barclays Center. His ...Read more

CHICAGO — “Take us off life support!” Chicago Bulls analyst Stacey King shouted Wednesday night after Jalen Brunson’s last-second shot rolled completely around the basket and rimmed out in the Bulls’ wild 124-123 win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

It was easily the most exciting game of the young season and had ...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida basketball coach Todd Golden‘s first road game at Florida State comes amid salacious accusations a hostile crowd could use as ammunition.

Prior to discussing Friday night’s contest and the Gators’ expected reception, Golden read a statement to address allegations he stalked and sexually harassed multiple ...Read more