ATLANTA — First some bookkeeping, then a tasty morsel ... even as Pat Riley would prefer days ahead being a bit less spicy than these past few.

When it comes to the he said/he said in the Jimmy Butler debate, one significant element somehow has gotten lost in the timing element going forward for the Miami Heat: It does not matter if Jimmy ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — These days, the 3-point shot is getting a bad rap.

Haven’t you heard? Basketball television ratings are down. Specifically, NBA television ratings are down. And atop the list of suspected culprits is the contention that the 3-point shot has become too much of a good thing.

Thus, at the recent finals of the NBA Cup, ...Read more

NEW YORK — The year just wrapping up presented women’s basketball fans with entertaining events never seen before.

The Liberty — the WNBA’s last remaining original franchise — ended its 27-year drought and achieved the elusive title. It was the first basketball title in New York City since the Knicks won the NBA crown in 1973.

Before...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The hit was going to come, the Los Angeles Lakers and JJ Redick sure of it.

Sacramento had been thrown into complete chaos, the Lakers taking two straight from the Kings in their building last week — links in the chain of events that led to the Kings firing coach Mike Brown on his way to board the flight for L.A.

Beating the ...Read more

There was little optimism in Pistons Nation when Detroit began a four-game western trip on Dec. 21.

The Pistons were coming off their worst loss of the season, falling to the Utah Jazz. Facing four teams with playoff aspirations, the thought was that the Pistons might be lucky to steal one game on the trip.

But Saturday night's 134-121 loss to...Read more

SALT LAKE CITY — The foul call with the shot clock dwindling prompted a challenge by Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy, then boos from the home crowd when the whistle stood, then cheers when Paul George missed the first free throw.

But the 76ers’ perennial All-Star sank the second attempt, then another pair on his team’s ensuing possession. ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — One night after playing what Steve Kerr thought was his best game as a pro, Jonathan Kuminga one-upped himself.

Kuminga matched his career high with 34 points and spent the fourth quarter hounding Kevin Durant on defense.

In a tie game with two minutes left, the Warriors executed. Dennis Schroder, who struggled most of the ...Read more

This is why you call him "captain." Because when you call on the captain, he delivers.

And this is why you don’t count the Knicks out after three quarters — or even after four. Because all their high-powered offense needs is a moment to blow a game open.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. And if there’s a way, the Knicks will find ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — It was probably only a matter of time that a young team with a new rotation crashed back to Earth, and it happened Saturday afternoon before a Fox national television audience.

As spectacular as San Diego State looked through the opening 18 minutes en route to an 18-point lead, the nation’s No. 20-ranked team looked stupefied ...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — No crazy buzzer-beater. No last-minute miracle.

After so much heartache over so many years, UCLA finally shook off its Gonzaga jinx under coach Mick Cronin on Saturday afternoon at Intuit Dome.

It looked like the Bruins might be in store for more misfortune when Sebastian Mack fouled Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard on a driving ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Choosing a starting lineup will be one of Doug Christie’s first decisions as interim coach of the Sacramento Kings.

Christie was named interim coach Friday when head coach Mike Brown was fired 31 games into his third season in Sacramento. The move came as the Kings prepared to board a flight to Southern California to ...Read more

ATLANTA — The cycle of mediocrity had a chance to add something of meaning Saturday at State Farm Arena.

Instead, no three-game winning streak for the Miami Heat, just a 120-110 loss to the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena and a 15-14 record going into Sunday night’s game against the Houston Rockets to conclude this three-game trip.

After ...Read more

NEW YORK — It’s been nearly a month since the Liberty and their fans had to say goodbye to Kayla Thornton — the team’s do-it-all glue player who left everything on the court each night.

The addition of the WNBA’s 13th and newest franchise — the Golden State Valkyries — pretty much ensured the reigning champion Liberty were going ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Golden State Warriors didn’t have Steph Curry or Draymond Green, but they played with the type of intensity that such a disadvantageous situation requires.

Fighting for every rebound, applying ball pressure, trapping dribblers and wreaking havoc at any opportunity, the Warriors cut a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit to ...Read more

DENVER — The Nuggets’ loss on Christmas day was an outlier within the context of this season, in that their offense betrayed them. Their 149-135 loss to the Cavaliers two nights later was more akin to the trend — but in its most extreme form.

Denver trailed by as many as 21 and fell to 8-5 at home this season in Friday’s loss to the NBA...Read more

Those tactics aren’t going to work anymore, Orlando. The Knicks have your number.

The short-handed Magic, missing three of their top scorers — Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner — leaned on their trademark physicality, a gritty style of play that has kept them competitive despite their depleted roster. Orlando’s defense ...Read more

BOSTON — Consider the Celtics’ skid snapped.

After losing four of its last seven and two straight for the first time this season, Boston bounced back in emphatic fashion by bulldozing the Indiana Pacers, 142-105, on Friday night at TD Garden.

Jaylen Brown was the tone-setter for Boston, scoring a season-high 44 points on 16-of-24 shooting ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Nets were playing textbook defense on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs early, but that effort was not sustained throughout regulation in a 96-87 loss Friday night at Barclays Center.

Veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith returned to the starting lineup after missing three straight games because of a left calf contusion...Read more

HOUSTON – The Timberwolves got off to a rough start in the final leg of this three-game road trip when their flight was delayed several hours by thunderstorms heading out of Dallas on Thursday.

But their trip ended on a much brighter note in a 113-112 comeback win over the Rockets.

The Wolves trailed by 16 in the fourth quarter before ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid has been fined $75,000 for “making obscene gestures on the playing court” during the 76ers’ win at the Boston Celtics on Christmas, the NBA announced Friday night.

Embiid made the “DX crotch chop” thrusting motion while lying on his back after converting a layup through contact during the first half of the...Read more