Slow starts, porous interior defense, and inconsistent bench scoring remain concerns for the Knicks, even amid a stretch of dominance. These issues were evident again during their 126-106 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday, a win that extended New York’s streak to eight games and marked their 18th win in their last 22 outings.

...Read more

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Jerome Tang doesn’t need to make any New Year’s resolutions to get Kansas State’s basketball season back on track.

The Wildcats can make that happen by continuing to play the way did during a 70-67 victory over Cincinnati in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Monday at Bramlage Coliseum.

K-State (7-5, 1-0 Big 12) ...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan State men's basketball team closed out 2024 with an 80-62 victory over Western Michigan on Monday afternoon in the Breslin Center.

The No. 18 Spartans (11-2) jumped ahead to give themselves a 13-point cushion at the half, but the Broncos (3-9) made a move coming out of the locker room.

WMU kept MSU on its ...Read more

Speaking as a 40-year-old NBA player for the first time, LeBron James said Monday that, should he desire, he could still play at a high level in the NBA for several seasons.

“To be honest, if I really wanted to, I could probably play this game at a high level probably for about another — it’s weird that I might say this — but probably ...Read more

Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox took to social media Monday to address rumors that he played a role in the team’s decision to fire two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown.

Fox responded to former NBA guard Lou Williams’ remarks on FanDuel TV’s “Run it Back.” Williams said “there was just some pushback from how De’Aaron Fox ...Read more

LeBron James loves horror movies, loves them so much he has a tattoo of his “Big Three” villains on his thigh. There’s “Nightmare on Elm Street’s” Freddy Krueger. There’s “Halloween’s” Michael Myers. And there’s “Friday the 13th’s” Jason Voorhees. If anyone appreciates a good scare, it’s the NBA’s all-time leading...Read more

On Sunday, it was the other player acquired in the blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade who fueled the Timberwolves' 112-110 home victory over Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

It was reserve guard Donte DiVincenzo — not three-time All-Star Julius Randle — who made five three-pointers, scored 26 points and made the game’s ...Read more

Five takeaways from the Miami Heat’s 104-100 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night at Toyota Center to close its three-game trip at 2-1 and reach the 30-game mark at 16-14. The Heat now returns to Miami to begin a three-game homestand on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans:

The Heat, short-handed and playing on the second night...Read more

BOSTON -- Three days, two games, two very different outcomes.

After steamrolling the Indiana Pacers by 37 points Friday night at TD Garden, the Celtics were handled by the same team on the same court Sunday evening, losing 123-114.

The nine-point margin of defeat equaled the largest of the season for Boston. The Celtics trailed by 15 when head...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings sent a shock wave through the organization and its fanbase Friday with their decision to fire head coach Mike Brown 20 months after he became the NBA’s first-ever unanimous coach of the year in 2023.

That year, he helped the team snap the longest postseason drought in league history and followed it ...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls can’t survive without 3-point shooting.

This is, in a way, what it looks like when the other shoe drops. Nearly midway through the season, the Bulls are the second-most prolific 3-point shooting team in the NBA, trailing only the Boston Celtics as they average 16.5 made 3s on 44 attempts per game.

The success of...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- He’s not a big name, but it’s a big trade.

The Lakers have acquired Dorian Finney-Smith, a multiple-positional defender shooting 43.5% from three-point range this season, in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets without surrending any of L.A.’s future first-round draft picks — a deal that improves two big areas of need while ...Read more

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