BOSTON — For the second time in five days, TD Garden played host to a potential NBA Finals preview Wednesday night.

This one ended in disappointment for the defending champs.

The Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City defeated the Celtics, 118-112, sweeping the two-game season series between the two championship hopefuls. The loss snapped ...Read more

TORONTO — The 76ers lost the game, but won the race to the tank.

The Raptors’ 118-105 victory over the Sixers Wednesday night at Scotiabank Arena flipped those their draft lottery standings, at least temporarily increasing the Sixers’ odds of keeping their first-round pick at the end of this woeful season.

The Sixers (22-43), who have ...Read more

MIAMI – No blown early lead or botched late lead this time for the Miami Heat.

Such tend not to be factors when your only lead is 2-0.

This time, simply not good enough, even when given the advantage of the Los Angeles Clippers sitting out Kawhi Leonard on the second night of a back-to-back set.

Defenseless for extended stretches and unable...Read more

INDIANAPOLIS — Minnesota seniors Dawson Garcia and Parker Fox tapped coach Ben Johnson on the shoulder as they walked off the podium after Wednesday’s 72-64 Big Ten Tournament loss against Northwestern.

It was likely their last time wearing maroon and gold.

The Gophers (15-17) are longshots for the NIT and the new College Basketball Crown ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Stephen A. Smith thought LeBron James confronting him was "weak."

He also thought it was "some bulls—."

Days after he first spoke about James angrily addressing him face to face courtside during the third quarter of the Knicks-Lakers game Thursday, Smith had more to say about the encounter and its aftermath on a recent ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of North Carolina men’s basketball’s best defensive performances came in the ACC Tournament.

The Tar Heels, whose biggest lead was 24 points in their 76-56 victory to reach the quarterfinals at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against Wake Forest, significantly limited its opponent’s strong offense.

The Tar Heels recorded their...Read more

NEW YORK — Rick Pitino is not in the mood to reflect.

Not yet.

Not after No. 6 St. John’s finished off a historic 27-4 regular season that included an 18-2 mark in Big East play.

Not after the program’s first outright conference regular-season championship since 1985.

And certainly not with the Big East Tournament looming.

“I’m ...Read more

NEW YORK — Even the man who hired Rick Pitino to turn St. John’s around didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.

When Pitino famously guaranteed at his introductory press conference in March of 2023 that St. John’s was “going to be back,” the program had not won an outright Big East championship since 1985 or even a share of the ...Read more

NEW YORK — The 29th WNBA draft is set to take place on April 14, the league announced Wednesday.

For the second consecutive year, fans will be able to attend the draft when it takes place at The Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards.

“At a time when the passion and excitement surrounding the WNBA has never been higher, we continue to focus on...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Villanova fans weren’t always going bananas.

Back in November, senior Matthew Devlin and his friends went out for beers after a tough loss to St. Joseph’s. The season was off to a rough start, and they were already worried the year was lost.

“The idea stemmed from that,” Devlin said. “The student section felt like it...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — ’Tis the season, as far as Jase Richardson is concerned.

“Most kids look forward to Christmas,” explained his father, Jason, the former Michigan State All-America. “But with Jase, his holiday was the March Madness championship game and that ‘One Shining Moment’ video. He always had to see who was in that ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — A horrific call by ACC officials had Jeff Capel crying foul Tuesday after the Panthers were knocked out of the ACC tournament by Notre Dame, and he has every right to be angry about it.

I’ll spare you the details, but in short, the refs called a foul on Zack Austin with 0.5 seconds left in a tied game, and Notre Dame’s Tae ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Mick Cronin would seem to have his pick of quality candidates for an assistant general manager role with his team.

The UCLA coach could go with someone from the John Wooden era, a Bruins legend such as Marques Johnson, Jamaal Wilkes or Sidney Wicks.

Or maybe he would prefer a more recent alumnus who played in the NBA. How about...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas State basketball players said they felt like they had “new life” as they prepared for the Big 12 Tournament.

It’s been a mostly disappointing season for the Wildcats, but this was an opportunity for them to go out on a high note. If they could beat Arizona State in the opening round of the competition, there ...Read more

DETROIT — Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons to a 123-103 win over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. He came close to posting a triple-double, finishing with 27 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. The Pistons improved to 37-29 overall to begin their three-game homestand on a positive note.

While the first-time All-Star led the ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — A year after the most unpredictable ACC tournament of all time, we’re facing what may be the most predictable outcome in a generation.

Duke is roughly a three-in-four favorite to come away with the title, and given the way the Blue Devils have manhandled opponents over the past month, even that feels a little low. Those are ...Read more

MIAMI — The task is one Jai Lucas didn’t inherit but rather seized. And it’s a challenge with a place unlike any other in Miami sports history.

If the dizzyingly sudden, sharp fall of Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball is not quite unprecedented in this market, only one other collapse in memory is comparable to the Canes making their ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The news over the weekend that Murray State has parted ways with head men’s basketball coach Steve Prohm and the word Monday that Bellarmine head man Scott Davenport is retiring continues an unprecedented time of churn in college hoops coaching in the commonwealth.

The departures of Davenport and Prohm mean that six of the...Read more