MIAMI – The Miami Heat had only one job Sunday at Kaseya Center.

Mission accomplished: No one got hurt.

And, yet, an afternoon that still stung, in an all-too-familiar fashion.

With most of Erik Spoelstra’s rotation given the afternoon off ahead of Wednesday night’s win-or-go-home play-in road game against the Chicago Bulls, the Heat ...Read more

BOSTON — Four days after being blown off the floor by the Orlando Magic, the Celtics backups redeemed themselves Sunday.

With Boston’s top six players all resting ahead of the playoffs, its bench bodies outlasted the Charlotte Hornets 93-86 at TD Garden to close out the regular season.

Payton Pritchard paced the Celtics with 34 points on ...Read more

MILWAUKEE — The Detroit Pistons ended their regular season in a 140-133 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday at Fiserv Forum.

Malik Beasley played the most minutes of all players in coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s regular lineup, totaling 21 minutes while scoring a team-high 23 points with seven made 3-point field goals. Beasley scored ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers’ season began with a lot of promise only to end in disappointment. So before Sunday’s season finale, Tyrese Maxey was asked what positives he could take away from the campaign.

“This is going to sound bad, but the one positive I do take away is the only way it can go from here is up. You know what I mean?” ...Read more

NEW YORK — Rhythm or rest? The Knicks chose rest.

It’s the eternal debate for playoff-bound teams: roll the dice for rhythm or preserve bodies for battle? For a Knicks team stumbling into the postseason, it was a decision that felt more like a concession.

Three straight losses — to Boston, Detroit and Cleveland — left New York grasping...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Willard’s official introduction as Villanova’s men’s basketball coach had ended Wednesday, the administrators and boosters and former players dispersing, and in a quieter area inside the Finneran Pavilion, Eric Roedl started juggling. Ideas, not rubber balls or chain saws.

There is Villanova: the big-time Big East ...Read more

MIAMI — Typically after a season like this, whenever it ends, a major top-to-bottom review would be in order, over how a team can go from 10 games over .500 a year ago and from the NBA Finals two years ago to the depths of the Eastern Conference.

This time around, there will be no need.

Because the problem already is gone, or, better put, ...Read more

SEATTLE — Is it Brandon Roy? Jamal Crawford? Might Nate Robinson be in the mix?

If we’re talking about the best basketball player to come out of Seattle, those aren’t names you can ignore.

But if this question were asked five years from now, there might be a definitive answer. One Paolo Banchero. Have you seen what this guy is doing?

...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A national championship coach and collection of players exited the south end tunnel of the Swamp to reception befitting for a winner.

It had been a while in the place where, “Only Gators get out alive,” the slogan on the front of the T-shirt worn by Todd Golden.

On a day Billy Napier’s football program put on its ...Read more

DENVER — The Nuggets players have teeth.

They smile. They laugh. They talk.

With Michael Malone’s paranoia gone and Calvin Booth’s pettiness absent, the Nuggets are enjoying basketball again.

The Nuggets divorced from their two highest-profile employees and were awarded custody of Rocky.

Everyone is taking ownership. Except ownership. ...Read more

BOSTON — After three seasons split between Boston and Maine, JD Davison has earned an official Celtics roster spot.

The Celtics on Saturday filled their final open 15-man roster slot — which had been left vacant for the entire season — by converting Davison’s two-way contract to a permanent NBA deal, his agent told ESPN’s Shams ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Timberwolves were hopeful after Friday night’s win over Brooklyn that the technical foul Anthony Edwards received would be rescinded. If it wasn’t, Edwards was set to be suspended for Sunday’s regular-season finale against Utah, a game that carries major playoff implications for the Wolves.

Win and they guarantee ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It was the humiliating snub that saved a season.

It was the most beautiful embarrassment in Lakers history.

Dan Hurley, thank you.

Thank you for turning down $70 million from the Lakers to stay at UConn. Thank you for walking away from Hollywood to hang out in Storrs. Thank you for doing the unthinkable to a team desperate for...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mark Pope has gone international to add another piece to the 2025-26 Kentucky basketball team.

On Saturday afternoon, UK got a commitment from Andrija Jelavic, a 6-foot-11 Croatian big man.

ESPN first reported Jelavic’s commitment to Kentucky.

Jelavic — a power forward who will turn 21 years old in May — is considered...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — It wasn’t perfect, but Mark Pope’s first season as Kentucky men’s basketball coach should be judged a success.

Now, it’s time to start contemplating what will need to happen for year two of UK’s Pope coaching era to also be deemed a triumph.

Prior to Pope’s debut season coaching at his college alma mater, there ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James moved gingerly to the bench, grabbing toward the inside of his left leg midway through the third quarter.

This, for the Los Angeles Lakers, was the worst-case scenario on a night where they could lock up their best-case scenario for the playoffs.

A win against the Rockets with Houston sitting 80% of its starting ...Read more

PORTLAND — With the specter of the dreaded play-in tournament looming over the Warriors, Golden State’s matchup in Portland on Friday night was a must-win game in everything but name.

So was there any doubt that the Golden State Warriors veterans – with their Hall of Fame legacies forged in games of the highest stakes – would take care ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The race for an automatic spot in the playoffs has kept the Los Angeles Clippers on high alert. The race to avoid the NBA’s play-in tournament has kept them playing with purpose.

The Clippers know the stakes are high in the competitive Western Conference, each game more important than the last as they jockey for ...Read more