NBA News

The NBA playoff picture continues to take shape entering the weekend. All of the postseason berths have been clinched, but teams continue to battle for position in the final days of the regular season. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets became the latest teams to clinch full playoff spots on Thursday. Advertisement The Rockets were dominant with a 140-106 victory …

All eyes and ears in the men’s college basketball world this weekend turn to Indianapolis, where the star-studded Final Four converge to crown the 2026 national champion. Only one member of this year’s quartet has never claimed the ultimate prize, though a couple of the other semifinalists are attempting to end title droughts that date back several decades. Then there’s …

As you probably know, former Duke stars Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg have been locked into a riveting battle for NBA Rookie of the Year. One night, one has a phenomenal game; the next night, the other one does. Earlier this week, Knueppel broke the Hornets franchise record for made threes, and this came after he shattered the rookie three-point …

Dan Hurley finds himself in an all too familiar situation on Saturday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis when Connecticut men’s basketball takes on Illinois in the Final Four. It is the third Final Four in the last four seasons that the 53-year-old coach has led the Huskies to during their six-year rise back to being one of the …

Utah Jazz (21-57, 15th in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (61-16, first in the Western Conference) Oklahoma City; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Utah is looking to stop its eight-game slide with a win against Oklahoma City. Advertisement The Thunder are 38-9 in Western Conference games. Oklahoma City ranks second in the Western Conference with 34.6 defensive …

Detroit Pistons (56-21, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (43-34, sixth in the Eastern Conference) Philadelphia; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Pistons -1.5; over/under is 227.5 Advertisement BOTTOM LINE: Detroit faces Philadelphia in Eastern Conference action Saturday. The 76ers are 25-24 against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 50.2 points per …

Los Angeles Clippers (39-38, ninth in the Western Conference) vs. Sacramento Kings (20-57, 14th in the Western Conference) Sacramento, California; Sunday, 9 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles will try to keep its three-game road win streak alive when the Clippers take on Sacramento. Advertisement The Kings are 3-10 against opponents in the Pacific Division. Sacramento has a 3-4 record …

Charlotte Hornets (42-36, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (46-31, sixth in the Western Conference) Minneapolis; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Timberwolves -1.5; over/under is 228.5 Advertisement BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte is looking to keep its three-game win streak alive when the Hornets take on Minnesota. The Timberwolves are 25-14 on their home court. Minnesota ranks fifth …

Memphis Grizzlies (25-52, 11th in the Western Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (30-47, 11th in the Eastern Conference) Milwaukee; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Memphis looks to stop its three-game losing streak with a victory over Milwaukee. Advertisement The Bucks have gone 17-22 in home games. Milwaukee allows 116.9 points to opponents and has been outscored by 6.4 points per …

Dan Hurley has built quite the powerhouse at Connecticut in his eight seasons in the so-called “Basketball Capital of the World.” He’s won a lot because of that, too. The Jersey City, New Jersey native, who started out coaching high school basketball at St. Benedict’s Prep, is widely considered as one of the top coaches in the country … And …

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will miss the remainder of the regular NBA season with a hamstring injury. The Slovenian, 37, had played himself into contention for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award during an outstanding March in which he became only the 10th player in history to score 600 points in a single month. Advertisement But he …

Dating back as far as the Players Era Festival in November, Michigan men’s basketball has been one of the top programs in the country for a majority of the season. The Wolverines strengthened that claim by rolling past their four opponents in the first two weekends of the Men’s NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a colossal 33-point win over No. 6 …

Orlando Magic (41-36, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (25-53, 12th in the Western Conference) New Orleans; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Magic -3; over/under is 235.5 Advertisement BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans will try to end its seven-game slide when the Pelicans take on Orlando. The Pelicans are 16-23 on their home court. New Orleans …

2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 22.5VJ Edgecombe – 12Joel Embiid – 10.5Paul George – 8Justin Edwards – 4Kelly Oubre Jr. – 4Quentin Grimes – 3Jared McCain :’( – 3Dominick Barlow – 2Andre Drummond – 2MarJon Beauchamp – 2Adem Bona – 1Cam Payne – 1Jabari Walker – 1Trendon Watford – 115th roster spot – 1 Advertisement On …

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Rookie Maxime Raynaud scored 28 points and the Sacramento Kings overcame a 17-point, first-half deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 117-113 on Friday night. Raynaud was 11 of 14 from the field and made 6 of 7 free throws. He also had eight rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Advertisement Nique Clifford added 23 points …

A few notes from the Knicks’ win over Chicago on Friday: ROTATION CHANGE? Mike Brown went with Jeremy Sochan as his backup center against the Bulls. He was pleased with Sochan’s effort. “It allowed us to do a lot of things like switch pick and rolls,” Brown said while giving Sochan the Defensive Player of the Game nod. “It brought …

DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg didn’t get a call, and his coach and a teammate got kicked out of the game trying to stick up for the rookie No. 1 pick of the Dallas Mavericks. Less than a quarter later, Flagg was the first teenager to score 51 points in an NBA game in Dallas’ 138-127 loss to the Orlando …

In theory, a professional sports league is an enterprise that allows the average person to watch some of the world’s best athletes play a competitive game. The modern NBA has made it easy to forget that. Perhaps time will be kinder to the league’s 2025-26 season than we’re about to be, but Friday might have been the clearest possible window …

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Paul George scored 23 points, Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 21 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-103 on Friday night. Joel Embiid had 19 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists in his return to the lineup to help the 76ers remain sixth in the Eastern Conference with five games to play. …

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg isn’t ready to be ruled out of the Rookie of the Year race just yet. The race between Flagg and his former Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, has been close. Advertisement But Flagg sent a message Friday night, becoming the first teenager to score at least 50 points in an NBA regular-season …

NEW YORK (AP) — CJ McCollum had 25 points and seven assists and the surging Atlanta Hawks routed the Brooklyn Nets 141-107 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory and 18th in 20 games. Fifth in the Eastern Conference at 45-33, the Hawks remained 1 1/2 games ahead of sixth-place Philadelphia and seventh-place Toronto and moved within 3 1/2 …

Cooper Flagg stands alone in NBA history after Friday. The Dallas Mavericks rookie became the youngest player in NBA history to record a 50-point game at 19 years and 103 days old, posting 51 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic. Advertisement Flagg is also the ninth rookie in NBA history …

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 25 points and the Houston Rockets won their fifth straight game, beating the Utah Jazz 140-106 on Friday night. Durant shot 8 of 12 from the field and added five assists. It was the 45th time this season he’s scored 20 or more points while shooting 50% or better. That’s second among NBA players …

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored 26 points, Jayson Tatum added 23, and the hot-shooting Boston Celtics capitalized on another fast start in a 133-101 victory over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night. Tatum was an assist shy of his second straight triple-double despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter of a game the Celtics never trailed. He had …

NEW YORK (AP) — CJ McCollum had 25 points and seven assists and the surging Atlanta Hawks routed the Brooklyn Nets 141-107 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory and 18th in 20 games. Fifth in the Eastern Conference at 45-33, the Hawks remained 1 1/2 games ahead of sixth-place Philadelphia and moved within 3 1/2 games of fourth-place …