NBA News

Lakers coach JJ Redick said the verbal exchange with reserve forward Jarred Vanderbilt during the second quarter of Tuesday’s 123-87 blowout loss to the Thunder was “nothing personal” and a “normal interaction” for Redick. Redick called timeout following the Lakers’ first possession of the second 16 seconds into the quarter after a Kobe Bufkin missed floater that last touched Alex …

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was impressed by the No. 9 seed Charlotte Hornets after Tuesday night’s matchup at TD Garden. In fact, he said it was almost like going up against a much younger version of the C’s. In a potential first-round playoff preview, it took a come-from-behind rally for the Celtics to overcome the NBA’s third-youngest team. Ten …

The NBA play-offs are a four-round tournament to determine the winners of the NBA Championship. Sixteen of the 30 NBA teams – who start the regular season – qualify for the end-of-season format. The top six with the most wins in each Conference (East and West) automatically secure their spot in the play-offs. Advertisement The teams that place between 7-10th …

If you caught Boston’s 54th win of the season on TV or at TD Garden, you would have thought it was a playoff game. The scrappy Hornets have been one of the best second half of the season teams and could knock off a contender in the first round. But after leading by as many as 11 points in the …

During Michigan’s win over UConn Monday night, Aday Mara threw a quick and devastating outlet pass over the Huskies’ defense that made announcer Bill Raftery excitedly say, “shades of Wes Unseld.” Many people immediately wondered: who the hell is Wes Unseld? Advertisement And since he retired in 1981, a lot of readers were born well after his career ended. And …

LOS ANGELES – The last time the Lakers played at home, they were on cloud nine. They took down an Eastern Conference contender in the Cavaliers, which concluded an elite month of March basketball where they won 15 of 17 games. Advertisement Back in Los Angeles on Tuesday, they looked unrecognizable. Gone are Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who will miss …

Victor Wembanyama may miss some time after a rib injury scare in the San Antonio Spurs 115-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Reports indicate Wembanyama’s injury isn’t serious, and he will likely suit up for the one required game he has to play to qualify for end-of-season awards. However, he will likely miss the Spurs’ final matchup against the Portland …

We’re so close to the end of a dreadful 2025-26 season of Dallas Mavericks basketball that we can taste it. Wednesday’s game between the Mavericks (25-54) and the Phoenix Suns (43-35) at Mortgage Matchup Center wraps up the final back-to-back set for Dallas with three games remaining on the schedule. The Mavs are coming into the game on the heels …

The Dallas Mavericks were out west Tuesday night to take on the Los Angeles Clippers in what ended in a 116-103 loss. This one started very ugly, got better to the tune of the Mavs impossibly taking a lead, and then trended back to ugly. Here are a few stats to know from a rough night. 17 straight: Clippers scoring …

PHOENIX — On the morning of the much-needed Suns-Rockets reunion in the desert, the scene at Verizon 5G Performance Center largely mirrored the current state of affairs. Jalen Green was stationed at the far east corner of the gym, working on live reads with the help of a teammate and assistant. Superstar guard Devin Booker could be seen at the …

Oklahoma City Thunder (63-16, first in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (41-38, eighth in the Western Conference) Inglewood, California; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Thunder -7.5; over/under is 225.5 Advertisement BOTTOM LINE: Oklahoma City aims to keep its six-game win streak intact when the Thunder take on Los Angeles. The Clippers are 24-25 against Western Conference …

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns well-known instigator Dillon Brooks was trying to get under the skin of Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant during a possession in the second quarter on Tuesday night, talking his usual trash while playing physical defense. That turned out to be a mistake. Advertisement On the ensuing play, Durant juked Brooks, driving past him and making …

Philadelphia 76ers (43-36, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (50-29, fifth in the Western Conference) Houston; Thursday, 8 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Houston hosts Philadelphia looking to prolong its five-game home winning streak. Advertisement The Rockets have gone 28-10 in home games. Houston is 22-16 against opponents with a winning record. The 76ers have gone 21-18 away from …

The Oklahoma City Thunder are within reach of clinching the NBA’s Western Conference top spot for the third season running after thrashing the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time in six days. A 123-87 victory on Tuesday means the Thunder are one win – or one San Antonio Spurs loss – from ensuring they finish top. Advertisement The Lakers …

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick downplayed his mid-game shouting match with Jarred Vanderbilt on Tuesday night, calling it a normal occurrence during a stressful time for his injury-depleted team. Redick and Vanderbilt repeatedly exchanged words in a visible, vocal argument after Redick called a timeout and removed Vanderbilt from the Lakers’ game against Oklahoma City …

Chicago Bulls (30-49, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Washington Wizards (17-62, 15th in the Eastern Conference) Washington; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Washington plays Chicago looking to break its 10-game home losing streak. Advertisement The Wizards are 11-38 in conference games. Washington is 2-2 in one-possession games. The Bulls are 18-31 in Eastern Conference play. Chicago has a …

PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 24 points in his return to Phoenix and the Houston Rockets rallied from an early 21-point deficit and pulled away late to beat the Phoenix Suns 119-105 on Tuesday night. The Rockets are on a seven-game winning streak and moved into a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the No. 4 spot in …

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 points and eight assists, and Isaiah Joe hit six 3-pointers in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 123-87 victory over the injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. Jared McCain scored 15 points and Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the NBA-leading Thunder, who swept the season series against the Lakers …

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, hitting six 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers recovered after blowing a 23-point lead to beat rookie Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday night. It was Leonard’s 55th straight game with 20 or more points in the Clippers’ first win in three tries against the Mavs this season. …

The Los Angeles Lakers’ indignity was predictable on Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean it counts any less in the standings. The Lakers faced the NBA’s top team, the Oklahoma City Thunder while missing Luka Dončić (out for the rest of the regular season with a hamstring strain), LeBron James (out Tuesday with a foot injury), Austin Reaves (out for the …

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum knew it would happen eventually. It still won’t make his return to Madison Square Garden for Thursday’s matchup with the New York Knicks any easier for him. “Nah, not really,” Tatum said Tuesday following Boston’s win over Charlotte. “I mean, yeah, I thought about it. Not, like, thrilled to go back and play there. Last …

If the Miami Heat are going to find their way back to the NBA playoffs, they’ll have to survive the play-in tournament. Again. They didn’t want to go back there, and weren’t afraid to say so — “we’re better than being in the play-in,” Heat captain Bam Adebayo said a few weeks ago — but the Heat fate became sealed …

NEW YORK (AP) — E.J. Liddell scored a career-high 21 points to lead the Brooklyn Nets to a 96-90 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. Ben Saraf added 19, while Drake Powell and Malachi Smith each had 11 for the Nets (20-59), who have won two straight and three of their last five. Advertisement AJ Green scored 20 …

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rob Dillingham scored a career-high 26 points and the Chicago Bulls ended a seven-game skid, pounding the NBA-worst Washington Wizards 129-98 on Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game set. In the first game since they fired their top two basketball executives, the Bulls were in firm control by the end of the first quarter, leading …

The first Baylor player to reportedly signal that he’s entering this year’s transfer portal wasn’t even on the team when the 2025-26 season started. James Nnaji, who joined the Bears midseason and made his collegiate debut at 21 years old after being selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, plans to hit the portal, according to multiple reports Tuesday. Advertisement The …