MIAMI — The subset of the standings has begun for the Miami Heat — also known as the fighting chance provided by the NBA.

Over these final six weeks of the season, as the Heat fight to avoid the play-in round for a fourth consecutive season, Erik Spoelstra’s team has been provided with two games against the Brooklyn Nets and three against...Read more

TCU men’s basketball no longer has to wonder about whether it will make the NCAA tournament.

After upsetting No. 10 Texas Tech 73-65 (22-8, 12-5) in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, the question the Horned Frogs (20-10, 10-7) have to wonder about now is how high will their seed be on Selection Sunday on March 15?

The Horned Frogs have now won ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kon Knueppel was just as bummed as everyone else.

With Cooper Flagg still nursing a left midfoot sprain that’s sidelined the Dallas Mavericks’ young star since Feb. 10, that meant no rookie showdown between the Charlotte Hornets’ prized pick and his buddy and close friend from Duke.

“Yeah, I think you just want to ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves were able to win all three games on their recent road trip without Julius Randle playing his best basketball.

But if the Wolves are going to make a serious run in the playoffs again, they need the version of Randle who looked so comfortable in Minnesota last season to re-emerge over the last six weeks ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The North Carolina Tar Heels may have been down by three points at the break Tuesday against Clemson, but the Smith Center crowd was soon brought to its feet by a former player who walked out to midcourt wearing a Canadian tuxedo.

The UNC men’s basketball program honored RJ Davis — the last player of the Roy Williams ...Read more

NEW YORK — St. John’s is one win away from at least a share of the Big East regular-season championship.

It took a furious second-half comeback — and a little late luck — for the Red Storm to eke out a 72-69 win over last-place Georgetown on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden and avoid a catastrophic upset.

But with the dramatic ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — With tough buckets and timely shots, Clemson men’s basketball showed up at the Smith Center and tried its hardest to hand UNC its first home loss of the season.

Luka Bogavac and Derek Dixon had other plans.

Bogavac, the junior guard from Montenegro’s had an up-and-down first season with the Tar Heels, but he was on ...Read more

CLEVELAND — The Detroit Pistons trailed 94-83 when Ausar Thompson connected on a dunk after a backdoor cut. Shortly after he made a basket, Thompson pickpocketed James Harden, which led to him throwing an alley-oop to Javonte Green.

Thompson’s contributions led the Pistons to an 8-2 run by the 6:02 mark of the fourth quarter. But more ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Entering Tuesday’s game against the Wizards, the Magic knew they’d already be without Franz Wagner, who is managing an extended rehab of a left high ankle sprain.

Then, in the hours leading up to tipoff, Orlando learned it would also be without Anthony Black (right quad contusion) for the second game in a row and Wendell ...Read more

NEW YORK — The strength of St. John’s is undeniably its frontcourt, where the towering trio of Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell creates a nightly size advantage.

But head coach Rick Pitino believes the key to a deep NCAA tournament run is a great backcourt, and that’s where Ian Jackson could loom large.

Jackson has endured...Read more

David Adelman saved a challenge for the end, and it saved the Nuggets from a disastrous loss.

Keyonte George was going to the foul line with 16 seconds left and a chance to give Utah the lead Monday night. If he made both, Denver was going to have to score without Nikola Jokic. He had just fouled out trying to stop George at the rim.

Turns out...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO – The postseason does not start until late April, but Monday’s matchup between the Warriors and Clippers at chase Center undeniably had postseason implications.

The Warriors entered the night as the eighth seed and up 2.5 games on the Clippers, which meant that if the Play-In tournament began that night, the Warriors would be ...Read more

At least one NBA player objects to the Atlanta Hawks paying tribute to the famous Magic City adult entertainment club during their game Monday against the Orlando Magic.

San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet posted a statement on Medium asking the Hawks to call off the promotion "as to ensure that the NBA remains a safe, respectful, and ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — N.C. State talked a lot during the offseason about a “Red Reckoning,” and how the Wolfpack would be a threat in college basketball.

While the Pack is largely improved from a year ago, a full-on reckoning may have been a little strong. In fact, N.C. State head coach Will Wade said last week at Virginia that his team was not...Read more

The Boston Celtics’ fourth-stringer-turned-standout center delivered the best game of his NBA career on Sunday night.

Twenty-four hours later, their youngest player did the same.

Rookie Hugo Gonzalez put on a terrific two-way performance to lead the short-handed Celtics to a 108-81 win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — USC's decision to dismiss top scorer and 3-point shooter Chad Baker-Mazara on the doorstep of the postseason left many wondering Sunday why coach Eric Musselman would seemingly sabotage his team's already-tenuous hopes of making the NCAA tournament.

To Gilbert Arenas, the former NBA star and podcast host whose son Alijah is a ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — The UConn men’s basketball team enters the final week of the regular season at No. 4 in the AP Top 25 poll after a 2-0 week that included its eighth Quad 1 victory in 10 opportunities this season.

Bracketologists have UConn positioned to land the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament come Selection Sunday, which would ...Read more

The search for sustained consistency remained a focus for the Lakers on Sunday against a Sacramento Kings team with the NBA’s worst record.

And it helped that the Lakers were completely healthy against the Kings, something that has eluded them nearly all season.

Behind strong efforts from Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers defeated the...Read more