A few nights after the Timberwolves snapped a five-game losing streak against a short-handed Warriors team, they faced the Mavericks, who also had a lengthy “out” list on the injury report.

The Wolves did as they should in coming home with a 118-105 victory over Dallas at American Airlines Center with Oklahoma City up next on Thursday, Jan....Read more

BOSTON — Eleven days after being blown out by the Celtics on their home floor, the Hawks got their revenge at TD Garden.

Atlanta led by as many as 23 points Wednesday night in a 117-106 win over Boston. It was the first double-digit defeat for the Celtics since Dec. 11 — when they lost by 15 to the Milwaukee Bucks — and their first at ...Read more

MIAMI — Yes, the Orlando Magic have the Miami Heat’s number.

So make it 4-0 for the Magic against the Heat this season with their 133-124 victory Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, a run that also includes an NBA Cup victory.

Actually, make it 6-0 if you choose to add a couple of Heat preseason losses to the Magic.

As in the case of the ...Read more

Six steals for OG Anunoby, a 30-point barrage from Mikal Bridges and a massive third-quarter run that broke the seal for the Knicks’ fourth win in a row.

With Mitchell Robinson (load management) and Miles McBride (ankle) sidelined for the second leg of a home-road back-to-back following Tuesday’s victory over the Sacramento Kings, the ...Read more

DENVER — He’s been a superhero so many times this month, you almost forgot Jamal Murray is still mortal.

And no mortal is immune from missing a timely free throw.

Murray missed two of them Tuesday, the final nails in the coffin for Denver in a 109-107 loss to Detroit. Among the finite number of ways a basketball game can end, this one was ...Read more

NEW YORK — There was no need Wednesday night for another furious second-half comeback.

Nor was there ever much doubt that No. 25 St. John’s would extend its season-long winning streak.

St. John’s imposed its will early and never looked back, cruising to a coast-to-coast 92-70 victory over Butler at Madison Square Garden for its seventh ...Read more

CLEVELAND — Lakers teammates and coaches clapped. LeBron James stared stoically at the video board. Instead of acknowledging the Cleveland crowd showering the Lakers star with applause after a video tribute on Monday, James lifted his jersey over his face.

He wiped his eyes.

More than two decades after the Cavaliers drafted him first overall...Read more

MIAMI — It is a multiple-choice question the entire NBA, including the Miami Heat, has to evaluate, even if there is no definitive correct answer:

— A. The Milwaukee Bucks will trade Giannis Antetokounmpo by the Feb. 5 NBA trading deadline.

— B. The Milwaukee Bucks will not trade Giannis Antetokounmpo by the Feb. 5 NBA trading deadline. ...Read more

BOSTON — During an hour-long interview with “The Pivot” podcast, Jayson Tatum spoke at length about his grueling recovery from Achilles surgery.

The Celtics star hinted at when he might be planning to return to the court — and admitted he’s given considerable thought to the potential challenges of reintegrating himself into a Boston ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Wonder what Caitlin Clark thinks about the confusion surrounding Austin Reaves' imminent return to the Lakers lineup? Or whether Jeanie Buss has turned on LeBron James? Or if she has nothing but praise for Luka Doncic?

Tune in to the Lakers' matchup against the New York Knicks on the NBC Sports debut of "Basketball Night in ...Read more

NEW YORK — Giannis Antetokounmpo is reportedly coming around to the idea of a trade, which means it’s time to revisit which Knicks chips are actually in play should the Greek Freak decide New York is the only place he wants to play.

Antetokounmpo reportedly named the Knicks as his preferred destination during an offseason meeting with Bucks...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — After Tennessee spoiled the return to men’s intercollegiate basketball of NBA G League center Charles Bediako Saturday night by beating his new/old college team, Alabama 79-73, the Volunteers men’s basketball social media team had some fun.

On the UT men’s hoops X account, Tennessee tweeted at the 2023 G League champion...Read more

It ended with a loose ball, a shove, bodies flying in from every direction and a lengthy delay that sucked the air out of a tight game. Egor Dëmin and Dillon Brooks tangled as Ziaire Williams fought for a loose ball late and the scrum spilled outward. By the time order was restored, the momentum Brooklyn had just found was gone.

That moment ...Read more

DENVER — The Detroit Pistons opened their three-game West Coast road trip with a 109-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets,Tuesday night inside Ball Arena.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (14 points) knocked down his fourth 3-point field goal of the game to cut the Pistons' once 16-point lead to one (103-102) with 56 seconds left. However, Duncan Robinson, ...Read more

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kentucky’s five-game winning streak is over. And it ended in unceremonious fashion.

Mark Pope’s Wildcats were run out of Memorial Gymnasium almost immediately Tuesday night, getting off to a terrible start on both ends of the court and ultimately losing 80-55 to No. 18 Vanderbilt.

The Cats trailed by double digits for ...Read more

Missouri men's basketball struggled to corral Alabama's perimeter shooting while the Tigers continued to flounder at the free-throw line on Tuesday, losing soundly to the No. 23 Crimson Tide.

Alabama's 90-64 victory was a fairly comfortable one for the home team, which went on a key 10-0 run late in the first half to take control of the game. ...Read more

STORRS, Conn. – It was UConn’s bench that stepped up Tuesday night as the second-ranked Huskies held on for another tight win, 87-81, over Providence at Gampel Pavilion.

After averaging only 7.6 bench points over the last five games, beginning when they visited the Friars three weeks ago and scored just three, the Huskies saw a combined 26 ...Read more

NEW YORK — Perhaps the game plan was simple all along: Let DeMar DeRozan cook and take away the Sacramento Kings’ other offensive options in Tuesday night’s matchup at Madison Square Garden.

Or maybe the New York Knicks simply didn’t have an answer for the crafty veteran scorer who lit up The Garden in a losing effort.

The Kings were ...Read more

The winter winds whipping through Michigan got a big boost Tuesday night as Michigan State fans across the state breathed a sigh of relief.

Divine Ugochukwu’s 3-pointer forced overtime and Carson Cooper converted go-ahead free throws in a 88-79 overtime win over Rutgers as Michigan State shook off a 12-point deficit in the second half at ...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It was a golden opportunity for the Minchigan Wolverines.

A chance to knock No. 5 Nebraska from the unbeaten ranks. A shot to pull into a tie for first place in the Big Ten standings. A prime time to add another signature victory to the postseason resume against a team that was without two of its top players.

It was all ...Read more