MIAMI — As they went into Friday night’s winner-take-all play-in game against the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat paused to reflect on the perseverance of their leader.

While a sprained MCL in his right knee took Jimmy Butler out of Friday night’s showdown at Kaseya Center, it did not deter him from playing to the finish of Wednesday night�...Read more

DENVER — Coban Porter, the brother of Denver Nuggets star Michael Porter Jr., was sentenced to six years in prison Friday for killing a woman in a drunk-driving crash last year.

Porter, 22, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and vehicular assault in February on the condition that he would be sentenced to no more than eight years in prison. ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — From the start it was clear Stephon Castle wasn’t your typical “one-and-done” player. He came to UConn all in for winning a championship, and fulfilled that commitment to coach Dan Hurley.

In fact, Hurley called him “the anti-five star,” because his team-first attitude was different from the typical high-end ...Read more

DURHAM, N.C. — As a seventh Duke basketball player entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal on Friday, the Blue Devils are closing in on their first addition.

Sean Stewart, a 6-9 freshman reserve forward, became the latest Blue Devils player from last season’s team to announce his departure via the portal on the same day Syracuse ...Read more

NEW YORK — The only time Josh Hart spoke about it was to poke fun at Jalen Brunson.

After all, Brunson’s 2023 playoff run ended in similar fashion to the brutal ending to Hart’s Villanova career.

With a turnover.

Hart and Brunson were teammates on the 2017 Wildcats team bumped from the NCAA Tournament’s second round by the Wisconsin ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Over the past 10 days, the coaching conflict that has defined Kentucky college hoops in the 21st century has flipped 180 degrees.

In what has essentially been an unending war between the “House of Calipari” and the “House of Pitino,” the forces of “Ricky P.” have secured a stunning victory.

On April 8, the ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The countdown clock started around 5 p.m. Sunday and expires Saturday afternoon, a protracted gap between games that must feel like an eternity in the NBA's rhythm of life.

The playoff format grants the Timberwolves five full days to prepare for the Phoenix Suns, a Monday-through-Friday workweek that is the most important time ...Read more

NEW YORK — Elite Bulls defender Coby White had a unique way of describing Jalen Brunson after the Knicks’ All-Star point guard hung 45 points in a near wire-to-wire victory in Chicago on April 9.White called Brunson a ‘motherf-----.’

Brunson is that good. He’s proven it against each of the NBA’s premier individual and team defenses:...Read more

DENVER — They gave us what we wanted: The Nuggets back on stage with Maury Povich and a manila envelope. In the case of the 64-year-old Los Angeles Lakers, you are the father.

Denver welcomes the Lakers back to Ball Arena on Saturday as family. Cup your ears from Trinidad to Windsor and you can still hear the “Who’s your daddy?” chant ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors have an aging roster that just finished a middling season. They just paid a ludicrously large luxury tax bill with a team icon hitting free agency. They have a responsibility to compete for titles as long as Steph Curry remains great and a moral obligation to keep their dynastic core intact — possibly ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Day 3 of the continuing injury update regarding Kawhi Leonard brought in Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank to explain more details and to tell the media that his All-Star forward will be listed as “questionable” for Game 1 of the playoffs Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Leonard, who missed the ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — They were who we thought they were. Until they weren’t. The only conclusion left is they aren’t.

They aren’t the team that wouldn’t dunk against the Atlanta Hawks, that couldn’t shoot against the Boston Celtics. They aren’t the team that barely bothered to tie its shoes for Game 7 at TD Garden. Their point guard no ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — If there’s anyone on the Magic who understands the lethality of Cleveland‘s Donovan Mitchell, it’s veteran forward Joe Ingles.

The 36-year-old Australian, who’s become a crucial piece to Orlando‘s young roster, played with Mitchell in Utah from 2017-22 before the duo departed the Jazz.

Now they’ll face each other ...Read more

MIAMI — A worst-case scenario turned into reality for the Miami Heat on Thursday, when testing revealed a sprained MCL in Jimmy Butler’s right knee that the team said will have the team’s leading man out “several weeks.”

That prognosis comes with the Heat’s season on the line in Friday night’s winner-take-all play-in game against ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The outline hasn't really differed much in their past seven meetings, the four from last year's Western Conference finals and the three chances for revenge that the Lakers couldn't grab.

Generally, the game has been close, the Nuggets will then get into their late-game offense, and the game won't be close anymore.

Thursday, the...Read more

CHICAGO — Alex Caruso’s status for the Chicago Bulls’ play-in tournament game Friday in Miami is in jeopardy after a left ankle injury was deemed a “significant” sprain, according to ESPN.

Caruso spent a long time getting treatment on the ankle after Wednesday’s 131-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks at the United Center that set up the...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Nickeil Alexander-Walker, in his fifth year in the NBA, said he has never laughed more during a season than he has this one with the Timberwolves.

One reason: Anthony Edwards.

"He's gonna make fun of himself. He's gonna make fun of everybody," said Alexander-Walker, who Edwards once accused of dressing way too nicely after a ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Reed Sheppard has made the first step toward deciding what comes next in his young basketball career.

Sheppard — last year’s Kentucky Mr. Basketball and a fan favorite for the Wildcats this past season — will enter the 2024 NBA draft, and he is not leaving open the possibility to return to Lexington to play for new ...Read more

MIAMI — In the wake of a knee injury that left him a shell of himself by the conclusion of Wednesday night’s costly road play-in loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is expected to miss extended time in a Heat season that might not have extended time remaining.

An MRI on Butler’s right knee is scheduled for 3:30...Read more

The Chicago Bulls advanced to the second round of the NBA Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive year, cruising to a 131-116 victory against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night at the United Center.

The Bulls will face the Heat at 6 p.m. Friday in Miami with the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs on the line.

Coby White ...Read more