If you are the kind of fan who gets mad when NBA players miss free throws, Timberwolves-Rockets was not for you.

Neither team wanted to hit its free shots all game, and the loser was going to regret those missed points. It turned out to be the visiting Wolves, who lost, 110-105, on Friday.

The Wolves finished 20 for 35 at the line while ...Read more

The Nets finally closed one out.

Behind a big night from Michael Porter Jr. and a major lift from its bench, Brooklyn snapped a five-game skid with a 112–109 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night at Barclays Center, improving to 12-27.

Porter finished with 26 points and seven rebounds, scoring the go-ahead basket in the final seconds, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Lakers star Luka Doncic will miss Saturday's game in Portland because of left groin soreness, the team announced Friday.

Doncic, the NBA's leading scorer averaging 33.6 points per game, appeared to struggle with a groin injury during a loss against the Sacramento Kings on Monday. But he didn't miss games on Tuesday and Thursday ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The gasps from the crowd at Crypto.com Arena — a mix of shock from Lakers fans and anticipation from fans rooting for the local hero — grew each time LaMelo Ball pulled up from seemingly more and more audacious spots on the court. The Charlotte Hornets star guard held three fingers to his bicep each time he splashed a shot ...Read more

BALTIMORE — Thursday’s startling allegations that 17 NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs — including Coppin State — were involved in a massive gambling scam to rig games isn’t likely to be the last such incident involving athletics and sports betting, academics said.

In fact, Keunsu Han, an associate professor of sport ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Jordan Addison is so misunderstood.

Here’s this diligent young athlete, rising before the sun in Florida just weeks after his season ended, getting arrested at 3:45 a.m. and charged with trespassing, when we can all be sure he was so eager to work out that he just searching for an open gym.

That’s dedication.

And this ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In a back-and-forth high-scoring affair Thursday night, the Los Angeles Lakers led by 13 points in the second quarter before the Charlotte Hornets rallied to build a 15-point lead in the third quarter.

In the end, the Hornets kept the momentum they stole from the Lakers, rolling to a 135-117 win at Crypto.com Arena.

Even with ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO – The Golden State Warriors were playing mere hours after one of its players asked for a trade. The New York Knicks coming off a loss to hapless Sacramento the night before. Should there have been any surprise that both sides played with a hint of angst on Thursday night at Chase Center?

OK, maybe a little more than a little ...Read more

DETROIT — A four-day break caused the Detroit Pistons to start sluggishly against the Phoenix Suns. Consequently, the Pistons were down by as many as 16 points midway through the second quarter. After a slow start, however, the Pistons overcame their subpar first-half performance, leading to a 108-105 victory, Thursday night at Little Caesars ...Read more

Anfernee Simons delivered his finest performance in a Celtics uniform Thursday night, scoring 39 points in 34 minutes to carry Boston to a come-from-behind victory over the host Miami Heat.

The Celtics trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half and 13 in the third quarter before rallying for a 119-114 win at the Kaseya Center. The win ...Read more

CHICAGO — Two former DePaul men’s basketball players were among 20 people indicted Wednesday in an alleged gambling and game-fixing scandal that spans more than a dozen college teams.

Former Blue Demons guard Jalen Terry and forward Da’Sean Nelson are accused of fixing the first halves of games by underperforming in Big East games in ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Knicks ruled All-Star guard Jalen Brunson out for Thursday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors with a right ankle sprain sustained in Wednesday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Brunson left Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center without crutches and under his own power after sustaining a right ankle injury five minutes ...Read more

It was a historic night Thursday as the Magic and Grizzlies took part in the NBA‘s first regular-season contest in Berlin, Germany.

Memphis, however, worked its best to rain on the parade that was the return of Franz Wagner, Tristan da Silva and Moe Wagner to their home country.

The Grizzlies led by as many as 20 points in the first half, ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Jonathan Kuminga wants out of Golden State.

Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, have demanded the Warriors trade him, according to reports by ESPN and The Athletic.

Because summertime contract negotiations with the then-free agent extended to Sept. 30, the Warriors were restricted from trading Kuminga until Jan. 15. Kuminga�...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The significance of the moment wasn’t lost on Jeremy Fears on Tuesday night.

After he’d hounded Indiana guard Conor Enright into a turnover near midcourt, Michigan State’s point guard turned his steal into a one-man fast break and then did what came naturally. The 6-foot-2 junior launched himself toward the basket ...Read more

The Wolverines found something that’s as good as gold in the Pacific Northwest.

They found a Big Ten road win.

No. 4 Michigan bounced back from its first loss and kicked off its two-game swing out west with an 82-72 win over Washington on Wednesday at Alaska Airlines Arena.

Aday Mara scored a season-high 20 points on 10-for-11 shooting, ...Read more

Looking to avoid a five-game losing streak, the Nets battled in a see-saw matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans to get back into the win column.

Down two points late, Brooklyn’s fate came down to Michael Porter Jr., who had an opportunity to give his team the lead with a fading 3-pointer on a play drawn up by coach Jordi Fernandez ...Read more

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Stop me if you’ve heard this before. The North Carolina Tar Heels have a comfortable, double-digit lead in the second half. They appear in control. It’s only a matter of time, surely before UNC puts this opponent away.

Insert your prototypical opposing guard. He’s shifty, quick and ready to exploit UNC’s switches. ...Read more