MIAMI — For a moment, it appeared the Heat would have a moment to decompress before having to reassess.

And then Agent G started poking around.

The result? Less than a week removed from postseason elimination, speculation season already is back in full force for the Heat, back where it was at February’s trading deadline, back at the ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kon Knueppel had an inaugural season in which he looked very much like the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.

But the Charlotte Hornets wing didn’t look at all like himself in the season’s final two weeks.

For those who followed the 20-year-old Knueppel closely, what happened in those final six games (four in the regular ...Read more

NEW YORK — New York City has a new sports villain.

Atlanta Hawks star C.J. McCollum heard it from a sellout crowd at Madison Square Garden after a tense exchange with Jose Alvarado — the second game in a row that the veteran guard rankled Knicks fans.

McCollum then made three big baskets in the game’s final 2:08 — including a go-ahead ...Read more

NEW YORK — At the conclusion of every regular season, provided the Knicks make the playoffs, the organization redesigns the corridor leading from the home locker room to the Madison Square Garden hardwood floors. On the wall parallel to the exit, the words “10 Weeks of Sacrifice” are printed in big, bold letters, a reminder of what it will...Read more

LOS ANGELES — When the doors opened after Lakers practice on Monday, injured stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were nearby as their teammates took some final shots after the session.

Doncic, who is back with the team after traveling to Spain to receive treatment for his Grade 2 left hamstring strain, sat out the Lakers' Game 1 win over the ...Read more

DETROIT — The NBA announced on Monday evening that San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has been named the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025-26 regular season. Wembanyama delivered one of the most dominant performances in league history. He averaged a league-high 3.1 blocks per game with 197 total rejections. Wembanyama also ...Read more

DURHAM, N.C. — Police have charged a 26-year-old man with DWI in a Saturday night crash that killed a 15-year-old boy riding his bike in northwest Durham, court records show.

Joseph Savarino admitted drinking before the crash and faces a misdemeanor charge of driving while impaired, according to court records.

Savarino is the brother of ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina senior guard Seth Trimble has entered the NCAA transfer portal with a do-not-contact designation, per multiple reports Monday.

Trimble is continuing to evaluate his professional future and is likely entering the portal as a precautionary move, pending an NCAA rule change or waiver that would allow Trimble ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — The UConn men’s basketball program announced Monday that rising senior guard Solo Ball will undergo wrist surgery and miss the entire 2026-27 season.

Ball will take a medical redshirt year and return to the Huskies in 2027-28, according to the release.

“Solo is a true Husky and a champion who would do anything to be out...Read more

Draymond Green is never short on opinions. As they say, the guy knows how to keep it real.

In his latest edition of The Draymond Green Show, the Warriors star addressed the topic that has been on fans’ minds since coach Steve Kerr pulled in Green and Steph Curry for a group hug near the end of the team’s season-ending loss at Phoenix in a ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers limped painfully into the playoffs Saturday night only to delightfully discover a miracle salve.

An opponent as mangled as they were.

Yes, the Lakers are beginning this tournament seriously hampered by the indefinite absences of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

But — surprise, surprise — the Houston ...Read more

BOSTON — The bottom line is actually worse than any of the top-line numbers. And the top-line numbers were quite bad.

In a 123-91 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 Sunday, the Philadelphia 76ers shot 39% from the field and missed 19 of their 23 3-point attempts. They turned the ball over 14 times and were credited with just four steals and...Read more

DENVER — In the hallways underneath Ball Arena after completing his last day of tedious but essential prep for Anthony Edwards, Christian Braun needed to let out some pent-up anticipation.

“I’m tired of waiting,” the Denver Nuggets guard shared with nobody in particular on his way into the locker room. “It’s (expletive) playoff time...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons trailed the Orlando Magic 96-90 with 6:50 remaining in the fourth quarter when Cade Cunningham was fouled by Desmond Bane during a lay-up attempt.

Cunningham went to the free-throw line and successfully made both shots, narrowing the Pistons' deficit to four points (96-92) as fans inside Little Caesars Arena ...Read more

DENVER — It’s ho-hum at this point, but Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is officially an MVP finalist, the NBA announced Sunday, and will have a chance to finish top-two in voting for a sixth consecutive year.

Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama are the other two finalists. Gilgeous-Alexander ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Given all of the projections going into the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets first-round series, Saturday night’s Game 1 provided an interesting twist: The idea of both teams going into this with the intention of stealing the opener.

So who really was the underdog, anyway?

The Lakers had more star power on their bench than ...Read more

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics entered the NBA playoffs as the odds-on favorite to win the Eastern Conference.

They looked the part Sunday afternoon in their postseason opener.

No. 2 seed Boston steamrolled the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers 123-91 at TD Garden to take Game 1 of their first-round series. Game 2 of the best-of-seven is set ...Read more

MIAMI — Institutional arrogance is what has made and what has driven the Miami Heat during these three-plus decades of Riley/Arison oversight.

It started with championship-or-bust in the form of Pat Riley’s “winning or misery.” It continued with an organizational refusal to turn to the tank. It has landed the Heat at this juncture of ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Above all else, the Los Angeles Lakers were committed to being resilient in Game 1 of the playoffs.

Even if they were missing their starting backcourt, the Lakers were committed to being resilient against the rugged and physical Houston Rockets, who were playing without Kevin Durant, who has a bruised knee suffered in practice. ...Read more