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

The blow that ultimately turned out the lights on the Miami Heat on Wednesday, and probably beyond, came late in the first quarter and not those final, frantic seconds at the end of the game. Jimmy Butler went up for a shot then under the basket and landed awkwardly on the extended leg of Philadelphia’s Kelly Oubre.

Butler lay like a fallen ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers are recognized as a championship-contending team with Joel Embiid.

Perhaps that’s what added to the excitement of Wednesday night’s achievement. With Embiid back on the floor, the Sixers took their first step toward what they hope is a long postseason run.

They punched their ticket to their seventh straight ...Read more

Excitement for Caitlin Clark’s WNBA arrival continues to reach a fever pitch.

The Indiana Fever on Wednesday rolled out an actual red carpet for the newly minted No. 1 overall draft pick and introduced her at a packed press conference at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Coliseum.

Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and head coach Rick Carlisle were ...Read more

Where do the Warriors go from here?

Their champion core is now aged and embarrassed. Their young players are not good enough to protract the dynasty. The Warriors are stuck in between stations.

Add the NBA’s new, increasingly punitive (some could argue vindictive) luxury tax rules and a standard of excellence that won’t be compromised (not...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Zion Williamson will not be in uniform when the New Orleans Pelicans play host to the Sacramento Kings in a play-in tournament elimination game Friday at Smoothie King Center.

Williamson has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. The Pelicans said an MRI showed Williamson is suffering from a strained left hamstring. He ...Read more

NEW YORK — In an explosive ruling, the NBA banned Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter for life after an investigation found he gambled on multiple games and limited his on-court availability for betting purposes, the league said Wednesday.

The probe came after a March 20 game in which Porter played only three minutes after a gambler wagered ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — If there is one thing we learned from Kentucky hiring Mark Pope as its next basketball coach, it is this:

X or Twitter isn’t reality.

Sorry Elon Musk, it just isn’t.

I say this as someone who is on X a lot. More than I should be. The social media app can be entertaining and informative and addictive all at the same time...Read more