NEW YORK — The Liberty lost their second game of the season Thursday night after a fourth-quarter surge by the Phoenix Mercury.

But the loss of the Liberty’s star center before the defeat is far more important for a team looking to defend the franchise’s first title.

The Mercury managed to hold off Breanna Stewart’s 35-point ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO – Steve Kerr’s son is the newest member of the Golden State Warriors’ NBA coaching staff.

Nicholas Kerr is joining the NBA team’s coaching staff after spending the past two seasons as the head coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League.

Santa Cruz went 20-14 in each of his two seasons in charge, making the ...Read more

NEW YORK — The odds are overwhelmingly in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s favor.

In the previous 31 NBA Finals in which the series was tied 2-2, the team that won Game 5 went on to win the championship in 74% of them.

And in the previous 49 Finals to go at least six games, the team that went up 3-2 won the title 82% of the time.

Both apply to...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls aren’t making major changes anytime soon.

The roster might see some mild overturn this summer as the Bulls add a rookie with the No. 12 draft pick next Wednesday and shop several players in potential trades. But team leadership is expected to stay the same from top to bottom as the Bulls prepare to rebuild — ...Read more

DENVER — It better be a cleanser, not a Tenzer.

A franchise with peak Nikola Jokic deserves a Jokic-level general manager. ESPN analyst Bob Myers, who built a dynasty at Golden State. Miami’s Andy Elisburg. Monte McNair. David Griffin. Heck, even a Tim Connelly reunion would feel like a shot in the arm right about now.

Lord help Josh ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Ace Bailey failed to lead his team to the NCAA tournament.

The Rutgers star makes the game more complicated than it needs to be, the type of player who will wow you one play and frustrate you the next.

Sources even say he interviewed poorly with NBA executives at last month’s draft combine.

He has the potential to become a ...Read more

Really, when you think about it, the Lakers and the Dodgers – or, if you prefer, Dodgers and Lakers – maybe should have been corporate siblings all along.

They are the dominant teams in North America’s most diverse sports market, the biggest dogs in an awfully competitive kennel. And this might not be 100% accurate, but it would be my ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — For 46 years it’s been a wonderful ride, the sweetest of sagas, the Buss family treating the Lakers like their precocious child, nurturing, embracing, empowering, transforming them into arguably this country’s most celebrated sports franchise.

But it’s time.

It’s time to give their baby to somebody who won’t be ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers, a family-run business since Jerry Buss purchased the franchise in 1979, will be sold to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global, according to multiple people briefed on the deal.

The deal is expected to occur with the Lakers' valuation being about $10 billion — a record for a professional ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers, a family-run business since Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the franchise in 1979, will be sold to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global, according to multiple people briefed on the deal.

The deal is expected to occur with the Lakers’ valuation being approximately $10 billion.

Walter will now ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark got hit in the eye and knocked to the ground, while also doing some shoving of her own, during a testy and physical game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night in Indianapolis.

The Fever emerged with an 88-71 win after a game that featured a pair of skirmishes, including a fight in the ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas — The following is not an intended dig, shot or knock of a man who was forced to retire from a job he loved because of an unfortunate illness that finally stopped him from working.

Former San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is a Hall of Fame coach who maximized the considerable power, and talent, he was blessed to possess...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — There is something inherently unfair about the next sentence I’m about to type, but here goes:

If I were the 76ers, if I were Daryl Morey and his scouting staff, and if I were given the opportunity to select either Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey in next week’s NBA draft, I would pick someone else.

I would not pick someone who ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Courtney Williams couldn’t buy a bucket in the first half Tuesday at Target Center. In the second half she cashed in. The Lynx offense was stuck in neutral for the first 20 minutes, in the second half it shifted into gear.

Once again, one half was enough.

With Napheesa Collier out of the game for most of the second half with ...Read more

CHICAGO — Angel Reese is embracing the “mebounds” — at least as a businesswoman.

The Chicago Sky star filed a trademark application over the weekend for the term, which refers to a rebound a player secures off her own missed shot. Although the term is relatively new, the “mebound” concept has hounded Reese throughout her first two ...Read more

The status of Tyrese Haliburton’s calf now hangs over the NBA Finals.

The Indiana Pacers’ star point guard played through a right calf strain in Game 5 and was set to undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to ESPN.

Haliburton managed only four points on 0-of-6 shooting in Monday night’s 120-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which put ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Timberwolves boss Tim Connelly could do just about anything this summer, and one of the most surprising things he could do is nothing.

No one knows, at the moment, what the future holds for Julius Randle, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker or Mike Conley, not to mention younger players who could become trade chips.

One of the ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Knicks don’t need to rush. They are a one-of-one — the only franchise in the NBA with an active head coaching vacancy. That means they can afford to take their time. And they should. Because the next move might be the most important yet under Leon Rose’s tenure.

This is their one shot to get it right.

The Knicks parted ...Read more

BOSTON — Six weeks after being bounced by Boston in the opening round of the playoffs, the Orlando Magic pulled off the first major move of the NBA offseason.

The Magic gave up a haul Sunday to add Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane to their young and talented core. In return for the 26-year-old, Memphis received four first-round draft picks, a ...Read more