DURHAM, N.C. — Duke’s solid defense down the stretch earned it a big-time victory Wednesday night.

After No. 2 Auburn clawed back to within two points with just over five minutes to play, the Tigers didn’t hit another field goal for more than four minutes, allowing the No. 9 Blue Devils to hold on for an 84-78 win at Cameron Indoor ...Read more

LOS ANGELES – Ever since Anthony Edwards tried to diagnose what was wrong with the Timberwolves after a loss to the Kings last week — that they couldn’t communicate, that they were letting individual agendas affect the team — his teammates have responded in a big way.

The Wolves followed up their blowout of the Lakers on Monday with ...Read more

OMAHA, Neb. — Late into the second half of No. 1 Kansas basketball’s matchup against Creighton on Wednesday night, the Bluejays faithful chanted for their squad, as “C-U” boomed throughout CHI Health Center.

It was fitting, as a chant of ‘see you’ could have applied, since the game was all but over.

The Kansas men’s basketball ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers have a unique challenge when it comes to dealing with injuries — something the Orlando Magic, luckily, don’t have to deal with.

When Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero was diagnosed with a torn right oblique, the squad knew he would be sidelined for four to six weeks. But the Sixers are dealing with the ...Read more

Neither Steph Curry nor Draymond Green will suit up against the Houston Rockets at the Chase Center on Thursday night, a major blow to the Warriors as they try to snap a five-game losing skid.

Curry is listed as out with bilateral knee injury management; he missed a game last week for the same ailment, colloquially known as runner’s knee. ...Read more

MIAMI — Rarely on this court have opposing players or teams been superior to LeBron James.

Then again, rarely — in fact, not ever — have the Miami Heat put up these types of numbers.

Wednesday night’s 134-93 victory over James and the Los Angeles Lakers at Kaseya Center was that dominant and that decisive — the third-largest margin ...Read more

BOSTON — Playing without Jayson Tatum for the first time since April, the Celtics held off a scrappy Detroit Pistons squad Wednesday night at TD Garden.

Boston led by as many as 20 points, survived a fourth-quarter scare and then pulled away late to win, 130-120, while Tatum and fellow starter Jrue Holiday sat out with minor knee injuries.

...Read more

NEW YORK — Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez was frustrated with the team’s effort on defense in the second half of Monday’s 128-102 road loss to the Chicago Bulls. He appropriately ripped his players at the podium postgame.

In Wednesday’s 99-90 defeat of the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center, they nearly let go of the rope again.

While ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Magic coach Jamahl Mosley made it clear his team didn’t play up to its standard Tuesday night in a 15-point loss against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

So when Orlando took the court inside Wells Fargo Center less than 24 hours later in Philadelphia, Mosley’s group looked more like itself.

The Magic scored ...Read more

STORRS, Conn. — Liam McNeeley announced himself in college basketball on Wednesday night, leading the No. 25 UConn men’s basketball team past No. 15 Baylor, 76-72, in a sold-out Gampel Pavilion.

Without three-year starter and leading scorer Alex Karaban (concussion protocol), coach Dan Hurley said the team would need the type of performance...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The ACC/SEC Challenge series might have made for good TV basketball content, but it didn’t prove to be much of challenge, did it? Certainly not at the Smith Center.

No. 10 Alabama rolled in and punched out a 94-79 victory over the No. 20 Tar Heels, leading nearly start to finish in an impressive display of aggressive ...Read more

MIAMI — Rui Hachimura stopped. Anthony Davis stood. Tyler Herro moved. Tyler Herro scored.

One game after being badly embarrassed on the offensive end in Minnesota, the Lakers were clobbered on the other in Miami — their body language, their lack of energy and worst of all, their general lack of fight all reasons for serious concern.

After...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — After a month of waiting to see how things play out, a month in which North Carolina lost to every good team the Tar Heels played, Wednesday’s thumping at the hands of Alabama at the Smith Center left no doubt.

They have a long way to go.

Does North Carolina have the talent to beat anybody in the country? Unquestionably...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — You thought Kentucky basketball was going to go undefeated?

Is that what you thought? That the Cats would run the table? That first-year coach Mark Pope’s experienced roster would handle every challenge against every team in every environment? The coming-out party would last forever?

It doesn’t work that way, of course. ...Read more

SEATTLE — After weeks of silence, the Storm issued a statement Wednesday afternoon following player allegations of mistreatment by the coaching staff, which sparked an investigation into the charges.

“The Storm recently received internal allegations of potential workplace policy violations,” reads the statement. “The organization ...Read more

DENVER — The Nuggets made their own luck toward the end of a 119-115 win over the Warriors on Tuesday, flying after loose balls and making scrappy defensive plays to engineer a game-ending 10-0 run in the last 2 minutes, 30 seconds.

But whether or not they earned it, luck did play a role.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr criticized the referees for...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Paul George joined the Philadelphia 76ers to complement fellow standouts Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

The nine-time All-Star was focused on serving as a facilitator and elite defender who could take the scoring pressure off the duo when needed.

Well, the Sixers (5-14) needed him to provide much more Tuesday night, and ...Read more

The Golden State Warriors’ “strength in numbers” motto was all well and good in October and early November.

Then the numbers started whittling down, the league wised up, and the problem the Warriors never solved began rearing its ugly head once again.

After a red-hot start to the season, the Dubs have lost five straight games.

That No. ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The champagne hadn't even dried after the New York Liberty won the WNBA championship when the players association announced it would opt out of the league's collective bargaining agreement, which was set to expire in 2027.

A dramatic increase in revenues due primarily to the emergence of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and ...Read more

Almost every Nuggets game is following the same exhausting blueprint, up to a point.

Questionable sums of engagement put toward defending in the first half. A teaspoon of Nikola Jokic rest minutes that cause an upset stomach, at best. A deficit of 12 points (maybe 14 or 15) late in the second quarter or early in the third. An energizing run and...Read more