LOS ANGELES--Given his doggedness on defense and the energy with which he plays, it was no surprise that when the Los Angeles Lakers lost guard Avery Bradley to injury, their defense suffered.

It also was no surprise that his teammates and coaches weren't just willing to slump on that end of the floor.

So after a few sub-par defensive ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA--The Philadelphia 76ers sprinted out early to an early lead and never allowed the Cleveland Cavaliers to get into the game in a 141-94 romp at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night. Here are takeaways from the game.

--Simmons sets tone with aggressiveness

Ben Simmons looked to go to the basket early and often. There are times ...Read more

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Kansas basketball fans cheered former Jayhawk guard/current Colorado coach Tad Boyle during pre-game introductions before Saturday's KU-Colorado game in Allen Fieldhouse.

Any lovefest between Boyle -- who played at KU from 1981-85 -- and the 16,300 spectators ended after Boyle's warm wave and acknowledgment with the words "...Read more

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Anthony Cowan Jr. has long played his career in the shadow of former Maryland star Melo Trimble, especially when it came to late-game heroics. As a sophomore, Cowan led the Terps to a late comeback victory in overtime at Illinois, scoring a then-career-high 28 points.

Cowan did it again Saturday, and again it came at the ...Read more

MILWAUKEE -- Doc Rivers eased his way among reporters, stood with his back against a wall and blurted this out after his team's beat-down at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks:

"I was hoping you guys didn't show up -- like us," the Los Angeles Clippers coach said Friday.

Rivers and his players were blunt in their assessment, holding nothing back...Read more

PORTLAND, Ore. -- NBA road trips can present grueling, hostile situations for some teams.

For these Los Angeles Lakers they are mostly fun and games.

On Friday night, the Lakers continued their stampede through the Northwest Division on Friday night with a 136-111 win in Portland. They finished 3-0 on their road trip with wins over the Denver ...Read more

SAN ANTONIO -- With time waning, the Kings had plenty of chances to pull out an ugly win Friday night. Instead, it was the San Antonio Spurs who found just enough offense to pull out a 105-104 win.

After Dejounte Murray gave the Spurs a one-point margin with 29 seconds left, the Kings fired off four straight shots, thanks to a trio of offensive...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan basketball's offense needed to get back on track.

It had the perfect opportunity to do so against a porous Iowa defense Friday at Crisler Center.

The Wolverines won their conference opener, 103-91, after scoring 50 points (more than they scored in all of Tuesday's 58-43 loss at No. 1 Louisville) and opening up 12-...Read more

BLACKSBURG, Va. -- No. 10 Duke opted for small ball in the second half to find a way to win at Virginia Tech's Cassell Coliseum.

After Virginia Tech opened a seven-point lead just after halftime, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski used all guards for most of the second half and the Blue Devils turned things around to beat the Hokies 77-63 on Friday ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NBA teams shouldn't be giving up 50 points in the paint on a regular basis, but that's who the Charlotte Hornets are this season.

The Hornets had no answer for the Brooklyn Nets' size inside, falling 111-104 at Spectrum Center. The Nets outrebounded the Hornets 49-34, scoring 50 in the lane to the Hornets' 32.

Hornets point ...Read more

At Brewster Academy, Devonte Graham was the smiler: The relentlessly positive point guard and near-straight A student.

Except at night, when fear of the unknown consumed his thoughts.

"There were nights when I was just crying because I didn't know if I was ever going to college," now-Charlotte Hornet Graham recalled.

Graham was betting on ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Warriors guard Stephen Curry has successfully undergone a planned surgery on his broken left hand in Los Angeles to remove pins from the initial procedure. He will be re-evaluated in February.

The injury occurred in an Oct. 30 loss to the Suns. The surgery means he is on track for his recovery timeline. If all goes will in February, ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Former Spectrum SportsNet reporter Kelli Tennant filed to have her lawsuit against Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton dismissed this week, according to a document filed in the L.A. County Superior Court.

The request came nearly four months after the NBA's investigation into Tennant's allegations of sexual assault against Walton ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- There is something about playing here for the 76ers.

The nation's capital is where they come to lose to the Washington Wizards. Thursday night was no different.

Washington defeated the Sixers, 119-113, at the Capital One Arena. It was the Sixers' 10th consecutive loss to the Wizards in D.C. They've lost 23 of their last 29 games ...Read more