DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks knew this wasn't going to be easy. The Southwest Division is stacked, and according to many league executives, including Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban, the Western Conference is the deepest it's been in nearly 20 years.

It's been almost a week since the start of the NBA season, and the Mavericks are 0-3. Already, ...Read more

DALLAS -- A week ago, it seemed nothing could stop the Warriors. Their depth appeared so overwhelming that NBA teams pondered if any weaknesses existed. The Warriors' discipline appeared so consistent it suggested they could run on autopilot.

Instead the Warriors have lost two of their first three games, matching their worst three-game start ...Read more

With about 11minutes remaining in the second half, Sprint Center public address announcer Mark Fitzpatrick delivered the most important total of the game.

The Showdown for Relief between Kansas and Missouri had raised $724,480 on pay-per-view. More than 18,000 had paid $40 to watch the exhibition basketball game.

That means at least $1.8 ...Read more

Michigan State is moving up, and Michigan is moving down in this week's USA Today/Amway Coaches poll.

And the Wolverines fell completely out of The Associated Press rankings for the first time since 2015.

The coaches bumped the Spartans up one spot to No. 18 after their 17-9 comeback against Indiana. In the AP poll, MSU climbed two places to ...Read more

LOS ANGELES--In a season already full of too many health issues, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered yet another problem when guard Milos Teodosic sustained a left-foot injury late in the second quarter and did not return during his team's 130-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night at Staples Center.

Teodosic's X-rays for a broken ...Read more

MILWAUKEE -- Down the road, Saturday night may be remembered as the night Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo put up a career-high 44 points, though there's no reason to believe he won't eclipse that number at some point in the future.

But it was Antetokounmpo's defense that won the night in a 113-110 victory over the Portland Trail ...Read more

LOS ANGELES--Lonzo Ball wasn't the only rookie who played better in his second game than his first.

After a blistering Summer League and preseason campaign, Kyle Kuzma struggled in his first regular season NBA game. While Kuzma finished Thursday's game with eight points on four-of-eight shooting, he was 1-of-5 through three quarters. Kuzma made...Read more

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers came out sluggish and never really recovered in an 114-93 blowout loss to the Orlando Magic Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

Playing the second game of a back-to-back for the first time this season, the Cavs lumbered through an ice-cold first quarter and never truly challenged the Magic again. The Cavs...Read more

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Warriors entered the 2017-18 season trying to maintain championship habits. Instead, they have become saddled with issues that usually stunt rebuilding teams.

The Warriors have struggled to defend without fouling. Their shooting consistency has gone array. Their bench has not established a consistent identity.

And as a ...Read more

NEW YORK -- The Detroit Pistons continued their early season push for status in NBA League Pass rankings.

A night after a nail-biting loss at Washington, the Pistons trailed by 21 points in the second quarter Saturday night before roaring back for a thrilling 111-107 victory over the New York Knicks.

Tobias Harris scored a team-high 31 points ...Read more

CHICAGO -- On the night Bulls forward Bobby Portis publicly apologized to Nikola Mirotic, Lauri Markkanen posted his first double-double in his second NBA start.

Portis' eight-game suspension for concussing Mirotic and breaking two bones in Mirotic's face with a punch has sidelined both players, handing Markkanen the future now.

Development, ...Read more

TORONTO -- The 76ers are three games into one of their most anticipated seasons. Yet so far, the only differences from the previous campaigns are a few new faces donning the uniform.

The Sixers still turn the ball over at a high rate, shoot a bunch of 3-pointers, struggle to defend and have an injured first-round pick. And also like last season...Read more

MIAMI--The Miami Heat looked more like itself Saturday night even without Hassan Whiteside.

Even with their starting center sidelined with a bone bruise in his left knee, the Heat did enough to hold off the Indiana Pacers 112-108 to pick up its first win of the season.

Although the Heat gave up triple digits in points for the second ...Read more

LOS ANGELES--Lonzo Ball drove down the baseline and made a layup that put his team up by eight points late in the fourth quarter over the Phoenix Suns. Play stopped for a time out with 1:35 left in the game and his teammates rushed over to him, jumping and grinning, delighted at what he'd done.

Only one person wasn't smiling or leaping. Ball ...Read more

NEW ORLEANS -- As the Golden State Warriors strived for further excellence on a team supposedly with few weaknesses, coach Steve Kerr repeated endlessly about his players' need to play with an edge.

The Warriors lacked one problem, though. They initially lacked the edge to exhibit any kind of defensive discipline. Instead, the Warriors played ...Read more

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Bucks have a young, up-and-coming team featuring one of the most unique talents in the league in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has dominated the national headlines all week. The Bucks believe they have the pieces in place to compete with the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season.

Friday's home opener showed ...Read more