OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Houston Rockets hadn't faced hard times -- at least not like this.

Sixty-five-win teams don't deal with loads of adversity. Trouble eluded them throughout the regular season and the first two rounds of the playoffs. They hadn't truly been tested.

So this was new territory for this basketball team -- the series, the ...Read more

The 2018 NBA draft is considered by many scouts and executives as one of the deepest in a long time.

Most NBA personnel people feel teams can find a prospect who will develop into a solid or great player with the first 15 picks in the draft, which will take place June 21 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

For the Los Angeles Clippers, who draft ...Read more

Wendell Moore Jr. is one of the top high school basketball players in the country, and he has his sights set on five colleges: N.C. State, Duke, UNC, South Carolina and Wake Forest.

The five-star, Class of 2019 small forward from Cox Mill High School in Concord, N.C., isn't in a rush to make an announcement on where he'll go, but he plans to ...Read more

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James is a basketball savant on and off the court.

The man knows basketball history and respects past stars such as Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Bill Russell, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan.

So when he passed Abdul-Jabbar for most career field goals made in NBA playoff history on Monday ...Read more

Ben Simmons and Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell were unanimous selections for the NBA all-rookie first team, announced Tuesday.

This comes as no surprise. The 76ers point guard, Mitchell and Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum are the finalists for rookie of the year.

The votes for both regular-season awards were submitted by ...Read more

CLEVELAND -- There was no avoiding the feeling that surrounded Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The feeling that whoever claimed Monday's battle between the Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics is headed to the NBA Finals.

It is a matter of confidence and momentum. A matter of the Celtics' 1-6 road record getting into their heads. A matter...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. -- National Emergency Medical Services week began this past Sunday and ends Saturday.

As part of that, Wake County EMS on Tuesday welcomes back to town someone who says they helped "literally saved my life."

Ty Solomon, the S.C. State basketball player who collapsed during a game against N.C. State at PNC Arena on Dec. 2, will ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Warriors listed reserve forward Andre Iguodala as doubtful for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday because of a left knee contusion. Iguodala planned to receive an X-ray on Monday afternoon. Depending on those results, the Warriors might upgrade Iguodala's availability as the ...Read more

If you're looking for a Miami Heat scout these days, there's a good chance you'll find him in Seat 5B or connecting in Atlanta or answering the age-old question of, "Peanuts or pretzels?"

Such is life when you don't have a selection in either round of the June 21 NBA draft but insist on remaining in the game.

Without a pick for the second time...Read more

Center Tristan Thompson said the Cavaliers brought a "must-win" mentality to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday and it resulted in a 30-point victory.

But the Cavs trail the Boston Celtics 2-1 going into Monday night's Game 4 at Quicken Loans Arena and coach Tyronn Lue said they must sustain the same edge.

"We know what it takes....Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A pump fake and dribble to the left, rise, release and swish.

Trevor Ariza's smooth stroke from the right corner happened during a defensive breakdown for the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, because a good defensive possession doesn't end with an open Ariza three-pointer.

"We have to have ...Read more

CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers returned to Quicken Loans Arena on Saturday night in need of a win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Following two less-than-impressive performances in Boston, the prospect of trailing the Celtics three games to none in a best-of-seven series was certainly not appealing to LeBron James and company.

With ...Read more

OAKLAND, Calif. -- It usually only requires Klay Thompson a few seconds to hold the ball before drilling a shot. Naturally, it only took a few seconds for Thompson to explain how he will fix his rough performance in the Warriors' Game 2 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

"I'll be better tomorrow," Thompson said for when the Warriors play...Read more

MIAMI -- Udonis Haslem is not sure about the role going forward. But he knows it will about the Culture.

That could mean a 16th season with the Miami Heat. It could eventually be in the front office. But he reiterated Saturday that it will not be in coaching.

Because Haslem insists what matters most to him is to keep it real, even if it means ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Kentucky coach John Calipari's reaction to the recent Supreme Court ruling allowing individual states to allow legal gambling on sports events? A shrug.

"There is all this money out here, and the gambling is not going away," Calipari said Friday at the NBA draft combine. "It's there. Maybe everybody shares in it because it's going to...Read more