LOS ANGELES — Call it the Mick Cronin Say Something Nice Challenge.

Not something nice-ish, not a chocolate-covered diss or an insult teased as affirmation. Just a compliment, no chaser.

It’s not impossible, it turns out.

“We have great guys,” Cronin said about his team, which demolished USC 89-68 at Galen Center on Saturday to finish...Read more

Speaking pregame ahead of Sunday’s contest between the Magic and Bucks, Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley pointed towards his team’s ability to set the tone early as a major factor behind Saturday’s win at Minnesota.

One night later at Milwaukee, the Magic followed a similar recipe for success, scoring the first seven points of the game, ...Read more

MIAMI – The sizzle also has substance.

The Miami Heat now eight wins in the last 10 games.

Sunday night it was a rousing 121-110 decision over the East-leading Detroit Pistons to follow up Friday night’s victory in Charlotte over the streaking Hornets and last weekend’s home victory over the West-contending Houston Rockets.

Shorthanded ...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich.– If Jeremy Fears Jr. and Tom Izzo disagreed with Dusty May’s assessment of his alleged “dangerous” plays the last time Michigan State and Michigan faced off, then the Spartans' point guard sure hurt his own argument Sunday at Crisler Center.

Just 5:16 into the game between the third-ranked Wolverines and eighth-ranked ...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan Wolverines stand alone.

In a record-setting campaign that’s featured numerous milestones and program marks, they added another one to the list by becoming the first Big Ten team with 19 conference wins in a season.

No. 3 Michigan achieved the feat by beating No. 8 Michigan State, 90-80, in Sunday’s regular...Read more

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland men’s basketball put forth one of its better efforts of the season, but it still wasn’t good enough to topple a top-15 opponent.

The Terps went toe-to-toe with No. 11 Illinois for the first half, but the Fighting Illini’s size and offensive prowess proved too much for Maryland, which succumbed to a 78-72 ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled against the NBA’s elite teams this season, something that’s been a source of consternation for the team.

The opportunity to start shaping another narrative was presented Sunday against one of the league’s top teams in the New York Knicks.

And the Lakers found some redemption, with ...Read more

The Boston Celtics kicked off the toughest stretch of their remaining schedule with a decisive win Sunday in Cleveland.

Jayson Tatum kick-started Boston with a strong first quarter in his second game back from an Achilles surgery, and co-star Jaylen Brown finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics defeated the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Eric Musselman sat behind a microphone at the bitter end of a bitter regular season for USC, armed only with the same explanations for how a once-hopeful season could come so undone.

There were unfortunate injuries to point to, he said, and continuity issues to contend with. Then there was the pesky problem of Big Ten travel. ...Read more

MIAMI — The tanking debate is one that could well come to define the 2025-26 NBA regular season, with Commissioner Adam Silver as recently as Friday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston acknowledging the perils for the league of the ongoing race to the bottom by several teams.

Mostly, though, the debate is about the tanking ...Read more

OKLAHOMA CITY — When the Warriors played against the Thunder at Paycom Center on Saturday, they went against a star in pursuit of history.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had scored 20 or more points in 124 consecutive games, just two off tying the NBA standard set by former Warrior Wilt Chamberlain in 1963.

If one takes a quick flip through the NBA...Read more

ATLANTA — Things may have gone from bad to worse for the Philadelphia 76ers, after All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey left in the final seconds of Saturday’s 125-116 loss at the Atlanta Hawks with a finger injury on his right hand.

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said during his postgame news conference that Maxey was set to get an X-ray. The ...Read more

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The right to extend their season and play postseason basketball was on the line when Pitt traveled to the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday afternoon for the 130th all-time meeting with Syracuse. It was win or go home and the Panthers didn’t want to go home just yet.

With an 71-69 win against long-time rival Syracuse (15-16, 6-...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS —The Timberwolves offense can click in and out of rhythm throughout the course of a game or season, but rarely has it come as screeching of a halt as it did in the second quarter of their 119-92 loss to the Magic. It tied their most lopsided loss of the season.

The Wolves scored only two points over the final 7 minutes, 3 seconds...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers won, Luka Doncic dominated and then the conversation moved forward, because even though a 128-117 win over the slumping Indiana Pacers on Friday counts all the same in the tight Western Conference standings, it doesn't say as much about the Lakers as what comes next.

Buoyed by four recent wins over struggling teams, ...Read more

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — A sellout crowd of 7,972, the first of the season, packed the Watsco Center Saturday afternoon and was treated to a thriller as the 22nd-ranked Miami Hurricanes, the most improved team in the nation, came 30 seconds from making history against Louisville.

A victory over the Cardinals on Senior Day would have been the 25th...Read more