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Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Trump rips LeBron James for stretching during national anthem before Sixers-Knicks game

Sports / Basketball /

President Donald Trump posted a video on his Truth Social platform on Thursday criticizing Sixers forward LeBron James for pregame stretching during the national anthem before Tuesday’s Sixers-Knicks season opener at Madison Square Garden.

“While listening to our national anthem, LeBron James disrespects our Country!” Trump wrote. “I ...Read more

Lakers' new Luka Doncic era opens with rout of Warriors

Sports / Basketball /

As soon as Luka Doncic took the microphone to share some words with the Lakers’ faithful before their first game of the regular season Wednesday night, it was official that this was his team.

“Um, Laker nation. Thank you for supporting us,” Doncic said. “It’s the start of something new. It’s going to be a special season. So, thank ...Read more

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America/TNS

Dieter Kurtenbach: The Valkyries can't out-grind reality. The WNBA Finals are Angel Reese and the Dream's to lose.

Sports / Basketball /

The WNBA might be only 30 years old — nascent by sports league standards — but its championship formula is tried and true.

You win titles in the paint.

You can fall in love with the perimeter all you want. You can let modern analytics whisper sweet nothings about the power of the 3-point shot and what space will do for your half-court sets...Read more

Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/TNS

Magic drop season opener to Hawks despite Banchero's 35 points

Sports / Basketball /

ORLANDO, Fla. — In the weeks and days leading up to opening night of the 2026-27 NBA season, Magic players and coaches expressed excitement about starting a new era under first-time head coach Sean Sweeney on the right foot.

The Hawks, however, had other plans.

On a night that saw 22 lead changes and both the Magic and Hawks lead by double ...Read more

Michael Blackshire/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Bulls announcer Adam Amin calls 1st quarter of season opener solo in honor of Stacey King

Sports / Basketball /

TORONTO — For the first quarter of Wednesday’s season opener against the Toronto Raptors, Chicago Bulls announcer Adam Amin was flying solo on the CHSN airwaves.

Amin called the first quarter in Toronto on his own to honor his former broadcast partner Stacey King. King died on June 7 at age 59.

The Bulls will honor King’s life and legacy...Read more

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images North America/TNS

Giannis' 35 not enough, as Anthony Edwards' 45 lead Timberwolves past Heat in opener

Sports / Basketball /

MIAMI — The Giannis Antetokounmpo part was a given. And the Miami Heat’s prime offseason addition gave a prime-time performance.

The question when it came to a potential season of contention was the remainder of the roster.

That remained in question after Wednesday night’s 131-106 season-opening loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves at ...Read more

Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/TNS

Back in New York, Julius Randle impresses in Nets' win over Hornets

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets acquired Julius Randle to be the tone-setter for a new era of Brooklyn basketball, so it was only fitting that the veteran power forward took the first shot of their season.

On Wednesday night’s opening possession, Randle sized up Charlotte Hornets forward Naz Reid, took two dribbles to his left, then drilled a ...Read more

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America/TNS

Lakers forwards Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle grab final two starting spots

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams are the final pieces to the Lakers’ much-anticipated starting lineup.

The free-agent acquisitions will join guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and center Walker Kessler in the Lakers’ first starting lineup of the new season Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena...Read more

Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America/TNS

Kristaps Porzingis takes another absence from Warriors as regular season begins

Sports / Basketball /

LOS ANGELES — Kristaps Porzingis will be away from the Warriors as he continues to deal with undisclosed health issues, the team announced on Wednesday afternoon.

“We are not anticipating Kristaps being around the team in the immediate future,” a team statement read on the day Golden State will open its season against the Lakers in Los ...Read more

Christian Petersen/Getty Images North America/TNS

Dieter Kurtenbach: The Warriors bid against themselves to sign Kristaps Porziņģis. Now the real bill is due.

Sports / Basketball /

The Golden State Warriors didn’t just bungle their post-dynasty transition; they delivered a masterclass on organizational self-sabotage. And now, once again, they’re paying the price for falling in love with their own ideas and sense of greatness.

The Warriors are tipping off their season Wednesday, and by the time you’re reading this, ...Read more

Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group/TNS

How 'unc' Draymond Green is guiding Yaxel Lendeborg into the Warriors' future

Sports / Basketball /

SAN FRANCISCO — Yaxel Lendeborg gleefully pressed “record” on the camcorder. Forget living in the moment: The Warriors‘ rookie wanted to capture the bombast of his mentor for social media.

Draymond Green strutted in front of the lens, belting out a hearty “BOOM” after knocking down a 3-pointer. Lendeborg cackled behind the camera, ...Read more

Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images North America/TNS

Mac Engel: Mavericks' Kyrie Irving: 'It's not the same NBA that I fell in love with'

Sports / Basketball /

DALLAS — Kyrie Irving is only 34, which doesn’t make him old, but he’s been in the NBA since he was 19, and his assessment of the league is not some “get off my lawn” ramblings of a bitter old man, even if it sounds like it.

Two days before the Dallas Mavericks started their regular season, on Wednesday in Houston, Irving was ...Read more

Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Mike Sielski: The Sixers' victory over the Knicks showed what they have to do to win big: Leave their past behind

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — Before facing the giant amoeba of media materializing around his Madison Square Garden locker late Tuesday night, Jaylen Brown dressed in an ensemble that came as close as clothing can to being a blank slate: black socks, black pleated dress pants, a thick black T-shirt. If his aim was to create the impression that he was beginning ...Read more

Mick Akers/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Mike Vorel: Adam Silver playing dangerous game with NBA expansion and Seattle

Sports / Basketball /

SEATTLE — The NBA is playing a dangerous game.

I’m not talking about the basketball, which is more foul-friendly and less physical than it’s ever been. I’m not talking about the parade of 3-pointers, tanking teams, deteriorating defense and healthy-scratch stars that threaten to consume the sport. I’m not talking about Tuesday’s ...Read more

Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images North America/TNS

LeBron James delivers in 76ers debut, helps spoil Knicks' celebratory night

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — If April, May or June had gone differently, LeBron James very well may have been playing for the Knicks — not against them — in Tuesday night’s 2026-27 season opener.

James acknowledged last month that he envisioned joining the Knicks and finally calling his beloved Madison Square Garden home — until they won an NBA ...Read more

Sarah Stier/Getty Images North America/TNS

Kristian Winfield: 76ers spoil Knicks' ring night in 106-100 stunner

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — Before the 2026 NBA champion New York Knicks received their championship rings, and before Madison Square Garden raised its first championship banner since 1973 into the rafters, coach Mike Brown erred on the side of caution.

This night, he knew, was undoubtedly going to be one for the ages, and instead of forcing his team into the...Read more

Yong Kim/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

Sixers' defense spoils Knicks ring night, delivers 106-100 win in LeBron and Jaylen Brown's debut

Sports / Basketball /

NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson’s desperation 3-pointer hit nothing but air, and a packed Madison Square Garden began to empty out.

In the debut of the Philadelphia 76ers’ revamped roster featuring the shocking additions of all-time great LeBron James and All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, their defense propelled them to a 106-100 victory Tuesday night ...Read more

Can the Bulls win 30 games this season? How the NBA's new anti-tanking rules may come into play.

Sports / Basketball /

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls say they’re committed to both winning and losing the right way. But on the eve of the 2026-27 NBA season, it’s difficult to parse out how that will manifest itself.

That’s the thing about a rebuild. Wins and losses start to assume the same value, the same role in a team’s progress. So coach Tiago Splitter ...Read more

Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/TNS

Mike Bianchi: Suggs apologizes for last year's epic playoff collapse, but can Magic make amends by staying healthy?

Sports / Basketball /

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jalen Suggs says he’s sorry.

And you know what?

Apology accepted.

Now, Jalen, can you and your Orlando Magic teammates please do us all one gigantic favor?

Stay freaking healthy.

Seriously, is that too much to ask?

At Magic Media Day a few weeks ago, Suggs offered a heartfelt apology to Orlando fans for last season’s ...Read more

Harry How/Getty Images North America/TNS

Jim Alexander: Lakers retool, Clippers rebuild as NBA season begins

Sports / Basketball /

Yes, this is the busiest and most diverse sports market on the planet, as we’ve pointed out here before. But there are two constants, two teams that tower above the rest when it comes to popularity and interest in Southern California.

One was just knocked out of its sport’s postseason less than a week ago. The other begins its own quest —...Read more