DURHAM, N.C. — Duke and Clemson played 40 minutes of basketball Saturday disguised as hand-to-hand combat.

The ACC’s two best defensive teams went at it and there would be a lot of banging bodies and flesh-pressing and players crashing to the hardwood at Cameron Indoor Stadium. It wasn’t pretty basketball but it was big-boy basketball as ...Read more

AMES, Iowa — One look at the faces of the Kansas men’s basketball players sitting on the bench in Hilton Coliseum told the story.

In a word, they looked despondent.

A number of players wore blank expressions. Others stared straight down. There was none of the usual jovial energy of this KU team, which entered Saturday riding an eight-game ...Read more

There was no love lost between St. John’s and Providence on Valentine’s Day.

A fight broke out during the second half of the Red Storm’s 79-69 win over the Friars during a tense Saturday afternoon at Amica Mutual Pavilion, where seven players were ejected.

Providence’s Duncan Powell committed a hard, flagrant foul on St. John’s star ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.— UNC star freshman Caleb Wilson was as animated as ever on Saturday afternoon. He played dribbling games with his teammates in warmups. He signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans before the game and, after tipoff, could be seen flexing after dunks and debuting a number of other celebrations in coordination with his...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — In eight years of covering the Timberwolves, I don’t think there has been a season with as much collective weight on all levels of the organization as this one.

The team bottomed out in some seasons, and the games meant nothing on a night-to-night basis.

Some Wolves teams defied expectations, and the vibes were great all ...Read more

CHICAGO — For a few seconds in Monday’s road loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Matas Buzelis could barely breathe.

The second-year forward had launched himself on the typical aggressive trajectory that allows him to block more shots than any of his Chicago Bulls teammates. Buzelis knew what to expect once he made it into the air, where to place ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A tumultuous season has come to a premature end for Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine.

A league source told The Sacramento Bee on Friday that LaVine plans to undergo season-ending surgery on his right hand following the All-Star break, as first reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes.

LaVine missed the past three games ...Read more

MADISON, Wis. — That one is going to sting for a while.

Michigan State came to Madison with a chance to continue clawing its way back into the Big Ten title hunt. Instead, it leaves stomaching a 92-71 wire-to-wire loss to the Badgers, who hit 15 3-pointers Friday night at Kohl Center.

One game after a win over top-10 Illinois, No. 10 ...Read more

Pity the prodigies.

All of the gifts and none of the experience. So much pressure and so little experience. Talent and tools and too much to learn.

The bigger deal they are, the further from grace they’ll fall. Usually. Not LeBron James, though. He’s one of the rare teen sensations who didn’t leave us hanging, wondering: What could’ve ...Read more

The NBA All-Star Game is going global.

Well, sort of.

The NBA changed the format of its much-scrutinized All-Star Game yet again, with Sunday’s exhibition set to feature a USA vs. World competition for the first time.

It’s an overhaul that has been rumored for years, with NBA commissioner Adam Silver hopeful that playing for national ...Read more

NEW YORK — Rick Pitino prefers not to focus on his contract in the middle of the season.

But the St. John’s head coach is aware billionaire booster Mike Repole suggested this week that the university “rip up” the three years remaining on his deal and give him a better one this offseason.

“I’m not making any plans to move anywhere ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Chris Paul is stepping away from the NBA for good after more than two decades in the league.

The 12-time All Star who played a key role in the Clippers' "Lob City" era made the announcement Friday soon after being waived by the Toronto Raptors.

"This is it! After over 21 years I'm stepping away from basketball," Paul wrote in a...Read more