MINNEAPOLIS — The Nuggets had delusions of adequacy.

They aspired to choke. They never led long enough to gag.

Instead, they spent Thursday night at the Target Center desperate and dismantled.

They blew a prime opportunity to force a winner-take-all cagematch Saturday in Denver by blowing chunks in the biggest game of the season.

The ...Read more

HOUSTON — LeBron James knew what was at stake in this first-round playoff series and that it was on his shoulders to meet the moment and have his teammates follow his lead.

James simply elevated his play like he has so many times over his illustrious 23-year NBA career, playing with a purpose and willing the Los Angeles Lakers to a 98-78 win...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Desmond Bane scored on an up-and-under layup to open the third quarter. His basket gave the Orlando Magic a 24-point lead (62-38). At the time, it appeared the Magic were on the trajectory of a blowout victory, but the Detroit Pistons refused to surrender.

They picked up their production on both ends to open the third quarter....Read more

Caitlin Clark says she's "good" after a brief injury scare during a preseason game Thursday.

"I feel good," the Indiana Fever guard said after the 95-80 loss against the Dallas Wings. "I just landed on my kneecap really hard."

The two-time All-Star was visibly in pain after being fouled and falling to the floor early in the third quarter. ...Read more

The tallest player in college basketball history plans to take his long strides from Gainesville, Fla., to Orange County.

Olivier Rioux, who is 7-foot-9 yet seldom played at Florida, has committed to UC Irvine, he announced on Instagram. His move likely was prompted by the near certainty that he wouldn't crack the Gators' starting lineup next ...Read more

For the second consecutive year, the Golden State Valkyries have been named Sportico’s most valuable WNBA franchise.

The Valkyries have far and away exceeded their Sportico evaluation from last year. Valued at $500 million in 2025, Golden State’s 2026 season valuation has come in at $850 million — a 70% increase.

Entering their second ...Read more

SEATTLE — This could be a cautionary tale.

Specifically, for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks.

Last month, the NBA board of governors approved a sale of the Portland Trail Blazers to a group led by Texas billionaire Tom Dundon. In the weeks since, Portland made its first playoff appearance since 2021, upsetting the Phoenix Suns in a play-in ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Since Game 4 of this series, the Minnesota Timberwolves have suffered blow after blow on their injury report. They entered Game 6 down four key starters and rotation players as Ayo Dosunmu (right calf tightness) and Kyle Anderson (illness) joined the previously injured Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.

The outmanned Wolves ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — You kept waiting for something to change. Nothing ever did. The best team on the basketball court at Xfinity Mobile Arena was the team that was blown out the last time it played there, the team that has been facing elimination since Sunday, the team that looked like a dead team walking for the first five quarters of the series. ...Read more

ATLANTA — The Knicks knew the Atlanta Hawks were fighting for their playoff lives.

They didn’t let Atlanta even come up for air.

In a historic display of domination, the Knicks punched first and just kept pounding in Thursday night’s first-round-series-clinching 140-89 victory over the Hawks in Game 6 at State Farm Arena.

The Knicks led...Read more

ATLANTA — Maybe the Hawks booked their flights to Cancun a day in advance.

Maybe they drank their own Kool-Aid and thought home-court advantage alone would be enough to force a sudden-death Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Maybe the bright lights of a win-or-go-home playoff game proved too big of a moment for a young, inexperienced Hawks team...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Days ago, the Celtics looked poised to coast into the Eastern Conference semifinals after bludgeoning the 76ers in Game 4 of their first-round series.

Now, coach Joe Mazzulla’s bunch finds itself one loss away from a disastrous end to the season.

After collapsing on their home floor in the second half of Game 5, the Celtics ...Read more

NEW YORK — Only 71 players filed as early-entry candidates for the 2026 NBA draft. According to the NBA, that’s down from 106 in 2025, 283 in 2022 and 353 in 2021. ESPN noted that this year’s number is the smallest early-entry group in more than two decades.

Now, that number doesn’t suggest players suddenly care less about reaching the ...Read more

DETROIT — Although the Magic would have rather closed out their best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the Pistons on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena, Orlando now has an opportunity to accomplish a franchise first.

With eighth-seeded Orlando leading the series 3-2 after Wednesday’s 116-109 road loss, Friday’s Game 6 ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — So that Game 3 overtime win Friday in Houston was fun, huh?

The Lakers needed it, of course. The Lakers wanted it.

The Lakers are paying for it.

Because LeBron James hasn't looked superhuman since playing those 45 minutes, including all five gutsy minutes of overtime.

He hasn't looked great.

Not even particularly good, not ...Read more

An hour before tip-off of Game 5 of the first-round playoff series against Houston, the word came down that Austin Reaves was available to play for the Lakers, his wait over, his time away with Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain no longer an issue.

Reaves missed the first four games of the series and the last five regular-season games since ...Read more

The Orlando Magic walked into Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night with a chance to finish something.

Instead, they walked into a fight — the kind of barroom brawl that defines a playoff series where both teams are trying to emerge from nearly two decades of NBA irrelevance.

But let’s make one thing perfectly clear: Before ...Read more

DETROIT — The Pistons held a three-point lead with one minute remaining in the game. Tobias Harris missed a floater, but Ausar Thompson grabbed the offensive rebound, giving the Detroit Pistons 14 seconds to work with on their possession. Cade Cunningham was able to find his spot and hit a mid-range jump shot. As the Magic called a timeout, ...Read more

BOSTON — It looked a lot like they imagined it would, once upon a time.

Joel Embiid was scoring buckets and drawing crowds.

Tyrese Maxey was zigging and zagging through the resulting alleyways.

Paul George was knocking down 3s and playing ironman minutes of solid defense.

That was the vision, wasn’t it? However much longer the 76ers’ ...Read more