BOSTON — Jayson Tatum knew he didn’t play to his standard in Tuesday’s season-opening Celtics loss.

He atoned for that Friday against the reigning NBA champions, leading Boston to a 107-103 win over the Knicks in its home opener at TD Garden.

After going an ugly 6 for 23 from the field against the Detroit Pistons, Tatum poured in 36 ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Booed off the court at halftime and handing out live-ball turnovers like they were free lollipops at the bank, the Charlotte Hornets got crushed in their home opener, 128-81, by the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.

This was exactly the opposite of what the Hornets wanted. Playing a real game in Spectrum Center for the first ...Read more

MIAMI — Based on how the season opened with Wednesday night’s 25-point home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, this was the rare second game of a season that had a must-win feel.

Instead, it will be the Heat’s third game of the season, on Saturday night against the Charlotte Hornets, that now will carry such weight.

Blown out for the ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — After falling to the Hawks on opening night, the Magic believed the mistakes they made Wednesday night — too many turnovers, missed free throws and inaccurate 3-point shooting — were correctable heading into Friday’s game against the Timberwolves.

Orlando, however, struggled in all three areas for the second game in a ...Read more

MILWAUKEE — Early in the fourth quarter of Friday’s 132-125 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls guard Buddy Hield leaped to his feet to roar at rookie Caleb Wilson.

The kid wasn’t getting back on defense. Bucks center Myles Turner had just cleaned his clock on the low block, smacking away a weak shot attempt to get his team ...Read more

SEATTLE — Perhaps the losing groups in the bidding for an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas won’t pivot their attention to Seattle once the league decides on the winning bid in Sin City.

That was the tone from a report in Sports Business Journal on Friday after the publication reported that the group led by Canadian billionaire Steve ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — One problem with analytics, or the application of them, is that they treat things that cannot be quantified as things that do not exist. That’s not a criticism of the science. More so, it’s a criticism of the manner in which the science is frequently applied. Any time there is gap between a player’s perceived performance ...Read more

Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t the problem for the Heat on Wednesday as they were obliterated by the Timberwolves 131-106.

Pretty much everyone else on his team was the problem. Which underscores the problem with trading for Giannis.

And quite possibly makes the Wolves thankful that they didn’t end up trading for him eight months ago, even ...Read more

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Denver Nuggets got smacked in the face with a litmus test right out of the gate.

An Oklahoma City Thunder squad thirsty for vengeance on the world after a disappointing playoff exit. In Oklahoma City.

“They’re definitely a challenge for every team in the NBA,” Nikola Jokic said before Denver’s season opener, “so...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Just before tipoff, LeBron James poured powder onto his hands, cameras gathered around and the crowd erupted as he did his trademark powder toss. Even after beating the Knicks two nights ago, that moment felt like an unofficial start of this season for the 76ers.

And, well, the Sixers came out and played — at first — as if ...Read more

Starting over has to start somewhere, and so the Clippers got on with it Wednesday.

While Kawhi Leonard got an NBA Finals hero's welcome upon his return up north in Toronto, the Clippers did what they could to entice fans back to Intuit Dome.

Not with superstars or championship aspirations. But with the promise of free parking, a jersey trade-...Read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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