PHILADELPHIA — Kevin Willard embarrassed himself and Villanova University on Thursday night. The solace that he and the school’s leaders can take from the episode is that they’re at least getting out of the Big 5, getting what they want, and getting what is best for their men’s basketball program. But the bad taste that Willard left in ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Aces have some important decisions to make this offseason after their run at a fourth WNBA championship in five years ended in a semifinal sweep at the hands of Gabby Williams and the Golden State Valkyries.

With the 2027 season set to tip off in May, the Aces will have to determine how to approach an offseason that ...Read more

MIAMI — The Miami Heat’s first road trip of the season stands as a unique reminder of what was and what still must be.

First there was Friday’s anniversary of the Heat’s first road trip a year ago, when on Oct. 23, 2025 the Heat’s Orlando hotel was swarmed by FBI agents and Terry Rozier was arrested as part of a gambling investigation...Read more

DURHAM, N.C. — Duke's John Blackwell has that look.

He’s good. He knows it. Put a basketball in his hands and he’s going to score with it.

“Hunt the rim,” as he puts it.

Blackwell doesn’t come off as cocky. Confident, yes. Confident of his ability to score against anyone he plays, yes. But not cocksure.

Blackwell was brought in...Read more

PHOENIX – After LJ Cryer buried a 3-pointer from the top of the arc, the second-year guard meandered to the bench as the Phoenix Suns called a timeout with three minutes remaining in Saturday’s game at Mortgage Matchup Center.

The first man to greet him off the bench? Steph Curry, decked out in a gray hoodie and green striped pants. Next to...Read more

DENVER — Flash back to Jan. 27, 2026, in Ball Arena. That night against the Detroit Pistons, Jamal Murray missed two consecutive free throws after drawing a foul with 0.7 seconds left, with the Denver Nuggets down by two.

On Saturday night, in front of an anxious crowd aching for a win over the New Orleans Pelicans in the home opener, Murray ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid collected the ball off the offensive rebound and dished it to Jaylen Brown for the 3-pointer from the right wing.

It gave Embiid his 10th assist to accumulate his 11th career triple-double. The former NBA All-Star finished with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and those 10 helpers. And it helped clinch the 76ers’ 127-116 ...Read more

It took a 22-point deficit and nearly 40 minutes for the Nets to offer their first glimpse of what the future might look like.

With 8:18 remaining in the fourth quarter Saturday night, Egor Dëmin checked into the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mikel Brown Jr. was already on the floor. For the first time in their NBA careers, Brooklyn’...Read more

Say what you will about the Golden State Valkyries, but you can’t say they don’t have a pulse.

Saturday’s Game 4 of the WNBA Finals wasn’t, strictly by the book, an elimination game.

But did the Valks ever treat it like one.

Lose, and you’re down 3-1, packing your emotional bags and listening as Atlanta talks about parade routes. ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — What could go wrong did go wrong in a disastrous final stretch of the Golden State Warriors’ 111-108 defeat to the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.

The Warriors led by 12 with 3:47 left in the game, the Chase Center was rocking in the team’s home opener against the young Grizzlies. All the Warriors had to do ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers appeared to be on their way to almost being whole Friday night when guard Collin Sexton returned to play for the first time this season. Then word came that key role player Jake LaRavia was out because of an ankle injury.

Still, the Lakers pressed on in their second game, a game against the crosstown rival...Read more

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