Lakers coach JJ Redick and defensive ace Walker Kessler applauded Luka Doncic for his standout defensive performance in the Lakers’ 131-125 victory over the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday.

And Doncic’s response to the accolades?

“Finally,” Doncic said, laughing.

Doncic had five steals. He took three charges. And he ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks. The unstoppable force and the immovable object. Should they share enough minutes on the hardwood, these two titans of the technical are bound to clash. And clash, they did.

Green was ejected for the first time this year following a third-quarter brouhaha with Brooks, but the Warriors extended ...Read more

DENVER — Home-court disadvantage remains a trend in the early stages of the Nuggets’ season.

They led for three quarters Monday, but the visiting Trail Blazers slowly whittled down a 14-point deficit until it was a late 9-point lead — and a 118-110 Nuggets loss. Denver (3-3) fell to 1-2 at home, its only win coming in overtime after a 23-...Read more

Playing with heavy legs and a short-handed roster, the Boston Celtics fell to the Houston Rockets 109-93 on Monday.

Boston rested veteran wing Paul George on the second night of a back-to-back and struggled to replicate his impact at both ends of the floor.

Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser shot a combined 9 for 41 ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. – The UConn men’s basketball team rolled to a 86-46 win over Gardner-Webb in its season-opener at PeoplesBank Arena Monday night behind a combined 34 points from Braylon Mullins and Nik Khamenia.

It was the 200th win at UConn for coach Dan Hurley as he begins his ninth season leading the Huskies.

In the first meaningful ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Facing the Wizards in the second game of a back-to-back after falling to the Celtics at home 24 hours earlier, the Magic believed they would be able to correct their mistakes from Sunday’s contest during Monday’s matchup.

Orlando, however, fell short of making proper adjustments and fell to Washington, 103-94, inside Kia ...Read more

NEW YORK — Josh Hart grabbed the rebound and took off.

Moritz Wagner had just missed an open layup that could have helped Brooklyn protect its fourth-quarter lead. Hart saw something better, an opportunity to run. He raced upcourt, found OG Anunoby for a 3-pointer and suddenly the Knicks were back in front.

They weren’t about to give the ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cade Cunningham hit his second 3-pointer at 5:43 in the first quarter. The basket brought Cunningham to 11 points in the period, during which he helped lead the Detroit Pistons to their first 15 points.

At the time, it seemed Cunningham was setting the tone for one of the best scoring performances of his career, but his hot ...Read more

After sitting out Kansas men’s basketball’s exhibition games against Duke and Louisville as he rounded into shape, newcomer Trey Kaufman-Renn was available for duty Monday in the Kansas Jayhawks’ season opener versus Fordham at Allen Fieldhouse.

The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Purdue transfer, cleared by the courts to play courtesy of a ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves improved to 5-3 on the NBA season with a 112-100 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

LaMelo Ball, who was questionable to even play in this game, started out firing on all cylinders, but it took the rest of the team quite a while to catch up with star Anthony Edwards out following knee surgery.

Ball ...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan Wolverines opened the Mike Boynton Jr. era and began their national title defense on a winning note.

In the season opener against Oakland that wasn’t exactly a work of art and was riddled with whistles after halftime, Michigan took care of business with an 84-68 victory at Crisler Center on Monday.

Trey ...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Quinnipiac University is known more for its political polls than its basketball teams in November, but the Bobcats came to East Lansing on election eve to open Michigan State’s basketball season at Breslin Center.

This race didn’t take long to call.

Michigan State (1-0) never trailed and stormed out to a 28-point ...Read more

DURHAM, N.C. — There was no way Duke’s Deron Rippey Jr., was going to get to the ball on the break.

The pass was too high, too long. The ball was going to sail out of bounds under the Duke basket … until Rippey, showing a burst of speed, somehow got his hands on it just before the end line. The freshman guard quickly made a behind-the-...Read more

Thomas Haugh put up a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double to lead the top-ranked Florida Gators to a 77-67 win over the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes on Monday at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Fla.

The Hurricanes, starting their second season under coach Jai Lucas, showed at times that they were able to compete with a veteran Florida team ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — It might take some time to develop chemistry and cohesiveness. Josh Pastner obviously hopes it occurs sooner than later.

But with several new faces on his second UNLV basketball team, just like with his first UNLV basketball team, Pastner the coach knows all too well about the patience one needs to sort things out. I’m just not ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — With nine new players on the roster still working on maximizing their on-court chemistry, the Los Angeles Lakers are taking a patient approach to the start of the NBA season.

For now, it looks as if they’re fine with following Luka Doncic‘s lead.

The Lakers star had another sensational performance, finishing with 45 points ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is not quite sure why rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is especially coachable, why the first-year forward is particularly receptive to instruction.

Kerr opined that perhaps the 24-year-old’s agreeability comes from his vast experience in the college ranks. Six years of collegiate hoops at three ...Read more

Apparently, the Brooklyn Nets know where to go when they need their first win.

Nearly a year after ending a 0-7 start on this same Gainbridge Fieldhouse floor, the Nets returned Sunday still searching for their first victory of another season. And once again, the Indiana Pacers were standing in their way.

The circumstances were familiar. So ...Read more

It’s going to take a road warriors mentality for the Boston Celtics to get through November.

The Celtics play 12 of their 16 games this month away from TD Garden, and it started Sunday afternoon in what’s been a house of horrors for Boston of late with it paying a visit to the Orlando Magic.

The Celtics looked at home for the most part, ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO – Gabby Williams was done being a decoy.

The All-Star had, by design, floated through the most important first half of the most important game of her life. Williams was asked to distract the Atlanta Dream: Create space for others by virtue of her presence.

The Dream were locking down a stagnant Valkyries offense to begin Game 7...Read more