ORLANDO, Fla. — In the void of clarity from the NBA, the Miami Heat are moving forward under the presumption that they can negotiate potential trades involving Terry Rozier’s expiring contract.

According to an NBA source familiar with the process, the Heat are working under the premise that Rozier’s $26.6 million 2025-26 salary is ...Read more

LOS ANGELES – It was the best of times, and the worst too – shooting-wise. Really, a tale of two halves.

The UCLA men’s basketball team was on almost unreasonably hot in the first half Saturday, 15 for 27 (55.6%) from the floor. And ice bath cold after the break, 9 for 28 (32.1%).

And still, the Bruins hung on to beat Oregon 74-63 at ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James needed to send this message.

He still sits on his throne.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar scored 10 consecutive points late in the fourth quarter to seal a 112-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers Sunday, helping the Lakers (17-6) nab two wins out of their difficult three-game road trip.

After knocking down a 20...Read more

The Denver Nuggets have won 10 consecutive road games for the first time in franchise history after earning a 115-106 victory at the Charlotte Hornets Sunday.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

Nuggets leaders at their best

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray continued to carry their team on the road, like star players are supposed to do. ...Read more

CHICAGO – The Golden State Warriors are no strangers to one of their players receiving loud cheers from what should be hostile crowds on the road.

But instead of Steph Curry, the usual suspect, it was beloved former Chicago Bull Jimmy Butler who enjoyed a rousing ovation from the United Center Crowd Sunday night. Butler played the first six ...Read more

From 0-3 to third place in the Eastern Conference.

The surging Boston Celtics won their fifth straight Sunday in Toronto, squandering a 23-point second-half lead but holding on for a 121-113 victory at Scotiabank Arena.

With the win, Boston leapfrogged the Raptors in the East standings. At 15-9, Joe Mazzulla’s club now trails only the 19-5 ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — When Jarin Stevenson recorded his first points Sunday evening midway through the second half, his reaction felt more like a sigh of relief than a celebration. He did add a bit of flair though — which, for a quiet kid like Stevenson, is saying something — as he brought his shooting hand to his mouth and gave it a kiss.

...Read more

NEW YORK — A sellout Madison Square Garden crowd had its sights set on one player: Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic star who had drawn the ire of an entire building in the span of two seconds.

There’s just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter of an eventual 106-100 New York Knicks victory over the Orlando Magic, and Jalen Suggs had ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the first 20 minutes of game time, fans seated in the northeast corner of T-Mobile Center heckled Kansas players, cheered each Missouri basket and made their presence felt from tipoff.

Despite being vastly outnumbered, the spectators donning black and gold Mizzou apparel made a Kansas home game, albeit in Kansas City, ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — For Kentucky, the highlight of the 2025-26 Music City Madness matchup with Gonzaga came as the Wildcats took the court for the final time before tip-off.

A heavily-partisan UK crowd all but lifted the roof off the Bridgestone Arena with the exuberant roar with which they greeted the Cats.

“We walked into a heck of an ...Read more

MIAMI — You play to win the games. We get that. The Miami Heat get that. It is why “tank” remains out of the team’s vernacular.

But there also are times when the greater good has to be considered, of getting your team whole and healthy through the 82-game regular-season marathon, preferably without players missing large chunks, as was ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Like they did in two games this week in New Orleans, the Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t really start playing Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers until they had to.

After being down double digits most of the first three quarters, the Wolves stormed back late in the third and the fourth for a 109-106 victory over the ...Read more

CLEVELAND —Missing a third of their players Saturday night in Cleveland, the Golden State Warriors needed their ragtag group to play with supreme effort, take care of the ball and make a few timely shots to stay competitive.

If they did those things, perhaps the Warriors – missing Steph and Seth Curry, Draymond Green (foot), Al Horford (...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons have been in a minor slump since their 13-game winning streak ended in Boston on Nov. 26. They have gone 3-3 over the previous six games, but no loss seemed as frustrating as their 113-109 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Dec. 3.

Three days later, the Pistons bounced back against their divisional rival in a 124-112...Read more

MIAMI — Several sobering realities hit home for the Miami Heat in Saturday night’s 127-111 loss to the Sacramento Kings at Kaseya Center.

They didn’t have enough healthy bodies to compete.

They didn’t have enough on the defensive end to deter.

And they might not be who they thought they were just a scant week ago.

Shorthanded and ...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Duke is still Duke.

And Tom Izzo is still Tom Izzo.

So this loss won’t feel like any other loss for Michigan State’s Hall of Fame coach, who watched his Spartans go toe-to-toe with No. 4 Duke — “one of the top two or three best teams in the country,” in Izzo’s view — but still come out on the wrong end of ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — It had been a performance impressive in its nothingness.

Zero points, zero rebounds, zero assists, zero steals and zero blocks in 15 minutes.

The only tangible statistical sign that UCLA's Eric Dailey Jr. had played against Washington earlier this week came in the four fouls that he logged, which contributed mightily to his ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Over the course of USC's undefeated start, with its star freshman still out, its leading scorer nursing an ailing shoulder and one of its best defenders down because of an injured hip, coach Eric Musselman still managed to make the best of his ravaged roster.

USC had won eight straight, sweeping its nonconference slate and ...Read more

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Not even a nine-day layoff could cool off the Wolverines.

Playing for the first time since its dominant showing at the Players Era tournament, No. 3 Michigan picked up where it left off and opened Big Ten play with another blowout.

Behind another strong all-around performance and balanced attack, the Wolverines pummeled ...Read more

NEW YORK — Continuing his offensive onslaught, Michael Porter Jr. tied his season high with 35 points while Day’Ron Sharpe added 16 off the bench as the Nets improved to 6-17 and picked up their third win in four games Saturday afternoon at Barclays Center, 119-101, against a short-handed New Orleans Pelicans team featuring impressive ...Read more