MILWAUKEE — Thirty-seven. Thirty-one. Forty. The Knicks have a Giannis Antetokounmpo problem.

Forget for a second (but only a second) the rumors about the former two-time league MVP eyeing Madison Square Garden if the Bucks flame out early in the playoffs again. The Knicks have a more immediate concern: stopping an equal parts immovable ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mark Pope and Cody Fueger came to Kentucky last year with a reputation for relying on the numbers, and they weren’t shy about one in particular.

The new UK basketball coaches wanted their first group of Wildcats to put up 35 3-pointers a game. Fueger — known as the “offensive coordinator” on Pope’s staff at BYU — ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The reality of the Warriors’ roster means that, on nights one or more of their veteran stars gets a breather, their ability to win at less than full strength will play an imperative role in determining their position when the postseason comes around.

Golden State has looked mighty good when everyone is available, and on ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers are both fortunate and exciting.

Adem Bona is a defensive force when he’s not in foul trouble. And the Sixers need to keep Quentin Grimes as the sixth or seventh man.

Those three things stood out Monday night in the Sixers’ 136-124 victory over the Orlando Magic at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Excitement

Fortunate and...Read more

DETROIT — Jalen Duren approached the free-throw line at the 3:27 mark of the first quarter. The Detroit Pistons had overcome a rough start earlier in the quarter, and after Duren made 1 of 2 free throws, the Pistons held a 24-22 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, over the next 10 minutes, the Pistons missed 19 consecutive shots. ...Read more

After their worst start to a season in a dozen years, the 2025-26 Boston Celtics finally secured their first victory Monday night in New Orleans.

Boston rode a well-rounded scoring effort and a dominant fourth quarter to a 122-90 win over a New Orleans Pelicans team that was playing without injured star Zion Williamson.

Six Celtics players ...Read more

Someone had to get their first win.

The Houston Rockets made sure it wasn’t the Brooklyn Nets, handing Brooklyn a 137-109 loss Monday night at Toyota Center to send it to 0-4 on the young season.

Coming off Sunday’s defeat in San Antonio, the Nets looked to salvage the second half of their Texas trip but once again struggled to sustain ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Shaquille O'Neal purchased a black 2025 Land Rover worth a reported $180,000 from an auto broker in Riverside. He paid even more to have it customized for his 7-foot-1 frame.

It was meant to be delivered to Baton Rouge, La., earlier this month but never arrived at its intended destination.

Instead, Shaq's latest automobile ...Read more

MIAMI — Less than a week after he was named in an FBI gambling probe and arrested, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was cited in an NBA memo issued Monday urging greater vigilance with such matters.

The memo from NBA General Counsel Rick Buchanan and NBA Executive Vice President of League Governance & Policy Dan Spillane was sent to NBA Board of...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Austin Reaves hit a 3. He ripped the ball from Dario Saric’s hands. He scored on a breakaway layup. All in 20 seconds.

On a night without Luka Doncic, the Lakers needed Reaves to do it all Sunday, and the guard responded emphatically as he delivered a career-high 51 points with 11 rebounds and nine assists to carry the...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves fans had a sight they don’t normally see in the team’s home opener Sunday night against Indiana.

It wasn’t just the throwback court of the classic black tree uniforms. It was Anthony Edwards sitting on the bench out of uniform for most of the night. Edwards, who has never played fewer than 72 games ...Read more

MIAMI – The brutal opening schedule for the Miami Heat?

So far more than under control.

First a competitive loss in Orlando. Then a record-setting blowout victory in Memphis. And then Sunday at Kaseya Center, a 115-107 smackdown of the rival New York Knicks in the home opener.

At 2-1 with the Charlotte Hornets up next at home on Tuesday ...Read more

DETROIT — For coach J.B. Bickerstaff, the start of the season is always exciting, particularly when his team is hosting a home opener. The Detroit Pistons (2-1) played their first regular-season home game at Little Caesars Arena and, as they did in last season's resurgence, the fans created an electrifying atmosphere.

After knocking off a ...Read more

The Brooklyn Nets nearly pulled off another wild comeback Sunday but instead dropped to 0-3 with a 118-107 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. It was the first stop on their Texas back-to-back, and another reminder that effort in spurts won’t be enough.

Brooklyn defended and competed early and late, yet the same lapses in ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic will be sidelined for at least one week because of finger and leg injuries.

The team announced ahead of Sunday’s road game against the Sacramento Kings that Doncic had been diagnosed with a sprained left finger and a lower left leg contusion, and is expected to be reevaluated in about...Read more

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — We all have that friend who’s convinced that every airball, every blown call, every boneheaded turnover is evidence that the fix is in.

Maybe it’s you, maybe you’re that friend?

And I’m the one who’s been over here laughing at you, calling you a conspiracy nut. I’m the one rebutting, trying to tell you that ...Read more