LOS ANGELES — Out of the mouths of babes …

When measuring the furiously growing buzz around the Lakers, one need only heed the hopeful cries of one of their most rabid fans.

A 6-year-old.

Wearing a Shaquille O'Neal jersey that nearly drapes to his knees.

Leading 20,000 fans in a Saturday night cheer that has swept through a city.

"...Read more

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer said Wednesday that sophomore center Patrick Ngongba II is unlikely to play when the Blue Devils open NCAA Tournament play.

“I think it’s very unlikely that he plays tomorrow,” Scheyer said during a press conference Wednesday. “We’re going to keep taking it day by day. And again, ...Read more

GREENVILLE, S.C. — In game planning to face Duke in the NCAA Tournament, Siena basketball coach Gerry McNamara didn’t need intel on the Blue Devils’ Cameron Boozer.

The freshman has been named a unanimous first-team AP All-America. Boozer is the ACC player of the year and likely will be voted the national player of the year.

“I think ...Read more

Monday night in Washington was supposed to be a feel-good evening for a Warriors team that really needed one.

A nice win. Steve Kerr’s 600th win, in fact.

De’Anthony Melton looked great. (Nothing new there.) Kristaps Porzingis put on a show (now that’s new). The duo combined for 57 points and offered a tantalizing glimpse of what could ...Read more

DENVER — A reminder to be vigilant of the trap game was readily available to the Nuggets.

They needed only remember their last matchup with the 76ers, when the roles were reversed — when Denver’s entire starting five was absent and Philly’s “Big Three” was fully intact. It was back in January, and Jalen Pickett, Hunter Tyson and ...Read more

Paul McNeil sat in the N.C. State men’s basketball locker room on Monday night during the team’s pregame media availability. He said guys around the country would have to figure out the rest of their lives starting on March 17.

A number of N.C. State players are in that group.

N.C. State made a number of clutch plays down the stretch, ...Read more

NEW YORK — Should Josh Hart be moved to bench?

It’s been a question floating around the Knicks — from the outside, not within — for a starting lineup that has struggled to generate quality offense, defend or get out to quick starts with consistency in recent weeks.

The Knicks have penned Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The first game the Timberwolves played without Anthony Edwards for the next week or two might end up being the most important of that bunch.

The Wolves had a chance to put some distance in the standings between them and the Phoenix Suns, who entered the night two games back of them for a guaranteed playoff spot as the No. 6 seed...Read more

The seven-game winning streak reset the Miami Heat’s season.

The two-game skid that now has followed has robbed some of that hope.

Playing in the injury absences of Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins, the Heat took a jolt in their playoff chase with Tuesday night’s 136-106 loss to the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.

With Adebayo ruled ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Although the Magic entered Tuesday’s game against the Thunder with an 8-2 record in games on the second night of a back-to-back, Orlando was facing a different type of challenge when it returned to Kia Center after falling at Atlanta the night prior.

Oklahoma City went into the game with the best record in the NBA, had won ...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla — Florida Gators coach Todd Golden prefers winning to wake-up calls, if given the choice.

Entering the SEC Tournament, he dismissed the notion that a loss could serve as a reality check for the red-hot, ultra-confident Gators. On Monday, Golden was forced to recalibrate after Saturday’s 91-74 comeuppance in the semifinals ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Who’s got the better game?

Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards took on former President Barack Obama in a basketball shootout and rounds of table tennis and Connect Four in a social video promoted Tuesday.

Edwards, who is known for his unfiltered exchanges, trash-talks with the two-term U.S. president throughout the video.

“...Read more

SEATTLE — Smile if you wish, but don't celebrate yet.

The most significant event regarding the potential return of the Sonics seems imminent, but I'd pump the brakes on a party.

On Monday ESPN reported that NBA owners will vote next week to explore expansion to Las Vegas and Seattle. No other city is on the table, and it's unlikely news ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — It would be easy to point to the lack of early upsets in recent NCAA Tournaments and conclude that revenue sharing and NIL have ruined the Cinderella aspect that made the event so special.

The rich getting richer and the ability of the blue bloods and power conference teams to not only pay highly-prized recruits more than anyone ...Read more

CHICAGO — It’s easy to go to the experts to fill out your NCAA Tournament pool sheets.

And there are plenty of experts out there, including some at The Athletic, which did more than 1 million simulations of the men’s field and projected Duke over Michigan in the title game, with Houston and Arizona as the other two Final Four teams.

It ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — This part of the schedule was already a trying one for the Timberwolves, who have slid down the NBA standings after losing four of five. Now they will continue to make a playoff push without their best player.

Anthony Edwards will miss at least one to two weeks with what the team said is “right knee inflammation.” The Wolves...Read more

Needing to fill a roster spot over the weekend to satisfy NBA rules, the Celtics reacquired a familiar face.

Boston on Sunday signed veteran big man Charles Bassey — a 6-foot-10 journeyman who starred for the Celtics’ Summer League squad last July — to a 10-day contract.

The team also converted rookie guard Max Shulga’s two-way ...Read more

CHICAGO — If the Wolverines needed a reminder of what’s to come and the battles that lie ahead in the NCAA Tournament, the Big Ten tournament provided that.

And if they needed any fuel heading into the Big Dance, Sunday’s setback to Purdue in the conference tournament final at United Center certainly provided that, too.

“I think that ...Read more

Was is it about Duke and Indy?

Duke has won three of its five NCAA basketball championships in Indianapolis, making it a historic landing spot for the Blue Devils in a Final Four.

But to get to Indy this year for the 2026 Final Four, the Devils will have to traverse an NCAA East Region bracket that’s ridiculously stacked, one with a trio of ...Read more