DENVER — This year’s iteration of the Dallas Mavericks has built a reputation for being competitive, no matter the circumstances.

It doesn’t matter if they’re shorthanded because of injuries or playing through their shooting struggles, the Mavericks typically find ways to keep games close.

That trend continued Monday night against the ...Read more

MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra began the night by attempting to cast the matchup as a study in intestinal fortitude, the Los Angeles Clippers with losses in 13 of their previous 15, his Heat coming off a physical loss to the Detroit Pistons.

“You have two opposing forces,” a stoic Spoelstra said. “That’s competition and who’s going to get ...Read more

NEW YORK — Returning from a two-game absence, Michael Porter Jr. dropped a game-high 35 points and hit seven 3-pointers, his most this season and one short of a career high, leading the Nets to a 116-103 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday for their first home victory of the year and their fourth win of the season.

It was Porter’s team...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Heading into Monday’s contest between the Magic and the Bulls, coach Jamahl Mosley put an emphasis on Orlando‘s ability to defend in transition against a Chicago team that played with the second-fastest pace in the league.

The Magic limited the Bulls to well below their season average in fastbreak points (7 vs. 18.6) and ...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons faced a significant challenge with turnovers during their game Monday night at Little Caesars Arena.

The Pistons recorded 23 turnovers, allowing the Atlanta Hawks to stay competitive. It was surprising, considering the Hawks were coming off a double-overtime victory against the Philadelphia 76ers just 24 hours ...Read more

NEW YORK — Two more ranked losses did some damage to St. John’s in the AP poll.

St. John’s fell to No. 23 in the latest ranking after losing to Iowa State and Auburn last week.

The Johnnies’ nine-spot drop from last week’s No. 14 ranking was the biggest of any school in the top 25.

After beginning the season ranked No. 5, St. John�...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — The UConn men’s basketball team held at No. 5 in Monday’s AP Top 25 poll after a Feast Week that was light on upsets.

UConn went 1-0 over the week, taking down then-No. 13 Illinois in a semi-home game at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Point guard Malachi Smith, a native of the Bronx, broke out for 14 points and nine ...Read more

As long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are playing, the Lakers always stand a good chance of winning — even if LeBron James is out.

That proved to be the case yet again Sunday night, as the Lakers rolled over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 with James out managing a left foot injury.

The Lakers (15-4) won their seventh ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid was motivated in his first game in 22 days.

Just when you think the 76ers need more from Tyrese Maxey, the point guard shows why he’s been one of the NBA’s best players of the early season. But his missed free throws in overtime and his team’s lack of rebounding in double overtime were costly.

Yet, 10 days of...Read more

NEW YORK — Forty-point quarters are supposed to leave a team feeling invincible. They’re the kind of offensive avalanches that make opponents crack under the weight of inevitability.

The New York Knicks entered Sunday leading the NBA with eight such outbursts. They made it nine after hanging a 41-point opening period on the Toronto Raptors ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves took a double-digit lead on Saturday against the Boston Celtics and had to hang on for dear life at the finish line. They took another double-digit lead Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs, and for a change, they were able to win comfortably, securing a 125-112 victory at Target Center.

The Wolves ...Read more

Playing without two starters for the first time this season, the Boston Celtics improved to 2-0 against the team many pegged as the favorite in the Eastern Conference.

Boston defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-115 on Sunday at Rocket Arena, spearheaded by Jaylen Brown’s fourth career triple-double and a season-high 42 points from Payton ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will miss Sunday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans as he manages a right foot injury, the team announced.

The Lakers (14-4) host the Phoenix Suns on Monday, which will be the team's third game in four days after a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.

In just his fourth game of the ...Read more

MIAMI — December is not necessarily a month of movement in the NBA, but it does stand as a set-up period, with most players signed in the offseason eligible to be dealt on Dec. 15.

For the Heat, December also will be the first time they will have the wherewithal to add a 15th player to fill out their standard roster and remain below the ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors with Stephen Curry have hardly put the fear into the eyes of NBA defenses this season. Without him, they have been the league’s least-threatening offensive group and did little to shirk that reputation Saturday against the Western Conference’s lowliest team.

It required nearly every possession of regulation, ...Read more

Early in the Nets‘ 116-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, the best scorer inside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee wasn’t Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner or Nic Claxton. With Cam Thomas and Michael Porter Jr. sidelined by injuries, and Egor Demin out after his breakout performance the night before, it was fellow rookie Danny Wolf who ...Read more

MIAMI — These are the spots in the schedule you circle: at home after a two-day break against an opponent playing on the second night of a back-to-back set after a down-to-the-wire home loss 1,400 miles away the night before.

And, still, the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons were too good for the scheduling to make a difference.

...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Disaster almost struck the Minnesota Timberwolves again Saturday, as a 12-point lead disappeared in the final minutes against the Boston Celtics.

But with the score tied, and the Wolves having not scored in a while, the ball swung to Mike Conley. Conley hit an open 3 from the corner that felt like a pressure release in a 119-115...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — It’s been four years since college athletes have been able to legally profit from their name, image and likeness.

It’s been less than 10 years since those same athletes could enter the NCAA’s transfer portal without needing to redshirt an entire competitive season. Yet, it feels like so much of what transpires is still ...Read more