NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden was the final piece to a Big Three. Julius Randle is an unquestioned No. 1. Their status may not be the same, but there's no difference in what their teams need for there to be a deep playoff run — or two of them — in New York. Randle is ready for the challenge, as the Knicks face Atlanta in their return to the postseason for the first time since 2013. “The intensity level is going to rise, the level of play, everything is going to rise, so I’m going to have to be better,” Randle said. “Everybody’s going to have to be better if we want to accomplish what we want to accomplish, so I’m looking forward to that.” He led the Knicks in points, rebounds and assists, not to mention the entire NBA in minutes. Harden long faced the same need to carry his club in Houston. He doesn't have to shoulder as much of a load after joining Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn, but he doesn't think that makes his job any easier. “The road and the journey is still going to be... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks spent three miserable years totally rebuilding their team, all with the idea of finally making a big move this season. Yet, as the All-Star break approached, they were limping along with one of the worst records in the NBA. Coach Lloyd Pierce was fired. Nate McMillan took over as the interim boss. Suddenly, the Hawks looked like a totally different team. It all paid off Wednesday night, when Atlanta clinched its first playoff berth since 2017 by rallying for a 120-116 victory over the Washington Wizards. “This is what I came down here for, to try to help this team get to the next level,” said McMillan, who figures to get serious consideration for coach of the year honors despite his interim tag. “These guys have stood up and accepted that. I'm just thrilled to death that I can be part of this.” The Hawks aren't the only newcomer to the playoff scene. The New York Knicks snapped an even-longer drought, securing their first postseason berth since 2013 when... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — A smile crept across Tom Thibodeau’s face. A coach who has said he’s never happy couldn’t hide that he was. New Orleans coach Stan Van Gundy had called Thibodeau’s New York Knicks a throwback to the 1990s version, a rough and tough team hated by opponents and beloved by its fans. Thibodeau was an assistant then to Van Gundy's brother, Jeff, during the last sustained success the franchise enjoyed. “It was a great period for the Knicks,” Thibodeau said. “I think that that period is long gone, but when you look at it, the same things go into winning.” For the first time in years, that’s just what the Knicks are doing. With Julius Randle carrying a team built on defense in an era when offenses rule, the Knicks have surged into the Eastern Conference playoff race after six consecutive wins, their longest streak in seven years. At 31-27, they began the week sixth in the East but only a half-game out of fourth place. That put them not only in good shape to at least qualify for... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — A smile crept across Tom Thibodeau’s face. A coach who has said he’s never happy couldn’t hide that he was. New Orleans coach Stan Van Gundy had called Thibodeau’s New York Knicks a throwback to the 1990s version, a rough and tough team hated by opponents and beloved by its fans. Thibodeau was an assistant then to Van Gundy's brother, Jeff, during the last sustained success the franchise enjoyed. “It was a great period for the Knicks,” Thibodeau said. “I think that that period is long gone, but when you look at it, the same things go into winning.” For the first time in years, that’s just what the Knicks are doing. With Julius Randle carrying a team built on defense in an era when offenses rule, the Knicks have surged into the Eastern Conference playoff race after six consecutive wins, their longest streak in seven years. At 31-27, they began the week sixth in the East but only a half-game out of fourth place. That put them not only in good shape to at least qualify for... [More]

An NBA-record five players had triple-doubles Saturday, including former MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook in the same game. All-Stars James Harden, Julius Randle and Domantas Sabonis also had triple-doubles in victories by their teams. Antetokounmpo had 33 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to help Milwaukee beat Washington 125-119. The two-time MVP helped the Bucks overcome 42 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds by Westbrook, who owns the NBA record with 42 triple-doubles in 2016-17. Triple-doubles have since become more common — he averaged one for three straight seasons — but there had never been so many as during Saturday's eight-game schedule. Randle started the record day with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in New York's 119-97 victory in Oklahoma City, becoming the first Knicks player with two triple-doubles in the same season since Mark Jackson in the 1988-89 season. Harden had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, his ninth triple-double since being traded to Brooklyn in January, as the Nets beat Detroit 100-95. Sabonis got the last of the night with 22 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to lead Indiana to a 122-111 victory in Phoenix. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LeBron James has faced Giannis Antetokounmpo as an opponent in the last three All-Star Games. The Los Angeles Lakers' star got him as a teammate this year. James used the No. 1 overall pick on Antetokounmpo — the NBA’s two-time reigning MVP from Milwaukee — in the draft for Sunday’s All-Star Game in Atlanta. Kevin Durant, who will not play in the All-Star Game because of injury but still is the captain for Team Durant, took Brooklyn teammate Kyrie Irving with his first pick. The other starters for Team LeBron will be Stephen Curry of Golden State, Luka Doncic of Dallas and Nikola Jokic of Denver. The other starters for Team Durant will be Joel Embiid of Philadelphia, 2020 All-Star MVP Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers, Bradley Beal of Washington and Jayson Tatum of Boston. This is the fourth year of the NBA's playing captain format for the All-Star Game. James is 3-0, beating teams captained by Curry in 2018 and Antetokounmpo in the last two seasons. “I just try to pick players... [More]

Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Phoenix’s Devin Booker have been 3-point champions at All-Star weekend before, and they’ll try to win that trophy again Sunday. The NBA revealed the 15 players Tuesday who will be taking part in the other on-court events besides the All-Star Game in Atlanta, with the overwhelming majority of them pulling double-duty between those competitions and the game itself. Curry, Booker, the Boston duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Chicago’s Zach LaVine and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell — all of them All-Stars — will be the six competitors in the 3-point contest. All-Stars Luka Doncic of Dallas, Domantas Sabonis of Indiana, Julius Randle of New York, Nikola Vucevic of Orlando and Chris Paul of Phoenix will be five of the six entrants in the skills competition. They’ll be joined by Portland’s Robert Covington, the only current NBA player who is a graduate of a historically Black college and university. Covington went to Tennessee State. HBCUs will be a major part of... [More]

New Orleans forward Zion Williamson now can be called an NBA All-Star, and only three others in the game’s 70-year history have gotten there at a younger age. Williamson is one of four first-time All-Stars, all revealed Tuesday night when the league announced the reserves for the March 7 game in Atlanta. Joining him as fellow All-Star rookies: Boston’s Jaylen Brown, New York’s Julius Randle and Chicago’s Zach LaVine. Phoenix’s Chris Paul is an All-Star for the 11th time, and Brooklyn’s James Harden is one for the ninth consecutive year. The rest of the reserves include Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Orlando’s Nikola Vucevic from the Eastern Conference, along with the Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, the Los Angeles Clippers’ Paul George, Utah teammates Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and Portland’s Damian Lillard from the Western Conference. “It's definitely an honor," Mitchell said. Team captains LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kevin Durant of the... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The New York Knicks might have been able to take advantage of the absence of Toronto forward Pascal Siakam on Thursday night if they could have made some outside shots. Fred VanVleet scored 25 points and the Raptors, playing without their star forward, earned their first victory this season by beating the Knicks 100-83. New York's bid for a three-game win streak was ruined by 3-for-36 shooting from 3-point range. “If we would have made some of our 3s, we probably would have had a good chance to win,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. Siakam, who left the court promptly in frustration Tuesday night after fouling out of a game at Philadelphia, was on the Toronto bench but not in uniform. Norman Powell started at small forward and finished with 17 points after making three of Toronto's first four baskets. “Obviously it was a disciplinary thing for an internal matter. Let's keep it at that for tonight,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse said. Kyle Lowry had 20 points and seven rebounds... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Fred VanVleet scored 25 points and the Toronto Raptors, playing without star forward Pascal Siakam, earned their first victory this season by beating the New York Knicks 100-83 on Thursday night. New York's bid for a three-game win streak was ruined by 3-for-36 shooting from 3-point range. Siakam, who left the court promptly in frustration Tuesday night after fouling out of a game at Philadelphia, was on the Toronto bench but not in uniform. Norman Powell started at small forward and finished with 17 points after making three of Toronto's first four baskets. Kyle Lowry had 20 points for the Raptors (1-3). Julius Randle had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks (2-3). Reggie Bullock and RJ Barrett combined to go 0 for 17 from behind the arc. The Knicks fell behind by as many as 11 points early in the game and were were shooting only 29% (11 for 38) midway through the second quarter. But Randle scored eight straight points and put New York ahead for the first time with... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks waived veterans Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson and Wayne Ellington and declined their team option on Bobby Portis on Thursday, just a year after signing them in free agency. The Knicks signed all the veterans as part of a seven-player class in the summer of 2019. They enter free agency Friday with only Julius Randle and Reggie Bullock remaining from the group, having traded Marcus Morris to the Clippers during the season. Former Knicks President Steve Mills insisted at the start of last season that the Knicks got the players they wanted with that group. But successor Leon Rose cut most of them as he prepares to reshape one of the league's worst rosters. The moves have them well-positioned for free agency. Portis' option would have paid him $15.8 million in 2020-21. Gibson was due $9.5 million and Ellington and Payton were each set to earn $8 million. The Knicks also waived forward Kenny Wooten and declined their option on guard Theo Pinson. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks waived veterans Elfrid Payton, Taj Gibson and Wayne Ellington and declined their team option on Bobby Portis on Thursday, just a year after signing them in free agency. The Knicks signed all the veterans as part of a seven-player class in the summer of 2019. They enter free agency Friday with only Julius Randle and Reggie Bullock remaining from the group, having traded Marcus Morris to the Clippers during the season. Former Knicks President Steve Mills insisted at the start of last season that the Knicks got the players they wanted with that group. But successor Leon Rose cut most of them as he prepares to reshape one of the league's worst rosters. The moves have them well-positioned for free agency. Portis' option would have paid him $15.8 million in 2020-21. Gibson was due $9.5 million and Ellington and Payton were each set to earn $8 million. The Knicks also waived forward Kenny Wooten and declined their option on guard Theo Pinson. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Tom Thibodeau made the first addition to his New York Knicks coaching staff on Tuesday, hiring Kenny Payne as an assistant.Payne has spent the last 10 years at Kentucky, where he has been John Calipari's associate head coach since 2014. He was part of the staff that won the 2012 national championship and won its first 38 games in 2014-15.Thibodeau said Payne has “an outstanding ability to forge relationships with players.”“He knows what it takes to win and has learned from one of the best coaches there is in John Calipari," Thibodeau added.Thibodeau was hired last month as coach of the Knicks, who have been one of the NBA's worst teams. Payne, on the other hand, has been part of one of college's best.The Wildcats reached four Final Fours and won 295 games with Payne working under Calipari, who like Thibodeau praised Payne's relationships with players.“As a basketball coach and a teacher, he could run any program in the country,” Calipari said. “Simply, he’s as good as they... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Vince Carter leaned back in his seat, dabbed his eyes and struggled to contain his emotions.He knew his playing days were coming to an end.Yet, after almost 22 seasons in the NBA, longer than anyone else has ever played the game at its highest level, this still seemed too quick, too sudden.He kept going back to one word Wednesday night.“Weird.”Carter, closing out his brilliant career with the struggling Atlanta Hawks, was a minor piece to the puzzle on an evening of fast-moving developments that brought the fear and misery of the coronavirus to the doorstep of the game he plays.It started with the NCAA making the shocking decision to play its signature men's basketball tournament — March Madness and the Final Four — in empty arenas around the land. There are certainly doubts that it will actually be played all.Then, after word came down that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert had fallen ill, the NBA called a halt to its season at the conclusion of Wednesday night's games, with... [More]

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Marcus Morris talked tough in the preseason, when the New York Knicks made their annual boasts that things were going to be different.He spoke softly Friday, apologizing for his misplaced machismo on another night the Knicks embarrassed themselves on the court and in the locker room.Exactly a year after trading Kristaps Porzingis, it’s the same old basketball story in New York, nothing more than a rumored stop for superstars in the offseason, and the site of very little success in the regular season.The latest low point was Wednesday, when the Memphis Grizzlies rolled to a 127-106 victory in a game that featured an altercation in the final minute after New York’s Elfrid Payton shoved Jae Crowder as he was attempting a shot, and frustrated fans chanted “Sell the team! “Sell the team!” with owner James Dolan sitting in his baseline seat.Things got even worse afterward, when Payton said he’d do the same thing again and Morris mocked Crowder for playing with “female... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis plans to travel with the Los Angeles Lakers on their upcoming road trip after he bruised his buttocks in a nasty fall.The Lakers announced encouraging news about their six-time All-Star's health Wednesday, a day after he left their blowout win over New York with a scary injury.An MRI exam performed overnight on Davis showed no major concerns, and X-rays were negative. Davis was extremely sore, but his injuries appear to be only bruises.The NBA's sixth-leading scorer is expected to be listed as questionable when the Lakers open a two-game road trip Friday in Dallas.Davis was hurt when he fell hard on his back and tailbone after trying to block the shot of New York's Julius Randle in the third quarter of the Lakers' sixth straight win, 117-87 over the Knicks on Tuesday night.Davis pounded the court in pain and stayed down for about two minutes while his teammates gathered around him. He eventually rose with help and walked off the court slowly, but under his... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis left the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the New York Knicks in the third quarter Tuesday night after he bruised his lower back in a painful fall to the court.Davis was injured when he fell awkwardly while trying to block the shot of New York's Julius Randle. Davis pounded the court in obvious pain after his hard landing, and he stayed down for about two minutes in a hushed Staples Center.Davis eventually rose with help from his teammates, and he walked to the Lakers' dressing room slowly, but under his own power.Davis' agent, Rich Paul, emerged from the Lakers' locker room after the injury and said X-rays on Davis' back were negative, but the superstar is feeling sore. The Lakers described the injury as a bruised sacrum — the lower part of the spine near the tailbone.Davis, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is the primary reason behind Los Angeles' swift rise to the top of the Western Conference.The six-time All-Star is averaging 27.7 points and 9.5 rebounds in his first season after the Lakers traded most of their young core to New Orleans for him.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — David Fizdale was the latest coach tasked with trying to turn around the New York Knicks.He was given barely 100 games before the longtime losers decided it was time to try someone else.The Knicks cut ties with Fizdale and promoted assistant Mike Miller to interim head coach Friday after two straight blowout losses dropped them to 4-18,Fizdale ran practice earlier in the day, but was then fired along with assistant Keith Smart. The Knicks made no comment on the decision to release Fizdale after he went 21-83, a .202 winning percentage.The Knicks have lost eight straight games, with the last two by scores of 132-88 to Milwaukee on Monday night and 129-92 to Denver on Thursday night. They have the worst record in the Eastern Conference after finishing with the worst record in the NBA last season in Fizdale's first season.The Knicks went 17-65 in 2018-19 to match the worst record in franchise history and they are on pace to be even worse this season. New York missed out on... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks fired coach David Fizdale on Friday after two straight blowout losses dropped them to 4-18, a person with knowledge of the decision said.Fizdale ran practice earlier in the day but was then fired, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.The Knicks have lost eight straight games, with the last two by scores of 132-88 to Milwaukee on Monday night and 129-92 to Denver on Thursday night. They have the worst record in the Eastern Conference after finishing with the worst record in the NBA last season in Fizdale's first season.Fizdale's firing was first reported by ESPN.The Knicks went 17-65 last season to match the worst record in franchise history and they are on pace to even worse this season. New York missed out on the top stars that were available in free agency and the players they did get haven't meshed nearly well enough.Still, team executives expected better results, saying so with an unusual... [More]

Robin Lopez and Frank Mason III both scored 14 points to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Chicago Bulls 122-112 in preseason action on Monday night.Milwaukee didn't play most of its major contributors, including last year's league Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton.Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game that most of them had a good scrimmage on Sunday so he didn't want to play them in what was essentially a back-to-back stretch.All five of the Bucks' starters scored in double figures. Brook Lopez scored 13 points, Sterling Brown added 12 points and nine rebounds and Wesley Matthews scored 10.Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 16 points. Lauri Markkanen added 14 points, making 4 of 8 of his 3-point attempts.PELICANS 133, HAWKS 109Jrue Holiday led New Orleans with 21 points and Zion Williamson scored 16, including several highlight-reel dunks.Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, threw down his first preseason dunk, a tomahawk... [More]