LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Rudy Gobert sank two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to cap a 14-point, 12-rebound and three-block performance, giving the Utah Jazz a 106-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the NBA's restart on Thursday night.New Orleans, which led for most of the game and by as many as 16 points, nearly pulled out the victory as time expired when Brandon Ingram's 3-point attempt rimmed out in a bitter end to his 23-point night.“He’s made a ton of big shots for us this year, but the bottom line is I don’t think it should have come down to that,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “We let a golden opportunity slip away.”Zion Williamson, who missed nearly two weeks of practice after leaving the team for a family medical matter on July 16, was deemed fit to start, although his playing time was limited.He scored 13 points in just more than 15 minutes, highlighted by a couple alley-oop dunks, one on a nearly half-court lob from Lonzo Ball.But Williamson... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Rudy Gobert sank two free throws with 6.9 seconds left to cap a 14-point, 12-rebound and three-block performance, giving the Utah Jazz a 106-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in the first game of the NBA's restart on Thursday night.New Orleans, which led for most of the game and by as many as 16 points, nearly pulled out the victory as time expired when Brandon Ingram's 3-point attempt rimmed out in a bitter end to his 23-point night.Zion Williamson, who missed nearly two weeks of practice after leaving the team for a family medical matter on July 16, was deemed fit to start, although his playing time was limited.He scored 13 points in just more than 15 minutes, highlighted by a couple alley-oop dunks, one on a nearly half-court lob from Lonzo Ball.But Williamson checked out for good with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter and had to watch the tense finish from the sideline.Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points for Utah and helped lead a second-half comeback,... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson credits his mother’s wisdom with helping him manage life’s unanticipated twists and inevitable assortment of successes and setbacks.It has served the NBA’s top overall draft choice well during a highly unusual debut season that has gone nothing like he imagined, yet still holds plenty of promise.“The last 12 months have been a different experience,” Williamson said Thursday, projecting his typically affable, smiling, easy-going manner during a video conference at the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice headquarters. “My mom tells me, ‘Life is life. You may go through a lot of bad times. You may go through a lot of good times. It’s just: Try to prepare yourself as best as you can.’”Now Williamson and the Pelicans are preparing to make a “playoff push,” something that appeared highly unlikely when he was sitting on the sidelines with a surgically repaired knee, watching New Orleans labor through a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak that left... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson credits his mother’s wisdom with helping him manage life’s unanticipated twists and inevitable assortment of successes and setbacks.It has served the NBA’s top overall draft choice well during a highly unusual debut season that has gone nothing like he imagined, yet still holds plenty of promise.“The last 12 months have been a different experience,” Williamson said Thursday, projecting his typically affable, smiling, easy-going manner during a video conference at the New Orleans Pelicans’ practice headquarters. “My mom tells me, ‘Life is life. You may go through a lot of bad times. You may go through a lot of good times. It’s just: Try to prepare yourself as best as you can.’”Now Williamson and the Pelicans are preparing to make a “playoff push,” something that appeared highly unlikely when he was sitting on the sidelines with a surgically repaired knee, watching New Orleans labor through a franchise-worst 13-game losing streak that left... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says Jrue Holiday has been scratched from the lineup for Monday night's game against Utah because of an elbow bruise.The team said Josh Hart is starting in Holiday's place at shooting guard.Holiday is New Orleans' second-leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points. He scored 19 points in 34 minutes in New Orleans' previous game, a victory at Sacramento on Saturday night. Hart, who's making his fifth start this season, has averaged 10.9 points. Holiday's absence comes as the Pelicans host a Jazz squad that rode a five-game winning streak into New Orleans. The Pelicans have won six of eight as they try to climb back within realistic striking distance of one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots.New Orleans also continues to await the regular-season debut of top overall draft choice Zion Williamson, who remained inactive Monday but participated in a shoot-around that morning and also dunked several times during pregame warm-ups.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson has thoroughly enjoyed his jet-setting, appearance-making first offseason as a pro.The Pelicans' top overall draft choice suspects he'll like his first training camp even more."It's been crazy and fun. Always on the move," Williamson said Monday of the months since he left Duke for the NBA. "I think when people look at what I'm doing, they'd say it's very stressful, but I'm having fun with it."Bouncing from city to city, sitting in three-, four-hour meetings, listening to people trying to pitch you on their company. It's a lot, and only having like an hour or two to try to get in the gym and then hop back on a plane and go somewhere else," Williamson continued. "But for now that part has slowed down a lot. ... For now, it's just focusing on the Pelicans."In recent weeks, Williamson has increasingly been working out at Pelicans headquarters with trainers, focusing on core strength exercises and flexibility more so than traditional weights. David Griffin,... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram says he's "pretty close" to resuming normal workouts as he continues to recover from surgery to address a blood clot in his right arm.Ingram says he has not resumed shooting, but has worked on his shooting form while also conducting ball-handling and passing drills, as well as lower-body workouts.Ingram did not give a specific timeline for his return to full basketball activities with the Pelicans, the team to which the Lakers traded him this offseason as part of a multi-player and multi-draft pick deal for six-time All-Star Anthony Davis.Ingram spoke about his health on Tuesday during formal introductions at Pelicans headquarters for him and three other new players: guard Lonzo Ball, swing player Josh Hart, and center Derrick Favors.Ball and Hart also were part of the Davis trade. Favors was traded by Utah to New Orleans.Ingram was averaging 18.3 points and 5.1 rebounds last season before he was diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis in early March.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Davis' year of uncertainty finally felt finished when he stood in the Los Angeles Lakers' training complex and proudly held up his new gold jersey while LeBron James looked on approvingly.After months of upheaval around his departure from New Orleans, the superstar forward is looking forward to years of success and stability on the West Coast.Sure, Davis knows the Lakers are rarely stable, and championships are the only success this franchise understands.The six-time All-Star can't wait for the challenge of winning big in the Hollywood spotlight."The most difficult part for me was just not knowing," Davis said Saturday. "When it was announced that I was being traded, I don't want to say it was a relief, (but) it was something that I'd thought about for a long time. Obviously it was tough to leave the city I'd been playing in for seven years, but I think it was best for me."When I found out I'd been traded to the Lakers, I realized it was an unbelievable... [More]

The Los Angeles Lakers' price tag for Anthony Davis got a little steeper on Thursday, with the tradeoff being that the team now has the flexibility to bring another max-contract star to play alongside him and LeBron James next season.A person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press that the Lakers will send Moritz Wagner, Issac Bonga, Jemerrio Jones and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards as part of the deal that will bring Davis to Los Angeles. The Wizards will send cash to the New Orleans Pelicans in the deal, said the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement cannot be finalized until July 6.The trade was first reported by ESPN, and the cash element was first reported by The Washington Post.Shedding those contracts — along with Davis waiving his $4 million trade kicker, as ESPN reported — will give the Lakers enough cap space to sign a max player, if they are so inclined.They could also spread that cap space out among... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin says the club is exercising its option to extend coach Alvin Gentry's contract through the 2020-21 season.Gentry has coached four seasons in New Orleans and made one playoff appearance, when New Orleans swept Portland in the first round in 2018 before falling to eventual champion Golden State.Griffin worked with Gentry in Phoenix when the veteran coach helped the Suns reach the Western Conference finals in 2010 and says Gentry is "exactly the right coach at the right time" for the Pelicans.Griffin says he and Gentry have a "shared vision" for the Pelicans on and off the court, which will enable them to build a roster that "fits both culturally and tactically."New Orleans has the top pick in Thursday's draft and is expected to select Zion Williamson of Duke. The Pelicans have also agreed to trade Anthony Davis to the Lakers in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first-round draft choices.Gentry has coached more than 1,000 games in 16 seasons with Miami, Detroit, the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix and New Orleans.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The saga is over.When this trade is done, everybody can say they won.The Lakers, the Pelicans, Rich Paul, LeBron James, they all can take a victory lap. The trade that will be official in the coming weeks sending Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three first-round draft picks — first reported by ESPN, later confirmed to The Associated Press by several people with knowledge of the matter — is perfect for both sides.James gets the superstar teammate he wanted. Paul, the agent James and Davis share, pulls off a power move. The Lakers instantly become major players in a suddenly open Western Conference. Davis finally gets his wish to leave New Orleans. The Pelicans don't begin Zion Williamson's era with a disgruntled superstar in the locker room. They load up on young players and have tons of draft chips to play around with.For the Pelicans, it's a new beginning.For the Lakers, it's about winning now.Draft picks,... [More]

The saga is over.When this trade is done, everybody can say they won.The Lakers, the Pelicans, Rich Paul, LeBron James, they all can take a victory lap. The trade that will be official in the coming weeks sending Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Los Angeles Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three first-round draft picks — first reported by ESPN, later confirmed to The Associated Press by several people with knowledge of the matter — is perfect for both sides.James gets the superstar teammate he wanted. Paul, the agent James and Davis share, pulls off a power move. The Lakers instantly become major players in a suddenly open Western Conference. Davis finally gets his wish to leave New Orleans. The Pelicans don't begin Zion Williamson's era with a disgruntled superstar in the locker room. They load up on young players and have tons of draft chips to play around with.For the Pelicans, it's a new beginning.For the Lakers, it's about winning now.Draft picks,... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Davis will wind up with LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers after all.The New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to trade the disgruntled Davis to the Lakers for point guard Lonzo Ball, forward Brandon Ingram, shooting guard Josh Hart and three first-round draft choices, several people familiar with the situation said Saturday.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official until the new league year begins July 6. ESPN first reported the trade.The deal ends a nearly five-month saga that became an awkward NBA sideshow, arguably derailed the Lakers' push to make the playoffs and even cost people jobs after Davis requested a trade in late January through his agent, Rich Paul, who also represents James.Now the 26-year-old Davis, a six-time All-Star, will bring his dynamic, up-tempo, above-the-rim play to Hollywood alongside the 34-year-old James, a three-time NBA champion and Finals regular.In return, the Pelicans... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Several people familiar with the situation say the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to trade disgruntled six-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for point guard Lonzo Ball, forward Brandon Ingram, shooting guard Josh Hart and three first-round draft choices.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official until the new league year begins July 6. ESPN first reported the trade.The trade pairs the 26-year-old Davis, who is among the game's biggest stars and requested a trade in late January, with 34-year-old superstar LeBron James. It also gives the Pelicans promising young players and the opportunity to acquire more.New Orleans already had the first pick overall in Thursday's draft and will have the Lakers' fourth overall choice, giving new basketball operations chief David Griffin to add another top-tier prospect to his presumed first pick of Duke star Zion Williamson.It remains to be seen, however,... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Two people familiar with the situation say the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to trade six-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for point guard Lonzo Ball, forward Brandon Ingram, shooting guard Josh Hart and three first-round draft choices.The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot become official until the new league year begins July 6. ESPN first reported the trade.The deal pairs the 26-year-old Davis, who is among the game's biggest stars, with 34-year-old superstar LeBron James. It also gives the Pelicans promising young players and the opportunity to acquire more.New Orleans has the first pick overall in Thursday's draft and will have the Lakers' fourth overall choice.It remains to be seen, however, how well Ingram will recover from a blood clot that sidelined him for part of last season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Walton is out as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers after three losing seasons.Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced Walton's departure Friday, three days after the abrupt resignation of president of basketball operations Magic Johnson. Pelinka called Walton leaving a mutual decision.The former Lakers forward went 98-148 after getting his first permanent head coaching job with the 16-time NBA champions. The former Golden State assistant never led the Lakers to the playoffs, not even after the arrival of LeBron James last summer.Walton leaves three days after the Lakers' final game of their 37-45 season was upstaged by the shocking pregame resignation of Johnson, who inherited Walton when he took over the Lakers' front office in February 2017. Johnson attributed his decision in part to his desire and reluctance to fire Walton, who is close to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.A potential power struggle instead ended with both men out of their jobs after this wild week.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Walton is out as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers after three losing seasons.Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced Walton's departure Friday, three days after the abrupt resignation of president of basketball operations Magic Johnson. Pelinka called Walton leaving a mutual decision.The former Lakers forward went 98-148 after getting his first permanent head coaching job with the 16-time NBA champions. The former Golden State assistant never led the Lakers to the playoffs, not even after the arrival of LeBron James last summer.Walton leaves three days after the Lakers' final game of their 37-45 season was upstaged by the shocking pregame resignation of Johnson, who inherited Walton when he took over the Lakers' front office in February 2017. Johnson attributed his decision in part to his desire and reluctance to fire Walton, who is close to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.A potential power struggle instead ended with both men out of their jobs after this wild week.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James' first season with the Los Angeles Lakers is over.James will sit out the final six games of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season, the team announced Saturday. In a statement, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka claimed the decision will provide James with a head start on offseason healing for a three-month-old groin strain, the first significant injury of his career."After consulting with our team doctors and medical staff, we have decided to hold LeBron out of games for the remainder of the season," the statement said. "This decision will allow his groin to fully heal, and is best for the future success of both LeBron and the Lakers."James is the NBA's fifth-leading scorer at 27.4 points per game, and he averaged 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists in his first season on the West Coast. He will accompany the Lakers on their upcoming trip to New Orleans and Oklahoma City, but the 16-year NBA veteran won't play... [More]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers guard Josh Hart will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury.The Lakers announced the decision Thursday.The second-year pro has missed four straight games and five of the last seven with right knee tendinitis. He had an ultrasonic debridement procedure on his right knee patellar tendon on Thursday morning.Hart is expected to return to basketball activities in about 12 weeks, the Lakers said.Hart is averaging 7.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game as a key part of Los Angeles' young core, which has been besieged by injuries. Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are already out for the season.The Lakers (33-42) will miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James is back in the lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers after the longest injury-related absence of his 16-year career.The leading All-Star vote-getter was set to play against the Clippers on Thursday night after missing 17 games. He was originally listed as out but was upgraded to doubtful earlier in the day.Lakers coach Luke Walton said James won't be on a minutes restriction, but he'll be closely watched. The four-time league MVP has participated in two full-contact practices leading up to his return.James' last game was on Christmas at Golden State, where he strained his left groin.The Lakers went 6-11 during James' absence and fell out of a potential playoff spot.He is averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists.Kyle Kuzma (left hip strain) and Josh Hart (left knee tendinitis) also returned Thursday.The Lakers got Rajon Rondo back last week. He was also hurt in the Christmas win over the Warriors.They remain without Lonzo Ball, who has an ankle sprain that will keep him out until at least late February.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports