PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — No team in the NBA has a longer active streak of postseason appearances than the Portland Trail Blazers, who have gotten there in each of the last eight seasons. That wasn’t enough to save Terry Stotts, and Portland will have a new coach next season. The Trail Blazers and Stotts parted ways Friday, ending a nine-year run that saw the team good enough to get to the playoffs — but not good enough to get past the first round in four of the last five seasons. “I have the utmost respect for Terry and what he has accomplished these past nine seasons,” Blazers President Neil Olshey said. “This was a difficult decision on both a personal and professional level but it’s in the best interest of the franchise to move in another direction. “Terry will always hold a special place in the Trail Blazer family and the Portland community. We relied on the integrity, professionalism and consistency he brought to the job every day and we wish he and Jan nothing but the best.” It was being... [More]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — After a second straight first-round playoff exit, it has become clear the Portland Trail Blazers need more than just the heroics of Damian Lillard. It is all but certain the Blazers will look different next season. Even Lillard fueled speculation about his own future in Portland following the elimination loss to the Denver Nuggets. He posted a photo of himself in street clothes at the Moda Center. The caption that he added quoted the late rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle. “How long should I stay dedicated?” he wrote. “How long til opportunity meet preparation?” Portland finished the regular season 42-30 and earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference. It was the team's eighth straight trip to the playoffs, the longest active streak in the league. Portland was riding momentum, having won 10 of its final 12 regular-season games. The Blazers were also healthy, with both big man Jusuf Nurkic and guard CJ McCollum back from extended absences because of injuries. But... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — On their respective ways to the NBA Finals last season, there was one important element missing for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. No fans were there. That changes for last year’s finalists on Thursday night, when the Lakers play host to Phoenix and the Heat return home to face Milwaukee in a pair of Round 1, Game 3 matchups. Those are two of the three games on Thursday’s slate, the other being Denver heading to Portland for a Game 3 contest. Portland and the Lakers are going home having taken away home-court advantage from higher-seeded opponents in their respective series by getting splits of the first two games, at third-seeded Denver and second-seeded Phoenix. Miami is limping home, the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference down 2-0 against the third-seeded Bucks and after getting simply blown out in Game 2. Heat fans can get a shot in the arm — literally. The Moderna vaccine will be available if any of the expected 17,000 fans want to begin the process of getting... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — On their respective ways to the NBA Finals last season, there was one important element missing for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat. No fans were there. That changes for last year’s finalists on Thursday night, when the Lakers play host to Phoenix and the Heat return home to face Milwaukee in a pair of Round 1, Game 3 matchups. Those are two of the three games on Thursday’s slate, the other being Denver heading to Portland for a Game 3 contest. Portland and the Lakers are going home having taken away home-court advantage from higher-seeded opponents in their respective series by getting splits of the first two games, at third-seeded Denver and second-seeded Phoenix. Miami is limping home, the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference down 2-0 against the third-seeded Bucks and after getting simply blown out in Game 2. Heat fans can get a shot in the arm — literally. The Moderna vaccine will be available if any of the expected 17,000 fans want to begin the process of getting... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Carmelo Anthony looked like he was all done just a couple of seasons ago. Now, he's part of a truly exclusive club in the NBA. Welcome to the Top 10, Melo. Anthony scored 14 points Monday night in Portland's 123-114 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, moving him past Elvin Hayes for 10th place on the career scoring list with 27,318. “If you’re in the top 10 of anything of all time, it’s a special moment,” said Anthony, who is in his 18th NBA season and turns 37 before the month is out. Anthony cruised past Hayes early in the second quarter, hitting a 3-pointer while getting fouled by Danilo Gallinari and knocking down the free throw to complete a 4-point play. Anthony was fully aware of how many points he needed to surpass Hayes. “I knew this moment,” he said. “I didn’t know those other moments — 15, 13, 11. But 10 is something I knew." It appeared Anthony was headed for a forced retirement after he played just 10 games during the 2018-19 season. He parted ways with Houston, was waived... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Carmelo Anthony looked like he was all done just a couple of seasons ago. Now, he's part of a truly exclusive club in the NBA. Welcome to the Top 10, Melo. Anthony scored 14 points Monday night in Portland's 123-114 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, moving him past Elvin Hayes for 10th place on the career scoring list with 27,318. “If you’re in the top 10 of anything of all time, it’s a special moment,” said Anthony, who's in his 18th NBA season and turns 37 before the month is out. Anthony cruised past Hayes early in the second quarter, hitting a 3-pointer while getting fouled by Danilo Gallinari and knocking down the free throw to complete a four-point play. Anthony was fully aware of how many points he needed to surpass Hayes. “I knew this moment,” he said. “I didn’t know those other moments — 15, 13, 11. But 10 is something I knew." It appeared Anthony was headed for a forced retirement after he played just 10 games during the 2018-19 season. He parted ways with Houston, was... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Portland point guard Damian Lillard will not play against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night due to a strained right hamstring. Lillard began experiencing discomfort in his hamstring during practice Thursday and it did not improve Friday. Portland coach Terry Stotts said Lillard is sitting as a precaution but was unsure if the six-time All-Star would be available for Sunday’s game at Charlotte. Lillard is averaging 28.7 points and 7.7 assists in 52 games. He has missed only two games this season, including the Trail Blazers’ victory over the Orlando Magic on March 26 after banging knees with Dallas’ Josh Richardson in a previous game. Derrick Jones Jr. will start in Lillard’s place against San Antonio as Portland attempts to snap a two-game losing streak.

2021 — Domantas Sabonis, Indiana 2020 — Bam Adebayo, Miami 2019 — Jayson Tatum, Boston 2018 — Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn 2017 — Kristaps Porzingis, New York 2016 — Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota 2015 — Patrick Beverley, Houston 2014 — Trey Burke, Utah; Damian Lillard, Portland-x 2013 — Damian Lillard, Portland 2012 — Tony Parker, San Antonio 2011 — Stephen Curry, Golden State 2010 — Steve Nash, Phoenix 2009 — Derrick Rose, Chicago 2008 — Deron Williams, Utah 2007 — Dwyane Wade, Miami 2006 — Dwyane Wade, Miami 2005 — Steve Nash, Phoenix 2004 — Baron Davis, New Orleans 2003 — Jason Kidd, New Jersey Note: x-format changed to a two-man relay.

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]

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]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When the Minnesota Timberwolves decided again to change coaches, president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas turned to one of the candidates he interviewed during the last search. The dossier on Chris Finch was still fresh. The last round of this came less than two years ago. “I think the near-misses motivated me even more. Everything happens for a reason. This is a place I really want to be. This is place I wanted to be in 2019,” said Finch, who was introduced Monday as the 14th coach of the Timberwolves in 32 seasons after less than three months as an assistant for the Toronto Raptors. Finch replaced Ryan Saunders, who was fired Sunday night after Minnesota lost at New York and fell to a league-worst 7-24. “We had a group that was able to build leads. We didn’t have a group that was able to finish games, and that’s something that became very concerning over the last two weeks,” Rosas said. Not only did the 51-year-old Finch recently interview for the position,... [More]

NBA players are apparently not easily impressed — even by other NBA players. LeBron James and Kevin Durant were the only two players to appear on more than 50% of the ballots cast by their playing peers in All-Star Game starter balloting this season, based on a review of the numbers released by the league. James appeared on 56% of the ballots, Durant on 55%. They wound up as the leading votegetters from fans as well for this year’s game, which is set for March 7 in Atlanta. As the fan-vote leaders, James and Durant were picked to serve as the playing captains in the game and draft teams that will be unveiled March 4. The other eight starters — Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, Kyrie Irving, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo — were announced Thursday as well, along with James and Durant. The 14 reserve spots will be announced Tuesday after NBA head coaches cast ballots. Antetokounmpo appeared on 47% of player ballots, Curry on 45%, Embiid and Jokic... [More]

When Washington coach Scott Brooks was a player and would ask coaches about their profession, the response was always the same: It is a lonely job. Never more so than now, probably. As if playing games in arenas that are somewhere between mostly and entirely empty during a still-raging coronavirus pandemic wasn’t hard enough, the rules for players and coaches -- both home and on the road — are getting even tougher. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday agreed to stiffer protocols, including ones where players and coaches will essentially have to stay in their hotels during road trips except for team activities and without receiving visitors. “We have to keep everything in perspective,” Brooks said. “It’s tough, but we get to do something we really, really love to do and we’re fortunate. It’s a privilege to be able to be in the NBA, to coach, to play. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to do both.” Even without the new rules, solitude and loneliness have been... [More]

When Washington coach Scott Brooks was a player and would ask coaches about their profession, he would always got the same response: It is a lonely job. Never more so than now, probably. As if playing games in arenas that are somewhere between mostly and entirely empty during a still-raging coronavirus pandemic wasn’t hard enough, the rules for players and coaches -- both home and on the road — are getting even tougher. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday agreed to stiffer protocols, including ones where players and coaches will essentially have to stay in their hotels during road trips except for team activities and without receiving visitors. “We have to keep everything in perspective,” Brooks said. “It’s tough, but we get to do something we really, really love to do and we’re fortunate. It’s a privilege to be able to be in the NBA, to coach, to play. I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to do both.” Even without the new rules, solitude and loneliness have... [More]

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies once again seem to be an afterthought heading into the NBA season. There isn’t much buzz about last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year. At least there’s not the attention the retooled Lakers, Kevin Durant’s return to the court or Zion Williamson’s sophomore campaign are getting. Morant and this teammates were a surprise last season and he plans to remove any doubt this year. “Attacking the season and proving everybody wrong is my number one goal,” Morant said. Memphis' young star and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins are in complete agreement on what Mortant needs to work on in his second season. “Everything,” Morant said. “I feel like it's that simple.” Asked what he wants Morant to improve on, Jenkins said, “My simple answer would be everything." Expectations are very high in Memphis thanks to the point guard's impressive rookie debut. Not only was Morant a nearly unanimous pick as NBA Rookie of the Year, he was the lone unanimous pick on the league's All-Rookie... [More]

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies once again seem to be an afterthought heading into the NBA season. There isn’t much buzz about last year’s NBA rookie of the year. At least there’s not the attention the retooled Lakers, Kevin Durant’s return to the court or Zion Williamson’s sophomore campaign are getting. Morant and this teammates were a surprise last year and he plans to remove any doubt this year. “Attacking the season and proving everybody wrong is my number one goal,” Morant said. Memphis' young star and Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins are in complete agreement on what Mortant needs to work on in his second season. “Everything,” Morant said. “I feel like it's that simple.” Asked what he wants Morant to improve on Jenkins said, “My simple answer would be everything." Expectations are very high in Memphis thanks to the point guard's impressive rookie debut. Not only was Morant a nearly unanimous pick as NBA Rookie of the Year, he was the lone unanimous pick on the league's All-Rookie... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James now stands alone in All-NBA recognition history, getting there unanimously.James was revealed Wednesday as an All-NBA player for a record 16th time, breaking the mark he shared with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. He was a first-team pick on all 100 ballots, joining Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only unanimous first-team selections this season.Joining them on the first team: Houston guard James Harden, Lakers forward Anthony Davis and Dallas guard Luka Doncic, who got the nod in just his second season in the NBA — becoming the first player to get there in either his first or second season since Duncan did for San Antonio. Duncan was first-team in each of his first eight NBA seasons, starting in 1997-98 and going through 2004-05.The 21-year-old Doncic is the sixth player to make All-NBA at that age or younger, joining Kevin Durant, James, Duncan, Rick Barry and Max Zaslofsky.James is a first-team pick for the 13th time... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James now stands alone in All-NBA recognition history, getting there unanimously.James was revealed Wednesday as an All-NBA player for a record 16th time, breaking the mark he shared with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan. He was a first-team pick on all 100 ballots, joining Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only unanimous first-team selections this season.Joining them on the first team: Houston guard James Harden, Lakers forward Anthony Davis and Dallas guard Luka Doncic, who got the nod in just his second season in the NBA — becoming the first player to do that since Duncan in 1998-99.The 21-year-old Doncic is the sixth player to make All-NBA at that age or younger, joining Kevin Durant, James, Duncan, Rick Barry and Max Zaslofsky.James is a first-team pick for the 13th time in his career, extending his record there. Bryant and Karl Malone were 11-time first-teamers. Antetokounmpo, the reigning MVP and the frontrunner to win the... [More]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Always a wine connoisseur, CJ McCollum is now a wine maker, too. The Portland Trail Blazers guard has a signature wine coming out Tuesday, and apropos of Oregon, it's a pinot noir. McCollum Heritage 91 is the result of a partnership with Adelsheim Vineyard. “We’re in a bit of a jam because it’s a limited quantity, and demand is very high,” McCollum said. McCollum readied for the launch while recuperating from Portland's 51-day odyssey in the NBA bubble in Florida. The Blazers overperformed in the seeding games, going 6-2 and making the playoffs as the No. 8 seed. It was Portland's seventh straight trip to the playoffs, but it ended in five games in the first round against the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers. McCollum played the tournament with a fractured vertebra in his back. The 10th pick out of Lehigh in the 2013 draft, McCollum has averaged 18.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists over his career in Portland. This strange season he averaged 22.2 points, 4.2 rebounds... [More]

Billy Donovan won't return as coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder after five seasons, the team announced Tuesday night, ending a largely successful run that ought to make him an attractive candidate for jobs around the league.Donovan, who was at the end of his contract, took the Thunder to the playoffs every year and was a finalist for NBA Coach of the Year this season after his squad outperformed expectations and pushed the Houston Rockets to seven games in the first round of the playoffs.Donovan went 243-157 with Oklahoma City. “I have a great respect and admiration for the players I coached in Oklahoma, and I also want to thank the coaches I worked with, who gave unbelievable time and expertise to our common goal,” Donovan said in a statement.The Thunder and Donovan described his departure as a mutual decision. Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti said he couldn’t give Donovan the assurances he wanted about the future.“In knowing where he is and the caliber of coach he is, I wouldn’t... [More]