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]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points, Rudy Gobert added 20 and the Utah Jazz began a four-game trip against Eastern Conference teams with a 126-113 win on Monday night over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, who dressed only nine players and used just seven.Donovan Mitchell had 19 points and nine rebounds, and the Jazz made 20 3-pointers while staying in the fifth playoff spot out West.Collin Sexton scored a career-high 32 points and Kevin Love scored 22 for Cleveland, which dropped to 3-4 under coach J.B. Bickerstaff.Utah was flat for long stretches, and some of that may have had to do with Cleveland's poor record and depleted roster. The Jazz seemed in control while building an 18-point lead in the fourth, but the Cavs kept fighting and were still within 11 with 6 minutes left.But Bogdanovic buried a pair of 3-pointers — one coming after one of Gobert's five blocks — and Utah recorded 30 assists while winning for the second time in six games.“We’re persistent. It’s just... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Bojan Bogdanovic scored 28 points, Rudy Gobert added 20 and the Utah Jazz began a four-game trip against Eastern Conference teams with a 126-113 win on Monday night over the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers, who dressed only nine players and used just seven.Donovan Mitchell had 19 points and nine rebounds, and the Jazz made 20 3-pointers while staying in the fifth playoff spot out West.Collin Sexton scored a career-high 32 points and Kevin Love scored 22 for Cleveland, which dropped to 3-4 under coach J.B. Bickerstaff.Utah was flat for long stretches, and some of that may have had to do with Cleveland's poor record and depleted roster. The Jazz seemed in control while building an 18-point lead in the fourth, but the Cavs kept fighting and were still within 11 with 6 minutes left.But Bogdanovic buried a pair of 3-pointers — one coming after one of Gobert's five blocks — and Utah won for the second time in six games.The Cavs were missing two starters: center Andre Drummond... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers traded Jordan Clarkson before he could walk away.Cleveland dealt the veteran backup guard to the Utah Jazz for guard Dante Exum and two future second-round draft picks on Tuesday. The teams agreed to terms of the deal shortly before their games in Cleveland and Miami tipped off on Monday, and the NBA approved it Tuesday.Clarkson was in the final year of his contract and was unlikely to re-sign with the Cavaliers as a free agent, so the club made a move to add a young player and future assets to help Cleveland rebuild.The Cavaliers will get San Antonio's second-round pick in 2022 and Golden State's in 2023. The Jazz acquired those selections in other trades.Clarkson could be the first of several veterans moved by the Cavs, who have reportedly been open to receiving offers for star forward Kevin Love. Following Monday's 121-118 victory over Atlanta, Love posted a message on Instagram, saying he would miss Clarkson.“This one hurt!!!” Love wrote. “JC really became... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jordan Clarkson wasn't going to be a part of Cleveland's future. Now he's in the past.The Cavaliers agreed Monday night to trade Clarkson to the Utah Jazz for guard Dante Exum and two future second-round draft picks, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.Cleveland will get a pick in 2022 and one in 2023, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams have not yet had the required conference call with the NBA to approve the swap.The deal came together shortly before the Jazz played in Miami and the Cavs hosted Atlanta. Clarkson warmed up on the floor at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before he was informed of the trade.Clarkson figured to be on his way out of Cleveland. He's in the final year of his contract and had been coming off the bench behind Collin Sexton and rookie Darius Garland, a backcourt the Cavs hope to keep together for years.Clarkson, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, scored a season-high 33 points... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jordan Clarkson wasn't going to be a part of Cleveland's future. Now he's in the past.The Cavaliers agreed Monday night to trade Clarkson to the Utah Jazz for guard Dante Exum and two future second-round draft picks, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.Cleveland will get a pick in 2022 and one in 2023, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams have not yet had the required conference call with the NBA to approve the swap.The deal came together shortly before the Jazz played in Miami and the Cavs hosted Atlanta. Clarkson warmed up on the floor at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before he was informed of the trade.Clarkson figured to be on his way out of Cleveland. He's in the final year of his contract and had been coming off the bench behind Collin Sexton and rookie Darius Garland, a backcourt the Cavs hope to keep together for years.Clarkson, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, scored a season-high 33 points... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations says the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to trade guard Jordan Clarkson to the Utah Jazz for guard Dante Exum and two future second-round draft picks.Cleveland will get a pick in 2022 and one in 2023 in the deal, the person told The Associated Press on Monday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams have not yet had the required conference call with the NBA to approve the swap.The deal came together shortly before the Jazz played in Miami and the Cavs hosted Atlanta.Clarkson was in his third season for the Cavs. He had been coming off the bench behind Collin Sexton and rookie Darius Garland, Cleveland's likely backcourt of the future.Clarkson averaged 14.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 29 games with the Cavs, who are rebuilding.Exum had fallen out of Utah's rotation and the Jazz had been looking to move the No. 5 overall pick in the 2014 draft. The native of Australia is averaging just 2.2 points and 7.5 minutes this season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — James Harden scored 55 points — 20 in the fourth quarter — and Russell Westbrook added 23 points as the Houston Rockets withstood an unexpected scare from Cleveland and held on for a 116-110 win Wednesday night over the free-falling Cavaliers, who have lost eight straight and 14 of 15.Harden matched Kyrie Irving's arena record for points in a game, and his fourth with 50 or more this season bailed out the Rockets, who allowed the Cavs to score 24 straight points in the second half. Cleveland was still up 108-107 when Harden, who came in leading the NBA in scoring at 38 points per game, dropped a floater in the lane. After a turnover by Cavs guard Jordan Clarkson, P.J. Tucker hit a 3-pointer from the corner and Clint Capela had a dunk following another Cleveland miscue.The inexperienced Cavs crumbled in the final minute, making three turnovers.Capela added 13 rebounds for Houston, which figured to have an easy time with the Cavs, who are struggling under first-year coach... [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]

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]

CHICAGO (AP) — Whether it was the right time to leave Michigan for the Cleveland Cavaliers, John Beilein wasn't sure.One thing he had no doubt about was this: It was the right move to make.Beilein decided it was time to jump to the NBA and see if he can win on basketball's biggest stage after molding winners at the college level for 41 years."There's never a good time to leave," he said following the draft lottery in Chicago on Tuesday. "You can make a couple choices. You can leave too early or you can leave too late. You never know when to leave. This was an opportunity that has so much potential it was too difficult to pass up. It was the right thing to do."Beilein accepted a big challenge on Monday when he took the Cavaliers' job after 12 seasons at Michigan.The offensive whiz who re-established the Wolverines as national championship contenders will try to orchestrate a similar turnaround in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers won just 19 games in a stormy season following LeBron James'... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — John Beilein has spent a coaching lifetime taking ordinary programs and turning them into consistent winning ones.All in college.He's getting his NBA shot.The Cavaliers ended a monthlong search Monday by hiring Beilein, a 66-year-old offensive mastermind who made Michigan a perennial powerhouse and now takes over a rebuilding project in Cleveland. Beilein got a five-year deal with the Cavs, who believe he can make the successful leap from campus.Beilein's signing is somewhat surprising given his age, lack of pro experience and because the Cavs, who have had six previous coaches since 2009, had been speaking almost exclusively with younger NBA assistants during their interview process.Beilein isn't the safest pick or the sexiest, but Cavs general manager Koby Altman said he precisely fits the coaching profile he wanted."We interviewed several strong and talented candidates who, no doubt, will get an opportunity to become an NBA head coach somewhere down the line," Altman... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Larry Drew guided the Cavaliers through a stormy season sprinkled with injuries, losing streaks and NBA lottery dreams.The 61-year-old coach juggled a revolving roster, pushed his young team while keeping things fun and focused and had a hand in rookie guard Collin Sexton's startling development.Drew earned widespread respect from players and peers.However, he might not get another season.On Sunday, Drew said he has had no conversations with Cleveland's front office about his future, and there's a strong sense around the team that he will coach his final game Tuesday, when the Cavaliers conclude their season against the Charlotte Hornets, who need to beat Cleveland and Orlando for any chance at the postseason.The Cavaliers' hopes — and their four-year streak in the Finals — ended last July, the moment LeBron James chose Los Angeles for his next act.But while Drew is likely nearing a finish with the Cavs, the appreciation for him remains."He did a fantastic job, especially... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers made another move in their post-LeBron James makeover, signing free-agent guard David Nwaba to a one-year contract.The deal is for the veteran's minimum of $1.5 million.The 25-year-old Nwaba played for Chicago last season, averaging 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 70 games. The 6-foot-4 guard made 21 starts.A solid defender, he'll give the Cavs backcourt depth and provide coach Tyronn Lue with more help as the team rebuilds following James' departure this summer as a free agent.Nwaba will be reunited in Cleveland with former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson, who came to the Cavs in a trade last season.Nwaba agreed to sign with the Cavs last month, but the sides needed time to complete the deal.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers made another move in their post-LeBron James makeover, signing free-agent guard David Nwaba to a one-year contract.The deal is for the veteran's minimum of $1.5 million.The 25-year-old Nwaba played for Chicago last season, averaging 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds in 70 games. The 6-foot-4 guard made 21 starts.A solid defender, he'll give the Cavs backcourt depth and provide coach Tyronn Lue with more help as the team rebuilds following James' departure this summer as a free agent.Nwaba will be reunited in Cleveland with former Los Angeles Lakers teammates Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson, who came to the Cavs in a trade last season.Nwaba agreed to sign with the Cavs last month, but the sides needed time to complete the deal.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations says free agent guard David Nwaba has agreed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.Nwaba, who played for the Chicago Bulls last season, will join the Cavs once contract terms are finalized, said the person who spoke Wednesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because negotiations between the sides is are ongoing.Yahoo Sports first reported Nwaba's agreement.The 25-year-old Nwaba averaged 7.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 23.5 minutes in 70 games — 21 starts — for the Bulls. Chicago revoked its qualifying off to Nwaba, who received interest from Indiana as a free agent.At 6-foot-4, Nwaba is a solid defender and better-than-average shooter who will likely join Cleveland's rotation and give coach Tyronn Lue depth as the Cavs try to stay competitive following LeBron James' exit as a free agent.Nwaba previously played with the Los Angeles Lakers and in Cleveland will be reunited with former teammates Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the decision says forward Channing Frye will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers next season. Frye was traded by the Cavs in February to the Los Angeles Lakers.The person spoke with The Associated Press on Saturday, adding that the 35-year-old Frye will get the $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been signed. Yahoo Sports and other outlets reported the move.Frye spent parts of three seasons with the Cavaliers, winning the NBA championship with them in 2016. He was dealt at the trading deadline last season along with guard Isaiah Thomas for guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance.Frye was a fan favorite and dependable role player in Cleveland for coach Tyronn Lue. The Cavs acquired him at the trade deadline in 2016.Frye is the Cavs' first offseason signing since LeBron James left as a free agent for the Lakers.

CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the decision says the Cleveland Cavaliers will re-sign forward Channing Frye for next season.Frye, who was traded by the Cavs in February to the Los Angeles Lakers, will get the $2.4 million veteran's minimum contract, said the person who spoke Saturday to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been signed.Yahoo Sports and other outlets previously reported Frye's return.The 35-year-old spent parts of three seasons with Cleveland, winning the NBA championship with the Cavs in 2016. He was dealt at the trading deadline last season along with guard Isaiah Thomas for guard Jordan Clarkson and forward Larry Nance.Frye was a fan favorite and dependable role player in Cleveland for coach Tyronn Lue. The Cavs acquired him at the trade deadline in 2016.Frye is the first offseason signing for the Cavs since LeBron James left as a free agent for the Lakers.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Celtics were loose, smiling and laughing. They weren't straining to hear each other speak and there were no obnoxious Cleveland fans heckling them.All was quiet as Boston worked out Sunday.Practice isn't an issue on the road in the postseason. Playing games is the problem.Less than 24 hours after a 30-point bludgeoning at the hands of LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics did some film study and critical evaluation.They were hard on themselves."I thought it was embarrassing," Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said of Boston's 116-86 loss — and his own performance. "I thought we came out, the way I played, the way I performed, how not aggressive I was in the first half, I look at that as fuel to come out in Game 4 and be excited about it and be ready to play and ready to fight."Brown scored just 10 points — 13 below his average after two games in the series — and was in almost immediate foul trouble as the Cavs dominated while... [More]