WASHINGTON (AP) — Forgive Gregg Popovich for not being in much of a mood to discuss the current state of the San Antonio Spurs.Fact is, he’s just not used to losing like this.Here’s how long it’s been since the Spurs dropped seven games in a row, the way they now have after DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge and the rest of the team were beaten by the lowly Washington Wizards 138-132 on Wednesday night: You have to go all the way back to the 1996-97 season to find such a rut for Pop and Co.That was before Tim Duncan had even played a game for them — and that guy was in the arena Wednesday, sitting on the sideline as an assistant to Popovich. Before Popovich led the franchise to five NBA championships and 22 consecutive playoff appearances. Before folks such as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard had come and gone.After the latest setback, Popovich spoke to reporters only briefly.“All in all, if you score 132 points, you should probably have a pretty good chance to win a game.... [More]

Preseason numbers often mean almost nothing. Rotations are unusual, starters rarely play much, and few if any teams are putting a premium on winning games.As such, it's tough to glean much from exhibition stats.But what the Boston Celtics and New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson — the No. 1 pick in this year's draft — have been doing so far in the preseason certainly stands out.The Celtics are 3-0 after beating Cleveland on Sunday — and have put together a huge run in all three of those games. The latest was a 50-17 spurt against the Cavaliers, a game that was close for most of the first quarter before Boston built what eventually became a 54-point lead.Boston's other big runs of note in this preseason were a 41-17 stretch last Sunday against Charlotte, and opening the game with a 29-4 burst at Orlando on Friday. On top of the 50-17 run against the Cavs, they added a 26-8 run in the fourth quarter as well.No matter who the Celtics have on the court, defense has been the constant. Boston is... [More]

Preseason numbers often mean almost nothing. Rotations are unusual, starters rarely play much, and few if any teams are putting a premium on winning games.As such, it's tough to glean much from exhibition stats.But what the Boston Celtics and New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson — the No. 1 pick in this year's draft — have been doing so far in the preseason certainly stands out.The Celtics are 3-0 after beating Cleveland on Sunday — and have put together a huge run in all three of those games. The latest was a 50-17 spurt against the Cavaliers, a game that was close for most of the first quarter before Boston built what eventually became a 54-point lead.Boston's other big runs of note in this preseason were a 41-17 stretch last Sunday against Charlotte, and opening the game with a 29-4 burst at Orlando on Friday. On top of the 50-17 run against the Cavs, they added a 26-8 run in the fourth quarter as well.No matter who the Celtics have on the court, defense has been the constant. Boston is... [More]

Preseason numbers often mean almost nothing. Rotations are unusual, starters rarely play much, and few if any teams are putting a premium on winning games.As such, it's tough to glean much from exhibition stats.But what the Boston Celtics and New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson — the No. 1 pick in this year's draft — have been doing so far in the preseason certainly stands out.The Celtics are 3-0 after beating Cleveland on Sunday — and have put together a huge run in all three of those games. The latest was a 50-17 spurt against the Cavaliers, a game that was close for most of the first quarter before Boston built what eventually became a 54-point lead.Boston's other big runs of note in this preseason were a 41-17 stretch last Sunday against Charlotte, and opening the game with a 29-4 burst at Orlando on Friday. On top of the 50-17 run against the Cavs, they added a 26-8 run in the fourth quarter as well.No matter who the Celtics have on the court, defense has been the constant. Boston is... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs understand how they can be overlooked in the Western Conference given the flurry of trades and free agent signings in the offseason that reshaped so many of their rivals.That doesn't mean they have to like it."We've got a lot of dogs," Spurs guard Dejounte Murray said. "A lot of dudes with chips on their shoulders. A lot of guys are ready to go and go to war against any team in the NBA."That resolve is needed if San Antonio hopes to earn its 23rd straight postseason berth under Gregg Popovich.Already long regarded as the league's strongest conference, the West got even tougher during a whirlwind first week in July.Former Spurs star Kawhi Leonard has teamed with Paul George on the Los Angeles Clippers. Anthony Davis joined LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers. Russell Westbrook is again playing alongside James Harden but this time in Houston. Utah traded for Mike Conley to pair with Donovan Mitchell.The Spurs' offseason consisted of adding DeMarre... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard has moved on and Danny Green is gone, but the Toronto Raptors still have an NBA title to defend.This season, a group led by All-Star guard Kyle Lowry, breakout talent Pascal Siakam and defensive standout Marc Gasol is turning "We the North" into "We Want More.""If I had to express it in one word, I would say 'hungry,'" Gasol said Saturday when asked what he expects of the new-look Raptors. "I think it's a very hungry team. We all understand what Kawhi meant to the team and how well he played in the playoffs. But we also understand how good we can be as a team, and we're all going to invest everything in it to be that team."Leonard signed a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Clippers after leading Toronto to six-game NBA Finals victory over Golden State in his lone season north of the border. Once Leonard passed on returning to the Raptors, Green did the same, signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.General manager Masai Ujiri, who traded franchise icon DeMar DeRozan... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers made a huge decision.That meant Kawhi Leonard could finally make his.The Clippers will be landing Leonard as a free agent after they acquire Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a massive trade for players and draft picks, a person familiar with the negotiations said.George will be traded for at least four first-round picks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity early Saturday because none of the moves have been finalized. And Leonard made his decision to sign with the Clippers after the team swung the deal to land George, the person said.ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said the Thunder were getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari from the Clippers.Leonard going to the Clippers means that for the first time, a reigning NBA Finals MVP will be changing teams before the following season. Leonard was also being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto Raptors, the... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers made a huge decision.That meant Kawhi Leonard could finally make his.The Clippers will be landing Leonard as a free agent after they acquire Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a massive trade for players and draft picks, a person familiar with the negotiations said.George will be traded for at least four first-round picks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity early Saturday because none of the moves have been finalized. And Leonard made his decision to sign with the Clippers after the team swung the deal to land George, the person said.ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said the Thunder were getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari from the Clippers.Leonard going to the Clippers means that for the first time, a reigning NBA Finals MVP will be changing teams before the following season. Leonard was also being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto Raptors, the... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations says the Los Angeles Clippers will be landing Kawhi Leonard as a free agent after they acquire Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a massive trade for players and draft picks.George will be traded for at least four first-round picks, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity early Saturday because none of the moves have been finalized. And Leonard made his decision to sign with the Clippers after the team swung the deal to land George, the person said.ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said the Thunder were getting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari from the Clippers.Leonard going to the Clippers means that for the first time, a reigning NBA Finals MVP will be changing teams before the following season. Leonard was also being pursued by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Toronto Raptors, the team he led to last season's NBA title.The most the Clippers can offer Leonard... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Zion Williamson made the rim shake, which is what fans wanted.And then the scoreboard started to shake, which nobody wanted.It was a night unlike any other in NBA Summer League history — with a frenzied crowd at the start, disappointment when Williamson's night was cut short by a knee issue and then confusion when the game was halted by an earthquake.Such was how the newest No. 1 pick began his professional career Friday night, when his New Orleans Pelicans beat the New York Knicks 80-74 in a game that was cut short by 7 minutes, 53 seconds because of an earthquake that struck 150 miles from Los Angeles and was felt in Las Vegas. No one will remember the outcome, not on this night."Seismic," is how Summer League executive director Warren LeGarie described it all.Fitting.Williamson left without comment, and left earlier than fans wanted. The Pelicans said he took some contact to his left knee and wouldn't play in the second half, after he scored 11 points in his first nine... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Zion Williamson's first NBA show was a sellout.And it ended earlier than the fans wanted.The No. 1 overall draft pick by the New Orleans Pelicans didn't keep his adoring new public waiting for his display of dunks and power. With tickets commanding more than $500 on the resale markets throughout the day from those desperate to be part of the crowd — one that included LeBron James and Floyd Mayweather — Williamson took the floor as a pro for the first time Friday night at the NBA Summer League, scoring 11 points in nine first-half minutes against the New York Knicks and fellow former Duke star RJ Barrett.But Williamson didn't play in the second half because of a knee-to-knee hit, and fans who were chanting "We want Zion! We want Zion!" weren't going to get any more than those first nine minutes.So the event — maybe the hottest ticket in Vegas on a night when Reba McEntire and Brooks and Dunn were doing their thing at Caesars Palace, Gwen Stefani was at Planet Hollywood and... [More]

This is what the Toronto Raptors had in mind all along.When they went all-in with the trade for Kawhi Leonard, they knew his time in the Great North was likely to be short.But this one-and-done gamble will certainly be worth it if Leonard can lift his team to five more wins.Don't bet against him.Leonard is playing better than anyone on the planet at the moment, essentially taking the Raptors on his sturdy shoulders and carrying them to the brink of the first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history.After falling behind 0-2 against the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, Team Kawhi has won three straight to set up a possible clinching game at home on Saturday night."I'm in the moment right now," Leonard said after another dazzling performance in Game 5.Indeed, these are the moments he lives for, essentially treating the regular season as a six-month tuneup for the games that really matter. When he captured his first title with the San Antonio Spurs back in 2014, he was MVP of the NBA Finals against... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Spurs suffered through an odd, erratic season filled with injuries, strife and drama before a second straight ouster from the playoffs in the first round.Gregg Popovich enjoyed it so much he is coming back for a 24th season as coach in San Antonio.Normally extremely private, Popovich said Monday he is negotiating a new deal with the Spurs after his current contract expired this season. There was some uncertainty surrounding his return, but the 70-year-old Popovich put an end to that with a quip or two."I'm currently in negotiations and could very well end up with either the Portofino Flyers or the Positano Pirates (or the Spurs)," Popovich said dryly. "I think it's like one-third Positano, one-third Portofino and one-third San Antonio. So, we'll see where I end up."There is little chance Popovich ends up anywhere but San Antonio, where he has enjoyed unprecedented success. His desire to return was apparent during an 18-minute news conference to wrap up a season that... [More]

DENVER (AP) — No stranger to the weight that accompanies Game 7s , DeMar DeRozan offered one overly basic reminder to his team."Us versus them," the San Antonio guard said.DeRozan's point : It's not his team playing a hostile crowd when the Spurs face the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center in the first-round series finale Saturday.Still, the second-seeded Nuggets went a league-best 34-7 at home in the regular season behind all that noise."Go out there and play free, play smart," said DeRozan, whose team forced a winner-moves-on scenario with a 120-103 victory Thursday in San Antonio. "We can't get caught up in the crowd."The Spurs are packing enough outfits for a week's worth of travel — just in case. Should they win, it's off to Portland to start the Western Conference semifinals. Should they lose, the offseason begins."We're not going to pack for no reason," Spurs forward Rudy Gay said. "If I'm going to pack my clothes, I'm going to use them."That's the sort of swagger the Spurs bring to... [More]

DENVER (AP) — No stranger to the weight that accompanies Game 7s , DeMar DeRozan offered one overly basic reminder to his team."Us versus them," the San Antonio guard said.DeRozan's point : It's not his team playing a hostile crowd when the Spurs face the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center in the first-round series finale Saturday.Still, the second-seeded Nuggets went a league-best 34-7 at home in the regular season behind all that noise."Go out there and play free, play smart," said DeRozan, whose team forced a winner-moves-on scenario with a 120-103 victory Thursday in San Antonio. "We can't get caught up in the crowd."The Spurs are packing enough outfits for a week's worth of travel — just in case. Should they win, it's off to Portland to start the Western Conference semifinals. Should they lose, the offseason begins."We're not going to pack for no reason," Spurs forward Rudy Gay said. "If I'm going to pack my clothes, I'm going to use them."That's the sort of swagger the Spurs bring to... [More]

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich goes to the playoffs every season.And he usually sticks around for a while.The Spurs have never gone back-to-back years without a trip to the second round of the playoffs during the Popovich era. But the Denver Nuggets are one win away from changing that, as they'll take a 3-2 lead into San Antonio for Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round series on Thursday night.It's the only game on Thursday's NBA schedule.It'll also be nothing like most of these Nuggets — playoff neophytes, for the most part — have ever experienced."The toughest game of our lives," Denver big man Nikola Jokic said.The second-seeded Nuggets are looking to advance to a West semifinals matchup against third-seeded Portland; the seventh-seeded Spurs are trying to send this series back to Denver for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday night."Leave it all out there," San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge said of the Spurs' mindset going into Game 6. "Nothing to lose right now, go... [More]

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich goes to the playoffs every season.And he usually sticks around for a while.The Spurs have never gone back-to-back years without a trip to the second round of the playoffs during the Popovich era. But the Denver Nuggets are one win away from changing that, as they'll take a 3-2 lead into San Antonio for Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round series on Thursday night.It's the only game on Thursday's NBA schedule.It'll also be nothing like most of these Nuggets — playoff neophytes, for the most part — have ever experienced."The toughest game of our lives," Denver big man Nikola Jokic said.The second-seeded Nuggets are looking to advance to a West semifinals matchup against third-seeded Portland; the seventh-seeded Spurs are trying to send this series back to Denver for a winner-take-all Game 7 on Saturday night."Leave it all out there," San Antonio forward LaMarcus Aldridge said of the Spurs' mindset going into Game 6. "Nothing to lose right now, go... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have reason to believe this is the year their playoff run doesn't end in failure and frustration.Just ask the Orlando Magic, who have seen firsthand how good this Raptors team can be.Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, Pascal Siakam added 24 and the Raptors routed the Magic 115-96 on Tuesday night, winning their first-round playoff series in five games.Toronto, which has made six straight postseason appearances, has reached the second round for the fourth straight year.Buoyed by the offseason additions of Leonard and guard Danny Green, plus trade deadline pickup Marc Gasol, these Raptors are focused on a conference finals berth, and maybe more."We know what we are and what we can be," guard Kyle Lowry said.So does Orlando coach Steve Clifford."To me, this is by far the best team they've had here in this stretch," Clifford said of the Raptors. "This is a terrific team here. Terrific."Toronto lost 104-101 in Game 1 when Orlando's D.J. Augustin hit a tiebreaking... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have reason to believe this is the year their playoff run doesn't end in failure and frustration.Just ask the Orlando Magic, who have seen firsthand how good this Raptors team can be.Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, Pascal Siakam added 24 and the Raptors routed the Magic 115-96 on Tuesday night, winning their first-round playoff series in five games.Toronto, which has made six straight postseason appearances, has reached the second round for the fourth straight year.Buoyed by the offseason additions of Leonard and guard Danny Green, plus trade deadline pickup Marc Gasol, these Raptors are focused on a conference finals berth, and maybe more."We know what we are and what we can be," guard Kyle Lowry said.So does Orlando coach Steve Clifford."To me, this is by far the best team they've had here in this stretch," Clifford said of the Raptors. "This is a terrific team here. Terrific."Toronto lost 104-101 in Game 1 when Orlando's D.J. Augustin hit a tiebreaking... [More]

DENVER (AP) — In response to an early call, Toronto coach Nick Nurse formed the perfect "O'' with his mouth and held it for a dozen or so seconds.Oh, these playoffs. They can leave your mouth agape — just like Nurse's gone-viral expression on the bench during a win Sunday in Orlando.Now leading 3-1, Nurse and the Raptors look to close out their series with the Magic at home Tuesday. The same goes for Philadelphia against Brooklyn and Portland against Oklahoma City.The second-seeded Denver Nuggets return home Tuesday following their first victory in San Antonio since 2012. Tied at 2, they've reclaimed home-court advantage as Nuggets coach Michael Malone finds himself in quite a chess match with his counterpart Gregg Popovich."He's Bobby Fischer," Malone said, in comparing Popovich to the chess prodigy. "He's a savant. So I'm not worried about matching wits with Gregg Popovich. I'm worried about helping our team."Face it, this was comical: The look of Nurse, who instantly became a meme with... [More]