LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul is expected to play for the Phoenix Suns Thursday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul was upgraded to available from probable on the league's injury report and participated in the team's shootaround Thursday afternoon. He missed the first two games while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols since June 16. “He’s back with us. It was great to have him on the court, walk through a few things, talk to him about some stuff that we’ve been talking about amongst one another. It was great to just have one of our guys back in the lineup and ready to go,” forward Jae Crowder said. The 36-year-old point guard averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the second round against Denver. He scored a game-high 37 points in final game of the series on June 13. Phoenix has been on a roll, winning nine straight postseason games, including the first two of the Clippers series. Paul — who played for the Clippers from 2011-17 — was named to the All-NBA Second Team earlier this week. He averaged 16.4 points during the regular season and 15.7 points in the playoffs. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul is listed as probable to play for the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The Suns lead the Los Angeles Clippers 2-0. The series shifts to Staples Center on Thursday night. Paul missed the first two games while in the NBA's health and safety protocols since June 16. His status was updated in the league’s injury report Wednesday. The 36-year-old point guard, a former Clipper, averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the second round against Denver. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard. He has missed the series so far with a strained right knee. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Newly selected Basketball Hall of Famer Ben Wallace tapped his fist on the table a few times, then clapped his hands and pointed one finger skyward. After one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Detroit has something to celebrate. The Pistons won the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night, meaning they’ll have the No. 1 pick on July 29 — and, presumably, the chance to take Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham. “We get to add another young player to the restoration process,” Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said. “We’re excited to be in this position. But it means that we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re going to be diligent about it, but it always helps to be able to add a No. 1 pick from a talented group of players to choose from.” Houston — which basically had 50-50 odds of picking in the top four — got the No. 2 pick. Cleveland will pick No. 3 and Toronto will pick No. 4, after both of those franchises got some lottery luck to move up in the order. But the big winners were the... [More]

The NBA champion this season will be the last team standing. Perhaps literally. Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers missed Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals with a knee sprain and amid concerns that it could be a far more significant injury. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving has been sidelined by a badly sprained ankle. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is playing through a meniscus tear. Atlanta’s Trae Young is putting heat packs on his shoulder that appear to be roughly the size of a small vehicle. Brooklyn’s James Harden came back despite an ailing hamstring. Those are big names, All-Star names, all nowhere near their best right now because of injuries, and there were plenty of other top players — the Lakers’ duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Denver’s Jamal Murray and Miami’s Victor Oladipo among them — that also either limped to the finish of their seasons or saw them end prematurely because of serious injury. “This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Even in today's high-scoring NBA game, the dizzying pace of the Phoenix Suns point guard Cameron Payne stands out. He's just 6-foot-1, but has wiry strength and as soon as he gets the basketball, he's off and sprinting down. It might be a pass. It could be driving lay-up. And if he shoots one of his unorthodox, left-handed 3-point heaves, the shot goes in more often than it looks like it should. Payne plays so fast it looks like he's making up for lost time. In a way, he is. Payne has revived his career with the Suns, providing valuable minutes as second-team All-NBA point guard Chris Paul's backup. He's a major reason Phoenix has advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2010, where the Suns will face the winner of the Utah Jazz-Los Angeles Clippers series. Now with Paul in the COVID-19 protocol and his playing status uncertain, the Suns may rely on Payne even more. Judging from the past several months, Payne will be ready. “I've found my niche on... [More]

The NBA champion this season will be the last team standing. Perhaps literally. Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers missed Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals with a knee sprain and amid concerns that it could be a far more significant injury. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving has been sidelined by a badly sprained ankle. Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is playing through a meniscus tear. Atlanta’s Trae Young is putting heat packs on his shoulder that appear to be roughly the size of a small vehicle. Brooklyn’s James Harden came back despite an ailing hamstring. Those are big names, All-Star names, all nowhere near their best right now because of injuries, and there were plenty of other top players — the Lakers’ duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Denver’s Jamal Murray and Miami’s Victor Oladipo among them — that also either limped to the finish of their seasons or saw them end prematurely because of serious injury. “This is the best time of the year for our league and fans but missing... [More]

Kawhi Leonard's right knee is now a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-NBA forward sat out Los Angeles' 119-111 Game 5 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night with what the Clippers are calling a sprain. A person with knowledge of the matter said Leonard will need more testing and evaluation, raising questions about his availability going forward. The structural integrity of Leonard's knee has yet to be fully determined, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not offered any specific diagnosis other than sprain. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, though the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. “He’s a little down because he wants to be here," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before the game in Salt Lake City. “But that’s part of the game. He understands that. He wants to be there for his teammates. We understand what’s going on right now, so he’s going... [More]

Kawhi Leonard's right knee is now a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-NBA forward was ruled out of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday with what the Clippers are calling a sprain. A person with knowledge of the matter said Leonard will need more testing and evaluation, raising questions about his availability going forward. The structural integrity of Leonard's knee has yet to be fully determined, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not offered any specific diagnosis other than sprain. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, though the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. “He’s a little down because he wants to be here," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said before Game 5 in Salt Lake City. “But that’s part of the game. He understands that. He wants to be there for his teammates. We understand what’s going on right now, so... [More]

Kawhi Leonard's right knee is now a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers. The All-NBA forward was ruled out of Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday with what the Clippers are calling a sprain. A person with knowledge of the matter said Leonard will need more testing and evaluation, raising questions about his availability going forward. The structural integrity of Leonard's knee has yet to be fully determined, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not offered any specific diagnosis other than sprain. A sprain, by definition, is a ligament injury, though the Clippers have not said which of the four knee ligaments is the cause for concern. “There is no timetable for his return," the Clippers said. After Wednesday's game in Salt Lake City, the series resumes with Game 6 on Friday in Los Angeles. Game 7, if necessary, is back in Salt Lake City on Sunday. Even in the short term, it is a massive blow for the... [More]

Phoenix guard Chris Paul has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Suns said Wednesday, and it is unclear whether he’ll be available for the start of the Western Conference finals next week. The Suns said Paul's status will be evaluated again Saturday. The earliest possible start date for the West finals is Sunday; that series schedule is contingent on when the other West semifinal between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers ends. Paul has been vaccinated against COVID-19, said a person with knowledge of the situation, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns. And that may mean that Paul could be cleared to return more quickly than some who tested positive earlier this season before vaccines were readily available; it wasn't uncommon for players who entered the protocols to miss two weeks or more. “My faith isn't going to waver now because we've had a few obstacles," Suns coach Monty Williams said Wednesday. “We've had obstacles... [More]

Phoenix guard Chris Paul has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and it is unclear whether he’ll be available for the start of the Western Conference finals next week, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. The Suns are not certain exactly how long Paul will have to be away from the team, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor the team have publicly released anything about the situation. Paul has been vaccinated against COVID-19, said another person, also speaking on condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns. And that may mean that Paul, if he has tested positive, could be cleared to return more quickly than those who tested positive earlier this season before vaccines were readily available. The Athletic first reported that Paul was entering the protocols. The earliest the West finals would begin is Sunday. It depends on how long the other West semifinal series between Utah and the... [More]

Phoenix guard Chris Paul has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and it is unclear whether he’ll be available for the start of the Western Conference finals next week, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday. The Suns are not certain exactly how long Paul will have to be away from the team, the person said, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the player nor the team have publicly released anything. It is unclear whether Paul has been vaccinated. The Athletic first reported that Paul was entering the protocols. The earliest the West finals would begin is Sunday. It depends on how long the other West semifinal series between Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers lasts; if the Jazz-Clippers matchup ends Friday, then Game 1 between the winner of that series and the Suns will be Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, the likely start date for Game 1 of the West series is Tuesday. The protocols are the league’s playbook for handling all matters... [More]

It seems like Chris Paul relishes the notion of being the underdog. That’s why, when the Western Conference semifinals were over and the Phoenix Suns had swept their way into the NBA’s final four, he talked about how he felt written off a couple of seasons ago. Why he talked about spending two years on his high school’s junior varsity team. How he wasn’t, in his words, “necessarily supposed to be here.” It’s a neat narrative. But it’s not reality. Fact is, this is exactly where Paul and the Suns are supposed to be. He’s still elite at what he does. He’s helped take the Suns to levels few thought they could reach in Year 1 of his tenure in the valley. They’re headed to the West finals against the Utah Jazz or the Los Angeles Clippers, a matchup that’ll start early next week, and there will be no shortage of experts picking the Suns to go from there to the NBA Finals. “I’ve always had to grind, and I like that mentality, and that’s always been who I’ve been, and I’m going to stay that way,”... [More]

It seems like Chris Paul relishes the notion of being the underdog. That’s why, when the Western Conference semifinals were over and the Phoenix Suns had swept their way into the NBA’s final four, he talked about how he felt written off a couple of seasons ago. Why he talked about spending two years on his high school’s junior varsity team. How he wasn’t, in his words, “necessarily supposed to be here.” It’s a neat narrative. But it’s not reality. Fact is, this is exactly where Paul and the Suns are supposed to be. He’s still elite at what he does. He’s helped take the Suns to levels few thought they could reach in Year 1 of his tenure in the valley. They’re headed to the West finals against the Utah Jazz or the Los Angeles Clippers, a matchup that’ll start early next week, and there will be no shortage of experts picking the Suns to go from there to the NBA Finals. “I’ve always had to grind, and I like that mentality, and that’s always been who I’ve been, and I’m going to stay that way,”... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Jae Crowder received all sorts of quizzical text messages for his decision to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the offseason. What was he thinking? The Suns hadn't been to the playoffs in a decade. The West was stacked. “I look like a genius, huh?” cracked Crowder, who took his talents to the Suns after helping Miami reach the NBA Finals last season. “I knew the type of group these guys were. I felt like they were hungry. They wanted to do some special things and I wanted to be a part of it.” Behind the brilliant backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker and steady contributions from the likes of Crowder, the Suns are roaring into the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2010, the last year they reached the postseason. The Suns completed a four-game sweep of the short-handed Denver Nuggets with a 125-118 win Sunday night in a testy game in which MVP Nikola Jokic was ejected in the third quarter for a flagrant foul on Cameron Payne. It was the seventh straight win... [More]

Four NHL teams have overcome 3-0 deficits in a best-of-seven playoff series, including the 1942 Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs. The Boston Red Sox pulled off MLB's only such comeback against the New York Yankees in 2004. The Denver Nuggets are the 143rd NBA team to go down 3-0 in a best-of-seven playoff series and nobody's ever overcome such a daunting deficit to win four straight. The Nuggets say their only aim is to send the series back to Phoenix with a win in Game 4 Sunday night in Denver. “The last thing I want to see is the Phoenix Suns pushing a broom across our home court,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Friday night after Denver's 116-102 loss to the Suns. Malone has said all along the Nuggets could show growth this season after losing a year ago to the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. “We have had a tremendous season, tremendous. I said going into this year you can't judge a season by the end result. ... But the one thing I don't want is for us just to go... [More]

Four NHL teams have overcome 3-0 deficits in a best-of-seven playoff series, including the 1942 Stanley Cup champion Toronto Maple Leafs. The Boston Red Sox pulled off MLB's only such comeback against the New York Yankees in 2004. The Denver Nuggets are the 143rd NBA team to go down 3-0 in a best-of-seven playoff series and nobody's ever overcome such a daunting deficit to win four straight. The Nuggets say their only aim is to send the series back to Phoenix with a win in Game 4 Sunday night in Denver. “The last thing I want to see is the Phoenix Suns pushing a broom across our home court,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Friday night after Denver's 116-102 loss to the Suns. Malone has said all along the Nuggets could show growth this season after losing a year ago to the Lakers in the Western Conference finals. “We have had a tremendous season, tremendous. I said going into this year you can't judge a season by the end result. ... But the one thing I don't want is for us just to go... [More]

Phoenix general manager James Jones was the guy who would routinely hold court at his locker a half-hour before games and engage in all sorts of conversations in his playing days. Books he was reading, what the financial markets were doing, current events, political matters, the nuances of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. It was all fair game. He was smart. He knew it, too. These days, the rest of the NBA — if they didn’t know previously — has figured that out as well. The eight general managers left in the NBA playoffs all had success stories to tell long before their postseason runs of 2021 started. For the team that winds up winning the NBA title, it’ll be a breakthrough since none of the remaining franchises have won a championship since 1983. And for the winning GM, it’ll be another breakthrough -- since none of them have won rings in their current capacities either. “I took this job saying this would be a challenge for me to help young guys who are here in Phoenix, trying... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — John Collins already has seen what playoff success has done to raise the hometown excitement for the Atlanta Hawks. Collins is eager for the opportunity to build more enthusiasm now that the Eastern Conference semifinal series against the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers has shifted to Atlanta. With the series tied 1-1, Game 3 will be played on Friday. There is less heading into Friday's Game 3 matchup between Phoenix and Denver. The Suns hold a 2-0 lead over the Nuggets in their Western Conference semifinal in a series that Phoenix seems to be in total control. In Atlanta, the Hawks announced a sellout on Thursday for Game 3 and said only a few seats remain for Monday's Game 4. The Hawks have won 13 consecutive home games, the longest active streak in the NBA. The streak includes two home wins as Atlanta beat the New York Knicks in five games in the first round. Collins said he found evidence of Atlanta's playoff fever at his neighborhood gas station. “I go into the same gas... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — It would have been an awesome play even when Phoenix Suns Arena was empty: Cameron Payne floated a pass to a streaking Torrey Craig, who soared through the air before grabbing the alley-oop and flushing a powerful dunk with two hands. But there was one thing that made it even more special for the players. The crowd went absolutely nuts. As COVID-19 restrictions have slowly eased, the Phoenix Suns' fan base is relishing the team's return to playoffs for the first time in 11 years. The franchise welcomed a raucous sellout crowd of 16,219 on Monday night during its 122-105 victory in Game 1 over the Denver Nuggets. That's just below the arena's listed capacity of around 18,000. “This was the loudest game, to be honest, that I’ve ever played in,” Suns forward Deandre Ayton said. Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals is on Wednesday in Phoenix. Though there have been some well-documented instances of poor fan behavior during the NBA's postseason, there's little doubt that... [More]