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]

Phoenix's Deandre Ayton had Guy Fieri leaping out of his courtside seat with a thundering dunk. Atlanta's Trae Young had Spike Lee leaving early in disappointment. Dallas' Luka Doncic impressed Paul George so much that the Clippers’ veteran insisted on trading jerseys with the youngster. They’re all part of the NBA’s draft class of 2018. And that group, so far, might be the class of these playoffs. Doncic is gone, but plenty of others — Young, Ayton, Michael Porter Jr., Mikal Bridges, Kevin Huerter, Bruce Brown and more — from the group that got drafted three years ago remain. And they’ve seemed right at home in this postseason, even though for many it’s the first time on this big a stage. “I think it’s the best class in NBA history,” Ayton, the Phoenix center who went No. 1 overall in that class three years ago, said after the Suns won their first-round series over the 2020 NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. “That’s how I feel. ... Guys like Luka, MPJ and Trae, it’s been great to watch us... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis has been ruled out for the second half of Game 4 against the Phoenix Suns due to a left groin strain. The defending NBA champion Lakers also played Sunday without starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was sidelined by a bruised knee. Chris Paul played for the Phoenix Suns despite his injured right shoulder, managing six points and five assists in the first half of Game 4. Davis played 19 minutes in the first half, but scored only six points on 2-for-9 shooting. He hyperextended his leg in Game 3, but was attempting to play through the latest in a long series of injuries for the superstar big man this esason. Davis scored 34 points in each of the Lakers’ back-to-back victories in the series, but he was ineffective in Game 4. He didn't come out for the second half warmups with his teammates, and the Lakers ruled him out shortly afterward. Caldwell-Pope was injured in the third quarter of the Lakers' victory in Game 3. He went... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will miss Game 4 of the Los Angeles Lakers' first-round playoff series with the Phoenix Suns due to a bruised knee. The defending NBA champion Lakers announced the decision shortly before tipoff Sunday at Staples Center. Los Angeles forward Anthony Davis and Phoenix guard Chris Paul are active for Game 4 despite injuries. Caldwell-Pope was injured in the third quarter of the Lakers' victory in Game 3. He went through a pregame workout before Game 4, but Los Angeles decided to hold him out. Caldwell-Pope was the third-leading scorer on the Lakers' championship team last season, but he struggled in the first three games against Phoenix before his injury. He scored just 12 points in 92 minutes, going 1 for 13 on 3-pointers and failing to score at all in Game 2. Veteran Wesley Matthews took Caldwell-Pope's spot in the starting lineup. Matthews hit two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of Game 3. Paul was in Phoenix's starting lineup again despite being clearly limited in the last two games by his right shoulder injury. The star point guard skipped practice Saturday to rest ahead of Sunday's game. Davis was listed as questionable after hyperextending his knee during Game 3, but he vowed Saturday to play through any discomfort. He scored 34 points in each of the Lakers' back-to-back victories in the series. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers, Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks all began their first-round playoff series at a home-court disadvantage. After moving ahead of their higher-seeded opponents with early-series road wins, all three are up 2-1 and in position to move to the brink of the second round Sunday. The stakes are similar in all four NBA playoff games on a tantalizing slate: Atlanta, Dallas and the defending NBA champions will attempt to seize firm control of their series at home, while the heavily favored Brooklyn Nets can do the same in Boston. Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas are probably aware of the massive statistical edge for NBA teams with a 3-1 series lead — only 13 of 260 teams in that situation have ever blown it. They also realize Phoenix, New York and the Clippers will play for a split with appropriate intensity. “It’s going to be probably the biggest game in this series unless, it goes to a Game 7,” Lakers forward Anthony Davis said Saturday. “We’re going in... [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]

NEW YORK (AP) — Trae Young didn’t look like a postseason rookie in silencing a rocking road crowd in New York. “The moment wasn’t too big for him,” Atlanta teammate Lou Williams said. Nor for Ja Morant or Devin Booker, who were just as impressive in their debuts. Throw in Luka Doncic picking up where he left off last year, and the opening weekend of the playoffs may have proven that the time is now for some of the NBA’s best young guards. “The great players, in every era, that’s what they do,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They pose problems.” Booker and Doncic will be back in action Tuesday, hoping to send the two Los Angeles teams into 2-0 holes. Phoenix beat the Lakers 99-90 on Sunday behind 34 points from Booker. In his sixth season, he's got much more NBA experience than Young, Morant or Doncic. But he's still only 24 years old, and no amount of regular-season games is preparation for LeBron James and the defending champions in the postseason. Phoenix coach Monty Williams said... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns All-Star point guard Chris Paul is dealing with a right shoulder injury during his team's playoff game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. The injury happened early in the second quarter when he bumped into teammate Cameron Johnson following LeBron James' tip-in basket. He fell to the floor, appeared to be in substantial pain and was holding his right shoulder. Paul was down on the floor for a few minutes, surrounded by players from both teams. The 11-time All-Star eventually got up and slowly walked to the locker room with a towel over his head. The Suns called the injury a right shoulder contusion. The point guard returned — to huge roars from the crowd — for the end of the second quarter and part of the third but didn't look confident with his right arm. He dribbled mostly with his left hand and lost the ball multiple times when dribbling with his right. He eventually went to the locker room again after checking out of the game midway through the third quarter, but returned again a few minutes later. The injury initially put a huge damper on a festive atmosphere in Phoenix. The Suns are playing in their first playoff game in 11 years. Paul's arrival in a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder during the offseason was one of the main reasons for the team's improvement. Paul has five points, four rebounds and eight assists through three quarters. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is playing like his superstar self again. At the same time, he's reminding everyone just how dangerous the Los Angeles Lakers can be. Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds and the Lakers never trailed in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. “I feel good, man,” Davis said. “I’m getting my legs back, I’m getting my rhythm back. Getting my steps back on both ends of the floor, so feeling good. I’m getting better each game, getting my wind back each game. We’re headed in the right direction.” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points and the short-handed Lakers won for just the third time in their past 11 games. Playing without LeBron James, who missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles because of a sprained right ankle, and Kyle Kuzma, held out because of tightness in his back, an energized Davis led the way for the defending NBA champions as they try to avoid the play-in tournament. Davis set the tone with his one-handed... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers never trailed in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points and the short-handed Lakers won for just the third time in their past 11 games. LeBron James missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles because of a sprained right ankle, and Kyle Kuzma was held out because of tightness in his back. Cameron Payne had 24 points for the Suns, who have lost two of three following a five-game winning streak. Devin Booker added 21 points and Mikal Bridges 15. An energized Davis led the way for the defending NBA champions as they try to avoid the play-in tournament, with his one-handed alley-oop from Andre Drummond setting the tone as Los Angeles scored the first seven points. The Lakers led 30-19 after the first quarter. Los Angeles built its biggest advantage early in the fourth to go ahead by 23 points en route to avoid being swept in... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Paul says he knows the secret for why he's still a dominant NBA point guard at an age when most of his peers are getting into coaching or figuring out their next steps in life. “I told the guys in the locker room I've got the easy job,” Paul said grinning. “I just pass it to them.” The 35-year-old Paul continued adding to the resume of his Hall of Fame-worthy career on Sunday night, passing 10,000 assists in the Phoenix Suns' 111-94 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. The 11-time All-Star hit 10,000 in spectacular fashion, throwing a perfect alley-oop pass to Deandre Ayton, who was streaking down the lane and finished with a powerful two-handed jam. Paul finished with a triple-double on Sunday, contributing 11 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. Paul is just the sixth player in NBA history to reach the 10,000-assist milestone along with John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Mark Jackson and Magic Johnson. At his current rate, Paul will pass Johnson this season and... [More]

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]

Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Phoenix’s Devin Booker have been 3-point champions at All-Star weekend before, and they’ll try to win that trophy again Sunday. The NBA revealed the 15 players Tuesday who will be taking part in the other on-court events besides the All-Star Game in Atlanta, with the overwhelming majority of them pulling double-duty between those competitions and the game itself. Curry, Booker, the Boston duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Chicago’s Zach LaVine and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell — all of them All-Stars — will be the six competitors in the 3-point contest. All-Stars Luka Doncic of Dallas, Domantas Sabonis of Indiana, Julius Randle of New York, Nikola Vucevic of Orlando and Chris Paul of Phoenix will be five of the six entrants in the skills competition. They’ll be joined by Portland’s Robert Covington, the only current NBA player who is a graduate of a historically Black college and university. Covington went to Tennessee State. HBCUs will be a major part of... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was selected Wednesday to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the NBA All-Star Game. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver choose Booker to take Davis' spot a day after Booker was snubbed by the league's head coaches for a reserve spot in the March 7 game in Atlanta. Booker received a big ovation from the home crowd Wednesday night when the sixth-year guard was announced as a two-time All-Star during the starting lineup introductions. Coach Monty Williams said pregame that the honor was well deserved. “The situation at the time was a bit weird for us when Devin didn't get the call, but we're grateful for what has transpired over the last few hours and we're just happy for Book,” Williams said. After Booker was snubbed Tuesday night, there was a chorus of disbelief from some of the league's top players, including LeBron James. “Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league!!! Simple as that,” the Lakers star tweeted.... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was selected Wednesday to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the NBA All-Star Game. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver choose Booker to take Davis' spot a day after Booker was snubbed by the league's head coaches for a reserve spot in the March 7 game in Atlanta. Booker received a big ovation from the home crowd Wednesday night when the sixth-year guard was announced as a two-time All-Star during the starting lineup introductions. Coach Monty Williams said pregame that the honor was well deserved. “The situation at the time was a bit weird for us when Devin didn't get the call, but we're grateful for what has transpired over the last few hours and we're just happy for Book,” Williams said. After Booker was snubbed Tuesday night, there was a chorus of disbelief from some of the league's top players, including LeBron James. “Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league!!! Simple as that,” the Lakers star tweeted.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker was selected Wednesday to replace injured Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis in the NBA All-Star Game. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver choose Booker to take Davis' spot a day after Booker was snubbed by the league's head coaches for a reserve spot in the March 7 game in Atlanta. “Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league!!! Simple as that,” Lakers star LeBron James tweeted after Booker was left out Tuesday. Davis, voted in as a reserve, is sidelined by a strained right calf. Booker received his second straight All-Star selection, both as an injury replacement. He's averaging 24.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and shooting a career-high 50.1% from the field. Booker and fellow All-Star Chris Paul have helped Phoenix to a 20-10 record, fourth-best in the NBA. The Suns last had two All-Stars in 2009-10 with Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire.

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]

PHOENIX (AP) — The bubble was encouraging for them and so was the offseason. But the real proof that the Phoenix Suns might be ready to end their 10-year playoff drought obviously wouldn't come until all the new players were actually on the floor. So far, so good. The Suns — built around the All-Star backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker — have won six of the past seven games to push their record to 14-9 about one-third through the slightly shortened 72-game NBA season. That’s good for fourth place in the Western Conference behind the Jazz, Lakers and Clippers. Booker's goal is to show the Suns are just beginning to show what they can do. They've got another big opportunity Wednesday when they host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, who are 16-8 and second in the Eastern Conference. “We're at a crucial part of the season where we have to lock in more than ever,” Booker said. “We need to do our work early instead of trying to make up games toward the end of the year.” Phoenix... [More]

Having a Big Three is great. That is, if those players want it to be great. And that’s the challenge in Brooklyn now, after agreeing to the trade that landed three-time reigning scoring champion James Harden from Houston: Getting Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, all individually great, to want to be great together. A lot of futures and a lot of legacies depend on what happens. Durant found a way to make it happen in Golden State when he played alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the way to a pair of NBA titles. It worked there because Curry and Thompson, more than happily, checked their egos at the door and made it seem like a seamless incorporation. Harden never made the NBA Finals in Houston with big-time backcourt partners like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, plus didn’t even give it a chance this season alongside John Wall. He wanted a trade, stars who want trades almost always get their way, and after what amounted to a resignation speech on Tuesday night after a loss... [More]