ATLANTA (AP) — John Collins' value to the Atlanta Hawks' championship hopes — and in free agency — can't be fully measured by his points and rebounds. To better appreciate the power forward's vital role, try to imagine the Hawks' matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals without Collins' size and athleticism. Game 1 of the series is Wednesday night in Milwaukee. The Bucks are favored by seven points by FanDuel Sportsbook. in a physical conference semifinal series against Philadelphia in which the 76ers seemed to try and bully Collins and the Hawks, he posted double-doubles in the last four games of the conference semifinal series. Collins had 14 points, 16 rebounds, Atlanta's only blocked shot and a steal in the 103-96 series-clinching Game 7 win on Sunday night. “I’m glad I got to experience something like this,” Collins said. “It’s a legendary moment for myself personally.” Collins saw the potential for the Hawks to return to the playoffs... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid and the 76ers barely have a leg to stand on. Embiid can’t jump. He can’t get any lift in his shots -- notable in a blown layup that should have won Game 4 -- and couldn’t make any buckets in the second half. Embiid is day to day. So, now, are the top-seeded Sixers. Embiid continues to suit up and play through torn cartilage in his right knee -- admirably, perhaps -- but at the point of diminishing returns for the Sixers. The big man is hurting as the Sixers return home Wednesday for Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks. Embiid and Ben Simmons’ failures in Game 4 keyed the Sixers collapse down the stretch and let the Hawks pull away with the win and tie the series 2-2. The Western Conference semifinals between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. The Jazz return to Salt Lake City with their young star Donovan Mitchell playing with a sore right ankle and all the momentum in the series now with the Clippers. Los Angeles dominated Utah in in Game 3 and Game 4... [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]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Hawks return to Atlanta beaming with confidence in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Philadelphia 76ers despite their inability to slow down, much less stop, Joel Embiid. The 76ers big man has scored 79 points in the first two games at Philadelphia to open the series, which is tied 1-1 heading into Friday's Game 3 in Atlanta — where the Hawks have won 13 consecutive games. It's the longest active home winning streak in the NBA. “I hope fans are ready to rock the house on Friday,” Trae Young said after Philadelphia's 118-102 win in Game 2 on Tuesday night. The Hawks will need their fans — but they also know they have to correct some issues on the court. They expect better outside shooting from Young and his backcourt partner Bogdan Bogdanovic. And until they find a defensive combination to slow Embiid, Atlanta will have to do a better job of containing his teammates. The challenge of containing the 76ers' outside shooting grew Wednesday when the Hawks... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Hawks return to Atlanta beaming with confidence in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Philadelphia 76ers despite their inability to slow down, much less stop, Joel Embiid. The 76ers big man has scored 79 points in the first two games at Philadelphia to open the series, which is tied 1-1 heading into Friday's Game 3 in Atlanta — where the Hawks have won 13 consecutive games. It's the longest active home winning streak in the NBA. “I hope fans are ready to rock the house on Friday,” Trae Young said after Philadelphia's 118-102 win in Game 2 on Tuesday night. The Hawks will need their fans — but they also know they have to correct some issues on the court. They expect better outside shooting from Young and his backcourt partner Bogdan Bogdanovic. And until they find a defensive combination to slow Embiid, Atlanta will have to do a better job of containing his teammates. The challenge of containing the 76ers' outside shooting grew Wednesday when the Hawks... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Hawks return to Atlanta beaming with confidence in their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Philadelphia 76ers despite their inability to slow down, much less stop, Joel Embiid. The 76ers big man has scored 79 points in the first two games at Philadelphia to open the series, which is tied 1-1 heading into Friday's Game 3 in Atlanta — where the Hawks have won 13 consecutive games. It's the longest active home winning streak in the NBA. “I hope fans are ready to rock the house on Friday,” Trae Young said after Philadelphia's 118-102 win in Game 2 on Tuesday night. The Hawks will need their fans — but they also know they have to correct some issues on the court. They expect better outside shooting from Young and his backcourt partner Bogdan Bogdanovic. And until they find a defensive combination to slow Embiid, Atlanta will have to do a better job of containing his teammates. After finishing second to Denver's Nikola Jokic in MVP voting announced before Game... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — If Trae Young is the unquestioned star of the Atlanta Hawks, then Clint Capela is the backbone. A pretty good trash talker, too. The burly, 6-foot-10 Swiss center has given the Hawks the gritty defensive presence they so desperately needed. Without Capela, it's hard to envision Atlanta preparing for its first appearance in the Eastern Conference semifinals since 2016. “He's the anchor for us,” interim coach Nate McMillan said. “Defensively, he's been the guy all season who cleans up our breakdowns and mistakes on the perimeter.” Capela was acquired by the Hawks from Houston last year at the trade deadline — part of a 12-player deal that signaled Atlanta was ready to take the next step in a massive rebuild that produced three straight dismal seasons. For the first time in the overhaul, the Hawks weren't taking on a big salary just for the sake of future cap space. They had big plans for Capela, even though a foot injury prevented him from suiting up for his new team before... [More]

Philadelphia, Utah and Atlanta can reach the second round. Dallas or the Los Angeles Clippers will get to the verge of it. Yet as Russell Westbrook and Ja Morant try to save their seasons and Trae Young looks for a clinching victory, eyes will be on the action in the seats right along with the court. The games Wednesday are the first for all three of those players in the arenas where they were the subjects of ugly fan actions in Game 2 of these first-round series. The unruly fan behavior continued Monday when a spectator was tackled after running onto the court in Washington, and Young noticed. “They doing it for attention now,” he wrote on Twitter. Young was cursed at in both games and spit on in the second one at Madison Square Garden, the only game the Knicks won in the series. The Hawks went home and easily took Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta. Now they can silence the New York fans for the summer. Hawks coach Nate McMillan said he feels safe as the team returns to New York, adding that the... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Nate McMillan gives a glimpse of his coaching style when he talks about his playing days. He never cared about the accolades. Just whatever it took to win. “A guy who put his nose in everything,” McMillan recalled. “I wasn't a guy who pouted about minutes or rotations or shots or points or any of that. I tried to be a glue guy who made his teammates better.” He's certainly made the Hawks a lot better since he took over as interim head coach. Atlanta was plodding along at 14-20 when Lloyd Pierce was fired just before the All-Star break. McMillan, who had joined Pierce's staff before this season, was elevated to the top post. Since then, the Hawks have been one of the NBA's best teams with a 27-11 record, securing their first trip to the playoffs since 2017. The only teams to win more over the final 38 games of the regular season were Phoenix and Denver. The only team to match the Hawks in the East were the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers. “You see the results,” guard Bogdan... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Nate McMillan gives a glimpse of his coaching style when he talks about his playing days. He never cared about the accolades. Just whatever it took to win. “A guy who put his nose in everything,” McMillan recalled. “I wasn't a guy who pouted about minutes or rotations or shots or points or any of that. I tried to be a glue guy who made his teammates better.” He's certainly made the Hawks a lot better since he took over as interim head coach. Atlanta was plodding along at 14-20 when Lloyd Pierce was fired just before the All-Star break. McMillan, who had joined Pierce's staff before this season, was elevated to the top post. Since then, the Hawks have been one of the NBA's best teams with a 27-11 record, securing their first trip to the playoffs since 2017. The only teams to win more over the final 38 games of the regular season were Phoenix and Denver, two of the best squads in the West. The only team to match the Hawks in the East were the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks spent three miserable years totally rebuilding their team, all with the idea of finally making a big move this season. Yet, as the All-Star break approached, they were limping along with one of the worst records in the NBA. Coach Lloyd Pierce was fired. Nate McMillan took over as the interim boss. Suddenly, the Hawks looked like a totally different team. It all paid off Wednesday night, when Atlanta clinched its first playoff berth since 2017 by rallying for a 120-116 victory over the Washington Wizards. “This is what I came down here for, to try to help this team get to the next level,” said McMillan, who figures to get serious consideration for coach of the year honors despite his interim tag. “These guys have stood up and accepted that. I'm just thrilled to death that I can be part of this.” The Hawks aren't the only newcomer to the playoff scene. The New York Knicks snapped an even-longer drought, securing their first postseason berth since 2013 when... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks already were without point guard Trae Young when they learned that center Clint Capela would not be available Friday night against Miami. Capela, the NBA’s leading rebounder and the team’s third-leading scorer, has a back contusion. The Hawks announced Thursday that Young, their leading scorer and the league’s No. 3 leader in assists, would miss the game with a left ankle sprain. Interim coach Nate McMillan was counting on point guards Lou Williams and Brandon Goodwin and rookie centers Onyeka Okongwu and Nathan Knight to play significant minutes. Veteran big man Danilo Gallinari was a game-time decision with right foot soreness. “It’s a challenge because (Young and Capela) bring something you don’t have,” McMillan said. “What we’ve really had to do, as we’ve pretty much said, it’s next man up. You don’t have sitting on your bench what those two guys bring to the lineup as your starting point and your starting center and the way they’ve played this season.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andre Drummond is joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. The Lakers announced the signing of the two-time All-Star center less than an hour before Sunday night's game against the Orlando Magic. Drummond announced his decision with a post on his Instagram account earlier in the day, writing “Back to work” underneath an illustration of himself in a Lakers uniform. Drummond agreed to a buyout Friday from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who acquired the four-time NBA rebounding champion last year after nearly eight seasons in Detroit. He had to clear waivers before he could join a team of his choosing, and Drummond chose to link up with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the defending NBA champions. “We’re all thrilled. He’s one of the best centers in the league and someone every defensive coordinator is going to have to account for while trying to slow down LeBron, AD and our guards when we get going," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said after Sunday's 96-93 victory over the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andre Drummond is joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. The Lakers announced the signing of the two-time All-Star center less than an hour before Sunday night's game against the Orlando Magic. Drummond announced his decision with a post on his Instagram account earlier in the day, writing “Back to work” underneath an illustration of himself in a Lakers uniform. “Andre Drummond gives us powerful, anchor-point skills on both ends of the court,” general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. “We feel extremely fortunate to add a player of his caliber and magnitude to our core group at this stage of our journey to defend the NBA title.” Drummond agreed to a buyout Friday from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who acquired the four-time NBA rebounding champion last year after nearly eight seasons in Detroit. He had to clear waivers before he could join a team of his choosing, and Drummond chose to link up with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the defending NBA champions.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andre Drummond says he's joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. Drummond announced his decision with a post on his Instagram account Sunday, writing “Back to work” underneath an illustration of himself in a Lakers uniform. Coach Frank Vogel said Sunday night before the Lakers' home game against Orlando that he could not comment on the signing of the two-time All-Star center because it wasn't oficial yet. Drummond agreed to a buyout Friday from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who acquired the four-time NBA rebounding champion last year after nearly eight seasons in Detroit. He had to clear waivers before he could join a team of his choosing, and Drummond chose to link up with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the defending NBA champions. Drummond is almost certain to get his first significant NBA postseason playing time with the Lakers after appearing in only eight playoff games — and losing all eight — in two postseason trips with the Pistons. When Drummond gets... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andre Drummond says he's joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. Drummond announced his decision with a post on his Instagram account Sunday, writing “Back to work” underneath an illustration of himself in a Lakers uniform. The defending NBA champions didn't immediately confirm the signing of the two-time All-Star center several hours before a home game against Orlando. Drummond agreed to a buyout Friday from the Cleveland Cavaliers, who acquired the four-time NBA rebounding champion last year after nearly eight seasons in Detroit. He had to clear waivers before he could join a team of his choosing, and Drummond chose to link up with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers. Drummond is almost certain to get his first significant NBA postseason playing time with the Lakers after appearing in only eight playoff games — and losing all eight — in two postseason trips with the Pistons. When Drummond gets up to playing speed after sitting out the past six weeks,... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce was fired less than halfway into a season that began with heightened expectations but was beset by injuries. Hawks president Travis Schlenk announced the move on Monday. The Hawks are 14-20 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, following a 109-99 loss at Miami on Sunday night. It was the Hawks' 11th loss after holding a fourth-quarter lead. The teams play again in Miami on Tuesday. Pierce, 44, gave no indication that he thought he was in trouble after Sunday’s loss. He ran the Hawks’ practice on Monday morning in Miami. Schlenk said he and his staff made the decision to fire Pierce on Monday morning and decided against waiting until the All-Star break to announce the move. “I just felt like we needed a new voice to take the next step," Schlenk said Monday night in a Zoom call with reporters. The Hawks named Nate McMillan interim coach. McMillan, the former Indiana Pacers coach, was added to Pierce’s staff in the offseason. McMillan has a 661-588... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce was fired less than halfway into a season that began with heightened expectations but was beset by injuries. Hawks president Travis Schlenk announced the move on Monday in a short statement released by the team. The Hawks are 14-20 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, following a 109-99 loss at Miami on Sunday night. It was the Hawks' 11th loss after holding a fourth-quarter lead. The teams play again in Miami on Tuesday. Pierce, 44, gave no indication that he thought he was in trouble after Sunday’s loss. He ran the Hawks’ practice on Monday morning in Miami. “We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta," Schlenk said in the statement. The Hawks named Nate McMillan interim coach. McMillan, the former Indiana Pacers coach, was added to Pierce’s staff in the offseason. McMillan has a 661-588 record with Seattle, Portland and Indiana. McMillan filled in for Pierce when Pierce... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce was fired on Monday, given the hook less than halfway into a season which carried heightened expectations before being hampered by injuries. Hawks president Travis Schlenk announced the move in a short statement released by the team. The Hawks are 14-20 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, following a 109-99 loss at Miami on Sunday night. It was the Hawks' 11th loss after holding a fourth-quarter lead. The teams play again in Miami on Tuesday. Pierce, 44, gave no indication that he thought he was in trouble after Sunday’s loss. He even ran the Hawks’ practice on Monday morning in Miami. “We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta," Schlenk said in the statement. The Hawks did not immediately name an interim coach. The likely choice is Nate McMillan, the former Indiana coach who was added to Pierce’s staff in the offseason. McMillan filled in for Pierce when Piece was recently... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce was fired on Monday following a disappointing start to a season of heightened expectations. Hawks president Travis Schlenk announced the move in a short statement released by the team. The Hawks are 14-20 and 11th in the Eastern Conference, following a 109-99 loss at Miami on Sunday night. The teams play again in Miami on Tuesday. “We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta," Schlenk said in the statement. Schlenk said the move, which comes less than a week before Atlanta hosts the All-Star Game, is timed to help the team enjoy a second-half resurgence. “We have high expectations for our team on the court and we believe by making this change now that we can have a strong second half of the season,” Schlenk said. The Hawks last appeared in the playoffs in 2017. The team has rebuilt around point guard Trae Young and forward John Collins and invested heavily in veterans... [More]