WASHINGTON (AP) — Wizards leading scorer Bradley Beal and Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie won't take part in the restart of the NBA season, two significant absences in the Eastern Conference playoff race.Beal is out because of a right rotator cuff injury; Dinwiddie announced that he is still testing positive for coronavirus and won’t participate.Washington, Orlando and Brooklyn are the three teams left in the chase for the final two playoff spots in the East. If the Wizards finish within four games of whichever club finishes eighth, then two games will be played to determine the No. 8 seed.“Bradley did everything possible to be ready to play, but after closely monitoring his individual workouts, we came to the conclusion that it was best for him to sit out the upcoming games in Orlando and avoid the risk of further injury,” general manager Tommy Sheppard said. Washington will also be without forward Davis Bertans, who decided to opt out of playing as a pending free agent, and injured guard... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving aren't coming back. DeAndre Jordan and Wilson Chandler aren't going, either.Spencer Dinwiddie is a maybe, with his status unclear after both he and Jordan tested positive for the coronavirus.The Brooklyn Nets don't look ready for a restart, but general manager Sean Marks said Wednesday there was no discussion of the team not traveling to Florida for the resumption of the NBA season.“Look, we have a job to do,” Marks said. “Again, we have to bring a team to Orlando. We will bring a team to Orlando. We will go down there and we will compete. That’s our jobs here.”It's not an easy one for interim coach Jacque Vaughn, who took over when the Nets surprisingly parted ways with Kenny Atkinson on March 7. He won his first two games, capped by an impressive victory over the West-leading Lakers in Los Angeles.Then the season stopped and his challenges really began.Vaughn had moved Jordan into the starting lineup, but now the job apparently goes back to... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Spencer Dinwiddie and DeAndre Jordan said Monday they have tested positive for the coronavirus, potentially leaving the Brooklyn Nets without two starters when the NBA season resumes.Jordan said he won't be in Florida with the Nets when they return from the suspension of the 2019-20 season, while Dinwiddie told The Athletic that he was experiencing symptoms and it was unclear if he would be at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.At least six players on the Nets have tested positive for the virus. The other four were back in March, when Kevin Durant said he was one of them.Both players said they tested positive after returning to New York to rejoin the team. Some players left the city, which was a hot spot at the time, after the NBA halted play.Dinwiddie said he tested negative for the virus multiple times after returning to Brooklyn and took part in a couple practices. But he has since tested positive and said he has a fever and chest soreness.His absence would be... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kenny Atkinson won't have the chance to coach Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving together in Brooklyn.The Nets and their coach decided his influence with the team ran out before that pair could get started.The Nets surprisingly split with their coach Saturday, even as they remain on track for a second consecutive playoff berth.The announcement came less than 12 hours after Atkinson guided the Nets to a 139-120 rout of San Antonio. General manager Sean Marks said he and Atkinson had been talking long before that about what was best for the Nets, and they finally concluded it wasn't their fourth-year coach.“He has taken us to where we stand today and I think the discussions that he and I had were what’s best for the Nets for a variety of different reasons, which I don’t think either one of us will get into,” Marks said. “But it’s time for another voice in the locker room and it’s time that we both part ways.”Marks offered no specifics but said the decision had nothing to do with... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kenny Atkinson won't have the chance to coach Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving together in Brooklyn.The Brooklyn Nets and their coach decided his influence with the team ran out before that pair could get started.The Nets surprisingly split with their coach Saturday, even as they remain on track for a second consecutive playoff berth.The announcement came less than 12 hours after Atkinson guided the Nets to a 139-120 rout of San Antonio. General manager Sean Marks said he and Atkinson had been talking long before that about what was best for the Nets, and they finally concluded it wasn't their fourth-year coach.“He has taken us to where we stand today and I think the discussions that he and I had were what’s best for the Nets for a variety of different reasons, which I don’t think either one of us will get into,” Marks said. “But it’s time for another voice in the locker room and it’s time that we both part ways.”Marks offered no specifics but said the decision had nothing... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kenny Atkinson won't have the chance to coach Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving together in Brooklyn.The Nets surprisingly split with their coach Saturday, even as they remain on track for a second consecutive playoff berth.The morning after Atkinson guided the Nets to a 139-120 rout of San Antonio, the Nets announced the decision to part with the fourth-year coach.“After discussions with Kenny about the progress of the season, we mutually agreed that a coaching change would be in the best interest of the team,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “This was an extremely difficult decision, however the organization believes it is one that is necessary at this time." Assistant Jacque Vaughn will serve as coach for the rest of the season. He coached Orlando for two-plus seasons, from 2012-15.The Nets are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Atkinson was 118-190 in 3 1/2 seasons of his first NBA head coaching job. They returned to the postseason last year and... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — John Collins had 33 points and 13 rebounds, rookie Cam Reddish scored 17 of his career-high 26 points in the third quarter, and the Atlanta Hawks handed the Brooklyn Nets their third straight loss with a 141-118 victory Friday night.Trae Young, ranking second in the NBA in scoring and assists, finished with 22 points and assisted on 14 baskets to help Atlanta, the league's second-worst team, snap a two-game skid. The Hawks hit 19 3-pointers and finished 48.7% on treys despite beginning the game as the league's worst team beyond the arc.The Nets gave up a season high in points. They pulled within six on Caris LeVert's layup early in the fourth, but got no closer the rest of the way after Jeff Teague and Kevin Huerter answered with baskets that pushed the lead back to double digits. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points to lead Brooklyn, which began the game seventh in the Eastern Conference before dropping six games under .500. It had won eight straight over the Hawks and five... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyrie Irving tried to keep playing through pain, a cortisone shot no longer providing enough relief.Eventually, he and the Brooklyn Nets decided it's best to get his right shoulder taken care of now and get healthy for next season — when Irving and Kevin Durant can finally play together. Irving will have arthroscopic surgery and miss the rest of the season, Nets general manager Sean Marks said Thursday.“Kyrie mentioned he was playing through pain and you have to give him a lot of credit for that. He wants to be out there and playing with his guys,” Marks said. “But there comes a point where you say enough is enough and again, it goes to long-term health. And the best thing that (we) could do is to shut it down and get this taken care of once and for all.”Coach Kenny Atkinson said the point guard was still having trouble with the shoulder that began troubling him in October and sidelined him for 26 games earlier this season.“Some days it was OK and other days it bothered... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving will have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder and miss the rest of the season.The Nets made the announcement Thursday before playing the Philadelphia 76ers in their first game after the All-Star break.Coach Kenny Atkinson said the point guard was still having trouble with the shoulder that sidelined him for 26 games earlier this season.“Some days it was OK and other days it bothered him,” Atkinson said. “Obviously, it is difficult to perform under those circumstances.” Irving said pain in the shoulder initially worsened after a game on Nov. 4. The Nets then went on a five-game road trip, where Irving continued to play until the pain got so bad he was having trouble lifting his shoulder.He got a cortisone shot on Dec. 24 and was able to return on Jan. 12, but he acknowledged that surgery might still be necessary. By deciding to have surgery now, Irving's first season in Brooklyn ends after just 20 games.Irving averaged 27.4 points,... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on Saturday night at NBA All-Star weekend. (all times local):9:45 p.m.Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. celebrated his 23rd birthday by winning the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest, edging Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon in a memorable showdown that required two tiebreaker jams.Jones and Gordon each got a perfect 50 on both of their dunks in the final. Then they got two more perfect scores on their first jam in the dunk-off.Jones then took off from just inside the foul line and threw down a windmill jam with his left hand, drawing a 48 from the panel of five judges.After a short discussion with Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal, Gordon brought out 7-foot-5 Boston Celtics rookie Tacko Fall and positioned him near the basket. He then took the ball from Fall's hands on his way to a thunderous dunk.The United Center gasped as the courtside NBA stars celebrated. But Gordon was awarded a 47, giving the victory to Jones.Gordon also lost a memorable dunk contest to Zach LaVine... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on Saturday night at NBA All-Star weekend. (all times local):8:44 p.m.Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield made a late surge to win the NBA 3-Point Contest.Hield nailed a two-point money ball from the corner to finish with 27 points, edging Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker by one in the final round.Hield is one of the few bright spots for struggling Sacramento, averaging 20.4 points while shooting about 39 percent from 3-point range.Washington's Davis Bertans opened the second and final round with a 22, before Booker eliminated him.Defending champion Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago's Zach LaVine were eliminated after they failed to crack the top three in the first round.Five racks with five balls each were set up around the perimeter — two in the corner, two on the wings and one up top. Four of those racks had four balls worth one point each plus a multi-colored two-point ball. The other had nothing but moneyballs.There were also two green balls worth... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on Saturday night at NBA All-Star weekend. (all times local):8:44 p.m.Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield made a late surge to win the NBA 3-Point Contest.Hield nailed a two-point money ball from the corner to finish with 27 points, edging Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker by one in the final round.Hield is one of the few bright spots for struggling Sacramento, averaging 20.4 points while shooting about 39 percent from 3-point range.Washington's Davis Bertans opened the second and final round with a 22, before Booker eliminated him.Defending champion Joe Harris of the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago's Zach LaVine were eliminated after they failed to crack the top three in the first round.Five racks with five balls each were set up around the perimeter — two in the corner, two on the wings and one up top. Four of those racks had four balls worth one point each plus a multi-colored two-point ball. The other had nothing but moneyballs.There were also two green balls worth... [More]

The NBA is changing the format to this season’s 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday Night in Chicago by adding a pair of deep shots that will be worth three points apiece.That change means each round will now be a total of 27 shots instead of 25, and competitors will now get 70 seconds to finish their shots instead of the customary 60. Competitors were told of the changes in the past few days, and the NBA announced the change Tuesday night.The two additional shots will come from six feet beyond the 3-point line, between the racks located on the wings and the one at the top of the key. Those shots — only one from each spot called the MTN DEW Zone — will be taken with a special green ball.All-Star Saturday is Feb. 15, one night before the All-Star Game.The list of competitors for the 3-point contest this season includes Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, Washington’s Davis Bertans, Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham, Miami’s Duncan Robinson, Atlanta’s Trae Young, Chicago’s Zach... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid paid tribute to Kobe Bryant by wearing one of his jersey numbers.Brooklyn’s Spencer Dinwiddie and Orlando’s Terrence Ross are showing their respect by no longer doing so. Boston’s Kemba Walker is considering such a change.And coaches around the league left their snazzy leather shoes in the office Tuesday night, wearing Bryant’s signature sneakers instead.The games are going on — except in Los Angeles, for a couple more days anyway. So, too, is the grief after the fiery helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday that took the life of Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others. And the tributes are continuing as well, such as the separate decisions by Dinwiddie and Ross to no longer wear the No. 8 that Bryant donned at the start of his NBA career.“We often search for meaning in numbers,” Dinwiddie tweeted.Dinwiddie will now wear No. 26. Ross is going back to No. 31. The moves, evidently, are simply their way of saying Bryant’s numbers — he... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Nets guard Kyrie Irving is missing Brooklyn's game against Philadelphia because of right hamstring tightness.Coach Kenny Atkinson said Irving was feeling soreness Sunday and then was checked again Monday before the team decided the All-Star point guard wouldn't play.Atkinson said the Nets were choosing to be cautious because they didn't want to risk losing Irving for the long term.Irving missed 26 games with a right shoulder injury before returning on Jan. 12 against Atlanta. He is averaging 26.5 points in his first season in Brooklyn.Garrett Temple moved into the starting lineup alongside Spencer Dinwiddie.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving will miss his second straight game because of a right shoulder injury.The Nets announced several hours before tipoff that the All-Star point guard wouldn’t play Monday night against the Indiana Pacers because of an impingement.Irving sat out for the first time this season Saturday at Chicago. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points in his place to lead the Nets to a 117-111 victory.Irving is averaging 28.5 points in his first season in Brooklyn.The Pacers will be without guards Malcolm Brogdon (back), Jeremy Lamb (ankle) and T.J. McConnell (groin).____More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving will miss Nets’ game at Chicago on Saturday night because of a shoulder injury.Coach Kenny Atkinson said he does not know if Irving will return for the Nets’ upcoming homestand. Irving had 17 points and nine assists in a loss at Denver on Thursday night after being listed as questionable before the game.“He has played through some pain, obviously,” Atkinson said. “We just felt it was best that he doesn't play today to take care of it and get healthy for when we get home."Irving did not speak with reporters before the game. Atkinson said Irving “took a pretty good shot” to his shoulder at Utah on Tuesday and that he’s day-to-day.Irving is sixth in the NBA in scoring average at 28.5 points.It’s the first game the six-time All-Star has missed this season. Spencer Dinwiddie was listed in the Nets’ starting lineup to replace Irving.

NEW YORK (AP) — It's been seven years since the Nets crossed the Hudson River and took up residence in the Knicks' city.A real rivalry might finally arrive Sunday.Rarely relevant at the same time on the basketball court, the Knicks and Nets are front and center in the free agency race, two of the teams best positioned to make a splash when the market opens.Both can afford two top players, with hopes of landing not only a Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, but possibly both. New York, home of the worst team in the NBA in two of the last seasons, could be the epicenter of the league in early July.After years of bad play, bad trades and often bad basketball, at least one team in the city could look really good in a few days.The Nets seem confident. The Knicks sound cautious.Game on.Brooklyn is feeling good about its chances of winning it. Having recovered from an ill-fated trade with Boston in 2013 that cost the Nets years of high draft picks, Brooklyn has constructed a team that surprisingly made... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — It's been seven years since the Nets crossed over the Hudson River and took up residence in the Knicks' city.A real rivalry might finally arrive Sunday.Rarely relevant at the same time on the basketball court, the Knicks and Nets are front and center in the free agency race, two of the teams best positioned to make a splash when the market opens.Both can afford two top players, with hopes of landing not only a Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, but possibly both. New York, home of the worst team in the NBA in two of the last seasons, could be the epicenter of the league in early July.After years of bad play, bad trades and often bad basketball, at least one team in the city could look really good in a few days.The Nets seem confident. The Knicks sound cautious.Game on.Brooklyn is feeling good about its chances of winning it. Having recovered from an ill-fated trade with Boston in 2013 that cost the Nets years of high draft picks, Brooklyn has constructed a team that surprisingly... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean Marks started stumping for the Brooklyn Nets even before the season ended.The Nets had just fallen into a 3-1 hole in a heated series with the Philadelphia 76ers last Saturday when Marks entered the referees' locker room to complain. The NBA ended up fining the general manager $25,000 and suspending him for a game.Marks said Thursday he had apologized and didn't condone breaking league rules, but also made it clear he would be speaking up for his organization."It's about standing up for your team and standing up for what you believe in and sending a message at what I deemed to be the right time and so forth," Marks said.Soon it will be time to bring the message to free agents.Coming off a surprisingly successful season in which the Nets went 42-40 and returned to the postseason, the challenge now is balancing the building plan Marks has followed since arriving with the need to add significantly more talent than Brooklyn has in place."I'm not sure there's pressure to... [More]