NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jrue Holiday's postseason production is providing Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis with a more comfortable margin for error — and has left Portland with precious little.Holiday's 54 points, 16 assists and slew of defensive successes in the first two games are big reasons why the sixth-seeded Pelicans hold a surprising 2-0 series lead over the third-seeded Trail Blazers as they prepare for Game 3 Thursday night in New Orleans."Playoff Jrue, I guess," Davis quipped after Holiday scored 33 — including a late, deep 3-pointer — in the Pelicans' Game 2 triumph in Portland on Tuesday night. "He's in a different mode."Philadelphia visits Miami in one of two other Game 3s on Thursday night, while the Spurs' return to San Antonio after a pair of double-digit losses at defending champion Golden State.Pelicans general manager Dell Demps bet big on Holiday on the first day of free agency last summer, giving the 27-year-old guard a five-year contract worth about $126 million. But if... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jrue Holiday's postseason production is providing Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis with a more comfortable margin for error — and has left Portland with precious little.Holiday's 54 points, 16 assists and slew of defensive successes in the first two games are big reasons why the sixth-seeded Pelicans hold a surprising 2-0 series lead over the third-seeded Trail Blazers as they prepare for Game 3 Thursday night in New Orleans."Playoff Jrue, I guess," Davis quipped after Holiday scored 33 — including a late, deep 3-pointer — in the Pelicans' Game 2 triumph in Portland on Tuesday night. "He's in a different mode."Philadelphia visits Miami in one of two other Game 3s on Thursday night, while the Spurs' return to San Antonio after a pair of double-digit losses at defending champion Golden State.Pelicans general manager Dell Demps bet big on Holiday on the first day of free agency last summer, giving the 27-year-old guard a five-year contract worth about $126 million. But if... [More]

Kawhi Leonard has a new team, and Gregg Popovich isn't the coach.This is where the San Antonio Spurs are at right now, as this impasse between the franchise and its best player continues even as the season is almost certainly winding down. There are only questions, no answers.How is Leonard doing? The Spurs act like they don't know. Leonard isn't saying, either. He hasn't been around the Spurs so far in these playoffs, rehabbing in New York, and Popovich is deferring questions to "Kawhi and his group."That's ironic. Unwillingness to answer certain questions is part of the Spurs' mystique. Popovich can be an interviewer's dream or an interviewer's nightmare, but now, it's the Spurs who are the ones seemingly frustrated by the lack of answers. Their best player was barely around this season, and with the Spurs looking almost certain to be knocked out of the playoffs soon by Golden State an offseason of what's next is looming.Leonard won't be on the floor for the Spurs in Game 3 when their... [More]

Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra have copious amounts of championship jewelry in their possessions, and their teams committing to the level of defense necessary to win in the postseason is a major reason why that's the case.Vastly improved defense will be what both coaches demand — or at least hope for — on Monday.Popovich's San Antonio Spurs just didn't have enough answers for Golden State in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, and Spoelstra's Miami Heat offered Philadelphia absolutely no resistance in a second-half meltdown that opened their Eastern Conference series. The Warriors and 76ers are both looking to take 2-0 leads when those matchups resume on their respective home floors."We understand that we are not favorites," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We are underdogs. We talked about it, and to get a win here, we've got to overachieve. We've got to do better than we think we can do, even. So we'll fight as hard as we can in Game 2."That will have to be a mantra for both... [More]

Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra have copious amounts of championship jewelry in their possessions, and their teams committing to the level of defense necessary to win in the postseason is a major reason why that's the case.Vastly improved defense will be what both coaches demand — or at least hope for — on Monday.Popovich's San Antonio Spurs just didn't have enough answers for Golden State in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, and Spoelstra's Miami Heat offered Philadelphia absolutely no resistance in a second-half meltdown that opened their Eastern Conference series. The Warriors and 76ers are both looking to take 2-0 leads when those matchups resume on their respective home floors."We understand that we are not favorites," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We are underdogs. We talked about it, and to get a win here, we've got to overachieve. We've got to do better than we think we can do, even. So we'll fight as hard as we can in Game 2."That will have to be a mantra for both... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant is confident Golden State's struggles down the stretch might be just what makes the defending champions dominant on the postseason stage again.Maybe not quite 16-1 this time around, sure, yet plenty capable of another remarkable run."I always knew everybody on our team had a good spirit, a good energy for the game," said Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP. "We might have lost some games and had some tough stretches but that doesn't define everybody here as an individual player. I'm kind of positive on, optimistic on each of these guys and how we approach the game no matter what the score of some of those games. I'm glad we can kind of learn from those tough times and continue to move forward."The Warriors have been hurt and humbled. Beaten handily and beat up hard. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry is expected to be sidelined the entire first round with a knee injury. Four All-Stars — Curry, Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson — were out together at times,... [More]

Hey, here's something we haven't heard before.The NBA playoffs are wide open.At perhaps no other time in the league's history have so many teams gone into the postseason with a real shot at hoisting the trophy at the end of this two-month grind.From the top seeds in Houston and Toronto, to the old stalwarts in Golden State and Cleveland, to the brash up-and-comers in Philadelphia and Minnesota, there are potential storylines galore and no real way to predict how it all may shake out."We've got a chance," said LeBron James, who will be seeking his eighth straight trip to the finals. "That's all you can ask for."For pretty much the NBA's entire history, there's been little reason to tune in for the playoffs until they got to the finals. No wonder Charles Barkley became so enamored with the NHL version of the postseason — that's a sport that actually doles out some real drama once the regular season is over.The NBA?Yawn.Over the last four decades, a top-seeded team has claimed 28 championships.... [More]

Maybe this is the year.Maybe the Golden State Warriors, opening the postseason without Stephen Curry or any momentum, won't be the best of the West, where there's a Houston team that can run and gun as well as they do.Maybe the Cleveland Cavaliers, starting from the middle of the pack in the East, just have too big a hill to climb, even with LeBron James carrying them.Or perhaps none of that matters, and the NBA is headed toward Round 4 of its reigning rivalry.The postseason opens Saturday and it's far from a guarantee it ends with a record fourth straight NBA Finals matchup between the Warriors and Cavaliers. Neither was the best team in its conference during the regular season — the Cavaliers were only No. 4 in the East — and it's not hard to envision a Houston to Toronto trip replacing what's become an annual Oakland, California, to Cleveland itinerary.Then again, the Warriors could be as dangerous as ever once Curry returns from a knee injury that could have him back for the second... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday's final slate of NBA regular-season games (all times local):3:10 a.m.The NBA has released the first-round playoff schedule, and the reigning NBA champs will host the postseason opener.Game 1 between Golden State and San Antonio opens the slate on Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern — a somewhat unusual noon local time tip-off for the Warriors.The Warriors-Spurs game will followed Saturday by three other openers — Washington-Toronto, Miami-Philadelphia and New Orleans-Portland.On Sunday, the games are Milwaukee-Boston, Indiana-Cleveland, Utah-Oklahoma City and Minnesota-Houston.Game 2s will be held Monday through Wednesday.Game 3s start Thursday, and all Game 7s — if necessary — would be on April 28 and 29.For those planning way ahead, the NBA Finals are set to begin on May 31.___1:00 a.m.The NBA playoff bracket is complete.Portland beat Utah to grab the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, and that allowed the rest of the bracket to be filled in — finally. The... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday's final slate of NBA regular-season games (all times local):1:00 a.m.The NBA playoff bracket is complete.Portland beat Utah to grab the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, and that allowed the rest of the bracket to be filled in — finally. The Trail Blazers will play No. 6 New Orleans in the first round, and No. 4 Oklahoma City will have home-court advantage against the fifth-seeded Jazz.The Jazz-Blazers game was the 1,230th and final regular-season matchup of the season. Every other game on Wednesday's schedule was over before the final buzzer in Portland, meaning it took the entire schedule to determine the last two matchups in the West.___11:55 p.m.The first two of the four Western Conference first-round matchups have been set.No. 1 Houston will play No. 8 Minnesota, and No. 2 Golden State (probably with no Stephen Curry) will play No. 7 San Antonio (probably with no Kawhi Leonard).The Rockets swept four games from the Timberwolves, and the Warriors... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday's final slate of NBA regular-season games (all times local):11:55 p.m.The first two of the four Western Conference first-round matchups have been set.No. 1 Houston will play No. 8 Minnesota, and No. 2 Golden State (probably with no Stephen Curry) will play No. 7 San Antonio (probably with no Kawhi Leonard).The Rockets swept four games from the Timberwolves, and the Warriors went 3-1 against the Spurs in the regular season.The rest of the West bracket will be set based on the outcome of the Utah-Portland game. New Orleans will start on the road, regardless of the winner, and Oklahoma City — thanks to its wild 137-123 win over Memphis — could still get a top-four seed.___10:50 p.m.Minnesota is in the playoffs.Jeff Teague's jumper with just over a minute left in overtime put the Timberwolves ahead to stay, and Minnesota topped Denver 112-106 on Wednesday night to grab the final spot in the NBA playoffs.The last West spot was the only one up for grabs on... [More]

The argument happens most every year. Who is the NBA MVP?LeBron James has been the best player for most of his 15 years in the league, and he's won the award only four times. Russell Westbrook won it last year, buoyed by averaging a triple-double, yet seems to not even be in the conversation this season with very similar numbers. James Harden was a popular pick last season, saw his assist and rebound numbers dip this season, yet is generally considered the runaway favorite.Part of the issue is this: There's no clarity on how the MVP is defined.No one knows the criteria. The award ballot sent to MVP voters simply says "The winner of this award receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, named after the first Commissioner of the NBA."Is it the player most valuable to his team?Is it the player most valuable to the game?Is it the best player?Those are only some of the many gray areas.Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers has said many times over the years that James would win annually, if not for... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said Kawhi Leonard is continuing his injury rehabilitation in New York with his own team of doctors, but is unsure when the star forward and "his group" will clear him to play."I don't know when he's going to feel, he and his group are going to feel like they're ready to go," Popovich said Sunday prior to a game against Houston. "If I knew, he'd be here. When he and his group feel he's ready, he'll be ready."Leonard has missed all but nine games this season while nursing right quadriceps tendinopathy, an injury that flared up late in the offseason. He returned to the team's lineup briefly but has not played since complaining of soreness in his injured thigh following the Spurs' home win over Denver on Jan. 13.Leonard opted to go to New York this week to work with his own team of doctors for the second time this season after first working with them prior to the All-Star break in February. The Spurs' medical staff has been present for both of... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — LaMarcus Aldridge will have an MRI on his injured left knee, with the San Antonio Spurs hoping they won't be forced to try to make the playoffs without another star player.Aldridge left the Spurs' 116-106 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night with a bruised left knee, the latest blow in a season that has included Kawhi Leonard being limited to nine games with a nagging quadriceps injury. Aldridge is the biggest reason San Antonio's season hasn't been derailed by Leonard's absence — and a tough schedule ahead makes the matchup-nightmare center's status worth watching."He's been playing with that bad knee for a while now, so hopefully it's not too bad," guard Tony Parker said. "We're going to need him vs. OKC."The Spurs host the Oklahoma City on Thursday and Houston Rockets on Sunday before visiting the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. They're sixth in the Western Conference with the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, Clippers and Denver Nuggets behind them in... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Center LaMarcus Aldridge left the San Antonio Spurs' game at the Wizards with a knee injury and will not return.The team announced the bruised left knee in the third quarter after Aldridge limped off the floor late in the second Tuesday night. Aldridge did not return to the bench after halftime.Aldridge was the game's leading scorer with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting in more than 17 minutes on the floor before going off.With Kawhi Leonard limited to just nine games because of a nagging quadriceps injury, Aldridge has kept the Spurs afloat by averaging 23.2 points and 8.4 rebounds. Coach Gregg Popovich said before the game that Aldridge's success has been one of the most enjoyable parts of this season for him.___More AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Gregg Popovich is not changing how he coaches, not after 22 seasons leading the Spurs.The NBA's most tenured steward is always going to focus on defense. He's always going to dismiss talk of his brilliance because "it's just basketball." And he's not going to overwork his players even though an unprecedented rash of injuries has the Spurs battling for their playoff lives for the first time in two decades."At this point, he's not changing," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau said. "It's a formula that has worked quite well. They have great veteran leadership and they pass it along to the young guys. You see the young guys are growing. That's why they're so good."They're not as good as they have been, but their impressive success this year is a testament to Popovich.San Antonio has been without MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard for all but nine games this season and Tony Parker, Rudy Gay and Danny Green have all missed significant time with various injuries. In all, the Spurs have... [More]

This is the worst season for the San Antonio Spurs in the last 21 years.They're on pace for only 46 wins.ONLY 46 wins.That's a season fans in other many cities would celebrate wildly. Philadelphia hasn't won 46 games since 2002-03, Minnesota not since 2003-04, Sacramento not since 2004-05. Detroit hasn't had a 46-win season in the last decade. The Knicks have one in the last 17 seasons. Milwaukee reached it once in the last 16 seasons entering this year. Charlotte, once in the last 15 seasons. The Nets, once in the last 12 seasons.But this is San Antonio, the silver-and-black standard for the league, where winning 55 or 60 games and making a deep playoff run is considered as much of an annual rite as the rodeo and the Texas Folklife Festival. And even after a blowout win over Orlando on Tuesday night, the Spurs (38-30) are still on the outside of the playoff picture in the Western Conference.No need to panic just yet. The Spurs are a mere one game in the loss column behind Oklahoma City,... [More]

This is the worst season for the San Antonio Spurs in the last 21 years.They're on pace for only 46 wins.ONLY 46 wins.That's a season fans in other many cities would celebrate wildly. Philadelphia hasn't won 46 games since 2002-03, Minnesota not since 2003-04, Sacramento not since 2004-05. Detroit hasn't had a 46-win season in the last decade. The Knicks have one in the last 17 seasons. Milwaukee reached it once in the last 16 seasons entering this year. Charlotte, once in the last 15 seasons. The Nets, once in the last 12 seasons.But this is San Antonio, the silver-and-black standard for the league, where winning 55 or 60 games and making a deep playoff run is considered as much of an annual rite as the rodeo and the Texas Folklife Festival. And even after a blowout win over Orlando on Tuesday night, the Spurs (38-30) are still on the outside of the playoff picture in the Western Conference.No need to panic just yet. The Spurs are a mere one game in the loss column behind Oklahoma City,... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard plans on returning "soon" from a leg injury, after missing all but nine games so far this season.Leonard held an impromptu, four-minute press conference Wednesday following Spurs practice. He won't travel with the team on their upcoming three-game road trip to Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston.But the 26-year-old Leonard says his return is imminent."Soon. I don't have a set date right now," he said. "But I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. The progress that I'm making has been great."He's been riding a stationary bike and participating in three-on-three drills to simulate the physical contact of games, but has done so with staff members and "not my players."The Spurs have struggled without their star forward. Other teammates with various injuries have included Tony Parker, LaMarcus Aldridge, Rudy Gay, Danny Green and Kyle Anderson. San Antonio has lost seven of its last 10 games, falling from third to fifth in the Western Conference.Leonard... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard plans on returning this season and wants to remain with the Spurs for life, refuting reports of dissension with the star forward and the only franchise he has played for.Leonard has missed all but nine games this season with right quadriceps tendinopathy, which initially flared up late in the offseason.Leonard made the remarks during an impromptu, four-minute press conference Wednesday morning following Spurs practice. He will not travel with the team on the upcoming three-game road trip to Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston, but said a return is imminent."Soon," Leonard said of his return. "I don't have a set date right now, but I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing. The progress that I'm making has been great. So, I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing."He has been riding a stationary bike and participating in three-on-three drills to simulate the physical contact of games, but has done so with staff members and "not my players."Leonard denied... [More]