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]

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) — The Spurs are preparing to play without star forward Kawhi Leonard this season, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.Leonard has missed all but nine games this season as he battles right quadriceps tendinopathy."We only have X number of games left this season and he's still not ready to go," Popovich said Wednesday. "And if by some chance he is, it's going to be pretty late into the season and it's going to be a tough decision. How late do you bring somebody back? That's why I'm just trying to be honest and logical. I'll be surprised if he gets back this year."Tendinopathy is a disease of the tendon that includes tenderness and pain, particularly during exercise.Leonard began experiencing discomfort in his leg late in the offseason, which caused him to sit out the team's training camp and preseason. Neither Leonard nor the team knew the severity of the injury, which forced the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year to miss the first 27 games of the season.Leonard... [More]

LeBron James had a trophy in his hands and a smile on his face.That was Sunday at the All-Star Game, when James again rose above the NBA's best in winning a game and MVP honors.What he really wants is to be celebrating in the postseason, not midseason.The NBA's sprint to the finish begins Thursday with James riding high but starting again from back in the pack as Cleveland tries to catch Toronto and Boston in the Eastern Conference."We just added four new guys before the break, and we have a lot of work to do," James said. "So I really don't like to think that too far ahead. But obviously winning championships is what it's all about. That's what this league is all about and hopefully at the end of the road then I have the Cavs there to actually compete for one, to be in a finals representing the East."The Golden State Warriors are also in the unusual position of pursuers, after red-hot Houston passed them for the league's best record with 10 straight wins leading into the All-Star break.... [More]

Coaches get fired. Players get fired up.A lot happens over the course of the NBA season. In this wacky week, it came in one day.The Cavaliers lost more games and apparently some patience with Kevin Love, and Jason Kidd lost his job in Milwaukee. Not even the stoic Spurs were immune on the manic Monday, with ESPN reporting there were differences between Kawhi Leonard and the team due to frustration in his recovery from a quadriceps injury.In a time of turbulence around the NBA, the only smooth sailing, it seems, remains by the Bay Area.The Golden State Warriors seem to be drama free, in part because of lessons Steve Kerr learned while playing for Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson. They understood that losing games didn't mean having to lose control, and their championship teams weathered whatever storms popped up quickly and quietly."Wonderful balance of this is our job and we should be passionate about it, we should work our tails off every day and we should be competitive and want to win... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kawhi Leonard is headed back to the sidelines, and he'll stay there until his leg is ready.The San Antonio Spurs decided to shut their All-Star forward down Wednesday, saying Leonard would be out indefinitely as he continues his recovery from injury."We didn't feel he was ready. His confidence level wasn't there, so we decided to give it some more time," coach Gregg Popovich said before the Spurs played the Brooklyn Nets.Leonard has played in just nine games after missing the beginning of the season because of right quadriceps tendinopathy. He also was sidelined briefly because of a shoulder injury.Popovich said Leonard hadn't sustained another injury, but also didn't seem confident in his ability to play at the level that had him finishing third in the voting for NBA MVP last season."He didn't reinjure it or anything but he was having pain, but not right after games, but maybe the next day at noon or that kind of thing and so the pain wasn't dissipating," Popovich said.... [More]

Isaiah Thomas' debut with Cleveland last week came with the same rules as when Kawhi Leonard rejoined the Spurs.His coach could use him, just not too much.Both were playing under the dreaded minute restrictions, which coaches learn to accept but will never learn to love."It really is a pain in the neck," San Antonio's Gregg Popovich said.Popovich has dealt with it this season with Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green. In their cases, as well as Thomas, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and others returning from injuries, the team's medical staff gives the coach guidelines for how much workload they can handle and how often — a challenge even for a coach who's been at the forefront of resting players."It's difficult because it's very strange to try to figure out rotations. You can't do it," Popovich said. "You want to put somebody on the court, but you can't because of minutes, so you put somebody else on the court that shouldn't be on the court based on matchups or what you're trying to do defensively... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid went from doubtful to dominant, using a sprained right hand that nearly sidelined him to instead rock the rim, swat shots and stop the Spurs."I want to be out there with them. I don't want to quit on them," Embiid said.Ruled out by the 76ers before tipoff, Embiid made the call to push through and play, and then dealt San Antonio a rare bad hand in Philadelphia. Embiid had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 76ers to a 112-106 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night.The Sixers needed all 35 minutes from Embiid to knock off short-handed San Antonio and snap a 12-game losing streak to the Spurs.It was the same old Embiid during the 76ers' fast start. He grabbed a rebound and had a putback for the first score of the game and had six points and six rebounds in the first quarter.He slammed home an alley-oop in the third and never even looked at his hand as he sank a free throw to finish the play."I was fine. Nothing to worry about," Embiid said.Embiid, who blocked... [More]