SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James fought back tears. Former President Bill Clinton offered condolences. Craig Sager's daughter tweeted that she was "just sick" over the news.Such is the regard that so many, from so many walks of life, have for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose 67-year-old wife, Erin, died Wednesday after a long battle with a respiratory problem.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."Added San Antonio's Tony Parker: "It puts everything in perspective. It's way bigger than basketball."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with Game 3 in San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for the game. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Clinton reached out on Twitter to the coach and his daughters: "I join the NBA... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers look loose and sound confident.They were laughing, smiling and joking around at practice Thursday as turned to a new task — protecting their home court this weekend against LeBron James.Sure, his sensational 46-point, 12-rebound effort in Game 2 exposed flaws in Indiana's defense and allowed Cleveland to even the series, but it sure didn't shake the faith of the fearless Pacers."It's a good sign when you lose by three and the best player in the world has a game like that," Indiana point guard Darren Collison said.The Pacers shouldn't be rattled.They are 4-2 against the three-time defending Eastern Conference champs this season, fought back from an early 18-point deficit Wednesday with Victor Oladipo in foul trouble and still had a chance to tie the score on Oladipo's wide-open 3-pointer with 27 seconds left.They still can seize control of the series by winning the next two in Indianapolis.To avoid such a plight, the Cavs could give their star player... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James fought back tears. Former President Bill Clinton offered condolences. Craig Sager's daughter tweeted that she was "just sick" over the news.Such is the regard that so many, from so many walks of life, have for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose 67-year-old wife, Erin, died Wednesday after a long battle with a respiratory problem.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."Added San Antonio's Tony Parker: "It puts everything in perspective. It's way bigger than basketball."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with the playoff series shifting to San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for Game 3. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Clinton reached out on Twitter to the coach and his daughters:... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — LeBron James fought back tears. Former President Bill Clinton offered condolences. Craig Sager's daughter tweeted that she was "just sick" over the news.Such is the regard that so many, from so many walks of life, have for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, whose 67-year-old wife, Erin, died Wednesday after a long battle with a respiratory problem.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."Added San Antonio's Tony Parker: "It puts everything in perspective. It's way bigger than basketball."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with the playoff series shifting to San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for Game 3. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Clinton reached out on Twitter to the coach and his daughters:... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The death of the wife of San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has brought an outpouring of support across the NBA.Erin Popovich died Wednesday at 67, the team said without disclosing details. Her death came after a long illness, the San Antonio Express-News reported.Spurs star Manu Ginobili says the team is "devastated, we are all hurting." But the players will "go out there and compete" and respect Popovich's philosophy of playing with "fire" and "determination."The Spurs trail the Golden State Warriors 2-0 in the first round, with the playoff series shifting to San Antonio on Thursday night. The 69-year-old coach — one of the NBA's most respected figures — ran practice Wednesday but will not be on the sideline for Game 3. Assistant Ettore Messina will coach the team.Spurs general manager RC Buford said at Thursday's shootaround he spoke to Popovich in the morning and he's "overwhelmed by the support.""Erin and Gregg were best friends who were together for 40 years,... [More]

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The NBA is paying tribute to the wife of San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.Erin Popovich died Wednesday at 67, the team said. Her death came after a long illness, the San Antonio Express-News reported.LeBron James, who was playing Game 2 of Cleveland's first-round series against Indiana, was visibly upset when told after the game."Obviously, I'm a huge Pop fan. I love Pop. That's such a tragedy," James said during his postgame interview on TNT. "My best wishes go out to Pop and his family. That's devastating news."The NBA family, we all stick together. I know we compete every night. But something like this happens, it puts everything in perspective."Popovich is the current Olympic men's basketball coach. James calls him a "mastermind of the game" and has said he'd consider playing for the U.S. team under Popovich at the 2020 Tokyo Games after skipping the Rio Olympics.Popovich has coached San Antonio since 1996, leading the Spurs to five NBA titles. San Antonio trails... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue has tweaked his starting lineup for Game 2 against Indiana.Lue will start forwards J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver over Jeff Green and Rodney Hood as the Cavs try to even their Eastern Conference series on Wednesday night.Green went 0 for 7 from the field and missed his three free throws in the opener. Hood scored nine points, but he was excused from shootaround Wednesday as his wife gave birth to twins.Lue had wanted to start Korver in Game 1, but the elite shooter has been slowed by a sore right foot.The Cavaliers started slowly in the opener and were beaten 98-80 by the Pacers, who snapped Cleveland's 14-game winning streak in first-round games and a 21-game winning streak by LeBron James in playoff-opening series.Lue has spent the entire season shuffling lineups due to injuries and three trades at the Feb. 8 deadline.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Paul George has found his shot.Actually, the Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star has been on a roll heading into the playoffs.In the five regular season games in April, he averaged 27.6 points and made 41 percent of his 3-pointers and 90 percent of his free throws. He closed the regular season with a 40-point outburst against Memphis.He kept it up in OKC's playoff opener, scoring 36 points and setting a Thunder playoff record with eight 3-pointers as Oklahoma City beat Utah 116-108 .It took George a minute to consistently take the scoring pressure off Russell Westbrook. He struggled on offense right after the All-Star break and said he couldn't find his shot."To his credit, when he was going through a little bit of that slump where he wasn't shooting the ball particularly well, he really put extra work in," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "I felt like he was really driven and focused to work his way through it."A couple of former OKC standouts are also thriving early in... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — They've spent the entire season on the fringe, virtually ignored by all but the most savvy fans and NBA insiders.They don't have any household names or any superstars on their roster, just one All-Star and a role player best known for foolish on-court antics.But as the Indiana Pacers strolled quietly into practice on Monday at Quicken Loans Arena, a building they silenced less than 24 hours earlier with an eye-catching playoff win in Game 1 over the Cavaliers, there was something unmistakable about them.They're confident — and they're no longer a secret."People didn't expect us to do this well," Pacers forward Thaddeus Young said, leaning back in a cushioned chair at the end of Indiana's bench. "We like that. That's what kind of drives our motor a little bit, being overlooked and no one expecting us to do what we're currently doing."The Pacers were the better team — by far — on Sunday, leading from tip to final horn in a 98-80 victory over Cleveland that snapped a 21-game... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James has mastered the first-round knockout.Better protect those chins, Pacers.One of the most dominant postseason players in NBA history, James is undefeated in Game 1 of any opening series, a perfect 12-0 since making his playoff debut with the Cavaliers back in 2006.James is a ridiculous 48-7 overall in the first round with seven sweeps, and his teams in Miami and Cleveland have ripped off 21 consecutive opening-round victories, a winning streak that stretches to 2012 in his second season with the Heat. Since rejoining the Cavs in 2015, he's 12-0 in Round 1.Facing him means an early exit.But while all those overbearing facts would seem to give Cleveland a huge advantage against Indiana in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference series that starts Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena, James isn't taking the Pacers lightly. They beat the Cavs three times during the regular season and guard Victor Oladipo and Co. have enough talent to maybe upset the No. 4 seed."It's... [More]

With the NBA playoffs starting Saturday, here are 10 things to know:LEBRON'S STREAKPacers fans, avert your eyes.LeBron James hasn't experienced losing a first-round game in nearly six years.James' teams have won 21 consecutive opening-round contests, a streak that started in Game 5 of the Miami-New York series in 2012. Combining his Cleveland and Miami years, James' teams have won 46 of their last 51 first-round games.James and the Cavs play Indiana in the first round this season.MORE LEBRONJames could set a slew of NBA records in these playoffs.He's already the all-time postseason leader in points, is seven steals from passing Scottie Pippen (395) for the playoff record in that department, is four shots from passing Kobe Bryant (4,499) for another career postseason mark.Depending on how long Cleveland's postseason lasts, James also has a shot at passing Ray Allen (385) for career postseason 3-pointers; he's 55 shy of taking over the No. 1 spot there. And if the Cavs make a deep run James... [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]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James emerged from a chaotic, complex season unscathed — better than ever.Still the NBA's undisputed king.Despite no longer having Kyrie Irving at his side. Despite an injury-riddled season in which the Cavaliers' roster morphed twice and despite being surrounded by a supporting cast that included rookies and just three holdovers from Cleveland teams he dragged to three straight NBA Finals, James played every game and powered through his 15th pro season like it was another helpless defender in the lane.By investing millions into maintaining his body and with a work ethic that has pushed him since childhood, James seems intent on challenging basketball's natural cycle of aging.At 33, and on the eve of making a run at his eighth straight Finals, James is not slowing down. He remains the game's best all-around player, most dominant force. Still, the one to beat. Still, the player most capable of carrying a team to playoff victories. Still, the most likely player — sorry... [More]

With the NBA playoffs starting Saturday, here's 10 things to know:LEBRON'S STREAKPacers fans, avert your eyes.LeBron James hasn't experienced losing a first-round game in nearly six years.James' teams have won 21 consecutive opening-round contests, a streak that started in Game 5 of the Miami-New York series in 2012. Combining his Cleveland and Miami years, James' teams have won 46 of their last 51 first-round games.James and the Cavs play Indiana in the first round this season.MORE LEBRONJames could set a slew of NBA records in these playoffs.He's already the all-time postseason leader in points, is seven steals from passing Scottie Pippen (395) for the playoff record in that department, is four shots from passing Kobe Bryant (4,499) for another career postseason mark.Depending on how long Cleveland's postseason lasts, James also has a shot at passing Ray Allen (385) for career postseason 3-pointers; he's 55 shy of taking over the No. 1 spot there. And if the Cavs make a deep run James... [More]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — And now the real season begins for the Los Angeles Lakers.At least that's what the fans of the 16-time NBA champions repeatedly have been told while Los Angeles missed the playoffs and finished with a losing record for the fifth consecutive year.Ever since they took over the Lakers' basketball operations a year ago, Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka have founded their rebuilding project around the acquisition of one or two elite free agents this summer — or next summer, they've recently amended.Magic firmly believes the Lakers' championship pedigree, glamorous location and salary cap room for two enormous contracts can attract superstars near the primes of their careers to lift one of the NBA's cornerstone franchises back to its accustomed heights. The Lakers had only missed the playoffs five previous times in their first 65 years of existence before they doubled that number during this dismal half-decade.But while the pursuit of Paul George and LeBron... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — With the playoffs just days away, Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue typically would have his lineup rotations set by now.Nothing has been typical about this season for the Cavs.Lue said Thursday that he plans to use a 10-player rotation for Cleveland's opening-round series against the Indiana Pacers, but that things could change depending on injuries, matchups and performances."I will play 10," Lue said after the Cavaliers watched film on the Pacers, who went 3-1 against Cleveland this season. "We'll just see how it looks and if one guy is not great this round, then it might be nine."Lue and his staff have been juggling lineups and using different combinations on the floor for months, forced to adjust and re-adjust, first because of injuries and then by a slew of trades that transformed the team.Lue refused to name his full starting lineup for Sunday's Game 1. He revealed previously that four of them will be LeBron James, Kevin Love, Jeff Green and George Hill.... [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]

Editors:To help you with the upcoming NBA postseason, here are some of AP's plans. Please direct questions to Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org). Times are ET. This digest will be updated.PLAYOFF COVERAGE— Each series will get a preview, 650-750 words.— Game coverage will follow the regular-season format, with final updates of about 750 words. Sidebars on merit.— During the early rounds, we will again move BKN--TIPOFF each day until the conference finals, featuring the top story lines looking ahead to the next day's games.— Team wrapups will move the day after the regular season in most cases.___UPCOMING FEATURESBKN--PLAYOFFS SETMIAMI — Finally, the brackets will be set. A race that went to the end in both conferences — just to decide who got in out West, and to decide who plays who in the East — is over, and the long road to the NBA Finals is now underway. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 3 a.m. THURSDAYBKN--WARRIORS-DIFFERENT PATHOAKLAND, Calif. — Stephen Curry... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry on the sidelines again, this time with a hurt knee. No longer the sure-thing No. 1 seed. Steve Kerr piecing together rotations based on who's available through illness and injury.It hasn't exactly been an easy course this season for the defending NBA champions.The Golden State Warriors are used to being the best out West, a top target that everyone in the NBA seeks to unseat.It's just a little different this time.Not that Kerr is overly concerned. Golden State's coach thinks the Warriors will be just fine when they open their best-of-seven series against No. 7 seed San Antonio at home Saturday afternoon."We're going to have new life when the playoffs start. And I'm well aware of what a long, difficult season it's been," he said. "So many things have been thrown at us here the last month, especially all the injuries, which have really shaken up our rotation. That's made it difficult on everybody and our players. But they're fighting and that's the main... [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]