CLEVELAND (AP) — A person familiar with the negotiations says free agent guard David Nwaba has agreed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.Nwaba, who played for the Chicago Bulls last season, will join the Cavs once contract terms are finalized, said the person who spoke Wednesday to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because negotiations between the sides is are ongoing.Yahoo Sports first reported Nwaba's agreement.The 25-year-old Nwaba averaged 7.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 23.5 minutes in 70 games — 21 starts — for the Bulls. Chicago revoked its qualifying off to Nwaba, who received interest from Indiana as a free agent.At 6-foot-4, Nwaba is a solid defender and better-than-average shooter who will likely join Cleveland's rotation and give coach Tyronn Lue depth as the Cavs try to stay competitive following LeBron James' exit as a free agent.Nwaba previously played with the Los Angeles Lakers and in Cleveland will be reunited with former teammates Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

BOSTON (AP) — LeBron James and the depleted Cleveland Cavaliers won't get any sympathy from the Celtics when they return to Boston for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.Already laboring to reach his eighth straight NBA Finals with a supporting crew made mostly of cast-offs and throw-ins, James lost the only other All-Star on the roster on Saturday when Kevin Love was declared out for the series finale with a concussion.Now, in what could be his final game in a Cleveland uniform — again — James will have to do it largely on his own.In Boston, where the Celtics are perfect so far this postseason.And in a series where the road team hasn't really even come close."There's something different about LeBron, period," Cleveland forward Larry Nance Jr. said after James scored 46 with 11 rebounds and nine assists on Friday night to send the series to a decisive seventh game. "I think (coach Tyronn Lue) said it best: 'We're going into a Game 7 with the baddest dude on the planet on our team.'... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love won't be able to help LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 7 against the Celtics.Love was placed in the NBA's concussion protocol and the All-Star forward will miss Sunday's series finale of the Eastern Conference finals, a personal blow and yet another challenge for Cleveland to overcome.The Cavaliers said Love, who inadvertently bashed heads with Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum in the first quarter of Game 6, experienced concussion-like symptoms Saturday before the team's flight to Boston.Moments before the Cavs sent a news release updating Love's status, coach Tyronn Lue held a confusing teleconference during which he said the 29-year-old was still being evaluated and there was a possibility he could play.However, like everything else in this erratic, convoluted season for Cleveland, things changed quickly.Now, the Cavs will be without their second-leading scorer and top rebounder as they try to win their fourth straight conference title against a younger team... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love won't be able to help LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 7 against the Celtics.Love was placed in the NBA's concussion protocol and the All-Star forward will miss Sunday's series finale of the Eastern Conference finals, a personal blow and yet another challenge for Cleveland to overcome.The Cavaliers said Love experienced concussion-like symptoms Saturday before the team's flight to Boston. Moments before the Cavs sent a news release updating Love's status, coach Tyronn Lue said the 29-year-old, who inadvertently bashed heads with Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum on Friday, was still being evaluated and there was a possibility he could play.However, like everything else in this erratic, convoluted season for Cleveland, things changed quickly.Now, the Cavs will be without their second-leading scorer as they try to win their fourth straight conference title. Love is averaging 13.9 points and 10.0 rebounds in 17 playoff games, and he's the No. 2 scoring option on... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love's troubled season has twisted again.The Cavaliers All-Star forward, who has battled injuries and criticism while revealing he suffered panic attacks in the past, may have to sit out Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals after injuring his head Friday night during the first quarter of Cleveland's 109-99 win over the Boston Celtics.Love was kept out of the second half of Game 6 following his violent collision with Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum.Cleveland's medical staff checked Love for a concussion, and the team announced at halftime the 29-year-old would not return to the game as a precaution.Love has not been placed in concussion protocol, but that could change if he has an onset of symptoms — headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light — in the hours ahead. He will be re-examined Saturday before the team flies to Boston.Cavs coach Tyronn Lue did not know if he would have his second-best player for the season's biggest game as the Cavs try to win their fourth... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Boston's Marcus Morris and Cleveland's Larry Nance Jr. had to be pulled apart in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night after a hard defensive play by Morris sent Nance to the floor.Morris and Nance both went up for a pass, and the Cavaliers forward wound up crashing into the first row of seats. Morris appeared to wander over and say something, prompting Nance to jump up and body check him; Morris responded with a one-handed shove to the face.Aron Baynes and Jaylen Brown came in to break it up, and Terry Rozier put a body on Nance. After a review, the referees called technicals on Rozier, Nance and Morris. Korver made the foul shot to make it 36-20 and spark a 7-0 run.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Celtics were loose, smiling and laughing. They weren't straining to hear each other speak and there were no obnoxious Cleveland fans heckling them.All was quiet as Boston worked out Sunday.Practice isn't an issue on the road in the postseason. Playing games is the problem.Less than 24 hours after a 30-point bludgeoning at the hands of LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics did some film study and critical evaluation.They were hard on themselves."I thought it was embarrassing," Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said of Boston's 116-86 loss — and his own performance. "I thought we came out, the way I played, the way I performed, how not aggressive I was in the first half, I look at that as fuel to come out in Game 4 and be excited about it and be ready to play and ready to fight."Brown scored just 10 points — 13 below his average after two games in the series — and was in almost immediate foul trouble as the Cavs dominated while... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Celtics were loose, smiling and laughing. They weren't straining to hear each other speak and there were no obnoxious Cleveland fans heckling them.All was quiet as Boston worked out Sunday.Practice isn't an issue on the road in the postseason. Playing games is the problem.Less than 24 hours after a 30-point bludgeoning at the hands of LeBron James and the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics did some film study and critical evaluation.They were hard on themselves."I thought it was embarrassing," Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said of Boston's 116-86 loss — and his own performance. "I thought we came out, the way I played, the way I performed, how not aggressive I was in the first half, I look at that as fuel to come out in Game 4 and be excited about it and be ready to play and ready to fight."Brown scored just 10 points — 13 below his average after two games in the series — and was in almost immediate foul trouble as the Cavs dominated while... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Boston playoff star Jayson Tatum and Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue are cousins. The Cavaliers and Celtics might as well be.The Eastern Conference's top two teams have been intertwined for more than a year — from a summer blockbuster trade, from opening night, from afar.Although there were long stretches this season when it seemed at least unlikely, and maybe impossible, that the Celtics and Cavs would reach the conference finals, they're back again and meeting in the playoffs for the third time in four years.The series everyone wanted. The one few expected to see.And yet here they are: the odds-defying Celtics, guided by baby-faced coach Brad Stevens and prospering without injured stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, versus the Cavs, who despite a massive roster makeover in February are rolling as 33-year-old LeBron James enhances his legend with every game."There's been a lot that's happened throughout the season with us and for them," Cavs forward Kevin Love said Thursday... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Boston playoff star Jayson Tatum and Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue are cousins. The Cavaliers and Celtics might as well be.The Eastern Conference's top two teams have been intertwined for more than a year — from a summer blockbuster trade, from opening night, from afar.Although there were long stretches this season when it seemed at least unlikely, and maybe impossible, that the Celtics and Cavs would reach the conference finals, they're back again and meeting in the playoffs for the third time in four years.The series everyone wanted. The one few expected to see.And yet here they are: the odds-defying Celtics, guided by baby-faced coach Brad Stevens and prospering without injured stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, versus the Cavs, who despite a massive roster makeover in February are rolling as 33-year-old LeBron James enhances his legend with every game."There's been a lot that's happened throughout the season with us and for them," Cavs forward Kevin Love said Thursday... [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]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers are closer to being at full strength.Forwards Larry Nance Jr., Tristan Thompson, and Rodney Hood all returned from injuries on Friday night as Cleveland, which has been riddled with injuries all season, hosted the Phoenix Suns. Acting coach Larry Drew said none of the players will start and all will be on minutes' restrictions.Drew, who is filling in while coach Tyronn Lue is on leave to address his own health, plans to keep his starting lineup intact and ease the returning players into the rotation.LeBron James, Jose Calderon, George Hill, Jeff Green and Kevin Love were scheduled to started against Phoenix, which has lost nine in a row. Drew said he and Lue will talk again Saturday about lineup changes for the upcoming trip to Brooklyn, Miami and Charlotte."I really didn't want to disrupt the starting five that we have out there right now and those guys will be playing limited minutes, so I wanted to get them slowly back and acclimated to what we're doing,"... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The drama has included turmoil and trades, head-scratching losses, infighting, injuries and illness.Cleveland's stormy season seems extracted from the script of a scandalous TV soap opera — "All My Cavaliers."But just when it looked as if LeBron James and this group of Cavaliers, some of whom have yet to play together, were about to implode with the postseason in sight, a startling win may have turned them around."I always say there is one game during the season that changes your team," acting coach Larry Drew said following Cleveland's 132-129 win over Toronto. "That game can be early, it can be midway, it can be late. There's always one game that kind of changes your team, the mindset."And I really believe tonight's game might have done that for us."With James on a mission to remind the Raptors of his magnificence, the short-handed Cavs, missing five rotational players and coach Tyronn Lue, rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half Wednesday night to stun the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver has been excused from the team to be with family following the death of a younger brother.The team issued a statement late Tuesday night saying Korver's brother, Kirk, died earlier in the day."We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt best to Kyle and his entire family as they go through this very difficult time," the Cavs said.Korver is expected to miss Wednesday's home game against Toronto.Korver, in his second season with Cleveland, left the Cavs last week after his 27-year-old brother became seriously ill in Iowa. He played in Monday night's home win over Milwaukee, scoring 12 points.Korver's personal situation comes one day after Cavs coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team for health reasons.The Cavs have also been dealing with an assortment of injuries as Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman have been sidelined.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver has been excused from the team to be with family following the death of a younger brother.The team issued a statement late Tuesday night saying Korver's brother, Kirk, died earlier in the day."We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt best to Kyle and his entire family as they go through this very difficult time," the Cavs said.Korver is expected to miss Wednesday's home game against Toronto.Kyle Korver, who is in his second season with Cleveland, left the Cavs last week after his 27-year-old brother became seriously ill in Iowa. Korver played in Monday night's home win over Milwaukee, scoring 12 points.Korver's personal situation comes one day after Cavs coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team for health reasons. The Cavs have also been dealing with an assortment of injuries as Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman have been sidelined.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver has been excused from the team to be with family following the death of a younger brother.The team issued a statement late Tuesday night saying Korver's brother, Kirk, died earlier in the day."We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt best to Kyle and his entire family as they go through this very difficult time," the Cavs said.Korver is expected to miss Wednesday's home game against Toronto.Kyle Korver, who is in his second season with Cleveland, left the Cavs last week after his 27-year-old brother became seriously ill in Iowa. Korver played in Monday night's home win over Milwaukee, scoring 12 points.Korver's personal situation comes one day after Cavs coach Tyronn Lue stepped away from the team for health reasons. The Cavs have also been dealing with an assortment of injuries as Rodney Hood, Tristan Thompson, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman have been sidelined.

With the Houston Rockets on top of the NBA and James Harden on top of the scoring race, he may be running away with the MVP vote.Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard might have something to say about that.With stellar play steering their sizzling teams, they have at least entered their names in the conversation with a little more than a month left in the regular season.Harden has been runner-up to Stephen Curry and Russell Westbrook in recent years, but it's looked like his time this season. With more than 31 points and nearly nine assists per game — third in the league in that category — for a team with the league's best record, it's hard to imagine needing to look elsewhere."What Harden and Houston is doing right now, he's the MVP of the league right now," Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas said on NBA TV.Davis and Lillard could deserve some thought.Davis has carried New Orleans with dominant basketball since DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season last month. The Western Conference player of the... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers are getting smaller.Cleveland lost another big man on Sunday as the team said starting center Tristan Thompson sustained a sprained right ankle during Saturday's loss and is expected to miss "multiple games."Thompson's loss is another blow to the defending Eastern Conference champions, who are struggling without All-Star forward Kevin Love (broken hand) and could be without forward Jeff Green (sore back) for a few more games. Love has increased his on-court rehab but isn't expected back until the end of March.Thompson injured his heel when he was stepped on by one of Denver's players during the first half of the 126-117 loss to the Nuggets, Cleveland's fourth loss in five home games. Thompson stayed in the game and finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the team said he experienced "significant swelling" overnight and tests revealed the sprain.Thompson, one of four players remaining from the team's 2016 NBA title squad, is averaging 6.5 rebounds and... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers will be without starting center Tristan Thompson for several games because of a sprained right ankle.Thompson injured his heel when he was stepped on by one of Denver's players during the first half of Saturday's loss to the Nuggets. He stayed in the game and finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the team said he experienced "significant swelling" overnight and tests revealed the sprain. The Cavs said he will miss "multiple games."Thompson's loss is another blow for the struggling Cavs, who are already without All-Star forward Kevin Love because of a broken left hand. Love is not expected to return until the end of March.Thompson, who has bounced in and out of Cleveland's starting lineup, is averaging 6.5 rebounds and 6.3 points in 42 games — 21 starts. With Thompson out, coach Tyronn Lue will likely start Larry Nance Jr., one of four players the Cavs added through trades last month.Cleveland is 4-4 since its roster overhaul.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — As the Cavaliers experience growing pains with four new players, relief might be ahead: Kevin Love.The All-Star forward, sidelined since Jan. 29 with a broken left hand, said Friday he could return sooner than expected. The initial timetable was for him to be out two months."If I can get back before eight weeks, great," he said. "So I'm hoping that that is the case."Love's recovery has picked up speed in recent days. He's now able to catch the ball with a padded glove to protect his left hand, and the progress is such that there's less risk for re-injury."One of the things I can do now is kind of catch the ball, guide it and shoot it within 12-15 feet so that feels good to do something other than run on the treadmill or run on the bike so it's nice," he said.The Cavaliers have been transformed since the last time Love played, with their roster overhauled by three trades before the deadline. Cleveland is just 3-4 since adding guards George Hill, Jordan Clarkson... [More]