OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Chris Paul gets annoyed when the topic of the Thunder’s “surprising” success comes up.Expectations for Oklahoma City were low for many after an offseason during which the Thunder collected draft picks, traded Russell Westbrook to the Houston Rockets for Paul and sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari. Many weren’t sure if Oklahoma City’s new players would function well together — or if the group would stay together. It also wasn't clear if Paul could perform at an elite level at age 34, or if he could stay healthy. But Paul has embraced what appeared to be an undesirable situation and was named an All-Star for the 10th time. The Thunder not only stayed intact but come out of the All-Star break sixth in the Western Conference and firmly in the playoff race. Asked what skeptics might have missed when projecting Oklahoma City to be one of the worst teams in the league, Paul bluntly said, “That I was here.” Paul also... [More]

The oddsmakers in Las Vegas usually know what they’re talking about.But even they get things wrong from time to time, and this season in the NBA there have been a few notable misses from all those preseason prognostications — specifically, ones made in relation to the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder.The Grizzlies have already topped most preseason projections for their win total. The sports books had them around 27 wins, and the Ja Morant-led club already has 28 wins and is holding down the Western Conference’s No. 8 playoff spot with 28 games left.“We are just young, very athletic and just get out and run,” said Morant, a clear Rookie of the Year front-runner and probably the favorite at this point. “I feel like we all have something to prove. We just go out with this chip on our shoulder. We keep proving people wrong. But we go out every night and play together.”And the Thunder, who were expected to freefall after losing Paul George, were slotted by most books as a 32-win... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard made it look effortless, nailing one 3-pointer after another and nearly matching an All-Star Game record.The tough part came afterward. Finding the right words to express how he felt after becoming the first Kobe Bryant MVP award winner wasn't so easy.Leonard scored 30 points and hit eight 3-pointers to lead Team LeBron to a 157-155 victory over Team Giannis on Sunday night.He was presented the MVP trophy that the league renamed after Bryant on Saturday, three weeks after the Lakers great and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among the nine people killed when their helicopter crashed near Los Angeles. “It's very special,” Leonard said. “Like I said, I had a relationship with him. Words can't explain how happy I am for it. Able to put that trophy in my room, in my trophy room, and just be able to see Kobe's name on there, it just means a lot to me. He's a big inspiration in my life. He did a lot for me.”Bryant had a huge presence over the first All-Star festivities... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game (all times local):10:35 p.m. Kawhi Leonard scored 30, LeBron James scored 23 and Chicago product Anthony Davis finished with 20 points after hitting the winning free throw to lift Team LeBron to a 157-155 victory over Team Giannis in the All-Star game.Leonard, who was named the Kobe Bryant All-Star MVP, made eight 3-pointers to finish one shy of Paul George's All-Star record in 2016. Davis missed the first attempt, then sank the winning free throw, after Kyle Lowry grabbed him as he attempted to catch a pass in the paint.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 for his team.The winning team needed to reach 157 points after Team Giannis grabbed a 133-124 cumulative lead through the first three quarters. 9:50 p.m.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 points and Team Giannis leads Team LeBron 133-124 after three quarters even though Kawhi Leonard is closing in on the record for most 3-pointers in an All-Star Game.The teams tied 41-all in the third... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game (all times local):9:50 p.m.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 points and Team Giannis leads Team LeBron 133-124 after three quarters even though Kawhi Leonard is closing in on the record for most 3-pointers in an All-Star Game.The teams tied 41-all in the third quarter, after Team LeBron matched an All-Star scoring record while taking the first quarter 53-41 and Team Giannis bounced back in the second 51-30.The first team to reach 157 points will win the game.Rudy Gobert scored 21 points in all and 12 in the quarter, including a a tying alley-oop dunk off a feed from Trae Young in the closing seconds. Russell Westbrook then missed a runner at the buzzer for Team LeBron.Leonard has 28 points and is 8 for 13 on 3-pointers. He needs one from beyond the arc to tie Paul George's All-Star record in 2016.8:50 p.m.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 14 points and Team Giannis took the second quarter 51-30 after dropping the opener even though... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Latest on Sunday night's NBA All-Star Game (all times local):8:50 p.m.Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 14 points and Team Giannis took the second quarter 51-30 after dropping the opener even though Kawhi Leonard closed in on the record for most 3-pointers in an All-Star Game.After Team LeBron matched an All-Star record for scoring while winning the first quarter 53-41, Team Giannis returned the favor in the second.Antetokounmpo, the reigning league MVP, threw down dunk after dunk and ended the half with 20 points in all. And Trae Young nailed a shot from just inside halfcourt as the second quarter ended.Leonard, meanwhile, combined to score 25 and nail 7 of 10 3-pointers in the half. He needs two 3's to tie Paul George's All-Star record in 2016.Team Giannis holds a 92-83 lead over Team LeBron at the half.8:15 p.m.Kawhi Leonard scored 12 points and Team LeBron matched an All-Star Game record for scoring in a quarter, beating Team Giannis 53-41 in the opening period.A four-time... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA fined Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers $35,000 on Thursday, two days after he was critical of the officiating after his team lost to the Philadelphia 76ers.The NBA said George was fined those comments, and noted that the amount of the fine “also reflects his multiple prior violations of the rule prohibiting public criticism of the officiating."This marks at least the fifth time George has been fined in his career for such comments, and this came with the stiffest fine — topping the $25,000 he was docked on two other occasions.George pointed out the Clippers were called for eight more fouls than Philadelphia n the 76ers' 110-103 win at home, referring to that disparity as “home-court cooking."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Red roses adorned the courtside seats where Kobe and Gianna Bryant sat at the last Los Angeles Lakers game they attended. On the overhead video board, photos of Bryant in action for the Lakers alternated with those of the other seven people who were killed alongside him and his 13-year-old daughter in a helicopter crash.Friday night at Staples Center was unlike any other.Later on, there would be a basketball game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Lakers, their first since Bryant's death on Sunday. But in the couple hours leading up to the game there was mostly silence. The electric atmosphere that surges through the arena before NBA games was nowhere to be felt. Media talked quietly among themselves without the usual music playing. Somber ushers took up their positions with black ribbons attached to their purple work shirts. Grief counseling was offered to arena staff and one female usher pulled tissues out of her pocket that had been provided.Inside the Lakers locker... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A large crowd of fans continued to gather outside Staples Center to express their grief over the death of Kobe Bryant before the Lakers' game Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers. It was the Lakers' first game since Bryant, his 13-year old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash Sunday.Daniel Torres of Long Beach did not have a ticket to the game, but decided to come down to the arena to view the makeshift memorials and thoughts that fans wrote about the Lakers legend. “I grew up with Kobe. I’m not a very emotional person but I’ve been crying all week,” said Torres, who was wearing a Bryant jersey from Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania. “I can’t believe the outpouring and how many people loved him.”The Lakers will be wearing a “KB” patch on their jerseys while his retired No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys are emblazoned on the court. Fans on one side of the arena will be wearing shirts with Bryant’s No. 8 while the other side will be wearing No.... [More]

Editors:To help you with planning for Kobe Bryant, here are some of our plans. This advisory is subject to change and will be routinely updated. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times Eastern.Friday, Jan. 31BKN—KOBE BRYANT-CLIPPERS-LAKERS TRIBUTELOS ANGELES — All-Star forward Paul George narrated a 2-minute video tribute to Kobe Bryant before the Los Angeles Clippers faced the Sacramento Kings Thursday night. It was the first basketball game at Staples Center since Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in Sunday's helicopter crash. The Clippers celebration was a precursor to the Lakers tribute to Bryant Friday night when his former teams plays its first game since his death. SENT: 500 words, photos. DEVELOPINGBKN—KOBE BRYANT-ALL-STAR TRIBUTEComing to the NBA All-Star Game: No. 24, Giannis Antetokounmpo and No. 2, LeBron James.... [More]

Editors:To help you with planning for Kobe Bryant, here are some of our plans. This advisory is subject to change and will be routinely updated. For up-to-the minute information on AP's coverage, visit Coverage Plan at https://newsroom.ap.org Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times Eastern.Friday, Jan. 31BKN—KOBE BRYANT-CLIPPERS-LAKERS TRIBUTELOS ANGELES — All-Star forward Paul George narrated a 2-minute video tribute to Kobe Bryant before the Los Angeles Clippers faced the Sacramento Kings Thursday night. It was the first basketball game at Staples Center since Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in Sunday's helicopter crash. The Clippers celebration was a precursor to the Lakers tribute to Bryant Friday night when his former teams plays its first game since his death. SENT: 500 words, photos. DEVELOPINGBKN—TRAIL BLAZERS-LAKERSLOS ANGELES — The Lakers return to action for the first time since Kobe Bryant's death and since... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The first NBA game at Staples Center since Kobe Bryant's death was difficult for the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings. When the Los Angeles Lakers return to the court Friday night, that will be even more emotional.Clippers forward Paul George narrated a 2-minute video tribute to Bryant before Thursday night's loss to the Kings. Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in Southern California.Bryant's retired No. 8 and No. 24 Lakers jerseys were left uncovered in the upper left corner of the arena. Following the video tribute, there was 24 seconds of silence followed by “Kobe, Kobe” chants before the national anthem.The Clippers wore No. 24 shooting shirts during pregame warmups, while coach Doc Rivers and his staff wore ties and shoes honoring Bryant.“I'm glad it's behind us. This will help us a little bit,” Rivers said.The tribute was a preamble to the Lakers' return to Staples Center on Friday night against... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — All-Star forward Paul George narrated a 2-minute video tribute to Kobe Bryant before the Los Angeles Clippers faced the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night. It was the first basketball game at Staples Center since Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in Sunday's helicopter crash in Calabasas.George, who grew up in the Los Angeles area, said during the video: “We gather tonight in the house that Kobe Bryant built to honor and remember him. He was as synonymous with Southern California as the sunshine and touched every inch of it." Bryant's retired No. 8 and 24 Lakers jerseys were left uncovered in the upper left corner of Staples Center. Following the video tribute, there was 24 seconds of silence followed by “Kobe, Kobe” chants before the national anthem.The tribute was a preamble to the Lakers' return to Staples Center Friday night for their first game since Bryant's death. Their game Tuesday against the Clippers was postponed out of respect... [More]

The All-Star Game is going to have plenty of new faces.The NBA released the list of the players Thursday voted by the league’s head coaches as reserves for the Feb. 16 game in Chicago, including six who will be All-Stars for the first time.Kyle Lowry of the NBA champion Toronto Raptors is headed back to the game, as are Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Houston’s Russell Westbrook and — for the first time since 2016 — Oklahoma City’s Chris Paul.The other reserves are all first-time selections: Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Indiana’s Domantas Sabonis, New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram and the Utah duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.“Definitely it is an honor,” Tatum said in a statement. “I am extremely blessed and grateful. Third year, to make the All-Star team, it is a surreal feeling. I’m just very excited and it is a dream come true.”Those six — combined with starters Pascal Siakam,... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers were missing three starters for Wednesday night's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Kawhi Leonard wasn't playing because of left knee injury management, while Patrick Beverly was sidelined after leaving the previous night's victory at Dallas with a groin injury. Paul George was out for the seventh straight game with a left hamstring strain. The Hawks also were without their best player. Trae Young, averaging 29.2 points, was sidelined with a right thigh contusion.Lou Williams and Terance Mann started for the Clippers in place of Leonard and Beverly. Recently acquired Jeff Teague got the nod at point guard for the Hawks.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clippers forward Paul George was sitting out the team's game against the Golden State Warriors after he strained his left hamstring during practice Wednesday.Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers termed the injury as “mild” and said the early prognosis is that it shouldn't keep the 6-foot-8 All-Star forward out of many games. “Just guarding. Nothing violent, which you knew it wasn’t bad, but he felt something and walked over to me and said, ‘I think I feel something in my hamstring,’" Rivers said Friday. “And I, being a doctor, I said I think you should go see the trainer."George is averaging 23.5 points per game for the Clippers (26-12), who went into Friday's game third in the Western Conference and trailing the Lakers by 4 1/2 games.This will be the 13th game George has missed. He was out for the first 11 to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery and missed last Saturday's contest against Memphis due to left hamstring tightness.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Once Russell Westbrook headed to Houston, the Oklahoma City Thunder were supposed to be headed toward a rebuild.The team Westbrook returns to face this week doesn’t look like a team headed for the lottery. It’s playing like one Westbrook might see again in the postseason.The Thunder welcome back their former point guard Thursday, with both doing just fine since going their separate ways last summer.That’s not a surprise for Westbrook, given that he was sent to join former MVP — and one-time Oklahoma City teammate — James Harden on a high-scoring contender. He has scored 20 or more points in 12 straight games, with three straight of at least 30 late last month, and averaged 27.8 in that span to raise his average to 24.1.He said his return would be emotional because of how much Oklahoma City and the organization meant to him, but he didn't want to detail much leading into it. “I don’t want to get that much into before the game and on and on, but after the game we can discuss whatever you... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul George won't play for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Memphis Grizzlies because of left hamstring tightness.The team ruled him out before Saturday's day game at Staples Center. Coach Doc Rivers says it's possible George could return Sunday against the New York Knicks in the second game of a back-to-back, also a day game. After that, the Clippers are idle until hosting Golden State next Friday.George got hurt during a 126-112 win over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday. He finished with 12 points before leaving late in the second quarter and didn't return.Also sitting out Saturday was guard Patrick Beverley, who missed his third straight game with a sprained right wrist. Rivers said he is close to returning.It's been that kind of a season so far for the Clippers, who've had their full roster healthy and available for just one game. Injuries and load management, primarily involving Kawhi Leonard, have forced Rivers to juggle lineups, which has hampered developing team chemistry.“I tell you why I think it hurts the most, the continuity that we need to be a champion, to me, is hard to work on or even have because you don't have time (together),” Rivers said. "I'm not worried about it yet, but it is actually on my mind for sure."___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers were resilient and dominant in the second half to put away the Los Angeles Lakers, using the NBA’s marquee Christmas game to show why the city and the Western Conference might belong to them this season. Kawhi Leonard scored 11 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and had 12 rebounds and five assists to help the Clippers beat Lakers 111-106 on Wednesday night.The Clippers trailed by 12 points at halftime, by 15 in the third quarter, and by seven in the fourth quarter with 6:39 remaining, but they rallied to improve to 2-0 against the Lakers this season.“And we didn’t flinch,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “Like, we just kind of hung in there. Almost felt like we were biding our time and just trying to make a run. That’s something you have to have when things aren’t going great for you. You just got to hang in there, and I thought we did that tonight.”Leonard set a franchise record for points on Christmas, and he became the 10th player in NBA... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 11 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter and had 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-106 on Wednesday night in the NBA’s marquee Christmas game.Montrezl Harrell had 18 points off the bench, Paul George added 17 and the Clippers improved to 2-0 against the Lakers this season.Kyle Kuzma led Los Angeles with 25 points. LeBron James had 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, and Anthony David had 24 points. The Lakers have lost four straight games.Los Angeles had a chance to tie in the final seconds, but video review showed James touched the ball last after Patrick Beverly knocked it away as James went up for a 3. George hit two free throws for the final margin. Lou Williams made two free throws — after a questionable foul call against Davis for tapping the swingman after his transition layup rimmed out — to give the Clippers a 105-103 lead with 3:29 Leonard, who had a 3 to cap a 7-0 run and tie it at 101 with 5:14 remaining, then made four late free throws.TIP-INS Clippers: Williams had six points and seven rebounds. ... The Clippers had a 50-42 edge in rebounds.Lakers: The Lakers bench outscored the Clippers' backups 49-36. … James played in 14th Christmas Day game, second in NBA history to Kobe Bryant at 16.UP NEXTClippers: Host Utah on Saturday night.Lakers: At Portland on Saturday night.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports