HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden forced his way out of Houston without bringing the Rockets an NBA title. Now that he’s in Brooklyn, the Rockets hope the huge haul of draft picks they received in the trade will allow them to chase championships in the future. “Our goal remains unchanged,” general manager Rafael Stone said Sunday, addressing the trade for the first time. “I think we’re well-positioned to develop something really special.” Houston dealt Harden to the Nets last week, a day after he said the Rockets weren't “good enough,” in a four-team trade that also involved Cleveland and Indiana. The Rockets didn’t receive a franchise cornerstone in the deal but got many draft picks that should position them to build a talented roster. The Rockets received Brooklyn’s unprotected first-round picks in 2022, 2024 and 2026 and the right to swap first-round selections with the Nets in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. Houston also got Milwaukee’s 2022 first-round pick from Cleveland. Houston acquired three... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Toronto Raptors got another big lift from their bench and won consecutive games for the first time this season. Chris Boucher, Kyle Lowry and Fred Van Fleet converted eight straight free throws in the final two minutes Saturday night, helping Toronto beat the Charlotte Hornets 116-113. Norman Powell led the Raptors with 24 points, and Boucher added 20 points and nine rebounds. Both came off the bench. “I think we're starting to understand what we have to do,” said Powell, who played 28 minutes and made six 3-pointers. “Guys are getting more comfortable with the flow of the game. That's what you try to do early in the season.” Gordon Heyward scored 25 points and Terry Rozier added 24 for the Hornets, losers of three straight, two of them against the Raptors in the last three nights. P.J. Washington finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Devonte Graham had 20 points and seven assists.. The Hornets had a chance to tie or take the lead but were called for a 24-second... [More]

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chris Boucher, Kyle Lowry and Fred Van Fleet converted eight straight free throws in the final two minutes Saturday night, helping Toronto beat the Charlotte Hornets, 116-113 for the Raptors first two-game win streak of the season. Norman Powell led the Raptors with 24 points, and Boucher added 20 points and nine rebounds. Gordon Heyward scored 25 points and Terry Rozier added 24 for the Hornets, losers of three straight. P.J. Washington finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Hornets had a chance to tie or take the lead but were called for a 24-second violation with 14.8 seconds left. Van Fleet's two free throws with 13.3 seconds left put the Raptors up 114-110, and after Devonte Graham's 3-pointer brought Charlotte within a point, Boucher answered with two free throws. Rozier missed a long 3-point try just before the final horn. After missing eight of their first nine shots and falling behind 14-2, the Raptors got the 3s to drop, as seven players hit 13 from long... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert's debut with the Indiana Pacers has been put on hold indefinitely after an MRI revealed a small mass on his left kidney. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard made the announcement Saturday, three days after LeVert became part of a blockbuster, four-team deal that sent perennial All-Star James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets. Pritchard did not provide details of the diagnosis including whether it was cancerous and declined to establish a timeline for LeVert's return. “In the medical process we’ve done, we were able to find something that could help this kid and give him a better and clean prognosis for the rest of his life," Pritchard said on a Zoom call Saturday. “It’s an incredible story, and it's something we don't take lightly." It also didn't scuttle the big trade though Houston and Cleveland, the fourth team involved, agreed to throw in future, unspecified second-round picks to keep... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers will be without newly acquired Caris LeVert indefinitely after an MRI showed a mass on his left kidney during a physical to complete this week's blockbuster four-team trade. Team officials made the announcement Saturday on Twitter. They say he will undergo more tests and additional details will be released at a later date. “On behalf of my family and myself, we want to thank the Indiana Pacers for their support and guidance," LeVert said in a statement. “We are grateful for their extreme thoroughness during the physical process and I am looking forward to joining the team and being part of this great organization as soon as possible.” The 26-year-old LeVert was acquired Wednesday in the deal that sent Harden to the Brooklyn Nets and two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to Houston. LeVert was expected to replace Oladipo and help replace forward T.J. Warren, who is out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. It's unclear... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden will start Saturday night in his Brooklyn Nets debut against the Orlando Magic. The three-time NBA scoring champion became available to play earlier in the day after all the players in the blockbuster trade that sent him from Houston to Brooklyn completed their physicals. Nets coach Steve Nash immediately put Harden into the starting lineup. He said he would determine as the game goes along whether he needed to limit the All-Star guard's minutes, saying the Nets “don’t want to run the batteries down on our new Christmas present this early.” Harden has not practiced with the Nets and Nash said the team would try to keep things simple Saturday, though expected Harden to catch on quickly. “James is a brilliant basketball player, so he’s going to figure out how to make problems for the defense no matter what we do just being on the floor,” Nash said. Harden had been listed as questionable to play before the Nets upgraded him to available about two hours before the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Brooklyn Nets say James Harden is available for their game against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. Harden had been listed as questionable to play while the players involved in the trade that sent him from Houston to Brooklyn on Thursday awaited completion of their physicals. The Nets upgraded him to available about two hours before the game. That came around the same time that the Indiana Pacers announced they had acquired Caris LeVert, the Nets guard who was part of the deal that also included Cleveland. The Nets remained without Kyrie Irving for a sixth straight game after he left the team for personal reasons. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo has a plan to end his growing struggles from the foul line. “It’s simple,” the reigning two-time MVP said Friday night after making just one of his 10 free throws in a 112-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. “Just go back. Shoot more. Focus on your technique. Take it step by step. Just shoot more. That’s it. The more you shoot, the more you work on it, the better you get. There’s no secret in that.” According to Elias Sports Bureau, Antetokounmpo’s 1-of-10 outing was the worst single-game performance from the foul line in Bucks history for a player with at least 10 attempts. Elias Sports also noted that the only other players to shoot 10% or worse from the free-throw line in a game with at least 10 attempts are Andre Drummond, Al Horford and Shaquille O’Neal. Drummond has done it four times and O’Neal did it twice. Antetokounmpo has made just 57.5% of his free throws this season after shooting a career-low 61.8% from the line last season. That’s... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving's absence from the Brooklyn Nets has become a costly one. The NBA fined the point guard $50,000 on Friday for violating its health and safety protocols, and said he could return to team activities Saturday — though he won't play in the Nets' game that night. The league added that he would forfeit his salary for each game he misses during a five-day quarantine period that would end Saturday if he continues to test negative for the coronavirus. He's already missed two, which means he has lost nearly $900,000 of his $33.5 million salary. Irving has missed the last five games while away from the Nets for personal reasons. He was seen in a video on social media during his absence at an indoor family party while not wearing a mask. The league's protocols prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments. Irving is the second player to be fined for that. The other is his new teammate, James Harden.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — James Harden used his final interview in Houston to say that his team wasn't good enough. He has a whole new message now that he's in Brooklyn. Harden sees a roster that features Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, a coaching staff that includes a coach under whom he became the NBA's leading scorer, and an opportunity to win the title he still lacks. “You just add that all together, and it’s like, that’s a legit chance right there,” Harden said. “It was a no-brainer for me.” The Nets acquired Harden from the Rockets on Thursday in a blockbuster deal that reunites him with Durant, his teammate in Oklahoma City. He could play for them Saturday if all the players in the deal, which also included Cleveland, pass their physicals in time. The trade was completed just two days after Harden's final game with the Rockets, a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Following the game, Harden said: “We’re just not good enough ... I love this city. I literally have done everything that I... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving's absence from the Brooklyn Nets has become a costly one. The NBA fined the point guard $50,000 on Friday for violating its health and safety protocols, and said he could return to team activities Saturday. The league added that he would forfeit his salary for each game he misses during a five-day quarantine period that would end Saturday if he continues to test negative for the coronavirus. He's already missed two, which means he has lost nearly $900,000 of his $33.5 million salary. Irving has missed the last five games while away from the Nets for personal reasons. He was seen in a video on social media during his absence at an indoor family party while not wearing a mask. The league's protocols prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments. Irving is the second player to be fined for that. The other is his new teammate, James Harden. The Nets have not explained the reasons for Irving's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving's absence from the Brooklyn Nets has cost him nearly $1 million. The NBA fined the point guard $50,000 on Friday for violating its health and safety protocols, and said he could return to team activities Saturday. The league added that he would forfeit his salary for each game he misses during a five-day quarantine period that would end Saturday if he continues to test negative for the coronavirus. He's already missed two, which means he has lost more than $900,000 of his $33.5 million salary. Irving has missed the last five games while away from the Nets for personal reasons. He was seen in a video on social media during his absence at an indoor family party while not wearing a mask. The league's protocols prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments. Irving is the second player to be fined for that. The other is his new teammate, James Harden. The Nets have not explained the reasons... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving's absence from the Brooklyn Nets has cost him nearly $1 million. The NBA fined the point guard $50,000 on Friday for violating its health and safety protocols, and said he could return to team activities Saturday. The league added that he would forfeit his salary for each game he misses during a five-day quarantine period that would end Saturday if he continues to test negative for the coronavirus. He's already missed two, which means he has lost more than $900,000 of his $33.5 million salary. Irving has missed the last five games while away from the Nets for personal reasons. He was seen in a video on social media during his absence at an indoor family party while not wearing a mask. The league's protocols prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments. Irving is the second player to be fined for that. The other is his new teammate, James Harden. The Nets have not explained the reasons... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA fined Kyrie Irving $50,000 on Friday for violating its health and safety protocols, and said he could return to team activities with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. The league added that he would be fined for each game he misses during a five-day quarantine period that would end Saturday if he continues to test negative for the coronavirus. Irving has missed the last five games while away from the Nets for personal reasons. He was seen in a video on social media during his absence at an indoor family party while not wearing a mask. The league's protocols prohibit attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments. Irving is the second player to be fined for that. The other is his new teammate, James Harden. In December, Irving was was fined $25,000 by the NBA for not speaking to the media during preseason.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic fractured his right wrist Thursday night during a game against the Indiana Pacers. Nurkic could be seen holding the wrist after swiping at the ball in the third quarter, and he fell to the floor after contact under Indiana's basket. At a timeout he went to to the locker room and did not return. The 7-foot-0 Bosnian was averaging 10.3 points and 7.6 rebounds heading into the game. Nurkic missed much of the first half of last season after breaking his left leg in a game in March 2019. He returned to the team to play in the the bubble in Orlando, Florida, after the season was put on hold because of coronavirus. "He had a long road back from his other injury," coach Terry Stotts said. “He had a rough start of the season, it looked like he was getting back on track. Obviously this is a big setback for him and for us.” Stotts said Nurkic was in a splint after the game. The Blazers were already without forward/center Zach Collins indefinitely after ankle surgery at the end of December.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic fractured his right wrist Thursday night during a game against the Indiana Pacers. Nurkic could be seen holding the wrist after swiping at the ball in the third quarter, and he fell to the floor after contact under Indiana's basket. At a timeout he went to to the locker room and did not return. The 7-foot-0 Bosnian was averaging 10.3 points and 7.6 rebounds heading into the game against the Pacers.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 12 assists, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 111-108 on Thursday night. Pascal Siakam added 15 points and seven rebounds as Toronto ended a two-game skid and improved to 3-8. “I'm just trying to figure out a way to get us going,” said Boucher, who is averaging 20.8 points and 8.5 rebounds in the last four games, all in a reserve role. “Playing defense and bringing energy is what you're there for. It's pretty much what I do.” “As good as the numbers look, there's a lot of room for improvement,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “He's really close to being a really solid defensive player.” Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 22 points and P.J. Washington had 20 points and 11 rebounds. LaMelo Ball had 14 points and 11 assists as Charlotte played without leading scorer Gordon Heyward, who strained his left hip in Wednesday night's 104-93 loss to Dallas that ended a four-game winning streak.... [More]

TAMPA (AP) — Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 12 assists, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Charlotte Hornets 111-108 on Thursday night. Pascal Siakam added 15 points and seven rebounds as Toronto ended a two-game skid and improved to 3-8. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 22 points and P.J. Washington had 20 points and 11 rebounds. LaMelo Ball had 14 points and 11 assists as Charlotte played without leading scorer Gordon Heyward, who strained his left hip in Wednesday night's 104-93 loss to Dallas that ended a four-game winning streak. Fred Van Fleet's 3-pointer with 1:52 left in the first quarter launched a 34-11 Toronto run over the next 8 1/2 minutes that put the Raptors ahead to stay. They led 71-62 at halftime after shooting 13 for 25 (52%) from behind the arc. Boucher had 16 points in the first half, including a layup that left the Raptors with a 15-point lead, their largest of the half. After Toronto missed its first seven shots of the fourth... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — As the Nets were closing in on the deal for James Harden, general manager Sean Marks wanted to know if his two superstars really wanted to share the stage — not to mention the ball — with a third. Marks said Thursday that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving told him what he needed to hear, so he pulled the trigger on the blockbuster deal that landed the NBA's three-time scoring champion in Brooklyn. “They understand what’s at stake here,” Marks said. “Everybody’s raised their hands and said, ‘Look, we’re in. We know what we’re shooting for’ and that includes James, the new player. He knows what’s at stake.” The Nets acquired Harden from Houston in a multiteam deal that became official Thursday, paying a huge price by sending Caris LeVert and Rodions Kurucs to Houston, along with 2022, 2024 and 2026 first-round picks and the right to swap first-round picks in 2021, 2023, 2025 and 2027. The Nets also sent center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland. Brooklyn... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — For now the season debut of Celtics point guard Kemba Walker remains in a holding pattern. The Celtics haven’t played a game in nearly a week thanks to the recent rash of coronavirus cases that continues to cause postponements across the league. Walker would love to provide the team with an available body, but for now the All-Star point guard isn't rushing his return. “I’m definitely going to make the best decision for myself, but honestly I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Walker said. “I know I did say I was feeling really good the last time before the bubble, which I was. But it was just the timing in between just wasn’t really beneficial for me.” Boston has had its past three games postponed because of opponents being shorthanded due to players being in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The Celtics have had as many as nine players in the protocol, including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Seven players remain there, with three — Tatum, Robert Williams and Carsen Edwards... [More]