The NBA is changing the format to this season’s 3-point contest at All-Star Saturday Night in Chicago by adding a pair of deep shots that will be worth three points apiece.That change means each round will now be a total of 27 shots instead of 25, and competitors will now get 70 seconds to finish their shots instead of the customary 60. Competitors were told of the changes in the past few days, and the NBA announced the change Tuesday night.The two additional shots will come from six feet beyond the 3-point line, between the racks located on the wings and the one at the top of the key. Those shots — only one from each spot called the MTN DEW Zone — will be taken with a special green ball.All-Star Saturday is Feb. 15, one night before the All-Star Game.The list of competitors for the 3-point contest this season includes Portland’s Damian Lillard, Sacramento’s Buddy Hield, Washington’s Davis Bertans, Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham, Miami’s Duncan Robinson, Atlanta’s Trae Young, Chicago’s Zach... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Add Miami's Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.Herro scored Miami's first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year's draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points."The kid can play," Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. "He has a confidence but he's a student of the game, he's smart, he's an extremely quick learner and you're seeing that."Among those taken in June's draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.New Orleans' Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans' four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league's assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.No. 3 pick RJ Barrett... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Goran Dragic and Derrick Jones Jr. are on their way back to the Miami Heat rotation.Both practiced Wednesday and are available for Miami's game at Philadelphia on Thursday. Dragic has played in only two of Miami's last 41 games, and underwent surgery to clean out his right knee in December. Jones got bone bruises in his right knee after a fall in a game at New York last month.Jones was originally expected to be out for at least a few more weeks. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said both have work remaining before getting back to full strength.Dragic, an All-Star last season, was averaging 15.3 points and 4.9 assists before surgery. Jones is averaging 7.4 points this season.Miami (26-30) is currently ninth in the Eastern Conference.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade has missed the playoffs only twice in his career, and the Miami Heat aren't exactly looking like a sure bet to get him one more trip to the postseason before retirement.And a struggling team has no relief in sight, either.The Heat play their next six contests on the road, a daunting stretch that starts Tuesday in Portland then moves to Sacramento, Golden State, Denver and Dallas in the last game before the All-Star break — then Philadelphia for the first game after the break. Entering Monday's games, four of those teams rank among the NBA's top 10 this season, and those six foes have a combined winning percentage of .610.All that comes with Miami currently having a tenuous grip, at best, on the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference — not at all helped by losing three home games in a four-day span last week."We've got to figure it out, man," said Wade, the 13-time All-Star in his 16th and final NBA season. "Like I tell the guys, it is not going to get any easier.... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Derrick Jones Jr. of the Miami Heat is out for at least six weeks with a pair of bone bruises in his right knee.The bruising is significant, but given the way he got hurt the injury could have been worse. Jones was injured Sunday in Miami's win over New York. He was driving toward the basket when his knee buckled. He left the court in obvious pain, and was unable to put any weight on the leg.But tests performed in Miami on Monday showed no structural damage, only the bone bruising. He will be re-evaluated in mid-March and the Heat are hopeful he plays again this season.Jones has appeared in 37 games for the Heat this season, averaging 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds on 51 percent shooting.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports