Protesters handed out T-shirts and held up signs in support of Hong Kong on Wednesday night when the Washington Wizards hosted a team from the Chinese Basketball Association.The Wizards beat the Guangzhou Long-Lions 137-98 in a game that included more than a half-dozen protests inside Capital One Arena over the NBA's ongoing rift with the Chinese government.Protesters handed out "Free Hong Kong" T-shirts on the street outside the arena before the exhibition game. The protesters, who said they were from Freedom House, held up signs reading, "Shame the NBA," ''South Park was right" and "Memo to the NBA: Principles over profit! No censorship! USA loves Hong Kong."The problems between the NBA and China began after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey posted a tweet last week that showed support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.The NBA has not apologized for Morey's remarks.A Freedom House spokeswoman said some members were planning to protest inside during the game. A spokeswoman... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra bounded into his first Miami Heat news conference of the season looking tanned and relaxed, the benefit of having nearly six months off.He's hoping next summer is much shorter.Even without the now-retired Dwyane Wade and after a season where Miami didn't make the playoffs, Spoelstra said Monday at Heat media day that there's no reason for his team to not see big opportunities this season. The Heat landed four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler in July, and go to camp starting Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Florida with Spoelstra insisting that his expectations will be at their usual lofty level."Feels good to be back," said Spoelstra, entering his 12th season as Heat coach. "We've had plenty of time this offseason to reset, recalibrate and reorganize to get ready for this season. It's been 172 days. I think that is probably 70some days too many for this organization to have during the offseason. ... We're excited. Feels like a new team, a new opportunity."There are new... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — A flight was awaiting Miami Heat President Pat Riley on Saturday, just as he hoped.It just wasn't to Toronto or Milwaukee for Game 1 of a playoff series. That's the problem.Riley's second home in Malibu, California, is one of his happy places — though with the NBA playoffs starting this weekend, Malibu is about the last place he wants be right now. The playoffs aren't on Riley's calendar this season, so he's taking 10 blue notebooks to Malibu and plans to fill them with ideas on how to make sure that's not the case in 2020."I'm going to write and write and write and write," Riley said. "That's where we are for the next couple of weeks. Once the hangover subsides, then we'll have more coherent thought."A challenging offseason awaits the Heat, who went 39-43 this season and will return for training camp in about five months without Dwyane Wade — probably their best player this season, and at times certainly their most important player. Wade is retiring, and if the Heat have plans... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade has gone full circle.He arrived in Miami in 2003, holding his 16-month-old son Zaire at the introductory news conference the day after the Heat drafted him and changed their franchise forever. The last time he would speak in that very same room as an active NBA player was earlier this week, when he held his 5-month-old daughter Kaavia for the farewell address.A life was starting on his way in. Another life is starting on his way out."This city has allowed me to grow," Wade said. "I hope they're proud of what they have helped me become. So, this city means everything to me. It's forever, forever, forever going to be my home. This is the end of the basketball part of me, but there's so much I want to do in this city. So much more that we can accomplish together. I definitely look forward to that."The only certainty about next season for the Heat is that Wade's jersey will be retired.The rest is anyone's guess.Even with Wade averaging 15 points and shooting a career-high... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The last game of the Miami Heat season, the last regular-season game of Dwyane Wade's career, is April 10 in Brooklyn. If he had his way Wade would play for a few largely ceremonial minutes, get a ton of shots up and then grab a seat on the bench to watch the clock run down to the playoffs.Odds are, it won't happen that way.This race for the bottom of the Eastern Conference bracket is likely going down to the wire. For the Heat, that means the end of Wade's career could come quicker than they wanted.There are three unclaimed playoff spots in the East, with five teams still in the thick of the race, the whole batch separated by two losses. No. 6 Brooklyn (38-37), No. 7 Detroit (37-37), No. 8 Orlando (37-38), No. 9 Miami (36-38) and No. 10 Charlotte (35-39) have two weeks left to decide who's in and who's out.And Wade can envision that Heat at Nets game deciding playoff fates — as well as his own fate."I think we all know it's going to come down to the end," Wade said. "It's... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Golden State's Kevin Durant should have been called for a discontinued dribble on the Warriors' final possession of what became their 120-118 win over the Miami Heat, the NBA said Monday in a report detailing all calls made in the last 2 minutes of the game.Golden State made a pair of free throws on that possession, the final points of the game.The league, in its Last Two Minute Report that is released after close games, said it reviewed multiple video angles to determine that Durant's dribble was not interrupted by the ball making inadvertent contact with the foot or shin of Heat defender Justise Winslow and "a discontinued dribble should have been called on Durant."Also, the league opted not to fine Heat coach Erik Spoelstra for his postgame comments about the officiating — which were prefaced by Spoelstra beginning his remarks with "Look, NBA, do not fine me. I'm allowed to say this."Spoelstra also said multiple times in his postgame news conference that he was not blaming... [More]

BIRMINGHAM, Michigan (AP) — The Miami Heat have fined Dion Waiters an undisclosed amount for his expletive-laden comments about playing time earlier this week.Waiters made the comments to reporters from two South Florida newspapers after Miami's lopsided loss in Milwaukee on Tuesday night. The Heat were off Wednesday and announced the fine Thursday."We fined him and we addressed it as a team," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.Waiters has played in five games this season, all as a reserve. He missed just over a full year while recovering from surgery to repair a long-problematic ankle, and has repeatedly said that being patient throughout the process is a challenge for him."Look, this is going to be very difficult for Dion," Spoelstra said. "I have empathy for everything he's gone through in the last year to get back to where he is right now. But this is not about him. This is only about the team and it's about winning."Miami is 21-21 this season, going into its game Friday at Detroit.Waiters... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dion Waiters is about to take a big step toward returning to the Miami Heat.The Heat said Friday that they are sending Waiters to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their G League affiliate. The plan is for Waiters to practice with the Skyforce and potentially return to Miami in time for Sunday's game against Minnesota.Waiters last appeared in an NBA game on Dec. 22, 2017. He sprained his long-problematic left ankle that night and expected to miss only a few games.More than a year later, he's still sidelined. Waiters had surgery on Jan. 23 to repair the instability in the ankle, along with a broken bone on the inside of his foot.Waiters' issues with the ankle go back to March 17, 2017 when he initially was lost to a sprain. He missed the final 13 games of that season, then labored through his 30 appearances last season — averaging 14.3 points, but shooting only 31 percent from 3-point range.For his career, Waiters is a 13.3-point scorer. This is the seventh NBA season for the former Syracuse guard.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade is back with the Miami Heat.Wade ended his paternity leave Tuesday night, checking in for the Heat midway through the first quarter of their game against the Brooklyn Nets. He said his wife and their daughter are doing well, which allowed him to feel comfortable resuming his season after a seven-game hiatus."I'm going to obviously miss them," Wade said. "It was tough leaving my little girl and my wife, but I've got to get back to work and I'll see them again soon."Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union-Wade welcomed Kaavia James Union Wade into the world on Nov. 7. Wade had been in Los Angeles with them since then, and flew back to Miami on Monday.His return is most certainly welcome in Miami. The Heat went 2-5 in his time away, falling to 6-10 this season entering the game against the Nets. They were playing Tuesday without guards Goran Dragic (knee), Tyler Johnson (hamstring) and Dion Waiters (ankle recovery from last season)."There's a human element to this business... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade is back with the Miami Heat after missing nearly two weeks for the birth of his daughter.Wade went through Miami's gameday shootaround and will play Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets. He said his wife and their daughter are doing well, which allowed him to feel comfortable to resume his season."I'm going to obviously miss them," Wade said. "It was tough leaving my little girl and my wife, but I've got to get back to work and I'll see them again soon."Wade was away from the team for about two weeks because of the birth of his daughter. Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union-Wade welcomed Kaavia James Union Wade into the world on Nov. 7. Wade had been in Los Angeles with them since then, and flew back to Miami on Monday.His return is most certainly welcome in Miami. The Heat went 2-5 in his time away, falling to 6-10 this season. They'll play Tuesday without guards Goran Dragic (knee), Tyler Johnson (hamstring) and Dion Waiters (ankle recovery from last season)."There's... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade missed Miami's game against San Antonio on Wednesday night for personal reasons.It's the first game Wade has missed this season, his 16th and final in the NBA. He's averaging 14.3 points on 45 percent shooting in nine games, all of them as a reserve.The Heat were also without starting point guard Goran Dragic, out with a sore right knee, and Dion Waiters and James Johnson remain out for the foreseeable future as they recover from surgeries. Heat center Hassan Whiteside returned to the starting lineup after sitting Monday with knee pain.The Spurs not only got point guard Derrick White (heel) back for the first time this season, but he was in the starting lineup. Pau Gasol was out with a sore right foot and Rudy Gay was sidelined with a right heel problem.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade is missing Miami's game against San Antonio on Wednesday night for personal reasons.It's the first game Wade has missed this season, his 16th and final in the NBA. He's averaging 14.3 points on 45 percent shooting in nine games, all of them as a reserve.The Heat again will be without Dion Waiters and James Johnson as they recover from surgeries. Goran Dragic is questionable because of knee soreness after an MRI this week revealed some inflammation. Heat center Hassan Whiteside is expected to play, after sitting Monday with knee pain.The Spurs expect to have point guard Derrick White available off the bench for his season debut. White has been sidelined by a heel injury.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — There was no need for introductions when the Miami Heat got to work this season.It's the same team as last year.That won't be the case next year.Dwyane Wade's 16th NBA season, almost all of which was spent in Miami, will be his last — and the Heat are determined to send the franchise's career leader in just about everything out the right way. Miami slogged its way through injuries to make the playoffs last season, and in an Eastern Conference that seems more open than it has now that LeBron James has moved West the Heat are hoping to send Wade off with a deep postseason run."I'm going to treat it with the appropriate respect," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Wade's final season. "I want him to know that I'm going to give it everything I have to make sure it goes the way that he wants it to — and then in turn, for him to give everything he has to make sure this team goes the way we want it to."Wade wouldn't have it any other way.He labored over this decision to come back or... [More]

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Dwyane Wade's first touch of the game was a lob to set up a dunk. His first shot was a corner 3-pointer. And his first trip into the lane resulted in getting his shot swatted away.All three of those plays left him smiling.Wade's 16th and final season — his "last dance," as he calls it — got off to an unofficial start Saturday, when the Miami Heat broke training camp at Florida Atlantic University with their annual scrimmage. His stats, as if they even mattered: eight points on 2 for 7 shooting, with three assists and a steal in 23 minutes."It was cool," Wade said. "We've been working hard in practice, obviously. But to be out here today in front of some fans, getting to play in a different energy, you could see it in everybody. Guys were moving quicker. Guys were into it."Wade got the big cheer at the start, and his fellow 16-year veteran got the biggest cheer at the end: The final play of the scrimmage was Udonis Haslem hitting a game-winning jumper, one that gave... [More]

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Part of Miami coach Erik Spoelstra's annual mandate to players, whether a 16-year veteran like Dwyane Wade or a second-year guy like Bam Adebayo, is to evolve.Spoelstra expects the same from himself.The Heat opened training camp on Tuesday with players who accounted for 98 percent of their scoring, 98 percent of their assists and 97 percent of their rebounding from last season. And keeping the same team means that those players, by now, have heard just about every speech and seen just about every trick in the Heat book.Hence, the challenge for Spoelstra this season: Keeping the message and the approach fresh."I look back on it now and I don't even know how I prepared for my first training camp," Spoelstra said after the first practice of the season at Florida Atlantic University. "With this group, this probably felt more like a practice and an extension of last year's playoff prep because we had so many familiar faces. So that was nice."Wade was back in Heat camp... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters will begin this season as he finished last season — unable to play.Waiters has not recovered sufficiently enough from left ankle surgery to be ready for the start of training camp next week, the team announced Tuesday. Heat President Pat Riley said it's unlikely that Waiters will be ready for the start of the regular season as well.The announcement wasn't a total surprise because Waiters was told when he had the procedure in mid-January that he could be sidelined for up to 10 months."Dion will not be returning to the court until the Heat medical team and training staff deem him healed, rehabbed and physically conditioned for all basketball activities," Riley said.Heat point guard Goran Dragic was taken aback by the news."This is kind of out of the blue for me," Dragic said. "At the end of the day, he knows what is best for him. I'm hoping he's going to be ready when we need him."Waiters is due to make about $11.5 million this season, the second... [More]

LAS VEGAS (AP) — When it comes to Dwyane Wade, it's clear that the Miami Heat want him back and they're willing to be patient while he figures out his plan.What's unclear is this: How much they'll have to pay.Heat President Pat Riley said Friday that he will have talks with managing general partner Micky Arison in the coming days about Wade's future. Realistically, there's only two contract options for Miami to present Wade — the $5.3 million exception, or the $2.4 million veteran minimum. The potential luxury tax implications Miami could face next year would rise in either case, and that's what the Heat are trying to avoid."That's the abyss that we all deal with in the NBA," Riley said.Riley said Miami has had talks with Wade and his agent Leon Rose over the summer, though no real detail about those conversations has been revealed by either side.Wade said at the end of last season that he wasn't certain about playing for a 16th NBA season in 2018-19, and hasn't offered anything in the... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — If there was any reason for solace in the Miami Heat locker room after the final game of the season in Philadelphia, it was this: They knew they lost to a better team.The Heat were good. They weren't great.Hence, the challenge of the offseason is clear: The Heat have to not only find ways to improve, but will have to find some creative ways to make it happen. They don't have a pile of salary-cap space to play with, they don't have any picks in this year's draft and they know that fellow Eastern Conference clubs like the 76ers — who needed five games to oust Miami from the playoffs — might only get better."We gave everything we have," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "We have to be OK with that."And with that, there is Question No. 1 of the offseason: Does Wade have any more to give?Wade is considering retirement, a decision that could affect some of the personnel decisions the Heat will make this summer, plus could also have an impact on whether Udonis Haslem returns to Miami for... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dion Waiters of the Miami Heat thought surgery could wait.He changed his mind, and his season is over.The Heat announced Friday night that Waiters has decided to have surgery on his long-problematic left ankle. No timetable for his return was announced, though Waiters has previously said he was told it might take eight to 10 months to recover from such a procedure."We are confident this surgery will resolve all of the issues with the ankle," the Heat said in a statement. "This process will not just repair the ankle, but also kick-start a whole new reboot for Dion. A full recovery is expected."Waiters considered surgery last summer, deciding against it because he would not have been ready for the start of this season. He missed the final 13 games of last season, when Miami lost a tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The ankle still wasn't right when this season started, and when Waiters twisted it on Dec. 22 he thought he'd just miss a few games.Not... [More]

G Dion Waiters (left ankle) missed his second straight game and said he would consider surgery after the season. He played just 46 games last season, missing the final 13 games with another injury to his left ankle.