MIAMI (AP) — It only looks like parity.Consider it an April tradition: The franchise that goes into the Eastern Conference playoffs as the No. 1 seed changes annually. Toronto is on the brink of clinching the top spot in the East this season — which would make the Raptors the seventh franchise in seven years to do so, following Chicago, Miami, Indiana, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boston.It's an unprecedented run of top-seed diversity for the NBA, at least since the league started seeding by conference in 1973.Of course, those top seeds usually find out that finishing ahead of LeBron James in April is much easier than ousting him in May."Listen, it doesn't matter to me if I'm a 6 seed, or a 3 seed, or a 2 seed, or an 8 seed," James said. "If I come into your building for a Game 1, it will be very challenging."So make no mistake, the East still goes through James.He is trying to reach the NBA Finals for the eighth consecutive season. James' teams are 24-2 in East series as the higher seed, 6-2... [More]

They do things differently in Toronto.When it's time for NBA public-address announcers to introduce the starting lineup before games, the Raptors don't wait to hear their names called. The starters simply huddle up for a quick chat while their backups gather a few feet away and use a basketball to play volleyball — bumping and setting it to each other before someone spikes a dunk.They're laughing. They're loose. And they don't mind if few are noticing.These are happy times for the Toronto Raptors, who kept their stars and coach together even after a string of playoff flameouts and are seeing that continuity rewarded. If they win three of their final eight games, they'll break the franchise single-season record of 56 victories. And they're in position to go into the Eastern Conference playoffs as the No. 1 seed for the first time, entering Monday with a 3 ½ game lead over No. 2 Boston."I feel like we have something special that is a well-kept secret," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.Canada's... [More]

LeBron James had a trophy in his hands and a smile on his face.That was Sunday at the All-Star Game, when James again rose above the NBA's best in winning a game and MVP honors.What he really wants is to be celebrating in the postseason, not midseason.The NBA's sprint to the finish begins Thursday with James riding high but starting again from back in the pack as Cleveland tries to catch Toronto and Boston in the Eastern Conference."We just added four new guys before the break, and we have a lot of work to do," James said. "So I really don't like to think that too far ahead. But obviously winning championships is what it's all about. That's what this league is all about and hopefully at the end of the road then I have the Cavs there to actually compete for one, to be in a finals representing the East."The Golden State Warriors are also in the unusual position of pursuers, after red-hot Houston passed them for the league's best record with 10 straight wins leading into the All-Star break.... [More]

The NBA will reach the All-Star break with conference races that are too close to call.In fact, they could be closer than ever at the league's showcase event.The Toronto Raptors take a one-game lead over Boston in the Eastern Conference into Wednesday, the last full night of play before a week off. In the West, the Golden State Warriors' lead is down to a half-game over the surging Houston Rockets, who have won nine in a row.Unless those leads grow after those four teams play Wednesday, it will be the first time in NBA history that both conference leaders are ahead by one game or less at the All-Star break, according to the league.If Houston beats Sacramento and Golden State loses to Portland, it will also mean both All-Star coaches warrant their spots because of their records, instead of the rules.Toronto's Dwane Casey, who will coach Team LeBron, and Houston's Mike D'Antoni, who will lead Team Stephen, clinched the coaching positions even though their teams didn't lead the conferences... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The first time Dwyane Wade was supposed to make a public appearance on behalf of the Miami Heat back in 2003, he found himself paralyzed by nervousness.So Rasual Butler jumped into action, joining his teammate for the event solely to keep him calm."That's who he was," Wade said. "A great individual that was always there for people when they needed him."Tributes like that were offered all over the basketball landscape in honor of Butler, a longtime NBA player who died Wednesday in what police said was a single-vehicle rollover crash in Los Angeles. Police said Butler and his wife, R&B singer and former "American Idol" contestant Leah LaBelle Vladowski, died at the scene and that autopsies were pending.Butler was 38. The NBA released a statement saying it was "devastated" by Butler's death."A pro's pro, Rasual enjoyed a long, successful career and was widely respected by his peers and coaches," the NBA said.That's perhaps an understatement.Butler never played in the NBA Finals.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled. However, Durant later said that he had been the No. 1 selection.James was among those who said fans should have watched the proceedings and his decision to draft Irving could have made for a must-see moment. The point guard asked out of Cleveland last summer and the Cavaliers traded him to conference rival Boston."Kyrie was available on the draft board, he's one of the best point guards we have in our league," James said. "It was an easy choice for me."James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled.James was among those who said fans should have watched the proceedings and his decision to draft Irving could have made for a must-see moment. The point guard asked out of Cleveland last summer and the Cavaliers traded him to conference rival Boston."Kyrie was available on the draft board, he's one of the best point guards we have in our league," James said. "It was an easy choice for me."James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format.James had the No.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled.James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format.The league is hoping that trying to something new will bring back some old-school intensity that has been absent from the last two games, when the West nearly scored 200 points.James also took the New Orleans duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. His reserves are Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, the NBA MVP, Cleveland teammate Kevin Love, Washington guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Kristaps Porzingis of New York.After taking starters Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto, Curry rounded out his roster with Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto's Kyle Lowry, Portland's Damian Lillard, and Boston's Al Horford.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry will be able to stock his All-Star roster with plenty of Golden State teammates.Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were chosen as reserves Tuesday, giving the defending NBA champions a record-tying four All-Stars for the second straight year.The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards also had two reserves selected, and they will go into the pool of players that Curry and fellow captain LeBron James can draft to comprise the teams for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles. Their rosters will be unveiled Thursday, though the selection process won't be televised.Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen from the Western Conference, along with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Portland's Damian Lillard.Besides Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, the rest of the Eastern Conference reserves were Boston's Al Horford, Cleveland's Kevin Love, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Indiana's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Curry will be able to stock his All-Star roster with plenty of Golden State teammates.Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were chosen as reserves Tuesday, giving the defending NBA champions a record-tying four All-Stars for the second straight year.The Minnesota Timberwolves and Washington Wizards also had two reserves selected, and they will go into the pool of players that Curry and fellow captain LeBron James can draft to comprise the teams for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles. Their rosters will be unveiled Thursday, though the selection process won't be televised.Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns were chosen from the Western Conference, along with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Portland's Damian Lillard.Besides Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, the rest of the Eastern Conference reserves were Boston's Al Horford, Cleveland's Kevin Love, New York's Kristaps Porzingis, Toronto's Kyle Lowry and Indiana's... [More]

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was asked in London last week about fining misbehaving players, and even he acknowledged the penalties aren't much of a deterrent."More symbolic than anything," Silver said.It might be time for the league to change that.At least based on what's happened in the NBA the past couple days. The postgame locker-room incident that involved some players from the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday — the holiday celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., no less — was a bad look for the league, as was the wild swing that Orlando's Arron Afflalo threw at Minnesota's Nemanja Bjelica on Tuesday.The James Johnson-Serge Ibaka dustup during the Miami-Toronto game last week earned those players one-game suspensions that cost them a total of about $300,000. Utah's Rodney Hood might have been lucky to have been fined only $35,000 for slapping a phone out of a fan's hand. Ben Simmons and Kyle Lowry were probably smart to just talk about taking their... [More]

WASHINGTON -- Otto Porter scored 26 points and Bradley Beal had 21 as the Washington Wizards handed the Houston Rockets their fifth consecutive loss with a 121-103 win on Friday night.Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for the Wizards (20-16), who turned a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter into a rout. John Wall finished with 17 points.James Harden led the Rockets (25-9) with 20 points. Chris Paul started and scored eight points in 25 minutes after sitting out the previous three games with a left adductor strain.The Rockets, who average more 3-point attempts than any team, shot 5-for-25 from beyond the arc in the first half and finished 14 of 48.Porter sank 7 of 11 shots from long distance and the Wizards shot 18 of 36 on 3-pointers. Washington finished at 53.4 percent from the field compared to Houston's 42.7 percent.Hornets 111, Warriors 100OAKLAND, Calif. -- Dwight Howard totaled a season-high 29 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists to propel... [More]

G Kyle Lowry had 13 points and 10 assists.

Kyle Lowry paced the Raptors with a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds,

PHOENIX -- Tyson Chandler slammed home an alley-oop dunk off a Dragan Bender inbounds feed with four-tenths of a second left, and the Phoenix Suns held off the Memphis Grizzlies for the second time in six days with a 99-97 win on Tuesday night.Memphis tied the score at 97 when Jarell Martin slammed home a Tyreke Evans miss with six-tenths of a second left and the teams seems headed to overtime. With the subsequent inbounds play moved to midcourt, Bender threw the ball just over the far side of the rim, where Chandler was waiting to slam it down.Devin Booker had 32 points in his return to the lineup for the Suns, who beat the Grizzlies 97-95 on Dec. 21 when Evans missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. TJ Warren finished with 17 points for Phoenix, which gave coach Jay Triano his 100th NBA win.Evans had 25 points and Marc Gasol scored 18 for Memphis, which lost for the 20th time in 24 games.Mavericks 98, Raptors 93DALLAS -- J.J. Barea scored a team-high 20 points to lead Dallas past Toronto.Dirk... [More]

PHOENIX -- Tyson Chandler slammed home an alley-oop dunk off a Dragan Bender inbounds feed with four-tenths of a second left, and the Phoenix Suns held off the Memphis Grizzlies for the second time in six days with a 99-97 win on Tuesday night.Memphis tied the score at 97 when Jarell Martin slammed home a Tyreke Evans miss with six-tenths of a second left and the teams seems headed to overtime. With the subsequent inbounds play moved to midcourt, Bender threw the ball just over the far side of the rim, where Chandler was waiting to slam it down.Devin Booker had 32 points in his return to the lineup for the Suns, who beat the Grizzlies 97-95 on Dec. 21 when Evans missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer. TJ Warren finished with 17 points for Phoenix, which gave coach Jay Triano his 100th NBA win.Evans had 25 points and Marc Gasol scored 18 for Memphis, which lost for the 20th time in 24 games.Mavericks 98, Raptors 93DALLAS -- J.J. Barea scored a team-high 20 points to lead Dallas past Toronto.Dirk... [More]

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 34 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Chicago Bulls 115-112 on Thursday night.Kevin Love added 27 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, which doesn't play again until their NBA Finals rematch with Golden State on Christmas. They've won 19 of 21 games and have scored at least 100 points in 26 straight.Chicago, led by Lauri Markkanen's 25 points, had a seven-game win streak halted. There were 24 lead changes by the end of the third quarter and 26 in the game. James scored 11 in the fourth quarter, and his two free throws with 11.1 seconds left put the Cavaliers ahead by three.Raptors 114, 76ers 109PHILADELPHIA -- DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 45 points, including five in a pivotal 10-2 flurry late in the game, as Toronto rallied for a victory over short-handed Philadelphia.DeRozan was 6 of 9 on 3-point attempts. His six triples were a career high.Kyle Lowry added 23 points for the Raptors, who erased a 22-point third-quarter deficit to... [More]

G Kyle Lowry scored 23 points in Thursday's win over the 76ers.

HOUSTON -- Chris Paul delivered an impressive two-way performance and the Houston Rockets rolled to a 124-109, wire-to-wire win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at Toyota Center.Paul finished with 28 points, eight assists and seven steals as the Rockets, who are unbeaten with Paul in the lineup this season, extended their winning streak to 12 games in large part courtesy of an early 3-point barrage.All five Rockets starters scored in double figures, with James Harden adding 28 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Clint Capela (18 points, 10 rebounds) and Ryan Anderson (12 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles for the Rockets, who are 13-0 with Paul in the lineup.The Spurs pulled their starters in the third quarter, with LaMarcus Aldridge (16 points) leading that group with just 27 minutes. Kawhi Leonard, playing in just his second game after a quad injury, did not play after the break after scoring 12 points in the first half.Nuggets 117, Pelicans 111 (OT)DENVER -- Will Barton... [More]

WASHINGTON -- LeBron James registered his fourth triple-double in five games with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 15 assists as the streaking Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 106-99 on Sunday night.Kevin Love led the Cavaliers with 25 points, while Jeff Green had 15 points. Cleveland has won 18 of 19 games, including the past five.Little separated the Eastern Conference contenders for much of the game as the teams were tied at the end of the second and third quarters. James's 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter put the Cavaliers in front for good and sparked an 8-0 run. Green's three-point play capped the surge as Cleveland led 95-89 with 6:55 remaining.Bradley Beal scored 27 points for the Wizards, who had won two in a row. John Wall had 15 points and 10 rebounds. Washington made 12 3-pointers but finished 9 of 16 on free throws.Pistons 114, Magic 110DETROIT -- Reggie Bullock scored a career-high 20 points, and Detroit held off a late surge by undermanned Orlando.Bullock, who... [More]