MIAMI (AP) — The end has arrived.Actually, for Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, the end came in their season finales Tuesday. There are nine teams who know Wednesday is the last day of their season. Another 15 teams have already clinched playoff berths.Then there's Minnesota and Denver.Game 82 for both teams will have a Game 7 feel, which is a fitting way to transition from the regular season to the postseason. Nuggets at Timberwolves, winner to the playoffs, loser to the offseason. It's the first time since 1997 — and only the third time since the NBA went to this postseason format in 1983 — that two teams will play on the season's final day in such a situation."It's bigger than all of us," Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns said.Minnesota is trying to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2004 — the longest current drought in the NBA. Denver — winner of six straight to give itself this chance — is trying to get to the postseason for the first time since 2013.So there's... [More]

From Isaiah Thomas to Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose, the Cleveland Cavaliers loaded up on big names last summer.None will be there if the Cavaliers get back to the NBA Finals.In what felt like an unprecedented do-over for a contending team, the Cavaliers simply changed the pieces that weren't fitting for new ones on Thursday at the trade deadline.Fans who usually marvel at LeBron James were instead praising his general manager, as Koby Altman used a series of swaps to strengthen a sputtering team and leave open the possibility for more moves."They got better. They made the moves they wanted to make and I'm sure they're going to make it work over there," Golden State's Kevin Durant said. "It's fun for all the fans and the media to kind of see what's going on with the trade deadline."Cavs' fans probably had the most fun, and for good reason. Cleveland was the story Thursday .The Cavaliers acquired Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. in the deal with Los Angeles, which also got Channing Frye... [More]

LeBron James says he won't be traded, though every other move should be on the table for the Cleveland Cavaliers.It's just unclear if anything can make a difference.The Cavaliers are a team that's deeply in a rut and badly in need of a change to jump-start a season that shows signs of slipping away. But they're down to their final hours to find help via trade, with the deadline set for Thursday afternoon.Impact players are traded, but this season the biggest ones may have already been moved. Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony all were dealt over the summer, as was Kyrie Irving — in a move that may have backfired for the Cavs. Their former point guard has led Boston to the top of the Eastern Conference, while Isaiah Thomas has struggled in the brief time he's been available since returning from his hip injury.Cleveland also acquired the Brooklyn Nets' No. 1 pick in that deal, a likely high lottery selection. But the type of names most heavily mentioned in the days... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Suddenly, the Big Three is down to one. With star guard Chris Paul in Houston and face-of-the-franchise Blake Griffin traded to the Detroit Pistons, only DeAndre Jordan is left from the power trio that propelled the Los Angeles Clippers to relevance.Jordan becomes a free agent this summer and could be gone, too, if he isn't traded by the Feb. 8 deadline. Lou Williams, leading the NBA in scoring off the bench with 22.2 points per game in his 13th season, might be trade bait, too.Griffin's stunning departure on Monday — seven months after he signed a $171 million, five-year contract — has paved the way for the Clippers to have plenty of salary-cap room next season, putting them in position to snag a big-name free agent."With the future flexibility comes great opportunity," said Lawrence Frank, executive vice president of basketball operations. "It's going to be an exciting time, not just presently but also going forward."The once-beleaguered franchise has never lured a... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — The Detroit Pistons dramatically shook their struggling roster by acquiring one of the NBA's top players in Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.The deal for the five-time All-Star forward was announced early Tuesday, giving Detroit a player who has been the face of the Clippers but whose career has been undercut by injuries.Detroit sent forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley and center Boban Marjanovic to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also receiving draft picks. Detroit also acquired forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed."We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "Blake Griffin is one of the NBA's elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it."For the Clippers, moving Griffin is another step in a makeover of a franchise that has never made it past the second round of the playoffs.Griffin was not expected to play... [More]

The East is open for business. The West is closed until further notice.There's the takeaway from the deal where Blake Griffin got sent from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Detroit Pistons , and it may be a theme for the next week or so until the NBA trading deadline. The Pistons see opportunity to contend in the Eastern Conference, while the Clippers know the Western Conference is out of their reach and a full reboot is needed.They're both right.Other teams are surely thinking the same way.No rational person would look at the NBA right now and see a logical scenario where the champion this season is anyone besides Golden State or Houston. What Brad Stevens has done in Boston, especially after losing Gordon Hayward on opening night, is coach-of-the-year stuff. Toronto is better than most fans may realize. Cleveland has LeBron James, still the best player alive.Yet would anyone other than Celtics, Raptors or Cavaliers fans pick those teams to beat the Warriors or Rockets in a best-of-seven?Probably... [More]

The Detroit Pistons dramatically shook their struggling roster by acquiring one of the NBA's top players in Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.The deal for the five-time All-Star forward was announced early Tuesday, giving Detroit a player who has been the face of the Clippers but whose career has been undercut by injuries.Detroit sent forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley and center Boban Marjanovic to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also receiving draft picks. Detroit also acquired forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed."We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "Blake Griffin is one of the NBA's elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it."The Pistons did not yet say if Griffin would be available for Tuesday night's home game against Cleveland.The 28-year-old Griffin is averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 33 games... [More]

The Detroit Pistons dramatically shook their struggling roster, acquiring five-time All-Star forward Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.The Pistons announced the deal for the face of the Clippers early Tuesday. Detroit sent forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley and center Boban Marjanovic to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also receiving draft picks. Detroit also acquired forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed."We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "Blake Griffin is one of the NBA's elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it."The 28-year-old Griffin is averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 33 games this season, but the Clippers have been plagued by injuries and are ninth in the Western Conference standings.Detroit is scuffling as well. The Pistons have lost eight straight heading into Tuesday night's game against Cleveland.Last... [More]

The Detroit Pistons shook up their struggling roster in dramatic fashion, acquiring star forward Blake Griffin in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers.The Pistons announced the deal early Tuesday morning. Detroit sent forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley and center Boban Marjanovic to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also receiving draft picks. Detroit also acquired forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed in the deal."We are serious about winning, and this is a major move to improve our team," Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. "Blake Griffin is one of the NBA's elite players, and when you get an opportunity to add that kind of talent, you take it."Griffin is averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 33 games this season, but the Clippers have been plagued by injuries and are ninth in the Western Conference standings.Detroit is scuffling as well. The Pistons have lost eight straight heading into Tuesday night's game against Cleveland.The 28-year-old Griffin... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons were finalizing a trade Monday night to acquire star forward Blake Griffin from the Los Angeles Clippers, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced. The Pistons would send forward Tobias Harris, guard Avery Bradley and center Boban Marjanovic to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also receiving draft picks. Detroit also would receive forward Brice Johnson and center Willie Reed.ESPN first reported the deal .Griffin is averaging 22.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 33 games this season, but the Clippers have been plagued by injuries and are ninth in the Western Conference standings.Detroit is struggling as well. The Pistons have lost eight straight heading into Tuesday night's game against Cleveland.The 28-year-old Griffin has been the face of the Clippers while playing his entire career with the team. Last July, he agreed to a $171 million, five-year deal, ending... [More]

C DeAndre Jordan contributed eight points and 16 rebounds in Sunday's 106-98 win over Charlotte.

C DeAndre Jordan pulled down 18 rebounds with four points. Jordan had 20 rebounds in Friday's win at Houston -- his seventh game of 20 or more rebounds this season.

C DeAndre Jordan leads the NBA with an average of 17.4 rebounds per game in December. He grabbed 20 on Wednesday.

C DeAndre Jordan totaled 13 points and 14 rebounds in Monday's loss at San Antonio. He reached double figures for the eightht time in nine games.

C DeAndre Jordan finished with 16 points and 20 rebounds in Wednesday's win at Orlando. In his last seven games, Jordan is averaging 13.3 points and 17.1 rebounds on 68.3 percent shooting (41 of 60).

C DeAndre Jordan finished with 14 points and 17 rebounds, the final one a controlled tap on a missed free throw by teammate Sam Dekker with just over three seconds remaining that helped preserve the victory over Toronto on Monday.

C DeAndre Jordan, who entered play Saturday leading the NBA in field-goal percentage at .682, went just 2 of 6 from the field against the Wizards.

C DeAndre Jordan collected 18 points with 21 rebounds in Wednesday's loss to Minnesota. It was his third straight double-double and third game with at least 20 rebounds.

C DeAndre Jordan had 17 points and 12 rebounds. It was the fifth double-double in nine games for Jordan, who is averaging 14.6 rebounds in that span.

C DeAndre Jordan had nine rebounds Monday. Jordan, who entered second in the NBA in rebounding at 13.9 per game, had 24 rebounds when the teams first met Oct. 10.