DENVER (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis was held out for a second straight game because of a sprained right elbow.Coach Alvin Gentry said Monday night before the game against the Denver Nuggets that while Davis still experienced some pain, the injury wasn't considered "any big deal." Gentry added that it's early in the season and the team doesn't want to take any chances.Davis also sat out Saturday's loss to Utah. He's averaging 27.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists for New Orleans this season.In addition, the Pelicans were without guard Elfrid Payton because of a sprained right ankle. Payton is averaging 11.6 points and 6.4 assists.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have ruled forward Anthony Davis out of the lineup for Saturday night's game against the Utah Jazz because of a right elbow sprain.Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says David hurt his elbow during Friday night's 117-115 victory over Brooklyn. He played with the injury for the rest of the game, even making a victory-clinching steal of an inbound pass in the final seconds.But lingering soreness has led Davis to sit out against Utah as the Pelicans try to improve on their 4-0 start to the season.Julius Randle will start in place of Davis, marking the first starting lineup change of the young season. It's the first start with New Orleans for Randle, who was signed as a free agent in July.Davis has averaged 27.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks through New Orleans' first four games.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Losing All-Star DeMarcus Cousins to injury in the middle of last season helped Pelicans general manager Dell Demps decide on roster moves this summer, particularly after Cousins chose to bolt in free agency.Demps had a chance to see the Pelicans coalesce around fellow All-Star Anthony Davis and a faster-paced style as they rallied to finish sixth in the Western Conference and sweep third-seeded Portland in the first round of the playoffs."It was fun to watch as the guys were playing fast and sharing the ball and flying all over the place," Demps said. "When you feel like you've established an identity that has had success, you want to continue along those lines."We feel like we've established ourselves from a defensive standpoint and an offensive standpoint," he added. "We're going to defend. We're going to play fast. We're going to move the ball and we're going to play for each other."To help fill the void left by Cousins, Demps brought in former Lakers forward Julius... [More]

Editors:To help you plan for the upcoming NBA season, here are some of AP's plans before games begin Oct. 16. Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times Eastern. This advisory will be updated and is subject to change.PRESEASONThe AP is providing a daily roundup of preseason games, leading with the top angle of the night.UPCOMING STORIES:BKN--Magic-CliffordORLANDO, Fla. — Steve Clifford is sleeping more every night now, part of his commitment to health after a huge scare last season. But he knows that taking over as coach of the Orlando Magic and starting a rebuilding job will be an enormous challenge nonetheless — no matter how much more sleep he gets. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 2 p.m. Oct. 8BKN--NBA Diversity-Front OfficesThe NBA usually gets high marks for its diversity efforts and is widely viewed as a leader on social issues. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes the league needs to be better, and he made his feelings... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans say center Jahlil Okafor has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle and is expected to miss one or two weeks.The injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the Pelicans' preseason opener at Chicago on Sunday.The 6-foot-11 Okafor was drafted third overall out of Duke by Philadelphia in 2015. But his production fell considerably last season from the nearly 15 points and six rebounds he averaged during his first two seasons with the 76ers.He appeared in only two games with Philadelphia last season before being traded to Brooklyn, where he played about 13 minutes per game as a reserve, averaging 6.4 points.In August, he signed a two-year contract with New Orleans that includes a team option in the second year. The Pelicans hope he can provide depth to a front court led by Anthony Davis, Julius Randle and Nikola Mirotic.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says free-agent center Jahlil Okafor has agreed to join the New Orleans Pelicans.The person spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the agreement has not been announced.Philadelphia made Okafor the third overall pick out of Duke in the 2015 NBA draft. But Okafor's production fell considerably last season from the nearly 15 points and six rebounds he averaged through his first two seasons with the 76ers.He appeared in only two games with Philadelphia last season before being traded to Brooklyn, where he played about 13 minutes per game as a reserve, averaging 6.4 points.The Pelicans have been seeking depth at center following DeMarcus Cousins' departure in free agency for Golden State.Recently acquired Julius Randle is expected to start at center. Anthony Davis also plays center in stints, but primarily plays power forward.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Whether the Pelicans are better off with Julius Randle and Elfrid Payton than they were with DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo remains to be seen.All general manager Dell Demps could do on Friday, as he sat between his two new players, was offer assurances that New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis was an ardent advocate for signing Randle and suggest that the "two-way" abilities of Payton and Randle give the Pelicans a promising opportunity to build on a formula that served them well late last season."When we finished the season last year, we felt like found a rhythm, found an identity," Demps said, alluding to the playoff push and first-round sweep of Portland that the Pelicans pulled off without Cousins, who was rehabilitating his torn left Achilles tendon."We feel like the team's improved," Demps said. "On paper, everything looks really good. But, obviously, we have to do it on the court."Before Cousins spurned New Orleans in favor of a one-year, reported $5.3 million... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The NBA offseason has arrived, which means nothing will happen for the next four months other than a draft, three summer leagues, free agency, the creation of a new schedule, coaching hires, trades, roster reworkings and possibly movement toward letting high school graduates jump directly into the league again.It all adds up to very little downtime.There is no shortage of questions about what will happen this summer — leading off, of course, with yet another decision to be made by LeBron James about his future and where he'll play next season as he resumes his quest for more championships.Here are some non-James topics heading into the offseason:KAWHI LEONARDThe mystery of the 2017-18 NBA season is the mystery of the offseason as well. Leonard played in only nine games for the Spurs this season while dealing with a leg injury, the specifics of which are a closely guarded secret even by San Antonio's notoriously tight-lipped standards. He could get a supermax deal, he could... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — LeBron James was unanimously selected to the All-NBA first team for a record 12th time, while Houston's James Harden also appeared on all 100 first-team ballots.They were joined Thursday on the first team by New Orleans' Anthony Davis, Golden State's Kevin Durant and Portland's Damian Lillard.James passed Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone with the 12th first-team selection of his 15-year career. He also was a second-team selection twice.The second team was forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee and LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Philadelphia center Joel Embiid, and guards Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto.Injury absences sent Golden State's Stephen Curry tumbling to the third team, where he was joined in the backcourt by Indiana's Victor Oladipo. Minnesota teammates Karl-Anthony Towns and Jimmy Butler, and Oklahoma City's Paul George rounded out the third team.Voting was done by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Draymond Green's remarkable postseason has pushed beyond basketball, featuring Charles Barkley declaring he'd like to punch the emotional Golden State forward, a death threat from a frustrated fan who Green encouraged to get the help he needs, and an attempt by the All-Star to listen in on the Pelicans huddle.Oh, and it just so happens Green also became the first Warriors player to ever average a triple-double in a postseason series."He's just incredibly engaged and locked in. This is the best I've seen him play all year," coach Steve Kerr said. "Draymond has to play hard to do what he does. I think the playoffs have energized him."Green is at his best on the big stage and playing just on the edge — pushing boundaries by being just physical enough without crossing the line, dishing out just enough trash talk, though others may beg to differ.Just as Barkley did.Green flaps his mouth with the best of them in what many might consider over-the-top gamesmanship, engaging... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Draymond Green's remarkable postseason has pushed beyond basketball, featuring Charles Barkley declaring he'd like to punch the emotional Golden State forward, a death threat from a frustrated fan that Green encouraged to get the help he needs, and an attempt by the All-Star to listen in on the Pelicans huddle.Oh, and it just so happens Green also became the first Warriors player to ever average a triple-double in a postseason series."He's just incredibly engaged and locked in. This is the best I've seen him play all year," coach Steve Kerr said. "Draymond has to play hard to do what he does. I think the playoffs have energized him."Green is at his best on the big stage and playing just on the edge — pushing boundaries by being just physical enough without crossing the line, dishing out just enough trash talk, though others may beg to differ.Just as Barkley did.Green flaps his mouth with the best of them in what many might consider over-the-top gamesmanship, engaging... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Anthony Davis wasn't willing to call the New Orleans Pelicans' season a success.Not that Davis dismissed the determination, grit and growing chemistry the Pelicans showed in the way they adjusted to a season-ending injury to fellow All-Star DeMarcus Cousins.New Orleans exceeded expectations by getting to the postseason and sweeping third-seeded Portland . Then came a second-round matchup with defending champion Golden State, and the Pelicans were reminded why bringing back a player of Cousins' caliber could be crucial to going farther next season. The Warriors needed only five games to end New Orleans' season."Any time you don't win a championship, I don't see how it could be successful," Davis said. "We can take a lot of positive things from the season. Of course, one of our main guys went out and everybody doubted us. Everybody counted us out and we were able to keep fighting, keep pushing as a unit and able to come this far."This offseason could go a long way in determining... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — After a Game 3 flop in New Orleans, similar to that lone first-round loss against San Antonio last month, coach Steve Kerr provided a quick reminder to the Golden State Warriors:It's not supposed to be easy at this stage — especially for the defending champions.There's no way this postseason can go as brilliantly as the last one. That remarkable, record-setting 16-1 run to the title, well, it's not going to happen often, or maybe ever again."I told our team actually after Game 3 the day we practiced, I said, 'What we did last year was the first time and only time anybody has ever accomplished that in the playoffs, gone 16-1," Kerr said. "I know the Lakers went 15-1, they had a similar kind of joy ride where very little adversity, but that's the extreme exception. Year after year, the NBA champion has to go through so much to get there. And that's why you pour champagne on each other, because it's really hard, and it's supposed to be hard. The fact that it is so difficult... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Pelicans' penchant for pushing the pace looks more and more like a quixotic mission to out-Warrior the Warriors.That's been the dilemma for Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry as New Orleans has slid into a 3-1 hole in its Western Conference semifinal playoff series against defending champion Golden State.Although there'd be logic to slowing the game down to limit shooting opportunities for Golden State's prolific perimeter players, Gentry never saw that option as practical enough to pull off in the playoffs."We're going to play at a fast pace," Gentry says. "I know some would say, 'You're kind of playing into Golden State's hands. But this is the way we've played the whole season, so we're not going to all of a sudden try to adjust and do something completely different, because the success we've had has been based on playing at a fast pace and being a team that has played the fastest pace in the league."We don't have the ability to all of a sudden change that and become... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rajon Rondo and Draymond Green have won NBA titles and never have been known to shy away from conflict on the court.Now their combustible convergence in the playoffs is providing a spicy subplot to the Western Conference semifinal series between New Orleans and Golden State."We're here to fight," Rondo said following New Orleans' lopsided Game 3 victory that trimmed the Warriors' series lead to 2-1. "With my guys on the court, I'm going to fight as hard as I can ... and do whatever it takes."Green and Rondo had to be separated after whistles twice in the first three games — never mind some other antics in the flow of the game — and they'll be back at it again in one of two pivotal Game 4s to be played on Sunday. The other pits Houston against Utah in a series that the Rockets lead 2-1.The Rondo-Green sideshow is compelling because of what both players mean to their teams. They are not the type of trash-talking, loud-mouths who otherwise play marginal roles. They are accomplished... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rajon Rondo and Draymond Green have won NBA titles and never have been known to shy away from conflict on the court.Now their combustible convergence in the playoffs is providing spicy subplot to the Western Conference semifinal series between New Orleans and Golden State."We're here to fight," Rondo said following New Orleans' lopsided Game 3 victory that trimmed the Warriors' series lead to 2-1. "With my guys on the court, I'm going to fight as hard as I can ... and do whatever it takes."Green and Rondo had to be separated after whistles twice in the first three games — never mind some other antics in the flow of the game — and they'll be back at it again in one of two pivotal Game 4s to be played on Sunday. The other pits Houston against Utah in a series that the Rockets lead 2-1.The Rondo-Green sideshow is compelling because of what both players mean to their teams. They are not the type of trash-talking, loud-mouths who otherwise play marginal roles. They are accomplished... [More]

Quin Snyder walked into his news conference after Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals with a stoic look, slowly rubbing his forehead, barely if ever cracking anything that would resemble a smile.And he was on the winning side.This much is clear about the Utah Jazz: They are not surprising themselves by being in this position. A team that was written off by Vegas oddsmakers and alleged experts coming into the season after losing Gordon Hayward in free agency won 48 games, ousted reigning MVP Russell Westbrook and Oklahoma City in the first round, and now have the Houston Rockets in a bit of trouble.The Jazz stole home-court from Houston with a win on Wednesday night, and now look to take a 2-1 lead when the series shifts to Salt Lake City for Game 3 on Friday night."When guys have confidence in each other, it allows them, I think, the confidence individually to step up," Snyder said.Confidence is not an issue for the Jazz.Even on a night where Donovan Mitchell shot 6 for 21 and fellow... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr refers to Pelicans star Anthony Davis "one of the very best players on earth."That means the Golden State Warriors' defense will face a far different test than what San Antonio presented in the first round of the NBA playoffs when New Orleans arrives for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday night on the defending champions' home floor.The pace. The playmakers. And, of course, the load that is Davis.Davis' daunting playoff averages: 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.New Orleans got here even after losing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins three months ago to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. That's when Davis said the Pelicans became "great.""It was tough. We were still learning when he was here," Davis said."We were still in that early stage of trying to figure out how to close games, how to play for each other, defensive assignments. And we started to figure it out before he got hurt. ... Then when he went down, we had to... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr refers to Pelicans star Anthony Davis "one of the very best players on earth."That means the Golden State Warriors' defense will face a far different test than what San Antonio presented in the first round of the NBA playoffs when New Orleans arrives for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals Saturday night on the defending champions' home floor.The pace. The playmakers. And, of course, the load that is Davis.Davis' daunting playoff averages: 33 points, 12 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.New Orleans got here even after losing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins three months ago to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon. That's when Davis said the Pelicans became "great.""It was tough. We were still learning when he was here," Davis said."We were still in that early stage of trying to figure out how to close games, how to play for each other, defensive assignments. And we started to figure it out before he got hurt. ... Then when he went down, we had to... [More]

Capsule for the New Orleans Pelicans-Golden State Warriors second-round NBA playoff series that starts Saturday:___WESTERN CONFERENCENo. 2 GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (58-24, 4-1) vs. No. 6 NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (48-34, 4-0)Season series: Warriors, 3-1.Story line: Warriors star guard Stephen Curry has recovered from his knee injury and will play in this series. He's been in only one game since March 8, so even a two-time MVP might have some rust to work through. The Pelicans were perhaps the surprise of the first round, not for just beating Portland but sweeping that series behind center Anthony Davis and guard Jrue Holiday (who averaged a combined 61 points per game).How They Got Here: Golden State beat No. 7 San Antonio 4-1, and New Orleans swept No. 3 Portland 4-0.Key Matchup: Warriors forwards Kevin Durant and Draymond Green vs. the Pelicans' Davis and guard Rajon Rondo. This will be a most interesting defensive matchup for the Warriors stars, who are both elite stoppers but will be tested big-time by Davis and Rondo. Davis will get his numbers and this will not be a slow series, but the Warriors can't let Rondo control pace himself.Prediction: Warriors in 6.___Compiled by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball