MIAMI (AP) — Joaquin Oliver was buried in a jersey bearing Dwyane Wade's name. So perhaps it was fitting that Wade's best game this season came in sneakers with Oliver's name scrawled on them.The Miami area is reeling right now, and will be for a while, in the aftermath of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High. The school will reopen Wednesday, the first official day it will be in session since 17 students and teachers were killed in a Valentine's Day massacre that only cranked up the volume on the national debate over guns.Oliver was one of the 17 victims. His parents buried him in a Wade jersey. Wade is trying to meet the family, hoping to thank them, comfort them, listen to them, help them, hug them, and almost certainly cry with them."That they thought of me in that process, as something that he would have wanted, is mindboggling," the Miami Heat guard said.So is the fact that, again, Wade finds himself trying to solve a problem that apparently cannot be solved. He has been... [More]

Golden State and Cleveland are used to looking down at the rest of the NBA, though it's Houston and Toronto enjoying that view at the All-Star break.The Rockets and Raptors are the conference leaders and will try to keep rolling when play resumes. Houston has won 10 straight to edge past the Warriors, and Toronto is two games up in the East after seven consecutive wins.So, are the Raptors the best team in the East?"I don't know. The record says we are, but for me to sit here and say we are the best team — we have confidence, but I'm not going to sit here and say we are the best team," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said. "Right now, we're No. 1. The numbers say that."Houston coach Mike D'Antoni says the Rockets like being in the Warriors' spot, but don't talk about them — for now."Nobody's ready for that yet," he said. "So as we go forward we'll see what we got, but yeah, we would love to be the No. 1 team without a doubt."___While Commissioner Adam Silver discussed the idea of revamping the... [More]

The struggling Hornets have shaken up their front office, firing general manager Rich Cho on Tuesday."Rich worked tirelessly on behalf of our team and instituted a number of management tools that have benefited our organization," Hornets owner Michael Jordan said in a release. "We are deeply committed to our fans and to the city of Charlotte to provide a consistent winner on the court. The search will now begin for our next head of basketball operations who will help us achieve that goal."Charlotte is 24-33 and on the verge of failing to reach the playoffs for the second straight season.Jordan's college teammate Buzz Peterson was hired last year as the team's assistant general manager is a potential replacement. Former Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak could be another candidate to join Peterson in the front office in some capacity.Cho was hired as GM in 2011 and assumed day-to-day responsibilities of the basketball operations department in 2014."I will always be grateful for my experience with the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James and Kevin Durant swarmed all over Stephen Curry in the final seconds, preventing the NBA's best shooter from finding even a patch of open air to launch a tying 3-pointer.Defense? In an All-Star Game?That was just one of the many exciting surprises created by a big change to the league's midseason showcase. After James and Curry got to draft their own teams, this exhibition really seemed to matter to basketball's best.And LeBron picked a winner.James scored 29 points and hit the go-ahead layup with 34.5 seconds to play, winning his third All-Star Game MVP award while his team rallied to win an uncommonly entertaining edition of the event, beating Team Stephen 148-145 Sunday night.For the first time in 67 All-Star games, the league abandoned the traditional East-West format used since 1951, instead allowing the two captains to pick their sides. That twist turned a sometimes staid event into the world's richest pickup game, and the intrigue was reflected on... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James picked a winner in the NBA All-Star Game.James scored 29 points and hit the go-ahead layup with 34.5 seconds to play, winning his third All-Star Game MVP award while his hand-picked team rallied to win an uncommonly entertaining showcase, beating Team Stephen 148-145 Sunday night.For the first time in the 67 editions of the All-Star Game, the league abandoned the traditional East-West format used since 1951 and allowed team captains James and Stephen Curry to choose their own rosters.That twist turned a sometimes staid event into the world's richest pickup game, and the intrigue was reflected on the Staples Center court, where a real basketball game broke out.LeBron's team even won an All-Star game with defense: On the final possession, James and Kevin Durant blanketed Curry, preventing the 3-point-shooting superstar from getting off a potential tying shot."I think myself and Stephen took it upon ourselves when we took on this format that we had to change... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest from Sunday's NBA All-Star Game and events around the league's annual showcase (all times local):8:20 p.m.LeBron James made a go-ahead, finger-roll layup with 34.5 seconds left and finished with a game-high 29 points to lead Team LeBron to a 148-145 victory against Team Stephen in the NBA All-Star Game.James, who was named the All-Star game MVP for the third time, gave his team a 146-145 lead with the layup and Russell Westbrook added a layup to complete the scoring."We got stops when we needed to," Westbrook said after the game.Indeed.Team Stephen couldn't get a good look for a tying 3 at the buzzer as both teams played with more effort than in recent years.In a departure from the traditional East vs. West format, Stephen Curry and LeBron James picked the teams. The players seemed to enjoy the new format. While there were the usual fancy passes and slam dunks, there was also a lot more defense — blocks, traps that lead to turnovers were all part of this showcase.Damian... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest from Sunday's NBA All-Star Game and events around the league's annual showcase (all times local):7:45 p.m.Stephen Curry hit one of his signature 3-point shots with 27.7 seconds left in the third quarter to give his team a 112-109 lead over Team LeBron in the NBA All-Star Game at Staples Center.Curry finally broke into double figures with 11 points. Karl Anthony-Towns leads Team Steph with 17 points.LeBron James leads his team with 19 points.With the new format of the teams being picked by captains James and Curry, the players seem much more into it than in the past games, which have been largely devoid of defense.The final score of this game won't come anywhere near last year's game, when the Western Conference beat the Eastern Conference 192-182 behind Anthony Davis' All-Star Game record of 52 points.After the halftime show by N.E.R.D. and Pharrell Williams, injured Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks chatted with Jerry West and Bill Russell, who were... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest from Sunday's NBA All-Star Game and events around the league's annual showcase (all times local):6:40 p.m.LeBron James is heating up but his team trails Team Stephen 78-76 at halftime of the NBA All-Star Game at Staples Center.James has scored 15 points. He had a big dunk and a 3-pointer to help pull his team within one point, but then Team Stephen opened another big lead. Team LeBron closed the gap again on 3-pointers by Paul George and Victor Oladipo.Stephen Curry had a slow start, going scoreless in the first quarter, and finally got his first points with a 3-pointer with 3:16 before halftime to push the lead to 67-58.Klay Thompson has 15 points for Team Stephen, all on 3-pointers.James and Curry are the captains and picked the teams in an attempt to freshen up the game.Anthony Davis of New Orleans wore a DeMarcus Cousins jersey in the first quarter to honor his injured teammate, but then switched back to his own No. 23 jersey in the second quarter.___6:10... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest from Sunday's NBA All-Star Game and events around the league's annual showcase (all times local):6:10 p.m.Team Stephen took a 42-31 lead over Team LeBron after the first quarter of the new-look NBA All-Star Game.Rather than the traditional East vs. West matchup, the teams were picked by captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry.The players seemed to be giving more effort than in most All-Star Games, but the play wasn't always better. However, players did seem to be actually playing some defense.Karl Anthony-Towns of Minnesota led Team Stephen with 11 points while Anthony Davis of New Orleans had six for Team LeBron.Davis wore the jersey of Pelicans teammate DeMarcus Cousins, who was voted to start but then suffered a season-ending injury.___5:40 p.m.First, there were elaborate pregame introductions by Kevin Hart, and then the Canadian national anthem by the Barenaked Ladies and the American national anthem by Fergie.Then it was time for the NBA All-Star Game... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest from Sunday's NBA All-Star Game and events around the league's annual showcase (all times local):5:40 p.m.First, there were elaborate pregame introductions by Kevin Hart, and then the Canadian national anthem by the Barenaked Ladies and the American national anthem by Fergie.Then it was time for the NBA All-Star Game between Team LeBron and Team Stephen at Staples Center.LeBron James has started his 14th straight NBA All-Star Game, breaking a tie with Bob Cousy for the longest streak in league history. James is one behind Kobe Bryant for the most overall.Two intriguing subplots with Team LeBron are that James is teaming up again with Kyrie Irving, the Boston guard who campaigned to leave James' side in Cleveland last summer; and Russell Westbrook is once again teammates with Kevin Durant, who ditched him in Oklahoma City in 2016 to win a championship in Oakland last year. The final starter on Team LeBron is Anthony Davis of New Orleans.James' original roster... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans acquired forward Nikola Mirotic and a second-round draft pick from the Chicago Bulls for center Omer Asik, guards Jameer Nelson and Tony Allen and a first-round pick, a person familiar with the deal said.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday because neither team has announced the trade.The trade comes less than a week after New Orleans lost All-Star DeMarcus Cousins for the season because of left Achilles tear and with the Pelicans still in the playoff picture.Mirotic has averaged 16.8 points and 6.4 rebounds since missing the first 23 games this season because of two broken bones in his face stemming from a fight in practice with Bobby Portis.Nelson has averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 assists in 43 games for New Orleans. Allen averaged 4.7 points before a broken leg sidelined him for 22 games. He returned to the active roster this week, but did not play in Tuesday night's loss to Sacramento. Asik has averaged... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans held the first practice of their new, more challenging reality Saturday — less than 24 hours after losing All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins for the rest of the season because of his Achilles tear.The question now is: What happens to a team that has won seven of eight and was coalescing around its somewhat unconventional lineup featuring Cousins and fellow All-Star big man Anthony Davis?"It changes for everyone, but that doesn't mean we can't accomplish what we set out to do," coach Alvin Gentry said after practice. "And that's to be a playoff team."The Pelicans' offense has largely run through Cousins, who'll miss his first game this season Sunday afternoon, when New Orleans hosts the Los Angeles Clippers."We have to obviously realign some things and rethink some things that we've done and probably add a few things and take away a few things," Gentry said. "We have to adjust and figure out how we can best work with what we have now."Cousins,... [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]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins figure they've proved they can co-exist to spectacular and prolific effect.Both big men have been named All-Star starters, giving them hope they'll be paired together beyond this season, which is Cousins' last under contract."First time I've ever been in an All-Star game with a teammate," the 6-foot-11 Cousins noted after practice on Friday, one day after All-Star starters were announced. "This is big for the entire city, the organization and just our team moving forward. It kind of shows what this combo has the potential to have."The 6-10 Davis, who was the Pelicans' lone All-Star last season, sounded equally pleased by the results a decision by New Orleans to counter the trend of guard-heavy "small ball" by pairing dynamic big men who can dominate inside, handle the ball and shoot with range."The biggest question was, was it going to work? I think we just proved that it is and it can work," Davis said. "We feel like we complement... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Team LeBron against Team Stephen is the NBA's new All-Star matchup.LeBron James and Stephen Curry will go head-to-head again, this time as captains who pick teams for the revamped NBA All-Star Game.James and Curry received the most votes from fans in their conferences Thursday night and will draft from a pool of the rest of the NBA's best for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles."Captain huh? Really Appreciate all the votes from the fans, media and players!" Curry wrote on Twitter .James will pick first as the player who received the most fan votes. He will make his 14th All-Star Game start, one behind Kobe Bryant for the most in league history.He could start his team with Kevin Durant, who teamed with Curry to beat James and the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Or maybe he could go with Kyrie Irving, a former All-Star Game MVP who asked to be traded away from Cleveland last summer and has led Boston to the best record in the East.Perhaps it will be Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo,... [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]