ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward Chandler Parsons was involved in a car wreck after practice Wednesday.Parsons sustained a concussion and whiplash, according to a statement from the team. He will enter the NBA's concussion protocol and won't travel to Friday's game at San Antonio.The Hawks provided no additional details on the accident. Parsons is in his first and likely only season with Atlanta, which acquired him from Memphis last summer in a trade of overpriced players. The 31-year-old Parsons is making more than $25 million in the final year of his contract. He has played just five games for the rebuilding Hawks, averaging 2.8 points. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.“Everything's moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”The former Duke star has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for his return calls for him to miss three more games, starting with Thursday night's home game against Utah.New Orleans also hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and visit Memphis on Monday. Griffin also indicated that Williamson's minutes will be closely monitored and likely limited for the time being. "From a sustaining health standpoint,... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Guard Damion Lee signed a multiyear contract with the Warriors on Wednesday as expected given his time as a two-way player had expired and Golden State wanted to keep him for the remainder of the season.The team also brought back forward Marquese Chriss as a two-way player after he had been waived to clear room for Lee's promotion. With Lee coming up, that left an open two-way spot and Chriss came through waivers and was available. The 22-year-old Chriss will split time with the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G League. He has provided a boost for the injury-plagued Warriors after signing as a free agent in late September, averaging 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 17.7 minutes over 37 games with three starts. Coach Steve Kerr was asked before Tuesday's 124-97 home defeat to the Dallas Mavericks whether it surprised him Chriss remained available.“It did. I guess the one thing that maybe hurt him in terms of not being picked up was the trade deadline coming up... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.“Everything's moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”Williamson has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for the former Duke star's return calls for Williamson to miss three more games, starting with Thursday night's home game against Utah.New Orleans also hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and visits Memphis on Monday. Griffin also indicated that Williamson's minutes will be closely monitored and likely limited for the time being. "From a sustaining... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.“Everything's moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”The former Duke star has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for his return calls for him to miss three more games, starting with Thursday night's home game against Utah.New Orleans also hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and visit Memphis on Monday. Griffin also indicated that Williamson's minutes will be closely monitored and likely limited for the time being. "From a sustaining health standpoint,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pistons guard Derrick Rose was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for tossing a pen across the court during the end of Detroit's loss to New Orleans.With 37 seconds left in overtime and play stopped on Monday night, Rose sat slumped on a courtside table and flung the pen into the stands. The Pelicans beat the Pistons 117-110.The punishment was announced by NBA executive Kiki VanDeWeghe.Rose had 23 points and eight assists, but it was a costly and frustrating night. His bank shot tied the score at 100 in regulation with 30 seconds left, capping Detroit's rally from 16 points down with 11 minutes remaining.E'Twaun Moore missed two short jumpers, giving Detroit the ball with 14 seconds to go. That gave Rose a chance to replicate his winner from Dec. 9 in New Orleans, but he missed at the buzzer. In overtime, Rose had two turnovers in the last 90 seconds. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

It’s halftime.The midway point of the NBA regular season arrives this week -- there are 1,230 games between October and April, and after Thursday night’s slate goes into the books 618 games will have been played with 612 left to go.Making statistical judgments after a few games, or even a few weeks, isn’t the wisest thing. But with 50% of the season done, it seems like appropriate enough of a sample size to point out a few trends.3’S, AGAINThe league records for 3-pointers made and attempted are going to get broken for the eighth consecutive year. But the growth rate in that department seems to be slowing down.First, the numbers: NBA teams combined to make 27,955 3-pointers last season and attempt 78,742, both of which are records. That was an increase of 8.3% on makes from 2017-18 and an increase of 10.4% on attempts.This year, the league is on pace to make more than 29,000 3-pointers and attempt nearly 83,000 of them. Both would be records, of course, but the increases over last season... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving is back for the Brooklyn Nets. Trae Young is out for the Atlanta Hawks.Irving had been sidelined for 26 games with a right shoulder injury. But he recently returned to practice, and Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said the point guard would start Sunday night.Irving hasn't played since mid-November because of an impingement and got a cortisone shot last month.He said last week surgery could still be a consideration if there was no improvement but instead took part in full workouts during the week and Atkinson said Irving is ready.Young has a left hamstring injury. Coach Lloyd Pierce said his second-year star received treatment Saturday but still felt soreness Sunday. Brandon Goodwin is expected to start in his place.Young averages 28.9 points and Irving 28.5. They are the current Eastern Conference leaders at guard in fan voting for the All-Star Game.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Wizards waived guard C.J. Miles and signed two-way player Anzejs Pasecniks to a multiyear contract before Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz.The Wizards's leading scorer, Bradley Beal, also returned after missing five games with soreness in his lower right leg. The Jazz's leading scorer, Donovan Mitchell, was out with an illness.Miles had not played since late November after having surgery on his left wrist. He was averaging 6.4 points and 16 minutes per game.Pasecniks has averaged 8.2 points and 6.2 rebounds since signing a two-way contract with Washington on Dec. 18. The Wizards also inked Johnathan Williams to a two-way deal.Beal was in the starting lineup for the first time since New Year's Day for Washington, which also welcomed center Thomas Bryant back after he missed 20 games with a foot injury.Mitchell sat out his first game of the season after playing through illness on Friday. The result was a season-low four points — his first total below double figures — on 2-of-9 shooting.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit center Andre Drummond was ejected early in the second half of the Pistons' matchup with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.Replays showed Drummond throwing the ball off the back of Bulls center Daniel Gafford's head. Gafford also received a technical foul from the exchange, and Drummond was tossed after a review with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter.The Pistons were down 63-52 at the time. Drummond finished the game with nine points and four rebounds — his first time all season being held below nine rebounds.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — LeBron James and Anthony Davis missed the Lakers' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.Lakers coach Frank Vogel said James has a chest cold. Officially, the team said he has flu-like symptoms. James is averaging 25.4 points, a league-leading 10.7 assists and 8.7 rebounds and has helped the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference. He played on Friday night and had 35 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. Vogel said the performance was especially impressive because James struggled with breathing throughout.Davis, who leads the Lakers with 27.1 points per game, missed his second straight game with a gluteus maximus contusion. Danny Green also sat out with a sore right hip. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rajon Rondo moved into the starting lineup and Kyle Kuzma got his third start of the season.The short-handed Lakers faced a Thunder team that has won 11 of 13 games and rolled past the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — LeBron James will miss the Lakers' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday with an illness.Lakers coach Frank Vogel said James has a chest cold. Officially, the team said he has flu-like symptoms. James is averaging 25.4 points, a league-leading 10.7 assists and 8.7 rebounds and has helped the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference. He played on Friday night and had 35 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. Vogel said the performance was especially impressive because James struggled with breathing throughout.Vogel said forward Anthony Davis, who leads the Lakers with 27.1 points per game, is a game-time decision with a gluteus maximus contusion. He also missed the game against Dallas.Vogel also said guard Danny Green will sit out with a sore right hip. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rajon Rondo will start in the slots vacated by James and Green.The short-handed Lakers face a Thunder team that has won 11 of 13 games and rolled past the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving could return to the Brooklyn Nets' lineup Sunday after missing two months with a right shoulder injury.The Nets listed Irving as probable on the injury report Saturday for their game against Atlanta.Irving has missed 26 games with what the Nets said was an impingement, though Irving said he also had bursitis in the shoulder. He began to feel pain in early November before first sitting out after a game in Denver on Nov. 14.He revealed last week he had a cortisone shot on Dec. 24, opting for that instead of surgery, and said he hoped that would allow him to return at some point. He started practicing in full this week.The All-Star point guard is averaging 28.5 points in his first season in Brooklyn.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rob Pelinka was given the title of vice president of basketball operations by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, almost three years after the former agent was hired as general manager.The Lakers made the announcement before the team's game in Dallas.Pelinka joined the Lakers in March 2017 and has overseen the free agent signing of LeBron James and the blockbuster trade this past offseason that brought in Anthony Davis.The 50-year-old Pelinka took on a more significant role with Magic Johnson's surprising resignation as president basketball operations on the final day of the regular season last spring.Pelinka had been an agent for almost 20 years when the Lakers hired him in the middle of a franchise-worst six-year run of missing the playoffs. With the best record in the Western Conference, LA is all but assured of ending that skid.“I’m extremely pleased with the work Rob has done in order to put this franchise in a position for success,” owner Jeanie Buss said. Pelinka was a member of Michigan's 1989 national championship team before getting his undergraduate and law degrees there.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rob Pelinka was given the title of vice president of basketball operations by the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, almost three years after the former agent was hired as general manager.The Lakers made the announcement before the team's game in Dallas.Pelinka joined the Lakers in March 2017 and has overseen the free agent signing of LeBron James and the blockbuster trade this past offseason that brought in Anthony Davis.The 50-year-old Pelinka took on a more significant role with Magic Johnson's surprising resignation as president basketball operations on the final day of the regular season last spring.Pelinka had been an agent for almost 20 years when the Lakers hired him in the middle of a franchise-worst six-year run of missing the playoffs. With the best record in the Western Conference, LA is all but assured of ending that skid.“I’m extremely pleased with the work Rob has done in order to put this franchise in a position for success,” owner Jeanie Buss said. Pelinka was a member of Michigan's 1989 national championship team before getting his undergraduate and law degrees there.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clippers forward Paul George was sitting out the team's game against the Golden State Warriors after he strained his left hamstring during practice Wednesday.Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers termed the injury as “mild” and said the early prognosis is that it shouldn't keep the 6-foot-8 All-Star forward out of many games. “Just guarding. Nothing violent, which you knew it wasn’t bad, but he felt something and walked over to me and said, ‘I think I feel something in my hamstring,’" Rivers said Friday. “And I, being a doctor, I said I think you should go see the trainer."George is averaging 23.5 points per game for the Clippers (26-12), who went into Friday's game third in the Western Conference and trailing the Lakers by 4 1/2 games.This will be the 13th game George has missed. He was out for the first 11 to rehab from offseason shoulder surgery and missed last Saturday's contest against Memphis due to left hamstring tightness.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHICAGO (AP) — Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis missed Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls because of a sore left knee. The team's leading scorer at 18 points per game, Sabonis was inactive after coach Nate McMillan said he would play. The knee has been bothering Sabonis the last few days.Guard Malcolm Brogdon missed his fifth straight game, this time because of strep throat after sitting out the previous four with a sore lower back.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DALLAS (AP) — Anthony Davis won't play against Dallas in the opener of a road back-to-back after the Los Angeles Lakers star bruised his buttocks against the New York Knicks.The team made the announcement several hours before the Lakers played at the Mavericks on Friday night.Davis was injured on a nasty fall in a 117-87 win over the Knicks in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. An MRI exam showed no major concerns, although Davis was extremely sore.Davis made the quick two-game trip that wraps up Saturday at Oklahoma City.Both leading men — LA's LeBron James and 20-year-old Dallas phenom Luka Doncic — will be without their star sidekicks for the final regular-season meeting. Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis has already been ruled out for the final two games of a six-game homestand because of a sore right knee. The 7-foot-3 is missing his sixth straight game and won't play against Philadelphia on Saturday either.Dallas coach Rick Carlisle has said Porzingis might return during a two-game trip to California next week.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Miami's Jimmy Butler was fined $35,000 and Indiana's T.J. Warren $25,000 by the NBA on Friday, two days after their altercation in the Heat's victory in Indianapolis.The NBA noted that Butler escalated the situation on social media after the game. Warren made an obscene gesture after his ejection.Warren grabbed Butler by the left arm and spun him around as Butler went for a potential layup with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter. They chest-bumped and were separated by referees. Both players received technical fouls.Seven seconds later, Butler was called for an offensive foul for putting his shoulder into Warren's chest. It was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul 1 upon league review. Warren was ejected after getting his second technical foul for taunting after applauding the call.As Warren left the court, Butler blew kisses in his direction.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Raptors swingman Norm Powell was cleared to play Sunday against San Antonio while star forward Pascal Siakam and center Marc Gasol are close to returning.Coach Nick Nurse said the three core players -- all injured during a Dec. 18 victory at Detroit -- were able to practice more Friday.Powell hurt his left shoulder, the same injury that caused him to miss 21 games last season. Gasol strained his left hamstring and Siakam injured his groin.The Raptors have gone 6-5 since losing the three, holding down fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto also has played the last two games without starting guard Fred VanVleet, who is recovering from a hamstring strain.Powell's return should give the offense a boost. He is averaging 14.4 points and topped 20 points in three straight games before his injury.Nurse said Sunday was "a bit ambitious" for Siakam and Gasol to return. There was still no timetable for VanVleet, who Nurse said is "still immobile but making progress."