DETROIT (AP) — John Beilein's first season as an NBA coach took another turbulent turn because of a comment he made during a film session.Beilein said Thursday he had apologized after using the word “thugs” while reviewing film with his players the previous day. ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein told ESPN he had meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team's effort level.Beilein repeated that explanation Thursday after his team's shootaround in Detroit, hours before the Cavaliers faced the Pistons.“I was saying: 'We’re making a lot of mistakes mentally, and we deserve better because we're really playing hard right now. We're not playing like slugs. We're playing hard,'" Beilein said. "And somehow that word came out.”Beilein said he called the players afterward to explain the situation, and said he apologized.“There was really positive reinforcement from... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls expect center Wendell Carter Jr. to miss four to six weeks because of a sprained right ankle.Carter rolled his ankle going for a layup when he landed on Mavericks center Dwight Powell's foot in the third quarter of Monday's loss at Dallas. The Bulls said Thursday an MRI confirmed the sprain.Carter is averaging 11.7 points and 9.9 rebounds in his second season. A thumb injury that required surgery limited the Duke product to 44 games as a rookie after he was drafted with the No. 7 overall pick.The Bulls also said a follow-up MRI showed forward Otto Porter Jr.'s broken left foot is healing. Averaging 11.2 points in nine games, he has been sidelined since he was hurt against Atlanta on Nov. 6. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid needs more surgery, this time for a torn ligament in a finger in his left hand, the latest setback in the injury-riddled career of the Philadelphia 76ers' All-Star center.Embiid, averaging 23.4 points and 12.3 rebounds in 31 games this season, will have surgery Friday and will be evaluated in one to two weeks.He has never played more than 64 games in a season and won't again this season after he was hurt Monday night in a victory over Oklahoma City. Embiid injured the radial collateral ligament in the ring finger in the first half, a grotesque injury that made teammate Ben Simmons say “I nearly threw up" when he saw the finger.Embiid's finger overlapped his pinkie to the point that it seemed he had his fingers crossed. He played most of the game with his finger taped and said he "couldn't go up with two hands.""There were a couple of times I could have grabbed with both hands but I just couldn't. I just kept tapping it," Embiid said Monday.The Sixers had... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — John Beilein's first season as an NBA coach took another turbulent turn because of a comment he made during a film session.Beilein said Thursday he had apologized after using the word “thugs” while reviewing film with his players the previous day. ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein told ESPN he had meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team's effort level.Beilein repeated that explanation Thursday after his team's shootaround in Detroit, hours before the Cavaliers faced the Pistons.“I was saying: 'We’re making a lot of mistakes mentally, and we deserve better because we're really playing hard right now. We're not playing like slugs. We're playing hard,'" Beilein said. "And somehow that word came out.”Beilein said he called the players afterward to explain the situation, and said he apologized.“There was really positive reinforcement from... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker is playing some of the best basketball of his career and starting center Deandre Ayton is back in the lineup after missing a long stretch because of a suspension and an ankle injury.But the Phoenix Suns are still struggling to win basketball games.It's been a frustrating month for a franchise that's hungry to get back to the playoffs after a nine-year absence, which is the second-longest current drought in the NBA. The Suns have dropped 11 of their past 14 games and now have a 14-23 record, which ranks 13th out of 15 teams in the Western Conference.“Coach always says that everything you want is on the other side of hard,” Booker said. “I think we're in the middle of that right now.”The team's toughest loss might have been the last one on Tuesday, when the Suns fell 114-103 to the Sacramento Kings. Phoenix had a 21-point lead late in the third quarter before coughing up the advantage and losing its second straight game at home.“It feels bad when you lose games... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia center Joel Embiid will have surgery Friday for a torn ligament in a finger in his left hand and will be evaluated in one to two weeks."All of a sudden, we're different," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. “We're just different. I look at this as an opportunity. Nobody's crying. This is not a 'woe is me' moment, not for me, at all. And not for my players. We'll take what we have, and what we have, I love.”Embiid injured the radial collateral ligament in the ring finger in the first half Monday night against Oklahoma City. Embiid's overlapped his pinkie to the point that it seemed he had his fingers crossed. He played most of the game with his finger taped and said he "couldn't go up with two hands."Embiid has struggled with injuries ever since he was drafted with the No. 3 pick of the 2014. He missed his first two seasons with various injuries and hasn't played more than 64 games in any of the last three. He is averaging 23.4 points and 12.3 rebounds in 31 games this season.Al Horford, signed away from the Celtics in the offseason with a four-year deal, started at center Thursday against the Boston Celtics.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Former Oklahoma City Thunder player Enes Kanter plans to open a charter school in the metro area that focuses on serving low-income minority students and those from immigrant families with limited English-speaking abilities.Kanter, who currently plays for the Boston Celtics, notified Oklahoma City Public Schools of his intention to open the Enes Kanter School for Exceptional Learning, according to a letter first obtained by The Frontier.He and a group of “civic-minded individuals” from the city will submit a charter school application to the school district on Tuesday, The Oklahoman reported. The Oklahoma City School Board will then consider the application in a vote.Kanter and his associates have not selected a location for the school, but noted that they want to pick a site where “the need is high,” according to the letter. The school would be designed mostly for under-served minority and immigrant students from fourth through 12th grade. Kanter played for the Thunder... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — A man was arrested and escorted out of the arena after throwing a can of hard seltzer onto the court near the San Antonio Spurs bench during Wednesday night's game with the Boston Celtics, Boston police said Thursday.Justin Arnold, 22, of Everett, was charged with disturbing a public assembly. Arnold appeared to be intoxicated, police said in a statement.He was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty Thursday but was held briefly because of an alleged probation violation in an unrelated assault case.The 20-ounce can thrown from the balcony landed on the court and sprayed all over the floor “when the crowd started to scrutinize the refs for what appeared to be a terrible call against the Celtics,” police said. The can missed a Spurs player by just a few inches, police said.The can was thrown as Celtics guard Kemba Walker argued with a referee.Arnold later apologized in a call to an iHeart Radio station in Boston, saying he was angry with the call and was not thinking. He said he did not have any disrespect for the Spurs organization. Arnold was arrested after police reviewed surveillance video and talked to witnesses.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he apologized to the Spurs after the game.

BOSTON (AP) — A man was arrested and escorted out of the arena after throwing a can of hard seltzer onto the court near the San Antonio Spurs bench during Wednesday night's game with the Boston Celtics, Boston police said Thursday.Justin Arnold, 22, of Everett, was charged with disturbing a public assembly. Arnold appeared to be intoxicated, police said in a statement.He was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty Thursday but was held briefly because of an alleged probation violation in an unrelated assault case.The 20-ounce can thrown from the balcony landed on the court and sprayed all over the floor “when the crowd started to scrutinize the refs for what appeared to be a terrible call against the Celtics,” police said. The can missed a Spurs player by just a few inches, police said.The can was thrown as Celtics guard Kemba Walker argued with a referee.Arnold later apologized in a call to an iHeart Radio station in Boston, saying he was angry with the call and was not thinking. He said he did not have any disrespect for the Spurs organization. Arnold was arrested after police reviewed surveillance video and talked to witnesses.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he apologized to the Spurs after the game.

BOSTON (AP) — A man was arrested and escorted out of the arena after throwing a can of hard seltzer onto the court near the San Antonio Spurs bench during Wednesday night's game with the Boston Celtics, Boston police said Thursday.Justin Arnold, 22, of Everett, was charged with disturbing a public assembly.He was released on personal recognizance after pleading not guilty Thursday but was held without bail because of an alleged probation violation in an unrelated assault case.Arnold appeared to be intoxicated, police said in a statement.The 20-ounce can thrown from the balcony landed on the court and sprayed all over the floor “when the crowd started to scrutinize the refs for what appeared to be a terrible call against the Celtics,” police said. The can missed a Spurs player by just a few inches, police said.The can was thrown as Celtics guard Kemba Walker argued with a referee.Arnold apologized in a call to an iHeart Radio station in Boston, saying he was angry with the call and was not thinking. He said he did not have any disrespect for the Spurs organization. Arnold was arrested after police reviewed surveillance video and talked to witnesses.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he apologized to the Spurs after the game.

DETROIT (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers coach John Beilein said Thursday he has apologized after using the word “thugs” during a film session with his players the previous day.ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein told ESPN he had meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team's effort level.Beilein repeated that explanation Thursday after his team's shootaround in Detroit, hours before the Cavaliers faced the Pistons.“I was saying: 'We’re making a lot of mistakes mentally, and we deserve better because we're really playing hard right now. We're not playing like slugs. We're playing hard,'" Beilein said. "And somehow that word came out.”Beilein said he called the players afterward to explain the situation, and said he apologized.“There was really positive reinforcement from the guys this morning and last night. Very understanding, but it’s something that certainly... [More]

It could be a Team LeBron vs. Team Giannis rematch in the All-Star Game.LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers has passed Dallas’ Luka Doncic for the overall and Western Conference lead in fan voting for the Feb. 16 game in Chicago, with about a week and a half left in the race. Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the runaway leader in the Eastern Conference voting.The game’s captains -- James and Antetokounmpo held the jobs last year -- will be the All-Star starters who receive the most fan votes from his conference. James also was a captain the first time the format was used in 2018, then going up against a team picked by Golden State’s Stephen Curry.Team LeBron beat Team Giannis last year, 178-164. Team LeBron also won the inaugural edition of this All-Star setup, topping Team Stephen 148-145 in the 2018 game.James’ lead over Doncic was 82,001 votes, the NBA said on Thursday when releasing the second balloting update. James leads the West frontcourt voting with 3,359,871, ahead... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers coach John Beilein said Thursday he has apologized after reportedly using the word “thugs” during a film session with his players the previous day.ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, reported that Beilein suggested during a Wednesday film session that his players were no longer playing “like a bunch of thugs.” Beilein told ESPN he had meant to say “slugs” in reference to the team's effort level.Beilein repeated that explanation Thursday after his team's shootaround in Detroit, where the Cavaliers face the Pistons on Thursday night.“I was saying: 'We’re making a lot of mistakes mentally, and we deserve better because we're really playing hard right now. We're not playing like slugs. We're playing hard,'" Beilein said. "And somehow that word came out.”Beilein said he called the players afterward to explain the situation, and he said he apologized.“There was really positive reinforcement from the guys this morning and last night. Very understanding, but... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo said Wednesday he hopes to return to game action Jan. 29 against the Chicago Bulls.At least that's the tentative plan.It's the first time since Oladipo sustained a season-ending knee injury last January that the team or the two-time All-Star has established a specific date.And though Oladipo acknowledges nothing is definite, he's confident he will be able to play against the Bulls.The two-time All-Star has spent nearly a year working his way back from a ruptured quad tendon that required season-ending surgery and an extensive rehab program. He's been working out with the team since training camp last fall.Indiana expects Oladipo to bring scoring and energy to a lineup that has played better than aniticipated without its star player.President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard spent the offseason rebuilding the Pacers roster to compensate for what was expected to be a prolonged absence. He acquired guard Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with Milwaukee, small forward T.J. Warren from Phoenix, and added free-agent guards Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday.All four have played key roles for a team that started the night sixth in the Eastern Conference.Oladipo was averaging 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals when he was injured.___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Knicks forward-center Bobby Portis was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for recklessly making contact above the shoulders of an airborne shooter.Portis was assessed a Flagrant Foul 2 and ejected in the second quarter of the Knicks' 117-87 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.Portis is averaging 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 20.6 minutes in 37 games this season.

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat switched out one two-way contract for another Wednesday, signing guard Gabe Vincent and waiving guard Daryl Macon.Vincent has averaged 23.4 points in 20 G League games this season for the Stockton Kings, Sacramento’s G League affiliate. He also was leading the G League in 3-pointers made this season entering Wednesday with 88.Macon appeared in four games with the Heat this season and in 17 games with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He is averaging 19.4 points in the G League.Vincent is Miami’s second two-way player under contract right now. The other is center Chris Silva, who is likely to have his contract converted into a standard NBA deal by the Heat when such a move becomes possible under league rules next week.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis plans to travel with the Los Angeles Lakers on their upcoming road trip after he bruised his buttocks in a nasty fall.The Lakers announced encouraging news about their six-time All-Star's health Wednesday, a day after he left their blowout win over New York with a scary injury.An MRI exam performed overnight on Davis showed no major concerns, and X-rays were negative. Davis was extremely sore, but his injuries appear to be only bruises.The NBA's sixth-leading scorer is expected to be listed as questionable when the Lakers open a two-game road trip Friday in Dallas.Davis was hurt when he fell hard on his back and tailbone after trying to block the shot of New York's Julius Randle in the third quarter of the Lakers' sixth straight win, 117-87 over the Knicks on Tuesday night.Davis pounded the court in pain and stayed down for about two minutes while his teammates gathered around him. He eventually rose with help and walked off the court slowly, but under his... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis left the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the New York Knicks in the third quarter Tuesday night after he bruised his lower back in a painful fall to the court.Davis was injured when he fell awkwardly while trying to block the shot of New York's Julius Randle. Davis pounded the court in obvious pain after his hard landing, and he stayed down for about two minutes in a hushed Staples Center.Davis eventually rose with help from his teammates, and he walked to the Lakers' dressing room slowly, but under his own power.Davis' agent, Rich Paul, emerged from the Lakers' locker room after the injury and said X-rays on Davis' back were negative, but the superstar is feeling sore. The Lakers described the injury as a bruised sacrum — the lower part of the spine near the tailbone.Davis, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, is the primary reason behind Los Angeles' swift rise to the top of the Western Conference.The six-time All-Star is averaging 27.7 points and 9.5 rebounds in his first season after the Lakers traded most of their young core to New Orleans for him.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kevin Love knows he should have better handled his recent frustrations.He was childish."I wasn’t acting like a 31-year-old, I was acting like a 13-year-old," Love said. “That was not me.”The Cavaliers star forward spoke openly and in depth Tuesday for the first time since an outburst on the bench in Toronto last week and for showing up his teammates and coaches during a loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday.Love threw his arms up in disgust several times on the floor, fired a hard pass in anger and had his back turned on defense as one of the Thunder's players streaked past him for a basket.Also, before that game, Love got into a verbal exchange with general manager Koby Altman because he was angry at being fined for losing his cool against the Raptors on Dec. 31. Love said the situation was overblown in the media and that he and Altman spoke before Sunday's game against Minnesota and are on good terms.“I went in there and talked to Koby about it in conversation,” Love said... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin is out indefinitely after having surgery on his left knee.The Pistons announced Tuesday that Griffin will have an extended rehabilitation period with no timetable for his return.Pistons coach Dwane Casey said before Tuesday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers that he hasn't been given any indication if Griffin will play again this season.“When your body says you're ready to come back, you're ready to come back,” Casey said. “Blake's a smart man. He'll know when it's time. There's no rush on our part or his part. The most important thing is his total health.”The Pistons are mired in another rebuilding season and making the playoffs seems unlikely. Detroit is 13-24 going into the finale of a six-game trip.The 30-year-old Griffin was an All-Star last season for the sixth time. He has played in just 18 games this season and is averaging a career-low 15.5 points and a career-low 4.7 rebounds per game.Nearly two years ago, despite... [More]