MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh stood at center court, looked out at the Miami Heat fans and just let the words flow. He spoke about his health scare in 2015. He spoke of his grandfather, the one he called Daddy Jack, the one who told his first grandson that he was going to be special one day.And was Daddy Jack ever right.In Heat history, his grandson is now officially immortal.Wearing a Heat championship ring on both hands, Bosh watched a giant banner bearing his name and No. 1 raised to the rafters of AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday night — then delivered an emotional address to the crowd, part of it even in Spanish as a show of respect to the Latin culture of Miami."My name, my family name up here, that's something I used to get laughed at for dreaming of," Bosh said. "So never let anyone tell you that you can't accomplish your dream. Those four letters on the back of that jersey are my wife's name, my kids' name, my father's name, my grandfather's name. We're not just carrying on for another... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The playoff field is largely set.The positioning, that's still anyone's guess.So even while some of what we could have had for drama over the final 2½ weeks of the NBA regular season won't materialize — LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are already out of the playoffs, robbing us of one potential story line — the races for seedings and home-court edges are almost certain now to go down to the final days of the season.Milwaukee has the edge over all other teams in the race for the No. 1 overall seed. Dwyane Wade's career still isn't guaranteed of going past Miami's regular-season finale in Brooklyn on April 10. Golden State, bidding for a third straight NBA championship and fourth in five years, still has a fight on its hands just to get the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference."We're ready to take on any challenger," Warriors forward Draymond Green said.There have been nights where that's looked like a very accurate statement. Others, not so much.The Warriors have lost... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh is making a lot of music these days. He drinks beer and thinks about making more beer. He sketches. He paints. He plays with his kids. He has even learned how to use a wrench.He is also happy and healthy.And finally, he's made peace with the devastating way that blood clots ended his NBA career without warning and when he was still in his prime. The Miami Heat will retire his No. 1 jersey on Tuesday night, making Bosh the fourth former franchise pillar with a jersey swaying from the rafters of AmericanAirlines Arena after Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway and Shaquille O'Neal.His career is obviously worthy of celebrating. Bosh just hasn't been in the mood to celebrate, until now."It's very awesome," Bosh said. "I thought I had more time, but in the time I gave it was still worthy enough to have the organization and the great Pat Riley consider this. Pretty cool."Bosh played 13 seasons, the first seven in Toronto and the last six in Miami. He averaged 19.2 points and... [More]

The year was 2005. No one had an iPhone. No one had tweeted. Facebook wasn't part of the mainstream.And it was the last time the NBA playoffs didn't have LeBron James.The Los Angeles Lakers aren't mathematically eliminated from postseason consideration yet, but it's only a matter of time. For the first time in 14 years, the postseason will begin without James — and for the first time in nine years, the NBA Finals will be played without him.It will be a very long offseason for James.It is not what he envisioned, either."It's challenging," James said of the current state of the Lakers. "But I kind of knew what I was getting myself into."That's not entirely true. He knew it would be difficult but he couldn't have foreseen anything like this, since the only other losing season of his life came when he was a rookie in 2003-04.Thing is, he doesn't possibly know what comes next. No one does. The offseason will see roster change, top free agents to play alongside James will be pursued hard by Rob... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Kevin Huerter used to have Dwyane Wade's sneakers.Now, he's got his jersey.Wade has been exchanging uniform tops with opposing players all season long as part of his "One Last Dance" before he retires — swapping with close friends like LeBron James and Chris Paul, fellow longtime stars such as Dirk Nowitzki and Vince Carter, and the next wave of greats in Paul George and Bradley Beal.And on Monday night in Miami, Huerter — a rookie guard for Atlanta — got his name added to the list. There they stood, side by side, each wearing the other's No. 3 jersey from Miami's 114-113 win."Obviously, us No. 3s got to stick together," Wade said. "But I've been watching this kid grow from the preseason on to now and I like his game. I think his game can go to another level as well. I always want to be someone that a player like that can count on, can reach out to. That was a cool moment for me."Huerter wasn't expecting the gesture. He was leaving the court and heading to the locker room when... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade now has more blocked shots than any guard in NBA history.The Miami Heat star swatted away the 1,052nd shot of his career Monday night, blocking an attempt by Atlanta's B.J. Johnson. When factoring in regular-season and playoff games, that's one more block than Michael Jordan had in his career.Jordan still has the all-time regular season record for blocks by a guard with 893. Wade's two first-half blocks against the Hawks gave him 877.Johnson became the 449th player to get a shot blocked by Wade. Joe Johnson and Ben Gordon have been blocked by Wade the most, 12 times each.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/NBA and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — It's been more than nine years, and Dwyane Wade still wonders from time to time how Kobe Bryant hit a straightaway 3-pointer off the glass to beat him.Finally, he has his answer.Down by two, at home, last possession. That was the scenario when Bryant made his 3-pointer over Wade on Dec. 4, 2009, to give the Los Angeles Lakers a one-point win over the Miami Heat.Down by two, at home, last possession. Same scenario for Wade, this time against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.Same result, too.A banked-in 3-pointer by Wade gave the Heat — whose playoff hopes have taken hit after hit in recent weeks — a much-needed 126-125 victory. And even in the din of the incredibly jubilant on-court celebration, the likes of which perhaps only compared to Miami's two championship-clinching wins at home in 2012 and 2013, Wade went back to that moment with Bryant."Thank you for showing me the way, Mamba Mentality," Wade said in the on-court interview, referring to Bryant by one of... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Pat Riley has his eyes on both the present and the future.The Miami Heat president, in a video message to season-ticket holders that was posted Wednesday on the team's website, said he will not give up hope of reaching the playoffs this season — while adding that he expects the Heat to be in contention for perhaps two max-contract free-agent additions in the summer of 2020."We're chasing a playoff spot when we're young," Riley said. "And then we're going to be chasing some players that can come in. If we can get one or two players to come in with this group, this young group, then I think the sky's the limit for this team in the next couple years. ... In 2020, we'll have a lot of room."The Heat started Wednesday 10th in the Eastern Conference, and have had six losing streaks of at least three games so far this season. But Riley wants no part of tanking for a potential top draft pick. The NBA changed the draft lottery odds for this season and beyond in an effort to discourage... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Dwyane Wade is adamant that the end of this season will be the right time for him to bid farewell to the game of basketball.The game of basketball spent the weekend disagreeing with him.Wade's final All-Star appearance as a player is now complete, a four-day trip that had testimonials, celebrations, moments with his family, countless photos and chats with some of basketball's royalty, and one more lob to LeBron James for good measure. He scored seven points in his final NBA All-Star Game, helping Team LeBron get a 178-164 victory over Team Giannis."If you could wake up and say, 'This is how I would like my perfect day to go, this is how I would like my perfect All-Star weekend to go,' then this was it for me," Wade told The Associated Press. "This was exactly what I envisioned, what I wanted when I knew I had this opportunity. And it's been even more than I thought it could be."The score and the stats from the weekend will be forgotten.The moments won't be, at least... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on All-Star Weekend. (all times local)10:55 p.m.Kevin Durant had 31 points and seven rebounds, LeBron James added 19 points and Team LeBron overcame a big game from Giannis Antetokounmpo to defeat Team Giannis 178-164 on Sunday night in the All-Star game.Team LeBron trailed by 18 points in the first half, but battled back in the third quarter to take the lead behind the sharpshooting of Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard. Thompson had 20 points and Lilllard 18.James Harden sealed the win with a 3-pointer with 46 seconds left putting Team LeBron up by 16.Antetokounmpo finished with 38 points and 11 rebounds to lead his team, while Bucks teammate Khris Middleton added 20 on six 3-pointers. Stephen Curry had 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in his return to Charlotte but was 4 of 17 from the 3-point range.__10:30 p.m.Dwyane Wade's alley-oop dunk off a pass from former Heat teammate LeBron James has helped Team LeBron rally to take a 132-131 lead over... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on All-Star Weekend. (all times local)10:30 p.m.Dwyane Wade's alley-oop dunk off a pass from former Heat teammate LeBron James has helped Team LeBron rally to take a 132-131 lead over Team Giannis after the third quarter in the NBA All-Star Game.Wade, playing in his final All-Star game, flew through the air and grabbed a perfectly thrown pass from James for the dunk. That helped get his team moving as Klay Thompson and Damian Lillard combined for 15 points in the quarter helping Team LeBron erase an 18-point deficit as the teams have started to play defense.Wade and Dirk Nowitzki were presented with a commemorative All-Star jersey at the end of the third quarter and Wade told the crowd "the game is in great hands with these players and it is easy to walk away."Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking to become the first international player to win the All-Star game MVP leading all scorers with 31 points on eight dunks for Team Giannis.___10 p.m.The third quarter... [More]

To help you with planning for the NBA All Star weekend, here are some of our plans. This advisory will be updated until Sunday's game. Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times ET.SUNDAYBKN--All-Star GameCHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Stephen Curry returns home to Charlotte, Kemba Walker is playing on his homecourt with LeBron James, Kevin Durant and others tip it up in the All-Star game. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos. Game starts at 8 p.m.Also:_ BKN--All-Star Weekend-The Latest. Updates throughout Sunday on All-Star Weekend from Charlotte, North CarolinaBKN--All-Star-Curry Family WeekendCHARLOTTE, N.C. _ CHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Sonya Curry says this All-Star Weekend has been everything she hoped it would be. She has spent quality time with her grandchildren and watched sons Stephen and Seth and husband Dell participate in the All-Star 3-point contest. The Currys will wrap up the All-Star Weekend on Sunday night when Stephen competes in his sixth... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Boston's Jayson Tatum got his gamewinner from midcourt. Oklahoma City's Hamidou Diallo went over Shaquille O'Neal to help win his trophy. And Brooklyn's Joe Harris made all the shots at all the right times to deny Golden State's Stephen Curry a storybook ending in his hometown.Say this for All-Star Saturday Night: It had flair.Tatum won the skills competition, Diallo put on a show for the league's annual slam dunk title, and in easily the most anticipated part of the night Harris held off the Warriors' shooting star for the win in the 3-point contest.Harris made 12 straight shots in the final round and went a staggering 15 for 18 on moneyballs — the shots worth the most — to win the 3-point title. He finished with 26 of a possible 34 points in the final round, beating Curry by two. Sacramento's Buddy Hield was third with 19 final-round points."Obviously, it's incredible," Harris said. "Steph is the greatest shooter of all time. But, again, shooting off of the rack... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Latest on NBA All-Star Weekend (all times local):10:30 p.m.Oklahoma City's Hamidou Diallo is the NBA's slam dunk champion.Going over Shaquille O'Neal in the first round, then getting a boost from rapper Quavo in the finale, Diallo soared to the crown by topping New York's Dennis Smith Jr.Diallo topped Smith 88-85 in the finale. Charlotte's Miles Bridges and Atlanta's John Collins went out in the first round.Smith leapfrogged Miami's Dwyane Wade and took a lob from Stephen Curry to give himself a chance with his last dunk, getting a perfect score from the judges — and a round of boos from the crowd, many of whom weren't that impressed.That left Diallo as the night's final participant.Diallo pulled off a dunk that will be talked about for years in the first round — dunking over O'Neal, hanging on the rim by his elbow, then tearing open his jersey to reveal a "Superman" shirt underneath. And then he plucked the ball from Quavo as he went airborne for the dunk that... [More]

To help you with planning for the NBA All Star weekend, here are some of our plans. This advisory will be updated until Sunday's game. Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times ET.FRIDAYBKN--All-Star-Curry Family WeekendCHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Stephen and Seth Curry are returning to their hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina for the NBA All-Star weekend. Stephen, a two-time league MVP, will join younger brother Seth in the 3-point shootout on Saturday night at the Spectrum Center and then play in his sixth straight All-Star game on Sunday. Their father Dell Curry is a former NBA star and color commentator for the Hornets. He says it’s going to be “be like a mini family reunion.” By Steve Reed. Sent: 850 words, photosBKN--ALL-STAR-SPORTS BETTINGCHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis doesn't bet. He does, however, want Wizards fans to know what they're doing if they bet on games. The Wizards and the Sacramento Kings are among the NBA clubs being proactive... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — With All-Star festivities set to officially begin Friday, here are 10 things to know going into the weekend:BACK TO CHARLOTTECharlotte hosted NBA All-Star weekend in 1991, and now gets it back a second time to join 14 other cities that can say it hosted the league's showcase midseason event on multiple occasions.Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Houston, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle, St. Louis, Los Angeles and the L.A. suburb of Inglewood, California, are the other previous multi-hosting All-Star cities.The Bay Area, the Detroit area and the Dallas area are also two-time hosts, though never technically twice in the same city.LEBRON'S RECORDSLeBron James now has the record for most All-Star captaincies: Two. He and Stephen Curry had the jobs last year when the captain's format was first introduced to the All-Star weekend, and he and Giannis Antetokounmpo have the jobs this year.But James' records revolving around this game hardly stop... [More]

To help you with planning for the NBA All Star weekend, here are some of our plans. This advisory will be updated until Sunday's game. Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times ET.THURSDAYBKN--All-Star Game-Dwyane and DirkDALLAS _ Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki accepted honorary All-Star roles to help the NBA celebrate two long and decorated careers. It should also be a chance for the two-time Finals foes to go out on amicable terms after a shared history that Nowitzki acknowledged was “frosty” at times. Wade has already said this is his final season, and all signs point to Nowitzki hanging up his sneakers after setting a league record by spending all 21 of his seasons with the same franchise. By Schuyler Dixon. Sent: 800 words, photosFRIDAYBKN--All-Star-Curry Family WeekendCHARLOTTE, N.C. _ Stephen and Seth Curry are returning to their hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina for the NBA All-Star weekend. Stephen, a two-time league MVP, will join... [More]

DALLAS (AP) — Of all the opposing jerseys Dwyane Wade has collected through swaps during his final NBA season, Dirk Nowitzki's was among those the Miami star wanted the most and somehow seemed worried he wouldn't get.Maybe it had something to do with the "frosty" phase of their relationship, as the Dallas icon described the strain following the Heat's six-game win over the Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals. Maybe Wade thought such a display wouldn't be possible on Dallas owner Mark Cuban's court.In reality, Wade didn't need to worry about Nowitzki turning him down.The two-time Finals foes are elder statesmen in their league now, a co-existence better defined by sharing honorary All-Star status for the NBA's biggest party than bitterness over a championship lost to a rival."You appreciate having someone like that that's a part of your journey, that pushes you," Wade said, a few hours before that jersey swap took place near midcourt following Miami's 112-101 victory in Dallas on Wednesday.... [More]

DALLAS (AP) — Of all the opposing jerseys Dwyane Wade has collected through swaps during his final NBA season, Dirk Nowitzki's was among those the Miami star wanted the most and somehow seemed worried he wouldn't get.Maybe it had something to do with the "frosty" phase of their relationship, as the Dallas icon described the strain following the Heat's six-game win over the Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals. Maybe Wade thought such a display wouldn't be possible on Dallas owner Mark Cuban's court.In reality, Wade didn't need to worry about Nowitzki turning him down.The two-time Finals foes are elder statesmen in their league now, a co-existence better defined by sharing honorary All-Star status for the NBA's biggest party than bitterness over a championship lost to a rival."You appreciate having someone like that that's a part of your journey, that pushes you," Wade said, a few hours before that jersey swap took place near midcourt following Miami's 112-101 victory in Dallas on Wednesday.... [More]

To help you with planning for the NBA All Star weekend, here are some of our plans. This advisory will be updated until Sunday's game. Please contact Oscar Dixon (odixon@ap.org) with any questions. All times ET.WEDNESDAYBKN--All-Star Game-Stepback 3-PointerJames Harden has relied on it to become the NBA’s most unstoppable scorer. Luka Doncic has ridden it to stardom on both sides of the Atlantic. So how come more players aren’t using the step-back 3-pointer? Well, it’s fundamentally flawed, sometimes doesn’t even look legal, and even Stephen Curry says it’s tough to make. So it’s unclear whether the shot is a luxury for some, or will become a necessity for all in today’s 3-point happy game. By Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney. Sent: 850 words, photos by 5 a.m.THURSDAYBKN--All-Star Game-Dwyane and DirkDALLAS _ Miami’s Dwyane Wade and Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki accepted honorary All-Star roles to help the NBA celebrate two long and decorated careers. It should also be a chance for the two-time... [More]