NEW YORK (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are no longer must-see TV.The NBA is taking two upcoming Golden State games off the national TV schedule, with the injury-riddled former dynasty now owning the worst record in the league.Golden State was scheduled to play on ESPN against Utah on Dec. 13 and against Portland on Dec. 18. The league announced Tuesday that both games would be replaced.The Warriors are playing without Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson because of injuries, after Kevin Durant left Golden State for Brooklyn in the summer, and are forced to use a number of unfamiliar players.Golden State was one of the league’s biggest draws during its run to five straight NBA Finals but is currently 4-18.The Los Angeles Clippers’ game at Minnesota was added on Dec. 13, and Boston at Dallas was elevated to the national schedule on Dec. 18.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Five-time All-Star Kyle Lowry is back in the starting lineup for the Toronto Raptors for Tuesday’s game against Miami after missing the past 11 games because of a fractured left thumb.Lowry, who is averaging 21.8 points and 6.5 assists, was injured in the first quarter of a win Nov. 8 at New Orleans.Lowry had offseason surgery to repair ligaments in his left thumb. The injuries are unrelated.Coach Nick Nurse said Lowry’s playing time will not be restricted against the Heat.The defending NBA champions went 9-2 without Lowry and have won a season-high seven straight overall. Toronto is 9-0 at home this season, a franchise record for home victories to begin a season.Raptors forward Serge Ibaka, who sprained his right ankle in the same game that saw Lowry injured, returned to the lineup in Sunday’s win over Utah.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wizards center Thomas Bryant has a stress reaction in his right foot and will be sidelined for at least three weeks before he’s re-evaluated.“Hopefully we get good news then,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said before Tuesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.Bryant, who is averaging 13.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, was diagnosed Tuesday after experiencing pain in his foot following the team’s 150-125 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.Brooks said rookie forward Rui Hachimura would slide over to the center spot against the Magic with Davis Bertans starting at forward.In another lineup change, Brooks said Isaac Bonga would start in place of Troy Brown Jr., who will come off the bench.Washington was also without reserve center Moritz Wagner (left ankle sprain) and reserve guard C.J. Miles (left wrist ligament injury).___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis Grizzlies rookie Brandon Clarke has aggravated a sore left oblique muscle and now is week to week.The Grizzlies detailed Clarke’s medical status Tuesday.Clarke hurt his oblique muscle in the first half of Sunday’s win at Minnesota. He did not return for the second half and did not dress for Monday night’s loss to Indiana.The Grizzlies already are without their top draft pick, Ja Morant, who is week to week because of back spasms. Clarke was the 21st pick out of Gonzaga by Oklahoma City, who traded his draft rights to Memphis. Clarke helped lead the Grizzlies to the summer league title.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Steve Kerr is teaching. And learning.That is his silver lining from this season.After five consecutive years of being No. 1 in the Western Conference — and ending up as NBA champions in three of those seasons — the Warriors are at the bottom of the league. Everyone knows why: Kevin Durant left, Stephen Curry got hurt, Klay Thompson got hurt, D’Angelo Russell got hurt, Andre Iguodala got traded, Shaun Livingston retired, DeMarcus Cousins left ... it goes on and on.“You can’t have worse luck than they’ve had,” Orlando coach Steve Clifford said.But to Kerr’s credit, the Warriors are desperate to make the best of their situation.This will be a losing season for Kerr, his first in more than a quarter-century. He was a winner almost every year as a player, a winner in each of his three seasons as an executive in Phoenix, a huge winner in his first five seasons as coach. He won five titles as a player, three more as a coach. And next year — with Curry back, Thompson back, a top-five lottery pick... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dion Waiters returned to practice with the Miami Heat on Saturday, apologizing publicly for the incident on the team plane that led to his 10-game suspension.Waiters will be with the team for its three-game trip to Brooklyn, Toronto and Boston that starts on Sunday. He has yet to play this season and has been suspended for 11 of the first 18 Heat games — costing him about $920,000, pending appeals.“I would like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, basketball staff, the fans and the entire organization for the incident that happened on the team plane,” Waiters said in a statement distributed by the team. “I was wrong and take responsibility for what happened and am sorry for what it put everyone through.”Waiters was not available for interviews Saturday.“We just want to put this all behind us,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.Spoelstra said he would not divulge what went on in the team meeting when Waiters returned to the locker room Saturday.“We understand that a lot of things... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Adding one more spectacular game to a November full of them, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic provided more evidence that he’s quickly emerging as one of the best players in the NBA.Doncic tied a career-high with 42 points in a 120-113 win over the Phoenix Suns on Friday night and narrowly missed a triple-double with 11 assists and nine rebounds. The performance assured that he would become just the third player in NBA history to average a 30-point triple-double over a calendar month.He averaged 32.4 points, 10.3 rebounds and 10.4 assists over 15 games in November. The only other two players to accomplish the same feat are Oscar Robertson (five times) and Russell Westbrook (twice), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.“I’ve learned over my many years not to take anything for granted,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s just an exceptional player. Exceptional person. Exceptionally tough. You don’t find that combination in 20-year-old guys coming into the NBA very often.Doncic... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets were without center Cody Zeller for a second straight game when they took on the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.Zeller hurt his left hip against Miami on Monday night, and he was sidelined for a home game against Detroit on Wednesday.The Pistons are still without point guard Reggie Jackson (lumbar stress reaction).Zeller is averaging 11.2 points on the season in 17 games. Bismack Biyombo made his third start of the season. At 6-foot-8, he was the tallest player in the starting lineup for the Hornets.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Nets point guard Kyrie Irving has begun working on the court but will miss at least one more game because of an injured right shoulder.Irving sat out for the eighth straight time Friday. The All-Star watched from the bench as Brooklyn beat the Boston Celtics 112-107.The Nets hoped he could return for the second part of their home-and-home against his former team but instead ruled him out once more with an impingement. He was at the arena for an evaluation and coach Kenny Atkinson said afterward that Irving has started shooting, though not participating in any workouts with contact.Atkinson said Irving would miss the Nets’ game Sunday against Miami and the team will see how he is progressing next week.Irving averaged a team-high 28.5 points in 11 games before he was hurt.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Nets point guard Kyrie Irving is missing an eighth straight game because of an injured right shoulder. He is again unable to face his former team, the Boston Celtics.Brooklyn hoped he could return Friday for the second part of its home-and-home against Boston. Instead, the Nets ruled him out once more with an impingement and hoped to have an update after the game.Coach Kenny Atkinson said Irving would be at the arena for further evaluation. Irving averaged a team-high 28.5 points in 11 games before he was hurt.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kevin Love returned against Orlando after missing two games because of a sore back.Love has averaged team highs of 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds in 14 games. He had been listed as questionable, but was in the starting lineup Wednesday after completing pregame warmups.The 12-year veteran didn't play against Portland on Saturday when Cleveland broke a six-game losing and also missed Monday's loss to Brooklyn.Love was out against New York on Nov. 18 because of the back issue, but played the following two games. He aggravated the injury Friday in Dallas.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rudy Gobert started at center for the Utah Jazz at Indiana on Wednesday after missing two games because of a sprained left ankle.Gobert was named the league’s top defensive player each of the past two seasons and is averaging 14.1 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 15 games this season.He returned against one of the league’s other top post defenders, Pacers center Myles Turner — the top shot-blocker in the NBA last season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks say guard Kevin Huerter will miss their upcoming road trip while he recovers from a shoulder injury.Huerter strained his left rotator cuff when fouled by Denver’s Nikola Jokic on Nov. 12. He was examined again by team doctors Monday night and has been cleared to begin limited on-court work.Rookie Cam Reddish and DeAndre’ Bembry have filled in for Huerter, who is averaging 9.3 points. Reddish recently missed two games with a sprained left wrist.The three-game road trip begins Wednesday night at Milwaukee.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Knicks star Charles Oakley was forcefully removed from his seat at Madison Square Garden, handcuffed and arrested after a scuffle near team owner James Dolan.Oakley shoved security guards before they pulled him away from his seat behind the baseline during the first quarter of the Knicks' 119-115 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. Fans chanted "Oakley! Oakley!" in support of the popular power forward.The 53-year-old Oakley played for the Knicks from 1988-98, helping them reach the NBA Finals, but has a poor relationship with the team because of his criticism of Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman."Charles Oakley came to the game tonight and behaved in a highly inappropriate and completely abusive manner," the Knicks wrote in a statement on Twitter. "He has been ejected and is currently being arrested by the New York City Police Department. He was a great Knick and we hope he gets some help soon."The NYPD said Oakley was arrested on three counts... [More]

Kevin Love knows change could be coming.A couple of years ago, uncertainty might have been something that stressed him out, triggered the sorts of feelings like the ones that manifested themselves in the form of an in-game panic attack in 2017, rendered him unable to compete as efficiently as he wanted.Not this time.Even though he has three full years and about $90 million left on his contract after this season, it's no secret that Love could be traded by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Plenty of teams even make sense for such a move — Portland, Dallas, Denver, Miami among others.But going public with the details of his panic attack — and his ongoing involvement in the conversation about the need to take care of mental health — has not left Love feeling vulnerable. He's more at peace than anything else, and that's why the rumors that are out there aren't gnawing at him."I'm just going to let the chips fall," Love said. "I know that this is a young team. I think I can help them. I'm going to do... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Oklahoma City guard Hamidou Diallo will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a hyperextension sprain in his right elbow, a tough setback for the second-year player after he had just returned from a knee injury.Yet as soon as Diallo is healthy again, the Thunder plan to put him right back into the rotation.“I feel bad for him just as I do for Andre (Roberson) or any of these guys,” coach Billy Donovan said. “... I think for Hami, going through what he went through last year, in the rotation, out of the rotation, down in the G League, back with us and then going in and having the summer he had, having the training camp he had, and then the early part of the season playing like he had been playing, yeah, I think your heart goes out to somebody that’s put that kind of work in and has made that kind of jump.“I always say I think generally players make the biggest jump from their first year to their second year and he clearly has made a really good jump. You feel bad for... [More]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Oklahoma City guard Hamidou Diallo will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a hyperextension sprain in his right elbow.The Thunder announced Diallo’s status before Monday night’s road game against the Warriors at Chase Center, saying he would be re-evaluated after that timeframe.In Friday’s 130-127 home loss to the Lakers, Diallo left in the fourth quarter after taking contact from LeBron James on a driving lay-in early in the period.Diallo was called for a foul on the play. Thunder coach Billy Donovan challenged the play because James extended his elbow on the drive, causing Diallo to fall back. The call and the basket both stood, and James made the free throw.On Friday, Diallo had just returned from a three-game absence for a sprained left knee. He has played in 12 games with one start, averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 21.4 minutes.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics guard Kemba Walker wasn’t seriously injured during a scary collision with a teammate last week that led to him being taken from the court on a stretcher, Boston’s team doctor said Monday, but Walker will be kept out of the lineup until he goes through a full practice.Walker was on the bench for Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings, the team’s first game since the injury.Walker collided with teammate Semi Ojeleye’s abdominal area head-first and went down to the court in a heap against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.A brace was placed around his neck and he was strapped to a backboard before being placed onto a gurney and wheeled off the court.“It looked like it was going to be a very serious injury, but thankfully it turned out not to be a very a serious injury,” team physician Dr. Tony Schena told reporters Monday.Schena said Walker had “numbness and tingling in his hands” immediately after the collision, which is why trainers were so cautious with... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics say guard Kemba Walker didn’t suffer any serious injury from his collision with a teammate in a game last week, but they are keeping him out of the lineup for Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings until he goes through a full practice.Walker collided with teammate Semi Ojeleye’s abdominal area head-first and went down to the court in a heap against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.A brace was placed around his neck and he was strapped to a backboard before being placed onto a gurney and wheeled off the court.“It looked like it was going to be a very serious injury, but thankfully it turned out not to be a very a serious injury,” head team physician Dr. Tony Schena told reporters Monday.Schena said Walker had “numbness and tingling in his hands” immediately after the collision, which is why trainers were so cautious with him.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Kevin Love is out for the second game this week because of a sore back.Love, who averages a team-high 17.9 points, isn't playing Saturday against Portland as Cleveland tries to break a six-game losing streak.The All-Star also missed Sunday's game against New York. He played Wednesday in Miami and aggravated the injury Friday in Dallas.The Cavaliers complete a stretch of five games in seven days Saturday and play three games next week. Cleveland coach John Beilein wants to be cautious with Love, who is in his 12th season."He could probably gut through it, but it's not advantageous for us or the team tonight or in the future if he tries to gut this through," Beilein said.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/NBA and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports