NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has been fined $35,000 by the NBA after he was ejected in the fourth quarter of a victory at Oklahoma City.The league announced the punishment on Saturday. It said Rondo made “unsportsmanlike physical contact” with Thunder guard Dennis Schroder, verbally abused an official and didn’t leave the court in a timely manner after he was thrown out.Rondo was ejected after he kicked Schroder in the groin area. The veteran guard had eight points and four assists in Los Angeles’ 130-127 win Friday night.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The NBA is investigating an incident between Boston guard Marcus Smart and a fan in Denver, after the Celtics guard said he heard a derogatory comment and was unhappy with the way that he believed security in the arena responded to the matter.Smart said a fan told him to "get on your knees" after he pursued a loose ball along the sideline during Friday's game in Denver. Smart said one of his feet got tangled in frame of a courtside chair, and while he was trying to free himself he heard the comment.NBA spokesman Tim Frank said Saturday the league is investigating the matter.“The fan told me, ‘That’s right, stay on the ground, get on your knees,’” Smart told reporters postgame Friday night. “Excuse me? I just told him, 'Listen, just watch the game because if we retaliate to you guys and if we were on the street, I guarantee you wouldn't say that.”Smart said security at Denver's Pepsi Center essentially ignored him. At least one security guard was seen speaking to fans in that section moments... [More]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Minutes after an NBA game ended Friday night, the Utah Jazz’s home arena was evacuated because of a suspicious package.Salt Lake City police said the package turned out to be a toolbox, and the Jazz said employees were cleared by authorities to re-enter the building a couple of hours after the evacuation.Most fans had already exited Vivint Smart Home Arena following Utah’s 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors when players, coaches and reporters were instructed to leave immediately.Not long after both coaches finished answering postgame questions from the media, a spokesman for the Jazz told reporters to exit the building due to the suspicious package. Outside, they were directed by security to leave the premises.Utah players quickly headed for their cars in the parking lot — center Rudy Gobert was still in uniform as he left. Warriors players boarded their team bus.Salt Lake City police Lt. Carlos Valencia said he received a call about the package from an... [More]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — About 15 minutes after the end of an NBA game Friday night, the Utah Jazz’s home arena was evacuated because of a suspicious package.Salt Lake City police say the package turned out to be a toolbox, and the Jazz say employees were cleared by authorities to re-enter the building a couple of hours after the evacuation.Most fans had already exited Vivint Smart Home Arena following Utah’s 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors when players, coaches and reporters were instructed to leave immediately.Not long after both coaches finished answering postgame questions from the media, a spokesman for the Jazz told reporters to exit the building due to the suspicious package. Outside, they were instructed by security to leave the premises.Utah players quickly headed for their cars in the parking lot — center Rudy Gobert was still in uniform as he left. Warriors players boarded their team bus.Salt Lake City police Lt. Carlos Valencia said the suspicious package looked like a shoebox and was discovered under a table at a restaurant in the northeast corner of the arena. He said the call came in from a uniformed officer working part-time at the game around 9:30 p.m.Arena bomb dogs went near the package and “got a hit on it,” Valencia said.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — About 15 minutes after the end of an NBA game, the Utah Jazz’s home arena has been evacuated because of a suspicious package.Most fans had already left the building Friday night following Utah’s 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors when players, coaches and reporters were instructed to leave Vivint Smart Home Arena immediately.Not long after both coaches finished answering postgame questions from the media, a spokesman for the Jazz told reporters to exit the building due to the suspicious package. Outside, they were instructed by security to leave the premises.Utah players quickly headed for their cars in the parking lot — center Rudy Gobert was still in uniform as he left. Warriors players boarded their team bus.Salt Lake City police Lt. Carlos Valencia says the suspicious package was a shoebox discovered under a table at an eatery in the arena. He says the call came in from a uniformed officer working part-time at the game around 9:30 p.m.Arena bomb dogs went near the package and “got a hit on it,” Valencia said.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — About 15 minutes after the end of an NBA game, the Utah Jazz’s home arena has been evacuated because of a suspicious package.Most fans had already left the building Friday night following Utah’s 113-109 victory over the Golden State Warriors when players, coaches and reporters were instructed to leave Vivint Smart Home Arena immediately.Not long after both coaches finished answering postgame questions from the media, a spokesman for the Jazz told reporters to exit the building due to a suspicious package. Outside, they were instructed by security to leave the premises.Utah players quickly headed for their cars in the parking lot — center Rudy Gobert was still in uniform as he left. Warriors players boarded their team bus.

DENVER (AP) — Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker collided with teammate Semi Ojeleye late in the second quarter, striking Ojeleye's abdomen area head-first and going down on to the court in a heap against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.In a tweet, the Celtics said Walker has been diagnosed with concussion-like symptoms. He was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.Walker grimaced in pain as he went down and play was stopped as medical personnel from both teams tended to the star guard who was prone on the floor for several minutes.His teammates gathered round as did Nuggets players, plainly concerned about Walker. A brace was placed around his neck to stabilize the area and he was strapped to a backboard before being placed onto a gurney and wheeled off the court.Walker entered the game averaging a team-leading 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in his first season with Boston.Earlier this month, the Celtics lost Gordon Hayward to a fractured left hand. He suffered the injury when he collided with LaMarcus Aldridge in a Nov. 9 game against San Antonio.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DENVER (AP) — Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker collided with teammate Semi Ojeleye late in the second quarter, striking Ojeleye's abdomen area head-first and going down on to the court in a heap against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night.Walker grimaced in pain as he went down and play was stopped as medical personnel from both teams tended to the star guard who was prone on the floor for several minutes.His teammates gathered round as did Nuggets players, plainly concerned about Walker. A brace was placed around his neck to stabilize the area and he was strapped to a backboard before being placed onto a gurney and wheeled off the court.Walker entered the game averaging a team-leading 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in his first season with Boston.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is suing a home remodeling contractor he says failed to perform the work for which he was hired.The lawsuit says Antetokounmpo hired David Gonzalez, of Cedarburg, to do some remodeling work at his suburban Milwaukee home. The work included painting, installing new countertops, flooring, landscaping and fencing.Gonzalez, doing business as DIG Enterprises, did not immediately respond to an email for comment and his cellphone mailbox was full.The Journal Sentinel says Antetokounmpo made a $40,000 down payment on work that was expected to top $238,000. The lawsuit says some of the work was never done or wasn’t done correctly.Antetokounmpo claims Gonzalez fraudulently obtained more than $144,000 just for the fence project, didn't install it or get the necessary permits.___Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com

WASHINGTON (AP) — Forgive Gregg Popovich for not being in much of a mood to discuss the current state of the San Antonio Spurs.Fact is, he’s just not used to losing like this.Here’s how long it’s been since the Spurs dropped seven games in a row, the way they now have after DeMar DeRozan, LaMarcus Aldridge and the rest of the team were beaten by the lowly Washington Wizards 138-132 on Wednesday night: You have to go all the way back to the 1996-97 season to find such a rut for Pop and Co.That was before Tim Duncan had even played a game for them — and that guy was in the arena Wednesday, sitting on the sideline as an assistant to Popovich. Before Popovich led the franchise to five NBA championships and 22 consecutive playoff appearances. Before folks such as Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard had come and gone.After the latest setback, Popovich spoke to reporters only briefly.“All in all, if you score 132 points, you should probably have a pretty good chance to win a game.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard returns after missing three games with the Los Angeles Clippers to play with Paul George for the first time against the Boston Celtics.It’s taken nearly a month, but the duo will be on the court together Wednesday night in the nationally televised game.Leonard had sat out because of a bruised left knee that he sustained last week at Houston.George hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 25 seconds left to lift the Clippers over Oklahoma City on Monday night. He made his debut last week at New Orleans after missing the first 11 games while rehabbing from two offseason shoulder surgeries.The two superstars arrived in Los Angeles last summer as part of a blockbuster deal.“I’m just looking for them to burn minutes and see how they can do,” coach Doc Rivers said.Leonard is averaging 26.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists in nine games.George is averaging 29.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in three games.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Trail Blazers have waived center Pau Gasol but his career with the team may not be over.Gasol, who never played in a game with the Blazers, announced on social media Wednesday that the team had released him. In a video he posted, Gasol said he is still recovering from surgery on his left foot in May.“I underwent surgery in hopes that it would expedite my return, but unfortunately in the last few days we have assessed that my recovery is going to take longer than we had originally hoped for,” he said.Gasol said he plans to remain in Portland to continue his rehabilitation, and he is discussing a new role with the Trail Blazers.“I have the same excitement and passion for the game of basketball that I had when I first started playing, and I will work as hard as I can on my recovery with a clear goal in mind: To get healthy in order to continue to play the game that I love,” Gasol said.Gasol signed with the Blazers in the offseason as a free agent.He played... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls say forward Otto Porter Jr. has a bone bruise in his left foot and will be reassessed in two weeks.The Bulls say a second MRI on Tuesday revealed the bruise. Porter, averaging 11.2 points in nine games, has been sidelined since he sprained his left foot at Atlanta on Nov. 6.The Bulls were 4-10 with three straight losses heading into Wednesday’s game against Detroit.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Carmelo Anthony had accepted the possibility that his NBA career might be over.That seems to have liberated him to come back on his own terms when he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.“I came to a point where I was willing to accept it either way,” Anthony said after playing the first game of his 17th season with his sixth NBA team on Tuesday night. “I had to get myself mentally prepared for that and I did, to be honest with you.“I stayed with it, but there was times where I didn’t want to. I wanted to just say, ‘Forget it, move on with my life, spend more time with my family.’ I started getting more comfortable with that,” Anthony continued. “I come into this game with a totally different mindset, totally different motivation.”Anthony’s Portland debut — played across the street from where he led Syracuse to the 2003 NCAA championship — was not a triumphant one. He missed 10 of 14 shots, finished with 10 points, and the Blazers lost 115-104 in New Orleans.But Anthony... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving will miss a third straight game with a right shoulder injury.The Nets said Tuesday that the All-Star guard wouldn’t play Wednesday when they host Charlotte.Brooklyn beat Chicago on Saturday in its first game without Irving, but lost Monday to Indiana in its return home after a five-game road trip.The Nets are also without their other starting guard, as Caris LeVert had surgery on his right thumb.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Carmelo Anthony is now with the Portland Trail Blazers and starting over with jersey No. 00.Word that the 10-time All-Star had joined the team broke Thursday night, but the agreement was not formalized until Tuesday when he signed a nonguaranteed contract that goes through January. If he stays, the contract becomes guaranteed for the rest of the season.Anthony was in the starting lineup for the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night in New Orleans.Anthony hasn’t played since a 10-game stint with the Houston Rockets ended a little more than a year ago. But the Blazers hope there is enough game left in the 35-year-old forward to help them overcome a 5-9 start.“Carmelo is an established star in this league that will provide a respected presence in our locker room and a skill set at a position of need on the floor,” Neil Olshey, Portland’s president of basketball operations, said in a statement.Anthony struggled at the end of his recent stops in Oklahoma City and Houston following... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Portland coach Terry Stotts says Carmelo Anthony will start at forward in his Trail Blazers debut against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.The 35-year-old Anthony agreed to contract terms with Portland last week but was officially signed Tuesday after passing a recent physical.The 16-year veteran’s first game with his fifth NBA team comes in the same city — and across the street — from where he led Syracuse to an NCAA national title in 2003.The 6-foot-8 Anthony began his NBA career in Denver, where he played seven-plus seasons before being traded in 2011 to the New York Knicks, where he spent six-plus seasons. He also has played one each with Oklahoma City and Houston. The Rockets traded him to Chicago last January, but the Bulls cut him before he played a game.He has averaged 24 points in 1,064 career regular season games.____More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Carmelo Anthony is now with the Portland Trail Blazers and starting over with jersey No. 00.Word that the 10-time All-Star had joined the team broke Thursday night, but the agreement was not formalized until Tuesday when he signed a nonguaranteed contract that goes through January. If he stays, the contract becomes guaranteed for the rest of the season.It was not immediately clear when he would start practicing or playing with the team. Portland was at New Orleans on Tuesday night.Anthony hasn’t played since a 10-game stint with the Houston Rockets ended a little more than a year ago. But the Blazers hope there is enough game left in the 35-year-old forward to help them overcome a 5-9 start.“Carmelo is an established star in this league that will provide a respected presence in our locker room and a skill set at a position of need on the floor,” Neil Olshey, Portland’s president of basketball operations, said in a statement.Anthony struggled at the end of his recent... [More]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Carmelo Anthony is now set with the Portland Trail Blazers and starting over with jersey No. 00.Word that the 10-time All-Star had joined the team broke Thursday night, but the agreement was not formalized until Tuesday when he signed a nonguaranteed contract that goes through January. If he stays, the contract becomes guaranteed for the rest of the season.It was not immediately clear when he would start practicing or playing with the team. Portland was at New Orleans on Tuesday night.Anthony hasn’t played since a 10-game stint with the Houston Rockets ended a little more than a year ago. But the Blazers hope there is enough game left in the 35-year-old forward to help them overcome a 5-9 start.“Carmelo is an established star in this league that will provide a respected presence in our locker room and a skill set at a position of need on the floor,” Neil Olshey, Portland’s president of basketball operations, said in a statement.Anthony struggled at the end of his recent... [More]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Carmelo Anthony is now set with the Portland Trail Blazers and starting over with jersey No. 00.Word that the 10-time All-Star had joined the team broke Thursday night, but the agreement was not formalized until Tuesday when he signed a nonguaranteed contract that goes through January. If he stays, the contract becomes guaranteed for the rest of the season.It was not immediately clear when he would start practicing or playing with the team. Portland plays at New Orleans on Tuesday night.Anthony hasn’t played since a 10-game stint with the Houston Rockets ended a little more than a year ago. But the Blazers hope there is enough game left in the 35-year-old forward to help them overcome a 5-9 start.“Carmelo is an established star in this league that will provide a respected presence in our locker room and a skill set at a position of need on the floor,” Neil Olshey, Portland’s president of basketball operations, said in a statement.Anthony but struggled at the end of... [More]