ATLANTA (AP) — The NBA's top playoff seeds, Philadelphia and Utah, are on the brink of being eliminated. The 76ers have blown leads of 18 and 26 points in back-to-back losses to the Atlanta Hawks, who now lead the Eastern Conference semifinal series 3-2. Atlanta, the No. 5 seed, can clinch the series at home on Friday night after storming back for an improbable 109-106 win on Wednesday night in Philadelphia. “Our backs are against the wall right now and we have to play like it,” said Philadelphia's Tobias Harris. Seth Curry said the 76ers should not have psychological scars from losing big leads in back-to-back losses. “It shouldn’t,” Curry said. “We’re grown men over here. Watch the film and learn from it and bounce back.” Led by Trae Young, the Hawks are attempting to advance to a conference final for only the second time since moving to Atlanta in 1968. The Hawks were swept by Cleveland in the 2015 conference final. The Hawks won their only NBA championship in 1958, when the team was... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The timing eventually worked out for Troy Weaver and the Detroit Pistons.The Pistons introduced Weaver as their new general manager on a video conference Monday. The former Oklahoma City Thunder executive joins a Detroit team that was interested in him previously — and he takes over a GM spot that was vacant for a couple years.“We had actually tried to talk to Troy a couple years ago. OKC wasn't quite ready to let him go,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said. “So he's been on our radar for a while.”The Pistons shook up their front office two years ago. Stan Van Gundy had been the coach and team president, and after Detroit moved on from him, there was no official GM. Ed Stefanski took over the front office, and Dwane Casey was hired as coach.Now Weaver will fill the GM role, with Stefanski remaining as a senior advisor to Gores.“Troy, Ed and Dwane will work on a day-to-day basis with each other,” Gores said. “Troy will have normal, and even higher than normal, GM responsibilities.”Weaver... [More]

LeBron James was making a statement on the court when the Milwaukee Bucks had to make one of their own.Giannis Antetokounmpo had been hurt two nights earlier while losing to James and the Los Angeles Lakers, and on Sunday afternoon they said the reigning MVP had a minor sprain of his left knee and would miss at least two games.Shortly after, James and the Lakers closed out the Clippers for another big win. Milwaukee lost again later Sunday and dropped a third in a row Monday in Denver while resting other regulars.It was a reminder that everything in the NBA always comes down to health.James and the Lakers have it right now, along with suddenly the look of the team to beat.“I feel like right now I’m just playing some really good basketball,” James said. “Last year obviously started out really well but the injury hurt me a lot physically and mentally as well, having an injury like that.” That was a groin injury he sustained while the Lakers were blowing out Golden State on Christmas Day.... [More]

The Toronto Raptors have done it once already, chasing down a Milwaukee Bucks team that seemed to be sprinting to the NBA Finals.Catching them in the standings this season seems unlikely, with the Bucks (49-8) on their way perhaps to one of the best records in league history.But Toronto might get another shot in the postseason, and before then the Raptors will get three more chances to see how they measure up against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks.The first comes Tuesday night in Toronto, where the Raptors had the most lopsided win in their franchise history two nights earlier.The Bucks specialize in lopsided victories, beating teams by 12.4 points per game entering the week, on pace to post the largest average margin of victory in league history.“Every game I watch them play it’s 32-12 at the end of one. Every single one. Or, 32-22 like, the closest,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse said Sunday.The Bucks were the NBA’s best team in the regular season in 2018-19, but the Raptors stormed back... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons and Reggie Jackson have agreed on a contract buyout, paving the way for the veteran guard to sign with another team.Detroit announced the agreement Tuesday.Jackson is in the final season of his five-year, $80 million deal he signed in 2015 with the Pistons, who acquired him earlier that year in a trade with Oklahoma City.The 29-year-old Jackson is averaging 14.9 points and 5.1 assists this season, but he has been limited to just 14 games this season due to a back injury. The Thunder drafted the former Boston College star with the 24th pick overall in 2011 and he has averaged 12.9 points and 4.4 assists over his career.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Ed Stefanski needed only about a minute in his conference call before he said the word the Detroit Pistons have seemingly avoided for so long.“We were always discussing that we were going to have to probably rebuild here,” said Stefanski, a team executive. "We're in the middle of the pack. To me, that's not the place that we want to be in and where fans want to be in.”The Pistons have been hesitant to rebuild, but Stefanski said Friday that injuries and the team's performance made it the best option. Detroit traded Andre Drummond on Thursday to Cleveland, a team in the Pistons' own division. The return wasn't much. In exchange for a two-time All-Star center, Detroit received Brandon Knight, John Henson and a second-round draft pick in 2023.It's hard to view that as anything other than an attempt to remove a high-priced player from the roster and break up the core of a team that hasn't performed as hoped. The Pistons haven't won a playoff game since 2008. Drummond has put... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers were expected to move a big man. Instead, they added another one.In the final hour before the NBA trading deadline, Cleveland acquired two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward John Henson, guard Brandon Knight and “the less favorable” of its two second-round draft picks in 2023.The teams made the deal official Thursday night after getting league approval.Cleveland needed to do something to save a season that's been worsening by the day. The Cavs are just 13-39 under first-year coach John Beilein and some recent blowout losses have raised concerns about the team's direction under general manager Koby Altman.But by landing Drummond, who leads the league in rebounding, the Cavs helped themselves in the short-term and positioned themselves for the future.The Cavs had been expected to be aggressive leading into the deadline and signs pointed to the team moving either star forward Kevin Love or center Tristan Thompson,... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavaliers were expected to move a big man. Instead, they added another one.In the final hour before Thursday's NBA trading deadline, Cleveland agreed to acquire two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond from the Detroit Pistons, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.The struggling Cavs will send forward John Henson, guard Brandon Knight and one of their two second-round picks in 2023 to the Pistons, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the teams were still working out some details and seeking league approval.Cleveland, which is just 13-39 this season, was expected to be aggressive at the deadline and signs pointed to the Cavs moving either star forward Kevin Love or center Tristan Thompson, who is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent this summer.However, Love and Thompson are staying put — for now— and will be joined up front by Drummond, a 6-foot-11 force who leads the league with 15.8 rebounds per game... [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

DETROIT (AP) — Blake Griffin is back in the lineup for the Detroit Pistons for the first time this season.Griffin missed Detroit's first 10 games with hamstring and knee issues, but he started Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Pistons went 4-6 without him.Point guard Reggie Jackson is still out for Detroit because of a lumbar stress reaction, but Derrick Rose is back after missing four games with a right hamstring injury. Minnesota point guards Jeff Teague (illness) and Shabazz Napier (right hamstring strain) are out for a fourth straight game.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Blake Griffin has been cleared by the Detroit Pistons' medical staff for basketball-related activities, and the team says his progress will be monitored daily.Griffin hasn't played at all this season because of hamstring and knee issues. The Pistons are 4-5 without him.Detroit also released updates on other injured players Thursday. Derrick Rose (hamstring strain) and Tim Frazier (shoulder strain) are day to day, continuing treatment and rehab. Reggie Jackson (lower back stress reaction) remains out.The Pistons beat the New York Knicks 122-102 on Wednesday night. Detroit plays at Indiana on Friday night.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson is out at least four weeks with a back injury, the team announced Saturday.Jackson, who played the season's first two games but has missed the last four, has a stress reaction in his lower back. The team announced treatment and rehabilitation is under way and he will be re-evaluated in four weeks.The Pistons (2-4) also have been without All-Star Blake Griffin for the first six games, and he also is listed as out for Saturday's game against Brooklyn with his lingering soreness in his left knee and hamstring. It was announced before the season that Griffin would be re-evaluated in early November.First-round pick Sekou Doumbouya also has not played for the Pistons after suffering a concussion in training camp.Jackson, 29, averaged 5.0 points and 4.0 assists in 18.0 minutes in two games this season. He played all 82 games last season, scoring 15.4 points per game to bring his career average up to 12.9 points per game entering the season.Detroit's backup point guards, Derrick Rose (right hamstring tightness) and Tim Frazier (right shoulder strain), were both listed as questionable for Saturday, one night after the Pistons lost 112-106 in Chicago.

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons will begin the season without star forward Blake Griffin, whose injury issues have flared up again.The Pistons said Tuesday that Griffin would not travel for Wednesday night's game at Indiana and would continue a treatment and conditioning regimen for left hamstring and posterior knee soreness. He will be re-evaluated for a return the first week of November.Griffin was mostly healthy last season until the very end, when he was limited in the playoffs. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the offseason.Griffin averaged 35.0 minutes per game last season, his most since 2014-15, and averaged a career-high 24.5 points. Coach Dwane Casey admitted at media day that the Pistons "rode him like a cheap horse" — and suggested that they might manage his minutes a bit more conservatively going forward.First-round draft pick Sekou Doumbouya (concussion protocol) is not traveling to Indiana either, and Markieff Morris (low back tightness) is questionable. Point guard Reggie Jackson (low back tightness) is probable.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons will begin the season without star forward Blake Griffin, whose injury issues have flared up again.The Pistons said Tuesday that Griffin would not travel for Wednesday night's game at Indiana and would continue a treatment and conditioning regimen for left hamstring and posterior knee soreness. He will be re-evaluated for a return the first week of November.Griffin was mostly healthy last season until the very end, when he was limited in the playoffs. He had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the offseason.First-round draft pick Sekou Doumbouya (concussion protocol) will not travel to Indiana either, and Markieff Morris (low back tightness) is questionable. Point guard Reggie Jackson (low back tightness) is probable.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

DETROIT (AP) — Blake Griffin was asked to recall the early stages of Derrick Rose's career, when the dynamic point guard won an MVP for the Chicago Bulls at age 22."His run in Chicago was special," Griffin said. "I don't want to say it caught us off guard, because it was kind of a nice natural progression for him, but just everything he did was at a higher level than anybody else. He was great for the game of basketball — is great for the game of basketball."The Detroit Pistons are hoping Griffin was right to use the present tense after signing Rose as a free agent this offseason. Now 31, Rose is far removed from his days as an MVP, but the Pistons saw enough upside to bring him in. Detroit also added 38-year-old Joe Johnson.The Pistons now have the top picks from the 2008 and 2009 drafts in Rose and Griffin. Rose, Griffin and Johnson have combined for 16 All-Star selections, although the last time they made it at the same time was in 2012. How this trio will do in 2019 is anyone's guess.Detroit's... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — On the day the Detroit Pistons opened their new training facility, owner Tom Gores discussed his hopes for the upcoming season.Not surprisingly, he'd like more progress after the team made a brief playoff appearance a season ago."We have to do more," Gores said. "Coach said it up there. He thinks we're in great shape, a lot better than we were last year, when we made the playoffs. We need to get through the playoffs. We've got to win in the playoffs."Gores was on hand Monday at the opening of the team's new training center and corporate headquarters in midtown Detroit. Coach Dwane Casey and Pistons players were also at the ceremony.The new facility completes the team's move to the city from suburban Auburn Hills. The Pistons are entering their third season playing their games at Little Caesars Arena downtown.Gores was asked about a possible contract extension for Drummond, the team's standout center. He spoke highly of Drummond but did not elaborate on any possible negotiations.... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Blake Griffin worked so hard to lift the Detroit Pistons to the playoffs, then couldn't contribute as much once they were there.That's what coach Dwane Casey would like to avoid this season."I've said too many times, being from Kentucky, we rode him like a cheap horse last year," Casey said at media day Monday. "If we didn't, I don't think we would have made the playoffs, because he was that special to us, but again, with addition of some other talented guys on our team, hopefully we don't have to use him as much. I'm not going to put that in concrete, but I have to be smarter as far as the usage, because he takes a beating."Griffin averaged 35.0 minutes per game last season, his most since 2014-15, while also achieving the highest scoring average (24.5) of his career. He played 75 regular-season games, his most since 2013-14, but he missed two of the four games when the Pistons were swept by Milwaukee in the first round of the playoffs.Griffin ended up having... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons haven't made the playoffs much in the last decade — and when they have, their stay has been a short one.So after being swept by top-seeded Milwaukee this year, the Pistons hope this is just a start."It was exciting. It was a lot of fun," guard Luke Kennard said. "Obviously not what we wanted to happen when we got there, but getting there was our first goal as a team. There's just a lot to learn from it."The Pistons made the playoffs for only the second time in the last 10 seasons, but after four losses to the Bucks, Detroit has now dropped an NBA-record 14 straight postseason games. The Pistons haven't won one since 2008.The immediate goal — making the playoffs in coach Dwane Casey's first season at the helm — was accomplished. In fact, it looked like the Pistons might make the postseason comfortably after they won 15 of 20 games during a stretch in February and March. But knee problems hampered star Blake Griffin down the stretch, and Detroit barely made... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Ed Stefanski can maintain a sense of humor about the challenges facing the Detroit Pistons."I wouldn't be here if things were rosy, is the way I look at it," said Stefanski, a senior executive with the Pistons. "And I tell that in our meetings when people want to say, oh, you know, this and that. I said, 'You guys wouldn't be here if things were good.'"Stefanski arrived as part of a front office overhaul last offseason, and this week was his first trade deadline with Detroit. The Pistons acquired guard Svi Mykhailiuk from the Lakers and center Thon Maker from the Bucks, giving up Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson in the process. The moves netted Detroit a couple young players but did little to change the overall outlook for the franchise.The Pistons have a lot of money tied up in Blake Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson, and although Griffin has remained healthy and played like a star this season, Detroit was 24-29 heading into Friday night's matchup... [More]

Vince Carter could have gone anywhere.To a contender, to chase a ring. To retirement, because he has nothing left to prove. To television, which seems like it will be his next vocation whenever his playing days end.Instead, he chose Atlanta — a young team, a rebuilding team, a team that probably has minimal chance of making the playoffs.And he's happy."I'm with a great bunch of guys," Carter said. "I enjoy helping young guys who want to learn, who are willing to be coached and let you coach them and ask questions. It's a small thing, but it's a major thing — because if you're asking questions, that means you're trying to learn and grow. And these guys are all great."He's the NBA's oldest active player, someone who turns 42 next month. When he was drafted in June 1998, neither Trae Young nor Kevin Huerter had been born yet. And they're the starting backcourt for the Hawks this season, Carter's 21st in the league, with Atlanta being the eighth team he's played with.Carter talked with Dwyane... [More]