MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless walked into their hotel rooms in Minnesota, they found appropriate gifts from Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns: winter coats.After the overnight temperature dropped to 7 degrees, the newest members of the team by way of the Jimmy Butler trade with Philadelphia appreciated the welcome from Minnesota's best player. Butler's awkward and drawn-out departure created an icy atmosphere around the organization, but now that the deal is finally done, the Wolves have begun trying to warm the atmosphere back up."We can't wait to get on the court, put on that jersey and put it on for this city," Covington said at a news conference inside Target Center on Tuesday afternoon that carried just a bit less buzz than Butler's open-to-the-public introduction at the Mall of America less than 17 months ago.As Butler formally joined the 76ers , the Wolves pivoted forward after a pressure-relieving win over Brooklyn on Monday night... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — When Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless walked into their hotel rooms in Minnesota, they found appropriate gifts from Timberwolves All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns: winter coats.After the overnight temperature dropped to 7 degrees, the newest members of the team by way of the Jimmy Butler trade with Philadelphia appreciated the welcome from Minnesota's best player. Butler's awkward and drawn-out departure created an icy atmosphere around the organization, but now that the deal is finally done, the Wolves have begun trying to warm the atmosphere back up."We can't wait to get on the court, put on that jersey and put it on for this city," Covington said at a news conference inside Target Center on Tuesday afternoon that carried just a bit less buzz than Butler's open-to-the-public introduction at the Mall of America less than 17 months ago.As Butler formally joined the 76ers , the Wolves pivoted forward after a pressure-relieving win over Brooklyn on Monday night... [More]

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — Jimmy Butler listens to country music, enjoys playing cards and drives a minivan.Oh, the four-time All-Star forward loves to win.Butler was greeted by more than 250 employees of the Philadelphia 76ers at his introductory news conference at the team's practice facility Tuesday. He made it clear winning a championship is his main priority."I already got enough money to have me and my family set for the rest of my life. It's not about the money," said Butler, who can opt out of his contract and become a free agent at the end of the season. "I have to love where I'm at and have a great chance to win a championship."The Sixers believe adding Butler to a roster that includes Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons will allow them to compete for an NBA title. They won 52 games last season and advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals after going 75-253 combined the previous four years.Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless were traded to Minnesota along with a 2022 second-round... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler is in Philadelphia, and upon his arrival he immediately began talking about winning a championship."The Process" has a whole new meaning.Butler, a four-time All-Star forward, is now officially a member of the 76ers, after they and the Minnesota Timberwolves received approval from the league office Monday on the terms of the trade that was agreed to over the weekend.The deal gives Philadelphia a legitimate "Big Three," with Butler joining All-Star forward Joel Embiid and reigning rookie of the year Ben Simmons on a team that already was expected to be a major Eastern Conference contender this season. Butler flew into Philadelphia on Monday and told NBC Sports Philadelphia that fans should expect "a guy who wants to win.""We want a championship," Butler said as he signed a couple of autographs before he was driven away from the airport. "And I think the core group of guys that we have will figure out a way to get it done."Butler and Justin Patton were traded to Philadelphia... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — All-Star forward Jimmy Butler is now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, after they and the Minnesota Timberwolves received approval from the league office Monday on the terms of the trade that was agreed to over the weekend.Butler and Justin Patton were traded for Philadelphia, in exchange for Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless along with a 2022 second-round draft pick.Butler will be introduced by the 76ers on Tuesday and is expected to debut with his new club Wednesday at Orlando. Philadelphia is playing at Miami on Monday.The deal gives Philadelphia a legitimate "Big Three" with Butler joining All-Star forward Joel Embiid and reigning rookie of the year Ben Simmons on a team that already was expected to be a major Eastern Conference contender this season."We have a championship window that's centered around the continued progression of our talented young core, as well as our ability to add elite players who elevate our program," 76ers general manager Elton... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — All-Star forward Jimmy Butler is now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, after they and the Minnesota Timberwolves received approval from the league office Monday on the terms of the trade that was agreed to over the weekend.Butler and Justin Patton were traded for Philadelphia, in exchange for Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Jerryd Bayless along with a 2022 second-round draft pick.Butler will be introduced by the 76ers on Tuesday and is expected to debut with his new club Wednesday at Orlando. Philadelphia is visiting Miami on Monday.The deal gives Philadelphia a legitimate "Big Three" with Butler joining All-Star forward Joel Embiid and reigning rookie of the year Ben Simmons on a team that already was expected to be a major Eastern Conference contender this season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Jimmy Butler has his wish: He's out of Minnesota.And just like that, Philadelphia has a new Big Three — one that could make serious noise in the Eastern Conference.A person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that Butler is being traded to the 76ers in a package that will send Dario Saric and Robert Covington to the Timberwolves. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been announced by either team and was still pending NBA approval, which is not expected until Monday.Justin Patton will also be sent to Philadelphia, and Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick are also going to Minnesota, the person said.The Athletic first reported the agreement.Because the trade was not official, Sixers coach Brett Brown had little comment."I can't speak much about it. I'm sorry," he said before the Sixers played Memphis.Sixers guard T.J. McConnell said he learned of the deal through social media."I didn't think it was true until more... [More]

Jimmy Butler has his wish: He's out of Minnesota.And just like that, Philadelphia has a new Big Three — one that could make serious noise in the Eastern Conference.A person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that Butler is being traded to the 76ers in a package that will send Dario Saric and Robert Covington to the Timberwolves. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been announced by either team and was still pending NBA approval, which is not expected until Monday.Justin Patton will also be sent to Philadelphia, and Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick are also going to Minnesota, the person said.The Athletic first reported the agreement.Because the trade was not official, Sixers coach Brett Brown had little comment."I can't speak much about it. I'm sorry," he said before the Sixers played Memphis.Sixers guard T.J. McConnell said he learned of the deal through social media."I didn't think it was true until more... [More]

Jimmy Butler has his wish: He's out of Minnesota.And just like that, Philadelphia has a new Big Three — one that could make serious noise in the Eastern Conference.A person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that Butler is being traded to the 76ers in a package that will send Dario Saric and Robert Covington to the Timberwolves. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been announced by either team and was still pending NBA approval, which is not expected until Monday.Justin Patton will also be sent to Philadelphia, and Jerryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick are also going to Minnesota, the person said.The Athletic first reported the agreement.Philadelphia's "Process" led it to the second round of the playoffs last season behind two of the game's youngest, brightest stars in big man Joel Embiid and point guard Ben Simmons. Butler, an elite wing and outstanding defender, will join them in a quest to rule the Eastern... [More]

Jimmy Butler has his wish: He's out of Minnesota.And just like that, Philadelphia has a new Big Three — one that could make serious noise in the Eastern Conference.A person with knowledge of the situation said Saturday that Butler is being traded to the 76ers in a package that will send Dario Saric and Robert Covington to the Timberwolves. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet been announced by either team and was still pending NBA approval, which might not come until Monday.Justin Patton will also be sent to Philadelphia, and Jarryd Bayless and a 2022 second-round pick are also going to Minnesota, the person said.The Athletic first reported the agreement.Philadelphia's "Process" led it to the second round of the playoffs last season behind two of the game's youngest, brightest stars in big man Joel Embiid and point guard Ben Simmons. Butler, an elite wing and outstanding defender, will join them in a quest to rule the Eastern Conference... [More]

Jimmy Butler is headed to Philadelphia, ending the weeks-long saga of him wanting out of Minnesota.A person with knowledge of the situation says Butler is being traded to the 76ers in a package that will send Dario Saric and Robert Covington to the Timberwolves. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the trade had not yet been announced by either team and was still pending NBA approval.The Athletic first reported the agreement.The trade will give Philadelphia a star trio, with Butler joining Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.Butler told the Timberwolves in September he wanted to be traded, and it took weeks for the team to find a deal it would accept. Butler averaged 21.3 points in 10 games for Minnesota this season.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Philadelphia's six leading average scorers so far in the playoffs, in order are: Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, Joel Embiid, JJ Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova.Their homelands: Australia, Croatia, Cameroon, the United States, Italy and Turkey.Philadelphia — a melting pot of humanity for more than 300 years — has a basketball team probably as diverse as the city itself. The 76ers, 19-1 in their last 20 games and suddenly looking very much like an NBA Finals contender, will try to close out the Miami Heat and clinch their Eastern Conference opening series when they play host to Game 5 on Tuesday night.About a dozen languages and dialects can be spoken in the 76ers locker room at any time, but clearly, winning is a universal language."It's all basketball, but the true side of how people coach, speak, say, play the game is different," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "And that collection now that I have with everybody is like is a melting pot of all peoples experiences. That... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Philadelphia's six leading average scorers so far in the playoffs, in order are: Ben Simmons, Dario Saric, Joel Embiid, JJ Redick, Marco Belinelli and Ersan Ilyasova.Their homelands: Australia, Croatia, Cameroon, the United States, Italy and Turkey.Philadelphia — a melting pot of humanity for more than 300 years — has a basketball team probably as diverse as the city itself. The 76ers, 19-1 in their last 20 games and suddenly looking very much like an NBA Finals contender, will try to close out the Miami Heat and clinch their Eastern Conference opening series when they play host to Game 5 on Tuesday night.About a dozen languages and dialects can be spoken in the 76ers locker room at any time, but clearly, winning is a universal language."It's all basketball, but the true side of how people coach, speak, say, play the game is different," 76ers coach Brett Brown said. "And that collection now that I have with everybody is like is a melting pot of all peoples experiences. That... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Opera Philadelphia took a break from its rehearsal for "Carmen" to record an a capella version of the Philadelphia 76ers' catchy retro anthem , "Here Come the Sixers."Philly can belt out the words ."No. 1, Philadelphia. Here they come, team of the year. One, two three, four, five, Sixers."Keep counting — all the way to 16.The Sixers roar into the postseason on a 16-game winning streak, both the longest for a franchise that boasts The Big Dipper, AI, Dr. J and The Boston Strangler on its all-time roster and also the longest in NBA history to end a season.Perhaps it's fitting an opera company saluted the Sixers' first postseason berth since 2012 because it's another masked man who has terrorized the NBA and whose status has the league buzzing — the self-proclaimed "Phantom of the Process ."Joel Embiid will not be lurking in the bowels of the Wells Fargo Center when Game 1 opens Saturday against the Miami Heat (44-38). He'll start the postseason just as he did during the... [More]

DETROIT (AP) — Philadelphia center Joel Embiid is out for a fourth straight game with a concussion and orbital fracture.Embiid is missing Wednesday night's matchup with the Detroit Pistons, who are without star forward Blake Griffin.Griffin is missing his fourth game in a row because of a bruised right ankle.Embiid had surgery Saturday to repair the broken bone around his left eye. He was injured when guard Markelle Fultz accidentally head-butted him last week against the New York Knicks.The 76ers are also without forward Dario Saric, who is out with a right elbow issue.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James has Philadelphia's basketball pulse racing.The NBA superstar still hasn't seen three billboards urging him to join the 76ers, but he's flattered by the idea that a city would want him to play there."That's dope," he said.The three billboards were unveiled on Monday on busy Interstate-480 outside Cleveland, and each contains a message asking James to sign with the Sixers this summer as a free agent.The signs, which were paid for by a Chester, Pennsylvania, company were inspired by the Oscar-nominated film, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." But their objective was to entice James to come to Philadelphia.Although James may not see the signs because they're not on any route he would take from his home in Bath, Ohio, to Quicken Loans Arena, the three-time champion was warmed by their sentiment."It is actually very flattering that I'm sitting here at 33 and in my 15th year and teams or guys — I don't want to say teams because that becomes tampering... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James has Philadelphia's basketball pulse racing.The NBA superstar still hasn't seen three billboards urging him to join the 76ers, but he's flattered by the idea that a city would want him to play there."That's dope," he said.The three billboards were unveiled on Monday on busy Interstate-480 outside Cleveland, and each contains a message asking James to sign with the Sixers this summer as a free agent.The signs, which were paid for by a Chester, Pennsylvania, company were inspired by the Oscar-nominated film, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." But their objective was to entice James to come to Philadelphia.Although James may not see the signs because they're not on any route he would take from his home in Bath, Ohio, to Quicken Loans Arena, the three-time champion was warmed by their sentiment."It is actually very flattering that I'm sitting here at 33 and in my 15th year and teams or guys — I don't want to say teams because that becomes tampering... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry returned from an 11-game absence due to an ankle injury and set an NBA season-high by hitting 10 3-pointers as the Golden State Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 141-128 on Saturday.In his first game since Dec. 4, Curry scored 38 points on 13 of 17 shooting. He made 10 of 13 as Golden State (29-8) shot 54.5 percent (18 of 33) from behind the arc and 58.8 percent overall.Klay Thompson added 21 and hit five 3-pointers while Kevin Durant contributed 20 for the defending champions.Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies (11-25) with 27 points while Tyreke Evans added 22 as Memphis shot 52.1 percent and 71.4 percent (15 of 21) from 3-point range.Jazz 104, Cavaliers 101SALT LAKE CITY -- Rookie Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and Utah held off Cleveland.Derrick Favors added 19 while Ricky Rubio totaled 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Utah (16-21) beat Cleveland for the fourth straight time.LeBron James turned 33 and played for the seventh time on his birthday.... [More]

Guard Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks and forward Dario Saric of the Philadelphia 76ers were unanimous selections for the NBA All-Rookie First Team, the league announced Monday. Center Joel Embiid gave the 76ers two players on the first team, which was rounded out by guard Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings and center Willy Hernangomez of the New York Knicks.Brogdon was named the NBA Rookie of the Year at the league's awards show on Monday night, Saric and Embiid also were finalists.The first team featured a record four international players, topping the previous mark of three. Brogdon is the only American player on the unit.A second-round pick (No. 36 overall) in the 2016 NBA draft, Brogdon is the first player since 1966 to win the top rookie award who was not drafted in the first round. He is also the first Bucks player to receive the honor since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1969-70.Brogdon led rookies in assists (4.2 per game) and steals (1.1), and also ranked second in 3-point field... [More]

Guard Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks and forward Dario Saric of the Philadelphia 76ers were unanimous selections for the NBA All-Rookie First Team, the league announced Monday. Center Joel Embiid gave the 76ers two players on the first team, which was rounded out by guard Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings and center Willy Hernangomez of the New York Knicks.Brogdon, Saric and Embiid are finalists for the NBA Rookie of the Year, to be announced later Monday.The first team featured a record four international players, topping the previous mark of three. Brogdon is the only American player on the unit.A second-round pick (No. 36 overall) in the 2016 NBA draft, Brogdon led rookies in assists (4.2 per game) and steals (1.1). He also ranked second in 3-point field goal percentage (40.4) and free throw percentage (86.5).Saric was the No. 2 scorer (12.8) and third-leading rebounder (6.3) among rookies. He averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds over his last games.Embiid, who was limited... [More]