INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Pritchard hired Nate Bjorkgren to take the Indiana Pacers in a new direction. They went the wrong way. A season filled with defensive struggles, missed chances and locker room drama resulted Wednesday in the firing of Bjorkgren after only one season as coach. “This was my decision," said Pritchard, the Pacers' president of basketball operations. “This was a really tough decision, one that had a lot of thought behind it. I brought in my management team, something we didn’t do lightly.” Pritchard expected the 45-year-old coach, who spent the previous two seasons as Nick Nurse's top assistant in Toronto, to make an impact with his new-age approach and his creativity. When the hiring was announced in October, Pritchard acknowledged he was betting big on a young coach. It just didn't pay off. Indiana went 34-38 before finishing the season with an embarrassing 142-115 loss to Washington in the play-in tournament — a fitting end to an abysmal season. The Wizards averaged... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Pritchard hired Nate Bjorkgren to take the Indiana Pacers in a new direction. They wound up going the wrong way. After struggling defensively, missing the playoffs for the first time in six seasons and amid reports of locker room drama, the Pacers pulled the plug Wednesday when Pritchard, their president of basketball operations, fired Bjorkgren as coach after just one season. “The 2020-21 season was not what any of us hoped or anticipated it would be, and our results on the court certainly did not meet the standards for what our organization and our fans have come to expect,” Pritchard said in a statement. Indiana went 34-38, finishing the season with an embarrassing 142-115 loss to Washington in the play-in tournament. The Pacers also produced their first losing season at home in 32 years, and at times the effort didn't appear to be there, either. A rash of injuries was part of the problem. Indiana's top scorer in 2019-20, T.J. Warren, suffered a season-ending... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard intends to stand pat — for now. He'd rather not break up the big-man tandem of Myles Turner, the NBA's blocks champion, and two-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis. He hopes free agents Doug McDermott and NBA steals champ T.J. McConnell return. And he's not pulling the plug on coach Nate Bjorkgren. At least not yet. After missing the playoffs for the first time in six years and amid a tumultuous final month, Pritchard used a 45-minute, season-ending video call to explain why he's still evaluating the first-year coach's fate. “You don’t win 34 games with a decimated roster without doing some good things, too," Pritchard said. “But there are some things that we need to do better, he needs to do better. Right now, no decisions have been made. We’re not making a decision today We don’t make decisions in a vacuum, we take our time and to be honest with you, I’m being evaluated. I’m being evaluated every day." Pritchard's... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Now that the Indiana Pacers' long, injury-riddled season is over, the hard part begins. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard is embarking on yet another offseason filled with questions, the first being whether to keep coach Nate Bjorkgren. Pritchard hired the 45-year-old former Raptors assistant in October, hopeful he could forge tight bonds with players and implement a new philosophy to keep his team fresh for a long postseason run. It didn't work. Rumors of internal strife surfaced late in the season, which culminated with an embarrassing 142-115 season-ending loss at Washington. “Coach really did his best this year," guard Malcolm Brogdon said afterward. “Regardless of the reports, regardless of all the distractions and the noise, he continued to communicate with his players. He continued to work extremely hard for us and coach us the best he could, and we appreciated that. That’s what I just told him in the locker room: I appreciate him. I appreciate... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The short-handed Indiana Pacers will be down at least one more player for Tuesday night's play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets after forward Caris LeVert entered the league's health and safety protocol. Team officials made the announcement about five hours before tipoff and a day after coach Nate Bjorkgren said LeVert was feeling better and was expected to play after missing the second half of Sunday's victory over Toronto with a migraine headache. Bjorkgren found out Tuesday morning. “When I said he felt bad, I meant he felt bad about not being able to play," Bjorkgren said. “He sounded fine on the phone." It's the latest twist for the Pacers in an injury-filled season. Starting forward T.J. Warren hasn't played since late December because of a stress fracture in his left foot. Center Myles Turner hasn't played since mid-April because of a right foot injury. LeVert had surgery earlier this year to remove a cancerous growth in his kidney after being acquired in... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The short-handed Indiana Pacers will be down at least one more player for Tuesday night's play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets after forward Caris LeVert entered the league's health and safety protocol. Team officials made the announcement about five hours before tipoff and a day after coach Nate Bjorkgren said LeVert was feeling better and was expected to play after missing the second half of Sunday's victory over Toronto with a migraine headache. It's the latest twist for the Pacers in an injury-plagued season. Starting forward T.J. Warren hasn't played since late December because of a stress fracture in his left foot. Center Myles Turner hasn't played since mid-April because of a right foot injury. And now LeVert, who had surgery earlier this year to remove a cancerous growth in his kidney after being acquired in a January trade with Brooklyn, can't return for 10 to 14 days — if the Pacers are still playing. Backup guard Jeremy Lamb also has been ruled out Tuesday... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers assistant coach Bill Bayno resigned Monday, citing personal and health reasons. The 58-year-old Bayno was hired by former coach Nate McMillan in 2016 and was kept on staff by new coach Nate Bjorkgren following McMillan's firing last summer. “I appreciate the impact coach Bayno has had on our players and the Pacers organization over the last five years,” Bjorkgren said in a statement released by the team. “All of us at the Pacers wish him the very best as he transitions to his next chapter.” Bayno recently took a leave of absence, telling The Indianapolis Star he was struggling with the recent deaths of both his parents as well as issues involving the recent social unrest. The midseason resignation is the latest twist in a Pacers season that already has included the prolonged absence of T.J. Warren, last season's leading scorer, because of foot surgery, the trade of two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to Houston and the subsequent diagnosis of a cancerous... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to treat a cancerous growth on his left kidney. Team officials made the announcement Tuesday and said the 26-year-old LeVert is expected to make a full recovery. The Pacers said no additional treatment is needed. Doctors found the small mass during a routine, post-trade physical and immediately conducted additional tests. LeVert was part of the blockbuster deal that sent James Harden from Houston to Brooklyn then was dealt by the Rockets to Indiana for Victor Oladipo. The Pacers said LeVert was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma and had surgery Monday at a local hospital. “It’s definitely been some trying times for myself and my family," LeVert said during his introductory news conference last week. “I'm just very grateful for the support I’ve received not only from the players but from the front office and the fans. It’s going to be a crazy recovery as well, but I think myself and the... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert arrived in Indianapolis last week feeling perfectly fine. He was eager to meet his new teammates, join the starting lineup and make his Pacers debut. Then came the shocking news from Indiana's team doctors: They found a small mass on LeVert's left kidney. Suddenly everything went on hold and now, as LeVert awaits test results to find out if the growth is cancerous, the 6-foot-6 guard realizes just how fortunate he was to be included in last week's blockbuster trade. “I hadn't missed any games this season yet. I was 100% healthy," he said during a video call Tuesday. “In a way this trade showed and revealed what was going on in my body. So I’m definitely looking at it from that side and definitely humbled to know that that this trade could have saved me in the long run." If he hadn't gone from Brooklyn to Houston in the James Harden deal, then from the Rockets to Indiana in exchange for Victor Oladipo last Wednesday, it's unclear when — or if — the mass would... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert said Tuesday he was awaiting additional test results on a small mass in his left kidney before establishing a treatment plan or a timeline for his Indiana Pacers debut. Team doctors found the growth during a routine post-trade physical late last week. LeVert said he doesn't yet know if the mass is cancerous. Indiana acquired LeVert as part of a four-team, blockbuster trade that sent All-Star James Harden from Houston to Brooklyn. The Rockets sent the 6-foot-6 guard to the Pacers in exchange for Victor Oladipo. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard announced the results of the physical Saturday. LeVert, who hadn't missed any games with the Nets this season prior to the trade, said he never felt any lower back pain and had no indication anything even might be wrong. “I haven’t gotten anything removed yet, we're waiting for more results," he said. LeVert was expected to replace Oladipo in the starting lineup and was also supposed to help... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caris LeVert's debut with the Indiana Pacers has been put on hold indefinitely after an MRI revealed a small mass on his left kidney. President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard made the announcement Saturday, three days after LeVert became part of a blockbuster, four-team deal that sent perennial All-Star James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets. Pritchard did not provide details of the diagnosis including whether it was cancerous and declined to establish a timeline for LeVert's return. “In the medical process we’ve done, we were able to find something that could help this kid and give him a better and clean prognosis for the rest of his life," Pritchard said on a Zoom call Saturday. “It’s an incredible story, and it's something we don't take lightly." It also didn't scuttle the big trade though Houston and Cleveland, the fourth team involved, agreed to throw in future, unspecified second-round picks to keep... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers will be without newly acquired Caris LeVert indefinitely after an MRI showed a mass on his left kidney during a physical to complete this week's blockbuster four-team trade. Team officials made the announcement Saturday on Twitter. They say he will undergo more tests and additional details will be released at a later date. “On behalf of my family and myself, we want to thank the Indiana Pacers for their support and guidance," LeVert said in a statement. “We are grateful for their extreme thoroughness during the physical process and I am looking forward to joining the team and being part of this great organization as soon as possible.” The 26-year-old LeVert was acquired Wednesday in the deal that sent Harden to the Brooklyn Nets and two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to Houston. LeVert was expected to replace Oladipo and help replace forward T.J. Warren, who is out indefinitely after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. It's unclear... [More]

Pelicans first-year coach Stan Van Gundy was hired less than two months before the Pelicans first preseason game earlier this week. Never mind that he's taking over a roster that is loaded with young players and has been entirely overhauled since New Orleans hired David Griffin as executive vice president of basketball operations in 2019. So when Van Gundy was asked whether he expected to have a clear vision for individual players' roles and minutes during the preseason, he didn't hesitate to say he did not even expect to know that when New Orleans' regular season slate opens on Dec. 23. “I’m not sure I’ll be there on Jan. 15 either. It’s going to take some time," Van Gundy continued. "I want these guys in a mindset of competing and having to produce for minutes.” While coaches with overhauled rosters face similar challenges trying to navigate a compressed timeline that is loaded with uncertainty, it's even more difficult for Van Gundy and the eight other NBA teams with new coaches this... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers could open this season without forward T.J. Warren, their top scorer from last season. The team said Thursday that Warren has plantar fascitis in his right foot and will be listed as week to week. It’s the same injury that kept All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis from returning to action in the NBA’s bubble last August. Indiana also will be without backup guard Brian Bowen II for 6-8 weeks because of a partially torn groin muscle. Warren’s injury could be more detrimental. Last season, he scored 19.8 points while shooting 53.6% from the field — both career-highs. And in the bubble, Warren was spectacular, averaging 31.0 points in six games including a 53-point game against Philadelphia to tie the team’s single-game scoring record. “He’s just a sneaky scorer and we’ve got to take advantage of that,” president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said two weeks ago. “And we’ve got to play him at the four. Last time, I checked when he played the four,... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kevin Pritchard swallowed hard when the Indiana Pacers endured yet another season-ending first-round sweep last week.Then the Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations tried to wash away the sour taste.Five days after firing coach and longtime friend Nate McMillan, Pritchard has embarked on a search for a replacement who can communicate better with today's players, someone with a more updated playing style and someone who can win in the playoffs.“I think it shows you by the actions of the last few days our ownership expects more," Pritchard said Monday. “It’s up to me to step up to the plate and find the right person to lead the locker room, be creative and find a new age coach. We’ve been in the playoffs, we keep getting into the playoffs, we come up with fourth-best record in the East and that’s something we’re proud of. But we want to play well in the playoffs."That wasn't the case under McMillan, who reached the postseason in all four seasons as the Pacers... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Myles Turner has been to the playoffs each of his first five seasons with the Indiana Pacers. He still hasn't reached the second round.“At some point, you have to get over the hump," the 24-year-old center said, emphatically acknowledging he's taking it personally.Whether that happens next season largely depends on how the front office, the coaches and his teammats handle this offseason, however long it lasts.How much of a struggle has the postseason been for Indiana?The loss to Miami on Monday sealed a second straight first-round sweep and the team's third in four years — the only best-of-seven series sweeps in the franchise's NBA history. They've lost a franchise-record nine consecutive playoff games, too.Sure, there are obvious explanations.Two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo wasn't available last season because of a season-ending knee injury. Then he missed most of Game 1 against Miami after getting poked in the eye.Domantas Sabonis, who made his first All-Star appearance... [More]

The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks have restored some sense of normalcy to these anything-but-normal NBA playoffs.The top-seeded teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, lost their openers and are now looking to take control of their series. The Lakers could pull ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday and the Bucks could take the lead on the pesky Orlando Magic.Lakers forward LeBron James has been around too long to get too worked up about one loss. He was confident the Lakers would recover from their Game 1 setback, and they looked much like their pre-pandemic selves in beating the Trail Blazers 111-88 on Thursday. “I know what we’re capable of,” he said. “I know how we’re built. I don’t compare us to anyone. I compare us to us.”The Lakers were fully aware of the challenge they would face against from the talented Blazers entering the series, led by All-Star guard Damian Lillard.“This team was in the conference finals last year,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — There will be an NBA Bubble MVP.The league announced that there will be an All-Seeding Games Team and a Player of the Seeding Games, honoring the best performers from the seeding games that started July 30 and will conclude Friday.The awards will be announced Saturday afternoon, prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference play-in series. A panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who have been on-site at the Walt Disney World resort covering the season restart will vote for the award winners. There will be a five-player first team and a five-player second team, with no breakdowns by position.Top candidates would likely include Phoenix's Devin Booker, Dallas' Luka Doncic, Portland's Damian Lillard, Houston's James Harden, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Indiana's T.J. Warren.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — So far, so good.The NBA’s bubble remains intact. The extraordinary health protocols put into place to try and save this season seem to be working. The mission shared by coaches and players to use their platform and continue the conversation about racial injustice is off to a strong start.Through four days, here’s just some of what has happened at Walt Disney World: LeBron James had a gamewinner for the Los Angeles Lakers, T.J. Warren put his name all over the Indiana record book with a 53-point outburst, Houston and Dallas combined for more than 300 points in a game, the defending champion Toronto Raptors came out flying and Joel Embiid had a 41-point, 21-rebound night — in a loss.And don't forget the symmetry: Rudy Gobert was the first player to test positive for coronavirus, so naturally, it made sense that the Utah center was the first player to score when the pandemic shutdown was officially over.If that wasn’t enough, the quality of play is so good that... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Toronto coach Nick Nurse keeps imploring the defending NBA champions to fix their flaws.The bigger challenge, right now, might be identifying those errors.Two days after rallying from a 19-point deficit to extend their franchise-record winning streak, the short-handed Raptors used another late charge to pull away from Indiana 115-106 on Friday night for their 13th consecutive victory.“I thought we were into it the whole 48 minutes," Nurse said. "I thought we were playing well enough to maybe get away. You know how those games come down to somebody hits a couple at one end, somebody misses a couple at the other and all of a sudden the game's over."Lately, the Raptors seem to have had all the answers.They've won without Marc Gasol and Norman Powell, two key players who are injured. They won Wednesday when it looked as though they didn't have a chance. And this time, they delivered the decisive final flurry without six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry.Lowry missed the final 14... [More]