The Portland Trail Blazers dealt with injuries all season, and the the loss of their biggest star topped it off in the playoffs.While the year was unusual for all of sports because of coronavirus, the Trail Blazers made it to the NBA playoffs for the seventh straight season. Upstart Portland was knocked out of the first round by the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in five games. “It was an interesting season with a lot of different obstacles that we faced. We signed Hall of Famer (Carmelo Anthony), we had coronavirus hit, so many things going on around the world with social injustice, protesting, all those things," guard CJ McCollum said. "We had some games postponed, came back, more injuries. But all in all I think we fought and gave ourselves a chance."All-Star guard Damian Lillard had already departed the so-called bubble in Florida with a right knee injury when Portland took the floor for the elimination game Sunday night. While the Blazers mounted a scrappy effort against the Lakers,... [More]

The law of averages says an Oklahoma City Thunder starter will make a 3-pointer relatively quickly on Monday night.Someone better, or else.Houston — which famously wasted a chance to reach the NBA Finals by missing 27 consecutive 3-pointers in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference finals — is a game away from the second round of these playoffs, after watching the Thunder suddenly forget how to shoot on Saturday night. The Rockets will take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 against the Thunder in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Monday night.“We’ll go back to the drawing board, see what we did well, see what we didn’t do well,” Thunder guard Chris Paul said.Houston rolled in Game 5, winning 114-80 on a night where the Thunder missed 14 consecutive 3-pointers in one 19-minute stretch during which the Rockets outscored them 55-25 — basically the entire winning margin.Thunder starters combined to miss their last 17 attempts from 3-point range and combined for the full game, Oklahoma City’s first-stringers... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers forward Marcus Morris was ejected after a hard foul against Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks in the first quarter of their playoff game Sunday.Doncic was trying to get to the basket against Morris and had inched past him as their arms started to tangle. Morris swung his arm down forcefully, appearing to hit Doncic in the head or neck area and knocking to him to the court.Mavericks coaches quickly raced onto the floor after seeing the play, which happened right in front of their bench. Doncic got up and tried to charge at Morris but was held back by teammate Boban Marjanovic.Referees reviewed the play and determined it was a flagrant 2 foul, triggering an automatic ejection.Earlier in the series, Morris denied trying to hurt Doncic, who has battled a sprained left ankle, when he stepped on his foot.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

The law of averages says an Oklahoma City Thunder starter will make a 3-pointer relatively quickly on Monday night.Someone better, or else.Houston — which famously wasted a chance to reach the NBA Finals by missing 27 consecutive 3-pointers in Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference finals — is a game away from the second round of these playoffs, after watching the Thunder suddenly forget how to shoot on Saturday night. The Rockets will take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 against the Thunder in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Monday night.“We’ll go back to the drawing board, see what we did well, see what we didn’t do well,” Thunder guard Chris Paul said.Houston rolled in Game 5, winning 114-80 on a night where the Thunder missed 14 consecutive 3-pointers in one 19-minute stretch during which the Rockets outscored them 55-25 — basically the entire winning margin.Thunder starters combined to miss their last 17 attempts from 3-point range and combined for the full game, Oklahoma City’s first-stringers... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — There was a point this week when LeBron James and the Lakers weren't sure they would remain in the bubble.They decided to stay and look like they could be here a while.The Lakers moved into the Western Conference semifinals by finishing off the Portland Trail Blazers with a 131-122 victory on Saturday night.It was the Lakers' first series victory since 2012 and set them up for a second-round matchup against Houston or Oklahoma City. The Rockets lead 3-2 with Game 6 on Monday, so the Lakers will have some time off.They just got back from a break.Los Angeles was scheduled to play Wednesday night and the players were relaxing in their rooms when they got word that the Milwaukee Bucks had decided not to play their game that afternoon against Orlando. It was a surprise to everyone else in the league and there was some frustration that night when players held a meeting.James was one of the frustrated people, having realized the Bucks hadn't fully thought through... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Houston’s P.J. Tucker and Oklahoma City's Dennis Schroder were ejected from Game 5 of their first-round playoff series Saturday night after a tussle following a hard pick that sent them both to the floor.Midway through the third quarter with Houston leading 67-49, Tucker set a pick on Schroder, who swung his right arm between Tucker’s legs, hitting him in the groin. When the two players stood back up, Tucker approached Schroder and head-butted him from behind.After checking the video, referee James Capers called a flagrant 2 foul on Schroder and ejected him. Tucker was given a technical foul with an ejection.Schroder was leading the Thunder with 19 points. Tucker had five points and six rebounds. The best-of-seven series was tied 2-2.___More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Luka Doncic and Jamal Murray have put on some of the best shows in the bubble.Without another one Sunday, their shows may be over.With their teams facing elimination, Doncic and Murray might be down to their final day at Disney when they play the two Game 6s in the Western Conference.Dallas trails the Los Angeles Clippers 3-2, the same deficit Denver faces against Utah. But the Mavericks appear to be in the tougher predicament.Not only are they playing again without Kristaps Porzingis, but they have to slow down a No. 2-seeded Clippers team that crushed them 154-111 in Game 5 on Tuesday after Paul George snapped out of a prolonged slump.The Clippers were then one of the teams that expressed frustrations the next night at the leaguewide meeting that followed the three game postponements, but eventually decided they wanted to stay and play. “We’re obviously fully committed to winning a championship here,” George said, “but we just want everything to be basically... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks came to the arena and prepared for a game, just as they did three days earlier.This time, they played it.The rescheduled Game 5 of the Bucks' series against Orlando began Saturday as the NBA postseason resumed after a historic stoppage that players hope will bring change in their communities.“It was a moment in which the world needed and obviously we know this is going to be a long, ongoing process,” Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said. “But we’re in. We’re in the trenches and we’re in this fight for the long haul.”The teams were scheduled to play Wednesday afternoon, but the Bucks decided not to take the court to show their frustration over the police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, along with other acts of racial injustice.That led to a two-day postponement of games that ended when players and owners agreed to expanded initiatives, many tied to increased voting awareness and opportunities, such as... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks came to the arena and prepared for a game, just as they did three days earlier.This time, they played it.The rescheduled Game 5 of the Bucks' series against Orlando began Saturday as the NBA postseason resumed after a historic stoppage that players hope will bring change in their communities.“It was a moment in which the world needed and obviously we know this is going to be a long, ongoing process,” Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said. “But we’re in. We’re in the trenches and we’re in this fight for the long haul.”The teams were scheduled to play Wednesday afternoon, but the Bucks decided not to take the court to show their frustration over the police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, along with other acts of racial injustice.That led to a two-day postponement of games that ended when players and owners agreed to expanded initiatives, many tied to increased voting awareness and opportunities, such as... [More]

Cliff Robinson guided UConn out from the bottom and almost helped take the Portland Trail Blazers to the top.He was one of the NBA's best sixth men, a versatile player who became a predecessor of the modern center.Not bad for a guy who was warned he might not even get a second season in Storrs.“He averaged five points as a freshman and I remember I told him, ’You have two choices: I can kick you out if you keep doing what you do, or I’m going to watch you play a lot of years in the NBA,'" former UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “He chose the latter, which was good.”Robinson died Saturday at 53, remembered as much for his personality as his skills by the teams he played for during an 18-year career.“His personality and energy were unmatched, and his contributions on the court were unmistakable, helping the Trail Blazers into the playoffs each of his eight seasons with the team,” the Blazers said. "His streak of 461 consecutive games played with the Trail Blazers still stands as a franchise... [More]

Cliff Robinson guided UConn out from the bottom and almost helped take the Portland Trail Blazers to the top.He was one of the NBA's best sixth men, a versatile player who became a predecessor of the modern center.Not bad for a guy who was warned he might not even get a second season in Storrs.“He averaged five points as a freshman and I remember I told him, ’You have two choices: I can kick you out if you keep doing what you do, or I’m going to watch you play a lot of years in the NBA,'" former UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “He chose the latter, which was good.”Robinson died Saturday at 53, remembered as much for his personality as his skills by the teams he played for during an 18-year career.“His personality and energy were unmatched, and his contributions on the court were unmistakable, helping the Trail Blazers into the playoffs each of his eight seasons with the team,” the Blazers said. "His streak of 461 consecutive games played with the Trail Blazers still stands as a franchise... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — NBA players want change that makes their communities safer. They want people to vote — hopefully in their home arenas.And they want to keep playing basketball.Teams returned to the court Friday after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on commitments that made players comfortable continuing.An emotional Chris Paul, the union president, detailed the events of the previous two days, when players upset by the latest police shooting of a Black man left them considering leaving the Disney campus and going home. “We’re all hurt, we’re all tired of just seeing the same thing over and over again and everybody just expects us to be OK just because we get paid great money,” Paul said. “We’re human, we have real feelings and I’m glad that we got a chance to get in a room and talk with one another and not just cross paths and say good luck in your game today.”All 13 teams remaining in the postseason scheduled practice Friday — the anniversary... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis will miss the rest of the Dallas Mavericks' series against the Los Angeles Clippers because of a torn ligament in his right knee.The Mavericks said Friday that Porzingis has been receiving treatment for the injury, which he sustained in Game 1 of the series. They added that further treatment options are being explored and he wouldn't be medically cleared the rest of the series.The seventh-seeded Mavericks trail the Clippers 3-2.Porzingis had missed the last two games. He finished with averages of 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in his three appearances, the first playoff action of his career. The Mavericks acquired the 7-foot-3 forward from Latvia last year from the New York Knicks. It was while there that he tore the ACL in his other knee in February 2018.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — NBA players want change that makes their communities safer. They want people to vote — hopefully in their home arenas.And they want to keep playing basketball.Teams returned to the court Friday after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on commitments that made players comfortable continuing.An emotional Chris Paul, the union president, detailed the events of the previous two days, when players upset by the latest police shooting of a Black man left them considering leaving the Disney campus and going home. “We’re all hurt, we’re all tired of just seeing the same thing over and over again and everybody just expects us to be OK just because we get paid great money,” Paul said. “We’re human, we have real feelings and I’m glad that we got a chance to get in a room and talk with one another and not just cross paths and say good luck in your game today.”All 13 teams remaining in the postseason scheduled practice Friday — the anniversary... [More]

The Orlando Magic are going to be thrilled to see the Milwaukee Bucks take the floor on Saturday for Game 5 of their matchup.And they'll be even happier if they can face them again in a Game 6 on Monday.The NBA playoffs — which stopped for three days after the Bucks refused to take the floor on Wednesday in protest of the shooting by police of Jacob Blake, a Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin this past weekend — are set to resume. The first game on the slate is Game 5 of the Orlando-Milwaukee Eastern Conference first-round series, with the Bucks holding a 3-1 lead and putting the Magic on the brink of elimination.“We're all united in this fight," Magic coach Steve Clifford said Friday. “We support the Bucks and what they did. I think it's ended up being a very positive thing. If you look at it, it was the impetus for the WNBA, for other teams in the NBA, for baseball ... a bunch of college football teams, it was a positive occurrence. What they did kept the conversation going."Now, the Magic... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — NBA players want change that makes their communities safer. They want people to vote — hopefully in their home arenas.And they want to keep playing basketball.Teams returned to the court Friday after the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed on commitments that made players comfortable continuing.An emotional Chris Paul, the union president, detailed the events of the previous two days, when players upset by the latest police shooting of a Black man left them considering leaving the Disney campus and going home. “We’re all hurt, we’re all tired of just seeing the same thing over and over again and everybody just expects us to be OK just because we get paid great money,” Paul said. “We’re human, we have real feelings and I’m glad that we got a chance to get in a room and talk with one another and not just cross paths and say good luck in your game today.”All 13 teams remaining in the postseason scheduled practice Friday — the anniversary... [More]

The restart is about to restart.Basketball will be played again inside the NBA’s bubble at Walt Disney World on Friday, albeit of the practice variety. Playoff matchups are set to resume on Saturday, meaning games will have stopped for three days while players protested the shooting of a Black man by police in Wisconsin earlier this week.To shut up and dribble has never been less of an option for players. LeBron James is helping lead a massive get-out-the-vote effort, and Stephen Curry appeared with his family in a video aired as part of the Democratic National Convention last week. The bubble's purpose was two-fold — crown a champion, and help players seek societal changes that simply haven’t come fast enough for their liking. That was what brought them to Central Florida, and ultimately, that's why they decided to stay now.“There’s a lot of emotions built up with what’s going on," Miami’s Andre Iguodala said Thursday night from the bubble at Lake Buena Vista, Florida.Iguodala, the First... [More]

Portland guard Damian Lillard is leaving the NBA's bubble at Walt Disney World for further tests on his injured right knee.Lillard will leave the bubble in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, and return to Portland on Thursday, the Trail Blazers said. He was diagnosed Tuesday with a knee sprain, which occurred in Game 4 of the team's first-round Western Conference series against the Los Angeles Lakers.The team did not make any mention if the uncertainty over the remainder of the NBA season played a role in Lillard's decision. All three NBA games scheduled for Wednesday — including Game 5 between the Lakers and Blazers, which Lillard would not have played in and Portland would have had to win to extend its season — were postponed as part of a player protest against racial injustice.Players made the extraordinary decisions to protest the shooting by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday of Jacob Blake, a Black man, apparently in the back while three of his children looked on.Even if the playoffs... [More]

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Making their strongest statement yet in the fight against racial injustice, players from six NBA teams decided not to play postseason games on Wednesday in a boycott that quickly reverberated across other professional leagues.Also called off: Some games in Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the three WNBA contests, as players across four leagues decided the best way to use their platform and demand change was to literally step off the playing surface.Players made the extraordinary decisions to protest the shooting by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday of Jacob Blake, a Black man, apparently in the back while three of his children looked on.Kenosha is about 40 miles south of Milwaukee. That city’s NBA team, the Bucks, started the boycotts Wednesday by refusing to emerge from their locker room to play a playoff game against the Orlando Magic.“There has been no action, so our focus today cannot be on basketball,” said Bucks guard Sterling Brown,... [More]

If the NBA playoffs resume, Denver and Dallas will face elimination games.The Nuggets have staved off elimination once and when and if their series with the Utah Jazz resumes — it's scheduled for Thursday, though that now seems very questionable — they will have to do it again. So will the Dallas Mavericks, down 3-2 to the Los Angeles Clippers.Players boycotted Wednesday's three scheduled games in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man in Wisconsin who was apparently shot in the back by police while his three children looked on. Players were meeting Wednesday night to determine next steps.The Nuggets rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to beat Utah in Game 5 on Tuesday and extend that series, while the Clippers got the biggest win in their playoff history — a 43-point romp over Dallas to take a 3-2 lead in that matchup, two nights after Luka Doncic made a gamewinning, buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 4.“Game 4 is the ultimate high and (Game 5) is the ultimate low,”... [More]