LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul started for the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers after missing the first two games of the Western Conference finals while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Paul was upgraded to available from probable on the league’s injury report and participated in the team’s shootaround Thursday. He scored a game-high 37 points in final game of the second-round series against the Denver Nuggets on June 13. “To have him back on the bus and shootaround was pretty cool for everybody. You know, right after that everybody got right back to business,” coach Monty Williams said before the game. "We watched film and broke down some of the things we didn’t do well and got on the floor and had a good shootaround. Williams said less than two hours before tip off that there wouldn't be a minutes restriction on Paul. The 36-year-old point guard averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the Denver series. “He’s always been... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul was in the starting lineup for the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers after missing the first two games of the Western Conference finals while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Paul was upgraded to available from probable on the league's injury report and participated in the team's shootaround Thursday. “He’s back with us," forward Jae Crowder said. "It was great to have him on the court, walk through a few things, talk to him about some stuff that we’ve been talking about amongst one another. It was great to just have one of our guys back in the lineup and ready to go,” The 36-year-old point guard averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the second round against Denver. He scored a game-high 37 points in final game of the series June 13. Phoenix has been on a roll, winning nine straight postseason games, including the first two against the Clippers series. Paul — who played for the Clippers from 2011-17 — was named to the All-NBA second team earlier this week. He averaged 16.4 points during the regular season. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Kevin Pritchard hired a new coach in October, he took a calculated risk. This time, the Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations went for the known commodity. Pritchard hired longtime Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Thursday, reuniting the 61-year-old with the team that helped relaunch his head coaching career almost two decades ago. “Rick is a proven winner with a championship and will be a Hall of Fame coach,” Pritchard said in a statement. “He has demonstrated throughout his career an ability to build something with sustainable success. He has great respect for our franchise and our fans from his previous times here. We are very happy to welcome him back to Indiana.” Clearly, the Pacers believe Carlisle can bring stability to a veteran team that battled a severe rash of injuries last season. The result was a losing record and their first playoff absence in six years. Carlisle will get a chance to make a quick fix with the same organization he... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul is expected to play for the Phoenix Suns Thursday night in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul was upgraded to available from probable on the league's injury report and participated in the team's shootaround Thursday afternoon. He missed the first two games while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols since June 16. “He’s back with us. It was great to have him on the court, walk through a few things, talk to him about some stuff that we’ve been talking about amongst one another. It was great to just have one of our guys back in the lineup and ready to go,” forward Jae Crowder said. The 36-year-old point guard averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the second round against Denver. He scored a game-high 37 points in final game of the series on June 13. Phoenix has been on a roll, winning nine straight postseason games, including the first two of the Clippers series. Paul — who played for the Clippers from 2011-17 — was named to the All-NBA Second Team earlier this week. He averaged 16.4 points during the regular season and 15.7 points in the playoffs. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro was working out Thursday morning with assistant coaches Chris Quinn and Eric Glass, when they were told there was a more pressing need. Before long, Herro, Quinn and Glass had left the team’s arena for the short drive north to Surfside, Florida, where a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed around 1:30 a.m. At least one person was killed, dozens were unaccounted for and teams of rescuers were searching rubble with hope of finding anyone alive. The Heat trio helped load a truck with water, food and other essentials. “This is 12 miles from our arena,” Heat vice president and charitable fund executive director Steve Stowe said. “We heard about this, and our immediate reaction was that we had to find a way to help.” Herro also addressed the frontline workers, thanking them for their heroism and efforts. The Heat, through some of their corporate partners like World Central Kitchen and Direct Relief, were arranging for more help to arrive. Food trucks were secured to keep rescuers and other personnel at the scene fed through hot meals and grab-and-go boxes, and the team was working to help find accommodations for the displaced by the collapse. “These are the moments when a community has to come together, rise up and help,” Stowe said. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Kevin Pritchard hired a new coach in October, he took a calculated risk. This time, the Indiana Pacers president of basketball operations went for the known commodity. Pritchard hired longtime Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Thursday, bringing back the 61-year-old NBA veteran to the team that relaunched his head coaching career almost two decades ago. Carlisle confirmed the decision to The Associated Press, though the team had no immediate announcement. The Pacers clearly believe Carlisle can bring stability to a veteran team that battled a rash of injuries last season. The result was a losing record and their first playoff absence in six years. Carlisle will get a chance to make a quick fix with the same organization he led led from 2003-07 and took to the Eastern Conference finals in his first season with the team. This time, he becomes the third Pacers coach in less than 12 months. Nate McMillan was fired in August following his fourth straight first-round... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rick Carlisle is coming back to Indiana to coach the Pacers after deciding his time leading Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks was over. Carlisle confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday he has agreed to return to the club he coached for four seasons from 2003-07. He led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals his first season. The 61-year-old Carlisle decided to leave the Mavericks last week, a day after general manager Donnie Nelson left the club. Dallas owner Mark Cuban said it was Carlisle's decision to leave. After a decade as an assistant coach, Carlisle's first head coaching job was with Detroit in 2001. He spent two seasons with the Pistons, leaving after leading them to the East finals in 2003. Carlisle will be the Pacers' third coach in less than 12 months. Nate McMillan was fired in August after four consecutive first-round playoff exits. McMillan’s replacement, Nate Bjorkgren, was fired after one tumultuous season with Indiana. The Pacers are betting... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rick Carlisle is coming back to Indiana to coach the Pacers after deciding his time leading Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks was over. Carlisle confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday he has agreed to return to the club he coached for four seasons from 2003-07. He led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference finals his first season. The 61-year-old Carlisle decided to leave the Mavericks last week, a day after general manager Donnie Nelson left the club. Dallas owner Mark Cuban said it was Carlisle's decision to leave. After a decade as an assistant coach, Carlisle's first head coaching job was with Detroit in 2001. He spent two seasons with the Pistons, leaving after leading them to the East finals in 2003. Carlisle will be the Pacers' third coach in less than 12 months. Nate McMillan was fired in August after four consecutive first-round playoff exits. McMillan’s replacement, Nate Bjorkgren, was fired after one tumultuous season with Indiana. The Pacers are betting... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul is listed as probable to play for the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. The Suns lead the Los Angeles Clippers 2-0. The series shifts to Staples Center on Thursday night. Paul missed the first two games while in the NBA's health and safety protocols since June 16. His status was updated in the league’s injury report Wednesday. The 36-year-old point guard, a former Clipper, averaged 25.5 points, 10.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in the second round against Denver. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard. He has missed the series so far with a strained right knee. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have hired Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka to be their new coach, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The hiring was first reported by ESPN. Udoka, 43, played a total of 316 games over seven seasons with five NBA teams before retiring in 2012 and joining Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio as an assistant coach. He was with the Spurs for seven seasons, including in 2013-14, when they won the NBA title. Udoka joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 and was with the Nets last year. Udoka takes over a Celtics team that reached the Eastern Conference finals in three of the previous four seasons before plummeting to the No. 7 seed this year and losing in the first round to Brooklyn. After the five-game loss to the Nets, basketball boss Danny Ainge retired and coach Brad Stevens gave up his spot on the bench to replace him. Once primed... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics have hired Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka to be their new coach, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. The hiring was first reported by ESPN. Udoka, 43, played a total of 316 games over seven seasons with five NBA teams before retiring in 2012 and joining Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio as an assistant coach. He was with the Spurs for seven seasons, including in 2013-14, when they won the NBA title. Udoka joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 and was with the Nets last year. Udoka takes over a Celtics team that reached the Eastern Conference finals in three of the previous four seasons before plummeting to the No. 7 seed this year and losing in the first round to Brooklyn. After the five-game loss to the Nets, basketball boss Danny Ainge retired and coach Brad Stevens gave up his spot on the bench to replace him. Once primed... [More]

When Phoenix's Deandre Ayton reached over the rim to dunk Jae Crowder's pass for what became the winning points of the Suns' 104-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, several players immediately argued that the play was illegal. Perhaps it was wishful thinking on their part. Or, perhaps more likely, they did not fully understand the rule. In almost any other situation, what Ayton did would have been a violation — offensive basket interference — and the shot shouldn't have counted. But in this situation, what he did was perfectly legal. WHY DID IT COUNT? NBA Rule 11, Section I, Subsection f gives part of the answer. That rule states that a player shall not “touch any ball from within the playing area that is on its downward flight with an opportunity to score. This is considered to be a ‘field goal attempt’ or trying for a goal.” Crowder's pass — an extremely difficult one — was not a field goal attempt. Because it was an inbounds pass, it would not have counted as a field goal even if... [More]

Newly selected Basketball Hall of Famer Ben Wallace tapped his fist on the table a few times, then clapped his hands and pointed one finger skyward. After one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Detroit has something to celebrate. The Pistons won the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night, meaning they’ll have the No. 1 pick on July 29 — and, presumably, the chance to take Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham. “We get to add another young player to the restoration process,” Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said. “We’re excited to be in this position. But it means that we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re going to be diligent about it, but it always helps to be able to add a No. 1 pick from a talented group of players to choose from.” Houston — which basically had 50-50 odds of picking in the top four — got the No. 2 pick. Cleveland will pick No. 3 and Toronto will pick No. 4, after both of those franchises got some lottery luck to move up in the order. But the big winners were the... [More]

The Detroit Pistons did a lot of losing this season, finishing with the second-worst record in the NBA and the franchise's worst record in nearly 30 years. It paid off. The Pistons won the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday night, grabbing the No. 1 pick in the July 29 draft and presumably the chance to select Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham. If the Pistons keep the pick, it'll be the first time they select No. 1 overall since taking Bob Lanier in 1970. Houston will pick second, Cleveland will pick third, and Toronto will pick fourth. Orlando will get the No. 5 and No. 8 selections, with Oklahoma City picking No. 6 and Golden State also with two lottery slots — No. 7, as part of a trade with Minnesota, and the Warriors' own pick at No. 14. The rest of the lottery results: Sacramento picks No. 9, New Orleans No. 10, Charlotte No. 11, San Antonio at No. 12, and Indiana at No. 13. The lottery — 14 ping-pong balls, all numbered 1 through 14, placed into a hopper — technically only determines... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben Simmons clanked one free throw off the back of the rim, so he took a breather, fist-bumped Joel Embiid, paced, walked back to the line and bonked another shot. Hey, the 76ers still led the Hawks by 23 points at that point, Game 5 seemed in the bag, so what’s two missed free throws? Just 1 second in game time later, Simmons was back at the line -- Atlanta using a Hack-A-Ben strategy to its advantage in the playoffs -- and Simmons swished one to the roar of the crowd. Back for the second shot, a 76ers fan wearing a No. 25 Simmons T-shirt simulated proper form from the stands, only to have Simmons knock one off the front of the rim. Yes, a three-time All-Star in the first year of a $177 million max deal received a pity ovation in Philly. Simmons missed a stunning 10 free throws in Game 5 -- and that seemingly insurmountable lead turned into an epic defeat that helped usher the top-seeded Sixers out of the postseason. Fans were devastated, the media pounced and Simmons... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The end for the Brooklyn Nets came quickly. Changes to prevent it from happening again will not. Two days after a team with title hopes went out in the second round of the playoffs, the Nets said they will take some time evaluating their players — and even the people responsible for keeping them healthy. “I think you have to be very careful in the circumstances that we dealt with this year,” general manager Sean Marks said Monday. “No team has ever been through this before. You hope that next season looks vastly different from the protocols that were in place for COVID and so forth, so I don’t want to be too quick to judge anybody and there’s no rash decisions. We’ve never made rash decisions in five years since we’ve been here.” The Nets were eliminated with a 115-111 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. James Harden missed all but 43 seconds of Games 1-4 with a hamstring injury, and Kyrie Irving sat out the final... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Brad Stevens is still getting used to his new job as the Celtics' president of basketball operations. He’s also keeping tight-lipped about candidates in Boston’s head coaching search. But once he’s made that hire and is done tinkering with the roster this offseason, one thing he promises his successor in advance is that he won’t intervene in day-to-day coaching decisions. He’s got enough to do to get the Celtics back into the top tier of the Eastern Conference. “We obviously have a really good foundation. And you have very talented young players, so I think that that’s a good place to be," Stevens said Monday. "And then, it’s about finding the right fit. There are near-term decisions that can help you improve ... and longer-term decisions that you have to make with the idea of being in the mix. And, ultimately, we want to be in the mix.” That mission began last week when Stevens, who left the bench after eight seasons to succeed retiring front office chief Danny Ainge, executed... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — John Collins' value to the Atlanta Hawks' championship hopes — and in free agency — can't be fully measured by his points and rebounds. To better appreciate the power forward's vital role, try to imagine the Hawks' matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals without Collins' size and athleticism. Game 1 of the series is Wednesday night in Milwaukee. The Bucks are favored by seven points by FanDuel Sportsbook. in a physical conference semifinal series against Philadelphia in which the 76ers seemed to try and bully Collins and the Hawks, he posted double-doubles in the last four games of the conference semifinal series. Collins had 14 points, 16 rebounds, Atlanta's only blocked shot and a steal in the 103-96 series-clinching Game 7 win on Sunday night. “I’m glad I got to experience something like this,” Collins said. “It’s a legendary moment for myself personally.” Collins saw the potential for the Hawks to return to the playoffs... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben Simmons backed his way to the basket, spun around Danilo Gallinari for the easy look at the net — an uncontested layup, a dunk — and he passed. Passed the ball. Passed on the shot. Passed on the chance to tie the game. Joel Embiid threw up his hands in disbelief. With a chance to tie Game 7 against Atlanta late in the fourth quarter, Simmons surrendered the chance to play postseason hero and fed the ball to Matisse Thybulle. “I just assumed Gallo was coming over my back,” Simmons said. Simmons thought Gallinari would try to foul him — much as the Hawks did throughout the seven-game series victory to reach the Eastern Conference finals — and going to the line in the clutch was a risk the All-Star guard was not willing to take. His free-throw shooting was the poison in the postseason that ultimately knocked out the top-seeded Sixers. Simmons shot 25-for-73 (34%) from the line in the playoffs and missed 27 alone against the Hawks. Unacceptable numbers for any player,... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ben Simmons backed his way to the basket, spun around Danilo Gallinari for the easy look at the net — an uncontested layup, a dunk — and he passed. Passed the ball. Passed on the shot. Passed on the chance to tie the game. Joel Embiid threw up his hands in disbelief. With a chance to tie Game 7 against Atlanta late in the fourth quarter, Simmons surrendered the chance to play postseason hero and fed the ball to Matisse Thybulle. “I just assumed Gallo was coming over my back,” Simmons said. Simmons thought Gallinari would try to foul him — much as the Hawks did throughout the seven-game series victory to reach the Eastern Conference finals — and going to the line in the clutch was a risk the All-Star guard was not willing to take. His free-throw shooting was the poison in the postseason that ultimately knocked out the top-seeded Sixers. Simmons shot 25-for-73 (34%) from the line in the playoffs and missed 27 alone against the Hawks. Unacceptable numbers for any player,... [More]