PHOENIX (AP) — Forward Kelly Oubre Jr. re-signed with the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.The team said it was a multiyear deal.Oubre was acquired in a trade with the Washington Wizards for veteran Trevor Ariza last December. He averaged 16.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 40 games with the Suns to go with his energy on defense. The four-year pro led the NBA in steals per game with 2.1 after the All-Star break, to go with 20.2 points and 5.7 rebounds."Right now I'm a Phoenix Sun, and I'm excited to get better every day with the group of guys that we have," the 23-year-old Oubre said. "At the end of the day, I'm super excited about where we're going and where we're going to be. The sky's the limit for us."The numbers don't lie," he added. "You see how my game evolved when I got here and it happened the right way. Nothing was given to me."Oubre returns to a new-look roster that includes star Devin Booker and second-year center Deandre Ayton, plus point guard Ricky Rubio. The Suns also added power forward... [More]

The Memphis Grizzlies traded away the final piece of the franchise's best years on Wednesday, sending veteran point guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz for a trio of players, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.The Grizzlies swapped Conley for forward Jae Crowder, guard/forward Kyle Korver and guard Grayson Allen, said the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither Memphis nor Utah has announced the trade, which cannot be completed until the new league year starts on July 6.Conley confirmed the trade on Twitter, thanking Memphis for making him the man he is and being his home."Time for another chapter! Excited to give all I have to The Jazz ...!" Conley tweeted.ESPN.com first reported the deal, which it says also includes Utah's No. 23 pick overall in Thursday night's draft.Conley was the final piece of the core that led the Grizzlies to seven consecutive playoff berths, including the 2013 Western Conference Finals. Zach Randolph and Tony... [More]

The Memphis Grizzlies traded away the final piece of the franchise's best years on Wednesday, sending veteran point guard Mike Conley to the Utah Jazz for a trio of players, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.The Grizzlies swapped Conley for Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver and Grayson Allen, said the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither Memphis nor Utah has announced the trade.Conley confirmed the trade on Twitter, thanking Memphis for making him the man he is and being his home."Time for another chapter! Excited to give all I have to The Jazz ...!" Conley tweeted.ESPN.com first reported the deal, which it says also includes Utah's No. 23 pick overall in Thursday night's draft.Conley was the final piece of the core that led the Grizzlies to seven consecutive playoff berths, including the 2013 Western Conference Finals. Zach Randolph and Tony Allen left in 2017 as free agents, and Memphis traded Marc Gasol to Toronto in February, splitting... [More]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Few teams could match the Utah Jazz in their ability to dominate on defense this season. An inability to generate consistent offense, however, ultimately doomed Utah in the postseason.After getting knocked out of the first-round of the postseason by the Houston Rockets, change is in the air for the Jazz as the team heads into the offseason. Utah plans to target shooters and playmakers in free agency who can take some of the defensive focus away from leading scorer Donovan Mitchell."We want to move the group forward," Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey said at the team's practice facility Thursday. "While we have a very good team, the results told us that we don't have a great team."Utah does have a solid foundation in place thanks to continued progress from Mitchell and center Rudy Gobert. The duo helped lead the Jazz to a 50-win season and a third straight playoff berth.Mitchell overcame a sluggish start to his sophomore season and showed his stellar rookie campaign was no fluke.... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Minutes after the Houston Rockets eliminated the Utah Jazz to advance to the Western Conference semifinals for the third straight season they were already looking ahead to the possibility of getting another shot at the Golden State Warriors."That's what I want," center Clint Capela said. "I want to face them."Veteran Chris Paul slightly scolded the 24-year-old for acknowledging that this is the matchup Houston has been looking forward to all season."That's going to be all over (the internet)," Paul said, shaking his head.But Paul couldn't deny that the Rockets are well aware that the Warriors have been the biggest roadblock to them vying for their first title in more than 20 years."Real talk, in order to get to where you want to get to, you have to go through them," he said. "They're the reigning champs. They've been running the West for five years straight now."But the Rockets will have to wait to see if they'll get that shot at the Warriors after they failed to close out... [More]

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) — Blake Griffin's tone was serious, befitting a man who has had one of the best seasons of his career — but now faces the same old questions about his health.Griffin's status for Detroit's first-round series against Milwaukee isn't clear at the moment, but after he sat out the Pistons' crucial regular-season finale at New York on Wednesday night, it's clear his left knee problems are a significant issue heading into the playoffs. Detroit plays Game 1 at top-seeded Milwaukee on Sunday night."We're taking this day by day," Griffin said Saturday. "I'm not looking forward to a day that's not here right now in front of me. I'll sit with our training staff, and whoever else needs to be in on that decision, and make that each day."It's a tough situation for any athlete to go through — leading your team through the regular season, only to have your playoff participation threatened by an injury. This is the time of year when players and teams want to be at full strength,... [More]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — It took a bear — Jazz Bear — to catch a bat and leave the high-flying hijinks to the NBA players.A wayward bat flew around the court inside the Vivint Smart Home Arena about an hour before Utah's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, interrupting the pregame shooting routines of the likes of Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio.The few thousand fans in the building took turns cheering and then groaning while watching the flying mammal zip around the arena and elude several security guards and an on-court employee armed with a net.Jazz Bear took a break from entertaining the crowd by taking a few swings himself before finally capturing it — with nothing but net.Fans then cheered wildly as the proud mascot strolled off the court with the big catch."That was scary," Mitchell said after Utah's 106-101 victory . "I was not cool with that at all. I'm glad the Bear got him because I would not have finished my warmup. I would have gone to locker room if he was still flying around out there."The whole thing quickly became a social media hit, and Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma appropriately tweeted : "Where is Manu when you need him."That, of course, is former San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili, who famously swatted a bat to the hardwood and captured it in the middle of game against Sacramento on Halloween night in 2009.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — It took a bear — Jazz Bear — to catch a bat and leave the high-flying hijinks to the NBA players.A wayward bat flew around the court inside the Vivint Smart Home Arena about an hour before Utah's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, interrupting the pregame shooting routines of the likes of Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio.The few thousand fans in the building took turns cheering and then groaning while watching the flying mammal zip around the arena and elude several security guards and an on-court employee armed with a net.Jazz Bear took a break from entertaining the crowd by taking a few swings himself before finally capturing it — with nothing but net.Fans then cheered wildly as the proud mascot strolled off the court with the big catch."That was scary," Mitchell said after Utah's 106-101 victory . "I was not cool with that at all. I'm glad the Bear got him because I would not have finished my warmup. I would have gone to locker room if he was still flying around out there."The whole thing quickly became a social media hit, and Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma appropriately tweeted : "Where is Manu when you need him."That, of course, is former San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili, who famously swatted a bat to the hardwood and captured it in the middle of game against Sacramento on Halloween night in 2009.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Go back to the 1999-2000 NBA season, and there were only two foreign-born players in the NBA who averaged 15 points per game: Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan.This season, there are 24 names on that list — by far the most in league history.The NBA international imprint just keeps getting bigger, providing the sort of transformative impact the likes of which the league probably hasn't seen since the ABA merger.One of the MVP front-runners at this point is Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has led Milwaukee to the NBA's best record entering Wednesday. Dallas' Luka Doncic looks like an overwhelming favorite to become the first Slovenian rookie of the year. Cameroon's Joel Embiid might be the dominant big man in the league, and keeps getting better for Philadelphia.These aren't just some guys taking up roster spots, either.These are franchise players. At least one-third of the league's teams have a foreign-born player who would classify as its best, or at least its most important."It's been fun... [More]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Bringing back a roster virtually unchanged from the end of last season isn't intended to be a sign that the Utah Jazz have embraced the status quo.The Jazz want to send a much different message.This is a team eager to prove last season's strong finish was simply a snapshot of a climb toward becoming an elite team. One thing is certain: Utah will not be sneaking up on anyone this time around, so an even better encore performance will be needed."That focus for me is maybe the unspoken thing when you talk about a team that has guys back and all of that," coach Quin Snyder said. "I want to see them get better. I want to see guys get better individually and I want to see us collectively get better."Donovan Mitchell lessened the blow of Gordon Hayward's departure, averaging a team-high 20.5 points per game during a breakout rookie season. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 28.5 points on 46.2 percent shooting to help power a first-round series win over Oklahoma... [More]

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah didn't make any major offseason moves but fans shouldn't mistake that for a sign the Jazz are satisfied with the status quo.With the start of training camp, Utah players and coaches are echoing the same message: Continuity doesn't equal complacency.The Jazz are focused on maximizing potential they showed toward the end of last season — with a roster that has returned mostly intact — once the regular season starts in mid-October."I don't want to pick up where we left off," coach Quin Snyder told reporters at the team's media day Monday. "That implies it's the same group beginning to do something. This is a new journey. We can take with us the experience. We can take with us the chemistry and the things we learned. But this is a new team."Nothing encapsulates that attitude better than the work various Jazz players have put in while preparing for the season.Derrick Favors and Jae Crowder dropped weight over the summer to improve their mobility and quickness in operating... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Rajon Rondo and Draymond Green have won NBA titles and never have been known to shy away from conflict on the court.Now their combustible convergence in the playoffs is providing a spicy subplot to the Western Conference semifinal series between New Orleans and Golden State."We're here to fight," Rondo said following New Orleans' lopsided Game 3 victory that trimmed the Warriors' series lead to 2-1. "With my guys on the court, I'm going to fight as hard as I can ... and do whatever it takes."Green and Rondo had to be separated after whistles twice in the first three games — never mind some other antics in the flow of the game — and they'll be back at it again in one of two pivotal Game 4s to be played on Sunday. The other pits Houston against Utah in a series that the Rockets lead 2-1.The Rondo-Green sideshow is compelling because of what both players mean to their teams. They are not the type of trash-talking, loud-mouths who otherwise play marginal roles. They are accomplished... [More]

Quin Snyder walked into his news conference after Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals with a stoic look, slowly rubbing his forehead, barely if ever cracking anything that would resemble a smile.And he was on the winning side.This much is clear about the Utah Jazz: They are not surprising themselves by being in this position. A team that was written off by Vegas oddsmakers and alleged experts coming into the season after losing Gordon Hayward in free agency won 48 games, ousted reigning MVP Russell Westbrook and Oklahoma City in the first round, and now have the Houston Rockets in a bit of trouble.The Jazz stole home-court from Houston with a win on Wednesday night, and now look to take a 2-1 lead when the series shifts to Salt Lake City for Game 3 on Friday night."When guys have confidence in each other, it allows them, I think, the confidence individually to step up," Snyder said.Confidence is not an issue for the Jazz.Even on a night where Donovan Mitchell shot 6 for 21 and fellow... [More]

Injuries are having a major impact on the NBA playoffs.A tweak, turn or strain to this or that has sidelined or limited players from All-Stars to reserves — and that has influenced the early outcomes of Round 2.After Jaylen Brown strained his right hamstring in Boston's Game 7 win over Milwaukee, he all but begged the Celtics doctors and trainers to let him suit up for the start of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup with Philadelphia.Boston managed to win without him in its 117-101 victory over the sluggish 76ers in Game 1 Monday night, thanks to career nights by Al Horford, Terry Rozier and rookie Jayson Tatum.But despite two days or rest and treatment, coach Brad Stevens said Brown is "very doubtful" for Game 2 on Thursday night."The bottom line is with this hamstring injury is it's not terrible. Not a long-term thing. It shouldn't linger if he comes back at the right time," Stevens said.If Brown can't go for Game 2, it will again put stress on a Celtics rotation that just recently... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Utah's tough defense excelled against almost everyone in the league this season.The Jazz could not, however, find a way to slow down Houston's high-powered offense.Utah tied for first in the league in the regular season by allowing just 99.8 points per game, but the Rockets averaged 116.3 points against the Jazz in a 4-0 sweep of the season series.Now the Jazz will get another shot at the top-seeded Rockets when they open the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday after outdoing the big three of Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to eliminate the Thunder in Game 6 on Friday night.Utah had no answer for MVP front-runner James Harden in the regular season. He averaged 34.3 points against the Jazz, highlighted by a 56-point performance in a 137-110 win in November that set a career-high he has since bested."They're such a unique team," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "We have to compete, (that's) the main thing. ... They're so good. They've been the best team in... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — Utah Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets because of a strained left hamstring.Rubio left Friday night's game against the Thunder in the first quarter with the injury. The team says it does not know how long he will be out, but coach Quin Snyder said after Friday's game he hoped it wasn't too serious. He said the injury "caught up with him a little bit" in a "tough series."Rubio missed a few games late in the season with soreness in the same hamstring, but had not left a game with the problem in the postseason until Friday.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ricky Rubio left Game 6 of Utah's playoff series against Oklahoma City with a left hamstring injury and the Jazz said he would not return.Rubio departed with just under 5 minutes remaining in the first quarter. He missed his only shot but had three assists.The point guard from Spain was having a strong series, averaging 16.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists entering Friday. He had a triple-double in Utah's Game 3 victory.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A poised and productive Ricky Rubio has been smiling and laughing, masterfully running Utah's offense in his matchup with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook.Meanwhile, the reigning league MVP has been scowling, shoving, fouling, complaining and most of all — losing.It's fair to say Rubio has been more effective for the Jazz.The Rubio-Westbrook matchup mirrors what is happening throughout the NBA playoffs: The team that gets the best point guard play usually wins.Rubio's all-around success has the Jazz on the brink of advancing. Utah has a 3-1 lead on the Thunder and can finish the series Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.He summed up his play after Game 2, saying "I did my job, looking for my teammates, and looking for my shot too when it was open. I just took what the game gave me and watched film and got better and we played as a team."Maybe it is just that simple.Rubio is averaging 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8 assists per game against Oklahoma City, all well above... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A poised and productive Ricky Rubio has been smiling and laughing, masterfully running Utah's offense in his matchup with Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook.Meanwhile, the reigning league MVP has been scowling, shoving, fouling, complaining and most of all — losing.It's fair to say Rubio has been more effective for the Jazz.The Rubio-Westbrook matchup mirrors what is happening throughout the NBA playoffs: The team that gets the best point guard play usually wins.Rubio's all-around success has the Jazz on the brink of advancing. Utah has a 3-1 lead on the Thunder and can finish the series Wednesday night in Oklahoma City.He summed up his play after Game 2, saying "I did my job, looking for my teammates, and looking for my shot too when it was open. I just took what the game gave me and watched film and got better and we played as a team."Maybe it is just that simple.Rubio is averaging 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8 assists per game against Oklahoma City, all well above... [More]

Russell Westbrook is averaging a triple-double, so he gets plenty of attention. Ricky Rubio just had a triple-double , earning him some time in the headlines. Donovan Mitchell has been great in his first three playoff games, so the fascination with the rookie star is only growing.It's easy to notice those guys.Rudy Gobert should be getting noticed as well.Utah is taking a 2-1 lead into their Western Conference first-round series against Oklahoma City on Monday night, and Gobert is probably as responsible for the Jazz being in that position than anyone. He's controlling the backboards, he's changing shots, he's thwarting Westbrook and he's showing why he's the likely Defensive Player of the Year."It makes the guards' jobs a lot easier," Mitchell said of the French safety net with the 7-foot-9 wingspan who protects the rim for the Jazz. "You feel more secure on the wing. ... The whole season, I've been saying if somebody gets by me, it's like, 'All right, go ahead, try it. Because I've tried... [More]