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]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Serge Ibaka had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Fred VanVleet added 20 points Friday night, leading the Toronto Raptors past the Indiana Pacers 115-106 for their franchise-record 13th consecutive win.The Raptors haven't lost since Jan. 15 and beat the Pacers for the second time in three days, winning their first game in Indianapolis in 13 months.Domantas Sabonis had 19 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Pacers. Victor Oladipo added 15 points and four assists in his first home start since returning from an injured right knee.Indiana has lost four straight and three in a row at home.Toronto took control with a 12-3 run late in the third quarter, using it to grab an 87-78 lead. But, after six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry left with what appeared to be an injured right shoulder or arm, the Pacers closed out the quarter by scoring five straight.Lowry did not return.Indiana got as close as 101-99 with 6:47 left, but Toronto pulled away with a 12-4 spurt spurt that made it 113-103... [More]

It is the time of year when every injury report causes eyebrows to raise.D'Angelo Russell, not in Golden State’s lineup at Washington on Monday?Hmmm.Tristan Thompson, scratched by the Cleveland Cavaliers for their game against New York the same night?Interesting.That’s because it’s the week of the NBA trade deadline, when teams need to be careful with the health of players they might be trying to deal.The deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. EST. It arrives quickly now, once the NBA moved it from its longtime spot on the calendar after the All-Star break to its current one the week before. It allows traded players to use the break to acclimate themselves to a new situation, rather than returning to a team that might deal them a couple days later.Russell could be making that adjustment. He’s been considered a trade possibility since virtually the moment the Warriors acquired him from Brooklyn in July in the sign-and-trade transaction that sent Kevin Durant across the country. He’s a point guard... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — All-Star starters Luka Doncic of Dallas and Trae Young of Atlanta headlined the list of players released Friday to participate in the Rising Stars game at All-Star weekend in Chicago.Also on the list: likely rookie of the year frontrunner Ja Morant of Memphis, and No. 1 overall draft pick Zion Williamson of New Orleans.The format has 10 first- and second-year players from the U.S. on one team, against 10 first- and second-year players from other nations. Doncic leads the World team, joined by Nickeil Alexander-Walker of New Orleans, Deandre Ayton of Phoenix, RJ Barrett of New York, Brandon Clarke of Memphis, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner of Washington, Svi Mykhailiuk of Detroit and Josh Okogie of Minnesota.Joining Young, Morant and Williamson on the U.S. team are Miles Bridges, PJ Washington and Devonte’ Graham of Charlotte, Wendell Carter Jr. of Chicago, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn of Miami, Jaren Jackson Jr. of Memphis and Eric Paschall of Golden State.Williamson is an injury replacement for Carter, who has a sprained right ankle and is not expected to play for the Bulls until after the All-Star break.With Alexander-Walker, Barrett, Clarke and Gilgeous-Alexander, the game features a record four Canadians. Hachimura is the first Japanese player to be selected for the game.The game is Friday, Feb. 14.__More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Oladipo spent 12 months working, wondering and watching. He strengthened his body, his mind, his injured right knee and promised to return a better player.Now, he's finally healthy enough to start proving it.The All-Star guard expects to make his long-anticipated season debut Wednesday when the Indiana Pacers host Chicago.“I don't expect to do anything out there miraculous, I just expect to play basketball to the best of my ability,” he said Tuesday. “I know I'll get better as time goes on and I've got to be patient with my body and patient with the game. But I'm a competitor. I know it isn't going to be easy."Oladipo probably knew that much the moment he couldn't get up after crashing to the floor late in the first half of last January's game against Toronto. He left the court on a stretcher amid a crescendo of cheers from his adoring fans.Players around the league quickly took to social media to offer their encouragement, too.The next day, team officials announced... [More]

PARIS (AP) — The NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player has simple advice for the player many are viewing as a future MVP after his show-stopping debut.“Don’t rush the process,“ was the message that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo sent to Zion Williamson on Thursday from Paris.The 19-year-old Williamson made his highly-anticipated NBA debut for New Orleans Pelicans against San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. The NBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick had the crowd on their feet and asking for more after scoring 17 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter of a 121-117 loss which took a back seat to Williamson's impact.Antetokounmpo, an NBA All-Star for the past three years, knows what it's like to be surrounded by hype and urged Williamson to take his time.“You’re going to be a beast, the whole league knows you’re going to be a beast,“ Antetokounmpo said in Paris, where the Bucks will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. “Just take it step by step, day by day.“Because of the time difference,... [More]

The NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player has simple advice for the player many are viewing as a future MVP after his show-stopping debut.“Don’t rush the process,“ was the message that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo sent to Zion Williamson on Thursday from Paris.The 19-year-old Williamson made his highly-anticipated NBA debut for New Orleans Pelicans against San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. The NBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick had the crowd on their feet and asking for more after scoring 17 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter of a 121-117 loss which took a back seat to Williamson's impact.Antetokounmpo, an NBA All-Star for the past three years, knows what it's like to be surrounded by hype and urged Williamson to take his time.“You’re going to be a beast, the whole league knows you’re going to be a beast,“ Antetokounmpo said in Paris, where the Bucks will take on the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. “Just take it step by step, day by day.“Because of the time difference, Antetokounmpo... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson’s sublime 17-point surge in a span of barely more than three minutes could very well become part of New Orleans' pro sports lore — even if the final score won't.For the Pelicans, a narrow loss to a well-coached, savvy San Antonio Spurs team carried far less weight than the burgeoning form of a young superstar in the making.“The way he came out was very poised,” veteran Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday said of Williamson. "The way he played ... bringing energy, especially down the stretch, was something that I guess you don’t really see from somebody so young. But even on top of that, we are almost in February and he hadn’t played a game yet, so for him to be able to come out here and do that his first game is pretty elite.” Extraordinary hype, fueled by social media, has followed the affable, 6-foot-6, 285-pound Williamson since his high school days in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It only increased during his one stellar season at Duke, making him the consensus... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson opened with a joke — about himself.A monthslong recovery from arthroscopic knee surgery is finally behind the New Orleans Pelicans rookie and top overall draft choice. And when Williamson discussed the long wait for his highly anticipated NBA regular-season debut on Wednesday night against San Antonio, he poked fun at himself for apparently dozing off while sitting on the bench during a couple of recent games.“If ya’ll saw me meditating on the sidelines, it’s been very difficult,” Williamson said with a grin. “But it’s finally here. I finally get to go back out there.”The whole league and basketball fans around the world seem to be as excited as he is.The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Williamson has been an internet sensation since video clips were posted of his imposing frame barreling downcourt and soaring to the hoop for rim-rattling dunks as a high school player in Spartanburg, South Carolina.The hype surrounding him only accelerated when he starred at Duke,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Zion Williamson is set to make his NBA debut, which will bring plenty of excitement to New Orleans.It will also bring some challenges to coach Alvin Gentry.That's what Philadelphia coach Brett Brown learned from his experiences when the wait for a franchise star was finally over.“It’s always an excitement for me," Brown said. “There is things that happen that as a coach as I remember ... that impacts kind of everything." Brown had to wait out injury-delayed NBA debuts for both Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Embiid, the No. 3 pick in 2014, missed what would have been his first two NBA seasons. Simmons, the top pick in 2016, sat out his first season. Both players had foot injuries. When they did return, at least it was at the start of the season. When Williamson debuts Wednesday against San Antonio in a game that was added to the national TV schedule, the Pelicans will be trying to fit the No. 1 pick in at midseason to a team that has been playing well lately without him. And... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.“Everything's moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”The former Duke star has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for his return calls for him to miss three more games, starting with Thursday night's home game against Utah.New Orleans also hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and visit Memphis on Monday. Griffin also indicated that Williamson's minutes will be closely monitored and likely limited for the time being. "From a sustaining health standpoint,... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.“Everything's moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”Williamson has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for the former Duke star's return calls for Williamson to miss three more games, starting with Thursday night's home game against Utah.New Orleans also hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and visits Memphis on Monday. Griffin also indicated that Williamson's minutes will be closely monitored and likely limited for the time being. "From a sustaining... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson, the top choice in last summer’s NBA draft, is scheduled to make his regular season debut for the Pelicans on Jan. 22 when New Orleans hosts the the San Antonio Spurs, Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin said Wednesday.“Everything's moving in the right direction,” Griffin said. “I really believe very strongly he is a radically improved physical version of himself in way that frankly we took the extra time to ensure.”The former Duke star has missed New Orleans’ first 41 games this season while rehabilitating from arthroscopic surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee. The timeline set for his return calls for him to miss three more games, starting with Thursday night's home game against Utah.New Orleans also hosts the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and visit Memphis on Monday. Griffin also indicated that Williamson's minutes will be closely monitored and likely limited for the time being. "From a sustaining health standpoint,... [More]

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — When Zion Williamson finished his first full-court, five-on-five work since returning to practice last week, he spent extra one-on-one time with assistant coach Fred Vinson on the free throw line.After all, the Pelicans are going to need Williamson to make free throws that matter sooner than later. Coach Alvin Gentry wasn't ready to specify a date when Williamson will make his NBA regular season debut — other than to virtually rule out Wednesday night's game against Chicago — but did say Williamson generally looked “fine” in practice.“Obviously conditioning is going to be the big thing there, but you know, you don't lose your feel for the game and he's a really good passer, a willing passer, so all of that stuff is going to be there," Gentry said. "You've got to get yourself in basketball shape, conditioning-wise, and that's going to be a process.“He's eager to be out there and all of his teammates are eager for him to be out there, but it's a step by step process that... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry says Jrue Holiday has been scratched from the lineup for Monday night's game against Utah because of an elbow bruise.The team said Josh Hart is starting in Holiday's place at shooting guard.Holiday is New Orleans' second-leading scorer, averaging 19.6 points. He scored 19 points in 34 minutes in New Orleans' previous game, a victory at Sacramento on Saturday night. Hart, who's making his fifth start this season, has averaged 10.9 points. Holiday's absence comes as the Pelicans host a Jazz squad that rode a five-game winning streak into New Orleans. The Pelicans have won six of eight as they try to climb back within realistic striking distance of one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots.New Orleans also continues to await the regular-season debut of top overall draft choice Zion Williamson, who remained inactive Monday but participated in a shoot-around that morning and also dunked several times during pregame warm-ups.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Zion Williamson returned to practice with the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday for the first time since he had arthroscopic knee surgery shortly before the season.But the NBA's top overall draft choice out of Duke cannot yet say when he'll make his regular-season debut “I felt really good out there,” he said.Williamson, 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, said he first must pass “assessments” by team medical staff before the decision can rest solely with him. “It will probably be one of those moments, where, just like when it came to my college decision, I woke up and I’ll just know,” Williamson said.Coach Alvin Gentry said Williamson participated fully in the on-court work, but the practice wasn't particularly strenuous. It was the last practice before New Orleans flew to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on Friday night.Gentry said Williamson is not expected to play on the two-game trip that includes a stop in Sacramento on Saturday. New Orleans plays at home on Monday night against... [More]

Giannis Antetokounmpo had become such an attraction after just a few seasons in the league that ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy said a couple years ago he wanted to see the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas, even if it was just a practice.The jump out of the gym explosiveness, the ability to go end to end — or until wherever he decides to leap for a dunk — in just a few strides made Antetokounmpo a highlight waiting to happen. The league took notice and put the Bucks on the Dec. 25 schedule last year, their first appearance since 1977.The Bucks are back this year, bringing the NBA's best record to Philadelphia powered by a much more complete MVP.The athleticism that helped the Greek Freak score a career-best 52 points against the 76ers last March is still there, now bolstered by emerging leadership and outside shooting skills that might just make Milwaukee (27-4) the team to beat this season.Things like sugar and soda are absent from his diet, with Antetokounmpo, who turned 25 this month, having... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson was supposed to be making his highly anticipated NBA debut by sometime next week, if not earlier.That looks unlikely now, given the overall No. 1 draft pick has yet to practice with the New Orleans Pelicans since having surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee on Oct. 21. The reeling Pelicans could certainly use him. They've lost 10 straight heading into Friday night's game at Philadelphia to fall to 6-19, but coach Alvin Gentry said this week that he could not forecast a return date.“I don’t have any idea," Gentry said. “I know that he’s here every day and know that he’s working his butt off.“We’re not going to rush anything with him,” Gentry continued. "We’re going to be overly cautious.”Williamson's initial prognosis was for his rehabilitation to last six to eight weeks. This Monday will mark eight weeks since surgery.“We have been much more cautious with him in terms of how quickly we’ve ramped him up from stage to stage because he’s... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zion Williamson was supposed to be making his highly anticipated NBA debut by sometime next week, if not earlier.That looks unlikely now, given the overall No. 1 draft pick has yet to practice with the New Orleans Pelicans since having surgery to repair the lateral meniscus in his right knee on Oct. 21. The reeling Pelicans could certainly use him. They've lost 10 straight heading into Friday night's game at Philadelphia to fall to 6-19, but coach Alvin Gentry said this week that he could not forecast a return date.“I don’t have any idea," Gentry said. “I know that he’s here every day and know that he’s working his butt off.“We’re not going to rush anything with him,” Gentry continued. "We’re going to be overly cautious.”Williamson's initial prognosis was for his rehabilitation to last six to eight weeks. This Monday will mark eight weeks since surgery.“We have been much more cautious with him in terms of how quickly we’ve ramped him up from stage to stage because he’s... [More]

Plenty has changed since Carmelo Anthony last played an NBA game.Zion Williamson had just made his Duke debut. Kyrie Irving had said only a month earlier he planned to re-sign in Boston.There’s been turnover all over the league — including a blockbuster trade between Anthony’s last two teams that sent Russell Westbrook to Houston and Chris Paul to Oklahoma City.When Anthony joins the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday in New Orleans, he will come to an NBA that’s much different since Nov. 8, 2018, and he will try to show he still fits in it.“I just look at that opportunity, that team, and say, ‘Look, this is what I can bring to the team, this where I can help,’ and it will only work if all parties see it the same way,” Anthony said in a video posted Monday.Plenty of fellow players think he can. A former coach hopes he will.“Hopefully this is a good situation,” Houston’s Mike D’Antoni said. “You never know why this didn’t happen before. For whatever reason. Maybe he wasn’t ready. I hope it... [More]