BOSTON (AP) — Kyle Lowry listened politely while Jimmy Butler shared the credit for Miami’s Game 6 victory until his fellow All-Star took the humility too far and called his 47-point, elimination-avoiding performance “decent.”
If you're looking for some excitement, forget about the NBA playoffs.
They've been a total snooze, filled with blowouts and only a handful of must-see moments.
The lack of drama has been especially striking when compared to the NHL postseason, which has produced one thrill after another.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A person with knowledge of the decision says Darvin Ham has accepted an offer to be the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The person spoke with The Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been publicly announced.
BOSTON (AP) — Heat guard Tyler Herro remained sidelined because of a strained left groin as Miami tries to stave off elimination in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Friday night.
The reigning sixth man of the year hasn't played since Game 3 of the Heat's matchup with the Celtics.
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic drew laughter from reporters by saying he would take about a week off after Dallas lost to Golden State in the Western Conference finals, ending the longest season of the young superstar's career.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson drained the 3-pointers. Draymond Green anchored the defense and even chipped in on the offensive end for a change. Stephen Curry capped off an MVP performance.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — As the clock ticked down the final seconds, Klay Thompson began dancing on the sideline before nearly being moved to tears during a celebration with his teammates.
After two major surgeries and two years of grueling rehabilitation, Thompson is rounding back into form and shot the Golden State Warriors back into the NBA Finals.
The New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays used their social media accounts during Thursday night's game between the teams to spread information about how gun violence affects American life.
The move was made in response to recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo.
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum wants experience to be the Celtics’ guide as they return home with a chance to wrap up their first trip to the NBA Finals since 2010.
Tatum was a rookie during Boston’s run to Eastern Conference finals in 2018, when it grabbed a 3-2 series lead over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
MIAMI (AP) — The Boston Celtics know the formula. They believe their defense, as has been the case time and again in these playoffs, will eventually wear down teams.
Hard to argue.
Jaylen Brown scored 25 points, Jayson Tatum added 22 and the Celtics are now one win from the NBA Finals.
MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro's strained left groin forced the Miami Heat to rule him out of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night.
It was the second consecutive game that Herro — the NBA's sixth man of the year this season — has needed to miss because of the injury.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Golden State Warriors find themselves in familiar territory after failing to close out a series on the road and hope for familiar results when they return home.
For the third straight series, the Warriors lost their first chance to advance while playing on the road.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis 500 will be presented by Gainbridge for the next several years in a multi-year contract extension announced Wednesday with the online investment platform.
Gainbridge is an Indianapolis company that in 2019 became presenting sponsor of the most iconic motorsports race in the world.
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks had to wait out a rain delay in the middle of the game and sweat out some tense moments near the end.
Once they did, they avoided a sweep and were still alive in the Western Conference finals.
In Dallas, Steve Kerr and Jason Kidd did not want to talk about basketball. LeBron James made no effort to hide his anger. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics, a young father, called the news “devastating."
DALLAS (AP) — The start of the second half of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals was delayed 16 minutes because of rain leaking through the roof Tuesday night at the American Airlines Center.
With heavy rain falling outside, there were at least two leaks, one dropping water near the Golden State bench.
NEW YORK (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo, fellow two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum were voted first-team All-NBA on Tuesday, the first time in 67 years all five players were age 27 or younger.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the NBA playoffs take the TV court even the most popular shows find the competition daunting.
Last week's No. 1 program was the Golden State-Dallas conference finals matchup in which the Warriors extended their winning streak to three out of three.
CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls guard Zach Lavine underwent left knee arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday and the team said it was successful and he is expected to make a full recovery.
LaVine averaged 24.4 points and made his second straight NBA All-Star team last year, which ended with his first trip to the playoffs in his eighth year as a pro.
MIAMI (AP) — Back. Forth. Back. Forth.
The Miami Heat want to see that pattern continue. The Boston Celtics hope to break that trend. And the team that prevails Wednesday night will be one game away from the NBA Finals.
BOSTON (AP) — Huge leads. Lengthy scoring droughts. Blowouts.
The Eastern Conference finals between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are as close as can be, heading back to Miami all tied up at two wins apiece.
BOSTON (AP) — The Miami Heat left Jayson Tatum lying on the court with a pain in his neck in the closing minutes of Game 3.
The Celtics All-Star did his part to make sure the Heat were hurting after Game 4.
BOSTON (AP) — Celtics point guard and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart was ruled out for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against Miami, joining Heat guard Tyler Herro on the sidelines for Monday night's game.
DENVER (AP) — Tim Connelly is leaving his job as president of basketball operations of the Denver Nuggets for a similar role with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Connelly agreed to the deal on Monday, the Timberwolves announced.
DALLAS (AP) — Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have won nine consecutive games in the Western Conference finals.
They can make it an even 10, eliminate Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and return to the NBA Finals after three years away with a victory in Game 4 in Dallas on Tuesday night.
DALLAS (AP) — Stephen Curry shimmied for the TV crew, Andrew Wiggins shook Luka Doncic with a posterizing dunk and the Warriors are thinking sweep.
Curry scored 31 points, Wiggins' playoff career high 27 points included the dunk that was originally called an offensive foul and Golden State beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-100 Sunday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
DALLAS (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Andrew Wiggins added 27 while posterizing Luka Doncic on a dunk and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-100 Sunday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
DALLAS (AP) — The NBA fined the Dallas Mavericks for a third time in the playoffs on Sunday because of violations of rules regarding their bench.
The fine has doubled each time, with the latest at $100,000 after Game 2 of the Western Conference finals at Golden State on Friday.
BOSTON (AP) — The Heat were embarrassed in Game 2, surrendering home-court advantage in their blowout loss to the Celtics in their Eastern Conference finals matchup.
Miami returned the favor in Game 3, building a 26-point first-half lead en route to hanging on for a 109-103 victory despite star Jimmy Butler sitting out the second half with swelling in his right knee.
BOSTON (AP) — Still angry over a blowout loss in Miami that cost them home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference finals, the Heat jumped to a 26-point first-half lead over the Boston Celtics in Game 3.
BOSTON (AP) — The Miami Heat played the entire second half without their top scorer. The Boston Celtics lost two of their top players, who both returned to do their best Willis Reed impersonations.
BOSTON (AP) — Bam Adebayo scored 31 points with 10 rebounds for the Miami Heat, who blew a 25-point, first-half lead and lost Jimmy Butler to a knee injury but held on to beat the Boston Celtics 109-103 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night.
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics will be without center Robert Williams III for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Miami Heat on Saturday night due to soreness and swelling in his left knee.
PRAGUE (AP) — Jiří Zídek Sr., voted the best Czech basketball player of the 20th century and the first Czech inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, has died. He was 78.
The Czech Basketball Federation announced the news on Saturday, saying he had a long-term illness without elaborating.