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Tag: Basketball

  • Athletes sue Ivy League over its no-scholarship policy

    Athletes sue Ivy League over its no-scholarship policy

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    HARTFORD, Conn. — A pair of basketball players from Brown allege in a federal lawsuit that the Ivy League’s policy of not offering athletic scholarships amounts to a price-fixing agreement that denies athletes proper financial aid and payment for their services.

    The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut by attorneys representing Grace Kirk, a member of Brown’s women’s team, and Tamenang Choh, who played for the men’s team from 2017 through 2022. They are seeking class-action status to represent all current and former athletes at the eight Ivy League schools dating back to those recruited since March 2019.

    The suit argues Ivy League schools illegally conspired to limit financial aid and not compensate athletes for their services.

    “In either case, regardless of whether considered as a restraint on the price of education, the value of financial aid, the price of athletic services, or the level of compensation to Ivy League athletes, the Ivy League Agreement is per se illegal,” the lawsuit states.

    Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia and Penn don’t offer merit scholarships of any kind, including athletic scholarships. The policy, which dates back to 1954, makes the Ivy League the only Division I athletic conference that prohibits member schools from offering any athletic scholarships

    Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris defended the policy in a statement responding to the legal action, noting there are a wide variety of options when it comes to opportunities available to college-level athletes.

    “The Ivy League athletics model is built upon the foundational principle that student-athletes should be representative of the wider student body, including the opportunity to receive need-based financial aid,” she said. “In turn, choosing and embracing that principle then provides each Ivy League student-athlete a journey that balances a world-class academic experience with the opportunity to compete in Division I athletics and ultimately paves a path for lifelong success.”

    But attorneys for the Brown athletes point out that other elite academic schools, such as Stanford and Duke, do offer athletic scholarships.

    “These schools are not part of the Ivy League, but they demonstrate they can maintain stellar academic standards while competing for excellent athletes, and without agreed upon limits on price,” the lawsuit said.

    The suit also argues that Ivy League schools have a major influence over the path that a small pool of people who are both elite students and elite athletes can take, so by not offering athletic scholarships, the league is artificially suppressing the market for those students.

    “The natural, foreseeable, and intended result of the Ivy League Agreement is that Ivy League athletes have paid more for their education and earned less in compensation or reimbursement than they would have in the absence of the agreement,” the lawsuit said.

    ___

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  • Athletes sue Ivy League over its no-scholarship policy

    Athletes sue Ivy League over its no-scholarship policy

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    HARTFORD, Conn. — A pair of basketball players from Brown allege in a federal lawsuit that the Ivy League’s policy of not offering athletic scholarships amounts to a price-fixing agreement that denies athletes proper financial aid and payment for their services.

    The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Connecticut by attorneys representing Grace Kirk, a member of Brown’s women’s team, and Tamenang Choh, who played for the men’s team from 2017 through 2022. They are seeking class-action status to represent all current and former athletes at the eight Ivy League schools dating back to those recruited since March 2019.

    The suit argues Ivy League schools illegally conspired to limit financial aid and not compensate athletes for their services.

    “In either case, regardless of whether considered as a restraint on the price of education, the value of financial aid, the price of athletic services, or the level of compensation to Ivy League athletes, the Ivy League Agreement is per se illegal,” the lawsuit states.

    Harvard, Yale, Brown, Princeton, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia and Penn don’t offer merit scholarships of any kind, including athletic scholarships. The policy, which dates back to 1954, makes the Ivy League the only Division I athletic conference that prohibits member schools from offering any athletic scholarships

    Ivy League Executive Director Robin Harris defended the policy in a statement responding to the legal action, noting there are a wide variety of options when it comes to opportunities available to college-level athletes.

    “The Ivy League athletics model is built upon the foundational principle that student-athletes should be representative of the wider student body, including the opportunity to receive need-based financial aid,” she said. “In turn, choosing and embracing that principle then provides each Ivy League student-athlete a journey that balances a world-class academic experience with the opportunity to compete in Division I athletics and ultimately paves a path for lifelong success.”

    But attorneys for the Brown athletes point out that other elite academic schools, such as Stanford and Duke, do offer athletic scholarships.

    “These schools are not part of the Ivy League, but they demonstrate they can maintain stellar academic standards while competing for excellent athletes, and without agreed upon limits on price,” the lawsuit said.

    The suit also argues that Ivy League schools have a major influence over the path that a small pool of people who are both elite students and elite athletes can take, so by not offering athletic scholarships, the league is artificially suppressing the market for those students.

    “The natural, foreseeable, and intended result of the Ivy League Agreement is that Ivy League athletes have paid more for their education and earned less in compensation or reimbursement than they would have in the absence of the agreement,” the lawsuit said.

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  • Gafford’s putback gives Wizards 119-117 win over Pistons

    Gafford’s putback gives Wizards 119-117 win over Pistons

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    Daniel Gafford converted a putback of Bradley Beal’s airball at the buzzer, and the Washington Wizards handed the Detroit Pistons their ninth straight loss, 119-117

    ByDAVE HOGG Associated Press

    DETROIT — Daniel Gafford converted a putback of Bradley Beal’s airball at the buzzer, and the Washington Wizards handed the Detroit Pistons their ninth straight loss, 119-117 on Tuesday night.

    With the score tied, Beal drove to the baseline and shot a fadeaway floater that was too strong and missed everything. Gafford grabbed the weak-side rebound and banked in the game-winner.

    Beal finished with 32 points and Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 before fouling out in the final minute. Washington (32-34) ended a two-game skid and is 10th in the Eastern Conference, in position for the final spot in the play-in tournament.

    Jaden Ivey had 26 points and 12 assists for the NBA-worst Pistons. James Wiseman added 21 points.

    Ivey was the only active Pistons player who played in the team’s season-opening win over the Orlando Magic. The other nine have either been traded or are injured.

    Washington scored 14 points in the first 3:06 of the fourth quarter — giving them 50 in the second half — to take a 103-95 lead, but Ivey’s 3-pointer put Detroit up 110-109 with 3:18 left.

    Ivey drew Porzingis’ sixth foul with 50.7 seconds to play, then hit both free throws to give Detroit a 117-115 lead, but Beal tied it with a layup.

    Isaiah Livers turned the ball over with 23 seconds left, setting up the winning play.

    The Pistons shot 54.8% in the first half, with Wiseman going 6 of 6, to take a 58-53 lead.

    Washington hit 12 of its first 17 second-half shots, including four 3-pointers, to move ahead 83-76.

    The Wizards scored 36 points in the third quarter, including 10 by Beal, but R.J. Hampton’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer pulled Detroit within 89-88.

    TIP-INS

    Wizards: Have won seven straight against Detroit and have won eight of the last nine season series. … Kyle Kuzma scored 23 points and Corey Kispert had 16, making 4 of 5 3-point attempts.

    Pistons: Haven’t won a game in regulation since beating the Charlotte Hornets 118-112 on Feb. 3.

    UP NEXT

    Wizards: Host Atlanta on Wednesday and again on Friday.

    Pistons: Host Charlotte on Thursday.

    ___

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  • Huerter has 25, Sabonis a triple-double, Kings beat Pelicans

    Huerter has 25, Sabonis a triple-double, Kings beat Pelicans

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    Kevin Huerter scored 25 points, Domantas Sabonis had his eighth triple-double of the season and the Sacramento Kings beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-108

    ByCAMERON SALERNO Associated Press

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kevin Huerter scored 25 points, Domantas Sabonis had his eighth triple-double of the season and the Sacramento Kings beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-108 on Monday night.

    Sabonis finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He leads the NBA with 52 double-doubles.

    Huerter added eight assists and five rebounds for the Kings (38-26). Sacramento has won six of its first seven games after the All-Star break.

    The Kings outscored the Pelicans 38-20 in the third quarter after the game was tied at 59-all at halftime.

    Davion Mitchell got the start for injured Kings star De’Aaron Fox and scored 15 points and added six assists. Trey Lyles scored 14 points off the bench.

    Brandon Ingram scored 24 points for the Pelicans (31-34). New Orleans has lost six of its last seven games,

    Jonas Valanciunas added 19 points and 12 rebounds.

    TIP-INS

    Pelicans: G Jose Alvarado missed the game with a right tibial stress reaction.

    Kings: Fox was ruled out before the game with a hamstring injury. … Harrison Barnes received a technical foul with 5:29 left in the third quarter.

    UP NEXT

    Kings: Host New York on Thursday. Pelicans: Host Dallas on Wednesday.

    ___

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  • George, Leonard big in 4Q, Clippers beat Grizzlies 135-129

    George, Leonard big in 4Q, Clippers beat Grizzlies 135-129

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    LOS ANGELES — It had been a rough week for the Los Angeles Clippers. A five-game losing streak. The team plane got struck by lightning. They gave up 51 points in the third quarter against Memphis.

    Then their fortunes turned.

    Paul George scored 42 points and led a fourth-quarter comeback to help the Clippers beat the Grizzlies 135-129 on Sunday night.

    “Tonight was a huge win for us,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “It felt like the stakes were high. Losing five in a row with a team that has a lot of talent.”

    Kawhi Leonard added 34 points and 10 rebounds to give the Clippers their first win since the All-Star break.

    “It felt good,” said Russell Westbrook, who got his first win as a Clipper. “Now we can get off our back and move forward.”

    After getting thrashed in the third when the Grizzlies scored 51 points, the Clippers responded in the fourth.

    “We just knew we needed to win,” Westbrook said.

    George and Leonard scored every point in a 17-0 spurt in which the Clippers erased a 10-point deficit and took a 124-121 lead. George had the first eight points and Leonard finished it off with the last nine, hitting a 3-pointer and dunking.

    “Kawhi did a good job turning it up the last eight minutes,” Lue said. “It was a total team effort.”

    Desmond Bane scored 30 points, Tyus Jones added 25 and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 24 points for the Grizzlies, who were without star Ja Morant. He’s away from the team indefinitely while the NBA investigates his social media post in which the All-Star guard appears to be holding a gun.

    “Give them a lot of credit. They’ve got two studs over there that made big-time shots,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “They picked up their physicality, something we’ve got to learn from obviously.”

    Trailing 84-79, the Grizzlies caught fire over the final minutes of the third. Jones scored 20 points in the period and drew awe from the crowd as he hit three 3-pointers and canned jumper after jumper.

    Jones had one of his 12 assists on a pass to Santi Aldama, who scored and then dunked on the next possession. Bane closed the period with back-to-back 3s that sent the Grizzlies into the fourth leading 112-97.

    “They’re one of the best teams playing short-handed in the league,” Lue said.

    The Grizzlies opened their run with 12 straight points, with Jones scoring six points and Jackson hitting a 3-pointer that pulled them into an 84-all tie. They outscored the Clippers 51-30 in the third.

    “To give up 51 points in the third quarter, that’s got to be a record in some capacity,” Lue said.

    TIP-INS

    Grizzlies: Luke Kennard scored 15 points against his old team in his return to Crypto.com Arena. Kennard and Lue shared an embrace after the game. “I miss him. That’s one of my favorite guys,” Lue said. … Ziaire Williams had three fouls in five minutes in the first half after being recalled from the Memphis Hustle.

    Clippers: Marcus Morris had five points in 25 minutes. … Mason Plumlee had 15 points and nine rebounds.

    UP NEXT

    Grizzlies: Visit Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

    Clippers: Host Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.

    ___

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  • Fred VanVleet hits 2 3s in OT, Raptors beat Wizards 116-109

    Fred VanVleet hits 2 3s in OT, Raptors beat Wizards 116-109

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    WASHINGTON — Fred VanVleet made two 3-pointers in overtime and scored 25 points, and the Toronto Raptors beat the Washington Wizards 116-109 on Saturday to split their two-game series.

    Gary Trent Jr. scored 26 points to lead the Raptors, who bounced back from their 119-108 loss Thursday night to move back ahead of the Wizards into ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

    “I thought we shot better,” VanVleet said. “Created the same amount of good looks, but shot a little bit better and we just guarded a little bit tougher down the stretch finishing out the game, closing out the game.”

    VanVleet added 10 assists and Pascal Siakam had 15 points and seven assists for Toronto.

    Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Wizards. Bradley Beal added 21 points and 10 assists, but shot just 7 for 22 and missed a jumper that could have won it in regulation.

    “We knew that we wanted to make it 2-0, but we fell a little bit short,” Porzingis said. “We made a comeback, had opportunities, fell short. That’s how it goes in this game.”

    VanVleet snapped a 107-all tie with a 3-pointer with 1:47 remaining in OT. After Kyle Kuzma made a pair of free throws to cut it to one, VanVleet knocked down another 3 that made it 113-109, and Siakam’s three-point play with 15 seconds to go put it away.

    Neither team had a double-digit lead through three quarters, but Toronto appeared to be taking control when it opened a 97-84 advantage with 9:24 to play.

    The Wizards charged back behind Porzingis, who had three baskets in a little more than two minutes to cut it to 105-102 with 2:21 remaining. Trent and VanVleet missed 3-pointers before Delon Wright tied it with his 3 with 30 seconds left.

    VanVleet missed another 3 and Beal missed a jumper to force the extra period.

    “I think the big thing is during the break between the end of the game and the OT, the assistant coaches, the message was: `We are generating awesome shots. We’re going to make them in the overtime,’” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “Like, just keep doing what we’re doing.”

    Wright had a season-high 18 points, tied a career high with six steals and added seven assists and six rebounds.

    TIP-INS

    Raptors: O.G. Anunoby missed all six 3-pointers and finished 2 for 11 for six points. … Toronto has won 14 of its last 16 in Washington.

    Wizards: Kuzma scored 16 points. … Corey Kispert was 4 for 4 behind the arc and scored 12 points.

    UP NEXT

    Raptors: At Denver on Monday night.

    Wizards: Host Milwaukee on Sunday night.

    ___

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  • Wiggins scores 27 as Thunder top Jazz to end 5-game skid

    Wiggins scores 27 as Thunder top Jazz to end 5-game skid

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    OKLAHOMA CITY — Aaron Wiggins scored 27 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 130-103 on Friday night to snap a five-game losing streak.

    The Thunder hadn’t won since Feb. 15 — their final game before the All-Star break. They never trailed in this one.

    “It feels good,” Wiggins said. “We felt like we had hit a wall coming off All-Star break. He had a couple losses in a row. Some of them were at the tip of our hands where we should have pulled through and won.

    “Tonight, it was all about just trying to make sure that we stayed locked in on the way that we played, stayed true to what we do.”

    Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an All-Star who averages 31 points, missed his fourth straight game. He was out due to health and safety protocols and an abdominal strain.

    The Thunder made up for his absence with balance. Jalen Williams scored 20 points, Lu Dort had 19 and Josh Giddey added 18 points, 13 assists and six rebounds.

    “They were just ready to play,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think they’ve been ready to play in these other games. Shots went in and got us out to a lead, and that helped us.”

    Wiggins, a reserve guard, made 12 of 16 field goals, with 11 coming inside the 3-point line. Making shots in close with 7-foot-1 Walker Kessler, the 7-foot Markkanen and 6-11 Kelly Olynyk defending for the Jazz.

    “We didn’t want to try to finish over them,” Wiggins said. “So we tried to find other ways to just, you know, get their bigs shifted and kind of move so that we could get other looks around the rim. And we did a really good job just being patient, moving the ball and trying to find better looks.”

    Oklahoma City attempted 104 shots to Utah’s 78, in part because the Jazz committed 26 turnovers.

    “Obviously, the story of the game was 26 turnovers,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “You could almost end commentary about the game there.”

    The Thunder played a role in creating some of the miscues.

    “I’m sure they’re not happy about that,” Daigneault said. “Some of them were probably unforced errors on their part. But at the end of the day, that’s why we want to be a team that makes multiple efforts after an initial help, because it forces teams to use multiple passes and to play deeper in the shot clock. It allows them more time to make a mistake.”

    Lauri Markkanen had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Jazz.

    The Thunder made 13 3s in the first half to take a 67-52 lead at the break. Isaiah Joe hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points. Giddey had 10 points and nine assists in the first half.

    The Thunder poured it on early in the second half. Williams’ steal and two-handed jam put Oklahoma City up 74-56 and forced Utah to call timeout. The game was never close again.

    Daigneault gave his players credit for remaining focused.

    “If you just kind of hang in there long enough, then you give yourself the opportunity for things to turn,” he said. “But if you allow the circumstances to beat you down, then things won’t turn.”

    TIP-INS

    Jazz: Outscored the Thunder 18-9 on free throws. … F Simone Fontecchio scored 16 points, two short of his season high. … Kessler had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

    Thunder: The team announced it expects to be without F Kenrich Williams for the rest of the season with a wrist injury. He averaged 8.0 points and 4.9 rebounds. … Signed G Jared Butler to a two-way contract on Friday. He played three minutes in the fourth quarter.

    UP NEXT

    The teams meet again on Sunday.

    ___

    Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: twitter.com/CliffBruntAP

    ___

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  • No. 2 Alabama rallies, beats rival Auburn 90-85 in overtime

    No. 2 Alabama rallies, beats rival Auburn 90-85 in overtime

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    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Jahvon Quinerly scored 24 points, Brandon Miller made the clinching free throws with six seconds left and No. 2 Alabama rallied from a 17-point deficit before beating archrival Auburn 90-85 in overtime on Wednesday night.

    The Crimson Tide (26-4, 16-1 Southeastern Conference) clinched outright their second regular-season SEC title in three years but continued to live on the edge over a troubling eight days that included courtroom revelations in a capital murder trial.

    Miller rebounded teammate Jaden Bradley’s missed dunk and drew a foul, making both free throws. Noah Clowney had blocked KD Johnson’s layup attempt on the other end.

    The Tigers (19-11, 9-8), who had three key players foul out, couldn’t close it out after leading almost the entire way in regulation. They were up 17 with under 11 minutes left.

    Alabama won its fourth straight but the past three have gone down to the wire since courtroom revelations tied freshmen Miller and Bradley to the scene of a murder. Neither has been charged or accused of a crime, but then-teammate Darius Miles and another man are facing capital murder charges.

    Police said Miles texted Miller asking him to bring the gun.

    Quinerly tied his season scoring high after coming off the bench and had six assists. Miller, Clowney and Mark Sears all had 17 points for Alabama.

    Miller committed six turnovers but made 10 of 11 free throws. Bradley scored all six of his points in overtime, going 3 of 4 on free throws over the final minute.

    Johnson was 4 of 5 on 3-pointers and led Auburn with 21 points, despite shooting just 7 of 12 at the free throw line.

    Allen Flanigan scored 17 points and Jaylin Williams 15 before both fouled out in overtime. Johni Broome had already picked up his fifth foul with 10 points.

    At the end of this night, the Tide were celebrating the SEC title and cutting down the nets.

    Miller dropped his pat-down routine from the pregame introductions, instead settling for a shoulder bump with a teammate. After Saturday’s game against Arkansas, Alabama coach Nate Oats apologized for not halting the pat-downs in light of the murder trial and promised they wouldn’t continue.

    A melee near Auburn’s basket led to technical fouls on Quinerly and Auburn’s Wendell Green Jr. with 7:31 left. The Tide’s Rylan Griffen and starting center Charles Bediako were ejected for leaving the bench.

    Quinerly gave Alabama its first lead on a pair of free throws with 1:37 left in the second half, making it 75-73, but Flanigan tied it with a layup inside the final minute. Neither team scored in regulation after that, with Green missing a contested jumper at the end.

    BIG PICTURE

    Auburn: Started 8 of 10 from 3-point range and finished 12 of 20 (60%). … Has dropped eight of 11 games and missed a chance to make a huge statement for the NCAA Tournament selection committee.

    Alabama: Continued its struggles since the courtroom revelations about Miller and Bradley, having been taken to overtime by South Carolina and edging Arkansas, 86-83. … Alabama has made just 11 of 53 shots from 3-point range over the past two games. … The Tide finished with a perfect home record for the third time and first since the 2010-11 season.

    UP NEXT

    Auburn hosts No. 12 Tennessee on Saturday in the regular-season finale.

    Alabama closes the regular season Saturday at No. 24 Texas A&M.

    ___

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  • Bucks outlast Suns 104-101 for 14th consecutive victory

    Bucks outlast Suns 104-101 for 14th consecutive victory

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    MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence couldn’t prevent the Milwaukee Bucks from extending the longest winning streak in the NBA this season.

    Jrue Holiday scored 33 points and produced a critical steal, Brook Lopez made a tiebreaking layup with 24.8 seconds left and the Bucks edged the Phoenix Suns 104-101 on Sunday for their 14th consecutive victory.

    The rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals didn’t include either Antetokounmpo or new Suns superstar Kevin Durant, but it still featured 14 lead changes and plenty of late drama.

    “Both teams obviously have history,” Lopez said. “Those are the fun games, where the refs let it get physical a little bit, you can really go after each other. It was a great atmosphere.”

    Durant has yet to appear in a game for the Suns and hasn’t played since Jan. 8 because of a sprained right medial collateral ligament. Antetokounmpo was out with a bruised right quadriceps after leaving in the first quarter of the Bucks’ 128-99 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday.

    “It’s enough where he can’t play today, but I think we’re also confident that this is just a fairly common occurrence in our league,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said before the game. “You hit knees, you knock, sometimes it takes a day or two, and it’s really nothing more than that.”

    Holiday led all scorers, while Lopez had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Khris Middleton added 11 points and 10 rebounds.

    Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 22 and Chris Paul added 18 for Phoenix. Ayton also had 11 rebounds.

    After Booker made a game-tying jumper with 33 seconds left, the Bucks called a timeout and got the ball to Middleton, who found Lopez for the go-ahead layup.

    Holiday said he initially expected Middleton to shoot the ball.

    “It’s a great play,” Holiday said. “At first, I kind of saw it, but I thought that Khris was going to shoot it because that’s just what ‘K’ does. But he’s a playmaker. He’s not just a scorer.”

    Phoenix called a timeout and went back to Booker, who lost possession as Holiday forced the steal and Lopez got the loose ball.

    “That’s just the defender he is, the player he is,” Lopez said of Holiday. “He’s one of the top two-way players in the league, at least the top three. Just absolutely phenomenal. Just the best two-way player in the league. Those are the plays he makes just time and time again.”

    Booker said there was contact on the play, but no foul was called, a reflection of the game’s physical nature.

    “I was touched,” Booker said. “But I did the same thing to Jrue on the other end. On that play, he hit my arm. But it’s playoff-type basketball and refs are going to let things go. And that was that.”

    Joe Ingles made the first of two free throws to extend Milwaukee’s lead to 103-100 with 11.3 seconds left. Ingles missed the second free throw and the ball initially was ruled out of bounds on Milwaukee.

    But after Budenholzer challenged the call, replays determined the ball actually went out on Phoenix’s Terrence Ross. Holiday sank the first of two free throws with 10 seconds left but also missed the second, making the score 104-100.

    Booker was fouled on a 3 by Ingles with 0.9 seconds left but missed the first free throw. Booker made the second and intentionally missed the third, but Lopez got the rebound to seal the victory.

    TIP-INS

    Suns: Booker increased his career point total to 12,143 to overtake Shawn Marion (12,134) for fourth place on the Suns’ all-time list. The Suns’ career scoring leader is Walter Davis, with 15,666 points from 1977-88. … The Suns lost for just the fifth time in their last 17 games.

    Bucks: Wesley Matthews missed a second straight game due to a right calf strain. He also won’t be available Tuesday at Brooklyn. … Pat Connaughton returned after missing the Heat game with a sore left calf, but he went scoreless in 13 minutes. … Ex-Suns forward Jae Crowder had seven points. He made two 3-pointers during Milwaukee’s fourth-quarter comeback. … The Bucks’ franchise record for consecutive wins is 20 straight during their 1970-71 championship season.

    UP NEXT

    Suns: At Charlotte on Wednesday.

    Bucks: at Brooklyn on Tuesday.

    ___

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  • Hawks hire Snyder as coach to replace fired McMillan

    Hawks hire Snyder as coach to replace fired McMillan

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    ATLANTA (AP) — Quin Snyder has been hired as coach of the Atlanta Hawks to replace the fired Nate McMillan, the team announced Sunday.

    The Hawks reached an agreement with Snyder on a five-year deal only five days after firing McMillan on Tuesday. The team has scheduled a news conference for Monday to introduce Snyder.

    The announcement from the team Sunday came shortly after the Hawks’ second straight win under interim coach Joe Prunty, a buzzer-beating 129-127 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

    When announcing McMillan’s firing, general manager Landry Fields stressed that Atlanta’s eighth-place standing in the Eastern Conference was not acceptable for a team that advanced to the conference finals in 2021. On Wednesday, Fields confirmed Snyder was a candidate.

    Because Snyder, 56, was available, the agreement to return to Atlanta, where he was an assistant on Mike Budenholzer’s staff during the 2013-14 season, was reached quickly.

    The decision to fire McMillan at the All-Star break allowed Fields to negotiate exclusively with Snyder. Had Fields waited until after the season, other teams might have had interest in Snyder.

    “From our first conversation, it was clear that Quin had all the characteristics we were looking for in our next head coach,” Fields said in a statement released by the team. “He has both an incredible basketball and emotional IQ, and we share the same core values and basketball philosophies of having honest communication and collaboration with players, tremendous attention to detail and placing a great emphasis on player development.”

    Snyder said he’s “thrilled to go back to Atlanta.”

    “I am excited to collaborate with Landry to create a successful program that devoted Hawks fans are proud of and cheer for and am grateful to Tony, Jami and the Ressler family for this opportunity,” Snyder said in the team’s statement. “My family and I are looking forward to immersing ourselves in the community and calling Atlanta home.”

    Snyder was coach of the Utah Jazz from the 2014-15 to 2021-22 seasons, accumulating a 372-264 record and leading the team to the playoffs in six of his eight seasons.

    McMillan went 99-80 as Atlanta’s coach, including a 27-11 record as interim in the second half of the 2020-21 season. His success that season in leading Atlanta to the Eastern Conference finals earned him the full-time position.

    McMillan was unable to follow up on the 2021 postseason success.

    The Hawks finished 43-39 in the 2021-22 season and, after escaping the play-in tournament, lost to the Miami Heat 4-1 in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

    The pressure on McMillan to guide the Hawks closer to the top of the conference increased this season. The team’s win-now approach became more clear when Danilo Gallinari and three first-round picks were traded to the San Antonio Spurs for All-Star guard Dejounte Murray.

    The trade formed a backcourt pairing of All-Star guards in Murray and Trae Young and placed more heat on McMillan. Despite the addition of another top scorer in Murray, the Hawks struggled near .500 most of the season. They lost four of six games before the All-Star break and were one game under .500 when McMillan was fired.

    There was no immediate announcement about Snyder’s Atlanta staff. The new coach will have only one day before making his debut with the team in Tuesday night’s home game against Washington, so the expectation is Snyder will retain at least most of McMillan’s staff which continued to operate under Prunty.

    ___

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  • Blazers’ Lillard has 71 pts and 13 3s, then gets drug tested

    Blazers’ Lillard has 71 pts and 13 3s, then gets drug tested

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    PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The celebration surrounding Damian Lillard’s record-breaking performance was short-lived.

    Lillard set franchise and career marks with 71 points — tied for the most in the NBA this season — and 13 3-pointers in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 131 -114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

    “I enjoy those moments in the game when I’m just going after people,” Lillard said, “when I’m in attack mode.”

    But soon after the streamers fell to the court and the crowd headed for the exits, Lillard was summoned for a drug test. Turns out, the seven-time All-Star who’s unafraid of taking a 3-pointer from half court is afraid of needles.

    “I know I’ve got a lot of tattoos, but when you’re doing a blood draw, it’s different from tattoos. It brought me down from here to the floor,” Lillard said gesturing with his hand raised then dropping it.

    And Lillard got tested on the night he tied Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell for the most points in a game this season after Mitchell also scored 71 in a win over Chicago on Jan. 2. His 13 3-pointers were also one shy of the NBA record set by Golden State’s Klay Thompson in 2018. Thompson’s Warriors teammate Stephen Curry (2016) and Chicago’s Zach LaVine (2019) also made 13 3s.

    Lillard broke his own franchise mark of 61 points, which he’d done twice, on a 3-pointer with 4:42 left that also topped his previous career record for 3s, which was 11.

    Known for his humility, Lillard was unsure how to mark the occasion.

    “I think any hooper enjoys those moments when you’re hot, you’re in attack mode, you’re feeling good,” Lillard said. “But it’s the stuff afterward that I struggle with, like when I walked off the court, was I supposed to be overly excited, or what?”

    In the final minutes of the game, the crowd at the Moda Center was on its feet, phones recording the moment, while chanting “MVP! MVP!”

    “It really, really was a masterful performance,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “It was a piece of art. That was incredible.”

    Even Mitchell took notice.

    “My mom calls me and says @Dame_Lillard tied your record … you gotta get 72 now,” Mitchell posted on Twitter with some laughing emojis.

    Lillard left the game with 44 seconds left, tied with Mitchell, Elgin Baylor (1960) and David Robinson (1994) for the eighth-most points scored in a game in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain owns the league record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962, at Hershey, Pennsylvania.

    Lillard had 41 points and eight 3-pointers by halftime. It was a career high in a half for Lillard and the most points in a half for any player in the league this season. He had 50 by the start of the fourth quarter.

    In the end, he made 22 of 38 shots from the floor and he hit on 13 of his 22 3-point attempts. He was also 14 of 14 from the foul line.

    Jerami Grant added 13 points for the Blazers, who led by as many as 23. Portland is part of a cluster of eight Western Conference just four wins apart that are vying for playoff spots.

    Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, sitting in last place in the Western Conference with just 13 overall wins and nine straight losses.

    “It’s not like we didn’t give effort, he made some really tough shots,” said Rockets coach Stephen Silas, who sat Sengun midway through the third quarter for the rest of the game. “But we need everyone to give effort on the defensive end.”

    Houston trailed 102-88 heading into the final quarter, but scored the first six points of the period to close the gap to 102-94. Grant’s 3-pointer for Portland extended the margin to 108-98.

    Lillard’s 3, his 11th of the night to tie his career high, made it 113-103 with 6:43 left. He added a driving layup and a free throw. Houston could not catch up.

    Lillard started after resting for Thursday night’s 133-116 loss to Sacramento. He participated in the NBA All-Star Game and won the 3-point contest the previous weekend.

    The Blazers led 73-58 at the break with Lillard the 10th player since the 1996-97 season with 40-plus points in a half. He has 15 games with 50 or more points, sixth-most in NBA history.

    SIDELINED

    Guards Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. did not play, although Silas said both should be available for the team’s short upcoming homestand. Green missed his second game with a strained left groin. Porter has been out 19 games because of a left foot contusion.

    TIP-INS

    Rockets: It was the third and final meeting between the teams this season. The Blazers won the previous two. Last season, the series ended 2-2. … Jae’Sean Tate had four fouls in the first half, but finished with 17 points.

    Trail Blazers: Portland remained without center Jusuf Nurkic (left calf) and guard Anfernee Simons (right ankle).

    UP NEXT

    Rockets: Return home to face the Denver Nugget on Tuesday.

    Trail Blazers: Visit the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.

    ___

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  • Terry Holland, who transformed Virginia basketball, dies

    Terry Holland, who transformed Virginia basketball, dies

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    Terry Holland, who elevated Virginia basketball to national prominence during 16 seasons as coach and later had a distinguished career as an athletic administrator, has died, the school announced Monday. He was 80.

    Holland died Sunday night, according to the school, which confirmed the death with his family. His health had declined since he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2019 and he stopped taking his prominent courtside seat at Virginia home games.

    Holland took over a flailing program in 1974. The Cavaliers had had just three winning seasons in 21 years and Holland created a culture that proved a formula for success: His Cavaliers played rugged defense.

    Two of his first three teams finished with losing records but only one more did as Holland compiled a 326-173 record, led Virginia to nine NCAA Tournaments, two Final Fours and the 1980 NIT title. He also guided the Cavaliers to their first Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title in 1976 despite a modest 15-11 regular-season record.

    Including a five-year stint at Davidson, Holland’s record is 418-216.

    His biggest victory, however, likely was luring the nation’s most coveted recruit, 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson of Harrisonburg, to join the Cavaliers for the 1979-80 season, and it was then that the turnaround took off.

    “Terry Holland,” Sampson told The Associated Press in an interview earlier this month when asked what made him choose upstart Virginia over more established suitors. “He was mainly the deciding factor. Good school, good teammates, good education, ACC. I mean, you had Dean Smith and all those people around, but he understood my demeanor and fit what I wanted in a coach. He was the perfect fit for me.”

    The Cavaliers won the NIT in Sampson’s freshman season and went to the NCAA Tournament for his last three years, reaching the Final Four in 1981 before losing to North Carolina in the national semifinals.

    Sampson, a future Hall of Famer, earned national player of the year honors in each of his last three seasons, and the profile his presence provided surely aided Holland in building his program. Virginia went back to the Final Four in its first season without Sampson, losing in overtime to Houston in the national semifinals, and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in four of Holland’s final six seasons as coach.

    Holland also built an extensive coaching tree, with many assistants moving on to become successful head coaches themselves. Among them: Rick Carlisle of the Indiana Pacers, Jim Larrañaga at Miami, Jeff Jones at Old Dominion and former longtime college coaches Dave Odom and Seth Greenberg.

    With two daughters of his own, Holland also had an appreciation for the women’s game, former Cavaliers coach Debbie Ryan said.

    “He knew that we had to go to Clemson and Georgia Tech, so he helped us to get the league to schedule both of us on the same days to play doubleheaders,” she said. “We would fly down to Clemson, bus to Georgia Tech and then fly back, the men’s and the women’s team together, so that it would save us all that wear and tear.”

    He also was always concerned about during the right thing, she said.

    “He wasn’t impressed with himself at all,” she said, describing him as a Southern gentleman. “He was just there to make sure these boys became men and they became good men.”

    When he stepped down as coach at age 48, it was to return to his alma mater, Davidson, as athletic director, beginning an administrative tenure that would bring him back to Virginia five years later in the same position. In 2001, he moved to special assistant to the president of the university, and in 2004, he began an eight-year stint as athletic director at East Carolina before retiring in 2012.

    ___

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  • George’s heave just late, Jokic and Nuggets top Clips in OT

    George’s heave just late, Jokic and Nuggets top Clips in OT

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    DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 134-124 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in a matchup of Western Conference contenders Sunday night.

    Paul George nearly won it for the Clippers with an incredible shot at the end of regulation, but his long heave from just in front of the 3-point line in the backcourt came just after the buzzer.

    It was the 23rd triple-double of the season for Jokic and his 14th in the past 19 games. Denver is undefeated this season when he has a triple-double.

    “If you’re looking for a super athlete to win MVP, he’s not your candidate,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “If you’re looking for a great player that impacts winning in every possible way, whose team is first place in the Western Conference, then he’s your man. Frankly, I don’t give a damn what people think. I know he’s the MVP and his teammates know that and all the fans here in Denver and back home in Serbia know that.”

    Michael Porter Jr. had 29 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray added 21 points and 12 assists.

    Kawhi Leonard had 33 points to pace the Clippers — two nights after scoring a season-high 44 in a double-overtime loss against Sacramento. George finished with 23 points.

    One night after scoring a season-low 94 points in an 18-point loss at Memphis, the Nuggets shot 51% overall — including 63.2% on 2-pointers.

    “When we get embarrassed, I think we do a really good job of showing up the next game,” Malone said. “One thing we’re always talking about is good teams don’t lose two games in a row. That’s something you strive for. Tonight, we were able to pull it out.”

    Denver is 4-0 this season against the Clippers, with each victory coming by at least 10 points.

    Denver led by 18 in the first quarter and had a nine-point advantage entering the fourth, but George’s three-point play gave the Clippers their first lead, 109-107, with 4:17 remaining.

    With his team trailing 118-117, Porter drained a 3-pointer with 26.6 seconds left, but George sank two free throws on the ensuing possession and the game went to overtime tied at 120.

    “I think we’re right there,” George said. “We’re right where we want to be. We’ve just got to continue to keep working. These late-game losses, we’ll turn these around and we’ll figure out how to win these tough ones.”

    HOMECOMING FOR HYLAND

    Bones Hyland, a Nuggets first-round draft pick in 2021, played in Denver for the first time since being traded to the Clippers on Feb. 9. He was booed for much of the night and finished with 10 points in 15 minutes.

    “Just with how things were playing out, I probably knew a little bit,” Hyland said when asked if he was surprised to be traded. “I’ve got so much love for Denver. I thank them for taking a chance on a kid like me.”

    Hyland averaged 10.9 points in 111 career games with Denver, the fewest played by a Nuggets first-round selection between 2006-21.

    “Just because you got to play a lot last year because guys were injured doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s going to be a role for you to play a lot this year,” Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth said. “I think that was always going to be a point of friction for him and for the club.”

    UP NEXT

    Clippers: Will host Minnesota on Tuesday.

    Nuggets: Play at Houston on Tuesday.

    ___

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  • Thompson, Warriors’ supporting cast hold off Timberwolves

    Thompson, Warriors’ supporting cast hold off Timberwolves

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    SAN FRANCISCO — So close to a playoff spot in the clogged-up Western Conference standings, this win meant so much for coach Steve Kerr’s undermanned Golden State Warriors — for many reasons.

    The defending NBA champions were down three starters once again, and old stand-by Klay Thompson and newcomer Donte DiVincenzo delivered on both ends when it mattered most.

    Thompson scored 32 points, including a key 3-pointer with 2:05 to play, and the Warriors held off the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-104 on Sunday in a matchup of teams fighting neck-and-neck for postseason positioning.

    “This is a huge win not only for the standings but for the confidence of the guys,” Kerr said. “That was a team win. Everybody came in there and competed and played well.”

    DiVincenzo put Golden State ahead for good on a 3 with 3:02 left and finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists. He also won a jump ball in the final minute.

    Naz Reid scored a career-high 30 points and added nine rebounds for Minnesota, but the Timberwolves have lost three straight and four of five.

    Kevon Looney grabbed 17 rebounds and has 13 or more in six consecutive games. He finished with 12 points, and his career-best sixth game in a row with double-digit boards was much-needed for a depleted Warriors team.

    “I think it has a huge impact,” Looney said. “I think last year that was one of our biggest strengths, especially in the playoffs, our rebounding.”

    Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer put Minnesota ahead 87-78 going into the final 12 minutes before the Warriors rallied behind Thompson. He overcame a slow start to shine late, following up his 42-point gem Friday night in which he matched a season high with 12 3-pointers.

    Thompson missed five of his first six from deep Sunday. But with injured Splash Brother Stephen Curry cheering from the bench, Thompson’s 3 with 6:11 left got Golden State within 96-92 and then he followed it with a baseline jumper under pressure.

    The Warriors were missing Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins again.

    DiVincenzo said the team found “heart” down the stretch.

    “It’s huge for your confidence,” DiVincenzo said. “So when those big dogs come back we’re clicking in the second unit.”

    Green had a setback with his troublesome right knee and is scheduled for additional tests.

    “It flared up today, so he will be more thoroughly checked out today by our medical staff,” Kerr said before the game. “So it was sort of unexpected the way he came through treatment yesterday and everything was looking good, and he had to step back today.”

    Golden State has won 12 straight in the series at home but shot 9 for 24 in the first quarter, 1 of 6 by Jordan Poole. The Warriors were 6 of 20 from deep in the first half but grabbed a 59-57 advantage at the break.

    BIG HITTERS

    Retired baseball sluggers Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez — a T-Wolves owner — sat together courtside opposite Minnesota’s bench.

    LOONEY ON THE GLASS

    Looney has 24 games with double-digit rebounds, most for Golden State since Green had 37 in 2015-16. The last Warriors player with 13 or more rebounds in six straight games was Andris Biedrins from Dec. 28, 2008, to Jan. 7, 2009.

    “We’ve just come to expect it now. He’s an elite rebounder,” Kerr said.

    TIP-INS

    Timberwolves: Reid shot 12 for 22 overall and had 18 points in the first quarter on 7-for-9 shooting. … Minnesota C Rudy Gobert is sick. F Taurean Prince is out for personal reasons and G Jaylen Nowell is nursing a left knee injury. … Minnesota had won two straight on the road.

    Warriors: Curry, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, missed his eighth straight game with a left leg injury after getting hurt against Dallas on Feb. 4. … Wiggins sat out a fourth consecutive game while dealing with a family matter and Kerr isn’t sure when he might return.

    UP NEXT

    Timberwolves: Visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night to continue a four-game California trip.

    Warriors: Host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

    ___

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  • No. 2 Alabama wins, led by Miller after week of questions

    No. 2 Alabama wins, led by Miller after week of questions

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    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Brandon Miller scored 24 points and Mark Sears made 7 of 8 free throws over the final 1:04 to help No. 2 Alabama secure an 86-83 victory over Arkansas on Saturday,

    Miller delivered his second straight huge game for the Crimson Tide (25-4, 15-1 Southeastern Conference) since police alleged in courtroom testimony that Miller brought a gun to former teammate Darius Miles, who is charged with capital murder in a fatal shooting.

    Fellow freshman Nick Smith Jr. of Arkansas (19-10, 8-8), another potential NBA draft lottery pick who helped keep the Razorbacks in it with a late 3-pointer, scored 24 points.

    Miller helped key a 15-0 run for Alabama by scoring six straight points and eight total for a 56-46 lead midway through the second half — just the second lead of the game for the Tide. Arkansas missed eight straight shots and four consecutive free throws during that span after leading most of the way.

    The Razorbacks surged back, and Smith made a 3 with 10 seconds left to make it 85-83. Rylan Griffen made the second of two free throws and Ricky Council IV’s potential tying 3 attempt bounced off the rim.

    Davonte Davis had 21 points for Arkansas, Council scored 20, and the rest of the team combined for 18 points.

    Miller, who scored 41 against South Carolina on Wednesday, missed his first five 3-point attempts while the team got off to a 1-for-20 start. He finally hit one with three minutes left.

    Jahvon Quinerly had 16 points and seven assists for the Tide. Noah Clowney produced 10 points and 13 rebounds.

    Miller received a warmer reception at home than in South Carolina, where he heard chants of “lock him up” and “guilty” a day after testimony about the gun, which was Miles’ gun and allegedly used by another man in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Jamea Harris on Jan. 15.

    Miller hasn’t been accused of or charged with any crime — or missed any playing time. Miller’s attorney said Miller never handled the gun and that it had been left in his back seat.

    Police also said another Alabama player, guard Jaden Bradley, was at the scene. He started Saturday’s game and did not score.

    The Razorbacks used a 9-0 run followed by Smith’s baseline jumper with 6 seconds left to take a 37-28 halftime lead. It was the Tide’s lowest scoring first half since trailing No. 1 Houston 31-27 on Dec. 10 before rallying to win.

    BIG PICTURE

    Arkansas: Once a top 10 team, the Razorbacks couldn’t pull off a third straight win. Arkansas kept it much closer than the earlier 84-69 Alabama win when Smith was out with a knee injury.

    Alabama: Dominated the boards in the second half 26-14 after both teams collected 22 rebounds in the first. Made 3 of 22 3-pointers (14%).

    NBA INTEREST

    A total of 34 representatives from 18 NBA teams were issued credentials for the showdown between Miller and Smith, who are arguably the two top prospects from the college ranks.

    UP NEXT

    Arkansas visits No. 11 Tennessee on Tuesday night.

    Alabama hosts in-state rival Auburn on Wednesday night.

    ___

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  • Westbrook goes from Lakers’ bench to being Clippers’ starter

    Westbrook goes from Lakers’ bench to being Clippers’ starter

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    LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook not only switched locker rooms at Crypto.com Arena. He went from being on the bench to a return to the starting lineup.

    Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t waste much time seeing how well Westbrook would mesh with his new team. The eight-time All-Star signed after he cleared waivers on Wednesday and was the starting point guard Friday night in a game against the Sacramento Kings.

    Westbrook’s Clippers debut was overshadowed in what ended up being the second-highest-scoring game in NBA history. He had 17 points, 14 assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes during the Clippers’ 176-175 loss to the Kings in double overtime.

    “It was great to get back on the floor. Obviously, you want to win and that’s the most important part,” said Westbrook, who fouled out with 1:49 remaining in the second overtime.

    Lue was pleased with Westbrook’s debut despite him having only two practices with the Clippers before the game. Westbrook was waived by Utah on Monday after being traded to the Jazz by the Lakers on Feb. 9.

    “I thought he was great. Still learning the offense, still learning where guys like the basketball and where to get the ball,” Lue said. “He knew PG’s (Paul George’s) plays and Kawhi’s (Leonard) plays, that’s the most important thing, and he picked up on those right away.”

    Westbrook quickly fit in by pushing the pace and finding his new teammates. He was the first Clippers player to have at least 10 assists in his team debut since 2005.

    Of Westbrook’s 14 assists, Leonard was the biggest beneficiary. Leonard scored 13 of his season-high 44 points off passes from Westbrook, including three 3-pointers.

    Norman Powell had three catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, but Westbrook also had to work it inside, finding Mason Plumlee inside for three easy baskets.

    George, the biggest supporter of Westbrook joining the Clippers, said it was quickly apparent that Westbrook filled an immediate need.

    “We needed a point guard. What you saw tonight: somebody to get us on offense and someone to get us easy baskets,” said George, who played with Westbrook for two seasons in Oklahoma City. “I know his strengths. If you run with him, he will make the game easier for us.”

    Westbrook was 7 of 13 shooting. Most of his attempts were drives in the paint (6 of 9) instead of pullup jumpers, which defined his 1 1/2 seasons with the Lakers. He missed his first three 3-point attempts before making one in the corner in the first overtime.

    For all the positive flashes that Westbrook showed, there are things he still needs to clean up with his game. There were seven turnovers, with four attributed to bad passes. He got crossed up on defense late in regulation when Malik Monk hit a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.

    The Clippers will need Westbrook to continue to get up to speed with only 20 games remaining in the regular season. Los Angeles is fifth in the Western Conference with a 33-29 record but only two games in front of the pack in the play-in tournament spots.

    “I think it’s going to be just learning as we go through the process,” Lue said. “We don’t have a lot of time to really experiment, because we’ve still got to win games. We have to make sure we take advantage of everything we can so we can get up to speed.”

    ___

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  • Devin Booker scores 25 points, Suns beat Thunder 124-115

    Devin Booker scores 25 points, Suns beat Thunder 124-115

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    PHOENIX — Devin Booker scored 25 points, Chris Paul added 16 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 124-115 on Friday night.

    Surging Phoenix has won 12 of 16 as it waits for superstar Kevin Durant to return from a knee injury to make his Suns debut.

    Terrence Ross made a 3-pointer at the third quarter buzzer to put the Suns up 94-87. Phoenix led the rest of the way and Booker’s 3-pointer with two minutes left gave the Suns an 11-point lead.

    It also gave the three-time All-Star 1,052 career 3-pointers, which set a franchise record.

    Isaiah Joe led Oklahoma City with a career-high 28 points. The third-year guard shot 11 of 17, including 6 of 12 from 3-point range. Jalen Williams added 22 points.

    The Suns are still awaiting the debut of Durant, who was dealt to the desert by the Brooklyn Nets just before the trade deadline. Durant is recovering from a sprained MCL in his right knee but is expected to return soon.

    The Thunder also were without a key piece — All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missed the game with right ankle soreness.

    Even without Durant, the Suns showed impressive depth. Josh Okogie scored 15 points, Deandre Ayton added 14 points and 11 rebounds and Cam Payne scored 14 points off the bench.

    Okogie scored 15 points as the Suns took a 65-60 halftime lead. Joe had 21 points for the Thunder before the break on 8-of-11 shooting, going 5 of 8 from 3-point range.

    DURANT CLOSE

    Durant appears close to making his Suns debut.

    The 13-time All-Star played in a scrimmage on Thursday at the team’s facility and coach Monty Williams said the veteran’s body responded well. He was also working out on the court before Friday’s game.

    Durant was dealt to the Suns two weeks ago in a blockbuster deal that sent Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks back to the Nets.

    WAINRIGHT SIGNS DEAL

    Forward Ish Wainright signed a multi-year contract before the game.

    The backup has emerged as a useful piece in the Suns rotation this season, averaging 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per game. The muscular 6-foot-5, 235-pounder played basketball and a year of football in college at Baylor.

    Wainright had 10 points against the Thunder.

    TIP-INS

    Thunder: F Dario Saric returned to Phoenix for the first time since he was traded to Oklahoma City. He was a key part of the rotation when the Suns made the Finals in 2021. The Suns honored Saric with a highlight montage during a timeout in the first quarter.

    Suns: Payne was available for just the third time since mid-December. He’s been battling a foot injury. The backup point guard hit his first 3-pointer of the night, earning a big roar from the home crowd. … G Landry Shamet (right foot soreness) was not available. … Hosted a 57th straight sellout crowd.

    UP NEXT

    Thunder: Host Sacramento on Sunday.

    Suns: At to Milwaukee on Sunday.

    ___

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  • NBA star James Harden speaks with hospitalized Michigan State student paralyzed in mass shooting | CNN

    NBA star James Harden speaks with hospitalized Michigan State student paralyzed in mass shooting | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden spoke via video call Wednesday with John Hao, a fan of Harden’s and one of the Michigan State University students wounded in a mass shooting on campus last week.

    A video shared with CNN by Harden’s management team shows the NBA star giving words of encouragement to Hao, who remains hospitalized.

    “Everything will work itself out. You’re strong,” Harden says during their conversation. “Keep pushing and keep fighting.”

    Hao was among those shot at Michigan State’s campus in East Lansing on February 13. The shooting killed three students and wounded at least five others, officials said.

    A bullet severed Hao’s spinal cord and critically injured his lungs, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down, according to a verified GoFundMe started for his family.

    Hao is pursuing a career in sports management, and Harden is his favorite basketball player, a representative of Hao’s family told CNN. Gifts from Harden to Hao include a pair of game-worn sneakers.

    CNN has sought comment from Harden’s agent and the 76ers.

    Classes and athletic events have resumed at Michigan State. In its first home game since the shooting, the men’s basketball team claimed an emotional victory over the Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday, as the crowd wore white to honor those lost or wounded.

    The US has had more than 80 mass shootings in 2023 as of Thursday, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that defines mass shootings as those in which four or more people were shot, not including the shooter.

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  • Alabama hoops star delivered gun in shooting, police say

    Alabama hoops star delivered gun in shooting, police say

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    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller brought a teammate the gun that was used in a fatal January shooting near campus, an investigator testified Tuesday.

    Miller, a freshman standout, brought Darius Miles’ gun to him on the night of the shooting after Miles texted him and asked him to do so, Tuscaloosa Police investigator Brandon Culpepper testified, according to news outlets.

    The allegation of Miller’s involvement on the night of the Jan. 15 shooting came during a preliminary hearing for Miles and Michael Davis, who face capital murder charges for the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

    Former Tide player Miles is accused of providing his gun to Davis, who fired it and killed Harris, prosecutors say.

    Alabama coach Nate Oats told reporters Tuesday the team has been aware that Miller allegedly brought Miles the gun, but the team’s leading scorer is not in “any type of trouble.” He has started every game since the shooting.

    Miller was just in “the wrong spot at the wrong time,” Oats said, later clarifying what he termed his “unfortunate remarks” after receiving criticism on social media.

    “We’ve known the situation,” Oats said in a news conference Tuesday. “We’ve been fully cooperating with law enforcement the entire time. I mean, the whole situation is just sad. The team closed practice with a prayer for the situation today, knowing that we had this trial today. You think of Jamea and her family,” Oats said.

    Miller has not been criminally charged. A team representative did not immediately know if Miller had an attorney.

    “We knew about that,” Oats said. “You can’t control everything everybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. College kids are out. Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Like the wrong spot at the wrong time.”

    Oats acknowledged in his later statement that those remarks “came across poorly” and sought to clarify,

    “We were informed by law enforcement of other student-athletes being in the vicinity, and law enforcement has repeatedly told us that no other student-athletes were suspects,” Oats said. “They were witnesses only. Our understanding is that they have all been fully truthful and cooperative.

    “In no way did I intend to downplay the seriousness of this situation or the tragedy of that night. My prayers continue to go out to Jamea Harris’s family.”

    The 6-foot-9 Miller is the biggest star of the second-ranked Tide team that had its first AP Poll No. 1 ranking in 20 years last week. He is projected to be an NBA Draft lottery pick.

    The shooting occurred on the Strip, a business district of bars and restaurants that cater to students near the Tuscaloosa campus. Harris was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when she was struck by a bullet, police said.

    Investigators wrote in a court document that Miles, who had been a junior reserve forward on the team, admitted to providing the gun used in the fatal shooting, but Davis fired the weapon.

    Culpepper said Tuesday that Miles told Davis where his gun was in Miller’s car.

    Prosecutors and defense lawyers presented diverging accounts of the shooting. Chief Deputy District Attorney Paula Whitley told the judge that there was ample evidence to proceed with the case against Miles and Davis.

    A defense lawyer suggested during Tuesday’s hearing that Miles was reacting defensively when he told Davis where the gun was located.

    “The reason that the gun was provided to Michael Davis was for protection,” Mary Turner argued.

    Defense lawyers asked for Davis and Miles to be released on bond. District Judge Joanne Jannik did not immediately issue a decision on the bond request.

    Both Davis and Miles wiped away tears as their mothers’ took to the stand to testify that they would make sure their sons would follow rules if granted bond.

    After court, Harris’ mother told reporters that she is frustrated by the focus on basketball when the shooting claimed the life of her daughter.

    “She has a 5-year-old son that is still waiting for his mother to come home,” DeCarla Heard told reporters. “I want justice for my grandson.”

    ___

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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  • Alabama hoops star delivered gun in shooting, police say

    Alabama hoops star delivered gun in shooting, police say

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    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller brought a teammate the gun that was used in a fatal January shooting near campus, an investigator testified Tuesday.

    Miller, a freshman standout, brought Darius Miles’ gun to him on the night of the shooting after Miles texted him and asked him to do so, Tuscaloosa Police investigator Brandon Culpepper testified, according to news outlets.

    The allegation of Miller’s involvement on the night of the Jan. 15 shooting came during a preliminary hearing for Miles and Michael Davis, who face capital murder charges for the death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris.

    The ex-Alabama player Miles is accused of providing his gun to Davis, who fired it and killed Harris, prosecutors say.

    Alabama coach Nate Oats told reporters Tuesday the team has been aware that Miller allegedly brought Miles the gun, but the team’s leading scorer is not in “any type of trouble.” He has started every game since the shooting.

    Miller was just in “the wrong spot at the wrong time,” Oats said.

    “We’ve known the situation,” Oats said. “We’ve been fully cooperating with law enforcement the entire time. I mean, the whole situation is just sad. The team closed practice with a prayer for the situation today, knowing that we had this trial today. You think of Jamea and her family,” Oats said.

    Miller has not been criminally charged. A team representative did not immediately know if Miller had an attorney.

    “We knew about that,” Oats said. “You can’t control everything everybody does outside of practice. Nobody knew that was going to happen. College kids are out. Brandon hasn’t been in any type of trouble, nor is he in any type of trouble in this case. Like the wrong spot at the wrong time.”

    The 6-foot-9 Miller is the biggest star of the second-ranked Tide team that had its first AP Poll No. 1 ranking in 20 years last week. He is projected to be an NBA Draft lottery pick.

    The shooting occurred on the Strip, a business district of bars and restaurants that cater to students near the Tuscaloosa campus. Harris was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when she was struck by a bullet, police said.

    Investigators wrote in a court document that Miles, who had been a junior reserve forward on the team, admitted to providing the gun used in the fatal shooting, but Davis fired the weapon.

    Culpepper said Tuesday that Miles told Davis where his gun was in Miller’s car.

    Prosecutors and defense lawyers presented diverging accounts of the shooting. Chief Deputy District Attorney Paula Whitley told the judge that there was ample evidence to proceed with the case against Miles and Davis.

    A defense lawyer suggested during Tuesday’s hearing that Miles was reacting defensively when he told Davis where the gun was located.

    “The reason that the gun was provided to Michael Davis was for protection,” Mary Turner argued.

    Defense lawyers asked for Davis and Miles to be released on bond. District Judge Joanne Jannik did not immediately issue a decision on the bond request.

    Both Davis and Miles wiped away tears as their mothers’ took to the stand to testify that they would make sure their sons would follow rules if granted bond.

    After court, Harris’ mother told reporters that she is frustrated by the focus on basketball when the shooting claimed the life of her daughter.

    “She has a 5-year-old son that is still waiting for his mother to come home,” DeCarla Heard told reporters. “I want justice for my grandson.”

    ___

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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