NBA

CLEVELAND (AP) - Cavaliers All-Star guard Kyrie Irving will play against Boston after missing two games with a strained left shoulder.Irving participated in the team's shoot-around Tuesday and coach David Blatt announced he would play about 90 minutes before the game.Irving injured his shoulder in the second half of...

AP Sports WriterMalone coaches Game 5 with heavy heart after school shootingBy PAT GRAHAMDENVER (AP) Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was shaken Tuesday by the school shooting that occurred in his neighborhood a few hours before his team's playoff game against the Portland Trail Blazers.''That's a community I...

Pelicans' Cousins out vs. Rockets with knee, rib sorenessNEW ORLEANS (AP) The New Orleans Pelicans say forward DeMarcus Cousins has been scratched from the lineup for Friday night's game against Houston because of left knee soreness and a right rib bruise.The Pelicans say Cousins has been examined by...

Ex-Knick Oakley heading to trial in August over arena fracasNEW YORK (AP) Former New York Knicks player Charles Oakley has chosen to go to trial in August on charges he struck a security guard at Madison Square Garden.Oakley appeared briefly before a Manhattan judge on Friday. He rejected...

AP Basketball WriterSpurs' Tony Parker out for rest of playoffs with quad injuryBy JON KRAWCZYNSKIOne of Gregg Popovich's top priorities in the final weeks of the regular season was making sure the San Antonio Spurs got veteran point guard Tony Parker healthy and in rhythm for the playoff push.More...

AP Basketball WriterMarathon to a sprint: NBA regular season enters final monthBy BRIAN MAHONEYThe marathon that is the NBA regular season is headed toward its final sprint.With less than a month remaining until the final night of the season on April 12, the races for MVP and Rookie of...

Pistons hire Sachin Gupta as assistant general managerDETROIT (AP) The Detroit Pistons have hired Sachin Gupta as their assistant general manager.The Pistons announced the move Tuesday.Gupta was a special adviser to Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey last season. He previously worked for the Philadelphia 76ers under then-GM Sam...

AP Sports WriterSpurs coach Popovich misses game vs Hornets; Duncan fills inBy STEVE REEDCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Spurs coach Gregg Popovich missed Tuesday night's game against the Charlotte Hornets because he is away to attend to personal business.The team announced former Spurs star and assistant coach Tim Duncan would...

Bulls hope to set return date for LaVine early next weekCHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Bulls hope to decide on a return date for guard Zach LaVine early next week.LaVine will travel with the team to games at Dallas and Indiana on Friday and Saturday. Coach Fred Hoiberg says...

AP Basketball WriterAP source: Celtics hire Kara Lawson as assistant coachBy DOUG FEINBERGKara Lawson is the latest woman headed to the NBA to coach.Lawson was hired by the Boston Celtics as an assistant coach according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press...

AP Sports WriterNext stop for Jazz star rookie Donovan Mitchell is playoffsBy ANNE M. PETERSONOver the course of Donovan Mitchell's outstanding rookie season with Utah, Portland star Damian Lillard has become something of a mentor, regularly sending texts of encouragement.So Lillard really didn't mind when Mitchell was the one...

76ers sign 3-point specialist Marco BelinelliPHILADELPHIA (AP) The 76ers have signed veteran 3-point specialist Marco Belinelli, whose contract was bought out by the Atlanta Hawks.Philadelphia announced the move on Monday ahead of the Sixers' matchup with the Knicks.Belinelli was averaging 11.4 points in 23.3 minutes per game with...