NBA

The Latest: LeBron impressed with Duke's Zion WilliamsonCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Latest on NBA All-Star Weekend (all times local):12:10 p.m.LeBron James says he has kept a close eye on what freshman sensation Zion Williamson is doing at Duke and believes ''it's great for the game.''Williamson, a 6-foot-7, 285-pounder,...

Pacers re-sign Justin Holiday, keeping brother duo in tactINDIANAPOLIS (AP) Justin Holiday will continue playing for the Indiana Pacers next season after agreeing to a new deal Sunday.Terms of the deal were not immediately announced but the decision means Holiday and one of his two NBA-playing brothers, Aaron,...

AP Sports WriterBlazers sign center Enes KanterBy ANNE M. PETERSONPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Center Enes Kanter has joined the Portland Trail Blazers.Kanter was waived by the New York Knicks along with Wesley Matthews following the trade deadline last week. Kanter announced Wednesday on Twitter that he had signed with...

AP Sports WriterBlazers want to take next step after playoff successBy ANNE M. PETERSONPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) The Trail Blazers got a taste of playoff success last season and that's shifted their mindset. Simply making the playoffs is no longer the goal, a championship is.Damian Lillard is once again...

OAKLAND, California (AP) Golden State relied on its defense rather than trademark sharp-shooting in beating Cleveland 89-83 on Friday in a Christmas Day reprise of last season's NBA Finals.The Warriors won their 32nd consecutive home game and widened the gap to the next-best Western Conference team as San...

AP Sports WriterButler practices again with Wolves, as opener nearsBy DAVE CAMPBELLMINNEAPOLIS (AP) Jimmy Butler is still suiting up for the Minnesota Timberwolves, with the opener three days away.Despite his preference to play elsewhere, signs have begun to point to him staying with the Timberwolves at least to...

AP Basketball WriterHectic end to the NBA's trade window, but some teams sat outBy TIM REYNOLDSMIAMI (AP) Most of the top NBA playoff contenders stayed out of the down-to-the-wire frenzy at the trade deadline.Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers beefed up instead.And a slew of other teams -...

MILWAUKEE (AP) - The Bucks are giving their uniforms a cleaner look while adding a blue stipe on the inside of the collar to emphasize what the franchise calls the workmanlike mindset of the team and region.The uniform incorporates Milwaukee team colors updated earlier this year. Red is out...

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Chicago used scoring spurts in the third and fourth quarters to secure an 85-77 win at Utah on Thursday, extending the Bulls' winning run to four games. Elsewhere, Houston's James Harden had a triple double in a victory over Portland, and Miami snapped a six-game losing...

AP Sports WriterCitizen/King: LeBron James wins NBA citizenship awardBy TOM WITHERSCLEVELAND (AP) Snubbed in the MVP voting, LeBron James received an award maybe more significant.James is this year's recipient of the Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award given annually by the Pro Basketball Writers' Association for ''outstanding service and dedication...

Pelicans: Jahlil Okafor out 1-2 weeks with ankle sprainNEW ORLEANS (AP) The New Orleans Pelicans say center Jahlil Okafor has been diagnoses with a sprained right ankle and is expected to miss one or two weeks.The injury occurred in the fourth quarter of the Pelicans' preseason opener on...

The Boston Celtics had both Avery Bradley (shoulders) and Rajon Rondo (hip) in the starting lineup for Wednesday's 93-83 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Bradley made his 2012-13 season debut after undergoing a pair of shoulder surgeries while being shelved the past seven months and played just under 20 minutes,...