NBA

AP Sports WriterAP Sources: Pelicans' Holiday plans return to club next weekBy BRETT MARTELNEW ORLEANS (AP) New Orleans Pelicans starting point guard Jrue Holiday plans to end his leave of absence next week and rejoin the team prepared to play immediately, two people familiar with the situation said...

The fans at Chesapeake Energy Arena will be treated to a game between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder when they take their seats on Monday. Phoenix Suns vs. Oklahoma City Thunder When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, December 31, 2012 Where: Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Prediction: Thunder 111,...

Once the Miami Heat found a way to rally in the final moments of regulation, they made overtime look easy. LeBron James scored 32 points and finished one assist shy of a triple-double, Dwyane Wade scored 27 and the Heat pulled off both early and late before beating the Dallas...

The Edmonton Oilers now have the dubious status of holding the longest active playoff drought in the NHL. The Oilers will miss the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season after losing 3-1 to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. Taylor Hall scored for the Oilers (17-20-7), who have lost seven...

ATLANTA (AP) A person familiar with the situation says the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade center Tiago Splitter to the Philadelphia 76ers for forward Ersan Ilyasova. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press on Wednesday night because the trade has not been announced. The Hawks also...

WASHINGTON (AP) Washington Wizards point guard John Wall broke Hall of Fame center Wes Unseld's franchise record for career assists. Wall entered Monday night's game against the Houston Rockets three shy of Unseld's mark of 3,822 assists and tied it in the first quarter. He then eclipsed Unseld by feeding Bradley...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) It was the fourth quarter of the All-Star Game, and a few fans started yelling loudly enough for DeAndre Jordan to hear them from his spot on the Western Conference bench. Their cry: ''De-fense! De-fense!'' Jordan's shout back: ''No, no, no!'' The moment was both hilarious and fitting. Defense...

Associated PressWoman appeals defeat in rape lawsuit against Derrick RoseBy BRIAN MELLEYLOS ANGELES (AP) The ex-girlfriend who lost her lawsuit accusing NBA star Derrick Rose and two friends of raping her appealed the verdict Thursday on the grounds that damning testimony should have been excluded and other evidence...

CLEVELAND (AP) The Cavaliers made the re-signing of guard J.R. Smith official.Smith announced last month that he was returning for a second year with the Cavs, who acquired him last season along with Iman Shumpert in a trade with the New York Knicks. The 11-year veteran made 45...

WASHINGTON (AP) After the Washington Wizards lost for the fifth time in six games under new coach Scott Brooks, shooting guard Bradley Beal stood in the home locker room and spoke in hushed tones, trying to wrap his head around what's gone wrong so far. ''We don't want to be...

Talks between the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers about a trade involving Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum have stalled. The deal is not dead, but it is no longer progressing. The Cavs, who have until Jan. 7 to trade Bynum before his contract becomes guaranteed and loses its instant...

MIAMI (AP) When the Miami Heat return home from their road trip, the season will officially be half over. It's already seemed like a marathon. Barely seven months removed from being a game shy of the NBA's Final Four, the Heat were the first team this season to reach the 25-loss...