NBA

AP Sports WriterDrama club: Cavaliers hold meeting to vent frustrationBy TOM WITHERSCleveland's drama club is acting up again.Frustrated by their recent poor play in a season when their NBA title hopes seem to be slipping away, the Cavaliers held an emotional pre-practice meeting on Monday in hopes of clearing...

AP Sports WriterSmith back with Mavericks, starts against Clippers in returnBy SCHUYLER DIXONDALLAS (AP) Dallas Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith has returned after a week away from the team amid trade rumors, and with the second-year player's role in question because of the emergence of rookie sensation Luka...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) Sacramento forward Marvin Bagley III has told USA Basketball that he is withdrawing from consideration for the roster that will be sent to China this month for the FIBA World Cup. Bagley's decision was revealed Sunday, two days before he was to report to El Segundo,...

AP Sports WriterSuns bench healthy Eric Bledsoe for remainder of seasonBy BOB BAUMPHOENIX (AP) The Phoenix Suns are benching Eric Bledsoe, arguably their best player, for the final 15 games of the season.General manager Ryan McDonough said the decision was made to give the 27-year-old point guard some...

Nets’ Irving to miss 3rd straight game with shoulder injuryNEW YORK (AP) Brooklyn guard Kyrie Irving will miss a third straight game with a right shoulder injury.The Nets said Tuesday that the All-Star guard wouldn't play Wednesday when they host Charlotte.Brooklyn beat Chicago on Saturday in its first...

MIAMI (AP) The way the Miami Heat saw it, this was a reward. Goran Dragic had 21 points and eight assists and Wayne Ellington scored 18 off the bench as the Heat - saddled with one of the worst records in the NBA - overcame another triple-double from James Harden...

AP Basketball WriterA breakfast in '95 played a role in Jordan's return to BullsBy TIM REYNOLDSB.J. Armstrong might have played a role in the Chicago Bulls getting their 1996, 1997 and 1998 titles - even though he wasn't on those teams.Armstrong was the person who, at a breakfast chat...

AP Sports WriterSteve Kerr rules out Stephen Curry for playoffs' first roundBy JANIE McCAULEYOAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry will not return for the first round of the playoffs next month because of a sprained left knee.Coach Steve Kerr on Sunday ruled out the two-time MVP for the best-of-seven...

Andrew Bogut debuts for Sydney KingsSYDNEY (AP) NBA star Andrew Bogut has made a short but strong debut for the Sydney Kings in a pre-season match ahead of Australia's National Basketball League season.The center, who started his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks and ended with the Los...

Associated PressRaptors' Casey on hot seat after third playoff loss to CavsBy IAN HARRISONTORONTO (AP) To DeMar DeRozan, regular-season and playoff basketball are as different as checkers and chess.In LeBron James, DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors keep running into the ultimate grandmaster. Their inability to beat him might...

Oscar Robertson to receive NBA's Lifetime Achievement AwardNEW YORK (AP) Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson will be honored with the NBA's Lifetime Achievement Award at the NBA Awards on June 25.Robertson, the career leader with 181 triple-doubles and the first player to average one for a season, was...

The GOLDEN STATE and the NEW ORLEANS will both be gunning for a victory on 12/4/2017 at 8:05 PM when they meet in a game matchup. GOLDEN STATE vs NEW ORLEANS When: 8:00 PM  ET, Monday, December 4, 2017 Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana ROT TEAM PS OU ML 515 GOLDEN STATE (-110) (-110) 516 NEW ORLEANS TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN Bay Area...