NBA

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has returned to the starting lineup Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies after missing seven games with a sore left foot.Lillard was averaging 24.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists before he was sidelined with plantar fasciitis. CJ McCollum slid...

AP Basketball WriterFrom Simmons down, international players will fill NBA draftBy BRIAN MAHONEYNEW YORK (AP) Cleveland had one. So did Golden State.Both teams in the NBA Finals featured an Australian-born No. 1 draft pick: the Warriors' Andrew Bogut (2005) and the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving (2011).Now Ben Simmons might...

LOS ANGELES (AP) Golden State's Klay Thompson scored 22 of his 36 points in the first quarter to lay the foundation for a 109-88 over the lowly Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, exposing the gulf between the top and bottom teams in the Pacific Division.Elsewhere, New York held...

Knicks re-sign Vujacic, sign NdourNEW YORK (AP) The New York Knicks have re-signed guard Sasha Vujacic and signed forward Maurice Ndour.Vujacic started 25 games last season, his first with the Knicks. He averaged 4.9 points overall in 61 games, but contributed 7.8 per game as a starter. He...

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota Timberwolves coach Sam Mitchell is inserting Kevin Martin into the starting lineup in hopes of jumpstarting a struggling offense.Martin will replace Tayshaun Prince and Andrew Wiggins will slide from shooting guard to small forward in a first five that also includes point guard Ricky Rubio,...

OKLAHOMA CITY (104)Durant 12-25 1-3 26, Ibaka 3-10 2-2 9, Adams 2-2 1-4 5, Roberson 2-3 0-0 4, Westbrook 11-20 9-12 32, Lamb 3-9 0-0 6, Perkins 0-2 0-0 0, Morrow 3-5 1-1 10, N.Collison 2-3 0-0 4, Jackson 3-8 2-2 8, Smith 0-0 0-0 0,...

Associated Press76ers anthem singer says 'We Matter' shirt got her the bootBy DAN GELSTON and MESFIN FEKADUPHILADELPHIA (AP) Philadelphia 76ers national anthem singer Sevyn Streeter said she was told by the team she could not perform because of her ''We Matter'' jersey.She was scheduled to sing before the...

AP Sports WriterMagic Johnson returns to Lakers as adviser to Jeanie BussBy GREG BEACHAMEL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) Magic Johnson returned to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday as an adviser to owner Jeanie Buss, possibly signaling a change in the power structure of the 16-time NBA champion franchise.Johnson,...

PHOENIX (AP) - Phoenix Suns players Marcus and Markieff Morris have pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony aggravated assault.The twins are accused of helping three others beat a man outside a Phoenix recreation center on Jan. 24. The brothers entered their pleas Thursday morning in Maricopa County...

Jan. 5 - 10-day contracts can be signed.Jan. 10 - Contracts guaranteed for rest of season.Feb. 13-15 - All-Star weekend, New York.Feb. 19 - Trade deadline (3 p.m. EST).April 15 - Last day of regular season.April 18 - Playoffs begin.

AP Basketball WriterHassan's time: Heat center says he accepts challenge to leadBy TIM REYNOLDSMIAMI (AP) Hassan Whiteside's talents are apparently not limited to the dunks and defense that convinced the Miami Heat he was worthy of a $98 million contract this offseason.Turns out, he also does a very...

DeRozan powers Raptors to comeback win over Celtics, 114-106TORONTO (AP) Faced with the possibility of their longest losing streak in over a year, DeMar DeRozan and the Toronto Raptors finally hit their stride.DeRozan had a season-high 41 points and Toronto overcame a late 16-point deficit to beat the...