LAS VEGAS — If you have yet to hear UNLV basketball coach Josh Pastner’s sales pitch for his program and why rebuilding the bond with the community is so important, you’re either not paying attention or just willfully trying to avoid it.

He’s been on your television. He’s been on your radio. He’s been on your favorite social media ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — You start here with the reality that the Miami Heat most likely were going to carry into the season before the FBI patted itself on the back by creating the moniker “Operation Nothing But Bet”: Terry Rozier was not going to play for the Miami Heat this season while counting $26.6 million against the salary cap and luxury tax....Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — In three years, the expectations for a rejuvenated UConn men’s basketball program went from getting out of the first round of the NCAA tournament to winning the whole thing.

There was a cacophony of factors that led to the Huskies ultimately falling short of that goal of three-peating last year, which was unrealistically ...Read more

DURHAM, N.C. — Hard to believe it’s been more than a decade since Duke’s last NCAA title in men’s basketball, now the longest drought since Mike Krzyzewski won his first of five back in 1991. It doesn’t seem that way, not with the close calls in 2022 and last April, powerful teams that sputtered out in the Final Four, never mind the ...Read more

CLEVELAND — Hawks guard Trae Young will miss significant time.

The 27-year-old has a right MCL sprain and is expected to be re-evaluated in four weeks, according to a person familiar with the situation. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.

Young suffered a right knee injury in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against the ...Read more

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t miss early in Saturday’s game against the Sacramento Kings.

The fans even got in on the act with one young man hitting a halfcourt shot to win a prize at the end of the first period. At that point, the Kings appeared to be headed for a lopsided loss, but they flipped the script with a show of ...Read more

WASHINGTON — For a team like the Orlando Magic, who haven’t opened the regular season as they would have liked, a game against the Wizards presents an opportunity.

Washington has 10 players on the roster age 22 or under, so the Magic hoped they had a chance to find their footing on offense, impose their will on defense and showcase the new...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — Alex Karaban just wanted to rip the band-aid off. Whatever decision he made this summer, he was going to be all in.

There was no waiting until the last minute to pull his name out of the NBA draft; he’d seen how that could play out. This time, the decision to return came a month earlier than it did the previous summer. In ...Read more

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Luka Doncic didn’t celebrate when he sank his first half-court heave during warmups. He didn’t gloat when coaches dutifully dropped to the court to pay the pushup price.

The Los Angeles Lakers superstar just makes greatness feel expected.

Doncic’s 44 points, 12 rebounds and six assists led the Lakers to a 117-112 win ...Read more

Deja vu? Not this time.

For the second time in two meetings, the Celtics squandered a double-digit second-half lead against the 76ers on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. But unlike in Philadelphia’s season-opening road win at TD Garden, Boston was able to survive in a thriller.

The Sixers rallied from 24 points down to tie the game ...Read more

CHICAGO — On paper, the Knicks are the better team.

They have two perennial All-Stars to the Bulls’ none, a pair of three-and-D wings who’d fit on any roster, a monster defensive anchor, the league’s most productive bench scorer over the past five seasons, and at least three others who could start or close games for playoff contenders. ...Read more

DENVER — Four games into an 82-game season, an 8-minute, 27-second stretch means little.

Then again, what the Nuggets’ bench did in the second quarter of a 122-88 cruiser over the Pelicans on Wednesday night at Ball Arena portends good things. The Nuggets, off to a 3-1 start, play at Portland on Friday night.

After playing the entire first...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — After expecting to play again in North Carolina, DJ Burns will not take the court for the Greensboro Swarm.

The franchise, the NBA G League affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets, announced on Friday that Burns was one of three players waived ahead of the season opener. Jairu Hamilton and Olisa Akonobi were also waived. Burns was ...Read more

SAN ANTONIO – At some point, you just need more.

Because against quality, even when playing at pace, the absence of the scoring of Norman Powell and Tyler Herro becomes too much to overcome.

The long and the short of the Miami Heat’s 107-101 loss Thursday night to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center was the Spurs had 7-foot-5 Victor...Read more

MILWAUKEE – A substantial number of the Milwaukee faithful attended Thursday night’s game at Fiserv Forum dressed in colorful Halloween costumes.

But nothing in the stands was as frightening as Milwaukee’s offense in the Warriors' 120-110 loss. Even without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, a late scratch with a left knee injury, the Bucks...Read more

LAS VEGAS — It’s unlikely that the WNBA will have a new collective bargaining agreement in place before the deal expires Friday.

That doesn’t mean a lockout is imminent. The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association have ratified new CBAs with the help of an extension before.

The league has requested a 30-day ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Playing their fifth game in seven days, the Magic couldn’t afford another loss.

After dropping their fourth in a row less than 24 hours earlier at Detroit, Orlando bounced back in a major way to end their losing streak, 123-107, against the Hornets at Spectrum Center on Thursday night.

Five players scored in double ...Read more

INDIANAPOLIS — Hawks guard Trae Young will definitely miss the first NBA Cup game of the season. The team ruled out Young on Thursday evening ahead of its matchup against the Pacers on Friday night.

The Hawks have not yet provided an official injury update on Young. But after Wednesday’s game, Hawks coach Quin Snyder said that Young would ...Read more