News Category: Basketball

Mavericks, Clippers both seek shooting edge in Game 3

Two teams seeking consistency from beyond the 3-point arc get a chance to grab the upper hand in their Western Conference first-round playoff series Friday night when the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks meet in Game 3 of their best-of-seven in Texas. The Mavericks got much more production from their supporting cast, especially from distance, when they evened the series 1-1 with a 96-93 road win on Tuesday. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving have

Home and ‘hungry,’ Pacers seeking series lead over Bucks

Pascal Siakam’s blistering start to the postseason has enabled the upstart Indiana Pacers to wrest home-court advantage from the Milwaukee Bucks. Siakam will look to remain hot on Friday when the sixth-seeded Pacers welcome the third-seeded Bucks to Indianapolis for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Siakam followed up his 36-point, 13-rebound performance in the Pacers’ 109-94 setback in the series opener on Sunday with 37 points, 11 boards and six assists in

Sixers have backs against wall entering Game 3 vs. Knicks

The first two games of the Eastern Conference matchup between the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers could have gone either way. The Knicks pulled out two dramatic victories in the opening round. Game 3 will see the series shift to Philadelphia on Thursday night. The Knicks captured Game 1 in a close battle and then scored eight straight points in the final 30 seconds to basically steal Game 2, 104-101, on Monday. Jalen Brunson

Cavaliers ‘chase’ perfection as series shifts to Orlando

The Cleveland Cavaliers bid to push the Magic to the brink of elimination on Thursday night when they play Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series in Orlando, Fla. Donovan Mitchell paced the fourth-seeded Cavaliers to a pair of victories in Cleveland to begin the best-of-seven series. The five-time All-Star scored 30 points in the Cavaliers’ 97-83 win over the fifth-seeded Magic in the series opener on Saturday and 23 in a 96-86 victory

Thunder leaning into depth vs. Pelicans in Game 2

In his first postseason as an NBA head coach, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault shows no signs of shortening his rotation. Daigneault has developed a reputation for continually tinkering with his player usage and going deep into the roster during the regular season. In the Thunder’s playoff opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, a 94-92 victory Sunday, Daigneault played 11 players. Nine of them played in the first quarter. “I have great confidence with

Versatile Timberwolves aim to go up 2-0 against Suns

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch fully understood that his initial game plan for beating the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs would have a short shelf life. It worked in Game 1. That doesn’t mean the same plan will work in Game 2. “I’m sure they’re going to be making adjustments,” Finch said, “as are we.” The Timberwolves will try to seize a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series when they tip off

Health concerns mount before 76ers battle Knicks in Game 2

Philadelphia attempts to even the Eastern Conference first-round series with the New York Knicks at 1-all on Monday night, but the 76ers might be without point guard Tyrese Maxey as reigning MVP Joel Embiid works his way back to health. Maxey, the team’s leading scorer (26.9 points per game) in the regular season, was downgraded to questionable on the official injury report released Monday with an illness and was not a participant in the gameday

Donovan Mitchell ‘setting a tone’ as Cavs set for Game 2 vs. Magic

Donovan Mitchell appears to have fully put his knee injury behind him. The Cavaliers star got off to a strong start in the first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic and looks to help his team take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference series when the teams meet Monday night in Cleveland. Mitchell scored 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting in Game 1 as the Cavaliers produced a 97-83 home victory. “It’s all about setting a

Lakers will try again to slow Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic in Game 2

The Los Angeles Lakers got a fast start from LeBron James, a double-double from Anthony Davis and held Denver to just six free-throw attempts in Game 1 on Saturday. Yet they still lost by double digits to the reigning NBA champions. After surviving the James-Davis duo for the 114-103 victory to open the Western Conference first-round series, the Nuggets will try to preserve their home-court edge in Game 2 on Monday night. Denver has beaten

Top-seeded, more mature Thunder take on Zion-less Pelicans

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault isn’t worried about leading a young team into the playoffs. “Age is just a number,” Daigneault said. “There’s a difference between youth and maturity.” And Daigneault’s Thunder, the second-youngest team in the NBA this season, has shown plenty of maturity this season in earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. They’ll open the playoffs against the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday in Oklahoma City. It’s the first playoff