TORONTO (AP) — Fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title, Kawhi Leonard received the key to the city at Monday's championship parade and rally.For now, however, the two-way star and two-time NBA Finals MVP isn't saying whether he'll use it to keep a door open or close it behind him and move on.Leonard spent several days partying with his teammates in Las Vegas and Los Angeles after last Thursday's Game 6 clincher over Golden State, returning to Toronto in time to ride in one of five open-top double-decker buses that carried the Raptors along a crowded parade route.A three-time All-Star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year, Leonard is expected to decline the player option on the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Toronto can offer him a five-year deal worth around $190 million, one year and some $50 million more than any other team.Before stepping on stage Monday for a ceremony in the square outside Toronto's City Hall, Leonard said he hasn't... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to their first NBA title, Kawhi Leonard received the key to the city at Monday's championship parade.For now, however, the two-way star and two-time NBA Finals MVP still isn't saying whether he'll use it to keep a door open, or close it behind him and move on.Leonard spent several days partying with his teammates in Las Vegas and Los Angeles after last Thursday's Game 6 clincher, returning to Toronto in time to ride in one of five open-top double decker buses that carried the Raptors along a crowded parade route.A three-time All-Star and two-time NBA defensive player of the year, Leonard is expected to decline the player option on the final year of his contract and become a free agent. Toronto can offer him a five-year deal worth around $190 million, one year and some $50 million more than any other team.Before stepping on stage Monday for a ceremony in the square outside Toronto's City Hall, Leonard said he hasn't been thinking about... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors were still partying it up in Las Vegas, part of an extended celebration following their first championship, when the NBA starting reshaping itself for a new season with the blockbuster trade agreement Saturday that will send Anthony Davis to the Lakers.Talk about snapping back to reality.Turns out Raptors coach Nick Nurse already had.Back home in Toronto Sunday, on the eve of a parade to honor his team, Nurse said he and general manager Bobby Webster have already started talking about a future that's full of tough questions."Bobby and I have already had two meetings about it since the championship," Nurse said. "The reality is that it's right upon us, and we get to work. I've got several meetings today with some players. We don't have any choice but to get to work on it. My thought, always, is stay hungry. We've got to get our guys that we want back."No player is more important to Toronto's fortunes than Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who is expected to opt... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Canadian flag, soaked in beer and champagne, was waved in the Toronto locker room. Pascal Siakam wore the flag of Cameroon around his shoulders. Marc Gasol was yelling some happy phrase in Spanish.Every team that wins an NBA title calls itself "world champions."These Toronto Raptors might actually be worthy of the moniker.The new kings of the NBA are the first outside the U.S. to wear the crown. And they come from all corners of the globe.Team President Masai Ujiri was born in England and raised in Nigeria. Serge Ibaka is from the Congo. Gasol will play again for his native Spain this summer in the FIBA World Cup. Coach Nick Nurse won his first championship in Britain, where reserve OG Anunoby comes from. Even the team's superfan, Nav Bhatia, comes from India.It's a global game.It's a global team.They're the global champions."It meant a lot, just having guys from different countries and speaking different languages," Siakam said. "I think it kind of got us closer... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Canadian flag, soaked in beer and champagne, was waved in the Toronto locker room. Pascal Siakam wore the flag of Cameroon around his shoulders. Marc Gasol was yelling some happy phrase in Spanish.Every team that wins an NBA title calls itself "world champions."These Toronto Raptors might actually be worthy of such a moniker.The new kings of NBA basketball are the first outside the U.S. to wear the crown. And they come from all corners of the globe.Team President Masai Ujiri was born in England and raised in Nigeria. Serge Ibaka is from the Congo. Gasol will play again for his native Spain this summer in the FIBA World Cup. Coach Nick Nurse won his first championship in Britain, where reserve OG Anunoby comes from. Even the team's superfan, Nav Bhatia, comes from India.It's a global game.It's a global team.They're the global champions."It meant a lot, just having guys from different countries and speaking different languages," Siakam said. "I think it kind of... [More]

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Taylor Jenkins feels confident that Memphis' new front office will give him enough time to turn around the Grizzlies.Jenkins is the Grizzlies' fourth head coach since Memphis reached the 2013 Western Conference. The 34-year-old coach said Wednesday at a news conference that he learned a lot about the Grizzlies during the interview process and the front office's vision."We know there's going to be ups and downs," Jenkins said. "We're going to have our successes. We're going to have our mistakes. We want to be perfect, but we know it's going to take a team to do that, and that's what made me excited about this opportunity and there was no concern whatsoever."This is the first NBA head coaching job for Jenkins, who was Mike Budenholzer's assistant in Milwaukee this season and was with him in Atlanta for five seasons. Jenkins started in the NBA as an intern with the San Antonio front office before going into coaching with the Spurs' G League team, coaching the Toros for... [More]

The Memphis Grizzlies finally filled their coaching vacancy by hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins.The Grizzlies will introduce Jenkins at news conference on Wednesday."Taylor has an excellent coaching pedigree, and we are confident he will lay the groundwork of developing the young players on our roster while having the elite basketball acumen and forward-thinking positive vision to be a high-level NBA head coach," Zachary Z. Kleiman, the Grizzlies' executive vice president of basketball operations, said in a statement Tuesday.Memphis became the sixth and final NBA team to hire a new coach after firing J.B. Bickerstaff following the end of the season in April.Jenkins, 34, was Mike Budenholzer's assistant in Milwaukee this season and in Atlanta for five seasons. Jenkins becomes Memphis' fourth head coach since the Grizzlies chose not to renew Lionel Hollins' contract in 2013 after he led them to their lone Western Conference final appearance.The new Grizzlies coach started in... [More]

The Memphis Grizzlies finally filled their coaching vacancy by hiring Milwaukee Bucks assistant Taylor Jenkins.Jenkins is expected to be introduced at news conference on Wednesday, a person told The Associated Press Tuesday on condition of anonymity because Memphis has not publicly announced the hiring.The Grizzlies have been looking for a new coach since firing J.B. Bickerstaff the day after the season ended in April. Jenkins, 34, was Mike Budenholzer's assistant in Milwaukee this season and in Atlanta for five seasons. Jenkins becomes Memphis' fourth head coach since the Grizzlies chose not to renew Lionel Hollins' contract after leading them to their lone Western Conference final appearance in 2013.ESPN.com first reported the Jenkins' hiring.Jenkins started in the NBA as an intern with the San Antonio Spurs' basketball operations department during the 2007-08 season. He then was an assistant coach with the Spurs' G League team, the Toros, and worked under both Quin Snyder, now head coach... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — For the second time in four seasons, the Toronto Raptors are headed to the Eastern Conference final.While the Raptors won't have to deal with playoff nemesis LeBron James this time, they will face a tough task in controlling Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the NBA's highest-scoring offense.Of course, Toronto will counter with Kawhi Leonard.He hit the game-winning buzzer-beater Sunday to help Toronto edge Philadelphia 92-90 in Game 7 of its Eastern Conference semifinal series, setting up a showdown between the East's top teams during the regular season.Leonard's shot bounced around the rim four times before dropping through the basket."It was great," Leonard said. "That's something I never experienced before, Game 7, a game-winning shot. It was a blessing to be able to get to that point and make that shot and feel that moment."Leonard and the Raptors will have a few hours to enjoy it; the conference final begin Wednesday night in Milwaukee. In... [More]

Toronto gave Kawhi Leonard plenty of help in the regular season.The Raptors need to start doing that in the postseason — or else.Leonard is a free-agent-in-waiting, someone who will have a huge decision to make this summer. An abrupt second-round exit from this postseason probably won't enhance the Raptors' chances of convincing Leonard to stay with Toronto — so Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series on Sunday against Philadelphia, a matchup the 76ers lead 2-1, could have reverberations felt long after this season ends."We've got to help him. We've got to help him," Raptors guard Kyle Lowry said after Philly's 116-95 win in Game 3, a night where Leonard scored 33 points and his teammates shot 36 percent. "Myself, especially me. I've got to help him. Score more, I've got to help him on the floor. We all got to help him."He's playing unbelievable right now. But we're not giving him any help. Me — I'm not giving him any help. Got to help him."Leonard has been brilliant in the... [More]

Philadelphia is already in trouble in its Eastern Conference semifinal series against Toronto, and 76ers coach Brett Brown might be one of the biggest reasons why.It's not that Brown made coaching mistakes in Game 1.Instead, he might have not made enough mistakes in 2012 and 2013.Let's explain: Kawhi Leonard's first two years in San Antonio were Brown's last two years as an assistant for the Spurs. When Brown left Gregg Popovich's staff to take over as coach of the 76ers after the 2012-13 season, he was well aware that Leonard was on the path to becoming something special. And now, after seeing Leonard put up 45 points in Toronto's 108-95 victory in Game 1 of this series, it's up to Brown to figure out how to slow that superstar when the series resumes with Game 2 on the Raptors' home floor Monday night."Every year, he gets more dominant," Brown said. "Even when I came to Philadelphia, those years that I was in Philadelphia looking in the rear-view mirror of him evolving under Pop and in... [More]

Philadelphia is already in trouble in its Eastern Conference semifinal series against Toronto, and 76ers coach Brett Brown might be one of the biggest reasons why.It's not that Brown made coaching mistakes in Game 1.Instead, he might have not made enough mistakes in 2012 and 2013.Let's explain: Kawhi Leonard's first two years in San Antonio were Brown's last two years as an assistant for the Spurs. When Brown left Gregg Popovich's staff to take over as coach of the 76ers after the 2012-13 season, he was well aware that Leonard was on the path to becoming something special. And now, after seeing Leonard put up 45 points in Game 1 of this 76ers-Raptors series — a 108-95 win by Toronto — it's up to Brown to figure out how to slow that superstar when the series resumes with Game 2 on the Raptors' home floor Monday night."Every year, he gets more dominant," Brown said. "Even when I came to Philadelphia, those years that I was in Philadelphia looking in the rear-view mirror of him evolving under... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have reason to believe this is the year their playoff run doesn't end in failure and frustration.Just ask the Orlando Magic, who have seen firsthand how good this Raptors team can be.Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, Pascal Siakam added 24 and the Raptors routed the Magic 115-96 on Tuesday night, winning their first-round playoff series in five games.Toronto, which has made six straight postseason appearances, has reached the second round for the fourth straight year.Buoyed by the offseason additions of Leonard and guard Danny Green, plus trade deadline pickup Marc Gasol, these Raptors are focused on a conference finals berth, and maybe more."We know what we are and what we can be," guard Kyle Lowry said.So does Orlando coach Steve Clifford."To me, this is by far the best team they've had here in this stretch," Clifford said of the Raptors. "This is a terrific team here. Terrific."Toronto lost 104-101 in Game 1 when Orlando's D.J. Augustin hit a tiebreaking... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The 76ers have gone south in Toronto.Sixers coach Brett Brown wants the season series to come with an asterisk.Sure, the Raptors went 3-1 against the Sixers, but Philadelphia has evolved thanks to a pair of splashy trades this season that could skew the perception that Toronto has been the dominant team in the series. The Sixers head this week to Toronto for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal with their starting five intact for the first time all season: All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, midseason acquisitions Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick failed to start a game together against the Raptors."We all understand what the math says with our success in Toronto, and it's not flattering," Brown said. "But it's also not directed to the team that we have. And so you can credit it or you can discredit it. I'm discrediting it. I think that we have a new group, we have a new opportunity."The Sixers and Raptors both dropped their playoff opener before... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The 76ers have gone south in Toronto.Sixers coach Brett Brown wants the season series to come with an asterisk.Sure, the Raptors went 3-1 against the Sixers, but Philadelphia has evolved thanks to a pair of splashy trades this season that could skew the perception that Toronto has been the dominant team in the series. The Sixers head this week to Toronto for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal with their starting five in tact for the first time all season: All-Stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, midseason acquisitions Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick failed to start a game together against the Raptors."We all understand what the math says with our success in Toronto, and it's not flattering," Brown said. "But it's also not directed to the team that we have. And so you can credit it or you can discredit it. I'm discrediting it. I think that we have a new group, we have a new opportunity."The Sixers and Raptors both dropped their playoff opener before... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Raptors have reason to believe this is the year their playoff run doesn't end in failure and frustration.Just ask the Orlando Magic, who have seen firsthand how good this Raptors team can be.Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points, Pascal Siakam added 24 and the Raptors routed the Magic 115-96 on Tuesday night, winning their first-round playoff series in five games.Toronto, which has made six straight postseason appearances, has reached the second round for the fourth straight year.Buoyed by the offseason additions of Leonard and guard Danny Green, plus trade deadline pickup Marc Gasol, these Raptors are focused on a conference finals berth, and maybe more."We know what we are and what we can be," guard Kyle Lowry said.So does Orlando coach Steve Clifford."To me, this is by far the best team they've had here in this stretch," Clifford said of the Raptors. "This is a terrific team here. Terrific."Toronto lost 104-101 in Game 1 when Orlando's D.J. Augustin hit a tiebreaking... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby had an emergency appendectomy two days before his team begins the playoffs.There is no timetable for his return, although the 6-foot-8 forward is expected to miss at least the first round. The Raptors open at home Saturday against the Orlando Magic.Anunoby was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and had surgery Thursday night at Mount Sinai Hospital."My first thought is what a bad break for him, just bizarre timing," coach Nick Nurse said after practice Friday. "And it doesn't even happen on the basketball court or have anything to do with it."The 21-year-old player is in his second season. He averaged 7.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 20.2 minutes in 67 games."He's just kind of a Swiss knife, he can give you a lot of stuff defensively, offensively," center Marc Gasol said.Anunoby missed 15 games this season, sitting out eight early games for personal reasons. He also missed three games with a sprained wrist and four recently with concussion-like symptoms."He's had a difficult year," Nurse said. "But in the past 10 to 12 days, I feel like he was in a really good space."The Raptors had the second-best record in the Eastern Conference. Nurse is not yet sure how he'll adjust his lineup."This is a team with a lot of size, and OG is one of our size and length guys," the coach said. "So obviously we're going to miss him."

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies started the offseason Thursday with plenty of questions to answer, then controlling owner Robert Pera added to the to-do list by firing coach J.B. Bickerstaff as part of a front-office shake-up that demoted general manager Chris Wallace to scout.The Grizzlies announced the moves after both Bickerstaff and Wallace spoke to reporters following a second straight season outside the playoffs. After a 12-5 start, Memphis plummeted and finished 33-49, tied with New Orleans and Dallas.Wallace had said earlier that Bickerstaff would be returning after doing a "terrific job." But Pera didn't agree and restructured the front office a few hours later."In order to put our team on the path to sustainable success, it was necessary to change our approach to basketball operations," Pera said in a statement. "I look forward to a re-energized front office and fresh approach to Memphis Grizzlies basketball under new leadership, while retaining the identity and values... [More]

Pascal Siakam confidently launches shots he may not have dared attempt in previous seasons. He makes plays during times of the game when he would have been sitting on the bench.The Toronto Raptors forward might be the leading candidate for the most improved player award and he'd like to win it. But he's already received recognition that means more to him.Fellow players have noticed how much work he's put in and how much it has paid off this season. The acknowledgement from All-Stars such as Paul George and Bradley Beal shows that Siakam's giant leap has caught the attention of more than just the media panel that votes for the NBA awards."I just enjoy sometimes after the games, guys coming up to me and showing respect for me. That's the most important thing," Siakam said. "Like, I don't care about the rest. I think when your peers respect your game and respect the fact that they've seen you work, I think that's more important."There's a lot for them to have noticed, including:— Siakam's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — For the last two years, they were the final two steps in what had become LeBron James' annual climb to the NBA Finals.Now that he's gone, maybe the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics are done being stepping stones.They are among the teams capable of winning the Eastern Conference, which no longer has its longtime ruler and has plenty of candidates ready to replace him."Top of the East is awfully good," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "It's a different East than it was the last couple of years, that's one thing, and so I would say that we'll see. We'll see how it all plays out."It played out the same way the last two years. The Raptors went out weakly in the second round, swept by James' Cleveland Cavaliers, before a banged-up Boston team put up as good a fight as it could in the conference finals before falling.The Raptors made wholesale changes even after winning 59 games last season, firing Coach of the Year Dwane Casey and promoting Nick Nurse, and trading DeMar DeRozan... [More]