DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have signed guard Dwight Buycks to a multiyear contract.The team did not announce terms of the deal Friday. Buycks was previously signed by the Pistons as a two-way player. He has appeared in eight games with Detroit this season, averaging 8.8 points, 2.4 assists, 1.6 rebounds and 15.1 minutes per game.Since point guard Reggie Jackson was sidelined Dec. 26 by an ankle injury , Buycks has been in the regular rotation. For his career, he has averaged 5.9 points in 28 NBA games for the Raptors, Lakers and Pistons.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MIAMI (AP) — Gone are the days when Miami coach Erik Spoelstra would spend the final few pregame moments wolfing down hot dogs while pulling on his suit jacket and hurrying to the court.It's all different now, and more changes are coming.Chicken fingers and coffee have been replaced by green juice and yoga, part of the reason why he's probably more fit at 47 than when he took over the Heat at 37. Spoelstra is happier and healthier — and he's bracing for an intense next few months, with the Heat chasing a playoff spot while he and his wife get ready to become first-time parents.The baby is due around April, which is also when the playoffs start."Am I ready? I don't know," Spoelstra said. "We're going to find out. Been reading my books."There are parenting books and playbooks, but nothing combines the two — though those around Spoelstra are sure he'll find the balance between baby and basketball."The change will be great," said Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy, the former Heat head coach and... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dion Waiters of the Miami Heat thought surgery could wait.He changed his mind, and his season is over.The Heat announced Friday night that Waiters has decided to have surgery on his long-problematic left ankle. No timetable for his return was announced, though Waiters has previously said he was told it might take eight to 10 months to recover from such a procedure."We are confident this surgery will resolve all of the issues with the ankle," the Heat said in a statement. "This process will not just repair the ankle, but also kick-start a whole new reboot for Dion. A full recovery is expected."Waiters considered surgery last summer, deciding against it because he would not have been ready for the start of this season. He missed the final 13 games of last season, when Miami lost a tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The ankle still wasn't right when this season started, and when Waiters twisted it on Dec. 22 he thought he'd just miss a few games.Not... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry won't play on Friday night against Milwaukee, the second straight game the sharpshooting guard will have been sidelined by a right ankle injury.Curry re-sprained the troublesome ankle before the Warriors' loss Wednesday night to the Los Angeles Clippers.Coach Steve Kerr said Curry lobbied to return Friday and felt good at shootaround, but that the ankle still wasn't well enough for him to play.The Warriors are beginning a five-game trip. Kerr said Curry will also be listed as questionable for the game Saturday night in Toronto.Golden State is getting Klay Thompson back on Friday night after the guard was rested against the Clippers.___For more NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Isaiah Thomas and Dwyane Wade were out of the lineup for the Cleveland Cavaliers against Indiana.Thomas has not yet been cleared to play on consecutive nights as he continues to play his way back from an injured right hip. Wade was resting.Two other guards, Iman Shumpert and Derrick Rose, were also unavailable for the Cavs on Friday night.Shumpert missed his 20th consecutive game since having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Rose hasn't played since early December because of a sprained left ankle.Domantas Sabonis made his second straight start at center for the Pacers as Myles Turner sat with an injured right elbow.The Central Division-leading Cavaliers have lost six of eight and are 0-2 against the Pacers this season.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood has been fined $35,000 by the NBA for slapping a phone out of a fan's hand.Hood was forced to leave Wednesday's game against the Washington Wizards after receiving a second technical foul. He knocked the phone out of a fan's hand while walking past the man who was sitting courtside and looked to be recording Hood exiting the court.The incident took place with 2:21 left in the third quarter of a 107-104 Jazz victory at Washington.The 6-foot-8, 206-pound sharpshooter has averaged a career-high 16.5 points per game this season as the Jazz have struggled to a 17-24 record. He picked up the second technical foul while lamenting a non-call to an official following a missed jump shot over John Wall.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant became the 44th player in NBA history to score 20,000 career points Wednesday night.Durant reached the milestone on a pull-up jumper from the left wing at the 1:41 mark of second quarter. The Warriors announced his accomplishment on the main scoreboard and Durant received a standing ovation, shaking his head in acknowledgment while still very much in game mode.The NBA Finals MVP returned from a three-game absence with a strained right calf and scored 25 points in the first half against the Clippers — KD's biggest half of the season. He came in needing exactly 25 points for 20,000.Durant, who had a four-point play during the second quarter on the way to 14 points in the period, is at 29 the second-youngest player behind LeBron James and the first to reach the 20,000 mark as a member of the Warriors.___For more NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Golden State star Stephen Curry was out for Wednesday night's home game against the Clippers after he slipped during the shootaround and re-sprained his troublesome right ankle.The Warriors updated their injury report to include Curry's status. It's the same injury that recently sidelined him for 11 games, though coach Steve Kerr said "I don't think it's serious." No MRI or X-rays were scheduled for now though Curry was sore and the Warriors won't take any chances."I didn't see anything," Kerr said before the game. "We just had a normal shootaround and he was in his usual game day routine with Q (Bruce Fraser) and he just rolled his ankle somehow," Kerr said. "Just kind of a fluke thing, kind of caught us off guard, but obviously he won't play."The reigning Western Conference player of the week, Curry has scored at least 29 points in seven straight games with 30 or more in six of those games. He has 12 30-point performances overall this season.Kevin Durant was set... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker is on target to return from a left knee injury the week before the All-Star break.Coach Jason Kidd said before Wednesday night's game against Orlando that Parker is doing great and is about a month away from playing.Parker, the second overall pick in the 2014 draft, was averaging 20.1 points when he tore his left ACL in a game against Houston on Feb. 8, 2017. It was his second major injury to that knee in three seasons. He had surgery six days later, and the Bucks said it would take a year for him to return.The All-Star Game is Feb. 18 in Los Angeles.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague was back in the lineup Wednesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing seven games with a sprained MCL in his left knee.Teague returned to practice wearing a brace on his knee and worked out on the court before the team announced he would play. In his first season in Minnesota, Teague is averaging 13.4 points and a team-high 7.3 assists per game.The Timberwolves went 4-3 in Teague's absence.Teague was also sidelined the final four games in November with a sore right Achilles. In the games Teague has missed, Tyus Jones has averaged 8.7 points, 5.1 assists and 2.9 steals.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry pumped his fists and flexed his biceps. He dangled that signature mouthpiece from his teeth in sheer delight.Oh, and he knocked down some of those familiar way-back 3-pointers, too.Yes, Golden State's sharp-shooting star is feeling it again, and he's proud to be, in his words, "that presence that kind of gets us going." Yet Curry was ruled out for Wednesday night's game against the Clippers after he slipped during the morning shootaround and tweaked his troublesome right ankle.In a 32-point, nine-assist performance against Denver on Monday, Curry wound up 9 for 17 overall while making 5 of 10 3-pointers. He remains a menace for opposing defenses even without his best shot.Curry's mere existence on the court makes every Warrior better. Teammate Draymond Green shot 42.1 percent from the field while Curry missed 11 games with a sprained right ankle. In the five games since Curry's return, Green has hit 55.6 percent. Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala have... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has suspended Miami Heat forward James Johnson and Toronto Raptors forward Serge Ibaka one game apiece for throwing punches at each other.The punishment was announced Wednesday by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the league's executive vice president for basketball operations.The fight began with 7:50 remaining in the third quarter of the Heat's 90-89 victory over the Raptors on Tuesday night in Toronto. Ibaka and Johnson started shoving each other while waiting for the ball to be inbounded under the Miami basket. Both received technical fouls and ejections.Johnson is serving his suspension Wednesday night when the Heat visit the Indiana Pacers. Ibaka will serve his suspension Thursday night when the Raptors host the Cleveland Cavaliers.The NBA also fined the Raptors' DeMar DeRozan $25,000 and the Heat's Goran Dragic $10,000 for a separate altercation at the end of the game, during which DeRozan attempted to shove.___For more NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers guard Isaiah Thomas has been fined $20,000 by the NBA for striking Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins in the throat.The punishment was announced Wednesday by Kiki VanDeWeghe, the league's executive vice president for basketball operations.The incident occurred with 6:47 remaining in the third quarter of the Cavaliers' 127-99 loss to the Timberwolves on Monday night in Minneapolis.Thomas clotheslined Wiggins in the jaw as he drove to the basket. He was ejected for a flagrant-two foul. He said afterward it was an accident and that he was glad Wiggins was all right.Wiggins had 25 points in three quarters. Thomas, still on a playing-time restriction coming off a hip injury, had nine points in 19 minutes.___For more NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans have signed free agent guard DeAndre Liggins to a 10-day contract.The roster addition, announced on Wednesday, comes after the Pelicans received an injury hardship exemption by the NBA.The 6-foot-6 Liggins has played in 31 games earlier this season with Milwaukee, averaging 1.8 points, 1.6 rebounds in a little more than 15 minutes per game.Liggins, who was a teammate of Darius Miller at Kentucky, has played in 150 career regular season games with Orlando, Oklahoma City, Miami, Cleveland, Dallas and Milwaukee since joining the NBA as a Magic second-round draft choice in 2011.The Pelicans say Liggins is available to play in Wednesday night's game in Memphis.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

Isaiah Thomas' debut with Cleveland last week came with the same rules as when Kawhi Leonard rejoined the Spurs.His coach could use him, just not too much.Both were playing under the dreaded minute restrictions, which coaches learn to accept but will never learn to love."It really is a pain in the neck," San Antonio's Gregg Popovich said.Popovich has dealt with it this season with Leonard, Tony Parker and Danny Green. In their cases, as well as Thomas, Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and others returning from injuries, the team's medical staff gives the coach guidelines for how much workload they can handle and how often — a challenge even for a coach who's been at the forefront of resting players."It's difficult because it's very strange to try to figure out rotations. You can't do it," Popovich said. "You want to put somebody on the court, but you can't because of minutes, so you put somebody else on the court that shouldn't be on the court based on matchups or what you're trying to do defensively... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls say guard Zach LaVine will make his debut with his new team 11 months after having surgery on a torn ACL in his left knee.LaVine, who was acquired in a draft-day trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, is expected to start Saturday when the Bulls host the Pistons.John Paxon, Chicago's executive vice president of basketball operations, said Tuesday that the team intends to limit LaVine to 20 minutes per game to ease him back into the rotation.LaVine averaged 18.9 points per game for Minnesota last season. He hasn't played since he tore his ACL in a Feb. 3 game against Detroit.The 22-year-old had surgery on Feb. 14 and was traded to Chicago along with Kris Dunn and the pick used to select first-rounder Lauri Markkanen.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

BOSTON (AP) — Isaiah Thomas wanted to make thing one perfectly clear during his return to Boston: He isn't holding onto any hard feelings about the way he left.Thomas returned to TD Garden on Wednesday night for the first time since he was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers in August as part of the blockbuster trade that brought Kyrie Irving to the Celtics.It was the lowest point of a whirlwind summer for Thomas, which was compounded by his ongoing recovery from the hip injury that cut short his postseason run with Boston last season.The injury sidelined him for Cleveland's season opener against his former team back in October. He missed the Cavs' first 36 games before returning to action against Portland on Tuesday night, scoring 17 points in 19 minutes.For now, his minutes are restricted, and he isn't playing on back-to-back nights. So he returned to action Tuesday knowing that he'd sit against the Celtics."I was out seven months. There's no way I was gonna come back against Boston and... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid went from doubtful to dominant, using a sprained right hand that nearly sidelined him to instead rock the rim, swat shots and stop the Spurs."I want to be out there with them. I don't want to quit on them," Embiid said.Ruled out by the 76ers before tipoff, Embiid made the call to push through and play, and then dealt San Antonio a rare bad hand in Philadelphia. Embiid had 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead the 76ers to a 112-106 win over the Spurs on Wednesday night.The Sixers needed all 35 minutes from Embiid to knock off short-handed San Antonio and snap a 12-game losing streak to the Spurs.It was the same old Embiid during the 76ers' fast start. He grabbed a rebound and had a putback for the first score of the game and had six points and six rebounds in the first quarter.He slammed home an alley-oop in the third and never even looked at his hand as he sank a free throw to finish the play."I was fine. Nothing to worry about," Embiid said.Embiid, who blocked... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls hope to decide on a return date for guard Zach LaVine early next week.LaVine will travel with the team to games at Dallas and Indiana on Friday and Saturday. Coach Fred Hoiberg says the two-time slam dunk champion will meet with doctors, trainers, management and coaches after the Bulls return home.LaVine averaged 18.9 points in 47 games for Minnesota last season before tearing the ACL in his left knee. The Bulls acquired him along with Kris Dunn and Lauri Markkanen in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves.Hoiberg spoke before Wednesday's matchup with Toronto. The Bulls' first home game after the upcoming trip is against Houston on Monday.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was in the starting lineup against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night after his coach said he was "very doubtful" to play because of a sprained right hand.Embiid had said his hand was swollen and it made him unable to shoot. Embiid, who leads the Sixers with 23.9 points and 10.9 rebounds in 27 games, was hurt Saturday when he took a hard fall against the Suns.Coach Brett Brown said before the game that Embiid was not likely to play. Embiid used a soft touch to sink a couple of shots during pregame drills, and that was enough to convince the Sixers he could play through the injury."When you see it, you see the bruising on his palm," Brown said. "When you go back and look at how he fell, you're surprised that's all it is. It's a club hand. And it's his shooting hand."The Sixers had been used to playing without their cornerstone center. He missed his first two seasons with foot injuries and was limited to 31 games last season.... [More]