CLEVELAND (AP) — James Harden scored 55 points — 20 in the fourth quarter — and Russell Westbrook added 23 points as the Houston Rockets withstood an unexpected scare from Cleveland and held on for a 116-110 win Wednesday night over the free-falling Cavaliers, who have lost eight straight and 14 of 15.Harden matched Kyrie Irving's arena record for points in a game, and his fourth with 50 or more this season bailed out the Rockets, who allowed the Cavs to score 24 straight points in the second half. Cleveland was still up 108-107 when Harden, who came in leading the NBA in scoring at 38 points per game, dropped a floater in the lane. After a turnover by Cavs guard Jordan Clarkson, P.J. Tucker hit a 3-pointer from the corner and Clint Capela had a dunk following another Cleveland miscue.The inexperienced Cavs crumbled in the final minute, making three turnovers.Capela added 13 rebounds for Houston, which figured to have an easy time with the Cavs, who are struggling under first-year coach... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — If any people came to boo Kawhi Leonard on his return to Toronto, it was sure hard to hear them over all the cheering.Leonard received his championship ring to deafening applause and chants of “MVP! MVP!" before the Los Angeles Clippers visited the Raptors on Wednesday night.Earlier, the three-time All-Star and two-time NBA Finals MVP said he was expecting a mix of cheers and boos from Toronto fans who watched him lead the Raptors to a six-game victory over Golden State in June.“There’ll be some cheers but definitely, I think, more boos because they want to win the game,” Leonard said at shootaround. “They don’t want to be cheering for a player that’s on the opposing team.”Leonard's former teammates, along with coaches and team executives, gathered in a circle at center court before tip-off to greet their former star, who signed with the Clippers in free agency.Leonard embraced each player in turn before guard Kyle Lowry presented him with his ring. After slipping it on,... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Pat Riley has never doubted Magic Johnson, and isn't about to start now.Riley believes Johnson will succeed in what looks like a daunting task of getting the Los Angeles Lakers back to prominence. After the Lakers cleaned house this past week, Johnson and Riley are contemporaries — Riley as president of the Miami Heat, Johnson in the same role out in L.A., where they won four titles together in the 1980s.Trade talks, he cautioned, will be dangerous for both sides."He's going to try to rifle my pockets and I'm going to try to rifle his," Riley said. "But I'm happy for him, and I'm also happy for the Lakers."The news took Riley back to 1991, when Johnson delivered the shocking word that he was HIV-positive and had to retire from basketball. Riley was gone from Los Angeles by that point, and was then coach of the New York Knicks. But it resonated deeply within Riley, who has maintained a very close relationship with Johnson.Hearing Johnson speak about taking over the Lakers this... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — Kawhi Leonard expects to hear a mix of cheers and boos when he faces the Toronto Raptors for the first time since helping them win the NBA Finals.Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers make their lone trip north of the border Wednesday to play Toronto. The three-time All-Star and two-time Finals MVP will receive his championship ring in a special pregame ceremony.“There’ll be some cheers but definitely, I think, more boos because they want to win the game,” Leonard said. “They don’t want to be cheering for a player that’s on the opposing team.”Back in Toronto for the first time since his free agency meeting with the Raptors in July, Leonard said he experienced “flashbacks” of that championship run as the Clippers drove to the arena for morning shootaround.“The ride was fun,” Leonard said of his season in Toronto. “I had a great time last year with the coaching staff, the front office, and the players. It was a great experience.“Obviously it was different playing here for a... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago Bulls forward Otto Porter Jr. will miss at least another month because of a broken left foot that was initially diagnosed as a bruise.The Bulls said the injury was confirmed by Dr. Bob Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist who examined him Monday. The team said the small fracture became clear after repeated imaging over the past five weeks, and Porter will be re-evaluated in four weeks.Averaging 11.2 points in nine games, he has been sidelined since he was hurt against Atlanta on Nov. 6.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — RJ Barrett was asked to explain something that would have been unusual to a 10-year veteran, let alone someone who had played 21 NBA games.Was it strange to have a coach run practice, only to fire him after it ended?“I mean, I have no idea. I just got here," Barrett said. “I don’t know how these things work."Welcome to life with the New York Knicks, rookie.It's nothing new when they change coaches, but the firing of David Fizdale was a head-scratcher even for the Knicks. When they finally got around to announcing his dismissal last Friday, hours after the practice he led, the Knicks did it with a two-sentence statement void of any quotes or any other explanation. They played at home the next night and then departed the following day for a road trip, all without president Steve Mills or general manager Scott Perry commenting on Fizdale's removal. That left it up to the players to do all the talking.The front office did speak earlier in the season, a strange press conference... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Kelly Oubre Jr. was ready for a low-key night on the town with friends and family to celebrate his birthday, dressed head to toe in black with a jacket, shirt, pants and shoes.His work was already done and the results were exactly what he wanted. The new 24-year-old had just poured in 24 points to help the Phoenix Suns top the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-109 on Monday.“It's easy to get lost in the sauce when it comes to the emotions of the game,” Oubre said. “It's my birthday, definitely wanted to win, so I just wanted to go out there and do everything I possibly could to get the win.”Devin Booker led the Suns with 26 points, Oubre shot 8 of 15 from the field and Ricky Rubio finished with 16 points and 14 assists. The Suns won at home for the first time since Nov. 14, snapping a four-game losing streak at Talking Stick Resort Arena.Dario Saric added 20 points for Phoenix. Rubio has dished out at least 13 assists in three straight games and had only one turnover on Monday.“You... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 26 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 24 on his 24th birthday and the Phoenix Suns rolled to a 125-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night.Oubre shot 8 of 15 from the field and made all six free throws, while Ricky Rubio finished with 16 points and 14 assists. The Suns won at home for the first time since Nov. 14, snapping a four-game losing streak at Talking Stick Resort Arena.Dario Saric added 20 points for Phoenix. Rubio has had at least 13 assists in three straight games.Minnesota lost its fifth in a row. The Timberwolves were led by Karl Anthony-Towns, who scored 33 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. He shot 12 of 18 from the field.Andrew Wiggins added 23 points and Jeff Teague had 16 off the bench.Phoenix trailed by three at halftime but rallied for a 94-85 advantage at the end of the third quarter. The Suns pushed that margin to 12 early in the fourth after Rubio's 3-pointer.The Timberwolves made a few small runs in the final period but... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Gordon Hayward started Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers and scored 14 points, returning to the Boston lineup ahead of schedule in his return from a broken hand.Hayward received a loud ovation when he was introduced and got his first basket on a fast-break layup nearly halfway into the opening quarter. He also grabbed his first rebound and had his initial assist on Jayson Tatum’s 3-pointer from the left wing in the first 4 1/2 minutes of action.Hayward finished with five rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes as Boston beat the struggling Cavaliers 110-88. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said during his pregame media session that Hayward wasn’t on any minutes restriction but expects him to need time to build up his stamina.“There’s no set time. But any time you’re coming back not having played an NBA game for four weeks, you just manage it appropriately,” Stevens said. “He’s done a good job of staying in shape and he’s worked hard at that. But it will... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Rockets won't get a do-over after officials wrongly disallowed a slam dunk by James Harden in a double-overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, even though the NBA has disciplined the officials who got the call wrong and botched the aftermath by not allowing Houston to challenge.The league announced Monday that it has denied the Rockets' protest of last Tuesday's game, which the Spurs won 135-133. A successful protest, which is rare, would result in part of the game being replayed.Harden's dunk with 7:50 remaining in regulation was so forceful that, after the ball cleared the net, it looped around the basket and upward, creating the appearance that it wasn't a made basket. Crew chief James Capers said after the game that, “in fact it did clear the net and should have been a successful field goal.”Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said he wasn't upset about the protest being denied because he didn't think the Rockets were likely to win it.The Rockets challenged the waved-off... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Gordon Hayward started Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, returning to the Boston lineup ahead of schedule in his return from a broken hand.He received a loud ovation when he was introduced and got his first basket on a fastbreak layup nearly halfway into the opening quarter. He also grabbed his first rebound and had his initial assist on Jayson Tatum’s 3-pointer from the left wing in the first 4 1/2 minutes of action.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said during his pregame media session that he wasn’t on any minutes’ restriction but expects him to need time to build up his stamina.“There’s no set time. But any time you’re coming back not having played an NBA game for four weeks, you just manage it appropriately,” Stevens said. “He’s done a good job of staying in shape and he’s worked hard at that. But it will hit him early.” Stevens figured his star forward will fit right into his old role with his teammates. “One thing that Gordon is, is he’s... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet missed Monday's game against the Chicago Bulls because of a bruised right knee.Coach Nick Nurse said an MRI showed no structural damage. VanVleet, averaging 18 points and seven assists, left in the first half of a loss at Philadelphia on Sunday. “He's got a little swelling,” Nurse said. “He banged knees with someone a couple games ago. It just needs to be managed."The defending NBA champion Raptors (15-7) had lost three in a row entering Monday's game, their longest skid since a three-game slide in November 2018. ___More AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Gordon Hayward was cleared to play in Monday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, returning to the Boston lineup ahead of schedule in his return from a broken hand.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the team's morning shootaround that Hayward was able to participate fully in the practice and would go through the pregame walkthrough "with the intention of playing. About two hours before the scheduled tipoff, the team announced that he would be available.“It's always good to get good players back,” Stevens said at the team's practice facility. “We're hopeful that he'll be able to play."Hayward broke a bone in his left hand Nov. 9 and was expected to miss about six weeks. But he said this weekend that the bone is healed and — thanks to a plate with screws — might even be stronger than it was before. “The bone is healed. I can’t hurt it worse,” Hayward said on Sunday, adding that the soft tissue is sore and the motion and strength are limited. "It’s... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Houston Rockets won't get a do-over after officials wrongly disallowed a slam dunk by James Harden in a double-overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, even though the NBA has disciplined the officials who got the call wrong and botched the aftermath by not allowing Houston to challenge.The league announced Monday that it has denied the Rockets' protest of last Tuesday's game, which the Spurs won 135-133. A successful protest, which is rare, would result in part of the game being replayed.Harden's dunk with 7:50 remaining in regulation was so forceful that, after the ball cleared the net, it looped around the basket and upward, creating the appearance that it wasn't a made basket. Crew chief James Capers said after the game that, “in fact it did clear the net and should have been a successful field goal.”The Rockets challenged the call after a timeout, but officials ruled that Houston had exceeded the 30-second time limit for challenges. But the league said Monday the... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Gordon Hayward was ahead of schedule in his return from a broken hand and aiming to play in Boston's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night.Celtics coach Brad Stevens said after the team's morning shootaround that Hayward was able to participate fully in the practice. He was then scheduled to meet with the medical staff and participate in the pregame walkthrough “with the intention of playing,” Stevens said. “It's always good to get good players back,” Stevens said at the team's practice facility. “We're hopeful that he'll be able to play."Hayward broke a bone in his left hand Nov. 9 and was expected to miss about six weeks. But he said this weekend that the bone is healed and — thanks to a plate with screws — might even be stronger than it was before. “The bone is healed. I can’t hurt it worse,” Hayward said on Sunday, adding that the soft tissue is sore and the motion and strength are limited. "It’s whether or not you can play through that and... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Gordon Hayward practiced without problems and could return for Boston's game against Cleveland on Monday night.Hayward broke his hand Nov. 9 and was expected to miss about six weeks. Celtics coach Brad Stevens said last week he was ahead of schedule.Stevens said Monday that Hayward fully participated in the morning shootaround. He was then scheduled to meet with the medical staff, and if he had no problems he would play against the Cavaliers.Hayward missed all but five minutes of the 2017-18 season with a broken leg. He was averaging 19 points, four assists and a career-high seven rebounds this year before the latest injury.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson battled Orlando's big men and then defended his rookie coach.At least some of the Cavaliers have John Beilein's back.Following a 93-87 loss to the Magic — Cleveland's 11th loss in 12 games — Thompson said he was disappointed to learn that some of his teammates had anonymously criticized Beilein, the former Michigan coach hired by the Cavs to develop their young roster during a massive rebuild.Thompson said he was unaware of the report by The Athletic, which didn't identify three players who said they were unhappy because Beilein is treating them like they're still in college and that they've tuned out the 66-year-old coach.“It's not fair,” said Thompson, who grew more agitated the more he learned about the report.“I love coach Beilein,” Thompson said. "He's great for development and he understands that players have so much in them and he wants to get the best out of you. ... I'm thinking the guy is pretty good. I'm probably the smartest... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had plenty of time to relax and enjoy his 25th birthday Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 11 rebounds before exiting the game with 8:56 to play and his Milwaukee Bucks ahead by 36. The Bucks went on to win 119-91 and capture their 14th straight victory.“The fans were unbelievable tonight,” Antetokounmpo said. “They made me feel special. They made this day feel special. Usually a lot of people, their birthday, they celebrate, they go out, they do all that. But that's not me. That's not what I do. But the fans made it really special for me.”The reigning MVP made 11 of 20 shots and recorded his 21st double-double of the season.“It was Giannis' birthday and we searched all over the city to find a gift and we couldn't find one, so we gave him this one,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “That's all I can come up with because we were awful.”The Bucks led by as many as 41 and extended their longest winning streak... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their 14th straight victory, a 119-91 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.Antetokounmpo, on his 25th birthday, made 11 of 20 shots and recorded his 21st double-double of the season.“I was 25 once, but I wasn't that good,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after joking that he wanted to see Antetokounmpo's birth certificate.Antetokounmpo left the game with MIlwaukee ahead by 36 with 8:56 to play. The Bucks led by as many as 41 and extended their longest winning streak since winning 16 consecutive games over two seasons in 1973.Khris Middleton added 17 points and Pat Connaughton and Ersan ?lyasova each scored 13 off the bench for Milwaukee.Rivers pulled all of his starters out of the game with the Bucks leading 101-67 with 9:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. The group exited to the chant of “Overrated! Overrated!” from the Milwaukee crowd.Kawhi Leonard had 17 points and Paul George... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Orlando Magic spent last season climbing back to relevance. They're at it again.Terrence Ross scored 21 points, Evan Fournier added 18 and Aaron Gordon had a big dunk in the final 20 seconds to lead the Magic to their fourth straight win, 93-87 Friday night over the slumping Cleveland Cavaliers, who have dropped four in a row and 11 of 12.Orlando opened the season 2-6, but in winning five of six, the Magic, who had a 17-game improvement in 2018 after winning just 25 games the previous year, reached .500 for the first time.“It’s good we’ve gotten back there after the way we started, but time will tell how good we are,” said Ross, who made two 3-pointers early in the fourth. "We’ve got three tough games coming up that will test us.”The Magic face a brutal stretch over the next week, playing at Milwaukee and home against the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston.Collin Sexton scored 19 points and Cedi Osman 14 for Cleveland, which pulled within 90-87 on rookie Darius Garland's... [More]