Antetokounmpo's 40 points, late block lead Bucks past 76ers
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 40 points and had a game-deciding block of Joel Embiid in the final seconds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 118-116 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conferenceโs top teams.
Leonard leads Clippers past 76ers in Rivers' first game back
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, shoots as Philadelphia 76ers forward Danny Green defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LOS ANGELES โ Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, Terance Mann added a season-high 23 and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 122-112 on Saturday night in their first game against former coach Doc Rivers. Our mindset was right,โ Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said. The star forward had 19 points in the first half, including 12 in the second quarter. Los Angeles led by five at halftime, but took command with seven straight points to open the third quarter.
Antetokounmpo lifts Bucks to 109-105 OT victory over 76ers
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo , left, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 17, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)PHILADELPHIA โ Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 10 of his 32 points in overtime to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 109-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conferenceโs best teams. Tobias Harris scored 19 points and Danny Green added 18 for Philadelphia, which had its six-game winning streak snapped. After being hounded by Simmons for most of the game, Antetokounmpo found his offense in the extra session with Simmons in foul trouble. He scored 10 straight Bucks points, the last a 10-foot jumper in the lane that pushed Milwaukee's lead to 105-98 with 1:11 left in overtime.
Lillard scores 30 points as Trail Blazers down 76ers 118-114
Anthony scored a season-high 24 points off the bench, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and the Trail Blazers beat the Sixers 118-114 on Thursday night. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 35 points and nine rebounds, and Ben Simmons added 23 points and 11 boards. โI thought tonight was just one of those games where we felt like we had to win the game,โ Anthony said. Trail Blazers: It was the first of a back-to-back for Portland. The Trail Blazers host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Embiid, Simmons lead 76ers past short-handed Nets 124-108
Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons, left, dunks the ball against Brooklyn Nets' Iman Shumpert during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Philadelphia. Simmons played a complete game on both ends of the court, finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and three steals to help the Philadelphia 76ers to a 124-108 victory over the short-handed Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. Joel Embiid scored 33 points and Tobias Harris added 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading 76ers, who have won five of six. โI think you have to coach him and be around him to see his value,โ Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. โI do think fatigue played a part,โ coach Steve Nash said after Brooklyn played the second game of a back-to-back.
Harris shot in final seconds leads 76ers past Lakers 107-106
Jamesโ push of the 76ers big man got him hit with a flagrant 1 and Embiid cried foul. Harris swished a jumper with 3 seconds left, ending the Lakersโ 13-0 run and sending Philadelphia to a 107-106 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The 76ers lead the East at 13-6 and the Lakers are 14-5 in the West. James hit Anthony Davis for the go-ahead basket with 11.2 seconds to go for a 106-105 lead and cap that run. YOU AGAINGreen and backup center Dwight Howard played key roles in the Lakersโ championship last season.
Denver tops short-handed 76ers hit with virus, injuries
The team met the minimum eight active players by including injured forward Mike Scott, who was not actually able to play. Gary Harris scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who played without Michael Porter Jr. (19.5 points per game) because of health and safety protocols. Danny Green was the only regular in Philly's starting lineup, joined by backups Dakota Mathias, Dwight Howard, Joe and Maxey. โI donโt know enough about any of this.โSparked by Maxey, the undermanned, feisty Sixers stuck with Denver throughout the first half. Nuggets: Play Saturday in New York.
AP source: Lakers on verge of acquiring Dennis Schrรถder
Teams may begin making trades Monday, according to a memo sent to teams and obtained early Sunday by The Associated Press. And the first deal known to be tentatively agreed upon would send guard Dennis Schrรถder from Oklahoma City to the champion Los Angeles Lakers for Danny Green and the No. The โtemporary transaction moratoriumโ across the league ends Monday at noon Eastern, the league told teams. Also officially due Monday: All-NBA forward Anthony Davisโ decision on his $28.7 million option year with the Lakers, one that he will formally decline in favor of signing a long-term and huge money contract with that club. Nicolas Batumโs $27.1 million option decision with Charlotte is also due Monday.
Bubble Kings: Lakers run past Heat for 17th NBA championship
For the first time since Kobe Bryant's fifth and final title a decade ago, the Lakers are NBA champions. James had 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday night to win the NBA Finals in six games. Rajon Rondo scored 19 points for the Lakers, who put together the elite talents of James and Davis with this moment in mind. James (Miami, Cleveland) and Danny Green (San Antonio, Toronto) added their names to that list with this title. HEAT SEASONMiami led the NBA with 94 games played this season โ 30 more than Minnesota, which played the fewest in the NBA.
Bubble Kings: Lakers run past Heat for 17th NBA championship
For the first time since Kobe Bryant's fifth and final title a decade ago, the Lakers are NBA champions. James had 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday night to win the NBA Finals in six games. Rajon Rondo scored 19 points for the Lakers, who put together the elite talents of James and Davis with this moment in mind. James (Miami, Cleveland) and Danny Green (San Antonio, Toronto) added their names to that list with this title. HEAT SEASONMiami led the NBA with 94 games played this season โ 30 more than Minnesota, which played the fewest in the NBA.
NBA Finals get intense, and Game 6 of Lakers-Heat looms
The Heat have talked since the NBA Finals started about a need to play almost perfect basketball against the Lakers. โOne thing about this team that we are playing, they make you pay for every mistake,โ James said after Game 5. So, we have to understand that.โJames is about to set the record for NBA playoff game appearances. Nobody has had more 40-point NBA Finals games in a loss than he has โ the record-setting fifth entry on that list coming Friday in Miamiโs 111-108 win. โWeโre motivated to win Game 6 and they are motivated to win Game 6,โ Davis said.
King James scores 40, but a Lakers coronation has to wait
James was trying to do everything it took to knock out the Miami Heat and deliver the Lakers a championship, but he needed one more chance. The Lakers took their last timeout after Jimmy Butler's free throws gave the Heat a 107-106 lead with 16 seconds to play. A third defender came and so with three guys on you, he made the right play. James had never missed a chance to close out an NBA Finals series after getting to three wins. There's been only one 3-1 lead overcome in the NBA Finals, and James was the catalyst that time with Cleveland in 2016.
Heat force Game 6, top Lakers to stave off elimination
โThatโs Jimmy Butler," Heat center Bam Adebayo said. Butler got fouled with 46.7 seconds left, then slumped over the baseline video boards, clearly exhausted. He made both foul shots for a one-point lead; Davisโ putback with 21.8 seconds left got the Lakers back on top. Butler drove the lane, drew contact and made both with 16.8 seconds left for a 109-108 lead. Lakers: James and Davis were a combined 24 for 36.
Lakers top Heat 102-96, take 3-1 lead in NBA Finals
James and the Lakers are back in control of these NBA Finals, one win away from the franchise's 17th championship. James finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, Anthony Davis' 3-pointer with 39.5 seconds left finally settled matters and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 102-96 in Game 4. The Lakers lead 3-1 and can win the title when the series resumes Friday. 3-1 LEADSThis is the 36th time that a team has held a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. It was just the third time in the last 26 NBA Finals games that neither team reached 50 points in the first 24 minutes.
Comforts of NBA bubble not lost on Lakers' Danny Green
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. โ Game 3 of the NBA Finals would have been in Miami. Sunday was his 257th career postseason appearance, two shy of matching Derek Fisher for the most in NBA history. He entered Game 3 of the NBA Finals seven free-throw attempts shy of matching Shaquille OโNeal (2,317) for another postseason record. Itโs the 20th NBA Finals game for Foster, the 10th for Brothers and the first for Fraher. Itโll be the eighth finals game for Zarba, the fifth for Goble and the first for Brown.
Comforts of NBA bubble not lost on Lakers' Danny Green
Thatโs just fine with Los Angeles Lakers guard Danny Green. Sunday would be his 257th career postseason appearance, two shy of matching Derek Fisher for the most in NBA history. He entered Game 3 of the NBA Finals seven free-throw attempts shy of matching Shaquille OโNeal (2,317) for another postseason record. Itโs the 20th NBA Finals game for Foster, the 10th for Brothers and the first for Fraher. Itโll be the eighth finals game for Zarba, the fifth for Goble and the first for Brown.
Lakers, LeBron roll in Game 1 of finals, top Heat 116-98
Anthony Davis scored 34 points, James had 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists and the Los Angeles Lakers rolled past the Miami Heat 116-98 on Wednesday night. The Heat left beaten and battered. Jamesโ teams had been 1-8 in Game 1 of past finals, with losses in each of the last seven openers. Lakers: The Lakers improved to 17-15 in Game 1s of title series. JAMESโ RECORDSThe NBA Finals record book is basically a James scrapbook of career achievements, and he raised his spot on some of those lists Wednesday.
For NBA players, Taylor grand jury decision 'not enough'
And James was letting his team know that NBA players, who have spent months seeking justice for Breonna Taylor, did not get what they wanted. State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said the officersโ shots that killed Taylor were fired in self-defense. Many NBA players have met, virtually, with members of her family to offer support. ... What currently is happening isnโt good enough.โNational Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts went a step further. Weโre going to continue fighting, weโre going to continue to push, weโre going to continue to use our voices.โ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports