EVAN FOURNIER

Nicolas Batum has been part of France’s national team for about 15 years now.

The Basketball World Cup started Friday and Canada sent a message.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists as the Milwaukee Bucks remained unbeaten with a 119-108 victory over the New York Knicks.

Kevin Durant had 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, leading the Brooklyn Nets back from 21 points down to a 110-98 victory over the New York Knicks that strengthened their chances of the best spot possible in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Kevin Durant scored a season-high 53 points, making the tiebreaking 3-pointer in a sensational show for a crowd that included Kyrie Irving, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the New York Knicks 110-107.

The Philadelphia Sixers made it two straight wins with their new duo of Joel Embiid and James Harden, beating the New York Knicks 125-109.

RJ Barrett scored 32 points, Mitchell Robinson had a season-high 19 and the New York Knicks snapped the Dallas Mavericks’ six-game winning streak with a 108-85 victory.

Kemba Walker became the seventh NBA player with a triple-double on Christmas, and the New York Knicks beat the depleted Atlanta Hawks 101-87 for their first win on the holiday in a decade.

Evan Fournier scored 26 points, Immanuel Quickley had 12 of his 14 in the fourth quarter after New York had blown a 25-point lead, and the Knicks beat a Los Angeles Lakers team missing suspended star LeBron James 106-100.

Kemba Walker scored 19 points in his best game with his hometown team and the New York Knicks snapped a 15-game losing streak against the Philadelphia 76ers with a 112-99 victory.

Julius Randle scored 35 points, Evan Fournier made the go-ahead 3-pointer in the second overtime and the New York Knicks outlasted Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics 138-134.

The Brooklyn Nets look like such a title favorite that James Harden felt the need for a reminder they aren’t a title team.

The “Welcome to New York” signs decorating the outside of Madison Square Garden and hanging behind him were nice, though unnecessary.

Wake up.

Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green.

France dealt the U.S. a major blow in basketball once again.

Jamahl Mosley has agreed to become the new coach of the Orlando Magic.

Jamahl Mosley has agreed to become the new coach of the Orlando Magic.

Steve Clifford will not be back as coach of the Orlando Magic next season.

James Harden had 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first postseason triple-double with Brooklyn, leading the Nets into the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 123-109 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 5.

Jayson Tatum scored a playoff career-high 50 points to carry the Boston Celtics back into their series against the Brooklyn Nets with a 125-119 victory in Game 3.

Kevin Durant had 32 points and 12 rebounds, Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and the Brooklyn Nets recovered from their superstars’ frigid start to beat the Boston Celtics 104-93 in Game 1 of their series.

Tyler Herro scored 24 points and the Miami Heat clinched a playoff spot with a 129-121 victory over the Celtics.

Jimmy Butler had 26 points and 11 assists to help the Miami Heat hold off the Boston Celtics 130-124 as they fight for position in the tight Eastern Conference playoff race.

Kyrie Irving just missed a triple-double despite an awful shooting night, Joe Harris scored 20 points and the Brooklyn Nets regained first place in the Eastern Conference with a 109-104 victory over the Boston Celtics.

Kevin Durant missed his third straight game against Boston after Nets coach Steve Nash said the forward’s bruised left thigh hadn’t healed enough to play.

Kemba Walker matched his season high with 32 points and the Boston Celtics rolled to a 99-86 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

The Boston Celtics blew most of a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter before holding on for a 121-113 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jayson Tatum scored a career-high 53 points including 18 in the fourth quarter and overtime and the Boston Celtics held on to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 145-136.

Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (7) celebrates a three-point basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)Kyle Lowry wound up staying with Toronto after all. The trade deadline has come and gone. “Anytime you trade a player like Nikola, it is a tough decision to make," Magic President Jeff Weltman said. But Lowry — a free-agent-to-be and considered perhaps the biggest prize on this year's trade market — did not get traded, the Raptors apparently unable to find enough assets to their liking. Questions swirled around Lowry all the way to the 3 p.m. EST deadline, and there were signs that the Raptors were positioning themselves to make the move.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives between Orlando Magic forward Dwayne Bacon (8) and center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021, in Phoenix. That made a drama-free blowout over the Orlando Magic a welcome change Sunday night. Devin Booker scored 27 points, Mikal Bridges added 21 and the Suns cruised to their sixth straight victory, beating the short-handed Magic 109-90 in a game that was never particularly close. “We did what we had to do to win the game,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. He shot 10 of 16 from the field against the Magic ... Deandre Ayton added 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, dribbles against Orlando Magic forward Gary Clark during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. Curry knocked down 10 3-pointers on the way to 40 points and also contributed eight rebounds and five assists, leading the Golden State Warriors past the undermanned Magic 111-105 on Thursday night. “I just told him he looks great, he looks quick, he looks healthy, he looks like he’s loving it,” Clifford said. Nikola Vucevic had 25 points, 13 rebounds and five assists as the Magic lost a third straight game, seventh in eight and ninth of 11. ... Golden State hasn't lost two in a row at home this season.

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, left, drives around Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)ORLANDO, Fla. – Fred VanVleet set a franchise record with 54 points and hit a career-best 11 3-pointers as the Toronto Raptors beat the short-handed Orlando Magic 123-108 on Tuesday night. AdNorman Powell had 23 points for Toronto, and Kyle Lowry posted a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Orlando, which has lost 12 of 14, tried almost every guard on its roster against the 6-foot-1 VanVleet with little to no success. AdMagic: Orlando was without Gordon, who severely sprained his left ankle later in Sunday’s game against Toronto. Magic: Orlando hosts Chicago on Friday and Saturday in a two-game set.

Orlando Magic coach Steve Clifford talks to players during a timeout in the first half of the team's NBA preseason basketball game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Dec. 11, 2020, in Atlanta. The NBA preseason — a truncated 49-game, nine-day sprint — opened Friday with a five-game slate, action returning to NBA arenas for the first time in exactly nine months. Friday’s games:KNICKS 90, PISTONS 84At Detroit, R.J. Barrett scored 15 points and Toppin finished with 11 points and seven rebounds in his debut as the Knicks won their preseason opener. Julius Randle scored 11, while Elfrid Payton and Nerlens Noel each scored 10 for New York. Svi Mykhailiuk and Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 14 points apiece.

Williams scored all 12 of his points on 3-pointers, and Brook Lopez added 16 points for Milwaukee, which won four straight after dropping the opener. Nicola Vucevic had 22 points and 15 rebounds for Orlando, while Evan Fournier added 18 points. Middleton followed with a fade from the top of the key, Williams added another 3 and Middleton's free throw pushed the Bucks' lead back to 105-93 with 5:24 left. Orlando stayed close into the second quarter and was within six points when Marvin Williams 3 began a 23-12 Bucks run to end the half. Bucks: Outscored Orlando in the paint, 42-32 and finished with 16 3s on 45 attempts.

They extended their winning streak to four and moved back ahead of the Nets into seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Magic outscored the Nets 75-43 in the middle two quarters, allowing them to overcome some shaky defense at the start and finish. So Brooklyn started two players who hadn't started an NBA game this season one who never had. Veteran Jamal Crawford, signed as a substitute player after not playing in the NBA this season, did not play. Nets: Play Washington on Sunday.

FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2020, file photo, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert shoots during practice before a NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns in Salt Lake City. Gobert is standing tall, even after having coronavirus and dealing with an enormous amount of scorn after being diagnosed. He was the first NBA player to test positive for the virus and that prompted many to blame him for the league's shutdown in response to the pandemic. Im in a good place, you know, Gobert told reporters Friday. And you know, thats what I did.Gobert immediately started trying to show remorse.