Cavaliers clinch playoff spot with 108-91 win over Rockets
For the first time since LeBron James left them a second time, the Cavaliers are a playoff team again. Jarrett Allen scored 24 points and had 14 rebounds, Donovan Mitchell added 22 points and the Cavs clinched a postseason spot for the first time since 2018, beating the Houston Rockets 108-91 on Sunday night. After James left five years ago, the Cavs went through a massive rebuild while enduring coaching changes, a pair of 19-win seasons and just missing the postseason last year before finally getting back.
news.yahoo.comGarland, Mitchell lead Cavs past Lakers to 8th straight win
Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and Darius Garland added 24 in the dynamic Cleveland backcourt’s return from injury absences, and the Cavaliers rolled past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 114-100 for their eighth consecutive victory.
Knicks' Obi Toppin wins dunk contest as others struggle
Obi Toppin won the slam dunk contest, earning a 47 on his final dunk when he needed to do little more than put the ball in the basket after Juan Toscano-Anderson couldn't on his previous try. Toppin, the New York Knicks forward, beat Golden State's Toscano-Anderson in the final round to win the event after finishing second as a rookie. Houston rookie Jalen Green and Orlando guard Cole Anthony failed to advance.
news.yahoo.comMelo shoots Lakers to 3rd win in 4, 113-101 over Cavaliers
Just a handful of games into their first NBA season as teammates, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony sometimes already look like they've been playing together for their entire careers. James scored 26 points, Anthony added 24 while hitting six 3-pointers, and the Lakers snapped the Cleveland Cavaliers' three-game winning streak with a 113-101 victory Friday night. James and Anthony took control down the stretch of the Lakers' third win in four games, with Anthony hitting three 3-pointers to the increasingly raucous cheers of his new fans at Staples Center.
news.yahoo.comUSC shuts down Oregon 82-68 to end 20-year Elite Eight wait
The Trojans (25-7) clipped the high-flying Ducks with their length on the perimeter and 7-footer Evan Mobley in the middle. Oregon and USC have been a big part of the Pac-12's unexpected success in the Circle City. Oregon State and UCLA already advanced, so the showdown between the Ducks and Trojans meant a Pac-12 trio in the Elite Eight. USC had to reach back to the 2006-07 team with Nick Young and Taj Gibson for its last Sweet 16 ride. USC stretched the lead to 20 in the opening 3 1/2 minutes of the second half before the Ducks finally came to life.
Gonzaga, Baylor dominate AP All-America teams
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File)Gonzaga and Baylor spent almost the entire season holding down the top two spots in the Top 25. Makes sense they'd hold down a bunch of spots on The Associated Press All-America teams. The Bulldogs' Corey Kispert and the Bears' Jared Butler led the way with first-team nods Tuesday from the national panel of 63 media members that vote each week in the AP Top 25 poll. Just like the first- and second-team All-Americans, their teams also will be playing in the NCAA Tournament this week. ___AP Basketball Writer John Marshall and AP Sports Writers Michael Marot and Stephen Hawkins contributed to this report.