The 2023 NBA playoffs are more than nine months away, and one thing is already clear.
There will be chaos.
The Minnesota Timberwolves grabbed a megaphone and announced that to the world when they traded multiple players and several first-round picks — one of them in 2029, which means that youngster is currently 12 and probably can’t dunk yet — to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Riding the momentum of a return to the NBA playoffs, the leaders of the Minnesota Timberwolves are determined to further elevate a franchise long mired among the dregs of the league.
If you're looking for some excitement, forget about the NBA playoffs.
They've been a total snooze, filled with blowouts and only a handful of must-see moments.
The lack of drama has been especially striking when compared to the NHL postseason, which has produced one thrill after another.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the NBA playoffs take the TV court even the most popular shows find the competition daunting.
Last week's No. 1 program was the Golden State-Dallas conference finals matchup in which the Warriors extended their winning streak to three out of three.
DALLAS (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Andrew Wiggins added 27 while posterizing Luka Doncic on a dunk and the Golden State Warriors beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-100 Sunday night for a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals.
Jason Kidd has been here before in his first season as coach of the Mavericks, down 1-0 in a third consecutive NBA playoff series.
The Bay Area native is looking for another bounce-back from Luka Doncic and company in his first trip to the conference finals as a coach, which just happened to start in San Francisco.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee police on Sunday were investigating three separate overnight shootings in which a 17-year-old boy and two men in their 20s died.
Downtown Milwaukee will be under a limited curfew for the rest of the weekend and a massive watch party scheduled for Sunday has been called off after 21 people were injured in three separate shootings near an entertainment district where thousands gathered for an NBA playoff game.
PHOENIX (AP) — The NBA's long regular season can be tedious, but make no mistake, it matters.
Just ask the Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns — two teams who have home-court advantage in Game 7 of their respective second-round NBA playoff series on Sunday thanks to superior regular-season records.
BOSTON (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are still alive in the NBA playoffs, but star Giannis Antetokounmpo is already joking about his plans for next year.
LONDON (AP) — Maybe it’s the ćevapi, or the souvlaki, or the mbanga soup.
Whatever it is, there’s no denying the tinge of international flavor when it comes to the NBA elite with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic winning the league’s MVP award for a second straight season Wednesday.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis All-Star guard Ja Morant is doubtful for the remainder of the NBA postseason after an MRI and further evaluation revealed a bone bruise in his injured right knee.
The Grizzlies said they expect him to make a full recovery.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The quirks of scheduling for the NBA playoffs created three-day breaks between games in the Boston-Milwaukee and Memphis-Golden State series.
In this case, the teams don’t mind the delays too much.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets have begun their search for a head coach, requesting permission to interview several candidates for the opening, said a person familiar with the situation.
DENVER (AP) — Michael Malone says the Denver Nuggets realize they won't transform into NBA title contenders simply by getting Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back on the court.
Denver's coach said Wednesday the Nuggets need to vastly improve on defense, whether that's through attitude adjustments or player acquisitions.
PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat are top seeds in the NBA playoffs and at the moment they look like it, coming off impressive performances.
Both have a chance to take 2-0 leads in their respective series on Wednesday and are strong favorites to get it done, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Chris Paul is still looking for his perfect ending.
A perfect entry to Round 2 will have to suffice for now.
Paul and the Phoenix Suns — the team with the best record in the NBA this season — have moved on to the Western Conference semifinals, where a matchup with fourth-seeded Dallas awaits.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Chris Paul went 14 for 14 in the best shooting night in NBA playoff history, Devin Booker returned from a hamstring injury to hit a late 3-pointer and the Phoenix Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109 on Thursday night to finish off the first-round series in six games.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Chris Paul has accomplished so many things in his 17 NBA seasons that it’s nearly impossible to rank his Mount Rushmore moments.
Short of a title, perfection, however, might be hard to beat.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 16 of his 30 points in the third quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Phoenix Suns — playing without injured star Devin Booker — 118-103 in Game 4 on Sunday night to tie the first-round series.
DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets aren't fazed.
They realize no team has ever won four elimination games in a single postseason series. They also know they're the only team in league history to overcome back-to-back 3-1 playoff deficits.
TORONTO (AP) — It was a thumbs down day for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, who couldn’t complete a first-round sweep of the Toronto Raptors.
Pascal Siakam scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, Gary Trent Jr.
ATLANTA (AP) — The NBA playoff game between the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks was delayed Friday night after a suspicious package was found outside State Farm Arena.
The tipoff was pushed back nearly an hour while police investigated the package.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA playoffs have begun with no clear championship favorite, and that appears to be good news for ABC and ESPN.
The opening-round schedule of five games last weekend on the networks had more viewers than any playoff start since 2011, and its average of 4.17 million was up 32% over last year, the Nielsen company said.
Duncan Robinson made eight 3-pointers for Miami. Jonas Valanciunas grabbed 25 rebounds for New Orleans. Anthony Edwards scored 36 points for Minnesota in his playoff debut. Phoenix’s Chris Paul became the oldest player in postseason history with a 30-point, 10-assist game.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Anthony Edwards is sharing the NBA’s brightest lights with one of the league’s most talked about young stars in Ja Morant.
And Edwards has stepped boldly into the playoff spotlight.
PHOENIX (AP) — Willie Green's time as an assistant coach with the Phoenix Suns taught him that quick improvement can happen with the right mix of talent, desire and steady leadership.
Zach LaVine has an Olympic gold medal. What he doesn’t have is NBA playoff experience.
At last, that part is about to change.
No active NBA player has been in more regular-season games without making his playoff debut than LaVine, who has appeared in 478 games with the Chicago Bulls.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in a play-in Friday night and earn the No.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo acknowledges there is pressure in the NBA playoffs and after the winning the first title, “your mind wants to win a second time or a third time.”
A rested and rehabbed Ja Morant is all set for the NBA playoffs, and the All-Star guard has the talented Memphis Grizzlies believing they're ready to make a deep postseason run.
Morant sat out the regular-season finale on Sunday, but returned the night before after missing nine games with a sore right knee.
DENVER (AP) — Chris Paul was eager to rejoin his teammates who were having all the fun even if that meant playing his first game in five weeks at altitude.
Paul returned from a broken right wrist that sidelined him since the All-Star break to help the Phoenix Suns win their seventh straight game and wrap up the top seed in the NBA playoffs with a 140-130 victory over Denver on Thursday night.
DENVER (AP) — Chris Paul returned from a broken right wrist to help the Phoenix Suns wrap up the top seed in the NBA playoffs with a 140-130 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
Devin Booker led Phoenix with a season-high 49 points and Paul had 17 points — 15 of them after halftime — and 13 assists in the Suns’ seventh straight victory.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Evan Mobley doesn’t look like he’s in his first NBA playoff race.
The 20-year-old rookie scored a season-high 30 points and Darius Garland had 24 points and 13 assists, sending the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 120-111 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks are aiming for a top-six spot in the NBA playoffs, knowing a repeat of their pace before the All-Star break won’t be close to good enough.
One year after advancing to the Eastern Conference finals, the Hawks feel a sense of urgency to improve their play in the final 24 games of the regular season.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The future of power forward Zion Williamson and the trajectory of the New Orleans Pelicans will be prominent, interwoven subplots throughout this NBA season.
It’s Year 3 for Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin and his overhaul of the franchise.
ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young was back at Madison Square Garden.
Once again, he played the heel.
Atlanta's star guard made a surprise appearance at "WWE Friday Night SmackDown," returning to the arena where he led the Hawks to an NBA playoff victory over the New York Knicks.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The annual Oklahoma FFA convention is moving to Tulsa after 15 years in Oklahoma City because Oklahoma City officials could not provide a long-term guarantee to the FFA for the space needed in late April each year.
Khris Middleton ordinarily wouldn’t be thinking about anything right now other than what the Milwaukee Bucks are trying to accomplish in the NBA playoffs.
An invitation to play in the Olympics, that’s not ordinary.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Trae Young and the inexperienced Atlanta Hawks seemingly aren’t feeling the pressure of NBA playoff basketball.
They are loose and confident. The Hawks don't get rattled. They are 4-0 in postseason games decided by three points or less and 6-1 when the margin is seven points or below.