INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Oladipo spent 12 months working, wondering and watching. He strengthened his body, his mind, his injured right knee and promised to return a better player.Now, he's finally healthy enough to start proving it.The All-Star guard expects to make his long-anticipated season debut Wednesday when the Indiana Pacers host Chicago.“I don't expect to do anything out there miraculous, I just expect to play basketball to the best of my ability,” he said Tuesday. “I know I'll get better as time goes on and I've got to be patient with my body and patient with the game. But I'm a competitor. I know it isn't going to be easy."Oladipo probably knew that much the moment he couldn't get up after crashing to the floor late in the first half of last January's game against Toronto. He left the court on a stretcher amid a crescendo of cheers from his adoring fans.Players around the league quickly took to social media to offer their encouragement, too.The next day, team officials announced... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Miami's Jimmy Butler was fined $35,000 and Indiana's T.J. Warren $25,000 by the NBA on Friday, two days after their altercation in the Heat's victory in Indianapolis.The NBA noted that Butler escalated the situation on social media after the game. Warren made an obscene gesture after his ejection.Warren grabbed Butler by the left arm and spun him around as Butler went for a potential layup with 6:29 remaining in the third quarter. They chest-bumped and were separated by referees. Both players received technical fouls.Seven seconds later, Butler was called for an offensive foul for putting his shoulder into Warren's chest. It was upgraded to a Flagrant Foul 1 upon league review. Warren was ejected after getting his second technical foul for taunting after applauding the call.As Warren left the court, Butler blew kisses in his direction.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo said Wednesday he hopes to return to game action Jan. 29 against the Chicago Bulls.At least that's the tentative plan.It's the first time since Oladipo sustained a season-ending knee injury last January that the team or the two-time All-Star has established a specific date.And though Oladipo acknowledges nothing is definite, he's confident he will be able to play against the Bulls.The two-time All-Star has spent nearly a year working his way back from a ruptured quad tendon that required season-ending surgery and an extensive rehab program. He's been working out with the team since training camp last fall.Indiana expects Oladipo to bring scoring and energy to a lineup that has played better than aniticipated without its star player.President of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard spent the offseason rebuilding the Pacers roster to compensate for what was expected to be a prolonged absence. He acquired guard Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with Milwaukee, small forward T.J. Warren from Phoenix, and added free-agent guards Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday.All four have played key roles for a team that started the night sixth in the Eastern Conference.Oladipo was averaging 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.7 steals when he was injured.___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Even when producing the most first-half points of his career, Trae Young didn't carry the load alone for the Atlanta Hawks.Young's backcourt partner, Kevin Huerter, also enjoyed a memorable night.Young scored 30 of his 41 points in the first half, Huerter added a season-high 26 points and the Hawks recovered after blowing a 22-point lead to beat the Indiana Pacers 116-111 on Saturday night.Huerter scored 12 points in the third quarter, helping Atlanta keep pace in a game with 14 lead changes.“We had a couple guys out again tonight and a couple guys just weren't shooting very well,” Huerter said. “I was just trying to stay aggressive. I knew I made a couple shots and was feeling pretty good. We ran a lot of sets for me.”Young and Huerter combined to make nine 3-point shots. The Hawks, who have the NBA's worst record, improved to only 4-12 in home games.The Hawks started strong offensively, scoring 43 points in the first quarter. Defensive problems have helped keep Atlanta... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young scored 30 of his 41 points in the first half, Kevin Huerter added a season-high 26 points and the Atlanta Hawks recovered after blowing a 22-point lead to beat the Indiana Pacers 116-111 on Saturday night.Young and Huerter combined to make nine 3-point shots. The Hawks, who have the NBA's worst record, improved to only 4-12 in home games.Atlanta led by just two points before Young's drive and layup pushed the lead to 113-109. Young, defended by T.J. Warren, lost possession of his dribble out of bounds with 24.8 seconds remaining. A review confirmed the officials' call that possession belonged to the Hawks, but Vince Carter's air ball with the shot clock on the verge of expiring gave the Pacers another chance.Warren made only one of two free throws after he was fouled with 4.5 seconds remaining. Young made just the second of his two free throws for a 114-111 lead, but was fouled again and this time sank both attempts to clinch the win.Domantas Sabonis had 25 points... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers have signed power forward Domantas Sabonis to a four-year contract extension.Team officials completed the deal Monday, less than two hours before an NBA deadline would have allowed players with rookie contracts to become restricted free agents next summer.The Pacers did not announce financial terms of the deal though ESPN.com first reported it was worth $77 million in guaranteed money and Sabonis could make as much as $85 million with bonuses.A message was left by The Associated Press with Sabonis' agent, Greg Lawrence."I'm very excited to remain with the Pacers, this is where I wanted to be," Sabonis said in a statement. "I appreciate the organization showing their confidence in me, and I'm ready to be part of what's going to be a great year for our team."It's dramatic turnabout from last weekend when reports surfaced Sabonis soon could be on the trading block.But now the Pacers have four of this season's projected starters under contract through... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Oladipo spends most of his summers playing basketball and working on skills.Over the past few months, he's been working on his mind.The Indiana Pacers' two-time All-Star believes it will make him a stronger player when he returns from a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee."Rehab is pretty strategic," Oladipo said Friday at the team's annual media day. "But the mind is another muscle that you need to work on and so that's what I'm trying to do because that can help with the healing process and the overall process."While neither Oladipo nor team officials have established a target date for his return, president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said in June he was hopeful Oladipo could be playing again by December or January. Center Myles Turners, last season's league champion in blocked shots, believes Oladipo could be back even sooner."I just know how Vic's wired," Turner said. "He's been attacking the whole process. He's already doing stuff on the court.... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Robin Lopez scored 24 points to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Phoenix Suns 116-101 on Monday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.Zach LaVine had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Lauri Markkanen added 17 points and nine boards for Chicago. Lopez shot 11 for 14 from the field as the Bulls were 52 percent (46 for 89).Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Devin Booker also scored 25 for Phoenix, which has lost three of four after a 5-2 stretch.The Suns played without one of their top scorers and main contributors to their recent run of improved basketball, as Kelly Oubre Jr. missed the game with a left thumb sprain. Guard Tyler Johnson did not play due to a sore knee, missing his third straight game, and forward T.J. Warren hasn't played since Jan. 22 due to an ankle injury. Backup center Richaun Holmes also sat out with a quadriceps strain, his second straight game missed.Lopez hit four different types of hook shots in the first quarter, helping... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Robin Lopez scored 24 points to help the Chicago Bulls beat the Phoenix Suns 116-101 on Monday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.Zach LaVine had 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Lauri Markkanen added 17 points and nine boards for Chicago. Lopez shot 11 for 14 from the field as the Bulls were 52 percent (46 for 89).Deandre Ayton had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and Devin Booker also scored 25 for Phoenix, which has lost three of four after a 5-2 stretch.The Suns played without one of their top scorers and main contributors to their recent run of improved basketball, as Kelly Oubre Jr. Oubre missed the game with a left thumb sprain. Guard Tyler Johnson did not play due to a sore knee, missing his third straight game, and forward T.J. Warren hasn't played since Jan. 22 due to an ankle injury. Backup center Richaun Holmes also sat out with a quadriceps strain, his second straight game missed.Lopez hit four different types of hook shots in the first quarter,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Phoenix Suns forward T.J. Warren has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for directing inappropriate language toward an official following his ejection from a game.The fine was handed down Wednesday by league discipline executive Kiki VanDeWeghe.The incident occurred with 1:44 remaining in the second quarter of the Suns' 123-119 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.In his first game back after missing five with an ankle injury, Warren had just been ejected for drawing back-to-back technical fouls.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) — Suns guard Devin Booker was sidelined for Friday night's game against the Orlando Magic because of a left toe injury.Booker is the Suns' leading scorer at 24.5 points per game. His seven assists per game also leads the team.Phoenix was also without forward T.J. Warren, who is out with right ankle soreness. Warren's 17.7 points per game are second-highest on the team.Rookie Elie Okobo was starting in place of Booker, and second-year forward Josh Jackson replaced Warren.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) — The Phoenix Suns have made a host of roster moves for what they expect to be a vastly improved season ahead."I feel like we checked most of the boxes on our to-do list this summer," general manager Ryan McDonough said at the team's media day Monday. "We have more shooting. We have potentially a better defensive team. And we have a lot of veteran guys to teach our young guys how to win and help them win."But one glaring question remains. Just who is the point guard?There is no experienced point guard among the 17 players who head north for the Suns' weeklong training camp at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff."I figured that would be the first question," McDonough said. "We're young there. We're inexperienced there."The team has four point guards, including rookies Elie Okobo and De'Anthony Melton. The veterans are Isaiah Canaan, who was playing well for Phoenix until a gruesome leg injury ended his season, and Shaquille Harrison.A trade remains a possibility."We don't... [More]

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 34 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers outlasted the Chicago Bulls 115-112 on Thursday night.Kevin Love added 27 points and seven rebounds for Cleveland, which doesn't play again until their NBA Finals rematch with Golden State on Christmas. They've won 19 of 21 games and have scored at least 100 points in 26 straight.Chicago, led by Lauri Markkanen's 25 points, had a seven-game win streak halted. There were 24 lead changes by the end of the third quarter and 26 in the game. James scored 11 in the fourth quarter, and his two free throws with 11.1 seconds left put the Cavaliers ahead by three.Raptors 114, 76ers 109PHILADELPHIA -- DeMar DeRozan scored a career-high 45 points, including five in a pivotal 10-2 flurry late in the game, as Toronto rallied for a victory over short-handed Philadelphia.DeRozan was 6 of 9 on 3-point attempts. His six triples were a career high.Kyle Lowry added 23 points for the Raptors, who erased a 22-point third-quarter deficit to... [More]

PHILADELPHIA -- Eric Gordon nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner at the buzzer as the Houston Rockets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 105-104 on Wednesday night.Gordon notched 29 points to lead Houston, which scored the last nine points. James Harden added 27 points and 13 assists for the Rockets, and Clint Capela contributed 16 points, a career-high 20 rebounds and four blocked shots.J.J. Redick poured in 22 points to pace Philadelphia, which did not score in the final 3:05. Joel Embiid added 21 points, and Robert Covington chipped in 20 for the 76ers.Nets 112, Cavaliers 107NEW YORK -- Spencer Dinwiddie scored a career-high 22 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 43 seconds remaining as Brooklyn overcame a triple-double by LeBron James to defeat Cleveland.Dinwiddie made his 20th career start and first in place of D'Angelo Russell (right knee sprain). He shot 7-for-13, with his biggest basket coming after the Nets blew a 12-point lead. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Crabbe added... [More]

Warren averaged 18.7 points, 1.3 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 30 minutes per game through seven Summer League games.

Despite falling short to San Antonio in the championship, Warren was dominant in Summer League play. With the departure of Marcus Morris, Warren should receive more playing time come the regular season, and appears ready for an expanded role. Heading into his sophomore year, Warren is intriguing in deeper leagues, and potentially in standard leagues as well. He isn't projected to be a starter at this time, but will rotate in frequently at the forward positions as a spark off the bench.

Warren suffered and played through a strained hamstring on Sunday in the Suns' 93-87 win over the Pelicans' summer league team, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Warren entered the game averaging 22.4 points per game, the second-most in Las Vegas. Hampered by the hamstring, Warren scored a team-low two points in 21 minutes on the same day he was named to the All-NBA Summer League First Team. His availability for Monday's championship game has yet to be determined.

Warren averaged 6.1 points, 0.6 assists, 2.1 rebounds, 0.5 steals and 0.2 blocks in 15 minutes per game for 40 regular season games in 2014-15.

During the first part of his rookie year, Warren bounced back and forth between the Suns' lineup and the D-League affiliate team in Bakersfield. After proving himself in D-League play, the 21-year-old forward earned a permanent spot on the Suns after the All-Star break. In 24 games (following the break), he averaged 7.8 points, 0.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 20 minutes per game. Heading into the 2015-16 season, if Warren can keep improving his game, then he may show up on the fantasy radar.

Warren made his first career start Tuesday against the Clippers. In 43 minutes on the floor, Warren had 10 points (5-12 FG), six assists, and three rebounds.

The rookie out of NC State played in 20 out of Phoenix's final 22 games. His playing time ramped up towards the end of the season, averaging 25.7 minutes per game in April. Warren shot 44 percent from the floor in seven April contests and scored in double figures three times.

Warren will get his first start in the NBA in the final game of the Suns' season Tuesday, ArizonaSports.com's Craig Grialou reports.

With Marcus Morris out, along with half the team, Warren will play in what amounts to a meaningless game for the Suns on Tuesday. He was a prolific scorer in college and has shown flashes of that ability in his rookie season. Look for him to be a bigger part of Phoenix's rotation in 2015-16.

Warren scored 17 points (8-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT) Tuesday off the bench in a loss to the Warriors in addition to picking up five rebounds and two assists in 28 minutes.

Warren has now scored in double figures i nthree straight games after a six-game stretch in late March when he didn't score more than eight in an outing. In his past three games, Warren has a combined three blocks, three steals and 11 rebounds and is shooting just under 71 percent from the floor.