NEW YORK (AP) — Jared Dudley didn't like the way Joel Embiid has been delivering fouls.Jimmy Butler didn't like the way Dudley tried to show it.They both ended up getting ejected Saturday after their reactions led to a scuffle.Butler and Dudley were thrown out in the third quarter of the Philadelphia 76ers' 112-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets after pushing and shoving that spilled into the stands.Dudley reacted to Embiid's hard foul on Jarrett Allen, bumping the 76ers' All-Star center. Butler then shoved Dudley from behind to start the scrum.Dudley had been inserted into the starting lineup in Game 4 and was agitating the 76ers with his defense and his talking to Ben Simmons."I don't be paying attention to him too much," Butler said. "I just don't think you should run up on anybody like that.""Especially because the foul was actually all ball," Embiid interjected.That's not the way the referees saw it, with crew chief Ed Malloy saying they ruled it a flagrant 1 after a video review because... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Jared Dudley didn't like the way Joel Embiid has been delivering fouls.Jimmy Butler didn't like the way Dudley tried to show it.They both ended up getting ejected Saturday after their reactions led to a scuffle.Butler and Dudley were thrown out in the third quarter of the Philadelphia 76ers' 112-108 victory over the Brooklyn Nets after pushing and shoving that spilled into the stands.Dudley reacted to Embiid's hard foul on Jarrett Allen, bumping the 76ers' All-Star center. Butler then shoved Dudley from behind to start the scrum.Dudley had been inserted into the starting lineup in Game 4 and was agitating the 76ers with his defense and his talking to Ben Simmons."I don't be paying attention to him too much," Butler said. "I just don't think you should run up on anybody like that.""Especially because the foul was actually all ball," Embiid interjected.That's not the way the referees saw it, with crew chief Ed Malloy saying they ruled it a flagrant 1 after a video review because... [More]

Little Caesars Arena in Detroit will finally host its first playoff game — in what is probably the last chance the Pistons have to make their series against Milwaukee competitive."Let's make it hard on them," Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. "Let's make it a home atmosphere, because we need everything."The Milwaukee-Detroit matchup is one of two series shifting sites Saturday. Houston and Utah will also play Game 3 in Salt Lake City. There are a couple Game 4s on tap as well: Philadelphia at Brooklyn, and Denver at San Antonio.The Pistons are in their second season at their new arena, but even after moving downtown, they've had their share of small, dreary crowds — similar to the atmosphere during their final years at The Palace of Auburn Hills. But there's every reason to expect a more charged scene Saturday night. Little Caesars Arena has hosted the NCAA and Horizon League tournaments in basketball, but there have been no home playoff games yet for the Pistons — or for the Red Wings, who... [More]

Little Caesars Arena in Detroit will finally host its first playoff game — in what is probably the last chance the Pistons have to make their series against Milwaukee competitive."Let's make it hard on them," Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. "Let's make it a home atmosphere, because we need everything."The Milwaukee-Detroit matchup is one of two series shifting sites Saturday. Houston and Utah will also play Game 3 in Salt Lake City. There are a couple Game 4s on tap as well: Philadelphia at Brooklyn, and Denver at San Antonio.The Pistons are in their second season at their new arena, but even after moving downtown, they've had their share of small, dreary crowds — similar to the atmosphere during their final years at The Palace of Auburn Hills. But there's every reason to expect a more charged scene Saturday night. Little Caesars Arena has hosted the NCAA and Horizon League tournaments in basketball, but there have been no home playoff games yet for the Pistons — or for the Red Wings, who... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations Tuesday night, citing his desire to return to the simpler life he enjoyed as a wealthy businessman and beloved former player before taking charge of this tempestuous franchise just over two years ago.Johnson didn't tell owner Jeanie Buss or general manager Rob Pelinka about his shocking decision before he announced it in front of reporters about 90 minutes before the final game of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season.Los Angeles, which is missing the NBA playoffs yet again despite the offseason addition of LeBron James, played well after Johnson's announcement, but still lost 104-101 to Portland."I want to go back to having fun," Johnson said, fighting off tears. "I want to go back to being who I was before taking on this job. We're halfway there with LeBron coming (last summer). I think this summer, with that other star coming in, whoever is going to bring him in, I think... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations Tuesday night, citing his desire to return to the simpler life he enjoyed as a wealthy businessman and beloved former player before taking charge of this tempestuous franchise just over two years ago.Johnson didn't tell owner Jeanie Buss or general manager Rob Pelinka about his shocking decision before he announced it in front of reporters about 90 minutes before the final game of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season. Los Angeles was 37-44 heading into its game against Portland, missing the playoffs yet again despite the offseason addition of LeBron James."I want to go back to having fun," Johnson said before fighting off tears. "I want to go back to being who I was before taking on this job. We're halfway there with LeBron coming (last summer). I think this summer, with that other star coming in, whoever is going to bring him in, I think this team is really going to be in... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers' president of basketball operations Tuesday night, citing his desire to return to the simpler life he enjoyed as a wealthy businessman and beloved former player before taking charge of this tempestuous franchise just over two years ago.Johnson didn't tell owner Jeanie Buss or general manager Rob Pelinka about his shocking decision before he announced it in front of reporters about 90 minutes before the final game of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season. Los Angeles was 37-44 heading into its game against Portland, missing the playoffs yet again despite the offseason addition of LeBron James."I want to go back to having fun," Johnson said before fighting off tears. "I want to go back to being who I was before taking on this job. We're halfway there with LeBron coming (last summer). I think this summer, with that other star coming in, whoever is going to bring him in, I think this team is really going to be in... [More]

Pascal Siakam confidently launches shots he may not have dared attempt in previous seasons. He makes plays during times of the game when he would have been sitting on the bench.The Toronto Raptors forward might be the leading candidate for the most improved player award and he'd like to win it. But he's already received recognition that means more to him.Fellow players have noticed how much work he's put in and how much it has paid off this season. The acknowledgement from All-Stars such as Paul George and Bradley Beal shows that Siakam's giant leap has caught the attention of more than just the media panel that votes for the NBA awards."I just enjoy sometimes after the games, guys coming up to me and showing respect for me. That's the most important thing," Siakam said. "Like, I don't care about the rest. I think when your peers respect your game and respect the fact that they've seen you work, I think that's more important."There's a lot for them to have noticed, including:— Siakam's... [More]

Take a look at the five highest-scoring seasons in NBA history.— Wilt Chamberlain scored 4,029 points in 1961-62.— Chamberlain scored 3,586 in 1962-63.— Michael Jordan scored 3,041 points in 1986-87.— Chamberlain scored 3,033 in 1960-61.— Chamberlain scored 2,948 points in 1963-64.There they are. The five best seasons in terms of points that the NBA has ever seen. And those five seasons all have something in common — when they were over, someone not named Chamberlain or Jordan was the MVP.What James Harden did this season for the Houston Rockets was scintillating. He scored 50 or more points nine times. He scored 61 twice. He scored at least 30 points in 32 consecutive games, a stretch that lasted more than two months. He will finish this season with the seventh-highest scoring average in NBA history and win the scoring title by more than 8 points per game — a ridiculous margin.He wins Most Voluminous Points.But maybe not the Most Valuable Player.There are some tremendous individual races... [More]

In this era of players wanting to join up with other players, or even just being friendlier with some opponents than guys on their own teams, it's nice to know there is still some good, old-fashioned hatred in the NBA.Yes, Joel Embiid hates the Celtics.He hates Boston so much that he got fined $25,000 last time the 76ers played them because he was so sick of losing to the Atlantic Division foes that he lost his cool afterward.On Wednesday, he gets his last chance during this regular season to beat Boston.The 76ers host the Celtics, who knocked them out of the playoffs last season, spoiled their opening game in this one, and then ruined their Christmas with another nationally televised victory.A long-time rivalry that delivered a famous fight between Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Julius Erving has become so one-sided that Embiid declared earlier this season that it wasn't even a rivalry anymore, because the Celtics always win.Boston has won 17 of the last 19 regular-season meetings, the... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — D'Angelo Russell stood high above Times Square, a spot where stars are showcased in New York.He was front and center on a billboard celebrating the Nets' midseason success, pictured with three teammates who joined him in Charlotte for the NBA's All-Star festivities."Brooklyn is having an All-Star weekend," it read.Russell hopes it will turn into a playoff season.Brooklyn heads into the stretch run in good position for the first postseason berth of his career, sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference when play resumes Thursday."I think we're in a great position right now," Russell said.And after some tough times, so is Russell.The point guard Magic Johnson didn't want has become the floor leader the Nets need, raising his level of play after injuries to Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie and Allen Crabbe left them severely short-handed in the backcourt.Russell had 36 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the final game before the break, a 148-139 triple-overtime... [More]

LeBron James finally has Anthony Davis as a teammate.For one game.His Los Angeles Lakers were unable to swing a deal for Davis, but James drafted the New Orleans Pelicans star on Thursday when he and fellow captain Giannis Antetokounmpo sat down to choose their teams for the Feb. 17 All-Star Game in Charlotte.Davis told the Pelicans he wanted a trade, and James has made it clear that he'd love to play with him. But the Pelicans kept Davis as the trade deadline passed, so for now, their time as teammates will be limited to All-Star weekend and James pounced at the chance to grab him with the second pick of the reserve round."I'm very sure of that," James said, when asked by TNT host Ernie Johnson if he was sure he wanted Davis as a teammate."Isn't that tampering?" Antetokounmpo asked.Responded James, as both players laughed: "Tampering rules do not apply on All-Star weekend," a thinly veiled reference to the reaction James got when he listed Davis as one of many players he would like the... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Miami's Dwyane Wade are both NBA champions, NBA Finals MVPs and longtime ambassadors for the game of basketball.And now, one more time, they're All-Stars.By special order of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Wade and Nowitzki were added Friday to the pool of players for the All-Star Game that will be played in Charlotte on Feb. 17. Each team will now have 13 players instead of the customary 12, and LeBron James — one of the captains — will be the one who decides which side Wade and Nowitzki will be joining.Wade said he reached out to Silver to thank him for the gesture."I appreciated my fans for voting for me, but I didn't want to be put in position to take a roster spot from someone who's getting their first opportunity to go to the All-Star Game or their second or third," Wade said. "I've had 12 chances at it. For the commissioner to create that opportunity for Dirk and myself, it's cool. I appreciate it more getting in this way, so I'll be there."Silver,... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Miami's Dwyane Wade are both NBA champions, NBA Finals MVPs and longtime ambassadors for the game of basketball.And now, one more time, they're All-Stars.By special order of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Wade and Nowitzki were added Friday to the pool of players for the All-Star Game that will be played in Charlotte on Feb. 17. Each team will now have 13 players instead of the customary 12, and LeBron James — one of the captains — will be the one who decides which side Wade and Nowitzki will be joining."Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade embody the best of the NBA: remarkable skill, drive and professionalism as well as a deep devotion to strengthening their communities and growing the game around the world," Silver said. "As a global celebration of basketball, our All-Star Game is an ideal setting to salute these first-class NBA champions and Finals MVPs."Also Friday, Silver announced that Brooklyn's D'Angelo Russell will make his All-Star debut. Russell... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Miami's Dwyane Wade are both NBA champions, NBA Finals MVPs and longtime ambassadors for the game of basketball.And now, one more time, they're All-Stars.By special order of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Wade and Nowitzki were added Friday to the pool of players for the All-Star Game that will be played in Charlotte on Feb. 17. Each team will now have 13 players instead of the customary 12, and LeBron James — one of the captains — will be the one who decides which side Wade and Nowitzki will be joining."Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade embody the best of the NBA: remarkable skill, drive and professionalism as well as a deep devotion to strengthening their communities and growing the game around the world," Silver said. "As a global celebration of basketball, our All-Star Game is an ideal setting to salute these first-class NBA champions and Finals MVPs."Also Friday, Silver announced that Brooklyn's D'Angelo Russell will make his All-Star debut. Russell... [More]

New Orleans has an All-Star for the sixth straight year.That is, unless he gets traded first.Pelicans standout Anthony Davis — only three days removed from having his trade request made known publicly — was one of the 14 players announced Thursday as reserves for the All-Star Game in Charlotte. Davis wants to be swapped out of New Orleans by the Feb. 7 trade deadline, so it remains unclear if his uniform for the All-Star contest on Feb. 17 will bear a Pelicans logo or not.It's the sixth consecutive All-Star nod for Davis. The Pelicans aren't sure if he'll play for them again, though there's also no guarantee that he gets traded by next week either."That's something that will obviously have to be discussed about what's best for him and what's best for our team," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.The other Western Conference reserves were Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, Denver's Nikola Jokic, Portland's Damian Lillard, Golden State's Klay Thompson, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Minnesota's... [More]

New Orleans has an All-Star for the sixth straight year.That is, unless he gets traded first.Pelicans standout Anthony Davis — only three days removed from having his trade request made known publicly — was one of the 14 players announced Thursday as reserves for the All-Star Game in Charlotte. Davis wants to be swapped out of New Orleans by the Feb. 7 trade deadline, so it remains unclear if his uniform for the All-Star contest on Feb. 17 will bear a Pelicans logo or not.It's the sixth consecutive All-Star nod for Davis. The Pelicans aren't sure if he'll play for them again, though there's also no guarantee that he gets traded by next week either."That's something that will obviously have to be discussed about what's best for him and what's best for our team," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.The other Western Conference reserves were Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook, Denver's Nikola Jokic, Portland's Damian Lillard, Golden State's Klay Thompson, San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge and Minnesota's... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — All the makings of another lost season in Brooklyn were there.The Nets had lost their leading scorer and then eight straight games. Talk of tanking was growing louder.Just two weeks ago, a lottery appearance seemed a certainty.Maybe the Nets are headed to the playoffs instead.An out-of-nowhere turnaround that started when they stunned the top team in the league and really gained attention when they beat LeBron James and the Lakers has given the Nets seven consecutive wins, the longest current streak in the league and matching their best run since moving to Brooklyn six years ago.Ten games under .500 when they took the floor to host league-leading Toronto on Dec. 7, the Nets (15-18) have risen within a half-game of eighth place and the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference."It's really encouraging," center Jarrett Allen said. "It's showing all the hard work we put in during the summer is now paying off."Allen authored the signature highlight during the streak when... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — There was no big celebration for Spencer Dinwiddie when he signed a contract extension with Brooklyn that guarantees a paycheck in an NBA where he once couldn't even hold a job.Outside of the satisfaction of knowing his parents can retire, Dinwiddie said nothing really changed."Other than that, basketball-wise we're not where we want to be, so we've got to continue to push and go forward," he said Friday. "We're trying to make the playoffs and we're trying to win championships in the future. That's what I signed on to be a part of and I'm also trying to push my limits individually and hopefully that helps the ballclub as much as it possibly can."The Nets are counting on it.They signed the 6-foot-6 guard to a three-year extension worth about $34 million, rewarding Dinwiddie for his rise from the NBA G League to one of the league's top sixth men this season who scored a career-high 39 points in his previous outing.Nets leadership believes there's more to come."We want more.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — There was no big celebration for Spencer Dinwiddie when he signed a contract extension with Brooklyn that guarantees a paycheck in an NBA where he once couldn't even hold a job.Outside of the satisfaction of knowing his parents can retire, Dinwiddie said nothing really changed."Other than that, basketball-wise we're not where we want to be, so we've got to continue to push and go forward," he said Friday. "We're trying to make the playoffs and we're trying to win championships in the future. That's what I signed on to be a part of and I'm also trying to push my limits individually and hopefully that helps the ballclub as much as it possibly can."The Nets are counting on it.They signed the 6-foot-6 guard to a three-year extension worth about $34 million, rewarding Dinwiddie for his rise from the NBA G League to one of the league's top sixth men this season who scored a career-high 39 points in his last outing.Nets leadership believes there's more to come."We want more. I... [More]