PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Rajon Rondo is healthy and he's locked in.That's good news for the New Orleans Pelicans, not so much for the Portland Trail Blazers. When Rondo is locked in during the postseason, the 6-foot-1 guard who won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics has shown he can be a tough out.Over the course of his career, Rondo has averaged 10.5 points, 8.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds. Comparatively in the playoffs, he has averaged 14.3 points, 9.2 assists and six rebounds per game.Not that he is buying into the Playoff Rondo hype, however."There's a lot of factors into that. I don't think you can break it down as simple as one or two things," Rondo said after practice Monday. "The interview would probably be too long for me to break it down completely. It's a matter of me being healthy, minutes, my teammates trusting me, my coaching staff trusting me."I think we, as a team, we're playing pretty good under pressure."They are indeed.Rondo dished out 17 assists in Game 1 of the series,... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — They've spent the entire season on the fringe, virtually ignored by all but the most savvy fans and NBA insiders.They don't have any household names or any superstars on their roster, just one All-Star and a role player best known for foolish on-court antics.But as the Indiana Pacers strolled quietly into practice on Monday at Quicken Loans Arena, a building they silenced less than 24 hours earlier with an eye-catching playoff win in Game 1 over the Cavaliers, there was something unmistakable about them.They're confident — and they're no longer a secret."People didn't expect us to do this well," Pacers forward Thaddeus Young said, leaning back in a cushioned chair at the end of Indiana's bench. "We like that. That's what kind of drives our motor a little bit, being overlooked and no one expecting us to do what we're currently doing."The Pacers were the better team — by far — on Sunday, leading from tip to final horn in a 98-80 victory over Cleveland that snapped a 21-game... [More]

The Portland Trail Blazers fought their way through a pressure-packed playoff race to earn home-court advantage in a series, then lost it in one game.The Toronto Raptors know that problem all too well, so they want to take advantage of playing from ahead for a change.They try for their first 2-0 playoff series lead ever Tuesday night against Washington, while the Trail Blazers try to even things up in against the New Orleans Pelicans.Boston and Milwaukee play the other Game 2 on Tuesday after the Celtics pulled out a 113-107 overtime victory on Sunday.The No. 3 Trail Blazers were the highest-seeded team to lose so far, falling 97-95 on Saturday. Anthony Davis was dominant, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum were slow-starting, and the Pelicans got a couple big defensive plays down the stretch from Jrue Holiday to hold on after the Blazers nearly came back from a 19-point deficit."I think it puts some pressure on us," Lillard said. "You know, you come in with home court, the first two games... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has a left foot bruise and his status is uncertain for Game 2 of the Western Conference playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.Mitchell left Oklahoma City's 116-108 win Game 1 on Sunday after stubbing his toe in the third quarter, and he played sporadically the rest of the way. A team spokesman said Mitchell had an MRI on Monday, and the team will provide a status update on Tuesday. When asked if he was concerned about missing Game 2 on Wednesday, Mitchell said, "Not at all.""I can walk," he said. "I think tomorrow will be the deciding factor, but I feel fine. I feel fine right now."Mitchell is one of the league's top rookies. He averaged 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists during the regular season. He had 27 points and 10 rebounds in Game 1.Mitchell did not try to run on the foot on Monday, saying there was no need to. He said he expects to be able to help the Jazz bounce back."We were stagnant," he said. "The ball... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Thunder guard Corey Brewer will start Sunday's playoff opener against the Utah Jazz after spraining his right knee during Oklahoma City's regular-season finale against Memphis on Wednesday.Thunder coach Billy Donovan made the announcement during his pregame media availability.Brewer didn't practice Friday and was limited Saturday.The Thunder added the 32-year-old Brewer after the All-Star break to fill the void left when Andre Roberson was knocked out for the season with a ruptured left patellar tendon. Brewer started 16 of 18 games with the Thunder and posted averages of 10.1 points and 2.1 steals per game. Oklahoma City is 11-5 with him as a starter.Thunder shooting guard Alex Abrines is available after being in concussion protocol. He was injured during a win over the Miami Heat on Monday and didn't play against Memphis on Wednesday.

Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra have copious amounts of championship jewelry in their possessions, and their teams committing to the level of defense necessary to win in the postseason is a major reason why that's the case.Vastly improved defense will be what both coaches demand — or at least hope for — on Monday.Popovich's San Antonio Spurs just didn't have enough answers for Golden State in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, and Spoelstra's Miami Heat offered Philadelphia absolutely no resistance in a second-half meltdown that opened their Eastern Conference series. The Warriors and 76ers are both looking to take 2-0 leads when those matchups resume on their respective home floors."We understand that we are not favorites," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We are underdogs. We talked about it, and to get a win here, we've got to overachieve. We've got to do better than we think we can do, even. So we'll fight as hard as we can in Game 2."That will have to be a mantra for both... [More]

Gregg Popovich and Erik Spoelstra have copious amounts of championship jewelry in their possessions, and their teams committing to the level of defense necessary to win in the postseason is a major reason why that's the case.Vastly improved defense will be what both coaches demand — or at least hope for — on Monday.Popovich's San Antonio Spurs just didn't have enough answers for Golden State in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, and Spoelstra's Miami Heat offered Philadelphia absolutely no resistance in a second-half meltdown that opened their Eastern Conference series. The Warriors and 76ers are both looking to take 2-0 leads when those matchups resume on their respective home floors."We understand that we are not favorites," San Antonio's Manu Ginobili said. "We are underdogs. We talked about it, and to get a win here, we've got to overachieve. We've got to do better than we think we can do, even. So we'll fight as hard as we can in Game 2."That will have to be a mantra for both... [More]

HOUSTON (AP) — So far the trade for Chris Paul to give the Houston Rockets another superstar to help James Harden has worked famously.Now the two, who have both had their fair share of playoff disappointments, will try to carry their regular-season success into the postseason when the Rockets open a first-round series with Minnesota on Sunday night.The guards have been effusive in their praise for one another, with Harden recently joking that his relationship with the nine-time All-Star was "love at first sight." Paul didn't go quite that far, but a huge smile crossed his often serious face when asked how their pairing has worked."Unbelievable," he said. "You just (don't) get this opportunity too often in a career to play with somebody like James ... you get a chance to appreciate greatness."What he's doing on a nightly basis and stuff like that, it's crazy and I'm in awe," Paul continued. "I'm grateful I get to play alongside him."When told of what Paul said about him, Harden was quick... [More]

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — LeBron James has mastered the first-round knockout.Better protect those chins, Pacers.One of the most dominant postseason players in NBA history, James is undefeated in Game 1 of any opening series, a perfect 12-0 since making his playoff debut with the Cavaliers back in 2006.James is a ridiculous 48-7 overall in the first round with seven sweeps, and his teams in Miami and Cleveland have ripped off 21 consecutive opening-round victories, a winning streak that stretches to 2012 in his second season with the Heat. Since rejoining the Cavs in 2015, he's 12-0 in Round 1.Facing him means an early exit.But while all those overbearing facts would seem to give Cleveland a huge advantage against Indiana in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference series that starts Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena, James isn't taking the Pacers lightly. They beat the Cavs three times during the regular season and guard Victor Oladipo and Co. have enough talent to maybe upset the No. 4 seed."It's... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The last time Carmelo Anthony was in the playoffs, he was with the New York Knicks facing rising star Paul George and the Indiana Pacers back in 2013.Now, Anthony and George are teammates with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They join Russell Westbrook in a quest for their first NBA title, starting Sunday when the Thunder host the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series.Because it's been so long, Anthony appreciates the opportunity to play in the postseason. He came to Oklahoma City in a trade before training camp expecting to compete for an NBA title."It's important," he said. "I'm here now, so ain't no looking back. I'm here. It's important, it's exciting. At the same time, I'm not here just to say I made it back to the playoffs. I'm here to make a statement as a team and prove why we put this team together. This is the place where I belong, we belong, and we have an opportunity to start something good on Sunday."Westbrook became the... [More]

BOSTON (AP) — By now, the Boston Celtics have come to expect adversity.They were barely five minutes into the season when Gordon Hayward's gruesome ankle injury offered the first collective gasp in what would be an 82-game schedule replete with more head-shaking moments.The most recent setback, season-ending knee surgery for Kyrie Irving, left teams in the East almost hoping for a chance to face the wounded Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.Boston enters as the No. 2 seed. But it is certainly vulnerable opposite a seventh-seeded Bucks team with which it split four games this season. Milwaukee is led by one of the league's budding young talents in 23-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo.If there is a silver lining for the Celtics it's that they went 14-8 without Irving for the last 22 games."It's forcing our group to grow up quicker than maybe some of our guys were supposed to," forward Al Horford said. "I think that this is a great opportunity that we have in front of us. We've really... [More]

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kevin Durant is confident Golden State's struggles down the stretch might be just what makes the defending champions dominant on the postseason stage again.Maybe not quite 16-1 this time around, sure, yet plenty capable of another remarkable run."I always knew everybody on our team had a good spirit, a good energy for the game," said Durant, the reigning NBA Finals MVP. "We might have lost some games and had some tough stretches but that doesn't define everybody here as an individual player. I'm kind of positive on, optimistic on each of these guys and how we approach the game no matter what the score of some of those games. I'm glad we can kind of learn from those tough times and continue to move forward."The Warriors have been hurt and humbled. Beaten handily and beat up hard. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry is expected to be sidelined the entire first round with a knee injury. Four All-Stars — Curry, Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson — were out together at times,... [More]

With the NBA playoffs starting Saturday, here are 10 things to know:LEBRON'S STREAKPacers fans, avert your eyes.LeBron James hasn't experienced losing a first-round game in nearly six years.James' teams have won 21 consecutive opening-round contests, a streak that started in Game 5 of the Miami-New York series in 2012. Combining his Cleveland and Miami years, James' teams have won 46 of their last 51 first-round games.James and the Cavs play Indiana in the first round this season.MORE LEBRONJames could set a slew of NBA records in these playoffs.He's already the all-time postseason leader in points, is seven steals from passing Scottie Pippen (395) for the playoff record in that department, is four shots from passing Kobe Bryant (4,499) for another career postseason mark.Depending on how long Cleveland's postseason lasts, James also has a shot at passing Ray Allen (385) for career postseason 3-pointers; he's 55 shy of taking over the No. 1 spot there. And if the Cavs make a deep run James... [More]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The impact made by Jimmy Butler on the Minnesota Timberwolves was obvious from the start, transcending the two ends of the court where he's made his mark as a four-time All-Star.Perhaps no better example of the leadership he contributed to a long-languishing franchise trying to find its way came during a three-day stretch in mid-December.With Butler playing through back spasms, the Timberwolves lost at home to a Phoenix Suns team that ultimately finished with the NBA's worst record. Afterward, Butler was flat on the floor in the locker room, in enough discomfort that moving around was a difficult proposition.Two nights later, Butler powered past the pain to score 37 points and carry the Wolves to victory over the Portland Trail Blazers , who finished third in the Western Conference this season."If you go out there and show them how hard you have to play in this league until the end on a constant basis," Butler said then, cajoling his young teammates, "that's when they... [More]

Hey, here's something we haven't heard before.The NBA playoffs are wide open.At perhaps no other time in the league's history have so many teams gone into the postseason with a real shot at hoisting the trophy at the end of this two-month grind.From the top seeds in Houston and Toronto, to the old stalwarts in Golden State and Cleveland, to the brash up-and-comers in Philadelphia and Minnesota, there are potential storylines galore and no real way to predict how it all may shake out."We've got a chance," said LeBron James, who will be seeking his eighth straight trip to the finals. "That's all you can ask for."For pretty much the NBA's entire history, there's been little reason to tune in for the playoffs until they got to the finals. No wonder Charles Barkley became so enamored with the NHL version of the postseason — that's a sport that actually doles out some real drama once the regular season is over.The NBA?Yawn.Over the last four decades, a top-seeded team has claimed 28 championships.... [More]

TORONTO (AP) — A "culture reset" carried the Toronto Raptors to the top of the Eastern Conference for the first time this season.Next, the Raptors will try to hit reset on their playoff history with the Washington Wizards.After Cleveland swept the Raptors in the second round last spring, team president Masai Ujiri promised to change the culture surrounding the club.That meant greater emphasis on ball movement and 3-point shooting, something the Raptors were able to execute immediately. Toronto had 67 games with at least 20 assists, up from 34 the previous year, and averaged 33 shots a game from beyond the arc, third most in the NBA."We won 59 games," All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan said. "I think that speaks for itself. We know what works for us, what got us here, and what's going to take us even further."Thanks to the offensive overhaul, this Raptors team is far removed from the one swept in the first round in 2015, a series in which the Wizards won by an average of 14 points."That's old... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Opera Philadelphia took a break from its rehearsal for "Carmen" to record an a capella version of the Philadelphia 76ers' catchy retro anthem , "Here Come the Sixers."Philly can belt out the words ."No. 1, Philadelphia. Here they come, team of the year. One, two three, four, five, Sixers."Keep counting — all the way to 16.The Sixers roar into the postseason on a 16-game winning streak, both the longest for a franchise that boasts The Big Dipper, AI, Dr. J and The Boston Strangler on its all-time roster and also the longest in NBA history to end a season.Perhaps it's fitting an opera company saluted the Sixers' first postseason berth since 2012 because it's another masked man who has terrorized the NBA and whose status has the league buzzing — the self-proclaimed "Phantom of the Process ."Joel Embiid will not be lurking in the bowels of the Wells Fargo Center when Game 1 opens Saturday against the Miami Heat (44-38). He'll start the postseason just as he did during the... [More]

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Thunder might be without starting shooting guard Corey Brewer for their first-round playoff series opener Sunday against Utah.Brewer sprained his right knee during Oklahoma City's regular-season finale against Memphis. He did light work Friday and didn't practice.Another Thunder shooting guard, Alex Abrines, is in concussion protocol. He was injured during a win over the Miami Heat on Monday and didn't play against Memphis. The reserve averages 4.7 points per game and has made 84 3-pointers this season.Coach Billy Donovan said he's not sure if either will be ready for the opener."I don't know that yet," he said. "We'll have to get closer to that. I don't want to speculate either way. Every day, we'll find out a little more."The Thunder added the 32-year-old Brewer after the All-Star break to fill the void left when Andre Roberson was knocked out for the season with a ruptured left patellar tendon. Brewer started 16 of 18 games with the Thunder and posted averages... [More]

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Portland's Damian Lillard says he likes the first-round matchup against the Pelicans, but in almost the same breath he lists the reasons why New Orleans is dangerous.After splitting their four regular-season meetings, the third-seeded Blazers and sixth-seeded Pelicans open the playoffs Saturday night at the Moda Center."They stole one from us here, and we felt like that was a game that we should have had. We had a bad third quarter," Lillard said. "But they have Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, Rondo, E'Twaun Moore, they've got a lot of guys that make them a dangerous team."The Blazers won the season's first meeting with New Orleans, 103-93, back in October. But two months later the Pelicans beat the Blazers 123-116 in Portland without Davis. DeMarcus Cousins had 38 points and New Orleans extended its lead to as many as 18 points in the third quarter.The Pelicans lost Cousins for the season because of an Achilles injury in January, and many thought the team's playoff hopes... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has suspended Washington Wizards guard Jodie Meeks 25 games without pay for using a banned substance.The league announced the suspension Friday, a day before Game 1 of the Wizards' first-round playoff series against the East's top-seeded Toronto Raptors. The NBA says Meeks tested positive for Ipamorelin, a growth hormone that's prohibited under the league's drug program.Meeks' suspension makes Washington's signing of guard Ty Lawson just before the playoffs make more sense. Lawson replaces Meeks on the Wizards' bench behind starting guards John Wall and Bradley Beal.In his first season with the Wizards and ninth in the NBA, the 30-year-old Meeks averaged 6.3 points off the bench and was shooting just under 40 percent.___More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball