MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday's final slate of NBA regular-season games (all times local):9 p.m.There's never been more points in an NBA regular season than this one.For the fourth time in five years, the league's single-season total points record has been broken. The record from last season was 259,753 points across the league, and that went down as most of the night's early games were approaching halftime.It's been a season of milestones for the NBA. The league's assist record was broken, with the NBA players combining for over 1,000 more than they had last season. And even as the points went up, apparently so did the missing — there were 82,311 defensive rebounds league-wide going into Wednesday night, and that was another NBA record.___8:15 p.m.No. 23 has played in all 82.When LeBron James took the floor for Cleveland against New York on Wednesday night, it represented a first for the four-time MVP — this is the first of his 15 seasons in which he's played in every regular-season... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James capped his 15th regular season with yet another record.James played in his 82nd game on Wednesday night against the New York Knicks, completing an end to end run that underscores the 33-year-old's remarkable consistency. The four-time MVP had never played every game in a regular season as he typically sits out games at the end of the year to rest for the playoffs.Not this year.James' previous high was 81 games in 2008-09, when then-coach Mike Brown sat him for the Cavs' regular-season finale. James never made playing every game a goal, but he has said he wants to break the mold for players of his age.Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said he tried to talk James out of playing, but relented."He wants to play," Lue said. "I mean, it's hard to play 82 games. I was in the league 11 years. Never had a chance to get to 82. Everything has to go absolutely right. He wants to play and I guess in his 15th year to get to 82, it really says a lot. It says a lot about him. But once... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday's final slate of NBA regular-season games (all times local):8:15 p.m.No. 23 has played in all 82.When LeBron James took the floor for Cleveland against New York on Wednesday night, it represented a first for the four-time MVP — this is the first of his 15 seasons in which he's played in every regular-season game.James has ordinarily sat out games at the end of the season when the Cavs have a seed locked up. That didn't happen before the finale this year, so James played all the way to the finish. Cleveland can finish No. 3 or No. 4 in the East, depending on the outcome of its game against the Knicks and the Milwaukee at Philadelphia game.James' previous high for appearances was 81, back in the 2008-09 season. He says he's tried this season to "change the narrative" about what a player in his 15th season is capable of doing.James entered the finale averaging 27.7 points, 9.2 assists and 8.7 rebounds.___7:45 p.m.Toronto coach Dwane Casey is not giving... [More]

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James has added another first to his remarkable career by playing in all 82 games.James, who has broken personal and NBA records all season, played 81 games for Cleveland in 2008-09, but then-coach Mike Brown sat him for the Cavs' regular-season finale to get rested for the playoffs.The 33-year-old James never made playing every game a goal, but he accomplished the feat Wednesday night when the Cavs hosted the New York Knicks.In his 15th season, James will finish leading the league in points and minutes played. He entered the finale averaging 27.7 points with career-highs in assists (9.2) assists and rebounds (8.7). He's not expected to be named MVP as Houston's James Harden remains the favorite.James will also lead the Cavs in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks.Earlier this season, James eclipsed 30,000 career points and went past Michael Jordan's record (866) by scoring in double digits in consecutive games. That mark is now at 872 games.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid said it's unlikely he'll be available for at least Game 1 of the playoffs this weekend.Embiid hasn't played since March 28 when he suffered a broken bone around his left eye in a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz. Embiid, who has since been cleared of a concussion suffered from the accidental headbutt, had surgery on March 31. The 7-footer wore the mask during pregame shooting drills and would need one in the postseason."I don't think I'm ready to play," he said. "It still doesn't feel all the way right."The Sixers clearly need their big man if they're going to make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Embiid leads the team with 22.9 points and 11 rebounds in 63 games, helping Philly clinch its first playoff berth since 2012.Embiid says it's "unlikely but still a chance," he plays in Game 1."I want to play but right now I feel like I'm not ready yet," Embiid said. "It's getting there. I've got to keep working every... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Maybe, just maybe, the worst is behind the Phoenix Suns.Their 50th anniversary season was awful, even worse than the two that came before.For the eighth season in a row, the Suns won't make the playoffs. The win totals the past three seasons: 23, 24 and — this year 21. That 21-61 mark is the worst since Phoenix went 16-66 in its inaugural 1968-69 season.The season devolved in the final months, with injuries depleting the already exceedingly young roster, leaving a contingent of G League transfers to fill out the lineup in the final days. The Suns lost a franchise-record 15 straight in one stretch.Now, everyone involved is insisting, enough is enough."I'm done with not making the playoffs," rising star Devin Booker said as the players cleaned out their lockers and conducted exit interviews Wednesday. "I'm serious. This is probably my last year ever not making the playoffs. If that's putting pressure on myself, I'm going to take this summer and work that hard so that it doesn't... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Maybe, just maybe, the worst is behind the Phoenix Suns.Their 50th anniversary season was awful, even worse than the two that came before.For the eighth season in a row, the Suns won't make the playoffs. The win totals the past three seasons: 23, 24 and — this year 21. That 21-61 mark is the worst since Phoenix went 16-66 in its inaugural 1968-69 season.The season devolved in the final months, with injuries depleting the already exceedingly young roster, leaving a contingent of G League transfers to fill out the lineup in the final days. The Suns lost a franchise-record 15 straight in one stretch.Now, everyone involved is insisting, enough is enough."I'm done with not making the playoffs," rising star Devin Booker said as the players cleaned out their lockers and conducted exit interviews Wednesday. "I'm serious. This is probably my last year ever not making the playoffs. If that's putting pressure on myself, I'm going to take this summer and work that hard so that it doesn't... [More]

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid says it's unlikely he'll be available for at least Game 1 of the playoffs this weekend.Embiid hasn't played since March 28 when he suffered a broken bone around his left eye in a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz. Embiid wore a black mask that covered the top part of his face and would need one in the postseason.The Sixers clearly need their big man if they're going to make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Embiid leads the team with 22.9 points and 11 rebounds in 63 games, helping Philly clinch its first playoff berth since 2012.Embiid says it's "unlikely but still a chance," he plays in Game 1."I want to play but right now I feel like I'm not ready yet," Embiid said. "It's getting there. I've got to keep working every day. With the way it's been progressing, I'm hopeful I'll be back soon."The Sixers have won a team-record 15 straight games and can wrap up the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.Embiid wore the mask in some light pregame shooting drills.

ATLANTA (AP) — In the final game of a forgettable season, the Atlanta Hawks got a glimpse of what the future might hold.It's going to take a while to get there.Getting starting on a painful rebuilding process, the Hawks stumbled through their worst season since 2005, finishing 24-58 to end a 10-year streak of playoff appearances."We've been in the playoffs every time," point guard Dennis Schroder said. "To have a season like that, it was kind of tough for everyone."Atlanta closed out the season Tuesday night with a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, who have provided the template for all teams going through a massive overhaul. Just two years removed from a 10-72 debacle, the Sixers are a 50-plus-win team headed to the playoffs with one of the NBA's most exciting young rosters ."That's definitely something we're going to try to model after in a sense, just having that young talent, building and getting better every year, and getting into the playoffs," said Hawks forward John Collins, who had... [More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kemba Walker knows his future with the Charlotte Hornets is up in the air.But the two-time All-Star said he's not going to spend the offseason dwelling on where he'll be playing next season.Walker has one year remaining on a four-year, $48 million contract and while he'd like to remain with the Hornets — where he's the franchise's all-time leading scorer — he knows nothing is for certain after a second straight non-playoff season prompted team owner Michael Jordan to hire Mitch Kupchak as the new general manager.That means that if Kupchak decides a massive rebuilding project is in order, Walker could be the first one out the door given he's the team's biggest bargaining chip and has a favorable contract."I have no idea," Walker said Wednesday regarding his future after Charlotte's regular season finale. "That is out of my control. I am just going to focus on getting better as a player. That is really all you can do. I don't know what they are going to do."The 6-foot-1... [More]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Oladipo feels right at home in Indiana.Here, he evolved from a high-flying, college acrobat for the Hoosiers into a legitimate NBA draft prospect. Here, he won over the hearts and minds of a basketball-crazed state. And here, he finally got a chance to tap into his full potential.Now, five years after being taken No. 2 overall in the draft, the multi-talented guard has returned to his adopted home state, revived a rebuilding Pacers franchise and heads into the playoffs as the favorite to be the league's Most Improved Player."To come out and get 48 wins after everything that happened is a great accomplishment," Oladipo said after sitting out Tuesday's 119-93 loss to Charlotte with a sore right foot. "But there's a lot more to accomplish and a lot more goals we want to accomplish starting this weekend."The only surprise bigger than the Pacers' remarkable resurgence this season might be Oladipo's transformation from a potential future star into an NBA All-Star.Orlando... [More]

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are getting All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and guard Matthew Dellavedova back from right ankle injuries for the regular-season finale at Philadelphia on Wednesday night.Antetokounmpo has missed the last two games. Dellavedova's injury was more serious, sidelining him since Feb. 4.Coach Joe Prunty said in Philadelphia that Dellavedova was cleared to return for the 76ers game.Malcolm Brogdon returned on Monday from a 30-game absence for a quad injury, meaning that the Bucks are back at full strength with the postseason beginning this weekend.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks are getting All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and guard Matthew Dellavedova back from right ankle injuries for the regular-season finale at Philadelphia on Wednesday night.Antetokounmpo has missed the last two games. Dellavedova's injury was more series, sidelining him since Feb. 4.Coach Joe Prunty said in Philadelphia that Dellavedova was cleared to return for the 76ers game.Malcolm Brogdon returned on Monday from a 30-game absence for a quad injury, meaning that the Bucks are back at full strength with the postseason beginning this weekend.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MIAMI (AP) — The G League MVP is now eligible for the NBA playoffs.The Toronto Raptors converted guard Lorenzo Brown's contract to a standard NBA deal on Wednesday, meaning he'll be available to them in the postseason that starts this weekend.Brown had been on a two-way deal, and he is with the Raptors for their regular-season finale at Miami.He averaged 18.8 points and 8.9 assists for Raptors 905 this season on his way to winning the G League MVP. In 14 appearances with Toronto this season entering Wednesday, Brown has averaged 2.3 points and 1.1 rebounds.Brown had a season-high 11 points against Detroit on Monday.___For more AP NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

MIAMI (AP) — The end has arrived.Actually, for Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, the end came in their season finales Tuesday. There are nine teams that know Wednesday is the last day of their season. And 15 teams already have clinched playoff berths.Then there are Minnesota and Denver.Game 82 for both teams will have a Game 7-of-the-playoffs feel, which is a fitting way to transition from the regular season to the postseason. Nuggets at Timberwolves, winner to the playoffs, loser to the offseason. It's the first time since 1997 — and only the third time since the NBA went to this postseason format in 1983 — that two teams will play on the season's final day in such a situation."It's bigger than all of us," Wolves star Karl-Anthony Towns said.Minnesota is trying to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2004 — the longest current drought in the NBA. Denver — winner of six straight to give itself this chance — is trying to get to the postseason for the first time since 2013.So... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The end has arrived.Actually, for Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, the end came in their season finales Tuesday. There are nine teams that know Wednesday is the last day of their season. And 15 teams already have clinched playoff berths.Then there are Minnesota and Denver.Game 82 for both teams will have a Game 7-of-the-playoffs feel, which is a fitting way to transition from the regular season to the postseason. Nuggets at Timberwolves, winner to the playoffs, loser to the offseason. It's the first time since 1997 — and only the third time since the NBA went to this postseason format in 1983 — that two teams will play on the season's final day in such a situation."It's bigger than all of us," Wolves star Karl-Anthony Towns said.Minnesota is trying to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2004 — the longest current drought in the NBA. Denver — winner of six straight to give itself this chance — is trying to get to the postseason for the first time since 2013.So... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The end has arrived.Actually, for Atlanta, Phoenix, Dallas and Charlotte, the end came in their season finales Tuesday. There are nine teams who know Wednesday is the last day of their season. Another 15 teams have already clinched playoff berths.Then there's Minnesota and Denver.Game 82 for both teams will have a Game 7 feel, which is a fitting way to transition from the regular season to the postseason. Nuggets at Timberwolves, winner to the playoffs, loser to the offseason. It's the first time since 1997 — and only the third time since the NBA went to this postseason format in 1983 — that two teams will play on the season's final day in such a situation."It's bigger than all of us," Minnesota star Karl-Anthony Towns said.Minnesota is trying to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2004 — the longest current drought in the NBA. Denver — winner of six straight to give itself this chance — is trying to get to the postseason for the first time since 2013.So there's... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers have a long, proud history.They've been around since the NBA's very first season, starting out as the Syracuse Nationals. Their resume includes three championships. The list of franchise greats runs from Dolph Schayes to Wilt Chamberlain, from Julius Erving to Allen Iverson.They've never done anything like this.As if to put an emphatic stamp on their staggering turnaround from a 10-72 debacle just two seasons ago , the Sixers set a team record with their 15th consecutive victory, holding off the Atlanta Hawks 121-113 on Tuesday night in the penultimate game of the regular season.Coach Brett Brown marveled at the accomplishment."It's not like we're a young club," he said. "We are an old club, with a tremendous amount of culture and a tremendous amount of history. Taking that type of momentum into the playoffs, it's important. It doesn't guarantee anything, but it certainly lets you feel like you've been doing the right things. The team has been fantastic."The... [More]

The argument happens most every year. Who is the NBA MVP?LeBron James has been the best player for most of his 15 years in the league, and he's won the award only four times. Russell Westbrook won it last year, buoyed by averaging a triple-double, yet seems to not even be in the conversation this season with very similar numbers. James Harden was a popular pick last season, saw his assist and rebound numbers dip this season, yet is generally considered the runaway favorite.Part of the issue is this: There's no clarity on how the MVP is defined.No one knows the criteria. The award ballot sent to MVP voters simply says "The winner of this award receives the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, named after the first Commissioner of the NBA."Is it the player most valuable to his team?Is it the player most valuable to the game?Is it the best player?Those are only some of the many gray areas.Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers has said many times over the years that James would win annually, if not for... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers have a long, proud history.They've been around since the NBA's very first season, starting out as the Syracuse Nationals. Their resume includes three championships. The list of franchise greats runs from Dolph Schayes to Wilt Chamberlain, from Julius Erving to Allen Iverson.They've never done anything like this.As if to put an emphatic stamp on their staggering turnaround from a 10-72 debacle just two seasons ago , the Sixers set a team record with their 15th consecutive victory, holding off the Atlanta Hawks 121-113 on Tuesday night in the penultimate game of the regular season.Coach Brett Brown marveled at the accomplishment."It's not like we're a young club," he said. "We are an old club, with a tremendous amount of culture and a tremendous amount of history. Taking that type of momentum into the playoffs, it's important. It doesn't guarantee anything, but it certainly lets you feel like you've been doing the right things. The team has been fantastic."The... [More]