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]

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]

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers will be without Darren Collison for two to three weeks after he arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.Coach Nate McMillan made the announcement before the start of Monday night's game against Washington.McMillan said Collison suffered the injury during Saturday's victory over Philadelphia. A subsequent MRI showed he needed surgery, and McMillan says the Pace hope to get Collison back shortly after the All-Star break.Collison is averaging 12.8 points, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 43.2 percent on 3-pointers. Cory Joseph will replace Collison in the lineup.An illness also will keep All-Star guard Victor Oladipo out of Monday's game. He will be replaced by Lance Stephenson.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball

Monty McCutchen's father raised an interesting point not long ago, and it resonated right away with the former NBA referee who decided to hang up his whistle earlier this season."He told me that no decision is real if it is easy," McCutchen said.McCutchen's move off the floor and into the NBA office was certainly not easy. But instead of calling a few games a week, McCutchen sees his job now as one where he could have a say in how they all get officiated. About a month into his job as an NBA vice president overseeing referee development and training, McCutchen is jumping in with both feet.He and fellow NBA executive Michelle Johnson are going to be instrumental in the league's plan to improve how players and referees get along. There's going to be more education, more studying, more explaining and more listening — and McCutchen truly believes it will work."I'm invigorated by the people I'm working with, Michelle Johnson," McCutchen said. "I'm invigorated by the people in our office who... [More]

Monty McCutchen's father raised an interesting point not long ago, and it resonated right away with the former NBA referee who decided to hang up his whistle earlier this season."He told me that no decision is real if it is easy," McCutchen said.McCutchen's move off the floor and into the NBA office was certainly not easy. But instead of calling a few games a week, McCutchen sees his job now as one where he could have a say in how they all get officiated. About a month into his job as an NBA vice president overseeing referee development and training, McCutchen is jumping in with both feet.He and fellow NBA executive Michelle Johnson are going to be instrumental in the league's plan to improve how players and referees get along. There's going to be more education, more studying, more explaining and more listening — and McCutchen truly believes it will work."I'm invigorated by the people I'm working with, Michelle Johnson," McCutchen said. "I'm invigorated by the people in our office who... [More]

Gregg Popovich was the coach nobody wanted.It's hard to fathom now, after five NBA championships as coach of the San Antonio Spurs and with him now alone in fifth place on the league's all-time victory list. But it's true — Popovich's decision to fire Bob Hill and make himself coach and general manager in December 1996 was horribly received at first, leaving even some of his own players baffled.The San Antonio Express-News took a poll after that season and found that 92 percent of Spurs fans wanted Popovich fired.As Popovich would suggest now (on politics, one of his favorite topics), sometimes voters get it wrong."The pressure is always there for any coach," Popovich said. "You've got to get the job done. If you don't, you're not there. If you do get it done, you get to stay."He said those words in 1997. He was right.Popovich now has 1,176 wins. He's 34 away from No. 4 Pat Riley, 45 shy of No. 3 Jerry Sloan, and should catch both next season. He would need 156 to catch No. 2 Lenny Wilkens,... [More]

G Lance Stephenson, who is starting in place of injured Victor Oladipo, made just 2 of 9 shots and finished with five points in Sunday's loss to Minnesota. In his first start for Oladipo on Wednesday, Stephenson had his first double-double of the season, including a career-high 15 rebounds. He then matched his season high with 18 points in his second start, a Friday loss at Chicago.

G Lance Stephenson had a career-high 15 rebounds in the Pacers' game Wednesday. He averaged just five points on 25 percent shooting in the first eight games. Since then, Stephenson has scored in double figures 12 times.

G Lance Stephenson started in place of Victor Oladipo, who is averaging a team-best 22.8 points per game, but injured his knee in Friday's 107-104 win over the Toronto Raptors. Stephenson finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.

G Lance Stephenson had 18 points -- 13 of the team's 26 in the fourth quarter -- as Indiana held off a late Toronto rally and won its fifth consecutive game, defeating the Raptors 107-104 in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.Stephenson finished 7 of 9 from the field, including 4 of 4 from 3-point range.

G Lance Stephenson contributed a team-high 10 rebounds and eight points off the bench for the Pacers.

G Lance Stephenson was assessed a flagrant-one foul for swiping and connecting with Cavs F LeBron James' midsection in the second quarter. Stephenson played 17 scoreless minutes Wednesday.

F Lance Stephenson took to social media to plead with fellow forward Paul George to stay with the Indiana Pacers. Stephenson, who was drafted by the Pacers along with George in 2010, posted a photo of the two on his Instagram account on Wednesday night. "I'm not letting u leave bro @ygtrece stay home bro," the 26-year-old Stephenson wrote. "We did big things let's continue."

Lance Stephenson took to social media to plead with fellow forward Paul George to stay with the Indiana Pacers.Stephenson, who was drafted by the Pacers along with George in 2010, posted a photo of the two on his Instagram account on Wednesday night."I'm not letting u leave bro @ygtrece stay home bro," the 26-year-old Stephenson wrote. "We did big things let's continue."Stephenson played for Indiana from 2010-14 and rejoined the club for six games in April.George reportedly is committed to playing for the Pacers through next season, but the four-time All-Star intends for sign with another club when his contract is up in 2018.George has an 18.1 points-per-game average in parts of seven NBA seasons. The 27-year-old recovered from a serious compound fracture of his right leg in the summer of 2014 while playing for USA Basketball to regain his star status.

G Lance Stephenson led Indiana with 22 points in the loss to the Cavaliers Sunday.

G Lance Stephenson scored 16 points against the Cavs in Game 1, then added 13 in Game 2. Stephenson worked out for the Cavs in January. He was a free agent after being released by the New Orleans Pelicans, who needed his roster spot because he was injured.

F Lance Stephenson came off the bench to score 16 points Saturday.

F Lance Stephenson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to close the third quarter. He finished with eight points and six rebounds.Stephenson, the combative veteran who was signed by the Pacers on March 30, has been credited by Paul George and coach Nate McMillan as being a catalyst for the late-season surge."Lance has given us life and he's give us new excitement to the team," George said. "He's helped take a lot of pressure off me."

F Lance Stephenson contributed only nine points and five assists, but his energy and defense obviously inspired Indiana. "I'm just out there having fun," Stephenson said. "I love to feed off these fans. Tonight, we got into (the Bucks) and forced a lot of turnovers."

F Lance Stephenson scored four points and committed five fouls in the second Indiana debut of his career. Drafted by the Pacers in 2010 and then re-signed as a free agent last week, Stephenson played his first game for Indiana since Game 6 of the 2014 Eastern Conference finals. That game was against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Stephenson played for the Pelicans and Timberwolves this season and hasn't practiced with the Pacers.