ORLANDO, Fla. — In a meeting between two of the top three defenses in the NBA, a lack of offense was on full display during a low-scoring affair between the Magic and the Clippers at Kia Center on Monday night.

Ultimately, Los Angeles came out on top, 96-87, when four scorers finished in double figures, including 21 points from six-time All-...Read more

Before the Boston Celtics departed for their longest road trip of the season, Kristaps Porzingis set what seemed like a lofty goal.

Asked what would make Boston’s six-game road trip a success, the big man replied: “For us, probably 6-0, no?”

Well, mission accomplished.

The Celtics closed out a flawless trip Monday night with a 117-103 ...Read more

NEW YORK — One of the top players in the NCAA transfer portal is headed to St. John’s.

The Red Storm are adding Providence forward Bryce Hopkins, head coach Rick Pitino announced Monday, in a major coup for the reigning Big East champions.

“We are so excited to have Bryce Hopkins [as] part of our family,” Pitino wrote on social media. ...Read more

CHICAGO — Imagine leaving the United Center early Thursday night, getting into your car and turning on The Score to listen to the postgame show on the ride home.

You were satisfied with a competitive effort from the Chicago Bulls and a chance to watch Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić do his thing. Perhaps you were there to witness LeBron...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — It turned out, it was hard to beat a good team three times. For Kentucky, a third straight victory over Tennessee this season proved impossible.

Pounding UK on the offensive glass and slicing and dicing the Wildcats’ leaky pick-and-roll defense, Rick Barnes’ Volunteers avenged two regular-season defeats to Kentucky with a...Read more

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Before Ali Farokhmanesh found a soft spot in Ben Jacobson’s heart, his coach thought he was Charmin soft.

“This isn’t Kirkwood anymore!” Jacobson screamed.

The gasket blew 17 years ago under a grey sky in Cedar Falls, one of those sleepy Iowa towns where the horizon and the sweet nothing beyond it seem to roll ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — For either the 14th or 15th consecutive game, depending on your reconciliation, the 76ers have fielded a makeshift roster built to lose.

The latest quest ended Sunday night with a much-needed 127-109 loss to the Toronto Raptors at the Wells Fargo Center.

The setback dropped the Sixers to 23-52, extending their losing streak to...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — With 8:36 left in the first half of the Timberwolves’ game with Detroit on Sunday night at Target Center, in a game that was a physical battle from the opening tip, all heck broke loose.

Down 10, Wolves forward Naz Reid was fouled by Ron Holland II. Holland and Reid started talking. Perhaps due to lingering feelings from a ...Read more

NEW YORK — With Jalen Brunson still rehabbing from a sprained right ankle, the Knicks have had to find new ways to fuel the offense.

The answer in Sunday’s victory over the Portland Trail Blazers?

A heavier dose of wings.

OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges each scored 28 points, as the pair of Knicks forwards affectionately referred to as “...Read more

BALTIMORE — Maryland men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard has left the program to become the next coach at Villanova, which announced the hire Sunday morning.

In a statement published a few hours after Villanova’s announcement, University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines credited Willard and the players for a thrilling march to the ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — The Final Four will feature four No. 1 seeds for the first time since 2008 and only the second time since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Duke is a consensus 4 1/2-point favorite over Houston in the national semifinals Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The consensus total is 137 and the Cougars are ...Read more

The Golden State Warriors got off to a torrid start Sunday, as they evened their road trip record at 2-2 and moved back into the No. 6 playoff position in the Western Conference.

After starting slowly in their first three games of the the trip, the Warriors exploded out of the gate for 44 points in the first quarter and kept it up throughout a ...Read more

ATLANTA — More than a year ago, Tom Izzo vowed a resurrection. He’d take his Michigan State team deeper in the NCAA Tournament. A blueblood whose March pulse had cooled set course for a return to lofty expectations. The Big Ten throne. A shot at the Final Four.

Do it or die trying.

Michigan State's season ended in the Elite Eight with a 70...Read more

There are those who say the National Invitation Tournament, that venerable college basketball institution that dates to 1938 – one year before the NCAA Tournament was founded – is on its last legs.

Too much competition in the postseason basketball sector, you see. Too many big schools who aren’t interested, and too much talk about ...Read more

NEW YORK — The biggest question mark for St. John’s this offseason was the future of RJ Luis Jr.

If he returned for his senior season, the Johnnies would maintain a level of continuity superior to what they had going into their first two years under head coach Rick Pitino.

But with Luis’ decision over the weekend to declare for the NBA ...Read more

SAN DIEGO — Eric Olen is a New Mexico Lobo.

The architect of UC San Diego’s magical men’s basketball season that came within a rimmed-out 3-pointer from taking mighty Michigan to overtime in the NCAA Tournament has been hired by New Mexico. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Saturday that he was a finalist for the job; UNM announced the...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — So how exactly did we get here, the Miami Heat spending these final two weeks of the season not only having to accept the reality of a third consecutive trip to the play-in round, but for the first time likely having to start that trip from the bottom of the play-in round?

As with almost any NBA season, even with one now mired ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Chris Finch pulled up a chair at one of his favorite establishments in the North Loop section of Minneapolis, fresh off an eventful 48 hours as Timberwolves coach.

One night he collected his 200th win in a dominating performance, the next night his team lost to a depleted Indiana team in frustrating fashion.

“There’s no ...Read more

The Golden State Warriors changed the course of NBA history in a game they lost.

Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph were giving the Warriors the business, and Memphis controlled the game. The Grizzlies scored 20 straight points in the first half and were cruising toward a win.

Then the Warriors tried something new.

For most of the fourth quarter on...Read more