MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks shook off any All-Star break hangover in a hurry.Antetokounmpo scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Khris Middleton hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds and the NBA-leading Bucks held off the Boston Celtics 98-97 …

BOSTON (AP) — One way or another, the spotlight was always going to shine on the Boston Celtics in an Eastern Conference without LeBron James.After back-to-back losses to James' Cavaliers in the past two conference finals, his departure West to join the Los Angeles Lakers seemed to clear …

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics haven't played as well as they've expected at times this season.They're hoping the games they've put together over the last six weeks are a sign of better things to come after the All-Star break.Jayson Tatum scored 19 points and Gordon Hayward finished with …

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Boston Celtics still own the Philadelphia 76ers no matter who is on the court.Gordon Hayward scored 26 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:50 remaining, and Boston beat Philadelphia 112-109 on Tuesday night. Al Horford had 23 and Jayson Tatum scored 20 and …

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kemba Walker is preparing for his third NBA All-Star game — and his first as a starter — this weekend on his home court in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he once shouted "This is my city!" after a game-winning shot.The big question is how many more …

BOSTON (AP) — The "Beat L.A.!" chants turned to boos as the Boston Celtics blew another big lead to another Los Angeles team.One game after the Lakers rallied from 18 points down to win in Boston — and six days after the Patriots beat the Rams in the Super Bowl — the retooled …

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving sprained his right knee in the second quarter Saturday night against the Los Angeles Clippers and was declared out for the rest of the game.Irving had 14 points in 14 minutes before leaving the game.The Celtics led 74-53 at the half.Irving …

Milwaukee didn't get out of the first round of the playoffs last year. Denver didn't even get into the first round of the playoffs, its postseason hopes thwarted by a loss in the last game of the regular season.As such, few may have seen this coming.The perk of getting to coach the All-Star Game …

BOSTON (AP) — LeBron James won't be playing alongside Anthony Davis this season.But he does have a team he's hoping can build on a big win over its longtime rival.Rajon Rondo hit a 20-foot jumper as time expired to lift the Los Angeles Lakers over the Boston Celtics, 129-128 on Thursday …

Toronto, Milwaukee and Philadelphia made their moves. Anthony Davis will have to wait until the summer for his.The New Orleans Pelicans held onto Davis but dealt Nikola Mirotic to the Bucks, one of the Eastern Conference contenders who fortified their teams Thursday before the NBA trade …

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — After Anthony Davis found out he wouldn't be traded Thursday, the six-time All-Star learned the New Orleans Pelicans will let him suit up for the remainder of the season.While Davis had stated publicly that he's ready to move on from New Orleans, he also had said he was …

The Latest on NBA trades (all times Eastern):8:05 p.m.The Clippers have acquired forward JaMychal Green and guard Garrett Temple from Memphis in exchange for guard Avery Bradley.Lawrence Frank, the Clippers' president of basketball operations, says Green is a "high-energy big who has become an …

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone, with more than 20 teams swinging deals and more than 20 draft picks changing hands in the days leading up to the closing of the window at 3 p.m. Thursday.Some of those draft picks extend until 2024.And that means there are players perhaps in eighth or …

CLEVELAND (AP) — Gordon Hayward finally got some closure at Quicken Loans Arena.He walked off the floor.Making his first visit to Cleveland since suffering a horrific broken left ankle in his debut for Boston in 2017, Hayward scored 18 points as the Celtics beat the Cavaliers 103-96 on …

CLEVELAND (AP) — Celtics All-Star guard Kyrie Irving will miss Tuesday's game against the Cavaliers with a left hip strain.Irving has been bothered by the injury and the team announced Monday night they will rest him. Irving has missed two previous games with the injury. He had 30 points …

BOSTON (AP) — Eight days after letting a win slip away against the Golden State Warriors, the Celtics were able to finish the job against another tough Western Conference opponent.Kyrie Irving had 30 points and 11 assists as Boston overcame big games from Oklahoma City stars Paul George and …

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists before a Madison Square Garden crowd eager to start the free agent wooing five months early, and the Boston Celtics beat New York 113-99 on Friday night in the Knicks' first game since trading Kristaps Porzingis.The …

NEW YORK (AP) — Kyrie Irving heard the "We want Kyrie! We want Kyrie!" chants that echoed through Madison Square Garden.He seemed more annoyed than flattered."It's nothing but a distraction at this point," he said.Irving and the Boston Celtics handled it as easily as they handled the …

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks traded away one star for the chance to sign two.If it works, and Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving bring the playoffs back to New York, it will have been the deal that finally got the Knicks moving toward the top after years of running in place.But if …

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Anthony Davis wore a dark blue Pelicans hoodie with the sleeves cut off and "New Orleans" printed in red letters across the chest.What he said after Friday's practice, however, left no doubt that his heart was somewhere else."I gave the city, organization, fans …