Month: December 2015

The Golden State Warriors’ NBA title defense has been hit by a spate of injuries to their players, an issue they did not have to grapple with in their triumphant previous season.

The Dallas Mavericks took full advantage of Stephen Curry’s absence with a lower left leg injury by bolting to an early 17-point lead on the way to a 114-91 victory over the Golden State Warriors at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.

Ish Smith scored five of his 18 points over the final 3 1/2 minutes and Jerami Grant made three late free throws to help lift the Philadelphia 76ers to a 110-105 win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

C.J. McCollum scored 29 points, Allen Crabbe had 20 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 110-103 on Wednesday night for their third consecutive victory.

The Toronto Raptors had their regular starting lineup together for the first time in weeks, and DeMar DeRozan took care of the rest.

It was a broken play, and the result made the Chicago Bulls’ night.

Nik Vucevic had 20 points and 9 rebounds, and Orlando rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the visiting Nets. In Dallas, the Warriors were routed as Curry sat out with a bruised leg.

Even if Klay Thompson had been making shots with Stephen Curry sidelined by a leg injury, the other half of the Splash Brothers knew Golden State would have a hard time winning.

Karl-Anthony Towns had just finished overpowering the overmatched Utah Jazz, looking every bit the No. 1 overall pick the Minnesota Timberwolves made him last June.

Charlotte Hornets forward Al Jefferson is to undergo surgery for a right knee injury and is expected to miss around six weeks, the team announced on Wednesday.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 21 points and 12 rebounds and the Spurs routed the Phoenix Suns 112-79 on Wednesday night for their 19th straight home win to start the season.

Kobe Bryant had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles in likely his final game in Boston, leading the Lakers to a 112-104 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday night.

J.J. Redick scored 26 points, Austin Rivers added a season-best 22, and the Los Angeles Clippers held off the Charlotte Hornets 122-117 on Wednesday night.

Nik Vucevic had 20 points and nine rebounds, and the Orlando Magic rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Brooklyn Nets 100-93 on Wednesday night.

Golden State star Stephen Curry has a bruised lower left leg that sidelined him for Wednesday night’s game at Dallas, and could keep him out for the second day of a back-to-back in Houston.

A group of men converged on his cab after he left a strip club, the police said. They stole his cash, gold caps on his teeth, an iPhone and metal chains and shot him in the knee.

Ex-Knick J.R. Smith, now with the Cavaliers, voiced that it’s his right — and NBA players’ rights — to have a good time.

Before he was a Knick, Cleanthony Early stood on the court inside Koch Arena at Wichita State and talked about tragedies in his life.

In the wake of a teammate being robbed and shot by masked thugs, Carmelo Anthony made a plea for gun control.

First, Chris Copeland was stabbed outside a Manhattan nightclub. Then fellow NBAer Thabo Sefolosha had his leg broken by a N.Y. cop.

Knicks Daily Links: Thursday

ORLANDO, Fla. — After Knicks Cleanthony Early was shot in his right knee while leaving a Queens club early Wednesday morning, players from the crosstown rival Nets expressed shock and sympathy for the young forward. "It's very unfortunate, because in a perfect world you should be able to go anywhere that you want to as…

Knicks Daily Links: Wednesday

How it happened: Derrick Williams' reverse dunk for Knicks

On nearly 31-year-old legs, LeBron James found a little more elevation for all his emphatic dunks.

Thunder coach Billy Donovan has seen his second unit struggle to preserve leads this season, so he decided this week to make a change, making rookie first-rounder Cameron Payne his backup point guard.

Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points, and Jose Calderon added 15 as the Knicks topped Detroit at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.

Westbrook and Durant both scored more than 20 points, leading the Thunder to a 131-123 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Oklahoma City on Tuesday night.

Marc Gasol scored seven of his 23 points in overtime to help the Memphis Grizzlies pull away in the extra period for a 99-90 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

Al Horford had 30 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 121-115 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.

Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and Derrick Williams added 18 to lead six Knicks in double figures as New York snapped a four-game losing streak with a 108-96 win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.

The Knicks came back home following a disappointing road trip on a bit of a tailspin, in need of a positive result.

Brandon Jennings was famously passed over in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Knicks.

The Pistons have a glut of point guards now that Brandon Jennings is healthy. Pistons coach/president Stan Van Gundy is so stacked he didn't get around to playing Jennings until Tuesday night when he made his season debut against the Knicks after tearing his Achilles last season. Jennings, after dressing but not playing for three…

Derek Fisher needed this win. The Knicks had issues that needed to be addressed as they played their final game of 2015 and thrashed the Pistons 108-96 at the Garden Tuesday night. "We've come a long way, man,'' Carmelo Anthony said of the improvement from last Jan. 1 to where the Knicks are now. It…

Knicks Daily Links: Tuesday

Stephen Curry’s eyes lit up when he saw little brother Seth guarding him for the first time in their NBA career, and the reigning MVP promptly missed a long 3-pointer.

Kyrie Irving is back, and he definitely was needed on an off night for LeBron James.

Gordon Hayward was shocked he was so open when he pulled up for a jumper with time running out on the clock. The result, however, was no surprise.

Tony Snell has no idea when he might play these days, so he prepares as if he’s still a part of the Chicago Bulls’ rotation.

Guard Kyrie Irving scored 22 points in 24 minutes and hit his team’s 17th three-pointer just before the shot clock buzzer with 21 seconds left as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the fading Phoenix Suns 101-97 on Monday.

Ellington tied a career best with seven 3-pointers and finished with 26 points as the Nets rallied from a 16-point third-quarter deficit to beat the Heat.

Spurs star Manu Ginobili stayed away from this bat at AT&T Center.

Kawhi Leonard had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Boban Marjanovic also scored 17 and the San Antonio Spurs remained undefeated at home by holding off the tenacious Minnesota Timberwolves 101-95 on Monday night.

With one of the game’s best dunkers grounded by an injury, Clippers point guard Chris Paul made his own mark above the rim.

Wesley Matthews scored 22 points, including two clutch 3-points in the fourth quarter, and the Dallas Mavericks held off the Milwaukee Bucks 103-93 Monday night.

The best shooting night of Wayne Ellington’s career was against Miami.

The N.B.A. suspended Barnes, a Grizzlies forward, for two games for his role in an October altercation with Fisher, the Knicks’ coach, at the house of Barnes’s estranged wife.

Monta Ellis scored 26 points and the Indiana Pacers beat Atlanta 93-87 on Monday night, ending the Hawks’ six-game winning streak.

Nik Vucevic scored 28 points and matched his career high with seven assists, leading the Orlando Magic to a 104-89 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.

Kemba Walker scored 18 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, and the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-98 Monday night in Kobe Bryant’s final game against the team that drafted him — and promptly traded him — nearly 20 years ago.

The NBA suspended Memphis’ Matt Barnes for his altercation with Knicks coach Derek Fisher during training camp.

Known for his charismatic clowning and his halfcourt hook shots, Lemon was the Globetrotters’ top showman for more than two decades.

Mike Conley scored 19 points, Jeff Green added 17 and the Memphis Grizzlies led from start to finish for a 112-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds, and Oklahoma City allied from an 11-point second-half deficit to beat visiting Denver, 122-112.

Isaiah Thomas, Boston’s 5-foot-9 point guard, maintained a towering presence in the building all night, leading his team with 21 points.

CJ McCollum had 35 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 98-94 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.

Enes Kanter came off the bench to score 21 points, grab eight rebounds and totally frustrate the Nugget’s coaching staff as he helped the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 122-112 victory on Sunday.

Isaiah Thomas had a pair of key baskets and finished with 21 points, Evan Turner scored 19 and the Boston Celtics won their fourth straight with a 100-91 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday night.

Russell Westbrook had 30 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets 122-112 on Sunday night.

Mike Conley scored 19 points, Jeff Green added 17 and the Memphis Grizzlies led from start to finish for a 112-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

Love, a forward for the Cavaliers, traces his ability to throw the ball 75 feet down the court, with precision and velocity, to the time his father spent playing alongside Wes Unseld in the early 1970s.

Houston has beaten two of the best teams in the league recently, including San Antonio, as the Rockets look to show they are playoff contenders.

Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas continued his All-Star push with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Celtics defeated the Knicks 100-91.

Kristaps Porzingis’ first-ever meeting with the Celtics was both painful and frustrating.

Is this the best the Knicks have to offer?

Ish Smith was just traded from New Orleans to Philadelphia, so he knows each win is special. And this one came against one of his former teams.

Stephen Curry was named The Associated Press 2015 Male Athlete of the Year.

J.J. Barea pulled up from a couple of feet behind the 3-point line just after returning to the game and hit the last of his five straight from long range in the first half.

Allen Crabbe scored a career-high 26 points, and the Portland Trail Blazers held LeBron James to just 12 points in a 105-76 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

Playing without an injured Blake Griffin, J.J. Redick scored 25 points and Paul Pierce had 20 to lead the Los Angeles Clippers over the Utah Jaz 109-104 Saturday night.

The Atlanta Hawks won their sixth straight game with a 117-98 victory at home over the Knicks on Saturday night.

Jrue Holiday had his eyes locked on James Harden and found a way to hear — through the din of an exuberant crowd — the defensive instructions Tyreke Evans and Anthony Davis shouted to him.

Monta Ellis had 22 points and six rebounds to help the Indiana Pacers overcome a fourth-quarter deficit and beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-88 on Saturday night.

Avery Bradley scored 18 points, Isaiah Thomas had 17 points and nine assists, and the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 99-93 on Saturday night.

Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe left the Suns’ game against Philadelphia on Saturday night after spraining his left knee.

Forward Paul Millsap scored 22 points to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 117-98 victory over the fading New York Knicks at Philips Arena on Saturday.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each scored 24 points, and the Miami Heat beat the Orlando Magic 108-101 on Saturday night.

Paul Millsap scored 22 points, Al Horford added 19 points and the Atlanta Hawks won their sixth straight game with a 117-98 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday night.

Dwyane Wade had 24 points, including 12 in the final five minutes, to lead the Miami Heat to a 108-101 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

Kemba Walker scored 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, and the Charlotte Hornets held off the Memphis Grizzlies 98-92 on Saturday night.

The Toronto Raptors needed their best passing display of the season to top the Milwaukee Bucks.

In his debut, Jarell Eddie made four 3-pointers in the final period, and the Nets lost their sixth straight home game.

Tim Hardaway Jr. was a first-team All-Rookie selection two years ago. The former Knicks first-round pick still managed to average double figures off the bench last season despite a bit of a sophomore malaise as he adjusted to the triangle offense. Even with what was a frosty relationship with coach Derek Fisher, those times seem…

As the schedule intensifies, reality is starting to settle in for the Knicks: they can’t beat the good teams.

As Carmelo Anthony prepared for his return to the court on Saturday, he shrugged off the early returns of the All-Star voting.

Kristaps Porzingis will need a big comeback to become the first rookie since Yao Ming to get voted into the All-Star game.

Chris Paul and the rest of the Los Angeles Clippers’ starters thought they were done after three quarters. Despite a 28-point lead, they were wrong.

Buddy Hield scored 34 points and Jordan Woodward had 28 — both career highs — to help No. 3 Oklahoma beat Harvard, 83-71.

Chase Fischer led Brigham Young to an 84-76 win over Northern Iowa on Friday in the fifth-place game of the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.

Bosh had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and Dwyane Wade added 19 as Miami improved its record on the holiday to an N.B.A.-best 10-2.

The Houston Rockets had their best defensive performance of the season in a victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

Even when all those long-range shots aren’t falling like usual, the defending-champion Golden State Warriors showed they are quite comfortable grinding out wins.

The Cavaliers waited more than six months for another crack at the Warriors, who defeated them in the finals, but the result was the same as Golden State overcame sloppy play to improve to 28-1.

Bryant’s 719,235 votes more than doubled the total of LeBron James, the N.B.A. said in announcing the first returns.

Carmelo Anthony was rarely if ever a willing bystander during his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets.

The Suns suspended forward Markieff Morris for two games without pay for what Phoenix called “conduct detrimental to the team.”

Fresh from a much-needed, four-day break that included two days with no practice, the Golden State Warriors showed no signs of slowing down.

Presented with the five names of those ahead of him on the NBA career scoring list after passing a major personal milestone, Dirk Nowitzki responded as if it was music to his ears

Russell Westbrook had 23 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder steamrolled the Los Angeles Lakers for the second time in five days, 120-85 on Wednesday night.

The Dallas Mavericks earned a 119-118 road victory over the Nets on Wednesday night, which marked Dirk Nowitzki’s move into sixth place on the N.B.A.’s career scoring list.

The Denver Nuggets’ leading scorer was hurt. Another starter was out due to illness.

Instead of a handshake or a pat on the back, Giannis Antetokounmpo received a text message from Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd.

Kristaps Porzingis finished with a team-high 23 points and added 13 rebounds, but LeBron James led Cleveland to a victory as Anthony sat out with a sprained ankle.

LeBron James acknowledged the Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t play their best Wednesday night, but he was at his best when it mattered most.

Dirk Nowitzki talked about how much it meant to him, after working so hard, so long to get it.

Few can lay better claim than Anthony to understanding, instinctively, the psychological and corporeal toll taken by poverty, despair and gun violence.

Jeff Teague scored 23 points, Paul Millsap added 18 and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Pistons 107-100 Wednesday night for their fifth straight win.

DeMarcus Cousins delivered the big shots inside.

Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 115-89 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.

Kawhi Leonard had 19 points and six rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs bullied the young Minnesota Timberwolves in the paint during a 108-83 victory Wednesday night.

Kevin Love had 23 points and 13 rebounds and forward LeBron James added 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 91-84 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

Evan Fournier hit a short bank shot with 14.2 seconds left and Tobias Harris made two free throws with 1.1 seconds remaining to help the Orlando Magic hold off the Houston Rockets 104-101 on Wednesday night.

Kelly Olynyk scored 20 points, Jae Crowder added 19 points and 12 rebounds and the Boston Celtics held off a fourth-quarter rally for a 102-89 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.

John Wall had 14 points and 14 assists to help the Washington Wizards beat the Memphis Grizzlies 100-91 on Wednesday night.

Dirk Nowitzki has moved ahead of Shaquille O’Neal into sixth place on the NBA’s career scoring list.

CLEVELAND — Carmelo Anthony decided it was best to rest before Christmas. Anthony, despite participating in the morning shootaround, elected to miss Wednesday's 91-84 loss to the Cavaliers because he said he doesn't want his sprained left ankle injury to "linger.'' Anthony also said he felt without his normal lateral agility he wouldn't be at…

The Knicks had flashbacks to last season Wednesday night. Facing LeBron James and the Cavaliers, the Knicks were without Carmelo Anthony.

For the first time since the 2008-09 season, the Knicks won’t be playing on Christmas Day and Carmelo Anthony is none too happy.

Cops hope to chat with two women who partied with Derrick Williams right before more than $600G in jewelry disappeared from his apartment.

Kobe Bryant’s turnaround was unstoppable, just like it was years ago. He played suffocating defense on the hot shooter, same as he did years ago.

Reggie Jackson led Detroit with 18 points against the Heat, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 14, putting the Pistons ahead to stay with 55.5 seconds left.

Philadelphia became the first team to start an NBA season with 29 defeats in 30 games following a 104-90 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, the 76ers dropping to 1-29 on the back of another thrashing.

The game’s outcome wasn’t decided until the absolute final moment. In reality, the Detroit Pistons did what was required to win about two hours earlier.

The Detroit Pistons have had their best long distance shooting performances against the Miami Heat so far this season.

DeMar DeRozan scored 28 points and Bismack Biyombo had a career-high 20 rebounds, leading the Toronto Raptors to a 103-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Marc Gasol scored 19 points, Mike Conley had 18 points and six assists, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Philadelphia 76ers 104-90 on Tuesday night.

Oklahoma City and Los Angeles are both looking to move up in the Western Conference, but significant adjustments need to be made for them to make a run.

Almost one year following the trade that reshuffled two franchises, former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert have settled in.

Knicks coach Derek Fisher said forward Derrick Williams has avoided addressing a police investigation into a late-night robbery in which two women he just met allegedly stole $750,000 worth of jewelry from his Manhattan apartment. "Derrick hasn't really chosen to talk about it to allow it to be any distraction,'' Fisher said. "I don't know…

Phil Jackson's fire sale occurred nearly one year ago and the Knicks have lived to tell about it. Last Jan. 5, Jackson waived starting center Samuel Dalembert and sent Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith packing to Cleveland in a three-team trade, breaking up the 5-34 Knicks. The decision was shaped as a tanking maneuver, but…