NEW YORK — Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has expressed satisfaction with Ron Holland II's performance so far this season. He believes the third-year forward has been making impactful plays through his defense and hustle.

However, Bickerstaff hasn't emphasized his offensive struggles, since the challenges Holland has faced are similar to those the ...Read more

BOSTON — The Celtics opened 2026 NBA Cup group play by cruising past the Chicago Bulls for the second time in five days.

Boston won, 125-111, on an ooze-green TD Garden court Friday night, leading by as many as 32 points against a rebuilding Bulls squad.

As was the case on Monday, when the Celtics crushed Chicago 134-99 in the same arena, ...Read more

Moments after the Knicks picked up their first victory of the season — a 111-97 victory over the Detroit Pistons that came four games too late — head coach Mike Brown said his team, briefly, addressed a critical issue: for one night, they paid attention to the player on the opposing team’s bench who had the hot hand entering the night.

...Read more

TORONTO — After falling to the Raptors by 30 points Wednesday night, Magic coach Sean Sweeney wanted his team to play with more physicality and intensity in a rematch at Toronto on Friday night.

Orlando did that and more inside Scotiabank Arena by holding on late for a 121-114 victory, opening NBA Cup action with a key victory on the road.

...Read more

MIAMI — The court was different, with this the Heat’s first NBA Cup of the season.

The vibe was different, with the Heat for the first time this season coming off a victory.

And the outlook now is decidedly different than four days earlier, with the Heat winning for the second time in a row after their 0-4 start to the Giannis ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Timberwolves are now 1-0 in NBA Cup games, 1-1 in games without Anthony Edwards and 4-2 on the season after a 127-101 win over the L.A. Clippers.

After a disappointing outing on Wednesday against the Golden State Warriors, the Wolves fully acquitted themselves against the Clippers tonight.

LaMelo Ball (24 points, ...Read more

When Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Niele Ivey first heard the idea, she was thrilled.

With the election of Pope Leo XIV as inspiration, college sports event organizers wanted to host a pair of men’s and women’s basketball games in Rome. Villanova, the pope’s alma mater, would occupy one bench. Notre Dame, another of the United ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — Joshua Kushner, who is set to become the majority owner of the Lakers should his $12.5 billion purchase of the franchise become official, and former Lakers owner Mark Walter finalized all terms related to the deal at Walter’s home in Florida on Thursday, a source familiar with the situation who was unauthorized to speak ...Read more

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade now has his head screwed on right.

After two years of mockery of the statue of the Miami Heat icon on the front steps of Kaseya Center, a course correction has arrived.

On the eve of Halloween, the frightening reality of the statue’s Oct. 27, 2024 unveiling has turned into something far closer in resemblance to when ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — UConn announced Friday afternoon that it signed two-time national champion men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley to a two-year contract extension through the 2031-32 season.

The terms will align with the contract Hurley signed in 2024, a six-year deal valued at $50 million with additional performance-based incentives, after ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — There is one way the Minnesota Timberwolves can absorb the 33.3 points per game the offense is missing as Anthony Edwards had surgery on his right knee on Thursday.

Play better defense.

That did not happen on Wednesday during their 119-114 loss to Golden State. In fact, the Wolves were miserable in the first half as they fell ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Steve Kerr fumed after the Warriors’ second loss of the season last Friday, a close defeat to the visiting Memphis Grizzlies that saw his team called for four moving screens, including one on Draymond Green that nullified what could have been the go-ahead basket by Steph Curry with 13 seconds remaining.

He derisively noted ...Read more

CHICAGO — Hours before tipoff of Game 6 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday, a temporary sign was hoisted above the front door of Babe’s Sports Bar on Armitage Avenue.

“Babe’s Cafe. Fueled by caffeine. And rage.”

The sign signaled a quick pivot for the Logan Square establishment, which opened at 9 a.m. — seven hours earlier than usual ...Read more

If you’re planning to catch the Golden State Valkyries’ do-or-die final game of 2026 on Saturday night, you’d better bring your checkbook.

Golden State’s Halloween Game 7 of WNBA Finals at Chase Center – dubbed Boohalla for the occasion – will have some frightful prices for those interested in attending. It’s no surprise given the...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons are off to a pretty good start this season.

But oddly enough, it took an ugly win over Charlotte on Wednesday night for J.B. Bickerstaff to feel better about a team that is once again perched atop the Eastern Conference standings.

After running a gauntlet and raining 3s in wins over a couple of the East’s ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — They fly around the court, Luka Magic to AR to that new guy who dunks.

These joyous new Lakers have wings.

LeBron James would have grounded them.

They gesture to the crowd, point to each other, fill the postgame interviews with jokes and laughter and connection.

LeBron James would have silenced them.

Barely a week into the ...Read more

If you’re a Golden State Valkyries fan who missed Game 6 of the WNBA Finals because it tipped off just after 9:30 a.m. in America’s finest time zone, count your blessings.

You didn’t miss much, because the Atlanta Dream didn’t miss much of anything from the opening tip.

If you did, in fact, ditch work to watch that unmitigated disaster...Read more

CHICAGO — Northwestern men’s basketball coach Chris Collins expected there would be some roster turnover this spring beyond the departure of star forward Nick Martinelli to the NBA — though maybe not to the extent the Wildcats experienced.

Collins has taken pride in the development of some of the players who have stuck with the program ...Read more

The Knicks got into the win column for the first time this season by overcoming a 13-point deficit in Tuesday’s home victory against the Detroit Pistons.

A day later, on the back end of a home-road back-to-back, New York overcame a bigger deficit for win No. 2.

This time, the Knicks overcame a 19-point hole on the heels of a second-half ...Read more