Flushing? Flushing would be too kind.

Burn it. Shred it. Nuke it. Most of all, learn from it. And the most important lesson should be this: Whatever David Adelman’s gameplan for the Nuggets was against Oklahoma City Sunday night should never, ever happen again.

Denver got cute. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got nasty. Cason Wallace got open. Lu ...Read more

SAN ANTONIO — After multiple delays caused by travel issues stemming from a winter storm in North Carolina, the Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs finally took to the court inside Frost Bank Center Sunday night.

Despite flying the day of the game and having tip-off pushed back five hours from its originally scheduled time, San Antonio wasn�...Read more

NEW YORK — Sunday marked the first-year anniversary of the Lakers’ acquisition of Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.

Lakers coach JJ Redick admitted he felt “stressed” knowing about the trade before the Lakers played the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden that night.

While his stress may have faded, Redick couldn’t have ...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons began their four-game homestand on Sunday with a 130-77 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Inside Little Caesars Arena, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren showcased their dynamic duo act, further solidifying their All-Star selections.

The 53-point margin of victory was the largest in Pistons history.

Duren celebrated ...Read more

MIAMI – Perhaps it was the return of Davion Mitchell. Perhaps it was the humiliation of falling 18 hours earlier to a team that scheduled it as a day of rest. Or perhaps there is rekindled hope of the move into February leading to a move out of nearly permanent residence in the play-in bracket.

Looking far more cohesive and connected than in ...Read more

NEW YORK — Lakers star LeBron James made the NBA All-Star team for a record 22nd time Sunday after being selected as a Western Conference reserve by NBA coaches.

James had been selected as an All-Star starter 21 consecutive times, an NBA record, but fans didn’t choose him this season. The 41-year-old James is just the second player to earn...Read more

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Things keep getting worse for the Kansas State men’s basketball team.

The Wildcats entered the weekend at the bottom of the Big 12 standings. Nevertheless, it felt like they dropped a few spots following a 95-61 loss against No. 8 Iowa State on Sunday at Bramlage Coliseum.

Ugly doesn’t begin to describe how this game ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wait a minute: Is this how it feels to have a winning NBA team in town?

It’s been so long I had honestly forgotten. But the Charlotte Hornets are in the midst of their longest win streak in almost 10 years. Suddenly it looks a lot prettier around here, and I’m not just talking about the snow.

The Hornets edged San ...Read more

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics steamrolled the depleted Milwaukee Bucks in a Sunday matinee at TD Garden, breezing to a 107-79 win to close out a 3-1 homestand.

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 points on 12-of-20 shooting and 13 rebounds after missing Friday’s win over Sacramento with knee and hamstring injuries. The Celtics also got 27 points ...Read more

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland men’s basketball was just what the doctor ordered for ailing Purdue — and a couple other members of the Big Ten.

Eager to end a three-game losing skid, the No. 12 Boilermakers found a partner in the Terps, who could not match their opponent’s offense or size in a 93-63 loss Sunday afternoon before an ...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s frontcourt nullified Alabama’s controversial 7-footer Charles Bediako and continued to dominate the Crimson Tide, making a statement entering the heart of SEC play — and backing up coach Todd Golden’s guarantee.

With Dick Vitale courtside, a national TV audience tuned in on ABC and 10 NBA scouts on hand, ...Read more

What if I told you that in the year Luka Doncic has spent with the Los Angeles Lakers, my favorite part of his game has become his early-in-the-shot-clock heaves?

Sure, maybe they’re bad shots. In the same way Paul George characterized Damian Lillard’s deep, deep shot that sent home his Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2019 ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — We hear often that it’s good to run things in life like a business. It’s said especially loudly about women’s sports, in Philadelphia and elsewhere.

So let’s do that.

The 21,490 fans who packed Xfinity Mobile Arena for Friday’s Unrivaled basketball showcase clearly had business on their minds. It was the largest ...Read more

MIAMI — Now. Or never.

Either the Miami Heat pull out all the stops, see if even that is enough, or else move on from what they have cultivated for nearly a decade, this group of hard-working, persistent, industrious players that, at best, had succeeded in Jimmy Butler’s shadows.

Add Giannis Antetokounmpo, and then having a group of hard-...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The Xfinity Mobile Arena jumped back in time on Saturday night as the Sixers honored their iconic 2001 NBA Finals team with a reunion night as part of the 25th anniversary celebration.

The vintage 76ers logo, with its retro comet tail, adorned the basketball court. Hip-Hop, the team’s mascot during that era, returned to ...Read more

OMAHA, Neb. — Dan Hurley has been talking about killer instinct and breaking an opponent’s will since the Big East season started for the UConn men’s basketball team.

The call was finally answered on Saturday night with one of the most complete, well-balanced and dominant performances of the season as the Huskies cruised to an 85-58 ...Read more

MIAMI — The Miami Heat had been here before, when the opposition basically tried to hand a game away.

That was in November, when the Cleveland Cavaliers sat out Donovan Michell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.

On that night, the Cavaliers nonetheless found their way to victory behind the unlikely likes of Craig Porter Jr., Tyrese Proctor, ...Read more

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An eventful evening inside Bud Walton Arena ended with an unexpected result.

In a game plagued by on-court altercations and technical fouls, Kentucky pulled off an 85-77 victory over the No. 15-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday, dealing John Calipari an upset loss in his first game coaching against the Wildcats on ...Read more