EAST LANSING, Mich. — Sometimes at a family reunion, someone steps out of line. And as the Izzone Reunion game brought fans and players back to Breslin Center during the tail end of students’ winter break, Tom Izzo had to step in and make some corrections.

With 6:01 to play in the second half of Michigan State’s 80-51 drubbing of USC, ...Read more

Steve Kerr had finally had enough. After watching Steph Curry’s shot not count as an and-1, and then Gary Payton II’s blocked layup by John Collins not called as a goaltend early in the fourth quarter, the longtime Warriors coach lost it once there was a stoppage on a Curry foul.

He berated the referees to such a degree that the usually ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Pickett backpedaled down the court with a hop in his step and a cocky gleam in his eye. Hunter Tyson blurted profanities after converting a 4-point play. Zeke Nnaji rained 3s. The Nuggets reserves swaggered and flexed, and the Nuggets starters cheered from the end of their bench and taunted Philadelphia’s sideline when ...Read more

EAST LANSING, Mich. — If Michigan State started off 2026 with a damper of a loss at Nebraska on Friday, then a return to Breslin Center in front of an Izzone reunion crowd gave the Spartans a big lift to enter a three-game homestand.

The 12th-ranked Spartans downed USC, 80-51, with 49 points from its trio of Jaxon Kohler (16), Jeremy Fears Jr...Read more

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics continued their climb up the Eastern Conference standings Monday night, routing the Chicago Bulls to claim sole possession of second place.

The 115-101 win at TD Garden pushed Boston ahead of the New York Knicks, who were blown out by the first-place Detroit Pistons earlier in the evening for their fourth ...Read more

DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons welcomed the New York Knicks to Little Caesars Arena for the first time since their six-game playoff series eight months ago.

The Pistons knew that Monday’s game wouldn’t change the postseason outcome, but it presented an opportunity to evaluate their progress in the first of a three-game, regular-season ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — The top five went unchanged in the AP Top 25 poll with the UConn men’s basketball team holding serve at No. 4 after winning its 10th consecutive game on Sunday.

The Huskies, 14-1 and 4-0 in Big East play, are also No. 4 in the USA Today Coaches Poll, No. 7 by KenPom and No. 8 in the NCAAs NET rankings with four Quad One ...Read more

They met two days prior to Sunday night’s encounter at Crypto.com Arena, a two-game set between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies reminiscent of a playoff series.

The Lakers won the first game Friday night and knew the Grizzlies were going to bring more intensity and a stronger effort even with star guard Ja Morant (right calf contusion) not ...Read more

In this file photo, When the Magic escaped Indiana on Wednesday, Orlando needed a layup from Paolo Banchero with 7.5 seconds left in the contest to finish on top of the Pacers with a 2-point win at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Late-game heroics were needed once again game when the sides met at Kia Center for a Sunday matinee.

Desmond Bane (31 points...Read more

MIAMI – Having previously lost to the second to the second-worst team in the Western Conference, the Miami Heat made sure there was no misstep Sunday night at Kaseya Center.

More to the point, Norman Powell made sure.

So no repeat of the home humiliation against the Sacramento Kings, instead a 125-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans ...Read more

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Reinforcements arrived in New York for the Denver Nuggets, but they didn’t play like a team revitalized.

With Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun returning to the rotation on minutes restrictions, Denver trailed for almost all 48 minutes in a 127-115 loss to the Brooklyn Nets Sunday — a reminder that even with the supporting...Read more

CLEVELAND — The Detroit Pistons led 106-93 with five minutes left in the fourth quarter. At the time, it appeared they would be on the verge of an easy win, but the Cleveland Cavaliers mounted a late rally. But by leaning upon the lessons of last season, the Pistons prevailed, taking a 114-110 win at Rocket Arena Sunday.

The Pistons improved ...Read more

MIAMI — It is an adage as old as the NBA, that talent finds a way. The question this season is whether talent comfortably can find a way back — especially when that talent no longer stands as a sole source of success.

With the Atlanta Hawks, the attempts to reintegrate Trae Young back into the mix have been uneven, to say the least.

Next ...Read more

Jaylen Brown believed he was robbed of the Eastern Conference Player of the Month award. That he, not Jalen Brunson, deserved that honor after outpacing the New York Knicks point guard in nearly every statistical category during a dominant December.

Coach Joe Mazzulla hoped Brown would take out his frustration on the Celtics’ upcoming ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO — The foundation for a disappointing loss was in place.

Draymond Green was ejected in the final minutes of the second quarter. The Utah Jazz led by as much as 12 points in the first half behind Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George. Steph Curry grinded through slow start from the field.

Then, there was that vintage Curry magic.

...Read more

COLUMBIA, Mo. — There's a small zoo in Gainesville, Fla., the city that's home to the University of Florida. There are about five dozen species of animals on display there, but no tigers.

Maybe it's because capital-T Tigers are rapidly becoming fauna non grata in greater Gatorland.

For the second year in a row, Missouri men's basketball has ...Read more

NEW YORK — The Knicks can’t get the stops they’ve paid their best players to string together.

It’s the common denominator in their newfound three-game losing streak, which took another left turn in a 130-119 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Sixers All-Star Tyrese Maxey splashed a fading step-back 3-pointer with 3:34 left in ...Read more

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Down 19 with 9:12 left in the game at No. 14 Alabama, Kentucky had mounted enough of a rally to prompt a “Go Big Blue!” chant inside Coleman Coliseum.

Yet with the Wildcats within 11, 81-70, inside the game’s final TV timeout, the Crimson Tide went to their bread-and-butter.

From way, way, way behind the top of the ...Read more

MIAMI — The only thing predictable about the Minnesota Timberwolves is their unpredictability.

After turning in two of their worst performances of the season over the previous three games, the Wolves came out an turned in an impressive 125-115 victory over the scrappy Miami Heat.

The Wolves had an efficient night offensively with multiple ...Read more