NEW YORK — Naz Reid wore a pair of purple Kobe Bryant Nike shoes at a Timberwolves practice last month, and was asked if they were in honor of his alma mater, Louisiana State.

They weren’t.

“My sister’s favorite color is purple,” the Timberwolves center said of the late Toraya Reid.

Reid said Monday he knew Toraya would have loved ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Mick Cronin wasn't kidding about taking punitive measures to get his team playing better.

Just 26 seconds into UCLA's game against Pepperdine on Friday night, Bruins forward Tyler Bilodeau committed a needless foul. It was enough to make Bilodeau's coach go to his bench, Cronin subbing in Brandon Williams for Bilodeau, who ...Read more

DENVER – With their franchise player sick and stuck at home in the Bay Area, the Golden State Warriors needed to play a nearly-perfect game just to compete with the Nuggets in Denver on Friday night.

They needed timely shotmaking by Buddy Hield and Brandin Podziemski. Energetic defense from Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green. Crisp passes by...Read more

NEW YORK — After overcoming another subpar first quarter, the Detroit Pistons opened the Emirates NBA Cup with a 125-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night at Barclays Center. The win gave the Pistons their first victory of East Group B play to open the in-season tournament. They are also now 7-2 overall, extending their winning ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — If ever there was a get-right game for the Timberwolves, it was Friday night against Utah.

The Wolves made quick work of the Jazz in a 137-97 victory. The Wolves won their first game of the NBA Cup, the league’s in-season tournament. Margin of victory can matter as a tiebreaker for a team to advance out of the group stage and ...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky’s new point guard made his debut for the Wildcats on Friday night.

The game was basically decided before he got on the court.

Jaland Lowe returned from injury to play his first game in a UK uniform, making his debut off the bench in the ninth-ranked Cats’ 107-59 victory over Valparaiso in Rupp Arena.

Lowe ...Read more

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The last time these two storied programs met — the first game of the first home-and-home series between Kansas and UNC, at around this time last year — Hubert Davis got pretty animated at halftime. He was fiery and loud as he delivered a clear message to his team, which had fallen behind the Jayhawks: “We’ve got to ...Read more

ORLANDO, Fla. — Facing the franchise that eliminated them from the first round of the NBA playoffs last season, the Magic didn’t need to find any extra motivation against the Celtics at Kia Center on Friday night.

And just in case they did, the matchup between the Eastern Conference foes was also a part of the group stage for the NBA Cup, ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — Dan Hurley turned around and gestured for an ovation from the crowd at PeoplesBank Arena less than four minutes into the UConn men’s basketball team’s 110-47 blowout of lowly UMass Lowell for its second win of the season.

Tarris Reed Jr., the Huskies center who made his season debut Friday night, was coming out after his...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — There are a few words that have been tossed around when discussing the Sixers’ start to the season — whether it’s complimenting their “box office” backcourt, or discussing the team’s early “resiliency” through their first eightgames.

However, the word that seems to define the team most this season is nostalgia. ...Read more

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida’s 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux made his long-awaited, hard-earned debut to become the tallest player in college basketball history on Thursday night.

With the No. 3 Gators’ 104-64 win against North Florida well in hand, many among a raucous crowd of 10,065 began to chant, “Oli, Oli, Oli,” — the nickname given ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Purdue has never won the NCAA Tournament, losing the national title game to UConn in 2024 and UCLA in 1969.

The betting public is banking on the Boilermakers to win it all this season.

Purdue is the consensus 8-1 favorite and money leader at BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook and the Westgate SuperBook.

“The bettors are putting all ...Read more

NEW YORK — Former Cleveland Cavaliers player and coach Damon Jones, who the feds say texted prolifically about his role in a sweeping gambling conspiracy, is pursuing a possible plea deal, the ex-hoops star said in his first appearance in Brooklyn Federal Court Thursday.

Jones pleaded not guilty in a pair of indictments, one accusing him of ...Read more

DENVER — An under-the-weather Steph Curry will remain home in the Bay Area for the second consecutive road game as he battles an illness.

The Warriors will finish a two-game road trip with a matchup at Denver on Friday, and will have to do so without their franchise player.

Curry was noticeably coughing and sniffling during the last home ...Read more

If you squinted hard enough at the box score from the Warriors game in Sacramento on Wednesday, you could sell yourself that it was a positive performance.

No Steph Curry. No Jimmy Butler. No Draymond Green. The Warriors, trotting out a line-up that had a distinct G League feel to it, somehow took the (also short-handed) Kings down to the final...Read more

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls want to be real.

Their 6-1 record, best in the Eastern Conference, should be convincing enough on its own. Only the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder (8-1) have won more games. Yet the Bulls can’t escape the specter of uncertainty cast by the last three years of mediocre, myopic and ultimately ...Read more

MIAMI — A two-alarm fire broke out early Thursday morning at the home of Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, with firefighters battling the blaze for eight hours before extinguishing it at the five-bedroom home with a pool and tennis court in one of Miami-Dade’s priciest neighborhoods.

Videos show Spoelstra, holding his head, walking near the ...Read more

Fans who bought tickets to Wednesday’s game expecting to see an All-Star cast featuring the likes of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis didn’t get exactly what they paid for.

What they got to witness instead was a vintage performance from Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook, the NBA’s all-time leader ...Read more