NBA Playoff Capsules (April 30, 2016)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Damian Lillard scored 28 points and the Portland Trail Blazers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals by holding off the resilient Los Angeles Clippers 106-103 on Friday night to claim the first-round playoff series 4-2.

Portland will open the series against the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Sunday.

CJ McCollum added 20 points for the Blazers, who became the first team to overcome a 2-0 deficit since Memphis came back against the Clippers in the first round in 2013.

Jamal Crawford had 32 points and Austin Rivers added 21 points and eight assists despite having 11 stitches above his left eye from a collision in the first quarter. But the Clippers could not recover from injuries to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin in Game 4 of the series.

HEAT 97, HORNETS 90

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, and Miami forced its first-round series against Charlotte to a seventh game.

Luol Deng was 9 of 14 from the field and finished with 21 points, while Goran Dragic added 14 points and seven rebounds for theHeat, who will host Game 7 on Sunday.

The Heat overcame a playoff career-high 37 points from Kemba Walker to hand theHornets only their 11th loss of the season at home. Al Jefferson had 18 points and nine rebounds, and Cody Zeller had 12 points off the bench for Charlotte.

With Miami leading by two, Wade hit his first 3-pointer of 2016 with 46 seconds left and added an 18-foot turnaround jump shot over Courtney Lee to help seal the win.

PACERS 101, RAPTORS 83

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Paul George scored 21 points, Myles Turner added 15 and Indiana beat Toronto to force a Game 7 of their series.

That will be played Sunday in Toronto, and the winner will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Indiana scored 18 straight points in the second half to pull away from the second-seeded Raptors, who haven't won a postseason series since the first round in 2001.

DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph each had 15 points for the Raptors.

Kyle Lowry (4 for 14) and DeMar DeRozan (3 for 13) struggled again, and now the Raptors will head home and hear again about their troubled playoff problems: a Game 7 loss at home to Brooklyn in 2014, Washington's four-game sweep last season and no series wins in a seven-game series.

Bradley's Absence Felt as Celtics Fall in First Round

Game Recap from the Celtics website.

BOSTON – The Boston Celtics are not a team to make excuses.

That being said, it’s undeniable how much of an impact Avery Bradley’s absence was felt during Boston’s first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks.

The Celtics lost their defensive rock/offensive kick-starter midway through the fourth quarter of Game 1. They struggled to find consistency on both ends of the court from that point forward, and ultimately met their demise Thursday night, dropping a penultimate Game 6, 104-92.

First and foremost, Boston missed Bradley’s lockdown perimeter defense.

Take, for instance, the impact he had on Atlanta guard Kyle Korver during Game 1. Bradley was able fight off screens and chase down the elite sharpshooter, limiting him to two points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field, including an 0-for-7 performance from 3-point range.

Following Bradley’s injury, Korver scored at least 10 points during each of the remaining five games, and shot 20-of-38 52.6 percent from the field, including 16-of-31 (51.6 percent) from long range.

As a competitor who’s shared plenty of battles with Bradley, Korver expressed disappointment that he was unable to face off against him during the majority of the series.

“Obviously his defense has always been great, so it’s unfortunate that he got hurt,” Korver said after Atlanta’s series-clinching win. “He’s a really good player and [his absence] definitely hurt them.”

But it wasn’t just Bradley’s defense that was missed; his scoring ability, which is often overlooked, was a key factor in Boston’s explosive offense during the regular season.

Bradley was often the player who set the tone and scored the first bucket of the game for Boston. He was the second-highest scorer on the team, and without him, Boston did not have many scoring options besides Isaiah Thomas.

“Everybody knows what a good defender he is, but I think he really has a positive impact on their offense,” said Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer. “All their rhythm, their flow, they do so many different things [when he’s on the court].”

One of those things is space the floor. Bradley stepped up his long-range game this season, making a career-high 147 3-pointers. That improvement earned the recognition of Korver, who sits eighth all-time in 3-point makes.

“It’s been incredible to watch his offense catch up to his defense,” said Krover. “When he has it going, I really look at him as a great shooter. He’s so quick on the dribble-handoffs and they run a lot of stuff for him, and he’s just really improved as a shooter.”

The Hawks had plenty to say about the impact of Bradley’s absence, knowing firsthand how much he affected their play. But as previously mentioned, the Celtics are not ones to make excuses themselves, and coach Brad Stevens is a profound proclaimer of that philosophy.

“Obviously Avery is a really good player and we’re thrilled he’s a Celtic, but we have other guys who can play too,” Stevens said as he took the podium for the final time this season. “That’s part of your season, that’s part of the way it goes and the next guys have got to [step] up.”

Those next guys put forth their best effort, but ultimately nothing could fill Bradley’s void.

“We missed him a lot,” said Jae Crowder. “We missed what he brings to the team and it sucks that happened, but injury is a part of it.

“He had one that he couldn’t fight through, and we just tried to step up for him, but at this time of the season you have a lot of guys hurt. His was just so unfortunate for us that it kept him out, and it hurt us.”

Being the competitor that he is, Bradley may have been the most frustrated Celtic during this first-round exit, given that he had to sit on the sideline and watch his team get eliminated from the postseason.

Bradley had said following Boston’s final preseason game in October that one of his main goals was to not miss a single game this season. He played most of them – 77 to be exact – and had an immense impact on the C’s success.

It was an impact that the Celtics certainly needed during this challenging series against the Hawks.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 28, 2016)

LOS ANGELES (AP) CJ McCollum scored 27 points, Damian Lillard added 16 of his 22 in the fourth quarter when Portland pulled away, and the Trail Blazers capitalized on the absence of injured Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 108-98 on Wednesday night in Game 5 their first-round series.

The Blazers are up 3-2 and could close it out Friday in Portland. If Game 7 is needed, it would be Saturday back at Staples Center.

Maurice Harkless added 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mason Plumlee had 10 points and 15 boards for Portland. The Blazers made six 3-pointers in the fourth, with Lillard hitting five of his six as they outscored the Clippers 37-27.

J.J. Redick led the Clippers with 19 points. Jamal Crawford, the Sixth Man of the Year, added 17 points starting in Paul's place. Jeff Green also had 17 off the bench and DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 17 rebounds.

HORNETS 90, HEAT 88

MIAMI (AP) - Courtney Lee's 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds left put Charlotte ahead to stay, and the Hornets beat Miami in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

The Hornets have won three straight games in the series, and will take a 3-2 lead into a potential Game 6 clincher on Friday night.

Marvin Williams led the Hornets with 17 points, while Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker each had 14 for Charlotte - which got its first road playoff win in 14 years. Jeremy Lin added 11.

Dwyane Wade scored 25 for Miami, while Luol Deng scored 15, Joe Johnson added 13 and Hassan Whiteside finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

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Thank you,
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NBA Playoff Capsules (April 27, 2016)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Al-Farouq Aminu scored a career-high 30 points and thePortland Trail Blazers pulled away after Chris Paul left with a broken bone in his right hand, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 98-84 on Monday night to even their playoff series at two games apiece.

Paul departed midway through the third quarter. It was not immediately clear how he was hurt, although his wrist appeared to bend back when he guarded Portland's Gerald Henderson on a layup.

The Clippers were further hurt when Blake Griffin retreated to the bench late in the game after appearing to aggravate the left quad injury he struggled with this season.

CJ McCollum had 19 points for the Blazers, while Mason Plumlee added 14 points and 10 assists.

Griffin had 17 points before leaving with under 6 minutes left.

Game 5 is Wednesday at Los Angeles.

THUNDER 118, MAVERICKS 104

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Russell Westbrook had 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and Oklahoma City beat Dallas to win the first-round playoff series 4-1 and advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

Westbrook was 13 of 23 from the field and 7 of 8 on free throws. Kevin Durant scored 33 points and Steven Adams added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who will play the San Antonio Spurs in a series that begins Saturday.

Oklahoma City shot 50.6 percent from the field and outrebounded the Mavericks 42-35.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points, Justin Anderson had 14 and Zaza Pachulia added 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Mavericks, who were hampered by injuries throughout the series.

Oklahoma City lost Game 2 85-84 at home, then won three straight, including two on the road.

HORNETS 89, HEAT 85

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Kemba Walker scored a playoff career-high 34 points, Jeremy Lin added 21 and Charlotte beat Miami to even their first-round series at 2-2.

Walker scored 11 straight Charlotte points in the fourth quarter after Miami had cut the lead to two with 6:07 left. Courtney Lee sank two free throws with 4.6 seconds left after being fouled on an offensive rebound to seal the win.

Lee finished with 11 points and helped hold Dwyane Wade to 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Miami.

Joe Johnson led Miami with 16 points, while Luol Deng had 15.

Charlotte dominated in the paint for the second straight game, outscoring Miami 44-30.

Steve Kerr wins 2015-16 Coach of the Year

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

The NBA announced Tuesday that coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors has won the NBA's Coach of the Year award for the 2015-16 season.

Kerr received 64 first-place votes and 381 points for the award in the voting of many media members in the United States and Canada. Portland Trail Blazers' coach Terry Stotts was second with 335 points, while San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was third with 166 points.

Kerr finished second in last year's voting of the award, finishing behind Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer.

Kerr is expected to receive the trophy on Wednesday night prior to Game 5 of the Warriors' first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

NBA Transactions from April 25, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 26, 2016)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Al-Farouq Aminu scored a career-high 30 points and thePortland Trail Blazers pulled away after Chris Paul left with a broken bone in his right hand, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 98-84 on Monday night to even their playoff series at two games apiece.

Paul departed midway through the third quarter. It was not immediately clear how he was hurt, although his wrist appeared to bend back when he guarded Portland's Gerald Henderson on a layup.

The Clippers were further hurt when Blake Griffin retreated to the bench late in the game after appearing to aggravate the left quad injury he struggled with this season.

CJ McCollum had 19 points for the Blazers, while Mason Plumlee added 14 points and 10 assists.

Griffin had 17 points before leaving with under 6 minutes left.

Game 5 is Wednesday at Los Angeles.

THUNDER 118, MAVERICKS 104

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Russell Westbrook had 36 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, and Oklahoma City beat Dallas to win the first-round playoff series 4-1 and advance to the Western Conference semifinals.

Westbrook was 13 of 23 from the field and 7 of 8 on free throws. Kevin Durant scored 33 points and Steven Adams added 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Thunder, who will play the San Antonio Spurs in a series that begins Saturday.

Oklahoma City shot 50.6 percent from the field and outrebounded the Mavericks 42-35.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 points, Justin Anderson had 14 and Zaza Pachulia added 12 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the Mavericks, who were hampered by injuries throughout the series.

Oklahoma City lost Game 2 85-84 at home, then won three straight, including two on the road.

HORNETS 89, HEAT 85

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Kemba Walker scored a playoff career-high 34 points, Jeremy Lin added 21 and Charlotte beat Miami to even their first-round series at 2-2.

Walker scored 11 straight Charlotte points in the fourth quarter after Miami had cut the lead to two with 6:07 left. Courtney Lee sank two free throws with 4.6 seconds left after being fouled on an offensive rebound to seal the win.

Lee finished with 11 points and helped hold Dwyane Wade to 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting.

Game 5 is Wednesday night in Miami.

Joe Johnson led Miami with 16 points, while Luol Deng had 15.

Charlotte dominated in the paint for the second straight game, outscoring Miami 44-30.

Hornets' Nicolas Batum to miss Game 4 against Heat with foot injury

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

CHARLOTTE, NC - Charlotte Hornets small forward Nicolas Batum will miss his second straight game of the Hornets' first-round series against the Miami Heat with a left foot strain.

Batum injured his foot in the fourth quarter of Game 2 at Miami.

"That's just NBA basketball," Hornets head coach Steve Clifford said. "I think our guys are good. We've had more than our share of injuries all year and they've had the right attitude. In this league, you get up in the morning, you say, 'Who's good to play today?' and you play the best you can with that team.

"Obviously we proved we have more than enough to win. We'll have to play well. We wish we had him. But the biggest thing is to play well. We have to be locked in."

The Heat lead the series 2-1.

NBA Transactions from April 24, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

AP source: Byron Scott won't return to coach Lakers

LOS ANGELES (AP) Byron Scott will not return to coach the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Sunday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced Scott's firing yet.

Scott coached the Lakers for the two worst seasons in the 16-time NBA champion franchise's history, going 38-126.

The Lakers finished with the NBA's second-worst record this season at 17-65, losing four more games than in their previous franchise-worst season in 2014-15.

Scott received praise from general manager Mitch Kupchak last week for his handling of the farewell season of Kobe Bryant, who was Scott's teammate during his rookie season with the Lakers 20 years ago. Bryant scored 60 points in his final game April 13, a win over Utah.

But the Lakers struggled to play competent defense or to put together coherent game plans over the past two seasons with a roster of youngsters and unimpressive veterans. Although the Lakers acknowledged that Bryant's season-long showcase took precedence over winning this season, Kupchak and owner Jim Buss still apparently expected more than Scott provided.

Scott had two seasons with team options left on his contract.

The Lakers are now looking for their fifth head coach since Phil Jackson left in 2011. Mike Brown and Mike D'Antoni were fired before Scott, with interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff also getting a short run.

Scott is a veteran head coach with previous tenures at New Jersey, New Orleans and Cleveland. He led the Nets to two NBA Finals in his first head job, and he won the NBA's Coach of the Year award with the Hornets in 2008.

Yahoo Sports first reported Scott's firing.

The Lakers waited to fire Scott while two top candidates for head coaching positions took other jobs. Tom Thibodeau landed in Minnesota, and Scott Brooks was hired by Washington.

The Lakers' new coach will inherit a young, patchwork roster with a core of intriguing talent. D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson are all solid players, and the Lakers will keep their high draft pick if they finish in the top three of the NBA draft lottery next month.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 25, 2016)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) George Hill and Ian Mahinmi each scored 22 points, Paul George added 19 and the Indiana Pacers beat the Toronto Raptors 100-83 on Sunday to tie the first-round playoff series at 2-2.

Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Toronto.

Jonas Valanciunas led Toronto with 16 points, and Kyle Lowry and DeMarre Carroll each had 12.

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Indiana scored the first seven points, took control with a 3-point spree late in the first quarter and led by as much as 25 points in the first half. Toronto, which never led or tied the score, cut it to 57-42 at halftime, but couldn't got closer than 11 in the second half.

HORNETS 96, HEAT 80

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jeremy Lin scored 18 points, Kemba Walker had 17 and Charlotte beat Miami to snap a 12-game playoff losing streak and earn its first postseason victory in 14 years.

Rookie Frank Kaminsky, who got the starting nod, scored eight of his 15 points during an 18-0 run in the third quarter that broke open a 53-all game.

The Heat lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Monday night.

Marvin Williams, a non-factor in the first two games, had 12 points and 14 rebounds for theHornets.

Luol Deng scored 19 points on five 3-pointers, and Dwyane Wade added 17 for Miami. Hassan Whiteside had 13 points and 18 rebounds but battled foul trouble.

Miami, which shot 58 percent from the field in the first two games, was limited to 34 percent shooting.

THUNDER 119, MAVERICKS 108

DALLAS (AP) - Russell Westbrook had 25 points and 15 assists, and Oklahoma City beat Dallas to take a commanding 3-1 lead in a testy first-round series that got quite a bit testier.

Enes Kanter had his second straight playoff career high with 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting for the Thunder, who never trailed in two games in Dallas after the Mavericks evened the series with a one-point win in Oklahoma City following a 38-point loss in the opener.

Kevin Durant scored 19 points before he was ejected in the final minute for a flagrant foul on Dallas' Justin Anderson. It was the last of several tense moments, and Dallas team security had to make sure Durant didn't leave the court in front of the Mavericks bench.

Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who haven't won a playoff series since winning the 2011 NBA title.

TRAIL BLAZERS 96, CLIPPERS 88

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Damian Lillard scored 32 points and Portland found its offense at home, beating Los Angeles to pull within 2-1 in the Western Conference first-round series.

Newly crowned Most Improved Player CJ McCollum added 27 points for Portland, which snapped a five-game losing streak to the Clippers going back to the regular season.

Mason Plumlee had six points, 21 rebounds and nine assists for Portland, which hosts Game 4 on Monday night.

Lillard had made only 13 of 39 from the floor, and just 3 of 14 from 3-point range in the first two games combined. But he found his shot on Saturday, hitting 10 of 20 from the field with three 3-pointers.

Chris Paul finished with 26 points for the Clippers, who had held the Blazers to an average of just 88 points in the first two games - down from an average of 105.1 in the regular season.

NBA Transactions from April 23, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 24, 2016)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) George Hill and Ian Mahinmi each scored 22 points, Paul George added 19 and the Indiana Pacers beat the Toronto Raptors 100-83 on Sunday to tie the first-round playoff series at 2-2.

Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Toronto.

Jonas Valanciunas led Toronto with 16 points, and Kyle Lowry and DeMarre Carroll each had 12.

Indiana scored the first seven points, took control with a 3-point spree late in the first quarter and led by as much as 25 points in the first half. Toronto, which never led or tied the score, cut it to 57-42 at halftime, but couldn't got closer than 11 in the second half.

HORNETS 96, HEAT 80

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jeremy Lin scored 18 points, Kemba Walker had 17 and Charlotte beat Miami to snap a 12-game playoff losing streak and earn its first postseason victory in 14 years.

Rookie Frank Kaminsky, who got the starting nod, scored eight of his 15 points during an 18-0 run in the third quarter that broke open a 53-all game.

The Heat lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 set for Monday night.

Marvin Williams, a non-factor in the first two games, had 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Hornets.

Luol Deng scored 19 points on five 3-pointers, and Dwyane Wade added 17 for Miami. Hassan Whiteside had 13 points and 18 rebounds but battled foul trouble.

Miami, which shot 58 percent from the field in the first two games, was limited to 34 percent shooting.

THUNDER 119, MAVERICKS 108

DALLAS (AP) - Russell Westbrook had 25 points and 15 assists, and Oklahoma City beat Dallas to take a commanding 3-1 lead in a testy first-round series that got quite a bit testier.

Enes Kanter had his second straight playoff career high with 28 points on 12-of-13 shooting for the Thunder, who never trailed in two games in Dallas after the Mavericks evened the series with a one-point win in Oklahoma City following a 38-point loss in the opener.

Kevin Durant scored 19 points before he was ejected in the final minute for a flagrant foul on Dallas' Justin Anderson. It was the last of several tense moments, and Dallas team security had to make sure Durant didn't leave the court in front of the Mavericks bench.

Dirk Nowitzki had 27 points and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who haven't won a playoff series since winning the 2011 NBA title.

TRAIL BLAZERS 96, CLIPPERS 88

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Damian Lillard scored 32 points and Portland found its offense at home, beating Los Angeles to pull within 2-1 in the Western Conference first-round series.

Newly crowned Most Improved Player CJ McCollum added 27 points for Portland, which snapped a five-game losing streak to the Clippers going back to the regular season.

Mason Plumlee had six points, 21 rebounds and nine assists for Portland, which hosts Game 4 on Monday night.

Lillard had made only 13 of 39 from the floor, and just 3 of 14 from 3-point range in the first two games combined. But he found his shot on Saturday, hitting 10 of 20 from the field with three 3-pointers.

Chris Paul finished with 26 points for the Clippers, who had held the Blazers to an average of just 88 points in the first two games - down from an average of 105.1 in the regular season.

NBA Transactions from April 22, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 23, 2016)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) LeBron James had 20 points and 13 rebounds, and Kyrie Irving made a pair of big 3-pointers down the stretch to help the Cleveland Cavaliers move within a game of a first-round sweep with a 101-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

Irving scored 26 points for Cleveland, which overcame a gritty effort by the Pistons in Detroit's first home playoff game since 2009. Andre Drummond scored 17 points for the Pistons, but Detroit fell behind toward the end of the third quarter, and a late rally came up short.

The Cavs lead the series 3-0, with Game 4 coming up Sunday night.

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The Pistons have now lost 11 straight playoff games against Cleveland, and they've lost nine in a row overall in the postseason.

CELTICS 111, HAWKS 103

BOSTON (AP) - Isaiah Thomas scored a career-high 42 points, and Boston held on to beat Atlanta in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.

Evan Turner, inserted into the starting lineup, had 17 points and seven assists. Amir Johnson added 15 points and seven rebounds as the Celtics closed to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Playing by far their best first half of the series, Boston led by as many as 20 points before seeing that mostly erased by a 12-0 run by the Hawks in the third quarter.

The Celtics then survived a frenetic fourth quarter that featured three ties and a pair of lead changes, finally getting separation with five straight points for a 104-98 lead.

Jeff Teague had 23 points for Atlanta. Kent Bazemore and Dennis Schroder each finished with 20.

Game 4 is Sunday in Boston.

SPURS 96, GRIZZLIES 87

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points, and San Antonio beat Memphis to take a 3-0 lead in their Western Conference first-round series.

The Spurs are a win away from their ninth postseason series sweep and third against Memphis. They finished the game on a 13-6 run in the final 3:41, and Leonard, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, scored 13 points in the quarter as he shot 11 of 22 for the game and 6 of 9 from 3-point range.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Danny Green and Manu Ginobili each added 11 points for San Antonio.

Zach Randolph led Memphis with 20 points and 11 rebounds on 6-of-21 shooting. Matt Barnes added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Vince Carter had 11 and JaMychal Green was 5 of 5 for 10 points.

Game 4 is Sunday.

Celtics' Olynyk out, Hawks' Schroder may play in Game 3

From the NBA website.

Kellu Olynyk

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics center Kelly Olynyk will miss his second straight game with a sore right shoulder, while the Hawks remained hopeful that backup point guard Dennis Schroder would available for the Game 3 after spraining his left ankle.

Boston coach Brad Stevens said before the game Friday night that Olynyk was "feeling a little bit better" but was having some shifting issues in his shoulder and still in a fair amount of pain. He also did not participate in a pregame shoot around or walkthrough.

Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said Schroder's ankle was fine after flying from Atlanta, and that he was generally unrestricted during most of the Atlanta's morning walkthrough. Schroder injured the ankle near the end of the Hawks' Game 2 win in Atlanta.

Stevens also announced a pair of changes to his starting lineup. He said Evan Turner would start in place of Marcus Smart and that Jonas Jerebko would start for Jared Sullinger. 

CJ McCollum wins NBA's Most Improved

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum on Friday won the NBA's 2016 Most Improved Player award.

The Charlotte Hornets' Kemba Walker was second with 166 points, while the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (99) was third.

Warriors guard Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors received seven first-place votes and came in fourth in the voting.

NBA Transactions from April 21, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 22, 2016)

HOUSTON (AP) James Harden scored 35 points, including the game-winner with 2.7 seconds left, and Houston took advantage of Stephen Curry's absence to get a 97-96 victory over Golden State in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday night.

The victory cuts Houston's deficit to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Sunday in Houston.

Shaun Livingston stole a pass from Trevor Ariza and Ian Clark's layup put Golden State up by one with 10.6 seconds left. Harden then took it to the other end and stepped back for the jump shot to win it.

Golden State had a chance to win it after that, but Draymond Green dribbled the inbounds pass off his foot and out of bounds.

Marreese Speights came off the bench to lead the Warriors with 22 points and Klay Thompson had 17.

Dwight Howard added 13 points, 13 rebounds and had two blocks for Houston.

THUNDER 131, MAVERICKS 102

DALLAS (AP) - Kevin Durant bounced back from the worst shooting game of his playoff career with 34 points and Oklahoma City retook control of its first-round series.

Durant had seven field goals midway through the second quarter on nine shots after he needed 33 to get there in a Game 2 loss that followed a 38-point win in the opener.

The 2014 MVP scored 20 points in the first half, when the Thunder led by as many as 19 points on their way to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Dallas.

Dirk Nowitzki played despite a right knee bruise and scored 16 points for the Mavericks, who missed 10 of their first 12 shots from 3-point range.

Russell Westbrook scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half and had 15 assists.

RAPTORS 101, PACERS 85

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - DeMar DeRozan rebounded from his postseason shooting slump, and he and Kyle Lowry scored 21 points for Toronto.

The Raptors lead the best-of-seven first-round series 2-1 and have reclaimed the home-court advantage they squandered by losing the series opener last weekend.

Indiana was led by Paul George, who had 25 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Rookie Myles Turner scored 11 of 17 points in the second half.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Indianapolis.

DeRozan was 10 of 37 from the field and 0 for 5 from 3-point range through the first two games. On Monday he finished 7 of 19 from the field.

NBA Transactions from April 20, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 21, 2016 (

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James scored 27 points, J.R. Smith made seven of Cleveland's NBA playoff record-tying 20 3-pointers, and the Cavaliers opened a 2-0 lead in their series with a 107-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

The top-seeded Cavs put away the up-and-coming Pistons in the third quarter, outscoring them 27-15 to protect home-court advantage.

There was nothing easy about their first two wins and the Cavs, favored to win the Eastern Conference and return to the finals, will have their work cut out when the best-of-seven series resumes on Friday night at Detroit.

Kyrie Irving added 22 points for Cleveland, which went 20 of 38 on 3s and tied the postseason record shared by Golden State (2015), Dallas (2011) and Seattle (1996).

Andre Drummond scored 20 and Reggie Jackson 14 for the Pistons, who have lost 10 straight playoff games against Cleveland. Drummond was just 4 of 16 from the line.

HEAT 115, HORNETS 103

MIAMI (AP) - Dwyane Wade had 28 points and eight assists, Hassan Whiteside made all eight of his shots and finished with 17 points, and Miami beat Charlotte to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series.

Goran Dragic scored 18 points, Luol Deng had 16, Josh Richardson finished with 15 and Whiteside grabbed 13 rebounds for Miami.

Kemba Walker scored 29 points for Charlotte, needing 29 shots to get there. Al Jefferson had 25 on 12-for-17 shooting off the bench, and Jeremy Lin added 11 for Charlotte - which has dropped 12 straight postseason contests.

It was the 100th 20-point game of Wade's playoff career. The Heat are 64-36 in those games.

Game 3 is Saturday in Charlotte.

CLIPPERS 102, TRAIL BLAZERS 81

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Paul scored 25 points, J.J. Redick added 17 and the Los Angeles Clippers pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Portland Trail Blazers102-81 Wednesday night and take a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Damian Lillard and Mason Plumlee led the Blazers with 17 points each. CJ McCollum added 16 after being held to nine in their 20-point loss in the series opener. Plumlee and Al-Farouq Aminu had 10 rebounds each. Portland shot a season-worst 34.1 percent.

Game 3 is Saturday in Portland.

Blake Griffin had 12 points and nine rebounds and DeAndre Jordan had 18 rebounds for the Clippers, who shot 46 percent and topped 100 points for the second straight game.

NBA Transactions from April 19, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 20, 2016)

ATLANTA (AP) The Hawks held Boston to the lowest-scoring first quarter in the playoffs since the NBA went to the shot clock, building a 21-point lead and holding on despite an ugly shooting performance of their own for an 89-72 victory Tuesday night, giving Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the opening-round series.

Al Horford and Kyle Korver led Atlanta with 17 points apiece, but this game was essentially decided in the first 12 minutes.

The Hawks started 9 of 13 from the field, knocking down six from beyond the 3-point arc. Korver made four from long range, a big turnaround from a 1-of-10 performance in Game 1 that didn't include any 3s. Atlanta led 24-3 just 6 1-2 minutes into the game.

Even after failing to score the rest of the period, the Hawks still led 24-7 heading to the second.

Game 3 is Friday night in Boston.

SPURS 94, GRIZZLIES 68

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Patty Mills had 16 points, Kawhi Leonard added 13 and San Antonio never trailed in sweeping the first two games of the first-round series in imposing fashion.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 10 points and eight rebounds in 26 minutes. Aldridge sat out the entire fourth quarter along with Leonard and Tony Parker while Tim Duncan and Danny Green made brief appearances.

Game 3 is in Memphis on Friday night.

San Antonio's suffocating defense held Memphis to franchise lows in total points and points in a quarter.

Tony Allen led Memphis with 12 points and Zach Randolph had 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Sources: Jamal Crawford wins third Sixth Man of the Year award

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Jamal Crawford

Los Angeles Clippers guard Jamal Crawford will be named the 2015-16 Sixth Man of the Year, according to multiple sources.

In 79 appearances this season, Crawford averaged 14.2 points and shot 90 percent from the free-throw line. He was a major reason Los Angeles sustained a high level of play when Blake Griffin was out with injuries.

This is the first time in NBA history that a player has been a recipient of the award three times.

Crawford, 36, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

- - - - -

Information from this article came from Cleveland.com.

NBA Transactions from April 18, 2016

No transactions were made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 19, 2016)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) As Stephen Curry emphatically waved his arms to ignite the crowd and coached from the bench when he could do little else, Klay Thompson and theGolden State Warriors' supporting cast picked up the slack for their absent NBA MVP to hold off the Houston Rockets 115-106 on Monday night and take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series.

Thompson scored 34 points and dished out five assists for the defending champions, playing without Curry because of an injured right ankle. Curry cut short his pregame warmup routine after appearing to be in discomfort as he was shooting while putting little pressure on the tender ankle.

Andre Iguodala, last year's Finals MVP, added 18 points with four 3-pointers and Draymond Green had 12 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Now, Curry has until Thursday's Game 3 in Houston to get healthy.

James Harden had 28 points and 11 assists to lead the Rockets, losers of six straight and 14 of 15 to Golden State. He made 13 of 15 free throws after not attempting one in the opener.

MAVERICKS 85, THUNDER 84

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A putback at the buzzer by Oklahoma City's Steven Adams that would have won the game was disallowed upon review, and Dallas defeated the Thunder 85-84 to even the Western Conference playoff series at one win apiece.

Dallas had been embarrassed 108-70 in the opener on Saturday, but the Mavericks held Oklahoma City to 33.7 percent shooting on Monday.

Raymond Felton scored 21 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 17 for the Mavericks. Deron Williams, declared doubtful on Sunday with a left abdominal strain, scored 13 points, 11 in the game's first 5 minutes.

Kevin Durant scored 21 points for Oklahoma City, but he made just 7 of 33 shots in one of the worst postseason shooting performances of his career.

Game 3 is Thursday in Dallas.

RAPTORS 98, PACERS 87

TORONTO (AP) - Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds and Kyle Lowry had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds asToronto snapped its postseason losing streak at seven games.

The Raptors had not won a playoff game since a 115-113 home victory over Brooklyn on April 30, 2014.

Corey Joseph scored 16 points, Patrick Patterson added 14 and DeMar DeRozan had 10 as the Raptors evened the first-round series at 1-1.

Paul George scored 28 points and Monta Ellis had 15 for the Pacers, who host Game 3 on Thursday night.

Lowry and DeRozan both struggled with their shooting in Saturday's Game 1 loss, combining to make eight of 32 attempts. Neither was particularly sharp in this one, with Lowry making four of 13 and DeRozan making five of 18.

Kawhi Leonard wins Defensive Player of the Year for second straight season

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

For the second straight year, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.

Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green finished second for the second straight season. He was followed by Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside in third.

Leonard received 547 points and 84 first-place votes from a voting panel of 130 media members.

NBA Transactions from April 17, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 18, 2016)

CLEVELAND (AP) Kyrie Irving scored 31 points in his first playoff game since being injured last year in the NBA Finals and Kevin Love added 28, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 106-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

LeBron James added 22 points and 11 assists for the top-seeded Cavs. They are favored to win the Eastern Conference again but got all they could handle from the Pistons.

Love, knocked out of the playoffs with a shoulder injury in the first round a year ago, made two critical 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points and Marcus Morris 20 - but just one after halftime - for the Pistons, making their first playoff appearance since 2009. Andre Drummond had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Detroit made 15 3-pointers, but the Pistons' playoff inexperience showed in the final minutes.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in Cleveland.

SPURS 106, GRIZZLIES 74

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Kawhi Leonard had 20 points and San Antonio beat Memphis in Game 1 of their Western Conference series, handing the Grizzlies their worst postseason loss.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 points, and Tony Parker had 15 points and six assists for San Antonio. The Spurs sat their starters in the fourth quarter to rest them for Game 2 on Tuesday night in San Antonio.

San Antonio shot 68 percent in the third quarter, outscoring Memphis 33-14 to break open what had been a relatively close game against the short-handed Grizzlies.

Memphis matched a postseason low in the first quarter with 13 points, and only Xavier Munford's 15-foot jumper with 46.1 seconds remaining kept it from matching the worst output in any quarter.

Vince Carter had 16 points to lead Memphis. Zach Randolph was held to six points on 3-for-13 shooting.

Memphis' previous largest losing margin was 27 points against Oklahoma City on May 11, 2011.

HEAT 123, HORNETS 91

MIAMI (AP) - Luol Deng scored 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting, Hassan Whiteside added 21 points and 11 rebounds in his postseason debut, and Miami routed Charlotte in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

Dwyane Wade scored 16 points in 26 minutes, Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire each had 11 points, and Goran Dragic finished with 10 assists.

Miami scored 41 points in the first quarter to tie one franchise playoff record, set another with the 123 points - topping the 121 in the 2012 NBA Finals clincher against Oklahoma City - and never trailed.

Nic Batum scored 24 points for the Hornets. Kemba Walker added 19.

Game 2 is Wednesday night in Miami.

CLIPPERS 115, TRAIL BLAZERS 95

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Paul had 28 points and 11 assists as one of three Clipperswith a double-double, leading Los Angelesover the Portland Trail Blazers in the opener of their first-round playoff series.

Blake Griffin had 19 points and 12 rebounds, DeAndre Jordan added 18 points and 12 rebounds and J.J. Redick had 17 points. The Clippers are 6-0 with Griffin in the lineup since he returned from a 45-game absence two weeks ago.

Damian Lillard led the Blazers with 21 points, while backcourt mate CJ McCollum was held to nine points.

Game 2 is Wednesday night at Staples Center.

Brooklyn Nets Name Kenny Atkinson Head Coach

Statement from the Nets website.

Kenny Atkinson

Brooklyn, NY – The Brooklyn Nets have named Kenny Atkinson as the team’s new head coach.  Atkinson will become the 21st head coach in the franchise’s NBA history.  Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.

“We are thrilled to announce Kenny Atkinson as our new head coach and to welcome him and his family to Brooklyn,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “Kenny’s years of NBA coaching experience working under successful head coaches such as Mike Budenholzer and Mike D’Antoni have provided him with the foundation and experience we were looking for in a head coach. We believe that Kenny’s core principles, leadership,communication skills and exceptional background in player development make him an ideal fit for the culture we are building in Brooklyn.”

Atkinson currently serves as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks and will continue in this capacity until the conclusion of Atlanta’s postseason.  With respect to the Hawks and their playoff schedule, a press conference to formally introduce Atkinson will be held on a date that has yet to be determined.

“I’d like to extend a personal welcome to Kenny and wish all of us success as we begin a new era at the Brooklyn Nets,” said Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov. “Aside from his tremendous skills and experience, he has the mindset we need to build a winning team day by day, step by step. Together, we can do great things.”

Atkinson joins the Nets after spending the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks under Head Coach Mike Budenholzer. The Hawks made playoff appearances in each of Atkinson’s four seasons, including the club’s first-ever trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The 2014-15 Hawks registered a franchise-record 60 wins, including a franchise-best 19-game win streak, and captured their first division title in more than 20 years. Atkinson served on the 2015 Eastern Conference All-Star coaching staff, and he guided Team World in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend in New York. Prior to his tenure with the Hawks, Atkinson was an assistant coach for four seasons with the New York Knicks (2008-12), helping the team reach the postseason in 2011 and 2012. Atkinson also spent one season as the Director of Player Development for the Houston Rockets (2007-08).

“I am truly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, and I would like to thank Nets’ ownership and management for this tremendous opportunity,” said Atkinson.  “Together with Sean and his staff, we look forward to building a winning tradition here in Brooklyn.  I also want to acknowledge and thank Mike Budenholzer and the entire Atlanta Hawks organization for their cooperation and support throughout this process.  While I am eager to begin working with the Nets, I remain committed to my coaching responsibilities with the Hawks for the remainder of the postseason.”

A native of Huntington, New York, Atkinson has also held various coaching positions abroad, serving as Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach for Paris Basket Racing Club in France (2004-06), Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach for the national team of the Republic of Georgia in the summer of 2006 and as an assistant coach with the Ukraine national team at the European championships in 2011. Most recently, Atkinson was Head Coach of the Dominican Republic national team in last summer’s FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City.

Prior to beginning his coaching career, Atkinson played professionally for 14 years (1990-2004), beginning his pro career in the CBA and USBL before competing for teams in France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain. A standout collegiate player at the University of Richmond, Atkinson earned All-CAA First Team honors as a junior and senior and helped lead the Spiders to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 1988. He was also selected as the 1987 CAA Rookie of the Year.

Atkinson and his wife, Laura, have a son, Anthony, and a daughter, Annika.

Stephen Curry questionable for Game 2 with ankle injury

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called star guard Stephen Curry "questionable" for Game 2 of the team's playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

Curry rolled his ankle in Game 1 in Oakland, California on Saturday.

"As far as [Game 2 on] Monday, I'd say Steph is questionable," Kerr said. "We will see how he responds the next couple of days and go from there."

Curry, however, was optimistic that he would play in Game 2.


"Right now, don't see a scenario where I'll be out," Curry said at the postgame podium.

NBA Transactions from April 16, 2016

No transactions made on this day.

NBA Playoff Capsules (April 17, 2016)

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Stephen Curry dazzled from long range and drove to the hoop with fire and flair, scoring 24 points before tweaking his ankle as the Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets 104-78 on Saturday in their playoff opener.

Draymond Green added 12 points and 10 rebounds as top-seeded Golden State carried momentum from setting the all-time wins record Wednesday night with No. 73 into a testy playoff opener some 60 hours later.

The Warriors topped the Michael Jordan-led Bulls of 1995-96, then immediately made one thing clear: That mark will mean nothing if they don't bring home back-to-back titles to the East Bay.

James Harden scored 17 points for cold-shooting Houston, held to six field goals in the first quarter of the rematch from last year's Western Conference finals, won by Golden State in five.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night at Oracle Arena, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Curry is questionable for that one. He will be re-evaluated Sunday.

PACERS 100, RAPTORS 90

TORONTO (AP) - Paul George scored 33 points, Monta Ellis had 15 and Indiana beatToronto in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Jonas Valanciunas fouled out after scoring 12 points and setting a Raptors' playoff record with 19 rebounds.

All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan both struggled for the second-seeded Raptors. Lowry made 3 of 13 field goal attempts while DeRozan made 5 of 19. The pair went 1 for 10 from 3-point range and 8 for 15 at the free-throw line.

DeRozan finished with 14 points and Lowry had 11. Cory Joseph scored 18.

Toronto dropped to 0-8 in the first game of an opening-round playoff series.

THUNDER 108, MAVERICKS 70

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Russell Westbrook had 24 points and 11 assists, Kevin Durant added 23 points, and the Thunder opened the Western Conference series with their most dominant postseason performance since moving to Oklahoma City.

Serge Ibaka had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Enes Kanter added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder.

It was Oklahoma City's largest victory margin in a playoff game since moving from Seattle before the 2008-09 season, and the lowest point total the franchise has allowed in a postseason game, in Seattle or Oklahoma City.

Dallas scored its fewest points ever in a playoff game, and its .298 field-goal percentage was the worst ever in a postseason game for a franchise that has existed since 1980.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 18 points.

Game 2 will be Monday in Oklahoma City.

HAWKS 102, CELTICS 101

ATLANTA (AP) - Jeff Teague stymied another big Boston comeback, taking matters into his own hands in the closing minutes to lead Atlanta in Game 1 of the opening-round playoff series.

Teague scored 23 points and doled out 12 assists, making sure Atlanta maintained the home-court edge after the gritty Celtics rallied from a 19-point deficit.

With the game tied at 88, Teague worked the pick-and-roll to set up a layup for Al Horford. The Celtics missed and the Hawks again got the ball to Teague, who found Paul Millsap alone under the basket for a dunk that pushed Atlanta to a 92-88 lead with 2:56 remaining.

The Celtics had a chance to tie in the final minute, but Evan Turner missed an open 3-pointer.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Atlanta.

NBA Transactions from April 15, 2016

No transactions on this day.

NBA Transactions from April 14, 2016

No transactions were made on this day.

Kings officially fire George Karl

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

The Sacramento Kings officially fired head coach George Karl on Thursday.

"After evaluating the team's performance this season, I determined it was necessary to move forward with a new voice from the head coaching position," Kings general manager Vlade Divac said in a statement. "I have a great deal of respect and admiration for George and his accomplishments throughout his nearly 30 years in the NBA," said Divac. "On behalf of everyone in the Kings organization, I thank him for the contributions made during his time in Sacramento and wish him good fortune in the future."

The Kings finished the past season 33-49 under Karl, missing the playoffs for the ninth-straight season.

Wizards fire head coach Randy Wittman

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

The Washington Wizards have fired head coach Randy Wittman after going 41-41 in 2015-16 and for missing the playoffs for the first time in the past three seasons.

Wittman was fired after the Wizards' 109-98 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

NBA Transactions from April 13, 2016

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

The following is a complete list of all NBA transactions made on April 13, 2016:

Cleveland Cavaliers signed forward Dahntay Jones to a Rest-of-Season Contract.

Detroit Pistons signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a Rest-of-Season Contract.

NBA Capsules (April 14, 2016)

HOUSTON (AP) James Harden scored 38 points and the Houston Rockets took the final Western Conference playoff spot with an easy 116-81 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.

The Rockets never trailed and had a 64-44 lead at halftime behind 16 points from Harden and 10 each from Dwight Howard and Michael Beasley.

They won their last three games to sneak into the playoffs after losing three of the previous four to fall behind Utah and into ninth place in the West. Houston will meet top-seed Golden State in the first round of the playoffs this weekend.

Ben McLemore had 24 points for the Kings, in what was likely coach George Karl's final game with the team amid reports that he could be fired as soon as Thursday. Karl went 44-68 since taking the job in February 2015, and this season is the 10th straight season in which the Kings did not make the playoffs.

SPURS 96, MAVERICKS 91

DALLAS (AP) - Rookies Boban Marjanovic and Jonathon Simmons set career scoring highs and San Antonio rallied past Dallas despite leaving home four starters and two key reserves.

The loss left the Mavericks at risk of falling to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference and having to face the second-seeded Spursagain in the first round of the playoffs after San Antonio's 4-0 sweep of its Texas rival in the regular season.

Marjanovic, a 7-foot-3 Serbian center making his fourth start, had 22 points and matched a career high with 12 rebounds as the Spurs erased an 18-point halftime deficit in the third quarter and finished off the rally in the fourth. Simmons scored 19.

Kyle Anderson, a second-year player, matched his career best with 15 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. He had 10 rebounds for his first career double-double.

PISTONS 112, CAVALIERS 110, OT

CLEVELAND (AP) - LeBron James wore a black blazer and watched from the bench and all the starters for Cleveland and Detroit rested for their first-round playoff matchup as Jodie Meeks scored 20 to lead the Pistons past the Cavaliers.

James rushed onto the court to celebrate when Jordan McRae's 3-pointer tied it 103-all and forced OT. But Meeks, who played just 17 minutes all season because of a foot injury, scored four in the extra session. McRae scored 36 and had a chance to tie it in the final second, but missed two free throws after being fouled on a 3-pointer.

The teams will play Game 1 this weekend.

RAPTORS 103, NETS 96

NEW YORK (AP) - Rookie Norman Powell scored a career-high 30 points and Toronto wrapped up the best regular season in franchise history by beating Brooklyn.

With the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference already secured, the Raptors didn't even bring All-Star guards Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, plus Jonas Valanciunas, James Johnson and DeMarre Carroll to the game. They won anyway, improving to 56-26 after coming into the season as the only NBA team that had never previously even won 50.

Powell added nine rebounds and five assists, while Terrence Ross had 24 points and 10 rebounds. Delon Wright scored 18 points. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 29 points for the Nets, who lost their final 10 games and finished 21-61.

CELTICS 98, HEAT 88

BOSTON (AP) - Isaiah Thomas had 21 points and Boston rallied from 26 points down to beat Miami.

Coupled with Atlanta's loss to Washington, Boston earned the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks' loss also gave Miami the third seed and its fifth Southeast Division title in six years. The Celtics will face the fourth-seeded Hawks in the first round. Miami will take on No. 6 seed Charlotte.

Avery Bradley added 17 points and seven rebounds. Evan Turner finished with 16 points for Boston.

Joe Johnson and Hassan Whiteside each had 19 points to lead the Heat. Goran Dragic added 18 points, and Dwyane Wade had 17.

WIZARDS 109, HAWKS 98

WASHINGTON (AP) - With a seemingly half-hearted showing in its final regular-season game, Atlanta lost to a bunch of backups for Washington and wound up with the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

After the game, a person familiar with the decision said Washington coach Randy Wittman has been told he will not be back. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced by the team.

Atlanta finished 48-34 - the same record as the Miami Heat, who lost 98-88 at the Boston Celtics but owned the tiebreaker over the Hawks and so earned the No. 3 seed. Because of Miami's loss, Atlanta would have moved up to No. 3 with a victory. Instead, the Hawks dropped their second game in a row and will face the No. 5 Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.

Washington finished 41-41 and 10th in the Eastern Conference, missing out on the playoffs after reaching the second round each of the previous two seasons.

Al Horford led the Hawks with 19 points. Ramon Sessions, one of four reserves who started for Washington, scored 22 points.

MAGIC 117, HORNETS 103

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Al Jefferson scored 26 points and playoff-bound Charlotte closed out its best regular season in 16 years with a victory over Orlando.

The Hornets are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the third-seeded Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Troy Daniels added 13 points and Spencer Hawes and Jeremy Lamb had 12 each for Charlotte, which finished the regular season 48-34 - the fifth-most wins in franchise history.

Evan Fournier and Aaron Gordon each had 22 points for the Magic.

PACERS 97, BUCKS 92

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Solomon Hill scored a season-high 25 points to help Indiana beat Milwaukee.

Lavoy Allen and Glenn Robinson III each added 14 points for Indiana, which clinched the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night after beating the New York Knicks.

With the Pacers locked into a first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors, coach Frank Vogel sat starters, including Paul George and Monta Ellis.

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 19 points and nine rebounds.

BULLS 115, 76ERS 105

CHICAGO (AP) - Nikola Mirotic scored 32 points, Justin Holliday added a career-high 29, and Chicago closed a disappointing season with a victory over Philadelphia.

Mirotic hit seven 3-pointers. Holiday made five from long range, matching a personal best. Jimmy Butler added 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Bulls wiped out an early 24-point deficit and led by as much as 19.

That's little consolation for a team that expected to challenge Cleveland for supremacy in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008 at 42-40.

Robert Covington led Philadelphia with 27 points. The 76ers finished an NBA-worst 10-72.

TIMBERWOLVES 144, PELICANS 109

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Karl-Anthony Towns had 28 points and 14 rebounds and Minnesota sent coach Sam Mitchell out in style with a victory over New Orleans.

Gorgui Dieng had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Shabazz Muhammad scored 28 points for the Timberwolves (29-53), who learned before the game that owner Glen Taylor planned to open up a search for a new president of basketball operations and coach. GM Milt Newton and coach Sam Mitchell were fired after the game.

Minnesota shot 65 percent, made 13 of 28 3-pointers and set a franchise record for points in a game.

Omer Asik had 24 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans.

AP News Alert
LOS ANGELES (AP) Kobe Bryant scores season-high 60 points in final game, rallies Lakers past Jazz.

- - - - -

PCR's Notes:
- The final score of the Lakers-Jazz game was 101-96 in favor of the Lakers.

- The Golden State Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 125-104 for their 73rd victory of the season and to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' record of most wins in a season with 72.

Mavericks F David Lee out vs. Spurs with foot injury

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

DALLAS -- Mavericks forward David Lee left Wednesday night's regular-season finale against San Antonio with a right foot injury and won't return.

Lee was replaced early in the second quarter.

Lee averaged 8.8 points and 7.1 rebounds in 24 games with the Mavericks this season before Wednesday's game.

Cavaliers sign Dahntay Jones

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Dahntay Jones

The injury-ridden Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday signed veteran wing Dahntay Jones for their playoff campaign that begins this weekend against the Detroit Pistons.

Jones, 35, will play in the Cavaliers' regular-season finale against Detroit on Wednesday night.

Iman Shumpert and Mo Williams' knee injuries prompted the Cavaliers to sign Jones. Shumpert and Jones should be ready for the start of the playoffs this weekend.

Haslem to miss Heat's regular season finale

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Udonis Haslem

MIAMI -- Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem will miss the Heat's regular-season finale at Boston on Wednesday night with soreness in his left foot.

Haslem was hurt in the fourth quarter of Miami's win at Detroit on Tuesday.

Haslem has appeared in 37 games for the Heat this season, averaging 1.6 points per game.

Miami begins their playoff campaign for this season this weekend. It is unknown at this time if Haslem will be ready to play by then.

Kings reportedly going to fire Karl

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

George Karl

The Sacramento Kings are planning to fire head coach George Karl on Thursday when the 2015-16 NBA regular season ends, according to reports.

The reports said that the Kings plan on firing Karl after their regular season finale against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Whoever becomes the Kings' new head coach will be the team's league-most ninth coach since the 2006-07 season.

Final day of 2015-16 regular season should be good

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

The 2015-16 NBA regular season is on Wednesday night, and there are two games to keep an eye on.

The Golden State Warriors, who are currently 72-9 on the season, will be looking for their 73rd victory of the season against the Memphis Grizzlies at 10:30pm ET. A 73rd victory would break a record for most wins in a season, originally held by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls with 72 wins.

Also, the second game to watch is Kobe Bryant's final game of his illustrious NBA career, aa he and the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Utah Jazz at 10:30pm ET.

Bryant to be on NBA 2K17 Legend Edition cover

NBA 2K17 Legend Edition cover

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant, who is playing the final game of his NBA career on Wednesday, was gifted with a fantastic honor on Wednesday.

2K released their cover for NBA 2K17 Legend Edition, with Bryant on the cover.

The version of the game will come with a limited-edition poster, Kobe Panini trading cards, a Kobe Bryant-themed game controller and in-game Kobe Bryant gear.

Bryant was also on the cover 9f NBA 2K10.

The regular cover if 2K17 will feature an active NBA player, and the game is set to be released in September.

NBA Transactions from April 12, 2016

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

The following is a list of all NBA transactions made on April 12, 2016:

Miami Heat signed forward Dorell Wright to a Rest-of-Season Contract.

NBA Capsules (April 13, 2016)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Kawhi Leonard had 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs had to rally to beat the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder 102-98 in overtime Tuesday night to finish 40-1 at home this season, matching an NBA record.

The Boston Celtics had the same record in 1985-86.

San Antonio was lethargic coming off its first home loss of the season to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The Spurs never led in the final quarter in that loss and trailed throughout much of their home finale.

Thunder coach Billy Donovan rested stars Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka in their regular-season finale while San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich started his regular lineup.

The Thunder were still able to force the first overtime in San Antonio this season. Four players finished with 17 points apiece for the Thunder.

HEAT 99, PISTONS 93

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Dwyane Wade got off to his slowest start offensively in a decade and finished with 14 points, but still helped Miami beat Detroit.

Miami will win the Southeast Division and earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs if it closes the regular season Wednesday night by beating Boston on the road.

The Pistons' loss sealed their spot as the eighth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, setting up a matchup with top-seeded Cleveland.

Wade didn't score until there was 4:14 left in the first half. He had not been scoreless that long at the start of a game since March 17, 2006, against Charlotte, according to STATS. Wade broke his scoreless start with a three-point play and had seven points in a 50-second stretch.

RAPTORS 122, 76ERS 98

TORONTO (AP) - Rookie Norman Powell had 18 points and Jonas Valanciunas had 17 more and 11 rebounds as Toronto beat Philadelphia for the 12th straight time.

It gave Valanciunas a team-leading 22nd double-double of the season. Philadelphia last beat Toronto Jan. 18, 2013.

With the Indiana Pacers' win over New York and the Detroit Pistons' loss to the Miami Heat, second-seeded Toronto is now locked into a playoff matchup with the seventh-seeded Pacers.

Robert Covington had 24 points for Philadelphia on 6-for-10 shooting from 3-point range.

CLIPPERS 110, GRIZZLIES 84

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Chris Paul had 12 points and 13 assists and the Clippersextended Memphis' freefall to the final night of the NBA's regular season, defeating the Grizzlies.

Losing for the ninth time in 10 games, Memphis dropped into a tie with the Dallas Mavericks for sixth place in the Western Conference.

Each team has one game remaining.

The Grizzlies finish the season Wednesday night at Golden State, where the Warriors will be going for their NBA-record 73rd victory. Dallas plays host to San Antonio.

Austin Rivers scored 14 points for the Clippers, who shot 55 percent and outscored Memphis 22-6 in fast-break points as they posted their 10th win in 11 games.

Jeff Green scored 13 points and Blake Griffin added 12. DeAndre Jordan grabbed 12 rebounds.

Zach Randolph scored 14 points, and Jarrell Martin added 12 for the Grizzlies, who've lost three in a row.

PACERS 102, KNICKS 90

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Paul George and George Hill each scored 19 points and Indiana beat New York to win its final home game of the regular season.

Trailing 64-62, the Pacers (44-37) finished the final seven minutes of the third quarter with a 17-6 run that gave Indiana a 79-70 lead heading into the final period.

New York (32-50) led at the end of the first and second quarters before the Pacers rallied in the third quarter.

Derrick Williams scored 21 points for New York and Jerian Grant finished with 18.

NBA Transactions from April 11, 2016

"Pro Court Report" Staff Report

Here is a complete list of NBA transactions from April 11, 2016:

Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Bryce Cotton to a Rest-of-Season Contract.

NBA Capsules (April 12, 2016)

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James scored 34 points in three quarters, Kyrie Irving added 35 and the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 109-94 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

James scored 19 in the third quarter and only sat for four of the first 36 minutes as the Cavs ensured they'll have home-court advantage until the NBA Finals.

James shot 13 of 16, made all five free throws and added six rebounds and six assists - another dazzling statistical line for the four-time MVP who switched into playoff mode weeks ago.

Boston and Miami in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley led Boston with 17 points apiece. It was just the Celtics' third loss in their past 21 home games.

As with many of his visits to Boston, Lin had a number of Asian-American fans holding signs and cheering his play. The 27-year-old guard starred at Harvard. Four years ago when he sparked the New York Knicks, Lin's rise was called ''Linsanity.''

WIZARDS 120, NETS 111

NEW YORK (AP) - Ramon Sessions had 21 points and 12 assists, and Washington recovered after blowing all of its 20-0 lead to beat Brooklyn.

Marcus Thornton scored 19 points as he and Sessions did just fine in replacing injured starting guards John Wall and Bradley Beal. J.J. Hickson had 15 points as Washington put seven players in double figures.

The Wizards made their first nine shots before Brooklyn made one and looked headed for a blowout victory. Instead, they needed another big run in the fourth quarter to finally put it away.

Shane Larkin scored a career-high 20 points and added seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets.

MAGIC 107, BUCKS 98

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Ersan Ilyasova scored 22 points and Mario Hezonja added 19 to helpOrlando Magic defeat Milwaukee in its home finale.

The victory allowed the Magic to close out the regular season strong at home where they won five of their final six games, including two straight to finish the year 23-18 at the Amway Center. Orlando concludes its season at Charlotte on Wednesday.

The Magic, playing without three starters, were dominant at times with Ilyasova leading the way in place of injured Aaron Gordon.

Center Dewayne Dedmon also gave a big effort in place of injured Nikola Vucevic, scoring 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds while at times outplaying Milwaukee center Greg Monroe.

Monroe led five Bucks players in double figures with 23 points.

NBA Transactions from April 10, 2016

No transactions on this day.

NBA Capsules (April 11, 2016)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Stephen Curry had 37 points and the Golden State Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs 92-86 on Sunday night for their 72nd victory, tying the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls for the season record.

The Warriors will finish the regular season at home against Memphis on Wednesday night.

The Spurs had won 48 consecutive regular-season games at home, including an NBA-record 39 straight to begin this season. Golden State ended a 33-game skid in San Antonio that dated to 1997.

Golden State dominated the fourth quarter. Curry controlled the action with a series of layups when San Antonio's defense attempted to run him off the 3-point line.

PACERS 129, NETS 105

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Myles Turner had 28 points and 10 rebounds and Indiana beat Brooklyn to clinch a playoff berth.

Solomon Hill had 13 points and 12 rebounds, George Hill had 18 points, Ian Mahinmi 16, and Paul George 15. The Pacers jumped ahead 17-5 in the first quarter and led by as many as 42 points.

Sean Kilpatrick led the Nets with 26 points. Markel Brown had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

The Pacers have two games left and can still finish as high as seventh in the Eastern Conference if they finish with the same record as Detroit.

CLIPPERS 98, MAVERICKS 91

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jamal Crawford scored 22 points and Los Angeles beat Dallas, snapping the Mavericks' six-game winning streak and preventing them from clinching a playoff berth.

J.J. Redick added 20 points and Blake Griffin had 17 points and 11 rebounds in his best game since returning a week ago from a three-month absence to help the playoff-bound Clippers win their fifth in a row.

Raymond Felton led Dallas with 21 points, Deron Williams added 15, and Dirk Nowitzki 14.

The loss kept the Mavs (41-39) in seventh place in the Western Conference, a game behind Memphis with two games to play. Dallas needs either a victory or a Houston loss to clinch a playoff berth for the 15th time in 16 years. The Rockets beat the Lakers 130-110 on Sunday.

JAZZ 100, NUGGETS 84

DENVER (AP) — Trey Lyles scored a career-high 22 points in an unexpected start, Gordon Hayward helped fuel a 24-0 third-quarter run and Utah beat Denver to maintain its one-game lead over Houston for the last Western Conference playoff spot.

Lyles got the start when Derrick Favors was a late scratch because of right knee soreness. Hayward scored 10 of his 22 points in a pivotal third quarter that saw Utah turn the game into a rout.

Nikola Jokic and Emmanuel Mudiay each had 19 points for Nuggets.

ROCKETS 130, LAKERS 110

HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden scored 20 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, and Houston kept its playoff hopes alive with a victory over Los Angeles.

Harden also had 13 assists. Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley each 19 points for the Rockets.

Kobe Bryant, who has just two games left before his retirement, had 35 points for Los Angeles. Jordan Clarkson had 21 points and eight rebounds.

RAPTORS 93, KNICKS 89

NEW YORK (AP) — DeMar DeRozan converted a tiebreaking three-point play with 1:05 left on a night he became Toronto's No. 2 career scorer, and the Raptors beat New York to stay alive for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

DeRozan finished with 27 points to help the Raptors pull within two games of Cleveland with two to play for both teams. Toronto won the season series and owns the tiebreaker.

DeRozan has 9,426 points and moved ahead of Vince Carter (9,420). He trails only Chris Bosh (10,275) on the Raptors' career list. The Raptors set a franchise record with their 23rd road victory.

Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points for New York.

WIZARDS 113, HORNETS 98

WASHINGTON (AP) — Marcin Gortat had 21 points and 13 rebounds and Washington beat Charlotte, damaging the Hornets' chances to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Marcus Thornton added 16 points for the Wizards and Ramon Sessions had 15 points and 11 assists.

Frank Kaminsky had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets.

HEAT 118, MAGIC 96

MIAMI (AP) — Luol Deng scored 20 points, Hassan Whiteside added 18 points and 15 rebounds in his first start since Jan. 20, and Miami beat Orlando.

Goran Dragic had 19 points for the Heat, and Dwyane Wade had 17 on 7-of-9 shooting in 24 highly efficient minutes. Gerald Green added 15 for Miami, which outscored Orlando 60-38 in the paint.

Evan Fournier scored 21 points for the Magic, with Nik Vucevic adding 19 points.

BUCKS 109, 76ERS 108, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Khris Middleton scored 36 points and John Henson had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Milwaukee past Philadelphia.

Jabari Parker added 15 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 14 for the Bucks. Ish Smith led the 76ers with 22 points and Nerlens Noel had 18 points and 13 rebounds.