DWIGHT HOWARD

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook were on one side.

LeBron James has heard the basketball world talking about how the Los Angeles Lakers are too old, and he is laughing.

The Los Angeles Lakers have traded the rights to Marc Gasol back to the Memphis Grizzlies, where the 36-year-old center spent his first 11 NBA seasons.

The Philadelphia 76ers have to figure out if Ben Simmons can be fixed in the offseason.

Doc Rivers isn’t revealing his plan for replacing Danny Green in the Philadelphia 76ers’ lineup.

Claressa Shields won her MMA debut with a third round TKO victory over Brittney Elkin.

Utah’s Rudy Gobert won his third Defensive Player of the Year award after helping the Utah Jazz to the best record in the NBA.

Joel Embiid’s status for Game 1 of Philadelphia’s playoff series against Atlanta is still unknown because of a knee injury.

The NBA will have a new champion.

A fan has been tackled as he tried to get on the court during an NBA playoff game between the Wizards and 76ers.

Ben Simmons put a spin move on Russell Westbrook that sent him sprawling to the floor several minutes before a leg injury sent the NBA’s triple-double king to the locker room.

The Philadelphia 76ers are trying to make quick work of the Washington Wizards as they open their first-round playoff series on Sunday.

Seth Curry scored 20 points, Joel Embiid had 13 points and 11 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers clinched the top seed for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference with a 122-97 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points and moved into second place on the Milwaukee Bucks’ career scoring list in a 132-94 romp over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Joel Embiid had 39 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat Brooklyn 123-117 in an anticipated matchup that fizzled with the Nets missing their biggest stars.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, shoots as Philadelphia 76ers forward Danny Green defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 27, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LOS ANGELES – Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, Terance Mann added a season-high 23 and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 122-112 on Saturday night in their first game against former coach Doc Rivers. Our mindset was right,” Los Angeles coach Tyronn Lue said. The star forward had 19 points in the first half, including 12 in the second quarter. Los Angeles led by five at halftime, but took command with seven straight points to open the third quarter.

James’ push of the 76ers big man got him hit with a flagrant 1 and Embiid cried foul. Harris swished a jumper with 3 seconds left, ending the Lakers’ 13-0 run and sending Philadelphia to a 107-106 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday night. The 76ers lead the East at 13-6 and the Lakers are 14-5 in the West. James hit Anthony Davis for the go-ahead basket with 11.2 seconds to go for a 106-105 lead and cap that run. YOU AGAINGreen and backup center Dwight Howard played key roles in the Lakers’ championship last season.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – Joel Embiid had 33 points and 14 rebounds, and his two free throws with 7.2 seconds left helped the Philadelphia 76ers seal a 114-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Ben Simmons added 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers, and he made a couple big free throws of his own in the final minute. Detroit trailed 110-108 after Jerami Grant made a 3-pointer with 28.5 seconds left, but Simmons calmly made two free throws to push the lead to four. “Especially late game.”Delon Wright's layup made it 112-110, but Embiid closed the game out with his free throws and finished 12 of 17 from the line. “Just having that confidence to knock those free throws down in a close game is big right now," teammate Tobias Harris said.

The team met the minimum eight active players by including injured forward Mike Scott, who was not actually able to play. Gary Harris scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who played without Michael Porter Jr. (19.5 points per game) because of health and safety protocols. Danny Green was the only regular in Philly's starting lineup, joined by backups Dakota Mathias, Dwight Howard, Joe and Maxey. “I don’t know enough about any of this.”Sparked by Maxey, the undermanned, feisty Sixers stuck with Denver throughout the first half. Nuggets: Play Saturday in New York.

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – The Brooklyn Nets couldn't put Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant into those throwback blue tie-dye jerseys from 30 years ago. Joe Harris scored a season-high 28 points and the Nets shook off the absence of their two superstars to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 122-109 on Thursday night. The Nets already knew they’d be without Durant for a second consecutive game because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Nash said he didn't think the strong performance without them sent a message to the rest of his players. Nets; Brooklyn was also without G Tyler Johnson because of the health and safety protocols.

Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives against Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game, Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, in Boston. Irving scored 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting and had seven rebounds, five assists and two steals helping the Nets rout the Celtics 113-89 Friday night in the final preseason game for both teams. There were no fans in the new Boston Garden on Friday night, and his introduction was greeted with a faint, fake cheer. Precious Achiuwa scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Heat, while Bam Adebayo scored 13 points and Tyler Herro scored 10. McCollum led the Blazers with 26 points on 8-of-20 shooting and Gary Trent Jr. added 18 points in the loss.

FILE - Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, rear, and Anthony Davis (3) celebrate after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of basketball's NBA Finals in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in this Oct. 11, 2020, file photo. Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. A distinct lack of vacation time aside, Los Angeles begins the new season in an apparently stellar position. "The first thing you have to understand about going into a repeat situation is it’s going to be harder than the year before.

FILE - Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, rear, and Anthony Davis (3) celebrate after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of basketball's NBA Finals in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in this Oct. 11, 2020, file photo. Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)LOS ANGELES – Anthony Davis finalized a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season.

“That’s Jimmy Butler," Heat center Bam Adebayo said. Butler got fouled with 46.7 seconds left, then slumped over the baseline video boards, clearly exhausted. He made both foul shots for a one-point lead; Davis’ putback with 21.8 seconds left got the Lakers back on top. Butler drove the lane, drew contact and made both with 16.8 seconds left for a 109-108 lead. Lakers: James and Davis were a combined 24 for 36.

James and the Lakers are back in control of these NBA Finals, one win away from the franchise's 17th championship. James finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, Anthony Davis' 3-pointer with 39.5 seconds left finally settled matters and the Lakers beat the Miami Heat 102-96 in Game 4. The Lakers lead 3-1 and can win the title when the series resumes Friday. 3-1 LEADSThis is the 36th time that a team has held a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals. It was just the third time in the last 26 NBA Finals games that neither team reached 50 points in the first 24 minutes.

Bam Adebayo (left shoulder strain) and Goran Dragic (left foot) departed with injuries and Jimmy Butler played through one in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. In case things weren't bad enough by then, Butler appeared to be hobbling again after going back into the game in the fourth quarter. Dragic averaged 22.8 points to lead the Heat in their first-round sweep of Indiana in the first round. 5 Heat to the finals as the lowest-seeded team since that year, when the Spurs beat the No. The Heat then jumped on LeBron James and the Lakers with a quick 13-0 run — all but three points coming from Adebayo, Butler and Dragic — to open a 23-10 lead.

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers' Rajon Rondo (9) and Los Angeles Lakers' Alex Caruso (4) during the final moments of their 114-108 win over the Denver Nuggets in an NBA conference final playoff basketball game Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers' Rajon Rondo (9) and Los Angeles Lakers' Alex Caruso (4) during the final moments of their 114-108 win over the Denver Nuggets in an NBA conference final playoff basketball game Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LeBron James can reach a 10th NBA Finals, done by only three greats of the game. The final step for the Los Angeles Lakers shapes up as the toughest. “You can never be comfortable around this team,” Davis said. One more win, and James ties NBA career scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for third on the career list with 10 NBA Finals appearances. James and Davis have been the unquestioned catalysts of this run, and they're good strong support from some playoff-tested veterans.

Anthony Davis scored 34 points, LeBron James had 26 and the Lakers beat the Nuggets 114-108 on Thursday night in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. James added nine rebounds and eight assists, and the Lakers had 12 offensive rebounds for a whopping 25-6 advantage in second-chance points. We had too many empty possessions tonight.”Game 5 is Saturday night, when the Lakers can reach the NBA Finals for the first time in a decade. With an array of short jumpers, Davis made his first six shots before anyone else on the Lakers made a basket. The Nuggets shot 59% in the first half but the Lakers had an 18-2 advantage in second-chance points.

Jamal Murray had 28 points, 12 assists and two late 3-pointers to halt a Lakers charge, helping the Nuggets to a 114-106 victory Tuesday night that cut Los Angeles' lead to 2-1 in the Western Conference finals. It would grow to 18 and could have been worse if not for Davis, who scored nine straight Lakers points. The Lakers got the first five points of the third to cut the lead in half, but Denver regained control and led 93-75 after three. Nuggets: Denver's last halftime lead had been a 59-57 edge over the Clippers in Game 3 of the West semifinals. THE AIR UP THEREThe Lakers came into the game 4-0 in the playoffs as the designated road team.

The top-seeded Lakers opened a double-digit lead in the first half that they easily extended in the third quarter. The Lakers quickly knocked off any rust for another long layoff in the bubble against a Denver team that's had things much tougher. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray each scored 21 points for the Nuggets, playing in the conference finals for the first time since the Lakers beat them in 2009. The Nuggets fell to 7-22 against the Lakers in the postseason. ... Denver's 16 fouls in the second quarter tied the most by any team in a quarter this season.

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo shouts from the bench in the second half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Miami Heat Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

He got the Defensive Player of the Year award earlier in these NBA playoffs. Jordan won both the MVP and Defensive Player in 1987-88 and Olajuwon won both in 1993-94. Antetokounmpo came close to joining the club last season by winning MVP and finishing second in the Defensive Player balloting. James won MVP and was second in Defensive Player voting in 2008-09 and 2012-13, and Shaquille O’Neal did so in 1999-2000. “I'm happy for this, I'm happy for this award," Antetokounmpo said.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo (9) shoots against Golden State Warriors guard Ky Bowman (12) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)LOS ANGELES Rajon Rondo broke his right thumb in practice with the Los Angeles Lakers in Florida. The veteran point guard will be out for six to eight weeks, the Lakers said Sunday night. James typically functions as the Lakers' point guard with the starting unit, but Rondo frequently took on the role while James rested or while both veterans were on the floor together. Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook are likely to get more playing time at point guard in Rondo's absence.

The exact amount, Mills said, for the Spurs' eight remaining regular-season, or seeding, games will be $1,017,818.54. Mills isn't the only player that has announced he will be donating his salary for the eight games to charity. Mills is the longest currently tenured player on the Spurs. This is not the first time Mills has tried to shine a light on race-related issues this season. Mills was to have earned about $12.5 million this season, had the season not been interrupted and some games been canceled because of the pandemic.

In this video grab issued Sunday, June 28, 2020, by BET, Beyonce accepts the humanitarian award during the BET Awards. The singer dedicated her award to the Black Lives Matter movement, and encouraged activists to continue to push forward. DaBaby rapped a verse from the Black Lives Matter remix of his hit song Rockstar with Roddy Ricch at the awards. While holding a baseball bat, DaBaby then stood on a stage behind a group of people who had their fists raised high while others held Black Lives Matter signs. During the performance, video clips were shown of the national protests over the deaths of unarmed Black people including Floyd, Arbery and Taylor.

The NBA has told the National Basketball Players Association that it will present a 22-team plan for restarting the season at Disney. (AP Photo/John Raoux)Heres some of what awaits NBA players going to Disney next month: game rooms, golf course access, cabanas with misters to combat the heat, fishing areas, bowling, backstage tours and salon services. The NBA described very specific plans to players and teams for the restart on Tuesday, doing so in a memo and handbook both obtained by The Associated Press. Some Raptors players are in Toronto right now; some are in the U.S.Nobody on the NBA's Disney campus, which has been loosely described as a bubble, will be allowed in anyone elses sleeping room. Teams will be housed in three hotels, with between six and eight teams in each.

LOS ANGELES The mother of Dwight Howard's 6-year-old son died nearly six weeks ago due to an epileptic seizure, the Los Angeles Lakers center says. Howard and his children build bonfires, play card games, work out together and play hide-and-seek on his 23-acre property. So its just kind of given me some more perspectives on life.Before Rios death added a tragic turn, the pandemic had already interrupted an inspiring season for the 34-year-old Howard. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis leading the way, the Lakers were 49-14 before the pause in their rocky season. School is the hardest part for all of us.And does the 6-foot-10 Howard stand a chance against his half-pint children in hide-and-seek?

San Antonio Spurs forward Rudy Gay, left, and Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis reach for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, in Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Lakers' entire roster left the bench and crossed the court, gleefully picking up their leader while a sellout crowd roared. James scored 19 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter with that incredible 3-point barrage, propelling the Lakers to a 129-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. “When the guy gets hot like that, it's always fun to watch him,” Davis said, laughing at the Lakers' group celebration after the final 3. San Antonio was outrebounded 58-28 by the bigger Lakers, and the Spurs grabbed only three rebounds in the fourth quarter while the Lakers went 16 of 24 from the field.

Paul George of the LA Clippers plays defense on LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers on December 25, 2019, in L.A., California. The NBA has postponed the Los Angeles Lakers' next game against the Clippers on Tuesday night after the deaths of retired superstar Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash. The Lakers organization hasn't made a public statement about Bryant's death, choosing to mourn in private. The NBA says the game between the Los Angeles rivals will be rescheduled later. The next game on the Lakers' schedule is Friday night at home against Portland.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - For a player who wasn't even part of the Los Angeles Lakers' plans this offseason, Dwight Howard is providing a powerful impact alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Davis had 25 points and 11 rebounds, James added 21 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds and Los Angeles held off the San Antonio Spurs 103-96 on Sunday night. The signing has been huge for Los Angeles, which has the best record in the Western Conference. The center flexed after the basket to the roar of the many Los Angeles fans in attendance. The Lakers outscored the Spurs 30-18 in the second quarter, including an alley-oop from Howard at the 3-point line to Davis.

Kate Flannery may be out of The Office and on Dancing With the Stars, but she's always thinking about her Dunder Mifflin colleagues! ET crashed the actress' rehearsal with pro partner Pasha Pashkov in Los Angeles on Thursday, where she handpicked which characters from the comedy series would perform best (and worst!) "I think Phyllis would kill it because she's a dancer," Flannery told ET's Keltie Knight. Rehearsals for next Monday's Movie Night are already underway, and Flannery admitted to ET that she's "already had 14 panic attacks." But I'm learning to trust because Pasha knows what he's doing ... my life is in [his] hands.