Johnson has 23 points, 21 boards as Spurs beat Cavs 116-110
(AP Photo/Ron Schwane)CLEVELAND – Keldon Johnson scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds, and Dejounte Murray had 22 points as the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 116-110, wire-to-wire victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. San Antonio, which led by 22 in the third quarter, won its third straight to move a season-high six games over .500. AdJohnson had 15 points and 11 rebounds in the first half, helping San Antonio take a 54-42 lead. San Antonio wraps up a five-game road trip, then heads home for nine consecutive games through April 5. Sexton averaged 23.3 points last season against the Raptors, who won all three games by 46 total points.
USA Basketball picks 57 players for men's Tokyo Games pool
USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”
Murray's 50 points power Nuggets past crumbling Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray (27) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Cleveland. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he's the first player in league history to score 50 or more points without shooting a free throw. “To do it as efficiently as he did it is really remarkable,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. On his 26th birthday, Jokic had 16 points and 12 rebounds in getting his seventh triple-double this season. AdCavaliers: F Taurean Prince missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle.
Cavaliers sitting Drummond while pursuing trade for center
Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap, left, fights for position for a rebound with Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)CLEVELAND – Andre Drummond is on the trade block — and the bench. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the decision to sit Drummond, one of the NBA's leading rebounders at 13.5 per game, was difficult. Drummond will continue to stay on the sideline while the team tries to find a trade partner. But with the NBA's focus on shooting 3-pointers, a player like Drummond — a prototypical center — can be viewed as a liability.
Cavaliers F Nance to miss 6 weeks with broken left hand
Minnesota Timberwolves' Josh Okogie, left, drives around Cleveland Cavaliers' Larry Nance Jr. (22) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Minneapolis. Cleveland will be without versatile forward Larry Nance for six weeks after he broke his left hand during Saturday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. They won only 19 games in 2020 but have been one of the league's biggest surprises so far this season. AdNance is averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 19 games. Earlier this week, Cleveland was outscored 60-12 on 3-pointers by the Los Angeles Clippers.
LeBron scores 46, Lakers beat Cavs to stay perfect on road
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers' Dylan Windler (9) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Back home, LeBron James kept the Lakers perfect on the road. When James was short with a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter, the unidentified Cavs executive celebrated. It was only James' second trip back to Cleveland since he left the Cavs for the second time as a free agent after the 2018 season. “It's more of a somber-tone-type-of-day.”The Lakers are spending the night in Cleveland before flying to Philadelphia — Bryant's hometown — on Tuesday.
NBA updates mental health policies amid ongoing pandemic
The NBA is urging teams to make increased commitments toward providing mental health resources to players and staff, releasing updated guidelines Wednesday to reflect the challenge of playing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The NBA has mandated that teams offer access to mental health professionals in recent seasons — a program the league calls Mind Health was launched nearly three years ago — but that obviously predates the pandemic and how countless aspects of day-to-day life has changed in recent months. Those are a few of the ways the NBA has changed amid the virus. “All this is a little bit like the Twilight Zone,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about the mental strain of playing amid a pandemic. “The usage of mental health tools and support platforms has increased as have the modalities to assist those in need.
Cavaliers' Love to miss extended time with calf injury
Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, right, passes against Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Cavaliers forward Kevin Love could miss more than a month with a right calf injury he aggravated Sunday night in a game against Philadelphia. The 32-year-old’s injury is a setback for the Cavs, who are off to their first 3-0 start since 2016. The five-time All-Star made his season debut and played 38 minutes in the Cavaliers' double-overtime win at Detroit on Saturday. Love is in his seventh season with Cleveland, which is counting on him to lead a young team showing early signs of growth this season.
Back to work: NBA's non-Disney clubs start team workouts
The teams that didn't qualify for the restart of the NBA season at Walt Disney World could begin voluntary workouts Wednesday, Sept. 23, to start preparing for their next game whenever that is. Karl Anthony-Towns got to work in Minnesota and his old coach started to mold his new team in New York. After six months without one, it felt so good for some NBA teams to practice again that even Allen Iverson might've enjoyed it. “It gives us some sense of continuity, some sense of togetherness,” said Love, who didn’t want to miss the voluntary workouts. Coaches who didn't know what to expect were pleasantly surprised by the level of play they saw.
The ESPYS focus on honors, pandemic and racial justice
Love received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY Awards on Sunday, June 21, 2020, for sparking a national conversation about mental health. The focus of Sunday night's show on ESPN was hope and inspiration in the time of coronavirus. Two years ago, he wrote an online essay detailing his struggles with mental health, including having a panic attack during a game. As a result, other athletes and fans began sharing details of their own mental health challenges and sharing resources on how to get help. During the COVID-19 crisis, he's shared tips on how to cope with the stress and isolation caused by the pandemic.
San Antonio hosts East's best in LeBron, Cavs Thursday night
SAN ANTONIO – The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs squared off, it turned into one of the most memorable games of the 2014-15 regular season. Point guard Kyrie Irving scored a career-best 57 points and drained all seven of his 3-point attempts as the Cavaliers went into San Antonio and produced a 128-125 overtime victory last March. San Antonio continued its strong play with a 109-99 road win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday that represents its 16th win in 17 games. ABOUT THE SPURS (34-6): San Antonio has recorded 16 double-digit victories at home but received a stern test in its last game at the AT&T Center. San Antonio PF LaMarcus Aldridge had 22 points and 13 rebounds against Detroit for his fourth double-double in his last six games.