PATRICK MILLS

Zion Williamson returned from a one-year absence with 25 points and nine rebounds, powering the New Orleans Pelicans to a season-opening 130-108 rout of the Brooklyn Nets.

Scoring has rarely looked so difficult for Kevin Durant.

Kevin Durant had 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, leading the Brooklyn Nets back from 21 points down to a 110-98 victory over the New York Knicks that strengthened their chances of the best spot possible in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

Kevin Durant scored 18 of his 34 points in Brooklyn’s dominating first half in the Nets’ 129-100 blowout victory over the 76ers on Thursday night in Ben Simmons’ much-hyped return to Philadelphia.

Karl-Anthony Towns gave big men everywhere something to shoot for.

The NBA’s All-Star weekend is about fashion and fun, Saturday night slams and celebrating the very best in the game today.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will team up with two of his brothers to compete in a revamped Skills Challenge during the NBA’s All-Star Saturday night.

Tyrese Haliburton scored seven of his 12 points in the fourth quarter on his way to a double-double, and the Sacramento Kings handed the stumbling Brooklyn Nets their sixth consecutive loss, 112-101.

Klay Thompson hit the biggest shot yet of his 2 1/2-year injury comeback, smoothly sinking a 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game to send the Golden State Warriors to a 110-106 victory over Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets.

Kevin Durant scored 27 points, James Harden added 25 points and season-high 16 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets rolled to an easy win over Chicago, beating the Bulls 138-112 in a matchup between the Eastern Conference’s top two teams.

Rookie Cam Thomas made a runner in the lane with 1.4 seeconds left in overtime and the Brooklyn Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs 121-119 to snap a five-game home losing streak.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points in his return from a one-game absence, Khris Middleton added 15 of his 20 in the third quarter and the Milwaukee Bucks blew out the Brooklyn Nets 121-109.

Kyrie Irving scored 22 points and sparked Brooklyn to a big rally in the second half of his season debut, Kevin Durant had 39 and the Nets beat the Indiana Pacers 129-121.

Nic Claxton threw down a tiebreaking alley-oop over LeBron James with 40.7 seconds left, and James Harden and the Brooklyn Nets returned from a week-long COVID-19 hiatus to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-115.

Kyrie Irving’s return to the Brooklyn Nets is starting with a trip to the NBA’s health and safety protocols — and Kevin Durant is joining him.

Kevin Durant scored 34 points, making a four-point play with the game tied and 1:46 left, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-105 for another short-handed victory.

Kevin Durant scored an NBA season-high 51 points in the Brooklyn Nets’ 116-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

Devin Booker scored 30 points, Chris Paul had 22 and the Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to 16 games with a 113-107 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

The Brooklyn Nets beat the Boston Celtics 123-104.

Stephen Curry had 37 points, easily winning matchup of the NBA’s top two scorers when Kevin Durant had his worst night of the season, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Brooklyn Nets 117-99 Durant came in leading the league with 29.6 points per game, but he managed only 19, the first time all season he didn’t hit 20.

Miles Bridges had 32 points and nine rebounds, Ish Smith added 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and the Charlotte Hornets improved to 3-0 for the first time by beating the Brooklyn Nets 111-95.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and the Milwaukee Bucks opened the defense of their first title in half a century by beating the Brooklyn Nets 127-104 on Tuesday.

The Brooklyn Nets look like such a title favorite that James Harden felt the need for a reminder they aren’t a title team.

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook were on one side.

The action on Day 13 of the Tokyo Games will feature track and field, with medals in the men’s 400-meter final, the men’s and women’s 4x100 relays and the women’s 400 meters.

U.S. guard Zach LaVine says if the Americans do what they are supposed to, he doesn't think anyone can beat them.

There were 49 NBA players at the Tokyo Games when the Olympics started.

Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green.

The San Antonio Spurs have selected guard Josh Primo of Alabama with the No. 12 pick in the NBA draft.

Patty Mills really wants no part of the talk that he turns into a different player when he puts on the uniform of the Australian men’s national basketball team.

Patty Mills scored 25 points and Australia opened its quest for a first Olympic medal in men’s basketball by beating Nigeria 84-67.

These games don’t count.

San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills and swimmer Cate Campbell have been named as flag bearers for the Australian Olympic team at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Games.

E’Twaun Moore scored 22 points and made a 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds remaining that lifted the Phoenix Suns past the San Antonio Spurs 123-121 and kept alive their chances of becoming the NBA's top seed.

Devin Booker had 27 points and the Phoenix Suns maintained their hope of earning the top spot in the Western Conference with a 140-103 victory over the short-handed San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

James Harden had 18 points and 11 assists in his return from an 18-game absence to help the Brooklyn Nets beat the San Antonio Spurs 128-116 on Wednesday night.

DeMar DeRozan had 23 points and the San Antonio Spurs set a franchise record for points in the first half while rolling to a 146-125 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Derrick White had 26 points, Jakob Poeltl added 17 points and 11 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons 106-91 on Thursday night to snap a five-game home losing streak.

Derrick White helped San Antonio break away early by scoring 16 of his 25 points in the first quarter and leading the Spurs to a 109-94 victory at Indiana.

Rudy Gay scored 19 points, Drew Eubanks added 13 points and 13 rebounds in his first start of the season and the short-handed San Antonio Spurs had a surprisingly dominant 111-85 win over the Phoenix Suns.

CJ McCollum scored 29 points and the Portland Trail Blazers escaped with a 107-106 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, who missed three shots on their final possession.

OG Anunoby scored 22 points, Pascal Siakam had 20 points and 11 rebounds and the short-handed Toronto Raptors beat the San Antonio Spurs 117-112.

San Antonio Spurs' DeMar DeRozan, left, strips the ball from Sacramento Kings' De'Aaron Fox during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)SAN ANTONIO – DeMar DeRozan scored 26 points and the San Antonio Spurs snapped Sacramento’s five-game winning streak, beating the Kings 120-106 on Wednesday night. Derrick White added 18 points, Rudy Gay had 16 and Jakob Poeltl finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds for San Antonio. San Antonio held Sacramento to 53 points in the first half after allowing 41 points in the second quarter Monday. AdSpurs: C Gorgui Dieng was injured in his San Antonio debut on his initial drive to the basket with the team.

(AP Photo/Darren Abate)SAN ANTONIO – Kawhi Leonard had 25 points and the Los Angeles Clippers never trailed in beating the San Antonio Spurs 134-101 on Wednesday night. The teams meet again Thursday night in the finale of the two-game set in San Antonio. … G Patrick Beverley missed his sixth straight game with a sore right knee. … C Serge Ibaka missed his fifth straight game with tightness in his lower back. If they cannot trade LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio will make him an unrestricted free agent by buying out his remaining contract.

(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.

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)CHICAGO – Jakob Poeltl tied a career high with 20 points and set one with 16 rebounds, and the San Antonio Spurs used a huge fourth quarter to beat the Chicago Bulls 106-99 on Wednesday night. The Spurs trailed by 23 in the second quarter and were down 58-40 after their lowest-scoring first half of the season. “We played two great defensive quarters in the second half, spurred on by Patty Mills' aggressiveness, and it just seemed to infect everybody else," coach Gregg Popovich said. Jakob had a wonderful game.”AdZach LaVine led Chicago with 29 points after scoring 40 the previous night in a win over Oklahoma City. One big difference for the Spurs in the second half was they went to a press.

Orlando Magic forward Gary Clark (12) and San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray (5) scramble for the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Friday, March 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)SAN ANTONIO – Rudy Gay had 19 points, Dejounte Murray and Derrick White each added 17 and the San Antonio Spurs overcame a sluggish start to beat the short-handed Orlando Magic 104-77 on Friday night. San Antonio held an opponent under 80 points for the first time since beating Golden State 89-75 on March 19, 2018. San Antonio closed the first half on a 14-2 run and took its first lead and extending it to 47-39 to close the second quarter. Orlando was held to 10 points in the second quarter, the 19th lowest output in any quarter by a San Antonio opponent under Popovich.

San Antonio Spurs forward DeMar DeRozan (10) prepares to shoot as Dallas Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)DALLAS – Luka Doncic had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in his 33rd triple-double, Kristaps Porzingis had 28 points and 14 rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks used a late run to pull away and beat the San Antonio Spurs 115-104 on Wednesday night. Before the game, coach Gregg Popovich announced that Aldridge, 35, in his sixth season in San Antonio, would no longer be with the team by mutual agreement. Mills added 14 points and Rudy Gay had 13 for San Antonio, which was outrebounded 51-30 and outscored 21-2 on second-chance points. Mavericks: Dallas changed its attendance policy coming out of the All-Star break and admitted about 3,500, an increase of about 1,000.

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)SAN ANTONIO – Oklahoma City and San Antonio are fighting fatigue and injuries, but the Thunder found a way to win a battle of attrition heading into the All-Star break. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 33 points and Oklahoma City rallied in the second half to beat San Antonio 107-102 on Thursday night and snap a two-game losing streak. “Our guys did a heck of a job hanging in there,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “We’re not a team that gives up 26 points on turnovers,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. TIP-INSThunder: Hill has not played since Jan. 24 after undergoing what Oklahoma City called a “minor procedure” on his right thumb.

San Antonio Spurs forward Trey Lyles (41) shoots over New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)SAN ANTONIO – Trey Lyles scored a season-high 18 points, Dejounte Murray added 17 and the San Antonio Spurs used a balanced effort to beat New York 119-83 on Tuesday night, ending the Knicks’ three-game winning streak. San Antonio had eight players score at least eight points, with Patty Mills and Luka Samanic each adding 14 points in the Spurs' seventh straight home victory over New York. Coming off a 124-113 overtime loss to Brooklyn on Monday night, San Antonio got off to a slow start but was aided by New York’s own troubles. … The Knicks have not won in San Antonio since Jan. 2, 2014.

Spurs release limited-edition T-shirt to raise money for COVID-19 reliefSpurs fans can get their hands on a limited-edition T-shirt and help with COVID-19 relief efforts in San Antonio at the same time. Spurs fans can get their hands on a limited-edition T-shirt and help with COVID-19 relief efforts in San Antonio at the same time. Photo: Courtesy Photo: Courtesy Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Spurs release limited-edition T-shirt to raise money for COVID-19 relief 1 / 3 Back to GallerySpurs fans can get their hands on a limited-edition gear and help with COVID-19 relief efforts in San Antonio at the same time. RELATED: Spurs' Patty Mills thanks community for 'unbelievable turn-out' during his Mother's Day campaignThe Spurs Give Together Fund, created earlier this month by the Spurs Give non-profit, is aiming to help raise over $1 million for the community. That is the amount of money helped us raise IN for the Battered Women and Childrens Shelter in San Antonio @FamilyViolence7!