INSIDER
James scores season-high 43, Lakers beat Trail Blazers
Read full article: James scores season-high 43, Lakers beat Trail BlazersLeBron James scored a season-high 43 points and extended his streak of 30-point games to seven in the Los Angeles Lakers' 139-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Nuggets-Warriors off; Rivers, Malone enter NBA protocols
Read full article: Nuggets-Warriors off; Rivers, Malone enter NBA protocolsThe NBA postponed Golden State's game with Denver on Thursday, the same day that Philadelphiaās Doc Rivers and Denverās Michael Malone entered the NBAās health and safety protocols.
Embiid leaves with sore knee, 76ers lose to Wizards 122-114
Read full article: Embiid leaves with sore knee, 76ers lose to Wizards 122-114Philadelphia center Joel Embiid left in the first quarter with a sore right knee and the 76ers lost Game 4 of their playoff series against the Washington Wizards 122-114.
Beal, Westbrook lead Wiz past Pacers 142-115 for East 8 seed
Read full article: Beal, Westbrook lead Wiz past Pacers 142-115 for East 8 seedRussell Westbrook nearly had a triple-double and Bradley Beal scored 25 points in just 29 minutes to help the Washington Wizards reach the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conferenceās No. 8 seed by overwhelming the Indiana Pacers 142-115 in the play-in round.
Wizards beat Cavaliers 120-105, clinch East play-in spot
Read full article: Wizards beat Cavaliers 120-105, clinch East play-in spotRussell Westbrook got his first triple-double since passing Oscar Robertson and becoming the NBA's career leader earlier in the week and Washington beat Cleveland 120-105 to clinch a spot in the East play-in tournament.
Westbrook breaks Robinson's record as Wizards fall to Hawks
Read full article: Westbrook breaks Robinson's record as Wizards fall to HawksRussell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertsonās 47-year-old NBA record for triple-doubles and missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer as the Washington Wizards lost 125-124 to the Atlanta Hawks.
Westbrook ties Robertson's record, Wizards beat Pacers
Read full article: Westbrook ties Robertson's record, Wizards beat PacersRussell Westbrook tied Oscar Robertsonās NBA record for triple-doubles with 181, finishing with 33 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists, and made two free throws with a second left to give Washington a 133-132 overtime victory over Indiana on Saturday night.
Spurs outlast Wizards in OT, end Washingtonās streak at 8
Read full article: Spurs outlast Wizards in OT, end Washingtonās streak at 8DeMar DeRozan had 37 points and 10 assists, and the San Antonio Spurs outlasted the Wizards 146-143 in overtime, ending Washingtonās season-best eight-game winning streak.
Curry finally goes cold, Beal rallies Wizards past Warriors
Read full article: Curry finally goes cold, Beal rallies Wizards past WarriorsStephen Curry had his first rough night in a month, and Bradley Beal rallied Washington in the fourth quarter for its season-best sixth straight victory, 118-114 over the Golden State Warriors.
Simmons, Embiid both to miss 76ers' second-half opening game
Read full article: Simmons, Embiid both to miss 76ers' second-half opening gameBen Simmons and Joel Embiid will both be unable to start the second half of the season with the Philadelphia 76ers, though neither All-Star will be missing from the Eastern Conference leadersā lineup for long. Both will miss Philadelphiaās game Thursday in Chicago, and Simmons will also miss the 76ersā contest on Friday against Washington. Provided both continue to test negative for COVID-19, they would be cleared after those games, the 76ers said. Simmons and Embiid both traveled to Atlanta for Sundayās All-Star Game, only to learn the night before that they were flagged by contact tracing data. Dallas and Washington both have 38 games remaining, tied for the third-most in the league.
NBA tells teams to exercise caution when watching Super Bowl
Read full article: NBA tells teams to exercise caution when watching Super BowlA sign for Super Bowl 55 is framed by palm trees at Raymond James Stadium Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. The city is hosting Sunday's Super Bowl football game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)The NBA doesn't want the Super Bowl to turn into a superspreader. The Super Bowl plan is designed to avoid more potential contact-tracing pratfalls as one of the top priorities. Clubs are instructed to not host in-person Super Bowl gatherings at a team facility.
NBA: Zero new players tested positive for virus in past week
Read full article: NBA: Zero new players tested positive for virus in past week(AP Photo/Darren Abate)No additional NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, the league said Wednesday, after nearly two dozen games had to be called off in the past month because of virus-related issues. That continued a good two-week trend: After 27 players were positive in results released between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19, only one player has been positive since. We all need it, not just NBA players, coaches, families. The planet needs it.āThe NBA has called off 23 games this season for virus issues, 22 since Jan. 10. But itās important to have weeks like this, because it gives everybody hope.ā___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Westbrook, Beal hit late 3s, Wizards stun Nets 149-146
Read full article: Westbrook, Beal hit late 3s, Wizards stun Nets 149-146(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON ā Wizards coach Scott Brooks envisioned something like this when Washington acquired Russell Westbrook from Houston for John Wall and a draft pick. Bradley Beal and Westbrook hit 3-pointers in a wild 3.8-second sequence in the final seconds to help the Wizards stun Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets 149-146 on Sunday night. Westbrook had 41 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and NBA scoring leader Beal had 37 points. In the fourth quarter, Beal had 22 points and Westbrook had 15. āRussell willed this game,ā Brooks said about Westbrook, who has only played in 10 of 16 games due to a quad injury.
Wall scores 24 to lead Rockets over Wizards 107-88
Read full article: Wall scores 24 to lead Rockets over Wizards 107-88Houston Rockets' John Wall reacts during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Houston. Wall scored 24 points to help Houston to a 107-88 victory over Russell Westbrook and the Washington Wizards. Houston was leading by six when Wall re-entered the game. āI was itching to get back in in the fourth quarter," he said. āThe fourth quarter was good," Silas said.
Spurs drop Wizards 121-101 in Washingtonās return from COVID-19 layoff
Read full article: Spurs drop Wizards 121-101 in Washingtonās return from COVID-19 layoffThe Wizards had their previous six games postponed because they did not have enough eligible players due to the leagueās COVID-19 protocols. LaMarcus Aldridge added 15 points, Devin Vassell had 14 points and Keldon Johnson had 13 for San Antonio. Washington was 14 for 42 overall on 3-pointers, helping it stay with San Antonio through three quarters. San Antonio finished 15 for 31 on 3-pointers in securing its largest margin of victory this season. Spurs: Vassell is the first Spurs rookie with four or more 3-pointers in a game since Gary Neal in 2011.
Wizards return to court, Grizzlies see 6th game postponed
Read full article: Wizards return to court, Grizzlies see 6th game postponedWashington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots against Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)The Washington Wizards are finally back. The Grizzlies wonāt play until at least Saturday, after the NBA called off yet another game -- the 20th since Jan. 10 and the 21st postponement this season. Those were called off late last week and now, the Grizzliesā home game against Chicago that was scheduled for Wednesday is off as well. In all, 23 teams have seen at least one game called off so far this season.
Grizzlies-Blazers called off; Wizards worry about readiness
Read full article: Grizzlies-Blazers called off; Wizards worry about readinessThe Wizards don't expect to have more than eight available on Friday because of a combination of the virus and injuries. Wizards coach Scott Brooks isn't expecting any of the six players who have tested positive back in the next few days at least, and Westbrook is still out with a leg injury. Portland is the 20th NBA team to have at least one game called off in the last two weeks. Memphis had its game at Minnesota last Friday called off after Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19. Players who test positive must undergo a battery of exams before being cleared to return to play, such as cardiac tests.
NBA, union stiffen virus protocols; more games postponed
Read full article: NBA, union stiffen virus protocols; more games postponedUtah's game in Washington on Wednesday was postponed because contact-tracing issues among the Wizards meant they wouldn't have eight available players for that matchup. āI'm for whatever the NBA wants us to do," Washington coach Scott Brooks said. When teams started testing in late November prior to the start of training camps, 48 players had positive COVID-19 tests. There were at least 36 players in the league dealing with virus-related issues or protocols when Tuesday began, based on information released by teams. Counting the two new postponements and another on Dec. 23 between Oklahoma City and Houston, the league has seen six games moved because of virus issues.
Wizards lose Thomas Bryant to torn ACL in left knee
Read full article: Wizards lose Thomas Bryant to torn ACL in left kneeWashington Wizards center Thomas Bryant, center, lies injured on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON ā The Washington Wizards likely will be without center Thomas Bryant for the remainder of the season because of a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Bryant is one of only two players who started all 10 games so far this season for the Wizards. He got hurt after incidental contact with two Miami players during the first quarter of the Wizardsā loss to the Heat on Saturday night. The Wizards have not announced when Bryant will have surgery or given an exact timeline for his recovery, but the rehabilitation process following ACL tears and surgery typically take several months at a minimum.
Sixers top Wizards despite Beal's record-tying 60 points
Read full article: Sixers top Wizards despite Beal's record-tying 60 points(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)PHILADELPHIA ā Joel Embiid scored 38 points and the NBA-leading Philadelphia 76ers overcame a Washington record-tying 60-point performance by Bradley Beal in a 141-136 win over the Wizards on Wednesday night. Beal, who once scored 53 and 55 points in consecutive games, sank a free throw with 4.4 seconds left to hit the mark. He hit seven 3s and reached 57 points through three quarters, and that should have been enough to give the Wizards the lead. They gave up 82 points and trailed by as many as 21 points, Beal outscoring the rest of the Wizards. Russell Westbrook scored 20 points for the Wizards.
Magic beat Wizards130-120 despite Westbrook's historic night
Read full article: Magic beat Wizards130-120 despite Westbrook's historic nightOrlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (20) shoots as Washington Wizards forward Isaac Bonga (17) and forward Deni Avdija (9) defend in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, in Washington. (Geoff Burke/Pool Photo via AP)WASHINGTON ā The Orlando Magic beat Washington 130-120 on Saturday night, overcoming another triple-double by Russell Westbrook in his home debut for the Wizards. Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Markelle Fultz added 21 points to help the Magic win its second straight to start the season. ... Two-way rookie guard Cassius Winston (hamstring strain) was inactive but has returned to practiceā¦UP NEXTThe Magic and Wizards will complete their back-to-back in Washington on Sunday. It is the only meeting between the two Southeast division foes in the first half of the NBA schedule release.
'Happy about where I'm at': Westbrook discusses move to DC
Read full article: 'Happy about where I'm at': Westbrook discusses move to DCāObviously, Iām not the easiest guy to understand,ā Westbrook said. Westbrook was at practice on Saturday with the Wizards, the team that sent former No. āIām here in Washington,ā Westbrook replied. āIām all about trying to do things the right way, regardless of if anybody likes it or not,ā Westbrook said. āMy thing is making sure that Iām doing the right thing for the right people and impacting as many people as possible.ā___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
A cautious start to NBA season, as camps open amid positives
Read full article: A cautious start to NBA season, as camps open amid positivesIm very concerned if we can pull this off, Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. āIām very concerned if we can pull this off,ā Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. Golden State general manager Bob Myers said two Warriors have tested positive, meaning that club won't start individual workouts until Wednesday and won't have a full-scale practice until Monday. Washington coach Scott Brooks said the Wizards have one player who tested positive. And Orlando coach Steve Clifford said Magic center Mo Bamba ā who tested positive several months ago ā is still āa ways awayā from being ready to play again.
Sports venues across country in play on Election Day
Read full article: Sports venues across country in play on Election DayMichigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said "I'm grateful for our sports partners in Detroit," Benson said Tuesday night at the home of the Detroit Lions. "They really led the way for sports teams across the country to play a critical role in providing the resources we needed to run the election successfully this year. āI'm grateful for our sports partners in Detroit," Benson said Tuesday night at the home of the Lions. āThey really led the way for sports teams across the country to play a critical role in providing the resources we needed to run the election successfully this year. Meanwhile, many Major League Baseball and NHL teams also put their stadiums and arenas in play on Election Day.
Into the unknown: NBA teams face concerns outside of bubble
Read full article: Into the unknown: NBA teams face concerns outside of bubbleThe other six clubs exit World Disney World the same way as tourists who normally pack the place. Now its back to the real world, and the real world in 2020 is an unsettling place. Uncertainty awaits at the end of every season for teams that miss the playoffs. The coronavirus pandemic forces teams to wonder whether they will be safe, and when or where they might be back together again. NBA teams have been shielded for a little while, but the Pelicans, Kings and Wizards, and soon more teams, have lost that now.
Booker scores 27 points, Suns beat Wizards 125-112 in return
Read full article: Booker scores 27 points, Suns beat Wizards 125-112 in returnPhoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard Jerome Robinson (12) in the first half an NBA basketball game in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Friday, July 31, 2020. (Kim Klement/Pool Photo via AP)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Devin Booker scored 27 points, Deandre Ayton added 24 points and 12 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns beat the Washington Wizards 125-112 on Friday in their first game of the restart. Booker made all nine of his free throws and Phoenix hit 30 of 32 from the line. Dario Saric added 16 points for the Suns, who shot 52% from the field. Rui Hachimura had 21 points and eight rebounds and Jerome Robinson added 20 points for the Wizards on coach Scott Brooks' 55th birthday.
At the NBA restart, team equipment is a challenge to manage
Read full article: At the NBA restart, team equipment is a challenge to manageSo, when it came time to figure out what was getting packed for Disney, Pimental came to a realization. All 22 teams in the NBA restart had to pack more than ever, for a road trip like none other. The challenges for players and coaches are obvious, but the challenge for equipment managers among the unsung heroes of this restart plan arent anywhere near as visible to those watching games from afar. This is what equipment managers were built for, honestly, Orlando Magic equipment manager Jacob Diamond said. ... Were all going to be involved in every aspect of it.Days will be long for equipment managers.
The bubble awaits: NBA teams set to start Disney arrivals
Read full article: The bubble awaits: NBA teams set to start Disney arrivals(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)After four months of waiting and planning, the NBA bubble is ready to be tested. The first six teams Brooklyn, Denver, Orlando, Phoenix, Utah and Washington are scheduled to arrive Tuesday at the Disney complex. Another eight teams arrive Wednesday, the last eight arrive Thursday, and with that training camps will be on the cusp of beginning. If the plan works, all teams will be at Disney for at least 5-1/2 weeks and some teams will be there for more than three months. But once the games start, theyre every other day, I think the players will be fine.