National Basketball Association News Headlines

Kobe Bryant scored 38 points and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated Denver 104-100, seizing a two games to none lead over the Nuggets in their best-of-seven Western Conference playoff series.

Playing without injured superstar Derrick Rose, the Chicago Bulls were humbled 109-92 by Philadelphia in an NBA playoff stunner that exposed major weaknesses by the league's winningest team.

(Reuters) The Boston Celtics held firm while Eastern Conference rivals the Chicago Bulls collapsed as the NBA title contenders handled the absence of their All-Star point guards in different ways on Tuesday. Boston, despite the absence of the suspended Rajon Rondo, clawed their way to a series-tying 87-80 victory at the …

New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire, who smashed his left hand into a window protecting a fire extinguisher after a loss, will miss the next game after minor surgery to repair a small muscle.

(Reuters) - The Los Angeles Dodgers' $2 billion sale creates a new game plan for loss-making sports teams hoping to command top dollar -- file for Chapter 11.

(Reuters) - San Antonio's Gregg Popovich was named the National Basketball Association's (NBA) coach of the year after guiding an aging Spurs team to the best record in a tough Western Conference, the league said on Tuesday. Popovich, who also won the award in 2003, led the Spurs to a 50-16 record en route to a 15th consecutive …

(Reuters) - The top-seeded Chicago Bulls should not let the season-ending injury to leading scorer Derrick Rose distract them from their goal of winning the team's first title in 14 years, Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen said on Tuesday. The injury to the reigning National Basketball Association's(NBA) Most Valuable Player …

Russell Westbrook scored 29 points and NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant added 26 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder over defending champion Dallas 102-99 in an NBA playoff game.

(Reuters) - Oklahoma City Thunder dealt Dallas another heartbreaking loss in the NBA playoffs on Monday to take a 2-0 lead over last season's champions in a series that is threatening to boil over. Jason Terry's desperation three-pointer attempt bounced off the rim as Dallas fell 102-99 to the hosts, who opened the first …

New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire suffered severe cuts to his left hand after punching a small glass window in front of a fire extinguisher following a 104-94 NBA playoff loss at Miami.

MIAMI (Reuters) - New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire suffered a badly cut hand from an incident following his team's 104-94 defeat to the Miami Heat in the NBA playoffs on Monday and could miss time in the remainder of the series.

MIAMI (Reuters) - Carmelo Anthony scored 30 points for the New York Knicks but his team still came up short as Miami's 'Big Three' took charge to lead the Heat to a convincing 104-94 victory in the NBA playoffs on Monday.

Dwyane Wade scored 25 points while Chris Bosh added 21 points and LeBron James added 19 to power the Miami Heat over New York 104-94, extending the Knicks' NBA playoff winless streak to 12 games.

US Olympic basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said his reigning Olympic champion squad of NBA stars received a tough grouping on Monday in FIBA's draw for the London Olympics.

NBA commissioner David Stern said on Monday that a schedule of 66 games compressed into four months after a money dispute had nothing to do with major injuries that have nagged players this season.

Revealing a new black-and-white color scheme and logo brand designed by rapper and team part-owner Jay-Z, the NBA's New Jersey Nets changed their identity to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.

(Reuters) - Paul Silas was fired as head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday after leading the eight-year-old franchise to the National Basketball Association's worst-ever record and a search for his successor is underway.

(Reuters) - Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo has been suspended one game for bumping into an official during his team's playoff-opening loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the National Basketball Association said on Monday. Rondo, who will serve his ban on Tuesday when the Eastern Conference quarter-final resumes, was given a foul …

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - The United States will open the defense of their Olympic men's basketball title against France on July 29 at the London Games.

Paul Silas will not return as coach of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats after the team struggled to a 7-59 record in the worst season by any club in NBA history, the team announced on Monday.

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo was suspended by the NBA for one game on Monday after bumping into a referee during a playoff game on Sunday.

The Los Angeles Clippers stormed back from a 27-point second-half deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 99-98 in the first game of their NBA Western Conference first-round series.

(Reuters) - The Los Angeles Clippers enjoyed a stunning come-from-behind victory over Memphis in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Sunday but it came at a high price as forward Caron Butler suffered a broken left hand and could miss 4-6 weeks.

(Reuters) - The Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 27-point deficit to stun the Memphis Grizzlies 99-98 in Game One of their first-round playoff series.