The Miami Heat indefinitely suspended Jimmy Butler on Monday after the disgruntled forward walked out of a practice session, reportedly when he was told he would be coming off the bench for the NBA team.
<h2>Butler suspended</h2>
"The Miami Heat are suspending Jimmy Butler without pay effective immediately for an indefinite period to last no fewer than five games," the Heat said in a statement posted on X.
"The suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team and intentionally withholding services.
"This includes walking out of practice earlier today."
It's the third time this month the Heat have suspended the 35-year-old Butler, who had been expected back on Monday from a two-game ban for missing a team flight.
He had previously been suspended for seven games for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team".
Butler, in his 15th NBA campaign, sparked the Heat into the 2020 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the 2023 finals, where they lost to Denver.
But even before his first suspension, Butler had indicated he wanted a trade. Initially resistant, the Heat have said the would "listen to offers" from other teams for the six-time All-Star.
The minimum five-game suspension announced on Monday would run through the NBA's mid-season trade deadline on February 6.
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The Miami Herald reported that the Heat would determine whether the suspension would continue after that if Butler remains on their roster after the deadline.
Miami's star guard Tyler Herro said the team is getting used to playing amid the uncertainty surrounding Butler.
"It kind of feels normal now at this point," Herro said in comments reported by the Herald. "It's kind of just what it is. Nothing is guaranteed, so we just got to be ready to roll with whatever cards we're dealt with tonight."
Just past the halfway point in the regular season, the Heat are eighth in the Eastern Conference with their playoff chances in the balance.
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Sports, NBA: It's the third time this month the Heat have suspended the 35-year-old Jimmy Butler, who had been expected back on Monday from a two-game ban.

The Miami Heat indefinitely suspended Jimmy Butler on Monday after the disgruntled forward walked out of a practice session, reportedly when he was told he would be coming off the bench for the NBA team. Butler suspended "The Miami Heat are suspending Jimmy Butler without pay effective immediately for an indefinite period to last no fewer than five games," the Heat said in a statement posted on X. "The suspension is due to a continued pattern of disregard of team rules, engaging in conduct detrimental to the team and intentionally withholding services. "This includes walking out of practice earlier today." It's the third time this month the Heat have suspended the 35-year-old Butler, who had been expected back on Monday from a two-game ban for missing a team flight. He had previously been suspended for seven games for "multiple instances of conduct detrimental to the team". Butler, in his 15th NBA campaign, sparked the Heat into the 2020 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the 2023 finals, where they lost to Denver. But even before his first suspension, Butler had indicated he wanted a trade. Initially resistant, the Heat have said the would "listen to offers" from other teams for the six-time All-Star. The minimum five-game suspension announced on Monday would run through the NBA's mid-season trade deadline on February 6. ALSO READ | Meet Naomi Girma - 24-year-old Olympic gold winner and world's first million-dollar female footballer The Miami Herald reported that the Heat would determine whether the suspension would continue after that if Butler remains on their roster after the deadline. Miami's star guard Tyler Herro said the team is getting used to playing amid the uncertainty surrounding Butler. "It kind of feels normal now at this point," Herro said in comments reported by the Herald. "It's kind of just what it is. Nothing is guaranteed, so we just got to be ready to roll with whatever cards we're dealt with tonight." Just past the halfway point in the regular season, the Heat are eighth in the Eastern Conference with their playoff chances in the balance. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Miami Heat suspend star forward Jimmy Butler indefinitely for walking out of practice session

Washington,&nbsp;United States: In a historic showdown seen as a possible&nbsp;NBA Finals preview, Jarrett Allen scored 25 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over Oklahoma City 129-122 on Wednesday.&nbsp;The&nbsp;NBA-leading Cavaliers improved to 32-4 with their 11th consecutive win while the visiting Western Conference-leading Thunder fell to 30-6 with their club-record 15-game win streak snapped.
"It felt like a battle all night," Allen said.&nbsp;"We were scoring, they were scoring, getting stops on both sides. We knew at the end of the night it was coming down to which team had more effort."
On a night when Cavs star Donovan Mitchell scored only 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting, Cleveland's big men took command.&nbsp;Allen topped scorers while adding 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals while working with Evan Mobley, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
They became the first Cavaliers teammates to each register 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in 2017.&nbsp;"We were willing to try it," Allen said of the two-man inside tandem. "We're learning to grow together. It was a learning curve.&nbsp;"Stuff like that just doesn't happen overnight, but Evan and I are willing to work together and try to find the best thing that works."
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Seven players scored in double figures for Cleveland, including Darius Garland with 18 points, reserve Max Strus with 17 and 15 off the bench from Ty Jerome.&nbsp;"Everybody is ready to play," Allen said. "Everybody is willing to make the next pass to the open man and we have a bunch of shooters on this team who can knock down shots."
It was only the third game in&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;history featuring two clubs on win streaks of 10 or more games and the first time since the Los Angeles Lakers beat Portland in 2000.
It was only the second time in&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;history there was a game involving teams that won 30 or more of their first 35 games, the other being the Lakers and Milwaukee in the 1971-72 campaign.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points while Jalen Williams added 25 for Oklahoma City, which hosts a rematch on January 16.&nbsp;The Cavs, who began the season 15-0, put the most accurate-shooting&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;club against the league's top defense.
In the third quarter they each scored 40 points, an&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;first this season.
The game stayed close into the final minutes with the Cavs ahead 125-122 after 30 lead changes.&nbsp;Mobley's floater gave Cleveland a 127-122 lead with 67 seconds remaining. Garland sank a layup with 27 seconds left for the final margin.&nbsp;"We have the best record but in games like this you want to prove yourself, not just to everybody, but to ourselves," Mitchell said.
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<h2>- Bucks defeat Spurs -</h2>
Two-time&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists to spark the Milwaukee Bucks over the visiting San Antonio Spurs and their 2024&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama 121-105.
Frenchman Wembanyama had 10 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and one assist.&nbsp;Damian Lillard scored a game-high 26 points with five rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks.&nbsp;"I feel great about our team," said Lillard. "I love what we're becoming. We've just got to continue to grow in the right direction."
Greece's Antetokounmpo, the&nbsp;NBA's top scorer, set a Bucks career record for double-doubles with 432.&nbsp;"I'm just trying to play hard, trying to be consistent for my team," Antetokounmpo said. "When you do that way, individual accolades happen, but I just want to win games."
With three-time&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;MVP Nikola Jokic out due to illness, the host Denver Nuggets crushed the Los Angeles Clippers 126-103. Jamal Murray led Denver with 21 points.
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Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points to lead host Philadelphia over Washington 109-103 and Malik Beasley scored 23 points to lead Detroit's 113-98 victory at Brooklyn.
Karl-Anthony Towns and O.G. Anunoby each scored 27 points to lead the New York Knicks over visiting Toronto 112-98 while&nbsp;Pascal Siakam scored 26 points to power Indiana over visiting Chicago 129-113.
Deni Avdija scored 26 points to spark Portland's 119-100 victory at New Orleans.
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NBA, Basketball, Sports | Cleveland Cavaliers win 11th in a row to end 15-game streak for Oklahoma City Thunder courtesy of 129-122 victory scoreline

Washington, United States: In a historic showdown seen as a possible NBA Finals preview, Jarrett Allen scored 25 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over Oklahoma City 129-122 on Wednesday. The NBA-leading Cavaliers improved to 32-4 with their 11th consecutive win while the visiting Western Conference-leading Thunder fell to 30-6 with their club-record 15-game win streak snapped. "It felt like a battle all night," Allen said. "We were scoring, they were scoring, getting stops on both sides. We knew at the end of the night it was coming down to which team had more effort." On a night when Cavs star Donovan Mitchell scored only 11 points on 3-of-16 shooting, Cleveland's big men took command. Allen topped scorers while adding 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals while working with Evan Mobley, who had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. They became the first Cavaliers teammates to each register 20 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game since LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in 2017. "We were willing to try it," Allen said of the two-man inside tandem. "We're learning to grow together. It was a learning curve. "Stuff like that just doesn't happen overnight, but Evan and I are willing to work together and try to find the best thing that works." Also read: Slot left fuming after Spurs teen Bergvall avoids red card to sink Liverpool Seven players scored in double figures for Cleveland, including Darius Garland with 18 points, reserve Max Strus with 17 and 15 off the bench from Ty Jerome. "Everybody is ready to play," Allen said. "Everybody is willing to make the next pass to the open man and we have a bunch of shooters on this team who can knock down shots." It was only the third game in NBA history featuring two clubs on win streaks of 10 or more games and the first time since the Los Angeles Lakers beat Portland in 2000. It was only the second time in NBA history there was a game involving teams that won 30 or more of their first 35 games, the other being the Lakers and Milwaukee in the 1971-72 campaign. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points while Jalen Williams added 25 for Oklahoma City, which hosts a rematch on January 16. The Cavs, who began the season 15-0, put the most accurate-shooting NBA club against the league's top defense. In the third quarter they each scored 40 points, an NBA first this season. The game stayed close into the final minutes with the Cavs ahead 125-122 after 30 lead changes. Mobley's floater gave Cleveland a 127-122 lead with 67 seconds remaining. Garland sank a layup with 27 seconds left for the final margin. "We have the best record but in games like this you want to prove yourself, not just to everybody, but to ourselves," Mitchell said. Also read: Australian Open 2025 draw: Novak Djokovic projected to face Carlos Alcaraz in QF; Medvedev faces Samrej in R1 - Bucks defeat Spurs - Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists to spark the Milwaukee Bucks over the visiting San Antonio Spurs and their 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama 121-105. Frenchman Wembanyama had 10 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and one assist. Damian Lillard scored a game-high 26 points with five rebounds and eight assists for the Bucks. "I feel great about our team," said Lillard. "I love what we're becoming. We've just got to continue to grow in the right direction." Greece's Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top scorer, set a Bucks career record for double-doubles with 432. "I'm just trying to play hard, trying to be consistent for my team," Antetokounmpo said. "When you do that way, individual accolades happen, but I just want to win games." With three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic out due to illness, the host Denver Nuggets crushed the Los Angeles Clippers 126-103. Jamal Murray led Denver with 21 points. Also read: Dani Olmo, Pau Víctor granted temporary registration as Barcelona reach Super Cup final Tyrese Maxey scored 29 points to lead host Philadelphia over Washington 109-103 and Malik Beasley scored 23 points to lead Detroit's 113-98 victory at Brooklyn. Karl-Anthony Towns and O.G. Anunoby each scored 27 points to lead the New York Knicks over visiting Toronto 112-98 while Pascal Siakam scored 26 points to power Indiana over visiting Chicago 129-113. Deni Avdija scored 26 points to spark Portland's 119-100 victory at New Orleans. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Cavaliers win 11th in a row to end 15-game streak for Thunder

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their 14th consecutive NBA victory, a 117-107 home win over the New York Knicks on Friday. The Thunder matched the longest win streak in franchise history from the 1995-96 season, when they were the Seattle SuperSonics, and snapped New York's nine-game win streak, the Knicks' longest since 2013.<o:p></o:p>
It was only the fourth time in the NBA's 79-year history that teams on win streaks of nine or more games faced each other.<o:p></o:p>
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Canadian star Gilgeous-Alexander hit 12-of-26 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the free throw line while Jalen Williams added 20 points and Aaron Wiggins had 19 off the bench as Thunder reserves outscored the Knicks bench 35-5.<o:p></o:p>
"They made big plays all night," said Gilgeous-Alexander of his bench. "We're a roster of 15 men, 15 professionals, 15 really skilled basketball players. Guys were ready for their moment."<o:p></o:p>
The Knicks closed the second quarter on a 23-10 run for a 66-54 half-time lead, Mikal Bridges scoring 19 of his team-high 24 points in the first half.<o:p></o:p>
But the Thunder pulled within 88-80 entering the fourth quarter and an 8-0 Oklahoma City run capped by an Isaiah Joe three-pointer pulled the hosts ahead 92-91 with 8:15 to play.<o:p></o:p>
The Thunder went on a 10-0 run with Wiggins hitting a three-point play and a three-pointer for a 108-101 lead with 2:22 remaining and held off the Knicks from there.<o:p></o:p>
"Our (half time) message was just stick to our identity. We've gone down at half time the past two or three games. We've been there before. We know it's a long game, a lot of things can change," said Gilgeous-Alexander. "We've just got to play to our identity as much as we can and when we do so, we usually win."<o:p></o:p>
Frenchman Victor Wembanyama was a winner in his 100th NBA game, making two key plays in the last seconds of San Antonio's 113-110 triumph at Denver.<o:p></o:p>
On the eve of his 21st birthday, the 7-foot-3 (2.21m) star assisted on Chris Paul's go-ahead jumper with 54 seconds remaining and stole a Nikola Jokic pass with four seconds to play to set up Devin Vassell's dunk for the final points.<o:p></o:p>
In a battle of superstar big men, 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Wembanyama had 35 points and 18 rebounds with four assists while three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic had 41 points and 18 rebounds plus nine assists.<o:p></o:p>
Wembanyama had a historic first season, the only campaign where an NBA player had more than 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocked shots and 100 three-pointers.<o:p></o:p>
This season, "Wemby" is averaging 25.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.9 blocked shots a game as well as 3.3 three-pointers per contest.
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Sports, NBA: The Thunder matched the longest win streak in franchise history from the 1995-96 season, when they were the Seattle SuperSonics, and snapped New York's streak. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their 14th consecutive NBA victory, a 117-107 home win over the New York Knicks on Friday. The Thunder matched the longest win streak in franchise history from the 1995-96 season, when they were the Seattle SuperSonics, and snapped New York's nine-game win streak, the Knicks' longest since 2013. It was only the fourth time in the NBA's 79-year history that teams on win streaks of nine or more games faced each other. Also read | Bellingham guides Madrid to top of Liga table after Vinicius' send off against Valencia Canadian star Gilgeous-Alexander hit 12-of-26 from the floor and 7-of-7 from the free throw line while Jalen Williams added 20 points and Aaron Wiggins had 19 off the bench as Thunder reserves outscored the Knicks bench 35-5. "They made big plays all night," said Gilgeous-Alexander of his bench. "We're a roster of 15 men, 15 professionals, 15 really skilled basketball players. Guys were ready for their moment." The Knicks closed the second quarter on a 23-10 run for a 66-54 half-time lead, Mikal Bridges scoring 19 of his team-high 24 points in the first half. But the Thunder pulled within 88-80 entering the fourth quarter and an 8-0 Oklahoma City run capped by an Isaiah Joe three-pointer pulled the hosts ahead 92-91 with 8:15 to play. The Thunder went on a 10-0 run with Wiggins hitting a three-point play and a three-pointer for a 108-101 lead with 2:22 remaining and held off the Knicks from there. "Our (half time) message was just stick to our identity. We've gone down at half time the past two or three games. We've been there before. We know it's a long game, a lot of things can change," said Gilgeous-Alexander. "We've just got to play to our identity as much as we can and when we do so, we usually win." Frenchman Victor Wembanyama was a winner in his 100th NBA game, making two key plays in the last seconds of San Antonio's 113-110 triumph at Denver. On the eve of his 21st birthday, the 7-foot-3 (2.21m) star assisted on Chris Paul's go-ahead jumper with 54 seconds remaining and stole a Nikola Jokic pass with four seconds to play to set up Devin Vassell's dunk for the final points. In a battle of superstar big men, 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Wembanyama had 35 points and 18 rebounds with four assists while three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic had 41 points and 18 rebounds plus nine assists. Wembanyama had a historic first season, the only campaign where an NBA player had more than 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocked shots and 100 three-pointers. This season, "Wemby" is averaging 25.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.9 blocked shots a game as well as 3.3 three-pointers per contest. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powers Thunder to record 14th straight win

Washington,&nbsp;United States: Oklahoma City stretched the NBA's best win streak to 13 games with a home victory Thursday while the reigning champion Boston Celtics held on for a last-shot win at Minnesota.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had game highs of 29 points and eight assists to spark the Thunder over the Los Angeles Clippers 116-98 at Oklahoma City, improving the Western Conference leaders to 28-5.
The Thunder's win streak is the longest since the team relocated from Seattle after the 2007-08 season.
"It's just being present, going day by day, working on ourselves and I think we're doing a good job on that," said Isaiah Hartenstein, who added 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City trailed 52-48 at half-time but outscored the Clippers 42-20 in the third quarter and Los Angeles never closed the gap.
"We wanted to come out and just pick up the pressure," Hartenstein said. "We weren't playing the way we wanted, with the force we wanted. We wanted to pressure them and I think we did a good job of that."
At Minneapolis, the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown due to a right shoulder strain and Kristaps Porzingis with an ankle sprain but won for the third time in four games to start a difficult road trip, dispatching the Timberwolves 118-115.
Jayson Tatum sparked Boston with 33 points on 13-of-27 shooting, 6-of-17 from 3-point range, and added eight rebounds and nine assists.
"No JB. No KP. We've had a rough stretch this last eight or nine games," Tatum said. "So this January we're going to try to turn it around and get back to our identity.
"What better way than to come in on the road in a tough environment against a really good team down two of your best players and the way that we responded, figured out a way to win, we will take that any day."
The Celtics (25-9) made only four turnovers while forcing 16 by the Timberwolves (17-16), who made it close by outscoring Boston 20-4 at the free throw line.
The T-Wolves led 35-28 after 12 minutes, matching their top-scoring first quarter of the season, but the Celtics pulled ahead 62-51 at half-time.
Minnesota capped a 20-7 run with a 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo to pull level at 94-94 with 9:16 remaining.
DiVincenzo sank three free throws with 28 seconds to play to pull the Timberwolves within 118-115 and Minnesota got the ball after a Tatum miss with 3.1 seconds remaining.
"Rule number one. If you leave it short, it never has a chance to go in," Tatum said,
Anthony Edwards missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Boston the victory.
"Just had to stick with it," Tatum said of Boston's defensive work. "They were hitting some tough shots. You've got to live with something, can't take everything away. Stick to the game plan, compete."
Derrick White added 26 points for Boston. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
The Celtics began a four-game road swing against top clubs with future stops at Houston, Oklahoma City and Denver.
"I love the way we competed. Our physicality was on point. That's what it's going to take," Tatum said.
"We play four really good, difficult teams on the road. We're going to need everybody in these games."
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<h2>- Nets edge Bucks -</h2>
Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton scored 33 points and added 15 rebounds to lead the Pacers over host Miami 128-115. Myles Turner added 21 points and Pascal Siakam contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana.
Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson scored 26 points and Cam Thomas added 24 off the bench as the Nets won 113-110 at Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks while Damian Lillard added 23 points but the Milwaukee stars missed shots late to doom a late rally.
Lillard's jumper pulled the Bucks within 111-110 with 37 seconds remaining, but after a Brooklyn turnover, Antetokounmpo missed a driving layup attempt and Ziaire Williams sank two free throws to give the Nets a 113-110 edge with six seconds to play.
Lillard missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
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Basketball, Sports | Oklahoma City Thunder stretch NBA win streak to 13 as Boston Celtics edge Minnesota Timberwolves 

Washington, United States: Oklahoma City stretched the NBA's best win streak to 13 games with a home victory Thursday while the reigning champion Boston Celtics held on for a last-shot win at Minnesota. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had game highs of 29 points and eight assists to spark the Thunder over the Los Angeles Clippers 116-98 at Oklahoma City, improving the Western Conference leaders to 28-5. The Thunder's win streak is the longest since the team relocated from Seattle after the 2007-08 season. "It's just being present, going day by day, working on ourselves and I think we're doing a good job on that," said Isaiah Hartenstein, who added 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Thunder. Oklahoma City trailed 52-48 at half-time but outscored the Clippers 42-20 in the third quarter and Los Angeles never closed the gap. "We wanted to come out and just pick up the pressure," Hartenstein said. "We weren't playing the way we wanted, with the force we wanted. We wanted to pressure them and I think we did a good job of that." At Minneapolis, the Celtics were without Jaylen Brown due to a right shoulder strain and Kristaps Porzingis with an ankle sprain but won for the third time in four games to start a difficult road trip, dispatching the Timberwolves 118-115. Jayson Tatum sparked Boston with 33 points on 13-of-27 shooting, 6-of-17 from 3-point range, and added eight rebounds and nine assists. "No JB. No KP. We've had a rough stretch this last eight or nine games," Tatum said. "So this January we're going to try to turn it around and get back to our identity. "What better way than to come in on the road in a tough environment against a really good team down two of your best players and the way that we responded, figured out a way to win, we will take that any day." The Celtics (25-9) made only four turnovers while forcing 16 by the Timberwolves (17-16), who made it close by outscoring Boston 20-4 at the free throw line. The T-Wolves led 35-28 after 12 minutes, matching their top-scoring first quarter of the season, but the Celtics pulled ahead 62-51 at half-time. Minnesota capped a 20-7 run with a 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo to pull level at 94-94 with 9:16 remaining. DiVincenzo sank three free throws with 28 seconds to play to pull the Timberwolves within 118-115 and Minnesota got the ball after a Tatum miss with 3.1 seconds remaining. "Rule number one. If you leave it short, it never has a chance to go in," Tatum said, Anthony Edwards missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Boston the victory. "Just had to stick with it," Tatum said of Boston's defensive work. "They were hitting some tough shots. You've got to live with something, can't take everything away. Stick to the game plan, compete." Derrick White added 26 points for Boston. Julius Randle led Minnesota with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The Celtics began a four-game road swing against top clubs with future stops at Houston, Oklahoma City and Denver. "I love the way we competed. Our physicality was on point. That's what it's going to take," Tatum said. "We play four really good, difficult teams on the road. We're going to need everybody in these games." Also read: Tennis: Osaka reaches first semis since comeback at Auckland Open - Nets edge Bucks - Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton scored 33 points and added 15 rebounds to lead the Pacers over host Miami 128-115. Myles Turner added 21 points and Pascal Siakam contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana. Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson scored 26 points and Cam Thomas added 24 off the bench as the Nets won 113-110 at Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks while Damian Lillard added 23 points but the Milwaukee stars missed shots late to doom a late rally. Lillard's jumper pulled the Bucks within 111-110 with 37 seconds remaining, but after a Brooklyn turnover, Antetokounmpo missed a driving layup attempt and Ziaire Williams sank two free throws to give the Nets a 113-110 edge with six seconds to play. Lillard missed a potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Oklahoma City Thunder stretch NBA win streak to 13 as Celtics edge T-Wolves

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly issued a strict warning to pro sports leagues that organised theft groups are looting professional NBA and NFL players and their homes while they are out playing or travelling. Recently, the houses of Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Cincinnate Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Donic and NBA guardrs Mike Conley Jr. and Bobby Portis have been among the burglarised properties.
Notably, at least nine professional athletes' homes were allegedly burglarised by organised theft groups in a span of three months, in September-November.
The FBI didn't note any of the above cases specifically, but warned the leagues involving such players. The investigating agency further claimed that the homes of professional athletes of the NFL and NBA have been reported, which contain high-end items such as designer handbags, jewellery, watches, cash, etc.
Further, the NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to their players after recent break-ins.
Some of these acts have been carried out during road games. As a result of these acts, the players -- both in the NFL and NBA -- have been left concerned about their families while they are out on the road during the leagues.
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<h2>'These homes are targeted due to the perception they may have high-end goods'</h2>
"These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewellery, watches, and cash,&rdquo; the FBI said in a Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News.
&ldquo;While many burglaries occur while homes are unoccupied, some burglaries occur while residents are home. In these instances, individuals are encouraged to seek law enforcement help and avoid engaging with criminals, as they may be armed or use violence if confronted,&rdquo; the report further added. (With inputs from agencies)

NBA, NFL, Sports | FBI gives strict warning to sports leagues after string of burglaries targeting NFL, NBA athletes and their homes - Report

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reportedly issued a strict warning to pro sports leagues that organised theft groups are looting professional NBA and NFL players and their homes while they are out playing or travelling. Recently, the houses of Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, Cincinnate Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Donic and NBA guardrs Mike Conley Jr. and Bobby Portis have been among the burglarised properties. Notably, at least nine professional athletes' homes were allegedly burglarised by organised theft groups in a span of three months, in September-November. The FBI didn't note any of the above cases specifically, but warned the leagues involving such players. The investigating agency further claimed that the homes of professional athletes of the NFL and NBA have been reported, which contain high-end items such as designer handbags, jewellery, watches, cash, etc. Further, the NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to their players after recent break-ins. Some of these acts have been carried out during road games. As a result of these acts, the players -- both in the NFL and NBA -- have been left concerned about their families while they are out on the road during the leagues. Also read: Former England coach Gareth Southgate knighted in New Year Honours 'These homes are targeted due to the perception they may have high-end goods' "These homes are targeted for burglary due to the perception they may have high-end goods like designer handbags, jewellery, watches, and cash,” the FBI said in a Liaison Information Report obtained by ABC News. “While many burglaries occur while homes are unoccupied, some burglaries occur while residents are home. In these instances, individuals are encouraged to seek law enforcement help and avoid engaging with criminals, as they may be armed or use violence if confronted,” the report further added. (With inputs from agencies)

FBI gives strict warning to sports leagues after series of burglaries targeting NFL, NBA athletes: Report

The NBA fined Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards $100,000 for using profanity during a live television interview.
Edwards let fly with a couple of swear words in an ebullient on-court interview after he drilled a game-winning three-pointer in Minnesota's 113-112 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday.
But in announcing the fine, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said the amount of the penalty "is based in part on Edwards' history of using profane language during media interviews."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-liverpool-thrash-west-ham-to-go-eight-points-clear-at-the-top-8576475" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Premier League: Liverpool thrash West Ham to go eight points clear at the top</a>
<h2>Edwards fined $75,000 less than a week earlier "for public criticism of the officiating and using inappropriate and profane language"</h2>
Edwards had been fined $75,000 less than a week earlier "for public criticism of the officiating and using inappropriate and profane language" after the Timberwolves' 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors.
In November Edwards was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture toward the stands while on court during a victory against the Kings in Sacramento.
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Basketball, Sports | NBA fines Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards for profanity during live television interview 

The NBA fined Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards $100,000 for using profanity during a live television interview. Edwards let fly with a couple of swear words in an ebullient on-court interview after he drilled a game-winning three-pointer in Minnesota's 113-112 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday. But in announcing the fine, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars said the amount of the penalty "is based in part on Edwards' history of using profane language during media interviews." Also read: Premier League: Liverpool thrash West Ham to go eight points clear at the top Edwards fined $75,000 less than a week earlier "for public criticism of the officiating and using inappropriate and profane language" Edwards had been fined $75,000 less than a week earlier "for public criticism of the officiating and using inappropriate and profane language" after the Timberwolves' 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors. In November Edwards was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture toward the stands while on court during a victory against the Kings in Sacramento. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA fines Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards for profanity

Jaylen Brown delivered a 44-point gem as the NBA champion Boston Celtics snapped a two-game losing streak with a 142-105 blowout of the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
<o:p></o:p>Brown set the tone with 15 points in the first quarter, when the Celtics out-scored the Pacers 39-22 to take control. <o:p></o:p>He finished with six of the Celtics' 23 three-pointers and came up with four steals, posting his highest scoring output since he scored 50 in a win over Orlando in January 2022.<o:p></o:p>
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"He was big-time," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of Brown, who energized the TD Garden crowd with an array of thunderous dunks. "He has the ability to impact a team and an arena with his energy and his physicality.<o:p></o:p>
"When he gets into a certain zone he just gets locked in, and you kind of saw that on both ends of the floor."<o:p></o:p>
Jayson Tatum scored 22 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and Payton Pritchard added 18 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists off the bench for the Celtics, who shrugged off the absence of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to post their biggest points total of the season.<o:p></o:p>
The lopsided win over the team they vanquished in last season's Eastern Conference finals saw the Celtics avoid their first three-game skid of the season.<o:p></o:p>
Tyrese Haliburton scored 19 points and Bennedict Mathurin scored 18 for the Pacers, who were without injured Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard.<o:p></o:p>
<h2>Edwards seals T'Wolves win<o:p></o:p></h2>
It came down to the wire in Houston, where Minnesota's Anthony Edwards drilled a step-back three-pointer with 23.2 seconds remaining to lift the Timberwolves to a 113-112 victory over the Rockets.<o:p></o:p>
Fred VanVleet had a chance win it for Houston, but missed a three-pointer with 1.8 seconds left.<o:p></o:p>
Julius Randle scored 27 points and Edwards finished with 24 for the Timberwolves, who trailed by 16 points, 106-90, with 4:57 left to play.<o:p></o:p>
"Made it happen!" Edwards said. "Got some stops, we made some big shots -- made a big shot at the end right there."<o:p></o:p>
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 38 points and 12 rebounds. Amen Thompson added 20 points as all five Houston starters scored in double figures only to come up short at the end.<o:p></o:p>
The New York Knicks pushed their winning streak to six games with a convincing 108-85 victory over the Magic in Orlando.<o:p></o:p>
Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and handed out nine assists and Josh Hart added 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who made just four of their 15 three-point attempts but converted 24 of their 34 free-throw attempts.<o:p></o:p>
The Magic, with top contributors Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner on the injured list, were led by 27 points from Jalen Suggs.<o:p></o:p>
San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama delivered 19 points, seven rebounds and six blocked and the Spurs heated up in the second half to beat the Nets 96-87 in Brooklyn.<o:p></o:p>
The Spurs connected on just 11 of their 40 shot attempts in the first half and were tied 41-41 at halftime.<o:p></o:p>
They broke it open in the third quarter, connecting on 13 of their 18 shots. Wembanyama made four of his five attempts in the period, including three three-pointers, as the Spurs seized a 74-62 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The lopsided win over the team they vanquished in last season's Eastern Conference finals saw the Celtics avoid their first three-game skid of the season.

Jaylen Brown delivered a 44-point gem as the NBA champion Boston Celtics snapped a two-game losing streak with a 142-105 blowout of the Indiana Pacers on Friday. Brown set the tone with 15 points in the first quarter, when the Celtics out-scored the Pacers 39-22 to take control. He finished with six of the Celtics' 23 three-pointers and came up with four steals, posting his highest scoring output since he scored 50 in a win over Orlando in January 2022. Also read | PL: Saka-less Arsenal move to second spot after win over Ipswich Town "He was big-time," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said of Brown, who energized the TD Garden crowd with an array of thunderous dunks. "He has the ability to impact a team and an arena with his energy and his physicality. "When he gets into a certain zone he just gets locked in, and you kind of saw that on both ends of the floor." Jayson Tatum scored 22 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and Payton Pritchard added 18 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists off the bench for the Celtics, who shrugged off the absence of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to post their biggest points total of the season. The lopsided win over the team they vanquished in last season's Eastern Conference finals saw the Celtics avoid their first three-game skid of the season. Tyrese Haliburton scored 19 points and Bennedict Mathurin scored 18 for the Pacers, who were without injured Obi Toppin and Andrew Nembhard. Edwards seals T'Wolves win It came down to the wire in Houston, where Minnesota's Anthony Edwards drilled a step-back three-pointer with 23.2 seconds remaining to lift the Timberwolves to a 113-112 victory over the Rockets. Fred VanVleet had a chance win it for Houston, but missed a three-pointer with 1.8 seconds left. Julius Randle scored 27 points and Edwards finished with 24 for the Timberwolves, who trailed by 16 points, 106-90, with 4:57 left to play. "Made it happen!" Edwards said. "Got some stops, we made some big shots -- made a big shot at the end right there." Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 38 points and 12 rebounds. Amen Thompson added 20 points as all five Houston starters scored in double figures only to come up short at the end. The New York Knicks pushed their winning streak to six games with a convincing 108-85 victory over the Magic in Orlando. Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and handed out nine assists and Josh Hart added 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who made just four of their 15 three-point attempts but converted 24 of their 34 free-throw attempts. The Magic, with top contributors Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner on the injured list, were led by 27 points from Jalen Suggs. San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama delivered 19 points, seven rebounds and six blocked and the Spurs heated up in the second half to beat the Nets 96-87 in Brooklyn. The Spurs connected on just 11 of their 40 shot attempts in the first half and were tied 41-41 at halftime. They broke it open in the third quarter, connecting on 13 of their 18 shots. Wembanyama made four of his five attempts in the period, including three three-pointers, as the Spurs seized a 74-62 lead going into the fourth quarter. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Champions Celtics snap two-game losing streak with win over Pacers

<div data-testid="paragraph-0" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will be re-evaluated in a month due to a left calf strain, ESPN reported late Thursday night.</div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-1" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">The five-time All-Star sustained the injury during a 105-99 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. After straining the calf on a seemingly harmless play in the second quarter, Doncic headed to the locker room and missed the entire second half.</div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-2" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Doncic underwent an MRI exam on Thursday and got input from several sources.</div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-2" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD"></div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-2" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">
<div data-testid="paragraph-3" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Before leaving the game, the 25-year-old native of Slovenia had 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes. ESPN reported that Doncic needed crutches to exit the arena.&nbsp;The Mavericks are back in action on Friday against the Phoenix Suns in the opener of a four-game road trip. The Mavs then complete a back-to-back by facing the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday before closing the calendar year with a Monday night battle against the Sacramento Kings.</div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-3" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD"></div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-3" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/world-number-two-iga-swiatek-not-expecting-wada-appeal-over-doping-scandal-8570349" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">World number two Iga Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal</a></div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-3" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD"></div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-3" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">
<div data-testid="paragraph-5" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Doncic has played 22 games this season, so he would need to play at least 43 more to qualify for MVP or other league honors. If Doncic weren't able to return sooner than one month, he would fall short of 65.&nbsp;He is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 boards and 7.8 assists this season. He is shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from long range.&nbsp;Doncic has been plagued by injuries all season, missing two straight games last week and five consecutive in late November. He has been sidelined for eight games in all.</div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-5" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD"></div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-5" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">
<div data-testid="paragraph-8" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Dallas fell to 19-11 with the loss on Wednesday.</div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-8" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD"></div>
<div data-testid="paragraph-8" class="text__text__1FZLe text__dark-grey__3Ml43 text__regular__2N1Xr text__small__1kGq2 body__full_width__ekUdw body__small_body__2vQyf article-body__paragraph__2-BtD">Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.</div>
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NBA: Dallas Mavericks star Luca Doncic out at least a month - Report

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will be re-evaluated in a month due to a left calf strain, ESPN reported late Thursday night. The five-time All-Star sustained the injury during a 105-99 loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. After straining the calf on a seemingly harmless play in the second quarter, Doncic headed to the locker room and missed the entire second half. Doncic underwent an MRI exam on Thursday and got input from several sources. Before leaving the game, the 25-year-old native of Slovenia had 14 points, five rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes. ESPN reported that Doncic needed crutches to exit the arena. The Mavericks are back in action on Friday against the Phoenix Suns in the opener of a four-game road trip. The Mavs then complete a back-to-back by facing the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday before closing the calendar year with a Monday night battle against the Sacramento Kings. Also read: World number two Iga Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal Doncic has played 22 games this season, so he would need to play at least 43 more to qualify for MVP or other league honors. If Doncic weren't able to return sooner than one month, he would fall short of 65. He is averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 boards and 7.8 assists this season. He is shooting 46.4 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from long range. Doncic has been plagued by injuries all season, missing two straight games last week and five consecutive in late November. He has been sidelined for eight games in all. Dallas fell to 19-11 with the loss on Wednesday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

LeBron James and Steph Curry served up a Christmas Day feast as their rivalry delivered another classic with the Los Angeles Lakers edging the Golden State Warriors 115-113 on Wednesday.<o:p></o:p>
Curry made a stunning 31-foot three point throw with 7.1 seconds left on the clock to tie the game, only for Austin Reaves to win the game for the Lakers with a driving layup with 1.1 seconds left.<o:p></o:p>
ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-man-utd-boss-ruben-amorim-confirms-marcus-rashfords-stand-at-club-says-he-wants-to-786658" rel="dofollow">Premier League: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim confirms Marcus Rashford's stand at club, says 'he wants to...'</a> 
The 36-year-old Curry and James, three years his senior, had traded three-pointers down the stretch as fans were treated to a ding-dong finale from the two future Hall of Famers.<o:p></o:p>
James put up 31 points and ten assists without the support of teammate Anthony Davis, who left the game in the first quarter after turning his ankle.<o:p></o:p>
Game-winner Reaves enjoyed a triple double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.<o:p></o:p>
Curry's 38 points included 8-15 three point shooting while Anthony Wiggins made 21 points and 12 rebounds, but Golden State fell to an 11th loss in 14 games.<o:p></o:p>
"Today is the day of giving, and that's what me and Steph continue to do and try to do for our fans, for our beautiful game," said James. "We don't know how many times we're going to be able to have this matchup. We try to give the game what it deserves, because it's given us so much, we try to give it right back," he added.<o:p></o:p>
James was playing in a record 19th Christmas Day game and took the occasion to take a gentle swipe at the NFL's encroachment on the day.<o:p></o:p>
"I love the NFL but Christmas is our day," he said.<o:p></o:p>
Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks edged Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 117-114 in a thriller at Madison Square Garden.<o:p></o:p>
French star Wembanyama put up 42 points with 18 rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs but Bridges took the glory with a brilliant 15-point fourth-quarter display that left him with a season-high 41 points and the win.<o:p></o:p>
The 20-year-old, who stands 7-foot-3 (2.21m), was 16-31 on shooting and made six of 16 three-point throws and while Bridges took the applause from the home crowd, he was quick to praise the Frenchman.<o:p></o:p>
"From 40 feet out, from right under the rim, from 15 feet out, he's just unbelievable, just to see what he's doing, credit to him and how much work he has put in," said Bridges.<o:p></o:p>
The 28-year-old Bridges, who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets in July, shot 17-25 from the field and was six for nine on three-point attempts as his team improved to 20-10.<o:p></o:p>
San Antonio were just a point behind with two minutes remaining before Bridges made back-to-back jumpers to open up a five-point lead.<o:p></o:p>
Karl-Anthony Towns with 21 points and Jalen Brunson with 20 points and nine assists were crucial for the Knicks in the win.
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA - Curry's 38 points included 8-15 three point shooting while Anthony Wiggins made 21 points and 12 rebounds, but Golden State fell to an 11th loss in 14 games.

LeBron James and Steph Curry served up a Christmas Day feast as their rivalry delivered another classic with the Los Angeles Lakers edging the Golden State Warriors 115-113 on Wednesday. Curry made a stunning 31-foot three point throw with 7.1 seconds left on the clock to tie the game, only for Austin Reaves to win the game for the Lakers with a driving layup with 1.1 seconds left. ALSO READ: Premier League: Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim confirms Marcus Rashford's stand at club, says 'he wants to...' The 36-year-old Curry and James, three years his senior, had traded three-pointers down the stretch as fans were treated to a ding-dong finale from the two future Hall of Famers. James put up 31 points and ten assists without the support of teammate Anthony Davis, who left the game in the first quarter after turning his ankle. Game-winner Reaves enjoyed a triple double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Curry's 38 points included 8-15 three point shooting while Anthony Wiggins made 21 points and 12 rebounds, but Golden State fell to an 11th loss in 14 games. "Today is the day of giving, and that's what me and Steph continue to do and try to do for our fans, for our beautiful game," said James. "We don't know how many times we're going to be able to have this matchup. We try to give the game what it deserves, because it's given us so much, we try to give it right back," he added. James was playing in a record 19th Christmas Day game and took the occasion to take a gentle swipe at the NFL's encroachment on the day. "I love the NFL but Christmas is our day," he said. Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks edged Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs 117-114 in a thriller at Madison Square Garden. French star Wembanyama put up 42 points with 18 rebounds and four blocks for the Spurs but Bridges took the glory with a brilliant 15-point fourth-quarter display that left him with a season-high 41 points and the win. The 20-year-old, who stands 7-foot-3 (2.21m), was 16-31 on shooting and made six of 16 three-point throws and while Bridges took the applause from the home crowd, he was quick to praise the Frenchman. "From 40 feet out, from right under the rim, from 15 feet out, he's just unbelievable, just to see what he's doing, credit to him and how much work he has put in," said Bridges. The 28-year-old Bridges, who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets in July, shot 17-25 from the field and was six for nine on three-point attempts as his team improved to 20-10. San Antonio were just a point behind with two minutes remaining before Bridges made back-to-back jumpers to open up a five-point lead. Karl-Anthony Towns with 21 points and Jalen Brunson with 20 points and nine assists were crucial for the Knicks in the win. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers pip Golden State Warriors after another LeBron-Curry show

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday.

Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

The 23-year-old playmaker, who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, has averaged 25.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the T-Wolves this season.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/bgt-2024-25-meet-tanush-kotian-the-mumbai-all-rounder-who-replaces-ravi-ashwin-in-last-two-tests-786263">BGT 2024-25: Meet Tanush Kotian - the Mumbai all-rounder who replaces Ravi Ashwin in last two Tests</a>

Edwards used profanity in describing what he considered a poor performance from the referees, calling it "terrible" and saying he and teammate Julius Randle are penalized "for being stronger than our opponent every night.

"We don't get no calls. That's how I feel about the officials every game we play."

Edwards was whistled for four fouls against the Warriors and shot four free throws himself.

At 14-13, the Timberwolves are 10th in the Western Conference, ahead of Phoenix on tie-breakers.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday. Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The 23-year-old playmaker, who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, has averaged 25.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the T-Wolves this season. ALSO READ | BGT 2024-25: Meet Tanush Kotian - the Mumbai all-rounder who replaces Ravi Ashwin in last two Tests Edwards used profanity in describing what he considered a poor performance from the referees, calling it "terrible" and saying he and teammate Julius Randle are penalized "for being stronger than our opponent every night. "We don't get no calls. That's how I feel about the officials every game we play." Edwards was whistled for four fouls against the Warriors and shot four free throws himself. At 14-13, the Timberwolves are 10th in the Western Conference, ahead of Phoenix on tie-breakers. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA fines Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards $75,000 for outburst

New York, United States
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday.
Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
The 23-year-old playmaker, who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, has averaged 25.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the T-Wolves this season.
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Edwards used profanity in describing what he considered a poor performance from the referees, calling it "terrible" and saying he and teammate Julius Randle are penalized "for being stronger than our opponent every night.
"We don't get no calls. That's how I feel about the officials every game we play."
Edwards was whistled for four fouls against the Warriors and shot four free throws himself.
At 14-13, the Timberwolves are 10th in the Western Conference, ahead of Phoenix on tie-breakers.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Anthony Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.



New York, United States Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $75,000 by the NBA for public criticism of officiating and using inappropriate and profane language, the league announced on Monday. Edwards made the remarks that drew the punishment following Minnesota's 113-103 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday. The 23-year-old playmaker, who helped the United States capture gold at the Paris Olympics, has averaged 25.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game for the T-Wolves this season. ALSO READ | BGT 2024-25: Meet Tanush Kotian - the Mumbai all-rounder who replaces Ravi Ashwin in last two Tests Edwards used profanity in describing what he considered a poor performance from the referees, calling it "terrible" and saying he and teammate Julius Randle are penalized "for being stronger than our opponent every night. "We don't get no calls. That's how I feel about the officials every game we play." Edwards was whistled for four fouls against the Warriors and shot four free throws himself. At 14-13, the Timberwolves are 10th in the Western Conference, ahead of Phoenix on tie-breakers. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Denver's NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic shook off a slow start to post a 27-point triple-double Sunday as the Nuggets rallied to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime. Jokic, who claimed his third MVP in four years last season, added 13 rebounds and 10 assists. But the Serb star, who was held to six points in the first half, bemoaned another slow start for Denver -- who trailed by as many as 17 in the third quarter. They took a 111-109 lead on Julian Strawther's layup with 4:37 left in regulation.

CJ McCollum put New Orleans back in front 119-117 with 53.2 seconds left in the fourth, but Denver guard Jamal Murray drilled a step-back basket with nine seconds to go to tie it at 119-119, and when McCollum missed a three-pointer they went to overtime. Jokic took over in the extra session, scoring Denver's first six points as they handed the Pelicans a seventh straight defeat.

"Seems like we just like it that way," Jokic said of the late heroics needed by the Nuggets, but added: "We should be more hungry." Murray also scored 27 points for Denver, and Russell Westbrook added 21 off the bench. Jordan Hawkins led New Orleans' scoring with 25 points and McCollum had 24.

Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers posted their fourth straight win in impressive style, powering away in the second half to beat the Kings 122-95 in Sacramento. Pascal Siakam delivered a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds and the Pacers put up 70 points in the second half of a dominant victory in which seven Indiana players scored in double figures.

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Myles Turner scored 15 points, star guard Tyrese Haliburton and reserve Ben Sheppard added 14 apiece and T.J. McConnell contributed 12 points and 10 assists off the bench. "We brought it from start to finish," Sheppard said. "The energy we brought, both the bench and the starters, it was a great team win."

Point guard De'Aaron Fox scored 23 points to lead the Kings, and Domantas Sabonis added 17 points and 21 rebounds, but Kings fans were booing as the team fell to a fourth straight defeat. "Tough night for us," Kings coach Mike Brown said. "There are going to be nights when you don't have it offensively, but we can't give up 70 points in a half."

The Houston Rockets erased a 16-point first-half deficit to beat the Raptors 114-110 in Toronto. Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and Jalen Green added 22 for Houston, who held the Raptors to five-of-15 shooting in the fourth quarter to finally seal the game.

Alperen Sengun scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Houston, who out-scored Toronto 33-26 in the third quarter to take a one-point lead into the fourth. The Rockets pushed the advantage to as many as 11, but the Raptors cut the deficit to three on Ochai Agbaji's dunk with 22.7 seconds remaining.

Toronto would get no closer, however, with Brooks finally sealing it with a free throw.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.

Denver's NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic shook off a slow start to post a 27-point triple-double Sunday as the Nuggets rallied to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime.

Denver's NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic shook off a slow start to post a 27-point triple-double Sunday as the Nuggets rallied to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime. Jokic, who claimed his third MVP in four years last season, added 13 rebounds and 10 assists. But the Serb star, who was held to six points in the first half, bemoaned another slow start for Denver -- who trailed by as many as 17 in the third quarter. They took a 111-109 lead on Julian Strawther's layup with 4:37 left in regulation. CJ McCollum put New Orleans back in front 119-117 with 53.2 seconds left in the fourth, but Denver guard Jamal Murray drilled a step-back basket with nine seconds to go to tie it at 119-119, and when McCollum missed a three-pointer they went to overtime. Jokic took over in the extra session, scoring Denver's first six points as they handed the Pelicans a seventh straight defeat. "Seems like we just like it that way," Jokic said of the late heroics needed by the Nuggets, but added: "We should be more hungry." Murray also scored 27 points for Denver, and Russell Westbrook added 21 off the bench. Jordan Hawkins led New Orleans' scoring with 25 points and McCollum had 24. Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers posted their fourth straight win in impressive style, powering away in the second half to beat the Kings 122-95 in Sacramento. Pascal Siakam delivered a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds and the Pacers put up 70 points in the second half of a dominant victory in which seven Indiana players scored in double figures. Also read: Premier League: Toppers Liverpool thrash Tottenham Hotspur 6-3 Myles Turner scored 15 points, star guard Tyrese Haliburton and reserve Ben Sheppard added 14 apiece and T.J. McConnell contributed 12 points and 10 assists off the bench. "We brought it from start to finish," Sheppard said. "The energy we brought, both the bench and the starters, it was a great team win." Point guard De'Aaron Fox scored 23 points to lead the Kings, and Domantas Sabonis added 17 points and 21 rebounds, but Kings fans were booing as the team fell to a fourth straight defeat. "Tough night for us," Kings coach Mike Brown said. "There are going to be nights when you don't have it offensively, but we can't give up 70 points in a half." The Houston Rockets erased a 16-point first-half deficit to beat the Raptors 114-110 in Toronto. Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and Jalen Green added 22 for Houston, who held the Raptors to five-of-15 shooting in the fourth quarter to finally seal the game. Alperen Sengun scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Houston, who out-scored Toronto 33-26 in the third quarter to take a one-point lead into the fourth. The Rockets pushed the advantage to as many as 11, but the Raptors cut the deficit to three on Ochai Agbaji's dunk with 22.7 seconds remaining. Toronto would get no closer, however, with Brooks finally sealing it with a free throw. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA: Nikola Jokic helps Denver Nuggets rally for overtime win vs New Orleans Pelicans

Los Angeles, United States
Denver's NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic shook off a slow start to post a 27-point triple-double Sunday as the Nuggets rallied to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime. Jokic, who claimed his third MVP in four years last season, added 13 rebounds and 10 assists. But the Serb star, who was held to six points in the first half, bemoaned another slow start for Denver -- who trailed by as many as 17 in the third quarter. They took a 111-109 lead on Julian Strawther's layup with 4:37 left in regulation.
CJ McCollum put New Orleans back in front 119-117 with 53.2 seconds left in the fourth, but Denver guard Jamal Murray drilled a step-back basket with nine seconds to go to tie it at 119-119, and when McCollum missed a three-pointer they went to overtime. Jokic took over in the extra session, scoring Denver's first six points as they handed the Pelicans a seventh straight defeat.
"Seems like we just like it that way," Jokic said of the late heroics needed by the Nuggets, but added: "We should be more hungry." Murray also scored 27 points for Denver, and Russell Westbrook added 21 off the bench. Jordan Hawkins led New Orleans' scoring with 25 points and McCollum had 24.
Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers posted their fourth straight win in impressive style, powering away in the second half to beat the Kings 122-95 in Sacramento. Pascal Siakam delivered a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds and the Pacers put up 70 points in the second half of a dominant victory in which seven Indiana players scored in double figures.
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Myles Turner scored 15 points, star guard Tyrese Haliburton and reserve Ben Sheppard added 14 apiece and T.J. McConnell contributed 12 points and 10 assists off the bench. "We brought it from start to finish," Sheppard said. "The energy we brought, both the bench and the starters, it was a great team win."
Point guard De'Aaron Fox scored 23 points to lead the Kings, and Domantas Sabonis added 17 points and 21 rebounds, but Kings fans were booing as the team fell to a fourth straight defeat. "Tough night for us," Kings coach Mike Brown said. "There are going to be nights when you don't have it offensively, but we can't give up 70 points in a half."
The Houston Rockets erased a 16-point first-half deficit to beat the Raptors 114-110 in Toronto. Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and Jalen Green added 22 for Houston, who held the Raptors to five-of-15 shooting in the fourth quarter to finally seal the game.
Alperen Sengun scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Houston, who out-scored Toronto 33-26 in the third quarter to take a one-point lead into the fourth. The Rockets pushed the advantage to as many as 11, but the Raptors cut the deficit to three on Ochai Agbaji's dunk with 22.7 seconds remaining.
Toronto would get no closer, however, with Brooks finally sealing it with a free throw.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

CJ McCollum put New Orleans back in front 119-117 with 53.2 seconds left in the fourth, but Denver guard Jamal Murray drilled a step-back basket with nine seconds to go to tie it at 119-119, and when McCollum missed a three-pointer they went to overtime. Jokic took over in the extra session, scoring Denver's first six points as they handed the Pelicans a seventh straight defeat.



Los Angeles, United States Denver's NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic shook off a slow start to post a 27-point triple-double Sunday as the Nuggets rallied to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-129 in overtime. Jokic, who claimed his third MVP in four years last season, added 13 rebounds and 10 assists. But the Serb star, who was held to six points in the first half, bemoaned another slow start for Denver -- who trailed by as many as 17 in the third quarter. They took a 111-109 lead on Julian Strawther's layup with 4:37 left in regulation. CJ McCollum put New Orleans back in front 119-117 with 53.2 seconds left in the fourth, but Denver guard Jamal Murray drilled a step-back basket with nine seconds to go to tie it at 119-119, and when McCollum missed a three-pointer they went to overtime. Jokic took over in the extra session, scoring Denver's first six points as they handed the Pelicans a seventh straight defeat. "Seems like we just like it that way," Jokic said of the late heroics needed by the Nuggets, but added: "We should be more hungry." Murray also scored 27 points for Denver, and Russell Westbrook added 21 off the bench. Jordan Hawkins led New Orleans' scoring with 25 points and McCollum had 24. Elsewhere, the Indiana Pacers posted their fourth straight win in impressive style, powering away in the second half to beat the Kings 122-95 in Sacramento. Pascal Siakam delivered a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds and the Pacers put up 70 points in the second half of a dominant victory in which seven Indiana players scored in double figures. Also read: Premier League: Toppers Liverpool thrash Tottenham Hotspur 6-3 Myles Turner scored 15 points, star guard Tyrese Haliburton and reserve Ben Sheppard added 14 apiece and T.J. McConnell contributed 12 points and 10 assists off the bench. "We brought it from start to finish," Sheppard said. "The energy we brought, both the bench and the starters, it was a great team win." Point guard De'Aaron Fox scored 23 points to lead the Kings, and Domantas Sabonis added 17 points and 21 rebounds, but Kings fans were booing as the team fell to a fourth straight defeat. "Tough night for us," Kings coach Mike Brown said. "There are going to be nights when you don't have it offensively, but we can't give up 70 points in a half." The Houston Rockets erased a 16-point first-half deficit to beat the Raptors 114-110 in Toronto. Dillon Brooks scored 27 points and Jalen Green added 22 for Houston, who held the Raptors to five-of-15 shooting in the fourth quarter to finally seal the game. Alperen Sengun scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Houston, who out-scored Toronto 33-26 in the third quarter to take a one-point lead into the fourth. The Rockets pushed the advantage to as many as 11, but the Raptors cut the deficit to three on Ochai Agbaji's dunk with 22.7 seconds remaining. Toronto would get no closer, however, with Brooks finally sealing it with a free throw. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a reality check to newly crowned NBA Cup champions Milwaukee on Friday, dominating the Bucks 124-101 to push their league-best record to 24-4.

Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Darius Garland added 16 for the Cavs, who led by as many as 36 points as the Bucks struggled in the absence of injured guard Damian Lillard.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to victory in the NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, scored 33 points with 14 rebounds and three steals.

Khris Middleton, back from illness, scored 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee, but starting guards Andre Jackson Jr and AJ Green were a combined 0-for-9 from the field, neither contributing a point.

The Cavaliers, winners of seven of their last eight, improved to 15-1 at home and got good news with the season debut of Max Strus -- who had been sidelined with hip and ankle injuries.

Strus scored nine points in 19:07 minutes off the bench for Cleveland and drilled three of their 20 three-pointers.

"We did it on both ends of the floor," Mitchell said. "We set the tone, offensively, defensively. Knowing they had a long trip back (we were) trying to get going early, push the pace, and we did it for 48 minutes."

Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who had called it "weird" to pick up regular-season action after playing the semi-finals and final of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, said the game was not a good gauge of where the Bucks are.

"We were flat, tired, whatever you want to call it," Rivers said. "There's no read on tonight's game... give them all the credit."

<h2>Embiid fuels Sixers</h2>

In Philadelphia, the 76ers' star center Joel Embiid wore a protective mask as he returned after missing one game because of a sinus fracture to score 34 points in a 108-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

Embiid, who had been expected to sit out at least through Saturday after taking an inadvertent blow to the face last week, added five rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 for Philadelphia, who notched their fourth win in five games as they try to climb into the race for a play-in berth.

Embiid has been largely absent from the Sixers' stuttering season. The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player was appearing in just his seventh game of the campaign after his troublesome left knee delayed his season debut.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Bucks in the Cup final on Tuesday, notched their second victory since then, beating the Heat 104-97 in Milwaukee.

Jalen Williams scored 33 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 for the Thunder, who were coming off a victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday.

Tyler Herro scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Heat, but Miami clearly missed the contribution of star forward Jimmy Butler, who departed in the first quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game because of illness.

Miami's Bam Adebayo departed briefly in the third quarter after taking an accidental elbow over his left eye. He returned after receiving seven stitches and finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a reality check to newly crowned NBA Cup champions Milwaukee on Friday, dominating the Bucks 124-101 to push their league-best record to 24-4.

The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a reality check to newly crowned NBA Cup champions Milwaukee on Friday, dominating the Bucks 124-101 to push their league-best record to 24-4. Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Darius Garland added 16 for the Cavs, who led by as many as 36 points as the Bucks struggled in the absence of injured guard Damian Lillard. Also Read: WWE: John Cena readies for final run as ‘full-time performer’ with 2025 dates locked – Report Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to victory in the NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, scored 33 points with 14 rebounds and three steals. Khris Middleton, back from illness, scored 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee, but starting guards Andre Jackson Jr and AJ Green were a combined 0-for-9 from the field, neither contributing a point. The Cavaliers, winners of seven of their last eight, improved to 15-1 at home and got good news with the season debut of Max Strus -- who had been sidelined with hip and ankle injuries. Strus scored nine points in 19:07 minutes off the bench for Cleveland and drilled three of their 20 three-pointers. "We did it on both ends of the floor," Mitchell said. "We set the tone, offensively, defensively. Knowing they had a long trip back (we were) trying to get going early, push the pace, and we did it for 48 minutes." Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who had called it "weird" to pick up regular-season action after playing the semi-finals and final of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, said the game was not a good gauge of where the Bucks are. "We were flat, tired, whatever you want to call it," Rivers said. "There's no read on tonight's game... give them all the credit." Embiid fuels Sixers In Philadelphia, the 76ers' star center Joel Embiid wore a protective mask as he returned after missing one game because of a sinus fracture to score 34 points in a 108-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Embiid, who had been expected to sit out at least through Saturday after taking an inadvertent blow to the face last week, added five rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 for Philadelphia, who notched their fourth win in five games as they try to climb into the race for a play-in berth. Embiid has been largely absent from the Sixers' stuttering season. The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player was appearing in just his seventh game of the campaign after his troublesome left knee delayed his season debut. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Bucks in the Cup final on Tuesday, notched their second victory since then, beating the Heat 104-97 in Milwaukee. Jalen Williams scored 33 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 for the Thunder, who were coming off a victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Tyler Herro scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Heat, but Miami clearly missed the contribution of star forward Jimmy Butler, who departed in the first quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game because of illness. Miami's Bam Adebayo departed briefly in the third quarter after taking an accidental elbow over his left eye. He returned after receiving seven stitches and finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cleveland Cavaliers down newly crowned NBA Cup champs Milwaukee Bucks; Joel Embiid stars in Sixers' win

USA
The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a reality check to newly crowned NBA Cup champions Milwaukee on Friday, dominating the Bucks 124-101 to push their league-best record to 24-4.
Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Darius Garland added 16 for the Cavs, who led by as many as 36 points as the Bucks struggled in the absence of injured guard Damian Lillard.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to victory in the NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, scored 33 points with 14 rebounds and three steals.
Khris Middleton, back from illness, scored 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee, but starting guards Andre Jackson Jr and AJ Green were a combined 0-for-9 from the field, neither contributing a point.
The Cavaliers, winners of seven of their last eight, improved to 15-1 at home and got good news with the season debut of Max Strus -- who had been sidelined with hip and ankle injuries.
Strus scored nine points in 19:07 minutes off the bench for Cleveland and drilled three of their 20 three-pointers.
"We did it on both ends of the floor," Mitchell said. "We set the tone, offensively, defensively. Knowing they had a long trip back (we were) trying to get going early, push the pace, and we did it for 48 minutes."
Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who had called it "weird" to pick up regular-season action after playing the semi-finals and final of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, said the game was not a good gauge of where the Bucks are.
"We were flat, tired, whatever you want to call it," Rivers said. "There's no read on tonight's game... give them all the credit."
<h2>Embiid fuels Sixers</h2>
In Philadelphia, the 76ers' star center Joel Embiid wore a protective mask as he returned after missing one game because of a sinus fracture to score 34 points in a 108-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Embiid, who had been expected to sit out at least through Saturday after taking an inadvertent blow to the face last week, added five rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 for Philadelphia, who notched their fourth win in five games as they try to climb into the race for a play-in berth.
Embiid has been largely absent from the Sixers' stuttering season. The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player was appearing in just his seventh game of the campaign after his troublesome left knee delayed his season debut.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Bucks in the Cup final on Tuesday, notched their second victory since then, beating the Heat 104-97 in Milwaukee.
Jalen Williams scored 33 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 for the Thunder, who were coming off a victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday.
Tyler Herro scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Heat, but Miami clearly missed the contribution of star forward Jimmy Butler, who departed in the first quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game because of illness.
Miami's Bam Adebayo departed briefly in the third quarter after taking an accidental elbow over his left eye. He returned after receiving seven stitches and finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to victory in the NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, scored 33 points with 14 rebounds and three steals.



USA The Cleveland Cavaliers delivered a reality check to newly crowned NBA Cup champions Milwaukee on Friday, dominating the Bucks 124-101 to push their league-best record to 24-4. Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Darius Garland added 16 for the Cavs, who led by as many as 36 points as the Bucks struggled in the absence of injured guard Damian Lillard. Also Read: WWE: John Cena readies for final run as ‘full-time performer’ with 2025 dates locked – Report Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to victory in the NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, scored 33 points with 14 rebounds and three steals. Khris Middleton, back from illness, scored 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee, but starting guards Andre Jackson Jr and AJ Green were a combined 0-for-9 from the field, neither contributing a point. The Cavaliers, winners of seven of their last eight, improved to 15-1 at home and got good news with the season debut of Max Strus -- who had been sidelined with hip and ankle injuries. Strus scored nine points in 19:07 minutes off the bench for Cleveland and drilled three of their 20 three-pointers. "We did it on both ends of the floor," Mitchell said. "We set the tone, offensively, defensively. Knowing they had a long trip back (we were) trying to get going early, push the pace, and we did it for 48 minutes." Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who had called it "weird" to pick up regular-season action after playing the semi-finals and final of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, said the game was not a good gauge of where the Bucks are. "We were flat, tired, whatever you want to call it," Rivers said. "There's no read on tonight's game... give them all the credit." Embiid fuels Sixers In Philadelphia, the 76ers' star center Joel Embiid wore a protective mask as he returned after missing one game because of a sinus fracture to score 34 points in a 108-98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Embiid, who had been expected to sit out at least through Saturday after taking an inadvertent blow to the face last week, added five rebounds, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 22 for Philadelphia, who notched their fourth win in five games as they try to climb into the race for a play-in berth. Embiid has been largely absent from the Sixers' stuttering season. The 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player was appearing in just his seventh game of the campaign after his troublesome left knee delayed his season debut. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who fell to the Bucks in the Cup final on Tuesday, notched their second victory since then, beating the Heat 104-97 in Milwaukee. Jalen Williams scored 33 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 25 for the Thunder, who were coming off a victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Tyler Herro scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Heat, but Miami clearly missed the contribution of star forward Jimmy Butler, who departed in the first quarter and was ruled out for the rest of the game because of illness. Miami's Bam Adebayo departed briefly in the third quarter after taking an accidental elbow over his left eye. He returned after receiving seven stitches and finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Washington, United States
Zach LaVine scored a season-high 36 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 upset victory at defending NBA champion Boston on Thursday while LeBron James once again made history. LaVine went 11-of-19 from the floor and made six 3-pointers while adding six rebounds and four assists for the Bulls, who improved to 13-15 on the season. "We're a good team," LaVine said. "We're competitive and we're a resilient group." Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points for the Bulls while Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago.
The Bulls outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter to rally past the Celtics, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds from Jason Tatum, 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 19 from Jaylen Brown in a losing cause as Boston fell to 21-6 on the season. James broke the NBA all-time minutes played record that had belonged to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was on the court for his 57,447th minute of NBA competition and 10th of the game in helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento 113-100.
James, who passed Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA all-time scoring record earlier this year, scored 19 points while Austin Reaves had 25 points and Anthony Davis added 21 points and 20 rebounds. "It's just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game," James said. "I don't take much time in the off-season, a little bit more time now."
French star Victor Wembanyama scored 42 points to power the San Antonio Spurs to a 133-126 overtime triumph over visiting Atlanta. De'Andre Hunter, who led the Hawks with 27 points off the bench, slammed in a dunk with 11 seconds remaining to lift Atlanta level at 120-120 and force the overtime, in which Wemby had a dunk and two 3-pointers to outscore Atlanta on his own.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to spark the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-99 triumph at Orlando. Anthony Black led the Magic with 23 points off the bench. Memphis routed the visiting Golden State Warriors 144-93 but lost guard Ja Morant to back soreness following a fall after playing just 17 minutes.
Spanish forward Santi Aldama had 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench to lead the Grizzlies, who made a club-record 27 3-pointers in 48 attempts, Aldama and Luke Kennard each hitting five to lead the way.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/tottenham-hotspur-survive-man-utd-comeback-to-reach-league-cup-semi-finals-785429">Tottenham Hotspur survive Man Utd comeback to reach League Cup semi-finals</a>
<h2>- Towns wins in return -</h2>
New York's Karl-Anthony Towns, given an ovation by fans on his return from Minnesota after being traded away, scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to spark the Knicks over the host Timberwolves 133-107. "I'm just happy I was able to have the game I had," Towns said.  "I'm just happy our team could get a win. I called this place home for nine seasons. This place means a lot to me... I didn't want to let my emotions overcome the game. I wasn't playing for myself. I was playing for the win."
At Houston, Jalen Green scored 34 points and Dillon Brooks added 26 to lead the host Rockets over New Orleans 133-113. At Dallas, Norman Powell scored 29 points and James Harden added 24 to spark the Los Angeles Clippers over the host Mavericks 118-95. 
At Indianapolis, Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers over Phoenix 120-111 despite a 37-point performance by Kevin Durant in a losing cause. At Portland, Anfernee Simons scored 28 points and made a layup at the buzzer to give the host Trail Blazers a 126-124 victory over Denver despite 34 points by Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets.
Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson had 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to pace the Nets in a 101-94 victory at Toronto. Utah's Collin Sexton scored 30 points and Keyonte George added 28 to lead the Jazz to a 126-119 victory at Detroit.
Jordan Poole scored 27 points and reserve Malcolm Brogdon added 25 to lead the Washington Wizards over visiting Charlotte 123-114. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Bulls outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter to rally past the Celtics, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds from Jason Tatum, 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 19 from Jaylen Brown in a losing cause as Boston fell to 21-6 on the season. James broke the NBA all-time minutes played record that had belonged to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was on the court for his 57,447th minute of NBA competition and 10th of the game in helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento 113-100.



Washington, United States Zach LaVine scored a season-high 36 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 upset victory at defending NBA champion Boston on Thursday while LeBron James once again made history. LaVine went 11-of-19 from the floor and made six 3-pointers while adding six rebounds and four assists for the Bulls, who improved to 13-15 on the season. "We're a good team," LaVine said. "We're competitive and we're a resilient group." Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points for the Bulls while Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. The Bulls outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter to rally past the Celtics, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds from Jason Tatum, 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 19 from Jaylen Brown in a losing cause as Boston fell to 21-6 on the season. James broke the NBA all-time minutes played record that had belonged to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was on the court for his 57,447th minute of NBA competition and 10th of the game in helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento 113-100. James, who passed Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA all-time scoring record earlier this year, scored 19 points while Austin Reaves had 25 points and Anthony Davis added 21 points and 20 rebounds. "It's just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game," James said. "I don't take much time in the off-season, a little bit more time now." French star Victor Wembanyama scored 42 points to power the San Antonio Spurs to a 133-126 overtime triumph over visiting Atlanta. De'Andre Hunter, who led the Hawks with 27 points off the bench, slammed in a dunk with 11 seconds remaining to lift Atlanta level at 120-120 and force the overtime, in which Wemby had a dunk and two 3-pointers to outscore Atlanta on his own. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to spark the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-99 triumph at Orlando. Anthony Black led the Magic with 23 points off the bench. Memphis routed the visiting Golden State Warriors 144-93 but lost guard Ja Morant to back soreness following a fall after playing just 17 minutes. Spanish forward Santi Aldama had 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench to lead the Grizzlies, who made a club-record 27 3-pointers in 48 attempts, Aldama and Luke Kennard each hitting five to lead the way. Also read: Tottenham Hotspur survive Man Utd comeback to reach League Cup semi-finals - Towns wins in return - New York's Karl-Anthony Towns, given an ovation by fans on his return from Minnesota after being traded away, scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to spark the Knicks over the host Timberwolves 133-107. "I'm just happy I was able to have the game I had," Towns said. "I'm just happy our team could get a win. I called this place home for nine seasons. This place means a lot to me... I didn't want to let my emotions overcome the game. I wasn't playing for myself. I was playing for the win." At Houston, Jalen Green scored 34 points and Dillon Brooks added 26 to lead the host Rockets over New Orleans 133-113. At Dallas, Norman Powell scored 29 points and James Harden added 24 to spark the Los Angeles Clippers over the host Mavericks 118-95. At Indianapolis, Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers over Phoenix 120-111 despite a 37-point performance by Kevin Durant in a losing cause. At Portland, Anfernee Simons scored 28 points and made a layup at the buzzer to give the host Trail Blazers a 126-124 victory over Denver despite 34 points by Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets. Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson had 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to pace the Nets in a 101-94 victory at Toronto. Utah's Collin Sexton scored 30 points and Keyonte George added 28 to lead the Jazz to a 126-119 victory at Detroit. Jordan Poole scored 27 points and reserve Malcolm Brogdon added 25 to lead the Washington Wizards over visiting Charlotte 123-114. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Chicago Bulls stun Boston Celtics 117-108, LeBron James sets NBA minutes-played record

Zach LaVine scored a season-high 36 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 upset victory at defending NBA champion Boston on Thursday while LeBron James once again made history. LaVine went 11-of-19 from the floor and made six 3-pointers while adding six rebounds and four assists for the Bulls, who improved to 13-15 on the season. "We're a good team," LaVine said. "We're competitive and we're a resilient group." Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points for the Bulls while Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago.

The Bulls outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter to rally past the Celtics, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds from Jason Tatum, 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 19 from Jaylen Brown in a losing cause as Boston fell to 21-6 on the season. James broke the NBA all-time minutes played record that had belonged to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was on the court for his 57,447th minute of NBA competition and 10th of the game in helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento 113-100.

James, who passed Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA all-time scoring record earlier this year, scored 19 points while Austin Reaves had 25 points and Anthony Davis added 21 points and 20 rebounds. "It's just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game," James said. "I don't take much time in the off-season, a little bit more time now."

French star Victor Wembanyama scored 42 points to power the San Antonio Spurs to a 133-126 overtime triumph over visiting Atlanta. De'Andre Hunter, who led the Hawks with 27 points off the bench, slammed in a dunk with 11 seconds remaining to lift Atlanta level at 120-120 and force the overtime, in which Wemby had a dunk and two 3-pointers to outscore Atlanta on his own.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to spark the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-99 triumph at Orlando. Anthony Black led the Magic with 23 points off the bench. Memphis routed the visiting Golden State Warriors 144-93 but lost guard Ja Morant to back soreness following a fall after playing just 17 minutes.

Spanish forward Santi Aldama had 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench to lead the Grizzlies, who made a club-record 27 3-pointers in 48 attempts, Aldama and Luke Kennard each hitting five to lead the way.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/tottenham-hotspur-survive-man-utd-comeback-to-reach-league-cup-semi-finals-785429">Tottenham Hotspur survive Man Utd comeback to reach League Cup semi-finals</a>

<h2>- Towns wins in return -</h2>

New York's Karl-Anthony Towns, given an ovation by fans on his return from Minnesota after being traded away, scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to spark the Knicks over the host Timberwolves 133-107. "I'm just happy I was able to have the game I had," Towns said.&nbsp; "I'm just happy our team could get a win. I called this place home for nine seasons. This place means a lot to me... I didn't want to let my emotions overcome the game. I wasn't playing for myself. I was playing for the win."

At Houston, Jalen Green scored 34 points and Dillon Brooks added 26 to lead the host Rockets over New Orleans 133-113. At Dallas, Norman Powell scored 29 points and James Harden added 24 to spark the Los Angeles Clippers over the host Mavericks 118-95.&nbsp;

At Indianapolis, Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers over Phoenix 120-111 despite a 37-point performance by Kevin Durant in a losing cause. At Portland, Anfernee Simons scored 28 points and made a layup at the buzzer to give the host Trail Blazers a 126-124 victory over Denver despite 34 points by Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets.

Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson had 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to pace the Nets in a 101-94 victory at Toronto. Utah's Collin Sexton scored 30 points and Keyonte George added 28 to lead the Jazz to a 126-119 victory at Detroit.

Jordan Poole scored 27 points and reserve Malcolm Brogdon added 25 to lead the Washington Wizards over visiting Charlotte 123-114. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Zach LaVine scored a season-high 36 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 upset victory at defending NBA champion Boston on Thursday while LeBron James once again made history.

Zach LaVine scored a season-high 36 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 117-108 upset victory at defending NBA champion Boston on Thursday while LeBron James once again made history. LaVine went 11-of-19 from the floor and made six 3-pointers while adding six rebounds and four assists for the Bulls, who improved to 13-15 on the season. "We're a good team," LaVine said. "We're competitive and we're a resilient group." Ayo Dosunmu contributed 17 points for the Bulls while Nikola Vucevic had 16 points and 14 rebounds for Chicago. The Bulls outscored Boston 35-22 in the fourth quarter to rally past the Celtics, who had 31 points and 10 rebounds from Jason Tatum, 20 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 19 from Jaylen Brown in a losing cause as Boston fell to 21-6 on the season. James broke the NBA all-time minutes played record that had belonged to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was on the court for his 57,447th minute of NBA competition and 10th of the game in helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat Sacramento 113-100. James, who passed Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA all-time scoring record earlier this year, scored 19 points while Austin Reaves had 25 points and Anthony Davis added 21 points and 20 rebounds. "It's just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game," James said. "I don't take much time in the off-season, a little bit more time now." French star Victor Wembanyama scored 42 points to power the San Antonio Spurs to a 133-126 overtime triumph over visiting Atlanta. De'Andre Hunter, who led the Hawks with 27 points off the bench, slammed in a dunk with 11 seconds remaining to lift Atlanta level at 120-120 and force the overtime, in which Wemby had a dunk and two 3-pointers to outscore Atlanta on his own. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points to spark the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-99 triumph at Orlando. Anthony Black led the Magic with 23 points off the bench. Memphis routed the visiting Golden State Warriors 144-93 but lost guard Ja Morant to back soreness following a fall after playing just 17 minutes. Spanish forward Santi Aldama had 21 points and 14 rebounds off the bench to lead the Grizzlies, who made a club-record 27 3-pointers in 48 attempts, Aldama and Luke Kennard each hitting five to lead the way. Also read: Tottenham Hotspur survive Man Utd comeback to reach League Cup semi-finals - Towns wins in return - New York's Karl-Anthony Towns, given an ovation by fans on his return from Minnesota after being traded away, scored 32 points and grabbed 20 rebounds to spark the Knicks over the host Timberwolves 133-107. "I'm just happy I was able to have the game I had," Towns said. "I'm just happy our team could get a win. I called this place home for nine seasons. This place means a lot to me... I didn't want to let my emotions overcome the game. I wasn't playing for myself. I was playing for the win." At Houston, Jalen Green scored 34 points and Dillon Brooks added 26 to lead the host Rockets over New Orleans 133-113. At Dallas, Norman Powell scored 29 points and James Harden added 24 to spark the Los Angeles Clippers over the host Mavericks 118-95. At Indianapolis, Pascal Siakam had 25 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers over Phoenix 120-111 despite a 37-point performance by Kevin Durant in a losing cause. At Portland, Anfernee Simons scored 28 points and made a layup at the buzzer to give the host Trail Blazers a 126-124 victory over Denver despite 34 points by Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets. Brooklyn's Cameron Johnson had 33 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to pace the Nets in a 101-94 victory at Toronto. Utah's Collin Sexton scored 30 points and Keyonte George added 28 to lead the Jazz to a 126-119 victory at Detroit. Jordan Poole scored 27 points and reserve Malcolm Brogdon added 25 to lead the Washington Wizards over visiting Charlotte 123-114. LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Los Angeles, United States
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks silenced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half to win the second edition of the NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo delivered a triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists along with two steals and three blocked shots for the Bucks, who drilled 17 three-pointers to complete an unbeaten run and follow in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers as in-season tournament champions.
Damian Lillard scored 23 points for the Bucks, who held the potentially explosive Thunder offense to 31 points in the second half. "That's who we are," Antetokounmpo said of the Bucks' second-half dominance, which saw them push a one-point lead at halftime to as many as 20.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but he connected on just eight of his 24 shots from the field, two of nine from three-point range. The triumph was a vindication for the Bucks, who were stung by the Indiana Pacers in last year's Cup semi-finals. They were the only team from last season's semis to make it back to the final four in Vegas, beating the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals and dispatching Atlanta in the semis.
Their Cup success has been part of a massive turnaround after a dismal 2-8 start to the season. They have now won 13 of their last 16 games, and Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title, indicated he considered it only a stepping stone.
"It's great for our team," said Antetokounmpo, who was named MVP of the tournament. "The last 15 games we've played, we've competed. We've played team basketball. "I'm so proud of this group," he added. "Coming out of halftime we know we have 24 minutes to go, we came out in the third quarter, we set the tone. We played great team basketball."
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/copa-italia-teun-koopmeiners-stunner-sends-juventus-into-quarters-784827">Copa Italia: Teun Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into quarters</a>
- 'Not done' -
The Bucks held the Thunder to just 14 points in the third quarter -- their lowest points total in a period this season. "Most importantly we are competing defensively," Antetokounmpo said. "That's who we are. That's who we're going to continue to be -- and the job's not done."
Unlike the rest of the Cup matches, the final does not count toward the regular-season record, nor do the players' performances count in their career stats. But the trophy does come with a financial reward with each player on the winning team set to pocket more than $514,971 -- a significant chunk of money for the younger players and lesser lights on the team.
Thunder players will take home $205,988 apiece for the runner-up finish. But they will head back to Oklahoma City disappointed with one of their worst shooting performances of the season. "We didn't shoot it well tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's not really an excuse. There was definitely controllables tonight we could have taken care of and we didn't do so, and that's why the score looked the way it does. "We've shot bad and won games before."
The Western Conference leaders -- who went 3-1 in group play before beating Dallas in the quarter-finals and Houston in the semis -- connected on just 33.7 percent of their shots from the field and made just five of 32 -- 15.6 percent -- from three-point range.
They had emerged from a fast-paced first quarter with a 28-27 lead. The nip-and-tuck continued in the second quarter and the tension was evident when Milwaukee's Andre Jackson Jr and Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein received matching technicals after a heated exchange.
After a first half that featured nine lead changes the Bucks led 51-50, but Milwaukee opened the third with back-to-back three-pointers from Taurean Prince and Lillard and began to roll.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo delivered a triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists along with two steals and three blocked shots for the Bucks, who drilled 17 three-pointers to complete an unbeaten run and follow in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers as in-season tournament champions.



Los Angeles, United States Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks silenced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half to win the second edition of the NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo delivered a triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists along with two steals and three blocked shots for the Bucks, who drilled 17 three-pointers to complete an unbeaten run and follow in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers as in-season tournament champions. Damian Lillard scored 23 points for the Bucks, who held the potentially explosive Thunder offense to 31 points in the second half. "That's who we are," Antetokounmpo said of the Bucks' second-half dominance, which saw them push a one-point lead at halftime to as many as 20. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but he connected on just eight of his 24 shots from the field, two of nine from three-point range. The triumph was a vindication for the Bucks, who were stung by the Indiana Pacers in last year's Cup semi-finals. They were the only team from last season's semis to make it back to the final four in Vegas, beating the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals and dispatching Atlanta in the semis. Their Cup success has been part of a massive turnaround after a dismal 2-8 start to the season. They have now won 13 of their last 16 games, and Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title, indicated he considered it only a stepping stone. "It's great for our team," said Antetokounmpo, who was named MVP of the tournament. "The last 15 games we've played, we've competed. We've played team basketball. "I'm so proud of this group," he added. "Coming out of halftime we know we have 24 minutes to go, we came out in the third quarter, we set the tone. We played great team basketball." Also read: Copa Italia: Teun Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into quarters - 'Not done' - The Bucks held the Thunder to just 14 points in the third quarter -- their lowest points total in a period this season. "Most importantly we are competing defensively," Antetokounmpo said. "That's who we are. That's who we're going to continue to be -- and the job's not done." Unlike the rest of the Cup matches, the final does not count toward the regular-season record, nor do the players' performances count in their career stats. But the trophy does come with a financial reward with each player on the winning team set to pocket more than $514,971 -- a significant chunk of money for the younger players and lesser lights on the team. Thunder players will take home $205,988 apiece for the runner-up finish. But they will head back to Oklahoma City disappointed with one of their worst shooting performances of the season. "We didn't shoot it well tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's not really an excuse. There was definitely controllables tonight we could have taken care of and we didn't do so, and that's why the score looked the way it does. "We've shot bad and won games before." The Western Conference leaders -- who went 3-1 in group play before beating Dallas in the quarter-finals and Houston in the semis -- connected on just 33.7 percent of their shots from the field and made just five of 32 -- 15.6 percent -- from three-point range. They had emerged from a fast-paced first quarter with a 28-27 lead. The nip-and-tuck continued in the second quarter and the tension was evident when Milwaukee's Andre Jackson Jr and Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein received matching technicals after a heated exchange. After a first half that featured nine lead changes the Bucks led 51-50, but Milwaukee opened the third with back-to-back three-pointers from Taurean Prince and Lillard and began to roll. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Giannis Antetokounmpo stars as Milwaukee Bucks beat Oklahoma City Thunder to win NBA Cup

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks silenced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half to win the second edition of the NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo delivered a triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists along with two steals and three blocked shots for the Bucks, who drilled 17 three-pointers to complete an unbeaten run and follow in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers as in-season tournament champions.

Damian Lillard scored 23 points for the Bucks, who held the potentially explosive Thunder offense to 31 points in the second half. "That's who we are," Antetokounmpo said of the Bucks' second-half dominance, which saw them push a one-point lead at halftime to as many as 20.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but he connected on just eight of his 24 shots from the field, two of nine from three-point range. The triumph was a vindication for the Bucks, who were stung by the Indiana Pacers in last year's Cup semi-finals. They were the only team from last season's semis to make it back to the final four in Vegas, beating the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals and dispatching Atlanta in the semis.

Their Cup success has been part of a massive turnaround after a dismal 2-8 start to the season. They have now won 13 of their last 16 games, and Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title, indicated he considered it only a stepping stone.

"It's great for our team," said Antetokounmpo, who was named MVP of the tournament. "The last 15 games we've played, we've competed. We've played team basketball. "I'm so proud of this group," he added. "Coming out of halftime we know we have 24 minutes to go, we came out in the third quarter, we set the tone. We played great team basketball."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/copa-italia-teun-koopmeiners-stunner-sends-juventus-into-quarters-784827">Copa Italia: Teun Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into quarters</a>

- 'Not done' -

The Bucks held the Thunder to just 14 points in the third quarter -- their lowest points total in a period this season. "Most importantly we are competing defensively," Antetokounmpo said. "That's who we are. That's who we're going to continue to be -- and the job's not done."

Unlike the rest of the Cup matches, the final does not count toward the regular-season record, nor do the players' performances count in their career stats. But the trophy does come with a financial reward with each player on the winning team set to pocket more than $514,971 -- a significant chunk of money for the younger players and lesser lights on the team.

Thunder players will take home $205,988 apiece for the runner-up finish. But they will head back to Oklahoma City disappointed with one of their worst shooting performances of the season. "We didn't shoot it well tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's not really an excuse. There was definitely controllables tonight we could have taken care of and we didn't do so, and that's why the score looked the way it does. "We've shot bad and won games before."

The Western Conference leaders -- who went 3-1 in group play before beating Dallas in the quarter-finals and Houston in the semis -- connected on just 33.7 percent of their shots from the field and made just five of 32 -- 15.6 percent -- from three-point range.

They had emerged from a fast-paced first quarter with a 28-27 lead. The nip-and-tuck continued in the second quarter and the tension was evident when Milwaukee's Andre Jackson Jr and Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein received matching technicals after a heated exchange.

After a first half that featured nine lead changes the Bucks led 51-50, but Milwaukee opened the third with back-to-back three-pointers from Taurean Prince and Lillard and began to roll.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks silenced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half to win the second edition of the NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks silenced the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half to win the second edition of the NBA Cup with a 97-81 victory in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo delivered a triple-double of 26 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists along with two steals and three blocked shots for the Bucks, who drilled 17 three-pointers to complete an unbeaten run and follow in the footsteps of the Los Angeles Lakers as in-season tournament champions. Damian Lillard scored 23 points for the Bucks, who held the potentially explosive Thunder offense to 31 points in the second half. "That's who we are," Antetokounmpo said of the Bucks' second-half dominance, which saw them push a one-point lead at halftime to as many as 20. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but he connected on just eight of his 24 shots from the field, two of nine from three-point range. The triumph was a vindication for the Bucks, who were stung by the Indiana Pacers in last year's Cup semi-finals. They were the only team from last season's semis to make it back to the final four in Vegas, beating the Orlando Magic in the quarter-finals and dispatching Atlanta in the semis. Their Cup success has been part of a massive turnaround after a dismal 2-8 start to the season. They have now won 13 of their last 16 games, and Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title, indicated he considered it only a stepping stone. "It's great for our team," said Antetokounmpo, who was named MVP of the tournament. "The last 15 games we've played, we've competed. We've played team basketball. "I'm so proud of this group," he added. "Coming out of halftime we know we have 24 minutes to go, we came out in the third quarter, we set the tone. We played great team basketball." Also read: Copa Italia: Teun Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into quarters - 'Not done' - The Bucks held the Thunder to just 14 points in the third quarter -- their lowest points total in a period this season. "Most importantly we are competing defensively," Antetokounmpo said. "That's who we are. That's who we're going to continue to be -- and the job's not done." Unlike the rest of the Cup matches, the final does not count toward the regular-season record, nor do the players' performances count in their career stats. But the trophy does come with a financial reward with each player on the winning team set to pocket more than $514,971 -- a significant chunk of money for the younger players and lesser lights on the team. Thunder players will take home $205,988 apiece for the runner-up finish. But they will head back to Oklahoma City disappointed with one of their worst shooting performances of the season. "We didn't shoot it well tonight," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "It's not really an excuse. There was definitely controllables tonight we could have taken care of and we didn't do so, and that's why the score looked the way it does. "We've shot bad and won games before." The Western Conference leaders -- who went 3-1 in group play before beating Dallas in the quarter-finals and Houston in the semis -- connected on just 33.7 percent of their shots from the field and made just five of 32 -- 15.6 percent -- from three-point range. They had emerged from a fast-paced first quarter with a 28-27 lead. The nip-and-tuck continued in the second quarter and the tension was evident when Milwaukee's Andre Jackson Jr and Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein received matching technicals after a heated exchange. After a first half that featured nine lead changes the Bucks led 51-50, but Milwaukee opened the third with back-to-back three-pointers from Taurean Prince and Lillard and began to roll. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Los Angeles, United States
Cade Cunningham delivered a triple-double and Tim Hardaway Jr. came up big in overtime as the Detroit Pistons held off Miami 125-124 in an NBA thriller on Monday that snapped the Heat's four-game winning streak. It was just one of the nail-biting finishes on a night that saw Nikola Jokic post his 10th triple-double of the season for Denver in a 130-129 victory over the Sacramento Kings while the Chicago Bulls edged the Raptors 122-121 in Toronto.
The Pistons had looked to be in full control in Detroit, holding an 18-point lead with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter. But the Heat roared back, knotting the score at 114-114 on Tyler Herro's three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation.
Cunningham came up empty on a potential game-winner and the Heat scored the first eight points of the extra session before Hardaway delivered three straight three-pointers to put the Pistons ahead 123-122. Jimmy Butler's putback layup put Miami back on top by one but Cunningham's banked-in shot gave the Pistons a 125-124 lead with 37.5 seconds remaining as Detroit escaped with the win.
Cunningham finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 18 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season. "It's what my job is, it's what my responsibility is," Cunningham said. "I just try to give it up for my teammates. "Growing up that's what I always dreamt of -- being a guy that could do everything."
Malik Beasley made seven three-pointers on the way to a team-high 28 points to help the Pistons withstand Butler's triple-double of 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists.
Butler added four steals and a blocked shot but Miami failed to gain ground in the Eastern Conference led by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who improved their league-best record to 23-4 with a lopsided 130-101 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn. Evan Mobley scored 21 points to lead seven Cavs players who scored in double figures.
In Sacramento, reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic scored 20 points with 14 rebounds and 13 assists for the Nuggets, who came out on top in a frantic finish that featured seven lead changes in the last 1:15.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 28 points, sealing the win with a pull-up basket off an assist from Jokic with 8.6 seconds remaining. Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points, Domantas Sabonis added 28 and Malik Monk scored 25 for the Kings, who trailed by as many as 23 in the first half but led 103-96 going into the fourth quarter.
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-enes-unals-late-stunner-rescues-bournemouth-in-west-ham-draw-784518">Premier League: Enes Unal's late stunner rescues Bournemouth in West Ham draw</a>
<h2>- Sixers top Hornets -</h2>
The short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 40 points from Tyrese Maxey and 33 from Paul George, spoiled the return from injury of Hornets star LaMelo Ball with a 121-108 victory in Charlotte.
Ball, who was averaging 31.1 points per game when he strained his calf on November 27, returned to action with 15 points, five rebounds and 11 assists. Miles Bridges led Charlotte's scoring with 24 points, but the 76ers led virtually all the way despite the absence of star center Joel Embiid and Rookie of the Year contender Jared McCain.
The Sixers said Monday that Embiid would miss at least a week after suffering a sinus fracture on Saturday, and McCain needs surgery on a torn meniscus. The Chicago Bulls won a close one in Toronto.
Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points to lead the Bulls, which had seven players score in double digits. That included Josh Giddey, who scored 11 points with nine rebounds and eight assists before departing after twisting his right ankle in the third quarter.
RJ Barrett scored 32 points and Gradey Dick chipped in 27 for Toronto, but the Raptors came up short in their bid to erase a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Pistons had looked to be in full control in Detroit, holding an 18-point lead with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter. But the Heat roared back, knotting the score at 114-114 on Tyler Herro's three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation.



Los Angeles, United States Cade Cunningham delivered a triple-double and Tim Hardaway Jr. came up big in overtime as the Detroit Pistons held off Miami 125-124 in an NBA thriller on Monday that snapped the Heat's four-game winning streak. It was just one of the nail-biting finishes on a night that saw Nikola Jokic post his 10th triple-double of the season for Denver in a 130-129 victory over the Sacramento Kings while the Chicago Bulls edged the Raptors 122-121 in Toronto. The Pistons had looked to be in full control in Detroit, holding an 18-point lead with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter. But the Heat roared back, knotting the score at 114-114 on Tyler Herro's three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. Cunningham came up empty on a potential game-winner and the Heat scored the first eight points of the extra session before Hardaway delivered three straight three-pointers to put the Pistons ahead 123-122. Jimmy Butler's putback layup put Miami back on top by one but Cunningham's banked-in shot gave the Pistons a 125-124 lead with 37.5 seconds remaining as Detroit escaped with the win. Cunningham finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 18 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season. "It's what my job is, it's what my responsibility is," Cunningham said. "I just try to give it up for my teammates. "Growing up that's what I always dreamt of -- being a guy that could do everything." Malik Beasley made seven three-pointers on the way to a team-high 28 points to help the Pistons withstand Butler's triple-double of 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Butler added four steals and a blocked shot but Miami failed to gain ground in the Eastern Conference led by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who improved their league-best record to 23-4 with a lopsided 130-101 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn. Evan Mobley scored 21 points to lead seven Cavs players who scored in double figures. In Sacramento, reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic scored 20 points with 14 rebounds and 13 assists for the Nuggets, who came out on top in a frantic finish that featured seven lead changes in the last 1:15. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 28 points, sealing the win with a pull-up basket off an assist from Jokic with 8.6 seconds remaining. Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points, Domantas Sabonis added 28 and Malik Monk scored 25 for the Kings, who trailed by as many as 23 in the first half but led 103-96 going into the fourth quarter. Also read: Premier League: Enes Unal's late stunner rescues Bournemouth in West Ham draw - Sixers top Hornets - The short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 40 points from Tyrese Maxey and 33 from Paul George, spoiled the return from injury of Hornets star LaMelo Ball with a 121-108 victory in Charlotte. Ball, who was averaging 31.1 points per game when he strained his calf on November 27, returned to action with 15 points, five rebounds and 11 assists. Miles Bridges led Charlotte's scoring with 24 points, but the 76ers led virtually all the way despite the absence of star center Joel Embiid and Rookie of the Year contender Jared McCain. The Sixers said Monday that Embiid would miss at least a week after suffering a sinus fracture on Saturday, and McCain needs surgery on a torn meniscus. The Chicago Bulls won a close one in Toronto. Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points to lead the Bulls, which had seven players score in double digits. That included Josh Giddey, who scored 11 points with nine rebounds and eight assists before departing after twisting his right ankle in the third quarter. RJ Barrett scored 32 points and Gradey Dick chipped in 27 for Toronto, but the Raptors came up short in their bid to erase a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Detroit Pistons top Miami Heat in overtime, Denver Nuggets edge Sacramento Kings

Cade Cunningham delivered a triple-double and Tim Hardaway Jr. came up big in overtime as the Detroit Pistons held off Miami 125-124 in an NBA thriller on Monday that snapped the Heat's four-game winning streak. It was just one of the nail-biting finishes on a night that saw Nikola Jokic post his 10th triple-double of the season for Denver in a 130-129 victory over the Sacramento Kings while the Chicago Bulls edged the Raptors 122-121 in Toronto.

The Pistons had looked to be in full control in Detroit, holding an 18-point lead with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter. But the Heat roared back, knotting the score at 114-114 on Tyler Herro's three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation.

Cunningham came up empty on a potential game-winner and the Heat scored the first eight points of the extra session before Hardaway delivered three straight three-pointers to put the Pistons ahead 123-122. Jimmy Butler's putback layup put Miami back on top by one but Cunningham's banked-in shot gave the Pistons a 125-124 lead with 37.5 seconds remaining as Detroit escaped with the win.

Cunningham finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 18 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season. "It's what my job is, it's what my responsibility is," Cunningham said. "I just try to give it up for my teammates. "Growing up that's what I always dreamt of -- being a guy that could do everything."

Malik Beasley made seven three-pointers on the way to a team-high 28 points to help the Pistons withstand Butler's triple-double of 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists.

Butler added four steals and a blocked shot but Miami failed to gain ground in the Eastern Conference led by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who improved their league-best record to 23-4 with a lopsided 130-101 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn. Evan Mobley scored 21 points to lead seven Cavs players who scored in double figures.

In Sacramento, reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic scored 20 points with 14 rebounds and 13 assists for the Nuggets, who came out on top in a frantic finish that featured seven lead changes in the last 1:15.

Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 28 points, sealing the win with a pull-up basket off an assist from Jokic with 8.6 seconds remaining. Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points, Domantas Sabonis added 28 and Malik Monk scored 25 for the Kings, who trailed by as many as 23 in the first half but led 103-96 going into the fourth quarter.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/premier-league-enes-unals-late-stunner-rescues-bournemouth-in-west-ham-draw-784518">Premier League: Enes Unal's late stunner rescues Bournemouth in West Ham draw</a>

<h2>- Sixers top Hornets -</h2>

The short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 40 points from Tyrese Maxey and 33 from Paul George, spoiled the return from injury of Hornets star LaMelo Ball with a 121-108 victory in Charlotte.

Ball, who was averaging 31.1 points per game when he strained his calf on November 27, returned to action with 15 points, five rebounds and 11 assists. Miles Bridges led Charlotte's scoring with 24 points, but the 76ers led virtually all the way despite the absence of star center Joel Embiid and Rookie of the Year contender Jared McCain.

The Sixers said Monday that Embiid would miss at least a week after suffering a sinus fracture on Saturday, and McCain needs surgery on a torn meniscus. The Chicago Bulls won a close one in Toronto.

Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points to lead the Bulls, which had seven players score in double digits. That included Josh Giddey, who scored 11 points with nine rebounds and eight assists before departing after twisting his right ankle in the third quarter.

RJ Barrett scored 32 points and Gradey Dick chipped in 27 for Toronto, but the Raptors came up short in their bid to erase a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Cade Cunningham delivered a triple-double and Tim Hardaway Jr. came up big in overtime as the Detroit Pistons held off Miami 125-124 in an NBA thriller on Monday that snapped the Heat's four-game winning streak.

Cade Cunningham delivered a triple-double and Tim Hardaway Jr. came up big in overtime as the Detroit Pistons held off Miami 125-124 in an NBA thriller on Monday that snapped the Heat's four-game winning streak. It was just one of the nail-biting finishes on a night that saw Nikola Jokic post his 10th triple-double of the season for Denver in a 130-129 victory over the Sacramento Kings while the Chicago Bulls edged the Raptors 122-121 in Toronto. The Pistons had looked to be in full control in Detroit, holding an 18-point lead with 8:05 left in the fourth quarter. But the Heat roared back, knotting the score at 114-114 on Tyler Herro's three-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation. Cunningham came up empty on a potential game-winner and the Heat scored the first eight points of the extra session before Hardaway delivered three straight three-pointers to put the Pistons ahead 123-122. Jimmy Butler's putback layup put Miami back on top by one but Cunningham's banked-in shot gave the Pistons a 125-124 lead with 37.5 seconds remaining as Detroit escaped with the win. Cunningham finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 18 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season. "It's what my job is, it's what my responsibility is," Cunningham said. "I just try to give it up for my teammates. "Growing up that's what I always dreamt of -- being a guy that could do everything." Malik Beasley made seven three-pointers on the way to a team-high 28 points to help the Pistons withstand Butler's triple-double of 35 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists. Butler added four steals and a blocked shot but Miami failed to gain ground in the Eastern Conference led by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who improved their league-best record to 23-4 with a lopsided 130-101 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn. Evan Mobley scored 21 points to lead seven Cavs players who scored in double figures. In Sacramento, reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic scored 20 points with 14 rebounds and 13 assists for the Nuggets, who came out on top in a frantic finish that featured seven lead changes in the last 1:15. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 28 points, sealing the win with a pull-up basket off an assist from Jokic with 8.6 seconds remaining. Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox scored 29 points, Domantas Sabonis added 28 and Malik Monk scored 25 for the Kings, who trailed by as many as 23 in the first half but led 103-96 going into the fourth quarter. Also read: Premier League: Enes Unal's late stunner rescues Bournemouth in West Ham draw - Sixers top Hornets - The short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, fueled by 40 points from Tyrese Maxey and 33 from Paul George, spoiled the return from injury of Hornets star LaMelo Ball with a 121-108 victory in Charlotte. Ball, who was averaging 31.1 points per game when he strained his calf on November 27, returned to action with 15 points, five rebounds and 11 assists. Miles Bridges led Charlotte's scoring with 24 points, but the 76ers led virtually all the way despite the absence of star center Joel Embiid and Rookie of the Year contender Jared McCain. The Sixers said Monday that Embiid would miss at least a week after suffering a sinus fracture on Saturday, and McCain needs surgery on a torn meniscus. The Chicago Bulls won a close one in Toronto. Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points to lead the Bulls, which had seven players score in double digits. That included Josh Giddey, who scored 11 points with nine rebounds and eight assists before departing after twisting his right ankle in the third quarter. RJ Barrett scored 32 points and Gradey Dick chipped in 27 for Toronto, but the Raptors came up short in their bid to erase a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks edged the depleted but determined Orlando Magic 114-109 to reach the NBA Cup semi-finals on Tuesday as Oklahoma City cruised past Dallas. Antetokounmpo scored 37 points with seven rebounds and four blocked shots for the Bucks, who reached the semi-finals of the in-season tournament for the second year in a row and will face either the New York Knicks or Atlanta Hawks for a place in the final.

Damian Lillard scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and handed out nine assists for the Bucks, who had all they could handle from Orlando despite the absence of injured Magic stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Lillard threw down a dunk to put the Bucks up 108-107 with 32.6 seconds remaining, and after Orlando's Jalen Suggs missed a three-pointer, Lillard drilled a pair of free-throws to push the Bucks' lead to three points with 9.1 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo and Lillard each added a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the hard-fought victory. "We fought for this one," said Lillard, who said the Bucks would be aiming to improve on their performance last year in the inaugural edition of the event when they head to Las Vegas for the final stage. "We didn't have the greatest experience there last year," he said. "So I think all of us are thinking (about) going back and finishing what we started last year and doing it right this time."

Suggs scored a career-high 32 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Magic, who got off to an aggressive start on the way to a 33-25 lead after one quarter. Suggs had three of the Magic's seven steals in the first period as Orlando kept the Bucks off-balance.

Milwaukee recovered to lead 60-59 at half time, and after four lead changes in the third quarter, the Bucks took an 80-72 lead into the final period. They would swap the lead four more times before the Bucks finally put it away.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/champions-league-juventus-under-pressure-against-struggling-manchester-city-783070">Champions League: Juventus under pressure against struggling Manchester City</a>

<h2>- Thunder silence Mavs -</h2>

In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder turned the highly anticipated matchup of two of the league's hottest teams into a rout, beating the Mavs 118-104 to end their seven-game winning streak. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points with eight rebounds and five assists. Jalen Williams added 18 points and center Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who made 20 of their whopping 50 three-point attempts.

Oklahoma City notched their eighth win in nine games and will play either the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors for a place in the final. The Thunder's top-ranked defense proved too much for the Mavs. Klay Thompson scored 19 points for Dallas, Kyrie Irving added 17 and Luka Doncic, coming off back-to-back triple-doubles, was held to two points in the first half and finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Oklahoma City parlayed 19 Mavs turnovers into 36 points and won the rebounding battle 52-44. The quarter-finals will conclude on Wednesday when the Knicks host the Hawks and the Rockets host the Warriors. The action then shifts to Las Vegas for the semi-finals on Saturday and the final on December 17.

With Vegas beckoning, Gilgeous-Alexander said the game against a Mavs team that ousted them in last year's playoffs had "a little bit of a playoff feel, a little bit more at stake than just a regular-season game. "I'm proud of the team, proud of the guys," he said. "We rose to the moment."

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks edged the depleted but determined Orlando Magic 114-109 to reach the NBA Cup semi-finals on Tuesday as Oklahoma City cruised past Dallas.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks edged the depleted but determined Orlando Magic 114-109 to reach the NBA Cup semi-finals on Tuesday as Oklahoma City cruised past Dallas. Antetokounmpo scored 37 points with seven rebounds and four blocked shots for the Bucks, who reached the semi-finals of the in-season tournament for the second year in a row and will face either the New York Knicks or Atlanta Hawks for a place in the final. Damian Lillard scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter and handed out nine assists for the Bucks, who had all they could handle from Orlando despite the absence of injured Magic stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Lillard threw down a dunk to put the Bucks up 108-107 with 32.6 seconds remaining, and after Orlando's Jalen Suggs missed a three-pointer, Lillard drilled a pair of free-throws to push the Bucks' lead to three points with 9.1 seconds left. Antetokounmpo and Lillard each added a pair of free throws in the final seconds to seal the hard-fought victory. "We fought for this one," said Lillard, who said the Bucks would be aiming to improve on their performance last year in the inaugural edition of the event when they head to Las Vegas for the final stage. "We didn't have the greatest experience there last year," he said. "So I think all of us are thinking (about) going back and finishing what we started last year and doing it right this time." Suggs scored a career-high 32 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Magic, who got off to an aggressive start on the way to a 33-25 lead after one quarter. Suggs had three of the Magic's seven steals in the first period as Orlando kept the Bucks off-balance. Milwaukee recovered to lead 60-59 at half time, and after four lead changes in the third quarter, the Bucks took an 80-72 lead into the final period. They would swap the lead four more times before the Bucks finally put it away. Also read: Champions League: Juventus under pressure against struggling Manchester City - Thunder silence Mavs - In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder turned the highly anticipated matchup of two of the league's hottest teams into a rout, beating the Mavs 118-104 to end their seven-game winning streak. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 39 points with eight rebounds and five assists. Jalen Williams added 18 points and center Isaiah Hartenstein added 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who made 20 of their whopping 50 three-point attempts. Oklahoma City notched their eighth win in nine games and will play either the Houston Rockets or Golden State Warriors for a place in the final. The Thunder's top-ranked defense proved too much for the Mavs. Klay Thompson scored 19 points for Dallas, Kyrie Irving added 17 and Luka Doncic, coming off back-to-back triple-doubles, was held to two points in the first half and finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Oklahoma City parlayed 19 Mavs turnovers into 36 points and won the rebounding battle 52-44. The quarter-finals will conclude on Wednesday when the Knicks host the Hawks and the Rockets host the Warriors. The action then shifts to Las Vegas for the semi-finals on Saturday and the final on December 17. With Vegas beckoning, Gilgeous-Alexander said the game against a Mavs team that ousted them in last year's playoffs had "a little bit of a playoff feel, a little bit more at stake than just a regular-season game. "I'm proud of the team, proud of the guys," he said. "We rose to the moment." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA Cup: Milwaukee Bucks hold off Orlando Magic, Thunder roll past Mavs to progress ahead

The Washington Wizards withstood a 56-point explosion from Denver star Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday and snap their 16-game NBA losing streak.

Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, posted a career scoring high -- surpassing a 53-point performance in game four of the 2023 Western Conference semi-finals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-manchester-united-drops-points-after-home-loss-to-nottingham-forest-for-first-time-since-1994-782367">Premier League: Manchester United drops points after home loss to Nottingham Forest for first time since 1994</a>

The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since October 30.

Poole made a career-high nine of Washington's 16 three-pointers while the Nuggets connected on just five of their 24 attempts from beyond the arc.

Justin Champagnie scored 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who were without a string of key players including Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey.

Washington seized control early against a Nuggets team without five regulars, including Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and Dario Saric who were all ruled out hours before the game.

They out-scored the Nuggets 36-29 in the first quarter and led 69-57 at halftime.

Jokic went for broke in the third in a bid to turn things around, connecting on nine of an astonishing 20 shot attempts and scoring 23 points as the Nuggets whittled the deficit to six points going into the final period.

The Wizards pushed their lead back to 13 early in the fourth with Jokic getting some rest on the bench, and Denver couldn't get the deficit below five points the rest of the way.

"Hearing some MVP chants was kind of cool when the MVP (Jokic) was on the floor," Poole said of the cheers of Washington fans when he went to the free-throw line in the closing seconds.

Meanwhile Evan Mobley scored a career-high 41 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers in a dominant 116-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

Mobley set the tone with 23 points in the first quarter, when he made five of his six three-pointers and the Cavs pushed their lead to as many as 22 before taking a 63-52 advantage into halftime.

"He didn't hit the rim on the threes," teammate Caris LeVert said of Mobley's effort. "They were all swishes, like the first four or five... it was definitely a sight to see."

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland added 18 points apiece for the Cavs and Jarrett Allen added 11 points and 10 assists as Cleveland improved to 21-3.

<h2>Grizzles hold off Celtics</h2>

In Boston, Ja Morant scored 32 points with nine rebounds and nine assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 127-121 victory over the reigning champion Celtics.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who fended off the Celtics' fourth-quarter comeback bid.

Boston took the lead for the first time early in the final period, going up 97-94 on Payton Pritchard's three-pointer.

Memphis regained the lead for good with 8:25 remaining, pulling away after Boston cut the deficit to one on a Jayson Tatum basket with 4:34 to play.

Jrue Holiday scored 23 points to lead six Celtics players to score in double figures. Pritchard and Jaylen Brown scored 22 apiece while Tatum was just shy of a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.

There were several triple-doubles elsewhere, however.

Dallas guard Luka Doncic posted his second triple-double in as many games with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in the Mavericks' 125-118 victory over the Raptors in Toronto.

Kyrie Irving added 29 points and Klay Thompson scored 20 as six Mavs players reached double figures to secure a seventh straight victory.

Detroit's Cade Cunningham scored 29 points with 10 rebounds and a career-high 15 assists as the Pistons beat the New York Knicks 120-111.

Cunningham recorded his fifth triple-double of the season, third-most in the NBA this season behind Jokic's nine and the seven of LeBron James.

Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and handed out 10 assists to pace the Knicks, who saw a four-game winning streak end.

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The Washington Wizards withstood a 56-point explosion from Denver star Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday and snap their 16-game NBA losing streak.

The Washington Wizards withstood a 56-point explosion from Denver star Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday and snap their 16-game NBA losing streak. Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, posted a career scoring high -- surpassing a 53-point performance in game four of the 2023 Western Conference semi-finals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021. ALSO READ: Premier League: Manchester United drops points after home loss to Nottingham Forest for first time since 1994 The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since October 30. Poole made a career-high nine of Washington's 16 three-pointers while the Nuggets connected on just five of their 24 attempts from beyond the arc. Justin Champagnie scored 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who were without a string of key players including Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey. Washington seized control early against a Nuggets team without five regulars, including Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and Dario Saric who were all ruled out hours before the game. They out-scored the Nuggets 36-29 in the first quarter and led 69-57 at halftime. Jokic went for broke in the third in a bid to turn things around, connecting on nine of an astonishing 20 shot attempts and scoring 23 points as the Nuggets whittled the deficit to six points going into the final period. The Wizards pushed their lead back to 13 early in the fourth with Jokic getting some rest on the bench, and Denver couldn't get the deficit below five points the rest of the way. "Hearing some MVP chants was kind of cool when the MVP (Jokic) was on the floor," Poole said of the cheers of Washington fans when he went to the free-throw line in the closing seconds. Meanwhile Evan Mobley scored a career-high 41 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers in a dominant 116-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. Mobley set the tone with 23 points in the first quarter, when he made five of his six three-pointers and the Cavs pushed their lead to as many as 22 before taking a 63-52 advantage into halftime. "He didn't hit the rim on the threes," teammate Caris LeVert said of Mobley's effort. "They were all swishes, like the first four or five... it was definitely a sight to see." Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland added 18 points apiece for the Cavs and Jarrett Allen added 11 points and 10 assists as Cleveland improved to 21-3. Grizzles hold off Celtics In Boston, Ja Morant scored 32 points with nine rebounds and nine assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 127-121 victory over the reigning champion Celtics. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who fended off the Celtics' fourth-quarter comeback bid. Boston took the lead for the first time early in the final period, going up 97-94 on Payton Pritchard's three-pointer. Memphis regained the lead for good with 8:25 remaining, pulling away after Boston cut the deficit to one on a Jayson Tatum basket with 4:34 to play. Jrue Holiday scored 23 points to lead six Celtics players to score in double figures. Pritchard and Jaylen Brown scored 22 apiece while Tatum was just shy of a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. There were several triple-doubles elsewhere, however. Dallas guard Luka Doncic posted his second triple-double in as many games with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in the Mavericks' 125-118 victory over the Raptors in Toronto. Kyrie Irving added 29 points and Klay Thompson scored 20 as six Mavs players reached double figures to secure a seventh straight victory. Detroit's Cade Cunningham scored 29 points with 10 rebounds and a career-high 15 assists as the Pistons beat the New York Knicks 120-111. Cunningham recorded his fifth triple-double of the season, third-most in the NBA this season behind Jokic's nine and the seven of LeBron James. Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and handed out 10 assists to pace the Knicks, who saw a four-game winning streak end. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Upset in NBA as Washington Wizards beat Denver Nuggets despite Nikola Jokic’s 56-point explosion

The NBA will return to China for the first time in six years with two pre-season games in Macau between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns next October, reports said Friday. No NBA games have been held in China since two pre-season contests in 2019 after a tweet from then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in support of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.&nbsp;

Basketball is hugely popular in China and in the fallout the NBA lost hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of it being yanked off Chinese television until 2022. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, said the relationship between the NBA and China had improved with the aid of NBA China chief executive Michael Ma, who was hired in 2020.

Reports said the games in Macau will be played at the Venetian Arena, part of the Las Vegas Sands conglomerate controlled by the Adelson family -- the majority ownership group in the Dallas Mavericks. Games will be played on October 10 and 12 next year and are part of a multimillion-dollar agreement to stage two annual NBA pre-season matches over the next five years in Macau, according to a South China Morning Post report.

"The most important fan base for the NBA is here in Macau, and we have a partner in Sands China that is investing in sports, so that is why we are bringing the games back," the newspaper quoted the NBA's deputy commissioner Mark Tatum as saying.&nbsp;

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at a sports management conference in October that he thought the league would "bring back games to China at some point".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/football/fifa-club-world-cup-2025-neymars-al-hilal-to-face-real-madrid-messis-inter-miami-take-on-egypts-al-ahly-781928">FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Neymar's Al Hilal to face Real Madrid; Messi's Inter Miami take on Egypt's Al Ahly</a>

"We had a well-known incident there pre-pandemic with a tweet and China's government took us off the air for a period of time," Silver said.&nbsp;"We accepted that. We stood by our values."

The NBA has looked to grow globally, including playing pre-season games in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. Emirates Airlines sponsors the NBA Cup, the league's in-season tournament.

China is home to a huge basketball fanbase and from 2004 to 2019, 17 teams played a total of 28 pre-season games there. Macau is a special administrative region under China's "one country, two systems" framework.

Known as China's Las Vegas, Macau is the only Chinese city that allows gambling.&nbsp; The multibillion-dollar industry has remained the city's economic lifeline and main attraction for visitors, although Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Macau to diversify its portfolio.&nbsp;

Disclaimer:&nbsp;This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The NBA will return to China for the first time in six years with two pre-season games in Macau between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns next October, reports said Friday.

The NBA will return to China for the first time in six years with two pre-season games in Macau between the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns next October, reports said Friday. No NBA games have been held in China since two pre-season contests in 2019 after a tweet from then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in support of the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. Basketball is hugely popular in China and in the fallout the NBA lost hundreds of millions of dollars as a result of it being yanked off Chinese television until 2022. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, said the relationship between the NBA and China had improved with the aid of NBA China chief executive Michael Ma, who was hired in 2020. Reports said the games in Macau will be played at the Venetian Arena, part of the Las Vegas Sands conglomerate controlled by the Adelson family -- the majority ownership group in the Dallas Mavericks. Games will be played on October 10 and 12 next year and are part of a multimillion-dollar agreement to stage two annual NBA pre-season matches over the next five years in Macau, according to a South China Morning Post report. "The most important fan base for the NBA is here in Macau, and we have a partner in Sands China that is investing in sports, so that is why we are bringing the games back," the newspaper quoted the NBA's deputy commissioner Mark Tatum as saying. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at a sports management conference in October that he thought the league would "bring back games to China at some point". Also read: FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Neymar's Al Hilal to face Real Madrid; Messi's Inter Miami take on Egypt's Al Ahly "We had a well-known incident there pre-pandemic with a tweet and China's government took us off the air for a period of time," Silver said. "We accepted that. We stood by our values." The NBA has looked to grow globally, including playing pre-season games in Abu Dhabi earlier this month. Emirates Airlines sponsors the NBA Cup, the league's in-season tournament. China is home to a huge basketball fanbase and from 2004 to 2019, 17 teams played a total of 28 pre-season games there. Macau is a special administrative region under China's "one country, two systems" framework. Known as China's Las Vegas, Macau is the only Chinese city that allows gambling. The multibillion-dollar industry has remained the city's economic lifeline and main attraction for visitors, although Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Macau to diversify its portfolio. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

NBA to return to China for first time since 2019 with pre-season games: Reports

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