NBA Basketball News

SEATTLE (AP) -- If this is Chris Hansen's final salvo in his attempt to purchase the Sacramento Kings, it's coming with an additional $75 million price tag to what already could be the richest franchise sale in NBA history.

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The confident aura the Golden State Warriors are giving off right now might be the only thing brighter than those yellow shirts every home fan is expected to be wearing again for Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at ear-piercing Oracle Arena.

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith has been fined $5,000 by the NBA for a flop during Game 1 of their playoff series against Indiana.

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau says Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Derrick Rose will sit out Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat on Friday night.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The New Orleans Pelicans say guard Eric Gordon has undergone successful arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Indiana follows a simple formula for success. Play hard, be tough and get rough if necessary.

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- It started with the flu, and turned into a hospital stay. There were terrible headaches and weakness. Just walking was a chore.

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) -- Kobe Bryant is playing some of his toughest defense yet, demanding his mother keeps her hands off his merchandise.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- The Grizzlies have repeatedly been asked who will take the game-winning shot since the Rudy Gay trade on Jan. 30.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- Amare Stoudemire will likely be limited to about 10 to 15 minutes per game if he is able to return during New York's playoff series against the Indiana Pacers.

DENVER (AP) -- Even as Masai Ujiri accepted the NBA's executive of the year trophy from club President Josh Kroenke on Thursday, the Denver Nuggets general manager said he would have given it up gladly in exchange for a deep playoff run.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook expects to be on crutches for about four to five weeks as he returns from knee surgery that has knocked him out of the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff run.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Golden State coach Mark Jackson insisted the Warriors' historic collapse in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals would only help his team's growth.

MIAMI (AP) -- For the first time in these playoffs, the Miami Heat were facing some real adversity.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol will get ultrasonic treatment on both knees in an attempt to regenerate his tendons.

MIAMI (AP) -- Luol Deng is staying in Chicago and not rejoining the Bulls for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Flip Saunders has started the restructuring expected when he took over as Minnesota Timberwolves president last week.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Nobody ever really stops Carmelo Anthony. Not in his mind, anyway.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Kevin Durant insists he can carry as much as Thunder coach Scott Brooks wants to heap onto his shoulders with Russell Westbrook injured and out for the rest of the playoffs.

DENVER (AP) -- Selfless and starless. These were the staples of the exhilarating Denver Nuggets' NBA franchise-record 57-win regular season.