INSIDER
NBA-leading Suns win 5th straight, beating Thunder 113-101
Read full article: NBA-leading Suns win 5th straight, beating Thunder 113-101Devin Booker scored 30 points, Cam Johnson added 21 while making all five of his 3-point attempts and the Phoenix Suns won their fifth straight game, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-101.
Leonard, George each score 31, Clippers tie series with Jazz
Read full article: Leonard, George each score 31, Clippers tie series with JazzKawhi Leonard and Paul George each scored 31 points — the second straight game they have both had over 30 points — and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Utah Jazz 118-104 in Game 4 Monday night to even their Western Conference second-round series at two games apiece.
Mitchell scores 29 points, Jazz beat Grizzlies for 2-1 lead
Read full article: Mitchell scores 29 points, Jazz beat Grizzlies for 2-1 leadDonovan Mitchell scored 10 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and the top-seeded Utah Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-111 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.
AP sources: USA Basketball eyeing 60 players in Olympic pool
Read full article: AP sources: USA Basketball eyeing 60 players in Olympic poolNew Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) shoots as Utah Jazz center Derrick Favors (15) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)MIAMI – USA Basketball is casting a wider-than-usual net in its roster selection for this summer's rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, two people with knowledge of the situation said Saturday. The additions mean at least 60 players could be on the player-pool list that will be released by USA Basketball in the coming weeks. ESPN first reported that USA Basketball has sent approximately 60 invitations to be part of the player pool. USA Basketball is planning a training camp and exhibition games.
Mitchell scores 28, Jazz beat Pelicans 118-102
Read full article: Mitchell scores 28, Jazz beat Pelicans 118-102Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, left, goes to the basket as New Orleans Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)SALT LAKE CITY – Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and seven rebounds, and the Utah Jazz beat the New Orleans Pelicans 118-102 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory. Ball finished with seven points, four assists, and three steals. … New Orleans scored 22 points off 14 Jazz turnovers. … Derrick Favors had nine points and seven rebounds in his first game against the Pelicans after spending last season in New Orleans.
Kyrie Irving rejoins Nets, says he 'just needed a pause'
Read full article: Kyrie Irving rejoins Nets, says he 'just needed a pause'FILE - Utah Jazz's Royce O'Neale, right, defends Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, in this Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, file photo. Kyrie Irving rejoined the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, saying he took a leave of absence because he just needed a pause. Irving practiced with the team and could play Wednesday in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)NEW YORK – Kyrie Irving rejoined the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, saying he took a leave of absence because he “just needed a pause.”Irving practiced with the team and could play Wednesday in Cleveland. Irving said he was happy to be back with the team, which acquired James Harden during his absence.
NBA fines Irving $50,000 for health, safety violations
Read full article: NBA fines Irving $50,000 for health, safety violationsUtah Jazz's Derrick Favors (15) defens Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – Kyrie Irving's absence from the Brooklyn Nets has become a costly one. The NBA fined the point guard $50,000 on Friday for violating its health and safety protocols, and said he could return to team activities Saturday. Irving has missed the last five games while away from the Nets for personal reasons. In December, Irving was was fined $25,000 by the NBA for not speaking to the media during preseason.
Gobert lifts Jazz past Pelicans 106-104 in NBA restart
Read full article: Gobert lifts Jazz past Pelicans 106-104 in NBA restartHe scored 13 points in just more than 15 minutes, highlighted by a couple alley-oop dunks, one on a nearly half-court lob from Lonzo Ball. But Williamson checked out for good with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter and watched the tense finish from the sideline. Thats all it is.Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points for Utah and helped lead a second-half comeback, while Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley each added 20. When Jordan has space on the floor to work, hes really difficult to guard," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. The Jazz went 8 of 34 from 3-point range but scored 54 points in the paint and went 24 of 28 on foul shots.
Williamson back in NBA quarantine, could be out on Tuesday
Read full article: Williamson back in NBA quarantine, could be out on TuesdayLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Zion Williamson will be out of quarantine by the time New Orleans plays in the first official game of the NBA restart at Walt Disney World. The NBA said Saturday that Williamson will have to serve a four-day quarantine for leaving the leagues Disney bubble on July 16 to tend to an urgent family matter. He returned to Disney on Friday night and immediately went into quarantine. The most important thing is we hope everythings OK with him, Pelicans forward Derrick Favors said Saturday, shortly after the NBA revealed the four-day quarantine determination. COACHES PINSNBA coaches started wearing a large pin during games this weekend, the message reading Coaches for Racial Justice.Its not uncommon for NBA coaches to wear pins or ribbons to support various causes.
Holidays 36 points push Pelicans past Clippers 132-127
Read full article: Holidays 36 points push Pelicans past Clippers 132-127New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday (11) scores against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019. Georges 3 cut the Pelicans lead to 126-123 with 42 seconds left. Favors scored six straight Pelicans points on a free throw, a tip-in and his first 3-pointer of the season from the left corner. Holiday added two more 3s, and Jackson another to widen New Orleans lead to 14 at 66-52. Holiday added a driving dunk and finger roll to push his two-quarter total up to 24 points, and the Pelicans carried a 72-59 lead into halftime.