NBA

The NBA’s magic number for wins isn’t 100 points anymore

October 17, 2019 Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Getting to 100 points in the NBA used to almost certainly guarantee victory. These days, it’s the baseline for even having a chance. NBA teams that scored 100 or more points lost more often last season than at any time in nearly 35 years — simply a byproduct of the offensive explosion […]

NBA

As NBA-China tweet rift continues, James enters spotlight

October 15, 2019 Associated Press

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James has stepped into the spotlight of the now-strained relationship between the NBA and China with his comments about the league executive who started the ongoing fallout with what James derided as a “misinformed” tweet. Politicians, human rights groups and ordinary fans on social media have criticized the outspoken […]

BUCKS

Giannis looks to improve as Bucks’ leader this season

October 15, 2019 Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Last season’s loss to Toronto in the Eastern Conference finals stung Giannis Antetokounmpo. So much so that the NBA MVP admitted it took several days for him to be able to sleep at night after he and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a 2-0 lead against the eventual NBA champion Raptors. Antetokounmpo said […]

NBA

LeBron: Rockets’ Morey ‘wasn’t educated’ on China tweet

October 15, 2019 Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James believes Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey “was either misinformed or not really educated on the situation” regarding the potential consequences of his actions when he tweeted in support of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. In his first public comments since the Los Angeles Lakers returned home from a strange […]

BUCKS

Bucks improve to 4-0 with preseason win over Wizards

October 13, 2019 Rick Solem

The Milwaukee Bucks moved to 4-0 in the preseason with a 115-108 win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t play because of an illness. Khris Middleton and Ersan Ilyasova picked up the slack, combining for 40 points. Newcomer Drogan Bender had 12 points, 8 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. The […]

BUCKS

Giannis leads Bucks in blowout against Jazz

October 9, 2019 Rick Solem

After a 10-point win in the preseason opener with just one starter in the lineup, the Milwaukee Bucks were at full force Wednesday. The outcome, a 133-99 win at home over the Utah Jazz, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 22 points in 21 minutes. The 24-year-old reigning MVP shot 8 of 14 from the field, 0-for-3 […]

NBA

Protesters show support for Hong Kong at Wizards game

October 9, 2019 Associated Press

Protesters handed out T-shirts and held up signs in support of Hong Kong on Wednesday night when the Washington Wizards hosted a team from the Chinese Basketball Association. The Wizards beat the Guangzhou Long-Lions 137-98 in a game that included more than a half-dozen protests inside Capital One Arena over the NBA’s ongoing rift with […]

NBA

Amid rift with China, will the NBA be forced to apologize?

October 9, 2019 Associated Press

When major corporations have done something to anger Chinese authorities in recent years, the playbook has called for one thing: an apology. Marriott issued one. So did Delta. Mercedes-Benz, too. The NBA, embroiled in a rift caused by a tweet expressing support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong, has avoided going that route — for […]

NBA

Popovich lauds Silver’s response to China over tweet rift

October 9, 2019 Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Gregg Popovich, the NBA’s longest-tenured coach, lauded NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday for his stance supporting freedom of speech amid the ongoing rift with China. Popovich, speaking before his San Antonio Spurs faced the Miami Heat in a preseason game, said he recognized that Silver is in a difficult situation following […]

NBA

Column: Freedom of speech has its consequences for NBA

October 9, 2019 Associated Press

If the NBA really wanted to make a statement it should have never issued a statement, much less two. No need to complicate things when two team owners had already genuflected to the irate citizens of China. Or when James Harden took it upon himself to apologize to an entire nation. The simple path for […]