Virginia budget bill leaves out governor's $2 billion deal to lure NBA and NHL teams from Washington
Work on compromise budget legislation Virginia lawmakers will take up later this week is complete, and the bill does not include language enabling a proposed relocation by the NBAโs Washington Wizards and NHLโs Washington Capitals to Alexandria.
Wizards trading Porzingis to Celtics in 3-team deal with Smart headed to Grizzlies, AP sources say
Two people with knowledge of the deal say the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Celtics trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Pistons draftees show signs of showtime in NBA Summer League win over Portland
Jalen Duren got the party started, and Jaden Ivey sealed the deal as the Detroit Pistons defeated the Portland Trailblazers, 81-78, in the 2022 NBA 2K23 Summer League Midnight Madness at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Beal, Westbrook lead Wiz past Pacers 142-115 for East 8 seed
Russell Westbrook nearly had a triple-double and Bradley Beal scored 25 points in just 29 minutes to help the Washington Wizards reach the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conferenceโs No. 8 seed by overwhelming the Indiana Pacers 142-115 in the play-in round.
Westbrook ties Robertson's record, Wizards beat Pacers
Russell Westbrook tied Oscar Robertsonโs NBA record for triple-doubles with 181, finishing with 33 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists, and made two free throws with a second left to give Washington a 133-132 overtime victory over Indiana on Saturday night.
Irving to miss Nets' road trip to tend to family matter
Washington Wizards guard Raul Neto defends against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) as Wizards forward Garrison Mathews (24) looks on during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 21, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)NEW YORK โ Kyrie Irving will miss the Brooklyn Nets' three-game road trip this week while dealing with a family matter. The Nets said Monday that Irving would not accompany the team for games Tuesday at Portland, Wednesday at Utah or Friday at Detroit. Irving missed seven games in January after leaving the team for personal reasons. He didn't specify the reason for that absence, though he did say there was โfamily and personal stuffโ going on.
NBA has a record day with 5 triple-doubles
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (4) meet after an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)An NBA-record five players had triple-doubles Saturday, including former MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook in the same game. All-Stars James Harden, Julius Randle and Domantas Sabonis also had triple-doubles in victories by their teams. The two-time MVP helped the Bucks overcome 42 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds by Westbrook, who owns the NBA record with 42 triple-doubles in 2016-17. Randle started the record day with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in New York's 119-97 victory in Oklahoma City, becoming the first Knicks player with two triple-doubles in the same season since Mark Jackson in the 1988-89 season.
AP source: Embiid sidelined with bone bruise in left knee
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid grimaces after an injury during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)PHILADELPHIA โ Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss an undermined amount of time, according to a person with knowledge of the injury. Embiid did not suffer any structural damage to his knee. Embiid landed awkwardly after a dunk on his left leg , his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward. Embiid had emerged as an MVP candidate for his role on the Eastern Conference-leading Sixers.
Embiid exits with apparent leg injury, 76ers beat Wizards
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) dunks past Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook, bottom, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ On pace for their best season and first conference championship in two decades, the Philadelphia 76ers are suddenly โprayingโ for the health of their best player. Joel Embiid scored 23 points but departed midway through the third quarter following an apparent leg injury in the 76ers' 127-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. โWe're just praying that he'll be OK and be healthy tomorrow.โFollowing a dunk for his last points, Embiid landed awkwardly on his left leg, his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward. Furkan Korkmaz added 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Sixers completed a three-game season sweep of the Wizards.
Embiid exits game following awkward landing on leg
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid grimaces after an injury during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ Joel Embiid left the Philadelphia 76ersโ game against the Washington Wizards in the third quarter Friday following a dunk that resulted in an awkward landing on his left leg. Embiid, in his first game back following a week-long absence due to contact tracing, laid on the ground for more than a minute following the play. Medical staff brought a stretcher briefly onto the court, but Embiid eventually rose to his feet and limped off under his own power. Embiid entered Friday averaging 30.2 points and 11.6 rebounds for Philadelphia, which began the day with a half-game lead atop the Eastern Conference.
Hectic finish awaits all NBA teams in 2nd half of season
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)The second half of the NBA schedule will be hectic, all the way to the end. And every team is scheduled to play on the final day of the regular season, a rarity. There are only two instances of teams having four games in five days in the seasonโs second half, both toward the very end. LOADED SLATEMay 16 could mark the first time all 30 NBA teams and all 30 Major League Baseball teams play on the same day. There were 15 NBA games and 15 MLB games on April 16, 2014 โ but included in that MLB slate was a doubleheader between the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs.
Wizards win 5th straight, hold off Lakers 127-124 in OT
Los Angeles Lakers center Montrezl Harrell, left, grabs a loose ball away from Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. Russell Westbrook scored six of his 32 points in overtime for the Wizards, who rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half. โIt feels different, in a great way,โ Beal said of the Wizards' impressive five-game run against Boston, Houston, Denver, Portland and the Lakers. ... Former Lakers C Moe Wagner had six points, and former Lakers swingman Isaac Bonga didn't play. James is third in the NBA in total minutes, with over 200 more than anyone else on the Lakers' roster.
Wizards to rest scoring leader Beal for 1st time this season
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots against Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal will be held out of a game for rest for the first time this season, sitting out Washington's matchup with the New York Knicks on Friday. Beal is averaging 32.8 points and 35.3 minutes per game for Washington (6-16), which is among the league's worst teams. The only previous game Beal missed this season was a loss to the Miami Heat on Jan. 9 because of the league's COVID-19 protocols. Washington's other starting guard, Russell Westbrook โ who was acquired in a trade with Houston before the season โ has missed seven games this season for rest or because of injury.
NBA: Zero new players tested positive for virus in past week
(AP Photo/Darren Abate)No additional NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, the league said Wednesday, after nearly two dozen games had to be called off in the past month because of virus-related issues. That continued a good two-week trend: After 27 players were positive in results released between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19, only one player has been positive since. We all need it, not just NBA players, coaches, families. The planet needs it.โThe NBA has called off 23 games this season for virus issues, 22 since Jan. 10. But itโs important to have weeks like this, because it gives everybody hope.โ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Thomas, Johnson headline US roster for AmeriCup qualifying
USA Basketball has finalized the 14-player roster for the final round of AmeriCup qualifying later this month, a group led by NBA All-Stars Joe Johnson and Isaiah Thomas. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. โ USA Basketball has finalized the 14-player roster for the final round of AmeriCup qualifying later this month, a group led by NBA All-Stars Joe Johnson and Isaiah Thomas. Both Johnson and Thomas have past USA Basketball experience as well. USA Basketball has won the AmeriCup title seven times in nine previous attempts. Thomas and Johnson won't be the only players with longstanding NBA ties in the February qualifiers.
Westbrook, Beal hit late 3s, Wizards stun Nets 149-146
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ Wizards coach Scott Brooks envisioned something like this when Washington acquired Russell Westbrook from Houston for John Wall and a draft pick. Bradley Beal and Westbrook hit 3-pointers in a wild 3.8-second sequence in the final seconds to help the Wizards stun Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets 149-146 on Sunday night. Westbrook had 41 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and NBA scoring leader Beal had 37 points. In the fourth quarter, Beal had 22 points and Westbrook had 15. โRussell willed this game,โ Brooks said about Westbrook, who has only played in 10 of 16 games due to a quad injury.
NBA adjusts schedules for virus-affected teams, like Wizards
Washington Wizards' Russell Westbrook reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of the team's NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Houston. Portland will now visit Washington on Tuesday, a game that was originally set for the second half. And that means the Blazers, who were scheduled to visit the Hornets that day, will now go to Charlotte in the second half of the schedule. Boston and Phoenix have had three games postponed apiece so far, and itโs not yet known if their first-half schedules will be adjusted. Teams also began arriving Wednesday at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to begin quarantine and prepping for the G League season, which โ like the NBA did last season โ will utilize a bubble.
Wall scores 24 to lead Rockets over Wizards 107-88
Houston Rockets' John Wall reacts during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Houston. Wall scored 24 points to help Houston to a 107-88 victory over Russell Westbrook and the Washington Wizards. Houston was leading by six when Wall re-entered the game. โI was itching to get back in in the fourth quarter," he said. โThe fourth quarter was good," Silas said.
Spurs-Pelicans game called off, as NBA's virus woes continue
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, center, talks to his players during a time out in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 121-101. San Antonio became the 24th team to have at least one game postponed so far this season because of the virus. The Celtics are scheduled to visit San Antonio on Wednesday. The Grizzlies are supposed to play in San Antonio on Saturday.
Wizards return to court, Grizzlies see 6th game postponed
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots against Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)The Washington Wizards are finally back. The Grizzlies wonโt play until at least Saturday, after the NBA called off yet another game -- the 20th since Jan. 10 and the 21st postponement this season. Those were called off late last week and now, the Grizzliesโ home game against Chicago that was scheduled for Wednesday is off as well. In all, 23 teams have seen at least one game called off so far this season.