NBA Fantasy
SportsYahoo SportsJazz star Donovan Mitchell helped off floor after suffering ankle sprain vs. Pacers
After trying to block a pass, Donovan Mitchell landed and rolled his right ankle hard on the court on Friday afternoon.
SportsAssociated PressRandle scores 44 in hometown, Knicks beat Mavs 117-109
Julius Randle scored 44 points in his best game in his hometown, leading the New York Knicks to a 117-109 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night for a five-game winning streak, their longest in seven years. RJ Barrett had 24 points and eight rebounds. Derrick Rose added 15 points with fellow backup guard Alec Burks sidelined by COVID-19 protocols.
SportsAssociated PressMcCollum, Trail Blazers escape with 107-106 win over Spurs
CJ McCollum scored 29 points and the Portland Trail Blazers escaped with a 107-106 victory Friday night over the San Antonio Spurs, who missed three shots on their final possession. Portland overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half despite not having Damian Lillard, who missed the game after straining his right hamstring during practice on Thursday. “To get a win without Dame was very important,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said.
SportsAssociated PressTowns scores 24, helps Timberwolves beat Heat 119-111
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points, including eight in the fourth quarter before fouling out, to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 119-111 win against the Miami Heat on Friday night. Ricky Rubio added 17 points and Naz Reid scored 16 off the bench as Minnesota had seven players score in double-figures to overcome 21 turnovers. Towns keyed a 22-6 run midway through the fourth as the Timberwolves pulled away.
SportsAssociated PressBrooks scores 32, Grizzlies pull away to beat Bulls 126-115
Dillon Brooks scored a season-high 32 points and the Memphis Grizzlies took control in the second half to beat the Chicago Bulls 126-115 on Friday night. Brooks had 15 points in the third quarter to lead Memphis’ charge. The game was tied at the end of both the first and second quarters before the Grizzlies pushed ahead to beat the Bulls for the second time this week.
SportsAssociated PressJokic, Porter help Nuggets cruise by Rockets, 128-99
Nikola Jokic scored 29 points, Michael Porter Jr. added 21 and the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 128-99 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night. Jokic dominated in the paint, hitting 10 of 12 field goals and adding 16 rebounds. Jokic fell three assists shy of his 16th triple-double of the season and second in as many games.
SportsAssociated PressDurant, Harris lead Nets to 130-115 win over Hornets
Kevin Durant had 25 points and 11 assists, Joe Harris scored 26 points and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Charlotte Hornets 130-115 on Friday night. Landry Shamet added 20 points for the Nets. Kyrie Irving had 12 on the day after LaMarcus Aldridge retired after experiencing an irregular heartbeat in a game Saturday.
SportsAssociated PressEmbiid, 76ers snap Clippers' 7-game winning streak
Joel Embiid had 36 points and 14 rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Clippers 106-103 on Friday night, snapping Los Angeles’ seven-game winning streak. Furkan Korkmaz added 18 points and Ben Simmons had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Sixers, who have won four in a row. “I don’t think teams really know what to do when guarding him,” Simmons said of Embiid.
SportsAssociated PressWestbrook lifts Wiz past Pels at line after Zion foul in OT
Russell Westbrook took over the game in overtime for the Washington Wizards, scoring 10 of their 12 points in the extra period and providing a pass that Bradley Beal turned into the other basket. If the Wizards are going to continue their turnaround from a terrible start and a COVID-19 outbreak to reach the play-in portion of the NBA postseason, it's going to take more such displays by their dynamic guard duo. Westbrook made a pair of free throws to break a tie with just one second left in OT after he was fouled by Zion Williamson and combined with Beal to score 66 points, leading the Wizards past the New Orleans Pelicans 117-115 on Friday night.
SportsAssociated PressWatson, Watanabe lead Raptors past Magic, 113-102
Paul Watson Jr. scored 20 of his career-high 30 points in the third quarter Friday night and the Toronto Raptors pulled away to a 113-102 victory over the Orlando Magic. Playing in only his second game after missing 11 games due to the NBA's COVID-19 protocol, Watson converted six straight 3-point shots in the period, in which Toronto outscored the Magic 38-19. Yuta Watanabe also had a career high for the Raptors, contributing 21 points and six rebounds.
SportsAssociated PressPistons hand Thunder 9th straight loss with 110-104 victory
Josh Jackson scored 29 points, and the Detroit Pistons overcame several key absences to beat Oklahoma City 110-104 on Friday night, handing the Thunder their ninth straight loss. Oklahoma City cut an 11-point, fourth-quarter lead to one, but Detroit held on two nights after blowing a double-digit advantage in the final period against the Los Angeles Clippers. “I felt like I saw it — the guy was sliding," Detroit coach Dwane Casey said.
SportsYahoo SportsReport: Celtics sign Jabari Parker to 2 year deal, waive Mo Wagner
Jabari Parker will join the Celtics after a short stint in Sacramento.
SportsAssociated PressMinus injured Mitchell, Jazz rally to beat Pacers 119-111
Tough team defense rescued the Utah Jazz after Donovan Mitchell went down with an ankle injury. The NBA-leading Jazz rallied to beat the Indiana Pacers 119-111 on Friday after Mitchell the left game with a sprained ankle in the second half. Mitchell could not put any weight on his leg, and teammates helped him off the floor to the locker room.
SportsAssociated PressJazz guard Donovan Mitchell sprains right ankle vs Pacers
Donovan Mitchell exited during the third quarter of an NBA game between the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers on Friday afternoon after suffering a sprained right ankle. The Jazz announced he would not return. Mitchell was helped off the court with the assistance of teammates with 8:18 left in the third quarter after severely turning his ankle.
SportsYahoo SportsFantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Add Luguentz Dort, other underrated players for the playoffs
Making one last push for the playoffs? Trying to solidify your team for a championship run? We have pickups for you!
SportsYahoo SportsNBA Fact or Fiction: Hall of Famer LaMarcus Aldridge, Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball and Luke Walton's future
Each week during the 2020-21 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into three of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether the trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward.
CelebrityYahoo SportsA LeBron James Top Shot moment that honored Kobe Bryant sold for nearly $400,000
The NFT featured LeBron James’ reverse windmill dunk that he threw down less than a month after Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash.
SportsAssociated PressDwyane Wade joins Utah Jazz ownership group
Dwyane Wade is an NBA owner. The Utah Jazz announced Friday that the 13-time NBA All-Star will join the youngest ownership group in the league. The group is headed by technology entrepreneur Ryan Smith, who along with his wife, Ashley, acquired majority interest in the Jazz in late 2020.
SportsYahoo SportsDwyane Wade buys ownership stake in Jazz, wants active role with team
Dwyane Wade is close with Ryan Smith, who bought the Jazz in October.
SportsYahoo SportsClippers re-sign DeMarcus Cousins to second 10-day contract
The Clippers brought Cousins into the fold earlier this month.
SportsYahoo SportsNBA MVP watch: How Joel Embiid can secure the league's top honors
If Embiid can remain healthy and the 76ers finish No. 1 by season's end, the 27-year-old will walk away with the Maurice Podoloff trophy.
SportsAssociated PressJaylen Brown scores 40, Celtics beat Lakers 121-113
Jaylen Brown scored four of his 40 points in the final minute, and the Boston Celtics blew most of a 27-point lead in the fourth quarter before holding on for their fifth straight victory, 121-113 over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. Brown made 13 of his first 14 shots and hit three 3-pointers while falling two points shy of his career high for the Celtics, who have won eight of 11 despite an embarrassing finish at Staples Center. Boston led 113-86 with seven minutes to play, shortly after coach Brad Stevens pulled his starters.
SportsAssociated PressAyton scores 26, Suns beat Kings for 10th straight home win
Deandre Ayton had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Devin Booker added 23 points and the Phoenix Suns won their 10th straight home game by beating the Sacramento Kings 122-114 on Thursday night. The Suns haven't lost in their home arena for nearly a month, but struggled to put away the Kings for much of the night, taking a 95-94 lead into the fourth quarter. Sacramento took its first lead of the second half when Delon Wright made a layup to make it 96-95.
SportsYahoo SportsBrawl at youth basketball game ends with spectator body slamming referee
Things got heated at a youth basketball game after a disagreement over a call.
SportsAssociated PressGiannis returns, Bucks cool off surging Hawks 120-109
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 15 points in his return to the Milwaukee lineup and got plenty of help from his teammates as the Bucks cooled off the surging Atlanta Hawks 120-109 Thursday night. Antetokounmpo had missed six games with an ailing left knee before getting cleared to play in Atlanta, where he starred in the NBA All-Star Game last month. “Watching this team play six games, I realize this team is really, really good,” Antetokounmpo said.
