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Updated Monday, March 18, 2024 at 12 a.m. ET

The San Antonio Spurs put on quite the show Sunday night in one of their homes away from home. Playing at the Moody Center just 80 miles up Interstate 35 from the Frost Bank Center, the Spurs stormed back from a 10-point deficit with just under six minutes to play to force overtime and come away with a 122-115 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Victor Wembanyama had 33 points, 15 rebounds, 7 blocks, 7 assists and several clutch plays for San Antonio. He had the go-ahead dunk in overtime as well as a crucial block on Nets guard Dennis Schroder with 25.4 left to help preserve the lead. - ESPN.com

Forward Khris Middleton, playing in his first game after a 16-game absence, found his rhythm right away, scoring 22 points as the Milwaukee Bucks -- sans star Giannis Antetokounmpo -- beat the Phoenix Suns 140-129 on Sunday. Middleton, who hadn't played since Feb. 16 because of a sprained ankle, also had seven assists in 25 minutes. He knocked down his first field goal attempt -- a 3-pointer with 11:10 left in the first quarter -- and rolled from there as the Bucks were able to win without Antetokounmpo, who was a late scratch before Sunday's game with left hamstring soreness. "For a guy that missed that many games to look that good was pretty impressive," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said of Middleton after the game. - ESPN.com


RECENT NBA RUMORS

The last two minutes of the game clock in the Golden State Warriors' 128-121 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night took more than 20 minutes of real time to play out thanks to a series of replay reviews and shot-clock malfunctions. The delays began with 1:50 remaining in the fourth, with the Lakers trailing 124-120, when L.A. coach Darvin Ham challenged an out-of-bounds call that granted the Warriors possession while Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and Golden State forward Andrew Wiggins both went for the rebound. While the officials were reviewing the out-of-bounds call, they determined that the corner 3-pointer LeBron James made on the previous trip down the court with 2:07 remaining did not count. The Lakers ended up winning the challenge -- Hayes and Wiggins faced off for a jump ball -- but lost points in the process. - ESPN.com

Joel Embiid has been reevaluated by doctors and they are "happy with the progress" the 76ers center is making following meniscus surgery on his left knee, Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse said Saturday. "I think there's always stages of how these things progress," Nurse said before the Sixers' 109-98 win over the Charlotte Hornets. "Everyone wants to know 'Well how long is it going to be?" And they give a wide range because of that, because everyone heals differently. We're just trying to take it as it comes, get him healthy and get him back when he's ready to go." - ESPN.com

The Minnesota Timberwolves have signed forward T.J. Warren to a second 10-day contract. Since signing an original 10-day contract on March 6 with the Timberwolves, Warren is averaging 4.8 points on 47.4% shooting (9-of-19) and 2.0 rebounds in four games (16.1 minutes per game). - InsideHoops.com

In a meeting with the NBA's competition committee on Tuesday, the league office outlined an increased officiating focus on offensive players hunting out fouls and veering off pathways to the basket into defenders -- and how those points of emphasis have impacted a decrease in league scoring, according to a memo shared with teams and obtained by ESPN on Friday. Those officiating focuses -- that were outlined in January and February point of emphasis memos that the league shared with referees and team officials -- are believed to have contributed to a recent decline in league scoring. In the memo, the league describes itself as continuing to "evaluate the state of offensive vs. defensive balance with a focus on legal guarding position and level of contact on pathway plays to the basket." - ESPN.com

Veteran forward Taj Gibson is signing a deal for the rest of the season with the Detroit Pistons, his agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. - ESPN.com

The Philadelphia 76ers are planning to sign former Charlotte Hornets first-round pick Kai Jones to a 10-day contract Friday, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. - ESPN.com

Ben Simmons has had back surgery for the second time in three years, with he and the Brooklyn Nets hoping this procedure will provide the relief he needs to complete a full season. The Nets said Simmons had a microscopic partial discectomy Thursday to alleviate the pinched nerve in his lower back. The surgery was performed at UHealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center by Dr. Timur Urakov, in consultation with Dr. Barth Green. - AP via ESPN.com

Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett is mourning the death of his younger brother, Nathan Barrett. The Barrett family said in a statement that Nathan died Tuesday. The statement, released Thursday by the Raptors and Canada Basketball, did not disclose a cause of death or Nathan's age. - ESPN.com

Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic's streak of seven straight triple-doubles was snapped Wednesday, when he exited a 109-99 win over the Golden State Warriors early due to left hamstring soreness. Doncic finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists before checking out with 6:46 remaining in the game. The Mavs announced soon afterward that he would not return. Doncic had a heating pad on his left hamstring prior to checking into the game 22 seconds earlier. He exited during the timeout after he threw an alley-oop to center Daniel Gafford, wincing when he landed awkwardly. He informed coach Jason Kidd that he needed to leave the game and headed to the locker room. - ESPN.com

Amid a considerable franchise turnaround, Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has agreed on a four-year contract extension that'll take him through the 2027-28 season, it was announced Tuesday. "Jamahl and his staff have done a tremendous job not only this season, but since we hired him back in 2021," Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. "His preparation, work ethic, ability to connect with the players, and passion he brings to the job every day brings positive results, both on the court and off. We are very happy to have Jamahl lead the Magic for years to come." - ESPN.com

The Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings on Sunday but lost leading scorer Alperen Sengun to injury. The star big man hurt his right knee injury when he landed awkwardly while challenging a shot by the Kings' Domantas Sabonis with under a minute to play in the fourth quarter of an eventual 112-104 win in Sacramento, California. - ESPN.com

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sat out the LA Clippers' 124-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in their second early-afternoon game in two days. The NBA scheduled the Clippers to tip off at noon Pacific time Sunday after they beat Chicago 112-102 with a 1 p.m. start time Saturday. Factoring in the hour lost to daylight saving time, that was two tipoffs in 22 hours for the Clippers (41-22), who decided not to put those demands on the lingering injuries nursed by Leonard and George. "Very extreme," Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. "That's why we're just so excited to get to the Intuit Dome next year, get our own place." - ESPN.com

The NBA on Sunday fined Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert $100,000 for making a money gesture at an official and criticizing officiating on Friday night. NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars announced that "the fine takes into account Gobert's past instances of conduct detrimental to the NBA with regard to publicly criticizing the officiating." - ESPN.com

Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn right labrum, the team announced Saturday. Mathurin's loss is a significant blow to the bench of the NBA's top-rated offensive team. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles next week, the team said. - ESPN.com

Rudy Gobert's money gesture toward an official will likely draw the NBA's wrath. The Minnesota Timberwolves center said his reaction was worth every penny. Gobert was called for a technical foul in the closing seconds of regulation Friday night during the Timberwolves' 113-104 overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers when he rubbed his fingers together several times, implying referee Scott Foster might be on the take. - AP via ESPN.com

Just days after a scary-looking knee injury forced him to exit Sunday's win in Cleveland, New York Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson returned to the starting lineup and scored 26 points in 29 minutes in a 98-74 victory over the Orlando Magic on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks held the Magic to the lowest point total in the NBA this season, and the lowest since the LA Clippers were held to 73 against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 27, 2020. Friday's win moved New York back into fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, leapfrogging the Magic to do so. "Every win is a big win, no matter who it is," Brunson said of the Knicks' first win over the Magic after losing the opening three matchups this season. "Clearly in the standings, we are right there with them, but it doesn't matter who we are playing. We have to step out there every game with the same mentality and same mindset." - ESPN.com

For the second time this week -- and for the second time this season against the Denver Nuggets -- Jayson Tatum had the ball in his hands with a chance to put the Boston Celtics ahead in the closing seconds. Once again, Tatum didn't take advantage of the opportunity. With the Celtics down by two, Tatum missed a wide-open corner 3-pointer with 45 seconds to go, capping an ugly performance on what turned out to be Boston's final chance to take the lead. After the miss, Nikola Jokic finished a 32-point, 12-rebound, 11-assist triple-double with a lob to Aaron Gordon for a dunk that extended Denver's lead in its 115-109 victory. "That corner 3, it was a good shot," Tatum said. "I thought it was going in. We had some opportunities." - ESPN.com

DeMar DeRozan walks onto the stage and grabs a microphone. It's Feb. 20, two days after the NBA All-Star Game. While the Bulls are holding their first practice after the break in Chicago, DeRozan has an excused absence to be back at his alma mater at the University of Southern California. DeRozan sits on one of the high chairs on the stage and begins to scan the room, a crowd of about 300 people, most of them USC student athletes who are eagerly anticipating his next words. Those in attendance got a first look at "Dinners with DeMar," DeRozan's new biweekly YouTube video series that debuted in February, where he chats with close friends in and around the NBA -- Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green, Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade and Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard headline the first three episodes -- not for a basketball discussion, but to discuss a topic dear to DeRozan: mental health. "Not much makes me nervous," DeRozan says on stage. "But this does." - ESPN.com

Karl-Anthony Towns has suffered a left meniscus injury, and doctors are evaluating whether that will require the Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star to miss a significant period of time, sources told ESPN on Thursday morning. Towns is undergoing further evaluation to determine whether an immediate procedure is required, or whether there are rehab options that could return him to Minnesota's lineup in the more immediate future, sources said. - ESPN.com

The Brooklyn Nets announced Thursday morning that Ben Simmons will miss the rest of the regular season because of his ongoing back issues. "Ben Simmons will remain out for the remainder of the season while he consults with specialists and explores treatment options for the nerve impingement in his lower back," the team said in a statement. "Simmons, along with his representatives and Nets medical personnel, are currently in discussions with numerous experts to determine the course of action that will provide him with the best opportunity for long-term sustainable health." - ESPN.com

Zion Williamson scored 16 points in 26 minutes in a dominant 139-98 win Tuesday over the Toronto Raptors. After the game, the Duke product was asked if he could ever see himself participating in the dunk contest. "If I'm in the All-Star Game, I'll do the dunk contest," he said. "But if I'm not, I'm not doing it." - ESPN.com

Cavaliers coach JB Bickerstaff said Donovan Mitchell ultimately needed to get a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat a left knee bone bruise because after trying to play through the injury, it was clear the star guard wasn't himself. "You're always obviously concerned, but we're confident these next steps will be the steps that are necessary [to get him healthy]," Bickerstaff said before Tuesday night's 105-104 win against the league-leading Boston Celtics. "It was one of those things where he was trying to play through it, but he just was hampered and you could see he couldn't explode, he couldn't move in certain directions because of the pain and how it was limited. "I'm not a doctor, but from everything that I'm hearing, the time, the rest and the process should give him back to full strength." - ESPN.com

An MRI on Jalen Brunson's left knee came back clean but the New York Knicks star guard will still be out for Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks, according to head coach Tom Thibodeau. Brunson went down with what first appeared to be a serious knee injury early in the Knicks' win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. However, the Knicks announced after the game it was just a knee contusion. - ESPN.com

The Charlotte Hornets officially announced the hiring of Jeff Peterson as executive vice president of basketball operations on Tuesday. Peterson, who had been serving as the Brooklyn Nets' assistant general manager, replaces longtime NBA executive Mitch Kupchak, who is moving into an advisory role with the Hornets. Peterson will be introduced at a news conference on Wednesday at the Spectrum Center. Hornets co-owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin said in a joint news release that Peterson shares their vision, values and goal of becoming the premier franchise in the NBA. - AP via ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was forced to come off the bench in Monday night's 119-114 win over the Portland Trail Blazers because he missed the opening tipoff. Nickeil Alexander-Walker replaced him on the court, and the Wolves were awarded a delay of game violation. - ESPN.com

Toronto Raptors All-Star forward Scottie Barnes had surgery in Los Angeles to repair a fracture to the third metacarpal bone of his left hand, the team announced Monday. Barnes broke the middle finger when his hand hit the rim while trying to block a shot with 1:56 left in the first half of a home loss Friday to the Golden State Warriors. The team announced afterward that he was out indefinitely. - Field Level Media via ESPN.com

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson had to be helped off the floor Sunday because of a left knee injury -- a potentially devastating setback for New York -- in the first minute of a 107-98 win over the Cavaliers. However, it appeared to be just a scare. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game that Brunson has a knee contusion and X-rays were negative. "He bumped knees," a relaxed Thibodeau said. "That's what happened. He got the X-rays, was examined by the doctor. Everything was negative. We'll see where he is tomorrow." - ESPN.com

Jaylen Brown scored 29 points, Jayson Tatum had 27 on his 26th birthday and the NBA-best Boston Celtics posted their third-largest winning margin in franchise history, drubbing the weary Golden State Warriors 140-88 on Sunday. Payton Pritchard added 19 points for the Celtics, who set a league record with their third win this season by 50 points or more and extended their season-best winning streak to 11 games. Boston led by a franchise-record 44 points at halftime and pushed it to 51 early in the third quarter before coach Joe Mazzulla went to his reserves the rest of the way. The Celtics are beating teams by an average of 22.1 points over their past 11 games, the best point differential over a win streak of at least 10 games in a single season in NBA history, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. - ESPN.com

Shake Milton is planning to sign with the New York Knicks upon clearing waivers, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday. Milton agreed to a contract buyout with Detroit and will be eligible for the Knicks' playoff roster. - ESPN.com

The Cavaliers paid tribute to Nick Gilbert, the late son of owner Dan Gilbert, during halftime of Sunday's game against the New York Knicks in Cleveland, raising a banner to the rafters at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in his honor. Gilbert died in May at the age of 26. He endured a lifelong battle with neurofibromatosis (NF1), a disorder that causes noncancerous tumors to grow on the brain, spinal cord and skin. There is no cure. - ESPN.com

In front of their home fans for the first time in 26 days, the San Antonio Spurs and rookie Victor Wembanyama put on quite the show. After giving up a 12-point third-quarter lead and falling behind in the fourth, the Spurs stormed back for a 132-118 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Wembanyama put his stamp on the victory with a 3-pointer with 2:10 left to put San Antonio up nine and then a block on the Thunder's Chet Holmgren 20 seconds later. Wembanyama finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks and was 5-of-7 from 3-point range. He became the first player in NBA history to have at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks and 5 3-pointers in a game. - ESPN.com

In his first game back after missing the past 21 with a left-hand fracture that required surgery to repair, Chris Paul provided the Warriors with more of a steadying presence in their second unit. It's not that their bench has been unstable over the past month -- quite the contrary as the Warriors have put together their most cohesive stretch of basketball this season. But his return gives that group a reliable and veteran ball handler and playmaker. In his 22 minutes, Paul finished with 9 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals and a plus-17 net rating. - ESPN.com

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton exited Tuesday night's 106-96 home loss to the Miami Heat because of a sprained right hand. Coach Chauncey Billups said that X-rays on Ayton's hand came back negative after he was involved in a collision with Miami's Kevin Love late in the first quarter and fell hard to the floor. - ESPN.com

After the New York Knicks escaped with a 113-111 victory over the Detroit Pistons Monday night -- in large part because of an obvious missed call with 8.5 seconds left when Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo plowed into Pistons forward Ausar Thompson -- Pistons coach Monty Williams had a tirade over what he deemed a season's worth of mistreatment from the officials. "The absolute worst call of the season," Williams said a few minutes after the game, arriving in the media room before any reporters could get there and not answering any questions outside of his statement about the game's final sequence. "No call, and enough's enough. We've done it the right way. We've called the league. We've sent in clips. We're sick of hearing the same stuff over and over again. - ESPN.com

Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic promised his players a tasty reward when they finally strung together a three-game winning streak. Now it's time to pay up. With All-Star Scottie Barnes logging his fourth triple-double of the season and RJ Barrett scoring 24 points in Thursday night's 130-122 victory, players responded to their longest winning streak of the season by chanting "piz-za." "I told them that when we won three straight I'd take them to dinner," Rajakovic explained outside a joyous locker room. "But I told them this team's so humble, we could have pizza." - ESPN.com

Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul is slated to return to game action Tuesday when the Warriors face the Wizards in Washington. Paul has not played since Jan. 5 after fracturing his left hand. He had surgery to repair the fracture. - ESPN.com

Doc Rivers wasn't sure what kind of reception he would receive in his return to Philadelphia, eight months after the 76ers dismissed him as coach. "Do they give coaches big receptions?" Rivers said before his new team, the Milwaukee Bucks, beat Philadelphia 119-98 on Sunday. When a reporter told Rivers he was different, he acknowledged the validity of the statement but noted he still hadn't thought much about it. However, the crowd in Philadelphia came prepared, delivering a resounding chorus of boos when Rivers' name was announced before tipoff. "I didn't even hear it, to be honest," Rivers said with a smile after the game. "That means I was back at home." - ESPN.com

All LeBron James could do was laugh Sunday when asked about the free throw disparity in the Los Angeles Lakers' 123-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix shot 19 free throws as compared to just eight for L.A., representing a season low for the Lakers and tying the fewest such attempts in any game for the team since James joined the franchise in 2018, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. While James was exasperated, his coach, Darvin Ham, was angered. "I'm not one to use referees as an excuse," Ham said. "But it's becoming increasingly tough because of the inconsistency. I'm seeing our guys get the same contact on them as we're supposedly committing. And the whistle is not being blown." - ESPN.com

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler is among five players suspended without pay for their roles in Friday night's on-court altercation with the New Orleans Pelicans. Butler and Pelicans forward Naji Marshall were each suspended one game for "instigating and engaging in" an on-court altercation, the NBA announced Sunday. Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and Heat center Thomas Bryant were suspended three games each for leaving the bench area during the on-court altercation and fighting. - ESPN.com

The Hawks have lost All-Star point guard Trae Young for at least four weeks with a torn ligament in his left pinkie finger. The Hawks announced the injury Sunday. Young was hurt during Friday night's loss to Toronto and will have surgery Tuesday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. The team said Young will be evaluated in four weeks. - ESPN.com

After the Boston Celtics claimed their season-best eighth straight victory Saturday night, defeating the New York Knicks 116-102 at Madison Square Garden, Boston now has an eight-game cushion over the second-place Cleveland Cavaliers atop the Eastern Conference. That is a bigger gap than the one between the West-leading Minnesota Timberwolves and the eighth-place Phoenix Suns (7 games). But rather than applauding their league-leading performance through the first two-thirds of the season, the Celtics instead claimed they have higher levels to reach. - ESPN.com

"It's just the way kind of the season has gone," Celtics center Al Horford said. "We've kind of held our own, continued to work through things. Obviously the Sixers have injuries, different teams have different stuff going on, so that all goes into account. "But I can just speak to we're continuing to play good basketball. We're really trying to play the right way. I feel like [Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla] is really challenging us to continue to get better. This is the stretch of the season where we can really take it to another level, and that's what we're trying to do." - ESPN.com

Victor Wembanyama took questions at the podium sitting in front of a San Antonio Spurs banner and was told about the statistical feat he had just pulled off Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Wembanyama joined Jamaal Tinsley (2001) as the only NBA rookies to have a 5x5 game -- posting at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks in a game -- and became just the second player to have 5 blocks and 5 steals in consecutive games, joining Michael Jordan. Wembanyama paused to consider Jordan's feat and then asked, "I wonder if he did it in wins." - ESPN.com

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, an architect of four franchise championships, has agreed on a two-year, $35 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history, agents Rick Smith and Dan Eveloff of Priority Sports told ESPN on Friday. Kerr's deal was set to expire at the end of the 2023-24 season, and his $17.5 million-per-season extension takes him through the 2025-26 campaign. The extension aligns him with the two years left on Stephen Curry's contract. - ESPN.com

Nikola Jokic became the fourth player in NBA history to record at least one triple-double against every opponent in the league, going 10-for-10 from the floor and finishing with 21 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists in the Denver Nuggets' 130-110 win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night. Michael Porter had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the defending champion Nuggets, who returned from the All-Star break and snapped a three-game skid. - ESPN.com

It initially appeared as if Lowry's homecoming would be short-lived, as he took an elbow to the head from Jericho Sims in the first half that left him with a large gash on his forehead that required six stitches. But Philadelphia announced at halftime Lowry would return for the second half, and he played a key role in the 76ers nearly pulling off what would've been a wild comeback, cutting the deficit all the way to six points before the Knicks (34-22) eventually pulled away again in the closing minutes. - ESPN.com

Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart has been suspended three games by the NBA for punching Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks at the arena hours before the teams played on Feb. 14. Following the incident, Stewart was arrested by Phoenix police, issued a citation and released. The misdemeanor assault charge against Stewart has been dismissed by the Phoenix Municipal Court, according to a filing obtained by ESPN. The motion to dismiss was filed by the prosecutor's office and granted. - ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai has discussed the possibility of selling a minority stake in the franchise to the Koch family, sources confirmed to ESPN. The family's investment vehicle, 1888 Management, could potentially buy a stake in BSE Global, Tsai's holding company that controls not only the Nets but also the WNBA's New York Liberty and Barclays Center. - ESPN.com


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