Category: Basketball

Why Draymond partly blames Steph for his lack of foul calls originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry’s lack of foul calls has been a hot topic recently, and Draymond Green believes the Warriors’ star guard is partly to blame.

“I think Steph also gets punished for two things. One is he don’t talk to the referees,” Green said on a recent episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.” “They know they’re not going to get cussed out, they know he’s not going to say much. He may say something every now and then, but he don’t say anything. And I think he actually gets penalized for that.

“I also think he gets penalized because he’s not a flopper. He don’t flop to sell calls, so it’s almost as if he’s not getting fouled or it don’t matter because he’s not showing that he’s getting fouled. I think in this league, we reward flopping. it don’t ultimately hurt him because he still does what he does, but it hurts him as far as getting the call and getting to the free-throw line because he don’t flop and he don’t sell the calls.”

Still, Green continues to be blown away by the lack of whistle his teammate gets.

After Curry struggled in Golden State’s 106-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, finishing with just three points on 1-of-10 shooting from the field and 1 of 8 from 3-point range with zero free-throw attempts in 33 minutes, Jimmy Butler shared that he was astounded by Curry’s lack of foul calls after witnessing it up close since being traded to the Warriors in early February.

“I’ve never seen an individual get fouled more than he gets fouled,” Butler said postgame. “To me, I think that’s astounding. But, you know, it’s crazy to say but he’s used to it. It’s been happening to him his whole career, and he’s found a way through it, around it, under it, whatever you want to call it – that’s tough.”

Green couldn’t agree more with Butler.

“It’s definitely true because I think they fear Steph just as much off the ball if not more than they do on the ball,” Green said. “Off the ball is where he causes so much havoc. Jimmy, with the statement he made, is very true. He’s always been held and grabbed off the ball because you don’t want to get a step behind. So everybody just grabs and holds him.

“So Jimmy’s [statement] is 1,000 percent true. Steph gets fouled more than anybody. It is often times off the ball because you know as soon as he takes off, if you’re half a step off his body, it creates a domino effect because all he needs is half an inch to get the shot off and it’s a great look. So he keeps moving and moving and they grab and hold him. It’s definitely interesting, to say the least.”

Davis also agreed with Butler and his co-host.

“He gets bumped, held, grabbed, pushed off his mark more than any shooter that I’ve ever seen in the league not get those fouls,” Davis added.

Over 16 seasons, Curry averages just 4.3 free throws per game — a notably astonishing dip compared to other stars around the league.

Curry recently explained how he’s used to it by now, calling it his “reality.”

“It’s my reality. I’ve been in this situation for a long time,” Curry told Warriors broadcasters Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike. “It’s like a playoff game. You have to adjust to how the game’s being called.

“You can have a reaction, but you don’t want to let it distract you from what the task is. So I think trying to stay as even-keeled as possible — that doesn’t mean you’re passive or giving into it — you’re kind of fighting through it and not looking to get bailed out even though you feel like it’s not going your way.”

Curry makes up for his lack of foul calls in other ways, though, and through 67 games this season is averaging 24.4 points on 44.7-percent shooting from the field and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc, with 4.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 32.1 minutes.

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Where my road dogs at? Fans aiding Celtics' historic away-game success originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The same scene plays out in 29 different NBA cities each time the Boston Celtics roll into town.

The arena doors open, a swarm of green-clad fans invade. Wearing jerseys spanning different eras and carrying signs that detail just how far they traveled to see the Celtics, these fans cram along the tunnel leading to the Boston locker room and roar when players emerge for pregame warmups.

Kristaps Porzingis, a pregame espresso in hand and smile on his face, always takes a moment to soak in the roars before he stats getting up shots. The same fans stick around after the final buzzer to cheer again, often serenading Jayson Tatum with MVP chants when he’s the last one to leave the floor following his postgame interview.

Yes, the Celtics are the Grateful Dead of the NBA. Their fans follow them from city to city to watch each night’s performance. There’s often some green tie-dye in the stands that would most certainly earn Bill Walton’s approval.

That support has helped the Celtics post an NBA-best 33-7 mark on the road this season. On Wednesday night, the C’s have a chance to match the best road record in NBA history.

Boston has already assured itself the best road winning percentage in team history, with the 2024-25 crew set to finish ahead of the 1972-73 Celtics squad that posted a 32-8 mark. The C’s can match the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors’ NBA-best 34-7 road record with a win in Orlando in their regular-season road finale.

When Porzingis gleefully asks, “Where my road doggies at?” in the pregame huddle, his teammates emphatically bark in response. It has become a legitimate rally cry for a Celtics team that has embraced road success since last year’s title run.

“Man, it’s a great feeling,” said Al Horford, who was so struck by the passion of Celtics fans during the Hawks’ first-round playoff victory in 2016 that he signed with Boston that summer.

“It’s just very special, to see our fans taking over other arenas. And chanting the, ‘Let’s Go Celtics!’ and the Tatum MVP chants and all that stuff — that’s something that I embrace, something that I enjoy. I don’t take it for granted. I know that not all teams get that.”

Occasionally, an opposing fan base can stake out a small bit of territory inside TD Garden. The Knicks and Lakers tend to travel well. But it’s almost absurd just how many green shirts and jerseys you’ll find on a random Monday night in Charlotte (maybe some Duke jerseys for Tatum there, too).

“It’s a privilege to play on the road in front of our fans,” said Porzingis. “A lot of times, especially towards the end of the games, when we get all that support, all the, ‘Let’s go Celtics’ chants — I don’t know which other team has this privilege, you know?

“That helps us on the road. It’s been helping us throughout the year. And there’s no other organization and no other fans like the Celtics fans.”

Echoed Jaylen Brown: “It’s amazing … Our fans, they travel. They take the time to show up to our games on the road. … That gives us an extra bit of motivation.”

Like any road team, the Celtics hear their share of jeers as well. But that’s music to the ears of head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“You appreciate both. When you hear the good, you appreciate it because it shows that you’re a part of something bigger than yourself,” said Mazzulla. “And when you hear the bad, you appreciate it because it shows you’ve got a lot more work to do. So they’re both great.”

The Celtics benefited for home-court advantage throughout last year’s title run but are faced with the prospects of having to start series on the road against both the Cavaliers and Thunder, should higher seeds prevail in the postseason.

Boston’s road success ought to leave fans confident in the team’s ability to overcome that potential obstacle. The Celtics are 11-1 on the road since the All-Star break, with their only loss coming on the second night of a back-to-back against a red-hot Pistons team.

In fact, you’d have to go back to January 15 in Toronto to find the last road loss that wasn’t on the tail end of a back-to-back. Boston is 17-1 on the road since a January 25 win in Dallas.

Most remember the 2015-16 Warriors more for their 73 regular-season wins than their road dominance. Alas, all that success came with a rather large asterisk after they fell to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

This Boston team has carved out another piece of real estate in the Celtics’ record books with its historic road success this season. But it will be remembered even more fondly if it can deliver a second consecutive title.

To get there, the Celtics almost certainly will have to thrive in hostile environments again. But those environments seem a little less hostile given all the green that tends to invade.

Luka Dončić didn’t wait for his much-anticipated return to Dallas to crank up the drama.

The night before he faces the franchise with which he spent his first six-and-a-half NBA seasons, he was ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Dončić scored 23 points on Tuesday night before his ejection. He said he was talking trash back and forth with a fan, but the officials thought he was directing abuse at a referee and he was ejected after picking up a second technical foul.

Related: ‘He has two major flaws’: Luka Dončić’s biographer on the Lakers star

“If [the fan is] going to talk, I’m going to talk back, like always,” said Dončić. “That had nothing to do with the ref. So I didn’t really understand.”

The crew chief, Tony Brothers, said Dončić had “looked directly at an official and used vulgar language.”

The fan in question, Jeremy Price, told ESPN he believed Dončić was shouting at him rather than a referee. “During the game within the game, I mentioned that he was short [on his shot] and he missed it, and he turned around and he shot an expletive back and [the referee] happened to see it and, at that point, T’d him up,” Price said.

The ejection affected the trajectory of the game. The Thunder outscored the Lakers 29-12 the rest of the way.

“I mean, it was tough,” Dončić said. “I mean, we were right there. I think we fought the whole game. … We came back in the third quarter. We were fighting, man. So it was tough to see that with this kind of situation to happen. And you know, that’s on me too, so I can’t let my team down like that.”

Now, Dončić can focus on the Mavericks – the team he led to the NBA finals just last season after winning the scoring title. The five-time All-Star was among those who were shocked when he was traded for Anthony Davis in February.

Though Dončić says he has bonded with his new teammates, he looks forward to being back in Dallas.

“Of course that’s going to be a lot of emotion for me,” he said. “Like, how do we know what to expect? I don’t know how I’m going to feel, honestly. I’m looking forward to being back in Dallas. Obviously, with the fans, seeing my teammates – ex-teammates – it’s going to be a very emotional for me, for sure.”

Dončić is averaging 27.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.6 assists in 26 games with the Lakers. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd is well aware of the damage the versatile guard can inflict.

“He’s playing incredible, but that’s Luka,” Kidd said. “Luka’s one of the best players in the world. You’ve got to be able to show different defenses, and that’s even hard. When you look at what he’s doing – he’s shooting the 3, he’s getting to the rim and to the free-throw line and he’s setting the table for his teammates. Our defense will be tested.”

LeBron James, who has had a few returns throughout his career, said he expects Dončić to be received warmly.

“I think he’ll get a standing ovation and they’ll clap and cheer,” James said. “You’ll hear his name a lot. That’s what I’m expecting.”

James said the team is prepared to help Dončić work through the unusual circumstances.

“Whatever he needs,” James said. “I think winning will be the best solution.”

Luka Doncic heard the story and barely could believe it.

Tim Marovt also was once a prodigy, identified early as one of the best athletes in Slovenia. Marovt had a goal to become a world-class skier along with the skills and passion to become one of the best to come out of his country. Doncic had lived that life too, moving from basketball prodigy to European teen sensation to NBA megastar.

It wasn’t so straightforward for Marovt. Doncic had locked in as the skinny kid shared what he’d gone through.

Marovt traveled to Hawaii for a family vacation in 2014, the 12-year-old already on his way to achieving his sporting dreams. But a single day surfing in the Pacific Ocean changed all of those plans, a freak injury called surfer’s myelopathy shattering those dreams and putting seemingly impossible obstacles in his way.

“After 30 minutes of surfing, I felt a little tired and went to hotel room. Everything was OK, but I felt something unusual in my back. It was not painful but just like a weird feeling,” Marovt remembered. “So I went back to hotel room. I took a shower and laid down for a couple of minutes in my bed. And after 15 minutes I went to use the restroom but I fell on the bed. I was immediately paralyzed from my waist down.”

He was rushed to a hospital where doctors told him that if his condition didn’t improve in the next 72 hours, he’d spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

“I was very young but I didn't doubt myself for a single moment," he said. "Since that young age, I was so focused. When I see something, I'll do anything to achieve it.”

Doncic first heard the story in the 2A Sports Lab in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the gym where they both trained with Anze Macek.

Doncic was there to get ready for a season with the Dallas Mavericks. Marovt, who had been through hell trying to take a single stride, was there training for a marathon.

“It was so inspiring,” Doncic told The Times. “… It was kind of amazing just to hear. I mean, what happened to him was horrible. So just to get his mind to do everything he's doing now, it's unbelievable.”

That day in Hawaii, Marovt accepted the challenge and not his fate, soon taking the first step toward conquering adversity. And if Marovt could work to take his next steps, the least Doncic could do when facing his biggest NBA challenge would be to do the same.

Wednesday, Doncic takes another step in his new life as a member of the Lakers when his team plays in Dallas for the first time since the Mavericks traded him — a decision that led to protests and open wounds in a fan base that hasn’t recovered.

Doncic has fared better, the Lakers star regaining his form as his new team pushes toward the postseason in the best position it's been in since it won a title in 2020 as the West’s top seed.

Yet the process to get Doncic back to being the behind-the-head passing, on-court-screaming maestro has been incremental.

A mixture of shock, sadness and anger lived all over Doncic’s face, it dripped on every word and highlighted every expression on his first day as a Laker. The Mavericks had just very publicly bet against him, had pushed him off the path he thought he was staying on forever and into the unknown.

The first days in Los Angeles were more about the past than the future. But in the chaos there was a principal that Doncic and the people closest to him tried to reinforce. Things would get better, the new would become natural, the discomfort would become ease.

They knew he’d work his way through the challenge.

Doncic and his support staff were stunned by the trade and especially stung by Dallas’ rationale, reasons he believed were personal and questioned his character and work ethic. The notion that he doesn’t work hard, in particular, upset him.

“They have no idea,” Doncic told The Times of those doubters. “… I didn't end up here by mistake. You know? I worked my ass to be here. So it's kinda, I would say disrespectful, just sad that people say that.”

Read more:Luka Doncic and Lakers make a statement in blowout win over NBA-leading Thunder

Since joining the Lakers, people close to the team have praised Doncic for his work to get healthy after missing 22 games because of a calf strain. He’s been a constant presence at the optional workouts while continuing his work with Macek and Javier Barrio, his fitness and medical coaches who are now on staff with the Lakers.

Doncic and the Lakers acknowledge there are ways to get the most out of him, a player who spent his teenage years as a young pro in Spain going through highly regimented, drill-based training with soccer club Real Madrid. It’s far from his preferred process of work.

“I always say, you know, I’ve always got better at the game when I was playing five-on-five, one-on-one, two-and-two in practice,” Doncic told the Times. “That's what I always see that I'm most improved when I play that way in practice.”

It’s why Doncic has found ways to add competition to the noncompetitive parts of his routine, his pregame on-court workout featuring a lengthy menu of trick shots, including a half-court contest that ends with either Doncic or Lakers coaches Greg St. Jean and Ty Abbott doing pushups.

“When you’re not challenging him in practice, it’s really hard to get the best out of him,” Macek told The Times with a laugh.

Doncic acknowledged the same Sunday after the Lakers beat the Thunder in Oklahoma City, saying that the pressure from Lugentz Dort, one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, helped push him to another level.

“It brings the competitive spirit out of me,” he said. “It brings the best out of me.”

Macek’s been in the gym with Marovt and Doncic and has seen the ways their approaches are very different. And he’s seen the ways they’re the same.

For Marovt, there was intense work with visualization and mind power. Doncic isn’t so into that.

“I would say I’m more reactionary,” Doncic said.,

But Macek has seen the way both have responded to doubt and used it as fuel.

“When he was 15 years old, he barely walk,” Macek remembered of Marovt. “He came with the crutches … totally out of shape. He couldn't lift his legs. He couldn't move well. But what I saw in his eyes was this passion to improve … to do something big. He was so motivated. And I said, ‘OK, I need to help this kid.’”

Macek surveyed the damage done to Marovt by the spinal and nerve injuries, the tightness in his muscles, the disconnected pathways between his brain and legs that made every step a challenge.

But like Doncic, Marovt needed to be challenged. He needed goals to conquer.

“Some challenges were not-so-big goals. We didn't say in the beginning that he will run marathons,” Macek said. “But we said, ‘OK, you'll walk without walking sticks or without crutches one kilometer.' … When we will reach this, we will go, we will set another goal like, ‘OK, now you need to bend your knee. You need to, to lift your leg.' And every time when we pass those goals, we just advance, advance, advance.

“When he reached the goals and we set other goals, this motivated him. And with this kind of motivation, he was alive.”

Marovt sees the same thing in Doncic, the thrill of accomplishing something big accompanied by the rush from proving others wrong.

“I like that when people say that I'm not able to do that. Now when I run marathons, everybody say, ‘Tim, but you will injure your hips. You are damaging your body.’ And I'm just, ‘Yep, just keep going. Just keep going because I like to take big challenges.' … And I think this is also with Luka, he likes big challenges. He loves when people doubt him. Especially like that trade.”

The biggest challenges for the Lakers are still to come, the playoffs set to start at the end of next week with the goal of Doncic winning his first NBA championship coming into focus. Wednesday in Dallas will be full of emotion, reminding Doncic of what he lost when the Mavericks traded him — a fan base that adored him, a city that he thought would be home his entire career.

Yet luckily for the Lakers, it’ll remind Doncic that the Mavericks ultimately didn’t believe in him for their future. And Marovt knows how people like him and Doncic handle hearing things like that.

“We have the same habits here because we get more excited and more motivated when people think it's not possible. And we just like to work hard and just show up and show everybody that they were wrong,” Marovt said. “Don't get me wrong, this is not personally to just to prove something to somebody else. Of course, in the first stage, everything we do is for our own [self]. But yeah, I think this is just to get more motivated to keep going and to show the world that everything is possible if we really put our mind into it and work hard.

“And since Luka got traded, I know that in a few weeks, he would be unstoppable.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Luka Dončić returns to Dallas: Mavs plan tribute video, place shirts on seats for traded star originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Luka Dončić is set to return to the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night — but this time, in a Lakers jersey.

The five-time All-NBA guard will face the Dallas Mavericks for only the second time since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. The deal was one of the most shocking in recent NBA history, pairing Dončić with LeBron James and leaving Dallas to build around a new core.

The game marks Dončić’s first return to Dallas since the trade, a moment that’s expected to stir emotion among fans and players alike. While Dončić has yet to speak publicly about the homecoming, the atmosphere around the game suggests it won’t feel like just another night on the schedule.

NBC 5 News

Dončić, who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, put up 14 points in a blowout debut win over the Utah Jazz and scored a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists when his Lakers beat the Mavs in LA on Feb. 25.

Since joining the Lakers, he’s quickly found rhythm with James, forming one of the most dynamic duos in the league. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have faced early struggles adjusting to their new lineup. Davis exited his Dallas debut on Feb. 28 with a lower-body injury and returned to action on March 24.

Fan reactions in Dallas remain mixed. Some protested the trade, citing Dončić’s immense contributions to the franchise, while others are eager to see what the Davis era might bring.

On Wednesday morning, the Mavericks posted a “thank you” collage of photos on their official Instagram account, featuring snapshots from Dončić’s time with the team. The tribute added to the emotional buildup ahead of his return to the American Airlines Center,  with fans flooding the comment section.

ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania also shared a tip on X that a tribute video would be played and shirts for Dončić would be placed on the seats of the AAC. The Mavericks later shared a photo of the shirts on their Instagram account.

How to Watch the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Game

The game between the Lakers and Mavericks tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 9. It will be nationally televised on ESPN.

How to get last-minute tickets to the Lakers-Mavericks Game

Tickets for the game at American Airlines Center are still available through the Mavericks’ official website and third-party vendors such as Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, and StubHub.

Entry-level pricing hovers around $200, with courtside options commanding significantly more. Prices vary depending on seating location and demand, and resale prices are expected to surge given the significance of Dončić’s return.

Luka Dončić returns to Dallas: Mavs plan tribute video, place shirts on seats for traded star originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Luka Dončić is set to return to the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night — but this time, in a Lakers jersey.

The five-time All-NBA guard will face the Dallas Mavericks for only the second time since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. The deal was one of the most shocking in recent NBA history, pairing Dončić with LeBron James and leaving Dallas to build around a new core.

The game marks Dončić’s first return to Dallas since the trade, a moment that’s expected to stir emotion among fans and players alike. While Dončić has yet to speak publicly about the homecoming, the atmosphere around the game suggests it won’t feel like just another night on the schedule.

Dončić, who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, put up 14 points in a blowout debut win over the Utah Jazz and scored a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists when his Lakers beat the Mavs in LA on Feb. 25.

Since joining the Lakers, he’s quickly found rhythm with James, forming one of the most dynamic duos in the league. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have faced early struggles adjusting to their new lineup. Davis exited his Dallas debut on Feb. 28 with a lower-body injury and returned to action on March 24.

Fan reactions in Dallas remain mixed. Some protested the trade, citing Dončić’s immense contributions to the franchise, while others are eager to see what the Davis era might bring.

On Wednesday morning, the Mavericks posted a “thank you” collage of photos on their official Instagram account, featuring snapshots from Dončić’s time with the team. The tribute added to the emotional buildup ahead of his return to the American Airlines Center,  with fans flooding the comment section.

ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania also shared a tip on X that a tribute video would be played and shirts for Dončić would be placed on the seats of the AAC. The Mavericks later shared a photo of the shirts on their Instagram account.

How to Watch the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Game

The game between the Lakers and Mavericks tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 9. It will be nationally televised on ESPN.

How to get last-minute tickets to the Lakers-Mavericks Game

Tickets for the game at American Airlines Center are still available through the Mavericks’ official website and third-party vendors such as Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, and StubHub.

Entry-level pricing hovers around $200, with courtside options commanding significantly more. Prices vary depending on seating location and demand, and resale prices are expected to surge given the significance of Dončić’s return.

Luka Dončić returns to Dallas: Mavs plan tribute video, place shirts on seats for traded star originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Luka Dončić is set to return to the American Airlines Center on Wednesday night — but this time, in a Lakers jersey.

The five-time All-NBA guard will face the Dallas Mavericks for only the second time since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. The deal was one of the most shocking in recent NBA history, pairing Dončić with LeBron James and leaving Dallas to build around a new core.

The game marks Dončić’s first return to Dallas since the trade, a moment that’s expected to stir emotion among fans and players alike. While Dončić has yet to speak publicly about the homecoming, the atmosphere around the game suggests it won’t feel like just another night on the schedule.

NBC 5 News

Dončić, who led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, put up 14 points in a blowout debut win over the Utah Jazz and scored a triple-double with 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists when his Lakers beat the Mavs in LA on Feb. 25.

Since joining the Lakers, he’s quickly found rhythm with James, forming one of the most dynamic duos in the league. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have faced early struggles adjusting to their new lineup. Davis exited his Dallas debut on Feb. 28 with a lower-body injury and returned to action on March 24.

Fan reactions in Dallas remain mixed. Some protested the trade, citing Dončić’s immense contributions to the franchise, while others are eager to see what the Davis era might bring.

On Wednesday morning, the Mavericks posted a “thank you” collage of photos on their official Instagram account, featuring snapshots from Dončić’s time with the team. The tribute added to the emotional buildup ahead of his return to the American Airlines Center,  with fans flooding the comment section.

ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania also shared a tip on X that a tribute video would be played and shirts for Dončić would be placed on the seats of the AAC. The Mavericks later shared a photo of the shirts on their Instagram account.

How to Watch the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks Game

The game between the Lakers and Mavericks tips off at 4:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, April 9. It will be nationally televised on ESPN.

How to get last-minute tickets to the Lakers-Mavericks Game

Tickets for the game at American Airlines Center are still available through the Mavericks’ official website and third-party vendors such as Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, and StubHub.

Entry-level pricing hovers around $200, with courtside options commanding significantly more. Prices vary depending on seating location and demand, and resale prices are expected to surge given the significance of Dončić’s return.

The Cleveland Cavaliers secured top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 135-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Victory means Kenny Atkinson's side will have home advantage in next week's play-offs following the completion of the regular season on Sunday.

Darius Garland top-scored with 38 points as the Cavaliers improved to 63-16 with three regular-season games remaining.

"You celebrate these moments," said Atkinson. "I think the guys are super happy in that locker room. We've had some ups and downs this past month, but I'm really proud of the guys.

"It's hard to win 63 games in this league, and it's hard to be the first seed. So, great accomplishment. We're hungry for more."

• Basketball scores and fixtures

Elsewhere, Luka Doncic was ejected in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers lost 136-120 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Doncic was dismissed for a second technical foul after an official said he was verbally abused by the Slovenian.

The 26-year-old insisted that he was responding to a courtside fan, but the decision stood.

"It was nothing to do with the ref, so I didn't really understand it," said Doncic. "It was tough, but you know that's on me too. I can't let my team down like that."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top-scored with 42 points for the Thunder, who have already secured top spot in the Western Conference.

The Lakers need two wins from their remaining three regular-season games to guarantee third place.

Just behind the Lakers in fourth are the LA Clippers, who earned a fifth successive win by beating the San Antonio Spurs 122-117.

The Clippers have the same 47-32 record as the Denver Nuggets, the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies, but are ahead courtesy of NBA tiebreaker rules.

The Warriors occupy the final play-off position in sixth after beating the Phoenix Suns 133-95. The Grizzlies are seventh after winning 124-100 at the Charlotte Hornets.

The Clippers' playoff fortunes rest in their hands and all they have to do is keep winning, increasing their chances of being a top-six team in the crowded Western Conference.

If the team can clinch a top-six seed, the Clippers would avoid the NBA’s play-in tournament.

They took another step toward achieving their goal by defeating the San Antonio Spurs 122-117 on Tuesday night at the Intuit Dome behind the dominance of center Ivica Zubac.

Zubac had 24 points and 20 rebounds, his fourth game of the season with at least 20 points and rebounds, tied for the second most in the NBA. He also had five assists, making Zubac the first Clipper since Elton Brand in 2005 to have at least 20 points, 20 rebounds and five assists in a game. It also was Zubac’s 12th straight double-double, the longest streak by a Clipper since Chris Paul had 14 in 2013.

Read more:Kawhi Leonard plays first back-to-back of season as Clippers keep pace in West race

“I just want to play my best, want to get better and help the team win,” Zubac said. “If that means I’m one of the best bigs, so be it. But I just want to win and help my teammates make their life easier on the court.”

The Clippers started this game slow, holding just a two-point lead at the half. But they opened the third quarter on an 18-3 run to take control, making sure not to blow this opportunity.

“We’re playing for something,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “Like, we have a chance to do some special things and we can’t mess around with this game. I know a few of the guys were tired, James [Harden] being one of them. He said he felt like he was stuck in mud, but other guys stepped up.”

The Clippers have won five straight games and 12 of 14.

By getting this win despite Kawhi Leonard sitting out, the Clippers (47-32) moved to fourth in the West, one game behind the third-seeded Lakers. The Clippers, who have three regular-season games left, would have home-court advantage in the first round if they remain in the fourth spot.

Lue said that getting “whole,” having Harden take his game to another level and having new players Bogdan Bogdanovic and Ben Simmons ease their way into the system led to improved play.

Read more:Desperate to avoid play-in, Clippers blow out Mavericks for 10th win in 12 games

“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” Lue said. “But from where we come from and now where we’re at, just… We want to get in without having to play in the play-in game and so we’re taking it one step at a time, one game at a time. But if we are able to get home court, that would be very special, especially with how well we’ve been playing at home. Our guys have done a good job of getting to this point and so we control our own destiny.”

The Clippers decided not to have Leonard play in a second straight set of back-to-back games, citing right knee injury management as the reason for letting him rest against the Spurs.

Leonard is supposed to play Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets, the team with the second-best record in the Western Conference. The Clippers then finish the regular season Friday at Sacramento and Sunday at Golden State.

Leonard played in his first back-to-back game of the season last weekend against the Dallas Mavericks. But Lue said Leonard was held out of the Spurs game “because we knew he would have three days off” before playing again.

“Instead, if he played a back-to-back now, he would have one day in between,” Lue said. “So, we just tried it out. It worked out. He feels good. But just being smart about it.”

Leonard’s absence didn’t stop the Clippers from rolling, with five of them scoring in double figures.

Norman Powell had 25 points. Harden came up one rebound short of a triple-double with 21 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Bogdanovic scored 19 off the bench and Derrick Jones Jr. added 18.

Harrison Barnes led the Spurs with 24 points.

“Home-court advantage is huge, especially in the playoffs,” Powell said. “It’s a tight race. It’s going to come down to the last game of the season. For us, we’re focusing on one game at a time. We’re not looking ahead and relaxing. We got to be able to pick up all these wins to finish out the season.

“We’re focusing on making sure we’re playing the brand of basketball that we want going into the playoffs. We definitely don’t want to be in that play-in. The fact that we’re in fourth is good, but we got to handle the Rockets tomorrow and then move on from there.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Knicks were a Jayson Tatum three away from getting their first win against Boston on Tuesday.

But the Celtics star hit a three with 2.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 107. In overtime, Boston out-executed the Knicks to walk out of Madison Square Garden with a two-point win.

Hindsight says that the Knicks should have fouled Tatum. OG Anunoby, who was defending Tatum on the play, acknowledged as much after the game.

“I should have fouled. I should have known to foul,” Anunoby said.

Tom Thibodeau said he didn’t want to foul Tatum because of the “time and situation” of the game.

“They inbounded the ball quickly [after Josh Hart’s made shot], [Tatum's] coming at us and then if he’s in the shooting motion, you’re giving him the three shots,” Thibodeau said. “It wasn’t off a dead-ball situation.”

Thibodeau said he’d want his team to foul in that situation if a player’s back is to the basket. The Knicks had a foul to give before they reached the bonus. But Thibodeau was concerned about Tatum putting up a shot while the Knicks committed the intentional foul.

“If he’s facing the basket and goes into his shooting motion, it’s three shots [from the free-throw line],” Thibodeau said.

A Knick fan looking for someone to blame would probably point the finger at either Thibodeau or Anunoby. Hart, though, thinks the blame lies with everyone on the floor – both players and coaches.

“I think we didn’t do a good enough job as a team, as players and coaching staff, of understanding the situation and making sure we came out of the timeout knowing exactly what we’re going to run, exactly the scenario if we make the shot, exactly the scenario if we miss the shot,” Hart said after the game. “Credit to them. Tatum hit a heck of a shot. I think we were caught off guard with them not calling a timeout, them just playing.

"But we’ve got to communicate better, all of us from the top down to make sure we understand the situation.”

Denver dysfunction

The Nuggets shocked the NBA on Tuesday by firing both head coach Michael Malone and lead executive Calvin Booth.

There was a significant rift between Malone and Booth. So it stood to reason that ownership would choose to keep either one or the other at the end of the season. That they ended up firing both just days before the playoffs was a surprise.

The friction between Malone and Booth dated back to the 2024 offseason, at the least.

The Denver coaches had been frustrated by recent front-office-led additions to the coaching staff, among other things. The Nuggets’ top decision-makers were unnerved by the short tenure of one of Booth’s significant front office hires. Ownership spent significant money to bring in an executive that Booth wanted only to see the executive depart after a brief stint with the team. Malone’s coaching – as others have reported – wasn’t being received well in the Nuggets locker room. That’s probably why ownership decided to let both Booth and Malone go.

Thibodeau has a relationship with both men.

“It’s an unfortunate part of the business,” the Knicks head coach said before Tuesday’s game. “I’ve known Michael for decades. Unbelievable family, great coach, so you hate to see it, particularly when he’d been there for so long. I also worked with Calvin Booth, who is a terrific guy as well. Michael just did a phenomenal job there, and it’s really unfortunate.

“[Malone] had a long run there, and he did a great job and he won a championship. The record speaks for itself.”

Malone and Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins were both fired late in the regular season by playoff-bound teams. Thibodeau was asked before the game about that strange trend.

“Yeah, it’s unusual, but I think it’s maybe a byproduct of where we are today with all that goes on,” he said. “And that’s where, hopefully, you have people that can remain calm. You win together, you lose together. You work through things together. And I think that’s an important part of this business.”