The Houston Rockets are brimming with confidence after avoiding elimination twice with consecutive wins to force Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 22 points, Tari Eason added 18 and the Houston Rockets avoided playoff elimination for the second straight game with a 99-93 victory over the Lakers in Game 5.

Austin Reaves and the Los Angeles Lakers will wait until right before Game 5 to determine whether he is ready to return from nearly four weeks on the sidelines with a strained oblique muscle.

Houston’s Kevin Durant is out for Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers with a left ankle sprain.

Amen Thompson scored 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and the Houston Rockets avoided elimination with a 115-96 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of the Western Conference playoff series.

Kevin Durant missed Houston’s win over the Lakers in Game 4 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series with an ankle injury.

With Victor Wembanyama absent because of a concussion, the San Antonio Spurs' young players stepped up for a 120-108 victory over the Trail Blazers.

Houston coach Ime Udoka says injured star Kevin Durant is doing better but his status for Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night is still unclear with the Rockets facing elimination.

LeBron James scored 29 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in regulation, Marcus Smart had eight points in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of a Houston Rockets team missing Kevin Durant for a 112-108 win Friday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.

Austin Reaves has been upgraded to questionable for Game 3 of the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

LeBron James had 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Houston Rockets for a 101-94 victory and a stunning 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.

Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists, and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant’s injury absence for a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opener of their first-round playoff series.

Kevin Durant was ruled out of Houston’s playoff opener against the Los Angeles Lakers with a bruised right knee about 90 minutes before tipoff.

This NBA season has been unusual, with three teams finishing over.

LeBron James and Kevin Durant have faced each other in the playoffs three times, and the superstar with the superior supporting cast won a championship every time.

Kevin Durant is back in the playoffs after missing out last season.

Finally, we have a Round 2 matchup set in these NBA playoffs.

The Chicago Bulls fired executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, ending a six-year run that produced just one playoff appearance.

Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer is The Associated Press men's college basketball national player of the year.

It took Ashlon Jackson a long time to get to bed after hitting the latest memorable buzzer-beater in March Madness, a 3-pointer in the women’s NCAA Tournament that kept Duke’s season alive.

Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a miss by Braden Smith with 0.7 seconds left, and No. 2 Purdue edged hobbling Texas star Tramon Mark and the 11th-seeded Longhorns 79-77 on Thursday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were missing five of their top seven players for most of their record-setting overtime rally to beat the Houston Rockets.

Julius Randle hit the go-ahead jumper with 8.8 seconds left in overtime to cap a game-closing 15-0 run by the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 110-108 victory over the Houston Rockets.

The NBA has finally decided to consider expanding past its current 30-team footprint, with the league’s owners voting Wednesday to start exploring the process of adding franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle.

On the night Kevin Durant passed Michael Jordan for fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, the 37-year-old was already looking ahead.

Kevin Durant scored 27 points to move past Michael Jordan for fifth place on the NBA’s career scoring list and Amen Thompson had a tip-in at the buzzer to lift the Houston Rockets to a 123-122 win over the Miami Heat.

LeBron James might be running out of records to chase.

Luka Doncic had 40 points and LeBron James added 30 as the Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to seven games with a 124-116 win over the Houston Rockets.

Bam Adebayo's 83-point game for the Miami Heat has stirred up a ton of emotions around the NBA.

Wilt Chamberlain has some NBA records that might never get touched, like the 100-point game, 4,000 points in a season and a 50-point-per-game scoring average.

Erik Spoelstra says it's incredible to think of Kevin Durant on the 2028 Olympic team if Durant still wants to play.

Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant will be less than two months shy of his 40th birthday when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics begin, but he says he told USA Basketball Managing Director Grant Hill he’d like to be considered for the U.S. men’s team when the time comes.

LeBron James still hasn’t decided whether his unprecedented 23rd NBA season will be his last.

NBA All-Star weekend is back in California for the second straight year.

Stephen Curry is teaming up with LeBron James and Kevin Durant at the NBA All-Star Game.

The New York Knicks broke a four-game losing streak without breaking a sweat, crushing the Brooklyn Nets 120-66 on Wednesday night in the most lopsided victory in franchise history.

Kevin Durant moved into sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list, passing his friend and idol Dirk Nowitzki.

Kevin Durant had 18 points and moved into sixth place on the NBA’s career points list, and Jabari Smith Jr. scored a season-high 32 points as the Houston Rockets beat the New Orleans Pelicans 119-110 Sunday night.

Kevin Durant scored 39 points and made a season-best six 3-pointers to lead the Houston Rockets to a 110-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

James Harden has passed Shaquille O’Neal for ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Kevin Durant passed Wilt Chamberlain for seventh on the NBA's career scoring list when he made a 3-pointer for the Houston Rockets in the third quarter of their 111-105 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

Anthony Edwards became the third-youngest player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points when the Minnesota Timberwolves star swished a 13-foot fadeaway jumper from the baseline in the fourth quarter against Cleveland.

Houston’s Kevin Durant said hitting the game-winner Monday night against the Phoenix Suns meant more because it came against his former team that he felt kicked him out.

The NBA is heading back to China next season.

Kevin Durant left what ended up being his final game with the Brooklyn Nets after getting hurt similar to the way Nikola Jokic just was.

The evolution of the Christmas Day sports calendar in the U.S. has given fans a respite if they need a break from family gatherings or just some entertainment while they sip on eggnog.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka has been fined $25,000 for criticizing officiating after Houston's overtime loss to the Nuggets on Monday.

Kevin Durant scored 35 points and Alperen Sengun added 30 points and 12 rebounds to help the Houston Rockets rally for a 117-113 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic.

The NBA has announced a new format for this season's All-Star Game, featuring a U.S. vs.

Even among fellow sports superstars, Shohei Ohtani has reached legendary status.

The Oklahoma City Thunder received their NBA championship rings before their season opener against the Houston Rockets.

The NBA season opens Tuesday with a record 135 players born outside the U.S. They come from 43 countries, with 71 players from Europe.

Kevin Durant has agreed to a contract extension with the Houston Rockets, potentially keeping him with the team through the 2027-28 season.

The NBA has reminded teams to focus on addressing inappropriate fan behavior at games this season.

Former MVP Russell Westbrook is joining the Sacramento Kings, a person familiar with the agreement tells The Associated Press.

The NBA is planning to revamp the All-Star Game format, pitting U.S. players against international stars in a tournament setting.

Austin Reaves scored 20 points and Bronny James added eight while the Los Angeles Lakers lost their preseason opener 103-81 to the Phoenix Suns with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sitting out.

A person with knowledge of the details says Mikal Bridges has agreed to a four-year, $150 million extension with the New York Knicks.

Venus Williams has competed at a tournament for the first time in more than a year — and in doubles for the first time in nearly three — and has come out with a victory.

Two people with knowledge of the contract say the Phoenix Suns have signed star guard Devin Booker to a two-year, $145 max contract extension.

Adding a player of Kevin Durant’s caliber was too valuable an opportunity for the Houston Rockets to pass up, even though it meant moving on from Jalen Green just four seasons after they drafted him second overall.

Kevin Durant’s trade to the Houston Rockets is official and officially record-setting.

The Orlando Magic are bringing back forward Moritz Wagner on a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the move said Friday.

The Houston Rockets continued their offseason improvements by adding veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith on a four-year, $53 million deal shortly after the NBA’s free agency window officially opened.

Kevin Durant and Tyrese Haliburton entered their respective NBA Finals elimination games with strained right calves.

Cooper Flagg and his Duke teammates were together celebrating a victory over North Carolina the night of Feb. 1 when one of them saw the news that had rocked the basketball world.

Oklahoma City’s unwavering fans finally got to celebrate a championship after several close calls and heartbreaking moments the past two decades.

Kevin Durant has been traded to Houston.

The promise came three years ago from Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti.

The Houston Rockets are acquiring 15-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster deal struck Sunday, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement.

NBA star Kevin Durant has purchased a minority stake in Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a chance to make a whole slew of history in these NBA Finals.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are such heavy favorites to win the NBA title that many bettors are looking for other wagers instead.

The Phoenix Suns have hired Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as their head coach, opting for a young, emerging leader to rebuild a franchise that has regressed over the past few seasons.

If the NBA playoffs were like the NCAA tournament, chances are your brackets would be busted by now.

Celtics star Jayson Tatum won’t be far from Madison Square Garden when Boston faces a must-win situation against the New York Knicks on Friday night as the defending champions attempt to force a deciding Game 7.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the youthful Oklahoma Thunder are on the verge of making the franchise’s first appearance in the Western Conference finals since 2016.

The Boston Celtics say star Jayson Tatum had surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon that will sideline him for the remainder of the playoffs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is mostly an expressionless, seemingly emotionless model of consistency.

The Golden State Warriors are planning to play without Stephen Curry for at least the next three games of their second-round series against Minnesota.

Russell Westbrook had yet another magic moment in Oklahoma City.

Gregg Popovich stepped down.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard has a torn left Achilles tendon that will knock him out for the rest of this postseason.

It was the year of the long winning streak in the NBA.

The Phoenix Suns have parted ways with veteran coach Mike Budenholzer following one dismal season that featured a fast start before a maddening slide for a high-priced roster that included Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Duke star Cooper Flagg is The Associated Press men's college basketball national player of the year.

Kevin Durant isn’t expected to play at all during the Phoenix Suns’ three-game trip after injuring his ankle in a 148-109 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday.

Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant was helped to the locker room with 6:57 left in the third quarter against Houston on Sunday night after falling to the floor in a collision with Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. Smith was called for a foul under the Phoenix basket as Durant fell to the floor.

Stephen Curry became the 26th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career points, reaching the milestone during the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ 115-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night.

Nikola Jokic had 31 points, 21 rebounds and a career-high 22 assists and the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Phoenix Suns 149-141 in overtime Friday night after losing a 21-point lead.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo believes his latest milestone should serve as a testament to his consistent work ethic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points to bring his career total over 20,000, Damian Lillard added 34 points and Kevin Porter Jr. had a triple-double as the surging Milwaukee Bucks trounced the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 137-107 The 30-year-old Antetokounmpo has scored 20,010 career points.

Another milestone awaits LeBron James: 50,000 NBA points.

A brutal season for the Phoenix Suns hit a low Sunday night with a humiliating 116-98 home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The injuries have taken on toll on Zion Williamson during his six-year NBA career.

Former NBA player Michael Carter-Williams is hoping to get a WNBA franchise in Boston whether it’s through expansion or bringing in a current team that wants to move.

The French sports newspaper L’Equipe published a photo of Victor Wembanyama across the entirety of its front page on Friday, the San Antonio star looking down with his hands on his hips.

Tyronn Lue and Doc Rivers said they were saddened.

Kevin Durant went back to the Bay Area last weekend.

The trade deadline is gone.