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Portland center Jusuf Nurkic collapsed to the floor during the second overtime period against the Nets with what appeared to be a significant leg injury. Trail Blazers fans chanted Nurkic’s name as he was taken off the floor on a stretcher. (UPDATE: The Trail Blazers announced Nurkic suffered compound fractures to his left tibia and fibula. There is currently no timetable for his return.) Nurkic left the game with 32 points, 16 rebounds and five assists, and the Trail Blazers defeated the Nets by a final score of 148-144....

Yes, the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs looks wild on paper, and things should only get crazier as teams take the floor for their best-of-seven series. With so much talent shining across the league amid an unusual season, the road to the championship feels wide open. Below you’ll find everything you need to know about watching the 2021 NBA playoffs, including series-by-series TV schedules. MORE: Watch select NBA playoff games live with fuboTV (7-day trial)...

NEW YORK — Two losses in Miami didn't faze Paul Pierce, nor did 16 quick points by LeBron James. The postseason, Pierce said repeatedly, is no time to panic. And the Heat, apparently, are nothing to fear. "We're not scared of them," Pierce said. MORE: Photos | Spurs win again Joe Johnson scored 19 points, Andray Blatche had career playoff highs of 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets handed the Heat their first loss this postseason, 104-90 on Saturday night in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals....

Hibbert's name was thrusts into the public for all the wrong reasons over the second half of the regular season. His struggles followed him into the NBA playoffs, and reared their head once more in a 102-96 Game 1 loss to start the second round, this just after he appeared to have a breakout game. MORE: Wizards shooter dismantle Pacers | East in photos Hibbert, who stands at 7-2, finished the night with no points, no rebounds and five fouls in 18 minutes played....

MORE: NBA scoreboard | Playoff schedule He gave second-year Toronto guard Norman Powell a taste of it in the high post early on, taking him off the dribble before spinning into a fade away toward the teeth of the defense for a deuce. But it was the last one, a leaner from the foul line in front of an onlooking 7-footer, Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas, that got everyone up in a tizzy....

MORE: Myles Turner was ‘born for’ NBA, not NCAA; showing it in playoffs Kevin Love abandoned Turner after he shot an open jumper that was presumed to go down. It didn’t. Turner then took an easy offensive rebound straight through the net for a powerful dunk right through Thompson. It’s crazy that Turner’s just a rookie.

The network turned the well-worn internet meme of LeBron James spanking the Celts’ leprechaun mascot on its . . . backside: MORE: Celtics vs. Cavaliers Game 3 score, highlights For comparison, here was the original GIF after a pair of blowout wins by the Cavaliers: The “Inside the NBA” crew gave King James a few whacks, too: Chuck’s right: The Cavs tried to clown the Celtics in the first half, played sloppily, but still built a big lead....

The winner of Rockets-Warriors will advance to play the Cavs in the 2018 NBA Finals. NBA playoffs: Live scores NBA playoff games, scores and how to watch live (all times Eastern). And here are the best dunks from Round 2 of the playoffs. NBA playoff bracket NBA playoff schedule All times Eastern. *If necessary. NBA playoffs: Live updates

Golden State completed a Western Conference finals sweep of the Trail Blazers with a 119-117 overtime win in Game 4. Here are three takeaways from Golden State’s big win. Meyers Leonard was the X-factor nobody was ready for Meyers Leonard had a career night against the Warriors. The seventh-year center poured in 25 first-half points, which is more than he has ever scored in a game in the NBA or college....

The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report noted Monday that there was no foul on James Harden’s 3-point attempt by Draymond Green with 10 seconds left in the game. “Harden (HOU) draws Green (GSW) into the air during his shot attempt. Green jumps in front of Harden and would have missed him if Harden hadn’t extended his legs,” the report stated. In the Rockets 104-101 loss, the league did concede it missed a loose-ball foul on Stephen later right after the Harden-Green incident, on top of a missed travel call on Klay Thompson and another no-call on Curry that should have fouled him out of the game....

AccuScore has simulated all of the remaining NBA regular season games to come up with odds for each team in the playoff race. Here’s the full 2019 NBA playoff picture as teams prepare for the stretch run. NBA MOCK DRAFT: Knicks land Zion Williamson; Duke dominates lottery NBA playoffs 2019: Eastern Conference odds NBA playoffs 2019: Western Conference odds Playoff locks: Bucks, Raptors, 76ers, Pacers, Celtics, Warriors, Nuggets, Trail Blazers, Rockets, Jazz and Clippers....

Despite those stellar credentials, both teams headed into Monday’s action down 2-1 in their conference semifinal matchups. MORE: Nike gives Obama new kicks | LeBron claims Blatt criticism PHOTOS: Must-see shots of Round 2 In their respective Game 4 tilts, both top seeds responded with big wins. The Hawks moved past the Wizards, 106-101, while the Warriors handled Memphis, 101-84. Still, the Hawks and Warriors both head home knowing that, though they are in better shape than they were heading into Monday night, they’re only halfway home....

The stretch run is upon us, and as we look at where teams sit currently in our Power Rankings, we’ll also examine what ought to be their mission for the post-All-Star stretch. MORE: Five big NBA questions that need answers Rockets Second-half mission: Continue to play top-10 defense. The Rockets are No. 9 in defensive efficiency this season, and have done an especially good job defending the 3-point arc during their 10-game winning streak — they’ve allowed only 31....

The 20-year-old 7-footer, a forward who did not declare for the 2015 NBA Draft, was discovered by officials of his team, Belgium’s Spirou Charleroi, after members grew concerned when Larsen didn’t show up to a meeting. MORE: NBA Draft Scouting Combine entry list | Latest NBA Mock Draft According to Larsen’s agent, Doug Neustadt, there are no clues as to what caused Larsen’s death. Larsen was ranked as the seventh-best international prospect born in 1994 by DraftExpress....

Dick Bavetta already was a veteran referee when he called a Celtics game in the early 1980s. But he had blown a call. McHale grimaced. Then Bavetta missed another call, and McHale recoiled. Bavetta missed another, and McHale howled. As McHale recalled, “I was killing him.” Finally, it got bad enough that when McHale went to the free-throw line, he looked at Bavetta and said, “Dick, what’s up?” “He goes, ‘Kevin, you ever have a bad game?...

Along with each matchup and marquee date, we now know which teams will have the most games on national television. MORE: Biggest winners and losers from NBA schedule release As a reminder, these are games that will air on one of ESPN, ABC or TNT. Games aired on NBA TV are not included in these figures. Take a look at which teams will take center stage the most during the upcoming season....

The Warriors top the list at 60.5 wins, with oddsmakers projecting a decline from the 67 they registered in their championship season of 2014-15. “When you make a betting number, you can’t go too high because you have plenty of people that like to bet almost the elasticity effect, where a team that had such improvement is expected to come back,” Westgate oddsmaker Jeff Sherman said of the adjustment to Golden State’s number....

The NBA suspended the Warriors’ guard for Sunday night’s game against the Spurs for his hit on Nowitzki in Golden State’s ’ 123-110 victory over the Mavs in Dallas. MORE: Kerr makes coaching history | George to return Sunday night | Cavs’ Irving, Smith hit crazy shot As Nowitzki posted up with the ball on Livingston late in the third quarter, Livingston reached down and jabbed the Dallas veteran in the groin....

Following the Cavaliers’ 34-point defeat against the Raptors on Thursday, their second consecutive blowout loss and sixth failure in their last eight outings, Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania reported Cleveland would be willing to move Thompson if the right deal presents itself. GREER: Why Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins won’t be traded In addition to Thompson, Cleveland holds two first-round picks that could be used in a big deal before the Feb....

MORE: Kevin Durant knows why Kyrie Irving wanted off Cavs But another Cavs guard also made a trade demand: Iman Shumpert. At least, that’s what ESPN’s Dave McMenamin is reporting. Shumpert’s reported request was mostly mocked on Twitter, because he’s not really in a position to demand trades. The Cavs would love to get rid of him, and his contract, but haven’t found any teams willing to participate. As McMenamin reported, they engaged in talks with a few teams, but ultimately had no takers....