Virginia budget bill leaves out governor's $2 billion deal to lure NBA and NHL teams from Washington
Work on compromise budget legislation Virginia lawmakers will take up later this week is complete, and the bill does not include language enabling a proposed relocation by the NBAโs Washington Wizards and NHLโs Washington Capitals to Alexandria.
Wizards trading Porzingis to Celtics in 3-team deal with Smart headed to Grizzlies, AP sources say
Two people with knowledge of the deal say the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Celtics trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Beal, Westbrook lead Wiz past Pacers 142-115 for East 8 seed
Russell Westbrook nearly had a triple-double and Bradley Beal scored 25 points in just 29 minutes to help the Washington Wizards reach the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conferenceโs No. 8 seed by overwhelming the Indiana Pacers 142-115 in the play-in round.
Westbrook ties Robertson's record, Wizards beat Pacers
Russell Westbrook tied Oscar Robertsonโs NBA record for triple-doubles with 181, finishing with 33 points, 19 rebounds and 15 assists, and made two free throws with a second left to give Washington a 133-132 overtime victory over Indiana on Saturday night.
Irving to miss Nets' road trip to tend to family matter
Washington Wizards guard Raul Neto defends against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) as Wizards forward Garrison Mathews (24) looks on during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, March 21, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)NEW YORK โ Kyrie Irving will miss the Brooklyn Nets' three-game road trip this week while dealing with a family matter. The Nets said Monday that Irving would not accompany the team for games Tuesday at Portland, Wednesday at Utah or Friday at Detroit. Irving missed seven games in January after leaving the team for personal reasons. He didn't specify the reason for that absence, though he did say there was โfamily and personal stuffโ going on.
NBA has a record day with 5 triple-doubles
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook (4) meet after an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 13, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)An NBA-record five players had triple-doubles Saturday, including former MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook in the same game. All-Stars James Harden, Julius Randle and Domantas Sabonis also had triple-doubles in victories by their teams. The two-time MVP helped the Bucks overcome 42 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds by Westbrook, who owns the NBA record with 42 triple-doubles in 2016-17. Randle started the record day with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in New York's 119-97 victory in Oklahoma City, becoming the first Knicks player with two triple-doubles in the same season since Mark Jackson in the 1988-89 season.
AP source: Embiid could miss up to 2 weeks with knee injury
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid grimaces after an injury during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)PHILADELPHIA โ Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid has a bone bruise on his left knee and could miss at least two weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the injury. Embiid did not suffer structural damage to his knee and will be evaluated again in two weeks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday because the severity of the injury had not been announced. Embiid landed awkwardly after a dunk on his left leg, his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward.
Embiid exits with apparent leg injury, 76ers beat Wizards
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) dunks past Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook, bottom, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ On pace for their best season and first conference championship in two decades, the Philadelphia 76ers are suddenly โprayingโ for the health of their best player. Joel Embiid scored 23 points but departed midway through the third quarter following an apparent leg injury in the 76ers' 127-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. โWe're just praying that he'll be OK and be healthy tomorrow.โFollowing a dunk for his last points, Embiid landed awkwardly on his left leg, his knee joint appearing to bend slightly forward. Furkan Korkmaz added 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Sixers completed a three-game season sweep of the Wizards.
Embiid exits game following awkward landing on leg
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid grimaces after an injury during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ Joel Embiid left the Philadelphia 76ersโ game against the Washington Wizards in the third quarter Friday following a dunk that resulted in an awkward landing on his left leg. Embiid, in his first game back following a week-long absence due to contact tracing, laid on the ground for more than a minute following the play. Medical staff brought a stretcher briefly onto the court, but Embiid eventually rose to his feet and limped off under his own power. Embiid entered Friday averaging 30.2 points and 11.6 rebounds for Philadelphia, which began the day with a half-game lead atop the Eastern Conference.
Hectic finish awaits all NBA teams in 2nd half of season
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)The second half of the NBA schedule will be hectic, all the way to the end. And every team is scheduled to play on the final day of the regular season, a rarity. There are only two instances of teams having four games in five days in the seasonโs second half, both toward the very end. LOADED SLATEMay 16 could mark the first time all 30 NBA teams and all 30 Major League Baseball teams play on the same day. There were 15 NBA games and 15 MLB games on April 16, 2014 โ but included in that MLB slate was a doubleheader between the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs.
Wizards win 5th straight, hold off Lakers 127-124 in OT
Los Angeles Lakers center Montrezl Harrell, left, grabs a loose ball away from Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. Russell Westbrook scored six of his 32 points in overtime for the Wizards, who rallied from a 17-point deficit in the second half. The 36-year-old James played over 43 minutes during the Lakers' fourth overtime game in 17 days, all of them at home against teams with losing records. ... Former Lakers C Moe Wagner had six points, and former Lakers swingman Isaac Bonga didn't play. UP NEXTWizards: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Wizards to rest scoring leader Beal for 1st time this season
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots against Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell (24) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal will be held out of a game for rest for the first time this season, sitting out Washington's matchup with the New York Knicks on Friday. Beal is averaging 32.8 points and 35.3 minutes per game for Washington (6-16), which is among the league's worst teams. The only previous game Beal missed this season was a loss to the Miami Heat on Jan. 9 because of the league's COVID-19 protocols. Washington's other starting guard, Russell Westbrook โ who was acquired in a trade with Houston before the season โ has missed seven games this season for rest or because of injury.
NBA: Zero new players tested positive for virus in past week
(AP Photo/Darren Abate)No additional NBA players have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, the league said Wednesday, after nearly two dozen games had to be called off in the past month because of virus-related issues. That continued a good two-week trend: After 27 players were positive in results released between Jan. 6 and Jan. 19, only one player has been positive since. We all need it, not just NBA players, coaches, families. The planet needs it.โThe NBA has called off 23 games this season for virus issues, 22 since Jan. 10. But itโs important to have weeks like this, because it gives everybody hope.โ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Thomas, Johnson headline US roster for AmeriCup qualifying
USA Basketball has finalized the 14-player roster for the final round of AmeriCup qualifying later this month, a group led by NBA All-Stars Joe Johnson and Isaiah Thomas. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. โ USA Basketball has finalized the 14-player roster for the final round of AmeriCup qualifying later this month, a group led by NBA All-Stars Joe Johnson and Isaiah Thomas. Both Johnson and Thomas have past USA Basketball experience as well. USA Basketball has won the AmeriCup title seven times in nine previous attempts. Thomas and Johnson won't be the only players with longstanding NBA ties in the February qualifiers.
Westbrook, Beal hit late 3s, Wizards stun Nets 149-146
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ Wizards coach Scott Brooks envisioned something like this when Washington acquired Russell Westbrook from Houston for John Wall and a draft pick. Bradley Beal and Westbrook hit 3-pointers in a wild 3.8-second sequence in the final seconds to help the Wizards stun Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets 149-146 on Sunday night. Westbrook had 41 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and NBA scoring leader Beal had 37 points. In the fourth quarter, Beal had 22 points and Westbrook had 15. โRussell willed this game,โ Brooks said about Westbrook, who has only played in 10 of 16 games due to a quad injury.
NBA adjusts schedules for virus-affected teams, like Wizards
Washington Wizards' Russell Westbrook reacts to a call during the fourth quarter of the team's NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Houston. Portland will now visit Washington on Tuesday, a game that was originally set for the second half. And that means the Blazers, who were scheduled to visit the Hornets that day, will now go to Charlotte in the second half of the schedule. The league has postponed 22 games so far this season, 21 of them since Jan. 10. Boston and Phoenix have had three games postponed apiece so far, and itโs not yet known publicly how their first-half schedules will be adjusted.
Wall scores 24 to lead Rockets over Wizards 107-88
Houston Rockets' John Wall reacts during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Houston. Wall scored 24 points to help Houston to a 107-88 victory over Russell Westbrook and the Washington Wizards. Houston was leading by six when Wall re-entered the game. โI was itching to get back in in the fourth quarter," he said. โThe fourth quarter was good," Silas said.
Spurs-Pelicans game called off, as NBA's virus woes continue
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, center, talks to his players during a time out in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021, in San Antonio. San Antonio won 121-101. San Antonio became the 24th team to have at least one game postponed so far this season because of the virus. The Celtics are scheduled to visit San Antonio on Wednesday. The Grizzlies are supposed to play in San Antonio on Saturday.
Wizards return to court, Grizzlies see 6th game postponed
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots against Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)The Washington Wizards are finally back. The Grizzlies wonโt play until at least Saturday, after the NBA called off yet another game -- the 20th since Jan. 10 and the 21st postponement this season. Those were called off late last week and now, the Grizzliesโ home game against Chicago that was scheduled for Wednesday is off as well. In all, 23 teams have seen at least one game called off so far this season.
Wizards see a 5th consecutive game postponed by virus issues
(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI โ The Washington Wizards are now assured of going at least 11 days between games, after yet another postponement while the team deals with COVID-19 issues. The Wizards' game that was scheduled to be played Wednesday in Charlotte is now off, the NBA said Monday. That is the 14th postponement since Jan. 10 โ and no team has had more games called off than the Wizards. Washington has seen five consecutive games pushed back, and the earliest the Wizards will play again is Friday at Milwaukee. Pushing the Wizards' return back appears to make sense for multiple reasons, including the fact that the team has been unable to even practice.
More NBA games off, as league continues struggles with virus
(AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)Another three NBA games were postponed Friday, including one in Minnesota only a couple hours before game time, as the league's struggle with increasing coronavirus numbers continued. The Timberwolves' game with the Memphis Grizzlies was called off, as were what would have been Wizards' home games Sunday and Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Washington has seen four of its games pushed back, Boston and Phoenix have had three postponements. The NBA said earlier this week that 16 players tested positive in recent days, which was more than the NBA had seen in the last five weeks combined. The NBA gave Orlando coach Steve Clifford a call recently, telling him he had to do a better job of keeping his mask on during games.
Another 3 NBA games called off amid virus, 16 test positive
(AP Photo/Nick Wass)Contact tracing issues involving the Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards forced the NBA to postpone three more games Wednesday, raising the leaguewide total from this week alone to eight. With 497 players tested, that reflects a positivity rate of 3.2%. Phoenix's home game Wednesday against Atlanta was called off, as was the Suns' home game with Golden State on Friday. In the previous five weeks combined, only 15 players tested positive. But even the current week's rate is well below what the league dealt with going into training camps, when 48 players tested positive in the week before practices could formally begin leaguewide.
NBA, union stiffen virus protocols; more games postponed
Utah's game in Washington on Wednesday was postponed because contact-tracing issues among the Wizards meant they wouldn't have eight available players for that matchup. โI'm for whatever the NBA wants us to do," Washington coach Scott Brooks said. When teams started testing in late November prior to the start of training camps, 48 players had positive COVID-19 tests. There were at least 36 players in the league dealing with virus-related issues or protocols when Tuesday began, based on information released by teams. Counting the two new postponements and another on Dec. 23 between Oklahoma City and Houston, the league has seen six games moved because of virus issues.
Wizards lose Thomas Bryant to torn ACL in left knee
Washington Wizards center Thomas Bryant, center, lies injured on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)WASHINGTON โ The Washington Wizards likely will be without center Thomas Bryant for the remainder of the season because of a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Bryant is one of only two players who started all 10 games so far this season for the Wizards. He got hurt after incidental contact with two Miami players during the first quarter of the Wizardsโ loss to the Heat on Saturday night. The Wizards have not announced when Bryant will have surgery or given an exact timeline for his recovery, but the rehabilitation process following ACL tears and surgery typically take several months at a minimum.
The Latest: Celtics list 7 players unavailable vs Heat
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives against Washington Wizards' Davis Bertans and center Moritz Wagner (21) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Boston Celtics listed seven players as unavailable for Sundayโs game against the Miami Heat in accordance with the NBAโs health and safety protocols that were installed to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. The Celtics ruled out Jaylen Brown, Javonte Green, Semi Ojeleye, Jayson Tatum, Tristan Thompson, Grant Williams and Robert Williams. A pair of other Celtics are injured, which leaves Boston with the minimum eight players available on Sunday. Players having to miss multiple days is a very real possibility even if they were exposed to someone with the virus.