Hoops News Blog

The Oklahoma City Thunder don’t like to see the kind of defensive numbers that ended up on the box score against the Sacramento Kings. Only the fact that the Thunder won anyway provided a tiny measure of redemption. Kevin Durant had 39 points and 10 rebounds, Russell Westbrook added 30 points and 13 assists, and [...]

It was just two seasons ago that the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons played in the Eastern Conference finals. Things have changed. Boston entered Tuesday’s game coming off one of its worst performances in recent memory — a humiliating home defeat by the hapless Nets — while the Pistons are headed for their first 50-loss [...]

Nate Robinson scored 14 points in 16 minutes, Rajon Rondo added 15 points and 11 assists, and the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 105-100 on Tuesday night. The Celtics, playing for the first time since a humiliating home loss to the NBA-worst New Jersey Nets on Saturday, got 18 points from Ray Allen.

Dwyane Wade had 35 points and 12 assists, and the Miami Heat snapped a four-game slide by digging deep late to beat the undermanned Golden State Warriors 110-106 on Tuesday night. Quentin Richardson scored 15, including two big 3-pointers in the final minutes, for the Heat. Michael Beasley also had 15 points, while Jermaine O’Neal [...]

Boston Celtics forward Paul Pierce was a late addition to the starting lineup Tuesday night against the Detroit Pistons. Pierce, who missed three games with a thumb injury, wasn’t listed on a lineup sheet passed out a few minutes before the opening tip, but replaced Marquis Daniels when the introductions were made.

The struggling New Jersey Nets have come up with another gimmick to sell tickets during a season in which they’ve won only six games. This time, they’re giving fans a different return on their money — a tax return. The Nets have combined with Roni Deutch Tax Center to offer a free New Jersey income [...]

Two years ago, Mike D’Antoni had his choice between two of the NBA’s most renowned franchises. He would have been the leading candidate to coach the next U.S. Olympic team had Mike Krzyzewski declined to return. One more thing about Mike D’Antoni: He’s on pace to lose 100 games in two seasons.

LeBron James is making good on his promise. James has filed paperwork with the NBA to change his uniform number next season to No. 6 from No. 23, the league confirmed on Tuesday. James said earlier this season he would be willing to give up No. 23 in an effort to have the league retire [...]

Gilbert Arenas says he’d have “no problem” playing for the Washington Wizards again. In his first interview since pleading guilty to a felony gun charge in January, Arenas also tells The Associated Press he’s not nervous about his sentencing date later this month — as long as the judge goes off the “real story” of [...]

Sacramento Kings forward Andres Nocioni has been suspended by the NBA for two games without pay after pleading no contest in California to drunken driving. The suspension was to begin with Tuesday night’s game between the Kings and the Thunder in Oklahoma City. Nocioni was arrested about 2 a.m. Nov.