Tag: nytimes.com

Joel Embiid is back. The star center for the Philadelphia 76ers will play in Game 4 on Sunday night against the Boston Celtics, despite being listed as doubtful for much of the day. Embiid, who has been out for more than two weeks because of an emergency appendectomy, has missed the first three games of…

After returning from a one-game absence, Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-93 in Game 4 of their first-round series on Sunday afternoon. San Antonio now leads the series 3-1. Wembanyama, who missed the Spurs’ Game 3 win while recovering from a…

PORTLAND, Ore. — Victor Wembanyama has been cleared to return from the NBA’s concussion protocol and will play in Sunday’s Game 4 of the San Antonio Spurs’ first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers, a team source told The Athletic. Wembanyama suffered a concussion when he hit his face on the floor in the Spurs’…

MINNEAPOLIS — There have been times this season, and even in this playoff series against their bitter rivals, when Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch wondered if his team truly had what it takes. He watched them float through the regular season, loafing in transition, settling for contested jump shots and getting beaten to loose balls…

MINNEAPOLIS — The game takes. Just over a minute into Saturday’s Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, Donte DiVincenzo sat on the hardwood, at the left wing where the Minnesota Timberwolves guard has drilled so many 3s. Dazed by the shock. Betrayed by a tendon. Nobody knew why he remained down. But he felt the…

MINNEAPOLIS — The smoke had cleared from the latest — and most painful — loss of the season, 112-96 on Saturday, and back in the Denver Nuggets’ locker room, Nikola Jokić emerged from the showers and had a startling revelation. The most necessary item he needed to get dressed was missing. “Someone stole my underwear,’’…

MINNEAPOLIS — The smoke had cleared from the latest — and most painful — loss of the season, 112-96 on Saturday, and back in the Denver Nuggets’ locker room, Nikola Jokić emerged from the showers and had a startling revelation. The most necessary item he needed to get dressed was missing. “Someone stole my underwear,’’…

PHOENIX — If you missed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander here Saturday afternoon, do not worry. You’ll hear plenty about it over the weekend. The Oklahoma City star was outstanding, scoring 42 points to lead the Thunder to a 121-109 win in Game 3 of this Western Conference first-round series. For Phoenix Suns fans, it might have looked…

NBA basketball has always been a story written by its stars — and this year’s first round was supposed to feature two of the game’s most prolific on the same stage. For years, LeBron James and Kevin Durant have defined NBA greatness, winning championships and chasing one another in the sport’s defining moments. Now, what may…

PHOENIX — There’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Peeking through the proverbial peephole, making a game of walking down the Phoenix Suns like Jack Nicholson in “The Shining.” Shouting at unassuming teammates, reassuring who’ll listen — Dillon Brooks, officials, Twitter, the ether — that he didn’t need free throws after an unrewarded drive in the fourth quarter. A…