Basketball

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic winced ever so slightly as he stepped onto the stage to address reporters a day after his Dallas Mavericks fell behind Boston 3-0 in the NBA Finals.

DALLAS (AP) — It's over. That's what the numbers say. There will be a record-setting 18th championship for the Boston Celtics to celebrate soon, maybe very soon.

CLEVELAND (AP) — It's been almost a month since J.B. Bickerstaff coached his last game for Cleveland and the Cavaliers are still looking for his successor.

It was during the NBA Finals in 2010. Kobe Bryant was asked a question about whether he thought he was the greatest Los Angeles Laker ever. The answer was immediate. “No,” Bryant said.

Luol Deng was watching his vision coming into focus right in front of him. It was September 2023, barely six years since South Sudan had played in its first international basketball tournament.

Boston Celtics (64-18, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (50-32, fifth in the Western Conference) Dallas; Friday, 8:30 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK : LINE Mavericks -1.5; over/under is 211.

DALLAS (AP) — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown shared a long hug after helping Boston avoid the biggest collapse in an NBA Finals game since at least 1997.

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic tried to set his feet just beyond the 3-point line as the Dallas Mavericks were making a furious comeback attempt.

DALLAS (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis did not play for the Boston Celtics in their Game 3 victory of the NBA Finals over Dallas on Wednesday night because of a rare tendon injury in his lower left leg suffered in the previous game.

DALLAS (AP) — Joe Mazzulla is a big fan of UFC matches and splices highlights of fights into some of the basketball video he shows the Boston Celtics. He doesn't do it for entertainment purposes or to make players laugh.