Inside the NBA MVP Race: Jokic's consistency was key, and No. 1 picks were denied the trophy again

A look at some notes and numbers surrounding the NBA's MVP race this season: ___ MULTIPLE TOP 10s Denver's Nikola Jokic was the only player in the league to rank among the top 10 in points (10th), rebounds (4th) and assists (3rd) per game this season,...

Rudy Gobert wins record-tying 4th Defensive Player of the Year award. Victor Wembanyama finishes 2nd

Rudy Gobert made some history. Victor Wembanyama nearly did. Gobert, the Minnesota center, was announced Tuesday as the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for a record-tying fourth time — joining Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. It...

Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell fined $25,000 for verbally abusing official after elimination game

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA has fined Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell $25,000 for verbally abusing a game official shortly after the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets earlier this week. Joe Dumars, the league's executive vice president and head of...

Tyronn Lue says he wants to keep coaching Clippers, passes on addressing speculation over Lakers

DALLAS (AP) — Tyronn Lue said he wants to be coach of the Los Angeles Clippers for the longterm and declined to address directly speculation that the Lakers would target him in their search after firing Darvin Ham. Lue was asked about his future and the talk of the Lakers after...

A look at the coaches who have led teams with LeBron James on the roster.

A look at the coaches who have led teams with LeBron James on the roster. The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS —Paul Silas (2003-05): He was James' first coach in the 2003-04 season and helped the first-year player win the NBA...

The Lakers fire coach Darvin Ham after just 2 seasons in charge and 1st-round playoff exit

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday after just two seasons in charge. The Lakers announced on social media that they were dismissing Ham four days after their season ended with a first-round playoff loss to Denver in five games. ...

Los Angeles Lakers fire coach Darvin Ham after losing in first round of NBA playoffs

Jamal Murray is saving the defending champion Nuggets with clutch playoff performances

DENVER (AP) — A supremely confident Reggie Jackson was just waiting to let loose as he watched Jamal Murray dribble past Nikola Jokic's high screen with the seconds ticking away on the Los Angeles Lakers' season. “Just watch our bench, I clearly called, ‘Game!’” Murray's...

James, Ham face uncertain futures with Lakers after being eliminated from playoffs by Nuggets again

DENVER (AP) — The futures of LeBron James and Darvin Ham with the Los Angeles Lakers are murky after their first-round playoff exit. One might choose to leave and the other might not have a choice. For James, the decision is his — whether he wants to wear purple...

Murray scores 32 and hits game-winner in Nuggets' 108-106 series-clinching victory over Lakers

DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray overcame a strained left calf, management's suggestion he sit this one out and another haymaker from the Los Angeles Lakers to score 32 points and sink the game-winner with 3.6 seconds left Monday night. That sent LeBron James to his earliest playoff exit...