Basketball

McBride hits WNBA-record 10 3-pointer, scores 43 as Lynx beat Wings

The Associated Press 4 minute read 9:16 PM CDT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kayla McBride made a WNBA-record 10 3-pointers and finished with a career-high 43 points on Sunday as the Minnesota Lynx beat the Dallas Wings 103-90, becoming the first team to clinch a spot in the WNBA playoffs.

The Lynx (27-7), who set a franchise record with 18 made 3s, have won 12 of 13.

McBride made 10 of 14 from behind the arc and 16 of 21 overall before she left the game with 1:21 remaining to a standing ovation. The previous mark of nine made 3s had been done eight times by six different players, most recently by Toronto’s Marina Mabrey on June 25.

Olivia Miles had 20 points and 13 assists for Minnesota. Napheesa Collier scored 17 and Natasha Howard 12.

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Basketball

Don Nelson, second-winningest NBA coach who won 5 titles as a Celtics player, dies at 86

John Raby, The Associated Press 6 minute read Preview

Don Nelson, second-winningest NBA coach who won 5 titles as a Celtics player, dies at 86

John Raby, The Associated Press 6 minute read Updated: 3:32 PM CDT

Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history who won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, died Sunday. He was 86.

Nelson’s family confirmed the death in a statement that did not say where he died or provide a cause.

“On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family,” the statement said. “Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories.”

Nelson is one of two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three different franchises — Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State — also serving as general manager for all three franchises. He was a three-time coach of the year and made the playoffs 18 times in 31 seasons. He went to the conference finals three times with the Bucks and once with the Mavericks, never winning a title.

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Updated: 3:32 PM CDT

Basketball

CEBL
Simon Hildebrandt delivered a career-high 24 points.

Cinderella story continues, Sea Bears bounce Bandits in Conference Final

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Preview

Cinderella story continues, Sea Bears bounce Bandits in Conference Final

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 8:02 PM CDT

Just days ago, the Winnipeg Sea Bears were at rock bottom.

The losses had piled up, and the star talent had dwindled. The noise around the club grew, and the confidence from outside the building faded by the day.

Players and coaches alike conveyed the belief that persisted internally, but you wouldn’t fault some fans if those words fell on deaf ears.

Less than a week later, the undermanned and underestimated Sea Bears find themselves two wins away from the tippy top of the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s mountain after a second-straight convincing playoff victory, this time a 107-96 decision over the Vancouver Bandits in the Western Conference Final at the Langley Events Centre in British Columbia on Saturday.

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Updated: Yesterday at 8:02 PM CDT

Basketball

Indiana Fever's Sophie Cunningham, right, and teammate Caitlin Clark, left, wave goodbye to Chicago Sky's DiJonai Carrington after Carrington was ejected from the game for committing a flagrant foul against Cunningham during the first half of an WNBA basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

Kelsey Mitchell sets scoring streak record as Fever hold off Sky 90-86

The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Kelsey Mitchell sets scoring streak record as Fever hold off Sky 90-86

The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:54 PM CDT

CHICAGO (AP) — Kelsey Mitchell scored 27 points to set a WNBA single-season record with her 16th straight game of 20-plus points, Caitlin Clark had 26 points and 11 assists, and the Indiana Fever beat the Chicago Sky 90-86 on Saturday.

The Sky’s DiJonai Carrington was ejected in the first quarter after being called for a Flagrant 2 foul on Sophie Cunningham. Minutes later, Carrington posted on social media the words “WHITE PRIVILEGE” and tagged the Fever.

Mitchell made 11 of 22 shots with three 3-pointers for Indiana (20-12). Next up is the overall record, a 20-game run by the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson spanning two seasons.

Clark finished with at least 25 points, 10 assists and five 3-pointers for the eighth time in her career. The feat has been accomplished just four other times in league history.

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:54 PM CDT

Basketball

Bucks’ Tyler Herro not worrying about contract status as he begins new chapter with hometown team

Steve Megargee, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Bucks’ Tyler Herro not worrying about contract status as he begins new chapter with hometown team

Steve Megargee, The Associated Press 3 minute read Yesterday at 5:32 PM CDT

NEW BERLIN, Wis. (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro said Saturday he isn’t dwelling on his contract status and what that means for his future now that he's joined his hometown team.

Herro, a Milwaukee-area native who graduated from nearby Whitnall High School in Greenfield, came to the Bucks in the trade that sent two-time MVP and nine-time All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.

The 26-year-old guard has one year remaining on his contract and could become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season if he doesn’t get an extension.

“I’m not really worried about it right now,” Herro said while speaking at a youth basketball camp he was hosting. “It’s a new slate for me, for the coaches, really for the organization as a whole. I don’t think that needs to be a burden over anyone’s shoulders.”

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Yesterday at 5:32 PM CDT

Basketball

WNBA commissioner says league will continue discussing transgender participation

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

WNBA commissioner says league will continue discussing transgender participation

Doug Feinberg, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:43 AM CDT

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has sent a memo to teams that addresses ongoing discussions around transgender athletes in women's basketball.

“I know many of you have received questions in recent weeks regarding transgender athlete participation in women’s basketball, and I expect this topic will continue to receive significant attention,” Engelbert wrote in the memo, which was sent Friday afternoon and obtained by The Associated Press. “I wanted to reach out to share how we are approaching these conversations at the league office and to thank those of you who have responded to questions from the media with thoughtfulness and professionalism.”

The memo said the topic will be discussed further by a task force of team presidents and general managers at a previously scheduled meeting next week.

In an ESPN article published last month, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports. Cunningham's comments sparked small rallies and protests in Seattle and Portland when the Fever were on the road last week.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:43 AM CDT

Basketball

Griner blocks 3-point attempt at buzzer, seals the Sun’s win over the Mercury

The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Kennedy Burke scored 15 points, Brittney Griner blocked a 3-point attempt at the buzzer, and the Connecticut Sun rallied to beat the Phoenix Mercury 75-72 on Friday night.

Connecticut guard Leila Lacan went 1 of 2 at the free-throw line with 32.2 seconds left for a 73-70 lead, and added two free throws on the Sun’s next possession to regain a three-point advantage.

Phoenix inbounded with 12.9 seconds left with no timeouts and Kelsey Plum’s 3-point attempt was blocked by Griner at the top of the key, sealing the win.

Aaliyah Edwards added 14 points off the bench for Connecticut (8-23), which did not have a starter score in double figures. Griner finished with five points, seven rebounds and two blocks against her former team.

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Basketball

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Xavier Moon leaps into the air to attempt to block a shot by Saskatoon Mamba guard Devonte Bandoo during Thursday’s semifinal against Saskatoon.

Best of the West in Conference final clash

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Best of the West in Conference final clash

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

It had been a while for Isiah Osborne.

The man known affectionately by his Winnipeg Sea Bears teammates as the “Silent Assassin” had been quiet in more ways than one for a while.

After arriving in Winnipeg with some flair, eclipsing 20 points in three of his first four games and hitting two game-winners over that stretch, the Windsor, Ont., product had cooled off significantly in recent weeks.

Osborne reached double digits just once in the last eight games of the regular season while firing at a 32.8 per cent clip, and he was pushed down the pecking order once Xavier Moon jumped into the lineup.

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Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Basketball

James Harden arrives before the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Misdemeanor gun charge against James Harden dismissed by Texas judge

John Hanna, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Misdemeanor gun charge against James Harden dismissed by Texas judge

John Hanna, The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

A misdemeanor gun charge against All-Star Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden in Texas has been dismissed after he completed an alternative resolution program allowing him to avoid a criminal record, court records show.

Harris County Criminal Court Judge Alex Salgado in Houston dismissed the criminal charge Thursday at the request of the Harris County district attorney's office following Harden's completion of an alternative resolution program. Such programs allow defendants to avoid a criminal conviction by doing community service. Court documents don't detail the terms of Harden's agreement.

Harden was arrested June 13 in Houston after police found that he had a handgun in his vehicle. Texas law makes it a misdemeanor to have a gun “in plain view” in a vehicle without a license, punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

Neither the district attorney's office nor Harden's attorney in Houston immediately responded to email and phone messages Friday seeking comment. The Cavaliers also did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

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Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Basketball

Gray hits buzzer-beating 3s after Clark’s mistakes to lift Aces past Fever in OT

The Associated Press 3 minute read Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Chelsea Gray made two buzzer-beating 3-pointers after Caitlin Clark’s uncharacteristic mistakes, the first to force overtime and the second to give the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces an 86-84 victory over the Indiana Fever on Thursday night.

Clark missed two free throws with seven seconds left in regulation and Indiana up by three, then lost the ball with seven seconds to go in overtime and the Fever a point ahead. Clark had 20 points and eight assists along with eight turnovers.

A’ja Wilson had 26 points, 13 rebounds and the key defensive stop against Clark that set up Gray’s winner. Jackie Young added 22 points, including a franchise-record 15 in a row to close the first half and open the second. Gray had 11 points, hitting three 3s.

Las Vegas overcame a 20-point first-half deficit, a three-point deficit at the end of regulation and a two-point deficit at the end of overtime to salvage a win in the three-game season series.

Basketball

Fire beat Tempo 97-83 to snap 5-game skid, while Toronto loses 8th straight

The Associated Press 2 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Carla Leite had 27 points and 11 assists and the Portland Fire snapped a five-game skid with a 97-83 win over Toronto on Thursday night, sending the Tempo to their eighth straight loss.

Leite made 5 of 12 shots with two 3-pointers and 15 of 17 free throws for Portland (11-19), which beat the Tempo 99-80 in Toronto on May 23 in the first matchup between the expansion teams.

Megan DiLeo added 17 points for the Fire. Bridget Carleton had 10 points and 11 rebounds, and reserve Frieda Buhner scored 10 points.

Nyara Sabally had 17 points for Toronto (10-21), which has lost 12 of its last 13 games. Julie Allemande pitched in with 11 points and 12 assists.

Basketball

BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Sea Bears centre D.J. Burns and head coach Mike Raimbault celebrate.

Sea Bears’ Burns finds himself at the centre of it all

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Preview

Sea Bears’ Burns finds himself at the centre of it all

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

D.J. Burns can’t score in bunches like Teddy Allen.

He’s not a threat in the post like Jeremiah Tilmon Jr., and he’s not as versatile as Emmanuel Akot.

But he does bring something to the table that not everyone in the world of pro hoops has: an endless amount of energy and the willingness to do anything to help his team win.

With the Winnipeg Sea Bears losing those three key names in the days leading up to Thursday’s Western Conference semifinal against the Saskatoon Mamba, the door was swung wide open for Burns to make an impact in what was his first start of the season.

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Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

Basketball

BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS The Winnipeg Sea Bears host the visiting Saskatoon Mamba in the Western Conference semifinal of Canadian Elite Basketball League at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Man., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. Pictured: Sea Bears guard Xavier Moon (No. 17) leaps towards the hoop with the ball while Mamba guard/forward Damari Monsanto (No. 12) covers him during first half action.

Sea Bears dump Mamba in dominating fashion for first franchise playoff win

Joshua Frey-Sam 5 minute read Preview

Sea Bears dump Mamba in dominating fashion for first franchise playoff win

Joshua Frey-Sam 5 minute read Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

Against all odds.

The Winnipeg Sea Bears were hardly given a fighter’s chance going into the Canadian Elite Basketball League Western Conference semifinal without three staples in their starting lineup, including MVP front-runner Teddy Allen.

Indeed, the uphill battle was steep with a shell of their team — albeit with three-time MVP Xavier Moon still in the lineup — and facing one of the league’s hottest teams in the Saskatoon Mamba.

And yet, the No. 2-seeded Sea Bears jabbed, crossed and hooked for 40 minutes until they landed one of their grittier performances of the season in a 99-88 victory over the No. 3-seed Mamba at Canada Life Centre on Thursday.

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Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

Basketball

Caitlin Clark blames herself for missed free throws, late turnover in Fever’s OT loss to Aces

Michael Marot, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

Caitlin Clark blames herself for missed free throws, late turnover in Fever’s OT loss to Aces

Michael Marot, The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark sat at the dais Thursday night, staring at the stat sheet and reliving the eight turnovers and her two missed free throws with seven seconds left in regulation.

Then she took the blame for the Indiana Fever's stinging 86-84 overtime loss to defending champion Las Vegas.

“Obviously, it just can't happen,” the three-time All-Star said just hours after she was one of 12 players named to the FIBA Women's World Cup team. “Those are free throws I usually make and certainly frustrating. Obviously, one of them gives us a two-possession lead and kind of caused my pain there, for sure, so that's on me.”

It wasn't a great night for Clark by any measure. While she scored 20 points, had eight assists and made two go-ahead 3-pointers in the final 4 1/2 minutes of regulation, it was the miscues she rued after first watching a 20-point first-half lead slip away and then failing to protect a three-point lead in the final seconds of the fourth quarter and a two-point lead at the end of overtime.

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Friday, Aug. 7, 2026

Basketball

Jaylen Brown processing how he became a former Celtic. Ready to win with LeBron, Embiid and 76ers

Dan Gelston, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

Jaylen Brown processing how he became a former Celtic. Ready to win with LeBron, Embiid and 76ers

Dan Gelston, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jaylen Brown got the call that Boston — the franchise that drafted him as a teenager and where he blossomed into an NBA Finals MVP and champion — had traded him and heaved his phone across the room.

No, it wasn't a prank call.

Brown was indeed headed to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he was set to form an All-Star trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Little did he know LeBron James was on his way to Philly, too.

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Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

Basketball

Rhyne Howard scores 23, Allisha Gray adds 20 and the Dream beat the Mercury

The Associated Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Rhyne Howard had 23 points and eight assists, Allisha Gray added 20 points and the Atlanta Dream beat the Phoenix Mercury 96-82 on Wednesday night.

Howard made five of Atlanta’s 14 3-pointers, while Phoenix was just 7 for 24 (29%).

Angel Reese had 14 points and 10 rebounds for her 21st double-double of the season for Atlanta (19-11), which has won six of its last seven games. Jordin Canada set Atlanta’s single-season record for assists with 227, passing Layshia Clarendon’s mark in 2017.

Kelsey Plum scored 19 points in her first start for Phoenix (12-20), which never led. Alyssa Thomas scored 17 points, and DeWanna Bonner had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

August 9, 2026

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