DAMIAN LILLARD

The basic mantra for all NBA teams this season should be just get into the playoffs.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has had surgery to repair a core injury that has been causing him abdominal pain.

Anfernee Simons had a career-high 43 points and the Portland Trail Blazers overcame an NBA season-best 56 points by Atlanta’s Trae Young, snapping a four-game losing streak in a 136-131 win over the Hawks.

LeBron James scored a season-high 43 points and extended his streak of 30-point games to seven in the Los Angeles Lakers' 139-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

Deandre Ayton had 28 points and 13 rebounds in his return from a non-COVID-19 illness, and the Phoenix Suns held off the Portland Trail Blazers 111-107 in overtime.

The Portland Trail Blazers are having a stormy season with a string of losses, a front office shakeup and trade rumors that continue to swirl.

Stephen Curry scored 22 points and moved within nine 3-pointers of tying Ray Allen’s career record, and the Golden State Warriors held off the injury-depleted Portland Trail Blazers 104-94.

CJ McCollum scored 28 points and the Portland Trail Blazers handed the Detroit Pistons their seventh straight loss with a 110-92 victory on Tuesday night.

The Blazers announced CEO Chris McGowan would resign effective on Nov. 26. Chief commercial officer Dewayne Hankins will take over the role of team president.

The Western Conference has the best regular season team from last year in Utah.

The NBA has released tentative health and safety protocols to its teams to detail how players who haven't gotten the COVID-19 vaccination will be tested far more often than their vaccinated colleagues and face a slew of other restrictions.

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) — Nothing about the summer was easy for the U.S. men’s basketball team, and neither was the gold-medal game. The summer started with two exhibition losses, the Olympics started with a loss to France, and none of that seemed to matter much at the end. Jrue Holiday now is an Olympic gold medalist, just like his wife Lauren was twice with the U.S. women’s national soccer team. JaVale McGee now has Olympic gold, just like his mother Pamela won with the U.S. women in basketball at the 1984 Los Angeles Games. “Definitely a great summer,” Holiday said.

For USA Basketball, some eras will end Saturday.

There is no aura of invincibility around this U.S. men’s basketball team.

Mental health has been a discussion in sports the past year but became the topic of these Olympics when gymnast Simone Biles chose self-care over sporting success.

Damian Lillard was a menace beyond the arc against Iran, racking up 21 points to help Team USA earn its first win of the Tokyo Olympics.

The U.S. basketball team got back to winning — and winning easily.

Team USA men's basketball bounced back after a tough loss to France with a rout over Iran.

Kevin Durant was the leading scorer for Brooklyn this past season.

Damian Lillard was nearly flat on his back, trying to save a possession the U.S. couldn’t afford to lose.

Panic? You won’t find any in Team USA’s Damian Lillard—not even after the U.S. men's basketball team’s late collapse to France on Sunday in their opening game at the Tokyo Olympics. It was the first American men’s basketball loss at the Olympics since 2004 and only the sixth in the history of the tournament.

The rules are different.

Damian Lillard says he has not requested a trade but wants the Portland Trail Blazers to be more urgent in their pursuit of a championship.

Kevin Love has withdrawn from the Olympics because of a calf injury, forcing the U.S. basketball team to replace two players on its roster.

These games don’t count.

Lawmakers approved more than $8 billion in rebates for millions of California taxpayers. People with an income of $75,000 or less could get anywhere from $500-$1,100, depending on their filing status. Many are wondering when they can expect to receive that stimulus money. The Golden State Stimulus II is a second round of payments, which was included in the latest version of the budget. The legislation itself does not outline exactly how soon Californians could see that money, only that it must be before July 15, 2022. However, it is still awaiting a signature from Gov. Gavin Newsom. The State Controller's Office told KCRA 3 that when the governor signs the budget, the timeline for payments will be updated on the Franchise Tax Board's website. See more in the video above.

The Portland Trail Blazers went into damage-control mode while introducing Chauncey Billups as their new head coach.

USA Basketball officially unveiled the men's basketball roster for the Tokyo Olympics.

The Portland Trail Blazers have hired Chauncey Billups as their new coach.

Khris Middleton ordinarily wouldn’t be thinking about anything right now other than what the Milwaukee Bucks are trying to accomplish in the NBA playoffs.

Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard will reportedly headline the U.S. Olympic men's basketball roster for Tokyo.

Jrue Holiday is planning to try to follow in his wife’s footsteps and win an Olympic gold medal.

James Harden has committed to playing for U.S. men's national basketball team that will play in the Olympics that begin next month, says a person familiar with the situation.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the kings of the NBA's playoff comeback.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic was the runaway MVP this season, which made it a virtual certainty that he would also be an All-NBA first-team selection.

The last stop for USA Basketball before the Tokyo Olympics will be Las Vegas.

Nikola Jokic was revealed Tuesday as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for 2020-21, making him by far the lowest draft pick ever to win the award.

The Blazers' disappointing early playoff departure is forcing the franchise to consider major moves to satisfy superstar Damian Lillard.

The Portland Trail Blazers and coach Terry Stotts are parting ways after nine seasons.

Nikola Jokic had 36 points and the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games with a 126-115 victory Thursday night.

The NBA Playoffs are in full swing — with plenty of excitement and perhaps a bit too much. Several fans have behaved badly by throwing items at players, getting ejected, and in some cases, arrested.

Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the second overtime helped the Denver Nuggets squelch an epic comeback by the Portland Trail Blazers with a 147-140 win Tuesday night.

While typically the first round of the NBA Playoffs are predictable, and sometimes boring, the series between the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers has been anything but that. After splitting the first two games in Denver, the Nuggets looked primed to take control of the series after winning game three in Portland. In that game, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Portland’s Damian Lillard traded points, with Lillard leading the floor with 37. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)However, in a tighter game four, it was neither Jokic or Lillard that was the main attraction. What: NBA Western Conference PlayoffsWho: (6) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets (Series tied 2-2)When: Tuesday, June 1Time: 9:00 p.m.

Norman Powell matched his career playoff high with 29 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets 115-95 on Saturday in Game 4 to even the first-round series.

Nikola Jokic had 36 points and 11 rebounds, the Denver Nuggets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 120-115 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.

The NBA Playoffs are well underway, and there have been some stunning outcomes in the first few days of action, especially out west. One of the intriguing series sees the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets evened up at one heading into game three on Thursday night. Watch the NBA Playoffs on FuboTV (7-day free trial)Lillard had himself another great performance in game two, leading the floor with 42 points. What: NBA Western Conference PlayoffsWho: (3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers (Series tied 1-1)When: Thursday, May 27Time: 10:30 p.m. ETWhere: Moda Center (Portland, Ore.)Channel: NBA TVStream: FuboTV (7-day free trial)

On their respective ways to the NBA Finals last season, there was one important element missing for both the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.

Kentucky is planning to open Kroger Field to full capacity for Wildcats football games this fall, along with restoring other fan activities and traditions.

Nikola Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Damian Lillard and the Denver Nuggets evened the first-round series by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-109 in a chippy Game 2.

Damian Lillard hit eight 3-pointers, including one from nearly half-court, to tie an NBA playoff record for most in a half.

The NBA playoffs are finally upon us, and fans got a Saturday full of highlights and huge performances.

Damian Lillard scored 34 points and led Portland’s 3-point barrage that sparked the Trail Blazers’ 123-109 win over the Denver Nuggets in the opener of their first-round playoff series Saturday night.

Devin Booker hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds remaining to give the Phoenix Suns a 118-117 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Carmelo Anthony looked like he was done just a couple of seasons ago.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Enes Kanter had 24 points and a franchise-record 30 rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers routed the Detroit Pistons 118-103 on Saturday night. Kanter bested Sidney Wicks’ Portland record of 27 rebounds set in 1975. Damian Lillard had 27 points and 10 assists and CJ McCollum added 26 points for the Blazers, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Josh Jackson had 21 points for the Pistons, who trailed by as many as 24 points. The Trail Blazers host Miami in the second of their back-to-back on Sunday.

The Detroit Pistons are back in action and will take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. The last time the two teams faced off the Pistons fell to the Trail Blazers and look to split the season with a win on the road. Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers with 33 points, four rebounds, 10 assists and one steal. The Pistons hold a 55-65 all-time record against the Trail Blazers with a 37-24 home mark and a 18-41 road record. Who: Detroit Pistons (15-36) at Portland Trail Blazers (22-29)When: Saturday, April 10Time: 10 p.m.

Donovan Mitchell scored 37 points to lead the Utah Jazz to their 23rd straight home victory with a 122-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard had 33 points and 10 assists and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 124-101 on Wednesday night. That didn’t happen.”Jerami Grant scored 30 points for Detroit, which lost for the fifth time in six games. “Jerami got his 30, but that was a tough 30 points,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “Teams always have a lot of energy at the start of games, but that doesn’t always translate to the second half,” Lillard said. Portland shot 59.5% from the floor in the second half, including 9-19 on 3-pointers, and hit 20 of 21 free-throw attempts.

On Wednesday night, the Pistons fell to the Portland Trail Blazers 124-101 at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons cooled, though, as the Trail Blazers (29-18) settled into a rhythm. The Trail Blazers, who average 16.2 3-pointers per game, ended up making 16 of their 30 shot attempts from distance. Six different Trail Blazers made shots from three, with Lillard, Robert Covington and C.J. The Trail Blazers took advantage, making 24 of them.

(AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)Devin Booker returned from the knee injury that kept him out of the All-Star Game to score 35 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Portland Trail Blazers 127-121 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory. Chris Paul added 19 points for Phoenix, and Mikal Bridges scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half. Second in the NBA behind the Utah Jazz, the Suns have won 14 of their last 16 games. Damian Lillard had 30 points for Portland, and Enes Kanter added 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Blazers won 127-117.

ATLANTA (AP) — Even in the strangest NBA All-Star Game of them all, LeBron James was still the perfect captain. Once the game began, it fell right in line with the three previous All-Star outings with the captain format. After showing it could handle shots up close, Team LeBron headed outside in the final seconds of the half. It was 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.”The atmosphere at State Farm Arena was downright eerie compared to a normal All-Star Game. UP NEXTThe 71st All-Star Game will be held Feb. 20, 2022, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James walks onto the court for the first half of basketball's NBA All-Star Game in Atlanta, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA – Even in the strangest NBA All-Star Game of them all, LeBron James was still the perfect captain. AdAfter showing it could handle shots up close, Team LeBron headed outside in the final seconds of the half. It was 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.”The atmosphere at State Farm Arena was downright eerie compared to a normal All-Star Game. UP NEXTThe 71st All-Star Game will be held Feb. 20, 2022, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

1 overall pick on Antetokounmpo — the NBA’s two-time reigning MVP from Milwaukee — in the draft for Sunday’s All-Star Game in Atlanta. Kevin Durant, who will not play in the All-Star Game because of injury but still is the captain for Team Durant, took Brooklyn teammate Kyrie Irving with his first pick. This is the fourth year of the NBA's playing captain format for the All-Star Game. It’s the All-Star Game, so there’s going to be some shenanigans out there. AdTHE COACHESRivers, who played in one All-Star Game, is coaching the game for the third time.

Another top star in the National Basketball Association will be endorsing sports drink maker Gatorade -- but this one is a budding music star as well. Damián Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers' superstar guard, agreed to an endorsement deal with PepsiCo's Gatorade, the company announced on Friday. Outside of the NBA, the Blazers guard has gained fame in the music industry for his hip-hop recordings, released under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A. Top hip-hop acts have embraced and collaborated with Lillard, meaning that Gatorade gets a cross-over star endorsing their product on multiple platforms. Aligning with Lillard can help Gatorade continue to hold off rivals, including Bodyarmor, aiming to overtake the sports drink category.

The NBA has been paying tribute to Kobe Bryant throughout the league's All-Star weekend in Chicago. The tribute patches to Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant & Calabasas crash victims & stripe for David Stern on 2020 NBA All-Star Weekend jerseys pic.twitter.com/AqXdH2r2AP Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 14, 2020What were the changes to the 2020 All-Star Game? "Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game," Silver said. This one is for him. Kawhi after receiving the first-ever Kobe Bryant MVP Award. Other tributes to Kobe BryantTwo-time Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson performed a special Bryant tribute to open the game.