KRISTAPS PORZINGIS

It's already been a busy offseason for player movement in the NBA.

Two people with knowledge of the deal say the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Celtics trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison isn't say much about an NBA investigation into possible tanking or the future of Kyrie Irving.

Dallas is sitting Kyrie Irving and four other regulars against Chicago in a game with draft implications and with the Mavericks facing postseason elimination if they lose.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 55 points in a return from a one-game absence and the Milwaukee Bucks beat Washington 123-113 on Tuesday night, snapping the Wizards’ five-game winning streak.

Anthony Davis scored 55 points on sizzling 22-of-30 shooting and added 17 rebounds, leading the Los Angeles Lakers over the Washington Wizards 130-119.

Bradley Beal and the Wizards renewed their commitment to each other when he agreed to a five-year deal worth up to $251 million to stay in Washington.

LeBron James passed Karl Malone for second place on the NBA’s career scoring list, but it was part of another loss for his Los Angeles Lakers when the Washington Wizards rallied from a 16-point deficit to win 127-119.

Stephen Curry dazzled for 47 points on his 34th birthday, Draymond Green returned from a 29-game absence to ignite the defense, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Washington Wizards 126-112.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 25 points in his first game for Washington, and the Wizards beat the Indiana Pacers 133-123.

Luka Doncic scored 28 of his career-high 51 points in the first quarter, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-105.

Luka Doncic scored a season-high 41 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:01 to play, and tied his season best with 14 rebounds as the surging Dallas Mavericks held off the Toronto Raptors 102-98.

Luka Doncic had 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in his 40th career triple-double, and the Dallas Mavericks used a second-half rally to rout Memphis 112-85 and end the Grizzlies’ winning streak at 11 games.

RJ Barrett scored 32 points, Mitchell Robinson had a season-high 19 and the New York Knicks snapped the Dallas Mavericks’ six-game winning streak with a 108-85 victory.

Luka Doncic scored 26 points and the Dallas Mavericks celebrated before a ceremony to retire Dirk Nowitzki’s number by beating cold-shooting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors 99-82 on Wednesday night.

Rookie Austin Reaves swished a 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left in overtime to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 107-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Kevin Durant scored 24 points, James Harden had 23 points and 12 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets beat Dallas 102-99, handing the Mavericks their fifth consecutive home loss.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points, Luka Dončić had 26 in his return to the Dallas lineup, and the Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 112-104 in overtime.

Mikal Bridges and Devin Booker each scored 19 points, Chris Paul added 18 points and 14 assists and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 11, rallying to beat the Dallas Mavericks 112-104 on Friday night.

Devin Booker scored 24 points, Deandre Ayton had 19 points and 13 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 10 games, beating the Dallas Mavericks 105-98.

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

Luka Doncic has signed the richest contract in the history of the Dallas Mavericks.

Luka Doncic is set to sign a $207 million supermax extension with the Dallas Mavericks.

Kawhi Leonard tied his playoff career high with 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 104-97 on Friday night, forcing a Game 7 in the first postseason series in NBA history with the road team winning the first six games.

Luka Doncic scored 42 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. hit two free throws with eight seconds left, and the Dallas Mavericks edged the Los Angeles Clippers 105-100 to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Kawhi Leonard scored 36 points, Paul George added 29 and the Los Angeles Clippers spoiled Luka Doncic’s home playoff debut, beating the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 to get back in the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic scored 39 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 28 and the Dallas Mavericks again outshot the NBA’s best 3-point team in a 127-121 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic scored 31 points and the Dallas Mavericks outshot the NBA’s leading team from 3-point range, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 113-103 on Saturday in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic scored 24 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 113-109 to finish a season sweep.

Buddy Hield scored 27 points, Marvin Bagley III had 23 points and nine rebounds and Sacramento beat Dallas 111-99, giving the also-ran Kings a season sweep of the playoff-contending Mavericks.

Luka Doncic had 18 points and 13 assists and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 17-point deficit for a 108-93 win over Los Angeles in Lakers star Anthony Davis’ second game back from a long injury absence.

Luka Doncic scored 30 points, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 115-110 victory over the Lakers in the return of Los Angeles star Anthony Davis from a 30-game injury absence.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) attempts a layup as Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 15, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)DALLAS – Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers answered a couple of low moments in their season — and kept rolling on the second night of back-to-backs. Leonard scored 22 points, Marcus Morris Sr. added 14 in a rare start and the Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-99 on Monday. The Clippers won for the second time in six games while Dallas lost for just the second time in its past seven. Paul George scored 15 as seven Clippers finished in double figures.

Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic walks off the court following the team's NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Dallas, Wednesday, March 3, 2021. It was the sixth game of the season of at least 30 points for Doncic, who turned 22 on Sunday. The second missed game of the season for Doncic was Dallas' last before the All-Star Game on Sunday in Atlanta. Carlisle said Doncic has been battling a back issue recently and has worn a heat massage belt in two recent practices. Ad“It's something he needs to take a game,” Carlisle said.

Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) shoots against Brooklyn Nets forward Jeff Green (8) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)NEW YORK – Luka Doncic scored 27 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 18 in his return from injury and the Dallas Mavericks snapped the Brooklyn Nets' eight-game winning streak with a 115-98 victory Saturday night. James Harden had 29 points for the Nets, but only four after halftime while playing as Brooklyn's solo superstar. Kevin Durant missed his seventh straight game with a left hamstring strain and Kyrie Irving rested his surgically repaired right shoulder. Dallas put it away with 12 straight points early in the fourth, making it 106-84 and soon after Harden was removed for good.

(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)There was one difference during yet another multigame injury absence for Kristaps Porzingis with the Dallas Mavericks. Porzingis' right knee caused a 10-game absence earlier in his first Dallas season. Porzingis also missed half of the six games during a first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in August. It will be almost two weeks between games for Porzingis if he plays against Brooklyn. AdHis defense has suffered, with Porzingis ranking near the bottom of the NBA in defensive efficiency while averaging 1.6 blocks per game.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) goes for a layup in front of Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis (6) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2021. Lillard hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer in the final minute after a big Dallas rally, and the Trail Blazers held off Doncic and the Mavericks for a 121-118 victory Sunday night. Lillard connected on the go-ahead 3 after Doncic assisted on a tying 3-pointer from Dorian Finney-Smith after the Mavericks trailed by 13 midway through the fourth quarter. Mavericks: Doncic shared the previous club record of 13 straight games with at least 25 points with Mark Aguirre (1983-84) and Dirk Nowitzki (2005-06). The Mavericks and Pistons met just once during the coronavirus-interrupted season, with Dallas winning in Mexico City behind 41 points from Doncic.

Doncic scored a career-high 46 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 36 and the Mavericks overcame Williamson's career-best 36 points in a 143-130 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. The Mavericks matched their season best with a fourth consecutive victory and beat the Pelicans for the fifth straight time. The Pelicans gave up a franchise-record 25 3-pointers for the second consecutive game. Mavericks: Dallas finished above 50% shooting for the third consecutive game while improving to 7-0 when scoring at least 120 points. AdMORE HISTORY FOR DONCICDoncic tied a franchise record shared by Mark Aguirre (1983-84) and Dirk Nowitzki (2005-06) with his 13th consecutive game of at least 25 points.

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)NEW YORK – Derrick Rose is reuniting with Tom Thibodeau after a trade that brings him back to New York. The Knicks agreed to acquire the former NBA MVP from the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, a person with knowledge of the details said. The Knicks will send Dennis Smith Jr. and a second-round pick to the Pistons, the person told The Associated Press. Once it is, it reunites Rose with Thibodeau, his coach in Chicago when the guard became the youngest MVP in NBA history at 22 in 2011. Rose later spent one season in New York, averaging 18 points in 2016-17, before rejoining Thibodeau again in Minnesota.

Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic celebrates after sinking a three-point basket in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in Dallas, Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)DALLAS – Luka Doncic couldn't top Stephen Curry's shoulder shimmy, or the second-best scoring night of the Golden State star's career. Doncic tied his career high with 42 points in a scoring duel with Curry, leading the Mavericks to an entertaining 134-132 win over the Warriors on Saturday. The duel between Curry and Doncic got going when they traded 3-pointers late in the first half. They did it again early in the second half, when Doncic hit another one after a Golden State turnover.

Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Richardson (0) defends against Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) in the first half during an NBA basketball game, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021, in Dallas. Booker hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left in his return and the Suns rallied past the Dallas Mavericks for the second straight game, winning 109-108 on Monday night. Booker finished with 24 points, 20 in the second half, and 31 minutes. Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said his team was aware it had a foul to give on the Suns’ winning possession. “There’s not going to be any finger-pointing.”TIP-INSSuns: Ayton scored only two points in the second half.

(Brad Penner/Pool Photo via AP)NEW YORK – Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rang up the highest point total of the season against the NBA's leading defense, beating the New York Knicks 129-115 on Sunday for their 10th win in 11 games. The Clippers shredded the NBA leaders in fewest points per game allowed to break away after leading by one after two quarters. Los Angeles came back from the locker room with seven straight points and didn't slow down the rest of the third quarter. Leonard and Jackson each scored 10 points in the period, when the Clippers made five 3-pointers and scored 35 points, taking a 101-91 lead to the fourth. Knicks: Reggie Bullock, who missed the last three games with a sore neck, returned to the starting lineup and scored eight points.

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)SALT LAKE CITY – Playing without leading scorer Donovan Mitchell didn't slow down the Utah Jazz. Utah never trailed in a 116-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. The Jazz overwhelmed the Mavericks on both ends of the court on their way to their 10th straight victory and the NBA overall lead. Gobert’s dominance around the basket took Dallas out of it early and the Mavericks could never get back on track. The Jazz never let the Mavericks draw closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (24) shoots over Dallas Mavericks center Willie Cauley-Stein (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)DALLAS – Lauri Markkanen had 29 points and 10 rebounds, Garrett Temple scored 15 of his season-high 21 points in the second quarter and the Chicago Bulls ended a four-game losing streak with a 117-101 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Markkanen, in his second game back after missing seven games because of COVID-19 protocols, was 10 of 19 from the field while recording season highs in points and rebounds. Mavericks: Dallas travel to the Raptors' temporary home in Tampa, Florida, on Monday in the second back-to-back of the season. The Mavericks lost at Chicago in the first game of their other back-to-back before winning at Houston.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts to a missed shot against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, in Denver. Doncic came within one rebound of his second straight triple-double, finishing with 38 points and 13 assists. Nikola Jokic scored 20 of his 38 points after halftime and grabbed 11 rebounds for Denver. It was a great shot. Denver got within three on a 3-pointer from Jokic, but Doncic scored four straight to ice it for the Mavericks.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives on Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)PHOENIX – Devin Booker scored 22 points, Mikal Bridges added 18 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-102 on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams. Luka Doncic cut the Suns' lead to three with a dunk but after a Booker miss, Bridges grabbed the offensive rebound and Phoenix closed out the victory. Suns: Forward Dario Saric, who missed all four of the Suns preseason games, sat out the opener with a sore right quad ... In 39 games last season with the Suns, Kaminsky averaged 9.7 points and 4.5 rebounds.

Los Angeles began putting the ball in Leonards hands and he delivered with eight straight Clippers points before consecutive 3-pointers by Reggie Jackson pushed it to 105-89. TIP-INSClippers: Patrick Beverley had a pregame workout before sitting out for the fifth straight game with a left calf strain. Mavericks: Porzingis missed his third straight game with torn cartilage in his right knee. It was the first game Rivers attended in the bubble but hardly his first time watching his son play at Disney. I just kind of sat and watched the game, Rivers said.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Kristaps Porzingis will miss the rest of the Dallas Mavericks' series against the Los Angeles Clippers because of a torn ligament in his right knee. The Mavericks said Friday that Porzingis has been receiving treatment for the injury, which he sustained in Game 1 of the series. They added that further treatment options are being explored and he wouldn't be medically cleared the rest of the series. The seventh-seeded Mavericks trail the Clippers 3-2. It was while there that he tore the ACL in his other knee in February 2018.

Montrezl Harrell added 19 points and 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who set a franchise record for points in a playoff game. Los Angeles can clinch the series on Thursday. Leonard scored 22 points and Paul George scored 18 to help Los Angeles take a 76-52 lead at halftime. TIP-INSMavericks: Doncic was issued a technical foul in the second quarter. ... Hardaway and Los Angeles' Marcus Morris were called for double technicals in the second quarter.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Dallas Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis will miss Game 5 of a first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers because of right knee soreness. It's not the same knee Porzingis had surgically repaired after an injury in what ended up being his final game with the New York Knicks in early 2018. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The right knee gave Porzingis trouble before the pandemic-forced shutdown of the NBA in March. During the restart, he has been listed on the injury both with right knee soreness and a left heel contusion.

The dynamic Doncic made sure of that with a buzzer-beating, 3-pointer in overtime Sunday to cap another triple-double. Not to be outdone in the nightcap, Mitchell erupted for 51 points in Game 4 to give the sixth-seeded Utah Jazz a 3-1 lead over Denver. Mitchell is playing out of this world right now, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. Both Doncic and Mitchell are accomplishing rarely seen postseason feats inside the bubble. Whats more, his 28-foot buzzer-beat to win was the second-longest in postseason history, the Mavericks announced on social media.

Two nights after scoring 42 points in the highest-scoring debut in postseason history, Doncic played just nine minutes in the second half. They beat the Clippers for the first time in five meetings this season and earned their first playoff victory since 2016. Kawhi Leonard had 35 points and 10 rebounds, but Paul George had a mostly miserable performance for the second-seeded Clippers. Clippers: Reggie Jackson started in place of Beverley and scored 11 points. The Clippers noticed the guard wasn't moving well at their shootaround and decided to scratch him.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 18 points adn Porzingis finished with 14, along with Seth Curry. The Clippers knocked around Doncic, the 21-year-old superstar who led the NBA in triple-doubles, whenever they could. The Clippers swarmed Doncic from the outset, forcing him into three turnovers in the first two minutes while racing to a 10-0 lead. Morris was eager to grab the ball and ended up grabbing Doncic, who sought to push his way free. Clippers: Reserve Montrezl Harrell returned after leaving the team for his grandmother's death and had six points in 15 minutes.

Doncic is out for wins, not stats, and the Dallas Mavericks weren't good enough to get one in the opener of their series against the Los Angeles Clippers. They climbed back from a dismal start caused in part by Doncic's carelessness, but ended up losing 118-110 on Monday night. Both players were hit with technical fouls and because it was Porzingis' second of the game, he was automatically ejected. Doncic bettered John Williamson's 38 points in 1979 for most in an NBA playoff debut and was the first 21-year-old to score 40 since LeBron James in 2006. "I thought as good as he played tonight, we could have limited some of the stuff.

For the first time since 1990, the Dallas Mavericks are going to the playoffs without Dirk Nowitzki on the roster. The German great retired after last season, officially passing the torch as leader of the Mavs to Doncic the Slovene who nearly averaged a 30-point triple-double in just his second NBA season. So, no, he hasnt seen what the NBA playoffs are like. Behind Doncic, they only assembled the greatest year in NBA history in terms of offensive efficiency. He can make those incredible plays.And now Doncic gets the chance to make those plays on the NBAs best stage: The playoffs.

Phoenixs Monty Williams, who led the Suns to a perfect 8-0 record in the bubble, was chosen as the top coach of the seeding-game schedule. Joining Lillard on the first team for games played at Disney between July 30 and Fridays end of the seeding-game season was Phoenix's Devin Booker, Indiana's T.J. Warren, Dallas' Luka Doncic and Houston's James Harden. Booker was second in the Bubble MVP race, with Warren third. Second-team selections were Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard, Brooklyn's Caris LeVert, Denver's Michael Porter Jr. and Dallas' Kristaps Porzingis. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker (1) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks' Trey Burke defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

Dario Saric scored 16 points and Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson each added 15 for the Suns. Dallas was already locked into a playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, so the starters played limited minutes. Luka Doncic, who had averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11.3 assists in the bubble, finished with 18 points in just over 13 minutes. Booker scored 23 points on 9-for-13 shooting before the break. Suns: Either season over or will be in a play-in game against Memphis on Saturday.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 36 points and Luka Doncic had 25 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Mavericks, who will finish No. Lillard then drew a double-team and dished to Haasan Whiteside for a dunk to put the Blazers up by two. The game featured the two leading scorers since the NBA restart, with Doncic entering averaging 33.4 points and Lillard 33. Lillard was hot from the start, scoring 25 in the first half as the Blazers took a 66-58 lead. Mavericks: Play Suns on Thursday.

Brook Lopez scored a season-high 34 points for the Bucks, who have already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Doncic's final assist was a between-the-legs pass to Maxi Kleber for a three-point play and a 133-128 lead. The foul that sent Doncic to the line was originally called as the sixth on Antetokounmpo. Middleton's three-point play with 1.9 seconds left in the half put Milwaukee up 71-62. Mavericks: Play Utah on Monday.

Harden made 1 of 2 free throws before Trey Burke made a 3-pointer to get the Mavericks within 3 with about 15 seconds left in OT. Harden made 1 of 2 free throws after that, Burke missed a 3, and Harden got the rebound to secure the victory. Houston scored the next eight points, with the last five from Harden, to take a 147-143 lead. Harden cut the lead again seconds later with a 3-pointer with 40 seconds to go. Covington got the Rockets within two points with two free throws.

The games start Thursday night at Walt Disney World, and here's 10 things to know as the season enters its restart phase. SHORTER SEASONIf all the seeding games get played, then this NBA season would include 1,059 games a drop of 171 from what was planned when the season began. Its now on pace for somewhere around 25,700 3-pointers which would be just shy of the second-most in a season in NBA history. That would be the record; the NBA had 12 teams finish there in the 2009-10 season. REDICKS STREAKNew Orleans guard JJ Redick has played 13 previous NBA seasons, going to the playoffs in all of them.

If the four-month NBA shutdown had a silver lining, its that a lot of ailing players got well. Thats when he realized a bright side of the NBAs coronavirus shutdown. And its hard to say good things came from it.Fact is, though, some good things have emerged on the injury fronts. After 60 or 65 games, most players were likely dealing with some sort of aches-and-pains issue anyway. I feel 100% healthy.

Porzingis returns to the arena on Thursday for a nationally televised game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Knicks, who are already showing signs of the type of chaos that helped sour the star forward on the team in the first place. Though Porzingis enjoyed the city and the fans, the dark cloud under which the Knicks permanently reside was something hes been glad to escape. Just two days after beating Porzingis and the Mavericks in Dallas, the Knicks were blown out at home by Cleveland on Sunday. Porzingis was once viewed as the player who would lead the Knicks through the turbulence. Porzingis was surprisingly traded on Jan. 31 after Knicks management said he told them during a meeting that day that he wanted out.