BLAKE GRIFFIN

By Alberto ArellanoNearly 40 years after his “History of the World, Part I” debuted in 1981, Mel Brooks released “History of the World, Part II” on the eve of Purim, which began on March 6. (L-R) Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Mel Brooks, Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen attend the Los Angeles Premiere Event for Hulu’s “History of the World, Part II” at Hollywood Legion Theater on February 27, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. Brooks once swore never to do a second part of History Of The World, later was a joke. Of the state of Virginia in 1865, Brooks narrates a part about the Civil War: “We’re talking about the one in the 1860s. “I just want to keep kicking that can down the road and treating the audience like Sisyphus,” Showrunner Stassen said of the History Of The World Part II.

The Boston Celtics have reportedly signed veteran Blake Griffin to a one-year contract after multiple injuries to their frontcourt, including starting center Robert Williams.

A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that veteran big man Blake Griffin has agreed to a contract with the Boston Celtics.

Not all of the picks were busts, but a few were head-scratchers.

Devin Booker scored 35 points, Mikal Bridges added a season-high 27 and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to 11 games by beating the Brooklyn Nets 121-111 on Tuesday night.

The Chicago Bulls say guard Lonzo Ball will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to be out six to eight weeks.

Ja Morant scored 36 points and five Grizzlies scored in double figures as Memphis extended its winning streak to five games with a 118-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Kevin Durant scored 34 points, making a four-point play with the game tied and 1:46 left, and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Philadelphia 76ers 114-105 for another short-handed victory.

Kevin Durant scored an NBA season-high 51 points in the Brooklyn Nets’ 116-104 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook were on one side.

The Brooklyn Nets had all the shooting and scoring any team could ever want.

Brooklyn's blockbuster brought in James Harden.

Khris Middleton scored 38 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 and the Milwaukee Bucks never trailed in a 104-89 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday to force a decisive seventh game in their second-round playoff series.

Kevin Durant had 49 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists in one of the best performances in postseason history, sending the Brooklyn Nets back into the lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 114-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5.

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.

First they lost James Harden, then Kyrie Irving, and finally the Brooklyn Nets lost their lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Kevin Durant scored 32 points in three quarters of a top-to-bottom blowout that sent the Brooklyn Nets halfway to the Eastern Conference finals with a 125-86 rout of the Milwaukee Bucks.

James Harden won’t be back for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Kyrie Irving had 25 and the two superstars carried the Brooklyn Nets after James Harden’s early injury in a 115-107 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Kevin Durant had 32 points and 12 rebounds, Kyrie Irving scored 29 points and the Brooklyn Nets recovered from their superstars’ frigid start to beat the Boston Celtics 104-93 in Game 1 of their 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.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 49 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks edged Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets 117-114.

Kevin Durant scored 33 points in his latest return from injury, Kyrie Irving had 34 and the Brooklyn Nets beat the Phoenix Suns 128-119 in a matchup of two of the NBA’s top teams.

Kevin Durant missed his third straight game against Boston after Nets coach Steve Nash said the forward’s bruised left thigh hadn’t healed enough to play.

Joel Embiid had 39 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat Brooklyn 123-117 in an anticipated matchup that fizzled with the Nets missing their biggest stars.

Kevin Durant returned from a 23-game absence to spark Brooklyn’s most explosive half of the season, finishing with 17 points and perfect shooting in the Nets’ 139-111 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Kyrie Irving scored 40 points, Jeff Green made two free throws with 3.7 seconds left and the Brooklyn Nets overcome the early loss of James Harden to beat the New York Knicks 114-112.

Houston Rockets' Kevin Porter Jr. (3) and Jae'Sean Tate (8) defend against Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – Kyrie Irving had 31 points and a season-high 12 assists, and the Brooklyn Nets overcame the loss of James Harden to beat the Houston Rockets 120-108 on Wednesday night and move into first place in the Eastern Conference. Harden sat out the fourth quarter against his former team with right hamstring tightness, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Rockets jumped to a 24-6 lead, with an 8-for-9 start that included makes on all five 3-point attempts. The Rockets listed the injury as a left knee effusion and it's unknown whether it will keep him out longer.

FILE - In this Feb 5, 2021, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers' Andre Drummond drives the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)LOS ANGELES – Andre Drummond is joining the Los Angeles Lakers for the playoff push. The Lakers announced the signing of the two-time All-Star center less than an hour before Sunday night's game against the Orlando Magic. AdThe Lakers currently rank ninth in the NBA in rebounds per game (45.1), but just 17th in offensive rebounds (9.6). Ad___AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy in Los Angeles contributed to this report___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

New Orleans Pelicans guard Eric Bledsoe (5) is blocked by San Antonio Spurs center LaMarcus Aldridge (12) as he tries to score during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)NEW YORK – LaMarcus Aldridge plans to sign with the Brooklyn Nets for the remainder of the season, a person with knowledge of the details said Saturday. After reaching a buyout agreement with the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, the veteran forward quickly became a coveted free agent for contending teams. He decided to become the latest big name on the Brooklyn roster, the person told The Associated Press. He was an All-Star in three of his seasons in San Antonio.

Brooklyn Nets forward Blake Griffin (2) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Sekou Doumbouya during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 26, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – James Harden scored 44 points and Blake Griffin added 17 in his return to Detroit, lifting the Brooklyn Nets to a 113-111 victory over the Pistons on Friday night. Brooklyn was still without Kevin Durant (left hamstring strain) and Kyrie Irving (personal reasons), but the Nets had enough to hold off the last-place Pistons. Griffin spent three-plus years with the Pistons, but he reached a buyout agreement with Detroit earlier this month and went to the contending Nets. The Pistons went 34 for 47 on free throws.

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives around Brooklyn Nets forward Joe Harris (12) in the first half during an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 24, 2021, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)SALT LAKE CITY – Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and the Utah Jazz routed the short-handed Brooklyn Nets 118-88 on Wednesday night. This matchup between Eastern and Western Conference contenders lost some luster when the Nets James Harden was scratched due to a sore neck. At halftime, the Jazz led 63-38 – the lowest scoring first half of the season for Brooklyn. Even with all their stars, the Nets have struggled defensively this season and relied on their supercharged offense to get their wins.

Brooklyn Nets Blake Griffin cheers on his team against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 11, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)NEW YORK – Blake Griffin is expected to make his debut for the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night against Washington. The Nets signed the six-time All-Star on March 8 but wanted to gradually prepare him to play after he had been inactive during his final weeks in Detroit. Griffin has been working out with the Nets but has sat out five games due to what the team called left knee injury management. But Griffin is listed as probable on the injury report for the game and said Sunday he went through the Nets' morning shootaround and felt great.

USA Basketball is a step closer to choosing the team that will play in this summer’s rescheduled Tokyo Olympics, releasing the names Thursday of 57 players who are part of the pool to fill the squad. It’s also already drawing major interest from some NBA stars who have yet to taste Olympic gold. USA Basketball will pare the list to a 12-person Olympic team by early summer. Jordan, who now plays for Brooklyn, is also a newcomer to the pool even though he was on the 2016 Olympic team. “But for USA Basketball to receive the commitment of so many outstanding players remains an indicator of the great honor of representing your country means to these men.”

FILE - Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin plays during overtime of of an NBA basketball game in Detroit, in this Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, file photo. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)NEW YORK – Blake Griffin is joining the collection of stars in Brooklyn. The six-time All-Star agreed to sign with the Nets, a person with knowledge of the details said Sunday. Griffin became a free agent Friday when he completed a buyout agreement with the Detroit Pistons. The 31-year-old Griffin is a six-time All-Star who has averaged 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds since being the No.

Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin (23) looks to pass over Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)DETROIT – Blake Griffin's time in Detroit is over, another significant step in a rebuilding process that has the Pistons at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Griffin, who turns 32 later this month, came to Detroit in a trade during the 2017-18 season. Detroit traded big man Andre Drummond around this time last year, and the team's offseason reshuffling left Griffin as one of the few holdovers. “Blake has been a great representative for our franchise and for the city of Detroit,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) reacts after being called for a technical foul during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in San Francisco, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green sharply criticized the NBA following Monday night's win over Cleveland, saying players put on the trading block by teams are being treated unfairly. Green spoke out after news broke of the Cavaliers sitting two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond because they’re looking to deal him. “As a player, you’re the worst person in the world when you want a different situation,” Green said. Bickerstaff also said the decision to sit Drummond came only after consulting both Drummond and his agent about the situation.

Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin (23) looks to pass over Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)DETROIT – The Detroit Pistons plan to keep Blake Griffin out of the lineup while he and the organization work out a decision on his future, a sign the star forward's days with the team could be numbered. Detroit is 8-19 this season, and Griffin has already missed seven games. “I am grateful to the Pistons for understanding what I want to accomplish in my career and for working together on the best path forward," Griffin said. AdWith so many new faces, Griffin has been an afterthought at times, averaging 12.3 points — a career low.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) is defended by Detroit Pistons forward Saddiq Bey (41) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES – LeBron James scored eight of his 33 points in the second overtime, Anthony Davis added 30 points and the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly avenged a loss in Detroit last month with a 135-129 victory over the undermanned Pistons on Saturday night. The Lakers committed a season-high 23 turnovers, blew a 17-point lead and wasted several chances to win in regulation. “There’s so many learning situations for young players and our guys to play against a great team like the Lakers. Lakers: Vogel got a technical foul in the second quarter for arguing about a blocking call on Marc Gasol.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks to shoot as Detroit Pistons center Mason Plumlee (24) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – LeBron James made his first seven shots from the field and looked plenty capable of leading the Lakers to a victory with Anthony Davis sidelined. James scored just two points after halftime, and the Detroit Pistons handed Los Angeles its second straight loss, 107-92 on Thursday night. "We just didn’t have a great rhythm that second half in any way.”Wayne Ellington added 20 points for the Pistons. Pistons: Detroit made all 13 of its free throws.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – Joel Embiid had 33 points and 14 rebounds, and his two free throws with 7.2 seconds left helped the Philadelphia 76ers seal a 114-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night. Ben Simmons added 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers, and he made a couple big free throws of his own in the final minute. Detroit trailed 110-108 after Jerami Grant made a 3-pointer with 28.5 seconds left, but Simmons calmly made two free throws to push the lead to four. “Especially late game.”Delon Wright's layup made it 112-110, but Embiid closed the game out with his free throws and finished 12 of 17 from the line. “Just having that confidence to knock those free throws down in a close game is big right now," teammate Tobias Harris said.

(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on sports around the world:___The Oklahoma City Thunder's scheduled home game Sunday night against the Philadelphia 76ers has been postponed. ___The Green Bay Packers are making 6,500 tickets available to season-ticket holders for the NFC championship game. That marked the first home game this season that the Packers played in front of any paying spectators. The Cornhuskers’ home game against Minnesota on Wednesday and game at Iowa next Sunday have been postponed. Abdul-Jabbar revealed in a magazine article last month that he's had prostate cancer, leukemia and heart bypass surgery.

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, right, drives against Detroit Pistons center Mason Plumlee during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)Jayson Tatum hit a fallaway as Blake Griffin stumbled with 2.9 seconds left, then tied up the Detroit veteran on the other end to help the Boston Celtics beat the Pistons 122-120 on Sunday for a weekend split. The Celtics shot a season-best 57%. “It seems like they made every shot, especially Brown,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. Mykhailiuk scored eight straight Detroit points, and the Pistons took a 118-117 lead on Mason Plumlee’s free throws with 42.2 seconds left.

Athletes and fans try the Normatec recovery system prior to the IRONMAN St. George Utah 70.3 North American Pro Championship on May 03, 2019 in St George, Utah. Performance technology company Hyperice announced Thursday it has acquired NormaTec, the creator of a popular recovery system used by professional athletes. Though NormaTec's leg recovery system, "The PULSE," is commonly used by other U.S. sports leagues, superstars throughout the National Basketball Association are frequently seen using the system before and after games. Players like Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James use NormaTec. In 2014, James told Bleacher Report he started using the device, and "my legs started feeling better and I didn't stop.