COLLIN SEXTON

Mac McClung might have single-handedly restored the shine on a dunk contest that has been widely panned in recent years.

Joel Embiid scored a career-high 59 points, had 11 rebounds and eight assists to carry the Philadelphia 76ers to a 105-98 win over Utah Jazz.

Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points, reserve Collin Sexton added 22 and the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Clippers 110-102.

A dramatic roster overhaul has left the Utah Jazz with a load of new faces entering this season. Utah traded Royce O’Neale, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Bojan Bogdanovic in separate deals over the summer, effectively tearing down a team that endured a series of disappointing early playoff exits. Following that flurry of offseason moves, Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Rudy Gay are the only returning players who played significant minutes last season.

The Cavaliers are back in the Eastern Conference title hunt.

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed on a $122 million, two-year extension that puts the Olympic gold medalist under contract through the 2026-27 season, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Friday.

Cleveland guard Rajon Rondo will miss at least two weeks with a sprained toe, the latest injury to hit the Cavaliers’ backcourt.

Cedi Osman scored 22 points and Kevin Love had 19 as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied from 20 down to beat Indiana 98-85, shortly after agreeing to acquire shooting guard Caris LeVert from the Pacers.

Pulling off a major move before the NBA trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed in principle to acquire guard Caris LeVert from Indiana.

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio has suffered a season-ending left knee injury.

Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul had 12 assists and made four free throws in the final 8.8 seconds the Phoenix Suns extended their winning streak to 14 games, holding off the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-1115.

Stephen Curry scored 20 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three straight 3-pointers, and the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night.

The Brooklyn Nets look like such a title favorite that James Harden felt the need for a reminder they aren’t a title team.

Cade Cunningham headlines the top prospects in Thursday's NBA draft in New York.

The Cavaliers intend to keep Kevin Love around.

Russell Westbrook got his first triple-double since passing Oscar Robertson and becoming the NBA's career leader earlier in the week and Washington beat Cleveland 120-105 to clinch a spot in the East play-in tournament.

Devin Booker scored 31 points, Chris Paul had 23 and 16 assists and the Phoenix Suns stayed in step with Utah atop the Western Conference by outlasting the under-manned Cleveland Cavaliers 134-118 in overtime on for their fifth straight win.

Trevor Ariza scored 18 points and Bam Adebayo collected 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Miami

Stephen Curry scored 33 points — topping 30 for a career-best ninth consecutive game — as the Golden State Warriors pulled away for a 119-101 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It was fitting that Kevin Love and Matthew Dellavedova returned to the Cavs at the same time.

Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray (27) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Not himself of late, Jamal Murray got a lecture from Nuggets coach Michael Malone about being more aggressive and not passing up open shots. Following the game, Murray was unaware that he had done something unique. “With the exception of Murray, we took some steps in the right direction,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. They made their first 12 shots, opened a 22-point lead in the second half and then let Murray close out the Cavs.

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)NEW YORK – The NBA said one player tested positive for coronavirus in the past week, meaning only two have gotten that diagnosis in the last three weeks. The total for the season in the NBA is up to 92, but of those, 48 — or 52% — tested positive in November, before training camps officially opened. The NBA reported one positive test for the weekly period ending Jan. 26, and no positive tests for the period ending Feb. 3. Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns — who has missed 13 games — tested positive last month and his recovery is nearly complete. The NBA does not reveal which players test positive for COVID-19, but Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton said earlier this week that Bucks guard Jrue Holiday tested positive for the virus.

Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving (11) drives past Cleveland Cavaliers' Taurean Prince (12) during double overtime of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, in Cleveland. Sexton made four 3-pointers — most of them over Irving — and scored 15 points in the second OT. Like Irving, Sexton wears No. Irving's return to the Nets was also just his second game in Cleveland since he was traded by the Cavs after the 2017 season. ... Brooklyn made its first 10 shots, but let the Cavs scored 17 straight bridging the first and second quarters.

The team confirmed after the game that Fultz tore his ACL. “It’s a huge blow for us,” said Magic center Nikola Vucevic, whose team also will be without standout forward Jonathan Isaac this season because of an ACL tear. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft as he led the Magic to a quick start this season. Terrence Ross scored 20 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Magic, who beat the Cavaliers for a second time in three nights. Collin Sexton scored 21 points for Cleveland, his eighth straight game with at least 20 points to start the season.