J.B. BICKERSTAFF

Darius Garland strengthened his All-Star case with 22 points and 12 assists, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 114-107 win over the Brooklyn Nets, who began a stretch without injured superstar Kevin Durant.

A person familiar with the decision tells AP that Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman has been rewarded for the team’s turnaround with a contract extension and new job title.

Once Ricky Rubio was lost for the season with a knee injury, the Cleveland Cavaliers knew it would take someone special to take his spot.

Cavaliers coach J.

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.

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.

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

(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)LeBron James is becoming a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox. “It’s great to be with such a great group,” James said of FSG, with which he has had a relationship for a decade. The Red Sox are a historical franchise. AdAnd now, he’ll be linked to the Red Sox — the Yankees’ biggest rival. It’s something that inspires, something for others to marvel at.”The move only enhances James' business empire.

Cleveland Indians head coach J B.Bickerstaff directs his team in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)CLEVELAND – Trying to strengthen the strained relationship between the community and city police, the Cavaliers hosted dozens of area youth for what the NBA team — in its partnership with the Browns and Indians — hopes leads to permanent change. Soon, they were standing side by side with the exercise designed to shown their commonality and not differences. The images of last summer's unrest flashed across the arena's giant scoreboard, which on most nights shows game highlights. One speaker suggested the possibility of holding an event just to get to know the officers on a more personal level.

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. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he's the first player in league history to score 50 or more points without shooting a free throw. “To do it as efficiently as he did it is really remarkable,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. On his 26th birthday, Jokic had 16 points and 12 rebounds in getting his seventh triple-double this season. AdCavaliers: F Taurean Prince missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle.

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.

Denver Nuggets forward Paul Millsap, left, fights for position for a rebound with Cleveland Cavaliers center Andre Drummond in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)CLEVELAND – Andre Drummond is on the trade block — and the bench. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the decision to sit Drummond, one of the NBA's leading rebounders at 13.5 per game, was difficult. Drummond will continue to stay on the sideline while the team tries to find a trade partner. But with the NBA's focus on shooting 3-pointers, a player like Drummond — a prototypical center — can be viewed as a liability.

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers' Dylan Windler (9) in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Back home, LeBron James kept the Lakers perfect on the road. When James was short with a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter, the unidentified Cavs executive celebrated. It was only James' second trip back to Cleveland since he left the Cavs for the second time as a free agent after the 2018 season. “It's more of a somber-tone-type-of-day.”The Lakers are spending the night in Cleveland before flying to Philadelphia — Bryant's hometown — on Tuesday.

FILE - Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Porter Jr., right, drives past Indiana Pacers' Victor Oladipo in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, in this Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, file photo. Kevin Porter quickly went from being a future star with the Cavaliers to part of their past. Cleveland finalized its trade with Houston on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, sending Porter to the Rockets for a future second-round draft pick. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Kevin Porter quickly went from being a future star with the Cavaliers to part of their past. “After careful and thoughtful evaluation, we made the very difficult and collective decision to make this trade,” Cavs general manager Koby Altman said.

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 scored 15 points in the second OT — most of them over Irving — for the Cavs, who outplayed the Nets all night. Before the game, Nets first-year coach Steve Nash admitted being “curious” about how his trio of superstars would align on the floor. In the second quarter, Sexton ran back on defense and cleanly flicked the ball away from Durant as he was going in on a breakaway dunk. 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.

The Magic confirmed the ACL injury after the game and said Fultz would miss the rest of the season. Fultz signed a three-year, $50 million extension last month and was finally showing the promise that made him the No. 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.

Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love, right, passes against Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Cavaliers forward Kevin Love could miss more than a month with a right calf injury he aggravated Sunday night in a game against Philadelphia. The 32-year-old’s injury is a setback for the Cavs, who are off to their first 3-0 start since 2016. The five-time All-Star made his season debut and played 38 minutes in the Cavaliers' double-overtime win at Detroit on Saturday. Love is in his seventh season with Cleveland, which is counting on him to lead a young team showing early signs of growth this season.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra watches during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Joel Auerbach)The Miami Heat just wrapped up two consecutive days of practice, which is significant for this reason: It might not happen again for a while. Practice time is something that will be in short supply around the NBA this season; teams are basically playing every other day, and that — along with travel and mandated days off — realistically leaves time for no more than two practices per week. “I think you need to adjust and at least we’re all on an even playing field, so it’s all relative,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Every team in the NBA will have similar practice quandaries, which comes with the territory of having plenty of four-game weeks.

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, left, questions a call during the first half of an NBA conference semifinal playoff basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Doc Rivers would easily be considered the best coach in Los Angeles Clippers history. Rivers spent seven seasons with the Clippers, making the playoffs in six of them — major success for a once-woebegone franchise. This season's team, with the summer 2019 additions of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, was expected to compete for a championship. Rivers has been the coach in five of the Clippers’ six best regular seasons. “I am immeasurably grateful to Doc for his commitment and contributions to the Clippers and the city of Los Angeles,” Ballmer said.

The teams that didn't qualify for the restart of the NBA season at Walt Disney World could begin voluntary workouts Wednesday, Sept. 23, to start preparing for their next game whenever that is. Karl Anthony-Towns got to work in Minnesota and his old coach started to mold his new team in New York. After six months without one, it felt so good for some NBA teams to practice again that even Allen Iverson might've enjoyed it. “It gives us some sense of continuity, some sense of togetherness,” said Love, who didn’t want to miss the voluntary workouts. Coaches who didn't know what to expect were pleasantly surprised by the level of play they saw.

FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2019, file photo, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona watches during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla. Cleveland's three major professional sports franchises--the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians--are teaming up to fight social injustice. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)CLEVELAND Clevelands three major professional sports franchises the Browns, Cavaliers and Indians are teaming up to fight social injustice. Clevelands teams announced an alliance to develop a sustainable and direct strategy to address social injustice facing the city and all Northeast Ohio communities.Kevin Clayton, vice president of diversity, inclusion and engagement for the Cavaliers, hopes the partnership and one-of-a-kind program triggers similar efforts elsewhere. The three-team union will focus on strengthening the relationships between law enforcement and citizens, promote nonpartisan voting activities and provide educational opportunities in the area. For Berry, one of only two Black GM's in the NFL and the youngest at 33, linking with the Cavs and Indians is another effort to promote change.