For the first time in 12 years, USA Basketball is not atop the world men&rsquo;s rankings.
FIBA, the sport&rsquo;s governing body, updated its rankings on Friday &mdash; and Spain moved into the top spot, a sliver ahead of the U.S.
The four-time defending Olympic champion Americans moved into the top spot after winning the FIBA world championship in 2010, and had been there since.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not exactly a new title and it probably can&rsquo;t be maintained for too long, but it&rsquo;s something so unique, prestigious and historic that I feel tremendously proud of everyone who ... have contributed to it,&rdquo; Spain coach Sergio Scariolo wrote Friday on Twitter.
FIBA&rsquo;s rankings were changed in 2017 to a system that only takes results from the most recent eight years into account. That means the U.S. is no longer reaping the benefits of the 2014 World Cup title, but still is seeing the Olympic gold medals won at Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo factoring into the rankings. The U.S. was only seventh at the 2019 World Cup.
Spain won the last World Cup, plus the EuroBasket title earlier this year. The EuroBasket win was Spain&rsquo;s fourth in its last six appearances at the continental championship, all of those wins coming under Scariolo.
Spain is just 1.1 points ahead of the U.S. men now; the margin is 758.6-757.5.
The next 10 spots in the world rankings were unchanged. Australia is third, Argentina &mdash; which was No. 1 before the U.S. took that spot in 2010 &mdash; is fourth, followed by France, Serbia, Slovenia, Lithuania, Greece, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic.
The U.S. is still ranked No. 1 in women&rsquo;s basketball by a nearly 200-point margin over China. The Americans rolled to a gold at the women&rsquo;s World Cup this year, further cementing their spot atop the list.
USA Basketball also holds comfortable leads atop the worldwide boys and girls rankings.
FIBA&rsquo;s most recent rankings include the men&rsquo;s national teams from 164 countries, as well as 118 women&rsquo;s national teams.

For the first time in 12 years, USA Basketball is not atop the world men’s rankings.

Spain overtakes USA for No. 1 spot in FIBA men’s rankings

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) &mdash; It&rsquo;s almost like Miami coach Jim Larra&ntilde;aga wrote the script. A game against his alma mater, one win away from a milestone few have reached.
That&rsquo;s the scenario on Saturday.
Larra&ntilde;aga and Miami take on Providence in the opening round of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament in Uncasville, Connecticut &mdash; with the Hurricanes&rsquo; coach, and 1971 Providence graduate, entering with 699 career wins.
&ldquo;People talk about milestones,&rdquo; Larra&ntilde;aga said. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been at this a long time. I enjoy the coaching. If I get to my 700th win, I&rsquo;m hoping it will be this season. I hope I don&rsquo;t have to coach another year to get to it. Only got one more to get; I&rsquo;m assuming I&rsquo;ll get there at some point. But quite honestly, it&rsquo;s more about this team trying to play its best basketball on Saturday at 4 o&rsquo;clock against a very fine opponent.&rdquo;
When Larra&ntilde;aga &mdash; who is in season No. 39 as a head coach &mdash; gets there, he will become the 34th Division I men&rsquo;s coach with 700 wins on his official NCAA resume, and the ninth active coach on that list. Iona&rsquo;s Rick Pitino likely will be next; he needs 15 more to officially reach 700.
At 73, Larra&ntilde;aga shows no signs of slowing down. Miami won 26 games last season and reached the Elite Eight, falling there to eventual national champion Kansas, in Larra&ntilde;aga&rsquo;s deepest postseason run since taking George Mason to the Final Four in 2006. This season&rsquo;s Miami team has opened with three double-digit wins, and a win over Providence would move the Hurricanes to 4-0 for the first time in the last four years.
&ldquo;Coach L, obviously, he&rsquo;s been doing this for many years,&rdquo; Miami guard Bensley Joseph said. &ldquo;I feel like it&rsquo;s just instilled in his mind, what he preaches, what he wants from us players and his message to us is very on-point, very understandable. However many years Coach L goes, he just doesn&rsquo;t want to stop. Basketball is instilled in his mind. He loves the game. He loves us players. He wants us to be great at life and on the court.&rdquo;
Larra&ntilde;aga&rsquo;s career started when he was 27, hired at Division II American International. He won his first game, 84-66 over UMass-Boston.
The game has changed quite a bit since then. Larra&ntilde;aga hasn&rsquo;t.
Guests at practice are greeted with handshakes from every player. Practices begin with some inspirational words, not always said by Larra&ntilde;aga either. The tenets of Miami basketball &mdash; &ldquo;the 10 habits,&rdquo; he calls them &mdash; are repeated. It sets a tone, and the Hurricanes get to work.
&ldquo;We do it every day,&rdquo; Joseph said. &ldquo;Coach L is like a teacher to us. I love learning from him.&rdquo;
Larra&ntilde;aga still ranks among Providence&rsquo;s career scoring leaders. The short shorts, replete with metal belt buckle, of that era send his grandchildren into hysterics when they see the photographs. But his game was no joke; he had a 20-point, 15-assist, 12-rebound triple-double when he was there, though some of the details of that game escaped him until reminded about it this week.
He&rsquo;s also 0-2 against Providence (3-0) as a coach. Those losses have not been forgotten.
Larra&ntilde;aga&rsquo;s first time coaching against Providence was in the championship game of the 1989 Fleet Basketball Classic. The other was a matchup in the 2014 Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational.
The first one, Larra&ntilde;aga and Bowling Green led by 10 with 6 1/2 minutes left, only to get outscored 15-3 the rest of the way and lose 81-79. The other, Miami fell apart in the second half and lost 76-62.
But weirdly, had either of those games gone Larra&ntilde;aga&rsquo;s way, he wouldn&rsquo;t have had the chance that now awaits. He&rsquo;d have No. 700 already.
&ldquo;I think beating Providence anytime in basketball is a big accomplishment,&rdquo; Larra&ntilde;aga said. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s not about my wins. It&rsquo;s about this year&rsquo;s team.&rdquo;

When Larrañaga — who is in season No. 39 — gets there, he will become the 34th Division I men’s head coach with 700 wins.

For Miami’s Jim Larrañaga, a milestone 700th win awaits

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) &mdash; Ashlyn Watkins stole the ball at half court and knew exactly what she&rsquo;d do next, throwing down a right-handed dunk that brought her teammates on No. 1 South Carolina to their feet in celebration.
No big deal, said the 6-foot-3, five-star freshman. After all, Watkins did it all the time in high school.
&ldquo;She told us to chill,&rdquo; said Gamecocks senior Zia Cooke, who had 15 points to lead the team in an 85-31 win over rival Clemson on Thursday night.
Watkins one-armed jam with 3:26 to play was the capper to a dominant showing by the defending national champions.
It also stunned coach Dawn Staley, who thought Watkins was simply going to roll it over the rim and in as part of her career-best 14 points.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s pretty impressive,&rdquo; Staley said.
Her Gamecocks (3-0) were most impressive throughout. They used a 16-2 run in the first quarter to take control and used smothering defense and accurate shooting to win their 12th straight over the Tigers (3-1).
Watkins said to dunk in her third college game was &ldquo;amazing.&rdquo;
Cooke, among the players jumping off the bench, said her mind was blown by Watkins&rsquo; play.
&ldquo;Do you even know what you did?&rdquo; Cooke kept asking her.
Cooke came up slowly early in the game after getting hit by someone&rsquo;s knee in her thigh. But after a few minutes with a muscle-loosening device on her left thigh, re-entered and continued her perfect half (she was 4 of 4) as she drained a 3-pointer right before the buzzer to end the first quarter.
Aliyah Boston added 12 points and six rebounds for the Gamecocks.
Amari Robinson led Clemson with nine points.
The Tigers had no answers for the Gamecocks, who shot 64% in the first 20 minutes while holding their opponent to 7 of 27 from the field to lead 46-16 at the break.
The highlight for Clemson came early &mdash; very early &mdash; when Brie Perpignan&rsquo;s layup put the Tigers up 5-2 less than two minutes in. South Carolina then took off on its 16-2 run, making seven straight shots to take control.
Things will get a lot tougher for South Carolina next time out when it heads to No. 2 Stanford on Sunday in an early season showdown.
South Carolina, which relies more on smothering defense than accurate outside shooting, had both in this one. The Gamecocks shot 68% the first 20 minutes and made all five of their 3-pointers.
Even Victaria Saxton, the 6-foot-2 forward known for her inside game, joined in the shooting party with her first collegiate 3-pointer in three career attempts just before halftime for a 30-point lead.
Cooke, Boston, Bree Beal and Saxton, all starters on last year&rsquo;s NCAA title winners, sat out the final quarter with the game well in hand.
Clemson had won its first three games, shooting nearly 48% from the field and averaging 71 points a game.
But the Tigers went cold and missed 16 of their 18 second-quarter attempts. Clemson finished with the fewest points in a game in coach Amanda Butler&rsquo;s five seasons.
Butler said her team&rsquo;s shot selection early on put them in a hole the Tigers couldn&rsquo;t dig out from. &ldquo;We played the game entirely on their terms,&rdquo; she said.
THE BIG PICTURE
South Carolina: The Gamecocks have come out with a fire so far this season, winning all three games including an 81-56 victory at then-No. 11 Maryland last week, by an average winning margin of 54 points. They&rsquo;ll need that again if they hope to get past Stanford, which lost to the Gamecocks 65-61 a season ago.
Clemson: The Tigers have lost all four games with rival South Carolina, (the teams didn&rsquo;t play during the COVID-19 season of 2020-21), by an average margin of 33 points. Clemson will be up against it in the powerhouse ACC this season. The Tigers were picked 12th in the conference&rsquo;s preseason poll.
TURNING IT OVER
Staley was not pleased with South Carolina&rsquo;s 20 turnovers, including two apiece from starters in Beal, Boston and Cooke. Staley said Clemson used pressure that the Gamecocks had trouble handling.
UP NEXT
South Carolina: At Stanford on Sunday in a No. 1 vs. 2 matchup.
Clemson: Plays Kansas State on Thursday night at the Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Ashlyn Watkins' one-armed jam with 3:26 to play was the capper to a dominant showing by the defending national champions.

Freshman Watkins' dunk highlights No. 1 South Carolina win vs Clemson

NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; Desmond Cambridge Jr. scored 20 points and Arizona State never trailed in blowing out No. 20 Michigan 87-62 on Thursday night to win the Legends Classic at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
It was the most lopsided championship game in the event&rsquo;s 16-year history and Arizona State&rsquo;s largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent.
&ldquo;I thought it was an elite performance,&rdquo; coach Bobby Hurley said. &ldquo;These guys were just &mdash; man, they were making plays all over the court. I just kind of told them, I&rsquo;m kind of in awe of them a little bit. Just kind of took a step back and was watching and just proud of how they competed and performed and made plays out there.&rdquo;
DJ Horne added 19 points, Austin Nunez had 15 and Luther Muhammad scored 13 for the Sun Devils (4-1), who reached the championship game by overcoming an 11-point deficit in the final nine minutes of a 63-59 victory Wednesday night over VCU.
All-America center Hunter Dickinson, who was double- and triple-teamed down low by Arizona State, scored 14 points and Jett Howard had 12 for Michigan (3-1), which routed Pittsburgh 91-60 on Wednesday but shot just 34% against ASU.
&ldquo;I was looking at a lot of things that we did last night in that win and I think it started with our defense,&rdquo; Horne said. &ldquo;So I wanted to start there in this game today, emphasizing that defense is going to get us this win.&rdquo;
Seven players scored during a game-opening 29-10 run by Arizona State, which scored on nine straight possessions during the surge but shot even better in the second half (66.7%) than in the first half (56.3%).
&ldquo;Some of the shots were uncontested &mdash; that was disappointing,&rdquo; Michigan coach Juwan Howard said. &ldquo;But there were times when they made shots that were contested because of the fact (of) the confidence level that they had.&rdquo;
Michigan got within 15 just once following Arizona State&rsquo;s opening run. Dickinson put back a miss by Jett Howard to cut the lead to 50-34 early in the second half, but the momentum was short-lived as Howard was whistled for a foul 12 seconds later before Arizona State&rsquo;s Warren Washington slammed home an alley-oop.
Cambridge, who finished with four 3-pointers, hit consecutive 3s &mdash; the second with Jett Howard&rsquo;s hand in his face &mdash; before he cut into the lane, took a pass from Washington and dunked to make it 60-41.
A jumper by Horne with 10:55 left extended it to 64-43 for Arizona State, which led by 32 before Michigan emptied the bench with 4:12 remaining. The Sun Devils followed suit with 2:26 to play.
&ldquo;Getting beat like that is pretty embarrassing,&rdquo; Dickinson said. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t want to have that kind of wakeup call, but it happened. So for us, I feel like it&rsquo;ll level us and kind of bring us back down to Earth that obviously we can&rsquo;t just roll a ball out there and play and expect to win.&rdquo;
BIG PICTURE
Michigan: Led by the 7-foot-1 Dickinson down low, the Wolverines made 62.3% of their 2-point attempts in their first three games. But with Dickinson mostly contained, Michigan shot just 43% from inside the arc Thursday. The Wolverines missed four consecutive shots at or near the basket during a single possession while down 22-10. They couldn&rsquo;t make up for it from beyond the arc, finishing 4 of 22 (18%) on 3s.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils entered shooting just 29.4% from 3-point territory but thrived against Michigan&rsquo;s zone defense, going 8 for 14 in the first half and 11 of 19 (58%) overall.
UP NEXT
Michigan: Tries to rebound against Ohio at home Sunday night.
Arizona State: Will host Grambling on Tuesday night.

It was the most lopsided championship game in the event’s history and ASU’s largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent.

Arizona State routs No. 20 Michigan to win Legends Classic

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Royce O’Neale scored on a tip-in with 0.7 seconds left to complete a triple-double and give the Brooklyn Nets a 109-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
Kevin Durant led the Nets with 35 points, and O’Neale had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Yuta Watanabe added 20 points off the bench and Ben Simmons scored a season-high 15 points before fouling out with 24 seconds left.
“He was incredible tonight,” Durant said about Simmons. “I thought he did a good job of commanding the offense, commanding the team on the defensive side of the ball. He was able to control the game and get us back into it.” 
Said Simmons: “People make it seem like I had a sprained ankle or something. I came back from back surgery, that’s not easy. I’m getting there.” 
Damian Lillard had 25 points and 11 assists for Portland. The Blazers shot only 38.7% from the field, including 29% in the second half. 
“We really never got a flow in the fourth quarter,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “The end of the third quarter really hurt us. We had an 11-point lead with 2:40 to go, they go on a 14-0 run that turned the tide on us. From there we were in scramble mode.” 
A 3-pointer by Watanabe gave the Nets an 85-82 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Watanabe scored 11 of his points in the third.
The Nets won a challenge down 95-93 with 7:31 left. Durant’s basket after the challenge tied it at 95. After a pair of empty Portland possessions, Durant gave the Nets a 97-95 lead.
With 3:28 left, the Blazers began intentionally fouling Simmons. The career 59% free-throw shooter went 3 of 4 during the crucial series to preserve a 103-99 lead for Brooklyn.
“We had no doubts when he went up there,” Durant said of the team’s confidence in Simmons. 
“I love those moments. I’m not going to shy away,” Simmons said. “That was their plan, but obviously it didn’t work. But I’m just building. I love those moments.” 
Durant split a pair of free-throws to make it 106-103. Jusuf Nurkic was fouled by Durant on a layup with 6.5 seconds left and Nurkic converted the 3-point play to tie it at 107.
“Regardless of what people say, we’re here to win,” Simmons said. “We’re here to win a championship. It’s going to take everybody to do that. Everybody’s got to stay focused, locked in and stay the course, not get caught up in all the other things going on.” 
KYRIE NEAR RETURN
Star guard Kyrie Irving could return to the lineup for Brooklyn as soon as Sunday night when the Nets host the Memphis Grizzlies, according to coach Jacque Vaughn. Irving has not played since Nov. 1 while serving a team-imposed suspension for refusing to say he had no antisemitic beliefs.
Vaughn admitted there are no guarantees when incorporating Irving back into the team, which has gone 4-3 in his absence.
“There’s some uncertainty there for sure. And my approach is, the train is going to keep moving. That train is: playing hard, playing together, being a team and that’s going to continue. And that’s going to be up to me to get our group to incorporate everybody.”
UP NEXT
Nets: Host Memphis on Sunday night.
Trail Blazers: Host Utah on Saturday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Royce O’Neale scored on a tip-in with 0.7 seconds left to give the Brooklyn Nets a 109-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

O’Neale scores on late tip, Nets top Trail Blazers 109-107

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — De’Aaron Fox had 28 points and eight assists and the Sacramento Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 130-112 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.
“He’s playing hard," Monk said about Fox. “He usually takes a couple plays off, but Mike (Brown) won’t let him do that.”
Sacramento’s last five-game win streak came during the 2020-21 season. The fifth win of that streak also came against the Spurs.
The Kings haven’t had a six-game winning streak since the 2004-05 season. Sacramento has won eight of 10 games after opening 0-4.
Malik Monk added 26 points and Trey Lyles had 14. Both came off the bench. Harrison Barnes had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Domantas Sabonis finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
“Malik is a guy that can start or come off the bench,” Kings coach Mike Brown said. “He’s so talented ... he's changed a lot of games for us. He was big for us during crunch time."
Devin Vassell scored 29 points for San Antonio. The Spurs have lost nine of 10 after starting the season 5-2.
Keita Bates-Diop scored 16 for San Antonio, and Tre Jones had 15.
After tying it at 82 with 1:36 left in the third quarter, Sacramento went on a 24-7 run to close the third and start the fourth.
“We turned it over,” Bates-Diop said. “It went from a close game to kind of getting away from us.”
The Kings never trailed for the second time this season. Sacramento also led the entire game against Miami.
“They were just a better basketball team,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “They’re really buying in.”
TIP-INS
Spurs: F Keldon Johnson was a late scratch with an ankle injury. Johnson is the Spurs' leading scorer, averaging 22.7 points. … Doug McDermott was ruled out before the game with left calf tightness.
Kings: F Keegan Murray didn’t play because of back soreness The rookie from Iowa left Tuesday against the Nets in the first half with the same injury. … Richaun Holmes didn’t play because of a non-COVID illness... Sacramento have scored over 120 points every game during the five-game win streak.
UP NEXT
Spurs: At Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.
Kings: Host Detroit on Sunday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox had 28 points and eight assists and the Sacramento Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 130-112 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s playing hard," Monk said about Fox. &ldquo;He usually takes a couple plays off, but Mike (Brown) won&rsquo;t let him do that.&rdquo;
Sacramento&rsquo;s last five-game win streak came during the 2020-21 season. The fifth win of that streak also came against the Spurs.
The Kings haven&rsquo;t had a six-game winning streak since the 2004-05 season. Sacramento has won eight of 10 games after opening 0-4.
Malik Monk added 26 points and Trey Lyles had 14. Both came off the bench. Harrison Barnes had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Domantas Sabonis finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
&ldquo;Malik is a guy that can start or come off the bench,&rdquo; Kings coach Mike Brown said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s so talented ... he's changed a lot of games for us. He was big for us during crunch time."
Devin Vassell scored 29 points for San Antonio. The Spurs have lost nine of 10 after starting the season 5-2.
Keita Bates-Diop scored 16 for San Antonio, and Tre Jones had 15.
After tying it at 82 with 1:36 left in the third quarter, Sacramento went on a 24-7 run to close the third and start the fourth.
&ldquo;We turned it over,&rdquo; Bates-Diop said. &ldquo;It went from a close game to kind of getting away from us.&rdquo;
The Kings never trailed for the second time this season. Sacramento also led the entire game against Miami.
&ldquo;They were just a better basketball team,&rdquo; Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re really buying in.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Spurs: F Keldon Johnson was a late scratch with an ankle injury. Johnson is the Spurs' leading scorer, averaging 22.7 points. &hellip; Doug McDermott was ruled out before the game with left calf tightness.
Kings: F Keegan Murray didn&rsquo;t play because of back soreness The rookie from Iowa left Tuesday against the Nets in the first half with the same injury. &hellip; Richaun Holmes didn&rsquo;t play because of a non-COVID illness... Sacramento have scored over 120 points every game during the five-game win streak.
UP NEXT
Spurs: At Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night.
Kings: Host Detroit on Sunday night.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; De&rsquo;Aaron Fox had 28 points and eight assists and the Sacramento Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 130-112 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s playing hard," Monk said about Fox. &ldquo;He usually takes a couple plays off, but Mike (Brown) won&rsquo;t let him do that.&rdquo;
Sacramento&rsquo;s last five-game win streak came during the 2020-21 season. The fifth win of that streak also came against the Spurs.
The Kings haven&rsquo;t had a six-game winning streak since the 2004-05 season. Sacramento has won eight of 10 games after opening 0-4.
Malik Monk added 26 points and Trey Lyles had 14. Both came off the bench. Harrison Barnes had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Domantas Sabonis finished with 16 points and eight rebounds.
&ldquo;Malik is a guy that can start or come off the bench,&rdquo; Kings coach Mike Brown said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s so talented ... he's changed a lot of games for us. He was big for us during crunch time."
Devin Vassell scored 29 points for San Antonio. The Spurs have lost nine of 10 after starting the season 5-2.
Keita Bates-Diop scored 16 for San Antonio, and Tre Jones had 15.
After tying it at 82 with 1:36 left in the third quarter, Sacramento went on a 24-7 run to close the third and start the fourth.
&ldquo;We turned it over,&rdquo; Bates-Diop said. &ldquo;It went from a close game to kind of getting away from us.&rdquo;
The Kings never trailed for the second time this season. Sacramento also led the entire game against Miami.
&ldquo;They were just a better basketball team,&rdquo; Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re really buying in.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Spurs: F Keldon Johnson was a late scratch with an ankle injury. Johnson is the Spurs' leading scorer, averaging 22.7 points. &hellip; Doug McDermott was ruled out before the game with left calf tightness.
Kings: F Keegan Murray didn&rsquo;t play because of back soreness The rookie from Iowa left Tuesday against the Nets in the first half with the same injury. &hellip; Richaun Holmes didn&rsquo;t play because of a non-COVID illness... Sacramento have scored over 120 points every game during the five-game win streak.

De’Aaron Fox had 28 points and the Sacramento Kings beat the San Antonio Spurs 130-112 for their fifth straight victory.

Fox scores 28 points, Kings beat Spurs for 5th win a row

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when <a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/kawhi-leonard-euro-step-his-way-inside-for-the-basket?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">Kawhi Leonard</a> was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. 
“It was good to be back,” he said. “I felt good.”
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/reggie-jackson-knocks-down-the-corner-3?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">Reggie Jackson</a> led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
“It's going to be a long journey,” Leonard said. “ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.”
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
“He looked pretty good as far as his movement,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.”
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/bojan-bogdanovic-26-points-highlights-vs-la-clippers?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">Bojan Bogdanovic</a> scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over. 
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/paul-george-with-the-steal-and-the-dunk?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">George hit a 3-pointer</a>, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
“The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,” Ivey said. “Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.”
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points. 
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week. 
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out. 
UP NEXT
Pistons: At the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host San Antonio on Saturday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
&ldquo;It was good to be back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I felt good.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/reggie-jackson-knocks-down-the-corner-3?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">Reggie Jackson</a> led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
&ldquo;It's going to be a long journey,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.&rdquo;
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
&ldquo;He looked pretty good as far as his movement,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/bojan-bogdanovic-26-points-highlights-vs-la-clippers?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">Bojan Bogdanovic</a> scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over.
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/paul-george-with-the-steal-and-the-dunk?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">George hit a 3-pointer</a>, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
&ldquo;The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,&rdquo; Ivey said. &ldquo;Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.&rdquo;
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points.
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week.
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out.
UP NEXT
Pistons: At the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host San Antonio on Saturday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
&ldquo;It was good to be back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I felt good.&rdquo;
Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
&ldquo;It's going to be a long journey,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.&rdquo;
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
&ldquo;He looked pretty good as far as his movement,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.&rdquo;
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/bojan-bogdanovic-26-points-highlights-vs-la-clippers?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">Bojan Bogdanovic</a> scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over.
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/paul-george-with-the-steal-and-the-dunk?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">George hit a 3-pointer</a>, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
&ldquo;The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,&rdquo; Ivey said. &ldquo;Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.&rdquo;
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points.
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week.
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out.
UP NEXT
Pistons: At the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host San Antonio on Saturday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
&ldquo;It was good to be back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I felt good.&rdquo;
Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
&ldquo;It's going to be a long journey,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.&rdquo;
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
&ldquo;He looked pretty good as far as his movement,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.&rdquo;
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over.
<a href="https://www.nba.com/watch/video/paul-george-with-the-steal-and-the-dunk?plsrc=nba&amp;game-highlights=0022200223">George hit a 3-pointer</a>, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
&ldquo;The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,&rdquo; Ivey said. &ldquo;Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.&rdquo;
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points.
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week.
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out.
UP NEXT
Pistons: At the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host San Antonio on Saturday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
&ldquo;It was good to be back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I felt good.&rdquo;
Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
&ldquo;It's going to be a long journey,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.&rdquo;
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
&ldquo;He looked pretty good as far as his movement,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.&rdquo;
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over.
George hit a 3-pointer, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
&ldquo;The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,&rdquo; Ivey said. &ldquo;Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.&rdquo;
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points.
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week.
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out.
UP NEXT
Pistons: At the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host San Antonio on Saturday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
&ldquo;It was good to be back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I felt good.&rdquo;
Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
&ldquo;It's going to be a long journey,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.&rdquo;
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
&ldquo;He looked pretty good as far as his movement,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.&rdquo;
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over.
George hit a 3-pointer, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
&ldquo;The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,&rdquo; Ivey said. &ldquo;Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.&rdquo;
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points.
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week.
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out.
UP NEXT
Pistons: At the Los Angles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host San Antonio on Saturday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; A month into the season, the Los Angeles Clippers are still trying to see the team they're hoping to be.
They got a glimpse Thursday night, when Kawhi Leonard was in the starting lineup for the first time and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.
Leonard finished with six points on 2-of-8 shooting and had five rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes.
&ldquo;It was good to be back,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I felt good.&rdquo;
Reggie Jackson led the Clippers with 23 points. Paul George and Marcus Morris added 16 points each and Ivica Zubac tied his career high with 18 rebounds.
Leonard had missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. He had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
&ldquo;It's going to be a long journey,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;ACL recovery isn't just one year. It's a two-year process.&rdquo;
Leonard's availability is going to depend on how he's feeling day to day.
&ldquo;He looked pretty good as far as his movement,&rdquo; Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. &ldquo;His impact defensively is huge for us. With him on the floor we're a different team. It gives us a sense of calmness when he has the ball in his hand.&rdquo;
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points and Jaden Ivey added 18 points for the Pistons. They lost their fifth in a row playing without injured Cade Cunningham.
Killian Hayes scored to give the Pistons their last lead at 76-75 before the Clippers took over.
George hit a 3-pointer, Leonard made a pair of free throws and then assisted on Morris' 3-pointer. George dunked one-handed after a steal and Leonard scored to push the Clippers' lead to 87-79.
&ldquo;The fourth quarter we just didn't execute what we wanted to do offensively, kind of rushed some shots,&rdquo; Ivey said. &ldquo;Paul George was just into the basket and it just opened up their offense. That's on us. We have to be better as a team.&rdquo;
The Clippers took their first lead since the opening quarter on a three-point play by Terance Mann late in the third that made it 67-65. The second unit joined Zubac in outscoring the Pistons 13-6 to lead 68-67 going into the fourth.
Detroit led most of the game, using a 15-0 run in the first quarter to build its largest lead of 12 points.
The Clippers rallied to tie it at 30-all before the Pistons closed on a 20-12 run to head into halftime leading 50-42. Bogdanovic scored nine points in the spurt.
TIP-INS
Pistons: Cunningham (left shin soreness) is out this week.
Clippers: Luke Kennard (right calf strain) sat out.
&nbsp;

Kawhi Leonard returned to the Clippers lineup and helped stage a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91.

Clippers rally to beat Pistons 96-91 in Leonard's return

LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Kawhi Leonard is returning and starting for the first time this season against the Detroit Pistons.
He has missed 12 straight games since coming off the bench in two of the first three games to begin the season. Leonard had been dealing with stiffness in his right knee, which was surgically repaired in July 2021. He missed all of last season while rehabbing.
He is averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds this season. The Clippers have gone 8-7 in Leonard&rsquo;s absence.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to take Kawhi a little time to get back to the player we know,&rdquo; coach Tyronn Lue said.
Paul George also will start against the Pistons despite a left hand contusion.&nbsp;

“It’s going to take Kawhi a little time to get back to the player we know,” coach Tyronn Lue said.

Leonard returns to make first start of season for Clippers

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A psychologist who worked for the San Antonio Spurs has settled <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-nba-sports-lawsuits-houston-513dbdc8302dfe8d15b6fc4abcc91df1">her lawsuit</a> against the team and former player Josh Primo over allegations he had exposed himself to her multiple times in private sessions, her attorney said Thursday. 
Hillary Cauthen worked as a performance psychologist for the team. In a lawsuit filed earlier this month in Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, she had accused the 19-year-old Primo of exposing his genitals to her nine times “despite her numerous complaints about Primo’s improper sexual conduct to the organization’s leadership.”
“The parties have agreed to resolve this matter,” Cauthen’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a one sentence statement. Details of the settlement were not disclosed. 
William J. Briggs II, Primo’s attorney, declined to comment on the lawsuit’s settlement. 
In a statement, Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said since the allegations against Primo were made, the team has taken measures “to ensure that all parties involved are treated with dignity and respect.” The team has collaborated with Cauthen and other experts to “review and improve our workplace processes and procedures.” 
“This is a learning opportunity for us, and one that we are certain will make us better moving forward,” Buford said. 
The lawsuit’s settlement comes as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-nba-sports-lawsuits-7c262f5511c42df0a25bb19261471eab">the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office continues investigating</a> the allegations against Primo. 
In her lawsuit, the team’s former performance psychologist said the Spurs did nothing to discipline Primo or address her concerns. 
Cauthen said she had informed and requested a meeting with Spurs general manager Brian Wright after what she described as Primo’s first incident of indecent exposure in December 2021. She said her request for a meeting in January was postponed by Wright until March, during which time Cauthen continued to counsel Primo despite her concerns.
Cauthen said her role with the team was marginalized in the months that followed, culminating in her contract not being renewed in August.
Cauthen said she was angry, confused and sad that Primo had not faced any discipline for his actions until the Spurs released him an hour before their Oct. 28 home game against Chicago. Primo has not signed with another team.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN ANTONIO (AP) &mdash; A psychologist who worked for the San Antonio Spurs has settled <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-nba-sports-lawsuits-houston-513dbdc8302dfe8d15b6fc4abcc91df1">her lawsuit</a> against the team and former player Josh Primo over allegations he had exposed himself to her multiple times in private sessions, her attorney said Thursday.
Hillary Cauthen worked as a performance psychologist for the team. In a lawsuit filed earlier this month in Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, she had accused the 19-year-old Primo of exposing his genitals to her nine times &ldquo;despite her numerous complaints about Primo&rsquo;s improper sexual conduct to the organization&rsquo;s leadership.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The parties have agreed to resolve this matter,&rdquo; Cauthen&rsquo;s attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a one sentence statement. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
William J. Briggs II, Primo&rsquo;s attorney, declined to comment on the lawsuit&rsquo;s settlement.
In a statement, Spurs CEO R.C. Buford said since the allegations against Primo were made, the team has taken measures &ldquo;to ensure that all parties involved are treated with dignity and respect.&rdquo; The team has collaborated with Cauthen and other experts to &ldquo;review and improve our workplace processes and procedures.&rdquo;
&ldquo;This is a learning opportunity for us, and one that we are certain will make us better moving forward,&rdquo; Buford said.
The lawsuit&rsquo;s settlement comes as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-nba-sports-lawsuits-7c262f5511c42df0a25bb19261471eab">the Bexar County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office continues investigating</a> the allegations against Primo.
In her lawsuit, the team&rsquo;s former performance psychologist said the Spurs did nothing to discipline Primo or address her concerns.
Cauthen said she had informed and requested a meeting with Spurs general manager Brian Wright after what she described as Primo&rsquo;s first incident of indecent exposure in December 2021. She said her request for a meeting in January was postponed by Wright until March, during which time Cauthen continued to counsel Primo despite her concerns.
Cauthen said her role with the team was marginalized in the months that followed, culminating in her contract not being renewed in August.
Cauthen said she was angry, confused and sad that Primo had not faced any discipline for his actions until the Spurs released him an hour before their Oct. 28 home game against Chicago. Primo has not signed with another team.

"The parties have agreed to resolve this matter,” Cauthen’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, said in a one-sentence statement.

Former team psychologist settles suit with Spurs, Josh Primo

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — X-rays on LaMelo Ball’s left ankle were negative, but the Charlotte Hornets All-Star point guard has already been ruled out of Friday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Coach Steve Clifford said it is too early to know how much time Ball will miss after spraining the ankle for a second time in a 125-113 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Ball first injured his ankle on Oct. 10 during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards when he stepped on an opposing player's foot. That caused him to miss more than a month of action, including the first 13 games of the regular season.
Ball had returned to action over the weekend and played three games before rolling it again <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-indiana-pacers-nba-sports-08465f8ed69675b8fead4b43e89285f6">when he stepped on a fan's foot</a> as he was attempting to save a ball from going out of bounds in the fourth quarter.
Ball grimaced in pain and immediately limped to the training room and did not return.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) &mdash; X-rays on LaMelo Ball&rsquo;s left ankle were negative, but the Charlotte Hornets All-Star point guard has already been ruled out of Friday night&rsquo;s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Coach Steve Clifford said it is too early to know how much time Ball will miss after spraining the ankle for a second time in a 125-113 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Ball first injured his ankle on Oct. 10 during a preseason game against the Washington Wizards when he stepped on an opposing player's foot. That caused him to miss more than a month of action, including the first 13 games of the regular season.
Ball had returned to action over the weekend and played three games before rolling it again <a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlotte-hornets-indiana-pacers-nba-sports-08465f8ed69675b8fead4b43e89285f6">when he stepped on a fan's foot</a> as he was attempting to save a ball from going out of bounds in the fourth quarter.
Ball grimaced in pain and immediately limped to the training room and did not return.

Coach Steve Clifford said it is too early to know how much time Ball will miss after spraining the ankle for a second time.

X-rays on LaMelo Ball's ankle negative, will miss game vs Cavaliers

WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; WNBA star Brittney Griner has begun serving her nine-year sentence for drug possession at a Russian penal colony, her lawyers and agent said Thursday.
Griner was transferred to a penal colony in Mordovia, about 350 kilometers (210 miles) east of Moscow, after a Russian court last month rejected her appeal of her sentence.
Her lawyers said they visited her earlier this week.
&ldquo;Brittney is doing as well as could be expected and trying to stay strong as she adapts to a new environment,&rdquo; her lawyers said in a statement.
The all-star center with the WNBA&rsquo;s Phoenix Mercury and two-time Olympic gold was detained in February when customs agents said they found vape canisters containing cannabis oil in her luggage at Moscow&rsquo;s Sheremetyevo Airport.
At her trial, Griner admitted to having the canisters in her luggage but testified she packed them inadvertently in her haste to make her flight and had no criminal intent. Her defense team presented written statements saying she had been prescribed cannabis to treat chronic pain.
She was convicted in August and sentenced to nine years in prison.
The Biden administration has been trying for months to negotiate the release of Griner and another American jailed in Russia, Michigan corporate security executive Paul Whelan, including through a possible prisoner swap with Moscow. Whelan was also sent to a penal colony in Mordovia after being convicted of espionage-related charges in 2020 and sentenced to 16 years in prison.&nbsp;
President Joe Biden told reporters last week that he hopes Russian President Vladimir Putin will be more willing to negotiate the release of Griner now that the U.S. midterm elections are over.
&ldquo;My hope is that now that the election is over, that Mr. Putin will be able to discuss with us and be willing to talk more seriously about a prisoner exchange,&rdquo; Biden said.

“Brittney is doing as well as could be expected and trying to stay strong as she adapts to a new environment,” her lawyers said.

Brittney Griner has begun serving sentence in Russian penal colony

PHOENIX (AP) — Cameron Payne scored a career-high 29 points, Devin Booker added 27 and the Phoenix Suns easily overcame Stephen Curry’s 50-point night to beat the Golden State Warriors 130-119 on Wednesday.
The Suns controlled most of the game despite Curry's scoring. The eight-time All-Star made 17 of 28 shots, going 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
The problem for the Warriors was nobody else was helping. Klay Thompson finished with 19 points but shot just 6 of 17. The Warriors — defending NBA champs — fell to 6-9.
Curry's scoring prowess is expected, but it was countered by one of the best games of Payne's career. Starting in place of the injured Chris Paul, the 6-foot-3 guard made 9 of 17 shots, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc.
The Suns led 103-89 going into the fourth quarter. The Warriors quickly cut into that margin but couldn't get closer than eight points. Damion Lee hit back-to-back 3-pointers against his former team to keep the Suns comfortably ahead.
The Suns shot 21 of 40 (52.5%) from 3-point range. Mikal Bridges had 23 points, making 5 of 8 3-pointers.
It was a frenetic first half with both teams shooting very well — particularly behind the arc. The Suns led 72-65 at the break, with Curry scoring 31 points. Payne had 18 for the Suns and Booker had 16.
Curry was at his best in the first half, making 10 of 13 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 3-pointers. The two-time MVP came into the game averaging about 31 points per game and hit that mark with a free throw near the end of the second quarter.
The Warriors were basically at full strength while the Suns were missing two injured starters — Paul and Cam Johnson — and a key reserve in Landry Shamet.
The two teams were playing again a little more than three weeks <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-b880fa680cc06b3db8f41a9f07d45090">after the Suns beat the Warriors by nearly 30 points</a>. That game was notable for seven technical fouls and a verbal spat between Booker and Golden State's Klay Thompson that eventually resulted in Thompson's first career ejection.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Kevon Looney scored 10 points in the first half on 5 of 5 shooting. ... Curry was called for a technical in the third quarter. ... Curry passed Mitch Richmond for 49th on the NBA career scoring list.
Suns: Paul (right heel soreness), Shamet (concussion) and Johnson (right meniscus tear) didn't play. ... Debuted special blue City Edition uniforms as part of a night to honor Arizona's Tribal Nations. ... The team was called for a technical foul in the first half after getting called for two delay of games. ... Hosted their 34th consecutive sellout crowd.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host New York on Friday night.
Suns: At Utah on Friday night.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Cameron Payne scored a career-high 29 points, Devin Booker added 27 and the Phoenix Suns easily overcame Stephen Curry&rsquo;s 50-point night to beat the Golden State Warriors 130-119 on Wednesday.
The Suns controlled most of the game despite Curry's scoring. The eight-time All-Star made 17 of 28 shots, going 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
The problem for the Warriors was nobody else was helping. Klay Thompson finished with 19 points but shot just 6 of 17. The Warriors &mdash; defending NBA champs &mdash; fell to 6-9.
Curry's scoring prowess is expected, but it was countered by one of the best games of Payne's career. Starting in place of the injured Chris Paul, the 6-foot-3 guard made 9 of 17 shots, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc.
The Suns led 103-89 going into the fourth quarter. The Warriors quickly cut into that margin but couldn't get closer than eight points. Damion Lee hit back-to-back 3-pointers against his former team to keep the Suns comfortably ahead.
The Suns shot 21 of 40 (52.5%) from 3-point range. Mikal Bridges had 23 points, making 5 of 8 3-pointers.
It was a frenetic first half with both teams shooting very well &mdash; particularly behind the arc. The Suns led 72-65 at the break, with Curry scoring 31 points. Payne had 18 for the Suns and Booker had 16.
Curry was at his best in the first half, making 10 of 13 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 3-pointers. The two-time MVP came into the game averaging about 31 points per game and hit that mark with a free throw near the end of the second quarter.
The Warriors were basically at full strength while the Suns were missing two injured starters &mdash; Paul and Cam Johnson &mdash; and a key reserve in Landry Shamet.
The two teams were playing again a little more than three weeks <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-b880fa680cc06b3db8f41a9f07d45090">after the Suns beat the Warriors by nearly 30 points</a>. That game was notable for seven technical fouls and a verbal spat between Booker and Golden State's Klay Thompson that eventually resulted in Thompson's first career ejection.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Kevon Looney scored 10 points in the first half on 5 of 5 shooting. ... Curry was called for a technical in the third quarter. ... Curry passed Mitch Richmond for 49th on the NBA career scoring list.
Suns: Paul (right heel soreness), Shamet (concussion) and Johnson (right meniscus tear) didn't play. ... Debuted special blue City Edition uniforms as part of a night to honor Arizona's Tribal Nations. ... The team was called for a technical foul in the first half after getting called for two delay of games. ... Hosted their 34th consecutive sellout crowd.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host New York on Friday night.
Suns: At Utah on Friday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

PHOENIX (AP) &mdash; Cameron Payne scored a career-high 29 points, Devin Booker added 27 and the Phoenix Suns easily overcame Stephen Curry&rsquo;s 50-point night to beat the Golden State Warriors 130-119 on Wednesday.
The Suns controlled most of the game despite Curry's scoring. The eight-time All-Star made 17 of 28 shots, going 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
The problem for the Warriors was nobody else was helping. Klay Thompson finished with 19 points but shot just 6 of 17. The Warriors &mdash; defending NBA champs &mdash; fell to 6-9.
Curry's scoring prowess is expected, but it was countered by one of the best games of Payne's career. Starting in place of the injured Chris Paul, the 6-foot-3 guard made 9 of 17 shots, including 6 of 10 from beyond the arc.
The Suns led 103-89 going into the fourth quarter. The Warriors quickly cut into that margin but couldn't get closer than eight points. Damion Lee hit back-to-back 3-pointers against his former team to keep the Suns comfortably ahead.
The Suns shot 21 of 40 (52.5%) from 3-point range. Mikal Bridges had 23 points, making 5 of 8 3-pointers.
It was a frenetic first half with both teams shooting very well &mdash; particularly behind the arc. The Suns led 72-65 at the break, with Curry scoring 31 points. Payne had 18 for the Suns and Booker had 16.
Curry was at his best in the first half, making 10 of 13 shots from the field, including 4 of 5 3-pointers. The two-time MVP came into the game averaging about 31 points per game and hit that mark with a free throw near the end of the second quarter.
The Warriors were basically at full strength while the Suns were missing two injured starters &mdash; Paul and Cam Johnson &mdash; and a key reserve in Landry Shamet.
The two teams were playing again a little more than three weeks <a href="https://apnews.com/article/phoenix-suns-golden-state-warriors-nba-sports-b880fa680cc06b3db8f41a9f07d45090">after the Suns beat the Warriors by nearly 30 points</a>. That game was notable for seven technical fouls and a verbal spat between Booker and Golden State's Klay Thompson that eventually resulted in Thompson's first career ejection.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Kevon Looney scored 10 points in the first half on 5 of 5 shooting. ... Curry was called for a technical in the third quarter. ... Curry passed Mitch Richmond for 49th on the NBA career scoring list.
Suns: Paul (right heel soreness), Shamet (concussion) and Johnson (right meniscus tear) didn't play. ... Debuted special blue City Edition uniforms as part of a night to honor Arizona's Tribal Nations. ... The team was called for a technical foul in the first half after getting called for two delay of games. ... Hosted their 34th consecutive sellout crowd.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Host New York on Friday night.
Suns: At Utah on Friday night.

The Suns controlled most of the game despite Curry's scoring.