NEW YORK (AP) &mdash; LeBron James was fined $15,000 for an obscene gesture Friday by the NBA, which also warned the Lakers superstar about using profane language.
James made the gesture after making a shot late in Los Angeles&rsquo; 124-116 overtime victory in Indiana on Wednesday night.
He had missed a loss at New York a night earlier after he was suspended one game for hitting Detroit center Isaiah Stewart in the face and drawing blood last Sunday. He used profanity in his postgame interview after the victory in Indiana when discussing the suspension.
Also Friday, the NBA fined Portland&rsquo;s Robert Covington $15,000 for throwing his facemask at a referee Wednesday. He was given a technical foul and ejected for that action, with 49 seconds left in the second quarter of the Trail Blazers&rsquo; 125-121 loss at Sacramento.

LeBron James was fined $15,000 for an obscene gesture Friday by the NBA, which also warned him about using profane language.

LeBron fined $15K for obscene gesture, warned for language

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities, the club announced Friday, but there remains no specific timetable on when the 2019 top overall draft choice out of Duke will play.
“We want him back soon as possible,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said Friday night before New Orleans tipped off at Utah. “But it’s all predicated on how he feels after workouts.”
The upgrade in Williamson's status came after he underwent imaging Wednesday on his right foot, which he fractured during an offseason workout. Dr. Richard Ferkel of Southern California Orthopedic Institute and Dr. Scott Montgomery of Ochsner Health subsequently studied Williamson's scans before he was cleared for expanded work in practice.
“Hopefully, that adds some juice to our team,” Green said. “He’s a huge part to what we do here.”
Williamson participated in four-on-four, full-court work Friday.
He will “continue his progression towards returning to play,” a written statement provided by the Pelicans said. “An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined.”
The Pelicans lost 16 of their first 20 games without Williamson, an All-Star last season who led New Orleans with 27 points per game. New Orleans' game at Utah on Friday night was the first of three road games in four days.
When the team initially disclosed Williamson’s injury at the start of training camp, both Williamson and basketball operations chief David Griffin said the goal was for Williamson to be ready to play in the Oct. 20 regular-season opener. 
But that timeline was scrapped as the the preseason wound down and it became apparent that Williamson’s rehabilitation would be far more protracted than initially hoped. 
___
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities, the club announced Friday, but there remains no specific timetable on when the 2019 top overall draft choice out of Duke will play.
&ldquo;We want him back soon as possible,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said Friday night before New Orleans tipped off at Utah. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s all predicated on how he feels after workouts.&rdquo;
The upgrade in Williamson's status came after he underwent imaging Wednesday on his right foot, which he fractured during an offseason workout. Dr. Richard Ferkel of Southern California Orthopedic Institute and Dr. Scott Montgomery of Ochsner Health subsequently studied Williamson's scans before he was cleared for expanded work in practice.
&ldquo;Hopefully, that adds some juice to our team,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a huge part to what we do here.&rdquo;
Williamson participated in four-on-four, full-court work Friday.
He will &ldquo;continue his progression towards returning to play,&rdquo; a written statement provided by the Pelicans said. &ldquo;An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined.&rdquo;
The Pelicans lost 16 of their first 20 games without Williamson, an All-Star last season who led New Orleans with 27 points per game. New Orleans' game at Utah on Friday night was the first of three road games in four days.
When the team initially disclosed Williamson&rsquo;s injury at the start of training camp, both Williamson and basketball operations chief David Griffin said the goal was for Williamson to be ready to play in the Oct. 20 regular-season opener.
But that timeline was scrapped as the the preseason wound down and it became apparent that Williamson&rsquo;s rehabilitation would be far more protracted than initially hoped.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities, the club announced Friday, but there remains no specific timetable on when the 2019 top overall draft choice out of Duke will play.
&ldquo;We want him back soon as possible,&rdquo; Pelicans coach Willie Green said Friday night before New Orleans tipped off at Utah. &ldquo;But it&rsquo;s all predicated on how he feels after workouts.&rdquo;
The upgrade in Williamson's status came after he underwent imaging Wednesday on his right foot, which he fractured during an offseason workout. Dr. Richard Ferkel of Southern California Orthopedic Institute and Dr. Scott Montgomery of Ochsner Health subsequently studied Williamson's scans before he was cleared for expanded work in practice.
&ldquo;Hopefully, that adds some juice to our team,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s a huge part to what we do here.&rdquo;
Williamson participated in four-on-four, full-court work Friday.
He will &ldquo;continue his progression towards returning to play,&rdquo; a written statement provided by the Pelicans said. &ldquo;An estimated date to return to game action has not been determined.&rdquo;
The Pelicans lost 16 of their first 20 games without Williamson, an All-Star last season who led New Orleans with 27 points per game. New Orleans' game at Utah on Friday night was the first of three road games in four days.
When the team initially disclosed Williamson&rsquo;s injury at the start of training camp, both Williamson and basketball operations chief David Griffin said the goal was for Williamson to be ready to play in the Oct. 20 regular-season opener.
But that timeline was scrapped as the the preseason wound down and it became apparent that Williamson&rsquo;s rehabilitation would be far more protracted than initially hoped.

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been cleared to participate in full team activities, the club announced Friday.

Zion Williamson cleared for full team work at practice

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Mustapha Amzil hit a running jumper in the lane at the buzzer, and Dayton beat No. 4 Kansas 74-73 on Friday.
Kansas&rsquo; David McCormack blocked Malachi Smith&rsquo;s layup with 3 seconds left. Amzil picked up the loose ball, and his shot went off the rim and backboard before going in.
After Smith cut the deficit to 73-72 on a layup, McCormack was called for an offensive foul with 9 seconds to play.
Ochai Agbaji scored four of his 21 points during a late 6-0 run, helping Kansas take a 73-70 advantage with just over a minute remaining.
Dayton (3-3) had five players score in double figures. DaRon Holmes II had 16 points, and Toumani Camara and Elijah Weaver both added 14.
Christian Braun had 17 points for Kansas (4-1)
Weaver hit a pair of 3-pointers and Holmes ended a 16-1 surge with consecutive dunks to put Dayton up 53-50 five minutes into the second half.
After Kansas pulled within one, Holmes was left alone for a dunk that made it 70-67 with four minutes remaining.
Kansas went on a 17-8 run to go up 44-29 late in the first half. Braun ended the stretch with a slam off a floating pass from Dajuan Harris Jr.
BIG-TIME WELCOME
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale received a standing ovation as he walked across the court to his broadcast position before the game. Vitale announced last month that he has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time this year, undergoing tests that show he has lymphoma. Vitale said in August that he underwent multiple surgeries to remove melanoma.
THE TAKEAWAY
Dayton: Has 12 freshmen on the roster and continue to improve as the season progresses.
Kansas: Will be interesting to see if the Jayhawks will fall out of the top 10.
REMATCH
The teams met in the 2019 Maui Invitational championship, with Kansas prevailing 90-84 in overtime.
UP NEXT
Dayton: Will play either Iona or Belmont on Sunday
Kansas: Plays Sunday against the loser of Iona-Belmont.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Mustapha Amzil hit a running jumper in the lane at the buzzer, and Dayton beat No. 4 Kansas 74-73 on Friday.
Kansas&rsquo; David McCormack blocked Malachi Smith&rsquo;s layup with 3 seconds left. Amzil picked up the loose ball, and his shot went off the rim and backboard before going in.
&nbsp;
After Smith cut the deficit to 73-72 on a layup, McCormack was called for an offensive foul with 9 seconds to play.
Ochai Agbaji scored four of his 21 points during a late 6-0 run, helping Kansas take a 73-70 advantage with just over a minute remaining.
Dayton (3-3) had five players score in double figures. DaRon Holmes II had 16 points, and Toumani Camara and Elijah Weaver both added 14.
Christian Braun had 17 points for Kansas (4-1)
Weaver hit a pair of 3-pointers and Holmes ended a 16-1 surge with consecutive dunks to put Dayton up 53-50 five minutes into the second half.
After Kansas pulled within one, Holmes was left alone for a dunk that made it 70-67 with four minutes remaining.
Kansas went on a 17-8 run to go up 44-29 late in the first half. Braun ended the stretch with a slam off a floating pass from Dajuan Harris Jr.
BIG-TIME WELCOME
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale received a standing ovation as he walked across the court to his broadcast position before the game. Vitale announced last month that he has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time this year, undergoing tests that show he has lymphoma. Vitale said in August that he underwent multiple surgeries to remove melanoma.
THE TAKEAWAY
Dayton: Has 12 freshmen on the roster and continue to improve as the season progresses.
Kansas: Will be interesting to see if the Jayhawks will fall out of the top 10.
REMATCH
The teams met in the 2019 Maui Invitational championship, with Kansas prevailing 90-84 in overtime.
UP NEXT
Dayton: Will play either Iona or Belmont on Sunday
Kansas: Plays Sunday against the loser of Iona-Belmont.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) &mdash; Mustapha Amzil hit a running jumper in the lane at the buzzer, and Dayton beat No. 4 Kansas 74-73 on Friday.
Kansas&rsquo; David McCormack blocked Malachi Smith&rsquo;s layup with 3 seconds left. Amzil picked up the loose ball, and his shot went off the rim and backboard before going in.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
DAYTON STUNS No. 4 KANSAS AT THE BUZZER 😱 First top-5 win for the Flyers since 1984. <a href="https://t.co/IWgGZfpzQh">pic.twitter.com/IWgGZfpzQh</a>
&mdash; ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1464333637168545802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2021</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

After Smith cut the deficit to 73-72 on a layup, McCormack was called for an offensive foul with 9 seconds to play.
Ochai Agbaji scored four of his 21 points during a late 6-0 run, helping Kansas take a 73-70 advantage with just over a minute remaining.
Dayton (3-3) had five players score in double figures. DaRon Holmes II had 16 points, and Toumani Camara and Elijah Weaver both added 14.
Christian Braun had 17 points for Kansas (4-1)
Weaver hit a pair of 3-pointers and Holmes ended a 16-1 surge with consecutive dunks to put Dayton up 53-50 five minutes into the second half.
After Kansas pulled within one, Holmes was left alone for a dunk that made it 70-67 with four minutes remaining.
Kansas went on a 17-8 run to go up 44-29 late in the first half. Braun ended the stretch with a slam off a floating pass from Dajuan Harris Jr.
BIG-TIME WELCOME
ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale received a standing ovation as he walked across the court to his broadcast position before the game. Vitale announced last month that he has been diagnosed with cancer for the second time this year, undergoing tests that show he has lymphoma. Vitale said in August that he underwent multiple surgeries to remove melanoma.
THE TAKEAWAY
Dayton: Has 12 freshmen on the roster and continue to improve as the season progresses.
Kansas: Will be interesting to see if the Jayhawks will fall out of the top 10.
REMATCH
The teams met in the 2019 Maui Invitational championship, with Kansas prevailing 90-84 in overtime.
UP NEXT
Dayton: Will play either Iona or Belmont on Sunday
Kansas: Plays Sunday against the loser of Iona-Belmont.

Mustapha Amzil hit a running jumper in the lane at the buzzer, and Dayton beat No. 4 Kansas 74-73 on Friday.

Amzil hits jumper at buzzer, Dayton beats No. 4 Kansas 74-73

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Jaren Jackson scored a season-high 26 points, winning a jump ball and hitting a 3-pointer in the final seconds, to lift the Memphis Grizzlies to a 119-118 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.
Ja Morant had 32 points and Desmond Bane added a career-high 28 as the Grizzlies scored the final seven points for their third win in their last four games.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 24 points and made a season-best seven 3-pointers. He made back-to-back jumpers from beyond the arc in the final two minutes to put the Jazz in prime position.
Tied at 112, Rudy Gobert blocked Morant’s floater and Royce O’Neale found Bogdanovic for a transition 3. The next time down, the Croatian sharpshooter drained a step-back 3 for a 118-112 lead with 1:28 remaining.
Memphis hit four of six free throws while stopping the Jazz on consecutive possessions. Then, on Morant’s miss with 14.1 seconds left, an official review remaining showed Gobert did not interfere with the ball in the cylinder. 
It resulted in a jump ball at midcourt, which Jackson won over Gobert. He then he hit a 3-pointer with 5.7 seconds to play for a 119-118 edge.
Donovan Mitchell, who had 18 points on 5-of-20 shooting, missed an off-balance jumper at the buzzer.
Gobert had 23 points and 13 rebounds, while Mike Conley had 19 points and assists for the Jazz.
The Grizzlies (9-8) took the lead in the fourth quarter by taking it right to the Jazz. Jackson blocked Gobert’s layup and Morant ran over Conley on the other end and scored a layup to make it 112-110 with 3:46 to play.
The Jazz (11-6) led 80-73 on Hassan Whiteside’s tip-in before the Grizzlies scored nine straight points to take their first lead of the second half. Bane made two 3s in the run, while Brandon Clarke had a monster block on Bogdanovic.
The Jazz and Grizzlies then traded several highlight-reels plays as the pace quickened significantly. Conley finished a third quarter that saw the teams combined for 74 points with an alley-oop pass to Gobert for a layup and a floater to make it 96-92 entering the final quarter.
This was the first meeting since the Jazz ousted the Grizzlies 4-1 in the first round of last season’s playoffs.
Gobert had five blocks to pass Greg Ostertag for third place on the franchise career blocked shots list with 1,254.
Morant averages a league-leading 15 points in the paint a game but went 6-for-17 going over and around Gobert and Whiteside.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Bane scored or assisted on seven of Memphis’s first 10 baskets. … Dillon Brooks missed his second straight game with a sore right hamstring after playing his first three games of the season since offseason hand surgery. … Memphis had a 24-2 advantage in points off turnovers and an 18-13 edge on fast-break points.
Jazz: The Jazz started the game 1 of 12 from beyond the arc. … Utah is now 6-1 against Western Conference foes and had a six-game winning streak against Memphis snapped. … Mitchell had a season-high eight assists.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
Jazz: Host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 26 points to help the Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Utah Jazz, 119-118.

Jackson's big finish helps Grizzlies edge Jazz, 119-118

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 in a sloppy game on Friday night.
DeAndre Williams added 13 points and Earl Timberlake finished with 10 for the Tigers (4-0).
Camron Justice led the Hilltoppers (1-3) with 18 points, while Jairus Hamilton scored 14. Dayvion McKnight had 11 points and eight rebounds as Western Kentucky lost its third straight.
It was the play of Duren controlling the middle that kept the Tigers from dropping their first game of the season.
&ldquo;Jalen&rsquo;s energy definitely made up for those mistakes that we made shooting the ball in the first half. We shot the ball horrible,&rdquo; Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said, adding: &ldquo;Thank God for Jalen Duren tonight because he kept us in the game and won it for us.&rdquo;
Duren had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the second half and helped the Tigers pull away.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why he&rsquo;s one of the best players in America,&rdquo; Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury said &ldquo;He beat us up around that rim. He got those put-backs. He&rsquo;s hard to keep out and keep off that rim.&rdquo;
The game ratcheted up the competition for the Tigers, who travel to New York next week to play in the NIT Season Tip-off. They will face Virginia Tech in the opener.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thankful for a game like this right before we go on the road,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;I think everything has been so easy that the guys get a little complacent. Tonight, we got into a good game.&rdquo;
Memphis shot poorly from 3-point range and committed 26 turnovers, keeping Western Kentucky in the game even when the Tigers stretched their second-half lead to double digits.
Western Kentucky had its own problems with 25 turnovers and poor free-throw shooting.
&ldquo;You can point to a couple of things. You can point to turnovers. We had 25,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;Then the free-throw line. You can&rsquo;t go 5 for 13 from the foul line. Those kinds of things just take the air from you.&rdquo;
The Hilltoppers gave Memphis by far its toughest challenge this season, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half. Memphis went 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first half against the Western Kentucky zone defense. A late rush by Memphis left the game tied at 38 at the break.
&ldquo;Give them credit for going to a zone,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;We work on zone every day. Got a little stagnant on the offensive end.&rdquo;
Western Kentucky had its own turnover issues in the first half, preventing any kind of flow to the game. In the second half, Memphis&rsquo; defense held the Hilltoppers to 26.5% shooting. Memphis was better at 39.4%, but made only one of its nine 3-point attempts after halftime.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t win the game, but I&rsquo;m awful proud of the way our guys came in here and battled,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;We just played one of the better teams in the country. And we were right there.&rdquo;
BIG PICTURE
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers can give opponents plenty of trouble with their zone defense, along with busy hands swatting away passes. Western Kentucky&rsquo;s 3-point shooting kept the game close until it finished the game by missing six of its last seven shots.
Memphis: Turnovers continue to plague the Tigers. The 14 first-half giveaways resulted in 19 points for the Hilltoppers. And the ballhandling was just as bad in the second half.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
It wasn&rsquo;t pretty, but it was a win and Memphis should at least hold onto its spot in the AP Top 25.
HOLD ONTO THE BALL
In the first five minutes of the game, the teams combined for 10 turnovers. The Tigers came into the game averaging 20 turnovers a game, and Western Kentucky was forcing their opponents into roughly the same amount.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky: Hosts Alabama A&amp;M on Wednesday.
Memphis: Faces Virginia Tech on Wednesday in the NIT Season Tip-off in New York.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 in a sloppy game on Friday night.
DeAndre Williams added 13 points and Earl Timberlake finished with 10 for the Tigers (4-0).
Camron Justice led the Hilltoppers (1-3) with 18 points, while Jairus Hamilton scored 14. Dayvion McKnight had 11 points and eight rebounds as Western Kentucky lost its third straight.
It was the play of Duren controlling the middle that kept the Tigers from dropping their first game of the season.
&ldquo;Jalen&rsquo;s energy definitely made up for those mistakes that we made shooting the ball in the first half. We shot the ball horrible,&rdquo; Memphis coach Penny Hardaway said, adding: &ldquo;Thank God for Jalen Duren tonight because he kept us in the game and won it for us.&rdquo;
Duren had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the second half and helped the Tigers pull away.
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why he&rsquo;s one of the best players in America,&rdquo; Western Kentucky coach Rick Stansbury said &ldquo;He beat us up around that rim. He got those put-backs. He&rsquo;s hard to keep out and keep off that rim.&rdquo;
The game ratcheted up the competition for the Tigers, who travel to New York next week to play in the NIT Season Tip-off. They will face Virginia Tech in the opener.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m thankful for a game like this right before we go on the road,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;I think everything has been so easy that the guys get a little complacent. Tonight, we got into a good game.&rdquo;
Memphis shot poorly from 3-point range and committed 26 turnovers, keeping Western Kentucky in the game even when the Tigers stretched their second-half lead to double digits.
Western Kentucky had its own problems with 25 turnovers and poor free-throw shooting.
&ldquo;You can point to a couple of things. You can point to turnovers. We had 25,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;Then the free-throw line. You can&rsquo;t go 5 for 13 from the foul line. Those kinds of things just take the air from you.&rdquo;
The Hilltoppers gave Memphis by far its toughest challenge this season, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half. Memphis went 1 of 7 from 3-point range in the first half against the Western Kentucky zone defense. A late rush by Memphis left the game tied at 38 at the break.
&ldquo;Give them credit for going to a zone,&rdquo; Hardaway said. &ldquo;We work on zone every day. Got a little stagnant on the offensive end.&rdquo;
Western Kentucky had its own turnover issues in the first half, preventing any kind of flow to the game. In the second half, Memphis&rsquo; defense held the Hilltoppers to 26.5% shooting. Memphis was better at 39.4%, but made only one of its nine 3-point attempts after halftime.
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t win the game, but I&rsquo;m awful proud of the way our guys came in here and battled,&rdquo; Stansbury said. &ldquo;We just played one of the better teams in the country. And we were right there.&rdquo;
BIG PICTURE
Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers can give opponents plenty of trouble with their zone defense, along with busy hands swatting away passes. Western Kentucky&rsquo;s 3-point shooting kept the game close until it finished the game by missing six of its last seven shots.
Memphis: Turnovers continue to plague the Tigers. The 14 first-half giveaways resulted in 19 points for the Hilltoppers. And the ballhandling was just as bad in the second half.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
It wasn&rsquo;t pretty, but it was a win and Memphis should at least hold onto its spot in the AP Top 25.
HOLD ONTO THE BALL
In the first five minutes of the game, the teams combined for 10 turnovers. The Tigers came into the game averaging 20 turnovers a game, and Western Kentucky was forcing their opponents into roughly the same amount.
UP NEXT
Western Kentucky: Hosts Alabama A&amp;M on Wednesday.
Memphis: Faces Virginia Tech on Wednesday in the NIT Season Tip-off in New York.

Jalen Duren had 22 points, 19 rebounds and 5 blocks as No. 11 Memphis beat Western Kentucky 74-62 on Friday night.

Memphis beats Western Kentucky behind Jalen Duren's 22-19-5

CLEVELAND (AP) — Collin Sexton barely got a chance to show the Cavs — and other teams — he's worthy of a long-term investment.
The flashy and productive guard is done for the season after injuring his left knee and undergoing surgery.
Cleveland's leading scorer this season tore cartilage in his knee on Nov. 7 in a game against the New York Knicks. The Cavs didn't provide their first update until Friday, when they said Sexton had an operation on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Before getting hurt, the 22-year-old averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in Cleveland's first 11 games.
His loss is a significant blow for the Cavs, who got off to a strong start this season but have been ravaged recently by injuries. Rookie forward Evan Mobley is expected to miss a month with an elbow sprain.
The Cavs were missing six regulars on Thursday night in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The injury is also a major setback for Sexton, who failed to get a contract extension from Cleveland before the 2021 opener and was hoping another solid season would lead to lucrative offers.
He'll become a restricted free agent next summer.
Despite Cleveland viewing Sexton as part of its young core with Mobley, point guard Darius Garland, center Jarrett Allen and forward Issac Okoro, his name was often mentioned in numerous trade rumors.
Sexton's game can be infuriating to teammates and opponents alike, as he's a ball-dominant player who can score but doesn't always make great decisions.
Now, his injury only further clouds Sexton's future with the Cavs, who drafted him with the No. 8 overall pick in 2018.
Sexton has improved in each of his four seasons. He averaged 24.3 points last year on a 22-win Cleveland squad.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CLEVELAND (AP) &mdash; Collin Sexton barely got a chance to show the Cavs &mdash; and other teams &mdash; he's worthy of a long-term investment.
The flashy and productive guard is done for the season after injuring his left knee and undergoing surgery.
Cleveland's leading scorer this season tore cartilage in his knee on Nov. 7 in a game against the New York Knicks. The Cavs didn't provide their first update until Friday, when they said Sexton had an operation on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Before getting hurt, the 22-year-old averaged 16.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in Cleveland's first 11 games.
His loss is a significant blow for the Cavs, who got off to a strong start this season but have been ravaged recently by injuries. Rookie forward Evan Mobley is expected to miss a month with an elbow sprain.
The Cavs were missing six regulars on Thursday night in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The injury is also a major setback for Sexton, who failed to get a contract extension from Cleveland before the 2021 opener and was hoping another solid season would lead to lucrative offers.
He'll become a restricted free agent next summer.
Despite Cleveland viewing Sexton as part of its young core with Mobley, point guard Darius Garland, center Jarrett Allen and forward Issac Okoro, his name was often mentioned in numerous trade rumors.
Sexton's game can be infuriating to teammates and opponents alike, as he's a ball-dominant player who can score but doesn't always make great decisions.
Now, his injury only further clouds Sexton's future with the Cavs, who drafted him with the No. 8 overall pick in 2018.
Sexton has improved in each of his four seasons. He averaged 24.3 points last year on a 22-win Cleveland squad.

The Cleveland Cavaliers' guard is done for the season after injuring his left knee and undergoing surgery.

Cavaliers' Collin Sexton done for season following knee surgery

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans reserve small forward Didi Louzada has been suspended 25 games for violating the the NBA's performance-enhancing drug rules.
Louzada’s suspension, announced by NBA spokesman Mark Broussard, began Friday when the Pelicans hosted the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 6-foot-5 Louzada, who joined the Pelicans last season, has played in just two games this season and has not scored.
“We were disappointed to learn that Didi Louzada violated the NBA-NBPA Anti-Drug Program," said Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin. "After speaking with Didi, we are confident that he understands the full gravity of the situation and regrets the decisions that led to the suspension. 
"We fully support Didi on and off the court as he learns and grows from this experience,” Griffin added.
Louzada is from Brazil and initially joined the NBA in 2019, when he was a second-round draft pick of the Atlanta Hawks.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) &mdash; New Orleans Pelicans reserve small forward Didi Louzada has been suspended 25 games for violating the the NBA's performance-enhancing drug rules.
Louzada&rsquo;s suspension, announced by NBA spokesman Mark Broussard, began Friday when the Pelicans hosted the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 6-foot-5 Louzada, who joined the Pelicans last season, has played in just two games this season and has not scored.
&ldquo;We were disappointed to learn that Didi Louzada violated the NBA-NBPA Anti-Drug Program," said Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin. "After speaking with Didi, we are confident that he understands the full gravity of the situation and regrets the decisions that led to the suspension.
"We fully support Didi on and off the court as he learns and grows from this experience,&rdquo; Griffin added.
Louzada is from Brazil and initially joined the NBA in 2019, when he was a second-round draft pick of the Atlanta Hawks.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Didi Louzada has been suspended 25 games for violating the the NBA's performance-enhancing drug rules.

Pelicans' Didi Louzada suspended for 25 games for drug violation

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks are retiring Dirk Nowitzki's No. 41 when Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit in January.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to attend the Jan. 5 ceremony honoring the only player in league history to play 21 seasons with the same team. The ceremony will be held after the game.
The 43-year-old Nowitzki is the franchise leader in points, games, starts, minutes, rebounds, 3-pointers, free throws and blocks. The 14-time All-Star is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history. Nowitzki is sixth on the all-time list with 31,560 points.
Nowitzki retired at 40 in 2019, eight years after leading Dallas to the only championship in franchise history. Jason Kidd, the point guard on that team, is now coach of the Mavericks.
Three other Dallas players have had their numbers retired, all of them guards in Brad Davis (10), Rolando Blackman (22) and Derek Harper (12).
___
More AP NBA coverage: <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; The Dallas Mavericks are retiring Dirk Nowitzki's No. 41 when Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit in January.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to attend the Jan. 5 ceremony honoring the only player in league history to play 21 seasons with the same team. The ceremony will be held after the game.
The 43-year-old Nowitzki is the franchise leader in points, games, starts, minutes, rebounds, 3-pointers, free throws and blocks. The 14-time All-Star is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history. Nowitzki is sixth on the all-time list with 31,560 points.
Nowitzki retired at 40 in 2019, eight years after leading Dallas to the only championship in franchise history. Jason Kidd, the point guard on that team, is now coach of the Mavericks.
Three other Dallas players have had their numbers retired, all of them guards in Brad Davis (10), Rolando Blackman (22) and Derek Harper (12).

The Dallas Mavericks are retiring Dirk Nowitzki's No. 41 when Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit in January.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to attend the Jan. 5 ceremony honoring the only player in league history to play 21 seasons with the same team. The ceremony will be held after the game.
The 43-year-old Nowitzki is the franchise leader in points, games, starts, minutes, rebounds, 3-pointers, free throws and blocks. The 14-time All-Star is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history. Nowitzki is sixth on the all-time list with 31,560 points.
Nowitzki retired at 40 in 2019, eight years after leading Dallas to the only championship in franchise history. Jason Kidd, the point guard on that team, is now coach of the Mavericks.
Three other Dallas players have had their numbers retired, all of them guards in Brad Davis (10), Rolando Blackman (22) and Derek Harper (12).

The Dallas Mavericks are retiring Dirk Nowitzki's No. 41 when Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visit in January.

Mavs retiring Dirk Nowitzki's No. 41 in January when Warriors visit

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 points and Khris Middleton tied Milwaukee’s franchise record for career 3-pointers as the Bucks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 109-102 on Wednesday night.
Middleton returned after missing eight games due to COVID-19 and made consecutive 3-pointers 30 seconds apart early in the fourth quarter to put the Bucks ahead for good. The second of those 3s was his 1,051st with the Bucks to match Ray Allen for first place on the team’s all-time list.

<a href="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/allenra02.html">Allen holds the NBA record with 2,973 3-pointers</a> in a career that also included stints with the Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
LeBron James missed an eighth straight game for the Lakers due to an abdominal strain. The Lakers have gone 3-5 during that stretch.
Talen Horton-Tucker scored 25 points for the Lakers two nights after getting a career-high 28 in a 121-103 loss to Chicago. Russell Westbrook had 19 points, Anthony Davis 18, Malik Monk 11 and Carmelo Anthony 10.
Antetokounmpo posted his highest point total since scoring 50 in a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-nba-milwaukee-bucks-phoenix-suns-64e76fe1b9f0851dbcf46ad66d90d6de">Game 6 Finals victory over the Phoenix Suns that clinched Milwaukee's first title since 1971.</a>
Bobby Portis added 17 points for the Bucks. Middleton and Pat Connaughton had 16 each.
This marked just the third game this season in which the Bucks had their three top players – Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Jrue Holiday – all available. The only other times were in a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-milwaukee-bucks-khris-middleton-kevin-durant-4377deafb1f2915453cc85ff5f7f4a76">127-104 season-opening victory over the Brooklyn Nets</a> and a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-entertainment-sports-khris-middleton-milwaukee-bucks-e5ec2c044057607cf3c09328d604d719">121-111 triumph at San Antonio</a> on Oct. 23.
Bucks center Brook Lopez hasn’t played since that Nets game due to a back issue and guard Donte DiVincenzo still hasn’t made his season debut. DiVincenzo tore a ligament in his left ankle during the first round of the 2020-21 playoffs.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Coach Frank Vogel spoke pragmatically about the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/crypto-arena-staples-center-lakers-clippers-king-9300ae3be9ed420886573583899aa549">name change to the Lakers’ home arena.</a> The building known as Staples Center since its October 1999 opening will become the Crypto.com Arena starting on Christmas Day. “It’s tough, you know what I mean?” Vogel said. “Lakers fans and really sports fans in general I guess would know that building as Staples Center. I understand the disappointment the fans will have, but that’s just the way of the world. This is the business we’re in. Almost universally around the country, there’s a business element to naming rights with arenas. It’s really out of our control.”
Bucks: This victory started a five-game home stand for the Bucks after they returned from a five-game road trip. The Bucks went 2-3 on the trip and ended it with losses at <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-boston-celtics-robert-williams-houston-rockets-641129acd2dce9a112e7d2317f182767#:~:text=BOSTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Dennis%20Schr%C3%B6der,122%2D113%20on%20Friday%20night.">Boston</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-mlb-sports-trae-young-giannis-antetokounmpo-07f759c3e69134dee9aa75560451f596">Atlanta.</a>
UP NEXT
Lakers: At Boston on Friday in the second game of a five-game trip.
Bucks: Host Oklahoma City on Friday. The Bucks split two games with the Thunder last season.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 47 points, and the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 109-102.

Antetokounmpo scores 47, Bucks defeat Lakers 109-102

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson won't begin participating in five-on-five drills until after Nov. 24 at the earliest, the club announced Tuesday.
Williamson has been cleared to participate in full-speed contact drills on a one-on-one basis after doctors reviewed imaging of his fractured right foot late last week.
The star forward is scheduled to have another round of scans done on Nov. 24, after which team physicians will decide whether to clear the 2019 top overall draft choice out of Duke for full team drills.
The Pelicans, who visit Miami on Wednesday night, have opened 2-13 without Williamson, an All-Star last season who led New Orleans with 27 points per game.
New Orleans is scheduled to play five more games before the earliest point at which Williamson could be cleared to participate on five-on-five drills at practice.
The club has yet to announce a timeline for Williamson's return to playing in games. When the team initially disclosed Williamson's injury at the start of training camp, both Williamson and basketball operations chief David Griffin said the goal was for Williamson to be ready to play in the Oct. 20 regular-season opener. 
But that timeline was scrapped as the the preseason wound down and it became apparent that Williamson's rehabilitation would be far more protracted than initially hoped. 
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The Pelicans say Zion Williamson has been cleared for 1 on 1 contact drills, but is still not cleared for team workouts.

Pelicans' Williamson cleared for 1-on-1 contact drills

WASHINGTON (AP) — Moments after being serenaded with chants of “M-V-P! M-V-P!” at the free throw line, fan favorite Montrezl Harrell drew a foul on the other end of the court and pounded his chest as the home crowd roared in approval.
It took a big comeback, but Washington is off to the franchise's best start in nearly half a century.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half, and the Wizards erased a 19-point deficit to beat the New Orleans Pelicans 105-100 Monday night for their fifth consecutive victory. At 10-3, it’s their best start since the Bullets opened the 1974-75 season 11-2.
“We just woke up — I think we flipped a switch,” said forward Deni Avdija, who scored 11 and contained New Orleans' Brandon Ingram in the fourth quarter. “When we play together and we have that right energy, it’s very hard to stop us."
The Wizards have done this with and without All-Star guard Bradley Beal, who missed a second consecutive game mourning the death of his grandmother. They're 3-0 with Beal out last season after going 2-10 in such games last season.
“We never want to be without Brad,” said first-year coach Wes Unseld Jr., who expects Beal back this week. “No one wants to be without their best player. But the fact that we can withstand some stretches is great.”
Aaron Holiday, who took Beal's spot in the starting lineup, scored 12 points. Dinwiddie made his first three 3-point attempts in the third quarter to start the climb back from down 60-41, cutting the Pelicans' lead to five before a series of fouls and missed free throws temporarily stalled the comeback bid.
Trailing by seven entering the fourth quarter, it took until Kyle Kuzma's 3 with 5:18 left for the Wizards to pull even at 92 for the first tie since 33-all. Avdija's fast-break layup put Washington up with under four minutes left, and the second-year pro from Israel grabbed a defensive rebound on the next Pelicans possession to help ensure Washington wouldn't fall behind again.
"They just turned it up," New Orleans coach Willie Green said.
The Wizards pulled away on jumpers by Avdija and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, while the Pelicans missed 11 consecutive attempts from the field to let the game slip away.
“We shot 34 free throws, so we tried to put our heads down and be aggressive," Green said. "We just couldn't sustain it.”
New Orleans lost for the 13th time in 15 games this season, all without Zion Williamson because of a broken right foot. Ingram led all scorers with 31 points in his second game back from a hip injury, and Jonas Valanciunas added 16.
RUI EVENTUALLY
The Wizards have been playing without Rui Hachimura because the forward was granted a leave of absence for personal reasons. They know they'll need to integrate him into the rotation at some point but don't yet know what that looks like or when it will happen.
“It’s going to be a challenge," Unseld said. “Obviously we’re playing pretty well. Sometimes as coaches we overthink it, and you’re worried about upsetting the balance. There’s another part of me that says, ‘You know what, just rip the band aid off and go for it, see how it looks.’"
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Josh Hart, who Green has praised for becoming a better leader, had 13 points and 12 rebounds. ... Former Wizards guard Garrett Temple scored eight points. ... Ingram had missed seven consecutive games before coming back Saturday against Memphis. ... Devonte Graham finished with 14 points.
Wizards: Held an opponent at 100 or fewer points for the sixth time in 13 games. They only did that five times last season. ... Caldwell-Pope finished with 18 points and hit four 3s. ... Dinwiddie also had nine assists. ... Harrell has scored in double figures in every game. ... Forward Davis Bertans, who has been out with a sprained left ankle, continues to practice and could play next week, according to Unseld.
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Wrap up their two-game road trip at the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. 
Wizards: Visit the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
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The Wizards continue to win, and are off to their best start since the 74-75 season after beating the Pelicans, 105-100.

Wizards stay hot, erase 19-point deficit to beat Pelicans

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter will undergo surgery for a right wrist injury that turned out to be worse than expected, knocking him out of the lineup for about two months.
The Hawks announced Hunter's diagnosis late Sunday after a 120-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, dealing another blow to the injury plagued forward who is one of Atlanta's key defensive players.
Hunter was injured during a Nov. 8 loss at Golden State. He sat out the following night's game at Utah, but returned to play 21 1/2 minutes in a loss to Denver on Friday night, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting. 
After the Hawks returned from their extended road trip, Hunter underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed a tendon injury. 
Dr. Steven Shin will perform the surgery Monday in Los Angeles. Hunter is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, the team said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-bogdan-bogdanovic-deandre-hunter-atlanta-hawks-atlanta-1877d400f31128d8a6d2178586747903">Hunter played only 23 games last season</a> because of a lingering right knee injury. He returned in time for the playoffs, only to go down again during a second-round series against Philadelphia.
Hunter was <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/09/hawks-deandre-hunter-will-miss-remainder-nba-postseason">done for the postseason</a> after requiring surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus.
Now, he's out for another extended period. Kevin Huerter started in Hunter's place against the Bucks,, and Cam Reddish gives the Hawks another option at the small forward position.
Hunter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, was averaging 10.8 points in 11 games this season.
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ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Atlanta Hawks forward De&rsquo;Andre Hunter will undergo surgery for a right wrist injury that turned out to be worse than expected, knocking him out of the lineup for about two months.
The Hawks announced Hunter's diagnosis late Sunday after a 120-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, dealing another blow to the injury plagued forward who is one of Atlanta's key defensive players.
Hunter was injured during a Nov. 8 loss at Golden State. He sat out the following night's game at Utah, but returned to play 21.5 minutes in a loss to Denver on Friday night, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
After the Hawks returned from their extended road trip, Hunter underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed a tendon injury.
Dr. Steven Shin will perform the surgery Monday in Los Angeles. Hunter is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, the team said.
<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-bogdan-bogdanovic-deandre-hunter-atlanta-hawks-atlanta-1877d400f31128d8a6d2178586747903">Hunter played only 23 games last season</a> because of a lingering right knee injury. He returned in time for the playoffs, only to go down again during a second-round series against Philadelphia.
Hunter was <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/09/hawks-deandre-hunter-will-miss-remainder-nba-postseason">done for the postseason</a> after requiring surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus.
Now, he's out for another extended period. Kevin Huerter started in Hunter's place against the Bucks,, and Cam Reddish gives the Hawks another option at the small forward position.
Hunter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, was averaging 10.8 points in 11 games this season.
___
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and find his work at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Atlanta Hawks forward De&rsquo;Andre Hunter will undergo surgery for a right wrist injury that turned out to be worse than expected, knocking him out of the lineup for about two months.
The Hawks announced Hunter's diagnosis late Sunday after a 120-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, dealing another blow to the injury plagued forward who is one of Atlanta's key defensive players.
Hunter was injured during a Nov. 8 loss at Golden State. He sat out the following night's game at Utah, but returned to play 21.5 minutes in a loss to Denver on Friday night, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
After the Hawks returned from their extended road trip, Hunter underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed a tendon injury.
Dr. Steven Shin will perform the surgery Monday in Los Angeles. Hunter is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, the team said.
Hunter played only 23 games last season because of a lingering right knee injury. He returned in time for the playoffs, only to go down again during a second-round series against Philadelphia.
Hunter was <a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/09/hawks-deandre-hunter-will-miss-remainder-nba-postseason">done for the postseason</a> after requiring surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus.
Now, he's out for another extended period. Kevin Huerter started in Hunter's place against the Bucks,, and Cam Reddish gives the Hawks another option at the small forward position.
Hunter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, was averaging 10.8 points in 11 games this season.
___
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and find his work at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Atlanta Hawks forward De&rsquo;Andre Hunter will undergo surgery for a right wrist injury that turned out to be worse than expected, knocking him out of the lineup for about two months.
The Hawks announced Hunter's diagnosis late Sunday after a 120-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, dealing another blow to the injury plagued forward who is one of Atlanta's key defensive players.
Hunter was injured during a Nov. 8 loss at Golden State. He sat out the following night's game at Utah, but returned to play 21.5 minutes in a loss to Denver on Friday night, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
After the Hawks returned from their extended road trip, Hunter underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed a tendon injury.
Dr. Steven Shin will perform the surgery Monday in Los Angeles. Hunter is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, the team said.
Hunter played only 23 games last season because of a lingering right knee injury. He returned in time for the playoffs, only to go down again during a second-round series against Philadelphia.
Hunter was done for the postseason after requiring surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus.
Now, he's out for another extended period. Kevin Huerter started in Hunter's place against the Bucks,, and Cam Reddish gives the Hawks another option at the small forward position.
Hunter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, was averaging 10.8 points in 11 games this season.
___
Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 and find his work at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

ATLANTA (AP) &mdash; Atlanta Hawks forward De&rsquo;Andre Hunter will undergo surgery for a right wrist injury that turned out to be worse than expected, knocking him out of the lineup for about two months.
The Hawks announced Hunter's diagnosis late Sunday after a 120-100 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, dealing another blow to the injury plagued forward who is one of Atlanta's key defensive players.
Hunter was injured during a Nov. 8 loss at Golden State. He sat out the following night's game at Utah, but returned to play 21.5 minutes in a loss to Denver on Friday night, scoring just two points on 1-of-6 shooting.
After the Hawks returned from their extended road trip, Hunter underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed a tendon injury.
Dr. Steven Shin will perform the surgery Monday in Los Angeles. Hunter is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, the team said.
Hunter played only 23 games last season because of a lingering right knee injury. He returned in time for the playoffs, only to go down again during a second-round series against Philadelphia.
Hunter was done for the postseason after requiring surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus.
Now, he's out for another extended period. Kevin Huerter started in Hunter's place against the Bucks,, and Cam Reddish gives the Hawks another option at the small forward position.
Hunter, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, was averaging 10.8 points in 11 games this season.

On Monday, Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter will undergo surgery on his right wrist. He's expected to miss around eight weeks.