• The Canadian Press

    Previewing the 1st round of the NBA playoffs, which start on Saturday

    Preview capsules for the first round of the NBA playoffs, which start Saturday. ___ EASTERN CONFERENCE No. 2 NEW YORK KNICKS (50-32) vs. No. 7 PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (47-35) Season series: Knicks, 3-1. Story line: The Knicks finished with their best record and highest seed since winning 54 games in 2012-13. They didn't get much of a reward for that, with the opponent being a 76ers team that surged after Joel Embiid returned from knee surgery, winning their final eight games of the regular season and

  • The Canadian Press

    The NBA playoffs are finally here. And as LeBron James says, 'it's a sprint now'

    There’s a 64-win team in Boston that ran away with the league’s best record. The defending champions in Denver, a group that won 57 games. A fearless young bunch in Oklahoma City, whose No. 1 seed was no fluke. A trio of Villanova alums in New York, who turned the Knicks into a real contender. And, once again, there’s LeBron James, too. The NBA playoffs are about to begin with the Celtics and Nuggets the heavy favorites — at least according to BetMGM Sportsbook — to collide in the Finals, and no

  • The Canadian Press

    Kyrie Irving is healthy and drama-free in Dallas as a playoff pairing with Luka Doncic dawns

    DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving is healthy and publicly free of drama, self-inflicted or otherwise, heading into his first playoff game with co-star Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. The eight-time All-Star and 2016 NBA champion alongside LeBron James in Cleveland brought up on his own that he hasn't had a 50-win season in six years. A late-season surge that coincided with Irving's longest stretch of consecutive games since that title season pushed the Mavs to the 50-win mark, and fifth place in

  • The Canadian Press

    Brunson and the Knicks host Philadelphia to begin playoffs

    Philadelphia 76ers (47-35, seventh in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (50-32, second in the Eastern Conference)New York; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDTBETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Knicks -3; over/under is 208.5EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks host first series matchupBOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers in game one of the Eastern Conference first round. New York went 3-1 against Philadelphia during the regular season. The Knicks won the last regular season meeting 106-