Gilgeous-Alexander scores 40 as Thunder top Suns 124-120

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 124-120 on Sunday.

Fellow Canadian Luguentz Dort added 20 points for the Thunder, who have won four of five as they try to earn at least a play-in spot. Oklahoma City has missed the playoffs the past two years.

Devin Booker scored 46 points and Chris Paul added 14 points and 13 assists for the Suns.

Phoenix led 69-57 at halftime behind 16 points from Booker. The Suns shot 52.2% from the field before the break. Gilgeous-Alexander, a Hamilton, Ont., native, had 21 points in the first half to keep the Thunder in it.

Surging Raptors rout Timberwolves 122-107

TORONTO - Fred VanVleet carried the load in the first half and Pascal Siakam took over in the second as the Toronto Raptors won their third straight.

VanVleet led all scorers with 28 to power the Raptors past the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-107 on Saturday, with 22 of his points coming before intermission. Siakam earned a double-double with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, with 14 of his points coming after the break.

"We've got to have more than one option and take whatever the defence has given us," said VanVleet. "I thought we just had a pretty good, balanced attack tonight making the right plays even when it wasn't working out.

"We still were looking for the right things and making the right reads."

NBA fines Grizzlies’ Brooks $35k for shoving camera person

NEW YORK - The NBA fined Memphis Grizzlies guard-forward Dillon Brooks US$35,000 on Friday for shoving a camera person on the sideline after chasing a loose ball in a loss in Miami.

Joe Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations, announced the fine.

Brooks shoved the person with 2:40 left in the second quarter of Memphis' 138-119 loss in Miami to the Heat on Wednesday night.

Brooks, from Mississauga, Ont., was disciplined for the second time this month. He was suspended for Memphis's 135-129 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on March 5 after picking up his 16th technical of the season in a loss at Denver two days earlier.

Gilgeous-Alexander makes leap into superstardom

TORONTO - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's ability to control the pace of play has translated into a career season.

"It keeps (defences) off balance," the Hamilton native said Thursday in Toronto, where his Oklahoma City Thunder fell 128-111 to the Raptors.

"It keeps them guessing and that's what I like to stay throughout the game — unpredictable."

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.3 points per game, good for fifth in the NBA. The 24-year-old's efforts landed him his first all-star nod in February.

Siakam's double-double lifts Raptors over Thunder

TORONTO - Fred VanVleet feels like his Toronto Raptors are finding their rhythm with the NBA post-season right around the corner.

Pascal Siakam earned a double-double with 25 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Raptors past the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-111 on Thursday as Toronto had back-to-back wins. VanVleet scored 19 and dished out five assists as six Raptors players hit double digits in points.

"Well it helps when our two best players play good," VanVleet said before adding "at the same time" with a smile.

"Just finding our groove. You can't really do nothing about games that are behind us. You've got to focus on going forward and we've been playing pretty good basketball.

NBA suspends Ja Morant 8 games for having gun in video

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA suspended Memphis Grizzilies guard Ja Morant eight games without pay on Wednesday after determining that his displaying a firearm at a club in suburban Denver earlier this month was “conduct detrimental to the league.”

Morant will miss his sixth game when the Grizzlies play in Miami on Wednesday night. He will miss the next two games and be eligible to return on Monday when Memphis plays Dallas.

The games he already missed will count toward the suspension, and Morant will forfeit about $669,000 in salary.

“Ja’s conduct was irresponsible, reckless and potentially very dangerous,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “It also has serious consequences given his enormous following and influence, particularly among young fans who look up to him.”

Kings’ Lyles suspended 1 game; Bucks’ Lopez fined $25,000

NEW YORK - Sacramento Kings forward Trey Lyles was suspended one game without pay and Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez was fined $25,000 for their involvement in an altercation at the end of a game Monday night, the NBA announced Wednesday.

Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was dribbling out the clock in the final minute of the Bucks’ 133-124 victory over the Kings when he was fouled by the Saskatoon-born Lyles, who then pushed the two-time MVP. Lopez then confronted Lyles.

Lyles struck Lopez in the face and grabbed and held the 7-footer around the neck area. Both players were ejected from the game.

Lyles will serve his suspension Wednesday when the Kings visit the Chicago Bulls.

Bobcats narrowed margins in Bambury’s second season

Cautious optimism gave way to the same old story for the Brandon University Bobcats.

Canada's Nembhard leads Pacers past Raptors

TORONTO - Even though Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each had a double-double the Toronto Raptors came out flat against a conference rival.

Siakam led all scorers with 31 points and added 10 rebounds as the undermanned Raptors fell to the Indiana Pacers 118-114 on Wednesday. VanVleet scored 28 and dished out 11 assists but was still critical of Toronto's performance.

"Just overall low energy, low complete level, lack of execution, not really trying to get done what we were trying to get done," said VanVleet, reviewing the final box score. "We really just got completely outplayed if you watched the game, looked at the stats, in pretty much every aspect."

Jakob Poeltl had 23 points and eight rebounds as the Raptors (35-38) saw their seven-game home winning streak snapped.

Brandon’s Jacobson lands TRU job

Chad Jacobson was born and raised for this.

NBA suspends Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks for 18th technical

NEW YORK - The NBA has suspended Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks for one game without pay for his 18th technical foul this season.

Joe Dumars, the league's executive vice president and head of basketball operations, announced the suspension Tuesday. Brooks also was s uspended for a loss to the Clippers on March 5 after receiving his 16th technical foul in a loss to Denver on March 3.

Brooks, from Mississauga, Ont., earned his latest suspension Monday night with 7:26 left in the third quarter of the Grizzlies' 112-108 win over Dallas. He dunked, and then danced his way back down the court.

He will sit out Wednesday night's game against Houston and risks another one-game suspension if he picks up two more technical fouls.

Neelin girls defend way to AAA gold

Kruz Wilson’s relentless defence emphasized how much teams can achieve when no one cares who gets the credit.

Brandon puts on best hardcourt show in 15 years

You can call two wins to 12 a sudden turnaround.

VanVleet powers Raptors past Nuggets 125-110

TORONTO - There was no way the Toronto Raptors were going to let the Denver Nuggets earn a comeback win against them for the second time in eight days.

Fred VanVleet scored 36 points including a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter as Toronto withstood a late Denver charge for a 125-110 victory on Tuesday.

VanVleet said that the win came down to the Raptors keeping a positive mindset following a controversial ending to a 118-113 loss in Denver on March 6.

"We've seen a lot of leads come and go," said VanVleet, who added seven assists and three steals. "So just keep moving forward.

Russell scores 28 points in return, Lakers beat Raptors

LOS ANGELES (AP) — D’Angelo Russell had 28 points and nine assists in his dynamic return from a six-game injury absence, and Dennis Schröder added 23 points and seven assists in the surging Los Angeles Lakers' 122-112 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.

Austin Reaves scored 18 points while Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt added 16 apiece as the Lakers won for the seventh time in nine games even with little contribution this time from Anthony Davis.

The superstar big man had only eight points and nine rebounds while struggling against Toronto’s defense, but Russell and the Lakers' reserves took charge before Davis sealed the win on his only field goal of the second half with 46 seconds to play.

“That we were able to come away with this win against a really good team with only eight from (Davis), that's a sign of growth,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “That's a sign of how deep and talented we are.”

Plainsmen lose thriller to Kodiaks

The Crocus Plainsmen nearly survived a super-human performance from the best player on the floor.

Trojans bounce Vikings in first round

The Vincent Massey Vikings had no chance. Not before the opening tip, not after scoring just three points in the first quarter.

Raptors' VanVleet fined for criticism of officials

Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has been handed a US$30,000 fine for public criticism of the officiating, the league announced on Thursday.

VanVleet made a series of comments following the Raptors' 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

The 29-year-old also singled out official Ben Taylor in his post-game remarks, which consisted of several expletives.

The Raptors next play the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday to close out a five-game road trip.

Raptors’ VanVleet heavily criticizes officiating after loss

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fred VanVleet tried to take a double breath before addressing reporters. But the Toronto Raptors guard was unable to suppress his frustration with referee Ben Taylor and his crew.

VanVleet was extremely critical of Taylor after the Raptors' 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night — not only for being called for a technical foul, but for the disparity in fouls and free throws. He was fined $30,000 by the NBA on Thursday for public criticism of the officiating.

“I don’t mind it. I’ll take the fine. I don’t really care. I thought Ben Taylor was terrible tonight," VanVleet said while using a profanity. "I think that most nights, you know out of the three, there’s one or two that just (mess) the game up. It’s been like that a couple of games in a row. Denver was tough, obviously.

"You come out tonight, competing pretty hard and I get a (lousy) tech that changes the whole dynamic of the game, changed the whole flow of the game.”

Clippers pull away in second half to beat Raptors 108-100

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points, Paul George had 23 and the Los Angeles Clippers broke away in the second half to beat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 on Wednesday night.

While Leonard and George put up their usual numbers on the offensive end, the biggest key to the win was defense. After struggling to get stops during a five-losing streak, the Clippers have tightened up in defending teams over the past two games.

Los Angeles held Toronto to 37 of 96 shooting, which was the first time since Nov. 27 the Clippers have held a team under 40%,

“I thought we did a good job of talking and getting back in transition. We need to come out with a defensive mindset. That is what needs to improve for us to keep moving forward,” said Leonard, who also had a season-high 12 rebounds against the team he helped lead to the NBA title in 2019.

Plainsmen, Vikings chase upsets at AAAA provincials

Alanah Gushulak could be the X-factor for the Crocus Plains to end a drought that’s gone on too long.