Basketball

BOSTON (AP) — The Pacers left the opener of their Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Celtics lamenting a rash of late turnovers that spoiled one of their best performances this postseason.

CLEVELAND (AP) — J.B. Bickerstaff won and still lost his job.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kyrie Irving injected a burst of energy into the Dallas Mavericks to begin the Western Conference finals with a furious flurry of drives to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves .

Vince Carter's highlight-reel dunks for the Toronto Raptors in the early 2000s inspired a generation of Canadian basketball players.

TORONTO — The arrival of a professional women's basketball team to the Toronto sports landscape creates new opportunities to capitalize on long pent-up demand from local fans, say experts who study the business of sports.

Toronto has been awarded the WNBA’s first franchise outside the United States, with the expansion team set to begin play in 2026. Larry Tanenbaum-led Kilmer Sports Ventures is paying $115 million for the team.

TORONTO — The WNBA isn't just coming to Toronto, it's coming to Canada.

Dallas Mavericks (50-32, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26, third in the Western Conference) Minneapolis; Friday, 8:30 p.m.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Few teams can match the size of the Minnesota Timberwolves with their trio of towers in NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns and Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Luka Doncic led a strong finish for the Dallas Mavericks , swishing crucial shots down the stretch, drawing a couple of fouls and even playing strong defense.