2:02 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN TORONTO — Fred VanVleet broke out in a huge way Tuesday night, scoring 13 points off the bench to help lead a balanced scoring attack for the Raptors, as they blew out the Bucks 120-102 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. The performance, which helped even the best-of-seven

5:44 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — The prospects of a return home to Washington and the Wizards were undeniably appealing to Tim Connelly. But not nearly as alluring as finishing what he’s started with the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets’ president of basketball operations elected to stay in town even with the Wizards calling. The

11:51 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers fans fell in love all over again with their team this season, from the breathtaking performances of their star guards to the toughness of their role players to the mere presence of their wounded center in the playoffs. The end against the Golden State Warriors was bitter. Even as

2:16 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — Competitive sweep? It sounds like an oxymoron, but it provided a bit of consolation for the Portland Trail Blazers after the franchise’s longest playoff run in 19 years ended with a four-game dismissal by the dynastic Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals. “We were very competitive in

6:18 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Despite Magic Johnson airing his grievances with Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and a coaching search that took very public twists and turns before ending up on Frank Vogel, L.A.’s top basketball executive projected confidence as the franchise looks ahead to a crucial summer of free

7:59 AM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN Interim coach Ryan Saunders is finalizing a multi-year deal to become head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, league sources told ESPN. The deal is expected to be completed soon, perhaps as soon as Monday, sources told ESPN. Saunders is working on a staff. New Timberwolves president of Basketball Operations Gersson

2:15 AM ET TORONTO — Nothing in the NBA playoffs goes off as planned. Lineup rotations can be tweaked and defensive coverages can be refined, but no matter how much preparation has been performed, the crucial minutes of a playoff game are nothing more than a desperate exercise in survival. Every possession is a fire

5:31 PM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — As the Golden State Warriors attempt to become the first team since the 1960s Boston Celtics to go to the NBA Finals for the fifth straight season, Warriors forward Draymond Green said the group is motivated to finish off the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of the Western

12:54 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MILWAUKEE — It took all of 51 seconds for Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to declare to the world — and, more importantly, to the Toronto Raptors — how Game 2 was going to proceed. A rim-rattling dunk of his own miss between two defenders. A vicious rejection of what looked

7:36 PM ET The Houston Rockets are not renewing the contract of associate head coach Jeff Bzdelik, one of the architects of the team’s defensive turnaround this past season. “Jeff’s contract was up. It will not be renewed,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey told the Houston Chronicle. “We’re looking for any way to improve. That