ENES KANTER

The Celtics’ transition from a team that has gone from just outside the top tier of the Eastern Conference to one that's four wins way from the franchise’s 18th NBA championship began the moment Ime Udoka took the microphone at his introductory news conference.

The physical resolve needed to compete as an athlete while fasting for Ramadan cannot be overstated.

The NBA has Enes Kanter Freedom where it wants him—out of sight, out of mind, like the Uyghurs themselves.

Around the world, athletes are throwing their support behind political and social causes, part of a wave of sports activism that has flourished in the years since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began taking a knee during games to protest police brutality against Black people.

A Golden State Warriors minority owner who said “nobody cares” about the Uyghurs in China is under fire and the team is distancing itself from him.

Jaylen Brown scored a career-high 50 points, rallying the Boston Celtics from 14 points down late in the fourth quarter to a 116-111 overtime victory over the Orlando Magic.

Joel Embiid scored 17 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three jumpers in the final minutes and three free throws in the last four seconds to ice it as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 108-103.

Enes Freedom will now be linked forever to a word he says he fought for his entire life.

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is changing his name to “Enes Kanter Freedom” to celebrate becoming a United States citizen.

Darius Garland scored a season-high 26 points, rookie Evan Mobley had 13 points in his return from a sprained right elbow and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic 105-92 on Saturday night.

The Boston Celtics’ Enes Kanter recently took another jab at Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James for reportedly choosing money over morals on the issues of forced labor in China, Uyghurs and Tibet. What happened: Kanter, 29, took to social media on Thursday to again call out James, 36, for not standing up against Nike and its alleged use of forced labor when manufacturing its shoes.

Stephen Curry scored 20 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three straight 3-pointers, and the NBA-leading Golden State Warriors overcame a 13-point deficit to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-89 on Thursday night.

A global trade union body has joined a long list of human-rights advocates in challenging the propriety of China holding the 2022 Winter Olympics.

18-year-old Fanbo Zeng decided to decommitt from Gonzaga to sign with NBA G League Ignite, a California-based developmental team. Chinese fans hope the 6-foot-11 forward can become the next Yao Ming. (Oct. 26)

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (Lynne Sladky)Chinese broadcaster and NBA partner Tencent is not showing current or archived Boston Celtics games on its platforms, in apparent response to comments that Celtics center Enes Kanter made to advocate Tibetan independence. The game that was not shown on the streaming services that typically broadcast most NBA games to millions in China. NBA games were eventually returned to Tencent’s lineup but not state television provider CCTV, except for two games during the 2020 NBA Finals. After Morey’s tweet, the fallout was immense and sponsors — following CCTV’s lead — pulled their backing of the NBA China Games days later between the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. Other NBA games played Wednesday were offered on Tencent, and the three games on Thursday’s schedule appeared on the provider’s listings.

Chinese broadcaster and NBA partner Tencent has deleted all references to the Boston Celtics from its platforms, in apparent response to comments Celtics center Enes Kanter made to advocate Tibetan independence.

Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter waded into an especially sensitive subject for the NBA with his comments advocating for a free Tibet, as China is by far the league's largest foreign market.

Boston Celtics player Enes Kanter tweeted a video in support of independence for Tibet. Upcoming Celtics games appear unavailable to stream on Tencent Sports.

The Portland Trail Blazers and coach Terry Stotts are parting ways after nine seasons.

Trail Blazers Nuggets Basketball Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter (11) in the first quarter of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series Monday, May 24, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney) (Joe Mahoney)DENVER — (AP) — Nikola Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Damian Lillard and the Denver Nuggets evened the first-round series by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-109 on Monday night in a chippy Game 2. The Nuggets had few answers for Lillard early on as the dynamic playmaker scored 32 of his 42 points in the first half. The game turned physical early in the first, with Jusuf Nurkic and Jokic getting tangled up and Jokic falling to the floor. NO COMPARISONThe Blazers took a 1-0 series lead last season on the eventual NBA-champion Los Angeles Lakers, before losing in five games.

SALT LAKE CITY — (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 30 points and CJ McCollum added 26 to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 105-98 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The Trail Blazers won their fifth straight game and earned their ninth victory in their last 10. The Trail Blazers capitalized, building an 84-71 lead late in the quarter following back-to-back baskets from Anthony and Lillard. Portland weathered the surge and chipped away at Utah’s lead until overtaking the Jazz in the second quarter. McCollum played the largest part in sparking Portland’s offense during the second quarter.

Lakers Trail Blazers Basketball Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, center, shoots between Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, left, and center Enes Kanter during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Friday, May 7, 2021. Los Angeles has lost eight of its last 10 games. With the win, Portland moved into sixth, a game up on Los Angeles, and also secured the tiebreaker. Los Angeles was coming off a 118-94 loss to the rival Clippers on Thursday. TIP INSLakers: Los Angeles was also without Dennis Schroder because of health and safety protocols.

Anthony scored a season-high 24 points off the bench, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and the Trail Blazers beat the Sixers 118-114 on Thursday night. Joel Embiid led the 76ers with 35 points and nine rebounds, and Ben Simmons added 23 points and 11 boards. “I thought tonight was just one of those games where we felt like we had to win the game,” Anthony said. Trail Blazers: It was the first of a back-to-back for Portland. The Trail Blazers host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

Portland Trail Blazers' Rodney Hood, left, tries to dribble past Philadelphia 76ers' Seth Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, in Philadelphia. Gary Trent Jr. scored 24 points and Enes Kanter had 17 points and 18 rebounds to lead the undermanned Trail Blazers to a 121-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. Carmelo Anthony had 22 points and a Trail Blazers team with four starters missing led by as many as 29 points against the top team in the East. “But on both ends of the floor, the other guys did an amazing job today.”Joel Embiid scored 37 points for the Sixers. Throw in four players already out with injuries -- including Jusuf Nurkic (wrist) and McCollum (left foot) -- and the Trail Blazers were down to nine players.

Boston Celtics' Kemba Walker (8) reacts to a play against the Miami Heat during the second half of an NBA conference final playoff basketball game Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – There have been two undeniable truths about the Miami Heat this season. The Boston Celtics have scouting and analytics teams that undoubtedly know these trends. HEAT ON 3’SFor whatever reason, 31.1% is the magic number for Heat 3-pointers this season. BIG FINISHThe Celtics scored 103 points in the final three quarters of Game 5.

And after making the Boston Celtics lose another big lead on the court — as well as their cool in the postgame locker room — the unheralded Heat are two wins away from the NBA Finals. Goran Dragic scored 25 points, Bam Adebayo led a big third-quarter rally to finish with 21, and the Heat pulled off another comeback to beat the Celtics 106-101 and take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics went on a 15-2 run, silencing the Heat for nearly seven minutes and going up 94-89 on a 3-pointer by Walker with 4:25 left. ... Miami’s 20-point differential in the third quarter was a Heat record for that quarter in the playoffs, and the sixth time in Heat playoff history they outscored an opponent by at least 20 in any quarter. 3’S ARE WILDCrowder’s 3-pointer with 5:43 left in the third quarter was — fittingly — the 33,333rd in NBA playoff history.