NICOLAS BATUM

Brandon Boston Jr. had career highs of 27 points and five 3-pointers, sparking the Los Angeles Clippers to a 114-111 victory over the Boston Celtics.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 30 points, Luka Dončić had 26 in his return to the Dallas lineup, and the Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 112-104 in overtime.

Nothing about the summer was easy for the U.S. men’s basketball team, and neither was the gold-medal game.

Doncic had the third triple-double in Olympic men’s history: 16 points, 10 rebounds and 18 assists. Luwawu-Cabarrot took a kickout pass from Gobert with 56.1 seconds left and made a wide-open 3-pointer to put France up 90-85. A free throw got Slovenia within four, then Fournier fouled out on an offensive foul while dribbling upcourt on the next France possession. Prepelic took a pass from Doncic on the ensuing possession and hit a 3-pointer to get Slovenia within one. The other triple-doubles in Olympic men’s play: Alexander Belov had one for the Soviet Union in 1976, and LeBron James had one for the U.S. in 2012.

Game on the line, chance for gold on the line, and Slovenia's Klemen Prepelic thought he had a layup that would have given Slovenia the win.

Tokyo Olympics Basketball France's Evan Fournier (10) shoots over United States' forward Kevin Durant (7) during a men's basketball preliminary round game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) (Eric Gay)SAITAMA, Japan — (AP) — Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green. The quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s tournament arrives on the same day free agency opens in the NBA. The French are one of the top seeds in the men's basketball quarterfinals at the Tokyo Games, with a victory over the U.S. the highlight of their 3-0 start. But Patty Mills is playing for Australia, unconcerned with his NBA future while trying to lead his country to its first Olympic men's basketball medal.

Evan Fournier and Nicolas Batum are going for gold, though they can’t forget about the green.

The Phoenix Suns are headed to the NBA Finals for the first time in 28 years, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 130-103 to close out the Western Conference finals in six games.

It's not simply the Los Angeles Clippers vs.

The Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers are still playing basketball deep into these NBA playoffs partly because they’ve learned to persevere in clutch moments without their biggest stars.

Kawhi Leonard had 34 points and 12 rebounds, Paul George added 31 points and the Los Angeles Clippers got back into their second-round series against the Utah Jazz with a 132-106 victory in Game 3 on Saturday night.

Kawhi Leonard tied his playoff career high with 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 104-97 on Friday night, forcing a Game 7 in the first postseason series in NBA history with the road team winning the first six games.

Luka Doncic scored 42 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. hit two free throws with eight seconds left, and the Dallas Mavericks edged the Los Angeles Clippers 105-100 to take a 3-2 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have combined to carry Los Angeles on the road again, and the Clippers are back in control of the first-round series with Dallas.

Derrick Rose scored 25 points off the bench, Reggie Bullock added 24 and the New York Knicks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 106-100 to snap an eight-game skid at Staples Center.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Paul George (13) attempts a layup as Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (42) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 15, 2021, in Dallas. Leonard scored 22 points, Marcus Morris Sr. added 14 in a rare start and the Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 109-99 on Monday. The Clippers won for the second time in six games while Dallas lost for just the second time in its past seven. Paul George scored 15 as seven Clippers finished in double figures. Mavericks: C Dwight Powell didn't play because of an illness that coach Rick Carlisle said wasn't related to COVID-19.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Patrick Beverley, right, celebrates with forward Kawhi Leonard during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)LOS ANGELES – Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, reserve Lou Williams had 19 and the Los Angeles Clippers edged Utah 116-112 on Friday night, snapping the Jazz's nine-game winning streak. Los Angeles played without a center in the fourth, when Morris was added to the rotation and scored 10 points. “We got our guys back and we wanted to win this game,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. His pair of free throws sent Los Angeles into the fourth leading 79-75.

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) defends against Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, in New York. The Los Angeles Clippers left Brooklyn impressed — and eager for another shot at the Nets. Irving scored a season-high 39 points, including eight straight in the fourth-quarter run that sent Brooklyn into the lead for good, and the Nets beat the Clippers 124-120 on Tuesday night. Durant added 28 points, Harden had 23 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, and the three stars scored all the points in the decisive 13-0 spurt. Nets: Brooklyn had scored 30 or more points in nine straight quarters before being held to 24 in the first.

Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points and the Clippers rang up the highest point total of the season against the New York Knicks on Sunday, winning 129-115 for their 10th victory in 11 games. The Clippers shredded the NBA leaders in fewest points per game allowed to break away after leading by one at halftime. The game's start time was moved up four hours by the NBA to 1 p.m., though neither that nor the Knicks' good early shooting seemed to bother the Clippers. Leonard and Jackson each scored 10 points in the period, when the Clippers made five 3-pointers and scored 35 points, taking a 101-91 lead to the fourth. Knicks: The Knicks' previous high for points allowed was 121 to Indiana in their season opener.

(AP Photo/Ralph Freso)PHOENIX – Paul George scored 39 points and the Los Angeles Clippers held on to beat the Phoenix Suns 112-107 on Sunday night after nearly blowing a 31-point lead in a matchup of two of the Western Conference’s top early season teams. At 5-2, the Clippers are tied with the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers for the West lead. George was 7 of 10 from 3-point range and Los Angeles was 17 of 29 overall. Chris Paul, who played six seasons for the Clippers, had 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Los Angeles opened the second quarter with 15 straight points to make it 50-24.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, right, is defended by Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)LOS ANGELES – After the Los Angeles Lakers got their championship rings, the Los Angeles Clippers gave a performance that showed this retooled team is determined to contend for its own jewelry several months from now. Paul George scored 26 of his 33 points in the second half, Kawhi Leonard added 26 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied past the Los Angeles Lakers on the NBA champions’ ring ceremony night for a 116-109 victory Tuesday. The Clippers beat the Lakers in the season opener for the second straight year while winning coach Tyronn Lue’s debut. Lakers: James believes he will be fine to play on Christmas, saying he'll get extensive treatment.

Teams may begin making trades Monday, according to a memo sent to teams and obtained early Sunday by The Associated Press. And the first deal known to be tentatively agreed upon would send guard Dennis Schröder from Oklahoma City to the champion Los Angeles Lakers for Danny Green and the No. The “temporary transaction moratorium” across the league ends Monday at noon Eastern, the league told teams. Also officially due Monday: All-NBA forward Anthony Davis’ decision on his $28.7 million option year with the Lakers, one that he will formally decline in favor of signing a long-term and huge money contract with that club. Nicolas Batum’s $27.1 million option decision with Charlotte is also due Monday.