By Elaine Donnelly
Extending sexual misconduct to combat units
Vinny Del Negro is out as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers after a season in which the team won its first division title but lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Blake Griffin still is limping with his sprained right ankle and it will be a game-time decision whether the Clippers forward plays Game 6 against the Grizzlies.
Blake Griffin's sprained right ankle is hurting enough that he didn't start Game 6 for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Memphis Grizzlies, though he is active and on the bench.
It's unanimous: Damian Lillard is the NBA's Rookie of the Year.
All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook will have surgery to repair cartilage in his right knee and be out indefinitely, dealing a harsh blow to the Oklahoma City Thunder's championship chances.
Anthony, the NBA's scoring leader, shot only 13 for 29 from the field but scored eight points in the fourth quarter, including consecutive baskets late in the period that finally gave the Knicks breathing room in a tight game.
The West has been the better conference during the regular season, and now teams are looking for the payoff during the NBA postseason.
Oklahoma City forward Serge Ibaka has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for striking Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers in the groin area during Sunday's game.
Bryant blocked LeBron James' jumper, turning it into a dunk by Kevin Durant that helped the Western Conference put away the East 143-138 on Sunday.
Martell Webster scored 21 points, and the Washington Wizards broke a four-game losing streak Monday night with a 98-90 win over a Los Angeles Clippers team missing Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.
The three-time All-Star made a pair of clutch foul shots in the final 2 minutes, finishing 7 for 10 from the line and partially atoning for his dreadful 5-for-18 performance as the Clippers held off the pesky Washington Wizards 94-87 on Saturday night.
Kobe Bryant has been voted to his NBA-record 15th consecutive All-Star start, leading four Los Angeles players into next month's game.
The Los Angeles Clippers already have a December to remember. Sunday they can close it out in perfect fashion against a familiar foe — the same Utah team they rallied to beat 116-114 Friday night to earn their 16th straight win.
The Los Angeles Clippers didn't finish their 14th consecutive victory well. They were good enough through the first three quarters that it didn't matter.
After the Los Angeles Clippers set a record for the longest winning streak in franchise history, Chris Paul was thinking about Ron Harper, Corey Maggette and other former players who endured all that losing.
"They're the nucleus of the team, obviously, that you want to keep intact and move forward with," he said.
"They're still a great team even without him but he's a huge part of their offense," Griffin said. "A great player, so it does leave them a little vulnerable."
