Basketball

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA took steps Wednesday to try to ensure that its star players appear in more games, particularly nationally televised matchups and the in-season tournament that is being added this year.

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Borisa Simanic, the Serbian player who needed a kidney removed during the Basketball World Cup, has been discharged from a Philippines hospital and was able to join his team for its silver-medal celebration in Belgrade.

NEW YORK (AP) — Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr.'s alleged attack on his girlfriend in a New York City hotel room left the woman with a fractured neck vertebra and a deep cut above her right eye, prosecutors revealed at his arraignment Tuesday.

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Fans cheered Germany's basketball team on its return home Tuesday after winning the World Cup for the first time.

SAUKVILLE, Wis. (AP) — New Milwaukee coach Adrian Griffin says he is looking forward to forming a great partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo, although the two-time league MVP plans to hold off on signing a contract extension with the team.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Cavaliers have reached agreement on a one-year contract to reunite with center Tristan Thompson, his agent Rich Paul said Monday night. Thompson won an NBA title with the Cavs in 2016.

NEW YORK (AP) — Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested Monday and charged with assault and strangulation after allegedly attacking his girlfriend at a New York City hotel.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — There was a long flight awaiting USA Basketball on Monday. Manila to Los Angeles, about 13 hours on a chartered jet that didn’t have the wi-fi that’s necessary to communicate with the outside world from 30,000 feet.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — FIBA has confirmed the 19 national teams that used the World Cup to play their way into last-chance qualifying tournaments for the Paris Olympics next summer.

Canada stamped itself on the international stage with its first-ever medal at the FIBA Men's Basketball World Cup on Sunday. And emotions were high. Dillon Brooks scored a game-high 39 points and Canada survived a fourth-quarter comeback by the U.S.