BASKETTBALL

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LeBron James (40) is energized to play alongside new Lakers teammate Luka Doncic (25) while in Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (26) hopes an NBA title will secure his place among league legends as the regular-season homestretch begins.

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The short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves halted Oklahoma City's seven-game NBA winning streak, beating the Western Conference-leading Thunder 116-101 on Thursday on the eve of the All-Star break. The Thunder's defeat - the first all season in which they trailed all the way - sends Oklahoma City into the break tied with Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland for the best record in the league at 44-10.

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Stephen Curry (36) and Jayson Tatum (26) combined for 27 points as Shaquille O'Neal's "Team Shaq's OGs" cruised to victory in the new-look NBA All-Star game in San Francisco on Sunday. Curry, playing on his home court at Golden State's Chase Center, reeled off a string of trademark three-pointers to help his star-studded line-up coast to a 41-25 victory over Charles Barkley's "Team Chuck's Global Stars."

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Jamal Murray scored a career-high 55 points and Nikola Jokic added a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets pushed their NBA winning streak to eight games with a 132-121 victory over Portland on Wednesday.

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NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he was happy with the state of the league despite complaints about too many 3-pointers, but added Saturday the NBA continues to study the issue. Speaking during NBA All-Star weekend festivities, Silver also said Dallas Mavericks fans angry over Luka Doncic being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers should have faith in club management and he isn't worried about the NBA's union deal creating more rough splits like Jimmy Butler's move from Miami to Golden State.

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Karl-Anthony Towns (29) scored 40 points as the New York Knicks blew past the Indiana Pacers 128-115 in the latest instalment of the two clubs' bitter NBA rivalry on Tuesday. Towns produced a dominant all-round performance with 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals to go with his 40-point game as the Pacers were outgunned before their home crowd.

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San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama promised plenty of intensity in his first NBA All-Star Game as the league hopes its new rapid-fire mini-tournament format can bring the excitement back to its mid-season showcase. "The goal is not to chill, for sure," 21-year-old French sensation Wembanyama said Saturday as the league's luminaries lined up for media day ahead of Sunday's All-Star Game.

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Ukrainian center Alex Len has signed a free agent deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA club announced on Tuesday after an earlier trade for Mark Williams fell through.