BASKETTBALL

WNBA LEGEND DIANA TAURASI ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

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Diana Taurasi officially announced her retirement on Tuesday, closing the chapter on a legendary 20-year career. Since the news broke, tributes have been pouring in from all corners of the basketball world, including heartfelt messages from stars like Sue Bird and Caitlin Clark. Taurasi's influence on the sport is undeniable, both in terms of her impressive résumé and the impact she has had on the game.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS COACH GREGG POPOVICH NOT EXPECTED TO BE BACK ON THE BENCH THIS SEASON

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San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is not expected to return to the bench this season after suffering a stroke in November, ESPN reported on Saturday. Popovich, the NBA's all-time leader in wins, has not appeared on the Spurs bench since suffering what the team later described as a mild stroke on November 2.

PISTONS KEEP WIN STREAK ALIVE

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The Detroit Pistons won their seventh straight game in the NBA with in-form Cade Cunningham (23) putting up 32 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a 106-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. The Pistons, who are in the playoff positions, moved to 32-26 which is their best record at this stage of a season for 17 years.

CAVALIERS DISMANTLE KNICKS AT HOME

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The Cleveland Cavaliers boosted their NBA-best record with a 142-105 romp past the New York Knicks on Friday, tightening their grip on the Eastern Conference lead with an all-around dominant display. Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points to lead six Cavs players to score in double figures, connecting on five of seven three-pointers as Cleveland drilled 19 from beyond the arc.

UTAH FIRES MEN'S BASKETBALL COACH CRAIG SMITH FOLLOWING LOSS TO UCF

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Utah announced on Monday that the program has fired men's basketball head coach Craig Smith (52) following the team's 76-72 loss to UCF. Assistant coach Josh Eilert will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.

LEBRON JAMES SAYS DONCIC TRADE 'HAS GIVEN ME ENERGY'

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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.

DONCIC STARS IN DOMINANT LAKERS WIN

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Luka Doncic (25) delivered a dominant 32-point performance as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped the Denver Nuggets' nine-game winning streak on Saturday with an impressive 123-100 victory on the road in Colorado. Doncic, playing only his fourth game for the Lakers since his blockbuster trade from Dallas, was in scintillating form as the Lakers conjured a statement wire-to-wire win over their Western Conference rivals.

STEPHEN CURRY NAMED NBA ALL-STAR GAME MVP

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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."