Basketball

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kawhi Leonard won’t play for the Los Angeles Clippers against the Phoenix Suns in Game 3 of their Western Conference playoff series Thursday night.

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics asked Malcolm Brogdon to learn a new role. He mastered it quickly.

ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young was showered with chants of “overrated!” during two dismal games in Boston. The Atlanta star will need to find his playoff groove at home if the Hawks are going to have any chance of knocking off the Celtics.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Calling the NBA's all-time leading scorer — regular season and playoffs — old and just another player might not seem very smart to most folks.

The Sacramento Kings and a Bay Area hip-hop star who alleged “racial bias” for being kicked out of a playoff game said the situation resulted from an “unfortunate misunderstanding.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kevon Looney takes great pride in being available game after game for the Golden State Warriors, however he is needed, whenever his name is called.

DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray never had this type of performance with such an ear-splitting soundtrack to go with it. Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr.

Cleveland Cavaliers (51-31, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (47-35, fifth in the Eastern Conference) New York; Friday, 8:30 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NBA LINE : Knicks -2; over/under is 211.

Boston Celtics (57-25, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (41-41, seventh in the Eastern Conference) Atlanta; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NBA LINE : Hawks -5; over/under is 228.

Denver Nuggets (53-29, first in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40, eighth in the Western Conference) Minneapolis; Friday, 9:30 p.m.