BASKETTBALL

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The NBA took aim at “tanking” on Thursday, fining the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers over “management of their rosters” amid intensifying scrutiny on struggling teams thought to be focused on draft position rather than winning.

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The Los Angeles Lakers shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic on Thursday, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 NBA victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart was suspended for seven games by the NBA, and three others from a brawl between Detroit and Charlotte were also banned by the league on Wednesday.

Stewart’s punishment came for leaving the bench area, aggressively entering an on-court altercation and fighting, with the length of the suspension in part based on his history of repeated unsportsmanlike acts.

Charlotte Hornets forwards Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate were each suspended for four games for fighting and escalating the altercation, while Detroit centre Jalen Duren was banned for two games for initiating the altercation and fighting.

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Alperen Sengun finished with 39 points and 16 rebounds as the Houston Rockets bagged their third consecutive victory with a 118-114 defeat of the Indiana Pacers on Monday.

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Turkish international Sengun, who was one of the most notable omissions from this month’s NBA All-Star Game, dominated at both ends of the court as the Rockets squeezed home.

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Cade Cunningham finished with 28 points as the Detroit Pistons shrugged off the suspensions of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart to cruise past the Toronto Raptors 113-95 on Wednesday.

Duren and Stewart were both handed multi-game suspensions for their part in a mass brawl during Monday’s stormy victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

But the absence of the two Pistons centers had little effect on Detroit as they coasted to a wire-to-wire victory in Toronto.

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Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Los Angeles Lakers 129-99 on Wednesday, spoiling what might be the final Cleveland game for superstar LeBron James.

NBA all-time scoring leader James, who sparked the Cavaliers to their only NBA title in 2016 before joining the Lakers, has not committed to play beyond this season, his record 23rd in the league.

The 41-year-old superstar, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, scored 11 points, passed off five assists, grabbed three rounds and made a steal in 27 minutes for the Lakers.

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Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs ran roughshod over the injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, the French superstar matching his NBA season high with 40 points in a 136-108 rout.

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The fourth-quarter incident during the Wednesday night Ignite Cup game between Brisbane Bullets and Adelaide 36ers has been sent to the league’s Game Review Panel (GRP) for investigation.

The NBL Head of Referees made the request on Thursday following a fiery melee that started when 36ers big man Nick Rakocevic and Brisbane Bullets shooting guard Hunter Maldonado appeared to drag one another down to the floor before wrestling one another beside the court.

The one-on-one quickly became a nasty all-in once Bullets’ player Terry Taylor engaged in what looked to be headlock-like conduct on Rakocevic, with the fracas resulting in the ejection of seven players on the night. A further three participants who were not ejected – Brisbane player Casey Prathers, Brisbane assistant coach Patrick Ewing Jr, and Adelaide assistant Kerry Williams – have been referred to the GRP for investigation.