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    Nikola Jokic got a triple-double in his NBA Finals debut, Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Denver Nuggets had little trouble with the cold-shooting Miami Heat on the way to a 104-93 win in Game 1 of the title series on Thursday night.

      They were No. 8 seeds. They barely got into the playoffs after up-and-down regular seasons. They had to face the No. 1 overall seeds in Round 1 of the postseason. They had to win Game 7s in Boston just to keep their seasons alive. They are Eastern Conference champions. They are four wins from a championship. This is the story of the Miami Heat and Florida Panthers. And it could have an ending like none other.

        Wednesday marked the deadline for players who were early entrants to the NBA draft to withdraw and return to college basketball. The list of returnees includes Purdue's 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey after being named Associated Press national player of the year. There's also national champion Connecticut getting back guard Tristen Newton. But Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe is staying in the draft as a former AP national player of the year. UCLA returned Pac-12 freshman of the year Adem Bona. Michigan State retained guards Jaden Akins and A.J. Hoggard. Other returnees included Tennessee's Josiah-Jordan James and Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr.

        The Las Vegas Aces celebrated last season’s championship over the weekend and are looking once again like the dominant team in the league. The Aces unveiled the championship banner on Saturday before dismantling a short-handed Los Angeles team. An easy win over Minnesota the next day has Las Vegas at 4-0, winning by an average of 24.75 points. Las Vegas sits atop the AP WNBA Power Poll once again.

        Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and Caleb Martin gave Miami 26 points and 10 rebounds in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to help the Heat beat the Celtics 103-84 and turn back Boston’s attempt at an unprecedented comeback. The Heat recovered after blowing a 3-0 lead in the series and advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons. They will face the Western Conference champion Nuggets. Game 1 is in Denver on Thursday night. Miami is the first No. 8 seed to play for a championship since the 1999 New York Knicks. Top-seeded Denver has been waiting since sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers on May 22. Game 6 hero Derrick White scored 18 for Boston.

        Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and Caleb Martin gave Miami 26 points and 10 rebounds in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to help the Heat beat the Celtics 103-84 and turn back Boston’s attempt at an unprecedented comeback. The Heat recovered after blowing a 3-0 lead in the series and advanced to the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons. They will face the Western Conference champion Nuggets. Game 1 is in Denver on Thursday night.

        Recent allegations by WNBA player Dearica Hamby that her coach harassed her for being pregnant have shined a renewed spotlight on one of the biggest challenges that female professional athletes face. Juggling the demands of parenthood with those of a professional sports career is just one of myriad challenges female athletes face in an industry rife with pay disparities, harassment and bullying.

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        Derrick White scored on a putback with 0.1 seconds left and the Boston Celtics moved to the brink of the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history, holding off the Miami Heat 104-103 to force a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals. Jayson Tatum scored 31 points, Jaylen Brown scored 26 and Marcus Smart added 21 for the Celtics.

        Derrick White had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, helping lead the charge as the Boston Celtics dominated the Miami Heat 110-97 in Game 5 on to extend the Eastern Conference finals. Marcus Smart had 23 points and five steals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points apiece as the Celtics claimed their second straight win and trimmed Miami’s series lead to 3-2.  It keeps alive Boston’s hopes of becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Saturday in Miami. Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points.

        Derrick White had 24 points, including six 3-pointers, helping lead the charge as the Boston Celtics dominated the Miami Heat 110-97 in Game 5 on to extend the Eastern Conference finals. Marcus Smart had 23 points and five steals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points apiece as the Celtics claimed their second straight win and trimmed Miami’s series lead to 3-2.

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