Basketball

Dallas Mavericks (50-32, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (51-31, fourth in the Western Conference) Los Angeles; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK : LINE Mavericks -2; over/under is 223.

MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 24 points and was an assist shy of a triple-double, rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Preview capsules for the first round of the NBA playoffs, which start Saturday. ___ EASTERN CONFERENCE No. 1 BOSTON CELTICS (64-18) vs. No. 8 MIAMI HEAT (46-36) Season series: Celtics, 3-0. Story line: Here they go again, sort of.

There’s a 64-win team in Boston that ran away with the league’s best record. The defending champions in Denver, a group that won 57 games. A fearless young bunch in Oklahoma City, whose No. 1 seed was no fluke.

MIAMI (AP) — The chants started raining down in the fourth quarter. “We want Boston,” the Miami Heat crowd kept shouting, over and over. The fans got their wish. And a rematch of the last two Eastern Conference finals awaits in Round 1 this year.

DENVER (AP) — Michael Porter Jr.'s coaches and teammates are rallying behind the Denver Nuggets starting forward who's had a trying week as the NBA's reigning champions head into their playoff opener against the Los Angeles Lakers.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Clippers were fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday for violating league injury reporting rules.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Defense has been far more of an afterthought than an asset over the checkered history of the Minnesota Timberwolves , who have the second-fewest wins in the NBA since their entry 35 years ago and have advanced out of the first roun

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard practiced fully but Giannis Antetokounmpo remained out of live drills Friday as the Milwaukee Bucks continued getting ready for Sunday’s playoff opener against the Indiana Pacers.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — Jalen Brunson and his New York teammates refused to let injuries knock them down. Joel Embiid of Philadelphia wouldn't let his keep him down.