Basketball

CALGARY — The Edmonton Stingers had Tuesday's season opener circled on the calendar a few months ago, determined and motivated to knock off a provincial rival that gave them nothing but headaches last year.

BOSTON (AP) — The Indiana Pacers kept turning the ball over, and just like that they handed a victory to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The road Karl-Anthony Towns has taken with the Minnesota Timberwolves to reach the Western Conference finals has been far more lonely and rocky than smooth and straight.

NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama's latest accolade was like none other. The San Antonio center has become the first player in NBA history to make the league's All-Defensive first team as a rookie.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Seattle Storm are a work in progress with Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith trying to get into a groove with Jewell Loyd.

Dallas Mavericks (50-32, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (56-26, third in the Western Conference) Minneapolis; Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK : LINE Timberwolves -4; over/under is 206.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyasha Harris scored 13 of Connecticut’s final 18 points Monday night, including two free throws with 10.

BOSTON (AP) — So much about the journey the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers have taken to the Eastern Conference finals has been about what – or specifically who – they haven’t had to face to get to here.

DALLAS (AP) — Daniel Gafford remembers facing Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and company about two weeks before he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks this season.

DENVER (AP) — As the shock of blowing their 20-point Game 7 lead settled in, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone repeated what had become somewhat of an underlying mantra for his talented but thinned team.