Summary

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Live Reporting

  1. LeBron James stars as Los Angeles Lakers beat Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs

    BBC Sport

    LeBron James attempting a three point shot as Victor Wembanyama reaches to block the attemptGetty Images

    James made a successful return to the court after missing the last two games with the Lakers with an ankle injury.

    LeBron James scored 30 points on his return for the Los Angeles Lakers at they won 123-118 at home to the San Antonio Spurs.

    James added nine assists and seven rebounds for the Lakers after missing their past two games to rest a sore ankle, although he played in the All-Star Game in between.

    Anthony Davis added 28 points and 13 rebounds as the Lakers improved to 31-27, while Victor Wembanyama had 27 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and added five blocked shots and five steals.

    That made last year's number one draft pick the youngest player in NBA history to achieve the rare '5x5' statistical performance - including at least five points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals in the same game.

    "He doesn't have a ceiling," James said of the French rookie. "He can do whatever he wants to do in his career. I said a long time ago how special he was, and it's really that simple."

    For the rest of the matchday results as well as video highlights, click here.

  2. Play-off hunt and MVP race - what you need to know

    BBC Sport

    The Denver Nuggets celebrating their 2023 NBA Finals victory over the Miami Heat.Getty Images

    The Denver Nuggets are the current reigning NBA Champions after they defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 in last year's NBA Finals best of seven series.

    Who makes the play-offs?

    Of the 30 NBA teams, 16 will go into the play-offs.

    The top six teams in both the Eastern Conference and Western Conference, ranked by winning percentage, directly advance to the playoffs.

    Teams ranked seventh through tenth compete in the NBA play-in tournament for the seventh and eighth seeds.

    There are 82 regular-season games, and teams have between 26 and 29 matches left, so there is plenty to play for.

    One side who can be certain of their spot in the play-offs are the Boston Celtics, who have won 41 of their 55 matches so far.

    Since the play-in tournament was introduced for the 2020-21 campaign, a regular season of 40 or more wins has guaranteed making the post-season.

    Who will win MVP?

    The 76ers centre Joel Embiid will not be retaining his crown as the league's Most Valuable Player because of injury, which also saw him miss the All-Star Game.

    Embiid had starred this season for the 76ers, but he will fall short of the minimum of 65 regular season matches played in order to be in the running for the award.

    Joel Embiid sitting on the bench during a Philadelphia 76ers game.Getty Images

    Joel Embiid had been a contender to win the Most Valuable Player award for a second consecutive season prior to having knee surgery earlier this month.

    The Denver Nuggets' centre Nikola Jokic currently ranks as one of the big favourites, having won the award in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. Statistically, he has been the most efficient player in the NBA this season.

    The Oklohoma City Thunder's guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is also in the running, leading the league in steals per game.

    Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' power forward who is also a two-time MVP winner, is a big contender, as is the Dallas Mavericks' point guard Luka Doncic who leads the league for points per game.

    The Sacramento Kings' Domantas Sabonis leads in rebounds per game, double-doubles and triple-doubles, while the Milwaukee Bucks' point guard Damian Lillard is also in the frame.

  3. How can I watch the NBA on the BBC?

    Games and broadcast schedule are subject to change, with further games still be announced

    BBC iPlayer

    The BBC will be showing five regular season matches and up to four further matches during the post season.

    Select matches will be shown on BBC One, BBC Three, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app. There will also be live text updates on the BBC Sport website and app of some selected matches.

    Upcoming Coverage

    Phoenix Suns v Los Angeles Lakers (25 Feb, 20:30 GMT, BBC Three)

    Boston Celtics v Dallas Mavericks (1 March, 00:30 GMT, BBC One)

    Boston Celtics v Golden State Warriors (3 March, 20:30 GMT, BBC Three)

    Dallas Mavericks v Denver Nuggets (17 March, 20:30 GMT BBC Three)

  4. Get Inspired: How to get into basketball

    Get Inspired
    #GetInspired

    How do I start?

    Find your local club by visiting England, Scotland,Wales or Northern Ireland Basketball Association websites.

    What is basketball?

    • A game where two teams compete to score the most points by throwing a ball into their opponents net.
    • Players can move freely around the court, except for the player with the ball who can only move when bouncing or 'dribbling' the ball.
    • All you need to get started is a ball and a hoop and you don't need any special kit - just comfortable clothes and trainers.

    Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu take part in the inaugural NBA v WNBA three-point challenge at the All-Star Weekend.

    Is it for me?

    Basketball can be played by people of any age, size or ability and with thousands of outdoor courts across the country - where you can play for free - there's plenty of places to practice if you don't fancy competing with a team.

    What to expect when I start?

    • Basketball is a fun, fast and stamina-building sport with players burning up to 600 calories an hour.
    • The sport is a mixture of dribbling, passing and shooting which helps improve balance and co-ordination.
    • With clubs across the country, it's a great way to meet new people and develop teamwork and communication skills and many clubs offer a variety of social events away from the court.
    • Wheelchair Basketball embraces a range of disabilities and is equally as fast paced and exciting as the traditional game. Wheelchair Basketball is a great way of improving upper-body strength and building confidence. British Wheelchair Basketball, provide opportunities to play across the UK.