Lakers Search for Answers, With and Without LeBron James

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA AND TANIA GANGULI from NYT Sports James could miss multiple games because of coronavirus protocols, but the Lakers have struggled even when he has played.https://nyti.ms/3pBmtp9

It’s Good to Be Golden State, Even Without Klay Thompson

By BY TANIA GANGULI from NYT Sports Golden State is among the N.B.A.’s best teams, even without one of its best players in the injured Thompson. And it’s not just because of Stephen Curry.https://nyti.ms/3GPAxCZ

LeBron James and Stephen Curry Test Different Paths Back to N.B.A. Peak

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA from NYT Sports James’s Los Angeles Lakers revamped their roster in a bid for another championship. For Golden State and Curry, familiar faces were just fine.https://nyti.ms/3lR7yGA

A Loyal Catholic’s Mission to Protect the Church From Youth Football

By BY KEN BELSON from NYT Sports Denny Doyle is concerned about the risk of brain injuries to children who play tackle football. And he worries that his beloved church will also pay a price.https://nyti.ms/3DCoyX6

Phoenix Suns Headed to First N.B.A. Finals in Almost 30 Years

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports This will be the first trip to the finals for the Suns’ veteran leader, Chris Paul, who scored 41 points in the series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.https://nyti.ms/2SFBeL5

The N.B.A. Champion May Literally Be the Last Team Standing

By BY SOPAN DEB AND MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Injuries to stars have dominated and reshaped the playoffs, raising questions about the legitimacy of winning it all this year in a weakened field.https://nyti.ms/2Trr1C9

‘It Hurts’: Season Is Over Before Nets See How Good Big Three Can Be

By BY SOPAN DEB AND MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Injuries kept the Nets from knowing what they could really look like once their stars — Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden — were playing well together.https://nyti.ms/2TMmdHq

N.B.A. All-Stars Set a Painful Record for Missing Playoff Games

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA AND SOPAN DEB from NYT Sports Injury woes are not new, but they have been acute during the playoffs. Never before have eight All-Stars missed at least one postseason game in the same year.https://nyti.ms/3gzLZq6

After a Workout Push, the N.F.L. Players Union Falls Flat

By BY KEN BELSON from NYT Sports Union leadership had led a charge for players to workout on their own. But when the Broncos cut a player after a season-ending injury, tensions over the effort were revealed.https://nyti.ms/3fH5XyQ

After a Workout Push, the N.F.L. Players Union Falls Flat

By BY KEN BELSON from NYT Sports Union leadership had led a charge for players to workout on their own. But when the Broncos cut a player after a season-ending injury, tensions over the effort were revealed.https://nyti.ms/3bFKzsE

‘We’re Hungry’: The Liberty Aim High in a Bounce-Back Season

By BY MATT ELLENTUCK from NYT Sports The Liberty had the worst record in the W.N.B.A. last year. But the return of Sabrina Ionescu and the addition of league veterans could turn things around.https://nyti.ms/3ffQZ2C

Injuries Are Raining on the N.B.A.’s Championship Parade

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Pick a big-name N.B.A. star, and he’s probably been injured this season: LeBron, Giannis, LaMelo, A.D., K.D. and, now, Jamal Murray. What’s going on?https://nyti.ms/3mOPxr9

How a Horrifying Cycling Crash Set Up a Battle Over Safety

By BY NICK BUSCA from NYT Sports A series of crashes in elite road racing has galvanized riders to demand more safety measures, while the sport’s governing body promises changes.https://nyti.ms/3taer7u

Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie Out Indefinitely With Torn A.C.L.

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Dinwiddie, who started at guard alongside Kyrie Irving, hobbled off the court Sunday in the third quarter with what was initially called knee strain.https://nyti.ms/38Kuqjh

Rockets’ Russell Westbrook Traded to Wizards for John Wall

By BY MARC STEIN from NYT Sports Westbrook and Wall were both unhappy on their teams. Houston is also giving up a future first-round pick in the trade, which will reunite Wall with his college teammate DeMarcus Cousins.https://nyti.ms/39AZIuV

She Seemed Destined for Olympic Glory. Brain Injuries Ended That.

By BY MATTHEW FUTTERMAN from NYT Sports Ellie Furneaux looked like she was going to become Britain’s next star in the sledding sport skeleton. But a series of concussions took a heavy toll.https://nyti.ms/36TScbr

The Miami Heat Were Hot. Now They’re Hurting.

By BY SCOTT CACCIOLA from NYT Sports A wave of injuries helped wipe out Miami’s big lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the N.B.A. finals. The fallout now threatens the series.https://nyti.ms/3jnqWqO

Rash of Injuries Has the N.F.L. Pointing Broken Fingers at Each Other

By BY MIKE TANIER from NYT Sports Conventional football wisdom suggests player health would benefit from either more — or less — preparation.https://nyti.ms/361snr5

Yankees Lose Game to the Rays, and Much More

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports On a day the Rays completed a sweep, Zack Britton joined the injured list and Gleyber Torres and James Paxton needed M.R.I.’s after playing in Thursday’s 10-5 loss.https://nyti.ms/3ghnITA

With Another Slew of Injuries, the Yankees Aren’t Taking Chances

By BY JAMES WAGNER from NYT Sports Aaron Judge, D.J. LeMahieu and Giancarlo Stanton are all on the injured list. Even in a shortened season, the Yankees aren’t rushing to bring them back.https://nyti.ms/2FvKlXD