Power Rankings, Week 9: Jazz jump Lakers for No. 1 spot; Suns enter Top 5

Since early January, Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell have guided Utah to an impressive 18-1 record. The Utah Jazz had been pretty healthy. Through Feb. 5, their top nine guys had missed a total of eight games, four from Joe Ingles and two each from Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Favors. That had earned their 18-5 …

Gordon Hayward exits game after re-aggravating right hand injury

The Hornets’ top scorer is Hayward, with an average of 21.9 points per game. Charlotte’s 132-110 loss to Utah on Monday night included an injury to one of its most important players.  Hornets forward Gordon Hayward was forced to leave the game in the fourth quarter after re-aggravating a right hand injury. INJURY UPDATE: @hornets …

'No-nonsense' referee Hugh Evans gets his due in Springfield

Hugh Evans, an NBA referee from 1972-2001, is the 17th official to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Hugh Evans always believed that his role was to command respect rather than affection. However, as he became increasingly proficient at earning respect, he couldn’t help but notice a surge in his popularity. …