Silver supports Kanter’s decision to skip

Commissioner Adam Silver said Thursday he supports New York Knicks center Enes Kanter’s choice to skip his game in London with the Washington Wizards. Kanter feared he could be killed over opposition to president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Istanbul’s Daily Sabah reported a warrant was issued for Kanter by prosecutors on Wednesday.

Silver says he never suggested Kanter skip but that he understands the choice.

Kanter allegedly gave funds to exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is blamed for a failed coup in 2016. Kanter says no “single piece of evidence” has been shown to support the charge.

His Knicks lost Thursday, 101-100, after Allonzo Trier committed goaltending with less than a second left.

Rockets

Clint Capela had surgery Thursday to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. He will be out 4-to-6 weeks, a blow for a team already missing Chris Paul. But James Harden scored 58 points late Wednesday in a 145-142 loss to Brooklyn, his second consecutive seasonhigh after scoring 57 against Memphis. He hit five 3-pointers on 19 attempts against the Nets as the Rockets tried an NBA-record 70 shots from 3-point range, making 23. Harden has at least 30 points in 18 games in a row and 40 in nine of the last 12.

Heat

Miami fined Dion Waiters an undisclosed amount for explicit comments he made about playing time Tuesday, Miami announced Thursday. He has played five games this year while recovering from ankle surgery.

Thunder

Nerlens Noel passed concussion protocol, a team spokesman said Thursday. He was hurt Jan. 8 when he collided with Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins. Noel lost consciousness and spent the night in a hospital.