News

1:39 AM ET DALLAS — The home crowd loudly booed at the American Airlines Center during a timeout midway through the third quarter Friday night, when the Dallas Mavericks trailed the Charlotte Hornets by 18 points. “We probably should have been booed in the first quarter,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said after a 117-109 loss

2:52 PM ET DALLAS — Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has been fined $35,000 for “directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official,” the NBA announced Friday. Doncic rubbed his fingers together, in an apparent reference to money, while staring down a referee with 1.7 seconds remaining in Wednesday’s 127-125 loss to the Golden

7:25 AM ET ANTHONY DAVIS SAT in the corner of his bedroom closet, overwhelmed. It was a couple days after another injury threatened to derail yet another season for him, and the Los Angeles Lakers big man was at his breaking point. “I’m like, shaking,” Davis told ESPN last week, jittering his hand to illustrate

11:02 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LA Clippers star Paul George avoided torn ligaments in his sprained right knee and is not expected to require surgery. While George will miss the remainder of the regular season and will not be reassessed for two to three weeks, the Clippers breathed a sigh of relief that he

2:10 PM ET Dave McMenamin Close Dave McMenamin ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Adrian Wojnarowski Close Adrian Wojnarowski Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in

6:35 PM ET MEMPHIS, Tenn. — All-Star point guard Ja Morant will come off the bench for the first time in his career Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets, a situation he suggested to the Memphis Grizzlies‘ coaching staff as he returns from an eight-game suspension. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant, who sat out

1:00 AM ET In the NBA’s Western Conference, where just three games separate the No. 4 and No. 12 seeds, every game counts. For the Dallas Mavericks — and team governor Mark Cuban — make that every bucket. The Mavs fell to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night 127-125 in a game that pushed

3:10 PM ET LA Clippers All-Star guard Paul George will miss at least the next two weeks with a sprained right knee, the team announced Wednesday. George will be reevaluated in two to three weeks and is expected to miss the remaining nine regular-season games the Clippers have left. George’s timeline for a potential return

7:39 AM ET The Memphis Grizzlies are hopeful to get Ja Morant back on the floor Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. Morant’s recent eight-game suspension shook some of the momentum the Grizzlies were riding to a potential top seed in the West prior to March 4. But with its star point guard returning to practice,

5:14 PM ET MEMPHIS — All-Star point guard Ja Morant, who participated Tuesday in his first practice with the Memphis Grizzlies following an eight-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the NBA, described his attempt to find better ways to manage stress through counseling as “an ongoing process.” Morant, who the Grizzlies anticipate will make his

3:06 PM ET Willis Reed, who won two NBA championships during his legendary career with the New York Knicks, has died, the team confirmed in a statement on Tuesday. He was 80. Reed played 10 seasons in the NBA from 1964 to ’74, all with the Knicks. He was named to the All-NBA team five

1:38 AM ET MEMPHIS — For the second time this month, Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks faces an automatic one-game suspension due to his technical fouls total for the season. In yet another eventful performance for the pesky defender known as Dillon “The Villain,” Brooks picked up his 18th technical foul of the season for

10:18 PM ET NEW YORK — Julius Randle scored a career-high 57 points, but that wasn’t enough to save the New York Knicks from a disappointing 140-134 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Randle’s dominance was apparent throughout the first three quarters of a defenseless showcase in which the

7:37 AM ET Ohm Youngmisuk Close Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is

9:08 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN ANTONIO — Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell had 29 points each, and the San Antonio Spurs rallied from a 24-point deficit to beat the Atlanta Hawks 126-118 on Sunday, spoiling Dejounte Murray‘s homecoming. Murray had 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds in his first game in San

9:59 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Three weeks to the day since LeBron James suffered a tendon injury in his right foot, and with exactly three weeks remaining in the regular season, Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham offered the most encouraging update on James’ status to date. “We anticipate him coming back at some

5:47 PM ET Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star guard Anthony Edwards will miss his first game of the season Saturday against the Toronto Raptors as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain. Edwards suffered the injury in Friday night’s loss to the Chicago Bulls; he landed awkwardly and collapsed after leaving his feet to deliver

5:17 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — After the Denver Nuggets struggled down the stretch of a 116-110 loss to the New York Knicks on Saturday afternoon, giving the Western Conference leaders a fifth loss in their last six games, Nikola Jokic declared Denver needs to be concerned about how it’s currently playing. “It

7:22 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook took the blame for the LA Clippers‘ four-game winning streak coming to a halt against the Orlando Magic and was already looking forward to redeeming himself in Portland on Sunday. After the Clippers surrendered 39 points in the fourth quarter and were stunned 113-108 by the Magic

12:42 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson is back for the New York Knicks against Denver on Saturday after missing five of the past six games with a sore left foot. The starting point guard went through a full practice Friday but the Knicks didn’t clear him to play until after he

3:12 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Over and over again, sitting in front of his locker after the game, Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis repeated how tough it was to stomach Friday night’s 111-110 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at the buzzer. Tough because his closeout wasn’t enough of a deterrent to stop Mavs

11:13 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN ANTONIO — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points and the Memphis Grizzlies completed the largest comeback in the NBA this season, rallying from a 29-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs 126-120 in overtime Friday night. Memphis faced a nine-point deficit in the

3:19 PM ET PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — The LA Clippers will have to wait before they are whole again as sixth man Norman Powell remains out with a shoulder injury. Powell will miss his sixth straight game Saturday against the Orlando Magic because of a left shoulder subluxation injury suffered at Golden State on March

6:53 PM ET Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan is engaged in serious talks to sell a majority stake in the franchise to a group led by Hornets minority owner Gabe Plotkin and Atlanta Hawks minority owner Rick Schnall, sources told ESPN on Thursday. No deal is imminent, but there’s significant momentum on a sale that

4:43 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Exactly one month ago, ESPN released its second of three straw polls tracking the NBA’s Most Valuable Player race for the 2022-23 season, and it had a very clear result: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the heavy favorite to claim his third straight award. Thursday saw Las Vegas tell

12:25 PM ET The betting odds to win MVP of the NBA regular season moved dramatically this week at sportsbooks, with 76ers star Joel Embiid catching Denver‘s Nikola Jokic, the longtime favorite, in what’s turning out to be a close race. Embiid moved from a 2-1 underdog to an odds-on favorite Wednesday. Jokic had been

11:49 PM ET ESPN News Services CLEVELAND — Joel Embiid went from fouling out to staying in. And the Cleveland Cavaliers were none too happy about it. Philadelphia’s All-Star had 36 points and 18 rebounds and played the final 4:12 after a charging call for his sixth foul was overturned, leading the 76ers to their

6:42 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant, in an interview Wednesday, said he realized how much he is risking with his pattern of poor off-court decisions during the week and a half since the incident that resulted in his eight-game suspension from the NBA. Hours after the Grizzlies played the Nuggets in Denver on

2:41 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant has been suspended eight games without pay for conduct detrimental to the league, the NBA announced Wednesday. The suspension covers the six games he’ll miss, including Wednesday at Miami. Morant is eligible to play on Monday against Dallas, the same day he’s able to rejoin the Grizzlies

12:45 AM ET ESPN News Services Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was critical of his team’s effort following Tuesday night’s 125-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, saying that being in first place for so long has made them complacent. The slumping Nuggets (46-23), who have lost four straight but maintain a four-game lead in the

5:48 PM ET Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic will miss his third consecutive game because of a left thigh strain, having been ruled out Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. Fellow All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who was sidelined by right foot soreness the past two games, is listed as questionable. The Mavs lost twice to

5:38 PM ET ESPN News Services The NBA on Monday fined Marcus Smart $25,000, with head of basketball operations Joe Dumars saying the veteran Boston Celtics guard initiated an on-court altercation and pulled Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young to the floor during the teams’ game over the weekend. With 1:25 remaining and Boston leading 129-121,

6:33 AM ET Marc J. Spears SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown wasn’t exactly sure what happened in a skirmish between both teams toward the end of a 133-124 loss to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. But Brown had a message for any NBA team hoping to test his Kings as

8:35 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Adrian Wojnarowski Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Tim MacMahon Close Tim MacMahon ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has entered a

8:09 AM ET ORLANDO, Fla. — The sounds of Nickelback coming from the portable speaker inside the Miami Heat locker room were unmistakable. As the rest of his teammates and Heat staffers quietly showered, got dressed and picked over a postgame pizza spread following a 126-114 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday, Jimmy

1:51 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The surging Los Angeles Lakers lost 112-108 to the New York Knicks on Sunday, and Anthony Davis blamed himself for the halt in momentum as his team squandered a chance to get back to .500 for the first time since opening the season schedule at 0-0. “My play,” Davis

6:26 PM ET Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic will miss his second consecutive game Monday because of a left thigh strain. Fellow All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who is dealing with right foot soreness, is listed as questionable for Monday’s home game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Doncic and Irving both missed Saturday’s 112-108 loss to the

6:56 PM ET ORLANDO, Fla. — Miami Heat guard Kyle Lowry did something during the start of Saturday night’s 126-114 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic that he hadn’t done in over 10 years: He sat on the bench. Lowry, who hadn’t played since Feb. 2 because of left knee soreness, entered Saturday’s game with

1:39 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry brought the ball over midcourt with Jevon Carter of the Milwaukee Bucks right in his face. Curry accelerated and then quickly stopped at the top of the 3-point arc, making Carter skid a few feet away. Curry had just enough space

3:21 PM ET Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss his third straight game Saturday night when the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Golden State Warriors on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET. Antetokounmpo was questionable with a sore right hand, an injury that also sidelined him for Thursday night’s win over the Brooklyn Nets. He missed Tuesday’s game

3:00 AM ET LOS ANGELES — It wouldn’t be a stretch to describe D’Angelo Russell‘s return to the lineup in the Lakers’ 122-112 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday as perfect. Russell, who missed L.A.’s previous six games with a sprained right ankle, scored 16 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter —

12:48 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — When Joel Embiid caught the ball with 7 seconds to go in Friday night’s game at Wells Fargo Center between his Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers, he had one thing on his mind: Get to his favorite spot on the floor — the free throw line

3:23 PM ET Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will not play in Saturday night’s road game against the Memphis Grizzlies because of his left thigh strain, and Kyrie Irving‘s status is in question after he missed Friday’s practice for personal reasons. “Hopefully, he’ll be able to join us in Memphis,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd told

7:37 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — DURING A TIMEOUT late in the fourth quarter of a Feb. 24 game against the Miami Heat, Jrue Holiday picked up an orange Gatorade bottle and channeled his inner Backstreet Boy. Holiday had gone to the bench for the final time with 4:30 remaining and his Milwaukee Bucks

10:12 PM ET Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet was fined $30,000 by the NBA on Thursday for his blistering criticism of official Ben Taylor that came after a 108-100 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night. VanVleet reiterated his frustration at the time with the officiating, not just in the loss to the

7:04 PM ET Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant is expected to miss two to three weeks because of a left ankle injury, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday. The team said in a release that Durant has a left ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in three weeks. Durant, who had an MRI on

3:08 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet blasted referee Ben Taylor for his officiating during the Raptors’ 108-100 loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena. VanVleet didn’t hold back in his postgame news conference and is likely to receive a hefty fine from the NBA. “I

8:59 PM ET PHOENIX — Kevin Durant slipped and sprained his left ankle during pregame warmups Wednesday, knocking him out of what was supposed to be his first home game with the Phoenix Suns. The team is hopeful Durant avoided a serious sprain, but he is scheduled for an MRI Thursday to determine the severity

4:29 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant will not face criminal charges stemming from his Instagram Live video in which he appeared to display a handgun at a nightclub, the Glendale, Colorado, Police Department announced Wednesday afternoon. Shortly afterward, the Grizzlies announced that Morant will be away from the team for at least

7:39 AM ET PRIOR TO THE Portland Trail Blazers‘ first preseason game in Seattle in October, a member of the Blazers’ front office strolled up to general manager Joe Cronin and three of his staff members sitting courtside. Anyone in the area could hear the comment to Cronin. Hey Joe, you’ve got the makings of

11:58 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Pau Gasol, the perfect complementary player to Kobe Bryant, was paid the best compliment possible by his former team: The Los Angeles Lakers retired his jersey. “I mean life goes by pretty fast, right? In the blink of an eye, you can be a kid playing basketball in your

1:44 PM ET Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. — The Milwaukee Bucks won’t have either of their two 2023 All-Stars available for their game Tuesday night at Orlando. Milwaukee’s injury report for the game lists two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday as unavailable. Antetokounmpo has a non-COVID-19 illness, and Holiday has a sore neck. The

3:22 PM ET ESPN News Services Giannis Antetokounmpo said he stole a triple-double. The NBA took it back. The league adjusted the statistics from the Bucks’ win over the Wizards on Sunday night, erasing Antetokounmpo’s final rebound that would have given him his fourth triple-double this season. He grabbed a defensive rebound with about nine

2:48 PM ET Police in Colorado said Monday they are investigating Ja Morant‘s actions from the weekend after the Memphis Grizzlies star posted an Instagram Live video in which he displayed what appeared to be a gun while at a nightclub. The Glendale Police Department confirmed the incident took place at a bar in Glendale,

7:04 AM ET PAU GASOL’S HAIR is coiffed short and tidy now. Sensible. Hints of gray show on the sides and contrast with the brown waves up top. He looks every bit the part as the husband and father of two he has become in his post-playing days. At first glance, the 42-year-old version of

8:50 PM ET DALLAS — Four superstars in their primes combined for 137 points in a premium Sunday matinee between the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks on national television that came down to the final seconds. Two of the combatants, Luka Doncic and Devin Booker, were in each other’s faces furthering a festering feud

9:45 PM ET LOS ANGELES — There’s no definitive timeline for Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to return to the team, coach Taylor Jenkins said Sunday before the team’s loss to the LA Clippers. The team had initially said Morant would be away for at least two games as he seeks help and the NBA

6:10 PM ET DALLAS — A lot has changed with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks since the teams met in the Western Conference semifinals last season, headlined by the blockbuster trades both franchises pulled off with the Brooklyn Nets last month to land superstars. One thing that has stayed the same: Devin Booker and

6:49 PM ET When you’re putting together a championship contender, one rule is paramount — get the best talent you possibly can. You’ll be facing off against the best possible rosters your opponents can assemble, so it’s only logical that you should pack your own team full of stars. Sometimes, the stars align and you

11:32 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — Despite falling behind by as many as 18 points in the third quarter, the Philadelphia 76ers rallied for a 133-130 victory against the Bucks on Saturday night, snapping Milwaukee’s 16-game winning streak. James Harden scored 38 points and dished out 10 assists, and Joel Embiid added 31 points

1:06 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant will not play in at least the next two games after his Instagram Live video, in which he displayed what appeared to be a gun while at a nightclub early Saturday morning, prompted an investigation from the NBA. The Grizzlies announced Saturday afternoon that Morant “will

7:55 AM ET Tim MacMahon Close Tim MacMahon ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM Brian Windhorst Close Brian Windhorst ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books KYRIE IRVING

12:53 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — The Brooklyn Nets entered TD Garden for Friday night’s game against the Boston Celtics on a four-game losing streak. Then, midway through the second quarter, Brooklyn found itself staring at a 28-point deficit — and seemed well on its way to a fifth straight defeat. The Nets, though,

2:07 PM ET Atlanta Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler told ESPN that his franchise has underachieved in relation to its roster talent and that the organization’s moves to hire Quin Snyder as coach and elevate Landry Fields to oversee basketball operations will translate into more long-term success. In an interview Friday, Ressler insisted he isn’t

12:46 AM ET DALLAS — The Mavericks managed to find a formula for success with their All-Star guard duo. All they need is for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to each score at least 40 points. That’s what happened in Thursday’s 133-126 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, when Doncic led Dallas with 42 points and

7:01 PM ET The Milwaukee Bucks have emerged as the strong front-runner to sign free agent guard Goran Dragic, and a formal agreement could be reached as soon as Friday, sources told ESPN. Dragic, 36, cleared waivers Thursday and will meet with Bucks officials in Milwaukee on Friday, sources said. The Bucks also are signing

2:40 PM ET LeBron James suffered a tendon injury in his right foot against the Dallas Mavericks last weekend and will be reevaluated in about three weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday. The announcement came after James returned to L.A. and was examined by team medical staff and physicians. Editor’s Picks 1 Related The

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Donovan Mitchell, the focus was anything but instant success. Suddenly, Cleveland had a roster sporting three young All-Stars — Mitchell, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. That trio, plus NBA Rookie of the Year runner-up and burgeoning star Evan Mobley, all were under

9:33 PM ET CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It was here during All-Star Weekend 2019 that Kevin Durant solidified his decision to partner with Kyrie Irving when both became free agents the following summer. Four years later, a new partnership was unveiled in the same arena, this one with hope for a better outcome. Playing for the

7:13 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN JAYSON TATUM‘S NBA FINALS debut did not go as planned. Not only did the Boston Celtics fall to the Golden State Warriors in six games last season, watching Stephen Curry and the Warriors claim a fourth championship in the past eight years on the floor at TD Garden, but Tatum

7:15 AM ET The NBA’s plot is twisting in the final third of the 2022-23 regular season, and it could be just the beginning of more unexpected turns down the stretch. The Boston Celtics have comfortably dominated the Eastern Conference this season but fell out of first place for the first time in 2023 after

10:37 PM ET Vanessa Bryant settled her remaining claims with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million over photos that deputies shared after a 2020 helicopter crash that killed her husband, former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant; their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna; and seven others. The settlement included the $15 million a jury already awarded Vanessa

12:33 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers expect to reassess LeBron James‘ injured right foot in two weeks to see how much progress he has made, but the timeline for his return is expected to extend beyond that checkpoint, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Lakers entered Tuesday night’s games at 29-32 and are 0.5

9:43 PM ET ESPN News Services Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball suffered a fracture in his right ankle during Monday night’s win over the Detroit Pistons, the team announced after the game. Ball appeared to turn the ankle early in the third quarter while dribbling the ball behind his back. He immediately went down in

6:30 PM ET LeBron James is feared to be out several weeks with a right foot injury, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. James is undergoing further testing and conversations to learn the full extent of the injury, which he suffered in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ victory at the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. The

8:46 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry has reached an agreement to sell his portion of the team to Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam at a $3.5 billion valuation, sources told ESPN. The deal, which represents Lasry’s portion of the Bucks, or approximately 25% of the team, is still pending

7:34 AM ET Nearly 15 minutes into an All-Star interview session, the Denver Nuggets‘ back-to-back MVP was starting to get a little punchy. “Do you care about winning the MVP?” a reporter asked. “Yes,” Nikola Jokic answered, with a hint of exasperation in his voice. Why? “Because the last seven times, I said no,” Jokic

12:48 AM ET Brianna Williams The Houston Rockets didn’t have an answer for Damian Lillard in the Portland Trail Blazers‘ 131-114 win. Editor’s Picks Lillard set franchise and career highs with 71 points and 13 3-pointers. As evidenced by LeBron James‘ tweet, it was simply Dame Time on Sunday night. ⌚️ — LeBron James (@KingJames)

11:36 AM ET Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play Sunday in the Milwaukee Bucks‘ 104-101 victory over the Phoenix Suns. He was replaced in the lineup by Bobby Portis, who finished with 10 points in the victory. Antetokounmpo sustained the injury Friday night in the first quarter of the Bucks’ 128-99 victory over the Miami Heat.

1:22 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — When Jayson Tatum‘s step-back 3-pointer fell through the net at Wells Fargo Center with 1.3 seconds to go in Saturday night’s thriller between the Celtics and 76ers, it looked to all the world like he had just won the game for the Celtics. As it turned out, Tatum

3:04 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson doesn’t like to think there are two versions of himself or his game — pre-injuries versus post-injuries — nor does he follow the mindset that he’s “getting back” to who he was. He has found that it doesn’t do him any favors and results in

2:19 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Russell Westbrook received a rousing ovation when he started and finished his LA Clippers debut. Westbrook had as impressive a start as any point guard playing in his first game with the franchise. But the Clippers and Sacramento Kings weren’t done playing when Westbrook picked up his sixth personal

7:43 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN NEARING THE END of the NBA offseason last September and over 5,000 miles from his adopted home of Denver, Nikola Jokic was playing alongside his Serbian National teammates in the EuroBasket tournament when a familiar face took a seat in the O2 Arena in Prague. Jokic thought he was still

8:45 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a right knee injury and exited with 1:13 remaining in the first quarter of Friday night’s 128-99 victory over the Miami Heat. Antetokounmpo was hurt when he knocked knees with a Heat player, and the team announced during the second quarter that he

1:07 PM ET The Atlanta Hawks and Quin Snyder are progressing in talks on a deal to make him the franchise’s next coach and a resolution could be reached within days, sources told ESPN on Friday. Since firing coach Nate McMillan on Tuesday, the Hawks have made Snyder the full focus of the coaching search,

5:18 PM ET PHOENIX — Kevin Durant isn’t ready yet for the curtain to lift on his debut with the Phoenix Suns, but the preparation got serious Thursday as he entered the final stages of his return from a knee injury. Durant took part in all of an intense, two-hour workout and scrimmage in the

12:19 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — As Joel Embiid missed shot after shot throughout the first half of Thursday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center — ultimately finishing 1-for-8 in the first quarter and 2-for-14 through the first half — he knew that if he was to have his usual

6:37 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham opened up his team’s final stretch of the season after the All-Star break by stating Los Angeles’ goal loud and clear: The Lakers don’t want to just make the playoffs, they want to avoid the play-in tournament. “The goal is for us

7:04 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN PORTLAND, Ore. — Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson finds inspiration in a Kobe Bryant quote, “Greatness isn’t just on the court, it’s everything you do.” It has shaped Thompson as a creature of habit when it comes to his game preparation. He goes through the same warmup routine each

5:31 PM ET Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry is “making good progress” after missing the past five games because of a lower left leg injury, the team said Wednesday. Curry has started individual on-court workouts and will be reevaluated again in one week, the team said. Curry suffered partial tears to his superior tibiofibular

7:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN There has been little reason to take the Los Angeles Lakers seriously as a contending team this season. The Lakers sit 13th in the Western Conference, meaning they have to leapfrog at least three teams to get into the play-in tournament. But when LeBron James was asked whether his Lakers

11:21 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball will miss the remainder of the 2022-23 season, the team announced Tuesday morning, as Ball continues to experience discomfort during basketball activities despite arthroscopic knee surgery before the season. Ball did not appear in a game this season and has not played since

5:31 PM ET The Atlanta Hawks fired coach Nate McMillan on Tuesday, clearing the way for an immediate search that will start with leading candidate Quin Snyder, sources told ESPN. The Hawks made assistant Joe Prunty the interim coach of a team that’s 29-30 and in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, but new general

10:19 AM ET Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn has agreed to an extension that is expected to keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season, sources told ESPN. The Nets announced the new deal Tuesday for Vaughn, who sources said had a team option on his 2023-24 deal, but did not disclose terms. Brooklyn has

7:01 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN On Dec. 30, the New Orleans Pelicans were 23-12 and tied for first place in the Western Conference. Just a month and a half later, heading out of the All-Star break, the Pelicans are 30-29 and in the thick of the middle of the West standings. What happened? Well, two

7:34 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a sprained ligament in his right wrist, and he will undergo treatment with the expectation that he’ll be able to return to the lineup once the pain subsides, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday night. Antetokounmpo was examined in New York on Monday after playing

7:20 AM ET PARIS — IT’S LATE MORNING on a gray winter day just outside the French capital, and Victor Wembanyama hasn’t been awake very long. This makes several people in his life quite happy. The small arena located a little over 2 miles from the Arc de Triomphe that Wembanyama is calling his basketball

7:46 PM ET SALT LAKE CITY — Twenty years into his heralded time in the NBA, LeBron James didn’t mince words when asked about the challenge ahead for the Los Angeles Lakers in order to secure a postseason spot. “It’s 23 of the most important games of my career, for a regular season,” James said

11:10 PM ET SALT LAKE CITY — Team Giannis only had Giannis Antetokounmpo for one play because of his sprained right wrist. Team LeBron only had LeBron James for one half because of a right hand contusion and a plan to save the 20-year veteran’s legs for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ post-break playoff push. And

12:11 PM ET ESPN News Services Kevin Love plans to sign with the Miami Heat after clearing waivers, his agent, Jeff Schwartz, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Love’s expectation is that he can play a sizable role in the Heat’s frontcourt rotation as they push into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Love also talked with the Philadelphia

11:06 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN SALT LAKE CITY — As the final shots ticked down in Saturday’s 3-point contest for Damian Lillard, he thought he had to make them to tie Buddy Hield in order to win it. Then, when he looked up at the video board after knocking down his final few shots, he

11:08 PM ET SALT LAKE CITY — It’s safe to say the people know who Mac McClung is now. Once the poster boy for the NBA’s slam dunk contest’s path toward irrelevance, sporting a field of obscure participants rather than the certified stars of the past, McClung stole the show. With only two games of

7:08 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN AMONG THE SELLOUT crowd packed into Chicago’s United Center for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, Nick Elam and Jon Mugar couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. The league had decided to make a radical change for the league’s midseason showcase, and the excitement was palpable as the fourth quarter played

6:33 PM ET SALT LAKE CITY — Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Gregg Popovich headline the list of finalists for the 2023 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, it was announced Friday as part of NBA All-Star weekend. “I love the class,” Jerry Colangelo, chairman for the Hall of Fame,

4:30 PM ET ESPN Betting Insiders An action-packed NBA All-Star weekend begins Friday night and continues Saturday at 8 p.m. ET with the skills challenge, 3-point contest and slam dunk contest. Then on Sunday the 72nd NBA All-Star Game tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET. So who are the players and teams to bet on

7:52 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN In the wake of a high-profile missed call that went against Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James last month, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said officials are “absolutely held accountable” and disciplined for making such errors. “We don’t publicize discipline for officials. We don’t think that will be appropriate,” Silver said

6:23 PM ET PHOENIX — Kevin Durant believes the Phoenix Suns have what it takes to finally win an NBA championship. “I think we got all the pieces to be successful,” Durant said during a Thursday news conference, his first as a member of the Suns. “We got guys that have experienced what it’s like

8:52 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo exited in the second quarter of Thursday’s 112-100 victory over the Chicago Bulls with a sprained right wrist and did not return. Antetokounmpo injured his wrist after running into the stanchion while attempting to block a shot at the rim from Bulls guard

7:40 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell. That’s the list. In the more than 76-year history of the NBA, only three players have won three consecutive Most Valuable Player awards, and it has been nearly 40 years since Bird last accomplished the feat from 1984 to 1986. There have been plenty

12:03 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — Joel Embiid said after Wednesday night’s 118-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Wells Fargo Center that he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to play in Sunday’s All-Star Game. “I’m not sure,” the Philadelphia 76ers star said after collecting 29 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals

12:34 PM ET PHOENIX — After almost two decades in the NBA, Chris Paul has seen almost everything the league has to offer. However, after watching his Phoenix Suns make one of the biggest deals in recent league history for superstar forward Kevin Durant, even Paul admits he is still trying to wrap his head

7:31 AM ET The NBA has a different look after last week’s trade deadline, especially the Western Conference. The blockbuster trades of Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks were just the headliners in a long series of league-shaking moves that are bound to affect the playoff race and

1:09 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — Jrue Holiday matched a career-high with 40 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 131-125 overtime victory over an undermanned Boston Celtics team on Tuesday, extending Milwaukee’s winning streak to 11 games. The streak, the longest

2:57 PM ET PHOENIX — The energy that Kevin Durant‘s arrival has brought to the Suns organization is palpable. As Durant, who was traded from the Brooklyn Nets last week in a blockbuster deal, continues to work out and get to know his new teammates, the respect that he has earned within the locker room

10:00 AM ET When the NBA summer league was quaint, when it was just the business of evaluating basketball before the evaluation of basketball and the pleasures of Las Vegas, it was played in Boston. In the summer of 2003, LeBron James was there. He hadn’t yet played an official professional game, but he was

11:05 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said Monday that there is no target date for him to return from his left lower leg injury that has held him out since Feb. 4. The team plans to reevaluate Curry after the All-Star break, but Curry said he will

8:19 PM ET DALLAS — Kyrie Irving made a polite request during a news conference Monday evening to introduce him to the Dallas media: Please do not ask him about his future beyond this season. The Dallas Mavericks traded for Irving last week despite not having any assurances he would remain with the franchise after

7:35 AM ET CHRISTIAN WOOD SHEEPISHLY raised his right arm in the air and looked toward Spencer Dinwiddie, who had just made a 3-pointer off a pass from the Dallas Mavericks‘ big man to push the lead to double digits midway through the fourth quarter. You see, Wood made the gesture not as an acknowledgement

1:41 PM ET The Golden State Warriors are discussing with the NBA a way to complete their four-team trade with Portland, Detroit and Atlanta, and still preserve their rights to pursue recourse on how the Trail Blazers shared guard Gary Payton II‘s medical information with them prior to the agreement, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

5:52 PM ET The four-team trade held up by Golden State‘s concern over Gary Payton II‘s physical has been completed, sources told ESPN. The trade sent former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to the Pistons, who sent forward Saddiq Bey to the Hawks and Kevin Knox II to the Blazers. The Warriors sent five

3:07 AM ET SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As fiery a competitor as Luka Doncic is, he couldn’t stop smiling after the Dallas Mavericks’ 133-128 overtime loss Saturday night to the Sacramento Kings. That’s how much Doncic enjoyed playing with new teammate Kyrie Irving for the first time — and how excited Doncic is about the possibilities

12:51 AM ET After Suns owner Mat Ishbia and coach Monty Williams joined the pursuit on Saturday, veteran guard Terrence Ross plans to sign with Phoenix upon finalizing a contract buyout, sources told ESPN. The Dallas Mavericks had emerged as a frontrunner earlier Saturday, but the Suns made the case to Ross on the opportunity

7:05 PM ET The Golden State Warriors are under a 9:30 p.m. ET deadline on Sunday to make a decision on squashing a four-team trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons because of issues surrounding Gary Payton II‘s abdomen injury, sources told ESPN on Saturday. After Payton arrived in a Thursday

12:22 PM ET Guard Terrence Ross and the Orlando Magic are working on a contract buyout, allowing him to become a free agent, sources told ESPN. The Dallas Mavericks have emerged as the frontrunner to sign Ross once his buyout is complete, sources said. As long as Ross agrees to a buyout by March 1,

3:52 AM ET LOS ANGELES — After the LA Clippers traded point guards Reggie Jackson and John Wall away on Thursday’s deadline, Paul George and Marcus Morris Sr. made it no secret that they want the Clippers to add Russell Westbrook should he become available. Westbrook was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the

7:52 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Significant concerns over Gary Payton II‘s physical exam with Golden State has put Thursday’s four-team trade involving the Warriors, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers in jeopardy, sources confirmed to ESPN. The Warriors have until Saturday to go through with the deal or rescind the

3:17 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis explained that his body language during the Lakers‘ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday had everything to do with his team’s struggles and nothing to do with LeBron James‘ record-setting night. “It’s about the game,” Davis said after putting up 23 points and 16

11:57 PM ET ATLANTA — Kevin Durant hasn’t played a game yet for the Phoenix Suns, but his presence on the roster already is paying dividends for them. Players and coaches spoke openly about how much they believe Durant will help the team in a variety of ways after he and T.J. Warren were sent

2:57 PM ET Dan HajduckyESPN Close Hajducky is a reporter/researcher for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities. A signed Kobe Bryant jersey, worn during his lone MVP season in 2007-08, has sold for $5,849,700 with Sotheby’s,

8:27 PM ET ESPN News Services The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to trade Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz and reacquire point guard D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team, eight-player trade, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday. The Lakers also get Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt in the trade, while

1:15 AM ET After three-plus tumultuous years and a second trade request in eight months, the Brooklyn Nets traded All-NBA forward Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns for a package that includes dynamic forward Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four unprotected future first-round picks, sources told ESPN on Wednesday night. In a deal

3:40 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Pelicans will not get forward Zion Williamson back before the All-Star break. A team source confirmed Williamson will not be available for the Pelicans’ next three games — home against Cleveland on Friday, at Oklahoma City on Monday and at the Los Angeles Lakers

4:21 PM ET In the aftermath of the Kyrie Irving trade, Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has been engaged in conversations with owner Joe Tsai and general manager Sean Marks on the direction of the franchise and its ability to be a championship contender, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. So far, the Nets have insisted

12:00 AM ET Dave McMenamin Close Dave McMenamin ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Ohm Youngmisuk Close Ohm Youngmisuk ESPN Staff Writer Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and

7:10 PM ET LOS ANGELES — After his first practice with the Dallas Mavericks, All-Star guard Kyrie Irving said he felt “really wanted” by his new team, a stark contrast to feeling “very disrespected” at times during his turbulent 3½-season tenure with the Brooklyn Nets. “I just know I want to be places where I’m

12:05 AM ET NEW YORK — As Kyrie Irving‘s departure became finalized just prior to Monday night’s 124-116 loss to the LA Clippers, the Brooklyn Nets tried to process all of the emotions the group was feeling in the wake of watching the All-Star guard head to the Dallas Mavericks. “My interactions with Kai have

9:26 PM ET SALT LAKE CITY — Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd brushed aside questions about newly acquired guard Kyrie Irving‘s past controversies and future contract negotiations, preferring to focus on his belief that pairing Irving with fellow All-Star starter Luka Doncic cracks open a championship window for the franchise. The Mavs pounced on the

7:52 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — THE BULLS had a golden opportunity. After starting the season 12-18, the Bulls were riding a season-high three-game winning streak, building momentum with a blowout win at home against the Golden State Warriors, a thrashing of the Detroit Pistons in Paris and a convincing victory over the Atlanta

1:52 PM ET Stephen Curry is expected to be out through the All-Star break in mid-February because of a left leg injury, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Golden State Warriors said Sunday that Curry has partial tears to the superior tibiofibular ligaments and the interosseous membrane and will miss Monday’s game against the Oklahoma

3:30 PM ET The 2023 NBA trade deadline is set for Thursday at 3 p.m. ET. Which teams will be making deals ahead of that deadline, and how will that impact the landscape of the NBA heading into the 2023 playoffs? There have been only three in-season trades to date, but after an offseason that

3:07 PM ET The Brooklyn Nets are trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday. The Mavericks are sending Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029 to the Nets in exchange for Irving and Markieff Morris, sources said. The Nets

10:58 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry left the Warriors’ 119-113 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the third quarter after suffering an apparent left knee injury. Curry immediately received an X-ray, which came back negative, the team announced. He will get an MRI next.

8:06 PM ET The LA Clippers have joined the pursuit of Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving, sources told ESPN on Saturday. The Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns — among others — have been engaging with the Nets since Irving’s trade demand Friday, sources said. And now the Clippers — who’ve been in

1:41 PM ET NEW YORK — One day after he requested a trade, Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving will not play in Saturday’s game against the Washington Wizards because of right calf soreness, the team announced. On Friday, Irving told the Nets he wants out of Brooklyn ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline after failing to

7:28 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA on Friday suspended the Grizzlies‘ Dillon Brooks for one game and fined the Cavaliers‘ Donovan Mitchell $20,000 for their roles in an altercation that got them both ejected from Thursday night’s game in Cleveland. Midway through the third quarter of Cleveland’s 128-113 victory, Brooks rolled into Mitchell’s leg

10:44 PM ET ESPN News Services MINNEAPOLIS — A fight broke out and punches were thrown during the game between the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Five players were ejected following the brawl, which started in front of the Orlando bench late in the third quarter. Minnesota guard Austin Rivers and Magic

1:59 PM ET After failing to negotiate terms on a long-term contract extension with the organization, Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving has issued a trade request, sources told ESPN on Friday. Irving, who will become a free agent this summer, wants out ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline — with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas

9:56 PM ET ESPN News Services CLEVELAND — Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell and Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks were ejected after a third-quarter scuffle in Thursday night’s game. Mitchell was tossed after throwing the ball at Brooks after the players tangled under the basket, while Brooks was called for a flagrant 2 foul

10:19 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS — As much as LeBron James‘ march toward the NBA’s all-time scoring mark might have captured people’s attention outside of the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ goal for this season was to get back into the playoffs whether he scored five points or 5,000. James’ 26 points in Thursday’s 112-111 win over

10:25 PM ET Associated Press Michael Malone might coach Nikola Jokic in the All-Star Game. He might get the rare chance to coach against him, too. Malone and the staff of the Denver Nuggets have clinched their trip to Salt Lake City for All-Star weekend. Malone will coach Team LeBron — the team that will

12:44 PM ET Stranded in an ice storm in Dallas, the Detroit Pistons have been unable to fly home to host a Wednesday night game against the Washington Wizards — which has led to its postponement. Thousands of flights have been grounded in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and there’s a possibility that the Pistons, who

7:50 PM ET Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, sidelined the past five weeks because of a left groin strain, could return as soon as Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN. Editor’s Picks 2 Related Booker has been ramping up his on-court work, and is expected to join the Suns at the start of

8:15 AM ET Anthony OlivieriESPN.com WHERE IS LEBRON JAMES? It’s Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Finals, and the Miami Heat are down three to the Dallas Mavericks with 6.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter. James, in his quest for his first NBA championship, has scored only 8 points, looking lost on the floor

7:05 AM ET The Boston Celtics didn’t look like a first-place team for most of last week with three losses to lower-tier teams in the New York Knicks, Miami Heat and even a lopsided defeat to the Orlando Magic. They were on the verge of dropping their fourth straight to the Los Angeles Lakers on

9:43 PM ET Brianna Williams Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James passed Steve Nash for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard following his 11-assist performance against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. As reported by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst in 2016, James’ ability to efficiently distribute the ball is particularly noteworthy, especially at his

2:15 PM ET NEW YORK — LeBron James will return to the lineup Tuesday night against the New York Knicks, sources told ESPN, making his first appearance at Madison Square Garden in three years. James sat out of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 121-104 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday because of “significant soreness” in

10:11 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Boston Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla and his staff will coach Team Giannis in the 2023 All-Star Game next month in Salt Lake City, the NBA announced Monday night. Mazzulla and Boston’s coaching staff earned the honor when the Philadelphia 76ers saw their seven-game win streak snapped by the Orlando

12:49 AM ET DALLAS — Luka Doncic made a detour toward the Detroit Pistons‘ bench during a timeout with 7.1 seconds remaining in the Dallas Mavericks‘ 111-105 win Monday night. He approached Pistons assistant coach Jerome Allen to offer a few parting thoughts, punctuating a conversation that had continued throughout the game, a final exchange

10:49 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo saw it coming. The Milwaukee Bucks star was about to start a postgame on-court interview when out of the corner of his eye, he saw his teammates standing in the tunnel. He knew exactly what they were plotting, too. As more teammates emerged, Antetokounmpo slowly started

5:51 PM ET The fallout from the Los Angeles Lakers‘ overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday continued Sunday with a statement from the National Basketball Referees Association on its official Twitter account. “Like everyone else, referees make mistakes,” the union wrote in its tweet. “We made one at the end of last night’s

10:43 PM ET NBA scoring has seen a notable explosion so far this season, particularly among the league’s stars. Already, there have been 17 50-point games this season, which is the third most before the All-Star break all-time and most since the 1962-63 season, per ESPN Stats & Information research. The NBA could be on

5:07 PM ET NEW YORK — LeBron James and Anthony Davis were both ruled out of Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Sunday. On the front end of back-to-back games in New York, James will be held out with left ankle soreness. Editor’s Picks Davis is resting with a right

5:17 PM ET Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has agreed to a two-year, $60 million contract extension that includes an additional $17.1 million renegotiation on his 2022-23 salary, his agent Austin Brown of CAA Sports told ESPN on Saturday. The deal will include a $17.1 million renegotiation bump — the largest in NBA history —

12:15 AM ET ESPN News Services BOSTON — Jaylen Brown scored 37 points, completing a tying three-point play with 4.1 seconds left in regulation and adding 11 more in overtime as the NBA-leading Boston Celtics snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the archrival Los Angeles Lakers 125-121 on Saturday night. Brown added nine rebounds,

8:13 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has been fined $25,000 for “throwing his mouthpiece into the spectator stands” during Wednesday night’s 122-120 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, the league announced on Friday. The incident occurred with 1:14 remaining after Jordan Poole took what Curry thought was an

5:24 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN As part of a wide-ranging interview with New York City radio station WFAN Friday afternoon, New York Knicks owner James Dolan said he believes in the job team president Leon Rose is doing, and that he “fully expects” the Knicks to make the playoffs this season. “Yes, absolutely,” Dolan said

9:30 PM ET ESPN News Services Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins watched a televised interview Friday of Tyre Nichols’ mother speaking about the loss of her son, and lost control of his emotions. “I cried,” Jenkins said. The outrage, frustration, sadness and anger was evident around the basketball world on Friday, the day a video

9:57 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN THE BOSTON CELTICS thought they had LeBron James right where they wanted him. For the third time in five seasons, Boston had a chance to close James out on its home court inside TD Garden. After taking Game 5 of the 2012 Eastern Conference finals in Miami, the Celtics returned

12:24 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — After missing two free throws with 7.6 seconds to go in overtime that would’ve given the Boston Celtics the lead, star guard Jaylen Brown took the blame for Boston’s 120-117 overtime loss to the New York Knicks at TD Garden Thursday night. “I’ve just got to be better,

7:30 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were named the captains of the two teams that will take part in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game next month in Salt Lake City. James ties Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — whom he is about to pass as the league’s all-time scoring leader — for

3:55 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — With Golden State leading Memphis by just two points with 1:14 remaining Wednesday night, Stephen Curry clapped his hands at Jordan Poole after what Curry said he thought was an ill-advised 3-point attempt by his Warriors teammate. While running back on defense, a frustrated Curry took out

12:48 AM ET PORTLAND — While scoring 60 points for the fourth time in his career during Wednesday’s 134-124 win over the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard made history with his efficiency. Lillard needed just 29 shot attempts and 10 free throw attempts to score 60, putting him in elite company. Just

7:20 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW ORLEANS — After missing the past 29 games with a left big toe contusion, Brandon Ingram returned to the New Orleans Pelicans lineup for Wednesday night’s 111-102 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ingram last played Nov. 25 against the Memphis Grizzlies when he kicked the back of another player’s

8:15 AM ET Ben Dowsett WHAT IS JA MORANT DOING? It’s late October, and the Grizzlies lead the Nets by six with four minutes left when Memphis forward Santi Aldama softly rolls the inbound pass toward Morant’s feet. As the Grizzlies’ star guard makes his way up the court, he lets the basketball roll alongside

2:54 AM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James scored 13 points and threw down two thunderous dunks in the span of four-plus minutes to cut a 21-point Clippers lead down to 10 in the fourth quarter Tuesday night. “It was scary,” Clippers star guard Paul George said. “I’ve seen that look in Bron.” This, though,

7:25 PM ET Associated Press The NBA All-Star Game is Feb. 19. And nobody will know the All-Star rosters until that night. Not even the players themselves. The team captains — probably LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and either Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant — will make their picks in a

1:04 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — Kevin Durant said he’d love to play in next month’s All-Star Game, but he won’t do anything to disrupt the healing process from his MCL sprain if it’s determined to be in his best interest to sit out until after the break. “I want to play tomorrow

11:58 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic forward Jonathan Isaac stood at the scorer’s table, had a brief talk with coach Jamahl Mosley and calmly removed his shooting shirt. He turned to the court, stuck his mouthpiece in and walked onto an NBA floor to play his first game in over 900 days.

1:07 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks, the team announced on Monday. The deal includes a 2023 second-round pick via Chicago, the Lakers’ own in 2029 and the less favorable of the Wizards’ and Lakers’ 2028 second-round picks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian

7:22 AM ET Somewhere along his path toward becoming the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, LeBron James reached the ultimate state of being as an offensive force: unguardable. “Early on, it was a lot of just speed and jumping and then figuring it out,” James said in January, looking back at his career the day after

2:56 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — With his team down by 25 points at the half after being outscored 45-13 by the Trail Blazers in the second quarter, Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham kept his comments to the players brief during the break. “Darvin walked out of here and said, ‘Y’all figure this s—

8:08 PM ET Coban Porter, a sophomore guard at the University of Denver and brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., was arrested early Sunday in connection with a fatal crash in Denver, according to police there. Coban Porter, 21, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide and reckless driving, police spokesman Kurt Barnes told

1:53 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is set to make his return from a severe left knee injury that has sidelined him since Aug. 2, 2020. Isaac’s pastor said during a Sunday morning service that Isaac was set to return, and then a team source confirmed to ESPN that Isaac is

11:18 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Rui Hachimura doesn’t seem too disturbed by the idea he could be traded. “I just want to be somewhere that wants me as a basketball player, and I want to be somewhere that likes my game,” the Washington Wizards forward said Saturday night. When asked if Washington is

6:47 PM ET ESPN News Services TORONTO — Boston guard Marcus Smart and center Robert Williams both missed the second half of the Celtics’ 106-104 win at Toronto on Saturday because of injuries. Smart injured his right ankle in the final minute of the first half and had to be helped to the locker room.

1:17 AM ET SALT LAKE CITY — The most impressive part of Kyrie Irving‘s 48-point performance Friday night actually came about an hour after he carried the Brooklyn Nets to a much-needed 117-106 win over the Utah Jazz. In the midst of describing the most defining game of Irving’s season, a reporter prefaced a question

12:06 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Tempers flared just after the second-quarter buzzer sounded in Friday night’s game between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers when several members of the Grizzlies engaged in a shouting match with Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, who was seated near the court. Referees and security intervened

5:40 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis continues to make pain-free progress on his right foot and there’s optimism for a return to the lineup as soon as late next week, sources told ESPN on Friday. The Lakers start a five-game trip Jan. 28 in Boston. Davis, who has been out with a

1:05 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — The Golden State Warriors returned here Thursday night for the first time since they beat the Celtics in Game 6 to claim the 2022 NBA championship. For much of the 53 minutes of basketball that followed, it felt like a repeat of how that series played out: lots

12:38 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN BOSTON — For the first three quarters of the Golden State Warriors‘ game against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, Stephen Curry and company looked like themselves. Coach Steve Kerr went as far as to say they looked like a championship team. But then, in the fourth quarter and through overtime,

4:08 PM ET DALLAS — Mavericks center/power forward Christian Wood fractured his left thumb and will be reevaluated next week, the team announced Thursday. Wood suffered the injury during the second quarter of the Mavs’ 130-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday but finished the game, scoring 22 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Editor’s

7:17 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — WHEN THE Chicago Bulls first came to Paris for a pair of exhibition games in the 1997 McDonald’s Championship, they were on top of the basketball world. Fans lined up outside the team hotel to catch a glimpse of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and the other

12:05 AM ET Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Desmond Bane scored 25 points, Ja Morant had 24 and the Memphis Grizzlies won their 11th straight game to match the franchise record, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-114 on Wednesday night. Steven Adams tipped in the winner with 16 seconds left. Adams was in position to tip

1:41 PM ET Associated Press Chris Ford, a member of the Boston Celtics 1981 championship team, a longtime NBA coach and the player credited with scoring the league’s first 3-point basket, has died, his family announced Wednesday in a statement. He was 74. The family revealed the death through the Celtics. No official cause was

7:20 AM ET THE ATLANTA HAWKS were on the clock with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 draft when owner Mark Cuban stepped into the hallway outside the Dallas Mavericks‘ draft room and made a phone call. Cuban reached out to Tony Ressler, the Hawks’ principal owner. Donnie Nelson and Travis Schlenk, who

5:00 PM ET ESPN News Services WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden celebrated the NBA champion Golden State Warriors at the White House on Tuesday. The Warriors have won four championships in eight years, but they didn’t visit the White House while Donald Trump was president. He publicly disinvited them after Stephen Curry, the team’s star,

9:08 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Paul George will return to the lineup when the LA Clippers face the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night. George missed five straight games after tweaking a right hamstring injury that had kept him out of seven straight games earlier this season. Editor’s Picks 2 Related The Clippers need their

6:15 PM ET ESPN News Services CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jayson Tatum knew he was sitting on 48 points entering the final minute of the Boston Celtics‘ Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday and briefly thought about backing the ball out and letting the clock run down with the outcome

3:57 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Twenty years after LeBron James was the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, the No. 3 selection in the league’s most recent draft — Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. — told the Los Angeles Lakers star something to make him feel his age. “Hey,” Smith said

4:31 PM ET Hours after the NBA released its Last Two Minute Report for the Lakers‘ 113-112 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, determining that Russell Westbrook was not fouled by Joel Embiid on Los Angeles’ final offensive possession, LeBron James took to Twitter to share his frustration with the league’s officiating. Quote tweeting

1:30 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss a third straight game because of left knee soreness when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Indiana Pacers on Monday afternoon. Antetokounmpo was listed as probable on the Bucks’ injury report and participated in pregame warm-ups, but coach Mike Budenholzer said Monday the two-time MVP

3:25 AM ET LOS ANGELES — For the second straight game, the Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t close out a winnable game in the clutch. And for the second straight game, the Lakers were left lamenting a foul they believed went uncalled that affected the outcome. After Sunday’s 113-112 loss to Philadelphia, Russell Westbrook claimed Sixers

5:52 PM ET NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets‘ Ben Simmons was a late scratch for Sunday’s 112-100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder because of back soreness. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn did not think Simmons would need an MRI on his back and was hopeful this latest setback would not put him out long.

11:59 AM ET Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green and forward Jae’Sean Tate have been suspended one game for leaving the bench area during an altercation with the Sacramento Kings, the NBA announced. The incident occurred early in the fourth quarter of the Rockets’ 139-114 road loss Friday, beginning after Houston’s Garrison Mathews fouled Sacramento’s Malik

10:10 PM ET ESPN News Services INDIANAPOLIS — Ja Morant had 23 points, 10 assists and another ferocious dunk as the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers 130-112 on Saturday night to extend the NBA’s longest current winning streak to nine games. Desmond Bane scored 25 points to lead the Grizzlies, who tied Denver for

5:17 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers hosted a pair of free agent centers, Meyers Leonard and DeMarcus Cousins, for a workout on Friday, according to coach Darvin Ham. “They both looked great,” Ham said after practice Saturday. “Whether or not we’re able to do something with them is a different

1:12 AM ET Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, a career-high 16 assists and 15 rebounds in his fourth triple-double of the season, and the Sacramento Kings beat the skidding Houston Rockets 139-114 on Friday night for their third straight win. The Kings (23-18) moved five games over .500 for the

9:42 PM ET ESPN News Services SAN ANTONIO — The Spurs hosted the largest crowd ever for an NBA regular-season game in their return to the Alamodome, with 68,323 on hand for Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors The Spurs returned to their former home to celebrate their 50th anniversary season. Spurs Hall of

8:16 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — Just shy of the one-year anniversary of his last NBA game, Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball posted a video of himself dunking to his Instagram account, a sign of the small improvement he said he has experienced recently in the recovery of his left knee. “Those are things

1:21 AM ET NEW YORK — Ben Simmons knows he’s got to be more aggressive offensively. The Brooklyn Nets big man has never doubted that he would get his offensive game back in order as he continues to shake off the rust from missing all of last season, but that particular point about needing to

3:01 AM ET LOS ANGELES — For most of the fourth quarter, the Los Angeles Lakers prioritized forcing the ball out of Luka Doncic‘s hands, sending a steady diet of double-teams at the MVP candidate and daring his Dallas Mavericks teammates to beat him. The strategy worked, allowing the Lakers to rally from a deficit

7:04 AM ET LEBRON JAMES HAS shown no signs of slowing down as he rapidly approaches the NBA’s all-time scoring record long held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It seems like a safe bet that James, who recently celebrated his 38th birthday, will become the first player to break the 40,000-point barrier. He’s averaging 29.1 points per

2:06 AM ET Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After a young Memphis Grizzlies fan had her prized basketball stolen, Ja Morant jumped in to ease the anguish. Ellie Hughes, an 11-year-old Grizzlies fan, was trying to get Morant’s attention for an autograph at Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs when two people swiped her

10:49 PM ET Associated Press MIAMI — Reserve center Dewayne Dedmon has been suspended without pay by the Miami Heat for one game for conduct detrimental to the club. The move came one night after Dedmon had an outburst after being subbed out of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He exchanged words with

1:43 PM ET After a full year of rehabilitating an ACL tear in his left knee, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio is targeting a return against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, sources told ESPN. Rubio will practice Wednesday, and if all goes well, he will play in Portland on Thursday, the sources said. The

7:50 AM ET Since the turn of the new year the Denver Nuggets have beaten the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Clippers, and have taken over the top spot in the Western Conference alongside the Memphis Grizzlies. Two-time defending MVP Nikola Jokic is putting together his third legitimate campaign for the award and is

1:01 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Heading into Tuesday night’s game, the Golden State Warriors were confident Stephen Curry‘s return would be the piece they needed to build on the momentum they had established earlier on their homestand without him. They finally had their best player back. Their starting lineup — the league’s

5:00 PM ET Phoenix Suns president and CEO Jason Rowley told a group of team employees that a recent story placing him at the center of allegations of verbal abuse, retaliation and intimidation in the workplace misrepresented him, and that he would not be resigning from his role, multiple current employees told ESPN. Rowley made

12:36 PM ET The pain in Anthony Davis‘ right foot continues to subside and the Los Angeles Lakers star plans to begin the ramp-up process to return to play when the team returns to L.A. this week, league sources told ESPN. Davis missed his 13th straight game Monday — a 122-109 loss to the Nuggets

5:29 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry is poised to return to the court Tuesday. The Warriors say Curry, who has missed the past 11 games with a left shoulder subluxation, is likely to be back for the team’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Warriors general manager Bob Myers and coach Steve

11:55 AM ET Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant is expected to be sidelined for approximately a month, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. The Nets announced Monday that Durant was diagnosed with an isolated MCL sprain of his right knee and will be reevaluated in two weeks. Durant missed six weeks with a

7:49 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN THE TORONTO RAPTORS are a rarity in the modern NBA: a franchise with options. Plenty of teams have sold off their draft picks to chase contention immediately. Plenty more have moved their stars to pursue futures built around young talent and the NBA draft. But Toronto is stuck somewhere in

8:08 PM ET MIAMI — Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant was ruled out of the team’s 102-101 win over the Miami Heat on Sunday after injuring his right knee in the third quarter. Durant is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday, according to Nets coach Jacque Vaughn. The injury occurred with 1:05 left

12:01 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Klay Thompson was a late scratch for the Golden State Warriors‘ 115-101 loss to the Orlando Magic on Saturday after experiencing left knee soreness in pregame warmups. Thompson’s left knee is the same leg as his torn ACL from 2019. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the training

12:45 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — After starting the season unavailable to play in back-to-back games while coming off arthroscopic left knee surgery in the offseason, Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine‘s performance in Chicago’s back-to-back this weekend — 41-points and 11 3s in a victory in Philadelphia on Friday and 36 points and six

3:10 AM ET SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers extended their winning streak to a season-best five games with a 136-134 victory over the Kings on Saturday, but not without some controversy. Sacramento guard De’Aaron Fox was called for a foul on the Lakers’ Dennis Schroder with 3.1 seconds remaining, with the score tied

12:27 AM ET NEW ORLEANS — Despite finishing with a 7-for-22 shooting night, Kyrie Irving couldn’t help but smile as he walked off the floor following a 108-102 win over the Pelicans on Friday at Smoothie King Center. As has been the case throughout his star-crossed career, the 30-year-old hit the biggest shot of the

11:30 PM ET ESPN News Services DENVER — For the second time this week, a Denver Nuggets game was delayed because of a crooked rim. Officials stopped play with 11:22 left in the fourth quarter Friday night with the Nuggets leading Cleveland 96-82 when Cavaliers players noticed the same rim that caused a 35-minute delay

1:01 AM ET LOS ANGELES — With the Lakers heading to Sacramento this weekend and LeBron James needing fewer than 500 points to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time mark of 38,397 points, James reflected on the time he scored his first NBA points in the home of the Kings. “I knew that I was ready for

11:51 AM ET DALLAS — The Mavericks are waiving guard Kemba Walker a day before the four-time All-Star’s salary would have become guaranteed for the rest of the season, the team announced Friday morning. Walker, 32, averaged 8.0 points and 2.1 assists in nine games with the Mavericks. He signed for the veteran’s minimum in

7:32 AM ET Kevin Durant is still standing as a member of the Brooklyn Nets. After a tumultuous summer, and an even rougher start to the season, the superstar who requested a trade some seven months ago enters Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) playing arguably the best basketball of

11:26 PM ET Associated Press HOUSTON — Lauri Markkanen scored a career-high 49 points to lead the Utah Jazz to a 131-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night that snapped a five-game skid. Markkanen got out to a quick start with 18 points in the first quarter to help the Jazz to an

6:34 PM ET San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell will undergo an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee next week and is out indefinitely, the team announced Thursday. Vassell has been dealing with knee soreness that kept him out of three of the Spurs’ past four games. He’s set to undergo surgery on Jan. 11

8:06 AM ET Tim Bontemps Dave McMenamin Close ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. LEBRON JAMES IS well-known for his uncanny ability to recall specific moments from any point throughout

12:25 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls snapped the Brooklyn Nets‘ 12-game winning streak with a 121-112 victory Wednesday night, handing Brooklyn its first loss since Dec. 4. Nets star Kevin Durant scored 44 points on 15-of-22 shooting, but the Bulls halted the longest winning streak in the NBA this season by

7:50 AM ET It’s officially 2023, and time is ticking for the Los Angeles Lakers to get in position to make the playoffs — though LeBron James is doing everything he can to give them a chance. As James closes in on the NBA’s all-time scoring record, he has helped the Lakers win three of

7:09 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain, the team announced Tuesday evening. The team said Williamson will be reevaluated in three weeks. Williamson was injured late in the third quarter Monday night in a loss to the 76ers in Philadelphia. After gathering a

11:00 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he wants to produce with so much consistency that it causes boredom. That’s the only respect in which the two-time MVP has fallen shortly lately. Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 55 points with a series of thrilling dunks and drives as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Washington

2:50 PM ET Detroit Pistons forward Marvin Bagley III has suffered a right hand injury and is expected to miss extended time, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Bagley, who injured the hand in Monday’s 135-106 loss to Portland, is undergoing further evaluation to determine the next steps on the injury, sources said. Bagley has averaged

1:33 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Before the Golden State Warriors tipped off against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, Klay Thompson had a conversation with Dominique Wilkins. They discussed how Wilkins’ return from an Achilles tendon tear decades ago has made him an inspiration to Thompson, as the Warriors guard has been

10:41 PM ET ESPN News Services CLEVELAND — Already an All-Star, Donovan Mitchell added his name to one of the NBA’s most rarefied lists Monday night. Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134

7:59 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — Boston Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla returned to the bench Sunday after missing two games with an eye injury sustained in a pickup game. Mazzulla said he is part of regular, late-afternoon games at Boston’s TD Garden and got hit in the face Tuesday before the Celtics faced

6:35 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo missed Sunday night’s 118-95 loss to the Washington Wizards with left knee soreness. Antetokounmpo was a late addition to the injury report after participating in shootaround earlier Sunday. The Bucks are already without Jrue Holiday (non-COVID illness) and Khris Middleton (right knee soreness). Antetokounmpo is coming off

1:11 AM ET ESPN News Services Sunday night’s game between the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets was a matchup of the NBA’s Eastern and Western conference leaders, as well as top MVP contenders Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokic. But the showdown was overshadowed by a bent rim that caused a delay of about 35 minutes.

1:08 AM ET ESPN News Services SALT LAKE CITY — Tyler Herro drilled a wild, running 3-pointer as time expired to give the Miami Heat a 126-123 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. Bam Adebayo scored 32 points and Herro finished with 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Heat. Victor

12:13 AM ET CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Brooklyn Nets went through a lot in 2022. At times throughout the year, the drama surrounding the organization seemed to overwhelm the team. But as the calendar year came to a close Saturday night, Kevin Durant and his teammates and coach reflected on one of the most eventful

10:16 PM ET Associated Press SAN ANTONIO — Superstar Luka Doncic capped a historic five-game run with 51 points, and the Dallas Mavericks needed all of them to beat the San Antonio Spurs. Doncic had two rebounds and two free throws in the final 4.5 seconds, helping Dallas escape with a 126-125 victory over San

1:25 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW ORLEANS — With 1:48 left in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Orleans Pelicans showed a graphic on the big screen acknowledging CJ McCollum’s big night. McCollum had a season-high 42 points to go along with a franchise-record 11 3-pointers, and while

12:33 AM ET ESPN News Services MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 43 points and 20 rebounds and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a four-game losing streak with a 123-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Antetokounmpo finished two points off his season high and also had five assists to join Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin

10:49 PM ET Associated Press ATLANTA — LeBron James scored a season-high 47 points on his 38th birthday with many of the sellout crowd at State Farm Arena cheering his every move, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-121 on Friday night. James, a four-time NBA MVP and an 18-time All-Star, finished

10:41 AM ET Associated Press PARIS — Teen prodigy Victor Wembanyama embellished his fast-growing reputation when he became the youngest MVP in the French league’s All-Star game. The 18-year-old Wembanyama finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists Thursday night as the All-Star France team won 136-128 against the All-Star World team — an

8:04 PM ET Buddy Hield wasted no time finding the scoring column Thursday night. And he did so in record-breaking fashion. The Indiana Pacers sharp-shooter grabbed a game-opening jump ball out of midair that Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen had swatted his way, pivoted at the top of the key and coolly connected on a

10:13 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Detroit guard Killian Hayes and Orlando’s Moritz Wagner were each given multigame suspensions for their roles in a scuffle, while the NBA suspended eight Magic players one game apiece Thursday for leaving the bench area during an altercation. Hayes, who struck Wagner in the back of the

12:59 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN With time ticking away in the fourth quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans trailing the Minnesota Timberwolves, CJ McCollum joked that the Pelicans’ game plan became quite simple. “Get the ball to Z and get the f— out the way,” he said. Zion Williamson finished with a career-high 43 points,

12:24 AM ET MIAMI — Back in the arena where he played arguably the best basketball of his career, LeBron James was asked to look to the future rather than back into the past and share how much longer he plans to play in the NBA. “I don’t have a number,” James said Wednesday after

9:11 PM ET ESPN News Services DETROIT — Orlando’s Moritz Wagner appeared to briefly get knocked out by a punch to the back of the head after starting a fight in the first half against the Pistons that led to three ejections Wednesday night in a scene that triggered memories of an ugly brawl outside

8:00 AM ET One Eastern Conference contender is streaking up the NBA standings. With a win on Monday over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Brooklyn Nets have run their streak to nine games, tying the longest in the league this season. (The other two teams to pull it off, the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, sit

11:35 PM ET Luka Doncic is unreal. Get exclusive access to more than 3,000 premium articles a year from top writers.• Miller: Ranking CFB’s top players »• Givony: New 2023 NBA mock draft »• Doolittle: Post-FA MLB stock watch » More ESPN+ content » The Dallas Mavericks star put up a triple-double for the ages

6:19 PM ET ESPN News Services SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kings coach Mike Brown has entered the league’s health and safety protocols and missed the team’s game against the visiting Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. Associate head coach Jordi Fernandez filled in for Brown against the Nuggets and will run the team in his absence. Brown will

12:48 AM ET ESPN News Services DETROIT — Paul George scored 32 points, and the LA Clippers overcame a 14-point deficit in the final 3 minutes of regulation to beat the Detroit Pistons 142-131 in overtime on Monday night. Clippers coach Tyronn Lue pulled his starters when his team fell behind 126-112, but a lineup

12:16 AM ET CLEVELAND — Prior to leading his team to its ninth straight win — a 125-117 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night — Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn acknowledged what he thought was the key to his team’s recent hot play. “Basketball,” Vaughn said before the game. “We have not steered

7:51 PM ET Sacramento Kings All-Star center Domantas Sabonis has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of the ulnar collateral ligament of the right thumb, the team announced Monday. The Kings said he will be listed as questionable for Tuesday’s home game against the Denver Nuggets, indicating he may try to play through the injury.

10:38 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN BOSTON — Jayson Tatum scored 41 points, including 20 during the third quarter, to lead the Boston Celtics to a 139-118 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, turning a marquee Christmas Day matchup featuring the two teams with the best records in the league into a blowout. Boston held a one-point

2:23 AM ET ESPN News Services DENVER — Nikola Jokic authored a triple-double, and the Denver Nuggets outlasted the short-handed Phoenix Suns 128-125 in overtime Sunday night, bringing a grand conclusion to the NBA’s annual Christmas Day slate. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Jokic’s effort, which closed with 41 points, 15 rebounds and

7:55 PM ET DALLAS — The Los Angeles Lakers‘ Christmas Day took a turn for the worse after halftime, with the Mavericks blitzing L.A. in the third quarter to win 124-115, L.A.’s fourth straight loss without Anthony Davis. Lakers coach Darvin Ham has continued to start the 6-foot-1 Patrick Beverley alongside the 6-1 Dennis Schroder

1:25 PM ET DALLAS — On the night that Dirk Nowitzki’s jersey was retired last season, Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban promised to have the “biggest, most badass statue ever” erected in front of the American Airlines Center to honor the legend. “It’s a promise that gives me joy to deliver on, because you earned

9:47 PM ET Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker is expected to return from a groin injury Sunday for the Christmas Day matchup with the Denver Nuggets, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Booker last played one week ago, when he scored 58 points in a comeback win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He landed on the

Dec 21, 2022 Christmas Day is often filled with holiday cheer, presents and, most importantly, basketball. The NBA will host five games throughout the day airing on ABC, ESPN and the ESPN app, and this year’s matchups are worth the watch. Joel Embiid and James Harden will tip things off and are sure to bring

8:00 AM ET The NBA’s star-studded slate of Christmas Day games will pit the game’s best against the best in a high-stakes day of action between top contenders. The surging New York Knicks, with their newest star point guard, Jalen Brunson, and a revitalized Julius Randle, will host MVP candidate Joel Embiid, James Harden and

3:29 PM ET Dave McMenamin Close ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 LOS ANGELES —

5:33 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Forward Draymond Green had a blunt assessment about what is holding the Golden State Warriors back following the team’s 1-5 road trip. “Right now, I think we are very fragile,” Green said Friday after practice. “You start going through these things and then you start believing them.

Dec 21, 2022 Associated Press NEW YORK — Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was fined $25,000 for coming onto the court to confront a referee and directing inappropriate language toward him during a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the NBA announced Wednesday. Kidd was assessed two technical fouls and was ejected late in the third

Dec 21, 2022 Tim BontempsESPN The NBA announced Wednesday afternoon that the New York Knicks would lose their 2025 second-round pick as a result of the league’s investigation into the team’s signing of guard Jalen Brunson this summer as a free agent. “This outcome reflected a finding, following an investigation, that the Knicks engaged in

11:52 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN NEW YORK — As the Golden State Warriors‘ road struggles boiled over in a 143-113 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, head coach Steve Kerr said his team has hit rock bottom. The Warriors are depleted, playing without five rotational players, including three starters, and there is no

6:30 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols and will not play Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs. Williamson has been a driving force this season for the Pelicans, who are 18-12 and in third place in the Western Conference. He’s averaging

10:44 PM ET ESPN News Services NEW YORK — Pascal Siakam scored a career-high 52 points and the Toronto Raptors snapped the New York Knicks‘ NBA-leading eight-game winning streak 113-106 Wednesday night. “It’s cool,” Siakam said of posting his first 50-point game at Madison Square Garden. “I’m not a super basketball historian. I didn’t start

3:55 PM ET Associated Press Gregg Popovich has been at the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony many times over the years, always there to show support for someone on the stage. Next year, he might be there in a different capacity. The NBA’s all-time winningest coach — who has quietly declined overtures from the Hall

8:00 AM ET It’s not too early to put Jacque Vaughn in the NBA Coach of The Year conversation. The Brooklyn Nets head coach has helped spearhead one of the league’s most dramatic turnarounds in the early season, as the Nets have gone from controversy-laden underachievers to one of the hottest teams in the Eastern

11:40 PM ET ESPN News Services The only yells in the Chicago Bulls‘ locker room on Tuesday night were happy ones. Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 12 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, and Chicago stopped a four-game slide by beating the short-handed Miami Heat 113-103. The Bulls looked nothing like the team that

8:00 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN ORLANDO, FLA. — PAOLO BANCHERO was only five years old when the SuperSonics left his hometown of Seattle to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. Still, despite growing up in a city without an NBA team, Banchero was raised by the NBA. Long before the Orlando Magic made Banchero the No.

1:33 PM ET Billionaire mortgage lender Mat Ishbia is finalizing a purchase of the Phoenix Suns and the WNBA’s Mercury for a record price of $4 billion, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The deal, expected to be announced as soon as Tuesday, will end the tumultuous tenure of owner Robert Sarver. Ishbia is well known

9:47 PM ET ESPN News Services Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard passed Clyde Drexler to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer Monday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Drexler, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, had 18,040 points in 867 games for the Trail Blazers from 1983-95. Lillard, 32,

10:41 PM ET DETROIT — Kevin Durant got so hot in the third quarter of Sunday night’s 124-121 win over the Detroit Pistons that even one of the NBA’s all-time great offensive players lost track of how well he was shooting the ball. Durant scored 26 points in the third, a career high for most

12:00 PM ET ON THE AFTERNOON of Sept. 21, Phoenix Suns employees logged onto an all-hands Zoom session led by team president and CEO Jason Rowley. Hours earlier, Robert Sarver had announced he was selling the Suns and Phoenix Mercury amid continuing and widespread anger over his conduct as majority owner. While employees eagerly anticipated

11:42 PM ET ESPN News Services DENVER — Nikola Jokic had 40 points and a career-high 27 rebounds in yet another triple-double to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-115 on Sunday night. Jokic also had 10 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season and 81st overall. He is the third player

6:01 PM ET ESPN News Services Former 15-year NBA veteran Amar’e Stoudemire is facing a misdemeanor battery charge after he allegedly hit one of his teenage daughters in the face. Miami-Dade County court records show that Stoudemire, 40, was arrested early Sunday and later released on $1,500 bond with a no-contact order issued. According to