12:58 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors had a chance to start their two weeks (at least) without Stephen Curry on a good note. Led by Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole, they fought back from trailing the San Antonio Spurs by 10 in the third quarter. Momentum was on the
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1:36 PM ET NEW YORK — As the Brooklyn Nets prepare for the final 11 games of the regular season, center Andre Drummond offered an interesting perspective on how he hopes the team approaches the stretch run. “Got to treat this s— like pickup,” Drummond said, laughing, after Sunday’s practice. “Just take the best five
NBA legend Larry Bird predicted that LeBron James made his surrounding cast look better during his first stint in Cleveland, and he turned out to be right. When it comes to overall NBA excellence, it’s virtually impossible to beat Larry Bird. Bird remains the only person to win in NBA history to win Rookie of
6:23 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN MINNEAPOLIS — A small fracas in the game Saturday between the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves led to a pair of ejections midway through the first quarter. Bucks forward Serge Ibaka and Wolves forward Taurean Prince were face-to-face after fighting for positioning following a free throw from Karl-Anthony Towns, when
The Phoenix Suns have one of the most potent pick-and-roll attacks in the NBA with multiple options to score. Is there any way for defenses to counter? Despite a surprising hand injury shelving Chris Paul for several weeks, the Phoenix Suns have the luxury of coasting their way into the playoffs thanks to the cushy
9:13 PM ET WASHINGTON, D.C. — With a cut to the basket and an uncontested driving layup, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James became the NBA’s all-time second leading scorer Saturday night in the second quarter against the Washington Wizards. James passed former Utah Jazz Hall of Famer Karl Malone with 5 minutes, 20 seconds
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr confronted Celtics guard Marcus Smart for two dangerous plays involving Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Draymond Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson may not consider Celtics guard Marcus Smart to have played dirty against them, but that doesn’t mean the Warriors-Celtics game was free from confrontation. The Celtics defeated the Warriors 110-88, but
4:47 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman‘s return to game action has been pushed back again because of more swelling in his right knee. Wiseman was held out of practice Friday and Saturday and will not play in either Santa Cruz Warriors G League games this weekend. There
Russell Westbrook put Los Angeles Lakers fans in a glass case of emotion after making an overtime-forcing shot against the Toronto Raptors. To say that Los Angeles Lakers fans had a stressful time watching their game against the Toronto Raptors may be an understatement. The closing seconds of regulation were truly something, with the team
5:23 PM ET The Dallas Mavericks responded Friday to a wrongful termination suit by Donnie Nelson, accusing the former longtime general manager of a “lengthy scheme to extort as much as $100 million” and saying the lawsuit was preceded by demands that he receive “in effect, a blackmail payment” in exchange for his promise not
Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports The Houston Rockets win the NBA Draft Lottery and sent the order in our first 2022 NBA Mock Draft. As March Madness gets going we’re taking a first stab at 2022 NBA Mock Draft. For this iteration, we’ve used an NBA Draft lottery simulation from Tankathon, with the Houston Rockets landing
Skip Bayless’ feud with Russell Westbrook’s wife took a step in the right direction over the weekend, when Bayless address the interaction itself. This is not the first nor will it be the last public feud in the long, storied career of sports talking head Skip Bayless. At a certain point, you almost have to
1:25 AM ET Just seconds after badly missing a 3-pointer off the backboard, Russell Westbrook came up with a big steal before sinking a clutch 3 that forced overtime to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap an 11-game road losing streak in Toronto. Westbrook’s 3, which he hit after looking down and moving his foot
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. The Boston Celtics are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, 12-3 over their last 15 games and outscoring opponents by an average of 12.7 points per 100
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 16: Kemba Walker #8 of the New York Knicks looks out during game against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden on February 16, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to
4:23 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team announced, after he sprained a ligament in his left foot Wednesday night. Curry injured the foot in the second quarter of Golden State’s game against the Boston Celtics when he and Marcus Smart
Dec 14, 2021; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts during the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Liberty Media robbed a generation of Braves fans of their Chipper Jones by John Buhler Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant had an NSFW back-and-forth
8:00 AM ET SIXTY FLOORS ABOVE Philadelphia’s Center City, sitting at a side table by the window-walled lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel, Malik Monk peeks through the glass toward the hustle and bustle below. It’s a Wednesday afternoon in late January and the Lakers are set to face Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball in the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on March 16, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to
Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook says he doesn’t care about trash talk, but Timberwolves Patrick Beverly and Karl-Anthony Towns couldn’t help but talk. The trash-talking NBA players endure beyond the confines of the game tend to cross the line, as the Russell Westbrook situation has proven in Los Angeles. Westbrook has been a mind-boggling disappointment
10:07 PM ET ESPN News Services ORLANDO, Fla. — Saddiq Bey went off for a career-high 51 points in the Detroit Pistons‘ 134-120 win over the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, continuing what has already been a torrid month of individual scoring in the NBA. Bey’s performance marked the NBA’s eighth 50-point game in March,
Why Draymond Green’s offense may be just as important to the Warriors as his defense. Plus: why the Miami Heat might be the best team in the East. After more than 1000 days on ice, one of the truly unique trios in NBA history is intact once again. Draymond Green’s return from a back injury
As the NBA celebrates 75 years, we can still learn some lessons from Brandon Jennings, the first U.S. high schooler who skipped college to play overseas. Rewind. It’s 2008. The world is wildly different. Global networking services and the cultural influence of Instagram, Snapchat, Tik Tok, Uber, Spotify, self-navigating Google Maps, and so many other
12:52 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is expected to return for the start of the Western Conference playoffs
Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving joins the historic 60 Point Club, but he is still far from being the NBA’s most prolific member. Even though Kyrie Irving hasn’t played much in the 2021-22 season, the Nets shooter has still managed to make NBA history in the team’s 150-point victory over the Orlando Magic. Irving added
The 2022 NCAA Tournament will be a great introduction to what could be a deep crop of future superstars in the NBA Draft. The 2022 NCAA Tournament is loaded with deep, talented rosters and there are more than a few players here who will likely be playing in the NBA next season. From explosive guards
1:48 AM ET MINNEAPOLIS — As fans showered the Minnesota Timberwolves starters with thunderous applause when they exited the game late in a blowout win, Karl-Anthony Towns raised one hand and waved toward the Los Angeles Lakers‘ bench, gesturing by opening and closing his hand several times. There was noticeable trash talking during the Timberwolves’
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks in action against Gary Payton II #0, Jonathan Kuminga #00 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden on December 14, 2021 in New York City. The Warriors defeated the Knicks
12:37 AM ET BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Brooklyn Nets didn’t want to let Luka Doncic beat them, sending a double-team at the Dallas Mavericks superstar as the final seconds ticked down Wednesday night at the Barclays Center. And for the second consecutive game, Spencer Dinwiddie made the opponent pay for devoting so much attention to
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James celebrated Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving’s historic 60-point performance against the Orlando Magic. When NBA fans saw Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyrie Irving join the exclusive 60-point club in the same week, it garnered reactions from across the league. Most points in a half this season: 36 — Karl-Anthony Towns