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. This is nothing new for the league, but the 2021 NBA Playoffs are about to be an entirely different animal in the Western Conference compared to the East. The
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After being waived over a month ago, DeMarcus Cousins is planning to sign on with the LA Clippers. DeMarcus Cousins’ stint with the Houston Rockets lasted a grand total of two months after signing in early December and then ultimately being waived in late February. Cousins was not immediately sought after at the time of
Will the signing of DeMarcus Cousins put the Los Angeles Clippers over the top against the crosstown Lakers? As of Sunday, the Los Angeles Clippers sit in third place in the Western Conference, 6.5 games behind the Utah Jazz for first. However, they have the crosstown Lakers breathing down their necks, just a half a game
5:15 PM ET NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden will miss at least 10 days with a right hamstring strain, but teammate Kevin Durant is probable to return Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans, the team announced Tuesday. Harden played just four minutes before he was ruled out of Monday’s 114-112 win over
When the trade deadline passed, there were two knee-jerk questions about the moves Boston made. 1. Just Evan Fournier?2. You traded Daniel Theis to save a few bucks? It is true that the Celtics let a rare opportunity slip through their fingers. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic were up for bidding and Boston came away
7:00 AM ET How does the NBA play-in tournament work and which teams will participate during the 2020-21 season? The league first tested out the play-in round during the 2020 NBA restart in Orlando, Florida, with the Portland Trail Blazers topping the Memphis Grizzlies to get the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs. In
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 01: Kyrie Irving #11 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) 2021 NFL Draft debate: Would you rather have Travis Etienne or Najee Harris? by John Buhler What’s the biggest comeback in National Championship game history? by Steven Kubitza Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets are the
The Houston Rockets’ Victor Oladipo experiment hasn’t gone according to plan. The Rockets traded for a disgruntled Oladipo after dealing James Harden earlier this season. So far, it hasn’t gone well, with Houston losers of 20 straight games. The Rockets are in clear sell mode at this point, and are willing to get rid of
5:43 PM ET The LA Clippers have signed DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract for some much-needed depth at center. Cousins cleared health and safety protocols required for any free agent signing with a new team. The Clippers need a backup center and will take a close look at the veteran Cousins. Starting center Serge
When the trade deadline passed, there were two knee-jerk questions about the moves Boston made. 1. Just Evan Fournier?2. You traded Daniel Theis to save a few bucks? It is true that the Celtics let a rare opportunity slip through their fingers. Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic were up for bidding and Boston came away
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports ESPN parting ways with Paul Pierce after NSFW video goes viral by Scott Rogust Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is raising money for the victims of the recent Atlanta shootings while standing in solidarity with the Asian community. When Stephen Curry took
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors passes the ball in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 25, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to
7:04 AM ET NBA Insiders The Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to reach the NBA Finals. On paper, no teams come close to matching the star power of Brooklyn’s trio of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving or L.A.’s dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But plenty
Aari McDonald’s explosive scoring performances in the NCAA Tournament have changed perceptions of her upside and could move her into the WNBA Draft Lottery. Just a couple of months ago, I argued that Dana Evans was the best guard prospect in the 2021 WNBA Draft. At the time, it seemed clear that Evans and her
Blake Griffin had some trash talk saved up for the Detroit Pistons in his return to Little Caesars Arena. Blake Griffin gave the Detroit Pistons arguably one of the best years of his career. He never asked for the LA Clippers to trade him there, and he got them to the playoffs for the first
7:00 AM ET The battle for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference is shaping up to be a three-team race. The Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks are separated by just 1.5 games. The rest of the conference, however, is in a logjam. Right now — with the No. 4 through No.
The Miami HEAT must have been dying to add the newly-acquired Victor Oladipo to their lineup. Just coming out of a slight tailspin, Miami managed to win the last three games after dropping six straight. Well, Miami’s wish came true on Thursday night, when the HEAT finally got Oladipo into a game. In the end,
Aaron Gordon is looking for a fresh start with his new team, the Denver Nuggets, but the reason he’ll be wearing No. 50 is super petty. The news that Aaron Gordon had formally requested a trade away from the Orlando Magic caught a few NBA fans off-guard last month. The news wasn’t, however, too surprising
12:41 AM ET Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry couldn’t hide his frustration after his team’s latest setback, a 117-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night. It’s the Warriors’ seventh defeat in its last eight games. “It’s tough,” Curry said, when asked about how his younger teammates are dealing with all the
Anthony Davis, #3, Los Angeles Lakers, (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Packers fans freaking out at graphic comparing Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins by Braulio Perez Los Angeles Lakers fans hoping for an Anthony Davis return in the near future will be disappointed by head coach Frank Vogel’s latest update. The Los Angeles Lakers
8:34 PM ET LOS ANGELES — It didn’t take Paul George long to see what Rajon Rondo can do for the LA Clippers. Rondo made his Clippers debut Sunday, playing 13 minutes off the bench in a 104-86 win over the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. While Rondo had just two points, three
The Miami HEAT must have been dying to add the newly-acquired Victor Oladipo to their lineup. Just coming out of a slight tailspin, Miami managed to win the last three games after dropping six straight. Well, Miami’s wish came true on Thursday night, when the HEAT finally got Oladipo into a game. In the end,
Kevin Love is hurt again and Collin Sexton seems frustrated that one of his highest-paid teammates can’t seem to stay on the floor. Things have been far from smooth for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. After winning their first three games and playing with vastly improved effectiveness at the defensive end, they’ve tailed off dramatically.
Larry Nance Jr., Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Nuggets swing for present value and upside with Aaron Gordon by Ben Ladner LeBron James: Deadline day update on ankle injury and recovery time by Bre’ana Singleton Larry Nance Jr. sent out the perfect tweet after the Cleveland Cavaliers decided not to trade him by
12:46 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday has agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension that includes bonuses that could take the deal to $160 million, agent Jason Glushon told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal includes a player option, according to Glushon. Holiday joined the Bucks in a four-team trade in November, providing shooting
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James reacted to Gonzaga’s buzzer-beating, overtime win against UCLA to advance to the National Championship Game. Ladies and gentlemen, we may have just witnessed the greatest college basketball game of all time, and it is not hyperbole. On Saturday, the No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs fought tooth and nail against the
Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images Nuggets are bringing home JaVale McGee in trade with Cavaliers by Ian Levy NBA rumors: More than half the league has expressed interest in Norman Powell by Brad Berreman The Chicago Bulls appear to be done playing it slowly. They’ve engineered a huge deal to land Nikola Vucevic from the
Feb 27, 2021; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball (2) passes in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports Sage Northcutt ’embracing’ underdog status heading into ONE on TNT 4 by Amy Kaplan Danny Green did something special for this
7:42 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is returning to the lineup Saturday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves after missing the past 10 games with a bone bruise in his left knee. Embiid, who suffered the injury during an awkward fall on a dunk in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s win over
When Luke Kennard signed a four-year, $64 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers back in December, it was assumed that he was going to be a key player in the rotation this season. The Clippers acquired Kennard in a draft-day trade with the Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons, a move that shipped out