News

1:23 PM ET After clearing the NBA’s health and safety protocols, there’s optimism that Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will be in the lineup against the Boston Celtics on Saturday, sources told ESPN. Antetokounmpo, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, planned to get on the court Friday for a workout. He will make a decision on

5:20 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The Boston Celtics had another five players officially enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols Friday afternoon, further battering one of the hardest-hit rosters in the league as the omicron variant of COVID-19 sweeps through the NBA. Guard C.J. Miles, forwards Aaron Nesmith

1:23 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols and could play Christmas Day against the Boston Celtics, sources told ESPN. Antetokounmpo, the reigning NBA Finals MVP, planned to get on the court Friday for a workout. He will make a decision on Saturday’s game prior to

3:00 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — As the Golden State Warriors roll into a Christmas Day showdown with the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, they do so with a little frustration. It’ll mark their second straight year being on the road during the NBA’s biggest regular-season showcase day. “Generally I like playing on Christmas,” Warriors coach

3:59 PM ET The NBA and National Basketball Players Association are near an agreement to reduce the 10-day quarantine periods for COVID-positive players, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The arrangement — expected to soon be shared with teams — could return some players to active play in six days, based on testing procedures, sources said.

11:06 AM ET James Harden, Paul Millsap and Jevon Carter have been cleared from health and safety protocols, and the Brooklyn Nets are expecting to have enough players for their Christmas Day game against the Los Angeles Lakers despite having three more players enter protocols. Nets coach Steve Nash said that while Harden, Millsap and

12:12 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — It’s been 20 years since Joe Johnson made an NBA debut, but he still knows how to score in isolation. Johnson, who earned the nickname “Iso Joe” for his scoring prowess in those situations over the course of his long and decorated NBA career, scored the final points

7:47 PM ET New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose had surgery Wednesday on his right ankle, the team said. Per the Knicks, Rose will be reevaluated in eight weeks. However, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that there is optimism his return could be closer to a six-week timetable. Rose had been out with

10:05 AM ET Thursday’s scheduled game between the Nets and Trail Blazers has been postponed, as the NBA announced that coronavirus-struck Brooklyn does not have the required eight players available for the contest. This is the third straight Nets game that has been postponed over the past week. Games against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday

2:53 AM ET Back at .500 at 16-16 following a 108-88 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James made it sound like he knows as much about his team’s potential now as he did when they were 0-0 to start the season. “We don’t know,” James said. “We have

4:30 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NBA commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN’s Malika Andrews that the league has no plans to suspend its season as COVID-19 surges through the league. “No plans right now to pause the season,” Silver said in an interview on NBA Today on Tuesday afternoon. “We have of course looked at all

9:04 PM ET LA Clippers star swingman Paul George will return and start against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. George had not played since Dec. 6 at Portland when he scored 21 points. He missed five games after that with a right elbow sprain. George is averaging 25 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.4

8:48 PM ET Nick DePaulaESPN In the aftermath of his record-breaking game last week at Madison Square Garden, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has launched a new NFT collection to celebrate each and every one of those 2,974 made 3-pointers. The “2974 Collection” launched Monday at 2974SC.com, and it features a series of nonfungible

7:34 PM ET One of the hottest teams in the league is getting their star point guard back. Ja Morant returned for the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday against the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder after missing more than three weeks with a left knee sprain. Morant sprained his knee in a Nov. 26 loss to the

8:00 AM ET Stephen Curry took center stage to start the week as he continued his pursuit of Ray Allen’s 3-point record. Curry hit six 3s on Monday night against the Indiana Pacers to pull within two shots of the top spot, then quickly hit two 3s in the first quarter of Tuesday’s win over

12:33 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association came to an agreement Sunday night on rules over allowing additional replacement players for teams dealing with players entering the league’s health and safety protocols, according to a memo obtained by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The amended rules, which were outlined in the

6:12 PM ET Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is set to return against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday after missing the past seven games with a left hamstring strain. Booker suffered the injury during the second quarter of a Nov. 30 win over the Golden State Warriors, and the Suns have taken a cautious approach

11:36 AM ET Los Angeles Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced Sunday morning. David Fizdale will coach the team for Sunday night’s game in Chicago, which will be the Bulls‘ first since a COVID-19 outbreak on the team led to the postponement of their past

11:05 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — It took the New York Knicks being without nine players for head coach Tom Thibodeau to end Kemba Walker‘s removal from the team’s rotation after nine games. Walker had an electrifying return to the court, finishing with 29 points in 37 minutes against the Celtics, but he ultimately

6:23 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will miss at least four weeks with an MCL sprain in his left knee before being re-evaluated, the team announced on Saturday. Davis suffered the injury in the third quarter of Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, when Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels lost his balance and

11:41 AM ET Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Durant becomes the eighth Nets player to enter the protocols. Forward Paul Millsap entered the protocols Monday, and was followed by forwards LaMarcus Aldridge, James Johnson and DeAndre’ Bembry and guard Jevon Carter on Tuesday morning. They were later

1:19 AM ET Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis will undergo an MRI on Saturday after he was forced to leave Friday night’s 110-92 loss at the Minnesota Timberwolves with a left knee injury. Davis was hurt in the third quarter, when Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels stumbled into his knee. “So far, all is in

5:12 PM ET The Brooklyn Nets are bringing back All-Star guard Kyrie Irving as a part-time player for games outside of New York, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The unfolding circumstances of Brooklyn’s season — including injuries, players lost to health and safety protocols and an inordinate minutes load on their superstar players — led

12:31 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — With his Philadelphia 76ers trailing by nine points to the Brooklyn Nets and three seconds left in the fourth quarter Thursday night at Barclays Center, coach Doc Rivers called timeout. His goal, however, wasn’t to try to draw up a play. Instead, it was to deliver a

11:47 PM ET As the NBA tries to fortify itself against waves of positive COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, the league will increase daily testing and face mask use for players and staff through the holiday season, according to a memo obtained by ESPN. The NBA and National Basketball Players Association agreed to elevate testing

4:30 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 MINNEAPOLIS — Los

8:00 AM ET It was almost 11 months ago that the Brooklyn Nets completed a blockbuster trade with the Houston Rockets for James Harden — which, as a result, meant All-Star guard Ben Simmons would remain with the Philadelphia 76ers. “I mean, this is a business,” Simmons said then. “Things like that happen. Only thing

12:27 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN As Devonte Graham sat in the New Orleans Pelicans‘ locker room after Wednesday night’s game, an Oklahoma City Thunder staffer walked in with a gift: the game ball from Graham’s wild buzzer-beating 3-pointer. “One of the guys from the Thunder walked in with the ball and said, ‘This is my

1:56 PM ET The Utah Jazz hired Danny Ainge to oversee basketball operations, naming him alternate governor and CEO of Jazz Basketball on Wednesday. Ainge will work closely with Jazz general manager Justin Zanik, who runs the teams’ day-to-day operations. Ainge stepped down as the Boston Celtics‘ president of basketball operations in June and now

8:00 AM ET LUKA DONCIC AND Dennis Smith Jr. had become fast friends after the Dallas Mavericks selected the teenager from Slovenia third overall in the 2018 NBA draft. Smith, whom the team had drafted ninth a year prior, had shown Doncic around the city and invited the new guy into his social circle. They