News

7:21 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN THE BALL SWUNG from Jayson Tatum to Dennis Schroder to Al Horford to Marcus Smart, pinging around the perimeter in search of the best possible shot. It was Nov. 19, and the Boston Celtics — already leading by 14 points with just over five minutes to go against LeBron James

1:11 AM ET NEW YORK — Russell Westbrook was tremendous in the second half of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks, scoring 25 of his game-high 31 points after the break to help get his team back into a game in which it trailed by as many as 25 points

5:31 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson participated in a full team practice on Tuesday for the first time since tearing his left ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals and his right Achilles in November 2020. “It’s so exciting,” Thompson said. “Just to be running up and

7:15 AM ET From his days as a rookie with the Denver Nuggets, to becoming a featured act in New York, to picking up monikers based on his apparel, to his preeminence in international competition, Carmelo Anthony‘s basketball reputation has morphed in his 19 years in the NBA. Yet, as Anthony begins to carve out

5:26 PM ET NEW YORK — LeBron James was flanked by three team security personnel, escorting him off the court Sunday in Detroit when he was ejected for just the second time of his 19-year career. Not long after, he had another visitor from the team: Los Angeles Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony left the bench

6:11 PM ET ESPN News Services Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has been suspended one game for “recklessly hitting” Detroit Pistons center Isaiah Stewart in the face during their altercation in Sunday’s game, the NBA announced on Monday. Stewart has been suspended two games for “escalating an on-court altercation by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing”

7:36 AM ET The Golden State Warriors rolled past the Brooklyn Nets 117-99 on Tuesday, cruising to a league-best 15-2 record. And while coach Steve Nash has the Nets trending in the right direction, the loss to the Warriors at home is a reminder of the work still needed to be done. Stephen Curry dropped

8:03 PM ET DETROIT — LeBron James was ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday for striking Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart in the face while jostling for rebounding position. The hit led to a stoppage in action while Stewart, with blood coming down his face, had to be

1:05 PM ET The Sacramento Kings fired coach Luke Walton on Sunday, sources told ESPN. The Kings have lost seven of eight games and dropped to 6-11 on season — leaving them 12th in the Western Conference. Kings associate head coach Alvin Gentry — a five-time head coach in the NBA — is expected to

1:07 PM ET Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has been ruled out of Friday night’s home game against the Orlando Magic because of a right shoulder sprain, the team announced. Durant said Sunday that he had been getting treatment on his shooting shoulder but had been playing through the issue. Friday will mark Durant’s first

9:28 PM ET ESPN News Services CLEVELAND — Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton‘s season is over after surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Sexton, 22, hurt his knee on Nov. 7 in a game against the New York Knicks. The Cavs didn’t provide an update until Friday, when they said Sexton underwent

8:21 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — The Denver Nuggets were without reigning MVP Nikola Jokic on Friday night against the Chicago Bulls because of a sprained right wrist. Jokic appeared to hurt the wrist the night before in a home loss to Philadelphia. The Nuggets big man is averaging 26.4 points, 13.6 rebounds and

2:09 AM ET BOSTON — LeBron James‘ return from an extended absence couldn’t cure the inconsistent play that has plagued his team on both ends and was on full display in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 130-108 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday. The defeat dropped L.A. — one of the oddsmakers’ favorites to win

8:16 PM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said the organization would “continue to fight for better” in the aftermath of a jury’s verdict Friday that Kyle Rittenhouse, who fatally shot two men and wounded another during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, last year, was acquitted of all charges. The Bucks performed

1:57 PM ET The NBA has suspended New Orleans Pelicans guard Didi Louzada 25 games without pay for violating the NBA/NBPA’s anti-drug program. Louzada tested positive for drostanolone and testosterone. In a statement to ESPN, Louzada, 22, described the source of unknowingly ingesting the banned substances as an offseason trip back to his Brazilian home

7:40 AM ET Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Andrew Lopez In a sobering statement about the New Orleans Pelicans‘ season, the team has announced more delays to Zion Williamson‘s return from a broken foot than it has victories this

12:06 AM ET CLEVELAND — The Golden State Warriors have gotten so used to seeing star guard Stephen Curry dominate on so many levels that nothing he does surprises them anymore. The latest example came during Thursday night’s 104-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers — one in which Curry scored 20 of his 40 points

8:48 AM 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 NBA general managers are working to finalize the formation of a professional association that would collectively support executives

7:33 AM ET Bobby Marks The NBA season is a month old, and already we’re seeing the impact of the biggest moves of the offseason. After a run to the NBA Finals, Chris Paul re-signed in Phoenix and has the Suns near the top of the West again. Kyle Lowry went from Toronto to Miami

12:30 AM ET MILWAUKEE — After the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks 109-102 to fall to 8-8 this season, LeBron James opened the door to making his return from an abdominal strain on Friday in Boston. “I hope,” James told ESPN on Wednesday when asked if he would play against

12:54 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard has received a contract extension amid Washington’s fast start to the season. Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced Wednesday that Sheppard and Sashi Brown signed multiyear extensions and received promotions. Sheppard now becomes president and GM of the Wizards. Brown, who has served as

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders Which underperforming teams should hit the panic button? The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and the team they beat to reach the Finals, the Atlanta Hawks, are both under .500 to start the season. Can the Bucks get healthy and begin a climb toward the top of the Eastern Conference, and

12:42 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BROOKLYN, N.Y. — After the Brooklyn Nets were routed by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night on their home floor, losing 117-99 to fall to 0-4 this season against the Warriors, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks, Nets coach Steve Nash said his team doesn’t belong in the

12:04 PM ET There’s growing optimism that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James — who has been out two weeks with an abdominal strain — could make his return against the Boston Celtics on Friday, sources told ESPN. James has been making good progress, and Friday’s meeting with the Celtics (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) looms

3:48 AM ET Jamal Collier LOS ANGELES — Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan scored a season-high 38 points on Monday night to help lift Chicago to a 121-103 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers, the fifth time in the past nine games he has notched at least 30 points. Even though DeRozan reached his season high

10:26 PM ET In initial remarks made to Phoenix Suns employees Monday, lawyers from the New York-based Wachtell Lipton firm that’s investigating the team and majority owner Robert Sarver addressed concerns about retaliation, confidentiality and a timeline for completion, league sources told ESPN. Two attorneys from the firm — David Anders and Sarah Eddy —

4:18 PM ET The NBA has fined the Minnesota Timberwolves $250,000 for what it says was a violation of league rules that prevent teams “from arranging or paying for offseason practice or group workout sessions for their players outside a team’s home market.” According to the NBA, the violation occurred as the result of Timberwolves

8:00 AM ET The NBA’s last remaining one-loss team suffered its second defeat Sunday when the Golden State Warriors fell to the Charlotte Hornets. Stephen Curry kicked off the week with a 50-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks — and dropped 40 against the Chicago Bulls on Friday — but was 7-of-22 from the field

11:19 PM ET Kevin Durant‘s MVP-like start to the season continued Sunday with 33 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder despite a sore right shoulder. After helping the Brooklyn Nets beat the Thunder 120-96, Durant acknowledged that he is getting treatment on his shooting shoulder. He could be seen at one point moving and feeling

8:21 PM ET Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner were among four players fined by the NBA on Friday after the two players got into a scuffle late in Thursday night’s game. Gobert was fined $35,000 for initiating the on-court altercation, while Turner received a $25,000 fine for escalating it,