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Try This Trade Trade Exceptions: Add a Second Team Projected Record Note:Projected records are based on the PER of the players in each team’s post-trade rotation. Taking into account the players traded and the ability of their replacements, it is possible for each team in a trade to have a better projected record, or for

2:54 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Chris Paul says the officiating crew in Sunday night’s 108-96 win over the Portland Trail Blazers “got me back” after assessing Paul and the Thunder two delay-of-game-violations in the first half. The calls resulted in a technical foul two nights after Paul pushed to

6:19 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Boston Celtics are on the verge of getting Gordon Hayward back on the floor. The star forward, who has been out since breaking a bone in his left hand late in the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 9, told reporters after Sunday’s practice at the

9:35 AM ET Nick DePaulaESPN Already this season, we’re seeing players take themselves less and less serious with their custom sneaker themes, perhaps none more than the first week of December. After launching his own “LG9” signature shoe with upstart brand Q4 Sports a year ago, Detroit Pistons shooting guard Langston Galloway has been wearing

11:22 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — What would Brett Brown like for Christmas? One 3-point shot per game from his All-Star point guard. After his Philadelphia 76ers routed the hapless Cleveland Cavaliers 141-94 at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday night, Brown was asked about Ben Simmons taking — and making — his second

5:03 PM ET Associated Press DALLAS — Luka Doncic scored 28 points in 26 minutes, leading Dallas in a rout of New Orleans 130-84 on Saturday. The Mavericks’ 46-point win wasn’t the largest margin of victory this season — they outscored the Golden State Warriors by 48 last month. Dallas (18-8) has won five in

7:25 PM ET The New York Knicks fired head coach David Fizdale Friday, continuing the revolving door of coaches for the franchise in recent years. While assistant Mike Miller (not that one) will take over in the interim, one former Knicks player has already begun his campaign to get the full-time job: Metta World Peace.

2:41 AM ET MILWAUKEE – On any given night, Giannis Antetokounmpo succeeds at suspending fans’ disbelief and completing the unthinkable. Antetokounmpo has levitated on blocks. He has spiked balls into the Fiserv Forum stands with superman strength. On Friday night, Antetokounmpo came as close to flying as a human can get – soaring over LA

6:35 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers star forward Kevin Love is sick and will miss Friday night’s game against the Orlando Magic. Love has been ill the past two days, and Cleveland coach John Beilein is hoping another day’s rest will help his best player recover. Beilein said Love could rejoin

7:00 AM ET ON AN OVERCAST Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles, Carmelo Anthony strides along a sidewalk in sneakers, black sweatpants and a black hoodie pulled over his head. He’s heading toward the Ritz-Carlton hotel, where the Portland Trail Blazers are staying, after making the short trek from shootaround at nearby Staples Center. His teammates

11:55 PM ET ESPN News Services Things didn’t get any better for the New York Knicks and embattled coach David Fizdale on Thursday night as they dropped a 129-92 decision to the Denver Nuggets at Madison Square Garden. It was the eighth straight loss for the 4-18 Knicks. The Knicks trailed by 43 points in

1:09 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James took to social media on Thursday to shrug off criticism made by Utah Jazz television announcers and defend his actions for coming onto the court in socks to cheer his teammates in the closing minutes of Wednesday night’s blowout win. James, who had already exited the

7:04 AM ET Tim Bontemps Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books In the fourth quarter of a competitive Nov. 7 game against the Milwaukee Bucks, LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers was livid. He had asked for a review of an

1:44 AM ET SALT LAKE CITY — LeBron James broke a personal seven-game road losing streak to the Utah Jazz, dating back to December 2010, in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 121-96 win Wednesday, but there was one sequence he would like to get back. As James was bringing the ball past half court in the

3:16 PM ET Washington Wizards forward C.J. Miles underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair ligament damage in his left wrist, the team announced. There is no timeline for his return. Miles, 32, suffered the injury Nov. 26 during a loss to Denver. He was acquired from the Grizzlies in the offseason for Dwight Howard Miles

7:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA season reaches its quarter pole this week, and a new world order has begun to establish itself. The Golden State Warriors are no longer juggernauts. The Los Angeles Lakers might be. The Zion Williamson Era … is on hold. But amid all the tumult that has defined the

1:29 AM ET SAN ANTONIO — The Houston Rockets are optimistic the NBA office will take action after referees mistakenly did not count a James Harden dunk in Tuesday night’s 135-133 double-overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs, sources told ESPN. The Rockets are hopeful the league office will either award the victory to Houston

5:09 PM ET Washington Wizards center Thomas Bryant will miss at least three weeks due to a stress reaction in his right foot, the team announced Tuesday. Bryant reported pain in the foot following the Wizards’ loss to the LA Clippers on Sunday. Tests taken Tuesday revealed the stress reaction. Bryant is averaging 13.9 points,

11:22 PM ET ATLANTA — If there was ever a time to do it, Monday’s matchup against the Golden State Warriors presented the Atlanta Hawks an excellent chance to snap a double-digit losing streak — and they didn’t miss their chance. “It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it,” coach Lloyd Pierce said. “It feels a

12:34 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN MILWAUKEE — After a 29-point, 15-rebound performance in 22 minutes, Giannis Antetokounmpo stretched out in front of his locker using leg recovery technology while recapping highlights from the Milwaukee Bucks‘ latest 132-88 win against the New York Knicks on his phone. By halftime, the game was well out of reach

3:41 PM ET Carmelo Anthony‘s return to the NBA is barely two weeks’ old, and he’s already being recognized for his strong play. The league on Monday named the Portland Trail Blazers forward its Western Conference Player of the Week. The Trail Blazers went 3-0, beating the Bulls twice as well as the Thunder. Anthony

Clippers ‘still learning each other’ despite hanging 150 on Wizards For the second time this season, the Clippers scored 150 points at home, this time in a rout of the Wizards. But Kawhi Leonard remained humble, saying, “It’s going to take time, just learning each other, playing in these games,” referring to Paul George.

8:34 PM ET LOS ANGELES — A lackluster 114-100 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday did not cause the Los Angeles Lakers to adjust their expectations of themselves. If anything, the result — stemming from a disastrous 55-38 second half that snapped L.A.’s 10-game winning streak just as their schedule starts to get tougher

6:24 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant did not travel with the team to Minnesota for Sunday’s game and is listed as week-to-week after experiencing aggravated back spasms in Friday night’s 103-94 loss to the Utah Jazz. Memphis said the guard needs a “period of short-term off-loading” in a statement on Saturday. Morant first

8:43 AM ET Orlando Magic forward Al-Farouq Aminu suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and will be out indefinitely, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Magic are determining if Aminu’s injury can be treated without surgery, sources said. Aminu joined Orlando as a free agent this offseason and is averaging 4.3 points

10:40 PM ET James Harden scored a season-high 60 points in three quarters and the Houston Rockets sent the struggling Atlanta Hawks to their 10th straight loss with a 158-111 romp on Saturday night. Harden joins Klay Thompson and Kobe Bryant as the only players to hit 60 points in just three quarters. He exited

3:50 PM ET Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters issued a statement Saturday expressing remorse for an airplane incident that led to the veteran being suspended for 10 games. “I would like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, basketball staff, the fans and the entire organization for the incident that happened on the team plane,” Waiters

7:37 AM ET Following their latest loss Friday, Detroit Pistons forward Blake Griffin says his team is lacking “fight.” “Right now we haven’t shown that we’re willing to do things to win,” Griffin told reporters after the 110-107 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. “I think it’s real light in here after a win, so it

11:47 PM ET Associated Press PHOENIX — Luka Doncic tied a career high with 42 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. added 26 and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 120-113 on Friday night. Doncic just missed a triple-double with 11 assists and nine rebounds. Hardaway shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range to help offset a quiet

10:32 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW ORLEANS — As the lights dimmed in the Smoothie King Center for the national anthem and a calm came over the crowd, one New Orleans Pelicans fan let Anthony Davis know exactly what he thought about his return to the city he once called home. “AD’s a sellout!” It