4:17 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — For the last year, James Harden, Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets organization have sat around lamenting “what if.” What if Paul didn’t pull his hamstring in last year’s conference finals against the Golden State Warriors? What if the Rockets had continued to control the series? What if they
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10:27 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN At first, it seemed like things were going to be just fine. When the Boston Celtics convened for media day back in September, they were the heavy favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in this season’s NBA Finals, and arguably no team in the league had a brighter road ahead.
12:56 PM ET Malika AndrewsESPN MILWAUKEE — Malcolm Brogdon is expected to play in Game 5 between the Celtics and Bucks, coach Mike Budenholzer announced at shootaround Wednesday morning. Brogdon, who has been sidelined since March 15 with a plantar fascia tear, will come off the bench for Milwaukee and be on a minutes restriction.
4:21 AM ET DENVER — Paul Millsap scored inside while being fouled, then did something he doesn’t do very often. The calm and often emotionless veteran flexed both of his muscles. After four games of both teams playing virtually even basketball across the board, the Denver Nuggets followed Millsap’s lead and muscled their way past
10:15 PM ET DENVER — A shaken Michael Malone pleaded for something to change after a school shooting that left one student dead took place at a Highlands Ranch public charter school in his Denver suburban community. The Denver Nuggets coach was upset, with his eyes beginning to well up, while talking about the latest
8:18 AM ET “IF YOU’RE GOING to go get it, go get it,” Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry thinks to himself, in what must be one of the NBA’s more revealing internal monologues. “Finish the game off.” When the shot leaves Kawhi Leonard‘s hands, nine players on the floor stand closer to the basket than
3:19 AM ET HOUSTON — The Golden State Warriors say they’re not worried about their postseason future, despite the fact that after losing Game 4 to the Houston Rockets 112-108 on Monday night they find themselves tied 2-2 in a hard-fought Western Conference semifinal series. After winning three of the past four NBA championships and
8:46 PM ET ESPN.com Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The Met Gala was the place to be seen Monday night, as stars of stage and screen showed off their outfits on the red carpet for the annual fundraiser. The sports world was well represented at the even, as athletes such as Tom Brady,
10:51 AM ET HOUSTON — Last summer, while the basketball world reacted with shock, awe and frustration when the Golden State Warriors signed DeMarcus Cousins, it was easy to miss just what sort of gamble was being taken. Not just a wager that Cousins would get and stay healthy — ultimately, he wasn’t able to
1:07 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — When he stepped out of the locker room, Damian Lillard adjusted his crimson vest and navigated the thin corridor in the belly of the Moda Center en route to the podium for his postgame press conference. The hallway, no more than 10 feet wide, is packed with people postgame
9:28 PM ET PHILADELPHIA — Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard added to his historic postseason run with 39 points and 14 rebounds in the Raptors’ 101-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinals. The series, now tied 2-2, returns to Toronto for Game 5 on Tuesday. “Kawhi is dominant,
8:02 AM ET DENVER — NIKOLA JOKIC is sitting on a leather couch in the Denver Nuggets‘ player lounge, an ice pack attached to his right side. There’s a five-inch scar that runs across the top of his left arm near his shoulder and several other claw marks that come in all different sizes and
3:02 AM ET HOUSTON — One of the enigmas that demonstrates the historic greatness of the Golden State Warriors is when their star players have a slump. It is both concerning for the Warriors and frightening for opponents. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have not been themselves in the high-stakes Western Conference semifinal series with
9:00 PM ET The New York Knicks are back in the championship mix heading into a summer that could shake up the NBA. The SuperBook at Westgate Las Vegas on Saturday opened the Knicks at 16-1 to win the 2020 NBA championship. New York is behind only the Milwaukee Bucks (9-2), Boston Celtics (7-1) and
9:46 AM ET The Houston Rockets deserve a massive amount of credit for uncovering and implementing the most analytically correct strategies in professional basketball. Whether it’s their shot selection or offensive design, the team has aligned its on-court behaviors with the game’s most efficient actions. However, as Houston continues to chase the efficiency dragon farther
3:58 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — Despite aggravating his separated left shoulder during the first overtime period of Friday’s Game 3 against the Nuggets, Trail Blazers center Enes Kanter continued to play through the injury as Portland outlasted Denver 140-137 in quadruple OT, the longest NBA playoff game since 1953. “First overtime, I think I
8:43 PM ET Associated Press BOSTON — The Boston Celtics came out for pregame warmups wearing T-shirts bearing the No. 17 to honor Hall of Famer John Havlicek. The crowd also observed a moment of silence Friday night before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was the Celtics’ first
12:00 PM ET NBA referees will host a question-and-answer session on Twitter for games Sunday and Monday, interacting with fans in real time over calls in playoff games. The referees have done this periodically over the past year, but this is the first time they will operate the “Ref Watch Party” during this postseason, which
2:41 AM ET PHILADELPHIA — With his Philadelphia 76ers taking a 2-1 series lead over a Toronto Raptors team led by Kawhi Leonard and his 37.7 points per game so far in the Eastern Conference semifinals, coach Brett Brown was asked a simple question. When Joel Embiid is healthy, does Brown believe he has the
6:26 PM ET Milwaukee Bucks point guard Malcolm Brogdon is listed as out for Friday’s Game 3 of his team’s playoff series against the Boston Celtics, according to the NBA’s injury report on Thursday evening. The team could still update his status prior to the game. Brogdon is looking to return from plantar fasciitis in
12:14 PM ET Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge suffered a mild heart attack in Milwaukee on Tuesday night, the team announced. According to a release from the team, Ainge received immediate medical attention, is expected to make a full recovery and will return to Boston shortly. Ainge, 60, also suffered what was described as
2:38 AM ET DENVER — Damian Lillard sat on a stool in a ballroom in sweatpants and sliders at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown on Tuesday with an iPad on his lap, about to head to a film session to comb through Game 1. The Portland Trail Blazers felt like they had played well,
6:28 PM ET The Houston Rockets are optimistic that star guard James Harden will not have any more problems with his vision in the Western Conference semifinals, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Harden suffered contusions in both eyes and a laceration on the inside of his left eyelid when he was inadvertently hit in the
10:44 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Before they were champions, before Kevin Durant came to town and before they built a billion-dollar arena across the bay, the Golden State Warriors changed the NBA with the “death lineup.” It was five guys who could dribble, pass and score, applying a level of pressure to opponents that
3:38 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green acknowledged that all the chatter surrounding the officiating in Game 1 of his team’s series against the Houston Rockets was “embarrassing” for the game, and he said he was happy that both teams were less demonstrative toward the referees in the Warriors’ 115-109
5:13 PM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors star forward Kevin Durant doesn’t think Houston Rockets guard James Harden is “cheating” the game by playing the way he does. “I wouldn’t say that he has an advantage,” Durant said after the morning shootaround before Game 2 on Tuesday night. “I think everybody, once they
10:02 AM ET Scott Foster, the referee most reviled by the Houston Rockets, has been assigned to call Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Golden State Warriors Tuesday. Foster, a 25-year NBA veteran, has not worked a Rockets game since James Harden publicly criticized him after the superstar fouled out of Houston’s
2:09 AM ET TORONTO — Playoff basketball is an exercise in problem-solving. The Philadelphia 76ers came into Game 2 of their series with the Toronto Raptors with several problems, but none more imposing and urgent than Kawhi Leonard. Following Toronto’s 108-95 win in the series opener, Raptors players and coaches were shocked that the Sixers
6:53 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Houston Rockets guard Chris Paul has been fined $35,000 for “aggressively confronting and recklessly making contact with a game official,” the NBA announced Monday afternoon. 1 Related The incident occurred with 4.4 seconds remaining in the Rockets’ 104-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Sunday’s Game 1 of
12:45 AM ET Here we go again. After last season’s thrilling seven-game Western Conference finals, the Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets are back for more in Round 2. A trip to the NBA Finals won’t be at stake, but don’t let that fool you — this sequel is a must-see. Here’s everything to know