The Warriors set a physical tone in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, but the Boston Celtics raised the bar in Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. By coming out and setting a physical tone in Game 2 of the Finals, Draymond Green may have inadvertently handed the Celtics their blueprint
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. The Golden State Warriors struggled again in Game 3 and find themselves in an NBA Finals hole that may be even deeper than it looks. They’ve only been outscored
7:00 AM ET BOSTON — Klay Thompson has run the gamut of the NBA experience in his 11 years in the league. He’s seen the tremendous highs of winning three championships in four years and the lows of having to sit out more than two seasons due to injury. As the five-time All-Star assessed the
The Warriors gave a grim Steph Curry injury update following Game 3, and Draymond Green was quick to blame the Celtics for it. It was not a pleasant night for the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night in Boston. The Dubs lost by 16 points and now trail the Celtics 2-1 in the NBA Finals.
Paul Pierce roasted some Golden State Warriors fans while celebrating the Boston Celtics’ 116-100 Game 3 victory. The Boston Celtics saw their NBA Finals lead disappear after they lost 107-88 to the Golden State Warriors in Game 2 to force the series into a 1-1 tie. But, the Celtics were now returning to Boston to
3:02 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN BOSTON — There was a lot for the Golden State Warriors to digest following their 116-100 loss to the Celtics on Wednesday night in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. But on the top of their minds after falling behind 2-1 in the series was the status of their superstar,
Feb 25, 2022; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers guard Bryce McGowens (5) shoots over Iowa Hawkeyes forward Filip Rebraca (0) in the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports Mining underrated talent is a great way for an NBA team to improve its fortunes. Here are five players who can
11:41 PM ET For all the celebration of skill and small ball in recent years, the NBA still rewards size and quickness at big moments. In the first Finals game in TD Garden since 2010, the Boston Celtics used their speed, length and physical superiority to bury the Golden State Warriors 116-100 in Game 3
Memphis Grizzles point guard Ja Morant and Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges are battling to see who can conduct the biggest offseason offense. During a boisterous house party on June 4, Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant made a bold declaration: “I’m the only one who will show you how I really live.” Ever the
8:00 AM ET After two vastly different NBA Finals games at Chase Center, the series shifts to TD Garden, where the host Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors each look to grab control. For the Celtics, two keys have emerged through the first two games: Jayson Tatum walking the line between scorer and facilitator, and
After Russell Westbrook’s dismal 2021-22 season, people are undermining his NBA legacy. New Lakers coach Darvin Ham is hoping for a turnaround this year. Unsurprisingly, it all started with a wild, off-the-cuff claim by Colin Cowherd. Cowherd wanted to distinguish Draymond Green as the ever-helpful teammate, but in doing so, he made sure to drag
6:30 AM ET Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News Elizabeth Merrill Close ESPN Senior Writer Elizabeth Merrill is a senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine. She previously wrote for The Kansas City Star and The Omaha World-Herald. JON SCHEYER HAS
9:03 PM ET Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 The Utah Jazz have received permission to interview several assistant coaches in
4:20 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN Draymond Green entered Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a very clear mindset: bring force. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I’m going on about my summer and we lost the NBA Finals because we couldn’t meet force with force,” Green said ahead of practice in
12:00 PM ET Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan is expected to meet with two finalists for the franchise’s coaching job this week, including Mike D’Antoni, sources told ESPN. Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson is set to meet with Jordan on Tuesday, and D’Antoni’s visit is expected later in the week, sources said. Atkinson and D’Antoni
After Monty Williams was named NBA Coach of the Year, Chris Paul took to Twitter to celebrate and recognize his head coach’s accomplishment. Chris Paul is a basketball legend and he definitely knows how difficult it is to win consistently in the NBA. So, it makes sense that he would be able to recognize a
The details surrounding the interaction between Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul’s mom and wife and Dallas Mavericks fans have been further explained. It’s the Western Conference Semifinals, and the Phoenix Suns lost their second consecutive game in Game 4. The Suns could have wrapped up the series by this point with their initial 2-0
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 02: A general view during player introductions prior to Game One of the 2022 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on June 02, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this
7:13 PM ET Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz face an unexpected search for a new coach. Utah was prepared to enter next season with Quin Snyder at the helm until the head coach unexpectedly stepped down after eight seasons. The two sides had recently discussed an extension with Snyder, who still
Quin Snyder, Utah Jazz. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) Celtics warm-up shirts pack a big message ahead of Game 2 by Amy Kaplan Quin Snyder stepping down as Utah Jazz coach. According to ESPN, Quin Snyder is “planning” on stepping down as coach of the Utah Jazz. Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder is planning to
4:39 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Darvin Ham was introduced as the Los Angeles Lakers‘ new coach Monday, with point guard Russell Westbrook standing off to the side in a public show of support for the hiring. And Ham reciprocated that support right back to Westbrook, after a tumultuous first season in Los Angeles
8:00 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green faced the marrow-level dread of going down two games to none in the NBA Finals by arriving for Sunday’s Game 2 determined to be annoying as hell for as long as it took. Over the course of the contest’s 48 minutes, he argued with the officials —
11:58 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry, who said he lost sleep after the Golden State Warriors‘ Game 1 collapse, can toss and turn less when he goes to bed Sunday night following the Warriors’ 107-88 win in Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals. Coming off a 34-point outing in Game 1, Curry
7:25 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry has seen the Golden State Warriors bounce back before multiple times this season and has confidence they will do it again in Sunday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Citing how the Warriors rebounded from their 39-point loss in Game 5 at the Memphis Grizzlies in the
8:13 AM ET Not one uniformed member of the Boston Celtics had played in an NBA Finals game before Game 1 on Thursday night. Much was made of this, partly because of the vast Finals experience of the Golden State Warriors but mostly because storylines at this stage must be truffle hunted until no soil
Smart GMs mine the NBA Draft for potential All-Stars. These five prospects fit the bill in this year’s class of talented prospects. Free agency is important to NBA front offices but most teams need to grow their own All-Stars via the draft. That’s why the best league decision-makers are often tempted to take big swings
7:28 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he isn’t spending time worrying about his 3-for-17 shooting performance in Game 1, saying it’s not the first time he’s had a bad game and that he’s confident he’ll bounce back in Game 2. “Once you’ve done something before, you know
2:36 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Not long after the Golden State Warriors‘ fourth-quarter meltdown to drop a rare Game 1 in the coach Steve Kerr era, a relaxed Draymond Green began setting the tone for the team entering Game 2. “It’s fine,” Green said after the Boston Celtics stunned the Warriors 120-108. “You get
The Miami Heat were one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the second time in three years. Here are three players who will not be back for next season. The Miami Heat finished the regular-season with the best record in the entire Eastern Conference. They got through the Atlanta Hawks and the Philadelphia
Jimmy Butler seems simultaneously driven by vibes and bottom-line results. How do we reconcile his impeccable intensity with his love for life? Jimmy Butler will drop 40 points. He will let fly. It will rain. A rivulet will become a torrent. He will flood the court. But the most devastating thing about Jimmy Butler is