NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 30: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans and RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks meet on the court after a NBA game at Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and
Jun 11, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) grabs his leg after a play in the second quarter against the Phoenix Suns during game three in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports Who should replace Charlie Morton on Braves
8:00 AM ET After falling to 3-4, the Milwaukee Bucks have forfeited the No. 1 spot this week. The Utah Jazz, who were the league’s final unbeaten team before falling to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, handed Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks their third straight loss on their way to the top of our list.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers. (Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports) College GameDay Week 10 location is a first for ESPN by John Buhler LeBron James dressed up as Freddy Krueger to celebrate Halloween this year. When it comes to Halloween, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James does not mess around. James went with a
3:23 AM ET LOS ANGELES — With Carmelo Anthony‘s solid start to his Lakers tenure continuing Sunday — his game-high 23 points helped lift Los Angeles to a 95-85 win over the Houston Rockets — the 19-year veteran wanted to clear something up about his reputation. “I think people don’t really understand me,” Anthony said.
PORTLAND, OREGON – OCTOBER 04: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors looks on before the preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on October 04, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the
LeBron James was out again on Wednesday as his Lakers embarrassingly blew a lead against the Thunder but he seemed unaffected on Twitter watching the Cavs. For the second straight game, the Los Angeles Lakers were without LeBron James as the veteran continued to nurse a minor right ankle injury. But unlike Tuesday night when
7:36 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Trae Young was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Friday for making contact with a referee. The star guard was penalized for his actions with 6:41 left in the second quarter of Atlanta’s 122-111 loss to Washington on Thursday. Young was driving left and bumped by defender
A pair of game-worn sneakers, donned by a rookie Michael Jordan, just sold for $1.47 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Las Vegas on Oct. 24. Considered the greatest scorer of all time, Michael Jordan has redefined the game of basketball. But that’s not the only game Jordan has mastered: he is easily the greatest
6:52 PM ET Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant was fined $25,000 by the NBA for “forcefully throwing the game ball into the spectator stands” during the third quarter of Friday’s Nets win over the Indiana Pacers. After play was stopped with a foul while Durant was driving, he fired the basketball into the stands with
New York Knicks have two words to symbolize their early-season success. It’s simple. It’s catchy. It’s…big bong. The catch phrase has gone viral on NBA Twitter, and every win brings with it more bings, and more bongs. Just one week into the season, the Knicks were first in the Eastern Conference. It all started on
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 24: LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets in action against the Brooklyn Nets during a game at Barclays Center on October 24, 2021 in New York City. “nNOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms
1:43 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green is enjoying basketball a lot more these days. And it’s not just because his Golden State Warriors have started the season 5-1 after a 103-82 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. “Can I also say how satisfying it’s been to watch the game of basketball
After missing the first two weeks of the NBA 2021-22 season, it seems that Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons is back at team practice. Ben Simmons has been capturing headlines since the NBA season began, but he’s nowhere to be found on the court. The 76ers are 3-2, and Simmons has been sidelined for
The late show circuit strikes again, with ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ being the latest to chime in on the Kyrie Irving anti-vaccination saga. Everyone in the NBA world has been having fun at Kyrie Irving’s expense — an expense that amounts to an estimated $186 million since Irving lost out on a Nets
James Harden, Brooklyn Nets. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports 3 trades Steelers need to make to get back in playoff picture by Alicia de Artola James Harden always felt like a target for the NBA’s new foul-hunting rules but he looks like a broken player trying to adjust to them. Whenever the NBA announced
5:33 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN DETROIT, Mich. — The wait is over. A new era of Detroit Pistons basketball is officially underway as No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham will make his debut on Saturday against the Orlando Magic, coach Dwane Casey announced ahead of the 7 p.m. ET tipoff. Cunningham missed the entire preseason and
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports What time does UFC 267 start in the United States? by Amy Kaplan Second-year power forward Patrick Williams will miss the rest of the season after suffering a wrist injury against the New York Knicks. The Chicago Bulls are off to a hot start this season, posting a 4-1 record through
12:47 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Milwaukee Bucks are scheduled to make a trip to the White House to celebrate winning the 2021 NBA title on Nov. 8, sources told ESPN. The Bucks will be the first NBA team to visit the White House since the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers visited former President Barack Obama. Milwaukee
I never thought I’d feel sorry for James Harden, but NBA officials have a personal vendetta against him so far this season. Harden could get mauled, or attacked by a tiger on the court, and it wouldn’t matter. He would not get a foul call. Despite his status as a star in the Association, NBA
12:49 AM ET NEW YORK — James Harden was in his bag Friday night, dribbling, creating space, draining 3’s and letting everyone know that he was starting to feel more like himself as he yelled out during a timeout while clenching his fists and flexing his arms. Harden also was finally back at a place
What makes Kings rookie Davion Mitchell one of the NBA’s best on-ball defenders, and why the Warriors’ offense looks better than it did a year ago. There’s no hotter fire for a rookie guard to be thrown into than what Davion Mitchell faced in the first four games of his NBA career. In his first
Washington Wizards small forward Kyle Kuzma voices his approval of the NBA’s new restrictive rules on foul drawing, citing how much it’s changed the game. Ballers who have mastered the art of the flop won’t be able to show their artistry in the 2021-22 season. That’s because the NBA has finally implemented new rules to
2:39 PM ET Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams will undergo surgery to repair a dislocated left wrist and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season, sources told ESPN. Williams tumbled out of the air on a flagrant foul by New York’s Mitchell Robinson on Thursday night, landing on his left wrist and
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. If the NBA season ended today, Miles Bridges would win Most Improved Player by an enormous margin. And honestly, you could make an argument that he’d belong in the
7:03 PM ET Bob Ferry, who guided the Washington Bullets to their only title in 1978 as part of a prolific 17-year run as general manager, died Wednesday at age 84. Ferry ran the Bullets from 1973 to 1990, and the team made the playoffs 13 times in that 17-year span, including three Finals appearances.
Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images 5 bold predictions for Dolphins against Bills by Russell S. Baxter It has been a slow start to the season for Brooklyn Nets star James Harden and he made it clear conditioning has had a negative impact on him. What is going on with the Brooklyn Nets? Loaded with so
Drake during a Raptors vs. Warriors NBA Finals game. (Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports) Bears CB Jaylon Johnson exposes team for ludicrous fine by Aryanna Prasad Braves pepper Julio Urias like never before with insane power display by Alicia de Artola Toronto Raptors superfan and brand ambassador Drake got into a war or words with Washington
11:51 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Trae Young paused in the middle of his postgame comments, perhaps wondering if he was going too far — or sensing that he already had. “I don’t want to get fined too much, but it’s frustrating,” the Atlanta star said. There’s no telling how the league will receive
Russell Westbrook continues to make history while on the hardwood, as he joined a new elite club on Wednesday night. For Los Angeles Lakers playmaker Russell Westbrook, the man really is a one of a kind player. In his first year with the Lakers, hoping to bring home his first NBA Finals rings, Westbrook has