The Eastern Conference playoff race is heating up as the top three teams separate themselves from the rest of the pack. There’s a real battle happening at the back end of the playoff picture as well between the Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls. In a week that saw teams get hot, teams go
Photo by LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images 5 bold predictions for Detroit Lions in 2021 by Rucker Haringey 2021 NFL Draft: Biggest Team Needs, Trevor Lawrence Jitters by Mike Tanier If you’ve always wanted to see LeBron James do his thing in a slam dunk contest, you’ll have to turn the clock all the way
8:48 PM ET The already-depleted Denver Nuggets will be without starting guard Will Barton for “the foreseeable future,” according to head coach Michael Malone. Barton suffered a right hamstring strain early in Friday night’s 118-97 loss to the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. The veteran guard pulled up awkwardly after driving to the basket,
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARCH 23: Dennis Schroder #17 of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during the fourth quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on March 23, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports Seahawks sign Aldon Smith to bolster defense by Russell S. Baxter Brett Favre is mumbling to clouds about politics in sports, again by Brad Berreman The Chicago Bulls have already been in a tailspin and the loss of Zach LaVine could push their postseason hopes to the brink. The deadline trade
NBA Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton believes LeBron James is a “better all-around player” than Michael Jordan but argues against comparisons in the first place. It’s a question that sparks debate and endless argument: Who is better, LeBron James or Michael Jordan? The latest to weigh in is Gary Payton. “If you ask me who’s a better
3:08 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry paid Draymond Green the ultimate compliment after watching the forward tie a career high with 19 assists in Friday’s 118-97 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, calling him the “smartest basketball player I’ve played with.” “When he gets in a groove
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – APRIL 18: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets catches a pass over Rondae Hollis-Jefferson #2 of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter at Spectrum Center on April 18, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this
The Charlotte Hornets had great news to share about rookie LaMelo Ball, who will return from his wrist fracture sooner than expected. LaMelo Ball could be back on the court for the Charlotte Hornets much sooner than anticipated. On Monday night, the team announced the good news that Ball’s fractured wrist has healed. He’s cleared
11:58 PM ET Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols and is expected to miss at least 10-14 days, sources told ESPN on Friday. The Kings, winners of two out of their last three games to stop the bleeding following a nine-game losing streak, enter the weekend
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 you think you’re tired of the LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan, GOAT argument, imagine being a retired NBA player. As your immediate relevancy fades, all you have is
Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash says there is a chance that Kevin Durant returns to the court this weekend. The Brooklyn Nets have not had the greatest week in terms of player health. In this past Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat, Kevin Durant left with what was later determined to be a left
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant had major praise for Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis during a Twitter debate, calling him a human cheat code. Kevin Durant has time on his hands right now, recovering from a thigh contusion he suffered on Sunday. So he’s doing what he does best besides playing basketball: Tweeting. This
4:06 PM ET Marc J. Spears Phoenix Hillcrest Prep senior forward Michael Foster told The Undefeated on Instagram Live on Friday that he will be joining the G League Ignite next season. Foster is currently the seventh ranked high school player in the 2021 ESPN Class of 100. The 6-foot-8, 215-pounder chose joining the G
With less than a month remaining in the regular season, the playoff races are heating up. The new play-in tournament will allow more teams into the thick of things as the season winds down. One team looking to make a return to postseason play is the Memphis Grizzlies, led by dynamic point guard Ja Morant.
On April 20, 1986, Michael Jordan torched the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the 1986 NBA playoffs, wowing the entire basketball universe. Jordan dropped a playoff-record 63 points for the Chicago Bulls against the favorited Celtics squad – and Jordan was only 23 years old. And he did it playing at Boston Garden. His performance had
What do you see when you watch these Boston Celtics? If you stare at them long enough they’re likely to morph into something completely different. The 2021 Boston Celtics are a Rorschach test. Watch them play. What do you see? A dark horse, scarred but still standing, the proverbial grizzled team nobody wants to face?
10:28 PM ET Terrence Clarke, a freshman guard for the Kentucky Wildcats this past season, died following a car accident in the Los Angeles area on Thursday, it was announced. Clarke’s mother was at his side when he died, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Clarke was 19 years old. Los Angeles Police Department Sergeant John
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (not in uniform) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports NCAA gymnastics championship broadcast was a quantum leap forward by Lela Moore 5 breakout stars to watch for Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 by Russell S. Baxter The Knicks have many happy fans these days and you
Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young had to be helped off the court during Wednesday’s game against the New York Knicks after suffering a left ankle sprain. The Atlanta Hawks, the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, had a pivotal game on Wednesday night against the surging New York Knicks. In the second half, the team
11:20 PM ET There were 67 days, 30 missed games and five missed shots for Anthony Davis before he could finally officially stamp his return from injury with a bucket Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks. After the Los Angeles Lakers star’s 19-foot stepback jump shot fell through the net with 4:51 remaining in the first
It’s official: we’re entering the regular season’s endgame. Every game from here on out will have much bigger consequences, a statement even truer in 2021 than perhaps any other season thanks to the NBA’s new play-in tournament. If you’re not familiar, the play-in tournament will consist of two matchups within each conference. The seventh and
WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 19: Deni Avdija #9 of the Washington Wizards shoots against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half at Capital One Arena on April 19, 2021 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms
Russell Westbrook had this classic reaction in a press conference after the Washington Wizards’ win. The Wizards beat the Golden State Warriors last night, but the most “interesting” part of the game may have been Westbrook’s meme-worthy reaction that had fans smiling and shaking their heads. Classic Russ. On Wednesday night, the Wizards narrowly closed
7:00 AM ET NBA Insiders It’s been nearly a month since the NBA trade deadline passed, and the dust has settled on a flurry of deals and free-agent signings. Teams such as the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat took big swings to beef up their roster by trading for former All-Stars Nikola Vucevic and
It’s one of the greatest “what-ifs” of the last 20 years in basketball: What if Derrick Rose never got hurt? Former Bulls forward Luol Deng thinks they’d have won an NBA championship. According to former Chicago Bulls teammate Luol Deng, the Bulls would have won a title. On Tuesday’s episode of the Bulls Talk Podcast,
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images David Ross has NSFW response to MLB punishing Cubs after throwing at Brandon Woodruff by Josh Hill Dwyane Wade has added to his resume since retiring. Dunk contest judge, television analyst, and now team owner. Dwyane Wade appears to be joining the Utah Jazz. Two years after his retirement from
Donovan Mitchell was helped off the court in the Utah Jazz’s game Friday. It’s been relatively smooth sailing for the Utah Jazz this season, sitting at 41-14 with the NBA‘s best record, best point differential, third-best offense and fourth-best defense. They’ve looked like legitimate title contenders, due in large part to the absolute tear Donovan
12:17 AM ET Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry‘s 11-game streak of scoring at least 30 points ended Wednesday night during a 118-114 loss to the Washington Wizards. Curry shot 7-for-25 from the field, including a season-worst 2-for-14 from beyond the arc, and finished with 18 points. Despite the loss and the poor performance in
9:42 PM ET Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James posted and later deleted a tweet responding to the fatal police shooting of Ma’Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old Black girl in Columbus, Ohio. In a series of tweets Wednesday afternoon, James explained why he deleted the tweet. ANGER does any of us any good and that includes