In this week’s NBA Power Rankings we’re looking at the Knicks, the Suns, the 76ers and the other teams who are smashing expectations this year. Our new look NBA Power Rankings are back, a non-traditional structure for a non-traditional era of professional basketball. The world is no longer just about wins and losses and teams
The San Antonio Spurs beat out multiple teams in the Gorgui Dieng sweepstakes. The best-fitting big man is officially off the NBA buyout market. No, not LaMarcus Aldridge or Andre Drummond, but rather, Gorgui Dieng! As The New York Times’ Marc Stein reported Sunday morning, Dieng, who was recently bought out of the final year
SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIl 16: Gregg Popovich head coach of the San Antonio Spurs looks for a foul again the Portland Trailblazers in the second half at AT&T Center on April 16, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. Portland Trailblazers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-106. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that
7:41 PM ET Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. will miss time due to a violation of the NBA’s health and safety protocols stemming from visiting a Miami strip club with teammate Sterling Brown that resulted in Brown being assaulted, sources told ESPN. Porter will likely be out until at least Sunday, Rockets coach Stephen
3:31 AM ET The Minnesota Timberwolves dedicated their game ball to George Floyd’s family after defeating the Sacramento Kings 134-120 on Tuesday night. The win came hours after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the murder of Floyd in Minneapolis last May.
LeBron James and other NBA stars expressed their relief at the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial. Tuesday was an anxious day for most of the nation, as the jury reached its verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. Fortunately, they found the former police officer guilty on all three counts for the murder of George
LaMarcus Aldridge signed with the Brooklyn Nets, hoping to win that elusive ring. Instead, a medical scare led to a surprising retirement announcement. On Thursday morning, LaMarcus Aldridge released a statement announcing his retirement from the NBA. The statement revealed that he had suffered from an irregular heartbeat, which sparked the surprising decision. “My last
Damian Lillard joined LaMarcus Aldridge’s retirement parade by writing an appreciation post on Instagram to his former teammate. For his first three seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, Damian Lillard was teammates with LaMarcus Aldridge, who announced his retirement Thursday after citing health reasons. Portland reached the playoffs in each of the final two seasons
1:05 AM ET Right before Devin Booker stood up to finish his postgame videoconference Monday, he had one more thing he wanted to say. He first had to call for the ball. Someone off camera flipped it over to him, and as Booker caught it, he unleashed a megawatt grin. “Yessir, here it is, y’all!”
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
Dario Saric has a non-traditional Sixth Man of the Year resume but he’s been as important as any bench player in the NBA this season. NBA MVPs are usually the best players on the best teams who have yet to fatigue the voters by being too great for too long. Michael Jordan ruled the NBA
Apr 19, 2021; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer argues with officials following the game against the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports What are the rules for the Professional Fighters League? by Thomas Albano The Phoenix Suns defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime on Monday on
5:13 PM ET Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter by a jury Tuesday for his role in the murder of George Floyd last May outside of a local convenience store. Floyd’s death, and the video which showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for about
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 08: A detailed view of the Nike “Kobe” basketball shoe worn by Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers while warming up prior to the start of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on February 08, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith was not thrilled about the Brooklyn Nets sitting their stars against a pivotal game against the Philadelphia 76ers. NBA fans were looking forward to a pivotal Eastern Conference matchup on Wednesday between the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers. This is the third and final time the two squads will face
Philadelphia 76ers fans got an anti-Kevin Durant song going en masse while closing out a victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets. On Wednesday night, 4,000 76ers fans watched as their team took down the Brooklyn Nets. They celebrated by targeting Kevin Durant with a chant in the final minute. “KD sucks” chant erupts in Philly.
11:49 AM ET ESPN News Services The Denver Nuggets have signed veteran guard Austin Rivers to a 10-day contract, the team announced Tuesday. Rivers, 28, began the season on the New York Knicks but was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a three-team deal that also involved Philadelphia at the trade deadline.
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
ORLANDO, FL – APRIL 12: Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs players stand in a circle during the United States national anthem at Amway Center on April 12, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and
1:09 AM ET Stephen Curry‘s recent shooting streak has left everyone around him in awe. Teammates, coaches, opponents — it’s hard for everybody to wrap their minds around exactly what they’ve been seeing as the Golden State Warriors star continues to set new records on a nightly basis. For his latest feat, Curry poured in
The MVP debate may cause Nuggets and Sixers fans to draw battle lines, but it shouldn’t distract from how great both Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid have been this season. As Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have developed into the two best centers in the NBA, the discourse about them from Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia
6:35 PM ET Houston Rockets small forward Sterling Brown suffered facial lacerations during an assault Sunday night, the team said. In a statement Monday, the Rockets said Brown “had no prior knowledge of or interaction with the assailants.” He is expected to make a full recovery, per the team. The Rockets are in Miami for
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
Julius Randle, New York Knicks. (Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports) NCAA basketball: Ranking every national champion this century: Is Baylor the best? by Cody Williams Julius Randle was inspired by the late Kobe Bryant to take his game to the next level. During the Los Angeles Lakers‘ game vs. the New York Knicks, a
The New York Knicks proved they are a legitimate playoff contender with their win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. If we had told you a year ago that the New York Knicks would be in a playoff position in the final month of the 2020-21 season, you probably would’ve called us crazy. But
7:00 AM ET A few quality wins have propelled the Philadelphia 76ers back into our No. 1 spot. Joel Embiid and the 76ers have won four straight, with the past three coming against playoff teams in the LA Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks. The Utah Jazz, meanwhile, have dropped two of their past four
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant named the top five teammates he’s ever played with in his NBA career. Kevin Durant has been in the NBA for nearly 15 seasons, spanning across the Seattle SuperSonics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and now the Brooklyn Nets. Considering the amount of talent Durant has played with on
Zion Williamson had nothing but nice things to say about playing in Madison Square Garden following the New Orleans Pelicans’ loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday. The New York Knicks are the talk of the city, and that is more evident than ever with the Yankees struggling at the start of the MLB
11:54 AM ET The NBA has instructed teams to be vigilant about the impact of a verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial for the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis this week, including the possibility of game postponements, sources told ESPN. The looming specter of possible protests, civil unrest and team reactions in the aftermath
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