Being an exception to the rule and trends of our modern NBA is a tricky tightrope walk to pull off – but it’s not impossible. Hell, to some degree, the reigning champions were an exception to the rule last season. In a league that emphasized getting smaller and relying on spacing, the Los Angeles Lakers
3:51 PM ET The New York Knicks have reached agreement on a trade to acquire Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose and reunite him with coach Tom Thibodeau, sources told ESPN on Sunday. The Knicks are sending guard Dennis Smith Jr., and a 2021 second-round draft pick via the Charlotte Hornets to Detroit, sources said. The
The NBA has changed course and announced plans to hold an actual All-Star Game this year. The league’s biggest stars don’t sound happy about it. As originally designed, the NBA’s schedule for this season included an All-Star break, without a game or any of the other festivities usually crammed into that weekend. The idea was
With the NBA trade deadline coming next month, some big players could be on the move, and the list includes Victor Oladipo. Which standout hoopers will be on the move before the NBA trade deadline? That’s an intriguing question, no doubt. Among the talents for fans to keep an eye on moving forward is Houston
It’s the 10th anniversary of Linsanity and Jeremy Lin wants to help you celebrate one of the brightest moments in New York Knicks’ history. On Feb. 4, 2011, Jeremy Lin came off the bench for an injury-ravaged New York Knicks team and dropped 25 points and 7 assists in a seven-point win over the Nets.
12:02 PM ET Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. has a fractured finger on his left hand that likely
During the 2000-01 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, finished 22nd in the league for defensive rating. They went on to win the championship, and are still the only team this century to finish outside the top 10 in defensive rating and win a title. One key caveat
Even Zion Williamson’s missed dunks are capable of breaking the rim. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 284 pounds, Zion Williamson is quite a handful on the defensive end. Whether you’re the defender in his path, the referee trying to officiate him or the rim quivering in anticipation of one of his backboard-rocking dunks, Williamson is a
1:44 AM ET DALLAS — Luka Doncic hasn’t had a lot of reason to flash his infectious smile lately. He’s a firm believer in the professional benefits of enjoying basketball, but that’s difficult to do when his Dallas Mavericks have lost 10 of their last 13 games, as was the case when he reported for
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – FEBRUARY 04: Enes Kanter #11 of the Portland Trail Blazers look on against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on February 04, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of
D’Angelo Russell had ice in his veins against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s been a rough year for D’Angelo Russell and the Minnesota Timberwolves, but in the NBA, where any given team can beat its opponent on any given night, there’s always room for some magic. On Friday, the Timberwolves got some of that very
6:56 PM ET NEW YORK — Kevin Durant will be ineligible to play in the Nets’ next three games after he drove with a team employee who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, sources told ESPN. Durant will be eligible to rejoin the team on Friday, Feb. 12, coach Steve Nash said on Saturday. The
Being an exception to the rule and trends of our modern NBA is a tricky tightrope walk to pull off – but it’s not impossible. Hell, to some degree, the reigning champions were an exception to the rule last season. In a league that emphasized getting smaller and relying on spacing, the Los Angeles Lakers
The unique athletic abilities of LeBron James and Giannis Antetokoumpo make them unstoppable at the rim. But one might be just a little bit more unstoppable than the other. LeBron James is an absolute freight train. There might be no player in NBA history who has shared his combination of power, speed, grace and touch.
The Milwaukee Bucks forward was introduced to Bobby Portis memes for the first time. No matter what professional athletes do, they are always subject to memes. If a player happens to do something funny or make a hilarious facial expression, they could become the subject of meme material for the foreseeable future. Some of them
7:49 PM ET Malika Andrews Close ESPN Staff Writer Staff Writer Joined ESPN in 2018 Appears regularly on ESPN Chicago 1000 Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 After a confounding night surrounding the status of Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant at the Barclays Center — which
Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Eagles rumored asking price for Carson Wentz is absurd by Alicia de Artola Nets star Kevin Durant was almost not allowed to start Friday’s game against the Raptors due to contact tracing. Kevin Durant has been given the green light to play after clearing
The Miami Heat will be without guard Avery Bradley for quite some time. The Miami Heat were expected to be forces in the Eastern Conference this season after making it to the NBA Finals back in September. On Wednesday night, the Heat lost 103-100 to the Washington Wizards to drop their overall record to 7-14,
11:58 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo might be competitors on rival conferences, but they share the same sentiments regarding the league’s plans to hold an All-Star Game in March in Atlanta. Fresh off a 33-point, 12-rebound performance in Milwaukee’s 123-105 win at Cleveland on Friday night, Antetokounmpo backed James’ position on
During the 2000-01 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, finished 22nd in the league for defensive rating. They went on to win the championship, and are still the only team this century to finish outside the top 10 in defensive rating and win a title. One key caveat
7:49 PM ET For the first time in his 13-year career, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant came off the bench, checking in at the 4:13 mark of the first quarter Friday night against the Toronto Raptors. Durant was not available to start due to health and safety protocols, the team announced shortly before tipoff. Durant
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Here’s what the Mets rotation would look like with Trevor Bauer by Brad Berreman Reggie Miller is known for bombast and hyperbole on television broadcasts but his LeBron vs. Jordan take is surprisingly subtle. You can’t open social media without getting dragged into some variation of the GOAT debate. LeBron’s power
In this week’s NBA Power Rankings, Anthony Edwards is scoring, De’Aaron Fox is finishing and LeBron James can’t miss from beyond the arc. 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 are no
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports 3 free agents the Eagles should avoid in the 2021 offseason by Rucker Haringey Braves going all-in to save face with Marcell Ozuna by John Buhler The NBA has announced plans to hold an actual All-Star Game and LeBron James is loudly questioning what the point is. When the NBA originally
9:27 PM ET The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will have a finalized agreement for an All-Star Game on March 7 in Atlanta by next week, according to a league memo shared with teams and obtained by ESPN. The single-night event will encompass the Eastern Conference-Western Conference game as well as the skills
For this edition of ICYMI for Basketball Insiders, we’re looking at the Southeast Division. This breakdown follows the recent publications of ICYMI on the Atlantic, Pacific, Central and Northwest. Starting off, this division is the only one in the NBA that has a single franchise above .500, the Atlanta Hawks. This should come as a
The same week Jared Dudley’s book was released, Paul George responded in a big way. While George might not concern himself with the comments of a Lakers bench player, one look at social media on Wednesday would’ve distracted him enough from his daily routine. Dudley released a book detailing the Lakers bubble journey. One specific
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports Sports Science’s John Brenkus always knew Patrick Mahomes could reach GOAT status by Mark Powell Paul George and Jared Dudley have been going back and forth for a few days now after the release of Dudley’s book and George has had enough. It’s no secret that Paul George has never had the
3:10 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The NBA’s most high-profile star, LeBron James, eviscerated the league’s plans to hold an All-Star Game in Atlanta in March while COVID-19 restrictions continue to have a grip on the regular season. “I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star Game this year,” James said after the
Despite growing COVID-19 concerns, the NBA has announced that an All-Star game will be happening this season. The NBA season is moving along in 2021 despite growing COVID-19 concerns. A lot of fans won’t get the chance to see their teams in action this year because of the virus. Only 10 NBA teams are allowing