4:41 PM ET Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox evidently does not support the NBA having an All-Star Game this season, saying “it’s stupid” for the league to hold the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources told ESPN earlier this week that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association were working toward an agreement for
The Dallas Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis had been back for nine games before missing Saturday’s contest against the Phoenix Suns. He’s struggled since returning from knee surgery earlier this month; so much so that he neglected to speak to the media following Friday’s loss – an unusual occurrence for Porzingis, who usually accommodates the media. While
Victor Oladipo‘s quest to return to All-Star caliber is as much mental as it is physical. To bury his mental struggles, he tried something. We’ll call it unique. Let’s get something straight first thing. Victor Oladipo’s leg is not dead. It is as alive as the rest of him. This is a good thing. While
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 Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets entered into the massive James Harden with different goals and timelines. Three weeks later, it looks like it could be a win-win.
6:58 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN When more than 90 players who signed as free agents become eligible to be traded Saturday, it will mark the unofficial start of trade season in the NBA. Several big names have already been traded since mid-November, including James Harden, Russell Westbrook, John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Chris Paul and Jrue
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Kentucky vs. Missouri live stream: Betting odds, TV channel, prediction by Mike Phillips After winning the championship, the Los Angeles Lakers had to make some adjustments and have added a new ATO play to troll former Laker Rajon Rondo. After the intense week the Los Angeles Lakers have had in the
Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports 5 NCAA basketball teams on upset alert this week: Illinois, Texas on notice by Mike Phillips I regret to inform you that Kevin Durant is doing stuff on social media again, liking posts that call out Klay Thompson and Draymond Green as ‘fake tough guys.’ The Warriors are embroiled in a
January 25, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr instructs against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Patrick Mahomes almost had a major, major COVID scare on Sunday by Braulio Perez Gabby Williams on her new teammate Candace Parker, legacy
12:12 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN For New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy, what he saw from Zion Williamson on Wednesday night was unlike anything he’d seen from the 20-year-old so far this season. “I told Zion at the end of the game that it was by far his best game of the year if
The Dallas Mavericks’ Kristaps Porzingis had been back for nine games before missing Saturday’s contest against the Phoenix Suns. He’s struggled since returning from knee surgery earlier this month; so much so that he neglected to speak to the media following Friday’s loss – an unusual occurrence for Porzingis, who usually accommodates the media. While
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: (L-R) Draymond Green #23, Klay Thompson #11, and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors react on the bench during their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center on January 25, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading
Klay Thompson has a lot of time to spare, and is very willing to throw hands on social media. Thompson unfortunately is missing his second straight season due to knee issues, leaving the Warriors without the second splash brother as the core ages into the latter end of their primes. Yet, despite not being active
6:13 PM ET USA Basketball is in the planning stages of creating a pre-Olympic bubble in Las Vegas for Team USA, Australia and Spain to train and play exhibition games against one another before leaving for Tokyo, managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN. With NBA players expected to make up the core of all three
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images Oregon football: Ducks sign elite 4-star CB Avante Dickerson by John Buhler Carmelo Anthony reached a milestone Tuesday night, passing Dominique Wilkins on the all-time scoring list. On Tuesday night, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Washington Wizards 132-121. Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points off the bench (8-for-16 from the
Nikola Jokic set the tone for Sunday afternoon’s game by scoring 22 points in the first quarter. In a Sunday without NFL football, the NBA was officially king. The Denver Nuggets were looking to get back in victorious standing after their five-game winning streak was snapped in a 119-109 loss to the San Antonio Spurs
12:28 AM ET Paul George and Kawhi Leonard did their best to go blow for blow with the Brooklyn Nets‘ Big Three. But during the Nets’ 124-120 win over the LA Clippers in a game that lived up to the pre-game hype, the Clippers star duo could not keep up with Kevin Durant, James Harden
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
Jan 25, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) reacts after being ejected during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports NBA Twitter in awe as LeBron James drops 46 on his former team by Steven Kubitza Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray
9:32 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Fred VanVleet set a Toronto Raptors franchise record and a record for undrafted players by scoring 54 points in Toronto’s 123-108 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. “It was just time. … It’s just time,” VanVleet told SportstNet in Toronto after the game. “I’ve been missing a lot
Jan 31, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) gestures after making a three point field goal against the Brooklyn Nets in the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Michigan State vs. Iowa live stream: Betting odds, TV channel, prediction by Mike Phillips Bradley
Something lit a fire under LeBron James in the fourth quarter of Monday’s game. In turns out, someone from his old team poked the bear. The Los Angeles Lakers carried a seven-point lead into halftime against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night. But in the third quarter, things began to unravel, the momentum began to
A Cleveland Cavaliers executive applauded a missed shot by LeBron James, and the Los Angeles Lakers star took that personally. LeBron James is no stranger to being on the road team to face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Tuesday night was the first time he’s done so since joining the Los Angeles Lakers in
4:08 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN As the NBA continues to tighten its health and safety protocols to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the league will begin requiring players to wear K95 or KNF94 masks in all instances where required, sources told ESPN. The policy will go into effect sometime in the next week, sources said,
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
CHICAGO, IL – JANUARY 14: Benny, the mascot for the Chicago Bulls, performs during a break between the Bulls and the New Orleans Pelicans at the United Center on January 14, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Pelicans 107-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this
10:19 AM ET The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association are progressing toward an agreement for an All-Star Game on March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, a single-night event that encompasses a game between the Eastern and Western Conferences and skills competitions, sources told ESPN. While a formal agreement has yet to
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James explained what went down during Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks. On Monday night, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 107-99 to extend their winning streak to two games. The game itself didn’t make the headlines. Rather, it was an exchange between Lakers star LeBron James
12:50 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN Milwaukee Bucks guard D.J. Augustin hasn’t been around the organization long. Neither has guard Bryn Forbes. Nevertheless, after suffering back-to-back losses on Friday and Saturday in New Orleans and Charlotte to fall to 11-8, it didn’t take them long to learn what is accepted and what’s not. Losing is not.
Basketball Insiders just launched our new ICYMI series, detailing some of the happenings around the league that may be going under the radar. Today, Zach Dupont will be taking a deeper look at the Southwest Division The NBA’s Southwest Division has quietly been full of exciting storylines, both good and bad. The Southwest has exciting
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Auburn football: What are realistic expectations for Bryan Harsin in Year 1 with Tigers? by John Buhler The Brooklyn Nets have been an absolute disaster on defense and Kyrie Irving knows he’s a big part of the problem. Kyrie Irving has never had a reputation as an engaged or effective defender.