The modern NBA player isn’t willing to dethrone the King, per Paul Pierce Pierce is a notorious King James hater, but he has a decent point here. On ESPN’s NBA pregame show, the analyst discussed the difference between modern NBA players and old heads of the mid 2000’s in terms of defending LeBron. “Players today
12:59 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — After the Boston Celtics walked into the locker room at halftime of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat, having produced a second straight lackluster first half in a series they trailed 3-1, they knew something had to change. So, before
The Los Angeles Lakers took a 3-1 lead on the Denver Nuggets in Game 4. Taking a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals Thursday night, the Los Angeles Lakers are one win away from the NBA Finals. However, the Denver Nuggets won’t be deterred facing a deficit they’ve faced before, against a team they
The sports world makes for a beautiful palette but individual images can get lost in the constant shuffle. Here are the best Getty Images sports photos from this week. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images DJ LeMahieu of the New York Yankees throws to first to force out Cesar Puello of the Boston Red Sox during
The Clippers were stunned by the Nuggets in Game 7 on Tuesday night, and Twitter had a field day after Kawhi Leonard and Paul George disappeared late. The Los Angeles Clippers were sent packing by the Denver Nuggets in Tuesday night’s Game 7, completely one of the NBA’s most shocking choke jobs of all time
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 19: Montrezl Harrell #5 reacts after being called for a foul as Paul George #13 looks on (Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images) Texans pushing to get 15,000 fans in attendance at home games by Steven Kubitza The Los Angeles Clippers have some chemistry issues stemming from a Paul George
7:00 AM ET All four teams are still afloat in the NBA’s conference finals — and things just keep getting spicier. The Boston Celtics kept their season going by beating the Miami Heat in Friday’s Game 5 121-108. The Denver Nuggets, meanwhile, are hoping to make yet another improbable comeback from a 3-1 series deficit,
11:13 PM ET For the Boston Celtics, the first half of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals was a tractor pull. They shot 25 percent from the field in the first quarter. Coming off a simple pick-and-pop with Jayson Tatum, Kemba Walker sent the pass into the hands of assistant coach Scott Morrison on
Heat star Jimmy Butler showed some respect for rookie teammate Tyler Herro, whose incredible Game 4 brought Miami within one game of the NBA Finals. Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler gave props to teammate Tyler Herro for his outstanding Game 4 performance during practice on Thursday, wearing the rookie’s high school jersey. With the 20-year-old
After another season of treading water, is it time for the Houston Rockets to abandon their ideological purity? After losing to the Warriors four of the last five postseasons, the Rockets decided it was time to take a big swing last summer, trading Chris Paul, two first-round picks, and two pick swaps to the Oklahoma
A dramatic overhaul seems like it could be coming to the Philadelphia 76ers. The staff of The Step Back put together five of our favorite trade ideas. A disastrous playoff appearance has put the Philadelphia 76ers in a tough spot. They are already looking for a new head coach and trade rumors are beginning to
6:43 PM ET LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Los Angeles Lakers are one win away from going to the NBA Finals for the first time since Kobe Bryant led them past the Boston Celtics a decade ago. So, it was apt when, in describing how the Lakers are tempering their emotions in the moment,
The Denver Nuggets have been the comeback kids of the NBA Playoff bubble, but the Los Angeles Lakers are looking to take their lunch money. From the mostly blank spaces at the top of their jerseys to the hope-crushing defeats of their previous playoff opponents, the Los Angeles Lakers are in Orlando for business. They
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 03: Isaiah Thomas #4 of the Washington Wizards looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Capital One Arena on February 03, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the
6:51 AM ET DWYANE WADE SPENT just one season playing alongside Jimmy Butler in Chicago, but that was all that was needed to form a deep — and familiar — impression. “He’s a Heat guy,” Wade later told Erik Spoelstra, the coach of Wade’s longtime franchise, the Miami Heat. Spoelstra probably didn’t need the future
(Photo credit should read RHONA WISE/AFP via Getty Images) Bam Adebayo says his twisted wrist is fine by Mike Luciano A new episode of the Over and Back podcast celebrates the NBA’s conference finals with a look at fan favorites to suit up for the Heat, Celtics, Lakers and Nuggets. The NBA’s conference finals are
2:44 AM ET LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — If Jamal Murray was going add yet another comeback victory to the Denver Nuggets’ dream postseason run, he was going to have to go through LeBron James to do so. With the Los Angeles Lakers clinging to a four-point lead with just more than five minutes remaining
It doesn’t sound possible, but did you know that the crazy NBA summer of 2019 was, in fact, over a year ago? Wildly, in any normal, non-pandemic season, it all would have been over three months ago and, usually, media days would be right around the corner, but not this time. The 2019-20 NBA season
In this week’s NBA Power Rankings, Tyler Herro’s stock is rising, Jamal Murray is feeding a wolf and the non-traditional big man is having a moment. 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
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. So many players have changed their reputations in the NBA Bubble, taking leaps and making statements about ceilings raised. And perhaps no trio has forced more perceptual change
8:50 PM ET LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Dwight Howard will start at center for Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, the Los Angeles Lakers announced shortly before tipoff Thursday. Howard replaced JaVale McGee in the first unit to begin the second half of Game 3. L.A. leads the Denver Nuggets 2-1 in the
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Trevor Bauer shatters the perception of pitchers on short rest by David Salituro Tyler Herro’s Game 4 explosion spawned a million terrible puns and moved the Heat one step closer to an NBA Finals berth. Tyler Herro is a wispy mustache and a bottomless fountain of swagger. He’s Scott
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo added to his playoff legend on Tuesday night, passing Kobe Bryant on an impressive career leaderboard. Los Angeles point guard Rajon Rondo moved into ninth place on the career playoff assists leaderboard on Tuesday night, passing Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and adding to the mystique of “Playoff Rondo”
Kristaps Porzingis, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) Celtics complete first-round sweep of 76ers by Scott Rogust 4 fights fans should be looking forward to in September & October by Chad Porto Kristaps Porzingis will not play for the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Though Luka Doncic is good to go on Sunday
6:44 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN THE NIGHT BEFORE the Denver Nuggets faced the LA Clippers in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals, backup guard Monte Morris had another Los Angeles team on his mind. He was on a FaceTime call with childhood friend Kyle Kuzma, whose Los Angeles Lakers had already punched their ticket
12:37 AM ET The 2020 playoffs have been a showcase of shocking comebacks, ungodly individual exploits and buzzer-beaters, and beautiful team performances. But not every postseason game can be a work of art. Those instant classics linger in our memory, but every team that advances to the NBA Finals trudges its way through a bog
AUBURN HILLS, UNITED STATES: Isiah Thomas (Photo credit should read JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images) Cubs not shutting down Kris Bryant for the season just yet by Mark Powell Isiah Thomas doesn’t think Michael Jordan or LeBron James is the GOAT. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas finally made his feelings on the eternal NBA GOAT
The Bulls made a huge move on Tuesday, hiring Billy Donovan as their next head coach The Bulls have one of the youngest rosters in all of the NBA, and they did not mesh whatsoever with Jim Boylen. Frankly, Boylen wouldn’t have worked with most NBA franchises, as the Association is a star-driven league which
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 11: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) Christian McCaffrey officially hits injured reserve with ankle injury by Steven Kubitza Zach LaVine endorsed Billy Donovan as his next head coach. The Chicago Bulls didn’t wait long to announce their new head coach after firing Jim Boylen,
1:46 PM ET ESPN News Services A Kentucky grand jury on Wednesday indicted one police officer for shooting into neighboring apartments but did not move forward with charges against any officers for their role in Breonna Taylor’s death. A grand jury in Louisville announced that Officer Brett Hankison was charged with three counts of wanton