Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images The New Orleans Pelicans have been a massive disappointment in the NBA bubble. Heading into the NBA restart, the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers felt like the biggest threats to steal the Memphis Grizzlies’ playoff spot. Thanks to rules stipulating that the ninth-place team would force a play-in
7:21 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The first double-overtime game inside the NBA’s bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort, a thrilling 134-132 victory for the Denver Nuggets over the Utah Jazz, was overshadowed by a pair of clock operation malfunctions at the end of the first overtime period. The first
Glen Taylor, Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Glen Taylor plans to sell the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves franchise. After 25 years, Glen Taylor has decided he’s had enough owning the Minnesota Timberwolves. According to Scott Soshnick of Sportico, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has hired Raine to explore a sale of the NBA franchise.” Soshnick reports the offers
12:00 PM ET After a career game on Thursday against the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trail Blazers reserve wing Gary Trent Jr. sat on a stool a day later in front of a widescreen TV doing his media Zoom, talking about his development, his improvement, his progression, his confidence. It was an extended media session for
Dale Tallon’s reign of error with the Florida Panthers is finally over by Griffin Youngs Terri Harper and Natasha Jonas battle to draw in incredible fight by Jeremy C. Herriges Joel Embiid can lead the 76ers to an NBA Title. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) Joel Embiid is coming out with his own signature shoe.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 04: Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot #9 and Rodions Kurucs #00 of the Brooklyn Nets (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) The Brooklyn Nets shocked the Milwaukee Bucks. The Brooklyn Nets knew they’d be heading to Orlando without the services of four of their five best players in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre
Photo by Kim Klement-Pool/Getty Images The Milwaukee Bucks secured the 1-seed out East with a big comeback win. It was only a matter of time before the Milwaukee Bucks officially secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, given that they entered the NBA restart with a massive lead over the rest of the
12:52 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Boston Celtics might have played their best game of the 2019-20 season Friday, beating the Toronto Raptors 122-100 in a result that was even more lopsided than the final score would indicate. But afterward, Celtics coach Brad Stevens wasn’t about to take any victory
Free agency is always a fun time for the NBA and its fans, but particularly so in 2020. Most free agents have usually earned their next deal by the 65th game of any given season – but this year is far from typical. Instead, the NBA has returned, sans its eight worst teams, meaning that
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 08: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Washington Wizards in the first half at Capital One Arena on March 08, 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 terms
Mookie Betts injures middle finger and if that isn’t a joke waiting to happen … by Steven Kubitza Rafael Devers crushes a jaw-dropping moonshot homer vs. Yankees (Video) by John Buhler Fantasy Basketball Draft: FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – OCTOBER 3: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat looks on during Training Camp on October 3,
8:52 PM ET LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — With his team off to an 0-4 start in the NBA bubble and his daughter, Kaari Jaidyn, celebrating her first birthday hundreds of miles away, Memphis Grizzlies rookie standout Ja Morant called his parents with an admission Friday morning. “I wasn’t in a good mood at all,”
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images 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. Just over a week into the NBA bubble experience, the league’s restart has been surprisingly high-quality. Aside from the vast majority of
Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images The Memphis Grizzlies have a slight Dillon Brooks problem so far in the bubble. There’s no way around it: Dillon Brooks has been brutal for the Memphis Grizzlies in their first two seeding games so far. And while two games is an admittedly microscopic sample size, both contests were extremely
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 05: Ja Morant #12 and head coach Taylor Jenkins of the Memphis Grizzlies look on against the Utah Jazz during the second half at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 5, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges
7:10 AM ET Here are 10 things I like and don’t like from the NBA restart: 1. The champs’ defense: the most exciting nerd thing in the NBA Nick Nurse’s funky zones get the attention, but Toronto’s base defense is one of the best night-to-night shows in the NBA. The Raptors in full flight are
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 15: Basketball star LeBron James takes a photo prior to the Barclays Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on October 15, 2011 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Just after debuting a new look for 2020, LeBron James repped his support for Liverpool. It was
LOS ANGELES, – APRIL 09: Staples Center is illuminated in blue lights during the coronavirus pandemic on April 09, 2020 in Los Angeles, United States. Landmarks and buildings across the nation are displaying blue lights to show support for health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by
12:12 AM ET NBA Insiders The first eight days of NBA seeding games have given us a lot of highlights — and not from the stars alone. We asked our writers to identify the up-and-coming players who have caught their eye over the first week-plus. Some of these players have been mainstays already this season,
Tiger Woods has promising start at 2020 PGA Championship by Steven Kubitza Montrezl Harrell expected to join LA Clippers next week by Steven Kubitza Charles Barkley. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images for The Match) Charles Barkley just asked the question all of us were too embarrassed to raise The NBA’s latest innovative idea of essentially
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 01: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on against the Houston Rockets at Barclays Center on November 01, 2019 in New York City. 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
Charles Barkley needed help understanding how virtual fans work (Video) by Mark Powell Montrezl Harrell, #5, LA Clippers, (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) Montrezl Harrell is expected back with the LA Clippers soon. Montrezl Harrell has been away from the LA Clippers for two weeks due to the passing of his grandmother. While the
7:32 PM ET Tim Bontemps LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — After the Milwaukee Bucks came back from a 23-point deficit against the Miami Heat on Thursday to claim a 130-116 victory and clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked whether Miami was the biggest threat to stop the Bucks
Free agency is always a fun time for the NBA and its fans, but particularly so in 2020. Most free agents have usually earned their next deal by the 65th game of any given season – but this year is far from typical. Instead, the NBA has returned, sans its eight worst teams, meaning that
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images The Indiana Pacers won’t be contending for a title in Orlando, but they still won’t be an easy out in the 2020 NBA Playoffs. The Indiana Pacers have been a difficult team to peg in recent years, mostly because injury woes have sapped them of their true dark horse potential.
Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Just like everyone expected, Indiana Pacers wing T.J. Warren is the early NBA bubble MVP. Two or three games is a tiny sample size. In other circumstances, in the wake of a normal, 82-game season, it’d almost be negligible. But these are not normal times, and the NBA restart in
7:05 AM ET IN THE DAYS leading up to the NBA’s Florida reboot, New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick contemplated what provisions to bring for a stay in the Orlando bubble that would last at least five weeks. He initially focused only on the necessities and packed light. Then on July 8, once he arrived
Gregg Popovich calls Nikola Jokic ‘a reincarnation of Larry Bird’ by Steven Kubitza LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA – AUGUST 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers kneels during the national anthem prior to the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August
James Harden, #13, Houston Rockets, (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) In this week’s NBA Power Rankings, no one can defend DeWanna Bonner. Except maybe James Harden? 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
Eric Gordon, #10, Houston Rockets, (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) The West is home to many of the NBA‘s brightest stars, but the contributions of role players could tilt the scales of a tightly-packed conference. Gordon has missed Houston’s first three games with a left ankle injury, and could remain on the sideline for two