4:21 AM ET DENVER — Paul Millsap scored inside while being fouled, then did something he doesn’t do very often. The calm and often emotionless veteran flexed both of his muscles. After four games of both teams playing virtually even basketball across the board, the Denver Nuggets followed Millsap’s lead and muscled their way past
Have you heard the quiet whispers? The low murmuring of concern that, when it comes to the playoffs, Kyle Lowry might not be up for the challenge. If so, take that wad of cotton out of your ears because it’s more of a deafening roar than a quiet whisper. Kyle Lowry, ostensibly Toronto’s second-best player,
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 15: Head coach Tyronn Lue (L) of the Cleveland Cavaliers talks with LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers after a quarterfinal game of the 2018 NBA Summer League between the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Magic Johnson’s sudden resignation as Lakers team president took a lot of people by surprise, now including LeBron James. With a clear eye on pursuits outside of basketball as his career winds down, LeBron James coming to the Los Angeles Lakers can’t really be credited to the salesmanship or megawatt smile of Magic Johnson. But
10:15 PM ET DENVER — A shaken Michael Malone pleaded for something to change after a school shooting that left one student dead took place at a Highlands Ranch public charter school in his Denver suburban community. The Denver Nuggets coach was upset, with his eyes beginning to well up, while talking about the latest
8:18 AM ET “IF YOU’RE GOING to go get it, go get it,” Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry thinks to himself, in what must be one of the NBA’s more revealing internal monologues. “Finish the game off.” When the shot leaves Kawhi Leonard‘s hands, nine players on the floor stand closer to the basket than
The Bucks firmly took control of their series with the Celtics, battering them in the paint and winning Game 4 decisively. After Game 1, it seemed like the Celtics might have found a strategy to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo. Al Horford played fantastic defense and the rest of the team was dialed in, packing the
It’s been a common theme during the Warriors run of dominance — claims that the refs typically favor them. Now, there may be data that backs that up. Throughout the Golden State Warriors run of dominance, haters of the team and their opponents have long argued that the refs have favored the defending back-to-back champions.
The Houston Rockets came home after Game 2 with their backs against the wall. They now head to Game 5 feeling like it’s their series to lose. It’s impossible to know so soon after the fact, but if every NBA postseason is a series of sliding door moments, it’s a decent bet that Game 4
3:19 AM ET HOUSTON — The Golden State Warriors say they’re not worried about their postseason future, despite the fact that after losing Game 4 to the Houston Rockets 112-108 on Monday night they find themselves tied 2-2 in a hard-fought Western Conference semifinal series. After winning three of the past four NBA championships and
With the 2019 NBA Draft Combine coming up, it’s time to recalibrate our big board once again now that we know the full draft entry list. Figuring out what to value in the 2019 NBA Draft class has been more difficult than it has been in past years. Most years follow a pretty typical pattern
Each week, four of Basketball Insiders’ top writers will break down the latest news and notes surrounding the 2019 NBA Draft. Each week you’ll see an updated mock draft that reflects how each writer sees the draft landscape based on the latest news, workouts, and information from the pre-draft process as well as a notebook,
OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 28: James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets looks onGS/ during Game One of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is
OAKLAND, CA – APRIL 13: DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before Game One of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the LA Clippers on April 13, 2019 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph,
8:46 PM ET ESPN.com Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The Met Gala was the place to be seen Monday night, as stars of stage and screen showed off their outfits on the red carpet for the annual fundraiser. The sports world was well represented at the even, as athletes such as Tom Brady,
The Charlotte Hornets are approaching an offseason with one big decision they have very little control over, and a bunch of little ones they have more ability to control. Here are the five things they need to achieve over the course of those decisions: After a season that began promisingly, the Charlotte Hornets hit a
Monday’s DraftKings slate: 7 p.m. ET: Milwaukee at Boston9:30 p.m. ET: Golden State at Houston My favorite plays of the day can be found on the following slides in FanSided’s DraftKings daily picks. Each day in order to offer a variety of price points at each position, you can find two slides for each position–one for
DETROIT, MI – APRIL 20: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Detroit Pistons during Game Three of Round One of the 2019 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph,
The Detroit Pistons hit their ceiling, getting swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Milwaukee Bucks. What do they need to do this offseason to take the next step? The Pistons got a stunning, career-season from Blake Griffin and still struggled to lock down a playoff spot until the final days
10:51 AM ET HOUSTON — Last summer, while the basketball world reacted with shock, awe and frustration when the Golden State Warriors signed DeMarcus Cousins, it was easy to miss just what sort of gamble was being taken. Not just a wager that Cousins would get and stay healthy — ultimately, he wasn’t able to
The Denver Nuggets have defended the 3-point line at a high level all season, and they’ll need to keep it up against the Portland Trail Blazers. After losing their 2017-18 regular season finale and missing the playoffs, the Denver Nuggets went 54-28 and earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this year. The
PORTLAND, OR – MAY 5: Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets prays with teammates before the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, May 5, 2019. The Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers game four of their second round NBA playoff series at the Moda Center in Portland. (Photo by AAron
1:07 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — When he stepped out of the locker room, Damian Lillard adjusted his crimson vest and navigated the thin corridor in the belly of the Moda Center en route to the podium for his postgame press conference. The hallway, no more than 10 feet wide, is packed with people postgame
PHILADELPHIA, PA – MAY 5: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 5, 2019 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this
9:28 PM ET PHILADELPHIA — Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard added to his historic postseason run with 39 points and 14 rebounds in the Raptors’ 101-96 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinals. The series, now tied 2-2, returns to Toronto for Game 5 on Tuesday. “Kawhi is dominant,
Each week, four of Basketball Insiders’ top writers will break down the latest news and notes surrounding the 2019 NBA Draft. Each week you’ll see an updated mock draft that reflects how each writer sees the draft landscape based on the latest news, workouts, and information from the pre-draft process as well as a notebook,
The Cavaliers are one season into a lengthy rebuild to return to relevance. What do they need to accomplish in this first offseason? After four consecutive 50-win seasons with and NBA Finals appearances, the Cavaliers unsurprisingly dropped off in their first season-post LeBron. They fired coach Ty Lue after six games and finished the year
8:02 AM ET DENVER — NIKOLA JOKIC is sitting on a leather couch in the Denver Nuggets‘ player lounge, an ice pack attached to his right side. There’s a five-inch scar that runs across the top of his left arm near his shoulder and several other claw marks that come in all different sizes and
The Houston Rockets finally broke through, beating the Golden State Warriors in overtime in Game 3 and getting a toehold in their second-round series. The Rockets have had some things go right in the first two games of this series but ultimately came up empty both times. With the series shifting back to Houston, and
3:02 AM ET HOUSTON — One of the enigmas that demonstrates the historic greatness of the Golden State Warriors is when their star players have a slump. It is both concerning for the Warriors and frightening for opponents. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have not been themselves in the high-stakes Western Conference semifinal series with