10:11 AM ET I recently attended the world premiere of the movie “Sweetwater” with my wife, Ann, children Joe and Chamy and her husband, Michael. We thought it would be great, we hoped it would be great, and it exceeded our expectations. Everett Osborne, the actor who plays Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, is outstanding. Jeremy Piven
NBA
9:46 AM ET The Milwaukee Bucks are the favorite to win the NBA title entering the playoffs, but two Western Conference teams have the potential to be more costly for sportsbooks. The Bucks are the consensus betting favorite, listed at +275 at Caesars Sportsbook. The Boston Celtics are next at +325, and the Phoenix Suns
7:00 AM ET The NBA playoffs tip off Saturday with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks entering the postseason as the +275 betting favorites. That is tied for the longest odds for the betting favorite entering the postseason since 2000, making this a wide-open playoffs on paper. The 4-seed Phoenix Suns are favored to win the West,
6:18 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has been cleared to play in Game 1 of the team’s first-round series against the Sacramento Kings. “Andrew looks great, feeling good and is ready to go,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after practice Thursday afternoon. Wiggins hasn’t played since Feb.
6:38 PM ET Associated Press INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Cleveland Cavaliers will likely have their defensive stopper back for their first-round playoff matchup against the New York Knicks. Isaac Okoro, who missed the final six games of the regular season with a sore left knee, took part in some contact portions of practice on Thursday
5:11 PM ET Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS — – Rudy Gobert rejoined the Minnesota Timberwolves Thursday after a team-imposed suspension for their first play-in game, but lingering back trouble has compromised his status for the second one. Gobert was dismissed from the arena Sunday after throwing a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson in an argument in
5:05 PM ET Associated Press Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has filed a countersuit against the teenager suing the two-time All-Star, accusing the teen of slander, battery and assault over a pickup basketball game at Morant’s home last July. The lawsuit filed Wednesday night in Shelby County Circuit Court accuses Joshua Holloway, whose lawsuit
2:55 PM ET After orchestrating one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the league in years and ending a 16-year playoff absence, Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown has been voted the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The award, named in honor of late NBCA executive director Michael
3:41 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — – Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says Khris Middleton practiced fully Thursday as the three-time All-Star works his way back from a sore right knee and prepares for the playoffs. Middleton hasn’t played since the injury caused him to exit an April 5 victory over the Chicago Bulls.
1:09 PM ET ESPN News Services Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet plans to take his time making a decision on his contract option. One day after the Raptors were eliminated from the play-in tournament in a home loss to the Chicago Bulls, VanVleet said Thursday he’s not rushing the call on whether to stay in
10:56 AM ET California high school guard A.J. Johnson, a projected 2024 NBA draft lottery pick, told ESPN on Thursday that he has decommitted from the Texas Longhorns and signed a deal with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League in Australia. Johnson, a 6-foot-6 senior at the Southern California Academy, is the highest-profile
9:00 AM ET The NBA playoffs have arrived and that also means some bettors will make their first wager of the season. So what’s the best approach? Handicapping the regular season is an acquired taste and not for the weak-minded. It requires discipline, dedication and tolerance to stomach load management and other variables. Many recreational
11:59 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN TORONTO – As Fred VanVleet stepped up to the free throw line with 52 seconds remaining in the third quarter of Wednesday’s play-in game between the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors, the home crowd went silent as the Raptors guard took a few hard dribbles and spun the ball in
12:46 AM ET Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander highlighted his 32-point night with a go-ahead baseline jumper and four clutch free throws in the final 29 seconds, the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-118 on Wednesday night to remain alive in the Western Conference play-in tournament. Josh Giddey had 31
10:11 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — Zach LaVine scored 39 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 against his former team and the Chicago Bulls overcame a 19-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 109-105 in a play-in tournament game Wednesday night. The Bulls will visit the Miami Heat on Friday night for the chance to
6:14 PM ET Associated Press Philadelphia officials have announced “an independent and comprehensive evaluation” of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ proposal to build a $1.3 billion sports arena next to the city’s Chinatown neighborhood, an idea that has drawn strong opposition from some Chinatown residents and leaders. Mayor Jim Kenney on Wednesday called the proposal announced last
3:51 PM ET PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — As Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant prepare to face each other in a playoff series for the first time, Westbrook says there is no animosity between him and his former Oklahoma City teammate. Westbrook and Durant will be reunited on the floor when the LA Clippers face the
10:13 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA sent a memo to its league office staff Tuesday instructing them to reduce expenses and limit hiring for the remainder of the fiscal year because of economic constraints, sources confirmed to ESPN. “Like other businesses in the US and globally, the league office is not immune to macroeconomic