NBA

2:46 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — The Boston Celtics have announced that star forward Jaylen Brown will miss his seventh straight game Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers because of a right hamstring strain. Brown has been out for two weeks, since playing in both halves of a back-to-back the Celtics won in

1:29 PM ET Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Isaiah Thomas is putting on the red, white and blue again. Thomas was announced Friday as an injury replacement for USA Basketball’s team that will open World Cup qualifying play this month in Mexico. The two-time NBA All-Star was added to the roster, along with Justin

1:57 PM ET The NBA has suspended New Orleans Pelicans guard Didi Louzada 25 games without pay for violating the NBA/NBPA’s anti-drug program. Louzada tested positive for drostanolone and testosterone. In a statement to ESPN, Louzada, 22, described the source of unknowingly ingesting the banned substances as an offseason trip back to his Brazilian home

1:07 PM ET Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has been ruled out of Friday night’s home game against the Orlando Magic because of a right shoulder sprain, the team announced. Durant said Sunday that he had been getting treatment on his shooting shoulder but had been playing through the issue. Friday will mark Durant’s first

7:40 AM ET Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Andrew Lopez In a sobering statement about the New Orleans Pelicans‘ season, the team has announced more delays to Zion Williamson‘s return from a broken foot than it has victories this

12:06 AM ET CLEVELAND — The Golden State Warriors have gotten so used to seeing star guard Stephen Curry dominate on so many levels that nothing he does surprises them anymore. The latest example came during Thursday night’s 104-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers — one in which Curry scored 20 of his 40 points

3:23 PM ET With wife Ashley Kerr due to give birth, Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said that he won’t accompany the Thunder on a three-game trip starting Friday in Milwaukee. Assistant coach Dave Bliss will take over as acting head coach. After Friday’s game against the Bucks, the Thunder visit the Boston Celtics on

Nov 18, 2021 Editor’s note: This story was originally published on June 17, 2020. On Thursday, Julius Jones’ death sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole. FOR JULIUS JONES, H Unit has been home for 18 years. He’s on death row, serving time for a crime he maintains he didn’t

2:02 PM ET ESPN News Services OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has commuted the death sentence of condemned inmate Julius Jones, whose case drew the attention of numerous sports figures, such as NBA stars Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin and Trae Young. Stitt commuted Jones’ sentence on Thursday — the date of his scheduled

8:48 AM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News NBA general managers are working to finalize the formation of a professional association that would collectively support executives

7:33 AM ET Bobby Marks The NBA season is a month old, and already we’re seeing the impact of the biggest moves of the offseason. After a run to the NBA Finals, Chris Paul re-signed in Phoenix and has the Suns near the top of the West again. Kyle Lowry went from Toronto to Miami

1:36 AM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — The Bucks are starting to get whole again. Behind a season-high 47 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo, pestering defense from Jrue Holiday and a pair of clutch 3s in the fourth quarter from Khris Middleton — in his first game back after missing the previous eight after testing positive

12:30 AM ET MILWAUKEE — After the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks 109-102 to fall to 8-8 this season, LeBron James opened the door to making his return from an abdominal strain on Friday in Boston. “I hope,” James told ESPN on Wednesday when asked if he would play against

12:54 PM ET Associated Press WASHINGTON — Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard has received a contract extension amid Washington’s fast start to the season. Monumental Sports & Entertainment announced Wednesday that Sheppard and Sashi Brown signed multiyear extensions and received promotions. Sheppard now becomes president and GM of the Wizards. Brown, who has served as

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders Which underperforming teams should hit the panic button? The defending champion Milwaukee Bucks and the team they beat to reach the Finals, the Atlanta Hawks, are both under .500 to start the season. Can the Bucks get healthy and begin a climb toward the top of the Eastern Conference, and

2:05 AM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Staples Center is getting a new name. Starting Christmas Day, it will be Crypto.com Arena. The downtown Los Angeles home of the NBA’s Lakers and Clippers, the NHL’s Kings, and the WNBA’s Sparks will change its name after 22 years of operation, arena owner AEG announced

12:43 AM ET NEW YORK — Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson has been cleared for full contact as he continues his rehab from a torn Achilles suffered in 2020. Thompson, who stayed behind on the Warriors’ four-game East Coast swing with several members of the Warriors’ support staff, has started doing some 5-on-5 work

12:42 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BROOKLYN, N.Y. — After the Brooklyn Nets were routed by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night on their home floor, losing 117-99 to fall to 0-4 this season against the Warriors, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks, Nets coach Steve Nash said his team doesn’t belong in the