8:13 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — After having had a day off to digest his team’s season-opening loss to the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Russell Westbrook‘s debut wasn’t nearly as dreadful as it seemed. “[Westbrook played] pretty good,” Vogel said after practice Thursday when asked how the Lakers’
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4:00 PM ET Eric MoodyESPN Who is trending up? Which rotations are changing? What’s the latest with the notable injuries around the NBA? Here’s a look around the league at the most fantasy relevant news and notes for all 30 teams: Atlanta Hawks: Lou Williams is questionable for Thursday’s game against the Mavericks with left
2:28 PM ET Ben Simmons did not take part in a scheduled individual workout at the Philadelphia 76ers‘ practice facility Thursday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It is unclear whether Simmons, who was suspended by the 76ers for Wednesday’s season-opening, 117-97 win over the New Orleans Pelicans for conduct detrimental to the team, will play
1:16 PM ET PHILADELPHIA — Eagles center Jason Kelce has some advice for 76ers guard Ben Simmons: “Just play better, man.” Speaking on the relationship between Philadelphia fans and its professional athletes Thursday, Kelce turned the conversation toward Simmons, saying his issues boil down to a lack of accountability. “I tell guys, you write your
10:46 AM ET ESPN News Services Boston Celtics games have been pulled off Chinese media after center Enes Kanter tweeted a two-minute video of himself expressing support for Tibet and wore shoes with the phrase “Free Tibet” on them during Wednesday night’s game against the New York Knicks. “I’m here to add my voice and
7:00 AM ET Haralabos Voulgaris, the former Dallas Mavericks director of quantitative research and development who became a polarizing figure within the organization as his decision-making influence increased, compared the franchise’s dysfunction during his tenure to “high school drama.” Voulgaris discussed in depth the franchise’s internal issues — particularly the tension between him and longtime
8:00 AM ET Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Ohm Youngmisuk Close ESPN Staff Writer Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly
12:23 AM ET When the NBA’s 2021-22 schedule was released, fans of the incoming rookie class could circle Wednesday night as their first chance to see the top six picks from the 2021 NBA draft in action in the regular season. At least that was the plan, until Cade Cunningham suffered an ankle injury in
1:02 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — When the Knicks took a four-point lead with nine seconds to go in Wednesday night’s season opener against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden, it appeared the home team was on the verge of a feel-good win to start Kemba Walker‘s Knicks career. It turned out
12:43 AM ET NEW ORLEANS — After a stressful day Tuesday with Ben Simmons being tossed out of practice and then suspended, the Philadelphia 76ers players gathered for a team dinner after flying to New Orleans in an effort to clear the air. After laughing and getting their minds off basketball for a few hours,
12:19 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN DETROIT, Mich. — Chicago All-Star guard Zach LaVine got the new-look Bulls off to a flying start this season by dropping 34 points, seven rebounds and four assists to lead them past the Detroit Pistons, 94-88, in their opener on Wednesday night. After igniting a third-quarter rally with 15 of
4:32 PM ET Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — – Jim Boylen has been picked to coach USA Basketball next month in the first window of qualifying for the 2023 Basketball World Cup. Boylen’s team will be composed primarily of G League players, and the roster is yet to be finalized. The team will train
2:16 PM ET NEW ORLEANS — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said the typical fun that surrounds opening day is muted with star point guard Ben Simmons back home under team suspension as his trade demand has kept the team dealing with drama. “It’s a predicament that we’re in and that part is no fun.
1:41 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Oct. 8, will be in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s opener against the New York Knicks, coach Ime Udoka said. Brown, who had been listed as questionable on Tuesday afternoon, said he had “some mild symptoms
12:19 PM ET Good morning. Welcome to the morning of a thousand overreactions. (Most will be about Russell Westbrook. We will do our best to avoid.) The 2021 NBA fantasy off-season lasted about 48-72 hours. (Up from 2020’s 48-72 minutes.) We have plenty of data points, hot takes and preseason observations to lend us a
12:31 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has agreed to a two-year extension worth $30.1 million, agents Aaron Mintz, Mitch Nathan and Drew Morrison of CAA Basketball told ESPN on Wednesday. Valanciunas, who had one year left on his contract after being traded to New Orleans this offseason, is now tied
8:00 AM ET Who will win the biggest awards for the 2021-22 NBA season? Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up where he left off on opening night, pouring in 32 points with 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Is a third MVP in his future or will another superstar take home the award? Could we see a repeat
8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN KEMBA WALKER‘S FIRST basket in a New York Knicks uniform was a simple one. A couple minutes into New York’s preseason opener at Madison Square Garden against the Indiana Pacers, Walker had the ball at the top of the key. He then executed a give-and-go with Julius Randle, darted around