11:37 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Even with history looming as it approached a franchise record win streak, Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams said he tried not to bring it up to his team. But after a 114-103 victory Thursday night over the visiting Detroit Pistons set a franchise mark with 18 consecutive wins, Williams allowed
NBA
10:34 PM ET ESPN News Services MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Grizzlies broke the NBA record for margin of victory on Thursday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 152-79. The 73-point margin easily topped the previous mark, which was Cleveland’s 68-point win over Miami. The Cavaliers topped the Heat 148-80 on Dec. 17, 1991. “Tonight
6:23 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James has been cleared to return to the lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ game against the LA Clippers on Friday after a brief stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the league announced Thursday. James has returned eight negative tests since returning to Los Angeles on
5:25 PM ET Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol and is out indefinitely, the team announced Thursday. Gilgeous-Alexander suffered the concussion after two common fouls late in Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, a game in which he scored a season-high 39 points. There is no timetable
3:02 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Bucks center Brook Lopez has undergone surgery to address the back injury that has kept him from playing since the opening game of the season. The Bucks announced Thursday that Lopez had back surgery earlier that day in Los Angeles. Team officials didn’t provide a timetable for his
2:41 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — Zion Williamson‘s return to the NBA floor has been delayed because of soreness in his surgically repaired right foot, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday afternoon. Williamson was supposed to participate in his first full practice on Thursday but was held out because of the soreness he
10:08 AM ET Associated Press BOSTON — Kevin Love knows the euphoria of sinking a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. But the five-time NBA All-Star has had plenty of lows to offset those highs. “There are days when I don’t want to get out of bed. That’s just the truth,” the Cleveland Cavaliers power forward
1:26 AM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — As Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo charged toward the basket during the closing seconds of a tie game against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, he knew he was going to have to get creative to score. So, Antetokounmpo flipped the ball off the bottom of the glass with
11:26 PM ET ESPN News Services X-rays on the lower back of Karl-Anthony Towns came back negative Wednesday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves star told reporters. Towns had to leave the game with 2:14 remaining after injuring himself on a dunk during the team’s 115-107 loss to the Washington Wizards. Towns scored only two of his
12:28 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid said “it’s going to take awhile” for him to fully round back into form after an extended bout with COVID-19. Embiid had his second straight rough shooting performance in Wednesday’s 88-87 loss to the Boston Celtics. “I would never use it as an
4:44 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard will be reevaluated in 10 days after an MRI confirmed he has lower abdominal tendinopathy, the team announced Wednesday. Lillard sat out Tuesday’s 110-92 win over the Detroit Pistons to manage the injury, which he has been dealing with since playing for Team USA at the
3:07 PM ET Jamal Collier CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls guard Coby White tested positive for COVID-19, coach Billy Donovan announced after practice Wednesday afternoon. White will enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will not travel with the team to New York this week for games against the Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. White is
3:41 PM ET Jeremy WillisESPN.com Maybe Trae Young‘s performance in the Atlanta Hawks‘ first round 2020-21 NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks was enough to sway one voter in New York City. In November’s election, Young received one write-in vote to be New York’s next mayor, according to the New York City Board
3:20 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Miami Heat All-Star center Bam Adebayo will undergo surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, the team announced Wednesday. Sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Adebayo is expected to be out for four to six weeks, which would cause him to miss between 15 to
12:12 PM ET After a four-month investigation, the NBA has punished the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat with the loss of second-round draft picks because of premature discussions into the free agency of guards Lonzo Ball and Kyle Lowry, the league announced Wednesday. Chicago and Miami will lose their next available second-round pick after the
11:07 AM ET Denver Nuggets guards Bones Hyland and Austin Rivers have entered into the league’s health and safety protocols, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday. If they test positive for the virus, they will be away from the team for at least 10 days, which would result in at least six missed games.
7:19 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN There was an air of optimism around the New Orleans Pelicans franchise heading into the 2021-22 season: Zion Williamson was coming off of an All-Star season and Brandon Ingram was a year removed from an All-Star appearance. The Pelicans added Devonte’ Graham and Jonas Valanciunas. The goal was to get
12:15 AM ET NEW YORK — The Knicks‘ Julius Randle and coach Tom Thibodeau walked off the Barclays Center floor on Tuesday night talking to each other and “pissed” at the officiating during their 112-110 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Randle had 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists but went to the line only