NBA

5:18 PM ET MILWAUKEE — Before the Phoenix Suns even arrived in Milwaukee for the biggest game of their lives in Tuesday’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals (9 p.m. ET, ABC), their coach could sense his team’s hangover had cleared from Saturday’s tough loss in Game 5. “When we got on the plane, the

4:10 PM ET LAS VEGAS — Team USA guard Zach LaVine was put into health and safety protocols on Monday and didn’t travel with the rest of the team on its flight to Tokyo for the Olympics. USA Basketball said in a statement that it hoped LaVine would be able to join the team in

5:49 PM ET It did not take Wes Unseld Jr. long to get in touch with Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal. The Washington Wizards‘ newest head coach and the franchise’s backcourt stars all appear to be on the same page with what the team needs to do to take a step forward. “I felt like

5:04 PM ET Associated Press LAS VEGAS — Spain power forward Juancho Hernangomez, who was ruled out of the Tokyo Games earlier this month because of a left shoulder injury, has made the team’s Olympic roster after all. The Spanish federation had said Hernangomez, who plays in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves, would need

9:00 AM ET David Purdum Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPN in 2014 Journalist covering gambling industry since 2008 Doug Kezirian Close ESPN ESPN Sports Betting Analyst Host of Daily Wager Behind The Bets podcast host After the home team won and covered each of the first four NBA Finals games, the Milwaukee Bucks won

11:09 PM ET LAS VEGAS — Team USA built some needed momentum for the Olympics with a quality win over current world champion Spain, 83-76, Sunday night in their final exhibition game before heading to Tokyo. After falling behind by as many as nine points in the first half, Team USA showed off his shooting

2:28 AM ET PHOENIX — Jrue Holiday knows what everyone wants him to do. No one needs to tell him to be more aggressive offensively. Or to keep shooting, that his shots will eventually start falling. “We always kind of throw that out there,” says his father, Shawn Holiday. But Shawn has coached his son

2:14 AM ET PHOENIX — If there ever was a time for Monty Williams to come up with one of the adages he has been heralded for, it was after his Phoenix Suns‘ 123-119 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday. The defeat was Phoenix’s third in a

1:43 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHOENIX — As Suns star Devin Booker drove into the lane inside the final 30 seconds of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night, it felt like it was about to be a storybook moment. The Suns were trailing by one, and Booker — who had already hit

6:08 PM ET ESPN News Services Denver Nuggets wing Will Barton has declined his $14.7 million player option for the 2021-2022 season and will become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. There is a strong interest between the team and Barton to negotiate a new deal once free agency opens in August, sources

6:11 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHOENIX — Milwaukee Bucks guard Thanasis Antetokounmpo entered the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocol Saturday afternoon, and was listed as out for Game 5 of the NBA Finals later that night. Antetokounmpo, the older brother of two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, was not listed on the league’s 1:30

3:58 PM ET Wes Unseld Jr., has agreed to a four-year deal to become the new head coach of the Washington Wizards, sources told ESPN on Saturday. Washington officials completed an agreement with the Denver Nuggets associate head coach and his agent Brian Eflus on Saturday on a long-term deal to replace Scott Brooks, sources

10:07 PM ET PHOENIX — After coming up small in what would have been the biggest win of his career, missing out on taking a 3-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals, Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul went to the tape. Just like Paul and teammate Devin Booker reviewed the film

8:06 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHOENIX — Two days after Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s ridiculous block of Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton‘s dunk attempt late in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals helped save Milwaukee’s season, he still can’t explain exactly how he was able to pull it off. “It’s

7:39 PM ET Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers hired Lloyd Pierce, Ronald Nored, Mike Weinar and Jenny Boucek as assistant coaches for new head coach Rick Carlisle on Friday. Pierce was head coach of the Atlanta Hawks for the past two and a half seasons before he was fired in March. He is

5:51 PM ET LAS VEGAS — Damian Lillard denied a report that he was soon to ask for a trade away from the Portland Trail Blazers but expressed he’s conflicted on the matter and is hoping big changes take him off the fence. “Right now I’m not sure what I’m going to do. What I

6:15 PM ET The Washington Wizards are offering Denver Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld, Jr. the franchise’s head coaching job, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Contract talks will begin tomorrow and those are expected to result in an agreement that’ll make him the franchise’s next head coach, sources tell ESPN. Unseld, who has served as a

2:47 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiSenior NBA Insider Close Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Follow on Twitter Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The NBA and the Players Association have agreed to extend the play-in tournament format through the 2021-2022 season, sources told ESPN on Friday. The NBA Board of Governors