NBA

8:35 PM ET Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul is listed by the team as probable for Game 3 against the LA Clippers. Meanwhile, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday’s game in Los Angeles. He hasn’t played since June 14 because of a sprained right knee. Paul has been in the league’s

7:26 PM ET ESPN News Services MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich have often spoken of how much they enjoy coaching against one another. This summer, they’re teaming up — to coach with, and against, one another. Spoelstra has accepted an invitation to join the USA Basketball coaching staff for its Olympic preparations in

4:03 PM ET USA Basketball finalized its star-laden roster for the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, getting pledges from Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant, while Brooklyn Nets star James Harden had to withdraw because of a hamstring injury, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN. The team will be

2:50 PM ET The Boston Celtics are finalizing an agreement to hire Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka as their new coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Udoka spent the 2020-21 season on Steve Nash’s staff with the Nets. Prior to that, he spent one season with the Philadelphia 76ers and seven years under coach Gregg

7:00 AM ET The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t reached the NBA Finals since 1974. The Atlanta Hawks haven’t been there since 1961. One of those droughts is ending soon. In an unexpected Eastern Conference finals showdown, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s Bucks are pinned against Trae Young‘s Hawks. While Milwaukee is favored to win the series, Atlanta

7:00 AM ET Will this magical run by the Atlanta Hawks end here in the NBA playoffs, or will Trae Young & Co. pull off yet another upset against the Milwaukee Bucks? It’s an Eastern Conference matchup no one predicted, with the upstart Hawks — famously 14-20 before naming Nate McMillan the interim head coach

3:18 AM ET PHOENIX — Deandre Ayton couldn’t stop smiling after the Phoenix Suns‘ 104-103 win on Tuesday gave them a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference finals over the LA Clippers. The big man wore a permagrin as he basked in the joy that came from dunking home the go-ahead bucket in the game’s

2:39 AM ET With the play drawn up and ready to go, right before they broke their huddle, Monty Williams’ last message to his team was simple. “Execute it,” he said. “If he throws it, DA, you’ve got to, like, try to dunk it. OK?” Williams was talking to Deandre Ayton, telling his third-year big

12:04 AM ET Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso was arrested and released on Tuesday for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to Texas A&M police. Both are misdemeanor charges. Lt. Bobby Richardson of the Texas A&M Police Department told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that around 2 p.m. Central Time, Caruso tried to board a

10:00 PM ET Tory BarronESPN Editor Close Tory Barron is a Bristol-based writer and editor for ESPN.com. After retiring from playing lacrosse at UConn, the DC native decided to try her hand at writing about people playing sports. One minute the Detroit Pistons are being duped by Blake Griffin, the next they have secured the

10:35 PM ET Dave McMenamin Close ESPN Staff Writer Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 PHOENIX — There

9:47 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Vanessa Bryant, widow of the late NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant, has agreed to settle a lawsuit against the pilot and owners of the helicopter that crashed last year, killing the Los Angeles Lakers legend, the Bryants’ daughter, Gianna, and seven others. Vanessa Bryant, her children

8:58 PM ET The Detroit Pistons won Tuesday night’s NBA draft lottery and the right to pick No. 1 in the 2021 draft. The Pistons will be followed by the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers, with the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic rounding out the top five. The Rockets (17-55), Pistons (20-52) and Magic (21-51)

3:39 PM ET Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul has declined an invitation to play for Team USA in the Summer Olympics, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. USA Basketball had known that Paul was trending toward this decision for several days, sources said. The Suns are in the Western Conference finals against the LA Clippers,

12:13 PM ET ESPN News Services Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love have committed to joining Team USA’s 12-man roster for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Excel Basketball agent Mike Lindeman told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Middleton will be making his first Olympic appearance after playing for Team USA in the

12:48 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Less than two days after his Philadelphia 76ers were bounced out of the playoffs by losing Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Atlanta Hawks on their home court, team president Daryl Morey was emphatic in his belief that the level of negativity that surrounds the franchise

7:00 AM ET The 2021 NBA draft lottery drawing will be unveiled Tuesday night at 8:30 ET on ESPN. The ultimate prize is believed to be the right to select Oklahoma State star Cade Cunningham at No. 1, but inclusion in what NBA evaluators believe could be a historically strong top-5 is a much-coveted circumstance

7:39 PM ET PHOENIX — The LA Clippers will once again be without Kawhi Leonard in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday and could be missing another top defender in Marcus Morris as well. Clippers coach Ty Lue said on Monday that Leonard remains out with a sprained