2:53 AM ET Facing the presumptive MVP of the league, the Portland Trail Blazers approached Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets with a bold strategy: Let Nikola Jokic score. “We want him to score and not get his teammates involved,” Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic said. “When he scores, I think we have a better chance.
NBA
12:51 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Ever since the Brooklyn Nets put together their Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden four months ago, the basketball world has waited to see what these Nets would look like in the playoffs. While it took a bit for the show to get
9:13 PM ET LOS ANGELES — There are a lot of things different inside Staples Center, and all NBA arenas, this season. Cardboard fan cutouts and masks — including for the 7,000 fans allowed in for the LA Clippers‘ 113-103 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western
9:21 PM ET For a player still seeking his first playoff series victory, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has assembled an extraordinary list of postseason performances. Doncic added to it with his 31-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist afternoon to lead the Mavericks to a 113-103 win over the LA Clippers in Saturday’s Game 1 at Staples Center.
9:49 PM ET LOS ANGELES — As Luka Doncic grabbed a defensive rebound in the closing seconds of the Dallas Mavericks‘ Game 1 upset win over the LA Clippers, Mavs team owner Mark Cuban punched the air with his fist in celebration as disappointed Clippers fans filed out of Staples Center. This was not how
7:25 PM ET Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is the focal point of the Bucks‘ attack, but Khris Middleton was the closer for Milwaukee on Saturday in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Miami Heat. Middleton drained a contested, game-winning fadeaway jumper with less than a second remaining in overtime, lifting the Bucks to
6:35 PM ET The 16-team field for the 2021 NBA playoffs is set. The Boston Celtics captured the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Washington Wizards, who took advantage of their second chance and secured the No. 8 seed with a blowout win over the Indiana Pacers. The Los
12:20 PM ET Associated Press Just in time for the playoffs, the NBA told its head coaches Saturday they may work without masks during games if they have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. Assistant coaches and players will still be required to wear masks in the bench area. Head coaches may choose to go
12:50 PM ET After a second surgery in 28 months to repair his right quadriceps tendon, Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo could be cleared to return to full-contact basketball as soon as November, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jonathan Glashow told ESPN. Glashow performed the procedure on May 13, and he expressed surprise that Oladipo had even
3:39 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — After the Golden State Warriors failed to qualify for the postseason for the second consecutive season, forward Draymond Green acknowledged the organization is “a ways away” from getting back into title contention after a disappointing 117-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night in the final play-in game
2:50 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was found to be in breach of the NBA’s health and safety protocols this week, a league spokesperson told ESPN on Friday night. James was one of several high-profile guests present at a promotional event for Lobos 1707, a tequila brand he backs,
1:15 AM ET Brianna Williams Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print Ja Morant was “on his grizzly” as he led the Memphis Grizzlies to a playoff spot with a win over league MVP finalist Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Read more: Lessons from the wildest NBA season on record The 21-year-old put
12:23 AM ET The 2020-21 NBA playoffs are finally here. And this thing is as wide open as ever. The Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards survived the play-in tournament and are now among the 16 teams still vying for an NBA championship. Here’s everything you need to know about each
12:00 AM ET NBA Insiders All eight NBA playoffs first-round matchups are set — and the quest to 16 wins can now officially begin. The defending champion Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a unique position as the betting favorite in their series against the Phoenix Suns while being the No. 7 seed. The Brooklyn
12:18 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — The Memphis Grizzlies are headed to the playoffs because Ja Morant delivered in the biggest moment of his young career. The 21-year-old scored 35 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out six assists in a thrilling 117-112 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors. The win not only gave
11:59 PM ET The 2021 NBA playoffs are here. After a thrilling four days of play-in tournament action, the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds are set in each conference. Which play-in survivors will build off their momentum and secure an opening-round upset? Which title contenders will blitz through to the conference semifinals? Keep it here
9:56 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Friends since their high school days and former USA Basketball teammates and NBA Players Association leadership members together, LeBron James and Chris Paul are about to go against each other in the playoffs for the first time in their storied careers. “It’s going to be comparable to playing against
6:31 PM ET Brianna Williams Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images When it comes to our favorite teams, we all like to consider ourselves superfans. However, there’s one man who can actually claim ownership of that title. His name is Nav Bhatia and he roots for the Toronto Raptors. Bhatia, also known as the Superfan,