NBA

12:00 AM ET The 2020-21 NBA playoffs — and play-in! — are finally here. And this thing is as wide open as ever. But before we lock in the full 16-team field, here’s a look at the first round of the play-in tournament, during which two teams from each conference will secure the Nos. 7

7:00 AM ET NBA Insiders A season after winning an NBA championship in the bubble, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in the NBA’s play-in round, needing to win a game just to reach the postseason. The Golden State Warriors, who bounced back after a dismal, injury-plagued 2019-20 to put themselves in a position to

1:03 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Toronto Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said Wednesday that his decision on whether to re-sign with the franchise this offseason will be determined by conversations he is set to have with the team’s ownership in the coming weeks. “Everybody says, ‘Blank check, blank check,’ but I’m not as

9:06 AM ET Fortnite and the NBA are teaming up in a significant virtual collaboration. Dubbed “Fortnite x NBA: The Crossover,” the event coincides with the start of the 2021 NBA postseason. On Friday, players will be able to equip NBA outfits for all 30 teams, and on May 25th can visit a “NBA Welcome

1:38 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Bradley Beal has seen plenty of impressive performances from Jayson Tatum on a basketball court since the two were kids growing up together in St. Louis. But after Tatum scored 50 points to lead his Boston Celtics past Beal’s Washington Wizards with a 118-100 victory Tuesday night, giving

8:22 PM ET As the Golden State Warriors get set for Wednesday’s play-in game against the Los Angeles Lakers, they do so enjoying the underdog role they haven’t been able to embrace since Stephen Curry and Draymond Green won their first NBA championship during the 2014-15 season. After years of entering postseason games as the

May 15, 2021 The season has been a slog for the Boston Celtics. There was a spate of COVID-related absences that shut down practice for a stretch, a knee injury that hampered Kemba Walker, nine straight games missed by key mid-season acquisition Evan Fournier, and finally a devastating season-ending injury to Jaylen Brown. The Celtics

10:26 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Down a key player, the Indiana Pacers wanted to make sure they still came out with the right intensity for Tuesday night’s play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets in Indianapolis. Not only did the Pacers accomplish that goal, they maintained that intensity for 48 minutes as they drubbed the Hornets

9:38 PM ET LA Clippers coach Ty Lue said he doesn’t “give a damn” if anyone thinks his team purposely tanked the final two games of the regular season to drop to the fourth seed in an attempt to avoid the possibility of playing the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

7:37 PM ET LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers‘ defense, ranked No. 1 in the NBA during the regular season, will be tested by the league’s leading scorer, Stephen Curry, right away to begin the postseason in Wednesday’s play-in tournament game against the Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET, ESPN). “We know who the

3:51 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Bucks reserve forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo will miss the start of the playoffs after suffering an avulsion fracture to his right patella tendon in his team’s regular-season finale. Bucks officials said Tuesday that he will be out for at least two weeks and would be evaluated again at that

Los Angeles Lakers defense braces for Golden State Warriors’ ‘head of the snake’ in Stephen Curry The Lakers’ defense, ranked No. 1 in the NBA during the regular season, will be tested by the league’s leading scorer, Stephen Curry, right away to begin the postseason in Wednesday’s play-in tournament game against the Warriors

5:23 PM ET Associate head coach David Vanterpool and assistant coach Bryan Gates won’t be returning to new coach Chris Finch’s staff with the Minnesota Timberwolves next season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday. Finch was hired midseason to replace Ryan Saunders, who had hired Vanterpool and Gates. Vanterpool had received support from several

4:21 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Upon further review, Indiana’s Myles Turner is the NBA’s blocked-shot champion for this season. The NBA said Tuesday that Turner will be recognized as the winner in that category, even though he did not play in the required 70% of games that are typically needed for someone

2:34 PM ET Associated Press The next big decision that Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry makes won’t be the one that decides his NBA future. His Olympic future will be settled first. Lowry — who will be one of the top free agents on the market this summer — said Tuesday that he is considering

12:27 PM ET Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert has entered the league’s health and safety protocol and is out for Tuesday night’s play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets. LeVert, who is out for the next 10 to 14 days, is averaging 24.8 points, 7.4 assists and 4.9 rebounds over the past 10 games. This is

12:20 PM ET Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams has been voted as the National Basketball Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. The league’s 30 head coaches vote on the award, which was named in honor of late NBCA executive director, Michael Goldberg. Williams resurrected the Suns’ floundering franchise, leading Phoenix

7:00 AM ET The 2021 NBA postseason officially tips off Tuesday with the play-in tournament followed by the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. After a thrilling end of the regular season with seeds finally decided on the last day, the Charlotte Hornets and the Indiana Pacers will start things on Tuesday in the