NBA

12:50 AM ET When Rookie of the Year frontrunner LaMelo Ball takes the court against LeBron James for the first time in his young career later this week, he says he doesn’t expect to feel any added excitement competing against the 18-year veteran. “I mean, nah,” Ball, 19, told reporters on a videoconference call Tuesday

9:58 PM ET Associated Press Fred VanVleet has been giving out a lot of hugs lately, for the simple fact that he’s thrilled to know the worst of his COVID-19 experience is now over. For the Toronto Raptors, that news couldn’t come quickly enough. VanVleet and three other Raptors — Pascal Siakam, Malachi Flynn and

3:25 PM ET LeBron James has become a partner in the Fenway Sports Group, making the NBA superstar a part owner of the Boston Red Sox, a source has confirmed to ESPN. The Boston Globe first reported Tuesday that James and Maverick Carter — his longtime friend and business partner — are now partners at

6:53 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN The NBA trade market had been quiet in 2021, but the unofficial tipoff to deadline season arrived last week. The Detroit Pistons sent Svi Mykhailiuk and a 2027 second-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Hamidou Diallo. Two lottery-bound teams swapping bench players headed for restricted free

3:22 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Following a 31-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, Warriors star guard Stephen Curry expressed frustration with his team’s recent play, acknowledging it’s time for Golden State to stop having “embarrassing” performances. “We’ve got to play better,” Curry told reporters after the 128-97 defeat. “We have

1:47 AM ET One night after saying he was very concerned about the LA Clippers‘ inconsistent play, Kawhi Leonard made sure his team did not lose back-to-back games for the first time this season. Leonard logged 40 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back and had 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four

12:25 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Don Nelson still can’t believe his luck. The Hall of Fame coach remembers sitting at the 2009 NIT quarterfinals at St. Mary’s College watching a young Davidson guard named Stephen Curry move up and down the floor. While the rest of the world seemed to focus on Curry’s shooting

12:27 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN New York Knicks forward Julius Randle had to be held back by his teammates from confronting Scott Foster after the veteran referee called a travel on him in the final seconds of New York’s 117-112 road loss to the Brooklyn Nets Monday night. “It was a conversation but I think

10:29 PM ET Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley III suffered a fractured left hand in the first half of Monday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, the team announced. The third-year big man exited the game with 2:59 remaining in the first half having already registered 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting, three rebounds and one blocked

7:53 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum is set to return from a left foot fracture on Tuesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. McCollum, who has missed two months with the injury, was not on the team’s injury report for Tuesday’s game. McCollum had gotten off to a blistering start to the season

8:22 PM ET The LA Clippers ruled Serge Ibaka out of Monday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks while he deals with lower back tightness. The Clippers will play the first of consecutive games in Dallas without two starters, as Patrick Beverley (knee soreness) did not make the trip. Ibaka did not return after leaving in

3:10 PM ET The NBA and Utah Jazz‘s joint investigation into allegations by former player Elijah Millsap found no evidence to support a claim that team executive Dennis Lindsey made a racially insensitive comment in an April 2015 meeting, the league said Monday in a statement. “The investigation was unable to establish that the alleged

6:56 AM ET We’re 10 days away from the NBA trade deadline. Which contenders will make a splash heading into March 25? One of the season’s biggest moves has already been made, with the Brooklyn Nets signing Blake Griffin last week after the former All-Star forward agreed to a buyout with the Detroit Pistons. The

1:44 AM ET After the LA Clippers failed to respond and were routed by a more aggressive and hungrier New Orleans Pelicans squad on Sunday night, Kawhi Leonard said his team’s lack of consistency is “very concerning.” The Clippers never led and trailed by as much as 33 before falling 135-115 to the up-and-down Pelicans

1:28 AM ET ESPN News Services MINNEAPOLIS — Anthony Edwards scored a career-high 34 points and threw down another monster dunk as the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves held on to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 114-112 on Sunday. At 19 years and 221 days old, Edwards became the youngest player in Timberwolves history with a 30-point

5:53 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson acknowledged that 2020 was “the worst year of my life” and is hopeful he’ll be ready for the start of next season as he continues to recover from a torn right Achilles. Speaking to the media for the first time since suffering the

12:33 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Dozens of eligible members of the New Orleans Pelicans organization, including multiple players, received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, the team announced. The Pelicans received their vaccines through a partnership with a local hospital and in consultation with team doctors and officials. On Tuesday, Louisiana Governor

3:04 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN In his first game since undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous mass on his kidney, Caris LeVert made his Indiana Pacers debut with 13 points and six rebounds in 27 minutes to help his team defeat the Phoenix Suns 122-111 on Saturday. LeVert admitted to feeling “heavy legs” while struggling