NBA

2:08 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving rejoined the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, saying he took a leave of absence in part because he “just needed a pause.” Irving practiced with the team and could play Wednesday in Cleveland. He has missed the past seven games, five while away from the team

1:48 PM ET NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday the league has discussed having players receive COVID-19 vaccines to educate and influence the public regarding its safety and effectiveness. “There have been discussions. It’s something we’re particularly focused on,” Silver said at a virtual conference hosted by Sportico. “In the African American community, there’s been

12:11 PM ET Delonte West is now working at the drug rehabilitation center in Florida that he attended after Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban helped the former homeless NBA player get his life back on track, a source confirmed to ESPN. West was treated at the Rebound therapy center in Florida. Cuban picked West up

12:12 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has a small fracture in his right hand and is expected to miss the next few games, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday. Turner, who leads the NBA with 4.2 blocks per game, has met with two hand specialists, will be reevaluated in the next

2:35 AM ET Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard CJ McCollum will miss at least the next four weeks after additional testing revealed a small fracture in his left foot and a midfoot sprain, the team announced Monday night. McCollum left the Blazers’ 112-106 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday at halftime with what the

1:05 AM ET NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets stars Kevin Durant and James Harden are jelling at an impressive pace — and the history books back that up. On Monday, they became the first duo to score 30-plus points in each of their first two games with a franchise as the Nets defeated the Bucks

1:33 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN Under normal circumstances, some kid and his family would have left the Barclays Center on Martin Luther King Day with a story for the ages. For starters, there was no school for the holiday as three former MVPs, Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden and Kevin Durant, went toe to toe in

12:08 AM ET Guard Victor Oladipo exuded optimism about the Houston Rockets after his franchise debut, presenting quite a contrast to James Harden‘s final comments as a member of the franchise. “I know that better days are ahead for the Houston Rockets, and I’m looking forward to being a part of those special days,” Oladipo

7:18 PM ET Despite reeling with six remaining healthy players, the Washington Wizards are hopeful they can resume practicing as soon as Wednesday — nine days after the franchise’s last game amid a coronavirus outbreak within the team, sources told ESPN on Monday. Through a difficult stretch of seven positive coronavirus tests among players —

6:17 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball could make his return to the lineup Tuesday night when New Orleans takes on the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City. Ball missed the past three games with soreness in both knees. Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said Ball was a full-go for Monday’s practice when

5:08 PM ET Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving bought a house for the family of George Floyd, according to former NBA player Stephen Jackson. Jackson, who was a close friend of the late Floyd, revealed on “The Rematch” podcast that Irving, along with other celebrities have reached out to help Floyd’s family. “Kyrie Irving bought

5:10 PM ET Associated Press DENVER — The struggling Denver Nuggets are expected to be without Michael Porter Jr. for a 10th straight game Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of coronavirus protocols. Coach Michael Malone said after practice Monday that Porter could join the team on a five-game trip that begins Friday

3:55 PM ET ESPN News Services Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard CJ McCollum‘s sprained left foot will be reevaluated in a week, coach Terry Stotts said Monday. McCollum left the Blazers’ 112-106 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday at halftime because of the injury. Stotts said after the game that X-rays ruled out a

1:58 PM ET NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving will not play against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, marking the seventh consecutive game he will miss as he continues to ramp up his on-court activity. As Irving inches closer to returning to game action, his debut alongside James Harden and Kevin Durant could come on

11:50 AM ET The Cleveland Cavaliers are planning to trade or waive 2019 first-round pick Kevin Porter Jr., sources confirmed to ESPN. Porter hadn’t played and had largely been away from the team this season for what has been termed personal reasons. He was working his way back and attended his first game Friday night

7:05 AM ET Jrue Holiday was conflicted. Then a member of the New Orleans Pelicans, he mulled for two weeks last summer whether to commit to the NBA’s restart in Orlando, Florida. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Holiday’s wife, Lauren, was five months pregnant and could sense his discomfort over leaving the family.

7:06 AM ET James Harden is a Brooklyn Net, finally answering the biggest question hovering over the early part of this NBA season. The next question is how Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving share the court. The Nets answered part of it in Harden’s debut Saturday night against the Orlando Magic, as The Beard

3:10 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The LA Clippers have blown big leads, have had key players in and out of the lineup and have even suffered a 51-point loss this season. But unlike during last season’s postseason collapse, the Clippers said their chemistry and energy is vastly improved. Without Serge Ibaka and Lou Williams,