NBA

12:57 PM ET Associated Press The NBA doesn’t want the Super Bowl to turn into a superspreader. Mindful of the potential of virus-related issues that can come from attending even small gatherings, the NBA issued guidance Saturday telling players, coaches and other employees that they may not go to a Super Bowl party outside their

7:49 PM ET Malika Andrews Close ESPN Staff Writer Staff Writer Joined ESPN in 2018 Appears regularly on ESPN Chicago 1000 Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 After a confounding night surrounding the status of Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant at the Barclays Center — which

11:58 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo might be competitors on rival conferences, but they share the same sentiments regarding the league’s plans to hold an All-Star Game in March in Atlanta. Fresh off a 33-point, 12-rebound performance in Milwaukee’s 123-105 win at Cleveland on Friday night, Antetokounmpo backed James’ position on

12:10 AM ET ESPN News Services CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball scored a career-high 34 points to go along with eight assists in a 138-121 loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday night. Ball shot 14-of-27 from the field with four 3-pointers, one block and zero turnovers. His 34 points are the

10:01 PM ET Houston Rockets star center Christian Wood has a right ankle sprain, an MRI on Friday showed, and he will be reevaluated on a weekly basis, general manager Rafael Stone said. Wood rolled the ankle during the third quarter of Thursday’s 115-103 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Rockets had expressed worry about

8:29 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LA Clippers guard Paul George was ruled out for Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics with swelling in a toe on his right foot. George was added to the injury report on Friday afternoon. Clippers coach Ty Lue said he didn’t know how George suffered the injury or how

7:49 PM ET For the first time in his 13-year career, Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant came off the bench, checking in at the 4:13 mark of the first quarter Friday night against the Toronto Raptors. Durant was not available to start due to health and safety protocols, the team announced shortly before tipoff. Durant

3:10 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The NBA’s most high-profile star, LeBron James, eviscerated the league’s plans to hold an All-Star Game in Atlanta in March while COVID-19 restrictions continue to have a grip on the regular season. “I have zero energy and zero excitement about an All-Star Game this year,” James said after the

11:46 PM ET Stephen Curry had a simple message for Kelly Oubre Jr. as the new Golden State Warriors swingman struggled to find his way early in the season. Curry wanted Oubre to be patient in his approach and continue to pick and choose his spots. But most of all, the former two-time MVP wanted

12:33 AM ET The Houston Rockets are concerned that star center Christian Wood could be sidelined for an extended period after injuring his right ankle for the second time in a span of less than three weeks, sources told ESPN. Wood will have an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury he

9:27 PM ET The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association will have a finalized agreement for an All-Star Game on March 7 in Atlanta by next week, according to a league memo shared with teams and obtained by ESPN. The single-night event will encompass the Eastern Conference-Western Conference game as well as the skills

4:41 PM ET Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox evidently does not support the NBA having an All-Star Game this season, saying “it’s stupid” for the league to hold the event amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources told ESPN earlier this week that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association were working toward an agreement for

2:52 PM ET Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard will not play Thursday against the 76ers because of an abdominal strain, adding to Portland’s growing list of injuries. Lillard, the NBA’s third-leading scorer, indicated that he considered sitting out Portland’s previous game Tuesday against the Wizards, saying he “felt like I could barely move out

2:18 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James led the first round of fan voting for this year’s NBA All-Star Game. The update was released by the NBA on Thursday afternoon. Durant, who missed all of last season — his first as a member of the

6:58 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN When more than 90 players who signed as free agents become eligible to be traded Saturday, it will mark the unofficial start of trade season in the NBA. Several big names have already been traded since mid-November, including James Harden, Russell Westbrook, John Wall, Victor Oladipo, Chris Paul and Jrue

12:12 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN For New Orleans Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy, what he saw from Zion Williamson on Wednesday night was unlike anything he’d seen from the 20-year-old so far this season. “I told Zion at the end of the game that it was by far his best game of the year if

1:00 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN The back-to-back reigning MVP clocked out early Wednesday night. In 31 minutes, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was near picture perfect, recording a triple-double through three quarters for the fourth time in his career. Therefore, he took on a new role as team photographer. While sitting on the sideline, “The

9:16 PM ET LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers might have missed each other in the playoffs last year, but Lakers reserve Jared Dudley, in a new book, revealed his team was primed for the “Battle for L.A.” because of Paul George. “We hear some of those guys talking about how