NBA

2:33 PM ET Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is nearing a return and listed as questionable to play Friday night against the Phoenix Suns. Porter has been cleared from the NBA’s health and safety protocols and returned to the team, a league source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said that Porter

2:44 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Hornets starting center Cody Zeller is expected to return to action Friday night against the Chicago Bulls after missing four weeks with a broken bone in his left hand, he said Thursday. Zeller went through a scrimmage on Wednesday and coach James Borrego on Thursday listed him as

11:38 AM ET The Memphis Grizzlies, who already had Wednesday’s game postponed, will miss the next three games due to having “unavailable players” and because of contact tracing related to COVID-19, the NBA announced Thursday. The NBA is erring on the side of caution with what still appears to be isolated COVID-19 exposure within the

7:00 AM ET STEPHEN CURRY KNOWS exactly how far he has left to go. Now that he’s on the verge of passing Reggie Miller for second place on the NBA’s career 3-pointer list — he’s nine away from passing the Pacers great — Curry needs just 422 more to eclipse Ray Allen to become the

2:52 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — James Wiseman wore the look of a young man who knew he was headed to the principal’s office. The Golden State Warriors‘ 19-year-old big man was in the midst of the best game of his brief career during Wednesday night’s 121-99 win over the San Antonio Spurs. But with

12:07 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN After Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid wore out a path to the free throw line in a 117-109 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Celtics guard Marcus Smart expressed his displeasure with the way the game was officiated. Embiid made and took more free throws than the Celtics

11:07 PM ET The NBA postponed Friday’s Washington Wizards–Milwaukee Bucks game not long after a concerned Bradley Beal said the Wizards were “fighting the league” on playing the game with only eight players available and six others sidelined by the league’s health and safety protocol. It’s the 17th NBA game postponed this season because of

10:21 PM ET Bradley Beal said the Washington Wizards are “fighting the league” on playing Friday against the Milwaukee Bucks with only eight players available and six Wizards sidelined by the NBA’s health and safety protocol. After a nine-day pause because of a coronavirus outbreak within the team that led to the postponement of five

6:45 PM ET The Detroit Pistons say rookie guard Killian Hayes will be out at least another eight weeks because of a right hip injury. According to the team, Hayes had further evaluation of the injury, which indicated the origin was a subluxation — a partial dislocation — that will require rest and rehab. The

6:59 PM ET ESPN Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print The Washington Wizards announced on Wednesday night that they’ve been cleared to return to practice. Washington’s past five games have been postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak within the team. The Wizards haven’t played since Jan. 11, and they are scheduled to play next

6:13 PM ET Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving was in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside Kevin Durant and James Harden. Irving practiced with the team on Tuesday. He had missed the Nets’ last seven games — five for personal reasons and two while conditioning. During the time away for

3:33 PM ET Due to contact tracing within the Memphis Grizzlies, Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers has been postponed, it was announced. The Grizzlies did not have the league-required eight available players to proceed with the game, in accordance with the league’s healthy and safety protocols. It becomes the 16th NBA game to

3:48 PM ET After witnessing some opposing players disregarding new league rules against unnecessary contact on game nights, the NBA is moving team security into the midcourt area to dissuade violations that include hugging and handshakes, according to a league memo obtained by ESPN on Wednesday. As infections for the coronavirus increased amid a darkening

12:40 AM ET The Golden State Warriors reside in San Francisco now, but for many of the players and coaches who brought championships to the Bay Area in recent years, the connection to Oakland — the city where the team played for 47 years and recently went to five straight NBA Finals inside Oracle Arena

6:28 PM ET Portland Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic had surgery on his fractured right wrist and will be reevaluated in six weeks, the team announced Tuesday. Nurkic was injured in last Thursday’s 111-87 loss to the visiting Indiana Pacers. He could be seen holding his wrist after swiping at the ball in the third

4:17 PM ET Eric WoodyardESPN New Indiana Pacers wing Caris LeVert roamed the practice facility sidelines Tuesday for the first time as a member of the squad — and after an MRI recently revealed a small mass on his left kidney. Though LeVert is out indefinitely, the 26-year-old sees the situation as something bigger than

2:34 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he expects star center Joel Embiid will play against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in a clash between two of the three teams — along with the Milwaukee Bucks — tied atop the Eastern Conference standings. “I do expect him to go,” Rivers

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