8:46 AM ET THE TORONTO RAPTORS needed a bucket. Time to target James Harden, right? Down six points against the Houston Rockets in the closing minutes of a Dec. 5 game at Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors cleared out on the left side of the court and tossed the ball to their go-to guy, Pascal Siakam.
NBA
9:00 AM ET Before March gets too crazy, let’s look at 10 (actually, 11) NBA things: 1. Here come the Clippers Remember when people were worried about the Clips losing games without two or three starters, including one of the league’s 10 best players? That was cute. After destroying the Rockets in Houston Thursday, the
12:18 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN MILWAUKEE — Although they’re fierce competitors on the court, both being All-Star Game captains, Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s inspired by LeBron James‘ ability to perform at an elite level at age 35. Before they previously tipped off, 11 days ahead of James’ December birthday, Antetokounmpo even referred to James as
8:14 PM ET The Golden State Warriors say guard Stephen Curry will return to the lineup Thursday night against the Toronto Raptors. Curry has missed the last 58 games with a fractured left hand he suffered Oct. 30. About time!!! 😂 pic.twitter.com/yVs6r4UTZI — Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) March 5, 2020 He’ll join a Golden State team
2:59 AM ET LOS ANGELES — In an intimate gathering of season-ticket holders Monday, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss shared how excited she feels to have her team break its six-year postseason dry spell next month, thanks in large part to an offseason trade with the New Orleans Pelicans for the next great Lakers big man.
12:36 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — With the Celtics leading by 17 points at the end of the third quarter Tuesday night, Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert wasn’t even sure he’d get a chance to play in the fourth. “I thought [Nets coach Kenny Atkinson] was going to pull [me], too,” LeVert said. “[But]
9:18 AM ET After Sunday’s win over the LA Clippers, center JaVale McGee dubbed the Los Angeles Lakers the “best team in the world right now.” The Lakers beat the Clippers two days after beating Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center, a win that clinched the Lakers a playoff berth. The Bucks
12:15 AM ET MIAMI — It felt like a statement win at the perfect time Monday night, but according to Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo, his team’s 105-89 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks shows the Heat’s potential yet doesn’t change their underdog status. “We’re always the underdog. I feel like we can play with anybody.
7:50 AM ET HE WILL LIKELY have his number retired in Miami, deserves a statue in Cleveland and has left an indelible mark on Team USA. But now, 17 years in and past his 35th birthday, the word “Lakers” across LeBron James‘ chest seems to have inspired a transformation. James has embraced playing a position,
9:18 AM ET The future of the NBA is bright. The short list of emerging basketball superstars age 22 and under includes Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Trae Young. But while four of those guys are playing meaningful games right now, Young and his Atlanta Hawks teammates are careening toward the
9:54 AM ET The New York Knicks have officially named former player agent Leon Rose as their new president. Terms of Rose’s deal were not disclosed. The Knicks announced that Rose, formerly the co-head of CAA’s basketball division, will “oversee all basketball operations and personnel for the team.” In a letter to the team’s fans,
1:09 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks couldn’t help but crack a smile while discussing Bradley Beal‘s All-Star snub late Sunday night. After watching Beal rack up another 34 points in a 124-110 win over the Golden State Warriors, Brooks praised Beal’s latest performance while reminding the rest of the basketball
4:29 PM ET ESPN News Services Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo reeled off 41 points, 20 rebounds and six assists — in just 35 minutes — in Sunday’s 93-85 win over the Charlotte Hornets. It was the fewest minutes played in a 40-20-5 game in NBA history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The previous
2:37 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Since the moment James Harden became a member of the Houston Rockets in October 2012, the team has been almost exclusively built around him and his prodigious talent. That has led to plenty of Rockets victories on the back of Harden’s incredible offensive displays. And when Houston has
1:05 AM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — The widow of basketball star Kobe Bryant is “absolutely devastated” by allegations that deputies shared graphic photos of the helicopter crash scene where Bryant, their 13-year-old daughter and seven others were killed, her lawyer said in a statement Saturday. The Los Angeles Times reported on Thursday that
8:00 AM ET It’s not St. Patrick’s Day, but there’s something lucky about Leap Day for the Boston Celtics. Feb. 29 comes around only once every four years, but it’s been 36 years since the Celtics had to suffer through a defeat on Leap Day. Their 102-98 loss to the New York Knicks on Feb.
12:25 AM ET MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks staged another in a series of artful basketball exhibitions on Friday night at Fiserv Forum. Giannis Antetokounmpo padded his MVP résumé with skillful efficiency and gaudy athleticism (32 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists in 27 minutes, before taking yet another fourth quarter off in a blowout). Of
12:53 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN MILWAUKEE — On the heels of James Harden‘s interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols — in which the Houston Rockets star appeared to take aim at Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s skill set — the reigning league MVP responded with a statement performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. The Milwaukee Bucks‘