NBA

9:05 AM ET Let’s move into the weekend with 10 NBA things: 1. Jayson Tatum is here When was the last time this happened — a player in the middle of the season making The Leap, everyone digesting the revelation together and knowing it is real and lasting? Perhaps Kawhi Leonard toward the start of

2:48 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — The Los Angeles Lakers hardly ever practice, and shootarounds are even rarer for the veteran squad. So getting Markieff Morris, who signed with the team this week after receiving a buyout from the Detroit Pistons, up to speed takes some creativity. “We’ve kind of beefed up our film sessions,”

LakersWarriors Field Goal % LAL36.8 47.4GS Three Point % LAL25.0 42.9GS Turnovers Rebounds Full Team Stats Chase Center Coverage: TNT Chase Center San Francisco, CA Line: LAL -10.5 Over/Under: 220 Capacity: 18,064 TNT 1 2 3 4 T Lakers 21 21 Warriors 21 21 Data is currently unavailable. To help make this website better, to

12:28 AM ET HOUSTON — Rookie of the Year front-runner Ja Morant appreciates point guards who combine extreme aggressiveness and extraordinary athleticism, which is why his favorite player as a kid was Russell Westbrook. In fact, Morant argues that Westbrook should have more fans. “I still feel like he’s highly disrespected,” Morant told ESPN on

8:19 PM ET ESPN News Services CLEVELAND — Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid left Wednesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first quarter and was ruled out with a left shoulder sprain. Embiid appeared to collide with Cavaliers center Ante Zizic while being fouled late in the first quarter. The 7-footer held

8:00 AM ET Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo helped the Milwaukee Bucks clinch the earliest NBA playoff berth in 15 seasons on Sunday. Meanwhile, LeBron James has the Los Angeles Lakers at the top of the Western Conference, but is that enough to stop Antetokounmpo from repeating as MVP? Will Zion Williamson make an All-NBA team

8:51 AM ET CONFUSION REIGNS AS the Utah Jazz jog back on defense. Mike Conley is scurrying across the floor in search of someone to guard. It is Monday night in Salt Lake City, and the Phoenix Suns are pushing the ball up the floor after a routine defensive rebound early in the fourth quarter.

9:00 AM ET As we enter the last full month of the NBA regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers maintain the league’s two best records. In what could be an NBA Finals preview, reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks travel to Los Angeles to square off against LeBron James and the

PelicansLakers Field Goal % NO55.6 38.2LAL Three Point % NO37.5 23.1LAL Turnovers Rebounds Full Team Stats STAPLES Center Coverage: TNT Los Angeles, CA Line: LAL -7.5 Over/Under: 240 Capacity: 19,068 Referees: Eric Lewis, Curtis Blair, Justin Van Duyne To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are

4:51 PM ET Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons has a nerve impingement in his lower back and is expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time, league sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Simmons is undergoing treatment and will be reevaluated in two weeks, but there’s little expectation that he will be close to

11:00 PM ET LOS ANGELES — In the 6 a.m. hour, a line begins snaking down Olympic Blvd. “It’s going to be a crazy day, bro,” one security guard says to another as people flood the plaza outside Staples Center. Peddlers hawk memorabilia on nearby corners. City bus signages blink, “RIP KOBE.” In the seven

2:19 PM ET ESPN News Services LOS ANGELES — Vanessa Bryant offered a poignant portrait of her NBA superstar husband and their daughter Monday at a sold-out memorial service for the two, who were among nine people killed last month in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles. Speaking at times through tears, Vanessa praised Kobe’s

1:11 PM ET A memorial service celebrating the lives of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna is underway at Staples Center in downtown L.A. The date — Feb. 24 — reflects the basketball jersey numbers worn by Kobe (No. 24) and Gianna (No. 2). The service is being held just less

10:33 PM ET The Milwaukee Bucks have clinched the earliest playoff berth in at least 15 years, according to Elias Sports Bureau research. The NBA postseason is not set to begin for another 55 days. The Bucks clinched Sunday despite not playing because the Washington Wizards lost to the Chicago Bulls. Milwaukee is 48-8 and

2:12 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has a sprained left knee and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the team said Sunday. Jackson left Friday’s 117-105 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers late in the second quarter after an awkward fall when he was contesting a shot. He didn’t return for the

1:19 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN MILWAUKEE — With Lil Wayne’s “Kobe Bryant” song blasting throughout Fiserv Forum, reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo went through an intense pregame workout, two hours ahead of the tipoff against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Once the sweaty, 6-foot-11 Milwaukee Bucks superstar wrapped up on the court, he hit the

11:04 PM ET MIAMI — In the arena he made “his house” and the county nicknamed after him, Dwyane Wade starred up to the rafters with a wide grin as his No.3 jersey was lifted to its rightful place. Suited in an all-black suit and shirt combination, Wade stood center-court at halftime and delivered a

1:49 AM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — Before training camp, as nine new Oklahoma City Thunder players were getting to know one another while the organization itself was recalibrating to a post-Russell Westbrook world, Billy Donovan sat down with the three point guards on the roster and presented a bold plan. They — being Chris Paul,