NBA

Andrew Lopez, ESPNApr 22, 2024, 02:18 AM ET Open Extended Reactions OKLAHOMA CITY — Entering the playoffs, the Oklahoma City Thunder were the youngest team in NBA history to secure a No. 1 seed since seeding began in 1984. After missing the playoffs the past three seasons and working on a rebuild, the Thunder’s reward

Jamal Collier, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 11:36 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MILWAUKEE — With the clock winding down toward the end of the first quarter, Bucks point guard Damian Lillard put an exclamation point on his Game 1 masterpiece. With a crossover, he created space and stepped back into a 28-foot 3-pointer, a vintage move

Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff WriterApr 21, 2024, 08:40 PM ET Close Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is

Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff WriterApr 21, 2024, 08:50 PM ET Close Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM Open Extended Reactions LOS ANGELES — After the worst offensive first half in the franchise’s playoff history, coach Jason Kidd’s primary concern wasn’t the Dallas

Tim Bontemps, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 07:15 PM ET Open Extended Reactions The NBA unveiled the three finalists for each of its seven major individual awards for the 2023-24 regular season Sunday night, a list that was headlined by two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic being named a finalist for the award for a fourth straight season

Chris Herring, ESPN Senior WriterApr 21, 2024, 06:46 PM ET Open Extended Reactions BOSTON — Celtics star Jayson Tatum was a catalyst in more ways than one in Boston’s convincing 114-94 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. He played smart, unselfish basketball against Miami’s double-teams,

Jamal Collier, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 05:23 PM ET Open Extended Reactions MILWAUKEE — Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play in Game 1 of the Bucks‘ first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, coach Doc Rivers said about two hours before tipoff. Antetokounmpo has not played since April 9, sitting out Milwaukee’s

Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff WriterApr 21, 2024, 04:31 PM ET Close Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Open Extended Reactions DENVER — It remains unclear whether Los Angeles Lakers forwards Christian Wood and

Apr 21, 2024, 02:05 PM ET Open Extended Reactions LA Clippers coach Ty Lue said Kawhi Leonard will be out for Game 1 of their West Conference first-round series against the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. Leonard had been questionable on the injury report due to inflammation in his right knee. He has not played

Tim Bontemps, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 03:00 PM ET Open Extended Reactions NEW YORK — When Philadelphia 76ers forward Nicolas Batum was asked Sunday what stood out about rewatching his team’s Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks, his answer was immediate and short. “Rebound,” Batum said. While there were many reasons the 76ers could

Kalan Hooks, ESPNApr 21, 2024, 12:01 PM ET Open Extended Reactions As the NBA postseason settles in and the stakes continue to rise, so will players’ on-court soles. Editor’s Picks With their season on the line, the Sacramento Kings faced the Golden State Warriors in the 9-seed versus 10-seed matchup of the Western Conference play-in

Apr 21, 2024, 01:09 AM ET Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. said his teammates have had his back in recent days amid the sentencing of his younger brother Coban Porter to six years in prison for a drunken driving crash that killed a woman in Colorado last year. The sentencing Friday came just two

Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff WriterApr 21, 2024, 01:33 AM ET Close Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN. Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09. Open Extended Reactions DENVER — As much as the story of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ season

Tim Bontemps, ESPNApr 20, 2024, 11:37 PM ET Open Extended Reactions NEW YORK — All season, the New York Knicks have gone as far as Jalen Brunson could carry them. But when Brunson had an uncharacteristically off night against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, his teammates were there to pick up

Tim Bontemps, ESPNApr 20, 2024, 10:57 PM ET Open Extended Reactions NEW YORK — After a second brief injury scare involving superstar center Joel Embiid in just over a week, Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse said after Saturday night’s 111-104 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in Game 1 of their

Baxter Holmes, ESPN Senior WriterApr 20, 2024, 09:07 PM ET Close Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) is a senior writer for ESPN Digital and Print, focusing on the NBA. He has covered the Lakers, the Celtics and previously worked for The Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times. Open Extended Reactions MINNEAPOLIS — With the Target Center pulsating,

Jerry Jiang Apr 20, 2024, 07:21 PM ET Open Extended Reactions Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic had an interesting outfit ahead of his first game in the 2024 NBA playoffs. The defending NBA champion arrived to Ball Arena with a black-and-gray striped scarf and gray pants, similar to the outfit of Felonius Gru — the

Associated Press Apr 20, 2024, 06:12 PM ET Open Extended Reactions CHICAGO — Chicago Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas fell on his sword and vowed to make changes after the team he constructed missed the playoffs for the second straight season. He said he takes “full responsibility” and promised to get