NBA

8:00 AM ET Brian Windhorst and a team of ESPN’s Insiders sort out life and the news from in and around the NBA world. As Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers, himself limping, came onto the floor Saturday night to check on yet another injured star, his face showed an appropriate mix of disgust and exasperation

12:23 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN CAMDEN, N.J. — Joel Embiid will miss at least the next two games — including Tuesday’s reunion with former co-star Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets — with a left midfoot sprain he suffered in Saturday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “How do I make up for Joel? We’ve just

2:54 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said he does not endorse the group of protesters who lined up Sunday outside of Barclays Center before Kyrie Irving‘s return from suspension, reiterating that he was happy to see support for the Brooklyn Nets‘ guard getting to play again. Members of Israel

2:16 AM ET LOS ANGELES — In mid-December of last season, after Anthony Davis suffered a left knee injury that would sideline him for more than a month, LeBron James immediately upped his scoring average to try to make up for the big man’s absence. James reeled off seven straight games of 30-plus points, and

11:15 PM ET NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving said he “never had a doubt” he would return to the team after serving an eight-game suspension for what the Nets termed the “harmful impact of his conduct” relating to social media posts around a book and movie that contained antisemitic ideas. Irving, who

11:57 AM ET NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving‘s eight-game suspension is over. The Brooklyn Nets guard started Sunday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. It marks his first action since he was suspended Nov. 3 for “harmful impact of his conduct” relating to social media posts around a book and movie that contained antisemitic ideas.

4:40 PM ET Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 left ankle sprain and is “week-to-week,” the team announced on Saturday. Morant suffered the injury late in Friday’s win over the Oklahoma City Thunder after getting his foot tangled with Thunder guard Lu Dort. Morant went down in immediate pain

12:04 AM ET LOS ANGELES — After burying five 3-pointers and scoring 21 points in the first half, Paul George was held out of the second half of the LA Clippers’ 119-97 win over the San Antonio Spurs because of right knee soreness. Clippers coach Ty Lue said George’s injury did not appear to be

5:55 PM ET NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving gave his most formal apology to date on Saturday, saying clearly he is “not antisemitic” and that he wanted to “apologize deeply” for his social media posts around a book and movie featuring antisemitic ideas. “I’m not antisemitic,” Irving said in an interview with

8:00 AM ET ANTHONY EDWARDS AND Rudy Gobert, the two players left in the FedEx Forum locker room, have just struck up a conversation. It’s Nov. 11, and the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ had just suffered their sixth loss in seven games, this night’s coming on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies, the team that last season

1:40 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — Following Milwaukee’s 110-102 loss to Philadelphia at Wells Fargo Center on Friday night, a strange scene unfolded between Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, 76ers reserve center Montrezl Harrell and a ladder, culminating with Antetokounmpo pushing a 12-foot ladder out of his way and having it skid a few feet

11:38 AM ET Associated Press For the first time in 12 years, USA Basketball is not atop the world men’s rankings. FIBA, the sport’s governing body, updated its rankings Friday, and Spain moved into the top spot, a sliver ahead of the U.S. The four-time defending Olympic champion Americans moved into the top spot after

2:52 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — Kevin Durant didn’t mince words after watching Ben Simmons play the best game of his brief Brooklyn Nets career in Thursday night’s 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. “Incredible,” Durant said after watching Simmons score 15 points, grab 13 rebounds and dish out seven assists in 32 minutes.

2:07 PM ET Kawhi Leonard scored six points in 25 minutes in his first game in more than three weeks, and the LA Clippers beat the Detroit Pistons 96-91 on Thursday night in Los Angeles. Leonard was previously listed as out for the game, but his status was upgraded to questionable at Thursday morning’s shootaround

8:00 AM ET NBA Insiders The early part of the 2022-23 NBA season has been a welcomed fresh start for a number of surprise players looking to add some hardware to their résumés. While there is still plenty of season left, a handful of players have hopped into the driver’s seats for the NBA’s biggest

1:28 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN PHOENIX — Over the past 10 years, the Golden State Warriors built a dynasty on playing free, competitively and with a sense of togetherness that could rarely be shaken. Yet, just 15 games into this season, it all seems to be crashing down. On Wednesday, the Warriors suffered their latest

6:46 PM ET Suspended All-Star guard Kyrie Irving is nearing completion on the process needed for a return to play and could rejoin the Brooklyn Nets as soon as Sunday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Barclays Center, sources told ESPN. Irving will miss his eighth consecutive game on Thursday night in Portland, but he

8:00 AM ET The murkiness is clearing on the picture of legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference, while the West is increasingly mysterious. The Milwaukee Bucks, who once were 9-0, have dropped three of their past four games, including two lopsided losses to the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta’s dominance of Milwaukee has allowed the reigning East