2:34 PM ET Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart will start Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks after missing Game 2 of the series with a thigh injury. Smart, the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, was dealing with a right quad contusion and then took two shots to the quad on back-to-back plays in
NBA
2:20 AM ET DALLAS — Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic felt that he let his teammates down with what he accurately described as a “horrible” defensive effort during the second half of a Game 2 loss to the Phoenix Suns. His backcourt partner Jalen Brunson needed only one word to sum up his performance in the
8:43 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers interviewed former Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts for the franchise’s coaching job on Friday, sources told ESPN. Stotts joins the Lakers’ search process as a candidate with a history of playoff consistency, offensive creativity and an ability to build relationships with his star players. Before his dismissal
8:00 AM ET As soon as they saw each other at the American Airlines Center, Donovan Mitchell made a simple request of Theo Pinson before the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks met in the first round of the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. “Theo, shut up, please,” Mitchell told Pinson. Mitchell is quite familiar with his
6:11 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid is currently being listed as out for Game 3 of Philadelphia’s Eastern Conference semifinal against the MiamI Heat, but there is still progress that could be made to change his availability in time to play Friday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As 76ers
6:32 PM ET LA Clippers forward Robert Covington has agreed to a two-year, $24 million contract extension, his agent, Andrew Morrison of CAA Sports, told ESPN on Thursday. Covington, who will avoid a summer free-agency marketplace that is limited in salary-cap space, returns to a loaded Clippers roster that will start the season among the
2:55 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been fined $25,000 by the NBA after he flipped off Memphis Grizzlies fans during Tuesday’s Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals. In first quarter of the Warriors’ 106-101 loss, Green held up his two middle fingers as he walked back to the
8:00 AM ET How much has each NBA conference semifinals shifted after Game 2? For the Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks and Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors showdowns, plenty. In Boston, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 59 points as the league’s No. 1 defense limited the Bucks to 3-for-18 from the 3-point
7:50 PM ET Brooklyn Nets swingman Ben Simmons will require three to four months of rehabilitation after undergoing back surgery on Thursday, but is expected to be fully recovered to return to the court well ahead of preseason training camp in September, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. Simmons, 25, is undergoing a microdiscectomy procedure to
7:45 AM ET All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. What you need to know for Wednesday’s playoff games Backing off Brunson: The Mavs ranked fifth in percentage of points from beyond the arc during the regular season, something that they should look to embrace against the top-seeded Suns. But while Dallas has largely built
12:17 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN BOSTON — When the Celtics needed their two stars the most, they both came through. Jaylen Brown got things going, and Jayson Tatum finished it off. After Boston didn’t match the physicality of the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of their East semifinal series on Sunday, the Celtics came out
10:20 PM ET MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected less than three minutes into Tuesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors for a flagrant foul 2 on Gary Payton II, marking the second straight game in this second-round series that a starter was ejected for a flagrant 2. Brooks was
2:23 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said Joel Embiid is feeling “a lot better” but remains uncertain about his potential return to the court. “I know he did something yesterday, but not much, and I know he’s feeling a lot better,” Rivers said before Philadelphia practiced Tuesday afternoon “I
8:00 AM ET Four Game 1s are in the books in the NBA’s conference semifinals. The Milwaukee Bucks handed the Boston Celtics their first playoff defeat, as Giannis Antetokounmpo proved too much for the league’s No. 1-ranked defense. (If you didn’t catch the game, this is the only highlight you need.) The Golden State Warriors
5:20 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN MEMPHIS, Tenn — The Golden State Warriors had little reaction to the league announcing it would not downgrade Draymond Green‘s flagrant foul 2 that he picked up in the second quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies. That being said, there is reason to
2:00 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN BOSTON — Celtics coach Ime Udoka said he expects Marcus Smart to be listed as questionable for Tuesday’s Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks. Smart, the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, was dealing with a right quad contusion and then took two shots to the quad on back-to-back
8:00 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN THERE’S A PAGE on Golden State Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco’s Notes app dedicated to one of the breakout stars of the 2021-22 regular season — and one of the most important players on the team’s roster. Jordan Poole. It’s been there since 2019. On it, you’ll see guiding principles
5:27 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Draymond Green was ejected with less than two minutes left in the first half of the Golden State Warriors‘ opening game against the Memphis Grizzlies in their Western Conference semifinal series. As Memphis forward Brandon Clarke went up for a dunk with 1:18 left in the second