NBA

3:35 PM ET Nike founder Phil Knight and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Alan Smolinisky have delivered a written offer of more than $2 billion to purchase Portland Trail Blazers and are in serious talks to acquire the team, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Knight and Smolinisky have been engaged in discussions with the Paul Allen

9:45 AM ET The betting public is siding with the Golden State Warriors over the Boston Celtics as the NBA Finals tips off Thursday. The Warriors were -150 favorites to capture the championship as of Thursday morning and have attracted the majority of bets to win the best-of-seven series at most sportsbooks. At online sportsbook

5:33 PM ET Among the assets gathered in the James Harden blockbuster trade, the Brooklyn Nets are deferring acquisition of the Philadelphia 76ers‘ 2022 first-round pick at No. 23 to the 2023 NBA draft, sources told ESPN. Brooklyn informed the league office of the team’s decision on Wednesday, hours ahead of a midnight deadline, sources

8:00 AM ET Which team will be this year’s NBA champion? The 2022 Finals features the league’s top two defenses throughout the regular season, but the Golden State Warriors–Boston Celtics clash will focus on some of the most dangerous offensive threats in the game. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, their Splash Brothers partnership whole again

11:34 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Tim MacMahon Close ESPN Staff Writer Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM After weeks of conversations with ownership and management, Utah Jazz coach Quin

3:52 PM ET Max Strus still can’t believe his 3-pointer early in the third quarter of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals was overturned by the NBA’s replay center. Speaking for the first time since Sunday’s 100-96 loss to the Boston Celtics, the Miami Heat guard admitted that the call is still bothering him.

2:19 PM ET Golden State’s Stephen Curry has never won an NBA Finals MVP award, but oddsmakers believe this is his year. Curry is the consensus favorite to be named MVP of the Finals between the Warriors and Boston Celtics at sportsbooks around the nation. He’s the even-money favorite at Caesars Sportsbook. Boston’s Jayson Tatum

11:42 PM ET The Golden State Warriors are the favorites in the NBA Finals over a Boston Celtics team looking to make underdog history. Caesars Sportsbook installed the Warriors as -160 favorites over the Celtics (+140) in an intriguing best-of-seven series that tips off Thursday in San Francisco. Golden State opened as a 3-point favorite

2:05 AM ET MIAMI — As the Miami Heat digest a “heartbreaking” 100-96 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, Erik Spoelstra and his staff believe that a momentum-changing overturned call in the third quarter will provide a “case study” for the NBA as far as replay reviews go

8:00 AM ET After three rounds of upsets, thrillers, blowouts and everything in between, the NBA Finals are here — and it’s a series that will pin some familiar faces against a group with zero experience on the league’s biggest stage. The Golden State Warriors, led by three-time champions Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay

3:15 AM ET MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra’s eyes traced the shot as it left Jimmy Butler‘s hands. The arc looked good. It was rotating perfectly. The emotions swelled in the Miami Heat coach’s chest as he instinctively kicked out his legs in the final moments of Sunday’s Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals inside

11:22 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — Nothing about this Boston Celtics season has been easy. So, it stands to reason, making it to the NBA Finals wouldn’t be, either. But, at the end of a grueling seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, that is exactly where the Celtics have

8:00 AM ET After the many ups and downs of the 2022 Eastern Conference finals, including double-digit wins and injuries to star players, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are facing off for Game 7 in Miami on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. ET (on ESPN and the ESPN app). The winner will advance to play

8:30 AM ET All odds are provided by Caesars Sportsbook. What you need to know for Game 7 Home Sweet Miami: There have been 145 Game 7s in the NBA playoffs, and home teams have won 76.5% of them. The Heat are 7-2 at home in the postseason, losing Games 2 and 5 after starting

1:11 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN MIAMI — Ahead of Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka said that after his team has gone through a roller-coaster ride of a season to get to this point, it is only fitting that this series will come down to Boston having to win

9:08 PM ET Brianna Williams The Los Angeles Lakers secured their new head coach with the hire of Darvin Ham, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Prior to joining the Lakers, he served as an assistant for the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. He has worked under Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer since 2013, when the

2:13 AM ET BOSTON — The Miami Heat might have to clear some room in Championship Alley. That’s the name for the path from their home court to the locker room that is filled with wall-sized memories of greatness from Miami’s past. Gary Payton‘s jumper that started their 2006 Finals comeback. Blood dripping down Udonis

8:43 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham to be their next head coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ham, who takes over the Lakers as a first-time head coach, replaces Frank Vogel, who was fired in April after the team went 33-49 and missed the playoffs this season.