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
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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
12:40 PM ET Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid won’t travel for Games 1 and 2 of the team’s playoff series against the Miami Heat, but there is optimism that he could return as soon as either Game 3 or 4 in Philadelphia, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Embiid needs to clear concussion protocols and see
5:08 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after the team’s practice Saturday that he didn’t have any second thoughts about Joel Embiid being in the game when he suffered a right facial fracture and mild concussion from an elbow by Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam with 3:58 to go in Philadelphia’s
5:33 PM ET The Phoenix Suns have been fined $25,000 for failing to disclose Devin Booker‘s injury status for their Game 6 first-round win over the New Orleans Pelicans in “an accurate and timely manner,” the NBA announced Saturday. Booker suffered a Grade 1 sprain to his right hamstring in Game 2 against New Orleans
2:21 PM ET MIAMI — Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is confident he’ll be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night as he continues to deal with right knee soreness. “It’s all right,” Butler said after Saturday’s practice. “We got another day in between. Get out there,
11:59 PM ET MINNEAPOLIS — A first-round series highlighted by dramatic Grizzlies comebacks, poster dunks, foul trouble, and a healthy serving of trash talk came to a close in Game 6 on Friday night, as Memphis eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves 114-106 with yet another impressive rally. The Grizzlies advanced to the conference semifinals for the
8:57 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Philadelphia 76ers announced Friday evening that superstar center Joel Embiid will be out indefinitely after suffering a right facial fracture and mild concussion in Philadelphia’s dominant Game 6 win over the Toronto Raptors. Embiid, who had 33 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes in the win, suffered the
8:30 AM ET NBA Insiders The NBA first-round playoff series between the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves has the makings of an all-time classic. We’ve seen young superstars Ja Morant and Anthony Edwards take their games to new heights — literally, in Morant’s case — Karl-Anthony Towns letting it fly from deep and some massive
10:12 PM ET NEW ORLEANS — With the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in some danger with one star hurt and an ascendant Pelicans team giving them problems, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul delivered a signature series performance, including the best shooting game of his career to finish the close out. Riding his favorite play, Paul
9:40 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN TORONTO — Someday, a team will come back from down 3-0 to win an NBA playoff series. But it won’t be the 2022 Toronto Raptors. After becoming the 14th team to extend a best-of-seven series to Game 6 after falling behind 3-0, the Raptors didn’t have enough to prolong this
10:11 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — The Bucks lost forward Khris Middleton to a sprained MCL and responded with three consecutive victories over the Chicago Bulls, advancing to the second round of the NBA playoffs with a 116-100 win in Game 5 on Wednesday. The Bucks will play the Celtics in the second round;
12:45 AM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry dribbled through nearly the entire Denver Nuggets team before putting up the perfect tear-drop layup to put the Warriors up with 30 seconds left in the game Wednesday night. As he came down the court, he looked at the audience and clasped his hands under
7:08 PM ET Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker is progressing on a return soon, possibly for Game 6 on Thursday or a potential Game 7 on Saturday in the franchise’s Western Conference first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans, sources told ESPN. Booker has made significant progress with his strained right hamstring in
1:51 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers practiced here Wednesday morning ahead of a return to Toronto for Game 6 of their Eastern Conference first round playoff series against the Raptors Thursday night, halfway to what would be an unprecedented collapse after taking a 3-0 lead in this best-of-seven series. 76ers