5:34 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NBA commissioner Adam Silver on Saturday said the NBA will not require anyone to get a COVID-19 vaccine, however he believes “most players” will ultimately choose to do so. “We’re seeing this now, both in the actual numbers of people getting vaccinated in the United States and opinion polls, that
NBA
6:51 AM ET NBA All-Star Sunday is nearly here, and the schedule is jam-packed. Due to COVID-19, an entire weekend of festivities has been condensed into one star-studded night. It all starts with the skills and 3-point contests at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by tipoff of the 70th NBA All-Star Game at 8 p.m. ET.
8:47 PM ET Utah Jazz point guard Mike Conley will replace Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker on Team Durant in Sunday’s All-Star Game, the NBA announced on Friday. Booker is unable to play in the game or participate in the 3-point contest because of a left knee sprain. Conley, 33, becomes a first-time All-Star in
3:35 PM ET Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and center Rudy Gobert on Friday were both fined by the NBA for being critical of the officiating in Wednesday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Mitchell, who was also reprimanded for his conduct while exiting the court, was docked $25,000 in the statement by NBA executive vice
12:04 PM ET Six-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin has agreed to a contract buyout with the Detroit Pistons and will become an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. Griffin, 31, has interest from most of the NBA’s top playoff contenders and is expected to make a decision on his next team after conversations with prospective
8:44 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The past two years, LeBron James couldn’t have Giannis Antetokounmpo on his All-Star team, because the two of them were captains of their respective squads. But this year, with Kevin Durant getting the other captaincy opposite James, he made sure he would be playing alongside the NBA’s two-time reigning Most
8:00 PM ET The 2021 NBA All-Star Game will be held Sunday, March 7, in Atlanta. But because of COVID-19, a weekend’s worth of events will be compressed into a single night — the skills challenge and 3-point contest will take place pregame, while the dunk contest will act as the halftime show. All-Star voting
6:58 AM ET A dunk is worth just two points, but the best dunkers in the world always find ways to make it feel like more. From signature in-game slams to unforgettable posterizations to you-had-to-be-there dunk contest moments, players from generations past and present have left an indelible mark on the game with their ability
7:00 AM ET TIM CONNELLY SENSED something was off with Nikola Jokic. A year after selecting the center No. 41 overall in the 2014 NBA draft, the Denver Nuggets‘ president of basketball operations wondered: “Where are all these cool passes?” Jokic had impressed Connelly with a funky yet effective style of play as a teenager
10:25 PM ET NBA Insiders Wednesday night’s NBA slate of games includes numerous intriguing matchups, from the top team in the East facing the top team in the West, the drama of James Harden‘s return to Houston, All-Stars going up against each other with the Chicago Bulls‘ Zach LaVine facing the New Orleans Pelicans‘ Zion
6:58 AM ET James Harden isn’t worried about the details of his divorce with the franchise as he returns to Houston to face the Rockets on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) for the first time since his trade request was finally granted. “They showed me mad love and respect, and I am just
3:13 AM ET LeBron James will miss his first game of the season when the Los Angeles Lakers play a road game against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday in their final game before the NBA All-Star break, the Lakers said. James did not accompany the team on its flight to Sacramento following a 114-104 loss
3:33 PM ET Associated Press Nate McMillan reluctantly agreed to serve as the Atlanta Hawks‘ interim coach and only accepted the position after conferring with Lloyd Pierce following Pierce’s firing on Monday. Even then, McMillan didn’t rest easy. He immediately felt the burden of his increased responsibility. “The sleepless nights have already started,” McMillan said
6:40 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN THERE ARE TWO versions of the Boston Celtics. One is led by two under-25 All-Stars and carries the expectations of having reached the conference finals in three of the past four seasons. The other has eight players in their first or second year in the NBA, most of whom have
1:00 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN Last Saturday following a disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson told reporters he felt like his team was close to what it wanted to be. The Pelicans had just played two tough games with losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Spurs, but
4:50 PM ET The Atlanta Hawks have dismissed Lloyd Pierce as their coach. “We would like to thank Lloyd for his work and commitment to not only the Hawks organization but the city of Atlanta. He and his wife, Melissa, are tremendous people who have made a positive impact throughout the city,” Hawks president of
9:57 PM ET Warriors forward Draymond Green was forced from Golden State’s 117-91 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night with a left ankle sprain. The injury occurred with 4:53 remaining in the second quarter when Green went up for a block on Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rolled his ankle after coming
7:00 AM ET If the season ended today, the New York Knicks would be hosting a first-round playoff series. Backed by three straight wins, the Knicks are one of only four Eastern Conference teams — the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks being the others — with records greater than .500. But the Miami