The draft’s tone will be set with the Kings at No. 2 once Deandre Ayton comes off the board to the Suns at No. 1. Sacramento has been linked to a number of prospects, including Marvin Bagley III and Michael Porter Jr. Its front office and ownership also flew to Spain to meet with Luka Doncic. What the team opts to do with its pick will be the first real domino to fall on draft night....
Talks have progressed so rapidly that details are emerging on a massive agreement that would see the league’s annual rights fee more than double, with ESPN and Turner combining to pay more than $2 billion per year on average. MORE: Levenson will sell stake in Hawks | Never a better time to buy NBA team? One source said ESPN already has committed to pay “well over” $1 billion per year, and Turner is not far behind for a media rights extension that would kick in with the 2016-17 season....
Towns announced in a March 24 Instagram video (later uploaded to YouTube) that his mother had been placed in a medically induced coma as a result of her worsening COVID-19 condition. “We would like to thank all the doctors, nurses and medical personnel who cared for Jackie during her illness and all of Karl’s fans who sent their support this past month,” the Timberwolves wrote in a statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to Karl and his family during this difficult time....
Point spreads and totals listed below are current as of Thursday morning. Visit our odds page for updated lines from Las Vegas . Chicago Bulls (3-2 ATS) at Milwaukee Bucks (2-3 ATS) Series: Bulls lead 3-2 Game 6 line: Bulls -3.5, Total: 187.5 Chicago looked like it was ready to join the NBA sweeping party but is suddenly on the verge of a Game 7. A last-second layup in Game 4 pushed the Bucks to live for another day, but Monday’s win in Chicago was much more convincing....
Spreads and totals listed are as of early Sunday morning. Visit our odds page for current Las Vegas lines. Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1 ATS) at Boston Celtics (1-2 ATS) Series: Cavs lead 3-0 Game 4 Line: Cavs -7.5, Total: 203 With zero wins to show, the Celtics have actually played a good series. Boston was always going to be outmatched against Cleveland, but head coach Brad Stevens has his team fighting....
What are the probabilities for contending teams to take the final playoff spots? AccuScore has simulated every game left on the this season schedule to find out. The table below shows probabilities to get into the playoffs and week-to-week changes. AccuScore’s odds to make NBA playoffs Probability vs. weekly % change NOTE: The Hornets, Nets, Magic, Hawks, Mavericks, Kings, Suns, Grizzlies, Knicks, Bulls and Lakers have already been officially eliminated from playoffs....
The Bucks star led his team to a dominant 121-86 home win over the Pistons in Game 1 of their first-round Eastern Conference series on Sunday, contributing 24 points and 17 rebounds. Antetokounmpo picked up where he left off in the regular season and Drummond had no answer, earning a flagrant two foul and an ejection after shoving Antetokounmpo to the floor. The 24-year-old was asked if he might expect similar treatment throughout the playoffs after an MVP-caliber season, but he was not too concerned....
Durant registered a postseason career-high 50 points in a 129-110 victory at Staples Center, sealing the series 4-2. Kerr was full of praise for Durant, who scored 38 points in the first half to set up a semifinal series against the Rockets. “It was one of the great performances I’ve ever seen in my life,” Kerr said. “I’ve seen some good ones, been around some decent players. “He just carried us these last couple of games of the series....
Point spreads and totals are current as of Wednesday morning. Check our odds page for updated Las Vegas lines. No. 3 Chicago Bulls at No. 2 Cleveland Cavaliers (7 p.m. ET, TNT) Game 2 spread, total: Cleveland -6, 194.5 Series lead: Chicago 1-0 The Cavaliers (57-30 SU, 43-44 ATS) are licking their wounds after a 99-92 home loss as 4.5-point favorites. The game went UNDER the 195-point total after each team also went UNDER in its final three games of the first round....
According to Peter Botte of the New York Post, the NBA ordered the Nets to stop timing Antetokoumpo’s free throws via a timer on the scoreboard. Per Botte, “The league doesn’t advocate teams inciting the taunting of other players.” The timer was put in place for Game 1 of the Nets vs. Bucks series by the Barclays Center staff. It came about after Antetokounmpo had picked up a rare free-throw violation in Milwaukee’s sweep of the Heat....
These are the marquee matchups this week in the NBA, along with the full schedule. MORE: Watch the NBA live and on-demand on fuboTV (7-day free trial) Boston Celtics at New York Knicks Thursday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. on TNT | fuboTV Kyrie Irving and the Celtics, the top team in the East, face Kristaps Porzingis and the Knicks in the Big Apple. The Knicks’ loaded frontcourt should match up well with the Celtics’ group of energetic and efficient-shooting guards....
The NBA took this time to remind teams that hazing will in no way be tolerated by the league, ESPN.com Marc Stein reported, citing league sources. In the memo, the Miami Dolphins were referenced explicitly, with the remainder of the letter urging players to report any instance of bullying, which a violation of NBA policy. There was a long list of violations that included physical abuse or threats of violence; verbal abuse focused on an individual's race, nationality, color, gender, age, religion, sexuality, etc; destruction, defacement or theft of a fellow player's personal property; and the list continued on to mention many others....
With so many players all vying to make an NBA roster for the following season, you just know that the best of the bunch will show out. Teams can put up big scoring numbers, while individual players are all trying to get theirs as well, while showing teams that they can do it all within the flow of the offense. The Sporting News has you covered on all the records that have been set at Las Vegas Summer League since 2006 - the tournament’s inception....
An honor that is strictly reserved for all-time greats, Russell joins Jackie Robinson (No. 42) and Wayne Gretzky (No. 99) as the only players in United States professional sports history to have their jersey numbers retired across an entire league. MORE: How Bill Russell revolutionized defense However, even though no new players can wear the No. 6, players who currently don the jersey number — most notably, LeBron James — will be “grandfathered in” and can continue to wear that number if they choose....
Ever since the former NBA Finals MVP made it clear he wants to leave San Antonio, teams like the Lakers, Celtics and 76ers have all inquired about a possible trade. Recent reports indicate Leonard prefers to head to Los Angeles, and that’s why the Spurs don’t have a ton of leverage at the moment. The Lakers are banking on adding Leonard next summer as a free agent, and the Celtics and 76ers won’t give away important pieces of their cores for a one-year rental....
That’s how Sixers center Jahlil Okafor is feeling these days. The former No. 3 overall pick is no longer part of “The Process” and remains stuck in Philadelphia, lingering on the bench knowing his basketball future lies elsewhere. LEROUX: How new trade deadline will impact team decisions Okafor has repeatedly stated he wants a trade or buyout, but it doesn’t appear Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo is willing to give up Okafor without getting something in return....
After Thursday’s trade deadline came and went, the Nets added veteran big men Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge off the buyout market. Those signings prompted Brooklyn coach Steve Nash to let out a roar during a Monday media session, a humorous response to his star-studded team suddenly being dubbed the “villains” of the NBA. MORE: Aldridge gives Nets more veteran depth up front It didn’t stop there, though. Nets general manager Sean Marks reportedly had another forward in mind beyond those signings....
Follow along with our NBA trade tracker for the latest rumors, reports and confirmed deals. MORE: Team-by-team NBA Draft grades Carmelo Anthony closer to leaving Knicks, joining Rockets Buried at the bottom of this ESPN.com article is a tasty nugget: Anthony is willing to waive his no-trade rights to join James Harden and Chris Paul (and play for Mike D’Antoni again) in Houston. New York reportedly is looking to jettison Anthony as it embarks on a youth movement, and Anthony reportedly is excited about joining the Rockets’ stars....
What if the team elected to sit Kevin Durant and James Harden to make sure they’re well-rested ahead of Game 7? Miller cited Durant’s “heavy minutes” as a reason that the team should consider doing that. Durant did play all 48 minutes against Milwaukee and became the first player to accomplish that feat since LeBron James did so during the 2018 playoffs with the Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Harden is still nursing a hamstring injury that made him questionable for Tuesday’s game....
Police said, per CBS Baltimore, when officers arrived the two men had been separated with one bleeding from his face. A video showing the aftermath of the altercation was filmed by one of the county’s police officers, and that officer has been suspended indefinitely. “It’s irresponsible for that (video) taken by a Prince George’s County police officer to be in the public’s hands,” Police Chief Hank Stawinski said. According to police, the two men had gotten into an argument earlier that morning....
