NBA

8:00 AM ET Having coached LeBron James for two seasons already, coach Frank Vogel knows the drill by now. When the Los Angeles Lakers superstar is approaching a statistical milestone to further add to James’ decorated career, Vogel will get a heads-up from a public relations staffer. “Our PR team, more than anyone, will just

1:32 AM ET William E. Ricks Playing against Stephen Curry just isn’t fair sometimes. And the Los Angeles Clippers were the latest to suffer the Steph experience. 1 Related The Golden State Warriors‘ point guard made up for his self-assessed “trash” performance in Tuesday’s season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. He dropped 45 points,

8:00 AM ET Brian Windhorst Close ESPN Senior Writer ESPN.com NBA writer since 2010 Covered Cleveland Cavs for seven years Author of two books Ohm Youngmisuk Close ESPN Staff Writer Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly

12:23 AM ET When the NBA’s 2021-22 schedule was released, fans of the incoming rookie class could circle Wednesday night as their first chance to see the top six picks from the 2021 NBA draft in action in the regular season. At least that was the plan, until Cade Cunningham suffered an ankle injury in

1:02 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN NEW YORK — When the Knicks took a four-point lead with nine seconds to go in Wednesday night’s season opener against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden, it appeared the home team was on the verge of a feel-good win to start Kemba Walker‘s Knicks career. It turned out

2:16 PM ET NEW ORLEANS — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said the typical fun that surrounds opening day is muted with star point guard Ben Simmons back home under team suspension as his trade demand has kept the team dealing with drama. “It’s a predicament that we’re in and that part is no fun.

8:00 AM ET Who will win the biggest awards for the 2021-22 NBA season? Giannis Antetokounmpo picked up where he left off on opening night, pouring in 32 points with 14 rebounds and 7 assists. Is a third MVP in his future or will another superstar take home the award? Could we see a repeat

8:02 PM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks handed out their championship rings and unveiled the banner for the franchise’s first championship in 50 years ahead of Tuesday night’s season-opening 127-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets. “Milwaukee, we did it,” Bucks forward Khris Middleton said to the crowd at Fiserv Forum during the

12:24 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers announced Tuesday afternoon that Ben Simmons has been suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team, which will cause him to miss the team’s season-opening game in New Orleans against the Pelicans. The statement was released late in the team’s practice Tuesday — after, sources

8:00 AM ET The 2021-22 NBA season is here! Less than three months ago, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks were hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy after winning Game 6 of the NBA Finals over the Phoenix Suns. After somehow squeezing in the NBA draft, free agency, summer league and preseason into another truncated offseason,

3:35 PM ET Talks between the Phoenix Suns and Deandre Ayton on an extension to his rookie contract have ended without a deal, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. Ayton expected a maximum contract and owner Robert Sarver hasn’t offered it yet for the 2018 No. 1 overall pick. Ayton, a key part of

6:22 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Monday that he would have “preferred” that the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association come to an agreement on a vaccine mandate, in part to avoid it becoming an “adversarial” issue for the league’s players, as it has for Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving.

1:58 PM ET Associated Press CAMDEN, N.J. — Ben Simmons practiced with the Philadelphia 76ers for the first time this season Sunday, though no decision was made on his status for the season opener. “He was just one of the players,” coach Doc Rivers said. Simmons was a holdout for training camp and the early

3:33 PM ET Phoenix Suns guard/forward Mikal Bridges has agreed to a four-year, $90 million rookie contract extension, his agents, Sam Goldfeder and Jordan Gertler of Excel Sports, told ESPN on Sunday. Bridges’ deal — averaging $22.5 million per season — is fully guaranteed, the agents said, and starts with the 2022-23 season. Goldfeder and

6:18 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN The Charlotte Hornets signed guard LiAngelo Ball to a non-guaranteed contract Thursday, paving the way for him to eventually sign with their G League team, a source confirmed to ESPN. Ball, who averaged 9.6 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 17.4 minutes across five games for the Hornets’ entry

4:45 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN THIBODAUX, La. — For roughly an hour, the New Orleans Pelicans mostly rode in silence as they traveled to Nicholls State University for an open practice. The drive from the practice facility in the suburb of Metairie out to the campus is among one of the hardest-hit areas of the

5:15 PM ET ESPN News Services The Sacramento Kings are exercising the third-year option on guard Tyrese Haliburton, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday. Haliburton averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 58 games last season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team. He suffered a season-ending knee injury

2:21 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry looks primed for another run at the third MVP award of his career. The 33-year-old guard scored 41 points during Friday’s 119-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, the final preseason game before Tuesday’s regular season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers at