NBA

5:39 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is the NBA’s scoring king for the 2020-21 season. An 11-foot floater late in the first quarter of Sunday’s 113-101 win over the Memphis Grizzlies gave Curry enough points to clinch the scoring title over Washington Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal. After Beal scored

12:16 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN A day after watching his longtime friend and teammate Kevin Garnett go into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, longtime Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce joined him in Springfield, Massachusetts. Pierce, along with two-time champion and 11-time All-Star selection Chris Bosh, five-time All-NBA selection Chris Webber, and four-time Defensive

11:24 PM ET As the regular season comes to a close, each team has something to play for: seeding or draft picks. With the addition of play-in games to the 2021 NBA playoffs, the scramble for seeding is wilder — and more important — than ever, with almost every game down the stretch having significant

8:15 PM ET On Saturday, Kobe Bryant was officially inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January, 2020, was presented by Michael Jordan before Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, made a moving speech honoring the former Laker. In addition to Bryant, who won five NBA titles

11:47 AM ET As the Los Angeles Lakers seek to win out and avoid the play-in tournament, LeBron James is set for his return Saturday against the Indiana Pacers, according to coach Frank Vogel. James has missed the past six games to continue to recover from a high ankle sprain, but he practiced Friday and

12:56 AM ET Five years removed from a 10-win season, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves atop the Eastern Conference. Friday’s 122-97 victory over the Orlando Magic gave Philadelphia its first No. 1 seed in the East in 20 years, something coach Doc Rivers said the team should not take for granted. “It’s an accomplishment. I

11:42 PM ET With the addition of play-in games to the 2021 NBA playoffs, the scramble for seeding is wilder — and more important — than ever, with almost every game down the stretch having significant postseason implications. Play-in matchups after Thursday’s games Play-in games to be held Tuesday through Friday of next week •

3:35 PM ET LOS ANGELES — As the Lakers look ahead to their final two games of the regular season this weekend, coach Frank Vogel said, “I don’t know if it’s going to be possible,” when asked if he would have his full roster together on the court. LeBron James, sidelined the past six games

3:07 PM ET Boston Celtics All-Star guard Jaylen Brown underwent successful wrist surgery Wednesday and is expected to return to basketball activities in approximately three months, the team announced Thursday. This timeline for Brown would have him ready to return to the court in time for training camp. The Celtics announced Monday that Brown, who

9:15 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN It took almost five months for Udonis Haslem to play in a game for the Miami Heat this season — and he didn’t last very long. Haslem, who appeared in a game for an 18th straight season, played three minutes before getting ejected early in the second quarter of Thursday

3:10 PM ET ESPN News Services Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has reached a verbal agreement on a $1.5 billion sale of the team to former baseball star Alex Rodriguez and e-commerce mogul Marc Lore, sources told ESPN, confirming multiple reports. NBA approval of the deal was still pending, and neither side has publicly announced

11:47 PM ET LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers finally unveiled the franchise’s 17th NBA championship banner at Staples Center on Wednesday night, and LeBron James used the occasion to set his sights on No. 18. “We said we would not unveil this banner until we had some of you guys in the seats,

6:29 PM ET NEW YORK — James Harden returned to the Brooklyn Nets‘ lineup on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs after missing more than a month with a hamstring strain. Still, the Nets will have to wait, once again, to see their Big Three in action. Kyrie Irving was not playing in Wednesday’s game

12:57 PM ET As his team wraps up the regular season with the NBA’s worst record, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta emphasized his excitement about the franchise’s future, declaring confidence in the leadership the team has in place after a year of extreme turnover. “I never thought I could feel this good after winning only

3:25 AM ET LOS ANGELES — The final few possessions that Talen Horton-Tucker was involved in during the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 101-99 overtime win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday mimicked the situation his team finds itself in as the regular season winds down. Things might not have gone as planned up to this

10:39 PM ET Adrian Wojnarowski Close Senior NBA Insider Host of The Woj Pod Joined ESPN in 2017 Malika Andrews Close ESPN Staff Writer Staff Writer Joined ESPN in 2018 Appears regularly on ESPN Chicago 1000 After missing five weeks with a hamstring injury, Brooklyn Nets star James Harden‘s return is expected to be a

9:47 AM ET Tech entrepreneur Marc Lore and baseball star Alex Rodriguez’s 30-day exclusive negotiating window to purchase the Minnesota Timberwolves from Glen Taylor has ended without a formal deal. Both sides are continuing to negotiate in good faith in an attempt to reach an agreement and it is possible extension to the window could

10:50 PM ET Oscar Robertson has owned the record for most career triple-doubles since 1961-62. Now, the Big O will share that record with Russell Westbrook. And that might only last two days because Westbrook will go for sole possession of the record on Monday against the Atlanta Hawks. It had become an afterthought of