NBA

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

9:01 PM ET Golden State Warriors swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. will not play in Wednesday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers because of a sprained left wrist. The injury took place during Tuesday’s practice in Los Angeles after Oubre went up for a dunk and landed awkwardly after falling from the rim. “He’s just out

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

10:10 PM ET With 24 seconds left in a 1-point game, the Milwaukee Bucks came out of a timeout and passed the ball five times, moving it around until it returned to Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s hands. With the LA Clippers defense in full scramble mode and leaving the paint as wide open as a runway, Antetokounmpo

6:57 PM ET Houston Rockets guard Victor Oladipo recently turned down a two-year, $45.2 million maximum contract extension, the most the franchise could offer him before summer free agency, sources told ESPN. As expected, Oladipo is pursuing a longer-term deal, sources said, something that the Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t allow the Rockets to offer him

11:49 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN Two days after the Toronto Raptors beat the Houston Rockets with several coaches — including head coach Nick Nurse — and star forward Pascal Siakam sitting out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Raptors had their scheduled game Sunday night against the Chicago Bulls postponed because they

1:04 AM ET Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has inspired comparisons to legends such as Larry Bird and Magic Johnson less than two and a half seasons into his NBA career. Among active superstars, Doncic’s game might be most similar to perennial MVP candidate James Harden, who acknowledged Saturday night that he considers those comparisons

7:45 PM ET After missing 10 consecutive games, Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday is likely to return to the lineup against the visiting LA Clippers on Sunday, sources told ESPN. The Bucks have been largely inconsistent without Holiday, who has been out for three weeks as part of the league’s health and safety protocols. Holiday

10:24 AM ET A day after a league official told ESPN’s Marc J. Spears that the G League is investigating a claim made by Jeremy Lin that he was called “coronavirus” during a game, Lin tweeted that he’s “not naming or shaming anyone.” “I know this will disappoint some of you but I’m not naming

11:27 AM ET Zlatan Ibrahimovic has courted controversy throughout his career. MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images AC Milan star Zlatan Ibrahimovic criticized LeBron James and others on Thursday for their activism in what the former LA Galaxy star called “politics.” Speaking in an interview for UEFA for Discovery+ in Sweden on Thursday, the outspoken striker said

3:48 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Brooklyn Nets star forward Kevin Durant will remain out until after the All-Star break due to a left hamstring strain he suffered earlier this month, the team announced Friday. After a follow-up MRI, the Nets determined Durant “will require an additional recovery period” that will keep him out through the

11:20 AM ET In a shift from years past, the NBA league office will require college seniors to petition the league for inclusion on the NBA early-entry list in order to become draft-eligible in 2021. Last October, due to disruptions caused by the pandemic, the NCAA granted an additional year of eligibility to winter athletes,