NBA

7:31 AM ET The NBA has a different look after last week’s trade deadline, especially the Western Conference. The blockbuster trades of Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns and Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks were just the headliners in a long series of league-shaking moves that are bound to affect the playoff race and

1:09 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — Jrue Holiday matched a career-high with 40 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 131-125 overtime victory over an undermanned Boston Celtics team on Tuesday, extending Milwaukee’s winning streak to 11 games. The streak, the longest

10:00 AM ET When the NBA summer league was quaint, when it was just the business of evaluating basketball before the evaluation of basketball and the pleasures of Las Vegas, it was played in Boston. In the summer of 2003, LeBron James was there. He hadn’t yet played an official professional game, but he was

11:05 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry said Monday that there is no target date for him to return from his left lower leg injury that has held him out since Feb. 4. The team plans to reevaluate Curry after the All-Star break, but Curry said he will

8:19 PM ET DALLAS — Kyrie Irving made a polite request during a news conference Monday evening to introduce him to the Dallas media: Please do not ask him about his future beyond this season. The Dallas Mavericks traded for Irving last week despite not having any assurances he would remain with the franchise after

1:22 PM ET Veteran guard Justin Holiday has agreed to a buyout arrangement with the Houston Rockets and plans to sign with the Dallas Mavericks when he clears waivers, sources told ESPN. Holiday was traded to the Rockets last week from the Atlanta Hawks, where he played 28 games this season and averaged 4.5 points

7:35 AM ET CHRISTIAN WOOD SHEEPISHLY raised his right arm in the air and looked toward Spencer Dinwiddie, who had just made a 3-pointer off a pass from the Dallas Mavericks‘ big man to push the lead to double-digits midway through the fourth quarter. You see, Wood made the gesture not as an acknowledgement for

5:52 PM ET The Golden State Warriors completed a four-team trade that allows guard Gary Payton II to pass his physical and three more players — James Wiseman (Detroit), Saddiq Bey (Atlanta) and Kevin Knox (Portland) — cleared beginning Monday, sources told ESPN on Sunday night. The Warriors — who held up the trade after

1:41 PM ET The Golden State Warriors are discussing with the NBA a way to complete their four-team trade with Portland, Detroit and Atlanta, and still preserve their rights to pursue recourse on how the Trail Blazers shared guard Gary Payton II‘s medical information with them prior to the agreement, sources told ESPN on Sunday.

3:07 AM ET SACRAMENTO — As fiery a competitor as Luka Doncic is, he couldn’t stop smiling after the Dallas Mavericks’ 133-128 overtime loss Saturday night to the Sacramento Kings. That’s how much Doncic enjoyed playing with new teammate Kyrie Irving for the first time — and how excited Doncic is about the possibilities for

12:51 AM ET After Suns owner Mat Ishbia and coach Monty Williams joined the pursuit on Saturday, veteran guard Terrence Ross plans to sign with Phoenix upon finalizing a contract buyout, sources told ESPN. The Dallas Mavericks had emerged as a frontrunner earlier Saturday, but the Suns made the case to Ross on the opportunity

4:23 PM ET After a deadline trade to the Utah Jazz and an initial discussion with the franchise’s management, Russell Westbrook expects to take time heading into the All-Star break to decide on his next steps this season, sources told ESPN on Saturday. Jazz CEO Danny Ainge, general manager Justin Zanik and coach Will Hardy

3:52 AM ET LOS ANGELES — After the LA Clippers traded point guards Reggie Jackson and John Wall away on Thursday’s deadline, Paul George and Marcus Morris Sr. made it no secret that they want the Clippers to add Russell Westbrook should he become available. Westbrook was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the

7:52 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — Significant concerns over Gary Payton II‘s physical exam with Golden State has put Thursday’s four-team trade involving the Warriors, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers in jeopardy, sources confirmed to ESPN. The Warriors have until Saturday to go through with the deal or rescind the

3:26 PM ET SACRAMENTO — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic said he loves and respects “my guys” Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie, but he didn’t hesitate to sign off on trading them for Kyrie Irving when team management presented the possibility to him. “We’ll obviously miss them here, but Kyrie’s Kyrie, man,” Doncic said after

3:17 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis explained that his body language during the Lakers‘ 133-130 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday had everything to do with his team’s struggles and nothing to do with LeBron James‘ record-setting night. “It’s about the game,” Davis said after putting up 23 points and 16

11:57 PM ET ATLANTA — Kevin Durant hasn’t played a game yet for the Phoenix Suns, but his presence on the roster already is paying dividends for them. Players and coaches spoke openly about how much they believe Durant will help the team in a variety of ways after he and T.J. Warren were sent

2:57 PM ET Dan HajduckyESPN Close Hajducky is a reporter/researcher for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities. A signed Kobe Bryant jersey, worn during his lone MVP season in 2007-08, has sold for $5,849,700 with Sotheby’s,