NBA

12:44 AM ET NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson said he was feeling the weight of expectations as he struggled to find any rhythm at the start of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Brunson, who called his play “horrific” following an 0-for-7 display from 3-point range in Game

7:03 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the 2022-23 season, the league announced on Tuesday. Embiid, who finished second behind Nikola Jokic in the voting for the award each of the past two seasons, flipped the script this time around, finishing ahead of

8:00 AM ET After much debate during the regular season, the 2022-23 NBA MVP will be announced Tuesday evening (7 p.m. ET, TNT). For the second-straight season, the three finalists are Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. If Jokic wins, he would be the first player to win three consecutive MVP

1:05 AM ET BOSTON — It’s not rare to see a playoff game turn on a single play. But it’s quite something to witness when nine players on the court are standing still. Game 1 of this massive Eastern Conference semifinals between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics, a game in which MVP finalist Joel

6:06 PM ET Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Game 1 vs. the Boston Celtics on Monday night due to the sprained LCL in his right knee. There is optimism of a possible return for Game 2 on Wednesday, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Embiid suffered the injury nearly two weeks

11:58 PM ET SACRAMENTO — At some point, it will be someone else’s time. One of the young teams that tries to dethrone the Golden State Warriors will break through. One of the defensive stoppers assigned to bottle up Stephen Curry will actually do it. An agitator will do more than poke the bear that

11:58 PM ET SACRAMENTO — At some point it will be someone else’s time. One of the young teams that tries to dethrone the Golden State Warriors will break through. One of the defensive-stoppers assigned to bottle up Stephen Curry will actually do it. An agitator will do more than poke the bear that is

6:19 PM ET Stephen Curry put the Golden State Warriors on his back. In Game 7 of his team’s first-round NBA playoffs series against the Sacramento Kings, Curry put up a performance for the ages: 50 points on 20 of 38 shooting to go along with eight rebounds and six assists. Curry’s Herculean effort gave

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN It’s been 23 years since the New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals, and 24 since their last NBA Finals appearance. And, to get there both times, the Knicks had to fight their way through the Miami Heat. From 1997 to 2000, the two teams — in the wake

12:00 PM ET KARL ANTHONY-TOWNS backed down Aaron Gordon in the post, as Jamal Murray was lurking with an eye locked on the Minnesota big man the entire possession. The moment Towns went to pass out of the ensuing double-team by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Murray jumped the passing lane, intercepted the ball and slammed down a

1:54 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN CAMDEN, N.J. — Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said Saturday afternoon that “if I was a betting man” superstar center Joel Embiid will be doubtful to play in “at least” Monday’s Game 1 of the titanic Eastern Conference semifinal against the Boston Celtics. “There is no latest,” Rivers said Saturday,

3:30 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Lakers coach Darvin Ham arrived early to Crypto.com Arena Friday afternoon. He’d had less than 48 hours to process the situation his team found itself in after a demoralizing Game 5 loss in Memphis on Wednesday night. His team had looked exhausted and disjointed in that game. The schedule

1:26 AM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James vowed to be better for Friday’s Game 6 of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies. He kept his word, and his teammates kept up the pressure on the Grizzlies from the opening tip, destroying the No. 2-seeded Grizzlies 125-85 to win the series

DOMANTAS SABONIS IS the funnel through which the NBA’s best offense flows, and it all begins when he grabs a defensive rebound and dribbles up the court, his 7-foot body proceeding with its uniquely equine gait. He generally picks up his dribble near the top of the key, holding the ball in one hand away

10:59 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN Ever since the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers opened the 2022-23 NBA season, the two rivals seemed destined to meet in the playoffs. Here we are. After the Celtics dispatched the pesky Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 Thursday night — and 11 days after the 76ers swept the Brooklyn Nets

11:18 PM ET ATLANTA — After they were hurt by the last six minutes of Game 5 on Tuesday, the Boston Celtics played that same end-of-game stretch in Thursday’s Game 6 with added urgency, leading to a win that pushed them into the next round of the playoffs. Effective defense and timely 3s from a

4:03 AM ET SACRAMENTO — Over the years, these Golden State Warriors have sent and delivered a lot of messages. Sometimes the coaching staff will splice in a funny video clip with a particular theme, hoping it cuts through and lands. Other times one of the veteran players will speak up, publicly or privately. There

4:02 AM ET Jamal CollierESPN MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair before answering a question at his news conference Wednesday night following the Milwaukee Bucks‘ stunning 128-126 overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series. The Bucks, who owned the