Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports The Milwaukee Bucks haven’t been the regular-season juggernaut they were the past two years. But there are still more than enough reasons they could finally win it all. The past two seasons, the Milwaukee Bucks steamrolled the Eastern Conference — winning better than 70 percent of their games, holding down the
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. (Journal Sentinel) Cubs getting healthy at right time with latest roster moves by Alicia de Artola Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and his girlfriend Mariah Riddlesprigger are due to welcome a second child into their lives. Congratulations are in order for Giannis Antetokounmpo and his girlfriend, who announced a second baby on
The NBA has announced the start times for the last two days of the season over the weekend, spanning 21 games over 48 hours. The majority of those matchups will have an impact on who participates in the NBA Play-In Tournament starting on Tuesday, as well as the final seedings for the NBA playoffs. Saturday’s schedule
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 •
MIAMI, FL – APRIL 01: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Miami Heat brings the basketball up court during the second half of the game against the Golden State Warriors at American Airlines Arena on April 1, 2021 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this
Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem added to his legend when he took the court for the first time this season, only to be ejected after three minutes. Udonis Haslem has made 859 appearances for the Miami Heat over the last 18 seasons. The latest one might be his greatest. It’s certainly among his most memorable.
Analyst Chris Webber won’t be involved in TNT’s coverage of the 2021 NBA Playoff, leaving the broadcasting team after 14 years. NBA playoff games broadcast on TNT this year will have a different sound to them. Chris Webber and TNT have agreed to part ways, according to The New York Post. The analyst was not
Udonis Haslem had not played one NBA minute this season. Per NBA rules, he hadn’t even qualified for his 18th NBA season before playing against the Philadelphia 76ers in the final Heat home game Thursday. After entering the game with 59.3 seconds in the first quarter to a standing ovation, Haslem was ejected early in
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
De’Anthony Melton’s improvements as a shooter and ball-handler in year three, when paired with his stout defense, make him invaluable to the Grizzlies. De’Anthony Melton will not win Most Improved Player this season. He does not deserve the award. That honor is Julius Randle‘s. But Melton is, nonetheless, among the crop of vastly improved players
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
This late in the season, the Chicago Bulls are projected to miss the playoffs for the fourth-straight season. With their superstar guard in Zach LaVine entering the final year of his contract next season, the Bulls will need to do everything in their power to convince him to re-sign with the team through the remainder
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 07: Dwight Howard #39 of the Philadelphia 76ers cheers before playing against the New Orleans Pelicans at Wells Fargo Center on May 07, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions
Anthony Davis and LeBron James openly mocked Spike Lee after the Lakers beat the Knicks in overtime. If you didn’t think the 90s Knicks were back, Tuesday night was all the proof anyone needed. Not only did the Knicks drag the Lakers to overtime, inflating the hope of an already excited and rejuvenated fan base,
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers. (Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports) Crazy stat makes Steph Curry’s 3-point shooting even more impressive by John Buhler LeBron James sounds like he wants to raise another banner for the Los Angeles Lakers. With LeBron James speaking to the Staples Center crowd ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ home
Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers. (Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports) Fully vaccinated Gleyber Torres becomes eighth Yankee to test positive for COVID-19 by Alicia de Artola Kyle Kuzma is not just a great player, but he is a phenomenal Los Angeles Lakers insider. Nobody know the inner workings of the Los Angeles Lakers quite like Kyle
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
Although it was only a year ago, it feels like it was yesterday. Last night, before their matchup against the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers had the chance to remind everyone who the true champions were. Finally unveiling their 17th championship banner from last season’s sensational postseason run, sweet glory filled the arena for
Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images The LA Clippers have their eyes set on winning the first NBA championship in franchise history, and they’ve got the makeup to do it. Year 1 of the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George partnership in Los Angeles didn’t yield the results the LA Clippers wanted. The team was bounced from
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
It looks like the T-Wolves have a new owner: former MLB shortstop and third baseman Alex Rodriguez and tech entrepreneur Marc Lore. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, A-Rod and Lore have reportedly reached an agreement to purchase the franchise for $1.5 billion from current-owner Glen Taylor. Reports also say that the deal includes the
The Whiteboard is The Step Back’s daily basketball newsletter, covering the NBA, WNBA and more. Subscribe here to get it delivered to you via email each morning. Things seem to be going south in a hurry for the Indiana Pacers. On Tuesday, after an 11-7 start, they’ve gone 19-28 teetering on the edge of missing the
T.J. Warren, Indiana Pacers. (Mandatory Credit: Ashley Landis/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports) James Harden provides promising update on his return from injury by Braulio Perez T.J. Warren wanted out of the Indiana Pacers after the team hired Nate Bjorkgren as their next head coach. With Indiana Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren expected to be one-and-done, this story about
The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled their 2020 NBA championship banner at Staples Center with LeBron James and Anthony Davis thanking the fans. The Lakers won the 2020 NBA title under unusual circumstances, so it only makes sense they had to wait extra long to unveil their championship banner. They finally got the chance on Wednesday
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
The Utah Jazz has decided to shut down their franchise player for the rest of the regular season before playoffs begin in a few weeks. Utah guard Donovan Mitchell will end up missing the final three games—having missed the last 13 games prior to—with a sprained right ankle. Mitchell has been on the sidelines since
The Phoenix Suns may draw the short stick when it comes a potential first-round matchup. Even if this is the best season the Phoenix Suns have had in a decade, they are on the precipice of a potentially horrendous first-round matchup come playoff time. With the 2020-21 NBA regular season entering its final week, the Suns find themselves two
LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers. (Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports Cubs give injury update on Kris Bryant after he was hit by pitch by Steven Kubitza LeBron James, Anthony Davis will miss Wednesday night’s game vs. the Houston Rockets. Nobody respects the Houston Rockets more than Los Angeles Lakers stars Anthony Davis and
10:55 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 following Tuesday’s games Play-in games to be held May 18-21 • How the play-in tournament
In what’s been a challenging season for Miami Heat star guard Victor Oladipo, the eighth-year pro has opted to have a season-ending surgery on his right quadriceps, having played just 33 games in the 2020-21 season. Oladipo, who will have the surgery on Thursday in New York, has no timetable for his return. Having originally