6:49 PM ET Jamal Collier Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton has tested positive for COVID-19, coach Mike Budenholzer revealed before Tuesday night’s 117-89 win against the Detroit Pistons. Middleton missed Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz with what the team initially believed was a non-COVID illness, before he entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols

12:20 AM ET Fantasy staff We are merely two weeks into the fantasy basketball season, but already it’s easy to identify some draft-day hits and misses. Our team of fantasy experts — Eric Karabell, Andre Snelllings, Eric Moody, Jim McCormick and John Cregan — got together to discuss some of the things that have stuck

7:02 PM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County agreed Tuesday to pay $2.5 million to two families who lost relatives in last year’s helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven other people. The Board of Supervisors approved a settlement of two federal lawsuits filed by the Altobelli and Mauser

11:04 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — After yet another ugly individual performance Monday night in a season full of them so far, Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard said his poor start is a chance for him to show the world what he’s really about. “I always look at struggles as an opportunity to

4:34 PM ET Associated Press CLEVELAND — Cavaliers forward Kevin Love was placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols and missed Monday’s 113-110 win at Charlotte — and likely will miss several more games. It’s not known whether Love is still with the team. The Cavaliers provided a brief statement on Love as they

12:58 AM ET Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Kobe Bryant’s widow won’t have to undergo psychiatric testing for her lawsuit over graphic photos of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed the basketball star, her 13-year-old daughter and seven others, a federal judge ruled Monday. Los Angeles County sought to compel psychiatric evaluations for Vanessa Bryant

7:55 PM ET Associated Press MIAMI — Max Strus expects to be sidelined for maybe just a couple weeks. Given how badly he initially feared his left knee was injured, that’s a major win for the Miami Heat guard. The Heat diagnosed Strus’ injury as a sprain Monday, learning he did not sustain major structural

8:00 AM ET After falling to 3-4, the Milwaukee Bucks have forfeited the No. 1 spot this week. The Utah Jazz, who were the league’s final unbeaten team before falling to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, handed Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks their third straight loss on their way to the top of our list.

Oct 30, 2021 Eric WoodyardESPN DETROIT — A new era of Detroit Pistons basketball is officially underway as No. 1 pick Cade Cunningham made his debut in Saturday’s 110-103 win over the Orlando Magic. Cunningham missed the entire preseason and the first four games of the regular season because of a sprained ankle suffered during

Oct 29, 2021 Associated Press NEW YORK — Trae Young was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Friday for making contact with a referee. The star guard was penalized for his actions with 6:41 left in the second quarter of Atlanta’s 122-111 loss to Washington on Thursday. Young was driving left and bumped by defender