5:46 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN TORONTO — Before the Raptors faced the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Scotiabank Arena, Raptors coach Nick Nurse was concerned about Pascal Siakam needing to shake off several weeks’ worth of rust in his first game back from a groin injury. “I think it’ll be a challenge, to be

2:03 PM ET Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal and center Thomas Bryant are returning to the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz, according to coach Scott Brooks. Beal will start Sunday’s game, while Bryant will come off the bench. Both players will be on a minutes restriction, according to Brooks. The Wizards’ leader

2:16 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN The Milwaukee Bucks boarded their private plane to take them to San Antonio sporting a 32-5 record, the best in the NBA this season. Their .865 win percentage had them on pace to win 71 games, putting them on par with the 1996-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10) and the 2015-16 Golden

4:55 PM ET Kyrie Irving is expected to make his return to the Brooklyn Nets lineup Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks, league sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Irving has been out since mid-November with a right shoulder injury. He recently returned to 5-on-5 workouts in practice and is preparing for his return Sunday in Brooklyn.

2:07 PM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — The Los Angeles Lakers could be without the bulk of their starting lineup Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. LeBron James is out because of an illness and flu-like symptoms and Danny Green will also miss the game because of a sore right hip, the team announced. Anthony Davis,

3:42 AM ET LOS ANGELES — After erasing a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, Kawhi Leonard drove left around Glenn Robinson III and put the punctuation on his big night with his second monster dunk of the game as Omari Spellman thought about challenging before floating away from harm. The LA Clippers had four days off between

9:44 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW YORK — As New Orleans Pelicans rookie forward Zion Williamson walked out of the tunnel and onto the court at Madison Square Garden on Friday evening, all the eyes in the arena turned to him. There was a certain buzz floating around as a few hundred fans with passes

2:07 PM ET Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been fined $35,000 and Indiana Pacers forward T.J. Warren was fined $25,000 for their roles in an altercation during Wednesday’s game in Indianapolis. During the 122-108 Heat win, Butler and Warren exchanged bumps, words and gestures, leading to the Pacers forward’s ejection. Butler then blew kisses

10:05 PM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma City Thunder had never before played a tribute video for the return of a former player. But Russell Westbrook is certainly unique. The video played before the Houston Rockets‘ starting lineup was introduced Thursday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Deafening cheers and a familiar chant drowned out

9:04 PM ET PLAYA VISTA, Calif. — The LA Clippers have ruled out All-Star guard Paul George for Friday’s game against Golden State Warriors with a left hamstring strain. George had tightness in his left hamstring and did not finish a game against Detroit last Thursday. He missed Saturday’s loss against the Memphis Grizzlies with