7:10 AM ET NBA Insiders Nearly a quarter of the way into the NBA season, a hotly-contested and deep MVP race is already shaping up featuring established stars and one rising phenom. Do recent winners James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo have an edge? How do Los Angeles Lakers‘ teammates Anthony Davis and LeBron James fit
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6:45 PM ET Kyrie Irving will miss Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics in Brooklyn, the Nets announced Thursday, the eighth game Irving has missed due to a right shoulder impingement. Irving did not make the Nets’ most recent road-trip, including a game in Boston on Wednesday night. His absence was noted by fans in
7:00 AM ET Andrew LopezESPN It was going to be the shining moment in Carmelo Anthony’s return to the NBA. Just 15 minutes into his debut with the Portland Trail Blazers, the 10-time All-Star rose up for an epic posterizing slam. There was just one problem, and his name was Jaxson Hayes. “I thought he
3:20 AM ET NEW ORLEANS — Late in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 114-110 win over the New Orleans Pelicans in Anthony Davis‘ homecoming Wednesday, LeBron James visited the ESPN broadcast table to express his disappointment with a call that was being reviewed. With the Lakers leading the Pelicans 108-107 with 1:22 left in the fourth
2:52 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr cut his right hand during Wednesday night’s 104-90 win over the Chicago Bulls after breaking a clipboard in frustration. Kerr made light of the situation after the game, as he wore a bandaid on his hand while speaking to reporters at the podium.
10:32 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN NEW ORLEANS — As the lights dimmed in the Smoothie King Center for the national anthem and a calm came over the crowd, one New Orleans Pelicans fan let Anthony Davis know exactly what he thought about his return to the city he once called home. “AD’s a sellout!” It
7:55 PM ET New Orleans Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball will not play in Wednesday’s home game against the Los Angeles Lakers, coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. Ball was sent home from practice Tuesday because of a stomach virus. Wednesday would’ve been Ball’s first game against his former team. He’s averaging 11.1 points and 5.7 assists
10:19 AM ET Tory BarronESPN Editor Close Tory Barron is a Bristol-based writer and editor for ESPN.com. After retiring from playing lacrosse at UConn, the DC native decided to try her hand at writing about people playing sports. On Wednesday night, Anthony Davis will make his highly anticipated return to his former home of New
2:55 AM ET DALLAS — Kawhi Leonard mentioned only one name on the opponent’s roster when discussing the LA Clippers‘ dominant defensive effort in Tuesday’s 114-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Granted, Leonard has a well-earned reputation for keeping his word usage rate to a minimum with the media. But Paul George, his more loquacious
6:47 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he has never seen anything quite like the injury situation his team is dealing, while noting that he has been calling the healthy remaining players on the roster the ‘Elite Eight’ as they continue to play under adverse circumstances. “We could have