3:51 AM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James destroyed Nemanja Bjelica with a dunk in the first half Friday. Obliterated him. Might have well have turned Bjelica’s No. 88 uniform on its side and sent him off to infinity, and beyond. It was a career highlight-reel worthy throwdown for James on the same day he

6:45 PM ET Carmelo Anthony isn’t expected to make his Portland Trail Blazers debut until Tuesday’s game at New Orleans at the earliest, league sources tell ESPN. Anthony, 35, has to complete a physical with the Blazers before the one-year, non-guaranteed contract is finalized — and that could some as soon as Saturday, league sources

12:39 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley has a hairline fracture in his right leg, the team announced Friday. He will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks, according to the Lakers. Bradley injured his leg during a collision with Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 3.

2:17 AM ET NEW ORLEANS — Cold outside air poured through the loading dock a couple hundred feet from tunnels leading out to the floor, coating the lower bowl at Smoothie King Center on Thursday with a chilled draft. For the first time this season, Paul George took the court for a pregame warmup and

8:37 PM ET NEW YORK — There was no ceremonious tribute video or standing ovation for the New York Knicks’ former face of the franchise. Kristaps Porzingis was booed while he went through warm-ups. Fans interrupted the national anthem and let out screams of “Go back to back to Latvia” and “Traitor.” Porzingis was forcibly

1:50 AM ET LeBron James likes to pass the ball. Legend has it he developed his appreciation for the pass as a 9-year-old playing for the Summit Lake Hornets in a rec basketball league in Akron, Ohio. He fed a diminutive teammate named Sonny Spoon by rolling the rock his way. It was the only

12:51 AM ET HOUSTON — Notorious pest Patrick Beverley‘s reputation as an elite defender isn’t accurate, according to Russell Westbrook, who cited James Harden‘s 47-point performance in the Houston Rockets‘ 102-93 win Wednesday over the LA Clippers as proof. “Pat Bev trick y’all, man, like he playing defense,” Westbrook said. “He don’t guard nobody, man.

8:03 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — The Bucks have assigned Thanasis Antetokounmpo, the older brother of reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, to the G League. The Bucks announced Wednesday that Antetokounmpo and Dragan Bender have been assigned to the Wisconsin Herd. Antetokounmpo, who signed a two-year, minimum contract with Milwaukee during the offseason, has appeared

9:16 AM ET Houston, we have a Westbrook … now what? Following the initial shock of the Russell Westbrook trade to the Houston Rockets, there were three immediate questions about the superstar on the court: Can Westbrook shoot well enough to play in Houston’s system? Can Westbrook and James Harden coexist? Does Westbrook make the

1:57 AM ET PHOENIX — Anthony Davis had a wrap on his right shoulder before the game and tape around his ribs by the end of it, but neither setback stopped him from putting up 24 points and 12 rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 123-115 win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. “He wants