11:00 PM ET The 2023 NBA playoffs are almost here. The Golden State Warriors are the defending champions but are still battling to qualify for the postseason, in which 16 teams will face off in four rounds of action to determine the 2023 NBA champion. The top six teams in each conference automatically qualify for

3:58 PM ET UCLA star Jaime Jaquez will declare for the 2023 NBA draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility, he told ESPN on Thursday. “I had an amazing journey graduating from UCLA,” Jaquez said. “I want to thank all my coaches, teammates and staff for helping me along this journey.” Jaquez, the No. 34

9:40 PM ET LOS ANGELES — With three games remaining in the regular season and playoff seeding on the line, the Los Angeles Lakers played their stars Wednesday against the LA Clippers. The question is, after a 125-118 loss in a game in which the Lakers trailed by as many as 24 points, was it

Apr 5, 2023 Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. — Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points, his fourth straight 40-point game, to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 117-113 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. The win secured the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and home-court advantage in the first round for the Cavaliers

4:48 PM ET ESPN staff The Sacramento Kings have entered new territory of late. Editor’s Picks 1 Related Tuesday night’s 121-103 win over the New Orleans Pelicans was enough to clinch their first division title since 2002-03. The team already ended its 16-year postseason drought with last week’s 120-80 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

10:15 PM ET The preseason favorite in each NBA division is on track to win in every division except the Pacific, where the Sacramento Kings were 250-1 to win. They reached as long as 400-1 in November but clinched the division in New Orleans against the Pelicans on Tuesday night. The Kings are the biggest

11:52 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls clinched their spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament on Tuesday, securing at least the No. 10 seed in the conference despite a 123-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. A 117-113 loss by the Orlando Magic on Tuesday helped secure the Bulls postseason spot and

2:35 PM ET DALLAS — All-Star guard Luka Doncic declared that he would not consider being shut down for the season as long as the Dallas Mavericks have postseason hopes, no matter how long the odds. “I’m playing tomorrow,” Doncic said after Tuesday’s practice. “When there’s still a chance, I’m gonna play. So that’s not

4:29 PM ET With Metropolitans 92’s offense stuck in the mud Sunday, Victor Wembanyama was asked to create his own shot one-on-one versus a switch from well beyond the 3-point line in a late-clock situation — totally normal stuff for a 7-foot-5, 19-year-old playing a road game against a Euroleague squad. When his first move

12:56 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is nearing a return to the team and is expected to be back early this week, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. Wiggins, who has missed 22 consecutive games attending to a family matter, is expected to be back in the Bay Area