2:20 AM ET Malika AndrewsESPN MILWAUKEE – Mike Budenholzer dismissed the idea that Saturday’s showdown with the Toronto Raptors meant anything more than Friday’s blowout win over the Atlanta Hawks, but the energy in the building and the intensity of competition on the floor undercut Budenholzer’s contention from the opening tip. As Kawhi Leonard returns

4:46 PM ET SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knows his team has suffered some uncharacteristic losses this season, including five already at Oracle Arena, but he remains confident that his team will be able to bounce back and reach its peak in the near future. The Warriors lamented giving away

3:52 AM ET PORTLAND, Ore. — It’s not often that Russell Westbrook will admit to a game containing some extra level of motivation. But with it having been nearly five years since the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Portland Trail Blazers on the road, it had been on his mind for more than the previous

12:30 AM ET Associated Press MIAMI — Bradley Beal has been keeping a secret from Dwyane Wade all of these years. Beal wears No. 3 for one reason. It’s a tribute to his idol. After their 16th head-to-head meeting on Friday night — Miami beat Washington 115-109 — Beal finally summoned up the courage to

3:34 PM ET Ramona Shelburne Close ESPN Senior Writer Senior writer for ESPN.com Spent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily News Adrian Wojnarowski Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Jimmy Butler has aggressively challenged coach Brett Brown on his role in the offense, complicating an already tenuous chemistry among the team’s Big 3 hierarchy, league sources told

8:30 AM ET SPRINTING BACK AND forth between the court, weight room and visitors locker room at Staples Center on a mid-November evening, Todd Forcier keeps time. The Portland Trail Blazers‘ sports performance specialist is running players through warm-ups an hour before they face the Lakers, but his eyes are also trained on the red

11:15 PM ET The Cleveland Cavaliers said Thursday that All-Star forward Kevin Love has been cleared to progress in his rehab from left foot surgery after receiving positive results in a follow-up consultation earlier this week. In a statement released Thursday night, the Cavs said that Love met with Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital

4:59 PM ET ESPN News Services MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace has apologized to Memphis’ fans for an apparent altercation following the team’s latest loss. Wallace said Thursday that the Grizzlies had an “emotionally-charged” meeting Wednesday night after a 101-94 loss to the Detroit Pistons. It was Memphis’ 10th loss in 13

3:40 AM ET LOS ANGELES — A year ago, Paul George‘s visits to Staples Center were borderline recruiting trips, featuring plenty of cheers, signs and chants. But after George spurned the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency last summer, fans greeted him with hearty boos on Wednesday, including every time he touched the ball. “It

1:11 AM ET NEW YORK — The New Orleans Pelicans have lost seven of their past nine games. They’re in 14th place in the Western Conference. Superstar Anthony Davis said that all of the losing isn’t sitting well with anyone in the organization. “We’re a better team than our record shows. Everyone is frustrated. Players,