NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Recent Moves & Coaching Changes
The Lakers espn.com added former Virginia coach Tony Bennett as an NBA draft adviser to president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka. Meanwhile, new Lakers president espn.com Lon Rosen made it clear that GM Rob Pelinka will remain in his role and be flanked by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi.
Player Injuries & Returns
The Cavaliers espn.com said guard James Harden is questionable for Wednesday night's game against the Bucks after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb Tuesday against the Knicks. Hawks All-Star forward espn.com Jalen Johnson played only 5½ minutes before leaving Tuesday's win over the Wizards with a left hip flexor injury. Trail Blazers guard espn.com Shaedon Sharpe was diagnosed with a stress reaction of the left fibula and will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks. Bulls guard espn.com Anfernee Simons aggravated a fractured left wrist that he suffered while with the Celtics, and the team did not offer a timeline for his return.
MVP Race Developments
MVP odds espn.com have tightened, with the top two betting favorites -- Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver's Nikola Jokic -- at risk of not qualifying for the award. After Jaylen Brown fueled the Celtics' win over the Lakers on Sunday, he received an MVP endorsement from Le Bron James espn.com.
Notable Performances
Jonathan Kuminga espn.com, after months of riding the bench in Golden State, shined in his debut for the Hawks. The Pelicans espn.com raved over Dejounte Murray's return to action Tuesday, when he scored 13 points in his comeback from a ruptured right Achilles tendon. Russell Westbrook espn.com scored 25 points as the Kings snapped a 16-game losing streak -- the longest in franchise history -- with a 123-114 victory over the Grizzlies on Monday night.
Team Standings & Trends
NBA insiders espn.com break down where all 30 teams land coming out of the All-Star break. The Spurs espn.com won their ninth straight game, beating the Pistons in a potential NBA Finals preview Monday night. Utah center espn.com Jusuf Nurkic will undergo nose surgery this week and sit out the rest of the season.
Controversies & League Issues
Pacers coach espn.com Rick Carlisle said the NBA did not speak with team doctors or players before issuing a $100K fine for violating the league's player participation policy, a claim the NBA has disputed. Pacers point guard espn.com Tyrese Haliburton was diagnosed with shingles and will be away from the team for a few weeks, coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday.
Historic Moments
The Lakers espn.com unveiled a statue of legendary coach Pat Riley wearing his iconic Armani suit outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. NBA legend espn.com Marques Johnson celebrated another year with his annual birthday dunk.
Game Highlights
The Warriors espn.com downed Denver despite Nikola Jokic's triple-double on Sunday afternoon. Coby White espn.com is set to make his Charlotte Hornets debut on Tuesday night against his former Bulls team. The Hawks espn.com have removed former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher from the starting lineup in favor of veteran CJ Mc Collum.
Off-Court Developments
A grand jury espn.com returned a no-bill in the case involving former NBA guard Patrick Beverley, who was arrested last fall in what police called a "family violence" incident. Kevin Durant espn.com told ESPN that he plans to play in the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.