NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Game Results & Highlights
The Celtics posted one of the best offensive performances in league history espn.com on Friday night against the Nets. Friday night's game between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers was delayed for 18 minutes espn.com in the third quarter by a blaring horn after a power surge caused the overhead scoreboard to malfunction. The Pistons faced a shell of the defending champion Thunder espn.com on Wednesday night in a possible NBA Finals preview, with Oklahoma City's top six scorers sidelined due to injuries.
Player Injuries & Updates
Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will be reevaluated in two weeks espn.com after an MRI on his hip Thursday, sources told ESPN, making him the latest Utah player to be sidelined because of an injury. All-Star guard Norman Powell, the Heat's leading scorer, has a Grade 1 right groin strain espn.com and will be out for at least a week, the team said Friday. The Cavaliers ruled out guard James Harden espn.com for Wednesday night's game at Milwaukee after he suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right thumb Tuesday against the Knicks. All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and James Harden each missed their second straight game espn.com Friday for the Cavs, who also ruled out Keon Ellis and Dean Wade.
Roster Moves
Cole Anthony was waived Friday by the Suns espn.com, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, after the guard did not appear in any games since he was acquired at the NBA trade deadline. Mason Plumlee has signed a deal with the San Antonio Spurs espn.com for the remainder of the season, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN. Former Virginia coach Tony Bennett joined the Lakers on Wednesday espn.com as NBA draft adviser to president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka.
Records & Milestones
Kon Knueppel broke Keegan Murray's NBA rookie record for 3-pointers espn.com, making his 207th on Thursday night against the Pacers. The NBA fined Anthony Edwards and Desmond Bane $25,000 each espn.com for throwing the ball into the stands in recent games.
Off-Court News
Chris Bosh said that he's "lucky to be alive" espn.com after a recent health scare that resulted in him waking up "covered in my own blood." Jontay Porter, banned for life by the NBA for gambling in 2024 and currently awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to a related federal charge, is planning to play for an upstart pro basketball league espn.com. Suns owner Mat Ishbia wants more star players participating in All-Star Weekend events espn.com when Phoenix hosts next year -- and is hoping to entice them by offering a $1 million prize to the winners of the competitions.
Team Analysis
The Lakers are entering the most crucial stretch of the season espn.com with Deandre Ayton as they face questions about whether he will accept the role they desperately need him to play. NBA insiders break down where all 30 teams land espn.com coming out of the All-Star break in the latest power rankings. A look around the league reveals Zion Williamson finding the ability to stay on the court espn.com, plus emerging options on the Clippers, Kings and Jazz.
Historical Features
In late 2002, Nike began creating a global campaign featuring the black mamba -- and presented it to an NBA superstar espn.com. That star was not Kobe Bryant. The Lakers lost to the Magic 110-109 on Tuesday espn.com after a botched sidelines out-of-bounds play between Le Bron James and Luka Doncic in the final seconds failed to produce a quality shot.