NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
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VJ Edgecombe espn.com will miss Wednesday's game against Utah with a low back bruise suffered by the 76ers' star rookie a night earlier on a hard fall. San Antonio forward Harrison Barnes missed his first game since 2021 because he woke up from a pregame nap with a sore left ankle, ending his Iron Man streak. Spurs star Victor Wembanyama expressed gratitude to the public for its help in finding a longtime friend of his who had disappeared after being dropped off at a Chicago airport, while the San Antonio Spurs star visited Alaska to see the northern lights after the All-Star break. James Harden espn.com made a successful return for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, still dealing from a broken thumb in his non-shooting hand.
Coaching & Personnel
A number of prominent basketball coaches, including Steve Kerr and Doc Rivers, signed a public letter released Wednesday contending that political interference in universities threatens to undermine college basketball. Lakers coach JJ Redick called his testy bench exchange with Luka Doncic over the weekend much ado about nothing, saying he didn't understand why it went viral. The Nuggets are bolstering their backcourt depth with the addition of free agent veteran point guard Tyus Jones, while the Thunder are positioning themselves for the postseason by signing former Iowa forward Payton Sandfort to a two-way contract and waiving guard Buddy Boeheim. The Cavaliers, who were stuck in a play-in spot entering January, have since racked up the best record in the NBA and added an 11-time All-Star.
League Developments
The 2025-26 NBA postseason is a little over six weeks away. Stay up to date with which teams have clinched, including the Thunder securing the first playoff spot. ESPN analyst Zach Kram explores the Western Conference's recent dominance and how the East's underrated strength could surprise in the postseason. Entrata espn.com is working with Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan on an IPO, while Francisco Partners espn.com completed a $2.2 billion take-private of Jamf. The NBA's Eastern Conference is better than you think -- here's what that means for the playoffs.
Fantasy & Analysis
Here's everything managers should be looking around the league at ahead of the fantasy playoffs. The most intriguing games left on the schedule for every team are highlighted in ESPN's Power Rankings.