NBA Basketball 3d Briefing
×Injury Updates
The Lakers will be without LeBron James and two of their big men in Deandre Ayton and Maxi Kleber on Friday against the Pacers, the team announced espn.com. Deandre Ayton left Thursday night's loss to the Nuggets with a knee injury, while LeBron James complained of a sore elbow afterward and said he wasn't sure of his status for Friday's game espn.com. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will miss at least two more weeks as he continues to recover from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow espn.com. Pistons forward Ausar Thompson left Thursday's loss to the Spurs in the first quarter and didn't return because of a sprained right ankle espn.com.
Player Performances
In his limited time on the court, Trae Young proved in his Wizards debut that he is the type of player the team hasn't had since John Wall, thrilling the D.C. crowd and finishing with 12 points in a 112-111 loss to the Nets espn.com. Cooper Flagg returned to the Mavericks' lineup Thursday night after missing eight games because of a left midfoot sprain and had 18 points and six assists in a 115-114 loss to the Orlando Magic espn.com.
Team News
The Warriors traded for Kristaps Porzingis on Feb. 4. He made his debut on Feb. 19 and has not played since due to a "mysterious" illness espn.com. Spurs forward Harrison Barnes missed his first game since 2021 because he woke up from a pregame nap with a sore left ankle espn.com. The 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 espn.com.
Legal & Off-Court
A federal judge in New York issued a $1 million civil judgment against NBA free agent Malik Beasley in a contract dispute with his former agency espn.com. Alexander Esteban Huaiquil Chavez, a member of a theft group comprising Chilean nationals that burglarized the homes of athletes across the United States in 2024, pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen goods espn.com. 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe 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 espn.com.
Coaching & Strategy
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 espn.com. "SGA, he's a tough cover, and he does a great job of convincing the referees -- probably better than anybody in the league -- that he's getting hit," Knicks coach Mike Brown said after his team's 103-100 loss to the Thunder espn.com. Alex Caruso (left hip contusion) and Isaiah Hartenstein (left calf tightness) were ruled out during the team's 103-100 victory over the Knicks on Wednesday night and will be reevaluated Thursday espn.com.
Season Analysis
Here's the latest on Tatum's return to Boston after a devastating Achilles injury -- and how it could shift the NBA's balance of power with just weeks to go in the season espn.com. ESPN analyst Zach Kram explores the Western Conference's recent dominance and how the East's underrated strength could surprise in the postseason espn.com. With six weeks left until the playoffs, what are the most interesting games left on the schedule for every team espn.com?
Fantasy & Draft
Should fantasy basketball managers keep players like Nikola Vucevic, Miles Bridges and others espn.com? What key questions remain for Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and seven other top freshmen in the 2026 draft class espn.com? Here's everything managers should be looking around the league at ahead of the fantasy playoffs espn.com.
Personal Stories
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama visited Alaska to see the northern lights after the All-Star break espn.com. 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 constitutional rights espn.com. In the hours leading up to the Warriors' overtime win in Houston on Thursday night, their absent superstar, Stephen Curry, sent their remaining big name, Draymond Green, a text message of encouragement espn.com.