NBA News

With the Lakers down 1-0 in the Western Conference semifinals, Luka Doncic is unlikely to return in the playoffs because of an injured hamstring that had an inital eight-week timeline for his return. Doncic, speaking to reporters for the first time since he hobbled off the court at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center on April 2, said Wednesday he has improved …

Joel Embiid has not played in six straight games since December of 2023. That streak is not getting equaled in these playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers have ruled Embiid out for Game 2 of their playoff series against the Knicks due to a right ankle sprain and hip soreness, the team announced after shootaround on Wednesday. Embiid has been receiving treatment …

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić made it clear Wednesday that he’s doing everything he can to return to the court against an Oklahoma City Thunder team he suffered his left hamstring strain against on April 2. Dončić also revealed that he was given an eight-week recovery timeline at the time his Grade 2 strain was diagnosed. Game 2 of …

The most productive season of Jaylen Brown’s NBA career came to an abrupt and stunning end in the first round of the playoffs this past weekend. His No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics blew a 3-1 lead to a No. 7 seeded Philadelphia 76ers franchise that had never come back from that postseason deficit. For the first time in five years, the …

The Eastern Conference was unpredictable during the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs thanks to three seven-games series and the upset loss of the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. The conference’s frenzied first round also changed FanDuel’s market for 2025-26 NBA Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Superstar Celtics like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were previously among the favorites for …

Jarred Vanderbilt’s dislocation of his right pinky finger is so gruesome we’re not going to show any video of the injury here, we’ll let the reaction of the Thunder bench sum it up. After the game, Lakers coach JJ Redick confirmed it is a full dislocation and called it a “freak injury.” As noted by Jeff Stotts of In Street …

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been playing spectacular basketball in unprecedented territory. We’ve never seen anyone be this good, for this long, especially at this age. He’s etched his name on countless of records in the NBA history books from all-time points scored, both regular season and postseason, All-Star games, most seasons played, you name it. Advertisement For …

Big picture, following the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, we looked bound for a battle between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals, where — given how young, talented and deep both teams are — they could be waging a de facto NBA Finals every season for the foreseeable future. That’s how …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Minnesota Timberwolves are full of surprises. First, star Anthony Edwards suddenly comes back from a leg injury, and then Minnesota stuns the San Antonio Spurs to grab a 1-0 series lead. Advertisement What shockers await in Game 2 tonight? There’s money in …

The Hawks are still reckoning with a disastrous end to their season, but that ending shouldn’t obscure the progress the organization made in course of the past 12 months. Despite major in-season roster turnover, the team won 46 games and returned to the playoffs after two seasons of eliminations in the Play-In Tournament. Jalen Johnson earned his first career All-Star …

Masai Ujiri is a splashy name to fill the Dallas Mavericks’ president of basketball operations (and alternate governor) position, and one sure to spark endless fodder for debate for podcasters and basketball content creators. Is Ujiri washed? Or is he the dose of stability that this franchise needs as the Mavericks stare down the task of building around Cooper Flagg? …

LeBron James and the Lakers pulled off one of the biggest upsets in NBA Playoffs history in the first round, defeating the Houston Rockets despite missing the services of MVP candidate Luka Doncic. But for King James’ record 23rd NBA season to continue, he’d have to pull off a miracle by dethroning the reigning champs, the Oklahoma City Thunder. And …

The NBA Draft Combine is approaching, and three Illini players were invited to participate in Chicago. The combine will run from May 10-17 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis. Players will compete in five-on-five scrimmages, skill drills, measurements, medical examinations, and interview sessions. A total of 73 players were invited, including Illini standouts Keaton Wagler, Kylan Boswell, and Andrej …

At this point in the calendar, there is a lot to be determined regarding the next season in fantasy basketball. Between free agency, the draft and injuries, there are going to be a lot of changes to NBA rosters by the time that fantasy drafts are held in the fall. With that in mind, Rotoworld staffers Raphielle Johnson and Noah …

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell has a knack for getting off to a hot start in the playoffs. Coming into Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, Mitchell had scored 30-plus points in nine straight playoff-series openers. But that streak ended during a 111-101 loss vs. the Pistons on Tuesday. Mitchell led the Cavaliers in points with 23, but fell short …

Congratulations, Lakers! You held Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to fewer than 20 points for the first time since Game 3 of the Western Conference finals last May 24. You forced him into a season-high seven turnovers. And — get this, this part is really wild — you afforded the man who basically lives at the charity stripe only …

The fate of some of the top college basketball players in the country will be decided by this year’s NBA Draft, but before player selections can be made, the NBA Draft Lottery has to take place to determine the order of selection. The three teams with the worst records during the 2025-2026 NBA season, the Washington Wizards, the Indiana Pacers, …

The answer to the Lakers’ slumping offense sat hunched in a chair in the corner of the visitors’ locker room at Paycom Center. Luka Doncic, dressed in a black T-shirt and pants, scrolled on his phone, cornered off by a wall of reporters who all faced LeBron James looking for reasons behind a postseason dry spell. “We have a guy …

The University of Kentucky is mourning the loss of a true legend. Adrian ‘Odie’ Smith, a cornerstone of Kentucky’s storied history and a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, passed away on April 28. He was 89 years old. The university released a statement Monday announcing the passing. Smith leaves behind a legacy that stretches from the bluegrass of Lexington …

A rough offensive night for the Lakers left them struggling to find enough scoring to keep up with the Thunder in Game 1 as they fell to OKC, 108-90. After a fast start to the contest, LA trailed OKC for the final three quarters. However, the lead would ebb and flow as the purple and gold had brief runs that …

The New York Knicks steamrolled the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1, 137-98, behind 35 points from Jalen Brunson (27 in the first half). New York has won four straight playoff games by 16, 29, 51, and 39 points. Philadelphia played a Game 7 in Boston on Saturday, then had a day off before playing Game 1 in New York on …

Detroit won Game 1, 111-101, versus Cleveland to give the Pistons four-straight wins overall and at home in the playoffs. Unlike the first round, Detroit is up 1-0 in the semifinals behind an all-around team effort. Six different players scored 11 or more points for the Pistons in Game 1, with all five starters doing so. Detroit forced 19 turnovers …

James Harden wasn’t concerned about the turnover issues when asked about the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 19 giveaways that led to their 111-110 Game 1 loss to the Detroit Pistons. “You look at my turnovers, a lot of them were just on me and nothing they did,” Harden said afterward. “That’s the game right there. … I gotta be better and will …

Pressure? Mike Brown scoffed at the notion. Even if owner James Dolan said in January he felt the Knicks “absolutely” had to reach the NBA Finals and “should” win them, the first-year coach had that mindset all along after taking the job. Advertisement “People have talked about a mandate — like I’m coaching to win,” Brown said Tuesday. “It doesn’t …

Even with Anthony Edwards on a minutes restriction, the Minnesota Timberwolves were able to come into the Frost Bank Center and steal both Game 1 and home court advantage from the Spurs. The style of play on display in that game was what was expected of the series from the outset: hard-fought, physical games that would likely need to be …