NBA News

The Los Angeles Lakers’ depth was already tenuous heading into the playoffs. It’s even more so now ahead of Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals on Thursday night. Jarred Vanderbilt went down with a gruesome hand injury when his fingers hit the backboard while trying to contest an alley-oop towards the end of the first half in Game 1 …

Fifteen years after its last expansion, the NCAA Tournament is once again set for a broader field. On Thursday, May 7, the NCAA formally ratified a proposal to expand both the men’s and women’s tournaments from 68 to 76 teams — or, approximately one-fifth of all Division I programs. Advertisement Coaches expressed mixed sentiment on the expansion, which comes as …

The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly held discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks about a potential deal at this year’s trade deadline. The swap would have included Evan Mobley and all of Cleveland’s available draft picks for 10-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo. “There’s another Eastern Conference contender, however, that folks around the league are looking at as a potential Antetokounmpo landing spot,” said Jake …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. UPDATE: Added a +700 SGP. Stopping LeBron James has been a tough task for NBA teams over the past 23 years, and the Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t about to start spitting into the wind when it comes to containing LeBron. Advertisement My Lakers vs. …

The NCAA formally approved expanding the men’s and women’s Division I basketball tournaments to 76 teams on Thursday, May 7. Starting in 2027, March Madness will get even madder. The new opening round will grow from eight teams to 24, be played Tuesday/Wednesday prior to the first round for men and Wednesday/Thursday for women and feature at-large teams and automatic …

NEW YORK (AP) — OG Anunoby has a strained right hamstring, but the New York Knicks forward appears to have avoided a serious injury after leaving late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Anunoby will be listed as questionable to play in Game 3 at Philadelphia on Friday, a person with knowledge of the details told The Associated …

Subscribe to The Kevin O’Connor Show Kevin O’Connor and Tom Haberstroh recap the latest in the NBA Playoffs. How did the Philadelphia 76ers hang on in Game 2 without Joel Embiid? Are the New York Knicks true Finals contenders? Can the Cleveland Cavaliers pull it together? Are the San Antonio Spurs showing prowess beyond their years? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, …

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Charlotte Hornets gave head coach Charles Lee a contract extension on Thursday following a season in which the team improved its win total by 25 games. Details of Lee’s new deal was not released by the team. Advertisement “Charles has done an outstanding job establishing a foundation for who we want to be as a …

Key Knicks starter OG Anunoby has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain, is day-to-day, and will be listed as questionable for Game 3 against Philadelphia on Friday night, according to multiple reports out of New York. The key question is just how serious a strain is this? If it’s just a tweak, then Anunoby may only miss a game or …

March Madness is expanding. The men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments will grow to 76 teams starting next season, following a vote by the NCAA selection committees, Thursday, May 7. CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander reported Thursday’s vote was unanimous: “Not a single dissenting vote.” Advertisement OPINION: Expanding the NCAA Tournament won’t make it better It’s the first time the NCAA …

NEW YORK — OG Anunoby is playing the best basketball of his nine-year career. Not coincidentally, the New York Knicks are playing their best ball of the season, and at the right time. Yet, as New York has taken a 2-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers in the conference semifinals, Anunoby has been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and is …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. It has become quite clear that the Oklahoma City Thunder will not be bothered by the Los Angeles Lakers, especially with L.A. potentially without Luka Doncic for the entire series. Advertisement However, my Lakers vs. Thunder props and NBA picks actually question Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, …

The rumors flew after Jaylen Brown sounded frustrated on his Twitch stream earlier in the week, calling out Joel Embiid as a flopper and the referees for being biased — the NBA fined him $50,000 for his comments about officiating. Adding fuel to the fire was Tracy McGrady, who said on his podcast “Cousins” with Vince Carter: “I think [Brown’s] …

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton joined ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday and gave some insight into his continued recovery from his 2025 Achilles tear. Haliburton said that he will be “full go” for Indiana’s team minicamp in a few weeks. Advertisement He recounted how he had gotten to the point that he was playing 5-on-5 basketball, but then was …

With their new coach Taylor Jenkins in the house, are the Milwaukee Bucks going to be able to build out a roster that gets Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension and stay in Milwaukee, or are they going to trade him this summer (as is widely expected around the league)? Whatever is going to happen, Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam wants …

With their new coach Taylor Jenkins in the house, are the Milwaukee Bucks going to be able to build out a roster that gets Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension and stay in Milwaukee, or are they going to trade him this summer (as is widely expected around the league)? Whatever is going to happen, Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam wants …

The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday will look to rebound from their Game 1 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in their second-round playoff series. Once again, Lakers superstar Luka Dončić will not be available for the game. Doncic indicated to reporters on Wednesday, May 6, that he was given an eight-week recovery timetable for his hamstring injury. It’s been …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The Cleveland Cavaliers were messy in the series opener versus the Detroit Pistons. Think “James Harden’s beard after eating ribs” kind of messy. Advertisement Game 2 of this Eastern Conference semifinal tips off tonight, and my Cavaliers vs. Pistons props expect a cleaner …

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — After watching Knicks fans take over the 76ers’ arena for years, Joel Embiid openly pleaded with fans not to sell their tickets on the open market for home playoff games. “Don’t sell your tickets,” Embiid said. “This is bigger than you. We need you guys.” Advertisement Of more pressing concern for the Sixers and their fans, they …

With a take this inflammatory, we must all operate with the same basic assumptions. Here are mine: The Boston Celtics probably do not want to trade Jaylen Brown. He is eligible for a two-year, $141.9 million extension in July, and I expect they will offer it to him. I have no idea if Brown wants to sign said extension, and …

Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens are both denying any rift between the two. In fact, Brown says that if it were up to him, he’d be happy playing in Boston “for the next 10 years.” Advertisement The status of the team’s relationship with its leading scorer this season was called into question after …

Devin Vassell isn’t the first name you think about when it comes to NBA sharpshooters, nor is he the guy you’d expect to hit circus shot in the playoffs — but here we are. Everything has been going right for the Spurs this season with the Victor Wembanyama-led team quickly becoming a force in the Western Conference. It’s not just …

Jarvis Hayes doesn’t recall the last time he felt tempted to play pickup basketball. Going 1-on-1 against his teenage sons is the most that the 2003 NBA lottery pick can withstand. Anything more physically demanding requires too many jarring collisions for Hayes’ battle-weary body, too much explosive movement for his surgically repaired right knee. Advertisement “I just can’t move like …

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. In theory, this should be the competitive series in the Eastern Conference. By favoring the Detroit Pistons by just a bucket at home, oddsmakers have effectively said the Cleveland Cavaliers should have a legitimate chance at winning this series. Advertisement But my Cavaliers …

On April 27, the NBA announced its list of early entrants for June’s 2026 draft. Only that list was much smaller than in years past. The total number announced in April sat at 71 players. That’s 33% lower than the 106 who filed last year — and nearly 80% lower than the all-time high of 353, set just five years ago in 2021. ⁠ The figure is so low that you have …