MIAMI — Hours after the Miami Heat opened their postseason series with a commanding 115-91 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday, the NBA announced the finalists for the 2021-22 regular season awards. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has been named one of the top three candidates for Coach of the Year. Tyler Herro was one … Read more
12:15 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Monday ahead of Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers that rookie forward Scottie Barnes would not play and guard Gary Trent Jr. or guard Gary Trent Jr. was unlikely to play. Nor do Thaddeus Young. “Scottie is out,” Nurse said. “Gary’s not … Read more
PHOENIX — Chris Paul first heard his former teammate and coach Willie Green ask his New Orleans Pelicans players to challenge him to shoot. Then, after Paul gutted the strategy, he let his old friend know. Paul, who turns 37 in three weeks, became the oldest player to record 30 points and 10 assists in … Read more
12:20 AM ET jamal necklaceESPN MILWAUKEE — On their way to winning their first NBA championship, the Milwaukee Bucks transformed into a defensive juggernaut during the playoffs, finishing No. 1 among playoff teams in defensive efficiency after placing near the bottom of the top 10 during the regular season. The Bucks fell to No. 14 … Read more
BOSTON — Brooklyn Nets goalie Kyrie Irving said he was responding to words he heard from the crowd when he knocked down several Boston Celtics fans twice in Sunday’s 115-114 loss in the first game. After the match, Irving made it clear that he would have “the same energy for them” that they had for … Read more
BOSTON — Jayson Tatum made a buzzer layup on a pass from Marcus Smart to give the Boston Celtics a dramatic 115-114 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series on Sunday. Tatum scored 16 of his 31 points in the second half, the last two after a poised possession … Read more
MIAMI — The Heat’s defense may have stifled Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young all game long in their 115-91 Game 1 win of their first-round series on Sunday, but the No. East knows she can’t expect Young and the eighth-seeded Hawks to go easy. “He’s going to score the ball,” Heat forward PJ Tucker said … Read more
Welcome to Day 2 of the 2022 NBA Playoffs! Saturday saw a string of impressive playoff debuts including Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole. Sunday, meanwhile, began with an eruption along Biscayne Bay. The No. 1-seeded Miami Heat snuffed out Trae Young and the … Read more
SAN FRANCISCO — Injured Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. remains hopeful he can play in his team’s first-round series against the Golden State Warriors. “Right now I’m taking it game by game. I’m not ruling anything out,” Porter told ESPN’s Andscape after the Nuggets’ 123-101 loss to the Warriors in Game 1 of their … Read more
What awaits us in the NBA playoffs? The Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves advance as seven seeds, while the Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans captured eight seeds on the final night of the NBA play-in tournament. Each first-round series is defined: Miami Heat vs. Hawks, Boston Celtics vs. Nets, Milwaukee Bucks vs. Chicago Bulls, … Read more