9:18 AM ET After Sunday’s win over the LA Clippers, center JaVale McGee dubbed the Los Angeles Lakers the “best team in the world right now.” The Lakers beat the Clippers two days after beating Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center, a win that clinched the Lakers a playoff berth. The Bucks
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4:01 PM ET ESPN News Services LiAngelo Ball has been offered a G League contract for the remainder of this season, according to multiple reports. The expectation is that Ball will sign the contract relatively soon. Ball has been working out for about two months with the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue, who have 12
7:11 AM ET NBA Insiders Which teams are going to win the big NBA playoff races? There’s a heated race for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference, with the winner likely getting a matchup against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. There are also key races for No. 2 and more seeds
6:40 AM ET Can anyone top the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference? The Bucks are once again on a historic pace, with a real chance to top 70 wins. Should they be the favorites over the rest of the East field to make the NBA Finals? What are the biggest things to watch
1:16 PM ET The Detroit Pistons announced Tuesday that guard Derrick Rose will be out at least two weeks with a Grade 2 ankle sprain. An MRI on Monday confirmed the sprain. Rose will begin treatment and will be evaluated in two weeks, the team said. Rose injured the ankle Sunday in a loss to
1:17 PM ET Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving underwent arthroscopic surgery Tuesday to fix an impingement in his right shoulder. Irving was ruled out for the season in February due to the injury that previously sidelined him for 26 games earlier in the season. The 27-year-old star is expected to make a full recovery. Irving
11:43 AM ET New York Knicks superfan Spike Lee won’t be at his usual courtside seat for the rest of the season as he and the team engage in a war of words over what entrance he can use. Appearing on ESPN’s First Take on Tuesday morning, Lee said he’s taking a hiatus from Madison
12:36 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN CHICAGO — Nearly 17 weeks had passed since Otto Porter Jr. last suited up in a Chicago Bulls jersey after suffering a left foot fracture. And he was certainly keeping count. In his first game back since Nov. 6 at Atlanta, Porter came off the bench to post 18 points
12:15 AM ET MIAMI — It felt like a statement win at the perfect time Monday night, but according to Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo, his team’s 105-89 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks shows the Heat’s potential yet doesn’t change their underdog status. “We’re always the underdog. I feel like we can play with anybody.
11:40 PM ET NEW YORK — RJ Barrett, the Knicks’ naturally right-handed rookie, has been told he’s tougher to defend when he shoots with his left hand. The Houston Rockets concur. In what turned out to be the deciding shot in a raucous Madison Square Garden on Monday, Barrett authored a left-handed driving layup over