12:19 AM ET ESPN News Services With star center Nikola Jokic back from injury and a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the West, the Denver Nuggets appeared poised for a big night Tuesday. Instead, they fell flat against the worst team in the conference, allowing the last-place Rockets to blow them out
NBA
10:29 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — As Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins returns to his team after a 51-day absence, he hopes his return to the basketball court will follow soon after. “I don’t think it will be too long before I am out there,” Wiggins said in his first time speaking
12:13 AM ET Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. — Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points, his fourth straight 40-point game, to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 117-113 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night. The win secured the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference and home-court advantage in the first round for the Cavaliers
11:52 PM ET Jamal CollierESPN CHICAGO — The Chicago Bulls clinched their spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament on Tuesday, securing at least the No. 10 seed in the conference despite a 123-105 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. A 117-113 loss by the Orlando Magic on Tuesday helped secure the Bulls postseason spot and
12:31 AM ET Associated Press NEW ORLEANS — Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray could be the face of their remarkable reversal of fortune. Murray has heard all about the club’s recently ended, 16-season playoff drought. But his only season with the Kings now includes their first division title in two decades — and his scoring
1:06 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHILADELPHIA — After watching Joel Embiid dismantle the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night, Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers was certain of only one thing. “We did so many things wrong,” Rivers said, “but what we did right was Joel Embiid. “The MVP race is over.” There are still five days
10:15 PM ET The preseason favorite in each NBA division is on track to win in every division except the Pacific, where the Sacramento Kings were 250-1 to win. They reached as long as 400-1 in November but clinched the division in New Orleans against the Pelicans on Tuesday night. The Kings are the biggest
2:35 PM ET DALLAS — All-Star guard Luka Doncic declared that he would not consider being shut down for the season as long as the Dallas Mavericks have postseason hopes, no matter how long the odds. “I’m playing tomorrow,” Doncic said after Tuesday’s practice. “When there’s still a chance, I’m gonna play. So that’s not
3:53 PM ET PLAYA VISTA, CA. — The Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers have played each other under the glaring Christmas Day and Opening Night spotlights, but Wednesday’s clash between the two hallway rivals actually will have playoff ramifications. In what will be the biggest game of the season and quite possibly the most
2:40 PM ET Associated Press MIAMI — The arena where the Miami Heat play their home games now has yet another new name after Miami-Dade County commissioners voted to enter into a 17-year deal to call the facility Kaseya Center. The name change takes effect immediately. Kaseya, a Miami-based software company, will pay $117.37 million