7:00 AM ET AFTER DELIVERING A triple-double in the series opener, Luka Doncic put down 39 points in Game 2 to silence a half-capacity Staples Center crowd and hammer a refrain: The LA Clippers had no answer. As the Dallas Mavericks packed a 2-0 lead into their bags to return home, Clippers players lingered in
NBA
11:29 AM ET Discussions on Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons‘ future with the franchise started in Chicago this week and included Simmons’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, and Sixers management, sources told ESPN. Paul met with president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and general manager Elton Brand at the pre-draft combine to begin evaluating
11:21 AM ET The Indiana Pacers are hiring Rick Carlisle as their new head coach, sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Carlisle will sign a four-year, $29 million contract, the sources said. This marks a return to Indiana for Carlisle, who previously was the team’s head coach for four seasons (2003-04-2006-07) and went 181-147. Carlisle resigned
1:31 AM ET Seventeen days ago, an NBA title contender enlisted a guard with an All-NBA Defense honor to his name to take on the challenge of defending Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young in a Game 1. On Wednesday night in the opening tilt of the Eastern Conference finals, another NBA title contender handed
2:12 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MILWAUKEE — Trae Young shook free from Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, one of the NBA’s best defenders, and found himself with acres of space between himself and Bucks forward Bobby Portis. And then the superstar guard for the Atlanta Hawks, with more time than he knew what to do
8:35 PM ET Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul is listed by the team as probable for Game 3 against the LA Clippers. Meanwhile, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out for Thursday’s game in Los Angeles. He hasn’t played since June 14 because of a sprained right knee. Paul has been in the league’s
2:50 PM ET The Boston Celtics are finalizing an agreement to hire Brooklyn Nets assistant Ime Udoka as their new coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Udoka spent the 2020-21 season on Steve Nash’s staff with the Nets. Prior to that, he spent one season with the Philadelphia 76ers and seven years under coach Gregg
4:03 PM ET USA Basketball finalized its star-laden roster for the Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, getting pledges from Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine and Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant, while Brooklyn Nets star James Harden had to withdraw because of a hamstring injury, USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo told ESPN. The team will be
7:26 PM ET ESPN News Services MIAMI — Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich have often spoken of how much they enjoy coaching against one another. This summer, they’re teaming up — to coach with, and against, one another. Spoelstra has accepted an invitation to join the USA Basketball coaching staff for its Olympic preparations in
3:45 PM ET ESPN.com Facebook Twitter Facebook Messenger Pinterest Email print It’s been a rough couple of days for the Philadelphia 76ers and their star point guard Ben Simmons. Not only were they knocked out of the NBA playoffs in seven games by the Atlanta Hawks, but Simmons demonstrated an unusual reluctance to shoot the