NBA

2:13 AM ET BOSTON — The Miami Heat might have to clear some room in Championship Alley. That’s the name for the path from their home court to the locker room that is filled with wall-sized memories of greatness from Miami’s past. Gary Payton‘s jumper that started their 2006 Finals comeback. Blood dripping down Udonis

2:03 AM ET BOSTON — Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat knew that most of the basketball world had already counted them out long before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics even began Friday night. The Heat were mentally drained after a long, hard-fought series — and dealing with a

1:16 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — More than 15 minutes before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals tipped off at TD Garden, every seat inside the building was occupied, and every person ticketed to sit in them was standing. After 12 years of waiting, this crowd — and this city — was ready

9:08 PM ET Brianna Williams The Los Angeles Lakers secured their new head coach with the hire of Darvin Ham, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Prior to joining the Lakers, he served as an assistant for the defending NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks. He has worked under Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer since 2013, when the

8:43 PM ET The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Milwaukee Bucks assistant Darvin Ham to be their next head coach, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ham, who takes over the Lakers as a first-time head coach, replaces Frank Vogel, who was fired in April after the team went 33-49 and missed the playoffs this season.

7:26 PM ET BOSTON — Heat guard Tyler Herro will not play in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals on Friday night because of a strained left groin as Miami tries to stave off elimination against the Boston Celtics. On the Celtics’ side, big man Robert Williams III (left knee soreness) and guard Marcus

8:00 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — As they find themselves on the precipice of the 2022 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics might find motivation in a series that happened a decade ago. The Oklahoma City Thunder were near the top of the basketball world in 2012, having reached the Finals with a roster featuring

8:00 AM ET NOBODY IN THE Dallas Mavericks‘ front office exchanged high-fives after details were finalized on the deal made minutes before the Feb. 10 trade deadline. The consensus in the room was that moving on from big man Kristaps Porzingis was in the best interest of the franchise, but it wasn’t a cause for

11:27 PM ET Kendra AndrewsESPN SAN FRANCISCO — The Golden State Warriors are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019 and for the sixth time in the last eight years. The Warriors punched their ticket with their 120-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 on the Western Conference

2:10 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Luka Doncic‘s initial reaction to the end of the longest playoff run of his young NBA career was to express disappointment in himself. “I don’t like losing, especially like this,” Doncic said after the Dallas Mavericks were eliminated Thursday night with a 120-110 Game 5 loss to the Golden