12:53 AM ET Eric WoodyardESPN CHICAGO — With the numbers 23 and 33 dangling from the rafters of the United Center, a 19-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo was in awe of his first experience playing on the road against the Chicago Bulls in December 2013. “I definitely want to be one of the best players to ever
NBA
11:16 PM ET Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 99-85 win over the Phoenix Suns. Smart appeared to land awkwardly on his right foot at around the 9 minute mark as he was guarding Devin Booker along the baseline. He immediately waved for help after going
7:32 AM ET This edition of the NBA mailbag features questions on RJ Barrett‘s minutes load, a hypothetical West-East move and pick-sixes in the NBA. You can tweet your questions using the hashtag #peltonmailbag or email them to peltonmailbag@gmail.com. Do we have evidence on the impact that big minutes have on young players? People seem
8:25 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The doors to the Los Angeles Lakers‘ practice court swung open Monday, and as reporters trickled into the gym, a team spokesman joked that “our new free agent” was at the far basket, getting up shots. Dave Chappelle, welcome to the Lakers. The comedian and actor, whose recent
7:24 PM ET LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss Monday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Leonard suffered a left knee contusion in the second half of the Clippers loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and did not play against New Orleans on Thursday and Atlanta on Saturday.
10:37 AM ET Suspended Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters is in Syracuse to “try to find solutions” by talking with Jim Boeheim, his college coach. Waiters was suspended without pay for 10 games earlier this month for conduct detrimental to the team after an incident on the team charter. It is his second suspension of
2:28 AM ET LOS ANGELES — As much as the on-court product this season has been can’t miss fodder for Los Angeles Lakers fans hungry for a winner, it was a courtside fan rooting on the Lakers’ 122-101 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday that stole the show. The fan just so happened to
7:29 PM ET Associated Press AUBURN, Ala. — Former Auburn and NBA player Marquis Daniels was injured in an automobile accident. An Auburn basketball spokesman says Daniels was in the accident Saturday night in Auburn and was transported to a Birmingham hospital for treatment. The spokesman didn’t disclose any further details on Daniels’ injuries. Daniels
6:15 PM ET Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Buddy Hield scored a season-high 35 points, Richaun Holmes hit two free throws with 13.3 seconds remaining to give Sacramento the lead, and the Kings snapped the Boston Celtics’ 10-game winning streak with a 100-99 victory Sunday. Marcus Smart had a chance to win it for Boston,
7:49 AM ET The Houston Rockets are the hottest team in the NBA, and they have one player to thank — Buddy Hield. Wait, what? That’s right, thanks in large part to 35 points from Hield on Sunday, the Sacramento Kings snapped the Boston Celtics‘ NBA-leading, 10-game win streak, leaving the Rockets’ seven-game run as