3:51 AM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James destroyed Nemanja Bjelica with a dunk in the first half Friday. Obliterated him. Might have well have turned Bjelica’s No. 88 uniform on its side and sent him off to infinity, and beyond. It was a career highlight-reel worthy throwdown for James on the same day he
NBA
1:14 AM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors shooting guard D’Angelo Russell sprained his right thumb during the third quarter of Friday night’s 105-100 loss to the Boston Celtics and didn’t return. X-rays on Russell’s thumb were negative. He was expected to have an MRI on the thumb after the game, and an update
12:33 AM ET MEMPHIS — The crowd greeted Mike Conley with thunderous applause when the Grizzlies legend was introduced as a visitor in FedExForum for the first time Friday night. The fans gave Conley an even longer, louder standing ovation during the first timeout after the arena played a tribute video that caused him to
10:39 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Between all the devastating injuries and tumultuous trade rumors that sank the Los Angeles Lakers last season, LeBron James says Luke Walton “did as great of a job as you could do under the circumstances.” Walton returned to Los Angeles for the first time since parting ways with the
6:45 PM ET Carmelo Anthony isn’t expected to make his Portland Trail Blazers debut until Tuesday’s game at New Orleans at the earliest, league sources tell ESPN. Anthony, 35, has to complete a physical with the Blazers before the one-year, non-guaranteed contract is finalized — and that could some as soon as Saturday, league sources
5:14 PM ET Associated Press TORONTO — A Toronto Raptors fan who made a vulgar comment on live television about Ayesha Curry, the wife of Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, has been ordered to stay away from her and the reporter to whom he made the comment. Tristan Warkentin agreed Friday to a common-law
3:35 PM ET Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Bill Russell says he’s finally ready to be a Hall of Famer. The 11-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, Olympic gold medalist and two-time NCAA champ said on Twitter on Friday that he was presented with his Hall of Fame ring in a private ceremony that comes four
3:31 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis said he expects to play Friday against the Sacramento Kings after sitting out a game to rest his injured shoulder and ribs. “Went through shootaround today,” Davis said Friday morning. “Felt good.” The eight-year veteran did caution that he would make
12:39 PM ET LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley has a hairline fracture in his right leg, the team announced Friday. He will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks, according to the Lakers. Bradley injured his leg during a collision with Dejounte Murray of the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 3.
8:16 AM ET David Fizdale is about to go viral. Sitting at the microphone after the Memphis Grizzlies‘ 96-82 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the opening round of the 2017 playoffs, the Grizzlies’ then-coach begins in a calm tone. “It’s unfortunate that I got a guy like Mike Conley, who