12:54 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN MILWAUKEE — It took all of 51 seconds for Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to declare to the world — and, more importantly, to the Toronto Raptors — how Game 2 was going to proceed. A rim-rattling dunk of his own miss between two defenders. A vicious rejection of what looked
NBA
9:02 PM ET Reigning NBA MVP James Harden of the Houston Rockets is one of three finalists for the award for the 2018-19 season, the league announced Friday. Joining Harden, who led the league in scoring with 36.1 points per game, in the top three are Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Paul George
5:17 PM ET The NBA announced Friday that guard Tyreke Evans has been dismissed and disqualified from the league for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. He is eligible to apply for reinstatement in two years under the program. Evans, 29, played for the Indiana Pacers this season, averaging 10.2 points, 2.9 rebounds
5:53 PM ET The Lakers have decided they will not hire a president of basketball operations to replace Magic Johnson, a team source told ESPN. General manager Rob Pelinka will continue in his role, reporting directly to ownership, the source said. Pelinka had previously reported to Johnson. Johnson abruptly stepped down from his position on
3:27 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — The fact that Sonya Curry sent a group text to her extended family on the eve of the Western Conference finals is not surprising. She’s always sending inspirational texts to the family. Or as she pronounces it, “texes, like Texas.” But this “texes” message was special, because her sons
1:59 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard believed there was contact before Andre Iguodala‘s strip that sealed the Golden State Warriors‘ 114-111 win in Thursday night’s Game 2, but didn’t he blame the referees for not blowing the whistle. After the Warriors took a foul with 10 seconds remaining, Lillard
1:39 AM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN Denver Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly will meet with the Washington Wizards to discuss the franchise’s president of basketball operations job, league sources told ESPN. Connelly, a primary target of the Wizards search, is expected to meet with Washington as soon as Friday, league sources said. The Nuggets’
4:33 PM ET Malika AndrewsESPN MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo admits this isn’t how he envisioned the Milwaukee Bucks‘ season playing out. At the beginning of the season, Antetokounmpo couldn’t have known his team would make it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals. The landscape of the Eastern Conference changed drastically in the summer
3:44 PM ET Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant will have his injured right calf re-evaluated before Game 2 of the Western Conference finals but is “not close” to returning to action, a league source told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. Durant hasn’t resumed basketball related activities yet, which would be the first step in returning to
12:10 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State Warriors star forward Kevin Durant will miss Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers. The plan is for him to be evaluated in one week, the Warriors said in a statement released Thursday night. Durant, who hasn’t played since he