1:32 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN Naismith Hall of Famer Rick Pitino is finalizing a to deal become head coach of EuroLeague power Panathinaikos of Greece, sources told ESPN on Thursday. Pitino’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has been working with Panathinaikos ownership on a contract to coach the rest of the team’s season, sources said. Pitino’s goal
NBA
8:33 AM ET LUKA DONCIC’S HELLO KITTY backpack has rarely been seen inside the American Airlines Center. Never mind the rules for Dallas Mavericks rookies. Last season, Dennis Smith Jr. dragged a variety of his own kid-themed backpacks around to every arena, a harmless rookie rite of passage the Mavs share with many NBA teams.
2:09 AM ET SALT LAKE CITY — Golden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry believes his team is close to finding its collective rhythm but admits the group needs to find its “edge” again in order to start rattling off wins at the same clip as in years past. “A lot of it’s just getting
12:27 AM ET HOUSTON — With the 3-point record in reach, the Rockets starters shouted, “Shoot it! Shoot it!” from the bench every time one of their teammates touched the ball with a reasonable, long-range look at the basket late in Wednesday’s 136-118 win over the Washington Wizards. As the Toyota Center crowd chanted, “Threeeeeeee!”
3:05 AM ET MILWAUKEE — Anthony Davis is aware of LeBron James‘ fawning comments to ESPN about him this week, but Davis is doing his best to block out all the noise about his contract situation with the New Orleans Pelicans. “I don’t really care,” Davis told ESPN of James’ comments Wednesday night after the
8:52 PM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Boston Celtics center Aron Baynes is out indefinitely with a fractured fourth metacarpal in his left hand. Baynes, who has been starting in place of injured star Al Horford, left Wednesday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns just over two minutes into the first quarter after a dunk.
Having signed a billion-dollar, lifetime deal, LeBron James was going to be a big part of Nike’s plans, regardless of where he played. But not long after his signing with the Lakers, Nike’s marketing teams in Beaverton, Oregon, and Los Angeles went into overdrive. The company quickly put up billboards steps away from Staples Center
7:45 PM ET Free agent guard Ron Baker has agreed to a deal with the Washington Wizards, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Wizards are waiving Okaro White. Baker, who signed a two-year $8.9 million deal with the Knicks before the 2017 season, was released on Thursday to make room for rookie Allonzo Trier,
12:54 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — As recently as last week, all seemed right with the Boston Celtics. It was Friday night that, here at TD Garden, the Celtics had defeated the Atlanta Hawks to pick up an eighth straight win, seemingly snapping them out of the malaise that lingered throughout the first quarter
5:54 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — A Milwaukee police officer fired over social media posts he made mocking the stun-gun arrest of an NBA basketball player lost his appeal to get his job back. The Fire and Police Commission upheld the firing of Erik Andrade Wednesday after a two-day hearing. Police Chief Alfonso Morales