1:57 AM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — An otherwise ho-hum blowout by the Oklahoma City Thunder over the Chicago Bulls became suddenly tense Monday night when a squabble spilled over into courtside fans and players and coaches tried to separate the teams. It started with Russell Westbrook and Kris Dunn in the third quarter of the
NBA
12:38 AM ET HOUSTON — When legally executed, James Harden‘s step-back jumper is one of the league’s most lethal weapons and heavily debated topics, as many opponents take umbrage with the allowance of a “gather step” and insist the reigning NBA MVP’s go-to move should be ruled a travel on a regular basis. The move
11:56 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN The Phoenix Suns are parting ways with guard Austin Rivers, league sources told ESPN. The sides agreed that Rivers, who arrived in a trade with the Washington Wizards over the weekend, fits better with a more veteran team that’s pursuing the playoffs, sources said. Once Rivers, 26, clears waivers, Rivers
8:57 PM ET Sacramento Kings coach Dave Joerger insisted that his lofty praise of Dallas Mavericks rookie star Luka Doncic wasn’t intended as a slight at his team’s front office and declared that Marvin Bagley III “was the right guy for us” to select with the No. 2 overall pick. “There was no veiled shots
5:00 PM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN The Oklahoma City Thunder have picked up the option on coach Billy Donovan’s contract for the 2019-20 season, the final year on his original five-year deal, a league source told ESPN. Donovan has a 150-96 (.610) record in his three-plus seasons with the Thunder, trailing only Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich
8:20 AM ET Malika AndrewsESPN WHEN TRAE YOUNG buried a deep 3-pointer against the Los Angeles Lakers in mid-November, he didn’t hold his follow-through or flash three fingers. No, the Atlanta Hawks rookie guard celebrated by pointing to the court, encouraging Lonzo Ball and the Staples Center crowd to gawk at his shooting range. As
8:10 AM ET Adrian WojnarowskiESPN The Indiana Pacers are hiring longtime WNBA executive Kelly Krauskopf as the first female assistant general manager in NBA history, league sources told ESPN on Monday. Krauskopf will work with the Pacers basketball operations staff, including President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard, general manager Chad Buchanan and assistant GM Peter
7:43 AM ET NEW YORK — New York Knicks owner James Dolan, who has put the WNBA’s New York Liberty up for sale, said he couldn’t rule out selling the Knicks if the right offer came along. Dolan, who is chairman of Madison Square Garden and also owns the NHL’s New York Rangers, told ESPN’s
2:57 AM ET ESPN News Services Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse’s frustration boiled over after a 95-86 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, with the coach directing his ire at officials for not calling fouls made against star Kawhi Leonard. Nurse was particularly alarmed that Leonard had only four free throws in the loss
11:40 PM ET DALLAS — Sacramento Kings coach Dave Joerger sees unlimited potential in Dallas Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic, the player selected with the pick immediately after the Kings drafted Marvin Bagley III. “He’s got a lot of different skills and I think he’s going to become a heck of a shooter,” Joerger said of