5:02 PM ET Dave McMenamin PORTLAND, Ore. — With the Los Angeles Lakers preparing to play their first game since news emerged of coach Luke Walton’s heated meeting with president of basketball of operations Magic Johnson, LeBron James said his focus — and his team’s — remains solely on winning. “It doesn’t bother me at
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3:53 AM ET OAKLAND, Calif. — Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler says it will be up to him whether he plays in both ends of a back-to-back this week. Butler, who has asked for a trade from the Timberwolves, sat out Wednesday’s game because of general soreness and made it clear that he might
2:24 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN PHOENIX — As the Toronto Raptors continue their hot start to the 2018-19 NBA season, they are playing it safe with star forward Kawhi Leonard. After Leonard sat out one game of each of the first two back-to-back sets the Raptors have played this season, head coach Nick Nurse said
2:50 AM ET WASHINGTON — One by one, the Washington Wizards took their spots in front of their stalls, answering questions after Friday’s disturbing 134-111 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. There was an expectation of fireworks, possibly a public rebuke from John Wall or maybe Bradley Beal, but the Wizards were decidedly on message,
1:26 AM ET NEW YORK — With his team trailing the Brooklyn Nets by 14 in the second quarter, Chris Paul asked the Houston Rockets‘ coaches to leave a timeout huddle so the players could talk among themselves. “We’ve been playing a lot of games now, and the coaches try to do schemes,” Paul said.
12:55 AM ET WASHINGTON DC — The boos started sometime in the second quarter and just got uncomfortably louder, with the Washington Wizards eventually hearing them again as they walked off the floor down 29 at halftime to the Oklahoma City Thunder. It was part of a 44-20 second quarter that featured embarrassing defense by
8:18 PM ET SAN FRANCISCO — Derrick Rose isn’t looking for validation in the wake of his career-high 50-point game on Wednesday night for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He’s looking to build on his complicated legacy each time he steps on the floor. “I’m making history right now,” Rose told ESPN on Friday. “Like every time
6:45 PM ET NEW YORK — James Harden will miss Friday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, but the Houston Rockets guard likely will return to the lineup Saturday. Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said Harden, the reigning MVP, was pain-free following Thursday’s practice and is probable for the Rockets’ road game against the Chicago Bulls
5:54 PM ET EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton says he believes he has a “great relationship with management” and does not feel like he is “going anywhere.” Walton spoke with the media hours after ESPN reported that Lakers president Magic Johnson met with the coach on Tuesday and admonished him
3:16 PM ET ESPN News Services Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love underwent surgery Friday on his injured toe and will miss six weeks. The team announced that Love had the procedure, calling it successful, at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. The surgery was performed by Dr. Martin O’Malley. Love said earlier