11:37 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN Even with history looming as it approached a franchise record win streak, Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams said he tried not to bring it up to his team. But after a 114-103 victory Thursday night over the visiting Detroit Pistons set a franchise mark with 18 consecutive wins, Williams allowed
NBA
1:57 AM ET ESPN News Services PORTLAND, Ore. — New Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups questioned his team’s effort after a 114-83 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night. The Blazers were without All-Star guard Damian Lillard but still put up little fight against a Spurs team which came into the
10:34 PM ET ESPN News Services MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Grizzlies broke the NBA record for margin of victory on Thursday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 152-79. The 73-point margin easily topped the previous mark, which was Cleveland’s 68-point win over Miami. The Cavaliers topped the Heat 148-80 on Dec. 17, 1991. “Tonight
6:23 PM ET LOS ANGELES — LeBron James has been cleared to return to the lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ game against the LA Clippers on Friday after a brief stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the league announced Thursday. James has returned eight negative tests since returning to Los Angeles on
2:41 PM ET Andrew LopezESPN METAIRIE, La. — Zion Williamson‘s return to the NBA floor has been delayed because of soreness in his surgically repaired right foot, the New Orleans Pelicans announced Thursday afternoon. Williamson was supposed to participate in his first full practice on Thursday but was held out because of the soreness he
3:02 PM ET Associated Press MILWAUKEE — Bucks center Brook Lopez has undergone surgery to address the back injury that has kept him from playing since the opening game of the season. The Bucks announced Thursday that Lopez had back surgery earlier that day in Los Angeles. Team officials didn’t provide a timetable for his
5:25 PM ET Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol and is out indefinitely, the team announced Thursday. Gilgeous-Alexander suffered the concussion after two common fouls late in Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets, a game in which he scored a season-high 39 points. There is no timetable
10:08 AM ET Associated Press BOSTON — Kevin Love knows the euphoria of sinking a 3-pointer just before the buzzer. But the five-time NBA All-Star has had plenty of lows to offset those highs. “There are days when I don’t want to get out of bed. That’s just the truth,” the Cleveland Cavaliers power forward
1:26 AM ET Jamal Collier MILWAUKEE — As Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo charged toward the basket during the closing seconds of a tie game against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, he knew he was going to have to get creative to score. So, Antetokounmpo flipped the ball off the bottom of the glass with
12:28 AM ET Tim BontempsESPN BOSTON — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid said “it’s going to take awhile” for him to fully round back into form after an extended bout with COVID-19. Embiid had his second straight rough shooting performance in Wednesday’s 88-87 loss to the Boston Celtics. “I would never use it as an