The Indiana Pacers are back in the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers eliminated the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in Game 5 of their second-round matchup to send Indy back to the ECF. The Cavs won 64 games in the regular season, but lost three home games in the second round to see their season … Read more
Nikola Jokić is the best basketball player on the planet, and he was also, importantly, the NBA’s best player this season. But he is also almost certainly going to fall short in MVP voting to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for reasons that were on full display in Game 5. From 10,000 feet, it’s pretty simple: The Oklahoma … Read more
Tim MacMahonMay 14, 2025, 02:46 AM ET Close Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009 Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM OKLAHOMA CITY — Nikola Jokic’s sensational slump-busting performance was not enough to prevent the Denver Nuggets from being pushed to the brink of playoff elimination. After the worst … Read more
Not all of the NBA’s postseason awards carry the prestige of Most Valuable Player or Defensive Player of the Year. Editor’s Picks 1 Related Just ask Josh Hart, who received his trophy on Tuesday for the league’s “minutes champion” honor. The New York Knicks guard, true to comedic form, seemed to be more amused by … Read more
Jamal CollierMay 14, 2025, 01:13 AM ET Close Jamal Collier is an NBA reporter at ESPN. Collier covers the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and the Midwest region of the NBA, including stories such as Minnesota’s iconic jersey swap between Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson. He has been at ESPN since Sept. 2021 and previously covered … Read more
May 14, 2025, 12:40 AM ET OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 112-105 on Tuesday night to go up 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series. Oklahoma City overcame a 44-point, 15-rebound night from Denver’s Nikola Jokic. The Thunder can clinch the series on … Read more
May 13, 2025, 09:59 PM ET CLEVELAND — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle put it best in summing up his team’s finishing punch in the Eastern Conference semifinals. “The winning team writes the script,” he said. The Pacers’ 114-105 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 on Tuesday night was similar to the first … Read more
Jeff BorzelloMay 13, 2025, 07:34 PM ET Close Basketball recruiting insider. Joined ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware. CHICAGO — Former Arkansas guard Boogie Fland is withdrawing from the NBA draft, his agent Mike Miller told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony on Tuesday. Fland was in attendance at the NBA draft combine but will not … Read more
May 13, 2025, 09:15 PM ET The NBA’s predraft season is in full swing as the league held its draft lottery Monday, with the Dallas Mavericks winning the No. 1 pick, and the chance to select projected top pick Cooper Flagg — an opportunity a source told ESPN Tuesday that the Mavericks intend to see … Read more
Kevin PeltonMay 13, 2025, 08:33 PM ET Close Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers Developed WARP rating and SCHOENE system Testing on Tuesday confirmed what anyone who saw Jayson Tatum fall to the floor during Monday’s Boston Celtics loss to the New York Knicks already feared: Tatum suffered a … Read more
May 13, 2025, 06:52 PM ET The Golden State Warriors will officially be without Stephen Curry when they face elimination in Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Warriors ruled Curry out on Tuesday night with the same Grade 1 hamstring strain that has kept him out of the last three games. Curry suffered … Read more
Anthony Edwards’ 30-point, five-assist performance against the Golden State Warriors on Monday impressed a legend. Editor’s Picks MVP chants rang out as Edwards exited the court at the Chase Center after the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Warriors 117-110 to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. He then approached former Seattle SuperSonics point … Read more