Part 1, which you can find below, was in theory dedicated to the question of which teams this season are cool. I say in theory because we had to first get through an extended Luka Garza segment, a lengthy appreciation of Tyrese Maxey and V.J. "MJ Edgecombe" Edgecombe, and a brief look at the dire state of the New Orleans Pelicans.
The NBA has instituted yet another new format for the All-Star Game, one that will ensure there are eight international All-Stars no matter what. That could provide a way for RJ Barrett to make his first ever All-Star Game - a brand new loophole, if you will, for the Canadian wing to skate right through. The Toronto Raptors did not have an All-Star last season as they stumbled their way through a lost year.
Landing a premiere talent, who proved to be one of the most dynamic scorers in the NBA at his peak seemed like a can't lose situation for the Clippers, especially considering the discounted price they landed him at. Beal joined the Western Conference contenders with the chance to not only prove he had plenty left in the tank, but that the Suns could be to blame for his career falling off the rails over the last few season.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's scoring average across 12 games this season is 33.2, third best in the league. The Thunder's hot start, despite Jalen Williams missing every game and several other rotation players missing chunks, can be credited to their unusual depth. But everything is riding on the continued greatness of the league's most consistent scorer. Gilgeous-Alexander won the scoring title a season ago, producing 32.7 points per game and has upped that output early in his eighth season. It appears he's getting better. -- Anthony Slater
The Thunder are rolling to start the 2025-26 season. Oklahoma City currently boasts the best record in the NBA at 11-1 with an average point differential of plus-14.4. It strung together eight straight wins to start the season, tied for the sixth-longest win streak by a defending champion to begin a season in NBA history and longest since the Golden State Warriors in 2015-16. The hot start from the Thunder comes on the heels of a 68-win season and an NBA title. Oklahoma City will look to continue its strong run against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night (9:30 ET, ESPN), further establishing its place on a list of the best starts to a season by a defending champion.
They've been buddies forever, but this was the first time Jokić paid attention to how his friend makes a living. Pavkov was in constant motion, going from his phone to his customers in the front of his shop to the back, where he oversaw a paint job for one of Jokić's sulkies, the two-wheeled, chariot-like vehicles that attach to Jokić's horses as they race around his track down the street.
You have moments where it's like-obviously, you play this game and you're trying to win-but this was just a cool day as a whole for me. And obviously, to have the night I had was definitely special as well. But I wouldn't put the game I had based on the court. This kid pissed me off today, I was playing 2K. I had been playing 2K for like two hours, and I told him, too, I said 'Just wait.'
During the first half of Wednesday night's 122-112 loss to the Denver Nuggets, the Miami Heat were dealt a massive blow with Bam Adebayo exiting the game with a left foot injury. Adebayo was injured after taking a step during a pitch back to guard Norman Powell in transition. He hobbled off the court and headed to the locker room and did not return. Adebayo played just eight minutes, finishing with two points and one rebound, making one of his five shot attempts.
A United States congressional committee is meeting with NBA officials Wednesday in Washington, D.C., in wake of the indictments of Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones, sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania. The meeting is considered an informational sit-down for members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and will include conversations about the league's partnerships with sportsbooks and measures to prevent illegal use of non-public information, the sources said.
Luka Doncic set an all-time Los Angeles Lakers record with 92 points in their first two games; then he sat out the third game, and Austin Reaves exploded for 51. Victor Wembanyama looks like a walking impossibility on the court, blocking seemingly every shot on defense while dropping more than 30 PPG on offense. Nikola Jokic has triple-doubles in his first two games despite struggling with his shot.
Singler was charged Tuesday in Haskell County with one misdemeanor count of assault and battery in the presence of a child. Singler's girlfriend told a sheriff's deputy that Singler grabbed her by the head and shoved her to the ground, according to an arrest affidavit. Deputy Mitch Dobbs also reported that he could observe finger outlines on the woman's face and marks on her arm.
"Well, it shouldn't be needed, first and foremost," Jordan said. "You know, I never wanted to miss a game because it was an opportunity to prove. It was something that I felt like the fans are there that watch me play. I want to impress that guy way up on top who probably worked his [butt] off to get a ticket or to get money to buy the ticket."
Even though his salary will still count against the Miami Heat's salary cap books, they will not be paying Terry Rozier while he's on leave of absence, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania and AP's Tim Reynolds first reported Wednesday. According to Charania, his paycheck - as well as Chauncey Billups' - will be "withheld and placed in escrow, pending outcome of FBI cases."
Last year, he took it to another level, dressing as No-Face, a character from the Academy Award-winning animated film "Spirited Away." Wembanyama wore an all-black one-piece fit and covered his face with the trademark mask. The costume preceded a 25-point, 9-rebound, 7-assist performance plus 5 steals and blocks each against the Utah Jazz -- the second time in his career he put up at least five each in five stat categories.
Casinos today are more than just gambling venues-they're luxury playgrounds for the world's elite. Nowhere is this more evident than in Las Vegas, where resorts like The Wynn Las Vegas have become synonymous with opulence, exclusivity, and discretion. With private gaming salons, Michelin-starred dining, high-end retail, and impeccable concierge service, The Wynn offers a tailored experience for those seeking elite entertainment.
When you're a kid, when you'd watch it, you'd definitely want to be in it, Podziemski said before Thursday's game against his hometown Bucks. I had that dream for sure.
Starting Saturday, NBA referees will begin using headsets during regular-season games for the first time. The league made that announcement Friday, rolling out a two-phase plan to implement the devices. The first phase, which is expected to continue into January, will see referees having the earpiece clipped onto their uniforms - then using it only during instant replay reviews and other stoppages, but not actually during live play.
One of the sports world's most intriguing start-up companies is renewing its long-term partnership with its first-ever major professional sports league partner. The NBA and Cosm, the entertainment company that's reinventing the sports bar with what they like to call shared reality, announced Thursday an extended partnership to air live NBA games in Cosm's domes. The IMAX-esque experience allows Cosm's customers to watch live sporting events on its unique 87-foot-diameter, 12L+ LED screens that have gone viral for offering a first-of-its-kind experience for fans.
However much grumping you might do at the water cooler-about the stupid idiot coach and his refusal to trust the rookie, or about the big brick-handed lummox mucking up the offensive spacing, or about the sleazy executive with his hands on the purse strings-when it comes to games and scores and outcomes, you have to root for your guys. That's your end of the deal.
The National Basketball Association is now slime-identified with a crew of upstanders known as "Spook," "Peso," "Vez," "Sugar," "Black Tony," "Scruli," and "Doc," thanks to the strenuous efforts of FBI Director Kash Patel to generate a headline. "Current and Former National Basketball Association Players and Four Other Individuals Charged in Widespread Sports Betting and Money Laundering Conspiracy," Patel's press office blared last week.
PORTLAND Steph Curry nailed improbable shot after improbable shot on Friday night, but his expected excellence was not enough to overcome an inspired Blazers team that had spent the past 48 hours mired in controversy. The Blazers were led by acting head coach Tiago Splitter, who stepped into the role after Chauncey Billups was arrested on illegal gambling charges by the FBI on Thursday. The Blazers scorched the nets at the Moda Center, shooting 53.8% from the field. Curry scored a scintillating 35 points after scoring 42 the day before, but the rest of a mix-and-match Warriors lineup looked flat by comparison.
Players are trying their best to win; the games are on the level. If you lose that, if the games are fixed or the players are motivated by something other than the competition, the whole thing collapses. (This is why sports gambling was banned for nearly 100 years after the Black Sox scandal; it was understood by everyone involved, until very recently, that players and coaches gambling on their own games was sports' third rail.) There's no reason to watch a game you can't believe
Miami Heat player Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were arrested yesterday over their alleged involvement in illegal sports gambling and rigged poker games, according to two separate but related federal indictments that were unsealed. The cases, which involve dozens of defendants spread across multiple states, illustrate the delicate relationship sports leagues have with the sportsbooks that pay them millions in sponsorship deals but also pose a potential reputational risk.
The operation carried out October 23 by the FBI, involving NBA players and several mafia families, could well have been lifted from this acclaimed piece of film making. In total, the FBI has arrested 37 individuals connected to the fraud ring. With the alleged involvement of three La Cosa Nostra crime families, an NBA head coach and Hall of Famer, as well as other current and former professional athletes, the investigative work that culminated with this morning's operation are reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.
