Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement - scroll for more content
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
But, after shooting just 3-for-16 and coughing up a team-high four turnovers as the Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals to the defending champs, Reaves admitted that context is meaningless at this point of the postseason. "I mean, nobody cares about that," Reaves said when asked about the challenge of ramping back to form after missing so much time. "I got to go out there and play better."
On Tuesday, he was 0-for-5 from 3, failing to connect from deep for the third time in 29 career postseason games, according to ESPN Research. Two of those games have come this postseason. "He was out a month," LeBron James said when asked about Reaves' struggles. "We know he's going to make shots and make plays, but that's tough. ... Obviously we're trying to fast-track him, getting back on the floor and doing the things that he was doing before the injury. But he was out a month, so rightfully so, if he has some games where he's missing shots or whatever the case may be. "His presence alone helps us no matter what."
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt sustained a full dislocation of his right pinkie during Tuesday's 108-90 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals series, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. Vanderbilt was injured when he attempted to block a dunk by Thunder center Chet Holmgren. Vanderbilt swiped at Holmgren behind the play and hit his finger on the corner of the backboard. Holmgren made the dunk to put the Thunder up 48-39 with 5:57 left in the second quarter.
Vanderbilt needed stitches postgame because the bone in his dislocated pinkie finger broke skin, sources said. Lakers assistant athletic trainer Octavio Marquez Montoya and coach JJ Redick walked the length of the court to attend to Vanderbilt, who was on the opposite baseline.
Advertisement
NBA Communications: Game 7 of the 76ers/Celtics series on May 2 averaged 11 million viewers on NBC/Peacock – the most-watched first-round Game 7 ever and the most-watched first-round game in 27 years. The first round of the NBA Playoffs was the most-viewed in 33 years, averaging 4 million viewers per game across ABC/ESPN, Amazon Prime Video and NBC/Peacock.
Before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season, the league was wrapped up in multiple controversies. For one, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were among those arrested for alleged involvement in gambling schemes. But in September, reporting from "Pablo Torre Finds Out" also revealed another scandal: potential cap circumvention by the Los Angeles Clippers involving Kawhi Leonard. Pablo Torre, a journalist and podcaster also previously known for his time at ESPN, revealed the details of the potential cap circumvention involving the company Aspiration — and now, the team at "Pablo Torre Finds Out" is being rewarded for that story with the most prestigious honor in journalism, a Pulitzer Prize.
Shams Charania: Just in: The Chicago Bulls are hiring Atlanta Hawks senior vice president Bryson Graham as the franchise's new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, sources tell ESPN. Graham spent 15 years in New Orleans before joining Atlanta last offseason, rising from an intern to GM, and now becomes the Bulls top executive.
Shams Charania: Minnesota's Anthony Edwards is expected to play in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs, barring any setback pregame, per ESPN sources. Just 9 days removed from his left knee injury, and after the team had expected him to return midseries, Edwards has received medical clearance and will get final sign-off after his pregame routine.
Warriors F Draymond Green will be making three upcoming appearances on “Inside the NBA” on ESPN, filling in for Kenny Smith starting on Wednesday. Green, who is repped on the media side by WIN Sports’ Josh Pyatt, will be doing so as a TNT employee, similar to the other members of the show. His other appearances for the postseason will come later this month, including during the conference finals.
Advertisement
The Dallas Mavericks have agreed to hire Masai Ujiri as their team president and alternate governor, landing a lead basketball executive with proven champion experience after a six-month search process, sources told ESPN. Ujiri was the architect of the Toronto Raptors' 2018-19 championship team, the highlight of his 15-year tenure as a lead basketball executive in the NBA. He also won the Executive of the Year award in 2012-13 with the Denver Nuggets. A news conference with Mavs governor Patrick Dumont and Ujiri is planned for Tuesday in Dallas, sources said.
The Mavs had preliminary interest in some current lead basketball executives of other franchises, particularly Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, sources said. However, the Mavs moved on in part due to doubts that the Timberwolves would grant permission to engage in discussions with Connelly, who has one season remaining on his contract.
Finley and Riccardi interviewed with Dumont during the search process. Sources said Dumont informed both of them over the weekend that the franchise would hire someone else, expressing appreciation for their strong work under difficult circumstances this season. Their futures with the franchise will be determined after discussions with Ujiri.