Denver is now just half a game back of the decimated Lakers for the #3 seed, while the Spurs are now 2.5 back for the #1 seed. There's a solid chance we get a rematch of today's Nuggets vs. Spurs classic in the West semis.

I'm thrilled for Kevin, who has long been one of my favorite writers and basketball thinkers. My only disappointment is that I hoped to work with him for many more years.

Final rookie rankings of the year! In which the top 4 players happen to be the first 4 players picked in last year's draft:

The Spurs are 2 games back of the Thunder, with the tiebreak and an easy remaining schedule, while OKC has the hardest remaining schedule in the NBA. I hope both teams go for the #1 seed. Buckle up!

News story from Chicago, where Rockets coach Ime Udoka called out “soft” officiating following two technical fouls and an ejection

New ESPN story: With the benefit of hindsight, I ranked the 10 best and 10 worst transactions of the last year in the NBA.

Underrated part of Venezuela's title: Salvador Perez got to catch the final pitch of the WBC title, after he wasn't in for the end of the Royals' win in 2015. (Drew Butera caught the final strike after Jarrod Dyson pinch ran.)

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the verge of breaking a 63-year-old Wilt Chamberlain record, I dove deep into the facts and stats around his extraordinary achievement

Italy and Mexico can reenact the Disgrace of Gijon in their WBC game tomorrow, if they want to both advance at the United States' expense

A couple years ago I broke down which NBA player was most likely to challenge Wilt's 100-point game. Bam didn't even make my preliminary list of 50 candidates. What an outrageous performance.

Bam Adebayo has a new career high in points, with 43. It's halftime.

Had a lot of fun with this one: How would the NBA have changed if Kevin Durant's foot were behind the 3-point line on his shot against the Bucks in 2021? Here's all the ripple effects, in an alternate history of the last 5 years of the NBA.

I would like to see seven more Thunder-Nuggets battles again in the playoffs this year. What a game.

Everyone keeps talking about how much better the Western Conference is. But the East has four really good teams (and Charlotte!), too. Here's why the conferences have surprising parity this season, and what that means for the playoffs:

With the Winter Olympics coming to a close, I peered ahead to the 2028 Summer Games—and projected a 12-man Team USA men's basketball roster, full of youth and defense

The Thunder are only up 3 games on the Spurs, and San Antonio has a much easier remaining schedule and the tiebreaker, if necessary. These lingering injuries could very plausibly cost OKC the #1 seed.

If all the Jalens in the NBA joined forces, they'd be a championship contender. But are they the best "same name" team in NBA history? Today, I survey the Jalens and Mikes and Bobs and Bills to answer this extremely important basketball question.

Recency bias, perhaps, but it feels like that Kawhi stretch is the coolest All-Star Game moment in years

Starting a conspiracy theory that the Shooting Stars challenge was rigged for the Knicks because they got Rick Brunson as their designated passer instead of an actual celebrity

My favorite anti-tanking idea is to set aside $1.23 billion of annual league revenue. Instead of an even 30-way split, teams get that money at a rate of $1 million per win. Want to tank for better lottery odds? Fine. But you have to convince your owner that's worth ~$15 million.

Pistons-Hornets just had the biggest NBA fight in a while—especially notable because this is a very plausible first-round playoff series

The Cavs! The Thunder! Surprise star destinations! Here are the biggest winners, losers, and trends of the trade deadline:

Between the Clippers getting worse, the Jazz getting better, and the other top teams in the West not getting much better—plus a shrewd trade of their own—the Thunder are the big winners of the deadline with 40 minutes to go

Pretty wild that the two biggest buyers of the trade deadline so far are the Jazz and Wizards, with a combined record of 29-71 (and two top-8-protected picks they're both desperate to keep)

I read the Washington Post sports section every day growing up. My hands and elbows often turned purple from so much time pressed against the newspaper ink. To close the sports department is shameful.

Over the last three seasons, 47 players are averaging at least 20 ppg. Fewest assists among that group: 47. Lauri Markkanen (1.9 per game) 46. Jaren Jackson Jr. (2.1 per game) Nobody else is below 3 assists per game.

This news hit me like a strong zinc pull from a Rioter. I'm bursting with excitement.

The Rockets have a plus-11.8 net rating with Adams on the floor this season—the best mark on the team. This is a massive loss for a championship contender, and a huge bummer for a fun, unique player.

New rookie rankings! - How high did Cooper Flagg rise since his early-season struggles? - Which new rookies are in the top 10? - Who are Kon Knueppel's outrageous statistical comps?

Took a spin with @kpelton.bsky.social through four of the NBA's biggest questions at the midway point of the season, discussing slumps in OKC and NYC, the surging Clippers, and comps for Paolo Banchero

With reporters suggesting that NBA teams are starting to shy away from all-in blockbuster trades, I analyzed the trades with the most draft picks in league history to see if they're worth it, or if in fact they should be avoided

Quick story from an unusual scene in Chicago, where Bulls-Heat was postponed due to condensation on the court

In case you missed it last week: Go for a drive down memory lane, as I wrote about the defining moment of every basketball season since 1954.

As another year ends, I'm not just reviewing the last year for ESPN—I'm reviewing the last 7 decades of NBA history, with a big project that answers the question: What moment defines every NBA season since 1954? (h/t @sammillerbb.bsky.social for the original idea)

Jokic has finished 1st or 2nd in MVP voting for the last five years. But if he doesn't return within 31 days, he won't be eligible for MVP voting (or All-NBA or other postseason awards) this year.

I wrote about the hopes and concerns for the 10 teams that played on Christmas, featuring: - OKC's imbalanced schedule - the Nuggets without Jokic - shaky young shooters - the Lakers in and out of clutch time And much more!

The Thunder are now 3-3 with a +1.8 point differential against the other teams in the West's top six. For comparison, they're 23-1 with a +18.2 differential against all other opponents.

Limiting pick protections to top-4 and 14+ wouldn't stop all tanking, but I've long thought the league should do it to curb the most egregious tanking examples. Real hoopers remember the Mark Madsen game, among more recent examples.

LeBron James is playing like he never has before—fewer points, lower usage, less time on the ball. What does this mean for the career scoring leader, and for the Lakers with LeBron, Luka, and Reaves?

25 for 25 in '25! Presenting ESPN's ranking of the NBA's best young players based on long-term potential:

Years after the NBA moved away from the post-up, this old-school strategy has quietly become the most efficient play in the league. I talked to six All-Star scorers about why—and what this surprising trend says about analytics in sports.

LeBron James failed to score double-digit points in the regular season for the first time since January 5, 2007, breaking a record 1,297-game streak. He had a chance to score on the last possession but made a kickout pass to Rui Hachimura for a game-winning 3.

Highest true shooting percentage in a 50-point game in NBA history: 1. Aaron Gordon in October 2. Kyrie 3. VanVleet 4. Jamal Murray in 2021 5. Kyrie 6. Jamal Murray tonight

I took an early look at the likely All-Star rosters for this year's US vs. World format. One big lesson: The Western Conference has too many qualified players for too few All-Star spots.

The four best players in the NBA are off to four of the best statistical starts to a season in league history. Read about Jokic, SGA, Giannis, and Luka here:

My real estate holdings on Peyton Watson Island are spiking in value, as he's now 13/25 on 3-pointers in his last four games

30 teams, 7 tiers! It's my new piece with @kpelton.bsky.social www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

The first edition of ESPN's 2025-26 NBA Rookie Rankings features not one, not two, but *three* Charlotte Hornets, plus a surprising player at no. 1

There's a ton of really exciting NBA action tonight, but watching Victor Wembanyama in person in this 4th quarter has been a religious experience

Nikola Vucevic posted career-best efficiency numbers last season, and he's been even better to start 2025-26. He just hit a corner 3-pointer with 3 seconds left to complete a Bulls comeback from a 24-point deficit against the 76ers. Pretty cool story for the 35-year-old center.