Category: Basketball

The Tennessee Titans are coming off an incredibly successful campaign which ended with them being just a couple of quarters away from representing the AFC in Super Bowl LIV. It’s a season that will be remembered for the reemergence of quarterback Ryan Tannehill and how dominant Derrick Henry was on the ground. While the league isn’t too keen on paying running backs, Henry quite literally carried the Titans to the conference championship game.

So, where do the Titans go from here? Like every team, they made some additions in the offseason and they also lost some players. Is this squad capable of making it back to the postseason and winning a couple more games? Are they ready to challenge the powerhouses that are the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens?

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Even in the middle of a pandemic, when nobody is playing, Bradley Beal‘s name still emerged in trade rumors.

The New York Daily News last week reported that the Brooklyn Nets have had “internal discussions” about pursuing the 26-year-old Wizards guard, who signed a two-year, $72 million extension in October.

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard this kind of talk,” Beal told ESPN. “It’s interesting. To me, I look at it as a sign of respect, that I’ve been doing good things and guys want to play with me.

“That’s an unbelievable feeling. When you hear that Kyrie [Irving] and KD [Kevin Durant] want you, s—, that’s amazing. At the same time, you don’t know how much there is to it, or how easy it would be to do. And I’ve put down roots in D.C. I’ve dedicated myself to this town, this community. I

The Minnesota Vikings insist Stefon Diggs wasn’t traded because he was a problem in the locker room. Diggs was sent to the Buffalo Bills this offseason by the Vikings in exchange for a first-round pick (and other draft compensation), ending his polarizing relationship with the organization. 

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer went to bat for his former No. 1 wideout, defending Diggs amid the idea that the Vikings wanting to distance themselves from him because of the locker room issues. 

“Really, if you said somebody was a pain in the butt, you probably wouldn’t say him,” Zimmer said on The Rich Eisen Show Thursday, via NFL.com. “I’ve been around way worse guys than him. I hope he has a great career and finishes up strong. Honestly, Diggs did not have to go. We really didn’t have any intention of

There’s clearly no love lost between Melvin Gordon and the Los Angeles Chargers. The rift began with the running back refused to report to training camp and the start of the 2019 regular season until his contract demands were met, but they never were, and risking tarnishing his brand in a contract year — he ultimately returned to the field. Meanwhile, the Chargers tabled all talks with Gordon and that included pulling away an offer that was reportedly worth upwards of $10 million annually, but Gordon repeatedly made it known at the start of the offseason he wanted to remain with the club.

His tone changed quickly when they decided to award Austin Ekeler a four-year, $24.5 million contract extension, signifying the end of Gordon’s time in Los Angeles. The two-time Pro Bowler went on to sign a two-year

The start of the 2020 Major League Baseball season is still up in the air, but owners and players will want to hold as many games as possible. By pushing the regular season back and adding doubleheaders, the World Series could be a neutral-site affair deep into the winter. No matter when the season starts, owners should be ready to go with a Fantasy baseball draft strategy that correctly identifies sleepers, breakouts and busts.

Where does every player belong in your 2020 Fantasy baseball rankings? And which 2020 Fantasy baseball sleepers can lead you to glory? Before you go on the clock in your drafts, be sure to check out the 2020 Fantasy baseball cheat sheets from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

Last season, SportsLine’s Projection Model identified several top Fantasy baseball breakouts, including Cleveland Indians All-Star starting

After months of coronavirus pandemic-related disruptions, the UFC is finally heading back to Las Vegas for UFC on ESPN 9 on May 30. It was made official on Wednesday with the Nevada State Athletic Commission approving UFC to host this weekend’s card as well as UFC 250 on June 6 from the Apex Center just off the Las Vegas strip.

Headlining UFC on ESPN 9 is a major welterweight clash between Tyron Woodley and Gilbert Burns. Woodley will be fighting for the first time since losing the UFC welterweight championship to Kamaru Usman in March 2019. Prior to that defeat, Woodley had been on a seven-fight winning streak and had established himself as one of the most elite 170-pound fighters in history.

Can’t get enough UFC? Subscribe to our podcast State of Combat with Brian Campbell where we break

May 27, 2020

Count the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the latest institution to have its best-laid plans felled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the board of governors for the Hall, told ESPN on Wednesday that enshrinement ceremonies for the Class of 2020 — one of the most star-studded lineups ever, including Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant — will be moved to spring 2021.

Colangelo said the original dates of enshrinement weekend, Aug. 28-30, and the proposed alternate dates, Oct. 10-12, are “just not feasible” in light of the pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. and has rendered large gatherings taboo. The board of governors will convene on June 10, he said, to explore spring dates.

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“We’re definitely canceling,” Colangelo said. “It’s going to have to be the first

May 27, 2020

ESPN News Services

LeBron James and other high-profile athletes have taken to social media to voice their outrage over the death of a black Minnesota man who was pinned down by police.

George Floyd, 46, died Monday night while in Minneapolis police custody. A bystander’s video showed an officer kneeling on the handcuffed Floyd’s neck, even after he pleaded that he could not breathe and stopped moving.

James weighed in Tuesday night on Instagram with a post referencing Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback who famously kneeled during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.

James’ post includes a photo of the officer kneeling on Floyd’s neck alongside a photo of Kaepernick kneeling during the anthem, topped with the caption: “This … … Is Why.” The Los Angeles Lakers star wrote in the post: “Do you understand NOW!!??!!?? Or is it

May 27, 2020

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard believes a play-in tournament for teams on the outside of the playoff picture “would be perfect” as the NBA considers options for how it could restart its season.

The Blazers were 3½ games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference when the NBA season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic on March 11.

“I feel like a play-in tournament would be perfect, just because we actually were in striking distance and also had enough games to get in the playoffs,” Lillard said Wednesday on ESPN’s Jalen & Jacoby. “But to that point, if they did decide that we’re just gonna go straight to the playoffs, obviously, we would all be disappointed.

“… We haven’t performed to be in that top eight. So if that’s the case, then fine. But if we’re gonna