[ad_1] LOS ANGELES -- After the Los Angeles Lakers missed the playoffs only five times in the first 65 years of the franchise's existence, Friday's 111-106 loss to the Brooklyn Nets officially eliminated them from postseason contention for the sixth straight year.At 31-41, L.A. is now a game worse than it was a season ago with 10 games left to play. That team, of course, did not have LeBron James.In
[ad_1] 6:25 PM ETRamona ShelburneCloseESPN Senior WriterSenior writer for ESPN.comSpent seven years at the Los Angeles Daily NewsPaula LavigneCloseESPN Staff WriterData analyst and reporter for ESPN's Enterprise and Investigative Unit. Winner, 2014 Alfred I. duPont Columbia University Award; finalist, 2012 IRE broadcast award; winner, 2011 Gannett Foundation Award for Innovation in Watchdog Journalism; Emmy nominated, 2009.Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball has severed ties with a co-founder of Big Baller
[ad_1] NEW YORK -- Papa John's is getting "Shaq-ified.''The pizza chain said Friday that basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal will be its new pitchman, appearing in TV commercials and promoting Papa John's in other ways. The company hopes O'Neal can repair its image and revive its sales after the company's founder and namesake, John Schnatter, made racially insensitive remarks.You know @SHAQ as a Hall of Famer, sports commentator and
[ad_1] LOS ANGELES -- LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers ended any speculation about him coaching elsewhere after the season, revealing Tuesday that he and the Clippers verbally agreed to a longer-term contract extension earlier this season.Responding to a question about his potential candidacy for the Los Angeles Lakers' job if they were to make a change from Luke Walton following a disappointing season, Rivers shut down any idea of
[ad_1] LOS ANGELES -- Doc Rivers ended any speculation about him coaching elsewhere after the season by revealing that he and the LA Clippers verbally agreed to a longer-term contract extension earlier this season.Responding to a question about his potential candidacy for the Los Angeles Lakers' job if they make a change with Luke Walton following a disappointing season, Rivers shut down any idea of him moving within the Staples
[ad_1] Los Angeles Lakers coach Luke Walton said he has not had any discussions with LeBron James about shutting down the four-time MVP for the remainder of the season.James sat out Tuesday's matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Lakers due to a sore left groin. He missed over a month earlier this season because of a strain to the same groin muscle."We're a much better team when he's on
[ad_1] MVP front-runner Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will both miss Tuesday night's matchup because of injuries, the teams announced Tuesday.Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 27.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game for the Eastern Conference-leading Bucks, was ruled out with a sprained right ankle.James will sit out Tuesday's game with a sore left groin. He missed over a month earlier this season
[ad_1] MVP front-runner Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will both miss Tuesday night's matchup because of injuries, the teams announced Tuesday.Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 27.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game for the Eastern Conference-leading Bucks, was ruled out with a sprained right ankle.James was ruled out with a sore left groin. He missed over a month earlier this season because of
[ad_1] Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James will not play against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night because of a sore left groin.With 12 games to play, the Lakers trail the LA Clippers by 9.5 games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, meaning James' personal streaks of 13 straight postseason appearances and eight straight NBA Finals berths are all but finished.James is averaging 27.5 points,
[ad_1] 6:37 PM ETMalika AndrewsESPN Giannis Antetokounmpo is questionable with a right ankle sprain for the Milwaukee Bucks' home matchup Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers.Antetokounmpo, a front-runner for the league MVP award, turned his ankle during the Bucks' loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday.Antetokounmpo crumpled to the ground after colliding with Joel Embiid while driving to the basket late in the third quarter. He stayed on the ground
