NBA Playoff Picture: Dallas opens up options, pushes Houston back With just a week left in the NBA's regular season, several games per night make a big difference in the fights for playoff berths and seeding. This post catches you up on everything that matters to these races. GAMES THAT MATTERED A LOT Texas justice: Wednesday's tilt between the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks carried … [Read more...]

James Harden does it all until Mavs smother him, Rockets 2:38 AM ET Calvin WatkinsESPN Staff Writer Close Calvin Watkins covers the Houston Rockets and the NBA for ESPN.com. He joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers as well as colleges, boxing and high school sports. print DALLAS -- The Houston Rockets' best player is James Harden. … [Read more...]

After James Harden stripped by Dirk Nowitzki, Rockets suffer blow to playoff hopes 12:54 AM ET Calvin WatkinsESPN Staff Writer Close Calvin Watkins covers the Houston Rockets and the NBA for ESPN.com. He joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers as well as colleges, boxing and high school sports. print DALLAS -- It was superstar on … [Read more...]

Isaiah Thomas lets his play do his stumping for All-NBA team 12:54 AM ET Chris ForsbergESPN Staff Writer Close Covered Celtics since 2007 Emmy award-winning videographer Joined ESPNBoston.com in 2009 print BOSTON -- Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas doesn't even let his kids win a playful game of household hoops, so no matter how injury-riddled the New Orleans Pelicans were, … [Read more...]

At the end, there's no end: Sam Hinkie will never finish his 76ers Sam Hinkie has stepped down as the Philadelphia 76ers' general manager and president of basketball operations, nearly three years after taking the reins of the organization and embarking on an unprecedented campaign of rebuilding through the NBA draft lottery that, thus far, has produced only in one of the worst on-court runs … [Read more...]

Kendrick Perkins says Kevin Durant has 'a few teams that he will be looking at' 8:24 PM ET Chris ForsbergESPN Staff Writer Close Covered Celtics since 2007 Emmy award-winning videographer Joined ESPNBoston.com in 2009 print BOSTON -- New Orleans Pelicans center Kendrick Perkins, with connections to both the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder, was bombarded with … [Read more...]

Report: Sam Hinkie steps down as 76ers GM, prez of basketball ops Sam Hinkie has stepped down as the Philadelphia 76ers' general manager and president of basketball operations, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, nearly three years after taking the reins of the organization and embarking on an unprecedented campaign of rebuilding through the lottery that, thus far, has produced only in one … [Read more...]

Rambis: Full-time Knicks gig would be 'fantastic' 8:35 PM ET print NEW YORK -- In case there was any doubt, Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis said Wednesday that he would fully welcome the opportunity to coach the team full time. "It would be fantastic. I want to be a head coach in this league. This is a great franchise; it's a terrific city, fan base," Rambis said prior to … [Read more...]

Hinkie steps down as 76ers GM in 13-page letter 8:44 PM ET Marc SteinESPN Senior Writer Close • Senior NBA writer for ESPN.com• Began covering the NBA in 1993-94• Also covered soccer, tennis and the Olympics print Sam Hinkie has stepped down from his post as general manager and president of basketball operations from the Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN.com has learned. Sources told … [Read more...]

Kobe Bryant wants the Warriors to set the all-time record for wins Kobe Bryant, probably much to his consternation, never had a chance to chase down the record for the most wins in NBA history. His best Laker teams were usually felled by either stiff regular season competition – like in his first title season in 1999-00 – or when teammates like Shaquille O’Neal or Andrew Bynum were, um, … [Read more...]