8:00 AM ET FIFTY-FIVE MINUTES before tipoff at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook take the court for a joint workout that Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy guides. “We’ve been tied at the hip, pretty much, since we made the acquisition,” James says of Westbrook at media day. “We’re
Sports
10:01 PM ET HENDERSON, Nev. — An emotional Derek Carr, who had forged a unique friendship with Jon Gruden over the past three-plus years, had an idea in the wake of the Las Vegas Raiders coach’s resignation after leaked emails showed he had used racist, misogynistic and anti-gay language over a seven-year period: “Open up
5:11 PM ET Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said that while some Penn State players injured in Saturday’s game had legitimate ailments, he understands why Hawkeyes fans booed when other Nittany Lions players went down. Ferentz on Tuesday noted that Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford did not return to the game after leaving early in the
8:26 PM ET ESPN News Services TAMPA, Fla. — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the league has only four unvaccinated players as it opens up the 2021-22 season. Bettman was in attendance for the regular-season opener between the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night. “Everybody banding together
3:25 AM ET LOS ANGELES — Off the bat, nine innings into a game surprisingly devoid of action, it seemed as if an entire ballpark believed Gavin Lux had tied the score with his Los Angeles Dodgers down to their final out. “My stomach pretty much sank when he hit it,” San Francisco Giants third
8:03 PM ET International tennis stars have been urged to get vaccinated if they are serious about playing in next year’s Australian Open. “If I was an ATP or WTA player, I’d be getting vaccinated,” Victoria’s sports minister Martin Pakula told Melbourne radio station SEN on Monday. “That will give them the best opportunity to
10:41 PM ET PANAMA CITY, Panama — A team can repeat its mistakes so many times before it gets punished. So it proved for the United States men’s national team in its 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Panama. In its first four games, the U.S. had managed to avoid defeat. But even as it
6:42 PM ET Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kyle Larson rallied from early electrical issues Sunday to win for the seventh time this season and storm into the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs. Larson’s victory on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway ended a topsy-turvy day for Hendrick Motorsports. Larson and reigning Cup champion Chase
10:58 PM BST Former NRL luminaries Kevin Naiqama and Lachlan Coote have said the perfect farewell to St Helens, helping guide the Super League champions to a third straight crown with a thrilling grand final win over Catalans Dragons. Former Wests Tigers star Naiqama was player of the match on Saturday after he scored the
7:23 PM ET Marina Rodriguez passed another major test and stated her case as a potential future title challenger. Surviving several terrible positions on the ground, Rodriguez defeated Mackenzie Dern via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. It was a classic striker vs. grappler battle
7:38 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN Tyson Fury was jovial, sarcastic and helpful as he worked with the young heavyweights training alongside him at Warriors Boxing Gym in Hollywood, Florida. Just days earlier, the 6-foot-9 “Gypsy King” found out that his dream fight — an undisputed heavyweight championship bout with Anthony Joshua — wasn’t going to
3:11 PM ET The big crowds following Jon Rahm in his return to Spain are starting to bother the world’s top-ranked golfer. Rahm couldn’t hide his frustration with some of the fans after a lackluster second round at the Spanish Open on Friday, when he carded a 4-under 67 to stay one shot behind leader
9:42 PM ET Associated Press NEW YORK — Irad Ortiz Jr. rode his 3,000th career winner Thursday in the fifth race at Belmont Park. The 29-year-old jockey from Puerto Rico rode Saratoga Kisses to an 8 1/4-length victory for trainer and co-owner Rudy Rodriguez. Ortiz is 15th on the career earnings list, totaling over $220
9:27 PM ET Associated Press INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Kim Clijsters lost in three sets in her first-round match Thursday at the BNP Paribas Open. She was beaten 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 by Katerina Siniakova, a three-time major doubles champion from Czech Republic. Siniakova teamed with countrywoman Barbora Krejcikova to win a gold medal in doubles
11:00 PM ET PHOENIX — Trevor Ariza will be sidelined about two months after having surgery on his right ankle, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Wednesday. Ariza, one of 11 new players added in the offseason, underwent an arthroscopic debridement procedure Wednesday. He has missed most of training camp because of the ankle. The Lakers
8:04 AM ET FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are releasing four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore, with a source telling ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the sides could not agree to terms on a restructured contract. Gilmore said goodbye to Patriots fans in a tweeted statement Wednesday. “We enjoyed so much success together and
10:50 AM ET FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots‘ plans to release cornerback Stephon Gilmore came as a surprise on Wednesday. Gilmore started the season on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) after having surgery on a torn quad suffered in Week 15 of the 2020 season. He was the 2019 NFL Defensive
7:00 AM ET Rick Mirer remembers the first time he slapped the “Play Like A Champion Today” sign at Notre Dame. The wooden sign — 3 feet high, 4 feet wide and painted gold with blue hand lettering — hangs over the narrow staircase in the tunnel at Notre Dame Stadium, just high enough where
7:36 PM ET It wasn’t quite as chaotic of an ending as it could have been, but the 2021 MLB regular season is finally in the books. Now, playoff baseball is finally in store. In the AL, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees renew their historic rivalry in what promises to be an
11:38 PM ET Associated Press ARCADIA, Calif. — Medina Spirit, the Kentucky Derby winner who failed a postrace drug test, romped to a five-length victory in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes on Saturday for embattled Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert at Santa Anita. Medina Spirit took command out of the starting gate and built