NBA

LaMelo Ball is in some hot water with some of his biggest fans ... who are pissed at the NBA star for cracking up on the Hornets' bench during a blowout loss Monday.

Ball wasn't playing in Charlotte's home tilt against the New York Knicks while dealing with a sore ankle ... so he took a seat with some of his squadmates -- and despite the completely one-sided score, he was seen smiling throughout the contest.

At one point, when Charlotte was down 25 points early in the fourth quarter ... Ball was actually seen busting at the seams with Bryce McGowens and James Bouknight.

The images pissed off a whole lot of Hornets supporters, who found it downright disrespectful that the team's biggest star didn't appear locked in on the game.

What made it especially worse was "Let's Go Knicks" chants had broken out at the Spectrum Center right around the same time.

The Hornets went on to lose 113-92 ... and their record is now a measly 10-35.

D'Angelo Russell's impromptu Lionel Messi impression just set him back a wad of dough -- the Lakers guard was just fined $15k for punting the rock into the stands after Saturday's double-overtime win over the Warriors.

The NBA just handed down the punishment on Monday ... with the league's executive VP Joe Dumars announcing the costly penalty.

The moment happened after the final buzzer of the second extra period ... when Stephen Curry heaved the ball three-quarters of the court in a last-ditch effort to win the game.

As the ball made its way back down to earth, Russell ran onto the hardwood to celebrate the 145-144 win ... kicking the rock into the first few rows of the arena in the process.

While it seemed like the 27-year-old was just trying to have some fun, the league decided it was a finable offense nonetheless.

Teyana Taylor says Iman Shumpert's playing dirty in their divorce war, claiming he's slowly shutting down all the utilities in the home where she lives with their 2 children ... TMZ Hip Hop has learned.

In a new court filing, Teyana's attorney says she woke up this month in the Georgia home they used to share, only to discover the WiFi and cable was cut off, and one day later, the water stopped running ... and she's fully laying blame on Iman.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Iman moved out back in October, and shortly thereafter, Iman's brother -- who handles his personal affairs -- told Teyana, Iman intended to shut off the power.

Since then, she claims Iman hasn't paid a cent of child support, or covered any of the kids' expenses ... including food and clothing costs.

With the water, cable and WiFi now gone, Teyana's attorney says they're concerned he's going to follow through and cut off the gas and electricity.

On top of that, Teyana claims Iman left her holding the bag on $200K worth of home renovations he started 3 years ago.

In the docs, she says Iman told her his money is tied up in investments, and proposed she cover the cost and he would reimburse her -- but she's yet to see a penny from him.

Mind you, it's not like Teyana can't afford to turn on any utilities that get shut off -- she's clearly got the cash to handle that, but her attorney's court filing makes it clear ... this is about holding Iman accountable.

Since their divorce is pending, Teyana's attorney points out the court put a standing order in place ... meaning both parties are supposed to maintain the status quo on their home and finances until the divorce is finalized.

Draymond Green won't be going for gold with Team USA at the Paris Olympics ... and his recent suspensions played a factor in the decision -- this according to Grant Hill, who says the Golden State Warriors star needs to focus on himself this summer.

41 pros were announced as potential candidates to suit up for the Red, White and Blue at that 2024 Games on Tuesday ... and only 12 of those guys will make the final cut.

Surprisingly, Green -- a two-time gold medalist and one of the best forwards in the NBA right now -- wasn't listed ... and Hill, who became Team USA basketball's managing director in 2021, explained why that's the case.

"We all understand and certainly have great respect and sensitivity to this particular period in his career and he’s working through some things both on and off the court," the former NBA star said on Wednesday.

"We at USA Basketball, we want to support him on his journey. We just didn’t feel that playing over the summer gives him the best opportunity to do what he needs to do."

Green is fresh off an indefinite suspension (12 games) after smacking Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the face during a game in December.

Just one month prior, Green was suspended five games for putting Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert in a headlock while trying to defend his teammate Klay Thompson.

Green is no stranger to controversy ... but the 33-year-old said ahead of his return he will try to remove the "antics" out of his game.

"It's not on changing who I am completely," Green told the media earlier this month.

"You don't change the spots on a leopard. It's just not gonna happen and I'm not going to try to set some unrealistic expectation of like who is this person going to be. It's not real and that's not sustainable."

Common didn't let a negative scouting report from Michael Jordan, of all people, mess up his hoops game ... in fact, the versatile rapper used the criticism and ended up snagging an MVP trophy.

The Chicago-born MC was on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" when he recalled MJ throwing salt on his game after his performance in the 2010 NBA Celebrity All-Star Game.

Common says he thought he actually played well, and was trying for the MVP -- but Jordan saw it much differently.

Common says when he linked with MJ at the Brand Jordan after-party, his hoop dreams deflated a bit as the GOAT himself told him verbatim ..."Stick to rapping and acting.'"

Fast forward to 2020, Common ... a little older and wiser didn't pack it in after MJ's insults, and won 2020's celebrity game MVP with a well-rounded stat line of 10 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST and 4 STL. He did also stick with rapping and acting ... and both have worked out really well.

So, Jordan wasn't ALL wrong!

Russell Westbrook's three-pointer in the Clippers' win over the Lakers was a shoo-in for highlight of the night honors ... 'cause the NBA star nailed the jumper with just one sneaker!!

The wild play went down in the final minute of the first quarter of the Battle of L.A. at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday ... when Brodie's Jordan Brand kick came loose during an offensive possession.

Westbrook tried to squeeze his shoe back on while keeping his dribble alive at the same time ... but once he started to get pressure from Lakers guard Jarred Vanderbilt, he decided to ditch it on the sideline.

Despite the wardrobe malfunction, the former MVP didn't give up on the chance to score -- pulling up from behind the arc and draining a beautiful trey.

It didn't stop there -- Westbrook rushed back on defense after the bucket ... and in the meantime, Clippers coach Ty Lue grabbed his shoe and put it on the scorer's table.

Once the next dead ball came around, Westbrook reunited with his right sneaker ... and the game went on without any other issues.

The three ball was one of many big plays for the Clippers -- Kawhi Leonard and James Harden led the way as the home team beat up on the LeBron James-less Lakers ... coming away with the 127-116 win.

Adrian Griffin's time in Milwaukee is over -- the Bucks just fired their head coach after less than a year on the job ... despite having the second-best record in the league.

Multiple reports confirmed the move on Tuesday ... just hours after Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. beat the Detroit Pistons, 122-113.

It is a bit of a head-scratching move to some ... as the Bucks currently sit at second in the Eastern Conference with a 30-13 record. Others believe the writing was on the wall, as Griffin -- a former Seton Hall star and NBA player -- appeared to be a bad fit with the current roster.

Joe Prunty is expected to take on interim coaching duties for now ... and there are rumblings the team will look for a veteran coach like Doc Rivers to take the reins permanently.

It's a quick turnaround for the organization -- it just introduced Griffin as Mike Budenholzer's replacement in June 2023.

Whoever takes over in Milwaukee will have one of the most talented squads in the league ... with stars like Giannis, Damian Lillard and Kris Middleton.

Kevin Durant was utterly shocked after finding out about Joel Embiid's career night ... hilariously reacting in real time as he praised the Philadelphia 76ers superstar's 70-point outing.

K.D. -- who dropped 43 in the Phoenix Suns' 115-113 win over the Chicago Bulls -- met with reporters after his own great performance ... and he gave an unfiltered response when asked about the 29-year-old center's stat line against the San Antonio Spurs.

"70?! He had 70?! S***," K.D. said in disbelief ... while also giving Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns props for his 62 points against the Charlotte Hornets.

The question was centered around the current state of the NBA ... and after Durant wrapped his head around Embiid's offensive clinic, he gave a thoughtful take.

"The skill level in this league is insane and actually the coaching, the schemes on offense is insane," K.D. said. "You seen so many different sets being run for bigs to get threes."

"Coaches are being way more creative to put their best players in great positions to get those numbers and you got shooters all around the floor, you got penetrators. I mean, this is the peak of basketball, in my opinion."

"It's insane what we got going on."

Embiid finished his night with 70 points (a Sixers franchise record), 18 rebounds and five assists ... and his teammates went nuts for him in the locker room to celebrate the accomplishment.

The Golden State Warriors will wear all-black T-shirts this week to pay tribute to Dejan Milojević in the wake of the assistant coach's tragic passing.

Steve Kerr debuted the tee at a press conference on Monday afternoon ... and you can see it features Milojević's initials inside of a heart as well as the word "BRATE" -- which means "brother" in Serbian.

Kerr said his team has been devastated and heartbroken since Milojević suffered a fatal medical emergency on Jan. 16 while at a team dinner in Salt Lake City ... telling reporters this past week has been "hard to describe."

"It's just the saddest thing I have been a part of in the NBA where we lose someone who's so close to us and then, more importantly, seeing his family suffer," Kerr said.

Kerr, however, praised Milojević's former Serbian teams, Mega and Partizan, for honoring Dejan during their game Monday.

"Deky's two teams were playing against each other," Kerr said. "I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like the pre-game dedication from the fans and organizations there to Deky."

"It was incredible."

Milojević joined Kerr's staff in 2021 ... and following his passing, the NBA postponed the Warriors' games against the Jazz and the Mavericks.

LeBron James might be the King, but he thinks he's getting royally screwed over when it comes to officiating ... 'cause the Los Angeles Lakers superstar just unloaded on refs for not calling a foul after he suffered a bloody arm scratch during Sunday's game.

The play in question went down when LBJ drove to the basket in the third quarter of the Purple & Gold's 134-110 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers ... but instead of two points, he ended up with a few cuts on his right bicep at the hands of opponent Scoot Henderson.

James was patched up with an ointment and continued the game ... finishing with 28 points, five rebounds and five assists on the night.

Despite the solid outing and a team win, James is clearly still upset about how the sequence played out ... 'cause he had a message for the officials Monday afternoon.

"[Zebra] look right at me and said, 'I didn't see a foul!'" Bron said on Instagram. "Man what!"

"I give up man."

It's going to end up being a pricey post for the King -- the NBA has strict rules against publicly criticizing referees ... and a fine is likely on the horizon.

Josh Giddey might be in the clear legally, but he is still under his employer's microscope -- the NBA's review into claims he had an improper relationship with a minor remains ongoing, TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources tell us nothing has changed as far as the Association is concerned ... despite Newport Beach PD recently closing its investigation without the 21-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder guard being charged.

As we previously reported, the Giddey case ended after officials found no corroborating evidence ... as the minor and her family declined to speak with officials.

"After a thorough and exhaustive examination, we have completed our investigation into information that was circulating on social media involving Josh Giddey," Newport Beach PD said in a statement.

"Our detectives have reviewed all of the available information and were unable to corroborate any criminal activity related to Mr. Giddey."

Adam Silver said in December the league would take a "backseat" while police conducted its investigation ... so with that being over, it sounds like the NBA is grabbing the wheel once again.

Giddey has not spoken on the scandal ... and has remained active for the Thunder throughout both investigations.

Warriors coach Dejan Milojević's tragic death has resulted in heartbreak throughout the NBA ... including Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, who gave a touching tribute to his friend in Wednesday's postgame press conference.

The Serbian coach was visibly emotional when asked about the shocking news following the Raptors' 121-97 win over the Miami Heat ... a victory he dedicated to Dejan.

Rajakovic -- who became the Raptors HC last June -- explained he addressed the team prior to tipoff ... and shared a special message from the heart.

"I told my guys that I love them," the 44-year-old coach said, fighting back tears.

Rajakovic -- who had been close with Dejan for years -- revealed the opening play of the game had been designed by the late coach ... something he did on purpose.

"Opening play in the game was [an] ATO that Decky, my friend, I learned that play from him," Rajakovic said.

"That's what he brought to [the] NBA, that's what he brought to Golden State. I stole that play from him and that was our opening play tonight and we were able to score on that one."

Several NBA players and coaches also paid tribute to Milojević since his unexpected death ... including Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic and Boban Marjanovic, who is also from Serbia.

"You inspired me to be the best version of myself every day and your influence has changed my life," the Houston Rockets center said.

"Thank you for helping me accomplish my dreams! You’re one of the best coaches I was blessed to play for. I pray for your family and friends during this time as we will miss you greatly. God received an angel today. Forever in our hearts. 🙏"

Jennifer Hudson y Common tienen un vínculo muy fuerte entre ellos. Ambos estuvieron tomados de la mano y muy pegados mientras veían un partido de los Lakers en la cancha.

La pareja se paseó de la mano en el Crypto Arena para el partido del miércoles contra los Mavericks de Dallas, dejándose caer en sus asientos para tener una experiencia en la primera fila y luciendo muy a la moda.

La cita de J-Hud y Common es una prueba de que siguen en serio como pareja. Ambos estuvieron sonriendo y conversando y Jennifer incluso le presentó a Common a otra pareja que estaba sentada a su lado.

LeBron James y los Lakers ganaron por 127 a 110, y Jennifer y Common salieron juntos antes del pitido final, mientras se despedían de algunas personas en su camino de salida.

Jennifer y Common han estado juntos desde hace un tiempo y esta salida significa que no están mostrando signos de desaceleración. Él ha dicho que podrían hacer un disco juntos eventualmente, pero tiene que suceder orgánicamente.

Jennifer Hudson and Common have a strong bond between them ... they were holding hands and joined at the hip sitting courtside at a Lakers game.

The couple strolled hand in hand into Crypto Arena for Wednesday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks, plopping down in their seats for a front-row experience ... and looking pretty fashionable.

J-Hud and Common's date night is proof they're still going strong as a pair ... they were smiling and chatting, and Jennifer even introduced Common to another couple sitting beside her.

LeBron James and the Lakers won in a blowout, 127-110, and Jennifer and Common hit the exits together before the final buzzer ... saying goodbye to some folks on their way out.

Jennifer and Common have been together for a while now, and this outing means they're showing no signs of slowing down. He's said they might make a record together eventually, but it's got to happen organically.

The Warriors' home matchup against the Mavericks slated for Friday has been postponed ... with the NBA making the decision to move the game following Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević's tragic death.

The Association made the announcement just minutes ago ... saying the contest will be made up at a later date, and the Brooklyn Nets vs. Los Angeles Lakers game will air on ESPN instead.

The move is understandable -- the entire organization is grieving over the loss of Milojević ... with Golden State head coach Steve Kerr saying Wednesday it was "a shocking and tragic blow for everyone associated with the Warriors and an incredibly difficult time for his family, friends, and all of us who had the incredible pleasure to work with him."

As we previously reported, the team stated 46-year-old Milojević -- a former pro in Europe -- suffered a heart attack during dinner in Salt Lake City on Tuesday ... and he tragically passed away Wednesday morning.

The league also postponed the Warriors' game against the Utah Jazz, which was scheduled for Wednesday.

LeBron James was fired up during his postgame interview on Wednesday ... but it had nothing to do with what the Lakers did on the court -- he was busy shouting at the TV as he watched Bronny play for USC!!

King James switched gears from NBA superstar to supportive dad just minutes after L.A. beat the Dallas Mavericks in a 127-110 victory at Crypto.com Arena ... multitasking by answering questions from reporters while giving analysis of the Trojans' matchup against Arizona at the same time.

LeBron -- who had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists for the Purple and Gold -- was super passionate as he kept his eyes on the screen ... interrupting a response to call on an unidentified player to "shoot it!!"

Bron apologized a few times for losing his train of thought ... but in all honesty, he did a great job bouncing between takes on both games.

The clip is hilarious -- James struggled to contain his emotions at some points ... even letting out a "God dammit" at one point.

James has made it clear in the past he wants to prioritize being there for Bronny throughout his own basketball career ... and proved that by running through the tunnel after his game to catch the rest of his eldest son's contest.