Last week the NBA announced the All-star starters for each conference. In the east, Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell were the two starters at guard, and Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Karl Anthony-Towns were the three frontcourt starters.

In all three matchups, Simons outplayed the man who essentially raised him on the court during their five seasons together in Rip City. Coincidence? Yes, according to Simons, who scored

The Blazers are functionally in the same place as before the trade — hoping lottery luck can save them from mediocrity

Unsurprisingly, the Milwaukee Bucks will not be dealing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. ESPN's Bobby Marks

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and guard Damian Lillard are seen during their game against the Chicago Bulls at Fiserv Forum on Oct. 14, 2024. “Our chemistry has gotten better,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think, with time, we’re just going to keep on getting better.”

Back-to-back stellar performances from Damian Lillard show the Milwaukee Bucks have enough to compete for an NBA title.

The trade would send Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, MarJon Beauchamp, and a 2031 first-round pick (via Phoenix) to Miami and Jimmy Butler and Delon Wright to Phoenix. Butler has been linked to the Bucks as a possible trade candidate, though there's confusion about his desire to join the franchise.

Portland faces Milwaukee in out-of-conference play. The teams square off Tuesday for the first time this season.

This is the second game in Portland for Lillard since he was traded to Milwaukee in September 2023. Last season, the Blazers beat the Bucks in Portland, 119-116.

Damian Lillard's second trip back to Portland is nowhere near as big a deal as his first. After Lillard made a much-anticipated return last season, the buzz is much lighter this time as he and the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

It wasn’t easy for Herro to get over the feelings of resentment and rejection that come with returning to a team that seemed on the verge of trading you. It took some soul-searching and a few candid conversations with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and the front office to get everyone back on the same page.