Basketball

All eyes are on LeBron James before he takes the court for his first playoff game of the season ... and the Lakers superstar is sending a powerful message with his wardrobe:

"Make America Arrest The Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor"

The demand comes in the form of a modified Donald Trump "MAGA" hat ... which POTUS made famous during his first campaign for presidency.

Of course, the Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers are set to tip-off for their first-round match-up in the NBA Playoffs from the Disney World bubble ... and LeBron has vowed to use his platform to raise social justice awareness throughout the season.

As we previously reported, a number of NBA superstars spoke with Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, last month ... and many have used their platform to demand justice.

The hat is also clearly another jab from James at POTUS -- and it's not the first time. LeBron has not his disdain for the President ... he's previously referred to him as a "bum" and a "clown."

LBJ also chose to wear a shirt with the phrase "by any means" ... as well as a pair of Nike Air Force 1s designed by African artist Karabo Poppy.

Talk about making a statement.

Mike Conley is BACK -- almost!!!

The Utah Jazz star has returned to the NBA bubble in Orlando -- ready for the playoffs -- just one day after his wife gave birth to their son, Elijah.

Now, the quarantine begins -- and if he passed all of the COVID-19 tests, he can rejoin his teammates in just a few days.

Conley had traveled from Orlando to a hospital in Columbus, Ohio on Sunday so he could be in the room when his wife, Mary, delivered. And, he made it!

The Utah Jazz said they supported Conley taking as much time as he needed to be with his family ... but Monday night,  he was already reporting for duty, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The quick turnaround means Conley MIGHT be cleared to return to action for Game 3 (Friday) of Utah's playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.

Like everyone who leaves the bubble, Conley must quarantine for several days and pass multiple COVID-19 tests before he'll be allowed to re-enter the bubble environment at Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Luka Doncic thinks it's RIDICULOUS the refs ejected his teammate Kristaps Porzingis for that NOTHING-BURGER of an altercation during Monday's playoff game.

... and LeBron James agrees!!

The Dallas Mavericks big man got the heave-ho for confronting Marcus Morris during an incident in the 3rd quarter.

KP was stepping up to defend Luka's honor -- after Marcus had gotten physical with him earlier. Nothing crazy. No punches. Just some minor shoving.

Still, Porzingis was tossed as a result -- and it pretty much spelled doom for the Mavs; chances at winning that critical Game 1 playoff game.

In fact, without KP, one of Dallas' best and most important players, the Mavs lost 118 to 110.

After the game, Luka not only defended Porzingis, he called out the refs in the process.

"I knew KP had my back. He did it for me, he did it for his teammate. He had my back."

"I don’t think it was fair to get him out of the game -- especially in the playoffs.”

"But you know, they decided -- so we had to play without him, which was tough."

Doncic wasn't the only one who was pissed about the bad officiating -- LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki spoke out too.

"Man that was BOGUS AS HELL MAN!!!! Cmon man." James said on Twitter.

Nowitzki added, "The ejection is super soft."

Doncic carried the team once KP was ejected, scoring a game-high 42 points -- a record for the most points by any player in their first playoff appearance in NBA history.

Bet he would rather have the "W" instead though ...

The bubble life is over -- so it's back to the couple life for Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker.

The two have been inseparable since Devin's Phoenix Suns were bounced from the NBA Bubble last week ... picking up their romance right where it left off.

Check out 23-year-old Devin and 24-year-old Kendall running errands in Malibu Monday -- scooping up a brand new dog bowl for DB's pooch, Haven.

They're wearing masks! The dog's on a leash! They're doing everything right!

Remember, Devin left the Orlando bubble on Friday -- immediately hit Nobu for a fancy reunion dinner with Kendall on Saturday night. Can you blame him?!

Before the NBA season re-started, Devin and Kendall were getting pretty close ... even taking road trips together. Remember the quick Sedona getaway?

Devin played insanely well during the Suns' undefeated bubble run -- some say he should have been named MVP of the restart.

But, post-season life doesn't seem to bad either ...

Grammy-nominated singer Jessie Reyez just took a knee atop the CN Tower for the singing of "O Canada" before an NBA playoff game Monday ... and the video of the performance is powerful.

The Toronto Raptors posted the footage just before their tilt with the Brooklyn Nets ... showing Reyez on one knee singing the Canadian national anthem while locked into a harness at the top of the famous building.

Reyez' rendition of lasted for nearly 2 minutes ... and the shots of her on the ledge of the 1,800-foot-tall building were breathtaking.

You can also see in the video, she's wearing a mask around her neck that reads, "Breonna Taylor."

Of course, the 29-year-old's kneeling -- which went on for the duration of the song -- is clearly a showing of support for Colin Kaepernick in the fight to shine a spotlight on police brutality and social injustice.

In the NBA bubble, meanwhile, players and coaches continued with their demonstrations during the anthems ... with Raptors and Nets locking arms and kneeling on the court while Reyes' song played.

As we previously reported, the NBA has made countless efforts this summer to raise awareness for racial equality ... including suspending the rule that forced players to stand for pregame anthems.

Congrats to Utah Jazz star Mike Conley -- who raced out of the NBA Bubble to witness the birth of his child ... AND HE MADE IT JUST IN TIME!

32-year-old Conley left the bubble environment in Orlando on Sunday and hightailed it over to Columbus, Ohio to be with his wife, Mary, who was due on August 27.

But, the baby didn't feel like waiting around -- and when things started happening on Sunday, Conley made a grown-man decision!

The good news ... Conley arrived with time to spare, and posted a photo with Mary and their bouncing baby boy, Elijah, on Sunday night.

"[Mary] and baby are doing great," Conley reported on IG.

Conley says his oldest son wanted to name the kid "Lightning Thunder Michael Alex Conley" ...  but they settled on "Elijah Michael Conley" instead.

"What an awesome reminder of what’s important in life and what motivates us to be better," Conley added.

Conley -- who is averaging 14.4 points per game -- could return for some of Utah's 1st-round playoff series with Denver, but nothing is set in stone yet.

When/if he does return, Conley must quarantine for 4 days and then test negative on several COVID-19 tests before being allowed back in the bubble.

TMZ Sports obtained audio of the farewell speech LeBron James gave to the "Space Jam" cast and crew on his last day of shooting ... and it's emotional stuff.

The NBA superstar addressed the cast and crew in Summer 2019 (before the COVID pandemic) ... and explained why it was so important for him to take the role in the first place.

"I'm gonna be honest completely with you guys -- when I found out about the project, I was like it's 'Space Jam'! It’s a movie that I grew up watching. People in the movie that I idolize. I was like absolutely, I gotta do it. There’s no way I can turn down 'Space Jam'!"

Bron joked that he had second thoughts when he realized the production schedule was so demanding, but ultimately decided it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

"I’m just a small kid from Akron, Ohio -- a very small town outside of Cleveland. From a single-parent household, I’m the only child, my mother had absolutely nothing. She was walking around high school when she was 16 years old and she was pregnant with me as a high school sophomore. So, I’m really not supposed to be here."

"Growing up in the inner city, as an African-American kid, there’s no way you’re supposed to f*cking make it out. And, the fact that I’m who I am as an African-American adult now with 3 kids of my own, and I made it out of the situations that I was in. This sh*t is like extra credit for me man."

Bron proceeded to thank everyone involved with the movie -- saying, "Y'all say you appreciate me, but I’m sh*t without y'all."

As we previously reported, James invited some of his NBA pals and teammates to participate in the movie -- including  Damian Lillard, Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis.

Magic Johnson and his wife Cookie refuse to let that whole global pandemic thing stop them from their annual super-expensive, ballerrific Euro-Trip -- because they've just touched down in Croatia!

We've been covering Magic's summer trips for years -- he typically spends MILLIONS to rent fancy yachts for MONTHS to sail around the Amalfi Coast with his rich and famous friends.

But, with COVID still rearing its ugly head, the Johnson's are keeping more of a low profile this time around -- even rocking masks to try and limit their exposure. Smart!

Still, Magic and Cookie were spotted by fans in Dubrovnik -- and naturally, they smiled and posed for pics with anyone who asked while trying to keep a safe distance.

In previous years, we've seen Johnson Family Trip cameos from superstars like Samuel L. Jackson, LL Cool J, Holly Robinson Peete, Steve Harvey and more.

Unclear if the same crew will make it out this time around with the pandemic still affecting parts of the world.

Magic's vacations usually last around 6 weeks and can cost anywhere from $4 mil to $6 mil just on yacht fees!

In 2019, Magic's yacht featured a dining room area, movie theater, hot tub and massive outdoor deck.

Brooklyn Nets star DeAndre Jordan is doing his part to personally assist those combating the coronavirus -- by surprising 200 frontline workers with free meals!!

TMZ Sports has learned -- the 6'11" center popped up at the myCovidMD in Los Angeles on Thursday ... teaming up with Postmates to provide the large group of workers administrating COVID tests with food from one of his favorite local joints -- Harold & Belle’s.

We're told Jordan hooked the workers up with chicken creole and his personal fav -- veggie jambalaya.

Of course, it's a great gesture coming from Jordan -- who was unable to compete in the 2020 NBA restart after testing positive for COVID-19.

Frightening moment during the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers game ... when forward Derrick Jones, Jr. had to be stretchered off the court following a hard collision.

Jones -- the 2020 Slam Dunk champion -- collided with Pacers player Goga Bitadze in the second half of Friday's matchup ... when the center set a pick that sent DJJ to the ground.

Reporters on the scene say Jones, Jr. was lying face-down on the court for several minutes before he was put on a stretcher with a neck brace.

Jones -- who grabbed his neck as soon as he started falling to the ground -- was chasing forward Doug McDermott as he collided with Bitadze's shoulder.

No word on Derrick's status ... but here's hoping he's okay.

Another solid tribute for Kobe Bryant -- this time it's rap superstar, Lil Baby, teaming up with Money Man in a track paying homage to the NBA legend.

The two rappers dropped a song called "24" -- which includes several shout-outs to Kobe ... and some pretty incredible cover art which based around Black Mamba snakes, basketball and #24.

Some of the lyrics ...

"R.I.P. Kobe Bryant, R.I.P. 24
I can make a cool $50K in less than 24 hours."

Also ...

"Grew up in the trap watching Kobe yam on a n***a
Pull up in the Porsche, yeah, the Pan' on a n***a
Yeah, pull up in the Dodge, yeah, the Ram on a n***a
Anybody try, yeah, I'ma blam on n****s."

There's a gratuitous shot at NFL quarterback Joe Flacco ...

"White collar diamonds, n***a ballin' like Lonzo
These n****s overrated like Joe Flacco."

FYI, Flacco did win a Super Bowl!

Anyway, Money Man and Lil Baby are just the latest to honor Kobe ... following Lil Wayne, Amine' and others.

Kobe Bryant was big into hip-hop -- famously dropping a single with Tyra Banks back in 2000. He also appeared on some other tracks.

How did Gregg Popovich deal with his Spurs missing the NBA playoffs for the first time in 22 years? By mocking Donald Trump!

Pop's squad didn't exactly thrive in the NBA's bubble environment and played their last game of the 2020 season Thursday against the Utah Jazz. They lost and will now exit the bubble.

More importantly, it means Pop will miss the NBA playoffs for the first time in 22 seasons ... and when he was asked about his historic run coming to an end, he channeled his inner Trump.

"Who told [the media] that the streak ended?" Pop joked ... "That’s fake news!!"

"That’s total fake news. Lots of guys have been telling me the streak hasn't ended. I talk to people all the time, they call me, they tell me ‘Pop, the streak didn't end.'"

"It didn't. It didn't end. I don't know where you guys are getting this."

Pretty funny, right?! Unless you're a Trump supporter.

Of course, 71-year-old Popovich HATES Donald Trump and isn't quiet about it -- blasting #45 any chance he's gotten. He's referred to Trump as a "deranged idiot" and a "coward" in scathing comments at the height of the George Floyd protests back in June.

Trump's largely ignored the coach's criticism ... but could Thursday's impression finally be the one that gets Pop a tweet from the Pres?

He's hoopin' with Kevin Durant, playing football with Odell Beckham -- and getting tackled by Marshawn Lynch!

It's all in Drake's new music video for "Laugh Now Cry Later" ... which he dropped at midnight on Friday.

The video starts off at Nike World Headquarters in Oregon -- featuring Drake pulling up in a sick Mercedes.

After that, it was off to the basketball gym for some 1-on-1 with KD. Then to the field for some route running with OBJ.

They even recreate Odell's famous 1-handed grab.

The funniest part of the whole thing is when Marshawn comes out of nowhere to lay a big hit on Drake -- and then says, "Get the f*ck off the block -- f*ck's wrong with you?!!"

And, then he was out!

There's more ... Drake golfs, swings the baseball bat, hits the treadmill -- and even recreates that famous Muhammad Ali underwater video from back in the day.

The song knocks too -- and will be featured on his upcoming album, "Certified Lover Boy."

Toronto Raptors assistant coach Adrian Griffin is "vehemently" denying domestic violence allegations made by his ex-wife ... saying they're simply NOT TRUE.

Audrey Griffin posted a long message on Twitter Thursday ... claiming she experienced several incidents of violence from Adrian -- including when she was pregnant.

"How can someone continuously get away with abuse, almost take a life choking them while on the floor and almost passes out, throw them into a wall making a hole as big as their body, drag them across a lawn while pregnant ..." part of Audrey's message says.

Audrey continued ... "One thing I have realized is that I have been quiet and accepting of abusive behavior for far too long. And me staying silent has allowed sin to thrive. I can’t be quiet anymore. It’s too much to bear."

Adrian -- who starred at Seton Hall University and played 9 years in the NBA -- just released a statement through the Raptors ... saying his ex-wife is flat-out lying.

"This morning, accusations were made against me on social media by my former wife that I vehemently deny," Adrian says.

"We are involved in a longstanding legal dispute over alimony and child support arrangements. I am disappointed to have to address false accusations in this way, and I apologize for any distraction this has potentially caused for our team at this important time."

The Raptors added ... "When we saw these allegations this morning, we were dismayed -- Adrian is a valuable member of our team."

A brilliant charity move from LeBron James is living on ... the King is still selling off a bunch his game-worn sneakers -- with all the proceeds going toward his I Promise school in Ohio.

LBJ started the charity event a while ago ... giving collectors the option to buy one of his game-used shoes in exchange for a ton of cash that'll help the Bron-backed school in Akron.

Officials at Upper Deck, which is facilitating the sales, say with the purchase of a $15,000 (or, in some cases, much more) pair ... one of the shoes will go to the collector, while the other will go on the famous "Wall of Shoes" at the school.

UD officials add the buyer will also be able to personalize a plaque that goes along with the sneaker at the school.

In the meantime, the "I Promise" students benefit from it all the most ... with Upper Deck saying the cash from the sale will go directly toward helping fund school programs and initiatives.

Good deal, right?!

By the way, the shoes are REALLY cool ... they're all from LBJ's super successful line of kicks -- and some were even worn in some of Bron's best games -- like his triple-double in Detroit in 2015.

In fact, the charity idea is so cool ... PGA Tour star Bubba Watson has already contributed, throwing down cash for a pair of shoes Bron wore during the 2017 NBA Finals.

"We can see the positive change that LeBron is creating in his hometown," Watson said, "and I am happy to support such an important initiative that continues to impact countless lives in the community."

Michael Jordan's super fancy Mercedes Benz S600 Lorinser -- owned by MJ in the mid-'90s -- just hit the auction block and is expected to rake in $100k!!

"His Airness" -- known for his ridiculously fast and luxurious car collection -- had the whip back in the day ... when the '96 Benz was registered to Jordan and his then-wife, Juanita.

MJ unloaded the MB years ago ... but the car was recently acquired by the Beverly Hills Car Club who decided to sell it.

The S600 was just listed on eBay ... and the starting bid is only $23 (get it?!).

But, it's gonna take a lot more than a crisp Jackson to buy this car ... 'cause BHCC tells us they expect it'll bring in around $100 grand.

The car has 157,000 miles on it, and doesn't exactly have all the bells and whistles of a current Mercedes (it's got power windows, heated seats, and AC!) ... but, it was owned by Jordan.

And, the value of MJ items has exploded since the airing of ESPN's docuseries, "The Last Dance" ... with everything from signed checks, Little League baseballs and Bulls uniforms selling for crazy amounts of cash.

The coolest part? The metallic navy blue S600 actually made a cameo on the show ... with Michael behind the wheel.