NBA

Sprained MCL be damned ... Blake Griffin fought through his knee pain Tuesday night to hang out with Kendall Jenner -- and he didn't even need crutches!

The L.A. Clippers superstar gimped over to the Improv comedy club -- where he met up with his rumored girlfriend. Blake tried to go incognito, but it's hard when you're a 6'10" black redhead.

Griffin suffered a sprained MCL during a collision with Austin Rivers last week -- and he's expected to miss around 2 months.

Good news ... he was moving around pretty good at the comedy club -- but jumping, sprinting and cutting is a whole other ball game.

Kobe Bryant's youngest daughter, Bianka, just turned 1 -- so naturally, he took the whole fam out to his absolute favorite place to celebrate.

Nope, not the basketball court ... the Magic Kingdom -- so Baby Mamba could get the full Disneyland experience on her big day. (Props to Mrs. Bryant for going all-in with the Minnie Mouse ears).

Kobe was on daddy duty ... but #MambaMentality also locked onto the concessions so he could cop a Shaq-sized Churro.

If this feels familiar ... it's probably 'cause Bryant has hit up Mickey and pals a TON throughout the years -- including a trip in the spring where he turned up with Bianka.

Add the entertainment industry to the list of things LeBron James is dominating ... 'cause one big-time producer says the King has already earned the title of Hollywood mogul!

TMZ Sports spoke with Morgan Spurlock (the "Super Size Me" guy) about working with LBJ on a new docu-series about the NBA superstar's family foundation's "I Promise School" for troubled youth in Akron, Ohio ... and Spurlock says he's totally pumped to share his story.

"What he does on the court is amazing, but what he's gonna do in that town is gonna change people's lives."

Hopefully it's just an abundance of caution ... but Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was spotted in a wheelchair -- and clutching crutches -- after suffering a groin injury Tuesday night.

21-year-old Book suffered a strained left adductor during the 4th quarter of the Suns vs. Raptors game Tuesday night ... and he appeared to be in a ton of pain, having to be carried off the court.

Booker was wheeled through the airport in Toronto after the game -- and while he didn't say much, you can see he looks pretty sad.

Hopefully it's nothing serious for the young baller ... he's been off to a hot start in his 3rd season in the Association, averaging 24 points a game.

Get well soon.

A man named Billy Turner has been arrested and charged for the murder of Lorenzen Wright ... over 7 years after the NBA vet was shot and killed in a Memphis suburb ... and we have the mug shot.

The Memphis Police Department and Shelby County District Attorney's office held a press conference on Tuesday to announce that Turner, 46, had been indicted and charged with the 1st-degree murder of Wright.

Turner is currently in custody on a $1 million bond.

Lorenzen's remains were found in a wooded area on July 28, 2010 ... 10 days after the 34-year-old was last seen leaving his ex-wife's residence in Collierville, Tennessee.

The case went cold for years ... but there was a major break last month when cops discovered the gun they believed was used to kill Wright ... in a lake about 50 miles from Wright's body.

Lorenzen was a star at the University of Memphis, and played 14 seasons in the NBA -- including 5 with his hometown Memphis Grizzlies.

Could LiAngelo Ball make an epic return to China?? Caron Butler thinks it would be a huge success for the ex-UCLA player ... but tells TMZ Sports the middle Ball kid's best move was to stay in school.

We broke the story ... LaVar Ball pulled Gelo from the Bruins basketball squad after growing frustrated with his son's indefinite suspension for shoplifting in China.

Butler disagrees with the move, saying academics should come first for Gelo ... but admits there's still opportunities for him to develop into a massive hit on the court.

Wanna know how LaVar Ball feels about Byron Scott telling him to stay in his lane??

Well you're in luck ... 'cause TMZ Sports got the BBB boss out around Chino Hills earlier this week, and he went SCORCHED EARTH on the ex-Lakers coach.

It was so good, we're giving you the full play-by-play:

"Yeah I got words for Byron Scott: Shut the hell up and do what you do! Leave me alone."

"He ain't doin' nothing else. Tell him if he want his name in the news, tell him go do something! You ain't gotta talk about Ball to get your name in the news."

"But then again, yes you do. Cause ain't nobody talk about Byron Scott doin' nothing."

Dang ... looks like Donald Trump's actually been getting off easy.

Matt Bomer is praising Magic Johnson for his fight against HIV & AIDS, telling TMZ Sports the Hall of Fame basketball player was "incredibly brave" in taking on the disease.

Today is World AIDS day and Bomer is a huge activist, so when we got him at LAX we wanted to know his thoughts on some of the figures who are helping to win the war.

That's when Matt brought Magic's name up, telling us public figures like Johnson were and are key to defeating AIDS, because they put a face to the disease, and that's key to humanizing it.

Of course Magic did that on a day in 1991, when he told the entire world he'd contracted HIV, and went on to spend a huge chunk of his life helping the world conquer it.

Donald Trump. Steph Curry. Luke Walton. Julius Randle.

LaVar Ball won't stop trashing these guys, and he shouldn't have to -- so says ex-Laker A.C. Green.

We got A.C. chillin' at The Grove in L.A. ... and the 3-time NBA champ told us he's got ZERO problems with how LaVar's going about his business.

"There's no issue," Green told TMZ Sports. "LaVar's gonna do what he does ... people see and recognize that."

The Iron Man says LaVar's just exercising his 1st amendment right ... and it doesn't matter who he goes off on -- even if it's Lonzo Ball's coaches and teammates.

"He has an opinion, and you guys keep giving him the opportunity to share his opinion, and you should."

2:25 PM PT -- The White House tells TMZ Sports they have not yet received the shoes ... but are currently "trying to track them down."

Donald Trump is officially a Big Baller -- this according to LaVar Ball, who says POTUS ZO2 kicks are in the mail ... on the way to the White House!

"I sent Trump his shoes," LaVar told TMZ Sports at Staples Center after Lakers vs. Warriors. "He should have them -- unless they took 'em!"

Unclear if White House security would let Trump receive the package -- especially with his mortal enemy's name on the return address -- but props to LaVar for following up on his weekend promise.

The BBB founder also threw some shade at Steph Curry before he rode off into the night -- saying the 2-time MVP ain't better than Lonzo Ball or even LaMelo!

Right.

Britney Spears -- lookin' smokin' hot -- was the real MVP of Lakers vs. Warriors on Wednesday ... smooching the night away with 23-year-old BF Sam Asghari courtside at Staples Center.

The Dubs and Lakeshow had an epic OT battle ... but it's pretty obvious Britney and Sam were more into their own 1-on-1 matchup -- while her 2 boys watched the action on the court.

Tons of other huge celebs were in attendance -- including Will Ferrell, Diddy, Jack Nicholson (of course) and proud papa LaVar Ball.

The Lakers lost ... but Lonzo Ball actually knocked down some shots!!

Moral victory?

Drake looked like a Degrassi High student who got busted by a teacher when he was caught sneakin' a drink at Wednesday night's Raptors game.

Yeah, it was a soft drink -- very soft ... looks like Perrier, but Drizzy hammed it up for the camera as he sat courtside in Toronto. The vid's actually gone viral with the Internet wondering what kinda drink he was hiding.

After the game Drake tried his hand at sports reporting, interviewing Kyle Lowry. Someone tell the new guy he's gotta share the mic with the athlete!

Meek Mill kicked it with a VIP visitor -- Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Meek being a famous Philly native, has become friends with Embiid, who's now joining the public outcry against Meek's 2 to 4 year prison sentence for violating parole. Joel went to visit Meek last Friday, along with 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, and we're told the visit went as good as it could.

As one Sixers source put it, "They really lifted Meek's spirits."

Meek has also spoken with Colin Kaepernick recently, and Colin said Meek "wanted people to know regardless of his unjust situation, he’s in good spirits and humbled by the support the people have shown him."

Chicago Bulls player Nikola Mirotic says he's ready to bury the hatchet with teammate Bobby Portis ... saying he's accepted Portis' apology for punching him during a practice last month.

Mirotic -- who had been sidelined since Oct. 17 with 2 broken bones in his face -- returned to practice on Wednesday ... and told reporters he's ready to move past the incident.

“We are teammates. We’re fighting for this team. We’re going to do what we need to do to make it work," Mirotic said.

“Bobby and me, and the team, we’re doing what we’re supposed to do and being professional.”

Post Malone says LeBron James' first career ejection ain't a big deal ... matter of fact, he thinks it was a HUGE energy boost for his Cavs teammates!!

White Iverson was leaving Mastro's in Beverly Hills when we asked about LBJ's emotional blowup during Tuesday night's game against the Miami Heat -- the first of his 15-year career.

Posty says these kinda things happen in sports ... and he doesn't blame King James for getting thrown out of the game.

"F**k it, if you're passionate about it, that's cool."

We also asked Kevin Durant about his on-court rival getting ejected ... but he seemed to have a different take.

Chandler Parsons is going to bat for David Fizdale less than 24 hours after his coach was canned by the Memphis Grizzlies ... saying it was an ice-cold move by the franchise.

"It's a cold world, man," Parsons told TMZ Sports at LAX. "Fiz is a good dude, great coach. I learned a lot from him so I got nothing but good things to say about him."

Chandler says he ain't surprised that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other NBA superstars have called out the move ... given Fizdale's body of work.