NBA: Doncic, Exum lead Mavs past LeBron, Lakers

LOS ANGELES -- Luka Doncic produced another dazzling performance as the Dallas Mavericks brought LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers back down to earth with a 127-125 victory on Tuesday.

Doncic rattled off his eighth straight 30-point game to finish with 33 points, 17 assists and six rebounds in a thrilling back-and-forth duel with the Lakers, who were playing their first game since winning the inaugural in-season tournament on Saturday.

An absorbing contest at Dallas's American Airlines Center home saw the lead change hands eight times, with the Lakers overturning a 15-point deficit with a huge third quarter to help open up a four-point lead early in the fourth.

But Dallas's Dante Exum took over with a superb display in the final period that saw him rattle in 17 points -- including five three-pointers -- to carry the Mavs to victory.

Exum finished with 26 points while Tim Hardaway Jr. added 32 points from the bench to support Doncic.

Anthony Davis led the Lakers scoring with 37 points from 15-of-21 shooting, with James adding 33.

Doncic stayed in the game despite rolling an ankle and suffering a bloodied lip in a physical battle between the two Western Conference rivals.

"I'm not going out in a game like this, no way," the Slovenian star said. "When you're playing against the best you want to stay on the court.

"This was an amazing team win. We've got so many guys out, everybody stepped up, everybody played hard."

- Green, Jokic tossed -

Doncic admitted he was flattered by talk of him potentially emerging as a contender for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award -- but insisted team success was more important than individual honors.

"Of course, who wouldn't want to be MVP of the league?" Doncic said. "But obviously first is the championship... that's what's first on my mind for sure."

The win saw the Mavericks improve to 15-8 for the season while the Lakers fell to 14-10 to remain sixth in the West.

In other games, Draymond Green could be facing more disciplinary action from the NBA after being ejected for the third time this season in the Golden State Warriors' 119-116 defeat to the Phoenix Suns.

Green, suspended for five games last month after grabbing Minnesota's Rudy Gobert in a choke hold, was tossed once again in the third quarter after wildly swinging an arm into the face of Phoenix player Jusuf Nurkic.

The game eventually ended in victory for the Suns, with Devin Booker scoring 32 points as the Warriors slid to a sixth straight defeat on the road.

There was also a high-profile ejection in Chicago, where Denver star Nikola Jokic was controversially tossed from the game in the second quarter of the Nuggets' 114-106 defeat of the Chicago Bulls.

Jokic was ejected after reacting angrily to a no-call with a member of the officiating crew.

In Boston, the Celtics recovered from a shaky start to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-113 and preserve their unbeaten home record.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points apiece while Kristaps Porzingis finished with 17 on a night when all five starters posted double-digit tallies.

But the Eastern Conference leaders were made to work hard for the win after trailing by 15 points in the first quarter following a slew of turnovers and some woeful shooting.

The Cavs led by 10 after the first period but the Celtics responded with a 38-point second period to cut the gap to one point at half-time.

In a game that had nine lead changes, the Celtics finally edged clear midway through the fourth quarter to close out victory.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cleveland scoring with 29 points with Darius Garland finishing with 26.

"We got off to a slow start but we picked it up and some shots started to fall," Tatum said.

Agence France-Presse

LA Lakers ready to get back to business after historic NBA Cup win

LOS ANGELES -- The champagne was flowing after LeBron James and Anthony Davis inspired the Los Angeles Lakers to the first-ever NBA Cup crown, but the celebrations were short-lived with the season's main goal still ahead.

"We made history," James said after he and Davis led the Lakers in a dominant 123-109 victory over tournament darlings Indiana in the NBA's first in-season tournament on Saturday.

"Any time you're on the right side of history, you take it."

Davis spearheaded the Lakers' charge in the title game, scoring 41 points with 20 rebounds. James added 24 points and 11 rebounds and got the nod as Most Valuable Player of the tournament conceived to lend some excitement to the early stages of the long NBA regular season.

James, the league's all-time leading scorer, said the Lakers' 7-0 run through the competition that began with all 30 NBA teams drawn into six groups for round-robin play showed Los Angeles have the ingredients to make a strong push in the NBA championship playoffs.

However, he cautioned, it was far too soon to be talking about May and June and the chances of the Lakers adding to their 17 NBA championships -- tied with the Boston Celtics for the most ever.

"I think that's thinking too far down the road," James, himself owner of four championship rings, said. "We want to put it in perspective that it's still December.

"We like where we are right now but we want to continue to work our habits, continue to get healthy as well.

"But I think right now where we are in December, I would take it. I would take it, but I'm definitely not looking to May and June.

"There's too many steps that need to be taken still in order for our team to be who we want to be once the post-season starts."

With many of their early-season injury troubles behind them, the Lakers next turn their attention to a Tuesday regular-season clash with the Mavericks in Dallas.

It's the start of a three-game Texas swing that will also feature two games in San Antonio against the Spurs and their sensational rookie Victor Wembanyama.

James said their performance in the tournament, especially in quarter-finals against the Phoenix Suns and the rout of the New Orleans Pelicans in the semi-finals, showed the Lakers were getting where they need to be on the defensive end.

"Our defensive intensity, in order for us to win and win at the highest level, we have to defend," he said. "We've been doing that over the last few weeks."

The Pacers may find the pivot to the regular season jarring after their Cinderella run in the in-season tournament.

Despite their high-octane offense, keyed by guard Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers chances of emerging from the East to challenge for a franchise first NBA title have been largely dismissed.

But the young, hungry team knocked off the top two Eastern Conference outfits in Boston and Milwaukee in the NBA Cup knockout rounds, and Haliburton was gutted after the loss to the Lakers.

Got to move on 

"It's funny because it's like everybody says this has like the (collegiate) NCAA Tournament feel, but after a game like that you're sitting in the locker room going, most of us ain't graduating, we play on Monday," Haliburton said.

"It's definitely frustrating," added Haliburton, who said the Pacers will have to hit the reset button quickly.

"At the end of the day, it's just like the regular season. It's game 22, 23. Got to move on," he said.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said scheduling would be one thing the league looks at as it considers possible improvements to the new tournament in the future.

The biggest concern would likely be to provide some kind of scheduling certainty for teams that don't advance from group play, who then had to "essentially schedule games at the last minute."

Silver said the league would "take a little bit of a breather" before considering changes to the event from teams, players, the players' union and even fans.

"All suggestions welcome," he said.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: LeBron, Lakers ready to tackle 'monster' Jokic

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to overcome the formidable challenge posed by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets as the Western Conference playoff finals get under way on Tuesday.

After struggling through the regular season, the Lakers are within four wins of returning to the NBA Finals after ousting the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Friday.

Now James and Lakers defensive star Anthony Davis are plotting an ambush of the top-seeded Nuggets in game one of their best-of-seven Western Conference finals series on Tuesday.

The showdown is a rematch of the Lakers-Nuggets 2020 playoff series in the NBA's Covid-19 bubble in Orlando, when the Lakers won 4-1 before going on to win their 16th championship.

Since then, however, Denver has matured significantly, with Jokic winning back-to-back NBA MVP awards in 2021 and 2022 as part of a team that also includes the talented Jamal Murray.

James said Monday he has no doubt that the 2023 version of the Nuggets will be a stiffer proposition.

"They're a better team," James said when asked to compare Denver with the team beaten in Florida three years ago.

"Obviously, they're more experienced. Every game, every postseason, every matchup allows you to continue to grow as a franchise, as a team, and they've done that.

"So, we come in with the utmost respect for this team that we're challenged against and playing against, so look forward to the matchup."

Denver and the Lakers squared their meetings in the regular season at two games apiece, with the Nuggets winning their most recent encounter on January 9.

Drawing firm conclusions from those results, however, is largely meaningless as the Lakers overhauled their roster in the mid-season trade window and James and Davis did not feature in the most recent January game.

Davis said the Lakers planned to pore over footage of the 2020 series in an attempt to design a game plan capable of nullifying Jokic and the Denver line-up.

"I think the biggest key will be making the ball find the guys we want it to find, just play off of that," Davis said.

While the Lakers have been red-hot through the playoffs, with Davis rediscovering his best form at the perfect time, James says he is under no illusions about the size of the task facing his team-mates.

"They've been the No. 1 team in the West for a reason," said James.

"They've played exceptional basketball all year. And we're going in with the utmost respect for their ballclub. They're very well coached and obviously we know the dynamic of what Joker [Jokic] brings to the game and also Jamal Murray, being back fully healthy. And the rest of those guys.

Jokic goes into Tuesday's series-opener in blistering form, averaging a triple-double of 34.5 points, 13.2 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the series win over Phoenix.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham described Jokic as "that monster in the Rocky Mountains that's waiting on us."

"You're talking about a two-time MVP, with a well-balanced squad, hungry, great synergy, great chemistry, great ability, athleticism, shooting, all of the above," Ham said.

"So, we're going to have our work cut out for us, but they gotta guard us too, so we're going to do our due diligence as we always do and be prepared for Game 1."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Unheralded Walker sparks Lakers rally as Warriors wobble

MIAMI -- Unheralded bench player Lonnie Walker led a fourth-quarter rally as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors to leave the NBA champions on the brink of elimination from the playoffs on Monday.

The 24-year-old Walker erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points as the Lakers completed a dramatic 104-101 victory to put them one win away from clinching the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.

Walker, who has struggled to establish himself since joining the Lakers on a one-year contract last year after battling a series of injuries, was mobbed by LeBron James and other Lakers teammates after the victory.

James, who scored 27 points in the victory, said he had urged Walker before the game to be ready to help out.

"I've been telling him 'Lonnie you stay ready. We're going to need you at some point'," James said.

"For him to be as young as he is, to have that professionalism, to come out and stay ready when his number was called -- we don't win this game without Lonnie Walker tonight, that's for sure."

Walker said he had been primed to make a contribution.

"It means the world to me, truly," Walker said.

"By the grace of god I was given an opportunity to play. Night-in, night-out I've been going to the gym, everyone's been telling me to stay ready -- Bron, coach, all of them. So when the call came I was locked in the entire time."

The Lakers will take a 3-1 series lead to San Francisco for game five on Wednesday with the Warriors needing to win to keep the series alive.

For long periods of Monday's game it looked as if the champions were poised to square the series.

Stephen Curry finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists in a dazzling playmaking performance that helped Golden State take an 84-77 lead into the fourth quarter.

But the introduction of Walker changed the game, with the unlikely hero scoring 15 points as the Lakers outscored their opponents 27-17 in the final frame to clinch victory.

- 'A resilient bunch' -

"We're just a resilient bunch," James said. "They hit us with haymaker after haymaker after haymaker, trying to get us to fall.

"We just stayed in the fight. It's a 48-minute game, a 12-round boxing match. And we stayed in it for 12 rounds and were able to pull through."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr paid tribute to Walker's fourth-quarter performance.

"I don't know whether he scored all their points in the fourth quarter but it felt like it," Kerr said. "He made a huge impact.

"A lot of times that's what the playoffs are about. A close game and somebody comes in who you don't expect to make an impact. The fourth was about Walker."

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Morant likely to be game-time decision for Grizzlies

LOS ANGELES — Memphis guard Ja Morant has bruised his already-injured right hand and his status for Wednesday's NBA playoff contest will be a "game-time decision," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Tuesday.

An MRI exam showed the soft-tissue injury was aggravated by Morant late in the fourth quarter of the Grizzlies' 128-112 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Sunday's opener of their first-round best-of-seven series.

"Symptoms are slightly improving from the other night," Jenkins said. "He's going to be a game-time decision."

Morant, whose hand was already taped after being injured the week before, leaped into the air driving to the basket against Lakers big man Anthony Davis and after their collision fell awkwardly, injuring his hand.

Morant rose, grabbed his hand and ran off the court to the locker room.

Morant dribbled and took some shots with his right hand during a Tuesday workout, but the practice offered no clear answers on Morant's availability for the rematch with the Lakers.

"He's progressing," Jenkins said. "He is dribbling and shooting as much as he can.

"He has got some pain he's dealing with, so it's kind of a tolerance thing. He has got some stiffness in his hand that he's kind of slowly getting through."

Morant said after the game that his ability to play in game two was "in jeopardy" with Jenkins saying x-rays were negative but Morant was in pain.

Morant scored 18 points against the Lakers before his early exit.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: LeBron passes Malone tally but Lakers slump

LOS ANGELES -- LeBron James moved into second place on the NBA's all-time regular season points scoring rankings on Saturday but could not prevent the Los Angeles Lakers from slumping to defeat against the Washington Wizards.

James produced a typically virtuoso performance to finish with 38 points and 10 rebounds at the Wizards' Capital One Arena.

That was enough to power James past Karl Malone into second place in the regular season scorers rankings.

But it did not stop the Lakers from sliding to a jarring 127-119 loss against a Wizards side which had been on a six-game losing streak.

James -– who holds the NBA's outright scoring record for regular season and playoff games -- started the game needing just 20 points to surpass Malone's regular season total of 36,928.

James wasted no time in hunting down Malone's benchmark, rapidly reaching double figures before moving to 16 points with back-to-back three-pointers early in the second quarter.

The four-time NBA champion then added another three-pointer to tie Malone, before finally taking sole possession of second place with a two-point layup with just over five minutes left in the second quarter.

The Washington crowd gave James an ovation after he reached the milestone, with the Lakers star saluting fans as he basked in the applause.

James' points haul leaves him with 36,947 career regular-season points, within range of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time record of 38,387 points.

But James' celebratory moment was diminished after the Lakers suffered another fourth quarter collapse to allow the Wizards to claim victory.

The Wizards outscored the Lakers 34-20 in the final period, completing a comeback from a 16-point deficit to grab the win.

Kristaps Porzingis led the Washington comeback with 16 points in the fourth quarter, part of an overall tally of 27 points.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: Devin Booker, Suns dominate short-handed Lakers

Devin Booker scored 24 points in his second game back from a hamstring injury as the visiting Phoenix Suns extended their latest winning streak to four games with a 108-90 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

Deandre Ayton added 19 points with 11 rebounds and Mikal Bridges scored 14 points for the Suns, who recovered from a slow start to win for the 24th time in their last 26 games. Chris Paul had 11 points and nine assists.

Prior to the Tuesday victory, Phoenix was just 1-2 on the road since its 18-game winning streak ended on Dec. 3.

LeBron James scored 34 points for the Lakers, who lost their third consecutive game while working through COVID-19 issues and now have Anthony Davis sidelined due to a knee injury. Russell Westbrook contributed 22 points and 10 rebounds.

James injured his left ankle with 6:05 remaining in the third quarter when he came down on the right foot of Phoenix's Jae Crowder. The Los Angeles star pounded his fist on the floor after the injury but remained in the game, though his mobility appeared compromised the rest of the way.

While the Lakers' Talen Horton-Tucker and Dwight Howard were available again after being sidelined due to health and safety protocols, the team was without head coach Frank Vogel for a second consecutive game. David Fizdale was the acting head coach. Los Angeles also had Kent Bazemore, Malik Monk, Avery Bradley and Austin Reaves still in protocols.

It was a rough shooting night early for the Suns, who opened 0 of 9 from 3-point range before Booker made two from deep in the final 1:41 of the first quarter. The Suns were just 3 of 22 from 3-point range through two quarters but still had a 54-52 lead at the break.

The Suns pushed their advantage to as many as 13 points in the third quarter and entered the final period with an 85-73 lead. The Lakers never got within single digits the rest of the way.

Cameron Johnson also scored 14 points for the Suns, while JaVale McGee had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Cameron Payne added 10 points. Phoenix finished 12 of 41 (29.3 percent) from long distance.

In his third game with the Lakers, veteran Isaiah Thomas scored just three points on 1-of-11 shooting. Horton-Tucker had just three points on 1-of-13 shooting in his return, and Howard never got off the bench.

-reuters

NBA: Thunder clap back with historic rally to beat Lakers

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points to help the host Oklahoma City Thunder rally from 26 down to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-115 on Wednesday.

The comeback matched the largest in Thunder history and helped the team claim its first win of the season despite several late miscues.

Up three in the final minute, Oklahoma City had a timeout remaining but didn't use it, and Gilgeous-Alexander couldn't get the ball across halfcourt in time, giving the ball back to Los Angeles with 16.8 seconds remaining.

Malik Monk then missed a 3-pointer, the Thunder gave the ball up once again and Carmelo Anthony missed another.

Russell Westbrook, making his first appearance for the Lakers in the city where he spent his first 11 NBA seasons, was ejected in the closing seconds after being called for his second technical foul of the game. Westbrook was upset after Darius Bazley's steal and dunk in the last five seconds.

The Lakers were without LeBron James for the second consecutive game due to right ankle soreness.

Early on, it looked like that wouldn't matter as Anthony Davis helped Los Angeles jump out to a big lead and then Westbrook put together his first triple-double of the season.

But the Thunder worked the deficit down, taking the lead for the first time when Gilgeous-Alexander banked a 3-pointer home at the buzzer to end the third quarter. Oklahoma City never relinquished the lead.

Bazley added 20 points and Josh Giddey tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Thunder had six players score in double figures.

Davis led the Lakers with 30 points while Westbrook had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists. Westbrook also committed 10 turnovers.

The Lakers led by as many as 23 points in the first quarter, thanks to a pair of 11-0 runs early. Davis scored eight of the Lakers' first 14 points and 12 in the first quarter to help Los Angeles lead 41-19.

The Lakers led by as many as 26 in the second quarter before the Thunder started slowly chipping away at the lead. Oklahoma City put up a season-high 37 points in the quarter, having more success attacking the basket.

After their rough start in the paint early, the Thunder turned things around down low to finish with 54 points inside.

-reuters

NBA: Lakers get by Grizzlies to avoid 0-3 start

Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points off the bench to help lift the Los Angeles Lakers to a 121-118 win against the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday evening.

Anthony Davis had 22 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, LeBron James finished with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Russell Westbrook had 13 points and 13 assists for the Lakers, who avoided starting 0-3 for the second time in four years.

Ja Morant had 40 points and 10 assists, Desmond Bane scored 17 points and Steven Adams contributed 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who were trying to start 3-0.

Morant had a chance to tie the score with 1.9 seconds left after getting fouled on a desperation 3-point attempt. He made the first two free throws, but missed the third.

Anthony grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He sank both free throws to seal the win. Anthony, who went 6-for-8 from 3-point range, passed Moses Malone for ninth all-time in NBA scoring.

Anthony made a high-arcing 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 97-94 lead with 9:03 left in the game. He was left alone on the next possession and made a wide-open 3-pointer to make it 100-94 with 8:22 remaining.

Morant and James traded 3s before Malik Monk made a 3 for a 106-97 lead with 7:03 to go.

The Lakers had a chance to extend the lead back to double figures, but Monk missed a driving layup with 6:26 left and Melton capped a 5-0 run with a 3-pointer to cut the lead back to 106-102 with 5:37 left.

Both teams held double-digit leads in the first half before the game stayed tight in the third quarter. The Grizzlies eventually took a 90-87 lead into the fourth.

The Lakers fell behind by 10 points five minutes into the game, but found their touch with help from Anthony, who replaced starting center DeAndre Jordan and scored the final five points in a 7-0 run to close the opening quarter and give the Lakers a 29-24 lead.

Anthony then sank a 3-pointer on the first possession of the second quarter to extend the Lakers' run to 10-0 and give them a 32-24 lead.

-reuters

NBA: Lakers pull away in second half to take 2-1 lead on Suns

Behind another strong defensive performance, the host Los Angeles Lakers smothered the Phoenix Suns for a 109-95 victory Thursday and 2-1 series lead in the opening round of the NBA playoffs.

Los Angeles had about 7,500 fans in attendance as Staples Center hosted a Lakers playoff game for the first time since 2013.

Anthony Davis led the way for the Lakers with 34 points and 11 rebounds. LeBron James chipped in 21 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Dennis Schroder added 20 points and four assists.

Deandre Ayton led the Suns with 22 points -- his third straight game with at least 20 points. Devin Booker added 19 points and Cameron Payne contributed 15 points.

The Lakers opened the second half on a 16-6 run, taking control of the game and the series. Los Angeles took a 13-point lead with just over six minutes left in the third quarter and held onto a 76-63 advantage at the end of the third.

Los Angeles extended that lead to 21 points with 7:24 left on a reverse lay-in by James that brought the crowd to its feet and seemingly put the game away.

The Suns kept things interesting, cutting L.A.'s advantage to eight points with 2:47 left on Jae Crowder's 3-pointer. But they got no closer.

Booker was ejected from the game for pushing Schroder to the ground on a drive to the basket with 35 seconds left. Crowder followed Booker to the locker room when he received a technical and was ejected for jawing with Schroder.

The Lakers bottled up Phoenix defensively, holding the Suns to 42.7 percent shooting. Los Angeles also held a 51-35 rebound advantage and 58-38 edge in paint points.

The Suns led, 28-27, after the first quarter, but the Lakers overtook them in the second and opened a 43-40 lead at halftime.

Davis paced the Lakers with 12 points and five rebounds in the first half.

Phoenix guard Chris Paul still seemed to be feeling the effects from a bruised right shoulder that limited him in the first two games of the series. Paul finished with seven points and six assists in 27 minutes.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope suffered a left leg injury in the third quarter and had to go to the locker room for further evaluation. The Lakers announced that Caldwell-Pope suffered a left quad contusion. He did not return.

According to ESPN, Caldwell-Pope will undergo an MRI on Friday.

-reuters

Analysis: LeBron James has done it again, and did it his way

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — He went to Miami and became a champion.

He went back to Cleveland and won another title.

He went to Los Angeles and now the Lakers are back atop the basketball world.

LeBron James, love him or hate him, is in his own category now. He has led three franchises to NBA titles, something nobody has ever done. His legacy was complete long before Sunday night, when the Los Angeles Lakers became NBA champions for the 17th time by beating the Miami Heat and winning the title to cap a season like none other, in a bubble like none other.

But that legacy is just a bit shinier now.

“I guess, as Frank Sinatra would say, I did it my way,” James said earlier in these playoffs.

That’s not up for debate.

He’s got four titles. He’s a four-time NBA Finals MVP, the second to win that many. He’s done it all with the NBA’s biggest target on his back, with every action and every word scrutinized and often criticized.

James has become the epitome of the independent superstar athlete, something many try to be but few even have a chance of pulling off. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants and makes it work. Bill Russell will forever have more rings and Michael Jordan will forever be the choice of many as the NBA’s greatest player. And that’s OK with James, who has forged his own path.

“The game of basketball will pass me by,” James said as the title loomed. “There will be a new group of young kids and vets and rookies throughout the course of this game. So, I can’t worry about that as far as on the floor. How I move, how I walk, what I preach, what I talk about, how I inspire the next generation is what matters to me the most.”

He’s never forgotten that he was once a broke kid from Akron, Ohio. If he’s not a billionaire yet, he’s trending that way. He’s on a Wheaties box now, saying its unveiling last week was “one of the best moments of my life.” He founded a school and stays involved with matters there. He’s actively trying to get more people, particularly Black people, to vote than ever before.

“I just hope I make my guys proud and that’s all that mattered to me,” James said. “I make my guys proud, make the fan base proud, my family back home, I can’t wait to get back home to them. Akron, Ohio, we did it again — and that’s what it’s all about.”

Oh, if that wasn’t enough, he delivered a championship to a Lakers franchise that went 10 years without one and did so in a year when they needed it most, letting them cry tears of joy after all the tears of anguish that followed the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash in January.

“I think it’s remarkable what LeBron is still doing at his age,” Denver coach Michael Malone said of James. “The minutes he’s playing, how effective he is on both ends of the floor, and the impact he has on both ends of the floor, his will to win is just incredible.”

The 35-year-old James finished this postseason with 580 points; no one at his age had ever done that. He had 184 assists; no one at his age had ever done that. If he’s slowing down, he’s not showing it; he had 32 points in his first playoff game 14 years ago, he exceeded that six times in this postseason run.

“He’s shown why he is the player that he is, why he’s had the career and the legacy that he’s continually building,” Miami’s Jimmy Butler said.

James is 4,148 points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the regular-season scoring lead, meaning he’ll have to play at least two more full seasons to reach that mark. Sunday was his 260th career playoff appearance, passing Derek Fisher for the all-time record. He was All-NBA for the 16th time this season, a record. He started his 16th consecutive All-Star Game this season, yet another record. More fans picked him as MVP this season than Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won the award.

There’s nothing left to prove on the basketball court.

Then again, there’s been nothing left to prove for a while now.

“I think the story will be told how it’s supposed to be told and be written how it’s supposed to be written,” James said. “But I don’t live my life thinking about legacy. What I do off the floor is what means more to me than what I do on the floor.”

What he’s done, on and off the floor, is how legends are defined.

“I just think it is a true testament to his greatness to be able to sustain this type of success year in, year out,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Different uniforms. New players and new teams going after him. It’s a real testament to that commitment. He’s seen everything. At this point in his career, it’s just about winning.”

Others have won more. But nobody in the NBA has won the way James has.

His way.

___

Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. 

-Associated Press

Lakers offense limited after Davis runs into foul trouble

Anthony Davis is used to shouldering much of the scoring load for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he says getting in foul trouble early in game three of the NBA Finals took away his effectiveness.

“It had an impact. I picked up two (fouls) early, come back in and get the third. So it takes away the aggressiveness on both ends of the floor that I’m used to playing with,” said Davis. “It definitely took me out and put too much pressure on the other guys.”

Davis, who is playing in his first NBA Finals, scored a combined 66 points in games one and two against the Miami Heat, but finished with just 15 points in 32 minutes in Sunday’s game three defeat.

Davis finished with four fouls and five turnovers as the Lakers blew a golden opportunity to take a stranglehold 3-0 lead by losing 115-104 to the Heat in the NBA’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, Florida.

“The turnovers, I had four (actually five). I missed communication on some passes, but I just have to be better overall.

“We’ll be fine. We made shots. We didn’t defend at all tonight. They made big shots. Made some good plays. Trust me, we’ll be fine.”

Davis picked up his first foul on an offensive charge with just under five minutes left in the first quarter. He had four turnovers in the first quarter, including three in a 66-second span.

“I just have to be better at both ends of the floor,” he said. “The team relies on me to bring the energy to start the game and when you pick up two fouls, guys come in earlier, things like that.”

Lakers’ coach Frank Vogel said the fouls disrupted the Lakers’ offensive flow, but they should have been able to rise above it.

“I think that impacted us some, but we’ve been in foul trouble before, and you have to play through it,” Vogel said.

“That’s part of the game. We see that all throughout the course of the season and in the playoffs, and you have to be able to adapt and adjust.

“Probably had a small factor on our offensive rhythm, but we’ve just got to be better overall on both ends.”

Davis said he can see plenty of room for improvement in the Lakers’ defense in game four on Tuesday.

“We were getting confused on a lot of things,” he said. “They had wide open looks.

“We let Jimmy (Butler) get into a strong hand too many times, getting to the basket, or getting to the free-throw line. We were letting guys get to the rim easily with no contact.

“We didn’t play well defensively late in the game. They made us pay.”

Agence France-Presse 

LeBron, Lakers back in NBA Finals after holding off Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by a triple-double from superstar LeBron James, beat the Denver Nuggets 117-107 on Saturday to reach the NBA Finals.

With the win in the league’s quarantine bubble in Orlando, the Lakers completed a 4-1 victory over the Nuggets in the best-of-seven Western Conference finals.

James scored 16 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers remained perfect in elimination games this post-season.

Denver, already the first team to twice come back from 1-3 series deficits in the same playoffs, couldn’t work the magic again.

James added 16 rebounds and 10 assists, and Anthony Davis scored 27 points for the Lakers, who are back in the championship series for the 32nd time — and the first time since they lifted the trophy for the 16th time in 2010.

Kobe Bryant was NBA Finals MVP that year, and it has been an emotional road to the finals this season for the Lakers after the death of Bryant in a helicopter crash in January.

They will take on the winners of the Eastern Conference final series between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. The Heat lead that series 3-2 with game six coming up on Monday.

“We’re going to enjoy it tonight, but we understand we’ve got bigger fish to fry,” James said as the Western Conference title was celebrated on court. “We understand there’s a bigger goal.”

Nikola Jokic and Jerami Grant scored 20 points apiece for the Nuggets and Jamal Murray added 19 points with eight assists despite being slowed by injury.

Agence France-Presse 

LeBron among US athletes outraged at black man’s death

NBA superstar LeBron James was among the US athletes taking to social media in outrage over the death of a black man in Minnesota after a white policeman kneeled on his neck for several minutes.

Four Minneapolis police officers were fired Tuesday as a video showing one of them kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who later died, sparked protests.

Los Angeles Lakers playmaker James contrasted the incident with the kneeling protests of former NFL star Colin Kaepernick in 2016.

Kaepernick was ostracised by the NFL for kneeling during the playing of the national anthem in a protest against police brutality and racial injustice.

“This… … Is Why,” James posted on his Instagram feed with side by side photos of the white policeman kneeling on Floyd’s neck and Kaepernick kneeling on the sideline.

“Do you understand NOW!!??!!??” James wrote. “Or is it still blurred to you?? #StayWoke”.


Other figures from the sports world speaking out over the Minneapolis incident included Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

“This is murder. Disgusting,” Kerr tweeted. “Seriously, what the hell is wrong with US????”

Warriors star Stephen Curry lamented yet another death involving an unarmed African-American man at the hands of law enforcement.

“I’ve seen a lot of people speak up and try to articulate how fed up and angry they are,” Curry wrote on Instagram.

“All good and well but it’s the same same same reality we live in. George Floyd. George Floyd. George has a family. George didn’t deserve to die.”

Retired Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson also hit out, saying Floyd had been “clearly murdered.”


“How many times do we have to see black men killed on national television? This has been going on for entirely too long,” Johnson said.

“We need to start seeing black people as human beings and not animals on the street.”

NFL Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. tweeted: “Worlds honestly sickening. It really is….. no explanation.”

Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Lawrence wondered how any African-American could feel safe after watching the video.

“DONE BEING QUIET AND DONE BEING ANGRY,” Lawrence tweeted. “HOW CAN WE FEEL SAFE WHEN THOSE MEANT TO PROTECT US ARE KILLIN’ US?!!!! WHEN WILL MINORITIES BE FREE TO BE AMERICANS IN AMERICA!?”

Former US Soccer international forward Taylor Twellman posted the video on Twitter with the message: “When will it stop?! Honestly this is murder in plain daylight.”

Floyd’s death drew comparisons to the 2014 death of Eric Garner, an unarmed African-American who died in New York after being placed in a chokehold by police, begging to be released and saying, “I can’t breathe.”


Agence France-Presse 

In appreciation: Kobe Bryant, a life defined by hard work

It was April 14, 2016. It was the first full day of Kobe Bryant’s new chapter as a retired NBA player. All he had done the night before was score a mind-boggling 60 points in his farewell game, not getting out of Staples Center until around midnight.

His staff at Kobe, Inc. were certain they would beat their boss to the office that morning.


They were wrong. He beat everyone there by two hours. “We have a lot of work to do,” Bryant told them.

Even in retirement, Bryant found no substitute for hard work.

Kobe Bean Bryant was many things: one of the greatest players in basketball history, a five-time NBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, a fluent speaker of multiple languages, a resident of the world, an Oscar winner, the self-described Black Mamba that started as a nickname and became his brand, someone so good he had two numbers retired by the Los Angeles Lakers.

And he never stopped. Basketball was his obsession for 20 years in the NBA. Storytelling was the obsession for the rest of his life.

Tears, as would be expected once the news broke of Bryant’s death in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday, flowed freely in the NBA world. LeBron James was inconsolable when he got the news, a day after passing Bryant for No. 3 on the all-time scoring list. Doc Rivers struggled when he tried to put feelings into words. Even from the normally beyond-stoic Kawhi Leonard had his eyes well up when he was talking about Bryant.

But the pain was obvious elsewhere: Oregon women’s basketball star Sabrina Ionescu didn’t hide her anguish when she said she was dedicating the rest of her season to Bryant’s memory, soccer’s Neymar held up a “24” with his fingers after scoring a goal for Paris Saint-Germain, and marquees at the Super Bowl in Miami were lit up in the Lakers’ colors of purple and gold as a tribute.

The elite ones, the ones like James and Leonard and Ionescu and Neymar, were all like Bryant. Driven. Obsessed with their craft. Those are the sort of people Bryant enjoyed most. He didn’t have much patience for anything else.

Teammates were never immune from his criticism; not even Shaquille O’Neal, a fellow all-time NBA great, could avoid clashes with Bryant. O’Neal was half-a-foot taller and probably an easy 100 pounds heavier than Bryant. Didn’t matter. Bryant wanted to fight one day in practice, so they fought.

His toughness was legendary; Bryant blew out his Achilles on a play in 2013 where he’d been fouled and made the two free throws knowing that his season would be over a few seconds later. It was against Golden State; the Lakers trailed at the time, and Bryant — who hyperextended a knee in that same game and played through it because the game was so important in the playoff race — swished both shots.



“We were down two. Had to tie the game first,” Bryant said years later, when asked why he stayed in the game.

His commitment was legendary; there was a game in 2011 in Miami where the Lakers lost by six, and Bryant was so displeased with how he played that he went back onto the court for 90 minutes of uninterrupted shooting that went on until after midnight. His teammates were on Miami Beach for dinner. Bryant was working instead. “It’s my job,” Bryant said.

His swagger was legendary; during the FIBA Americas tournament in 2007, Bryant was less-than-impressed with how Brazil thought it had a chance to beat Team USA.

So, he tasked himself with guarding Leandro Barbosa, who until that point had been the leading scorer in the tournament. With Bryant blanketing him — making it difficult for him to even dribble at times — Barbosa made one shot all night. The Americans won by 37.

“Looking at a great white shark is one thing,” Bryant told teammates, “but jumping into the pool with one is another thing.”

He played in Los Angeles, but he was a star everywhere. Everywhere. At the Basketball World Cup in China this past summer, Bryant was on the court for a game during the medal round. He said a few words in Mandarin and the fans in Beijing screamed in more delight than they had for the guy who had taken the floor just before Bryant, a fellow by name of Yao Ming.

He was as driven in his storytelling life as he was in his playing days. Kobe, Inc. wasn’t just a cool name. It was his world. He wanted to inspire kids through books that combined the worlds of sports and fantasy. He was toying with the idea of taking his stories to Broadway.

He won an Oscar for “Dear Basketball,” a short animated film in 2018 that had been converted from a poem that he penned when he decided it was time to retire from playing the game. He had a podcast for kids and families, not with him blathering on about whatever he wanted to talk about but with characters talking about how to be a good teammate. He had a franchise of shows called Detail, where he broke down the nuances of basketball and had other huge names from other sports do the same thing.

He wasn’t kidding around when talking to his staff on April 14, 2016. Kobe Bryant still had a lot of work to do.

He was just getting started. And now he’s gone.

The tributes will continue, though eventually fade away. The legacy will be forever.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Forbes: LeBron James tops NBA rich list again

LeBron James remains the top-earning player in the NBA while an increasing number of stars have boosted their income through off-field activities, a Forbes survey revealed Tuesday.

Forbes said that Los Angeles Lakers star James was the highest-paid player in basketball for a fifth straight year, pocketing an estimated $88.7 million in 2018-2019.

Around $35.7 million of James’s earnings came from salary and bonuses, while $53 million was generated through endorsements.

Golden State Warriors ace Stephen Curry ranked second on the earnings list with $79.5 million, with salary accounting for $37.5 million and endorsements $42 million.

Curry’s Golden State teammate Kevin Durant was third with $65 million.

Around $30 million of Durant’s earnings are from his salary while endorsements account for $35 million. Durant has earned more than $400 million in his career to date, according to Forbes.

Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook was fourth on the list with $53.7 million.

Most of Westbrook’s earnings comes through his lucrative contract with the Thunder, reportedly worth $207 million over five years. The triple-double king added a further $18 million through endorsements.

Reigning NBA MVP James Harden rounded out the top five on the list with $47.4 million ($30.4 million salary and $17 million endorsements).

The Forbes survey noted that that the top 10 earners in the NBA will make around $540 million this year, up more than $180 million from five years ago.

The report pointed to several stars who have looked to diversify their brands into different areas, with James, Curry and Durant all setting up their own companies to manage business opportunities in media and marketing.

source: sports.inquirer.net

LeBron teams with ‘Black Panther’ director for ‘Space Jam 2’

Two months ago, basketball superstar LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers. Now, he’s taking on Hollywood in a big way.

The long-awaited sequel to “Space Jam” — the 1996 live action-animated film starring NBA legends Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and Patrick Ewing — is finally moving forward.


King James’s production company, SpringHill Entertainment, on Wednesday tweeted an image of a locker room featuring the names of James, “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler as the producer and… Bugs Bunny himself as point guard.

“I loved his vision” for “Black Panther,” James said of Coogler to The Hollywood Reporter.

Independent filmmaker Terence Nance — the creator of HBO’s quirky comedy “Random Acts of Flyness” — is tapped to direct the film for Warner Brothers.

The original film featured the Looney Tunes characters — Bugs, Daffy Duck and friends — who recruit Jordan to help them win a basketball game against the Monstars, a team of animated alien villains who steal the talents of other NBA icons.

“Space Jam 2” has long been rumored, but Wednesday’s tweet made it clear the project is a go.

This is not the first time that James, who signed with the Lakers in July, has dipped his toe into the acting world, but this would be his first starring role.

He made a well-received supporting turn in Amy Schumer’s “Trainwreck” (2015) and has a voice role in Warner Brothers’ animated feature “Smallfoot,” which hits US theaters this week.

He also produced the HBO series “The Shop,” in which big names in the sports and entertainment worlds talked about the big issues facing America in barbershops.

“The Space Jam collaboration is so much more than just me and the Looney Tunes getting together and doing this movie,” James told The Hollywood Reporter.


“It’s so much bigger. I’d just love for kids to understand how empowered they can feel and how empowered they can be if they don’t just give up on their dreams. And I think Ryan did that for a lot of people.”

“Space Jam” earned more than $230 million at the box office worldwide. “Black Panther” has raked in more than $1.3 billion.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Lakers rout Mavericks in Lonzo Ball’s return

LOS ANGELES — Julius Randle had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and rookie Lonzo Ball made a triumphant return to the lineup as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks 124-102 on Friday night.

Ball, who was sidelined for 15 games with a knee injury, had nine points, seven rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes. Isaiah Thomas had 17 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brandon Ingram scored 15 apiece to help Los Angeles stop a three-game slide.

It was Randle’s second triple-double this season and No. 5 for his career. Josh Hart added 12 points and 10 boards as the Lakers enjoyed a 61-29 advantage on the glass.

Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes each scored 19 points for the Mavericks (18-41), who have dropped five of six.

The Lakers jumped out to 23-5 lead and had a 63-41 advantage at the break.

TIP-INS

Mavericks: Rookie guard Dennis Smith Jr. was one of the players identified in the Yahoo Sports story on federal documents obtained in the FBI’s investigation into college basketball corruption. It alleged Smith received $43,500 and was loaned another $73,500. Said Smith at the morning shootaround: “I’m a firm believer in God and everything happens for a reason. Whether it’s going to strengthen you or destroy you, you make that decision. But since I’ve been here, it’s been a class organization from top to bottom, starting with Mark Cuban and all the way down to players like myself. It’s been great, fantastic. I’m here to play basketball. Everything else to me is just noise and I have to block all that out.”

Lakers: The Yahoo Sports report also said rookie forward Kyle Kuzma received $3,000 and $6,500 in loans. Kuzma would not say prior to the game whether the story was accurate. “Hmm, I’m not going to say anything really,” he said. “Just gathering information about it and whatnot.” He called it a legal matter, though he did not believe he was in jeopardy. “I don’t know. I don’t think so,” he said. “That’s why we’re trying to gather information about everything. It is a federal investigation the NCAA is dealing with.” Kuzma did say the story was a distraction. “Yeah, for sure,” he said. “It’s the NBA right now and we’re focusing on trying to win games, and things like this come about, it’s definitely a little distraction.”

UP NEXT

Mavericks: Play on back-to-back nights when they travel to Utah on Saturday.

Lakers: Also play on consecutive nights, traveling to Sacramento on Saturday.

source: sports.inquirer.net

Leonard scores 31 as Spurs thrash slumping Lakers

Kawhi Leonard poured in 31 points in just three quarters as the San Antonio Spurs dominated in every facet of play Thursday with a emphatic 134-94 blowout of the Los Angeles Lakers.

San Antonio’s 134 points were a season high, as were the 72 points scored by the Spurs in the first half and the overall margin of victory of 40 points.

Pau Gasol added 22 points for San Antonio, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker added 13 each, all in just three quarters of the lopsided game.


The Spurs also got 12 points from Jonathan Simmons and 10 from Dejounte Murray and a game-high 12 rebounds from Dewayne Dedmon.

San Antonio was in a bad mood heading into Thursday’s home game after losing by three points to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.

The Spurs took out their frustrations on a meek Laker team as four of San Antonio’s starters finished in double figures at AT&T Center.

“I respect the way the Spurs played tonight — granted we didn’t put up a ton of fight — but it’s beautiful to see championship teams and the way they came out after one loss,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said.

“How (that loss) made them play and how sharp they were — there’s a lot to learn from being in this game, from watching them. I didn’t think we showed up to meet the challenge.”

All 13 players who took the floor for San Antonio scored, and the Spurs (31-8) outshot Los Angeles 60 percent to 41 percent.

“You always want to handle a loss by bouncing back the next night,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.

The lowly Lakers dropped to 15-28 on the season. They were once the “Showtime” darlings of the NBA but have been on a steady downward spiral ever since the passing of club owner and team architect Jerry Buss in 2013.

The Lakers were led Thursday by Julius Randle’s 22 points, but the rest of Los Angeles’ starters managed just 20 total points.

In New York, Tyreke Evans scored 14 of his season-high 29 points in the fourth quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame the absence of Anthony Davis with a 104-95 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Evans made 10 of 15 shots in a season-high 27 minutes. He missed the first 26 games of the season while recovering from knee surgery.

Season-high total

It was the first time he scored more than 25 points since January 10 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Davis missed his second game of the season because of a left hip injury.

The Pelicans received little help from centers Omer Asik and Donatas Motiejunas, who combined for one point on zero-of-seven shooting.

Elsewhere, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala connected on a pair of three-pointers apiece during a long-range shooting exhibition that powered the Golden State Warriors to a 127-107 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Riding double-figure scoring from four starters, the Pistons were down 68-65 in the fourth minute of the third period before the Warriors stepped up their play to earn a season-series sweep.

source: sports.inquirer.net

NBA: Walton’s young Lakers school Pelicans

LOS ANGELES, United States — The Los Angeles Lakers powered past the struggling New Orleans Pelicans 126-99 on Saturday in a reunion for coaches Luke Walton and Alvin Gentry.

Walton and Gentry were both assistants on Steve Kerr’s staff at Golden State when the Warriors won the 2015 title.

And Gentry isn’t surprised that Walton has the young Lakers, demoralized after a franchise worst 17-65 season and learning to live without retired superstar Kobe Bryant, playing buoyant basketball.

“He can relate to anyone,” Gentry said of Walton, who took the Lakers helm this season. “If you’re around him for a whole season, you see how he deals with people, see how much basketball knowledge that he has.

“It doesn’t surprise me what they’re doing. He’ll get the most out of any player he has.

“I know that one of the young guys said ‘I’ll take a bullet for him,'” Gentry said.

“In our profession,” he added with a laugh, “if a player’s willing to take a bullet for you, you’ve accomplished a lot.”

The Lakers notched their fifth win in six games on Saturday, with 23 points from Jordan Clarkson, 22 from D’Angelo Russell and 21 from Lou Williams, who is the league’s leading scorer off the bench.

They took full advantage of an injury scare to Pelicans star Anthony Davis, who had scored 13 straight points as New Orleans trimmed the lead to 63-62 when he came down from a layup clutching his back in agony.

Davis went to the locker room and while he was gone the Lakers out-scored the Pelicans 16-4 to build a 79-64 lead.

Davis returned six minutes later, but even his game-high 34 points — to go with eight rebounds and two blocked shots — weren’t enough.

Davis’s became the ninth player in league history to score 300 points and grab 100 rebounds in his first 10 games of a season.

He joined David Robinson and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players to average 30 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the first 10 games — but the Pelicans fell to 1-9.

The Pelicans will try to regroup before hosting Boston on Monday, while the Lakers move straight on to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Sunday.

Walton said his players are gaining in confidence with every win but said they remain a work in progress.

“Learning to believe in yourselves and learning to close out ballgames is not easy,” he said. “This group of guys is starting to figure that out.” CBB

source: sports.inquirer.net