AD has missed 12 straight games as of Saturday due to a bone spur fractured off the navicular bone in his right foot and a stress fracture. The Lakers are on a season-best five-game winning streak, improving to 7-5 without Davis in the lineup.

New story: Lakers star big man Anthony Davis will begin the ramp-up process this week to work towards a return, league sources told ESPN. There’s optimism he could be back in the lineup within a couple of weeks https://t.co/8GOqqIttzy

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 9, 2023

Davis suffered his foot injury on Dec. 16 when they last played the Denver Nuggets. Since then, the Brow has been limited to spot shooting this far while rehabilitating his foot, per McMenamin.

AD’s ramp-up process will include aquatic pool workouts and running on an altered-gravity treadmill to keep Davis’ total weight off his foot while it continues to heal, according to McMenamin. The Lakers are reportedly optimistic Davis could take only a couple of weeks before he can be penciled in for a potential return to game action.

Davis was averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game on 59.4 percent shooting from the field.

The post REPORT: Anthony Davis to Begin Ramp-Up Process in Preparation of Return appeared first on SLAM.

Here’s what happened across the L over the weekend. Let’s get it.

Darvin Ham Announces the Pain in Anthony Davis’ Foot ‘Has Just About Dissipated’:

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told reporters that Anthony Davis’ foot has improved to the point that “his pain has just about dissipated” since he first suffered the injury two weeks ago against the Nuggets.

Darvin Ham, two weeks after Anthony Davis suffered the stress injury in his right foot, says “the biggest thing is, his pain has just about dissipated” and says Davis is trending in the right direction when it comes to approaching a ramp up to return to the court.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 30, 2022

LeBron James Drops 47-10-9 on his Birthday to Deliver a Lakers Win:

LeBron James showed us once again that age ain’t nothing but a number on his birthday. The four-time MVP turned 38 on Friday and celebrated this lap around the sun by dropping 47 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists to lead the Lakers to a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

“At 18 years old, I knew how to play the game,” James said, per ESPN. “I knew I belonged in the NBA, but I didn’t know what I could become at 18. But I knew if I continued to put in the work and I continued to reach into the game, then I could be one of the greatest players to ever play this game.”

47 PTS
10 REB
9 AST@Lakers W@KingJames showed out on his 38th birthday!pic.twitter.com/33lO5BnVpo

— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022

CJ McCollum Knocks Down A Pelicans Record 11 Three-Pointers:

CJ McCollum was unstoppable Saturday night as he scored 42 points, four rebounds, five assists on a franchise record, and a career-high 11 made three-pointers against the 76ers.

“You don’t just fall into these types of nights,” McCollum said, per The Athletic. “It comes with preparation. It comes with a lot of different sacrifices you make in your household and things like that. Some nights I go to the gym. Some nights I’m getting treatment. Some nights I’m lifting. It’s time away from home. But I joke with my wife all the time and say, ‘I could be gone a lot and suck at basketball. Luckily, I’m gone a lot, and I don’t suck.’”

42 PTS
4 REB
5 AST
11 3PM (franchise-record, career-high)@CJMcCollum went OFF in the @PelicansNBA win. pic.twitter.com/s09E7DdoQr

— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022

Tyler Herro Brings in the New Year With a Buzzer-Beater:

Tyler Herro put an exclamation point on Miami’s strong offensive showing with a game-winning buzzer-beater to beat the Utah Jazz on New Year’s Eve, 126-123. Herro posted 29 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, followed by Bam Adebayo’s game-high 32 points and eight rebounds, and Victor Oladipo rounded out the final win in 2022 with 23 points off the bench.

Miami outscored Utah 54-32 in the win and shot 51 percent from the field. As a team, the Heat dished 32 assists on 45 buckets.

“The ball was flying around,” Herro said, per ESPN. “We were making plays for each other, getting stops defensively, and turning it into easy buckets on the other end.”

TYLER HERRO WINS IT FOR THE HEAT #TissotBuzzerBeater | #TimingEmotions pic.twitter.com/MqLHRlsVXL

— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023

Luka Doncic Makes More History After Dropping 50+ For the Third Time in 5 Games:

Luka Doncic has been on a historic tear while helping Dallas win six straight games after Doncic dropped 51 points, six boards, nine dimes, four steals, and six made triples to beat San Antonio 126-125. Luka Legend has dropped three 50+ points in his last five outings, put up the most 40+ point games in Mavs history, and became the first player ever to post 225+ points and 50+ rebounds, and 50+ assists over a five-game span.

The three-time All-Star is also the eighth player in NBA history to contribute three or more 50-point outings in a season before he turned 25-years-old. He joins James, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Barry, Nate Archibald, and Wilt Chamberlain in the exclusive Hall-of-Fame club.

51 PTS
6 REB
9 AST
4 STL
6 3PM
W

Luka has dropped 50+ in 3 of his last 5 games. Unstoppable. pic.twitter.com/AFYYqmWaUb

— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023

The post NBA Weekend Recap: LeBron James Drops Buckets on His Birthday, and Luka Doncic Makes More History appeared first on SLAM.

After the Lakers’ 112-98 loss to his former team, the Miami Heat, the four-time MVP was asked to share how much longer he thinks he will play in the NBA. James led the Lakers in points (27), rebounds (nine), and assists (six) against the team that he played his best basketball for. The Lakeshow is reeling after making so much ground to get back to being a play-in tournament team.

“I don’t have a number,” James said, per ESPN. “I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute. Now, that’s up to my mind. My body is going to be OK because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of, and I’ll continue to put in the work.”

The absence of Anthony Davis (out for 7-10 days due to a foot injury) has contributed to the Lakers losing for the ninth time in their last 13 games. James and the Lakers (14-21) are in 13th place in the Western Conference, and it’s already been reported that the Lakers’ front office will likely stay put at the trade deadline due to concerns that making “win-now moves” could compound their past mistakes.

The Lakers’ fortunes will ultimately decide how much longer he stays in the purple-and-gold. He has two years and $97 million left on his current contract. Not to mention that he has a player option for that final year. The one thing that can alleviate Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss’ concerns that the King will leave them high and dry is getting back to playing winning basketball.

After all, winning is the true fountain of youth, and James ultimately identifies with the sentiment.

“I’m a winner, and I want to win,” James said. “And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships. That has always been my passion. That has always been my goal since I entered the League as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.

“And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore. So we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years.”

James’ Lakers tenure has been highlighted by winning his fourth title in 2020 and becoming the first player in League history to win a Finals MVP with three teams. However, as a member of the purple-and-gold, the Lakers have also missed the playoff twice and lost in the first-round of the playoffs for the first time in 2021 after dragging the Lakers into the play-in tournament.

They’ve also been criticized for trading away the farm to acquire Davis and not trading Russell Westbrook last summer.

Front office exec Rob Pelinka declared at Laker’s media day that it would be his duty to field a competitive team around James. The four-time champ has been able to beat Father Time while averaging 27.8 points per game, good for ninth in the League. While his longevity and commitment to keeping his body at peak fitness are legendary, it’s only a matter of time before James’ game starts to decline.

So the matter of building a team that can defend and shoot the ball competently is of the utmost importance. The other vital step in keeping James will be convincing Lakers leadership that it’s better to build a championship culture, and team will create better results instead of trying to buy one and selling the farm for All-Star talent.

“Let me be abundantly clear: We have one of the great players in LeBron James to ever play the game, and he committed to us on a long-term contract, a three-year contract. So, of course, we will do everything we can, picks included, to make deals to give us a chance to help LeBron get to the end,” Pelinka said. “He committed to our organization. That’s got to be a bilateral commitment, and it’s there.”

The Lakers can get back on track with a road win against the Atlanta Hawks (17-18) on Friday.

The post LeBron James on His Mental Approach Going Into His 38th Birthday appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakeshow gave up 51 points in the third quarter, the most any team gave up in the NBA this season. L.A. went into the fourth quarter down 19, and Dallas had the flow of the game well within their grasp. The road trip losing streak and progress to making the playoffs have halted after Anthony Davis suffered a foot injury that’ll keep him out for at least another week.

The Lakers are now 13th in the West and looking for answers. Coming into the season with a new head coach in Darvin Ham, the plan was to play through AD more often and Ham decided that utilizing Russell Westbrook off the bench as a sixth man would be the best course of action after a tough first year in the purple-and-gold.

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the Lakers are reportedly leaning towards standing pat and saving their draft capital for other deals, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic. Furthermore, Buha reports that the Lakers front office, led by Rob Pelinka, is weary of compounding their “previous mistakes with more win-now moves.”

Reinforcements via trade would obviously help, and the Lakers are still evaluating their options on a dormant trade market. At the same time, it becomes increasingly challenging to justify trading a first-round pick if the group continues to struggle. The front office doesn’t want to compound its previous mistakes with more win-now moves.

With that being said, the Lakers and Pelinka have plenty of time to contemplate the best course of action with the deadline set for Fed. 9. At 13-20, the Lakers are most likely headed towards a fight for the play-in tournament for the second time since LeBron James joined the Lakers during the 2018-2019 season. Since he joined, the Lakers have made the playoffs twice, winning their 19th championship in 2020.

Although James and Davis have played at a high level, the Lakers are still a top-heavy team. Their offense is ranked 20th in the League (111.6 offensive rating) and 20th in defense (113.6 defensive rating). Whatever moves they make must remedy their middling play on both ends. They will likely have to trim around the edges to make that happen; Westbrook, Davis, and James are all owed money that’s hard to move off their books.

The Lakers have a chance to stop the bleeding when they play the Magic on Tuesday.

The post REPORT: Lakers Front Office Weary of Making ‘Mistakes with More Win-Now Moves’ appeared first on SLAM.

ESPN Sources: The pain has subsided in past several days in Anthony Davis’ foot and he’s expected to rest it for another 7-to-10 days and have it re-evaluated and see if he can return to play. For now, there’s hope that a procedure can be avoided. https://t.co/4B2RXiAZTV

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 23, 2022

The Lakers initially announced that he could be out indefinitely with a stress injury in his foot, but Woj’s report suggests otherwise. At the time of his injury, AD was putting the Lakers on himself and playing like a man possessed after posting

The Brow was averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game on 59.3 percent shooting from the field when he went down with the foot injury he suffered at the beginning of the month.

The post REPORT: Anthony Davis Set to Undergo Reevaluation in 10 Days appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s get it!

Anthony Davis (right foot) is Out At Least One Month After Suffering A Foot Injury On Friday:

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic, Antony Davis will reportedly miss at least one month after suffering an undisclosed right foot injury.

AD has been dominant this season while helping the Lakers surge to a 6-4 stretch over their last 10 contests. The Brow is averaging 27.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game on 59.3 percent shooting from the field and has dropped 19 30+ games with one 44-point game against the Bucks and a dominant 55-point effort against the Wizards.

Before he got hurt, AD had a three-game streak of scoring at least 30 points that were broken when he suffered his foot injury against the Nuggets.

Lakers are bracing for an indefinite absence for the Lakers star, sources say, after he sustained the right foot injury in Friday’s win over Denver. Davis has played arguably the most dominant ball of his career this season. https://t.co/WCTr2y7eNp

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2022

Devin Booker Puts Up a Historic 58-Point Effort to Beat New Orleans:

Devin Booker lifted the Suns over the Pelicans 118-114 after dropping a season-best 58 points. It was the second time this season that Book scored 50 points after he posted 51 against Chicago on Nov. 30.

He’s now the sixth-youngest player to score 12k points in his career, trailing only LeBron, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, and Tracy McGrady.

“Once I get it going a little bit, shooting over a hand is the right play,” Booker said per ESPN.

.@DevinBook‘s second 50-point game of the season. pic.twitter.com/CMwBniJ5Mv

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 18, 2022

Nikola Jokic Posts His 81st Career Triple-Double After Dropping 40-27-10 Against the Hornets:

Nikola Jokic (40 points, 27 rebounds, and 10 dimes) f***ed around and got his fifth triple-double of the season to lead Denver to a 119-115 win over Charlotte on Sunday night.

The two-time MVP sealed the W with two game-winning free throws with 13 seconds left on the clock. Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said he didn’t know Jokic was putting up massive numbers but knew that Jokic was having “another Nikola Jokic stellar performance, efficient,” and praised Jokic for his “ability to make every one of his teammates better,” and called Joker a “generational talent.”

“To be honest, I think it’s because of our defense, and I was just in the right spot to rebound the ball,” Jokic said per ESPN. “It’s not that I was grabbing for them or whatever, chasing for them. It just happened, you know? I wish it could be every night, to be honest.”

Triple double # 8️⃣1️⃣

40-27-10

m.v.p pic.twitter.com/ljQpTIVCHl

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) December 19, 2022

Jordan Poole has a Career-High Night For the Ages:

Jordan Poole hung a career-high 43 points on 14-23 shooting from the field and 5-11 from beyond the arc. He also handed out six assists and scored career-best 25 points in the first half to lead the Warriors past the Raptors. The 126-110 win was the Dubs’ first win in five attempts without Stephen Curry in the lineup. ˝Golden State also snapped their three-game losing streak and are now 3-14 on the road.

“He was incredible on both sides of the ball,” Draymond Green (17 points and nine rebounds) said per Yahoo Sports. “And when you connect the game like that, things will go your way. We all know what a special talent he is. He’s been going through some growing pains. To see him come out tonight and have the game that he had – especially with Steph being down and us needing to get a win – was really huge.

“His effort on the defensive end carried over to the offensive end.”

What a night for 3️⃣.@googlecloud || Player of the Game pic.twitter.com/lKxkgmnlJz

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 19, 2022

WNBA Won’t Expand in 2024:

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Athletic that the League’s plan for franchise expansion will be delayed until at least 2025. The commission is in touch with 10 investor groups discussing potential arenas, practice facilities, season ticket markets, and potential corporate partners.

Engelbert said that a new team would need around 18-24 months to hire coaches and executives and bring on players through an expansion draft, among the many preparations it takes to build a professional basketball franchise. Although expansion is delayed, Englerbet said it’s still a part of the W’s long-term plans and reiterated that the WNBA is on a growth trajectory.

Toronto, Nashville, and the Bay Area (Oakland and San Francisco) are on the short list of expansion cities.

“I’m a big, big believer in: let’s transform the economics, and then we’ll expand, not expand and then hope that economics transform,” she said per Front Office Sports. “We want to bring new owners in that are going to be successful in standing up a franchise that can compete for a championship.”

The post NBA Weekend Recap: AD is Out, Devin Booker and Jordan Poole Put Up Season and Career Best Performances appeared first on SLAM.

Deuce’s dad was dominant on national TV after dropping 44 points, nine rebounds, and six assists on 15-29 shooting, including 5-10 from downtown. Tatum scored 18 points in the second half, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Brown posted 25 points, 15 boards, five dimes, and three steals on 10-21 shooting and 3-7 shooting from beyond the arc.

“Games aren’t won or lost in the fourth quarter or overtime,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said per ESPN. “We have to be elite at managing the end of the third, beginning of the fourth quarter. That is where NBA games are won and lost, and we didn’t do a good job managing that part of the game. So we’ll take the positives of how we worked to get back in the game and then managed a run to end it, but we’ll also focus on that stretch.”

44 PTS | 9 REB | 6 AST | 5 3PM

Jayson Tatum was NEXT LEVEL as he battled LeBron and AD in the @celtics OT win! pic.twitter.com/0MchIYGSds

— NBA (@NBA) December 14, 2022

The monumental effort that the Double Jay’s had to exert left Tatum to tell Chris Haynes, “Damn, I’m tired,” on national TV during their postgame interview.

Easy to understand on a night when Boston surrounded a 20 point and allowed LA to go on a 45-12 run that led to a 13-point lead in the fourth-quarter. In response, Tatum made the Lakers defense look like it was in quick sand in the final frame, especially when he forced a switch agaisnt Matt Reaves. JT abused the mismatch and scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, but he ended up scoring the game-tying bucket against LeBron James to force overtime.

“To come back after blowing a lead a little bit, it shows the resilience of this team,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin. “We came back, we made some big plays, we didn’t let the wheel go when they came back and stormed back on us, and we made some big plays down the stretch. JT, Smart with a big 3, all of the above. So it just showed what we’re made of.”

And that’s why you never give up. pic.twitter.com/WT5trTuJTa

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 14, 2022

From there, Tatum and Brown combined to score seven of Boston’s 12 overtime points, with Brown knocking down the decisive triple to give Boston a an eight-point lead with 53.1 seconds left in the contest.

“That game just says a lot about our experience and mental toughness,” said Brown, who also had 15 rebounds. “That’s a tough and perfect way to close out our road trip.”

THIS IS WHAT JB DO pic.twitter.com/yTT6JJPCQO

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 14, 2022

Boston (22-7) looks to build a winnings streak when they take on the Orlando Magic (8-20) and LA (11-16) will look get backon track when they play the Denver Nuggets (16-10).

The post Jayson Tatum: ‘Damn I’m Tried’ After 44-Point Outing Against the Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

So what could the answer be for this Lakers squad? Many fingers are surrounding the NBA point to Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Bogdanovic has been a huge part of this young Pistons team, as the eight-year veteran just signed a two-year extension with them. Acquiring Bogdanovic maybe a goal for the Lakers, but that doesn’t mean Detroit is willing to give him up.

According to Shams, the Pistons have “expressed — significant reluctance about moving Bogdanovic” to any of the dozen teams that have inquired about trading for the 33-year-old forward. It is also important to note that Bogdanovic is in the midst of having the best season of his career statistically. He’s averaging career highs in points per game (21.0), field goal percentage at (50.8), and 43.7 percent from 3-point range.

In addition to that, The Lakers were previously connected to potentially acquiring Bogdanovic before the 2022-2023 season started via trade with the Utah Jazz, but nothing went through.

Coming off a 38-point outing in a loss to the Lakers, where he shot 12 of 22 from the field (54.5 percent) and also buried six threes, you could really see why the Lakers have been pursuing him so favorably. However, Detroit does not seem to have any real urgency to move Bogdanovic and has actually expressed this to rival teams.

This will be an exciting development to see what takes place within the coming days as the NBA trade deadline is quickly approaching.

The post REPORT: Lakers Are Keen On Pursuing Bojan Bogdanovic At the Trade Deadline appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers took on the Washington Wizards on the road, and Davis was in his bag as he went off for 55 points on 22-30 shooting from the field (73.3 percent), 17 rebounds, and three blocks. With yesterday’s performance, Davis now joins Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal as the only two Lakers in team history to record 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in back-to-back games.

He’s also the first Laker to score 40 points in back-to-back games since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. Davis’ season-high effort had the road crowd chanting MVP, and his teammates backed it up with their post-game comments;

“Jayson Tatum is playing his a** off, but when you’re talking about people in the MVP race or category, that probably will change after tonight,” Lakers guard Patrick Beverley told ESPN. “Davis should be up there for sure.”

LeBron James also chimed in with his thoughts on Davis and the MVP race, stating;

“He’s been unbelievable, man, on both sides of the floor, I mean, playing like the MVP of this league. Just straight dominance.”

When Davis was asked if his goals this season included winning his first MVP award, he said his main goal is to win a championship and that “the rest will take care of itself.”

“To win a championship, that’s it. If your mindset is on winning a championship, the rest will take care of itself. That’s always been my thought. I put the team first over any individual awards or accolades that come with it. So if we continue to do what we do and win basketball games, the rest will take care of itself.”

It’s great to see AD showcasing his true potential and talent out there on the court again after battling a series of nagging injuries. Laker nation, hold on to your seats because it looks like the LakeShow is coming back!

The post Anthony Davis Is Focused On Titles: ‘the Rest Will Take Care of Itself’ appeared first on SLAM.

Let’s get it.

AD Went Off and Dropped a 55-Piece in Washington, DC:

Hear straight from Mr. 55 Points pic.twitter.com/ktoVNdXLO1

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 5, 2022

Anthony Davis dropped a season-high 55 points (31 in the second half) on 22-30 shooting from the field (2-3 from beyond the arc) and grabbed 17 rebounds to help the Lakers drop the Wizards 130-119. Davis is the first Laker to drop back-to-back 40 balls since Kobe Bryant did it in 2013. AD scored 44 against Milwaukee on Friday. He’s averaging 35.3 points per game over his last nine appearances.

“Our team is locked in right now,” Davis said, per ESPN. “Very focused on both sides of the ball. Overall, we’re just trying to make up ground.”

The Lakers (10-12) won their fifth straight road game and are now 8-2 over their last 10 games after starting the season with a 2-10 record.

He’s Baaaaack:

Khris Middleton returned to Milwaukee’s starting lineup on Friday when the Bucks took on the Lakers. The former champion played 27 minutes and posted 17 points on 6-11 shooting (3-4 from the three-point line), two rebounds, and seven assists in a 133-129 loss to Los Angeles.

“It felt really good to be back out there with the guys competing, playing,” Middleton said, per ESPN. “Just a range of emotions. Been through a lot these last couple months — happy, sad, anxious, nervous. To finally get out there and play and get a lot of those nerves past me, it felt pretty good.”

Khris made his return to the court tonight.

17 PTS | 2 REB | 7 AST | 3-4 3PM pic.twitter.com/gMCAWWyNlA

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 3, 2022

Grand Theft Alvarado Makes Pelicans History:

Jose Alvarado dropped a career-high 38 points on 12-19 shooting (8-11 from downtown) to help the Pelicans sail past the Nuggets, 121-106. Alvarado’s 38-point effort was the most a reserve has scored in Pelicans history. It’s also the most scored by an undrafted player in franchise history. Alvarado has also set the season-high mark for a bench player to score.

“It’s amazing,” Alvarado said, per ESPN. “Like, it could never get old. It is my second year, and every time they scream out ‘Jose’ and do the chant or just show me so much love, it keeps giving me goosebumps. And it makes me want to keep playing as hard as I can.”

JOSE’S WORLD

WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT pic.twitter.com/1qddXzB7wB

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 4, 2022

Ja x Jaden Jersey Swap Moment:

Ja Morant and Jaden Ivey, the two most explosive point guards in the League, exchanged jerseys after their latest battle over the weekend. Morant led the Grizzlies past the Pistons, 122-112, after contributing 33 points, 21 in the third quarter, and 10 assists to help Memphis win for the fifth time in their last five games.

Morant was on fire, going 8-10 from the floor and assisting on all three buckets he didn’t score to help Memphis build a 101-83 lead. Ivey (10 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals) has looked at Morant as a big brother since his mom, Notre Dame WBB head coach Niele Ivey was hired as an assistant on Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins’ coaching staff during the 2019-2020 season.

Ivey and Morant formed a tight bond while Morant would do his pregame workout, primarily by talking about upcoming games or life. Coach Ivey was also responsible for pregame scouting reports and did skill work with players. That relationship helped Jaden gain the confidence to pick Morant’s brain whenever he was at Memphis games or practices.

The two explosive point guards share a similar electrifying downhill style. Morant’s success as Rookie of the Year and All-Star can be a blueprint for a rookie looking to become a centerpiece of the Pistons’ rebuild toward championship contention.

Draymond Gets Fined, but a Fan is Cool With It All:

On Thursday, Draymond Green was fined $25k for “directing obscene language toward a fan” when the Warriors took on and lost to the Mavericks, 116-113.

The fan involved in the interaction, Alykhan Rehmatullah, defended the four-time champ on Twitter after identifying himself as the fan Green was arguing with. Rehmatullah said he and Green “were just having fun” and offered to “match the $25k to your favorite charity or NBA Cares.” Rehmatullah told ESPN that he “didn’t take offense” and when Green called Rehmatullah’s pledge “a cool gesture” and said, “you don’t see that happen.”

The exchange occurred with 11:20 left on the clock when the teams were lined up for a free throw attempt after Rehmatullah started giving Green a hard time about his sneakers. In Green’s perspective, there was “a lot of name-callings,” which led to Green turning around and telling the fan to “sit down, shut up, and watch the f——ing game.”

The two haven’t spoken to each other, but Green said he was planning to do so while saying that “the money should go somewhere” and that it should specifically “help someone’s kid.”

Photos via Getty Images.

The post NBA Weekend Recap: Khris Middleton is Back (and Better) While Anthony Davis Made Lakers History appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakeshow struggled on both ends of the floor. They allowed the Pacers to score 32 points in the final frame and scored 22, shooting 8-22 from the field. While Anthony Davis scored 25 points on the night, he was only able to take two shots in the final quarter. Head coach Darvin Ham held himself accountable for the Lakers’ fourth-quarter woes.

“That falls on me,” Ham said per MSN. “That falls on me. I’ll take responsibility for that”.

Davis, who rounded out his 25 points with 13 rebounds and six assists, believed Ham was not the sole bearer of blame. 

“It’s not just on him. It’s on us, too,” Davis said per MSN. “I mean, we got enough years in the League for the guys that were on the floor late game to execute. Obviously, he’s a coach, you take the blame. But it’s on us players to go out there and execute.

“We know what we’re doing. We’re talented enough and smart enough on the floor to win a basketball game like that — So it’s not on him.”

LeBron James recorded 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists in his third game back from a groin injury.  He agreed with Davis that there is more to the loss than Ham’s shortcomings.

“Everything has to go wrong in order for you to lose a game like that, and everything went wrong,” he said per ESPN. 

The Lakers look to bounce back during their six-game road trip featuring match-ups against the Bucks, Cavaliers, and 76ers.

The post ‘That Falls On Me’: Darvin Ham Takes Responsibility for Lakers’ Late Game Collapse appeared first on SLAM.

ICYMI:

Stephen Curry dropped an impressive 33 points and a season-high 15 assists (one shy of his career-high) on 11-12 shooting from the field, 7-14 from long distance. Curry hit the below triple to give the Warriors an insurmountable nine-point lead and gave the Toyota Center his signature GTS celebration.

“I surprised myself with that shot,” Curry said, per ESPN. “Me and Draymond put our hands above our heads like we really won something, kind of making fun of ourselves for our slow start.”

Lol Stephen really different. (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/hFcJv1N1F1

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 21, 2022

Anthony Davis became the Laker in franchise history to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in three consecutive games, joining Elgin Baylor (17 streaks) and Shaquille O’Neale (two streaks). The Lakers also secured their fifth win of the season after dispatching the Spurs 123-92.

“AD, he has to be the focal point,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, per ESPN. “He has to spearhead the charge. That’s the way we’re built. He’s embraced it. When Bron gets back, if AD can sustain that level, we’re going to be as good as our preparation makes us.”

@AntDavis23 put up another MONSTER double-double in the @Lakers win!

30 PTS | 18 REB | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/0seK32EUc2

— NBA (@NBA) November 21, 2022

Trae Young (33 points and 12 assists) and AJ Griffin (17 points and five board) executed one of the more creative game-winning buckets in recent memory with this ally-oop game-winner to beat the Toronto Raptors on Sunday 124-122.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Griffin said, per ESPN. “I had a feeling they were going to pressure up. I saw it and broke early. I said, ‘I’ll just sneak up behind them.’ That’s exactly what happened.”

This is one of the best ran plays to win the game I’ve seen in a minute. (via @ATLHawks) pic.twitter.com/af4bUCchaL

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Anthony Edwards dropped a stunning 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a 112-109 win over the 76ers. The three-point win is Minnesota’s third consecutive.

“We took a lot of bad shots, I definitely did, but we got the win, though,” Edwards said of a 7-of-21 effort.

Anthony Edwards vs Philly last night:

25 points
5 rebounds
5 assists.

Too good. (via @Timberwolves) pic.twitter.com/oHZAJE44Bn

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Bol Bol posted 22 points, 11 boards, and two blocks during Orlando’s 114-113 loss to the Pacers on Saturday. During the second quarter, Bol went into his bag tricks to score a tough layup over Pacers defensive anchor Myles Turner.

How do you even stop this? (via @OrlandoMagic) pic.twitter.com/EXIdRfJfAH

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) November 20, 2022

Quote of the Weekend

Klay Thompson pulled up to Houston with some bad intentions after dropping a season-high 41 points on 10 triples to help Golden State secure their first road game of the season. The Warriors lost eight road games in a row heading into Sunday’s contest, a first during the most successful era in franchise history.

Thompson exorcised some demons hanging around during a slow start to the season that has led to many around the League saying Thompson’s best days are behind him. On Sunday, he proved that wrong and let it be known that “it’s only up from here.”

“It feels amazing. I’m hard on myself, so I’ve been wanting one of these. And to get one and kind of open the floodgates, it’s only up from here. I promise you,” Thompson said in his postgame interview. “I finally feel like myself. My legs feel great. I’m cutting to the rim, taking great shots, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. Man, I’m not gonna lie, guys, that felt amazing. Wow. I don’t care if it’s a mid-November game. That felt great.

@KlayThompson WENT WILD in the @warriors win! He went off for 20 PTS in Q1 on his way to a season-high 41 PTS and 10 triples! #DubNation

41 PTS
10 3PM (10-13) pic.twitter.com/qHWVlFTE9d

— NBA (@NBA) November 21, 2022

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The team sits at 5-10, struggling to meet the outsized expectations the Lakers typically face. With LeBron James currently sidelined and being evaluated daily with a groin injury, the Lakers desperately need someone to step up. Well, Lakers center Anthony Davis has answered the call.

Davis has been critical in the Laker’s current three-game winning streak. Earlier on in November, it was reported that the team was working on getting Davis more touches and being a more featured option. Now it looks like the coaching staff’s new schemes are really paying off.

In the last three Lakers games, Davis has scored 30 plus points while shooting above 60 percent from the field and ten plus rebounds in each of their wins. Davis went off for 37 points (15-25) and 18 rebounds versus the Brooklyn Nets, 38 points (10-16) and 16 rebounds versus the Detroit Pistons, and then last night had 30 points (12-19) and 18 boards versus the San Antonio Spurs.

Davis’ recent stretch has added him amongst Laker greats Shaquille O’Neal and Elgin Baylor as the only three Lakers in franchise history to record 30+ points and 15+ rebounds in 3+ games.

In a postgame interview with ESPN, Davis spoke on the effect James’ absence has had on his game and that James even told him that he’s “playing like his old self.”

“Obviously, when he’s out, or I’m out,” Davis said. “We take it upon ourselves to kind of, as much as we can, fill that void.”

Lakers coach Darvin Ham even commented on AD’s recent performances saying, “AD is playing out of his mind; he’s in a great rhythm.”

It’s great to see the Laker’s offense finally start to come to life here in these last few games. If Davis and company can keep up their recent stretch of offensive dominance until James returns, the Lakers will, without a doubt, begin to be back on track in a very tightly contested Western Conference.

The post Anthony Davis: ‘Playing Like His Old Self’ During Three-Game Win Streak appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers’ meeting was an open forum with multiple voices involving figures like LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, and Anthony Davis on the players’ side, then Darvin Ham, Phil Handy, and Chris Jent from the coach’s side. Davis said the meeting was full of “conversations that was 2-10 should have.” He highlighted that the meeting was about what everybody can do to get “better collectively.”

“Everybody chimes in,” Ham said, per ESPN. “No idea is a bad idea. The only bad idea is not having an idea. We all pour in together. No one is taking personal shots or talking about attacking people’s character — it’s just attacking what we can do better. We attack the mistakes. How can we be better, how can we be a better basketball group.”

The meeting led to Davis scoring a season-high 37 points and 18 rebounds (10 offensive) while the team shot 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. Defensively, the Lakers held the Nets to 45 percent shooting from the field and 25.9 percent from long distance and held the Nets to score 103 points, tied as the season-low points the Lakers have allowed.

“Lot of emotions,” Davis said when asked to describe the meeting. “Guys voicing their opinions. Some back and forth. But it was all for the nature of trying to get better. So even though it might be a back-and-forth, it was, ‘OK, I hear what you’re saying, you hear what I’m saying. So now, what’s the solution?’ Instead of just constantly butting heads. So it was some good dialogue.”

Ham said that there’s a balance that has to be struck when emotions come into play. He specifically said, “you have to be careful because passion can slip into being emotional.” Furthermore, Ham reiterated he wants the Lakers “to be passionate,” but he doesn’t want the Lakers “to be emotional.”

Westbrook believes the Lakers “are moving in the right direction” after the meeting. Davis brought up Westbrook’s decision-making in the Lakers’ loss to the Kings during their team meeting. Beverley said credit should go to James and his leadership because he “started to get on guys in the right way and guys in the locker room responded.”

Davis stated that the Lakers are still adjusting to Beverley’s leadership style but let it be known that the team has to listen because it’s about the contents of the advice, not where it comes from.

“You got to listen; you can’t hear what they’re saying; you got to listen to what they’re saying,” Davis said. “You can’t [think], ‘Oh, he’s yelling, so now I’m going to get closed off.’ — When someone’s trying to help you, we know we’re all in it for one goal, and that’s to win. So you got to take the message and not the tone of the person’s voice.

“The main guy who a lot of us had to get used to for that was Pat. But he gives good messages. And he said this thing one time, he was like, ‘If I yell I LOVE YOU, you’re not going to get mad, you know what I’m saying?’ So, listen to the message and not the tone.”

The Lakers still sit second-to-last in the Western Conference but have an opportunity to climb out of their hole when they play the Pistons (3-12) and then a date with the Spurs (6-9) five days later, who they play on Nov. 20, and back-to-back on the Nov. 25 and 26. Davis later said that the Lakers’ “spirits are high” and want to “put a string of wins together.”

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AD attempted two shots during the Lakers’ 114-110 home loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday. The 2011 national champion finished the game with 19 points and 12 rebounds on 7-12 shooting from the field. Davis went 4-5 from the field during the first quarter as the Lakers outscored an opponent (36-30) for the first time this season. Davis then went 1-2 in the second, while the Lakers scored just 36 combined points during the second-half.

AD is averaging 22.5 points and 11.1 rebounds on 52.9 percent shooting from the field. The Lakers, especially LeBron James, have repeatedly mentioned wanting to run the offense through The Brow.

“Obviously, it starts with AD and getting him more touches,” LeBron James said via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Our focal point is and always should be to make sure he touches the ball throughout the course of possessions, quarters, halves.”

When asked about getting Davis more involved, Coach Darvin Ham said that the Lakers have a playbook that features “a bunch of sets where AD can be featured.” Russell Westbrook said he would “leave it up to the coaches to figure out the best for them to utilize him.” Westbrook also admitted that he’s going to “do the best job” he can to make reads that will “make the game easier for him” while they’re on the court together.

Ham explained that veterans on the team, including Davis, have the ability to course-correct as they see fit.

“We have a playbook. We have a menu and a bunch of sets where AD can be featured,” Ham said. “You have to just be organized.”

Ham continued to touch on that point by saying Davis has his “blessing” to “scream out, call his own number” when he believes he has an ideal matchup. Ham also highlighted that the Lakers “tried to get” AD “going” and that their struggles in getting Davis going in the second-half aren’t from a lack of trying.

“And sometimes the game dictates things to go in another way. They go on a run, and then we’re trying to play faster to try to possibly score more. So it’s a lot of different variables that go into that. It’s not like, ‘OK, you’re just not calling plays for AD.’ That’s not the case.”

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This was his second consecutive game coming off the bench, and he once again looked like himself, with his usual mix of fire, passion, tenacity, and athleticism. Westbrook finished with 18 points, eight boards, and eight assists on 50 percent shooting from the field (and from three) in 32 minutes. He led a seminal 17-point spurt to give the Lakers the lead at the end of the third quarter, and the Lakers never looked back from there. No one was happier for him than Coach Darvin Ham. 

“I’m so happy, man,” Ham said, per The Athletic. “I can’t even imagine what that kid is going through. One of the biggest things about me getting this job was for him to get that respect that he deserved because a lot of what went on last year was not his fault. And everything, all of the blame, was placed on him.”

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Westbrook was serenaded in cheers by the Lakers home crowd on their way to Ham’s first win as head coach. He called for them, and they answered, getting rowdy and raucous; they energized a decisive second-half run on both sides of the ball. The relationship between Lakers fans and Westbrook has been contentious up to this point, but Westbrook hasn’t let it take away his joy. He could be seen smiling, dancing, and celebrating all game long. 

“One thing I never will let happen is people outside of my family, [the] people that support me, take my joy,” Westbrook said via the Los Angeles Times. “Always have fun and embrace this game and embrace the gift I’ve been given to be able to go out and compete. And yes, winning makes you feel better about yourself. But when you’re losing, it’s not as much fun. Tonight was a night where we were able to have a chance.”

Whether or not this move to the bench will be a long-term move for Westbrook continues to be seen, but the first two instances have drawn better results than his earlier performances this season. His All-Star teammates, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, have commended his lack of ego and for his sacrifice. Westbrook is prepared for whatever comes his way. 

“Like I’ve mentioned since Day One, whatever is needed from me to help the team win, that’s what I’ll do,” Westbrook said.

The Lakers are now 1-5 on the season, and they’ll get their first chance to improve on that Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The post Darvin Ham Says He’s ‘Happy’ For Sixth Man Russell Westbrook Coming Off First Win appeared first on SLAM.

AD dropped 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Brodie posted 18 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in 32 minutes off the bench. LeBron James led the Lakers in scoring with 26 points, six rebounds, and eight assists on 10-22 shooting. The Lakers also knocked down a season-high 13 three-pointers on 43.5 percent shooting from deep.

Davis deserves plenty of credit for guiding the Lakers through a gutsy win. AD is battling through lower back soreness that’s forced him to labor up and down the court. However, the Brow still found a way to gut it out against the back-to-back and reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic (23 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and two blocks), a player that could wear you out thanks to his physicality and ability to beat you multiple ways.

“Huge impact, man, the way he fought through that,” Ham said, per The Athletic. “I care about his body. I want him to be the AD that we all know he can be on that championship run. He showed it tonight. His tenaciousness on defense. Timely shot-making. Communicating.”

+2, AD. pic.twitter.com/FCxHmxFVOh

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 31, 2022

The eight-time All-Star also scored eight points in the fourth to help the Lakers fend off a charging Nuggets team looking to mount a comeback. The tough win drew some cheers and applause for Davis, who left everything on the court. Especially after a scary moment where, after AD tapped in a missed shot, he audibly groaned as his back flared up.

When Ham asked Davis if he wanted to come out, Davis said, “no. Hell no. I got you. I’m with you.” Ham remarked how “determined” Davis was “to finish this game.”

“You saw on that putback, it kinda just comes and goes, these little shocks that go,” Davis said. “But at that point, it’s like you’re playing off of adrenaline. So, I know tonight, maybe tomorrow, I’m probably going to feel it more. But it’s all manageable. Just gotta do what I can to make sure I’m on the floor to help the team win.”

Postgame, David admitted he was in a “pretty good amount of pain” but also reiterated that the pain he was feeling was manageable. He also said he dislikes the injury-prone label he’s received over the last two seasons and was candid about the mental toll all the injuries took on him.

Ham said he doesn’t need the two-time block leader to be a “hero.” Davis said he’s “in a great space mentally” and that he’s not letting his injury “stop me” while imploring that he’s “doing everything I can to make sure I can go out there and play, and we’ll deal with the rest when that time comes.”

The Lakers are now 1-5 with clashes against the Pelicans, Jazz, Cavaliers, and Clippers coming up.

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To push the panic button right now is an over-exaggeration. Despite the endless drama centered around its players, Lakers superstar LeBron James believes there have been encouraging signs at one end of the floor that keeps them close games.

“For the first three games, it hasn’t,” James said regarding the team’s shooting, per Lakers Daily. “We still can’t shoot a penny in the ocean, but it hasn’t stopped us from competing and defending. That’s given us a chance in all three games to win.”

Dialed in pic.twitter.com/GaiApLt1C7

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 23, 2022

The Lakers rank at the top of the League in steals averaging 11.3 a game. It’s partly thanks to Patrick Beverley and Russell Westbrook, who is averaging over two steals a game. However, Anthony Davis’ third-best steals (2.7) and fourth-best blocks (2.3) around the League have given the Lakers a chance at victory in the new year.

James fully supports the defensive play thus far when opponents try to get easy buckets inside. However, the number of fouls given up, especially against the amount they gave up against the Portland Trailblazers, won’t rest easy with the four-time champion.

“I think it’s understanding that no one is on an island by themself,” said James. “When guys penetrate, we try to get multiple bodies in front of bodies, and if the ball is on the ground or it’s loose, we try to get good hands in there — when you’re defending at a high level like we are, we can’t allow teams to get easy buckets by going up there and not facing the defense with free throws.”

Transition Bron lookin' scary pic.twitter.com/VOYJW2NzcK

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 21, 2022

According to James, the frustrating losses have been put in the past, but if the team looks to avoid missed back-to-back playoffs, they must turn defense into offense. Easy buckets off fast-break opportunities could do wonders for the aging group, and it’ll likely lower the habit of shooting 39 three attempts a game.

The Lakers are back in action Wednesday night to face the two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center.

The post LeBron James Likes Lakers ‘Competing and Defending’ Amidst 0-3 Start appeared first on SLAM.

“I’m definitely not going to sit here and harp on what we can’t do every single game,” James said, per ESPN, when asked about his team’s shooting struggles. “That’s not a leader. What I know we can do? We can defend our a** off. We did that tonight, which gave us an opportunity to win, and we just couldn’t make it happen. But I’m OK with that.”

This is all kind of ironic because, in this same game, James moved up to No. 10 in the NBA on the all-time made three-pointer list. A huge career accomplishment, no doubt, but even though it is another impressive milestone for James, 20 points on 7-17 shooting from the field in 37 minutes of action was not enough to help secure victory for the Lakers.

“If we’re reliant on [sufficient outside shooting] every single game, then we’re in trouble,” James said. “So I’m not worried about that or thinking about that. It’s how hard we play, how aggressive we play, how determined we are to go out and compete every night. And we got to defend. When we defend, we’re going to give ourselves a good chance to win.”

With just 2 out of 82 games played so far in the 2022-2023 NBA season, Lakers fans should remain optimistic. It is still early on in the season, and every team needs time to gel in the beginning. Team chemistry is something that cannot be built in just one, two, or even ten games. At the end of the day, James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Coach Darvin Ham, and company will figure everything out.

The post LeBron James Won’t ‘Harp On’ What Lakers Can’t Do appeared first on SLAM.

We’ll have to wait and see what happens, but for now, here are seven takeaways from last night’s action.

Revenge SZN: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are looking even better

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been a nightmare for teams on both sides of the ball for a few years now. They have three ECF trips under their belt and a recent appearance in the NBA Finals — they’re not supposed to still be getting better. After showing up to opening night rockin’ some pretty eye-catching fits, Brown and Tatum dropped a combined 70 points (dropping 35 points apiece) and solidified the dub over Philly.

Both were attacking from every part of the floor. Having two dynamic players like Brown and Tatum gives the Celtics a good chance to get back to the Finals and maybe even win it this time. 

Ring Night: The Warriors may be poised to make another championship run

On ring night, the Warriors look good. Damn good. Stephen Curry is still just as good as he’s always been, and the Warriors’ weapons all kept them afloat and out of reach. The Dubs had their trademark explosive third quarter, and signature contributions from Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole, Curry, and Andrew Wiggins on offense guided them to a win. Draymond Green and Kevon Looney anchored a strong defensive performance. Their young core (Moses Moody, James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga) came in off the bench and provided valuable minutes. Sheesh, the Warriors are deep. 

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The Beard drops a 30-piece on Opening Night

James Harden has been a picture of perfect health for the majority of his NBA career, but during his tenure with the Nets, and leading into his tenure with the Sixers, Harden was dealing with a nagging hamstring injury that sapped away a lot of his explosiveness and his ability to change speeds that made him so difficult to contain during his days in Houston. Houston Harden showed up in Boston last night for Philadelphia.

He finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists on 64.2 percent shooting from the field and 12/12 shooting from the line. Some may say vintage Harden; we say he’s back. 

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LeBron James speaks on Lakers’ Shooting Troubles:

The Los Angeles Lakers Big 3 finished with 77 of 109 points as the remainder of the team struggled to score all game with their limited spacing. Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis also shot a combined 4-16 from three, while the Lakers as a whole shot 10-40. After the game, The King was quick to recognize this deficiency in the Lakers’ offense, citing a lack of “lasers.”

Moving forward, the Lakers need better shooting performances if they do not want to repeat their fate from last season. 

Honoring No. 7: Jaylen Brown Speaks on Bill Russell’s Legacy

The legendary Bill Russell, and 11-time NBA Champion (twice as a head coach of the Celtics), passed away this past summer. The Boston Celtics legend had his No. 6 retired around the League, and every team is wearing a “6” patch on their jersey to honor him. The Celtics took each step, however, intent on honoring their greatest player. Jaylen Brown took a few moments to commemorate Bill Russell before the game, honoring him as a player, a father, a leader, and a man. 

Coaching Debuts of Mazzulla and Ham:

Darvin Ham and Joe Mazzulla both made their head coaching debuts on opening night. Mazzulla won his first game, and Ham lost his. Mazzulla is an interim head coach, for now, following Ime Udoka’s season-long suspension by the Boston Celtics.

Near the end of their contest against the Celtics, Stan Van Gundy joked that Mazzulla now has the best winning percentage in NBA history. This is true and looks to remain true, at least through his next game. Ham, on the other hand, has the tall task of coaching a veteran Lakers team back to promise. There are some positive takeaways to be had from the team’s performance but look for tweaks in the next few games as they look to find their footing. 

FREE BG 

October 18th marked the beginning of the NBA season, but it was also Britney Griner’s 32nd birthday. Stephen Curry took some time to bring awareness to her wrongful incarceration in Russia during his direct address to the fans in attendance as well as the fans watching on TV at home. The fight for Griner’s freedom continues to be a major point of emphasis as the season begins. 

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The post 7 Takeaways From Opening Night appeared first on SLAM.

When the Lakers were set to play their preseason finale, multiple reports said Ham intended to bring Westbrook off the bench against the Sacramento Kings. Westbrook has started every NBA game he has played since his rookie year. 

In what later became a 47-point loss, Brodie only played 5 minutes off the bench. He strained his hamstring early on and never returned. After the Lakers suffered an opening day 123-109 loss to the Golden State Warriors a few days later, Westbrook told reporters that he “absolutely” attributed this injury to his temporary bench role. 

“I’ve been doing the same thing for 14 years straight. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to do pregame. Being honest, I was trying to figure out how to stay warm and loose — That’s something I just wasn’t accustomed to,” Westbrook said after their regular season debut 123-109 loss against the Golden State Warriors. 

Westbrook has played in 1,022 career games and has started 1,005 of them. A bench role later this season is not off the table with improved depth at the point guard after the additions of Patrick Beverly, Dennis Schröder, and the return Kendrick Nunn.

However, in last night’s game, Westbrook showed flashes of why the Lakers traded for him in the first place. In 31 minutes, Westbrook had 19 points and 11 rebounds on 58 percent shooting. He kicked in three assists and a steal as well. 

Both his coach and his teammate, Anthony Davis, maintain the game against Sacramento was just an experiment and an exploration of their options. When asked about his decision to start Westbrook on opening night, Ham was complimentary of Russell Westbrook. 

“You want to start the game off the right way in terms of your energy and being in attack mode, and no one better than him,” Ham said, who spoke to reporters before Westbrook did after the game. “I mean, it’s what we have, and we got some key guys hurt. It’s Game 1; give them a chance to go out and compete at the highest level. I thought he was solid. I thought he was solid. A couple possessions I wish I can get back, but overall, I thought he was solid.”

AD stated he didn’t think Westbrook’s realignment to the bench was ever intended to be a real option. Despite the loss, the Lakers Big 3 looked more fluid in their offensive execution, and they thought so too. 

“I think we played well,” Davis said. “We wanted to come out, and everybody be aggressive.”

LeBron James added, “I thought we all just kind of played free. And it resulted in all three of us pretty much being efficient from the floor.”

If the Lakers are to right the ship, Westbrook must be healthy and play well. He’s sending the message that he does that best from the starting five.

The post Russell Westbrook Believes Coming Off the Bench ‘Absolutely’ Caused Hamstring Injury appeared first on SLAM.

After back-to-back disappointing seasons since their championship win in the 2020 NBA Bubble, the Lakers aren’t considered title favorites for this upcoming season. Reasons for it include an aging LeBron James, key talents being injury prone, and the distraction around Russell Westbrook and his play.

The list goes on, but Davis believes it comes down to the trust of each individual to perform at a high level.

“We just go out there and play basketball and perform, but it’s also the truth,” said Davis when talking about the criticism towards the team. “I mean, no one has us winning it this year besides us in this organization.”

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Last season, Davis played 40 games averaging 23.2 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. His play wasn’t much of a factor, as the Lakers had a 17-23 record with him in the lineup. The numbers may look impressive for Davis, but the durability must be there to win his second championship in three years.

New additions like Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV should improve the offensive and defensive load if either of the Lakers stars goes down. Davis is confident Beverly, Walker IV, and other team members are satisfied with their roles and will do whatever it takes to succeed and help the Lakers make a deep playoff run.

“We feel like we’re the underdogs,” Davis said. “And I think everybody on this team has something to prove. I feel like everyone on this team has a chip on their shoulder and is going to come out ready to play this season.”

The Lake Show starts a new season away from home against the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, a game that could determine how well the team has improved through the off-season.

The post Anthony Davis Confident in ‘Underdog’ Lakers Heading into New Season appeared first on SLAM.

A change in putting Anthony Davis as the primary center for the team may be what is needed. In his three preseason games, Davis has averaged 19.3 points per game, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game on 52.6 percent shooting from the field. He spent some of his time in these games playing at the five, although his preferred position is at the four.

On Tuesday, Coach Darvin Ham told the media that he is seriously considering starting Davis at center moving forward after practice. Following Los Angeles’ loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Lakers big man expressed his thoughts on the idea.

“It is what it is,” said Davis. “At the end of the day, we’re trying to win basketball games, and if that is the best situation for us to win basketball games, then that’s what we’ll look at. Me and coach had a conversation about four or five, a couple conversations doing practices and things like that. I think he’s still trying to figure out the rotations as well, and right now, it looks good when I’m at the five — If I have to play the five, it’s totally fine. I don’t care.” 

Even though the 29-year-old is willing to do what the team needs to win basketball games, he made it known shortly after that the Lakers’ head coach knows what position he prefers to play.

“I’m pretty sure he heard, ‘AD wants to play the four,’ so he knows where I stand.”

The Lakers will conclude their preseason tour on Friday against the Sacramento Kings.

The post Anthony Davis on Starting At Center: ‘if I Have to Play the Five, it’s Totally Fine’ appeared first on SLAM.

With Father Time catching up, no one knows how long the four-time NBA champion can carry the load for the Lakers. In fact, The King made it known not long ago that he is ready to take a backseat.

In 2017, he was ready to “give the keys” to his former teammate Kyrie Irving when they played against the Cleveland Cavaliers. When things didn’t end up working out, James made his way to LA, where you can now see him having that same trust in his current teammate Davis.

AD recently told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that the future Hall of Famer has been “in his ear about taking over the reins of the team.” The 29-year-old is most certainly capable of doing so. It’s all about staying healthy and getting his three-point shot back to its standard form. As a career 30.3 percent shooter from behind the arc, Davis shot the deep ball at 18.6 percent last season.

With these hurdles standing in the way of the former NBA champion, he has accepted the challenge.

“I’m excited for this challenge and what’s ahead,” said Davis. “I think we have a great group of guys to get the job done. It’s now about putting in the work – I went into this summer focusing on strengthening my body. I have to be on the court and at my best to put us in position to be our best. I’m ready to do that.”

The Lakers will open up their season on Oct.18 versus the Golden State Warriors.

The post Anthony Davis: LeBron James Has Been ‘in His Ear About Taking Over the Reins’ of the Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

The off-season spelled uncertainty for Westbrook’s future with the team but trade talks stalled. Tensions rose all summer as the friction between championship expectations and the Lakers’ small championship window played out for everyone to see. New coach, new teammates, new system, new season, same Russ. Westbrook is still ready to do what he has always done: his job. 

“I don’t need to,” Westbrook told ESPN about feeling wanted by the Lakers. “I just need to do my job; whether I’m wanted or not doesn’t really matter. I think the most important thing is that I show up for work and I do the job like I’ve always done it: be professional and go out and play my ass off and compete.” 

Westbrook is the all-time triple-double king with 194 triple-doubles. He had 10 last season en route to averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. While this may be a career year for any other player, it was nearly disastrous for Russ and the Lakers as they missed the playoffs. Despite Westbrook playing 78 games, the trio of Westbrook-LeBron-Davis only played 21 total games together. After only 21 games, Westbrook is still optimistic about where they can go as a big 3. 

“There’s so much optimism on how we can be great, how AD, LeBron, myself– can be unstoppable in my opinion,” Russell Westbrook says. 

Russ knows better than anyone that his first season with the Lakers was not what anyone had in mind. It was hardly the dream to be booed by Lakers fans in his hometown arena in front of his friends and family in the crowd. But Westbrooks owns that too.

“I’m going to make mistakes. I’m [occasionally] not going to have good games. There will be times and stretches when I don’t play well. I’ve owned that, and there were times last year I could’ve played better, and I own that part of it. Moving into this year, I feel even more prepared than I was in years past. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. That right there will get me past any struggles that come my way.”  

Westbrook will have the reinvent himself with a new head coach after former boss Frank Vogel was fired shortly after the season ended, and Darvin Ham was named his successor. Westbrook had a summer full of conversations with Ham about building “connection” and “trust” and finding a way for the former MVP to impact winning on their team. Westbrook is ready for whatever. 

“I’m all-in on whatever it takes for this team to win,” Westbrook says. “I’m prepared for whatever comes my way.” 

After a season that went anything but according to plan, being prepared for whatever is possibly the best thing Russell Westbrook can do.  

The post Russell Westbrook is ‘All-in’ for Second Season with the Los Angeles Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

Though many believe the acquisition of the former MVP has yielded disastrous results, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green thinks it’s just a matter of time until Westbrook returns to form and contributes to an 18th banner.

“Who wouldn’t ask for Russell Westbrook?” Green said, per the Checc’n In Podcast, after being asked whether he believes LeBron James asked for Westbrook to be traded to the Lakers. “You’d be out of your mind not to ask for Russell Westbrook.”

Westbrook, who is due $47 million this season, has been involved in many trade talks just one year after being sent from the Washington Wizards for Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the No. 22 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft from the Lakers. The deal hasn’t worked out thus far, but Green believes the reason for that is because of how on-the-ball dominant each of the three superstars is.

“I 100 percent think the fit is terrible,” said Green. “I don’t think you could talk to Russell Westbrook right now, and Russell Westbrook wouldn’t think the fit is terrible — just, because the fit is terrible, don’t mean you don’t go for it. Because guess what, if you go for it and it works, then you got a championship.”

The star power of the Lakers is undoubtedly one of the best in the League, but the Lakers finished 33-49, 11th in the Western Conference. Many Lakers fans worry Westbrook’s turnover issues and inability to hit shots at the rim will hold back the Lakeshow.

Health issues were also a more significant issue last season. James and Davis missed a significant amount of time sitting on the sidelines last season, missing a combined 68 games without one of them appearing on the court.

Meanwhile, Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists last season, per ESPN. Coach Darvin Ham has confirmed that he thinks Westbrook “has a ton left in the tank” and that he has a “wholehearted plan” to utilize Westbrook to the best of his abilities. Davis, James, and Westbrook also chopped it over the phone to reconfirm their commitment to each other as well

Green may be a rival, but he certainly notices the potential this squad has. With former MVPs and defensive player of the year caliber players, the Lakers are expected to make a playoff run this upcoming season, but if all fails again this season, the NBA world will likely call for the Lakeshow to move on from Westbrook and trade him elsewhere.

The post Draymond Green Defends Lakers Trade for Russell Westbrook: ‘Who Wouldn’t Ask?’ appeared first on SLAM.

Pat Beverley and Russell Westbrook greeting each other after Pat’s press conference pic.twitter.com/p02AC9O1kh

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) September 6, 2022

Although Beverley and Westbrook have a sordid past as opposing forces, Beverley noted that “he’s super excited” to play with a hyper-competitive guard like the king of the triple-double. The former Arkansas Razorback told reporters how he thought he could mesh “perfectly” with Westbrook as a shooter, particularly as a right corner shooter when the 2017 MVP is playing out of ATO’s, post plays, or in transition.

“I think I was asked this question two or three years ago about someone I always wanted to play with and (Westbrook) was the first name,” Beverley said. “Obviously I been knowing Bron since I was a rookie in this League so obviously I wanted to play with him but just a player with that competitive spirt, that fire, that will, that dog, that nastiness, that grit, to have a running mate like that, I’ve never had that so I’m super excited to see where it goes.”

“Obviously like any relationship or any marriage, we’re gonna have tough conversations, that’s what comes with winning but I’m excited about this conversations, I’m excited about the practices. I’m just excited to compete with someone like that.

.@patbev21 said he was "super excited" to play with @russwest44 and thinks they will be a "perfect" fit.

Watch the full presser: https://t.co/uRHkfFa5Mz pic.twitter.com/7BP9WnNSQ9

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) September 6, 2022

Beverley also joked around that because he made the playoffs with the Timberwolves that LeBron James and Anthony Davis were playing with him. Coach Darvin Ham was also generous with his praise and expectations of a Westbrook-Beverley backcourt, saying that if the two play defense there’s “definitely” a possibility that the two guards could start games together.

The Lakers hope that with their new additions at head coach and with younger more athletic role players surrounding Westbrook, James, and AD, the Lakers can have a resurgent season and make a playoff run.

The post Patrick Beverley ‘Super Excited’ About Playing With Russell Westbrook appeared first on SLAM.

That news came just a day before the Nets announced that Kevin Durant had decided to rescind his trade request and that he and the franchise “have agreed to move forward with our partnership.” The Nets are likely confident KD and Kai, combined with the healthy returns of Ben Simmons and Joe Harris, the free agent acquisitions of Royce O’Neal and T.J. Warren, and re-signing Patty Mills and Nic Claxton, will help the team make a return to title contention.

However, there is one team that lost out on some superstar talent after Brooklyn decided to keep Irving on the roster, the Lakers. The Lakers were reportedly keen on acquiring Irving through trade this offseason and set up negotiations with third teams like the Pacers and Spurs to make it happen. Trade talks never materialized, though, and now the purple-and-gold will have to search the market a little longer to find more talent.

“We told you a month ago it was not gonna happen,” Charania said about an Irving-Lakers trade during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “As of right now, the Lakers are open to anything that will make their team better. So if there’s a deal out there and they can go get multiple different players, that makes the team better.

"We told you a month ago that Kyrie to the Lakers wasn't gonna happen.. the Lakers are open to anything that will make their team better" ~@ShamsCharania#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Swjio4siWD

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 23, 2022

Charania added that the Lakers would be looking to add rotation players that they can plug into their lineup. The insider believes players like Patrick Beverly and Bojan Bogdanovic will be targeted in trades during the season.

“Those are the type of moves you’re gonna see the Lakers try to make. I don’t think that they’re done necessarily. I think they’re still gonna try to get this team better. Yes, Kyrie Irving to the Lakers, for now, is not a thing.”

The Lakers will look to improve after adding rookie head coach Darvin Ham, who they hope can turn around Russell Westbrook’s Lakers tenure and help Anthony Davis get back to his top-five player status after a rash of injuries doomed his season and the Lakers’ title hopes over the last two seasons.

The post REPORT: Lakers Will Stay On the Market After Kyrie Irving Trade Talks Stalled appeared first on SLAM.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Westbrook reportedly had a phone conversation during the first weekend of the NBA Summer League. During that phone call, the three superstars expressed “their commitment to one another” amid trade rumors and an underwhelming finish last season, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

Haynes reported that Westbrook has never requested a trade out of Los Angeles. The nine-time All-Star and 2017 League MVP is set to earn $47 million next season before he hits the open market as an unrestricted agent in 2023.

Westbrook has been linked to multiple teams, most notably the Brooklyn Nets, in a possible trade surrounding Kyrie Irving, but The Athletic’s Shams Charania and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shot down any substantial traction on an Irving to L.A. deal earlier this month. That news came three days after Haynes reported the Lakers and Nets were “actively engaged” in Westbrook-Irving trade talks at the time.

Newly hired Lakers Coach Darvin Ham, who was hired in early June, spoke with Marc J. Spears of Andscape earlier this month and said he has a “wholehearted plan” on how to use Westbrook next season. He said he thinks Westbrook will “flourish” with the Lakers.

Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field and 29.8 percent shooting from three-point range last season. The Lakers will look to bounce back this season after last year saw L.A. end with an underwhelming 33-49 record and fail to make the playoffs.

The post REPORT: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook Held Phone Call to Confirm Commitment to Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

One major factor in helping the Lakers undergo a massive turnaround next season will be what Ham intends to do with Russell Westbrook at point guard. The triple-double king is coming off an up and down season where he absorbed a lot of blame for the Lakers’ regular-season struggles and their tumble down the Western Conference standings.

Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field and a 29.8 percent shooting from three-point range.

Heading into this next season, Ham said he plans to deploy Westbrook as the starting point guard of the Lakers. Ham also told Marc J. Spears of Andscape a little bit about his plans to use Westbrook, remaining mum on specific details but said that criticism of Westrbook and counting him out at 33-years-old would be “premature”.

“Counted out prematurely. Counted out. Prematurely.” Ham said about the disapproval the 2017 MVP received last year. “I’ve had some great interactions with Russ, in person, over dinner, over the phone, over text messages. I love Russell Westbrook, man. Just his mentality, his approach. Just to see him, a guy of that magnitude and everything he’s done in the league to get hated on.”

But being me, I got a wholehearted plan, a clear plan on how I’m going to use him. I showed it to him, sat down, brought stuff up for him. I think he’s going to flourish. We ain’t going to try to curtail his energy. We’re just going to diversify it, redirect it.

“I got a wholehearted plan, a clear plan on how I’m going to use him. I showed it to him, sat down, brought stuff up for him. I think he’s going to flourish,” new #Lakers coach Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook. Ham also answers whether Russ will start. https://t.co/51ZOP7UtZ7 #nba

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 7, 2022

Ham also spoke about his thoughts about LeBron James and Anthony Davis, calling James “one of one” and a “rare commodity.” When AD came up, Ham called the 29-year-old forward the “biggest factor” and said he’s looking forward to The Brow “having a huge year this year.”

When it comes to championship expectations for next year, Ham says that he plans on building “winning habits” daily and will be “preaching daily preparation” to the Lakers daily. He also said that he will also be making sure to achieve a balance during the tough days of the regualr season. If they go on a three-game losing streak, Ham will take the team out and them “check out the African American museum” instead of conducting a “kick-ass practice”.

The details of the plans could all sound pretty good to the Lakers roster and their fans. Ham will have a different cache with the Lakers roster as a former player. As a first-time head coach of an older roster headline by James, Davis, and Westbrook, putting the ideas into reality will be a different story.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, Vice president Rob Pelinka, and James will have to put their faith in Ham to be the solution they need to regain relevancy.

The post Darvin Ham on Russell Westbrook’s Role Next Season: ‘I Got a Wholehearted Plan’ appeared first on SLAM.

Hip-hop references have permeated the pages of SLAM since our premier issue hit newsstands back in ’94, from cover lines, spine lines and story titles to Drake being the first rapper on the cover (SLAM 198). But Issue 214 was something different.

Back when old guys like me used to go to physical stores to buy music, album covers meant everything. We would flip through CD racks and search for the joints that weren’t just what the billboard charts told us were hot. Where the opportunity to listen before you buy was often scarce, a project would be judged by its artwork instead of its content. Records that consistently stood out more than the rest were usually the work of Shawn Brauch, founder and head designer of Pen & Pixel. His distinctive style characterized the style of hip-hop coming out of the south. The designs were bold and flamboyant and captured the themes being communicated through the music, namely: women, cars and bling.

When DeMarcus Cousins joined Anthony Davis in New Orleans in early 2018, something of that southern exuberance felt like it was being recaptured. The South had something to say and pulling Pen & Pixel out of retirement was the perfect way to express it. The cover of SLAM 214 stood out on newsstands (like they usually do!) in the same way Cash Money and No Limit Records did in the year 2000. It was the perfect way to celebrate this collaboration of premier big men.

As fate would have it, Cousins tore his Achilles the day after this cover came out and the duo never quite brought what the city was hoping for. Even so, this remains one of our most iconic covers. Kevin Durant even crowned it his favorite in a recent interview.

The Boogie and AD link-up may not have created historic basketball memories on the court, but it did produce what is arguably one of our greatest covers of all time. I’m still waiting on the mixtape…

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 214 Featuring Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins From March of 2018 appeared first on SLAM.

“I think it’s unfortunate, to be honest because I’ve never had an issue with any of my coaches before,” Westbrook said on Monday per ESPN. “I’m not sure what his issue was with me, or I’m not sure why, but I can’t really give you an answer to why we really never connected.”

Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on the season and struggled with his efficiency, shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 29.8 percent on 3.4 3-point attempts a game. The Lakers (33-49) finished 11th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs for the second time in the last four seasons despite a loaded roster led by Westbrook, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.

Do the Lakers owe Russell Westbrook an apology? pic.twitter.com/VoZFOprZ0Q

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) April 5, 2022

This disconnect between Vogel and Westbrook came to the forefront as Vogel was reportedly permitted to bench Westbrook in the fourth quarter of close games. The news came as the fourth-year coach of the Lakers was facing increased scrutiny and questions of job security as the Lakers dealt with piling injuries and a turnstile defense.

“When I first got here, the ability to be able to do what I’m able to do for a team and an organization wasn’t given a fair chance,” Westbrook said about his role.

Westbrook is eligible to sign a $47 million player option over the offseason. Although his intentions to resign aren’t clear, he admitted that his production didn’t meet his standards after averaging a triple-double in his lone season with the Washington Wizards. The main thing that will lead him to resign is how the Lakers will fill the void at head coach and figure out the play style that the new coach will implement.

RUSS SAID WE AIN’T DONE YET. (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/kOjVasfaDA

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 19, 2022

The post Russell Westbrook Says He ‘Wasn’t Given a Fair Chance’ In First Season With Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

The Lakers will reportedly relieve Frank Vogel of his head coaching duties on Monday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Frank Vogel has coached his final game for the Lakers, a decision that’s expected to be shared with him as soon as Monday, sources tell ESPN. Lakers’ search expected to be lengthy and expansive with no clear initial frontrunner.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 11, 2022

The happy feelings Vogel and the Lakers brought to LA after winning a championship in 2020 were quickly gone after the Lakers concluded a disappointing 33-49 season on Sunday with a 146-141 overtime win against the Nuggets. The Lakers were eliminated from the play-in tournament by the Suns last week,

According to Woj, the Lakers’ final decision is expected to be shared with Vogel as soon as Monday. During his postgame presser on Sunday, Vogel said he wasn’t told about his future with the Lakers.

“I haven’t been told s—, and I’m going to enjoy tonight’s game, celebrate what these young guys did in terms of scratching and clawing and getting back in this game and getting a W, and we’ll deal with tomorrow, tomorrow,” Vogel said, per ESPN.

Most of the Lakers’ struggles can be attributed to porous defense, injuries, and the lack of continuity that comes with all the Lakers’ injuries throughout the season. Because of that lack of continuity, the Lakeshow finished the season in the bottom 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Their Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook only played 21 games together, going 11-10 in those games.

Thank you, Coach. pic.twitter.com/8eb4Ia9ZqI

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 11, 2022

Additionally, the Lakers were the only team not to have a single five-person lineup play 100 minutes together, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. Vogel built the Lakers into a defensive juggernaut through his first two seasons in LA, guiding the team to the best and third-best defensive rating in the 2020-2021 and 2019-2020 seasons, respectively.

Los Angeles lost 18 of 24 games following the All-Star break, worse than only the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and Indiana Pacers.

The post Lakers Announce Dismissal of Frank Vogel as Coach appeared first on SLAM.

The 121-110 loss was the Lakers’ seventh straight, with four of the last five coming without injured LeBron James on the court while he recovers from an ankle injury. James will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in his career, missing the postseason in 2004, 2005, and 2019.

The 2021-2022 campaign has been a debacle, from various injuries to key pieces like James or Anthony Davis, the front office adding Russell Westbrook over DeMar DeRozan or Buddy Hield, allowing key pieces to leave or not working the trade deadline, to the scrutinization of Frank Vogel’s job security. The season just plain hasn’t gone the way the Lakers and their fans thought it would, with many expecting the Lakers to contend for their 18th title.

“Extremely disappointed,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said per The Athletic. “Disappointed for our fan base. Disappointed for the Buss family, who gave us all this opportunity, and we want to play our part in bringing success to Laker basketball, and we fell short. We were eliminated tonight, and I can say it’s not been due to a lack of effort. We have all put in the work. Our guys stayed fighting right until the end.

“In terms of being eliminated, we brought integrity to the process. We just fell short through a disjointed season. So, we’re all disappointed.”

The trio of James, David, and Westbrook only played 21 games together this year, and the Lakers went 11-10 with their Big 3 playing together. Westbrook has been the most available out of the three, playing 78 games and averaging 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 44.4 percent shooting from the field.

This season the criticism has been higher than ever for Mr. Triple-Double. He’s been benched during the closing minutes of close games, criticized for his poor shooting and defense, and has felt concerned for the physical well-being of his loved ones after fans harassed his family. Westbrook has a $47 million player option that he can sign this summer, and he’s been publicly optimistic about running it back with Bron and AD.

“Yeah,” Westbrook said. “I mean, that’s the plan. But nothing is promised. You kinda gotta take one day at a time, each day. And like I’ve said all season long, you gotta play the cards you’re dealt. Yes, we want to be able to see what that looks like, what that entails over the course of an 82-game season. But we’re not sure if that’s guaranteed, neither. So I just hope that we have a chance to be able to do something.”

The Lakers have three games remaining on their schedule, ending the regular season against the Nuggets.

The post Russell Westbrook On Returning to the Lakers: ‘That’s the Plan. But Nothing is Promised’ appeared first on SLAM.

Davis has played 39 games this season, missing more than a month of playing time due to a knee injury he suffered against the Timberwolves. He returned for 10 games before injuring his foot and missing another month and a half after injuring his foot against the Jazz.

The Kentucky product played 36 games during the 2020-2021 season after a short offseason following the Lakers’ 2020 title in the Orlando Bubble. AD reinjured his knee during the first round of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns.

“This is what I’ve learned about injuries: Last year, when I wasn’t playing, people were saying ‘AD’s giving up on his team. It’s the playoffs. AD has to play. He’s got to play.’ And when I went out there to play, got hurt again, they said, ‘Who was his trainer? Who let him play?’ Davis said per the LA Times.

“So, what the [expletive] do you want me to do? When I play, it’s a problem. It’s a problem when I don’t play. At the end of the day, I’ve got to do what’s best for me and how my body feels. And we go from there. I’m not worried about who’s saying what or who thinks this about me because none of them have stepped on the floor and played. And the ones that did play, they should understand.

“These aren’t little ticky-tack injuries.”

The Brow has gotten the injury-prone label placed on him before arriving in LA. The past two seasons have added more proof to the viewpoint. However, the injuries were possibly more freak accidents. He stepped on the foot of Rudy Gobert while LeBron James accidentally knocked Jaden McDaniel into Davis’ leg.

With just four games left in the regular season, the Lakers (31-47) are two games behind the Spurs for the final spot in the play-in tournament. Davis has averaged 23.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game when he’s been healthy.

The post Anthony Davis on Injury Criticism: ‘These Aren’t Little Ticky-Tack Injuries’ appeared first on SLAM.

In fact, Los Angeles has the eighth-worst record in the NBA at this point. 

If the Lakers are going to make the play-in, they’ll need to climb one spot in the standings and earn the tenth seen. The team currently in that slot is the San Antonio Spurs. 

On Sunday night, the Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets while the Spurs beat the Portland Trail Blazers. This just created even more of an uphill battle for Los Angeles in its pursuit of the postseason. 

With just four games left in the 2021-22 season for the Lakers, they’re a full two games behind San Antonio for that final play-in spot. Not only will they have to get close to winning out, but they’ll also need the Spurs to lose quite a few of their final games. 

At this point, the Lakers no longer fully control their own fate. In a season filled with injuries, it may all be for nothing. Additionally, the Lakers don’t even own their first-round pick in the upcoming draft which is projected to be in the top ten. 

The post Lakers Lose Again, Lowering Chances Of Making Play-In Tournament appeared first on SLAM.

As Anthony Davis — out since Feb. 16 with a foot sprain — progresses toward a game-time decision vs. New Orleans on Friday, LeBron James is hopeful to test out his ankle sprain and try to make a return to the lineup too, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 31, 2022

The same news goes for LeBron James, who Woj says is hopeful he can test where his ankle is and make his return on Friday too. Neither AD nor Bron will play when the Lakers face the Jazz on Thursday. The return of their All-Star duo couldn’t come at a better time with the Lakeshow looking to move up in the play-in tournament. They are currently a half-game behind the Spurs and 1.5 games behind the Pelicans for the ninth seed.

The Lakers (31-44) are 10th in the Western Conference as of Thursday and have the third-toughest remaining schedule over their final seven games. Their upcoming opponents combine for a .563 winning percentage.

The post REPORT: Anthony Davis Close to Becoming a Game-Time Decision appeared first on SLAM.

Bron has a left ankle sprain that he sustained Sunday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, while Davis has been out since suffering a right mid-foot sprain on February 16 against the Utah Jazz. However, things seem to be trending upwards for the former Kentucky Wildcat, as he participated in his first full live practice since the Jazz game.

“We’re at a point now where it’s really about how he responds to that and the level of soreness he has coming out of his first live work,” Coach Frank Vogel said, elaborating on Davis’ condition to ESPN.

This year, the Lakers have struggled when their superstar duo isn’t on the court. They hold an 0-3 record when both don’t suit up and have below .500 records when one of the two isn’t playing: 6-13 without James and 14-23 without Davis.

“It’s been that type of year,” Vogel said. “It’s one of those things that’s out of our control. It’s unfortunate. But we have to lock in, and again like we’ve done all season, we have to shift our identity on the floor with regards to who’s in and who’s out.”

The Lakers will play in Dallas on Tuesday at 7:30 PM EST.

The post LeBron James and Anthony Davis Listed as Doubtful For Tonight’s Game appeared first on SLAM.

“It’s been challenging for us this year defensively… we’ve had a lot of breakdowns, we’ve lost a lot of games because our defense has broken down, but it’s also been our offense at times.”

The Lakers rank 26th in points allowed per game (112.7), 27th in points allowed in the paint per game (50.3), and 27th in points allowed off turnovers (17.0).

A lot of that has to do with the absence of Anthony Davis, who’s out for a month due to a mid-foot sprain.

A clear picture is painted using FiveThirtyEight’s defensive Raptor metric that tightly measures player ratings. Of players who’ve played 505 or more minutes thus far (equal to at least eight minutes per game), Davis is one of only two players on the Lakers roster who has a score above a +1.0 defensive rating: +2.4. Austin Reaves (+2.1) is the other, while James is the only other player in the positive, at +0.4.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel remains adamant that his team will continue to try and fight through the struggles.

“No stone unturned in terms of trying to find solutions to get this right,” Vogel said per ESPN. “But it hasn’t taken shape. There’s no quit in us. We will continue to persist. We’re trying to adjust and shift and find ways to win with Anthony out. We haven’t found that yet. But it’s not something that we can’t do. We just haven’t found it yet.”

Saturday night, the Lakers (27-35) host the struggling Golden State Warriors (43-20).

The post LeBron James on the Lakers’ Defensive Woes: ‘It’s Been Challenging’ appeared first on SLAM.

Anthony Davis has a mid-foot sprain and will be evaluated again in four weeks, team says.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 18, 2022

This latest injury for the Brow continues a trend of leg injuries that’s started to plague him since last year. After leading the Lakers to a championship in 2020, Davis has played just 73 games out of a possible 130 due to various injuries. AD has averaged 24.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks, playing 35.1 minutes per game since joining the Lakers.

The saving grace for the Lakers is that Davis will be missing at least one week while everyone is resting during the All-Star break. From there, the Lakers will be missing Davis for 11 of their next 24 games. There’s still hope around the franchise that having a healthy team will help turn the franchise around, and they’ll play to the championship standard they set in the preseason.

For now, the Lakeshow will look to LeBron James to keep them afloat while Davis recovers. The Washed King scored 33 points, eight boards, six dimes, and two steals in 40 minutes in a 106-101 dub over the Jazz, scoring 15 in the fourth quarter after Davis went down.

When the Lakers return from the break, they will play the Clippers.

The post Anthony Davis Out For A Month With Foot Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN, the Lakers are facing an uneasy admission that’s building up around the locker room: “The roster is not working, and something must be done to get the team back on course.”

The whooping the Lakers took only proved the mounting suspicion the Lakers realize maybe the truth. Milwaukee built a lead as large as 30 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a dominant 44 point, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and two blocks night. Even four-time MVP LeBron James had to admit there’s a massive gap between the Lakers and the Bucks.

“It tells me we ain’t on their level,” LeBron James said. “I mean, I could have told you that before the game.”

“Obviously, you always kind of use games to see where you are at that moment, but we know where we are at this moment: sitting at a couple, few games under .500,” he said. “Haven’t played the basketball that we’d like to play.”

When the Lakers did wake up and start playing up to their championship standard, it came in the fourth quarter with James and Anthony Davis leading the way after Coach Frank Vogel sitting former MVP Russell Westbrook on the bench for the third time this season. During that stint, LA outscored Milwaukee, 37-28, cutting the lead to 10 after Malik Monk threw down a dunk midway through the final frame.

The Lakers comeback bid ultimately fell short, however, falling to the Bucks 131-116. In the closing seconds, Westbrook could be seen trying to brighten up the mood of his superstar teammates with pats on the head and shoulders of James and Davis.

“Listen, I want to help AD, I want to help Russ. AD wants to help me, help Russ, and Russ wants to help us,” James said about the exchange. “Obviously, lately, Russ hasn’t felt like he had an opportunity, or with the opportunities, he’s been given, he hasn’t helped us as much as he would like. We haven’t done a great job of helping him.”

Following the game, Westbrook, who accepted his previous benching, did not take too kindly to not being on the floor as the Lakers attempted to close in on upsetting the Bucks on Tuesday. When asked what he has to do for Vogel to play him late in the fourth quarter, Westbrook had this to say:

“I shouldn’t have to hit any benchmark, to be honest,” Westbrook said. “I’ve put a lot of work, and I’ve got a lot of respect in this game. I don’t got to hit a benchmark, or I shouldn’t have to. I’ve earned a right to be in closing lineups.”

According to Westbrook, some of the Lakers’ woes could be solved by “creating some consistency within our team, which we don’t have at the moment.” That remark might ring true once you realize Vogel put out a 27th different starting lineup in their 55th game of the season and that Westbrook, James, and Davis have all played together a grand total of 18 times this season.

With the trade deadline quickly approaching, the Lakers have only made Talen Horton-Tucker available to trade. They also decided they didn’t want to move Westbrook or make a midseason coaching change. It remains unclear if the Lakers have any assets that opposing franchises would like to acquire after trading away so much of their youth through the years.

The Lakers will look to get back into the winning column on Wednesday against the Trail Blazers (21-34).

The post Lakers Left Searching For Answers After Loss to the Bucks appeared first on SLAM.

After it was announced that Davis wouldn’t have a concrete minutes restriction, he ended up playing 25 minutes, finishing with 8 points, two rebounds, two assists, and four blocks.

After the game, AD shared how he felt on the floor after missing over a month (spanning 17 games) with his injured left knee via ESPN.

“For the most part, I felt fine, felt great out there, and the first couple minutes the adrenaline took, and after that, the wind caught up to me,” Davis said. “When I caught my second wind, I was fine for the rest of the game.”

“I don’t know about the whole minute restriction thing; I think for me that might come off,” Davis said. “Might tell coach Vogel I don’t need that, but we’ll see.”

First play of the game. Great to have you back, @AntDavis23 pic.twitter.com/dljoittWhw

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 26, 2022

Davis’ superstar teammate LeBron James discussed the importance of his return as a boost for an underachieving team sitting seventh in the Western Conference at 24-24.

“He just makes our team so much more complete, our length defensively, our ability to really get up in people’s faces because we know we got him at the rim, or our ability to switch a lot of things because he can literally guard 1-through-5,” James said. “Offensively, it just attracts another set of eyes off of myself, off of Russell Westbrook, off of Carmelo Anthony, off of Malik Monk. Off everybody, because he’s such a dynamic player.”

The Los Angeles Lakers are 7-10 without The Brow. They face the Philadelphia 76ers (28-10) Thursday night.

The post Anthony Davis, Lakers On His Return Against the Nets appeared first on SLAM.

An MRI revealed a MCL sprain for Anthony Davis, the Lakers announced. He will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks, the team says.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 18, 2021

AD tried to leave the court under his power to get back to the Lakers locker room but was seen falling to the ground on his way through the tunnel before getting there.

Anthony Davis struggled to get to the locker room after an apparent knee injury in the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/MOBSzzrYYJ

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 18, 2021

Until this point, Davis had played in 27 of the Lakers’ first 30 games, becoming one of the team’s more durable players. He only played in 36 games last season due to injury after playing 62 games in the championship season with the Lakers.

Davis has averaged 23.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game this season.

This injury is just one of the many injury and illness issues this season for the Lakers. Numerous Lakers players are currently in the league’s health and safety protocols.

The Los Angeles Lakers currently have a record of 16-14 going into their matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Before the game, Davis spoke to reporters about how he was feeling after the diagnosis.

Anthony Davis, speaking to reporters for the first time since his knee injury in MIN: “I mean, mentally, I’m fine. I’m in good spirits, just being around the team. Obviously avoided a major injury, which has kind of got my spirits back up because I just didn’t know.”

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 20, 2021

The Lakers play against the Phoenix Suns at home on Tuesday.

The post Lakers’ Anthony Davis Out Four Weeks With MCL Sprain In His Left Knee appeared first on SLAM.

Anthony Davis said after the game that the Los Angeles Lakers need to play like they’re the “underdogs.”

“These guys already feel like they’re the underdogs when they’re coming in, especially when they’re without their star players,” Davis said via ESPN. “And we got to play like we’re the underdogs. Which, now, at this point of the season, the way we’re playing, a lot of games, we probably are.”

The narrative surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers for much of the season is problems with injuries hurting the consistency of the lineup. However, Davis goes on to point out that with teams currently missing their “star players,” the Lakers have to step it up.

The team lost to a Los Angeles Clippers team without Kawhi Leonard, a Sacramento Kings team without two starters and have blown two leads against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I think when their star players are out, we have to lock in even more because these guys have no conscience,” Davis continued. “They want to come in and beat the Lakers, beat LeBron, beat A.D., beat whoever, beat Melo. Like, they want to say, ‘I gave the Lakers 30, 25, whatever.'”

The Lakers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.

The post Anthony Davis: Lakers Need to Play Like ‘Underdogs’ appeared first on SLAM.

Davis told reporters, including Kurt Helin from NBC Sports, that he wouldn’t be stopping any time soon despite a sluggish start to the year shooting the ball from deep.

“I’m going to continue to shoot the ball from 3, whether it goes in or not,” Davis said. “I think that opens up the floor for my teammates — LeBron [James], Russ [Westbrook], Talo [Talen Horton-Tucker] — to get downhill. And it opens it up for me to get to the paint when guys run out and are closing out to the three.”

Davis’ shooting numbers are admittedly a brutal sight. Through 21 games, Davis is shooting a woeful 19.6 percent from three on 2.1 attempts per game this season.

The Brows’ shooting struggles are a continuation of a slightly concerning trend for Davis. For the past three consecutive seasons, not including the current season, Davis has finished the year with a worse three-point percentage than he did the year before. In the 2017-18 season, Davis finished shooting 34.0 percent from distance; he lowered that number every season since before dropping to 26 percent by the end of last season.

If he finishes the current season below 20 percent from beyond the arc, it’ll be the fourth season in a row he ends with a lower mark than the year prior.

Despite a poor season from the three-point line, Davis is still putting up All-Star level scoring numbers averaging 24.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the field this year.

The Lakers have not had the hot start they would have wanted either, currently sitting eighth in the Western Conference with a record of 12-11.

The post Anthony Davis Speaks on Slow Shooting Start to Season appeared first on SLAM.

The incident happened at the 9:18 mark in the third quarter.

James and Stewart did not make any comments about the incident after the game, but Lakers power forward Anthony Davis shared his feelings on the incident and how his team came together to support James.

“Everyone in the league knows LeBron’s not a dirty guy,” Davis said via ESPN. “In fact, when he knew he hit him, as soon as he did it, he looked back at him like, ‘Oh, my bad. I didn’t try to do it.'”

“I don’t know what he was trying to do,” he said of Stewart. “But I know nobody on our team, 1 through 15, was having it. We’re going to protect our brother. I’ve never, in 10 years, seen a player try to do that as long as I’ve been playing. … It’s uncalled for. You got a cut above your eye, accidental-like, it wasn’t on purpose. And we weren’t going to allow him to keep charging our brother like that. I don’t know what he was trying to do, but we wasn’t going to allow that.”

AD on the LeBron/Stewart incident: “I don’t know what he was trying to do but I know nobody on our team, 1-15, was having it. We going to protect our brother.” pic.twitter.com/1Edc8XImPe

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) November 22, 2021

This is the second ejection of James’ 19-year career with the other one happening on Nov. 28, 2017 when the Cavaliers took on the Miami Heat. If he is suspended, he could miss the team’s only scheduled matchup at Madison Square Garden this season.

LeBron James had 10 points in 21 minutes before his ejection.

The post ‘We’re Going to Protect Our Brother’: Anthony Davis on LeBron James-Isaiah Stewart Incident appeared first on SLAM.

What’s been most worrisome is the fact that the Lakers have lost quite a few games to teams that are near the bottom of the NBA standings.

Following a recent loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers big Anthony Davis spoke to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and other reporters about their early season struggles.

“We got to decide who we want to be. A championship team? That’s not us right now,” Davis said. “We’re not winning a championship the way we’re playing. We got to be better, and we got to care more for our wins at home. Wins in general. That was embarrassing.”

While there is still plenty of time to turn things around this season, Davis says the Lakers aren’t playing like a championship team. 

In their defense, they’ve been without key players in several games, including LeBron James who has only played in six games this season.

Don’t be surprised if the Lakers end up near the top of the standings at the end of the regular season. They’ve got the talent to be great, but haven’t fully meshed this season.

The post Anthony Davis Admits Lakers Aren’t Currently A Championship Contender appeared first on SLAM.

James originally orchestrated a minicamp prior to the Lakers scheduled training camp hosted before the 2019-20 season; serving as a short period of integration to the roster for then recently acquired Anthony Davis. The four-time champion is looking to mirror that success following the offseason acquisitions of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and a myriad of other familiar veterans.

Although training camp is approaching, this gives the team a weekend to iron out the kinks and to expand upon their chemistry away from the Lakers facility

LeBron James organizing Lakers team minicamp in Las Vegas ahead of training camp – a similar chemistry-building function to the one hosted before the 2020 title season. Details: pic.twitter.com/Z9c4JnSW1E

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 22, 2021

Along with the aforementioned Westbrook and Anthony, the Lakers can project significant roles for new arrivals such as Wayne Ellington, Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk and Trevor Ariza next season. Subsequently, at least half of the Lakers’ revamped rotation will be playing for the Lakers—and as a teammate of superstars LeBron, Russ or AD—for the first time in their careers.

The Lakers official training camp will open on Sep. 28 with preseason tipping off on Oct. 3.

The post LeBron James to Host 3-Day Minicamp for Lakers in Las Vegas appeared first on SLAM.

@JakeLFischer to @hmfaigen in the Halftime app: Rich Paul was telling other agents at the Chicago combine that LeBron and AD were sliding to the 4 and 5

— Lakers Supply (@LakersSupply) September 15, 2021

The Lakers still need more shooting options when Westbrook, LeBron and AD share the floor together. The early offseason theory with this roster, is to slide James and Davis to the frontcourt to create room for a potential shooter to play the wing spot. Carmelo Anthony and Trevor Ariza are immediate options at the wing position allowing the Lakers the flexibility to play big or small depending on matchups.

If LeBron and AD stick to the plan, it could allow Westbrook to be the playmaker and make the Lakers’ transition game even more dominant than their championship year.

Even with reports that Davis will play more minutes at center, it’s still uncertain if it will be as a starter or for how long. Either way, Lakers head coach, Frank Vogel will have plenty of flexibility throughout the roster.

The post Rich Paul Reportedly Reveals LeBron James and Anthony Davis May Change Positions appeared first on SLAM.

Making moves to reposition themselves as title favorite in the Western Conference, the Hollywood franchise pulled off a blockbuster trade for All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, and signing a cornucopia of quality veterans like Wayne Ellington, Malik Monk, Rajon Rondo, Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan.

Yet, although the Lakers are considered by many to be a title contender, there are still some doubters throughout the league that have questioned if a team with one of the oldest rosters in the league can win a championship.

Frank Vogel, head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, addressed these doubters in a interview with Nick Hamilton of Mitecast Media.

“I’m excited that teams are counting us out or betting against us.” Vogel tells Hamilton. “Our team is highly motivated and we suffered by not having an offseason or the proper build up to training camp. Obviously it resulted in a lot of injuries and I’m excited to see what this group do with a full training camp.”

The Lakers were bounced in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Suns.

However, both of the Lakers’ All-Stars (LeBron James and Anthony Davis) battled through injuries throughout the 2020-21 season. Davis would even sustain a groin injury in Game 6, while LeBron never fully recovered from a high ankle sprain he suffered in the regular season.

Now healthy, and joined by a high-profile surrounding cast, the superstar duo will look to lead these new-look Lakers to another NBA championship.

The post Lakers HC Frank Vogel: ‘I’m Excited That Teams Are Counting Us Out’ appeared first on SLAM.

According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, Davis was frustrated with former Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder throughout last season. Schroder signed with the Boston Celtics during the offseason.

Per an NBA source familiar with some of the Lakers’ struggles through the 2020-21 campaign, Davis felt some frustration that he wasn’t getting the kind of looks in the post with Dennis Schroder running the point compared to those he received with Rondo a year earlier.

While Davis may have been frustrated with Schroder, he did have a decent season with the Lakers last year. In 61 games, Schroder averaged 15.4 points and 5.8 assists per game. Notably, Schroder’s 5.8 assists per game were the second-highest average on the team behind only LeBron James.

However, the Lakers did have a down season with Schroder on the roster, finishing only seventh in the Western Conference and getting bounced from the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Phoenix Suns.

The post REPORT: Anthony Davis ‘Felt Frustration’ With Dennis Schroder Last Season appeared first on SLAM.

After winning the championship, Antetokounmpo has been getting well-deserved praise, especially from Bucks legend Oscar Robertson. One of the most difficult players to defend in the entire NBA, Robertson said that only Anthony Davis has the ability to shut Antetokounmpo down.

“The only person I think has the size to have a decent chance at guarding Giannis is A.D. from the Lakers. No one else,” said Robertson on SiriusXM.

Antetokounmpo averaged 35.2 points and 13.2 points per game in the Finals, while shooting 61.8 percent from the floor. This was capped off by a historic 50-point performance in Game 6 when the Bucks won the series.

The post Oscar Robertson Says Anthony Davis Is The Only Player Capable of Shutting Down Giannis appeared first on SLAM.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, LeBron James will switch his jersey number from No. 23 to No. 6 for the second time in his career.

Per Charania, James’ decision to change his jersey number next season is related to the release of “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” in which James donned the No. 6 jersey that he wore during his days with the Miami Heat and in international (FIBA) competition.

LeBron James has a chance to become the first player in NBA history with 4 retired jerseys.

The current record is 3 by Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich. pic.twitter.com/j1E96sjTup

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 9, 2021

This is not the first time Bron has changed his jersey number; after rocking the No. 23 jersey for the first seven seasons of his career—his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers—before changing his jersey number to 6 upon joining the Heat.

King James originally chose to wear No. 23 to honor Michael Jordan and, in an interview in 2009, said that his rationale for changing to 6 was to preserve and honor Jordan’s legacy.

Asked why he wears No. 23, LeBron said, “For the great Michael Jordan that’s here in Charlotte.” pic.twitter.com/LNJevhg5FU

— The Crossover (@TheCrossover) February 16, 2019

“I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition and I’ve got everyone in the NBA to sign it.” James said. “Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”

Obviously, James reversed course upon returning to Cleveland after his tenure with the Heat and, since the 2014-15 season, has donned his familiar No. 23 jersey.

However, in 2019, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that LeBron was willing to give teammate Anthony Davis the No. 23 jersey (Davis wore No. 23 in college, and during his seven years with the New Orleans Pelicans). Due to potential production issues and a massive financial burden for Nike, the swap was put on hold. 

Now, there are no obstacles stopping James from switching numbers; the Chosen One will be wearing No. 6 in the purple and gold next season.

The post LeBron James to Switch from No. 23 to No. 6 Jersey in 2021-22 Season appeared first on SLAM.

After falling to the Phoenix Suns (100-92) on Sunday night, leaving the series tied at 2-2, the Lakers announced that Anthony Davis is questionable to play in Game 5 on Tuesday. 

Davis sustained a groin injury in the final minute of the second quarter of Sunday’s game. His exit was the clear turning point in the contest; in the second half, the Lakers only mustered 42 points and fell behind by as much as 18 in the fourth quarter. 

Davis’ season has been plagued with injuries, with the Lakers star missing over 30 games in the shortened season due to a calf strain and Achilles tendonitis he sustained against the Nuggets in February.

Davis’ impact on the Lakers’ chances of winning cannot be understated: They were 23-13 with the big man in the starting lineup, and 19-17 without him.

According to ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski, those in the know believe Davis’s chances of playing in Game 5 are not high.

“I’m not hearing great optimism about the possibility of Anthony Davis playing in Game 5,” Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter. “He has not been ruled out — he’s going to see how he feels [Monday] into [Tuesday], but this is an injury that might take you at least a week to fully recover from.”

The Lakers and Suns game begins at 10:00 pm EST. Davis’ availability will likely be the deciding factor as to which team takes a commanding lead in the series.

The post Anthony Davis’ Status Uncertain for Game 5 Against Suns appeared first on SLAM.

After what he described as a “terrible” performance in their Game 1 loss to the Suns, Davis hauled the Lakers to a Game 2 win with 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Taking full accountability for his shortcomings in Game 1, the eight-time All-Star clearly used them to fuel his fire in the next contest.

“There’s no way we’re winning a game, let alone a series, with me playing the way that I played. So, I mean, this one is on me. I take full responsibility for sure,” Davis said after Game 1 on Sunday.

The Lakers center was far from himself in their Game 1 loss, posting just 13 points while shooting 5-16 (31.3 percent) from the field.

Game 1 saw Davis take just five throws. His aggression on the court skyrocketed in Game 2, getting to the line 21 times; his most free-throw attempts since a 40-point, 20-rebound performance in Oct. 2019.

The Purple and Gold hope Davis can continue flipping the script for their team when they play Game 3 at the Staples Center on Thursday, with a chance to take a 2-1 lead over a formidable Phoenix squad.

The post Anthony Davis ‘Wanted to Make a Statement’ in Game 2 Win appeared first on SLAM.

With their loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, the Lakers fell to 7th seed in the Western Conference, which would likely place them in the play-in tournament. However, head coach Frank Vogel says that the team ‘can’t worry’ too much about the standings.

“For me, I’m unafraid of the play-in tournament with this team,” Vogel says, per SB Nation. “But we definitely want to finish in the top-six. There’s just too many things that can happen in a one-game series: foul trouble, a rolled ankle, anything like that could pop up. We definitely want to finish in the top-six, it’s high priority for us, but at the same time, I’m confident in our group.”

“We’re just going to compete and win as many games as we can, and wherever we land, we’re confident,” he adds. “Obviously, we want to finish in the top-six. We still have five games to make up some ground if that’s possible and we’ll continue to try and win as many games as we can.”

Forward Anthony Davis is also confident that, when healthy, the Lakers’ can prevail:

“When we’re 100% healthy, we’re one of – no, we are the top team in the league,” Davis says, per The Guardian. “Obviously, we don’t want to go that route,” Davis said of the play-in. “But if it happens, it happens.”

Two former Lakers guards, Isaiah Thomas and Quinn Cook also weighed in and expressed wanting to support their former team:

Man I feel you!! You ain’t the only one big bro!

— Quinn Cook (@QCook323) May 8, 2021

Killa!!! You know what it is, you’ve proven that year after year . Stay ready. We back on real soon

— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) May 8, 2021

The Los Angeles Lakers have five games left in the season including two playoff opponents in the Phoenix Suns and the New York Knicks. They must finish with a better record than Portland and Dallas to avoid the play-in tournament.

The 2021 NBA Play-In tournament starts on May 18th.

The post Frank Vogel Says He’s Confident in Lakers, ‘Unafraid’ of Play-in Tournament appeared first on SLAM.

Davis played in limited minutes against the Clippers, scoring only four points and two rebounds before backpedaling into a video board following a 3-point shot attempt, injuring his ankle in the process. The eight-time All-Star then left the game with less than three minutes remaining in the first quarter, finally revealing a nagging back injury.

The Lakers went on to lose against the Clippers, with a final score of 94-118.

The 6’10 forward-center is having a substandard season thus far, given his usual output. Averaging 20.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists while playing only 31 games, Davis playing up to his potential late in the season could make or break Lakers’ championship hopes.

However, Davis’s game against the Denver Nuggets earlier this showed why he is a four-time All-NBA player, putting up 25 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, while shooting an efficient .474 from the field and getting to the line seven times.

The Lakers, currently sitting sixth spot in the Western Conference standings, will need to come up with a good enough strategy to survive from this point on if they plan on making it far in the playoffs.

With Davis facing game-changing injuries, the Lakers will need to develop a stronger inside game, both on the defensive and offensive end. Although they have Andre Drummond to fill that spot, his averages of 12 points and 9.3 rebounds (as a member of the Lakers) highlights how dynamic a scorer Davis is compared to the rest of their big men.

The post Ailing Anthony Davis Expected to Suit Up in ‘Must-Win’ Game Vs. Blazers appeared first on SLAM.

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, Lakers Head Coach Frank Vogel recently shed light on the status of his two superstars. For starters, it sounds like Davis is extremely close to returning to action, although he will be slowly integrated back into the lineup based on Vogel’s comments.

“The biggest thing is conditioning right now. He [Davis] is healthy. But having not played and not really being able to ramp up his physical on-court activity over the last two months, it’s going to take some time before he gets his wind under him and obviously, that’s the biggest thing,”

McMenamin also reported that James is still “weeks away” from returning to the court, meaning Davis will get a chance to lead the team in the meantime.

Although they have struggled recently without their stars, the Los Angeles Lakrers should be fresh and healthy for the playoffs now. At this point, it’s just a matter of their seeding when the regular season comes to a close. Nonetheless, there’s no question the Lakers will be one of the most dangerous playoffs teams regardless of their seed.

They currently sit at 35-23, good for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

The post Anthony Davis Close To Return, LeBron James Still ‘Weeks Away’ appeared first on SLAM.

Anthony Davis was finally cleared for participation in on-court activities which is one step closer to finalizing his return to game action. Davis sat out the Laker’s loss to Boston and, according to Vogel, it is “unlikely” that he’ll suit up in the two-game back-to-back series against the Utah Jazz.

Frank Vogel discusses all the #Lakers injury updates ahead of tonight’s game including Anthony Davis being cleared for “full on-court activity” with @LakersReporter. pic.twitter.com/ZxX3sCr5TC

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 16, 2021

Vogel also made it clear that Davis’ minutes will be restricted to 15 minutes despite the injury problems throughout the roster. The workload will be closely monitored before playing the 30 minutes AD was used to prior to being sidelined with Achilles tendinosis on Feb. 14 against the Denver Nuggets.

“Whenever it is that he returns, it’s not going to be a full return to playing 30-something minutes a night,” Vogel said. “Especially with the nature of practice and how shorthanded we are, he’s going to have to use some games to try to get himself back in shape. So the first two games he’s back will likely be short-minute performances.”

Including the 121-113 loss to the Celtics on Thursday, the Lakers now have a record of 13-15 in the 28 games Davis missed. Since that time, the Lakers have fallen from the second seed to fifth in the Western Conference playoff standings.

Before the injury, the Lakers’ superstar was averaging 22.5 points on 53.0 percent shooting, 8.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 blocks, and 1.3 steals in 32.8 minutes.

The post Lakers Clear Anthony Davis For On-Court Workouts, Return to be Decided appeared first on SLAM.

While facing a surging Atlanta Hawks squad over the weekend, the four-time NBA MVP went down with a gruesome-looking ankle injury and was clearly in a lot of pain before exiting the game.

Shortly after, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the x-rays were negative on James’ right ankle but MRIs revealed that he suffered a high-ankle sprain that will keep him out indefinitely.

One of the favorites to win the 2021 NBA MVP Award, his missing time is tough for his teammates and Lakers fans but it appears as if Saturday night’s events bothers nobody more than James himself.

Following the game, James addressed his fans and the NBA world on Twitter, letting everybody know he’s “nothing angers and saddens [him] more than not being able to [play] and for [his] teammates… hurt inside and out right now.”

In 41 games this season, James has averaged 25.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game while shooting .513 percent from the field and .368 percent from 3-point range.

The post Lakers Star LeBron James Out Indefinitely with High-Ankle Sprain appeared first on SLAM.

Everyone — from fans, to teammates, to the face of the league himself —  would chime in on the perceived All-Star snub, with LeBron James going as far as to call Booker “the most disrespected player in [the] league.”

Perhaps the basketball gods heard the cries.

Per The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Booker has replaced Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis on the Western Conference All-Star team.

Davis, who is nursing an Achilles injury, could be physically ready to play in the All-Star Game but may see the game as an unnecessary risk to his health. He’s averaged 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game this season.

Booker has averaged 24.7 points and 4.3 assists per game this season, while shooting .501 percent from the field and .381 percent from 3-point range.

The post Devin Booker to Replace Anthony Davis in 2021 NBA All-Star Game appeared first on SLAM.

These 14 reserves will join the starters (10 in total) that were named last week — a list headlined by team captains LeBron James and Kevin Durant (of the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, respectively).

Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul leads the way in All-Star appearances among this group, playing in his 11^th All-Star Game this year. Paul is only one of three players in this year’s event with at least 10 All-Star appearances, the other two being LeBron and Durant.

Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden has the next highest mark among the reserves. The Beard is playing his ninth All-Star game but his first representing the Eastern Conference thanks his well-publicized trade from the Houston Rockets.

Harden is one of three Nets in the All-Star Game alongside starters Durant and Irving.

Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis is an All-Star for not just the eighth time in his career but the eighth time in a row. Davis has been an All-Star every season of his career, with the only exception being his rookie season in 2012-13.

Another veteran of the All-Star Game, Los Angeles Clippers wing Paul George, makes his return to the All-Star Game for the seventh time after missing last year’s festivities.

Right behind him, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard finds himself in his sixth All-Star Game.

Dame Dolla has the highest scoring average of the All-Star reserves, averaging 29.6 points per game, the fourth-highest number in the league. Lillard will also participate in the All-Star 3-Point Contest.

On the flip side, Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons is averaging just 15.7 points per game but is making his third All-Star Game because of his excellent playmaking – 7.9 assists per game – and defense for the Sixers.

Nikola Vucevic, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum will all be making their second appearances.

Four players from the reserves will be playing in their first-ever All-Star Games. Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, Jaylen Brown and Zion Williamson will make their first All-Star appearances.

The post NBA Announces 2021 All-Star Game Reserves appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award along with his MVP honors. While he certainly will be considered to win it for a second-straight season, he’s got plenty of competition. For four straight seasons, a forward or center has won the award, and it looks like that trend will likely continue.

While we’re only a third of the way through the 2020-21 season, we broke down our top five Defensive Player of the Year candidates.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)

1.3 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 106.7 DRTG

While he doesn’t have the same numbers as some of the other players that will likely get consideration for this award, Antetokounmpo is the most versatile of any and is able to guard as many positions as anyone else in the NBA. Looking to win in back-to-back seasons, he will have several other bigs to prove himself against.

The Bucks haven’t been as good defensively as they have in past seasons, but Antetokounmpo should be able to do something about that as the season progresses. If the Bucks end up having one of the league’s top defenses, he will have a great chance to win this award yet again.

Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)

1.8 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 106.2 DRTG

Davis just missed the cut when it came to winning the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. He finished second when it came to voting, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo.

This season, things are different, as Davis has led the Lakers to the top defense in all of basketball. If they continue to shut teams down the way they have with him as their defensive anchor, Davis could once again be a finalist.

Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)

1.3 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 107.7 DRTG

Embiid is not only playing at an MVP level on offense but also has dominated on defense this season. Among some of his individual performances thus far include a game with five steals, which has helped him reach a career-high in steals per game.

His defensive intensity has rubbed off on his teammate as well. To this point in the season, the Sixers have been a top-three defense in the NBA.

Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)

2.7 BPG, 0.4 SPG, 102.5 DRTG

Before missing out on this award last season, Gobert won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in back-to-back seasons.

This season, the Jazz have been right around the top-five in the NBA defensively with the help of Gobert. With his height and length, he’s one of the best rim protectors in the last decade and has helped Utah climb to the best record in the league.

Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers)

3.5 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 106.7 DRTG

From a pure numbers perspective, Turner has been the best defender in the league so far this season. He’s averaging career highs in both steals and blocks.

He’s notched two games with eight blocks this season, as well as seven games with five or more blocked shots. Turner leads the league in blocks by a wide margin, while also contesting shots and making it difficult on offenses all over the court.

The post NBA Award Watch: 2021 Defensive Player of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

During the third quarter, Embiied was pushed by James and ended up on the floor. He landed on his back:

“First of all, I mean, you look at it, that’s a very dangerous play,” Embiid said. “I guarantee you that if it was me, I would have probably been ejected from the game, which has happened in the past with me getting flagrant fouls really for nothing.”

According to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, James was only given a flagrant 1 foul and was allowed to finish the game. A minute later, Embiid picked up a flagrant 1 for an elbow at Anthony Davis which caused even more frustration for him. He doesn’t feel as though the foul was a necessary call:

“When you compare that to the one that I got, which I thought I didn’t really hit him, I didn’t elbow him,” Embiid said, per ESPN. “I might have touched him, but I don’t think it deserved the flagrant if you’re gonna compare those two.

“Those are tough plays, and I just thought, you know, it should’ve been a flagrant 2.”

Although Embiid was able to finish the game, he felt as though his back limited his ability to compete. He had missed Monday’s game against the Pistons due to back-tightness.

“It’s on me,” Embiid said. “I missed a couple shots. I just didn’t have the legs. Not because I was tired, which I wasn’t, but my back just didn’t allow me to dominate the way I’ve been doing in fourth quarters. I missed a couple shots, we made a couple mistakes on defense, they made a few 3s, and just like that they were up one.”

Despite last night’s mishaps, Embiied finished with a solid stat line consisting of 28 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocked shots.

The post Joel Embiid: Lebron Should’ve Been Ejected For Foul appeared first on SLAM.

While the end of that chapter got fairly rocky, he always had great things to say about the organization. 

Davis recently opened up about his final season as a member of the Pelicans in an interview with Preston Ellis of The Bird Writes, saying that he had lost his desire to play the game. 

“I didn’t want to go to practice, I didn’t want to play. There was just a lot going on because I didn’t have that joy with me anymore.”

For a lot of guys around the League, the passion and desire to play and be great are what drives them. For a guy like Davis, as talented as he is, the peak of what he is able to accomplish would never be possible without this fire to succeed. It seems that on the Lakers, he’s enjoying playing once again. 

The post Anthony Davis Opens Up About Final Season With Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

Grab your copy now at SLAMGOODS.

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While we’ve known this was Davis’ plan since October, Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes reports that the decision is now official.

Davis can earn more money in 2020-21 by signing a new max contract, even with the less than expected $109M salary cap. Electing not to pick up the player option from the rookie scale is simply basic NBA economics.

Davis’ player option was worth $28.8 million. He’ll now be eligible to sign for $32.7 million in 2020-21, with baked in 8% raises over the course of a five-year contract.

With Davis’ decision to not exercise his option now all but locked in, Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans becomes the hottest commodity on the free agent market.

See our list of the top NBA free agents broken into tiers.

The post Anthony Davis to Decline Player Option appeared first on SLAM.

In 2012, the Summer Olympics came to London, where I live. For basketball fans like me, the chance of getting a ticket to witness Team USA live up to their usual hype was a fictional concept. It wasn’t going to happen. I took some work out of town, trying to forget the fact that one of the best men’s USA basketball squads was catching lob passes on my doorstep, and I wouldn’t be a part of it.

My brother-in-law, a world-class barber, got in touch with the crazy news that he’d been asked to trim the US men’s basketball team while they were in town. Word?!? There was no possible way that I’d be able to tag along, but he’d keep me posted about how it all went down.

Phone calls followed. He talked about Bron being mad chill, Kobe being mad focused and how DWade (who wasn’t on the squad) showed up one day and got a fresh cut. Another dude who stood out was a young kid, the first draft pick that year. Yet to play an NBA game, he was a boy among men at the Olympics. “They were all talking about his eyebrow,” my brother-in-law said. It had to be Anthony Davis.

We’d previously seen The Brow on the cover of SLAM 149. At that point, he was a stand-out SLAM HS All-American. A year later and AD was called up to the Olympic squad. He was fresh out of breaking records and winning a title at Kentucky. He’d made headlines for his insane defense and had gained a reputation for leading a new breed of big men. The three-point shooting, fast-break finishing (while still shotblocking) kind. He was another product of Chicago’s prestigious basketball history, and his NBA career was about to go off.

In that summer of 2012, SLAM put Davis on the cover of Issue 160. Like so many times before, SLAM saw his future. The All-Defensive, All-NBA and League-leading block seasons, the All-Star Game MVP honors. Sadly, I passed on the opportunity to get a signed copy of his cover that year. I slept on his potential for a moment. This year, Anthony Davis has made me regret that decision more than ever.

The post The SLAM Archives: SLAM 160 Featuring Anthony Davis From August of 2012 appeared first on SLAM.

Davis was scheduled to make $28.8 million with the Lakers in 2020-21, at the tail end of his rookie scale contract extension. By choosing not to opt in, he can hit free agency and sign a new max contract with the same team.

Even with the financial uncertainties inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic and the league’s handling of controversy with China, a new max contract figures to pay considerably more than Davis’ old deal which took effect in 2016-17.

The starting point for a max contract for a player with eight years of service in the league is $32.7 million based on the $109 million salary cap that was in effect for the 2019-20 campaign.

It’s worth noting that the 2020-21 cap has not been finalized but figures ranging from last year’s sum to early projections of $115 million are in play. We used an assumed $109 million cap in our official overview of the Lakers’ 2020 salary cap space this week.

Regardless of where the salary cap lands, Davis will sign a max contract worth 30% of that total and have the rest of his deal structured accordingly.

We could see Davis sign a two-year deal to get him to 10 years’ worth of service time, at which point he’d be eligible to sign a 35% max contract, or he could just play it safe and sign a five-year pact with 8% increases year over year since he’s returning to the same team.

In the case of the former, Davis could sign a one-plus-one deal in which he’d play next season on a guaranteed deal but have a player option in 2021-22 and an additional layer of player control.

LeBron James signed deals like that with the Cleveland Cavaliers the second time around and it allowed him to consistently apply pressure to the organization. Davis uses James’ agent, Rich Paul, and could conceivably do the same.

If the latter, however, Davis could lock in nearly $190 million over five years. This option could have additional appeal considering Davis’ injury history and, perhaps more pressing, the uncertain short-term future that awaits the league (and professional sports in general).

Finally, while it’s technically possible for Davis to sign elsewhere as an unrestricted free agent now, that has never been the plan and there’s no inkling of that possibly happening. Enjoy this offseason, Lakers fans.

The post Anthony Davis Intends to Opt Out and Re-Sign with Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

Davis and Cousins became teammates on the New Orleans Pelicans in February of 2017. In fact, they made the cover of SLAM Magazine together shortly after. During interviews for the cover story, Davis spent some time talking about Cousins and how much he enjoyed being around him.

He’s soft, man—he’s a teddy bear, honestly. Of course he gets this rep about being a certain type of guy, but honestly he’s really not like that. Off the floor he’s one of the coolest guys I’ve ever been around. He gets perceived as this angry type of guy. You really just gotta know him to know him, honestly. You just can’t go off what the media tries to perceive him to be.

It seemed as if this could be one of the most dominant big men duos of all time. At the time, Davis and Cousins were two of the best bigs in the entire league. Unfortunately, injuries to Cousins ended up never allowing the two of them to play together long enough to make much noise.

You could tell how much Cousins has meant to Davis over the years. In the 2018 NBA All-Star game, he wore Cousins’ jersey since he was injured and unable to compete.

Last summer, Cousins signed with the Lakers shortly after Davis was traded to Los Angeles. It looked like the two of them would get the chance to play together once again. Another Cousins injury would hinder the opportunity.

Cousins ended up tearing his ACL before the season started and never played in a single game with the Lakers. He was ultimately cut to create roster flexibility for the Lakers, but was granted access to keep using team facilities.

Regardless, Cousins still spent a good portion of the season with the team, making him eligible to receive a championship ring of his own along with Davis. The friendship between Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins goes much deeper than just on the court teammates.

Related: AD just clicks with Rajon Rondo, his former Pels teammate

The post Anthony Davis Connected with DeMarcus Cousins After Clinching Title appeared first on SLAM.

Interestingly enough, Dwyane Wade—who starred beside LeBron for four seasons in Miami—agreed with Perkins.

Even with Wade concurring with Perkins, the opinion is a bit controversial considering a couple of superstar teammates that LeBron has played with.

First, there’s Wade himself, whose athleticism, defensive ability, playmaking and friendship with LeBron made them the most dangerous duo in the league while they played for the Heat. Oftentimes, either one of them could play the part of closer and they gave opposing teams headaches with their combination of physical prowess and unselfishness.

Next, LeBron would return to the Cleveland Cavaliers to play beside Kyrie Irving. Irving was everything that LeBron wasn’t offensively; shifty, a pure shooter who loved to pour on points, and one of the greatest ball-handlers the league has ever seen. Without Irving’s skillset, the Cavaliers might never have won an NBA championship in 2016.

Davis, who is now LeBron’s third All-NBA tag team partner, primarily differs from Wade and Kyrie in that he’s the only big man of the bunch. He can score from anywhere on the floor, while also playing elite defense. Best of all, like Wade, Davis comfortable with both following and leading. At this point in LeBron’s career, Davis is exactly the type of player he needs beside him; young, coachable, extremely athletic, and a dynamic scorer.

Many would probably say that Wade and Davis are on equal footing when comparing LeBron’s superstar teammates. However, what can’t be argued is how well Davis currently complements LeBron, with the duo approaching the doorstep of an NBA championshp.

The post Wade: Anthony Davis Complements LeBron Better Than Any Teammate He’s Had appeared first on SLAM.

Morris, of course, has the opportunity to work alongside LeBron James in his 17th NBA season and 10th NBA Finals but James isn’t the only superstar that’s helped put the Lakers in the position they’re in.

“We got LeBron but I think [Anthony Davis] is the best player in the world,” Davis told ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk after the game. “He does it on both ends and does it consistently every night.“

Davis was tremendous in Game 1, scoring 34 points while also producing nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks. He was also a team-high +23 in box plus/minus, showing just how important he is to the franchise. This was Davis’ first ever NBA Finals game and he rose to the occasion.

Those 34 points are tied for the third-most points scored in an NBA Finals debut in Lakers franchise history. The only players who scored more in their debuts were Shaquille O’Neal (43) and George Mikan (42).

Just 27 years old, Davis is one of the best players in the NBA and arguably the best big man in the league. The credit he got from his teammate in Morris tonight was extremely high praise and goes to show just how great of a player he is, especially considering James is his teammate.

The post Markieff Morris: Anthony Davis the ‘Best Player in the World’ appeared first on SLAM.

“When I got traded here, he was actually the first person I called. I told him I wanted him to come back. I knew how much I excelled with him and how much of a leader he is and his mindset on the floor and his will to win. To have a guy like that with a basketball mind and his IQ…he knows what it takes. Me and him just click.”

Davis has had high praise for Rondo for much of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, recently talking about how ‘Playoff Rondo’ is real. Davis and Rondo played together in New Orleans for a season and meshed extremely well. Now, both members of the Lakers, they are headed to the 2020 NBA Finals together.

AD has stuffed the stat sheets thus far in the postseason, putting up 28.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest. While Rondo doesn’t necessarily blow you away in the box score, his leadership and IQ are things that the Lakers have benefited from.

The post Anthony Davis on Rajon Rondo: ‘Me and Him Just Click’ appeared first on SLAM.

With Anthony Davis locked in at the power forward, the Lakers have two bigs on the floor at a time, which plays in the favor of the often five-out Rockets.

According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, Davis is willing to slide up from power forward in this series going forward. This would be a great move for Frank Vogel and the Lakers, as Davis is maybe the best-suited center in the entire NBA to match up against Houston.

Davis’ ability to bully them inside while also stretching the floor to create space will help the struggling Lakers offense tremendously. The fact that he is an elite defender also makes him perfect for the job.

After the Game 1 loss, Vogel spoke to the media regarding adjustments for Game 2.

“We’ll look at the tape and we’ll see what approach we’re going to have for Game 2 and we’ll go from there.”

After playing 96% of his minutes at center last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Davis has only played 40% there this season with the Lakers. That’s actually the least amount of time he’s played at center since the 2014-15 season.

This goes to show that Davis is completely capable of playing the position and that may be what’s required for the Lakers to have success.

The post Anthony Davis Willing to Slide to Five for Series appeared first on SLAM.

James, 35, is doing everything in his power (at home) to “stay mentally and physically prepared for whatever may come next.”

Bron, however, says he would have “some satisfaction” about what the Los Angeles Lakers were able to accomplish before things came to a screeching halt last month.

Per The LA Times:

“How do you assess what’s going on over the last three weeks or however long this pandemic has been going on? It’s unnatural,” James said during a Zoom video call with about two dozen reporters Wednesday. “It’s something that’s never happened before. Some of you guys are older than me, probably never seen this happen before. You just kind of take all the information you have on a day-to-day basis.”

If the NBA season can’t resume, it will be left incomplete for James and his teammates, but not without special moments.

“I will have some satisfaction of being with my brothers, being with my guys, thinking about some of the road trips that we had, thinking about some of the games we lost, some of the games we won, some of the games we overcame, and then everything we’ve been going through this season,” James said. “Just the ups and downs not only on the floor but off the floor, everything that we’ve had to endure as Laker faithful, us as players and coaching staff and an organization.

“Closure? No, but to be proud of what we were able to accomplish to this point, I’ll be able to look back and say we did something special in that small period of time.”

Related LeBron James: Photographic Memory ‘Something That I Was Born With’

The post LeBron James: No ‘Closure’ if NBA Season Doesn’t Resume appeared first on SLAM.

What James is doing at 35 is “incredible,” said Davis after a big 112-103 win Sunday against the LA Clippers.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the award front-runner for much of the season, but LeBron’s recent play has suddenly made the race fascinating and extremely competitive.

Per Yahoo Sports and The LA Times:

“At 35, what this [expletive] is doing is incredible. He is the MVP,” Anthony Davis told Yahoo Sports after registering 30 points, eight rebounds and two steals. “That’s no disrespect to that [expletive] in Milwaukee. Giannis is having a hell of a year, but if you think about what the most valuable player means, that’s ’Bron to us. Look at our numbers when he’s off the floor. He’s the MVP.”

In back-to-back games, James outplayed Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard in nationally televised contests.

“It’s my responsibility to put this team in a position to be successful,” James said. “They look at me as a leader. And it’s my job, not only on the floor to get guys opportunities, get them great looks, but to inspire them as well. To show them that I’m not slowing down, even at this stage of my career.”

In a possible Western Conference finals preview between two teams with contrasting styles, the Lakers took Round 3 and discovered they don’t have to change their approach to compete and beat their in-town rival.

“We’re a good team just the way we are,” Davis told Yahoo Sports. “We’re not soft, we’re pretty good and especially with [LeBron].”

Related LeBron James Says He’s Not Motivated By MVP Award

The post ‘He is the MVP’: Anthony Davis Lauds LeBron James appeared first on SLAM.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored a team-high 24 points in Brooklyn, including two clutch free throws down the stretch. Joe Harris and Caris LeVert each had 23 apiece.

Pelicans 120 (28-36), Timberwolves (19-44)

Jrue Holiday (37 points) was one rebound and two assists away from a triple-double. Zion Williamson was the Pels’ second-leading scorer with 23 points and had a MEAN windmill dunk the fourth quarter.

Lakers 112 (49-13), Clippers 103 (43-20)

LeBron James (30 points) and Anthony Davis (28 points) combined for 58 points in Sunday’s matinee against the Clippers. Avery Bradley was the other starter who finished in double digits, scoring 24 points.

Suns 140 (26-38), Bucks 131 (53-11)

All five Suns starters finished in double digits – Devin Booker (36 points), Ricky Rubio (25), Aron Baynes (24), Mikal Bridges (24) and Dario Saric (11).

Thunder 105 (40-24), Celtics 104 (42-21)

Dennis Schroder made the game-winning layup after stripping the ball from Jayson Tatum with 8.5 seconds in the 4th quarter. The Thunder overcame a 18-point deficit due to the stellar play of Schroder (27 points) and Chris Paul (28 points).

Heat 100 (41-23), Wizards 89 (23-40)

Bam Adebayo finished with a double-double (27 points and 14 rebounds) in the Nation’s Capitol. Ducan Robinson caught fire from deep, knocking down six 3-pointers, en route to a 23-point performance.

Pacers 112 (39-25), Mavericks 109 (39-26)

Victor Oladpio scored the final six points to give Indiana the W in Dallas. Domantas Sabonis finished with 20 points and 17 rebounds, TJ Warren and Myles Turner had 16 apiece.

Magic 126 (29-35), Rockets 106 (39-24)

Orlando’s bench came up huge in H-Town – D.J. Augustin scored a team-high 24 points, and Michael Carter-Williams and Terrence Ross each had 16. Aaron Gordon finished with 19 points.

Knicks 96 (20-44), Pistons 84 (20-45)

New York pulled away in the fourth to get the win at The Garden. Julius Randle had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Elfird Payton finished 16 points and RJ Barrett added 12.

Queensbridge’s finest. (via @nyknicks) pic.twitter.com/BTUvAOyhTd

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 9, 2020

Cavaliers 132 (19-45), Spurs 129 (26-36)

After Rudy Gay hit a jumper to force OT, Kevin Love’s late-game 3-pointer gave the Cavs the lead. Love finished with 14 points, Andre Drummond had 28 points and 12 rebounds and Collin Sexton finished with 26.

Raptors 118 (45-18), Kings 113 (28-36)

Both teams went back and forth, but Pascal Siakam made some huge plays to give Toronto the edge on the road. Siakam finished with 23 points. Norman Powell finished with 31 points and Kyle Lowry had 30 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 58 Points in Battle for LA appeared first on SLAM.

Davis stuffed the stat sheet Tuesday night with 37 points, 13 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks in Los Angeles’ 120-107 win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.

“That’s why I wanted him here,” says James.

Per ESPN:

“In order to get a great talent like Anthony Davis, you have to give up something great,” [owner Jeanie] Buss said. “But to have Anthony Davis as a Laker really is just … he’s even more impressive than I ever thought he would be. And so, it’s exciting what we have.”

For James, his recognition of Davis’ potential value to the franchise started long before Buss’ remarks.

“It’s everything I expected and more,” James said. “Obviously, that’s why I wanted him here. When you get a generational talent like that and you got an opportunity to get him, you just try to do whatever you can to get him.

“I gave my opinion on what I thought he could bring to this franchise. I gave my thoughts about the player — but not only the player, the person. Hopefully, they took my advice to heart. And obviously, ultimately they made the decision to do what we did in the offseason. It’s no surprise to me.”

“I already knew how incredible the guy is,” James continued. “He had 50 [points] in the All-Star Game. You know, 30s, 20s, 40s and 20s he had when he was with the Pelicans and just doing the things he was doing at that size, there’s not too many guys who have done that in this league.”

Related LeBron James to Critics of His Mentorship: ‘Kiss My Ass’

The post LeBron James: Anthony Davis ‘Everything I Expected And More’ appeared first on SLAM.

In Tim Duncan’s head coaching debut, the Spurs picked up a win in a tight game on the road in Charlotte. San Antonio was led by Dejounte Murray, who finished with 21 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. For the Hornets, Terry Rozier dropped 20 points to go along with 5 assists and 6 rebounds, and PJ Washington added 19 in the loss.

Nets 129 (27-33), Celtics 120 (41-19)

It was an absolutely wild one in TD Garden.

The Nets trailed by as many as 21-points in the second half, and were down 17 heading into the fourth. Then Caris LeVert put on a show. The Nets outscored Boston 51-34 in the fourth to force OT behind an insane 26-POINT quarter from LeVert. He stayed hot in OT, scoring all 11 points for Brooklyn and lifting them to the win. Despite having just 14 points at the start of the fourth quarter, LeVert finished with a career-high 51 on 17-26 shooting and 5-10 from downtown. The Boston defense just had no answer for the Michigan product, who put on one of, if not the best performance of the 2019-2020 season thus far.

The Celtics were led by Jaylen Brown, who dropped 22, and Kemba Walker, in his return from injury, who added 21. Marcus Smart stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in the loss.

Timberwolves 139 (18-42), Pelicans 134 (26-35)

In a high-scoring affair, the Timberwolves outscored the Pelicans 30-23 in the final frame to pick up the win on the road. Malik Beasley led the way, finishing with 28 points on 11-13 shooting and 4-5 from three. DeAngelo Russell added 23 points and 8 assists in the win, and James Johnson dropped 19 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds off the bench.

Zion Williamson extended his streak of 20-point games to 12, finishing with 25 points and 8 rebounds on 10-19 shooting. Zion was one of five Pelicans to finished with 24 or more points. Jrue Holiday was awesome, completing a triple-double with 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Lonzo Ball added 26 points (including 7 threes), 8 assists and 5 rebounds, and Brandon Ingram dropped 24.

Clippers 109 (42-19), Thunder 94 (37-24)

In a battle between two Western Conference playoff teams, the Clippers picked up the impressive win on the road, their 5th straight victory. Kawhi Leonard scored 25 to go along with 8 rebounds, and Paul George added 16 to lead the way. For OKC, Dennis Schroder dropped a team-high 24 in the loss. Chris Paul added 14 points and 7 assists.

Warriors 116 (14-48), Nuggets 100 (41-20)

The Warriors picked up one of their most impressive wins of the season, beating the Nuggets by double digits in Denver. Andrew Wiggins showed out, finishing with 22 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds to lead Golden State. Eric Paschall added 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists off the bench. Paul Millsap and Will Barton each dropped 18 in the loss for Denver. Nikola Jokic added 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Raptors 123 (43-18), Suns 114 (24-38)

Trailing by 7 at the break, the Raptors rallied in the second half to beat the Suns in Phoenix. Pascal Siakam was dominant, dropping 33 points on 12-20 shooting and 5-9 from deep. Kyle Lowry added a very solid stat line of 28 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds, and Norman Powell dropped 26 in the Raptors win. Devin Booker scored a team-high 22 and added 10 dimes, and Cam Johnson finished with 21 points on 5 made threes in the loss.

Lakers 120 (47-13), 76ers 107 (37-25)

The Lakers blew the game open in the second quarter, outscoring Philly 37-19, and maintained the lead in the second half to secure the home win. Anthony Davis went off, scoring 18 of his game-high 37 in the second quarter. AD also finished with 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. LeBron added a light 22 points, 14 assists and 7 rebounds on 9-16 shooting in the win. Without Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, Philadelphia was led by Glen Robinson III, who dropped 25 points on 10-15 shooting off the bench.

Kings 133 (27-34), Wizards 126 (22-38)

The Wizards stormed back after being down by 28, outscoring Sacramento 46-19 in the third quarter to tie the game heading into the fourth. But Washington responded, winning the final frame 38-31 to secure the win on the road. The Kings were led by De’Aaron Fox, who dropped 31 points on 12-19 shooting in the win. Bogdan Bogdanovic added 21, and Buddy Hield scored 17 off the bench. For the Wizards, Bradley Beal finished with a game-high 35 points in the loss.

The post Post Up: LeVert Erupts for 51 in Win Over Celtics appeared first on SLAM.

With the game close down the stretch, Lebron James (29 points) hit a clutch turnaround to give the Lakers the lead as they escaped with the W on Sunday afternoon.

Anthony Davis finished with 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma was huge off the bench, scoring 16 points.

Raptors 127 (41-15), Pacers 81 (33-23)

Pascal Siakam scored a game-high 21 points, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and Serge Ibaka finished with 15 points to give Toronto its 17th of 18th win. Matt Thomas (17 points), Terence Davis (13 points) and Rodae Hollis-Jefferson (12 points) combined for 43 bench points.

Nuggets 128 (39-18), Timberwolves 116 (16-39)

Four of Denver’s starters finished in double figures with Paul Millsap scoring 25 points in 26 minutes. Monte Morris had 13 points off the bench.

Thunder 131 (35-22), Spurs 103 (24-32)

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with a team-high 22 points, Steven Adams finished with 21 points and Luguentz Dort went 6-for-6 from the field, adding 15 points in the win.

Bulls 126 (20-38), Wizards 117 (20-35)

Zach LaVine put up 32 points in 36 minutes in the home win. Coby White had an impressive performance, too, scoring 33 points off the bench.

Pelicans 115 (25-32), Warriors 101 (12-45)

Zion Williamson scored 28 points, scoring 20-plus points for the eighth-straight game. Jrue Holiday finished with 23 points and dished out 15 dimes in the Bay.

Trailblazers 107 (26-32), Pistons 104 (19-40)

CJ McCollum had a 41-point performance in the W. Carmelo Anthony was the Blazers’ second-leading scorer with 32 points.

The post Post Up: LeBron Hits Clutch Basket to Lead Lakers Past Celtics 👑 appeared first on SLAM.

Cousins, who tore his left ACL during a pickup game last summer, says he is “pretty confident” he can play a meaningful role.

Teammate LeBron James and the rest of the organizational braintrust, however, insist they’re focused on Boogie getting healthy first and foremost.

Per ESPN:

Appearing as a guest on Showtime’s “All the Smoke” podcast with hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Cousins explained what his role could look like in the postseason.

“We got a big team. It’s going to be some bump, for sure,” Cousins said. “We got so many guys with different abilities. I mean, I can spot up. Bron [LeBron James] is going to draw everybody whenever he decides to move. I’m pretty confident I can knock down the shot. We got shooters all over the floor. I mean, I can playmake. Like, it’s pick your poison.”

James was asked if the team is thinking about Cousins’ eventual return.

“Listen, first, his health is the thing we’re mostly engaging in and watching him. And he’s progressed every single day, every single month,” James said after practice Thursday, the Lakers’ first group session following the All-Star break. “To the point where he was limping and now he’s actually shooting and actually jumping on the jump shots, and progressing every single day, every single week. He’s out there right now, getting his work done.

“We want to continue to stay optimistic about his health. We don’t want no setbacks, as he’s had before in the last couple years. But his health is most important, and if we can get Cuz anywhere back to what he was capable of doing a couple years ago, it’s a plus for us. But there’s no pressure on him. There’s no pressure on our ballclub to have him out there right away, or whenever that case may be. We want him to be healthy and have a great, clear mind and a great attitude, which he’s done since he’s gotten here.”

Related DeMarcus Cousins: ‘I Had No Business Being On The Floor’

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The Battle of L.A. will be determined by the superstars on both sides, says Johnson.

The Purple and Gold “need that third scorer” to compliment LeBron James and fellow All-Star teammate Anthony Davis, adds Magic.

Per USA Today:

“If you look at man-for-man, (the Clippers are) probably better than (the Lakers) in terms of the bench,” Johnson said in Chicago at McDonald’s Black and Positivity Golden “Beyond the Court” panel.”

“But to Anthony Davis and LeBron James, to me they are going to be the key and they are going to have to dominate in that series. Then we’re going to need that third scorer.”

Still, Johnson contended the Lakers “are playing the best out of anybody.”

A season after James missed 27 games, mostly due to a groin injury, Johnson argued he is “having an MVP-type season” – partly by emulating the former Lakers guard with more increased point guard duties. That became possible because of Davis, whom the Lakers acquired last summer from New Orleans for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three first-round picks.

“We have similar ways in terms of coming down and making our teammates together. We’ve won championships the same way,” said Johnson, who won five rings with the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s. “Our games are much alike, especially now that the ball is in his hands most of the time now as a real, true point guard. I’m just happy for him.”

Related Magic Johnson: ‘This Team Would Not Be in the Position It’s in Without Me’

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“We don’t talk about it,” James told reporters Wednesday night after leading his team past the Denver Nuggets in a 120-116 overtime road win.

Bron finished with 32 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds for his League-best 12th triple-double.

Per ESPN:

“We don’t talk about it,” James said after the Lakers’ 120-116 overtime win gave L.A. a four-game lead over the Nuggets heading into the All-Star break. “For us, we would love to play in front of our home fans as much as we can. We love being there with our Laker faithful.

“But at the end of the day, you go out and play each and every game like it’s its own game. You can’t worry about what could happen the following day. You can only look at the present, like we did tonight.”

James likes where L.A. stands.

“We are where we need to be,” he said. “We’ll come back off the break and get ready for the final stretch of the regular season. You don’t put too much into it. You understand you played some good basketball along the way, played some not good basketball. But you want to continue to get better and continue to trust the process. We look forward to when we get back, getting back on the floor and see how far we’ll continue to grow.”

Related LeBron James: Lakers ‘Have Enough Right Now’

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Cleveland jumped ahead with 33 points in the first quarter and never looked back. Tristan Thompson registered a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds.

Pistons 112 (19-38), Magic 116 (24-31)

Both teams hit clutch threes to send the game into overtime, but it was the Magic that came away with the win. Orlando featured a two-headed attack by Aaron Gordon (25 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists) and Markelle Fultz (22 points, 10 assists).

Raptors 91 (40-15), Nets 101 (25-28)

Toronto’s 15-game wining streak came to an end Wednesday in Brooklyn. Five Nets players hit double digits, including four of their five starters, led by Caris LeVert’s 20 points.

Bucks 111 (46-8), Pacers 118 (32-23)

Milwaukee fell short in Indiana as Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his second game due to the birth of his son. TJ Warren set the tone for the Pacers with 35 points and 4 steals.

Wizards 114 (20-33), Knicks 96 (17-38)

Washington turned it on in the fourth quarter, scoring 37 points to seal their road win. All-Star Bradley Beal paced his team with 30 points.

Blazers 104 (25-31), Grizzlies 111 (28-26)

The Grizzlies’ young duo of Brandon Clarke (27 points) and Ja Morant (20 points) helped fend off Portland. CJ McCollum scored 23 points for the Blazers.

Hornets 115 (18-36), Timberwolves 108 (16-37)

Minnesota reclaimed the lead in the closing minutes, but Charlotte rallied and earned the victory. Devonte’ Graham put up 28 points for the Hornets, while his teammate Malik Monk added 25 points.

Kings 111 (21-33), Mavericks 130 (33-22)

Luka Doncic was back to normal in his return after a seven-game absence due to a sprained ankle. Doncic posted 33 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in the Mavs’ home win; Kristaps Porzingis added 27 points and 13 rebounds of his own.

Warriors 106 (12-43), Suns 112 (22-33)

Devin Booker’s 27 points led Phoenix in their victory over Golden State. Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points for the Warriors.

Heat 101 (35-19), Jazz 116 (36-18)

Utah received an offensive boost with three 20-point scorers: Donovan Mitchell (26 points), Bogdan Bogdanovic (22 points) and Jordan Clarkson (21 points). Jimmy Butler put up 25 points for the Heat.

Lakers 120 (41-12), Nuggets 116 (38-17)

Anthony Davis (33 points) and LeBron James (32 points) gave L.A. the firepower it needed to top the Nuggets in overtime. Davis and James connected for two straight threes in the extra period that sealed Denver’s fate. Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 32 points.

The post Post Up: Luka Doncic Puts Up 33 Points in Return From Ankle Injury appeared first on SLAM.

“We have enough right now,” James told reporters Thursday night in Brooklyn when asked about next month’s trade deadline.

LeBron finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 10th triple-double of the season, leading Los Angeles to a 128-113 road win against the Nets.

Per The AP:

LeBron James is on his way to Philadelphia, set to pass Kobe Bryant on the NBA’s career scoring list in the former Lakers star’s hometown.

“Any time I am linked with the greats or I am able to do something in my career where I’m mentioned with the greats is a pretty cool thing,” James said. “But as far as looking at the scoring, I don’t know. That doesn’t mean much to me.

“Just the overall point of my game is what means more to me: being an all-around player, being able to be successful on the floor and being able to contribute to the franchises that I played for, the three franchises I played for so far in my career.”

James has 33,626 points. Bryant finished with 33,643.

Related Kobe Bryant: LeBron James Playing With a ‘Chip on His Shoulder’

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James led Los Angeles past visiting Cleveland 128-99 Monday night, finishing with 31 points and eight assists.

Love adds that LeBron and Anthony Davis “could do something special” this season.

Per ESPN:

“Everybody did [have some doubt],” Love told ESPN. “What do they say, I’m not a religious guy, but, ‘You want to make God laugh, tell him your plans’? There’s no sure thing other than death and taxes, right? Another cliché. But it’s true. Who is to know that it will all work out? But they got really fortunate that it’s obviously L.A., it’s LeBron and they’re in win-now mode. They really have a chance.”

The Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-99 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday was the first time James and Love had played against one another since James left Cleveland for L.A. as a free agent in the summer of 2018, after injuries caused James to miss one and Love to miss both of the teams’ matchups last season.

“It was different because it’s been so long and we’ve been through so many battles with each other,” Love told ESPN. “I’m not going to say it felt normal, but I feel like we were both out there competing and playing hard, but seeing him play with that team is obviously different. Especially, even I didn’t get to see him with AD [Anthony Davis] and it still feels like they could do something special.”

L.A. ran its win streak to nine, and [Tristan] Thompson was left with the same impression the rest of the league felt about the Cavaliers during those four seasons he shared the court with James.

“This is a team,” Thompson said of the Lakers, “for them, it’s a championship-or-bust year.”

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The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be without Anthony Davis for their upcoming road trip as the big man recovers from a bruised sacrum sustained during a game against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reports.

Davis fell hard to the court during the third-quarter of that game, spent several minutes on the floor and eventually exited the contest under his own power.

Early x-ray results came back negative but Davis is expected to miss the team’s upcoming games against the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder in order to rehab.

Davis was expected to undergo an MRI on the injury after the game but the results of that particular test have not yet been revealed.

Related: LeBron James, Frank Vogel react to AD’s injury

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Davis walked gingerly back to the locker room and X-rays came back negative.

LeBron James led the way for Los Angeles with a game-high 31 points, hitting six of 12 three-point attempts.

Per The LA Times:

“Fingers crossed,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said of what went through his mind. “Hope for the best, pray for the best. Hopefully he gets up and it’s not too bad.”

It was a tense moment during a game that mostly went smoothly for the Lakers.

“I was scared,” Lakers guard Quinn Cook said. “But I know he’s tough. But you never want to see anybody go down as hard and as impactful as he did.”

After the game, Davis was in the locker room to greet his teammates. He laughed and joked with them and told them he’d let them know how he was doing as soon as he could.

“I asked him if I could do anything for him. He said you got a win for me,” James said. “That’s what our team is all about.”

Related Anthony Davis Declines In-Season Extension Offer

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Davis is expected to remain with the Lakers after this season but prefers to focus solely on the current season. The decision to bypass the extension also gives the team additional financial flexibility in the offseason.

The Lakers were unable to offer a contract extension earlier than this morning due to the fact that Davis waived his no-trade clause in order to complete the trade that sent him west from New Orleans. Teams must wait six months after such a process in order to offer an extension.

Davis technically has a player option worth $27.8M for next season but is expected to forego that in order to sign for a higher salary in July.

Davis’ next contract could be a five-year pact worth north of $200M if next year’s salary cap remains at the projected $116M. That’s a 30% max deal for a player with eight years of service time, then 8% raises annually through to 2023-24 season.

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O’Neal, to no one’s surprise, picked himself and Bryant as the superior superstar duo.

Jimmy Fallon: “In your prime, do you think you can beat LeBron and AD? You and Kobe.”

O’Neal: “Do I think or do I know? I like having this conversation because of course, it can never be answered, but yes. The answer is yes. Hell yes. Hell yes. Of course. Because there’s only one contributing factor — who is going to guard me?”

Speaking of endless debates, Magic Johnson says James could overtake Michael Jordan as the NBA’s greatest player ever by winning “two or three” more titles.

Per Business Insider:

“For him to really catch Michael, it’s that next two or three championships,” Johnson said. “If he could get a couple more championships, then he’ll be probably the greatest that’s ever played.”

At the 29th Annual Achilles Gala in New York City, Johnson described James as “a special player” and said the four-time NBA MVP is “playing as well as I’ve ever seen him play” in his 17th year in the league.

“For me on my books right now, I would say Michael [Jordan] was the freakiest player in the game,” Johnson said. “He was the greatest to play on the floor because I couldn’t jump as high… But Michael going 6-0 in the NBA finals, oh man. That’s awesome.

“I went to the finals nine times in 12 years, but we only won five,” he added. “But I’ll take those five, trust me. As long as it was two more than Larry [Bird], that’s all I care about.”

Related Kobe Bryant: ‘It Was Important That I Win Championships’ Without Shaquille O’Neal

The post Shaq Says He and Kobe Would Beat LeBron and Anthony Davis appeared first on SLAM.

24 hours after losing to the Grizzlies, the returned bounced back, defeating the Knicks at home. Montrezl Harrell scored a team-high 34 points, while Paul George and Lou Williams scored 32 points apiece.

Heat 122 (26-10), Trailblazers 111 (15-22)

Four of five of the Heat’s starters finished in double figures with Bam Adebayo (20 points) leading all scorers. Goran Dragic dropped 29 points in 30 minutes off the bench as Miami improved to 17-1 at home.

Timberwolves 118 (14-21), Cavaliers 103 (10-26)

Despite blowing a 25-point lead, the Wolves eventually recovered to seal the win on the road. Gorgui Dieng led all scorers with 22 points, Robert Covington and Andrew Wiggins scored 15 apiece and Jarrett Culver had 14.

Grizzlies 121 (15-22), Suns 114 (14-22)

Jonas Valanciunas had a 30-point performance in the desert as the Grizzlies went 2-0 on the weekend. Dillion Brooks finished with 19 points and Jaren Jackson Jr added 15.

Lakers 106 (28-7), Pistons 99 (13-23)

Up one down the stretch, Anthony Davis hit a corner 3-pointer to extend the lead to four. Anthony Davis (24 points) and LeBron James (21 points) combined for 45 points. Alex Caruso and Dwight Howard had 13 and 11 points off the bench.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Lead Lakers over Pistons in LA appeared first on SLAM.

The Raptors came out scorching hot, with Serge Ibaka and Kyle Lowry fueling a 10-0 run to start the game, but it was all green from there on out. The Celtics played a sound game, with all five starters scoring in double-digits and Enes Kanter coming in off the bench to put up 12 points and 11 rebounds in only 18 minutes. 

The matchup also served as a wonderful national exposure for Jaylen Brown, and how much he has improved this season. Brown scored 30 points on an efficient 10-13 shooting with 6 rebounds and 4 assists, displaying his smooth handles on this sweet step-back jumper.

Sixers 121 (23-10), Bucks 109 (27-5)

In Philly’s first Christmas Day game in 31 years, Joel Embiid put up a triple-double (31 points, 11 rebounds) in the W. The Sixers caught fire from deep, knocking down a franchise-record tying 21 3-pointers, to go 16-2 at home. Tobias Harris was Philly’s second-leading scorer with 22 points.

Rockets 104 (21-10), Warriors 116 (8-24)

Golden State earned its first win of the season against a team over .500 thanks to a dominant fourth quarter against the Rockets. The Warriors boasted three 20-point scorers in Damion Lee (22 points), D’Angelo Russell (20 points) and Draymond Green (20 points). Russell Westbrook and James Harden combined for 54 points, but fell short of the Christmas win.

Clippers 111 (23-10), Lakers 106 (24-7)

The second Battle for Los Angeles lived up to its name as the Clippers overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to down the Lakers — the largest comeback win on Christmas Day since 2003.

Patrick Beverley — who was a game-high +26 for the Clippers — blocked LeBron James’ potential game-tying 3-pointer with 3.6 seconds to go. Kawhi Leonard scored 35 points on 11-for-19 shooting to lead all players. Kyle Kuzma had a team-high 25 off the bench for the Lakers.

Pelicans 112 (8-23), Nuggets 100 (21-8)

Brandon Ingram had a career night in the Mile High City, hitting 7 3s en route to a 31-point performance, as the Pelicans snapped Denver’s seven-game winning streak. Jrue Holiday was the Pelicans’ second-leading scorer with 20 points, JJ Redick had 15 and Lonzo Ball finished with 10 points.

The post Post Up: Kawhi Leonard Drops 35 Points in Battle for LA on Christmas Day appeared first on SLAM.

Davis appeared to hyperextend his right knee after slipping on a wet spot on the court (video below).

Davis ultimately returned to the game and told the media afterward that he would need to gauge how it felt the next day before determining whether there’s anything significant to be concerned about heading forward.

The knee scare adds to a series of bang ups that Davis has endured throughout his first season with the Lakers. He’s stayed active through all but two games this season but has dealt with a right ankle sprain and sore right shoulder throughout.

Davis and the Lakers don’t return to action until Christmas Day, when the Lakers are scheduled to tip-off against the Los Angeles Clippers.

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“I wasn’t supposed to be here,” Antetokounmpo told reporters after posting 34 points (including a career-high five three-pointers) and 11 rebounds against visiting Los Angeles.

Milwaukee improved to 25-4 following the highly-anticipated showdown.

Per The AP and The Athletic:

“I wasn’t the No. 1 pick, AD was, LeBron was,” Antetokounmpo said. “I wasn’t supposed to be here. I wasn’t supposed to go up against these two beasts. So I’m just happy that I’m here and happy that I’m going through the process and I always want to be better, do better for my team and that’s what gives me joy.”

James had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season, and Davis had 36 points and 10 rebounds.

“You tip your hat off to him and we move forward,” Davis said of Antetokounmpo.

He hit two 3-pointers in a 90-second span in the third quarter before being removed from the game by Mike Budenholzer just four minutes into the second half because of foul trouble.

“What Giannis does in the summer, the amount of time he puts in before practices, after practices, taking care of his body,” Budenholzer said. “As special as he was last year, I think even opponents and his peers see and know that he can get better and he’s putting the time and effort in. We just feel fortunate he’s ours, and we’re excited about him and our future.”

Related ‘An Alien’: Giannis Antetokounmpo Marvels at LeBron James

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”This team would not be in the position it’s in without me,” says Johnson, who publicly and stunningly left his post as president of basketball operations before the 2018-19 regular season finale.

Magic’s sole regret about how things played out is not sitting down with team owner Jeanie Buss and superstar LeBron James to explain his decision to abruptly walk away.

Per The LA Times:

”I haven’t talked with Jeanie about everything yet. We’ll get together and have a meeting where there’s no media,” Johnson says. “Yeah, I should have told her what I was going to do.”

He believes he should be given a fair share of credit for the Lakers’ fast start.

”This team would not be in the position it’s in without me,” he says.

He talks about the trades he and [general manager Rob] Pelinka made to clear the salary cap space to sign James, notably the dealing of Timofey Mozgov and D’Angelo Russell. He talks about his recruitment of James. He talks about the players they drafted — Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart — who were included in the deal for Anthony Davis.

”This was my strategy, this is what I thought we’d be in three years,” he says. “I knew we were on the right track. Everybody wanted to do it their way, but I’m good with who I am. … I think people respect what I’ve done for the team.”

Related Magic Johnson Says He Implored Lakers to Complete Anthony Davis Trade

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Four of Orlando’s starters finished in double digits with Jonathan Issac scoring a team-high 21 points. D.J. Augustin put up 17 bench points as the Magic handed NOLA its 12th-straight loss.

Pacers 107 (18-9), Hornets 85 (12-17)

Myles Turner posted a double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) in the W on Sunday night. Domantas Sabonis also had a double-double of his own, too – 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Nets 109 (14-12), Sixers 89 (20-8)

Spencer Dinwiddie (24 points) led Brooklyn as the Nets snapped Philly’s five-game winning streak. Joe Harris was the team’s second-leading scorer with 16 points.

Lakers 101 (23-3), Hawks 96 (6-20)

The Hawks cut the deficit and had a chance to tie it late in the game, but rookie Cam Reddish missed a wide-open 3-pointer. LeBron James (32 points) and Anthony Davis (27 points) combined for 59 points in the road win.

Nuggets 111 (16-8), Knicks 105 (6-20)

With the game close, Denver scored 13 unanswered to extend the lead down the stretch and win their 11th home game of the season. Nikola Jokic finished with a team-high 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Kings 100 (12-4), Warriors 79 (5-23)

Buddy Hield led all scorers with 19 points, and Bogdan Bogdanovic (25 points) and Marvin Bagley III (17 points) combined for 42 bench points in the Bay Area.

The post Post Up: LeBron & AD Combine for 59 Points in Atlanta 🍿 appeared first on SLAM.

Spencer Dinwiddie finished a tough, go-ahead layup with 26 seconds left to lift the Nets to their 3rd win in a row and 8th in their last 10. Dinwiddie dropped a team-high 24 points and added 8 assists, and Jarrett Allen finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Nikola Jokic stuffed the stat sheet with 24 points, 11 boards, and 6 assists, and Jamal Murray added 21 for Denver.

Hawks 122 (6-17), Hornets 107 (9-16)

The Hawks outscored the Hornets 34-24 in the fourth quarter to secure the win in Charlotte. Trae Young did his thing, dropping a game-high 30 points and adding 9 dimes. The Hornets were led by PJ Washington and Miles Bridges, who both finished with 20 points in the loss.

Clippers 135 (17-7), Wizards 119 (7-15)

The Clippers’ superstars were dominant as LA cruised to a win in Washington. Kawhi finished with 34 points, 11 boards, and 5 assists on 12-18 shooting, and PG dropped 27, 6, and 6. Montrezl Harrell added 20 points off the bench. For the Wizards, Davis Bertans hit 6 threes and finished with 25 points in the loss.

76ers 110 (17-7), Raptors 104 (15-7)

Philly came away with a big win in a battle between two of the top teams in the East. Tobias Harris led the way with 26 points, and Ben Simmons added 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 9 assists. Kyle Lowry dropped 26 on 7-14 shooting for Toronto.

Heat 110 (17-6), Bulls 105 (8-16)

It was the Tyler Herro show in Miami.

The rookie hit big shot after big shot in the Heat’s thrilling overtime win over the Bulls. Herro finished with 27 points, including 16 of the team’s last 18 and 11 of 13 in overtime. It’s safe to say that this young bucket getter has officially arrived.

Jimmy Butler added 23 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in the win. The Bulls were led by Lauri Markkanen, who dropped 22 points in the loss.

Kings 110 (9-13), Mavericks 106 (16-7)

The Kings went up big early and held off the Dallas comeback to secure a big road victory. Nemanja Bjelica led Sacramento with 30 points on 13-18 shooting, and Buddy Hield added 26 points on 10-15 shooting. For Dallas, Tim Hardaway Jr. dropped a team-high 29 in the loss. Luka Doncic (27p, 7r, 8a) extended his streak of consecutive games with 20+ points, 5+ rebounds, and 5+ assists to 19, passing Michael Jordan for the most since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. The 20 year old has been unstoppable all year and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Thunder 108 (10-12), Blazers 96 (9-15)

OKC outscored Portland 26-18 in the fourth quarter to grab their 10th win of the season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 14 of his team-high 21 points in the 4th quarter for the Thunder. For the Blazers, Damian Lillard finished with 26 points and 7 assists, and CJ McCollum added 20 in the loss.

Lakers 142 (21-3), Timberwolves 125 (10-12)

There’s something special brewing in LA, and it all starts with the dominant duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James.

AD went OFF for a season-high 50 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 20-29 shooting, his first 50-piece as a member of the Lakers. The King added 32 points and 13 assists on 12-20 shooting in the win. The LakeShow secured their NBA-best 21st win of the season and have won 9 of their last 10.

Are the Lakers the early favorites to win it all? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Having beaten racked up several impressive road wins, after enjoying a light early-season schedule, Los Angeles is now starting to crow about its League-leading play.

Led by Anthony Davis‘ season-high 50 points, The Purple and Gold moved to 10-2 at home (and 21-3 overall) with a 142-125 Sunday night blowout of the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

Per The Athletic:

“Everybody is just going to say something about us just because we’re the Lakers and we’re winning,” Kyle Kuzma said. “A lot of people are probably jealous of us.”

As a reporter asked Kuzma whether that skepticism had served as motivational fuel for the Lakers, at the next locker over [Dwight] Howard grimaced and rolled his shoulders in a disbelieving shrug, as though to ask how that could even be a question.

“We’ve played a lot of teams. We played a lot of tough road games,” Kuzma said. “It’s tough to win in San Antonio, tough to win in Denver, tough to win in Utah, tough to win in Dallas.”

Things were supposed to get tougher. Not breezier.

“When you’re the No. 1 team in the league, people are going to find a way to come out and shoot a higher field-goal percentage than what they normally shoot, find ways to make plays, to get stops, play harder and we got to embrace that,” Davis said.

Related Kyle Kuzma: ‘I’m Still Going to Get My Game Off Regardless’

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The Los Angeles Lakers’ all-world big man is once again a leading candidate for the award, spearheading on the NBA’s stingiest defenses this season for a 19-3 squad.

AD says he models his defense after Kevin Garnett and teammate Dwight Howard.

Per ESPN:

“A couple of years ago, I feel like I should have won it,” Davis told ESPN, looking back on his third-place finish in the 2017-18 season behind Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz, who has now earned the honors two seasons in a row.

It was the second top-five finish of his career — he also lost out to Kawhi Leonard a couple of years prior.

“I take pride in my defense,” Davis said. “Anytime late game when guys feel like they can score on me, I take it personally and try to play without fouling and get stops for my team. In those situations, two of their best players, you want to make sure you want to stay home and do what I do best and play defense and make them take tough shots.”

Davis is trying to apply everything he saw from his defensive idols growing up — Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett — and incorporate it into his game.

“Dwight, just with this shot-blocking ability and the way he is able to control the paint on the defensive end and alter shots, and KG, how he just was tenacious on the defensive end,” Davis told ESPN. “So, put those two guys together, that’s who I try to be.”

Related ‘Defensive Player of the Year’: LeBron James Lauds Anthony Davis’ Performance

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LeBron James called him the “defensive player of the year,” while Rajon Rondo added that Davis should also win MVP while he’s at it.

AD held Nuggets center Nikola Jokic to 13 points in the victory.

Per The LA Times:

“Hey sick man!” LeBron James hollered across the locker room. “You all right? Ready? You waiting for me?”

Even being sick is more fun coming off a win.

“He’s been doing it all year,” James said of Davis. “Playing through injuries, playing through illness like he did tonight. Defensive player of the year and he showed tonight once again playing one on one versus Joker in the post. When there were switches going on with Jamal Murray, playing one on one versus a small. Got stop after stop after stop. Just a monster game for him.”

As he came off the court during a timeout in the fourth quarter, Davis was crowing about his expectation that he would be first-team all-defense this year. His teammates respectfully disagreed.

“I got him as MVP and defensive player of the year,” Rondo said. “So, if he only gets one, I’ll be [angry]. My expectations are really high for him, so we have to continue to win as a team and hopefully the rest of the world will understand and see that he’s a really big part of why we are who we are.”

Related LeBron James: Anthony Davis ‘Right There’ as Defensive Player of the Year

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