<p>A 13-4 run in 4Q gave Denver Nuggets another win as they beat Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 at crypto.com arena to take a 3-0 lead in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.</p>

<p>Jamal Murray dropped 37 points in the game with Nikola Jokic scoring 24 and Michael Porter Jr. getting a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds as Denver take themselves to one-game distance from NBA Championship series.</p>

<h2><strong>Murray shines bright in 1Q</strong></h2>

<p>Jamal Murray dropped 17 points in the first quarter with three rebounds and was 8 of 10 in field goals including a three-pointer as the Nuggets got a 12-point lead. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored nine and LeBron scored five as they scored 20 points against Denver's 32.</p>

<h2><strong>Lakers charge in 2Q</strong></h2>

<p>Los Angeles came charging in 2Q with a 14-6 run before they ran into Jamal Murray again who added his first nine points of the quarter with three 3Ps. The Nuggets star scored 13 points in total in 2Q to reach 30 by half-time. For the Lakers, Austin Reeves reached 15 points and so did Anthony Davis along with 11 rebounds &nbsp;to notch up a double-double. The game moved at frantic pace with a last-minute assist by Murray kept Nuggets ahead by three points even though Lakers dropped 35 points against Denver's 26.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-arsenals-defeat-to-nottingham-forrest-hands-man-city-third-consecutive-title-594578">Premier League: Arsenal's defeat to Nottingham Forrest hands Man City third consecutive title</a></p>

<h2><strong>Neck-to-neck in 3Q</strong></h2>

<p>Anthony Davis scored six of the first eight points for the Lakers as they matched Denver's eight points early in the 3Q to keep the deficit at three points. Los Angeles guard Austin Reeves also joined the party as his three helped the Lakers drew level with Nuggets at 71 points each.</p>

<p>Denver's guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope then exploded for 11 points as Denver threatened to ran away with the game in 3Q but LeBron James back-to-back threes in the last couple of minutes kept Denver's lead to just two points with the box score reading 84-82.</p>

<h2><strong>Lakers lead early in 4Q</strong></h2>

<p>Rui Hachimura's three took Lakers past Denver for the first time in the game since they were ahead 9-7 in 1Q. He dropped another three to take the Lakers ahead once more after Denver came back to erase the one-point deficit. Two three points by Jeff Green and Bruce Brown then gave Denver a five-point advantage with seven minutes to go and Murray's three made it a 9-0 run for the Nuggets.</p>

<p>The run eventually went to 13 and the Lakers just couldn't come back from there as Denver scored 35 points in the quarter against Los Angeles' 26.</p>

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A 13-4 run in 4Q gave Denver Nuggets another win as they beat Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 at crypto.com arena to take a 3-0 lead in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

A 13-4 run in 4Q gave Denver Nuggets another win as they beat Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 at crypto.com arena to take a 3-0 lead in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Jamal Murray dropped 37 points in the game with Nikola Jokic scoring 24 and Michael Porter Jr. getting a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds as Denver take themselves to one-game distance from NBA Championship series. Murray shines bright in 1Q Jamal Murray dropped 17 points in the first quarter with three rebounds and was 8 of 10 in field goals including a three-pointer as the Nuggets got a 12-point lead. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored nine and LeBron scored five as they scored 20 points against Denver's 32. Lakers charge in 2Q Los Angeles came charging in 2Q with a 14-6 run before they ran into Jamal Murray again who added his first nine points of the quarter with three 3Ps. The Nuggets star scored 13 points in total in 2Q to reach 30 by half-time. For the Lakers, Austin Reeves reached 15 points and so did Anthony Davis along with 11 rebounds to notch up a double-double. The game moved at frantic pace with a last-minute assist by Murray kept Nuggets ahead by three points even though Lakers dropped 35 points against Denver's 26. Also read: Premier League: Arsenal's defeat to Nottingham Forrest hands Man City third consecutive title Neck-to-neck in 3Q Anthony Davis scored six of the first eight points for the Lakers as they matched Denver's eight points early in the 3Q to keep the deficit at three points. Los Angeles guard Austin Reeves also joined the party as his three helped the Lakers drew level with Nuggets at 71 points each. Denver's guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope then exploded for 11 points as Denver threatened to ran away with the game in 3Q but LeBron James back-to-back threes in the last couple of minutes kept Denver's lead to just two points with the box score reading 84-82. Lakers lead early in 4Q Rui Hachimura's three took Lakers past Denver for the first time in the game since they were ahead 9-7 in 1Q. He dropped another three to take the Lakers ahead once more after Denver came back to erase the one-point deficit. Two three points by Jeff Green and Bruce Brown then gave Denver a five-point advantage with seven minutes to go and Murray's three made it a 9-0 run for the Nuggets. The run eventually went to 13 and the Lakers just couldn't come back from there as Denver scored 35 points in the quarter against Los Angeles' 26. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA West Finals: Murray drops 37 as Nuggets beat Lakers 119-108 to take 3-0 lead

<p>Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series.</p>

<p>Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic racked up another triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists for the Nuggets, but it was Murray who starred when it mattered most.</p>

<p>He made six of seven shots, including four of five from three-point range, playing all 12 minutes of a final period in which Jokic and fellow starters Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon went scoreless.</p>

<p>Murray's exploits were enough for a Nuggets team that had kept it close but couldn't find a way past LeBron James and the Lakers through the first three periods at Denver's Ball Arena.</p>

<p>"The game would've been a lot easier if I made them the first half," said Murray, adding he was able to refocus after missing some open shots and was encouraged by his teammates to keep shooting.</p>

<p>"Just come out focused and knock them down," he said of his second-half goal. "Don't lose any confidence or anything like that. Just play my game and know they're going to fall if I keep shooting them."</p>

<p>James and Austin Reaves scored 22 points apiece for the Lakers and Japanese reserve forward Rui Hachimura delivered a brilliant 21 points off the bench, but the Lakers couldn't stem the tide once Murray got going.</p>

<p>Two days after the Nuggets used a dominant first quarter to take control on the way to a game-one victory, it was all tied up at the end of one period.</p>

<p>The Lakers pushed their lead to as many as 11 in the second quarter before coming up empty on 10 straight attempts -- a dry spell ended by James's driving finger-roll layup.</p>

<p>James, who also had nine rebounds and 10 assists, then found Hachimura for an alley-oop dunk that put the Lakers up 53-48 at halftime.</p>

<p>Anthony Davis made just four of 15 shots on the way to 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who nevertheless pushed the lead back to 11 midway through the third as James came up with a steal and raced for a dunk.</p>

<p>But again the Nuggets clawed back, pulling level at 74-74 on Murray's pull-up jumper with 2:10 left in the third, only for the Lakers to pull away again to lead by three, 79-76, going into the final period.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-no-point-paying-gavaskar-slams-injured-jofra-archer-says-what-has-he-given-mi-in-return-594031">IPL 2023: 'No point paying...': Gavaskar slams injured Jofra Archer, says 'what has he given MI in return?'</a></p>

<h2>Murray the man</h2>

<p>With 9:21 left to play a Murray three-pointer gave the Nuggets the lead for the first time since the first quarter -- and they wouldn't fall behind again.</p>

<p>"I think he was amazing," Jokic said. "When it mattered the most, he made shots and he won us the game, basically."</p>

<p>Denver made seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter -- one less than the Lakers had in the entire contest. Not only did Murray make four of them, he had two steals that set up Bruce Brown and Michael Porter Jr. to hit from beyond the arc.</p>

<p>"Only one of them was uncontested," James said. "Two of Jamal's threes was right in the face of me and AD (Davis).</p>

<p>"The three-point line is what killed us in the fourth, but I didn't see many (defensive) breakdowns though."</p>

<p>Murray, who starred as the Nuggets reached the Western Conference finals in 2020 but missed the last two post-seasons after tearing a left knee ligament in April of 2021, said the Nuggets will need to show the same poise in game three in Los Angeles on Saturday.</p>

<p>"The crowd's going to be into it. They're going to run, they're going to play with a lot of pace, a lot of energy. We've got to be able to handle that."</p>

<p>James said the Lakers, who have won seven straight at home starting with the play-in tournament, can't afford to be complacent about a return to Crypto.com Arena.</p>

<p>"We can't go into any post-season game with comfort," he said. "You've got to be even more on edge when you go home."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The winner of the series will play either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.</p>

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Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series.

Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic racked up another triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists for the Nuggets, but it was Murray who starred when it mattered most. He made six of seven shots, including four of five from three-point range, playing all 12 minutes of a final period in which Jokic and fellow starters Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon went scoreless. Murray's exploits were enough for a Nuggets team that had kept it close but couldn't find a way past LeBron James and the Lakers through the first three periods at Denver's Ball Arena. "The game would've been a lot easier if I made them the first half," said Murray, adding he was able to refocus after missing some open shots and was encouraged by his teammates to keep shooting. "Just come out focused and knock them down," he said of his second-half goal. "Don't lose any confidence or anything like that. Just play my game and know they're going to fall if I keep shooting them." James and Austin Reaves scored 22 points apiece for the Lakers and Japanese reserve forward Rui Hachimura delivered a brilliant 21 points off the bench, but the Lakers couldn't stem the tide once Murray got going. Two days after the Nuggets used a dominant first quarter to take control on the way to a game-one victory, it was all tied up at the end of one period. The Lakers pushed their lead to as many as 11 in the second quarter before coming up empty on 10 straight attempts -- a dry spell ended by James's driving finger-roll layup. James, who also had nine rebounds and 10 assists, then found Hachimura for an alley-oop dunk that put the Lakers up 53-48 at halftime. Anthony Davis made just four of 15 shots on the way to 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who nevertheless pushed the lead back to 11 midway through the third as James came up with a steal and raced for a dunk. But again the Nuggets clawed back, pulling level at 74-74 on Murray's pull-up jumper with 2:10 left in the third, only for the Lakers to pull away again to lead by three, 79-76, going into the final period. ALSO READ | IPL 2023: 'No point paying...': Gavaskar slams injured Jofra Archer, says 'what has he given MI in return?' Murray the man With 9:21 left to play a Murray three-pointer gave the Nuggets the lead for the first time since the first quarter -- and they wouldn't fall behind again. "I think he was amazing," Jokic said. "When it mattered the most, he made shots and he won us the game, basically." Denver made seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter -- one less than the Lakers had in the entire contest. Not only did Murray make four of them, he had two steals that set up Bruce Brown and Michael Porter Jr. to hit from beyond the arc. "Only one of them was uncontested," James said. "Two of Jamal's threes was right in the face of me and AD (Davis). "The three-point line is what killed us in the fourth, but I didn't see many (defensive) breakdowns though." Murray, who starred as the Nuggets reached the Western Conference finals in 2020 but missed the last two post-seasons after tearing a left knee ligament in April of 2021, said the Nuggets will need to show the same poise in game three in Los Angeles on Saturday. "The crowd's going to be into it. They're going to run, they're going to play with a lot of pace, a lot of energy. We've got to be able to handle that." James said the Lakers, who have won seven straight at home starting with the play-in tournament, can't afford to be complacent about a return to Crypto.com Arena. "We can't go into any post-season game with comfort," he said. "You've got to be even more on edge when you go home." The winner of the series will play either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: 'Amazing' Murray leads Nuggets rally in 108-103 win over Lakers

<p>Nikola Jokic led Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 in Denver. The Lakers, who were trailing by 18 points by half-time fought valiantly in the last quarter as they cut down the lead to just three points but it was not enough.</p>

<p>A final seconds steal by Denver off LeBron James all but sealed the game for Nuggets who definitely were the better team for three quarters of the game. Jokic, however, was too much to handle as he scored 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists.</p>

<p>Lakers superstar LeBron James scored the first points of the game with a lay-up for two points. That was the only time the Lakers led in the first half as the Nuggets ran away with the game on the back of Jokic's historic first-half.</p>

<p>At the end of the first quarter, Denver were ahead by 12 points, leading 37-25. The game continued that same way in the second quarter as well with Denver adding another 35 points while the Lakers could manage only 29.</p>

<p>With Los Angeles down by 18 points by the half-time, they came out charging in the 1st quarter after the half-time but the Nuggets kept them at bay for most minutes.</p>

<p>It was only in the last couple of minutes of the third quarter that the Lakers were able to cut down the lead to 11 points. Nikola Jokic, however, had a different idea as he dropped a buzzer-beater to end the third quarter and extend Nuggets' lead to 14 points.</p>

<p>Such was the dominance of Jokic that he already had 12 rebounds in 1st quarter before he became the first player in the NBA history in over 25 years to score 15 points and 15 rebounds by the half-time. Till the time the game hit the last quarter, Jokic already had a triple-double of 31 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists.</p>

<p>Anthony Davis however, matched Jokic for points as he scored 31 points by the end of third quarter as well and ended with 40 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron also had a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds.</p>

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Nikola Jokic led Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 in Denver. The Lakers, who were trailing by 18 points by half-time fought valiantly in the last quarter as they cut down the lead to just three points but it was not enough.

Nikola Jokic led Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 in Denver. The Lakers, who were trailing by 18 points by half-time fought valiantly in the last quarter as they cut down the lead to just three points but it was not enough. A final seconds steal by Denver off LeBron James all but sealed the game for Nuggets who definitely were the better team for three quarters of the game. Jokic, however, was too much to handle as he scored 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists. Lakers superstar LeBron James scored the first points of the game with a lay-up for two points. That was the only time the Lakers led in the first half as the Nuggets ran away with the game on the back of Jokic's historic first-half. At the end of the first quarter, Denver were ahead by 12 points, leading 37-25. The game continued that same way in the second quarter as well with Denver adding another 35 points while the Lakers could manage only 29. With Los Angeles down by 18 points by the half-time, they came out charging in the 1st quarter after the half-time but the Nuggets kept them at bay for most minutes. It was only in the last couple of minutes of the third quarter that the Lakers were able to cut down the lead to 11 points. Nikola Jokic, however, had a different idea as he dropped a buzzer-beater to end the third quarter and extend Nuggets' lead to 14 points. Such was the dominance of Jokic that he already had 12 rebounds in 1st quarter before he became the first player in the NBA history in over 25 years to score 15 points and 15 rebounds by the half-time. Till the time the game hit the last quarter, Jokic already had a triple-double of 31 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists. Anthony Davis however, matched Jokic for points as he scored 31 points by the end of third quarter as well and ended with 40 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron also had a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA West Finals 2023: Jokic leads Nuggets past Lakers in Game 1

<p>Timothee Chalamet may have been labeled for his acting prowess and good looks but the latest tag&nbsp;given by Chris Pratt, perhaps is new.&nbsp;On Tuesday, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram from when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers playoff game against the Golden State Warriors at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena. Among the series of selfies, which were with cupcakes and tomahawk steaks, Pratt also included a photo with the newest snack in town: Timothée Chalamet.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"When you get courtside Lakers seats, (not to brag) they offer an exclusive, VIP buffet bar and restaurant with free drinks, delicious Tomahawk chops, cupcakes, and even America's tastiest snack, the Timothée Chalamet," Pratt captioned the post. "You know what? I get it."&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Pratt has been known to show off his midday cravings on social media which are neatly tagged under the Instagram segment "What's My Snack?" So it was not unusual of him to label Chalamet as a snack considering the Guardians of the Galaxy star is so passionate about food.&nbsp;<br />
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Pratt had once even rapped — and beatboxed! — about his general apathy toward a carrot cake muffin while on set one day. "I'll be stuffing this mother up in my grill, look at the carrot cake crumbs I spill," Pratt said. "I don't even like it, but I'm eating it still."&nbsp;</p>

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Timothee Chalamet may have been labeled for his acting prowess and good looks but the latest tag given by Chris Pratt, perhaps is new. On Tuesday, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram from when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers playoff game against the Golden State Warriors at L.

Timothee Chalamet may have been labeled for his acting prowess and good looks but the latest tag given by Chris Pratt, perhaps is new. On Tuesday, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram from when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers playoff game against the Golden State Warriors at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena. Among the series of selfies, which were with cupcakes and tomahawk steaks, Pratt also included a photo with the newest snack in town: Timothée Chalamet. "When you get courtside Lakers seats, (not to brag) they offer an exclusive, VIP buffet bar and restaurant with free drinks, delicious Tomahawk chops, cupcakes, and even America's tastiest snack, the Timothée Chalamet," Pratt captioned the post. "You know what? I get it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris Pratt (@prattprattpratt) × Pratt has been known to show off his midday cravings on social media which are neatly tagged under the Instagram segment "What's My Snack?" So it was not unusual of him to label Chalamet as a snack considering the Guardians of the Galaxy star is so passionate about food. Pratt had once even rapped — and beatboxed! — about his general apathy toward a carrot cake muffin while on set one day. "I'll be stuffing this mother up in my grill, look at the carrot cake crumbs I spill," Pratt said. "I don't even like it, but I'm eating it still." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chris Pratt just called Timothée Chalamet America's 'tastiest snack'

<p>Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis had a monster Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoffs 2023 as he scored a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Los Angeles win 127-97.</p>

<p>Davis, however, is following strange trend of scoring more in odd games this postseason than the even games. When asked after Game 3 about the trend, the Lakers center shrugged it off, calling it just a regular thing to happen.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-butler-returns-as-heat-down-knicks-for-2-1-lead-589870">Butler returns as Heat down Knicks for 2-1 lead</a></p>

<p>"It's a miss or make league. The same shots I had in Game 1, I had in Game 2. I made them in Game 1 and I missed them in Game 2. The same The same shots I had in Game 2, I had in Game 3. I missed in Game 2 and I made in Game 3," he said.</p>

<p>"I look at it as I just missed shots. I didn't do anything differently, I didn't change anything up, so it is what it is," added Davis. Have a look at Davis' performance in Game 3 vs the Warriors:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Another dominant Anthony Davis performance.<br />
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💪: 25 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4 BLK<br />
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Lakers take Game 3 in LA 🗣️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/GooglePixel_US?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GooglePixel_US</a> <a href="https://t.co/uUFJ0sUoi2">pic.twitter.com/uUFJ0sUoi2</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1655053124225183744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Davis might have shrugged off the trend, the stats definitely speak differently about this being just a regular thing. In the nine games (Six against the Grizzlies in Round 1 and three so far against the Warriors) Davis has played so far during 2023 NBA Playoffs, he has scored 21.22 points on an average.</p>

<p>However, in odd games, Game 1, 3, and 5 against the Grizzlies and Game 1 &amp; 3 against the Warriors, Davis averages 27.8 which is a whopping 14.8 more than 13 he averages in four even games, that is, Game 2, 4 &amp; 6 against Memphis and Game 2 against the Golden State.</p>

<p>Davis has also scored more than 20 points in every odd game played this postseason while his even-game scores read 13, 12, 16 and 11 so far.</p>

<p>Whatever may be the reason behind these numbers, the Lakers would still be happy even if high-scoring Davis shows up every other game in the playoffs.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis had a monster Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoffs 2023 as he scored a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Los Angeles win 127-97.

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis had a monster Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoffs 2023 as he scored a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Los Angeles win 127-97. Davis, however, is following strange trend of scoring more in odd games this postseason than the even games. When asked after Game 3 about the trend, the Lakers center shrugged it off, calling it just a regular thing to happen. Also Read: Butler returns as Heat down Knicks for 2-1 lead "It's a miss or make league. The same shots I had in Game 1, I had in Game 2. I made them in Game 1 and I missed them in Game 2. The same The same shots I had in Game 2, I had in Game 3. I missed in Game 2 and I made in Game 3," he said. "I look at it as I just missed shots. I didn't do anything differently, I didn't change anything up, so it is what it is," added Davis. Have a look at Davis' performance in Game 3 vs the Warriors: Another dominant Anthony Davis performance. 💪: 25 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4 BLK Lakers take Game 3 in LA 🗣️#NBAPlayoffs presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/uUFJ0sUoi2 — NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2023 × While Davis might have shrugged off the trend, the stats definitely speak differently about this being just a regular thing. In the nine games (Six against the Grizzlies in Round 1 and three so far against the Warriors) Davis has played so far during 2023 NBA Playoffs, he has scored 21.22 points on an average. However, in odd games, Game 1, 3, and 5 against the Grizzlies and Game 1 & 3 against the Warriors, Davis averages 27.8 which is a whopping 14.8 more than 13 he averages in four even games, that is, Game 2, 4 & 6 against Memphis and Game 2 against the Golden State. Davis has also scored more than 20 points in every odd game played this postseason while his even-game scores read 13, 12, 16 and 11 so far. Whatever may be the reason behind these numbers, the Lakers would still be happy even if high-scoring Davis shows up every other game in the playoffs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Lakers' Anthony Davis on scoring more in odd games than even ones this postseason

<p>The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2023 NBA Western Conference semifinals with a win against the Golden State Warriors, beating them 117-112 to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series.</p>

<p>Both the teams have had a rough road so far in the playoffs with the Warriors winning the Round 1 series 4-3 against the Sacramento Kings while the Lakers entered the playoffs only after winning the 2023 NBA Play-in tournament.</p>

<p>As for the Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, it was in balance throughout the four quarters with the Warriors taking a two-point first quarter lead by outscoring the Lakers 31-29.</p>

<p>The Showtime Lakers hit back resoundingly in the second quarter, edging past the Warriors 36-33. The box score read 66-65 at the half-time in Los Angeles' favour and they kept on the pressure going into the third quarter as well.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sixers-joel-embiid-named-nba-most-valuable-player-588350">Sixers' Joel Embiid named NBA Most Valuable Player</a></p>

<p>Los Angeles took a decisive lead of seven points in the first quarter after the half-time as they outscored Golden State 31-24. With a eight-point deficit staring them in the face, the Warriors put in all their energy in the final 12 minutes and outscored the Lakers 24-21 but it wasn't suffice to win the game.</p>

<p>As for the individual performance, Lakers center Anthony Davis had a monster game as he dropped 30 points and caught 23 rebounds along with five assists. Los Angeles star LeBron James also had a double-double, scoring 22 points and 11 rebounds apart from four assists. Apart from them, D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder scored 19 apiece.</p>

<p>For the Warriors, Stephen Curry, the Game 7 Round 1 hero against the Kings, top scored with 27 points while Klay Thompson dropped 25. Kevin Looney had a double-double of 10 points and 23 rebounds. Jordan Poole also dropped 21 points but all these efforts went in vain with the Lakers winning the game.</p>

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The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2023 NBA Western Conference semifinals with a win against the Golden State Warriors, beating them 117-112 to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series.

The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2023 NBA Western Conference semifinals with a win against the Golden State Warriors, beating them 117-112 to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series. Both the teams have had a rough road so far in the playoffs with the Warriors winning the Round 1 series 4-3 against the Sacramento Kings while the Lakers entered the playoffs only after winning the 2023 NBA Play-in tournament. As for the Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, it was in balance throughout the four quarters with the Warriors taking a two-point first quarter lead by outscoring the Lakers 31-29. The Showtime Lakers hit back resoundingly in the second quarter, edging past the Warriors 36-33. The box score read 66-65 at the half-time in Los Angeles' favour and they kept on the pressure going into the third quarter as well. Also Read: Sixers' Joel Embiid named NBA Most Valuable Player Los Angeles took a decisive lead of seven points in the first quarter after the half-time as they outscored Golden State 31-24. With a eight-point deficit staring them in the face, the Warriors put in all their energy in the final 12 minutes and outscored the Lakers 24-21 but it wasn't suffice to win the game. As for the individual performance, Lakers center Anthony Davis had a monster game as he dropped 30 points and caught 23 rebounds along with five assists. Los Angeles star LeBron James also had a double-double, scoring 22 points and 11 rebounds apart from four assists. Apart from them, D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder scored 19 apiece. For the Warriors, Stephen Curry, the Game 7 Round 1 hero against the Kings, top scored with 27 points while Klay Thompson dropped 25. Kevin Looney had a double-double of 10 points and 23 rebounds. Jordan Poole also dropped 21 points but all these efforts went in vain with the Lakers winning the game. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Lakers beat Warriors in Game 1 of Western Conference semifinals

<p>Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in beast mode during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. LeBron was the architect of the Lakers' overtime victory as he dropped 20 points.</p>

<p>James, with nearly seven seconds left on clock in the fourth quarter and the Lakers' training by two points, made a clutch lay-up as he pushed the game into the OT. LeBron, while making the game-pushed-in-OT play, took the ball up court before laying it up for two points. The ball bounced on the rim a bit before sinking down, sending everyone at Crypto.com arena. Have a look at the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The King sends it to OT <a href="https://t.co/EhmqQHLbrn">pic.twitter.com/EhmqQHLbrn</a></p>
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1650723020569452551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Once the game was in the OT, LeBron and Lakers didn't relent and outscored the Grizzlies 13-7 to win the game 117-111. The last two games of the seven-game series have been quite chirpy from Grizzlies' side at least.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Memphis guard Dillon Brooks was, in fact, ejected in Game 3 after hitting LeBron in groin area. The league, however, refrained from suspending Brooks. Earlier, after Game 2, Brooks had called LeBron 'old' but LeBron didn't reply to any of the talks from Brooks instead showed what is he capable of in Game 4.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-lebron-james-leads-lakers-past-grizzlies-in-game-4-585921">LeBron James leads Lakers past Grizzlies in Game 4</a></p>

<p>For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. LeBron, at 38 years and 115 days old, also became the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game. &nbsp;Wilt Chamberlain at 36 years and 262 days old had set the previous record on May 10, 1973.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron James (38 years, 115 days old) becomes the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game.<br />
<br />
Wilt Chamberlain (36 years, 262 days old) set the previous record on May 10, 1973. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PLAYOFFMODE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PLAYOFFMODE</a> <a href="https://t.co/3FO4jxSuTl">pic.twitter.com/3FO4jxSuTl</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1650730749002121217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>For the Memphis Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.</p>


Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in beast mode during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. LeBron was the architect of the Lakers' overtime victory as he dropped 20 points.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in beast mode during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. LeBron was the architect of the Lakers' overtime victory as he dropped 20 points. James, with nearly seven seconds left on clock in the fourth quarter and the Lakers' training by two points, made a clutch lay-up as he pushed the game into the OT. LeBron, while making the game-pushed-in-OT play, took the ball up court before laying it up for two points. The ball bounced on the rim a bit before sinking down, sending everyone at Crypto.com arena. Have a look at the video here: The King sends it to OT pic.twitter.com/EhmqQHLbrn — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 25, 2023 × Once the game was in the OT, LeBron and Lakers didn't relent and outscored the Grizzlies 13-7 to win the game 117-111. The last two games of the seven-game series have been quite chirpy from Grizzlies' side at least. Memphis guard Dillon Brooks was, in fact, ejected in Game 3 after hitting LeBron in groin area. The league, however, refrained from suspending Brooks. Earlier, after Game 2, Brooks had called LeBron 'old' but LeBron didn't reply to any of the talks from Brooks instead showed what is he capable of in Game 4. Also Read: LeBron James leads Lakers past Grizzlies in Game 4 For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. LeBron, at 38 years and 115 days old, also became the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game. Wilt Chamberlain at 36 years and 262 days old had set the previous record on May 10, 1973. LeBron James (38 years, 115 days old) becomes the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game. Wilt Chamberlain (36 years, 262 days old) set the previous record on May 10, 1973. #PLAYOFFMODE pic.twitter.com/3FO4jxSuTl — NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2023 × For the Memphis Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Lakers' LeBron makes clutch shot to send Game 4 vs Grizzlies into OT - WATCH

<p>Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James brushed aside Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Memphis Grizzlies as they won Game 4 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 series.</p>

<p>Notably, Morant had scored 45 points in the last game against the Lakers, albeit in a loss. Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks, on the other hand, was ejected in Game 3 for hitting LeBron James in the groin after calling him 'old' post Game 2.</p>

<p>In Game 4 though, LeBron schooled the Grizzlies as he scored clutch points in overtime to take the Lakers on the brink of the next round of NBA Playoffs.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-butler-56-as-heat-beat-bucks-to-take-3-1-lead-585838">Butler 56 as Heat beat Bucks to take 3-1 lead</a></p>

<p>The game started with Lakers coming out with an attitude to win, outscoring Grizzlies 29-23 in the first quarter. The Grizzlies came roaring back in the second quarter as thy outscored the Showtime Lakers 29-25. Los Angeles, however, still had a lead of one point at the half-time though.</p>

<p>Come second half, Memphis started well and managed 31 points in the third quarter against the Lakers' 27. Now, with the Grizzlies with their nose in the front, the Lakers hit back.</p>

<p>Los Angeles did everything in their power to erase the two-point deficit and managed 23 points against the Grizzlies' 21, taking the game into the OT. And it was none other than 'old' LeBron James who made a pivotal shot for the Lakers to send the game into the overtime.</p>

<p>In OT, the Lakers and LeBron were unstoppable as they outscored Memphis 13-7 to win the game. For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.</p>

<p>For the Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James brushed aside Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Memphis Grizzlies as they won Game 4 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 series.

Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James brushed aside Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Memphis Grizzlies as they won Game 4 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 series. Notably, Morant had scored 45 points in the last game against the Lakers, albeit in a loss. Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks, on the other hand, was ejected in Game 3 for hitting LeBron James in the groin after calling him 'old' post Game 2. In Game 4 though, LeBron schooled the Grizzlies as he scored clutch points in overtime to take the Lakers on the brink of the next round of NBA Playoffs. Also Read: Butler 56 as Heat beat Bucks to take 3-1 lead The game started with Lakers coming out with an attitude to win, outscoring Grizzlies 29-23 in the first quarter. The Grizzlies came roaring back in the second quarter as thy outscored the Showtime Lakers 29-25. Los Angeles, however, still had a lead of one point at the half-time though. Come second half, Memphis started well and managed 31 points in the third quarter against the Lakers' 27. Now, with the Grizzlies with their nose in the front, the Lakers hit back. Los Angeles did everything in their power to erase the two-point deficit and managed 23 points against the Grizzlies' 21, taking the game into the OT. And it was none other than 'old' LeBron James who made a pivotal shot for the Lakers to send the game into the overtime. In OT, the Lakers and LeBron were unstoppable as they outscored Memphis 13-7 to win the game. For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. For the Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: LeBron James leads Lakers past Grizzlies in Game 4

<p>Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected for hitting Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the groin during the Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1.</p>

<p>The incident happened in the second half with 11:43 left on the clock in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 53-37 over the Grizzlies. In the video making rounds on the internet, James can be seen taking the ball up court when Brook hit him in the groin area with the back of his hand.</p>

<p>James immediately fell on the ground in pain and Brooks got a flagrant foul 2 after the review from the officials, resulting in ejection automatically. The crowd at Crypto.com arena cheered on as Brooks left the court. Have a look at the video of the incident here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dillon Brooks has been ejected after hitting LeBron James in the groin <a href="https://t.co/SPTRq6heO4">pic.twitter.com/SPTRq6heO4</a></p>
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ/status/1649979931479228418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>This happened as Brooks had called LeBron 'old' after Game 2 between the two teams. Nonetheless, the Lakers went on to win the game 111-101 and took a 2-1 lead in the seven-game series of Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs 2023.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-76ers-vs-nets-suns-vs-clippers-heat-vs-bucks-lakers-vs-grizzlies-full-scores-and-results-585286">NBA Playoffs 2023: 76ers vs Nets, Suns vs Clippers, Heat vs Bucks, Lakers vs Grizzlies full scores and results</a></p>

<p>As for the game, Grizzlies lost it in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them. The Lakers scored 35 against the Grizzlies 31 in the third quarter.</p>

<p>For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win. Morant, at one point, was so dominant that the scored straight 22 points for the Grizzlies. The effort, while a monumental one, was in vain.</p>


Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected for hitting Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the groin during the Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected for hitting Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the groin during the Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1. The incident happened in the second half with 11:43 left on the clock in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 53-37 over the Grizzlies. In the video making rounds on the internet, James can be seen taking the ball up court when Brook hit him in the groin area with the back of his hand. James immediately fell on the ground in pain and Brooks got a flagrant foul 2 after the review from the officials, resulting in ejection automatically. The crowd at Crypto.com arena cheered on as Brooks left the court. Have a look at the video of the incident here: Dillon Brooks has been ejected after hitting LeBron James in the groin pic.twitter.com/SPTRq6heO4 — Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) April 23, 2023 × This happened as Brooks had called LeBron 'old' after Game 2 between the two teams. Nonetheless, the Lakers went on to win the game 111-101 and took a 2-1 lead in the seven-game series of Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs 2023. Also Read: NBA Playoffs 2023: 76ers vs Nets, Suns vs Clippers, Heat vs Bucks, Lakers vs Grizzlies full scores and results As for the game, Grizzlies lost it in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them. The Lakers scored 35 against the Grizzlies 31 in the third quarter. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win. Morant, at one point, was so dominant that the scored straight 22 points for the Grizzlies. The effort, while a monumental one, was in vain.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks hits Lakers' LeBron James in groin in Game 3, gets ejected - WATCH

<p>The Philadelphia 76ers ease past the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1 with the fourth victory on the trot. In other games, the Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers while the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers took the 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, respectively.</p>

<p><strong>Here are the full recaps, scores and results of all the games:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets</strong></p>

<p>It was the last chance of the Nets to stay in the hunt for the next round of NBA Playoffs and they did start well, taking an eight-point lead till the half-time. The 76ers, however, had other plans as they not only erased the deficit but even took a three-point lead by the end of the third quarter as they outscored the Nets 26-15. All of this without Joel Embiid!</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">25 PTS | 12 REB<br />
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it really was Tobi time. ⏰<br />
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💪 hydrated by <a href="https://twitter.com/BioSteelSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BioSteelSports</a> <a href="https://t.co/P7k0XBi9WD">pic.twitter.com/P7k0XBi9WD</a></p>
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1649864398192918528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The fourth quarter was just the last nail in the coffin for the Nets as they could score only 25 against the Sixers' 30 and Philly won the game 96-88 and the series 4-0.</p>

<p>For the Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points while Nic Claxton and Mikal Bridges chipped in with 19 and 17, respectively. For the 76ers, Tobias Harris top scored with 25 points and 12 rebounds while James Harden dropped in 17.</p>

<p><strong>Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Clippers</strong></p>

<p>After losing the first game of the series against the Clippers, the Suns seem to have found their light back as they beat the Los Angeles 112-100 in the Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead. The Clippers, however, had the early advantage as the took a seven point in the first quarter, outscoring the Suns 30-23.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Finding the open man. <a href="https://t.co/C4HXa1E8NM">pic.twitter.com/C4HXa1E8NM</a></p>
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1649889929810571264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Things changed in the second quarter as the Sun erased the deficit and took one point lead over the Clippers. The third quarter was the most fiercely fought one as both the teams scored in excess of 30 but Phoenix stayed on the top and extended their lead to five points.</p>

<p>The Clippers were outplayed completed in the last quarter 29-22 as they lost the game. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored 31 and 30 points, respectively. For the Clippers, Russell Westbrook scored game-high 37 points but in vain.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-sixers-advance-after-nets-sweep-suns-on-brink-as-clippers-downed-585233">Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed</a></p>

<p><strong>Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks</strong></p>

<p>In a surprising turn of events, the Miami Heat beat the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs Round 1 to take a 2-1 lead. Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence is a huge blow for the Bucks, no credit can be taken away from the Heat to turn around their fortunes.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">30 points in 3 quarters for Jimmy ☕️ <a href="https://t.co/3Ro8Jh1fCv">pic.twitter.com/3Ro8Jh1fCv</a></p>
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1649963299931553792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Miami were on top of Milwaukee right from the start, outscoring them in each quarter 29-21, 37-32, 28-26, and 27-20 with the Bucks having no place to hide.</p>

<p>For the Heat, Jimmy Butler dropped 30 and Duncan Robinson scored 20. For the Bucks, Khris Middleton scored 23 and Jrue Holiday scored 19, clearly not enough. The Bucks must find a way soon to deal with the Heat in the next game or two else they'll be out of the playoffs real soon.</p>

<p><strong>Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The Showtime Lakers are back and now. From scrapping to get a place into the playoffs, they now have a 2-1 lead over the Grizzlies, standing just two games away from the next round of the NBA Playoffs.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fifteen in the third frame for AD 🗣 <a href="https://t.co/JFMSFVkTR2">pic.twitter.com/JFMSFVkTR2</a></p>
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1649990344212385793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Such was the dominance of the Lakers as the Grizzlies lost the game in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them.</p>

<p>For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win.&nbsp;</p>

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The Philadelphia 76ers ease past the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1 with the fourth victory on the trot. In other games, the Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers while the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers took the 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, respectively.

The Philadelphia 76ers ease past the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1 with the fourth victory on the trot. In other games, the Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers while the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers took the 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, respectively. Here are the full recaps, scores and results of all the games: Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets It was the last chance of the Nets to stay in the hunt for the next round of NBA Playoffs and they did start well, taking an eight-point lead till the half-time. The 76ers, however, had other plans as they not only erased the deficit but even took a three-point lead by the end of the third quarter as they outscored the Nets 26-15. All of this without Joel Embiid! 25 PTS | 12 REB it really was Tobi time. ⏰ 💪 hydrated by @BioSteelSports pic.twitter.com/P7k0XBi9WD — Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 22, 2023 × The fourth quarter was just the last nail in the coffin for the Nets as they could score only 25 against the Sixers' 30 and Philly won the game 96-88 and the series 4-0. For the Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points while Nic Claxton and Mikal Bridges chipped in with 19 and 17, respectively. For the 76ers, Tobias Harris top scored with 25 points and 12 rebounds while James Harden dropped in 17. Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Clippers After losing the first game of the series against the Clippers, the Suns seem to have found their light back as they beat the Los Angeles 112-100 in the Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead. The Clippers, however, had the early advantage as the took a seven point in the first quarter, outscoring the Suns 30-23. Finding the open man. pic.twitter.com/C4HXa1E8NM — Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 22, 2023 × Things changed in the second quarter as the Sun erased the deficit and took one point lead over the Clippers. The third quarter was the most fiercely fought one as both the teams scored in excess of 30 but Phoenix stayed on the top and extended their lead to five points. The Clippers were outplayed completed in the last quarter 29-22 as they lost the game. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored 31 and 30 points, respectively. For the Clippers, Russell Westbrook scored game-high 37 points but in vain. Also Read: Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks In a surprising turn of events, the Miami Heat beat the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs Round 1 to take a 2-1 lead. Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence is a huge blow for the Bucks, no credit can be taken away from the Heat to turn around their fortunes. 30 points in 3 quarters for Jimmy ☕️ pic.twitter.com/3Ro8Jh1fCv — Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 23, 2023 × Miami were on top of Milwaukee right from the start, outscoring them in each quarter 29-21, 37-32, 28-26, and 27-20 with the Bucks having no place to hide. For the Heat, Jimmy Butler dropped 30 and Duncan Robinson scored 20. For the Bucks, Khris Middleton scored 23 and Jrue Holiday scored 19, clearly not enough. The Bucks must find a way soon to deal with the Heat in the next game or two else they'll be out of the playoffs real soon. Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies The Showtime Lakers are back and now. From scrapping to get a place into the playoffs, they now have a 2-1 lead over the Grizzlies, standing just two games away from the next round of the NBA Playoffs. Fifteen in the third frame for AD 🗣 pic.twitter.com/JFMSFVkTR2 — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 23, 2023 × Such was the dominance of the Lakers as the Grizzlies lost the game in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: 76ers vs Nets, Suns vs Clippers, Heat vs Bucks, Lakers vs Grizzlies full scores and results

<p>NBA Play-in Tournament started off in a blistering manner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as winners in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively.</p>

<p>Both the teams have qualified for the NBA Playoffs now as the seventh seed in their respective conferences. The losers, Heat and Wolves, however, will have another shot at making the playoffs against the winner of the second play-in game between No. 9 and No. 10 seed teams in their conferences.</p>

<h2><strong>Here are the Winners and Losers of the first two play-in tournament games:</strong></h2>

<h3><strong>NBA Play-in tournament Winners:</strong></h3>

<p><strong>Atlanta Hawks in Eastern Conference</strong></p>

<p>The Hawks set the tone early in the game as they led the scoring in the first two quarters of the game 36-27 and 29-23. The Heat could never bridge the gap even as they outscored the Hawks in the next two quarters 28-26 and 27-25. 'Ice' Trae Young led the scoring table for the Hawks as he dropped 25 points and Atlanta eventually won 116-105.</p>

<p>Other notable performances from the Hawks were Dejounte Murray 18 points, Saddiq Bey 17 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic 14 points, Onyeka Okongwu 12 points and Clint Capela's 21 rebounds.</p>

<p><strong>Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference</strong></p>

<p>LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had a brilliant night as the Lakers scampered their way into the NBA Playoffs. Both James and Davis scored a double-double in a must-win game for the Showtime Lakers. James, however top scored with 30 points and 10 rebounds while Davis dropped 24 points and 15 rebounds.</p>

<p>Lakers' Dennis Schroder also scored 21 points as Lakers shrugged off first-half deficit of 11 points and went on to with the game in OT by six points with the final scoreboard reading of 108-102.</p>

<p><strong>Watch the Hawks vs Heat full game highlights below:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ATLHawks</a> were ACTIVE on the glass in their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATTPlayIn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ATTPlayIn</a> win!<br />
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💪 22 offensive boards<br />
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For more, download the NBA app:<br />
📲 <a href="https://t.co/EfGWQh0QrC">https://t.co/EfGWQh0QrC</a> <a href="https://t.co/DJCbTD9T67">pic.twitter.com/DJCbTD9T67</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1646060585744842754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/sports/nba-playin-tournament-2023-format-teams-schedule-hawks-heat-lakers-wolves-bulls-raptors-okc-pelicans-1681206683449" target="_blank">NBA 2023: Play-in Tournament Format, Teams and Schedule</a></p>

<h3><strong>NBA Play-in Tournament Losers:</strong></h3>

<p><strong>Miami Heat in Eastern Conference</strong></p>

<p>The Heat were the better team but in last two quarters of the game and the four point advantage they gained in the second half wasn't suffice against the soaring Hawks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the Heat, Kyle Lowry led the way with 33 points while Tyler Herro dropped 26 but it was all too little too late. Heat's superstar Jimmy Buttler too managed 21 points and all these efforts went in vain. Miami will, however, have another shot at making it to the playoffs on April 14 when they take on the winner of Bulls vs Raptors game.</p>

<p><strong>Minnesota Timberwolves in Western Conference</strong></p>

<p>The Wolves started strongly and gained a lead of 11 points at the end of second quarter but then they lost their way as the Lakers counter-attacked to wipe off the lead in the next two quarters.</p>

<p>The game then moved into overtime, giving the Wolves another chance to find their way back into the game but the Showtime Lakers were too bright for them as Minnesota were outscored 4-10 in the OT.</p>

<p>However, just like the Heat, Timberwolves will have another shot again to make it right when they take on the winner of Pelicans vs Raptors.</p>

<p><strong>Watch the Lakers vs Wolves full game highlights here:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">30 FOR THE KING.<br />
LAKERS WIN TO GET IN.<a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a> powers the Lakers into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by Google Pixel! <a href="https://t.co/6Hw35GM3qf">pic.twitter.com/6Hw35GM3qf</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1646019532505448449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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NBA Play-in Tournament started off in a blistering manner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as winners in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively.

NBA Play-in Tournament started off in a blistering manner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as winners in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively. Both the teams have qualified for the NBA Playoffs now as the seventh seed in their respective conferences. The losers, Heat and Wolves, however, will have another shot at making the playoffs against the winner of the second play-in game between No. 9 and No. 10 seed teams in their conferences. Here are the Winners and Losers of the first two play-in tournament games: NBA Play-in tournament Winners: Atlanta Hawks in Eastern Conference The Hawks set the tone early in the game as they led the scoring in the first two quarters of the game 36-27 and 29-23. The Heat could never bridge the gap even as they outscored the Hawks in the next two quarters 28-26 and 27-25. 'Ice' Trae Young led the scoring table for the Hawks as he dropped 25 points and Atlanta eventually won 116-105. Other notable performances from the Hawks were Dejounte Murray 18 points, Saddiq Bey 17 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic 14 points, Onyeka Okongwu 12 points and Clint Capela's 21 rebounds. Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had a brilliant night as the Lakers scampered their way into the NBA Playoffs. Both James and Davis scored a double-double in a must-win game for the Showtime Lakers. James, however top scored with 30 points and 10 rebounds while Davis dropped 24 points and 15 rebounds. Lakers' Dennis Schroder also scored 21 points as Lakers shrugged off first-half deficit of 11 points and went on to with the game in OT by six points with the final scoreboard reading of 108-102. Watch the Hawks vs Heat full game highlights below: The @ATLHawks were ACTIVE on the glass in their #ATTPlayIn win! 💪 22 offensive boards 💪 26 second-chance points For more, download the NBA app: 📲 https://t.co/EfGWQh0QrC pic.twitter.com/DJCbTD9T67 — NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2023 × Also Read: NBA 2023: Play-in Tournament Format, Teams and Schedule NBA Play-in Tournament Losers: Miami Heat in Eastern Conference The Heat were the better team but in last two quarters of the game and the four point advantage they gained in the second half wasn't suffice against the soaring Hawks. For the Heat, Kyle Lowry led the way with 33 points while Tyler Herro dropped 26 but it was all too little too late. Heat's superstar Jimmy Buttler too managed 21 points and all these efforts went in vain. Miami will, however, have another shot at making it to the playoffs on April 14 when they take on the winner of Bulls vs Raptors game. Minnesota Timberwolves in Western Conference The Wolves started strongly and gained a lead of 11 points at the end of second quarter but then they lost their way as the Lakers counter-attacked to wipe off the lead in the next two quarters. The game then moved into overtime, giving the Wolves another chance to find their way back into the game but the Showtime Lakers were too bright for them as Minnesota were outscored 4-10 in the OT. However, just like the Heat, Timberwolves will have another shot again to make it right when they take on the winner of Pelicans vs Raptors. Watch the Lakers vs Wolves full game highlights here: 30 FOR THE KING. LAKERS WIN TO GET IN.@KingJames powers the Lakers into the #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel! pic.twitter.com/6Hw35GM3qf — NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2023 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA 2023 Play-in Tournament: Hawks vs Heat and Lakers vs Timberwolves scores, results and full game highlights

<p>The Los Angeles Lakers entered the play-in tournament in the most dramatic manner as they beat Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime and it was Lakers star LeBron James who made the winning shot.</p>

<p>The Lakers were leading 68-57 at the halftime but the Jazz rallied from behind to score 67 points in the next two quarters against the Lakers' 57.</p>

<p>The game went into the OT and the LA Laker outscored Utah Jazz 11-9 with James making the last layup. Have a look at the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LEBRON SEALS THE OT WIN FOR THE LAKERS 💪🏾 <a href="https://t.co/49cKb9Jga7">pic.twitter.com/49cKb9Jga7</a></p>
— NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1643459741295968256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom are returning from the injuries, played for longer time than usual. LeBron, in fifth game back after staying away four weeks due to torn tendon, clocked 38 minutes game-time while Anthony Davis played 42 minutes - first time north of 40 since January.</p>

<p><strong>Also Watch:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mlb-padres-manny-machado-gets-out-on-pitch-clock-violation-ejected-after-arguing-watch-579347">Padres' Manny Machado gets out on pitch clock violation, ejected after arguing</a></p>

<p>"The extra five minutes definitely didn't help," LeBron said after the game. "It definitely didn't help but we needed to get the win," he added. Notably, LeBron hadn't played more than 32 minutes since coming back from the injury.</p>

<p>Whether he'll play against the Clipper or not, LeBron said he'll see how his foot feels.</p>

<p>"How my foot feels when I wake up and I step out of bed," James said when asked what would determine whether he suits up for the Clippers game or not. "That's been the most important since I've injured it five weeks ago -- the next day after either rehab or training or treatment, whatever. It's always that."</p>

<p>Davis, on the other hand, said, "I haven't played in a back-to-back in a long time. So, I mean, we'll all get on a phone call or something tomorrow morning and go from there."</p>

<p>LeBron scored 37 points in the game, while Austin Reaves scored 28 and Davis chipped in with 21 points.</p>

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The Los Angeles Lakers entered the play-in tournament in the most dramatic manner as they beat Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime and it was Lakers star LeBron James who made the winning shot.

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the play-in tournament in the most dramatic manner as they beat Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime and it was Lakers star LeBron James who made the winning shot. The Lakers were leading 68-57 at the halftime but the Jazz rallied from behind to score 67 points in the next two quarters against the Lakers' 57. The game went into the OT and the LA Laker outscored Utah Jazz 11-9 with James making the last layup. Have a look at the video here: LEBRON SEALS THE OT WIN FOR THE LAKERS 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/49cKb9Jga7 — NBA TV (@NBATV) April 5, 2023 × LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom are returning from the injuries, played for longer time than usual. LeBron, in fifth game back after staying away four weeks due to torn tendon, clocked 38 minutes game-time while Anthony Davis played 42 minutes - first time north of 40 since January. Also Watch: Padres' Manny Machado gets out on pitch clock violation, ejected after arguing "The extra five minutes definitely didn't help," LeBron said after the game. "It definitely didn't help but we needed to get the win," he added. Notably, LeBron hadn't played more than 32 minutes since coming back from the injury. Whether he'll play against the Clipper or not, LeBron said he'll see how his foot feels. "How my foot feels when I wake up and I step out of bed," James said when asked what would determine whether he suits up for the Clippers game or not. "That's been the most important since I've injured it five weeks ago -- the next day after either rehab or training or treatment, whatever. It's always that." Davis, on the other hand, said, "I haven't played in a back-to-back in a long time. So, I mean, we'll all get on a phone call or something tomorrow morning and go from there." LeBron scored 37 points in the game, while Austin Reaves scored 28 and Davis chipped in with 21 points. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: LeBron makes game-winning layup in OT as Lakers beat Jazz to enter play-in tournament - WATCH

<p>The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.</p>

<p>As the push to the post-season headed into its final two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 with a 108-91 victory over the Houston Rockets.</p>

<p>Jarret Allen tied his season high with 24 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavs, who are assured of one of the top six places in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament for the seventh- through 10th-placed teams.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-im-back-says-virat-kohli-ahead-of-upcoming-season-575885">IPL 2023: I'm back, says Virat Kohli ahead of upcoming season</a></p>

<p>It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavaliers have reached the playoffs without James, whose 20-year NBA career has included two stints with his hometown team, where he won one of his four titles in 2016.</p>

<p>James said Sunday that the chance to challenge for a fifth title overall, and a second with the Lakers, had driven his rapid return from what he revealed was a torn tendon in his right foot.</p>

<p>All eyes were on the 38-year-old forward at Crypto.com Arena, where he came off the bench for just the second time in his career -- the only other occasion coming in December of 2007 when he was with Cleveland.</p>

<p>James checked in to a standing ovation with the Lakers up 12-9 in the first quarter -- going through his traditional hand-chalk toss near the scorer's table before hitting the floor.</p>

<p>He led the Lakers with 19 points in 27 and a half minutes on court. Troy Brown and Malik Beasley added 18 apiece while Anthony Davis scored 15.</p>

<p>But the Bulls crashed the party, Zach LaVine scoring 32 points and DeMar De Rozan adding 17 points and 10 assists as Chicago gave themselves a three-game cushion over the Washington Wizards for the 10th place in the East.</p>

<p>"They came out with a sense of urgency tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "We came out a little flat, turned the ball over early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough."</p>

<p>The Lakers, who had gone 8-5 in James's absence, saw their three-game winning streak end.</p>

<p>They slipped from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Oklahoma City and half a game behind New Orleans and Minnesota.</p>

<p>James said seeing his teammates claw out wins in his absence had spurred his injury return.</p>

<p>"It definitely changed my mindset on me coming back and trying to be a part of this. Well, I don't even want to say changed my mindset. It just enhanced what I was trying to do as far as my workouts, as far as my treatment and everything."</p>

<p>Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 home rout of the San Antonio Spurs.</p>

<p>The injury absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum was no problem for the Celtics, who kept the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for top seed in the East.</p>

<h2><strong>Morant leads Grizzlies</strong></h2>

<p>Ja Morant returned to the Memphis starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first two games back from suspension, scoring 27 points to lead the Grizzlies in a 123-119 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.</p>

<p>Desmond Bane added 25 points as the Grizzlies, second in the West, fended off Atlanta's late challenge to push their winning streak to six games.</p>

<p>The Dallas Mavericks' downward spiral continued with a 110-104 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte, where Mavs star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which will trigger an automatic one-game suspension.</p>

<p>After failing to make a basket in the first quarter Doncic finished with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to stave off a second loss in three days to the hapless Hornets -- who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.</p>

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The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.

The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot. As the push to the post-season headed into its final two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 with a 108-91 victory over the Houston Rockets. Jarret Allen tied his season high with 24 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavs, who are assured of one of the top six places in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament for the seventh- through 10th-placed teams. Also Read: IPL 2023: I'm back, says Virat Kohli ahead of upcoming season It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavaliers have reached the playoffs without James, whose 20-year NBA career has included two stints with his hometown team, where he won one of his four titles in 2016. James said Sunday that the chance to challenge for a fifth title overall, and a second with the Lakers, had driven his rapid return from what he revealed was a torn tendon in his right foot. All eyes were on the 38-year-old forward at Crypto.com Arena, where he came off the bench for just the second time in his career -- the only other occasion coming in December of 2007 when he was with Cleveland. James checked in to a standing ovation with the Lakers up 12-9 in the first quarter -- going through his traditional hand-chalk toss near the scorer's table before hitting the floor. He led the Lakers with 19 points in 27 and a half minutes on court. Troy Brown and Malik Beasley added 18 apiece while Anthony Davis scored 15. But the Bulls crashed the party, Zach LaVine scoring 32 points and DeMar De Rozan adding 17 points and 10 assists as Chicago gave themselves a three-game cushion over the Washington Wizards for the 10th place in the East. "They came out with a sense of urgency tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "We came out a little flat, turned the ball over early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough." The Lakers, who had gone 8-5 in James's absence, saw their three-game winning streak end. They slipped from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Oklahoma City and half a game behind New Orleans and Minnesota. James said seeing his teammates claw out wins in his absence had spurred his injury return. "It definitely changed my mindset on me coming back and trying to be a part of this. Well, I don't even want to say changed my mindset. It just enhanced what I was trying to do as far as my workouts, as far as my treatment and everything." Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 home rout of the San Antonio Spurs. The injury absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum was no problem for the Celtics, who kept the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for top seed in the East. Morant leads Grizzlies Ja Morant returned to the Memphis starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first two games back from suspension, scoring 27 points to lead the Grizzlies in a 123-119 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta. Desmond Bane added 25 points as the Grizzlies, second in the West, fended off Atlanta's late challenge to push their winning streak to six games. The Dallas Mavericks' downward spiral continued with a 110-104 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte, where Mavs star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which will trigger an automatic one-game suspension. After failing to make a basket in the first quarter Doncic finished with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to stave off a second loss in three days to the hapless Hornets -- who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Bulls beat Lakers in LeBron's return, Cavaliers clinch playoff berth

<p>Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has settled her cases with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million pertaining to the sharing of photos of the 2020 helicopter crash in which Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, and seven others had died.</p>

<p>The crash photos were shared by the deputies among the staff of Los Angeles County sheriff and fire departments. They were also seen by some of the spouses of the employees and by a bartender at a bar where a deputy was sitting.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-lamelo-ball-leaves-game-after-fracturing-ankle-as-hornets-beat-pistons-566730">NBA: LaMelo Ball leaves game after fracturing ankle as Hornets beat Pistons</a></p>

<p>Vanessa Bryant, during an 11-day trial, had said in a testimony that this information about photos and sharing them added to her grief and she had panic attacks that the photos might still be out there.</p>

<p>The settlement amount, which Vanessa got, also includes $15 million a jury had awarded her after a federal court trial in August 2022.</p>

<p><strong>Read More:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/la-lakers-suffer-massive-blow-as-injured-lebron-james-facing-weeks-on-sidelines-reports-566662">LA Lakers suffer massive blow as injured LeBron James facing 'weeks' on sidelines: Reports</a></p>

<p>Luis Li, Vanessa's lawyer, in a statement, said, "Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct. She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice."</p>

<p>Los Angeles County's lead lawyer, Mira Hashmall, also agreed with the settlement and called it 'fair and reasonable.' Hashmall added that it "resolves all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs, with each party responsible for its respective attorneys' fees."</p>

<p>Apart from Bryant, co-plaintiff of the case, Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter were among the people who died in the crash, received $19.95 million in the settlement.</p>

<p>Kobe, his&nbsp;daughter Gianna and others were flying to a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed in the Calabasas hills area in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020. All nine people aboard had died in the crash.</p>


Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has settled her cases with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million pertaining to the sharing of photos of the 2020 helicopter crash in which Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, and seven others had died.

Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has settled her cases with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million pertaining to the sharing of photos of the 2020 helicopter crash in which Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, and seven others had died. The crash photos were shared by the deputies among the staff of Los Angeles County sheriff and fire departments. They were also seen by some of the spouses of the employees and by a bartender at a bar where a deputy was sitting. Also Read: NBA: LaMelo Ball leaves game after fracturing ankle as Hornets beat Pistons Vanessa Bryant, during an 11-day trial, had said in a testimony that this information about photos and sharing them added to her grief and she had panic attacks that the photos might still be out there. The settlement amount, which Vanessa got, also includes $15 million a jury had awarded her after a federal court trial in August 2022. Read More: LA Lakers suffer massive blow as injured LeBron James facing 'weeks' on sidelines: Reports Luis Li, Vanessa's lawyer, in a statement, said, "Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct. She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice." Los Angeles County's lead lawyer, Mira Hashmall, also agreed with the settlement and called it 'fair and reasonable.' Hashmall added that it "resolves all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs, with each party responsible for its respective attorneys' fees." Apart from Bryant, co-plaintiff of the case, Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter were among the people who died in the crash, received $19.95 million in the settlement. Kobe, his daughter Gianna and others were flying to a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed in the Calabasas hills area in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020. All nine people aboard had died in the crash.

NBA: Vanessa Bryant settles helicopter crash photos case for $29 million settlement

<p>Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA and in this duration, he has won four championships, been a part of the All-Star game record-tying 19 times, and recently became the league's all-time leading scorer. LeBron's urgency, however, &nbsp;towards making it to the postseason is still intact. Before the 2023 NBA All-Star game, where LeBron managed 13 points, four assists and a rebound in 14 minutes of play before leaving to preserve himself, &nbsp;he termed the upcoming regular season games with the Los Angeles Lakers as the 'most important of his career' after the Lakers&nbsp;missed out on the postseason last year, fourth such year in LeBron's 19 attempts.</p>

<p>"It's 23 of the most important games of my career, for a regular season," LeBron said. "It's the type of mindset that I have, and I hope the guys will have, coming back off the break," he added. While many might argue that King James is taking it a tad too seriously, he explained his thought process.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-jason-tatum-erupts-to-win-2023-mvp-sets-record-for-most-points-in-all-star-game-563809">NBA: Jason Tatum erupts to win 2023 MVP, sets record for most points in All-Star game</a></p>

<p>"I want to make a push to make the playoffs," LeBron explained. "I don't want to see myself not being part of the postseason for two years straight. It's just not part of my DNA. We're sitting up here talking about the [scoring] record and things of that nature, and that's all cool, but I'm more passionate about trying to make the postseason and give ourselves a chance to compete for another Larry O'Brien Trophy. That's just who I am. That's what I'm cut from," the Lakers star added.</p>

<p><strong>Read More:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-dirk-nowitzki-paul-gasol-dwyane-wade-highlight-2023-class-of-hall-of-fame-finalists-list-563490">NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Gasol, Dwyane Wade highlight 2023 class of Hall of Fame finalists list</a></p>

<p>LeBron, aged 38, has missed 14 games this season so far including a three-game stretch due to left foot and ankle pain. He, however, still has managed to average 30 points per game with 8.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists. The Lakers, on the other hand, have been a bit inconsistent with a 27-32 record before the All-Star break, sitting 13th in the Western Conference.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA and in this duration, he has won four championships, been a part of the All-Star game record-tying 19 times, and recently became the league's all-time leading scorer.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA and in this duration, he has won four championships, been a part of the All-Star game record-tying 19 times, and recently became the league's all-time leading scorer. LeBron's urgency, however, towards making it to the postseason is still intact. Before the 2023 NBA All-Star game, where LeBron managed 13 points, four assists and a rebound in 14 minutes of play before leaving to preserve himself, he termed the upcoming regular season games with the Los Angeles Lakers as the 'most important of his career' after the Lakers missed out on the postseason last year, fourth such year in LeBron's 19 attempts. "It's 23 of the most important games of my career, for a regular season," LeBron said. "It's the type of mindset that I have, and I hope the guys will have, coming back off the break," he added. While many might argue that King James is taking it a tad too seriously, he explained his thought process. Also Read: NBA: Jason Tatum erupts to win 2023 MVP, sets record for most points in All-Star game "I want to make a push to make the playoffs," LeBron explained. "I don't want to see myself not being part of the postseason for two years straight. It's just not part of my DNA. We're sitting up here talking about the [scoring] record and things of that nature, and that's all cool, but I'm more passionate about trying to make the postseason and give ourselves a chance to compete for another Larry O'Brien Trophy. That's just who I am. That's what I'm cut from," the Lakers star added. Read More: NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Gasol, Dwyane Wade highlight 2023 class of Hall of Fame finalists list LeBron, aged 38, has missed 14 games this season so far including a three-game stretch due to left foot and ankle pain. He, however, still has managed to average 30 points per game with 8.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists. The Lakers, on the other hand, have been a bit inconsistent with a 27-32 record before the All-Star break, sitting 13th in the Western Conference. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: LeBron James ready to push Lakers for 'most important 23 games of career'

<p>Basketball superstar LeBron James scripted history on Tuesday as he became the highest-scoring player in the history of NBA, breaking a 39-year record, previously held by the legendary&nbsp;Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Currently, in his 20th season in the NBA, LeBron&nbsp;passed Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding total of 38,387 points after nailing a 21-foot shot late in the third quarter, giving him 38,388 points and prompting wild celebrations in a packed Crypto.com Arena.</p>

<p>For a long time, basketball fans believed that&nbsp;Abdul-Jabbar's record would never be beaten. However, James, at the young age of 38 managed to achieve the unthinkable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To make the occasion special,&nbsp;Abdul-Jabbar, who was sitting courtside was one of the first persons to congratulate James after achieving the historic feat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"To be able to be in the presence of a legend and great as Kareem it means so much to me," said James as the play was halted to commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime event.</p>

<p>"Everybody that's ever been part of this run with me these last 20 years, I just want to say I thank you so much because I wouldn't be me without all your help, all your passion and all your sacrifices to help me get to this point."&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">EVERY ANGLE of the bucket that made LeBron James the NBA's all-time leading scorer 📽️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ScoringKing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ScoringKing</a> <a href="https://t.co/BVUr9x78BH">pic.twitter.com/BVUr9x78BH</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1623194203386675200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Breaking the nearly four-decade-old record that Abdul-Jabbar seized from Wilt Chamberlain on April 5, 1984 has strengthened James' claim as the greatest to have ever played the sport.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-tickets-price-skyrockets-as-lakers-forward-lebron-james-chases-history-559133"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;NBA: Tickets price skyrockets as Lakers forward LeBron James chases history</strong></a></p>

<p>Former LA Lakers player Magic Johnson took to Twitter to congratulate James and said the sport will never see another player of his class.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible!"</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible!</p>
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status/1623190575976685568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Even after achieving the momentous feat, the scary part is that James is showing no signs of slowing down. In the 2022-23 season, he is averaging more than 30 points per game and recently made his 19th All-Star game.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Basketball superstar LeBron James scripted history on Tuesday as he became the highest-scoring player in the history of NBA, breaking a 39-year record, previously held by the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Basketball superstar LeBron James scripted history on Tuesday as he became the highest-scoring player in the history of NBA, breaking a 39-year record, previously held by the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Currently, in his 20th season in the NBA, LeBron passed Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding total of 38,387 points after nailing a 21-foot shot late in the third quarter, giving him 38,388 points and prompting wild celebrations in a packed Crypto.com Arena. For a long time, basketball fans believed that Abdul-Jabbar's record would never be beaten. However, James, at the young age of 38 managed to achieve the unthinkable. To make the occasion special, Abdul-Jabbar, who was sitting courtside was one of the first persons to congratulate James after achieving the historic feat. "To be able to be in the presence of a legend and great as Kareem it means so much to me," said James as the play was halted to commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime event. "Everybody that's ever been part of this run with me these last 20 years, I just want to say I thank you so much because I wouldn't be me without all your help, all your passion and all your sacrifices to help me get to this point." EVERY ANGLE of the bucket that made LeBron James the NBA's all-time leading scorer 📽️#ScoringKing pic.twitter.com/BVUr9x78BH — NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2023 × Breaking the nearly four-decade-old record that Abdul-Jabbar seized from Wilt Chamberlain on April 5, 1984 has strengthened James' claim as the greatest to have ever played the sport. Read more: NBA: Tickets price skyrockets as Lakers forward LeBron James chases history Former LA Lakers player Magic Johnson took to Twitter to congratulate James and said the sport will never see another player of his class. "This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible!" This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible! — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 8, 2023 × Even after achieving the momentous feat, the scary part is that James is showing no signs of slowing down. In the 2022-23 season, he is averaging more than 30 points per game and recently made his 19th All-Star game. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Record alert! LeBron James breaks NBA all-time scoring record

History awaits on Tuesday night as LeBron James puts the all-time NBA scoring record in his sights when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

LeBron James set to break NBA's all-time scoring record

<p>Spanish basketball great Pau Gasol announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from the sport after a 23-year career.</p>

<p>"I'm here to tell you that I'm going to retire from professional basketball. It's a difficult decision after so many years but it`s a decision I've taken carefully," Gasol, 41, told a news conference at Barcelona's Liceu theatre.</p>

<p>Gasol, who stands 7 feet 1 inch, made his professional debut in 1998 with Barca as a centre before being signed by NBA side Memphis Grizzlies in 2001.</p>

<p>He won NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010 while being chosen in the All-Star team on six occasions.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hockey-india-withdraws-from-2022-birmingham-cwg-cites-covid-concerns-discriminatory-quarantine-rules-418432">Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Birmingham CWG; cites Covid concerns, discriminatory quarantine rules</a></strong></p>

<p>Gasol later played for Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs and had a brief stint with Milwaukee Bucks plus four months at Portland Trail Blazers, where injury prevented him playing.</p>

<p>He returned to Barcelona earlier this year, helping his boyhood club end a seven-year wait to win the Spanish championship in June.</p>

<p>Gasol was a talisman for Spain, helping them win the Olympic silver medal at the 2008 and 2012 Games plus bronze in 2016.</p>

<p>He recovered from almost two years out injured to compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where Spain lost in the quarter-finals to eventual winners the USA in his final international.</p>


Spanish basketball great Pau Gasol announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from the sport after a 23-year career. "I'm here to tell you that I'm going to retire from professional basketball.

Spanish basketball great Pau Gasol announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from the sport after a 23-year career. "I'm here to tell you that I'm going to retire from professional basketball. It's a difficult decision after so many years but it`s a decision I've taken carefully," Gasol, 41, told a news conference at Barcelona's Liceu theatre. Gasol, who stands 7 feet 1 inch, made his professional debut in 1998 with Barca as a centre before being signed by NBA side Memphis Grizzlies in 2001. He won NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010 while being chosen in the All-Star team on six occasions. Also Read: Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Birmingham CWG; cites Covid concerns, discriminatory quarantine rules Gasol later played for Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs and had a brief stint with Milwaukee Bucks plus four months at Portland Trail Blazers, where injury prevented him playing. He returned to Barcelona earlier this year, helping his boyhood club end a seven-year wait to win the Spanish championship in June. Gasol was a talisman for Spain, helping them win the Olympic silver medal at the 2008 and 2012 Games plus bronze in 2016. He recovered from almost two years out injured to compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, where Spain lost in the quarter-finals to eventual winners the USA in his final international.

Basketball- Pau Gasol retires after 23-year career, two NBA titles, three Olympic medals

<p>LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.</p>

<p>The victory opened a seven-game road trip for the NBA champion Lakers, who are hoping this is the beginning of another run of victories.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They had a five-game winning streak snapped in their most recent outing, a 115-113 loss to Golden State.</p>

<p>"Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight. We were able to get that accomplished," said forward Anthony Davis.</p>

<p>James made a key three pointer and capped his night with an emphatic double clutch slam dunk as the Lakers improved to a NBA best 12-4 on the season after Thursday's gritty performance at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.</p>

<p>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points and Davis finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win. Caldwell-Pope sank seven-of-10 threes as the Lakers went 19-of-37 from three-point range.</p>

<p>Going on a seven-game road trip might be a daunting task for some teams but not the Lakers, who have the best record in the league.</p>

<p>They have excelled away from Staples Center arena by compiling a franchise best 8-0 start on the road this season.</p>

<p>"It is coming along. We are just playing for each other," said Caldwell-Pope.</p>

<p>The Lakers bottled up reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds but had a career high nine turnovers.</p>

<p>"We've got to keep working, keep playing good basketball for longer periods of time, make shots, defend better, rebound the ball better," Antetokounmpo said. "Ultimately we've got to get better."</p>

<p>Jrue Holiday tallied 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 20 for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight game for the first time this season.</p>

<p>The Bucks led by as many as seven in the first quarter before taking a 33-29 lead into the second.</p>

<p>The Lakers started the fourth with a five-point lead, 86-81, but quickly extended that to 11 points. The Bucks took advantage of some sloppy Laker defence to go on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 98-96 with three minutes to go on a layup by Middleton.</p>

<p>But four-time MVP James and Alex Caruso each drained key three pointers in the final two minutes. James, who beat the shot clock with his three pointer, then put the game away in style by driving hard to the basket and dunking it with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth.</p>

<p>"There were stretches where we were really good on both ends of the court," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We had a bad stretch, I felt like the last four or five minutes of the second quarter, on both ends of the court we were not good. We were not sharp like you need to be for 48 minutes."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>- Green ejected for yelling -</h2>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Elsewhere, R.J. Barrett recorded a career best with 28 points, and the&nbsp;New York Knicks used a 40-point first quarter to build a lead they relinquished only momentarily in a 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors.</p>

<p>Stephen Curry had a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, who were coming off back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Warriors lost Draymond Green to a disputed technical ejection in the second quarter, when he appeared to be yelling at his own teammate&nbsp;James Wiseman -- but the officials saw it differently.</p>

<p>The Knicks outshot the Warriors 46.3 percent to 38.4 from the floor.</p>


LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

LeBron James scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers won their eighth straight road game with a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The victory opened a seven-game road trip for the NBA champion Lakers, who are hoping this is the beginning of another run of victories. They had a five-game winning streak snapped in their most recent outing, a 115-113 loss to Golden State. "Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight. We were able to get that accomplished," said forward Anthony Davis. James made a key three pointer and capped his night with an emphatic double clutch slam dunk as the Lakers improved to a NBA best 12-4 on the season after Thursday's gritty performance at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points and Davis finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in the win. Caldwell-Pope sank seven-of-10 threes as the Lakers went 19-of-37 from three-point range. Going on a seven-game road trip might be a daunting task for some teams but not the Lakers, who have the best record in the league. They have excelled away from Staples Center arena by compiling a franchise best 8-0 start on the road this season. "It is coming along. We are just playing for each other," said Caldwell-Pope. The Lakers bottled up reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds but had a career high nine turnovers. "We've got to keep working, keep playing good basketball for longer periods of time, make shots, defend better, rebound the ball better," Antetokounmpo said. "Ultimately we've got to get better." Jrue Holiday tallied 22 points and Khris Middleton scored 20 for the Bucks, who dropped their second straight game for the first time this season. The Bucks led by as many as seven in the first quarter before taking a 33-29 lead into the second. The Lakers started the fourth with a five-point lead, 86-81, but quickly extended that to 11 points. The Bucks took advantage of some sloppy Laker defence to go on a 9-0 run to close the gap to 98-96 with three minutes to go on a layup by Middleton. But four-time MVP James and Alex Caruso each drained key three pointers in the final two minutes. James, who beat the shot clock with his three pointer, then put the game away in style by driving hard to the basket and dunking it with 15 seconds remaining in the fourth. "There were stretches where we were really good on both ends of the court," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. "We had a bad stretch, I felt like the last four or five minutes of the second quarter, on both ends of the court we were not good. We were not sharp like you need to be for 48 minutes." - Green ejected for yelling - Elsewhere, R.J. Barrett recorded a career best with 28 points, and the New York Knicks used a 40-point first quarter to build a lead they relinquished only momentarily in a 119-104 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry had a game-high 30 points for the Warriors, who were coming off back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors lost Draymond Green to a disputed technical ejection in the second quarter, when he appeared to be yelling at his own teammate James Wiseman -- but the officials saw it differently. The Knicks outshot the Warriors 46.3 percent to 38.4 from the floor.

James scores 34 as Lakers improve to 8-0 on the road

<p>Former WNBA player Becky Hammon has become the first woman to direct a team in an NBA contest, describing the experience as "a big deal, it's a substantial moment."</p>

<p>Hammon made history Wednesday in the Los Angeles Lakers' 121-107 win over the San Antonio Spurs, taking over the Spurs' bench duties when head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the first half.</p>

<p>"I've been a part of this organization, I got traded here in 2007, so I've been in San Antonio and part of the Spurs and sports organization with the Stars and everything for 13 years," Hammon said. "So I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me, in building me and getting me better."</p>

<p>Popovich received a technical foul and was thrown out of the game with 3:56 remaining in the second quarter for arguing with a referee as his team trailed the Lakers 52-41.</p>

<p>"He officially pointed at me. That was it," Hammon said. "Said, 'You got 'em,' and that was it. Very Pop-like."</p>

<p>Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was among those to congratulate Hammon on social media saying she hopes more ex-WNBA players can land coaching jobs in the NBA.</p>

<p>"Congrats, @BeckyHammon. You may be the first, but I know you certainly won't be the last."</p>

<p>Hammon is in her seventh season on the San Antonio coaching staff.&nbsp; Hammon was a six-time all-star in the WNBA with teams in New York and Texas.</p>


Former WNBA player Becky Hammon has become the first woman to direct a team in an NBA contest, describing the experience as "a big deal, it's a substantial moment.

Former WNBA player Becky Hammon has become the first woman to direct a team in an NBA contest, describing the experience as "a big deal, it's a substantial moment." Hammon made history Wednesday in the Los Angeles Lakers' 121-107 win over the San Antonio Spurs, taking over the Spurs' bench duties when head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the first half. "I've been a part of this organization, I got traded here in 2007, so I've been in San Antonio and part of the Spurs and sports organization with the Stars and everything for 13 years," Hammon said. "So I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me, in building me and getting me better." Popovich received a technical foul and was thrown out of the game with 3:56 remaining in the second quarter for arguing with a referee as his team trailed the Lakers 52-41. "He officially pointed at me. That was it," Hammon said. "Said, 'You got 'em,' and that was it. Very Pop-like." Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was among those to congratulate Hammon on social media saying she hopes more ex-WNBA players can land coaching jobs in the NBA. "Congrats, @BeckyHammon. You may be the first, but I know you certainly won't be the last." Hammon is in her seventh season on the San Antonio coaching staff. Hammon was a six-time all-star in the WNBA with teams in New York and Texas.

Hammon makes history by becoming first woman to direct NBA team

<p>Los Angeles superstar LeBron James celebrated his 36th birthday Wednesday with another NBA milestone, scoring double-digit points for the 1,000th straight game in the Lakers' 121-107 victory over the Spurs in San Antonio.</p>

<p>James finished with 26 points to extend his already record streak of double-digit games in the regular season.</p>

<p>He sealed the milestone midway through the second quarter with a turnaround jump hook that gave the Lakers a 46-37 lead.</p>

<p>"I just try to live in the moment and just try to continue to get better with my game, try to get better with my teammates and try to just maximize when I'm on the floor," said James, who is in his 18th NBA campaign after leading the Lakers to the 2020 title in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando.</p>

<p>"I've been blessed to play the game that I love for 18 years and hopefully I can continue to play at a high level," he said.</p>

<p>James' double-digit scoring streak began on January 6, 2007, when he was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.</p>

<p>"It's a tribute to his tenacity level ... his commitment to excellence," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the game. "He deserves a lot of credit for being the consummate professional. His mental state along with his physical state really makes him really special."</p>

<p>Shortly after James reached the milestone, Popovich was ejected from the contest for arguing with officials.</p>

<p>Assistant Becky Hammon took over on the Spurs bench, becoming the first woman to direct a team in an NBA game.</p>

<p>Anthony Davis scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Lakers, newcomer Dennis Schroder added 21 points and four assists.</p>

<p>Wesley Matthews had his best game since joining the champions, scoring 18 points off the bench as he made all six of his three-point attempts.</p>

<h2>- Humbled Heat bounce back -</h2>

<p>In early action, the Miami Heat rebounded from an embarrassing 47-point loss to Milwaukee with a 119-108 NBA victory over the Bucks.</p>

<p>The Heat didn't have to wait long for revenge as they hosted the Bucks for the second straight night.</p>

<p>Goran Dragic came off the bench to lead Miami with 26 points, Bam Adebayo added 22 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists and Tyler Herro scored 21 points with a career-best 15 rebounds as the Heat rallied to stave off another home defeat.</p>

<p>The Bucks had dominated on Tuesday with an NBA-record 29 three-pointers in their 144-97 triumph.</p>

<p>The Bucks, fueled by a triple-double of 26 points 13 rebounds and 10 assists from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, looked like making it two wins in a row when they led by 14 in the third quarter.</p>

<p>Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 points and Jrue Holiday added 13 for the Bucks, but the Heat rallied despite missing Jimmy Butler for the second straight game.</p>

<p>"You want to constantly develop some grit and toughness during the course of a long season, and our guys responded in an appropriate fashion," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who acknowledged before the game that there was "a lot of anger and frustration" after the blowout loss on Tuesday.</p>

<p>"As well there should have been," he said.</p>

<p>In Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving scored 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Kevin Durant added 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as the Nets dealt the Atlanta Hawks their first defeat of the young season, 145-141.</p>

<p>Irving's late burst helped the Celtics withstand 30-point performances from Atlanta's Trae Young and John Collins.</p>

<p>Boston, powered by Jaylen Brown's career-high 42 points, defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116-111.</p>

<p>The Celtics led by 12 points after the opening quarter and took full control with a 17-0 scoring run in the second period.</p>

<p>Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who missed two games with a mouth injury from an elbow to the face, returned in a protective mask to score a game-high 28 points in his team's 128-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.</p>


Los Angeles superstar LeBron James celebrated his 36th birthday Wednesday with another NBA milestone, scoring double-digit points for the 1,000th straight game in the Lakers' 121-107 victory over the Spurs in San Antonio.

Los Angeles superstar LeBron James celebrated his 36th birthday Wednesday with another NBA milestone, scoring double-digit points for the 1,000th straight game in the Lakers' 121-107 victory over the Spurs in San Antonio. James finished with 26 points to extend his already record streak of double-digit games in the regular season. He sealed the milestone midway through the second quarter with a turnaround jump hook that gave the Lakers a 46-37 lead. "I just try to live in the moment and just try to continue to get better with my game, try to get better with my teammates and try to just maximize when I'm on the floor," said James, who is in his 18th NBA campaign after leading the Lakers to the 2020 title in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando. "I've been blessed to play the game that I love for 18 years and hopefully I can continue to play at a high level," he said. James' double-digit scoring streak began on January 6, 2007, when he was playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. "It's a tribute to his tenacity level ... his commitment to excellence," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said before the game. "He deserves a lot of credit for being the consummate professional. His mental state along with his physical state really makes him really special." Shortly after James reached the milestone, Popovich was ejected from the contest for arguing with officials. Assistant Becky Hammon took over on the Spurs bench, becoming the first woman to direct a team in an NBA game. Anthony Davis scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds for the Lakers, newcomer Dennis Schroder added 21 points and four assists. Wesley Matthews had his best game since joining the champions, scoring 18 points off the bench as he made all six of his three-point attempts. - Humbled Heat bounce back - In early action, the Miami Heat rebounded from an embarrassing 47-point loss to Milwaukee with a 119-108 NBA victory over the Bucks. The Heat didn't have to wait long for revenge as they hosted the Bucks for the second straight night. Goran Dragic came off the bench to lead Miami with 26 points, Bam Adebayo added 22 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists and Tyler Herro scored 21 points with a career-best 15 rebounds as the Heat rallied to stave off another home defeat. The Bucks had dominated on Tuesday with an NBA-record 29 three-pointers in their 144-97 triumph. The Bucks, fueled by a triple-double of 26 points 13 rebounds and 10 assists from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, looked like making it two wins in a row when they led by 14 in the third quarter. Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 points and Jrue Holiday added 13 for the Bucks, but the Heat rallied despite missing Jimmy Butler for the second straight game. "You want to constantly develop some grit and toughness during the course of a long season, and our guys responded in an appropriate fashion," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who acknowledged before the game that there was "a lot of anger and frustration" after the blowout loss on Tuesday. "As well there should have been," he said. In Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving scored 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Kevin Durant added 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as the Nets dealt the Atlanta Hawks their first defeat of the young season, 145-141. Irving's late burst helped the Celtics withstand 30-point performances from Atlanta's Trae Young and John Collins. Boston, powered by Jaylen Brown's career-high 42 points, defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 116-111. The Celtics led by 12 points after the opening quarter and took full control with a 17-0 scoring run in the second period. Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who missed two games with a mouth injury from an elbow to the face, returned in a protective mask to score a game-high 28 points in his team's 128-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

'King' James celebrates birthday with milestone in Lakers win

<p>The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a "balancing act" in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said Thursday.</p>

<p>“That'll just be a balancing act throughout the season, recognizing that there was an extremely short layoff between championship and the start of the season and kind of figuring out what's best for LeBron, what's best for his health, the team's health, what's best for the league and kind of walking that carefully and thoughtfully throughout the year,” Pelinka said in a videoconference with reporters.</p>

<p>James and the Lakers polished off the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando on October 11.</p>

<p>With the 72-game 2020-21 season scheduled to tip off on December 22, it's less than a month to the start of training camps on December 1.</p>

<p>James, who will turn 36 on December 30, has never been a fan of "load management," the technique used by teams to give uninjured players rest during the season to make sure they're in peak shape when the playoffs roll around.</p>

<p>"If I'm healthy, I play,” James said last December. "I mean, that should be the approach."</p>

<p>But without the usual four months to recover from the rigors of the previous season, even former president Barack Obama has suggested that James may have to spend less time on court.</p>

<p>Obama, appearing on an episode of HBO's "The Shop" said James is "definitely going to have some minutes restrictions” in the new season -- quipping that he should let younger teammate Anthony Davis absorb the load.</p>

<p>"That’s what I got him for," James said.</p>


The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a "balancing act" in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said Thursday.

The quick turnaround from the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA triumph in October mean the team will face a "balancing act" in keeping veteran superstar LeBron James at his best, Lakers vice president Rob Pelinka said Thursday. “That'll just be a balancing act throughout the season, recognizing that there was an extremely short layoff between championship and the start of the season and kind of figuring out what's best for LeBron, what's best for his health, the team's health, what's best for the league and kind of walking that carefully and thoughtfully throughout the year,” Pelinka said in a videoconference with reporters. James and the Lakers polished off the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals in the league's quarantine bubble in Orlando on October 11. With the 72-game 2020-21 season scheduled to tip off on December 22, it's less than a month to the start of training camps on December 1. James, who will turn 36 on December 30, has never been a fan of "load management," the technique used by teams to give uninjured players rest during the season to make sure they're in peak shape when the playoffs roll around. "If I'm healthy, I play,” James said last December. "I mean, that should be the approach." But without the usual four months to recover from the rigors of the previous season, even former president Barack Obama has suggested that James may have to spend less time on court. Obama, appearing on an episode of HBO's "The Shop" said James is "definitely going to have some minutes restrictions” in the new season -- quipping that he should let younger teammate Anthony Davis absorb the load. "That’s what I got him for," James said.

NBA champion Lakers face 'balancing act' in fast-approaching season

<p>Teary-eyed speakers shared their tales about Kobe Bryant at his memorial ceremony called 'celebration of life' in Staples Center on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/kobe-bryant-honoured-at-naacp-image-awards-2020-with-an-empty-basketball-court-282290">Kobe Bryant honoured at NAACP Image Awards 2020 with an empty basketball court</a></p>

<p>Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The star-studded crowd included Lakers legends such as Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Pau Gasol. NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined by NBA legend Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson and dozens of current NBA players, including Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook. Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West were also in attendance.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kobe-bryants-widow-vanessa-bryant-refuses-to-accept-death-of-her-husband-and-daughter-279982">Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa Bryant 'refuses to accept' death of her husband and daughter</a></p>

<p>Nearly 20,000 fans gathered at the Staples Center for the memorial of Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und">2 ♾ 24 <a href="https://t.co/s2wIYwVWfA">pic.twitter.com/s2wIYwVWfA</a></p>
— STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/STAPLESCenter/status/1232055805626609664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Vanessa Bryant called Kobe "the MVP of girl dads".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Vanessa could not hold her tears back and said: "God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other, He had to bring them home to have them together. Babe, you take care of our Gigi."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Always &amp; Forever the House That Kobe Built <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MambaForvever?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MambaForvever</a> <a href="https://t.co/jgYl1EGH18">pic.twitter.com/jgYl1EGH18</a></p>
— STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/STAPLESCenter/status/1232076990829625345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>On her relationship with Kobe, Vanessa said: "He was the most amazing husband, Kobe loved me more than I could ever express or put into words. I was the fire. He was ice. Vice versa at times. ... He was my everything."</p>

<p>Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan had tears in his eyes while talking about Bryant, he said: "He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be. And as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be."</p>

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<p>Jordan concluded the speech by saying: "When Kobe died, a piece of me died."</p>

<p>Shaquille O'Neal compared his relationship with Kobe to John Lennon and Paul McCartney. He said: “Kobe and I have a very complex relationship throughout the years. But it’s like another leadership duo in John Lennon and Paul McCartney, whose creative rivalry led to some of the greatest music of all time,”.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The one and only Shaq reflects on his time spent with Kobe and the Bryant family. <a href="https://t.co/0Ef0gguwIm">pic.twitter.com/0Ef0gguwIm</a></p>
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1232108866713702400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>“Kobe and I pushed one another to play some of the greatest basketball of all time and I am proud that no other team has accomplished what the three-peat Lakers have done since the Shaq and Kobe Lakers did it. Sometimes like immature kids, we argued, we fought.. Folks thought we were on bad terms. But when the cameras are turned off, he and I would throw a wink at each other and say, ‘Let’s go whoop some…'” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The memorial service ended with Nat King Cole's song Unforgettable as the crowd started chanting "Kobe, Kobe."</p>

<p>&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>


Teary-eyed speakers shared their tales about Kobe Bryant at his memorial ceremony called 'celebration of life' in Staples Center on Monday. Also read: Kobe Bryant honoured at NAACP Image Awards 2020 with an empty basketball court Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony.

Teary-eyed speakers shared their tales about Kobe Bryant at his memorial ceremony called 'celebration of life' in Staples Center on Monday. Also read: Kobe Bryant honoured at NAACP Image Awards 2020 with an empty basketball court Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony. The star-studded crowd included Lakers legends such as Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Pau Gasol. NBA commissioner Adam Silver joined by NBA legend Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson and dozens of current NBA players, including Stephen Curry, James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook. Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West were also in attendance. Also read: Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa Bryant 'refuses to accept' death of her husband and daughter Nearly 20,000 fans gathered at the Staples Center for the memorial of Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant. 2 ♾ 24 pic.twitter.com/s2wIYwVWfA — STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) February 24, 2020 × Vanessa Bryant called Kobe "the MVP of girl dads". Vanessa could not hold her tears back and said: "God knew they couldn't be on this earth without each other, He had to bring them home to have them together. Babe, you take care of our Gigi." Always & Forever the House That Kobe Built #MambaForvever pic.twitter.com/jgYl1EGH18 — STAPLES Center (@STAPLESCenter) February 24, 2020 × On her relationship with Kobe, Vanessa said: "He was the most amazing husband, Kobe loved me more than I could ever express or put into words. I was the fire. He was ice. Vice versa at times. ... He was my everything." Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan had tears in his eyes while talking about Bryant, he said: "He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be. And as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be." pic.twitter.com/R7ValyNfFC — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 24, 2020 × Jordan concluded the speech by saying: "When Kobe died, a piece of me died." Shaquille O'Neal compared his relationship with Kobe to John Lennon and Paul McCartney. He said: “Kobe and I have a very complex relationship throughout the years. But it’s like another leadership duo in John Lennon and Paul McCartney, whose creative rivalry led to some of the greatest music of all time,”. The one and only Shaq reflects on his time spent with Kobe and the Bryant family. pic.twitter.com/0Ef0gguwIm — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 25, 2020 × “Kobe and I pushed one another to play some of the greatest basketball of all time and I am proud that no other team has accomplished what the three-peat Lakers have done since the Shaq and Kobe Lakers did it. Sometimes like immature kids, we argued, we fought.. Folks thought we were on bad terms. But when the cameras are turned off, he and I would throw a wink at each other and say, ‘Let’s go whoop some…'” he added. The memorial service ended with Nat King Cole's song Unforgettable as the crowd started chanting "Kobe, Kobe."

'MVP of girl dads': Teary-eyed Vanessa bids goodbye to Kobe and Gianna at memorial service 

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-legend-kobe-bryant-and-his-daughter-gianna-among-9-killed-in-a-chopper-crash-in-california-276748">Kobe Bryant</a> and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among the nine passengers who died in a fatal helicopter crash. They were en route to a basketball match in Thousands Oak, in which Bryan's daughter was expected to play. Former Lakers legend was expected to coach the team.</p>

<p><strong>Also see-&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/kobe-bryant-an-nba-champion-olympic-gold-medalist-and-a-basketball-giant-276818#kobes-early-life-276800">Basketball champion Kobe Bryant: His life in pictures</a></p>

<p>National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has started an investigation regarding the crash.</p>

<p>As the investigation unravels new aspects of crash keep pouring in. Pilot Ara Zobayan was flying the helicopter. He held a commercial helicopter license and was a certified flight instructor, according to Federal Aviation Administration records cited by the New York Times.</p>

<p>In his last transmission to the air traffic control, he said that he was climbing to avoid a cloud layer.</p>

<p>And after that communication, the pilot didn't respond to the air traffic control, according to the National Transport Safety Board.</p>

<p>The crash took place into a hillside in Calabasas, Califonia. The impact of the crash broke the chopper into pieces, debris created due to the crash stretched from about 500 to 600 feet.</p>

<p>The NTSB board member, Jennifer Homendy told the reporters that the last radar contact was around 9:45 AM. She said that the accident scene was 'pretty devastating'.</p>

<p>"There is (an) impact area on one of the hills and a piece of the tail is down the hill, on the left side of the hill," Homendy said. "The fuselage is over on the other side of that hill, and then the main rotor is about 100 yards beyond that," she added.</p>

<p>According to Jennifer Homendy, the pilot took off from JohnWayne Airport, in Orage County and was flying under regular visual flight rules (VFR), but around Burbank, the pilot requested for special visual flight rules (SVFR) due to low visibility. The helicopter circled for 12 minutes until the air traffic control approved the request. The SVFR allows the pilot to fly amid bad weather conditions.</p>

<p>Homendy continued that the pilot requested flight following, which is radar assistance for a flight that helps the pilot avoid traffic, But air traffic control said the helicopter was too low to provide flight following assistance.</p>

<p>The investigation is still on, and Sikorsky, the helicopter manufacturer, tweeted its condolences.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by today’s Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California. We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities and our customer.</p>
— Sikorsky (@Sikorsky) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sikorsky/status/1221541037916725248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among the nine passengers who died in a fatal helicopter crash. They were en route to a basketball match in Thousands Oak, in which Bryan's daughter was expected to play.

Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among the nine passengers who died in a fatal helicopter crash. They were en route to a basketball match in Thousands Oak, in which Bryan's daughter was expected to play. Former Lakers legend was expected to coach the team. Also see- Basketball champion Kobe Bryant: His life in pictures National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) has started an investigation regarding the crash. As the investigation unravels new aspects of crash keep pouring in. Pilot Ara Zobayan was flying the helicopter. He held a commercial helicopter license and was a certified flight instructor, according to Federal Aviation Administration records cited by the New York Times. In his last transmission to the air traffic control, he said that he was climbing to avoid a cloud layer. And after that communication, the pilot didn't respond to the air traffic control, according to the National Transport Safety Board. The crash took place into a hillside in Calabasas, Califonia. The impact of the crash broke the chopper into pieces, debris created due to the crash stretched from about 500 to 600 feet. The NTSB board member, Jennifer Homendy told the reporters that the last radar contact was around 9:45 AM. She said that the accident scene was 'pretty devastating'. "There is (an) impact area on one of the hills and a piece of the tail is down the hill, on the left side of the hill," Homendy said. "The fuselage is over on the other side of that hill, and then the main rotor is about 100 yards beyond that," she added. According to Jennifer Homendy, the pilot took off from JohnWayne Airport, in Orage County and was flying under regular visual flight rules (VFR), but around Burbank, the pilot requested for special visual flight rules (SVFR) due to low visibility. The helicopter circled for 12 minutes until the air traffic control approved the request. The SVFR allows the pilot to fly amid bad weather conditions. Homendy continued that the pilot requested flight following, which is radar assistance for a flight that helps the pilot avoid traffic, But air traffic control said the helicopter was too low to provide flight following assistance. The investigation is still on, and Sikorsky, the helicopter manufacturer, tweeted its condolences. We extend our sincerest condolences to all those affected by today’s Sikorsky S-76B accident in Calabasas, California. We have been in contact with the NTSB and stand ready to provide assistance and support to the investigative authorities and our customer. — Sikorsky (@Sikorsky) January 26, 2020 ×

Death of Kobe Bryant: Pilot was flying higher to avoid a cloud layer

Kobe Bryant's death: What do we know till now

Former NBA legend Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles, California on Sunday. The tragic event killed all nine onboard including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant.

Former NBA legend Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles, California on Sunday. The tragic event killed all nine onboard including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant. × Kobe Bryant's untimed death has put the whole world in a frenzy. He was considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He led his team Lakers to 5 NBA titles. The American is the fourth in the list of all-time scoring list in NBA history. He was recently succeeded by his team's LeBron James. Kobe Bryant was well known as 'The Black Mamba', he was an 18-time All-Star player. He was the 'Most Valuable Player' in the year 2008. He scored 33,643 points in his career in NBA. Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day. — Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 26, 2020 × Kobe Bean Bryant has been a prolific shooting guard and is the all-time lead scorer for Los Angeles Lakers. He was drafted in NBA's Charlotte Hornets who later traded him to Lakers in the year 1996 directly from the high school. He was under the then Lakers manager Jerry West. He was the first Shooting Guard to play 20 seasons in NBA history. He played from 1996 to 2016. He earned two gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics for the USA. .....Melania and I send our warmest condolences to Vanessa and the wonderful Bryant family. May God be with you all! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2020 × He earned his reputation in his initial years after the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest and was named All-Star in just his second NBA season. Despite a few life-lows, especially in the year 2003-2004, when he was accused of sexual assault. The charge was later dropped as a settlement was reached outside the court. Bryant continued to perform in the arena. Kobe Bryant retired from the NBA, following a series of injuries in the year 2016. Along with him, his jersey no. 8 and 24 were retired as well. Rivalry with his team-mate and fellow Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal has been known to all. He and Bryant were involved in a fist-fight against each other in a lockdown. They resolved their issues after their retirement. Both the legends are known for taking the team to a new high. They won three championships together from the year 2000 to 2002. Shaq O'Neal mourned Kobe Bryant's death, he called him a brother. There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/pigHywq3c1 — SHAQ (@SHAQ) January 26, 2020 × So sad to hear the heartbreaking news of the deaths of Kobe and his daughter Gianna. Kobe was a true legend and inspiration to so many. Sending my condolences to his family and friends and the families of all who lost their lives in the crash. RIP Legend💔 pic.twitter.com/qKb3oiDHxH — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) January 26, 2020 × View this post on Instagram No tengo palabras... Todo mi cariño para la familia y amigos de Kobe. Fue un placer conocerle y compartir buenos momentos juntos. Se nos fue un genio como pocos. A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi) on Jan 26, 2020 at 2:40pm PST × The shockwaves were felt across the world as the legend was mourned by Global Icons. View this post on Instagram Kobe Bryant was my first real introduction to the NBA. I was 13 living in Queens NYC, the same age as his sweet little girl, Gianna. He ignited my love for the sport, competition, and striving for excellence. He inspired an entire generation. His legacy is so much bigger than basketball. This heartbreaking accident also took the life of his young daughter, Gianna. I’m shook and so saddened. My heart goes out to Vanessa, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri Bryant. You are in my thoughts. Also sending my condolences to the loved ones of the other family and pilot in the accident. Being at tonight’s Grammys ceremony in his home at the Staples Center is going to be surreal. 💔 #RIP #KobeBryant #RIPMamba A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) on Jan 26, 2020 at 2:21pm PST × View this post on Instagram 🏀 👑 #rip #kobe 💔 A post shared by Ranveer Singh (@ranveersingh) on Jan 26, 2020 at 12:24pm PST × My heart is in pieces hearing the news of this unimaginable tragedy. I can’t fathom what the families are going through. Kobe meant so much to me and to us all. Sending my prayers, love, and endless condolences to Vanessa and the family and anyone who lost someone on that flight. — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) January 26, 2020 ×

NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, among 9 killed in a chopper crash in California

Basketball champion Kobe Bryant: His life in pictures

<p>Boston Celtics hand LeBron James led Los Angeles Lakers their biggest defeat in their NBA season history.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Lakers were beaten 139-107 by Bostons. Boston managed to end their losing streak despite Anthony Davis returning.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jayson Tatum (27 PTS, 5 3PM) &amp; Kemba Walker (20 PTS, 7 AST) steer the <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> past LAL at TD Garden. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celtics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celtics</a><br />
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Jaylen Brown: 20 PTS, 6 AST<br />
Enes Kanter: 18 PTS, 11 REB<br />
Gordon Hayward: 16 PTS, 6 REB <a href="https://t.co/Lp6fmEdhbW">pic.twitter.com/Lp6fmEdhbW</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1219456262724890625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Celtic's Jayson Tatum scored the most for Celtics (27 points), followed by Kemba Walker who scored 20 points. Enes Kanter was third with 18 points. 11 rebounds came off the bench.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Celtics had lost six of their past eight games, they had lost the last three consecutive matches before facing LA Lakers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>LeBron James was great with his passing game, he got 18 assists. But he was latent as a shooter as the 35-year-old just attempted 12 shots in three quarters. He just scored 15 points for Lakers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jayson Tatum was in-form with his offensive gameplay. He scored 27 points with just 18 shots. Out of his 8 attempts for the 3 pointers, 5 of them were successful.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kemba Walker &amp; Jaylen Brown drop 20 PTS apiece in the <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> victory against LAL at home! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celtics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celtics</a> <a href="https://t.co/vb0IjvZbF5">pic.twitter.com/vb0IjvZbF5</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1219460836328120320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Lakers star Anthony Davis came back from bruised tailbone injury. Davis missed the last five games for Lakers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It looked like LeBron James had different plans for the game. He started off with his passing game, he at the moment leads in assists tally in NBA with 10.9 assists per game.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bigs helping Bigs 💪💪 <a href="https://t.co/QzyZUQo2yH">pic.twitter.com/QzyZUQo2yH</a></p>
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1219431627299770368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>He is right now 66 points away from Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant for third place in the NBA's all-time scoring list.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">J.B. finishes strong with two hands in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PhantomCam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PhantomCam</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Celtics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Celtics</a> <a href="https://t.co/DIYyx9rs1x">pic.twitter.com/DIYyx9rs1x</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1219453763087413249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Kemba Walker finally breaks his forgettable streak versus LeBron James. Walker never won a game against LeBron's team. He tried it 28 times. He finally was victorious after crucially scoring 20 points, 7 assists, and four rebounds.<br />
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Boston Celtics hand LeBron James led Los Angeles Lakers their biggest defeat in their NBA season history. Lakers were beaten 139-107 by Bostons. Boston managed to end their losing streak despite Anthony Davis returning.

Boston Celtics hand LeBron James led Los Angeles Lakers their biggest defeat in their NBA season history. Lakers were beaten 139-107 by Bostons. Boston managed to end their losing streak despite Anthony Davis returning. Jayson Tatum (27 PTS, 5 3PM) & Kemba Walker (20 PTS, 7 AST) steer the @celtics past LAL at TD Garden. #Celtics Jaylen Brown: 20 PTS, 6 AST Enes Kanter: 18 PTS, 11 REB Gordon Hayward: 16 PTS, 6 REB pic.twitter.com/Lp6fmEdhbW — NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2020 × Celtic's Jayson Tatum scored the most for Celtics (27 points), followed by Kemba Walker who scored 20 points. Enes Kanter was third with 18 points. 11 rebounds came off the bench. The Celtics had lost six of their past eight games, they had lost the last three consecutive matches before facing LA Lakers. LeBron James was great with his passing game, he got 18 assists. But he was latent as a shooter as the 35-year-old just attempted 12 shots in three quarters. He just scored 15 points for Lakers. Jayson Tatum was in-form with his offensive gameplay. He scored 27 points with just 18 shots. Out of his 8 attempts for the 3 pointers, 5 of them were successful. Kemba Walker & Jaylen Brown drop 20 PTS apiece in the @celtics victory against LAL at home! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/vb0IjvZbF5 — NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2020 × Lakers star Anthony Davis came back from bruised tailbone injury. Davis missed the last five games for Lakers. It looked like LeBron James had different plans for the game. He started off with his passing game, he at the moment leads in assists tally in NBA with 10.9 assists per game. Bigs helping Bigs 💪💪 pic.twitter.com/QzyZUQo2yH — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 21, 2020 × He is right now 66 points away from Lakers Legend Kobe Bryant for third place in the NBA's all-time scoring list. J.B. finishes strong with two hands in #PhantomCam! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/DIYyx9rs1x — NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2020 × Kemba Walker finally breaks his forgettable streak versus LeBron James. Walker never won a game against LeBron's team. He tried it 28 times. He finally was victorious after crucially scoring 20 points, 7 assists, and four rebounds.

NBA: Celtic Boston run-riot against Los Angeles Lakers, hand them worst defeat ever

<p>High profile city rivals&nbsp; <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/lakers-kyle-kuzma-ruled-out-for-nba-season-opener-257190">Los Angeles Lakers</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/camila-cabello-shawn-mendes-make-temperatures-soar-during-los-angeles-clippers-game-261971">Los Angeles Clippers</a> clashed on Christmas Day which was witnessed by several Hollywood stars.</p>

<p>However, an incident&nbsp;became&nbsp;the centrepiece of jokes on social media&nbsp;at Staples Centre, Los Angeles after&nbsp;Lakers' player Anthony Davis fell on the lap of actor and comedian, Kevin Hart.</p>

<p>Rather than getting up, Davis decided to remain seated on Hart's lap to pose for a photo, and probably to make his Christmas wish. The two were joined by Davis's teammate and NBA star, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/houston-rockets-gm-wasnt-educated-when-he-sent-hong-kong-tweet-lebron-james-256087">LeBron James</a>, who rushed to sit on Hart's lap to make his own wish.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Did AD want a selfie with Kevin Hart? 🤔😂<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LakeShow?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LakeShow</a> <a href="https://t.co/DrgmKyK2Km">pic.twitter.com/DrgmKyK2Km</a></p>
— NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1210020889913225216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Hart has made known his liking for the game, having been seen on the telecast of several NBA games.</p>

<p>It led to several memes and&nbsp;jokes on social media.&nbsp;A&nbsp;joke on social media compared&nbsp;the situation to a scene from the 2003 movie 'Elf', where&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/julia-louis-dreyfus-and-will-ferrell-starrer-downhill-to-release-on-valentines-day-2020-264706">Will Ferrel</a> plays 'Buddy', sitting on the lap of the much smaller 'Papa Elf'.</p>


High profile city rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers clashed on Christmas Day which was witnessed by several Hollywood stars. However, an incident became the centrepiece of jokes on social media at Staples Centre, Los Angeles after Lakers' player Anthony Davis fell on the lap of actor and comedian, Kevin Hart.

High profile city rivals Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers clashed on Christmas Day which was witnessed by several Hollywood stars. However, an incident became the centrepiece of jokes on social media at Staples Centre, Los Angeles after Lakers' player Anthony Davis fell on the lap of actor and comedian, Kevin Hart. Rather than getting up, Davis decided to remain seated on Hart's lap to pose for a photo, and probably to make his Christmas wish. The two were joined by Davis's teammate and NBA star, LeBron James, who rushed to sit on Hart's lap to make his own wish. Did AD want a selfie with Kevin Hart? 🤔😂#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/DrgmKyK2Km — NBA TV (@NBATV) December 26, 2019 × Hart has made known his liking for the game, having been seen on the telecast of several NBA games. It led to several memes and jokes on social media. A joke on social media compared the situation to a scene from the 2003 movie 'Elf', where Will Ferrel plays 'Buddy', sitting on the lap of the much smaller 'Papa Elf'.

NBA star Anthony Davis land's on Kevin Hart's lap as LeBron James joins in

<p>Fred Van Vleet scored a career-high 34 points as the Toronto Raptors got their NBA title defence off to a winning start with a 130-122 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.</p>

<p>Pascal Siakam also tallied 34 points and added 18 rebounds before fouling out of the NBA's season-opening contest at Scotiabank Arena which featured the Raptors' championship banner and ring ceremony.</p>

<p>Both teams were missing some big names as the Raptors began life without Kawhi Leonard and the Pelicans lost Anthony Davis in trade and were missing injured first pick Zion Williamson.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We had to reach into our bag of tricks," said Raptors coach Nick Nurse.</p>

<p>The game was one of two opening night contests with the Los Angeles Lakers taking the court later against Leonard's new team Los Angeles Clippers.</p>

<p>Prior to the tipoff against the Pelicans, the Raptors presented their players and coaches with their rings and unveiled the 2019 championship banner in the rafters of the arena.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The massive ring features over 80 diamonds including 74 in and around the Toronto skyline logo which represents the club's 74 wins last season.</p>

<p>The Pelicans decided to remain on the floor during the pre-game festivities instead of loosening up in their locker room.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was great to see the ceremony," said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. "That is what we aspire to be."</p>

<p>Kyle Lowry chipped in 22 points and Serge Ibaka added 13 for Toronto, whose championship pedigree shone through by outscoring the Pelicans 13-5 in overtime. The teams were tied 117-all at the end of regulation.</p>

<p>Nurse blamed their slow start against the Pelicans on the ceremony.</p>

<p>"I thought the energy was an issue," Nurse said. "The emotions of the night took its toll.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I was super happy it was tied at the half. There was a noticeable lack of energy just in the locker room.</p>

<p>"You just got to take them (wins) in this league when you get them."</p>

<p>Brandon Ingram finished with 22 points to lead the Pelicans.</p>

<p>This marks the end of the Leonard period in Toronto as he left as a free agent to join the Clippers.</p>

<p>That means leadership by committee with the load being distributed amongst Lowry, VanVleet and Siakam, who signed a four-year, $130-million contract extension Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Raptors are also without another key player from their championship team in Danny Green, who departed as a free agent for the Lakers.</p>


Fred Van Vleet scored a career-high 34 points as the Toronto Raptors got their NBA title defence off to a winning start with a 130-122 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.

Fred Van Vleet scored a career-high 34 points as the Toronto Raptors got their NBA title defence off to a winning start with a 130-122 overtime win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. Pascal Siakam also tallied 34 points and added 18 rebounds before fouling out of the NBA's season-opening contest at Scotiabank Arena which featured the Raptors' championship banner and ring ceremony. Both teams were missing some big names as the Raptors began life without Kawhi Leonard and the Pelicans lost Anthony Davis in trade and were missing injured first pick Zion Williamson. "We had to reach into our bag of tricks," said Raptors coach Nick Nurse. The game was one of two opening night contests with the Los Angeles Lakers taking the court later against Leonard's new team Los Angeles Clippers. Prior to the tipoff against the Pelicans, the Raptors presented their players and coaches with their rings and unveiled the 2019 championship banner in the rafters of the arena. The massive ring features over 80 diamonds including 74 in and around the Toronto skyline logo which represents the club's 74 wins last season. The Pelicans decided to remain on the floor during the pre-game festivities instead of loosening up in their locker room. "It was great to see the ceremony," said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. "That is what we aspire to be." Kyle Lowry chipped in 22 points and Serge Ibaka added 13 for Toronto, whose championship pedigree shone through by outscoring the Pelicans 13-5 in overtime. The teams were tied 117-all at the end of regulation. Nurse blamed their slow start against the Pelicans on the ceremony. "I thought the energy was an issue," Nurse said. "The emotions of the night took its toll. "I was super happy it was tied at the half. There was a noticeable lack of energy just in the locker room. "You just got to take them (wins) in this league when you get them." Brandon Ingram finished with 22 points to lead the Pelicans. This marks the end of the Leonard period in Toronto as he left as a free agent to join the Clippers. That means leadership by committee with the load being distributed amongst Lowry, VanVleet and Siakam, who signed a four-year, $130-million contract extension Monday. The Raptors are also without another key player from their championship team in Danny Green, who departed as a free agent for the Lakers.

Raptors launch NBA title defence with win over Pelicans

<p>The Los Angeles&nbsp;Lakers&nbsp;say Kyle&nbsp;Kuzma&nbsp;won't play when they open the&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;season&nbsp;against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his left foot.</p>

<p>Kuzma, who averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last&nbsp;season&nbsp;for the&nbsp;Lakers, was hurt while he was with the United States team in the run-up to the World Championships in China.</p>

<p>He was cleared for non-contact practices after the&nbsp;Lakers&nbsp;returned from playing two&nbsp;NBA&nbsp;preseason&nbsp;games in China last week.</p>

<p>Lakers&nbsp;coach Frank Vogel said he wants to see&nbsp;Kuzma&nbsp;do more work before he takes the court in games to be sure he has no setbacks. A stress reaction is a painful condition that is a precursor to a stress fracture.</p>

<p>"We're going to try to increase his workload and activities this week and we'll see where we're at," said Vogel, who described the 24-year-old third-year forward as "probably our third-best player" behind superstar LeBron James and center Anthony Davis.</p>


The Los Angeles Lakers say Kyle Kuzma won't play when they open the NBA season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his left foot.

The Los Angeles Lakers say Kyle Kuzma won't play when they open the NBA season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday as he continues to recover from a stress reaction in his left foot. Kuzma, who averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season for the Lakers, was hurt while he was with the United States team in the run-up to the World Championships in China. He was cleared for non-contact practices after the Lakers returned from playing two NBA preseason games in China last week. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said he wants to see Kuzma do more work before he takes the court in games to be sure he has no setbacks. A stress reaction is a painful condition that is a precursor to a stress fracture. "We're going to try to increase his workload and activities this week and we'll see where we're at," said Vogel, who described the 24-year-old third-year forward as "probably our third-best player" behind superstar LeBron James and center Anthony Davis.

Lakers' Kyle Kuzma ruled out for NBA season opener