Category: Sports News

The Lakers’ new big man went to the free-throw line. The team’s former big man was on the mind of fans.

“I miss you, AD!” a Lakers fan shouted into the silence as Deandre Ayton prepared to shoot a free throw in the first quarter Friday.

Former Lakers star Anthony Davis played his first game in L.A. since being traded to the Mavericks last season, finishing with 12 points, five assists, five rebounds and three blocked shots in the Lakers' 129-119 win at Crypto.com Arena.

He had an emphatic one-handed block on a shot by former teammate LeBron James in the fourth quarter, but didn’t hold any satisfaction in the play. The Mavericks lost for the fifth time in six games.

“I get pleasure in winning,” a subdued Davis said.

The Lakers (14-4) won their sixth consecutive game, securing home-court advantage for the NBA Cup tournament quarterfinals. The Lakers will host the San Antonio Spurs, who won West Group C, on Dec. 10 at 7 p.m.

Read more:Austin Reaves helps Lakers and Luka Doncic notch win over Mavericks

The Mavericks (5-15) lost their third straight as the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to L.A. has only become more lopsided in the 10 months since it shocked the NBA.

Doncic had 35 points and 11 assists for the Lakers. Former Laker guard Max Christie, who was also involved in the trade, had 13 points and has become a starter for the Mavericks.

After two emotional matchups against his former team last year, Doncic said some of the feelings have subsided, but games against Dallas will always have special meaning for him.

Friday’s game was a well-timed return for Davis, who played in his first game after missing a month because of a calf strain. The injury stretched for weeks as the Mavericks fell into the basement of the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have the second-best record in the West. Doncic leads the league in scoring with 35.1 points per game.

Doncic’s continued ascent to superstardom and Davis’ growing injury list has only made the trade more bitter for Mavericks fans. They got their form of revenge when general manager Nico Harrison was fired on Nov. 11, but the change only signaled a new low for the franchise that went to the NBA Finals two seasons ago.

Now the player who was supposed to help fill the void left by Doncic has been included in trade rumors. The Mavericks went 3-11 without Davis.

To ensure Davis stayed in a positive mental state during the time of turmoil for the franchise, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd encouraged him to simply stay focused on getting healthy.

“The train keeps moving,” Kidd said. “No matter of a trade or a dismissal, you got to keep moving. And so for AD, [it] was to focus on his body, come back healthy. … Can't get everything solved in 24 minutes tonight, but as we go forward, we feel like we have a chance to win when he's in uniform.”

Read more:Lakers takeaways: What the Lakers are looking for as LeBron James rounds into form

Davis was on a 24- to 27-minute limit Friday. To adhere to the restriction, he had to leave the game with 6:56 left in the fourth quarter with the Mavericks trailing by three points.

Leaving the court hurt, Davis said. He had gotten two blocks, an assist and a basket during the first five minutes of the fourth quarter, then the Lakers went on a 9-1 run after Davis went to the bench.

To Kidd, Davis is still one of the best in the world when he is healthy. The coach pointed to Davis’ impressive play in the Paris Olympics when he averaged 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting 62.5% from the field.

The Lakers didn’t need to be reminded of Davis’ talent. Coach JJ Redick said Davis would get the respect that all star players deserve because of his versatile skill set. But more than the shots he blocked or baskets he scored with the Lakers, Redick valued Davis for his support during Redick’s first year as a head coach.

“Very grateful that I had buy-in from him coming in Day 1 never had coached before,” Redick said. “So, it’s one of those things like you’re rooting for certain guys. … There are certain teammates you had, there’s always going to be guys that I coached [who] I either root for them after they are not your teammate and they are not one of your players. Just not when they play against us. Not tonight.”

The Lakers played a tribute video last year when Davis was sidelined because of an abdominal injury for his first game back after the trade. Fans showered him with cheers when he was introduced in the starting lineup Friday. James playfully bumped Davis at the center of the court before the game, then they did the same intricate handshake they performed before games as teammates.

After the game, Lakers players lined up to hug Davis. Austin Reaves, who dominated with 38 points on 12-for-15 shooting with eight rebounds and three assists, gave him a two-armed bear hug. Davis grabbed the strap of his jersey and pointed toward Reaves.

“I always liked his game, what he was able to do,” Davis said of Reaves. “Just now he’s doing it on a more consistent basis, putting up elite numbers. … He’s a player who I always knew could play to this level.”

Reaves left the Lakers locker room with Davis’ blue No. 3 jersey signed by his former teammate.

“He's one of the best players to ever touch a basketball. I don't know why he wanted my jersey,” Reaves said. “But for me to get his, it's pretty fun. … From Day 1, he was telling me to be myself, don't be anybody else. Continue to work and really be myself on the court. So I owe him a lot.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Warriors get two regular-season games added to schedule after NBA Cup results originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Get ready for more Warriors basketball, Dub Nation.

Two games were added to Golden State’s 2025-26 NBA schedule due to the results of the Emirates NBA Cup action.

First, the Warriors will host the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7 p.m. PT on Friday, Dec. 12 at Chase Center. Two nights later, they’ll head to Portland to take on the Trail Blazers at 6 p.m. PT on Dec. 14 at Moda Center.

Golden State fell 104-100 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Chase Center in the NBA Cup finale. With the Memphis Grizzlies’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans earlier that day, both the Warriors and Rockets were eliminated from the cup before their game ended.

The Warriors are 10-10 on the season and have lost four of their last five contests.

They’ll look to get back in the win column when they host the Pelicans (3-16) on Saturday at Chase Center.

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The story still was about Lakers superstar Luka Doncic and Dallas star Anthony Davis, who were part of one of the NBA’s most infamous trades. They forever will be linked after the Mavericks shocked the basketball universe last February by shipping generational talent Doncic to the Lakers in a deal for multitalented Davis.

On Friday night, however, Doncic shared the spotlight with Austin Reaves, who continues to be a shining star for the Lakers.

They combined for 73 points during the Lakers’ 129-119 win over the Mavericks, and it was Reaves holding down the leading scorer spot over backcourt running mate Doncic.

Reaves was efficient with his work in scoring 38 points, going 12 for 15 from the field and six for eight from three-point range to go with eight rebounds.

The fans even chanted “M-V-P!" when Reaves shot two free throws midway through the fourth quarter, a sign of how dominant he was.

“I finally made the threes, so that was nice,” Reaves said. “Like you said, Luka draws so much attention. [LeBron James[ obviously [is] Bron and they are gonna get the majority of attention. I kind of run around out there and find open spots and make shots, hopefully big shots, and [I] sort of done [that] the last of the night.”

Doncic also was efficient in dropping 35 points on his old Mavericks teammates, going 10 for 17 from the field, four for nine from three-point range, and making all 11 of his free throws.

Doncic also had 11 assists and five rebounds to help the Lakers push their winning streak to six.

The emotions of playing the Mavericks aren’t as raw as they were the first time Doncic played in Dallas, but he admitted that he still has fond feelings for the franchise.

"I would say it's a little bit easier now,” Doncic said. “But like I said, games against Dallas always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It's always special. It'll always be special for me."

The Lakers improved to 4-0 in NBA Cup Group B play and clinched home-court advantage in the quarterfinals. They will host the San Antonio Spurs on Dec 10.

Before the Lakers play in that NBA Cup game, they have back-to-back games here, Sunday against the Pelicans and Monday against the Suns, and then travel to Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia before returning home for the single-elimination game against the Spurs.

“Yeah, just, I mean, you want to win the games regardless, whether they're for the Cup or not,” Reaves said. “Just to have the best record that you can.”

Davis, who returned after missing 14 games because of a left calf strain, scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds and handed out five assists in his first game in Los Angeles since the trade.

Deandre Ayton, who missed the Lakers' game against the Clippers on Tuesday because of a right knee contusion, had 17 points and eight rebounds.

Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the draft, had 13 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds.

Court change

The Lakers didn’t use their special NBA Cup court during their group stage game against the Mavericks after the team flagged concerns that it was too slippery.

After the Lakers debuted the special yellow court Tuesday in a win over the Clippers, Doncic said during his postgame news conference that the floor was dangerously slippery. The team reported the problem to the league, and technicians from the court vendor determined the surface was unplayable for the group stage finale, according to a team spokesperson.

The court could be repaired and available in time for the NBA Cup quarterfinals.

The colorful NBA Cup courts were designed to help set the in-season tournament apart from other regular-season games. The Lakers played their first two NBA Cup games on the road — in Memphis and New Orleans — and Doncic did not remember having a problem with courts in those games, but it became immediately clear during pregame warmups Tuesday that the Lakers’ bright yellow NBA Cup court presented issues.

"Yeah, and I really appreciate the Lakers and the league,” Doncic said. “They did us a favor. I was talking about it, so I really appreciate both of them, just changing the court and (so we can) stay healthy."

For Ayton, who missed the previous game against the Clippers because of a bruised right knee, his return was more than about his 17 points and eight rebounds.

He was mostly impressed by the way Reaves performed.

“He was making some tough buckets, man, like some mean, aggressive buckets under the rim where us trees (big men) were down there and he was making some tough baskets,” Ayton said. “I’m just like, ‘You a dawg.’ I’m running back telling him, ‘You a dawg. Like, you are making some tough baskets.’ You just got to take your hat off to him. I”ve been seeing it since I got here.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Maybe wins against the Hornets and Nets earlier this week didn’t do it for you. But Josh Hart’s play in the Knicks’ win over Milwaukee on Friday has to move the needle toward keeping him in the starting lineup.

Hart was everywhere on Friday -- Guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. Pushing the ball in transition. Play-making as a release to the double-teams on Jalen Brunson. Rebounding the ball.

It was a prototypical Hart game. 

If his play in the starting lineup continues, Mike Brown may have to think long and hard about making a permanent change.

Brown in the last three games has gone with Karl-Anthony Towns at center, Mitchell Robinson off the bench and Hart in the lineup.

Hart is averaging seven assists and 12 rebounds per game in that span. 

Again, you can brush off those numbers when they come against the Hornets and Nets, but in a highly competitive game against Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, Hart’s performance was crucial.

“He played well on both sides of the ball. He’s in a good rhythm right now,” Brunson said after the game. “Just need him to stick with that. He’s a key part, an X-factor in what we do.”

Speaking of lineups, Brown sounds like a coach who wants to see more of Robinson off the bench. 

Earlier in the season, Brown seemed to favor starting Robinson alongside Towns, but the big man has come off the bench in each of his last two games. 

“I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far,” Brown said after Robinson’s six points, seven rebounds and two steals off the bench Friday. 

“Mitch has given us a great punch off the bench. His ability to offensive rebound against starters and backups has been huge for us. So he has to keep bringing that to the table. So he gives us a different look in the starting lineup and then gives us a different look when he comes off the bench.”

The guess here is that Robinson will continue to come off the bench if everyone is healthy. 

When everyone does return, though, the big question for Brown will be whether to keep Hart in the starting lineup over options such as Landry Shamet and Miles McBride.

MVP TALK FOR BRUNSON

Brunson had 37 points on 21 shots on Friday night. He was on fire in the third quarter (16 points, 7-8 FG's) then made all the right reads in the fourth quarter when Milwaukee sent a second defender at him. 

He has scored 27 or more points in each of the past seven games.

“He should be talked about right now -- it’s early -- but as a potential MVP,” Brown said after the game. “There’s not enough chatter which -- it’s early -- so I’m not throwing a fit -- but the guy had 37 tonight on 12-of-21. And he gets blitzed often and he makes the right basketball play. He basically did what he was supposed to do and that’s why I don’t talk about it a lot because that’s what he’s capable of doing and that’s what he’s supposed to do being of that stature.

“But hopefully you guys and your peers will start really talking the right way about this young man in terms of him having some MVP talk because that’s what he is,” Brown said, referring to the media. “We’re not playing the best basketball right now but we’re trending in the right direction and he’s the engine behind it So to me, he just did what he’s supposed to do, which equates to him being the MVP of the league.”

Brown also praised another Knick point guard on Friday -- he likes what he’s seen from Tyler Kolek lately. 

Kolek had five points (all off of Hart assists), two steals and an assist in 10 minutes against Milwaukee. 

This continues a strong week overall for the youngster who chipped in five assists and three rebounds against Brooklyn, then seven points and three assists against Charlotte.  

“I didn’t play him as much as I wanted to tonight but the last two games when he’s gotten minutes, he’s been really good defensively,” Brown said. “He’s been really physical without fouling. He’s been really good pushing the basketball and distributing the basketball while getting us into our offense. I expect nothing but that from him and again I wished I’d played him a little longer because again, (he’s) on a pretty good run.”

Jalen Brunson is once again doing Jalen Brunson things.

The All-Star point guard has led the way for the Knicks’ offense all season, and that was the case again during Friday night’s NBA Cup victory over the Bucks.

Milwaukee led by one by after a back-and-forth first two quarters. 

The captain took things over from there, though, scoring 16 of New York’s 31 points in the third quarter on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting from the field to push them in front.

Brunson added just six more points in a relatively quiet final frame, but his biggest bucket was an and-one layup to put the Knicks up six with just a minute and a half left. 

He out-dueled Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, finishing the night with a game-high 37 points on 12-of-21 from the field and 4-of-6 from three while dishing five assists.

“He’s a special guy,” Miles McBride said of Brunson.

“We love games where he’s able to get it going,” Josh Hart added.

There’s been plenty of games like that of late -- Brunson is averaging 31.6 points and 6.1 assists on 52 percent from the field and 44 percent from downtown over his past seven.

That’s brought his average up to 29.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds on the season.

While it’s still early, head coach Mike Brown feels he should be getting more love in MVP talks.

“There’s not enough chatter,” he said. “It’s early, so I’m not throwing a fit, but the guy had 37 tonight on 12-of-21 (shooting), and he gets blitzed often and he makes the right play -- he did what he’s supposed to do, and that’s why we don’t talk about it because that’s what he’s capable of.

“But hopefully you guys will start talking the right way about this young man in terms of him having some MVP talk because that’s what he is. We’re not playing the best basketball right now, but we’re trending in the right direction and he’s the engine behind it, so to me he did what he's supposed to do which equates to him being the MVP.”